Islam: Questions And Answers - The Heart Softeners (Part 1)

Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 15 The Heart Softeners (Part 1)

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Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 15 The Heart Softeners (Part 1)

Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman B.Sc., DipHE

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© Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman, 2003 ISBN for all volumes 1 86179 080 5 ISBN for volume 15 paperback 1 86179 326 X ISBN for volume 15 hardback 1 86179 327 8 ISBN for volume 15 pdf eBook 1 86179 328 6 ISBN for volume 15 Microsoft eBook 1 86179 329 4 ISBN for volume 15 Palm eBook 1 86179 330 8 All Rights reserved

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Designed, Typeset and produced by: MSA Publication Limited, 4 Bello Close, Herne Hill, London SE24 9BW United Kingdom

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Contents Introduction .............................................................................. 1 Chapter 1................................................................................... 3 General ................................................................................. 3 33651: Dealing with the fitnah (temptation) of women ......................................................................... 3 21631: Every cloud has a silver lining ............................ 8 21457: Why will there be more women in Hell than men? .............................................................................. 16 26170: Ruling on missing a person who has died ......... 19 22704: How to be successful in life .............................. 20 14258: Conditions for deeds to be acceptable to Allaah ........................................................................ 31 10946: He wants to work some days of the week and spend the rest in worship............................... 35 12053: Guidance is in the hand of Allaah ..................... 36 6020: She always feels distressed when plane crashes happen .............................................................. 41 3009: Ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads) ............................................................................ 48 324: The difference between punishments and trials ............................................................................... 51 Chapter 2................................................................................. 55 Love of Allaah.................................................................... 55 44593: Fleeing to Madeenah form tribulation .............. 55 27232: What are the signs of Allaah’s love for His slave? ...................................................................... 57 10117: The indications of allah’s love for his worshippers and the way to its achievement. ................ 66 Chapter 3................................................................................. 70 Sincerity ............................................................................. 70 27170: Is it permissible to offer money to a person on the condition that he does a good deed? ....... 70 20742: Intention to do good deeds ................................ 73 v

12087: If the owner of an Islamic web-site takes payment for advertisements, will that detract from his reward?................................................ 75 Chapter 4................................................................................. 78 Showing Off ....................................................................... 78 45872: The Shaytaan whispers to him that he is showing off so that he will give up doing acts of worship .............................................................. 78 11909: Haatim al-Taa’i in the Sunnah ........................... 80 6356: Admiring oneself after doing a good deed .......... 82 21254: He gave charity because he felt embarrassed in front of his boss at work ....................... 85 22293: He has stopped advising people for fear of showing off ........................................................ 85 21880: We should not stop doing what is prescribed for fear of showing off ................................. 87 12603: Seeking knowledge in order to teach people and not for the purpose of showing off .............. 89 1733: Working for a salary and not for the Hereafter – is this blameworthy? .................................. 91 449: An imaam is guilty of some secret sin; should he continue in his position as imaam? ............... 92 Chapter 5................................................................................. 95 Supplications prescribed in Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) ........ 95 36627: Takbeer at specified times and all the time ................................................................................ 95 10508: Unrestricted Takbeer or Takbeer restricted to certain times during the days of Dhu’l-Hijjah ........... 99 7747: When should we say “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”? ................................................ 101 14608: The virtue of one who says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah ..................................................................... 104 33663: Can we say, “Praise be to Allaah besides Whom no one can be praised for that which is disliked”? ...................................................... 105 20953: Ruling on making du’aa’ in languages other than Arabic in the prayer .................................... 107 vi

9286: Remembering Allaah in the washroom ............. 109 11169: Timing of evening adhkaar .............................. 111 5666: Du’aa’s between the adhaan and iqaamah ........ 112 22765: Is there a set time for reciting the morning and evening dhikrs? ...................................... 115 22015: Mentioning the name of Allaah in the washroom .................................................................... 117 10192: Is there a du’aa’ for memorizing the Qur’aan? ...................................................................... 118 12560: Reading Qur’aan after Fajr prayer .................. 119 21895: Saying Bismillaah for wudoo’ when one is in the bathroom ........................................................ 122 12207: Which is better, glorifying and praising Allaah, or sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? ............ 123 12173: He wants to learn the awraad and adhkaars prescribed in Islam ....................................... 124 7041: He says adhkaar but bad things happen to him .......................................................................... 129 Question: ..................................................................... 129 3781: When can adhkaar al-sabaah be recited? .......... 130 2165: Adhkaar al-wudoo’ (du’aa’s to be recited when doing wudoo’) ................................................... 132 1180: Du’aa’ of wudoo’ ............................................... 133 2554: Du’aa’ to relieve worry and distress .................. 134 2355: Dhikr after salaah and before sleeping .............. 135 Chapter 6............................................................................... 139 Virtues of deeds ............................................................... 139 47190: Is he regarded as sponsoring an orphan if he simply pays money to a charity that sponsors orphans? ................................................ 139 36546: Examples of good deeds we can do every day to increase our hasanaat .............................. 143 34604: Will a person be rewarded for any calamity such as disease or an accident that befalls him? ................................................................. 147 7859: The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal ...... 151 vii

11722: Virtues of Laylat al-Qadar ............................... 153 45839: The virtue of reading Qur’aan at night when people are asleep ................................................ 155 21748: When is the “hour of response” on Friday? .... 157 26242: Good deeds ...................................................... 158 12702: Is there reward for good deeds in this world apart from reward in the Hereafter? .................. 163 21434: The reward of one whose child dies and he bears that with patience ................................... 166 5201: The difference between sponsoring orphans and adopting them ......................................... 170 13210: Do the agonies of death reduce a person’s sins? .............................................................. 174 14035: The advantages of the haafiz in this world and in the Hereafter ........................................... 175 21374: What are the best righteous deeds after the obligatory duties? .......................................... 180 21905: Seeing Laylat al-Qadr ...................................... 183 14590: Listening to Qur’aan from a CD whilst on the bus .................................................................... 185 21982: He wants something that will guide him in his worldly and religious affairs .............................. 186 21018: The danger of rushing to issue fatwas ............. 193 21575: What are the best fields of worldly work, employment or trade?........................................ 196 10936: Calamities expiate for sins .............................. 199 12391: The most honoured of you with Allaah is the one who is the most pious ................................. 200 8511: The six blessings of the martyrs ........................ 202 5226: Reward for patience when miscarrying a foetus who had a soul ............................................... 203 11419: The female martyr and the male martyr’s reward of seventy-two hoor al-‘iyn ............... 204 9282: Whoever dies of appendicitis or cirrhosis of the liver is a shaheed (martyr) .............. 205 924: Those whom Allaah will shade with His shade ..................................................................... 206 viii

8800: His wife died following childbirth – is she a shaheedah (martyr)? .................................... 211 3095: She fell into a well and died – is she counted as a shaheedah (martyr)? ............................... 213 4156: What can you do in one minute? ....................... 214 5893: Sponsoring a lost child ...................................... 219 4236: The Hadith of the Seven is Not in Reference to Men Only ............................................... 220 1699: Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah ............. 221 Chapter 7............................................................................... 232 Sins of the Tongue ........................................................... 232 45865: Ruling on double entendres............................. 232 40441: Ruling on a woman saying zihaar to her husband; and does she have to offer expiation for that? ....................................................... 234 36743: The expression “The rest is up to Allaah” is not correct .................................................. 236 27261: When is deliberate ambiguity permissible? If it is in cases of necessity, how do we define necessity? ....................................... 237 9410: Kinds of speech that we must refrain from ............................................................................. 242 1211: The phrase “The rest is up to Allaah” is not correct ................................................................ 248 10102: Ruling on cursing one’s children or wife, and does cursing one’s wife count as divorce (talaaq)? ..................................................... 249 8055: Ruling on describing nurses as “angels of mercy” ..................................................................... 250 10915: Ruling on one who curses life ......................... 250 9740: It is forbidden to lie in all circumstances .......... 251 12030: Is it a sin to insult one’s Muslim brother? ....... 252 Answer: ....................................................................... 253 10834: April Fool ........................................................ 253 5733: She gets angry quickly and curses the person with whom she is angry ................................... 253 1079: He got angry and cursed the pen and paper ...... 258 ix

Chapter 8............................................................................... 261 Backbiting and Gossip ..................................................... 261 44615: He said that he committed zina with a woman but he was lying .............................................. 261 20711: Can one backbite about a kaafir? Is complaining for the purpose of seeking advice considered to be backbiting? ....................................... 264 9784: What is the definition of gheebah and what is the ruling on it? ............................................... 267 23328: Backbiting (gheebah) and its expiation ........... 269 6710: Is mentioning the faults of (female) servants in a women’s gathering considered to be gheebah (backbiting or gossiping)? .................... 273 8504: Ruling on condemning people on the Internet ........................................................................ 274 7660: Is it gheebah if she complains about her relatives to her husband? ....................................... 276 6308: Is it obligatory to seek forgiveness of the person you have gossiped about? .......................... 280 99: Repentance (tawbah) involving backbiting (gheeba) and whether the person offended must be informed ................................................................. 284

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Introduction Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, and on his family and his companions. This book, The Heart Softeners (Part 1), is the fifteenth volume of a series of authoritative Islamic books entitled Islam: Questions And Answers. The overall series discusses issues relevant to Islam, and present accurate and reliable information based on the true beliefs and practices of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) and his companions. The objectives of the various books include: to teach and familiarize Muslims with various aspects of their religion to be a source for guiding people to Islam to assist in solving the social and personal problems of the Muslims in an Islamic context The books are directed towards Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, Islamic fiqh and jurisprudence, Islamic history, Islamic social laws (including marriage, divorce, contracts, and inheritance), Islamic finance, basic tenets and aqeedah of the Islamic faith and tawheed, and Arabic grammar as it relates to the Qur'an and Islamic texts. The books are compilations of questions and responses about Islam, from both Muslims and Non-Muslims. The responses are handled mainly by internationally re-nowned Islamic shaykhs and scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Katheer, al-Albaani, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn al-Qayyim, Al‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam, al-Nawawi, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem, al Khudayr, Al-Dhahabi, al-Qurtubi, Al-Sindi, al-Shawkaani and al-Bastawi using only authentic, scholarly sources based on the Qur'an and sunnah. References, which include Haashiyat Ibn Maajah, Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1

Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah, Al-Mawsoo’ah fi Ahaadeeth al-Mahdi al-Da’eefah wa’l-Mawdoo’ah, Al-Manaar al-Muneef and Fataawa Islamiyyah, are provided where appropriate in the responses. The book provides the reader with cross references of other pertinent responses not necessarily in the same volume, but also in other volumes of the series. However, each volume is complete in itself. The book records accurately the answers the contributing Sheikhs and scholars gave to the questions put to them. These are not necessarily the answers which other sheikhs and scholars would have given. Depending on circumstances, for example, Islam permits different solutions to some questions The book also provides the reader with cross-references to other pertinent responses not necessarily in the same volume, but also in other volumes of the series. However, each volume is complete in itself. It is intended that this present series of Books will cover the following subject areas (insha-Allah): Aqeedah (Basic Tenets of Faith); Usool ul-Fiqh (Science of evidence that serve as basis for Fiqh), Fiqh (Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings), Da'wah (Inviting others to Islam), Aadaab (Manners), Akhlaaq (Character and Morals), Tareekh wa ul Seerah (Islamic history and biography), Tarbiyyah (Pedagogy, education, and upbringing) and Mashakil Nafsiyah wa Ijtimaa'yah (Psychological & Social Problems). May Allah reward the owners and maintainers of www.islamqa.com for granting me full, exclusive, assignable and transferable rights to use and display all the questions and answers needed for the compilation of these books. May Allah grant everyone involved in the promotion of this project good in this world and the Hereafter and protection from the fire of hell.

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Chapter 1 General 33651: Dealing with the fitnah (temptation) of women Question: I have read the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “I have not left behind me any fitnah (temptation) more harmful to men than women.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5096; Muslim, 2740. My question is: how can I save myself from this temptation, when I see it everywhere – in the street, on TV, on the internet, at work…?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah has created man in a world of trials and tests, and He has made Paradise the abode of His friends and beloved ones, who preferred His pleasure over their own and preferred obedience to Him over their physical comfort. And He has made Hell the abode of those among His slaves who disobey Him and preferred their own whims and desires to the pleasure of their Lord. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been AlMuttaqoon (the pious)” [Maryam 19:63] “But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts. 3

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Verily, Paradise will be his abode” [al-Naaz’i’aat 79:40-41] And He says concerning the people of Hell (interpretation of the meaning): “Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up AsSalaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell” [Maryam 19:59] And He says (interpretation of the meaning): “That shall be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelieved and took My Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery” [al-Kahf 18:106] “Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allaah). And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts), Verily, his abode will be Hellfire” [al-Naazi’aat 79:37-39] So the Muslim must strive to worship Allaah and keep away from that which angers Allaah, for Allaah will not cause the reward the one who does good to be lost: “As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allaah’s religion — 4

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Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers)” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:69 – interpretation of the meaning] One of the fitnahs (temptations) with which we are tested is the fitnah of women, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have not left behind me any fitnah (temptation) more harmful to men than women.” There follow some of the methods by which we can avoid this temptation. We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight. 1 – Faith in Allaah. Faith in Allaah and fear of Allaah provide a safety valve and protect a person against committing haraam actions and following his own whims and desires. If the believer becomes aware that Allaah is always watching and if he ponders the meanings of His names and attributes, such as the All-Knowing, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Watchful, the Reckoner, the Preserver, the All-Encompassing, that will generate fear of Him in secret and in public, and will put a stop to disobedience towards Allaah, and will reduce the strength of desire that leads many people to commit haraam actions. 2 – Lowering the gaze and avoiding looking at haraam things The gaze can generate bad thoughts in the heart, which then lead to ideas and then to desires, then to will and resolve, and then inevitably to doing haraam things. Think about the meaning of this verse which makes a connection between the first steps towards haraam and the end result. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from 5

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illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allaah is AllAware of what they do” [al-Noor 24:30] Ibn Katheer said: “This is a command from Allaah to His believing slaves, to lower their gaze and avoid looking at that which is forbidden to them so that they only look at that which they are permitted to look at. If it so happens that a person’s gaze accidentally falls upon something haraam, he should turn his gaze away from it quickly. 3 – Warding off evil thoughts Bad thoughts pose a danger to the heart… If a person dwells on them and does not push them away, they will develop into an idea, then into will and resolve, then this will inevitably lead to haraam actions. Beware of dwelling on passing thoughts; rather what you must do is to ward them off and crowd them out with good thoughts. The treatment, then, is to ward off these passing thoughts and keep yourself busy with beneficial thoughts. 4 – Marriage It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, and whoever cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5065. 5 – Fasting for those who cannot afford to get married – because of the hadeeth quoted above, in which it says, “…and whoever cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5065. Al-Qurtubi said: The less a person eats, the weaker his desire becomes, and the weaker his desire is, the less sins he commits. 6

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6 – Keeping away from bad companions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man will follow the way of his close friends, so let each one of you look at who he takes as a close friend.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 8433; classed as hasan by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4046. 7 – Keeping away from places of temptation. It is obvious that we are living in a society that is filled with temptation – media of all types, magazines, flirting in the marketplaces, satellite TV, the internet, etc… So you have to flee from all of these in order to keep your religious commitment sound. 8 – Do not make your houses graves. Make your house a reminder of obedience, not of sin. If a room is connected to sin for example, that will make a person commit sin repeatedly, because every time he enters that room he will remember the sin and may be provoked to commit the sin again. So he should make his room and his house a reminder of obedience to Allaah, so when he enters he sees the Mus-haf which he reads, and he remembers praying qiyaam al-layl for Allaah, and the regular Sunnah prayers that he offers in this room. Doing a lot of acts of worship in your house will make a connection in your mind between the house and doing good deeds, so you will do more and will think less of sin, and the calls of desire will grow less. 9 – Trying to make the most of your time in worshipping and obeying Allaah. Time is one of the great blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon His slaves, but there are many who are not making the most of it. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and 7

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blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Two blessings which many people do not make the most of: good health and spare time.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6412. See also question no. 3234. 10 – Remembering the blessings of the Hereafter. Particularly appropriate in this context is remembering al-hoor al-‘iyn and their attributes, whom Allaah has prepared for those who are patient and steadfast in avoiding sin. This can help the Muslim to look at these transient haraam pleasures which only lead to regret and loss. We ask Allaah to help us to avoid temptation, both obvious and hidden. Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21631: Every cloud has a silver lining Question: I have seen on TV many of the calamities that have befallen the Muslim ummah, in Palestine our wounds are bleeding; in Chechnya our bodies are cut; in Afghanistan our houses are destroyed; in the Philippines and in Kashmir… and now in Iraq. Tomorrow only Allaah knows who will be meet this fate… Are these calamities and these disasters that we see good or bad?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 8

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Disasters and calamities have been created for a reason, which none can fully comprehend but Allaah. Some of the things that Allaah has shown to us indicate this. 1 – Disasters and calamities are a test of the believer’s patience. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, ‘When (will come) the Help of Allaah?’ Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allaah is near!” [al-Baqarah 2:214] 2 – This is a sign of man’s weakness and his need for his Lord, and shows that he cannot succeed unless he realizes his need for his Lord and starts beseeching Him. 3 – Calamities are a means of expiation of sin and raising one’s status. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record one good deed for him and will remove one bad deed from him.” Narrated by Muslim. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Trials will continue to befall the believing man and woman, with regard to themselves, their children and their wealth, until they meet Allaah with no sin on them.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2399; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2280. And it was narrated that Jaabir said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 9

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“On the Day of Resurrection, when people who had suffered affliction are given their reward, those who were healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.” Narrated by alTirmidhi, 2402. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 2206. 4 – One of the reasons for calamities is so that people will not feel content only with this world. If the world were free of calamities, man would love it more and feel content with it, and would forget about the Hereafter. But calamities wake him up from his negligence and make him strive for the place in which there are no calamities or trials. 5 – One of the greatest reasons behind calamities and trials is to warn against falling short in some matters, so that man can make up for the areas in which he has fallen short. This is like the warning that is issued to an employee or student who is falling short. The purpose behind it is to make him make up for his shortcomings. If he does that, then all well and good, otherwise he deserves to be punished. The evidence for that includes the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves (believe with humility). When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaytaan (Satan) made fairseeming to them that which they used to do” [al-An’aam 6:42] Another reason… is as a punishment for those who were 10

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previously warned, but did not benefit from the warning and mend their ways, and persisted in their sin. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…so We destroyed them for their sins …” [al-Anfaal 8:54] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And indeed, We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong, while their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people who are Mujrimoon” [Yoonus 10:13] “And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allaah and be righteous) to those among them [or We (first) increase in number those of its population] who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction” [al-Isra’ 17:16] Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Grief may be accompanied by that for which a person will be rewarded and praised, so it may be good in that sense, not that grief is good in and of itself, such as one who feels sad for falling short in religious matters or for calamities that befall the Muslims. In this case a person will be rewarded for what is in his heart of loving good and hating evil, and so on, but grief in itself, if it leads to failure to do that which is enjoined, namely patience, jihad, seeking benefits and warding off harm, is forbidden, but if the person does not give it up, and it is not recorded as a sin for him then he is fine.” 11

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So the one who wishes that Allaah would change his situation without any effort on his part and that of others like him needs to understand this. 6 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves (believe with humility)” [al-‘An’aam 6:42] al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: (This means) We sent (Messengers) to the nations who came before you, and they disbelieved in Our Messengers and rejected Our signs. So We seized them with poverty, sickness, calamities and disasters as a mercy from Us to them, so that they might humble themselves before us and turn to Us at times of hardship. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Evil (sins and disobedience to Allaah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allaah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allaah, and begging His Pardon)” [al-Room 30:41] al-Sa’di interprets the word fasaad (translated here as “evil”) as referring to the disasters that develop on land and sea, which are making people’s lives difficult and causing a lot of problems with regard to their livelihood and well-being.

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And the disasters that befall them themselves, such as diseases, plagues and the like, which happen because of the things their own hands have wrought of evil deeds that can only lead to bad consequences. This phrase “that He (Allaah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done” means, so that they might know that Allaah is requiting them for their deeds, so He gives them a foretaste of the recompense of their deeds in this world, “in order that they may return (by repenting to Allaah, and begging His Pardon)” i.e., repent from their deeds that have had this bad effect on them, and set their affairs straight. Glory be to the One Who blesses by means of His punishment, for if He were to make them taste all that they have done, no living creature would be left alive on earth. 7 – Worship at times of hardship and tribulation has a special flavour and a special reward. It was narrated from Ma’qil ibn Yasaar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Worshipping at times of tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me.” Narrated by Muslim, 2948. Al-Nawawi said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Worshipping at times of tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me.’ The reason why worship at such times is of such great virtue is that people become negligent about worship and are distracted from it, and no one focuses on worship except a few.” Al-Qurtubi said: “Tribulation and great hardship will happen until the matter of religion is taken lightly and people will care about nothing but their worldly affairs 13

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and how to earn a living. So worship becomes very important at times of tribulation, as Muslim narrated from Ma’qil ibn Yasaar in the marfoo’ report: ‘Worshipping at times of tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me.’” 8 – Blessings that come after pain, hardship and calamity are more precious to people. So then they appreciate the blessings of good health and safety as they should be appreciated. Another of the benefits of calamity is a reminder of how Allaah has blessed man, because the man who is created with sight – for example – forgets the blessing of sight and does not really appreciate it, but if Allaah tests him with temporary blindness, then restores to him his sight, he will fully understand the value of this blessing. If things are always easy a person may forget this blessing and not be grateful for it, so Allaah takes it away and then restores it, as a reminder to him to be grateful for it. Calamity may remind the person to whom it happens and others of the blessings of Allaah. So when a person sees one who is insane, he appreciates the blessing of sanity; when he sees one who is sick, he appreciates the blessing of sound health. When he sees a kaafir who is living like cattle, he appreciates the blessing of faith. When he sees an ignorant man he appreciates the blessing of knowledge. Only the one whose heart is open will feel this. Those who have no heart do not give thanks for the blessings of Allaah, rather they are arrogant towards the creation of Allaah. 9 – The benefit of calamity is that it rescues man from negligence and alerts him to his shortcomings in keeping his duty to Allaah, so that he does not think that he is perfect, which would lead to hardening of his heart and negligence. 14

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Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaytaan (Satan) made fairseeming to them that which they used to do” [al-An’aam 6:43] 10 – One of the benefits of tribulations and hardships is purification. Hardships reveal how people really are, and distinguish the good from the bad, the true from the false, the believer from the hypocrite. Allaah says of the Battle of Uhud and what happened to the Muslims on that day, explaining part of the wisdom behind this trial (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:179] So the true nature of all things is shown clearly. 11 – When Muslims help those Muslims who have been afflicted by calamity, they will be rewarded for that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of the believers in their mutual love, mercy and compassion is that of the body; when one part of it suffers, the rest of the body joins it in staying awake and suffering fever.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6011; Muslim, 2586. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 13; Muslim, 45. 15

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12 – At times of hardship and war we see the true meaning of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “Help you one another in AlBirr and AtTaqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)” [al-Maa’idah 5:2] Ways of cooperating in da’wah and supporting Islam include: waging jihad against the kuffaar and hypocrites for the sake of Allaah, joining with the people of Islamic da’wah in fighting the followers of kufr and misguidance, and preparing all means and tools for jihad for the sake of Allaah. One of the ways of cooperating in supporting Islam that was invented at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is cooperating in killing those who claimed to be Prophets, killing the leaders of the mushrikeen and the apostates, including those who insulted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21457: Why will there be more women in Hell than men? Question: Why are there more women in hell than men? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that women will form the majority 16

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of the people of Hell. It was narrated from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I looked into Paradise and I saw that the majority of its people were the poor. And I looked into Hell and I saw that the majority of its people are women.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3241; Muslim, 2737) With regard to the reason for that, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about it and he explained the reason. It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I was shown Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw that the majority of its people are women.” They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Because of their ingratitude (kufr).” It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allaah?” He said, “They are ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, ‘I have never had anything good from you.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1052) It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out to the Musalla on the day of Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr. He passed by the women and said, ‘O women! Give charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell.’ They asked, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He replied, ‘You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religious commitment than you. A cautious sensible man 17

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could be led astray by some of you.’ The women asked, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what is deficient in our intelligence and religious commitment?’ He said, ‘Is not the testimony of two women equal to the testimony of one man?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Is it not true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?’ The women said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is the deficiency in her religious commitment.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 304) It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “I attended Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no adhaan or iqaamah. Then he stood up, leaning on Bilaal, speaking of fear of Allaah (taqwa) and urging us to obey Him. He preached to the people and reminded them. Then he went over to the women and preached to them and reminded them. Then he said, ‘Give in charity, for you are the majority of the fuel of Hell. A woman with dark cheeks stood up in the midst of the women and said, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, ‘Because you complain too much and are ungrateful to your husbands.’ Then they started to give their jewellery in charity, throwing their earrings and rings into Bilaal’s cloak.” (Narrated by Muslim, 885) Our believing sisters who learn of this hadeeth should behave like those Sahaabiyaat who, when they learned of this, did good deeds which would be the means, by Allaah’s leave, of keeping them far away from being included in that majority of the inhabitants of Hell. So our advice to the sisters is to strive to adhere to the rituals and obligatory duties of Islam, especially prayer, 18

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and to keep away from that which Allaah has forbidden, especially shirk in its many forms which are widespread among women, such as seeking one’s needs from someone other than Allaah, going to practitioners of witchcraft and fortune-tellers, etc. We ask Allaah to keep us and all our brothers and sisters far away from the Fire and the words and deeds that bring one close to it. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26170: Ruling on missing a person who has died Question: I wanted to know if it is wrong to miss someone who has died? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We do not think there is anything wrong with missing a person who has died, even though that implies wishing to meet him and be close to him, although one is alive and the other person is dead, and this feeling serves no real purpose. But if we say that we wish we could meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), and the Taabi’een and the scholars, this feeling is the hope of meeting them in Paradise, and the person who wishes that he could meet these great people has to strive hard so that his Lord will be pleased with him and will admit him to Paradise with them, so that his longing will be fulfilled and will come to pass. This is the good result of longing 19

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to see the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah. This is the way in which the Sahaabah missed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) after he died. For example, Muslim narrated that Anas said: “After the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died, Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to ‘Umar, ‘Let us go and visit Umm Ayman as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to visit her. When they came to her, she wept, and they said, ‘Why are you crying? What is with Allaah is better for His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’ She said, ‘I am not weeping because I do not know that what is with Allaah is better for His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rather I am weeping because the Revelation from heaven has come to an end.’ That moved them deeply and they began to weep with her.” (Muslim, 2454) But if this missing a deceased friend or relative makes a person feel grief and despair – and sometimes distress – and makes him object to the will and decree of Allaah, then this should not be allowed and should be denounced and forbidden, because this may lead to the development of bad characteristics which Islam strives to keep its followers away from. The Muslim should be happy and content with the will and decree of Allaah and His rule and law. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islamqa.com) 22704: How to be successful in life Question: How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and hereafter.What kind of success or prosperity that islam want the ummah islam gain in this world. 20

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety… these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. There are religious means of achieving that, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others. There follows a summary of the means of achieving this aim for which everyone is striving. In some cases, those who achieve many of them will live a joyful life and a good life; in other cases, those who fail to achieve all of them will live a life of misery and hardship. And there are others which are in between, according to what the means he is able to attain. These means include the following: 1 – Faith and righteous deeds: This is the greatest and most fundamental of means. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [al-Nahl 16:97] Allaah tells us and promises us that whoever combines faith with righteous deeds will have a good life and a good reward in this world and in the Hereafter. The reason for that is clear: those who believe in Allaah – with sincere faith that motivates them to do righteous 21

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deeds that change hearts and attitudes and guides them to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter – follow principles and guidelines by means of which they deal with everything that happens to them, be it the causes of happiness and excitement or the causes of anxiety, worry and grief. They deal with the things that they like by accepting them and giving thanks for them, and using them in good ways. When they deal with them in this manner, that creates in them a sense of excitement and the hope that it will continue and that they will be rewarded for their gratitude, which is more important than the good things that happen to them. And they deal with bad things, worries and distress by resisting those that they can resist, alleviating those that they can alleviate, and bearing with goodly patience those that they cannot avoid. Thus as a result of the bad things they gain a lot of benefits, experience, strength, patience and hope of reward, which are more important and which diminish the hardships they have undergone and replace them with happiness and hope for the bounty and reward of Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) expressed this in a saheeh hadeeth in which he said: “How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that the believer is always gaining and the reward for his deeds is always multiplying, no matter what happens to him, good or bad. 2 – Being kind to people in word and deed, and all 22

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kinds of doing good. This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allaah wards off worries and distress from righteous and immoral like, but the believer has the greater share of that, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allaah makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allaah’s Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allaah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allaah, We shall give him a great reward” [al-Nisa’ 4:114] Part of that great reward is relief from worry, distress, troubles, etc. 3 – Another of the means of warding off anxiety that stems from nervous tension and being preoccupied with disturbing thoughts is to occupy oneself with good deeds or seeking beneficial knowledge, for that will distract one from dwelling on the matters that are causing anxiety. In this way a person may forget about the things that are making him worried and distressed, and he may become happy and more energetic. This is another means that believers and others have in common, but the believer is distinguished by his faith, sincerity and hope of reward when he occupies himself with that knowledge which he is learning or teaching, or with the good deeds that he is doing. 23

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The work with which he occupies himself should be something that he likes and enjoys, for that is more likely to produce the desired results. And Allaah knows best. 4 – Another thing that may ward off worry and anxiety is focusing all one’s thoughts of the present day, and not worrying about the future or grieving about the past. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sought refuge with Allaah from worry and regret, from regret for things in the past which one cannot put right or change, and worry which may come because of fear for the future. So one should focus only on the present day, and focus one’s efforts on getting things right today. For if a person is focused on that, this means that he will do things properly and forget about worry and regret. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said a du’aa’ or taught a du’aa’ to his ummah, as well as urging them to seek the help of Allaah and hope for His bounty, he was also urging them to strive to attain the thing they were praying for through their own efforts and to forget about the thing which they were praying would be warded off from them. Because du’aa’ (supplication) must be accompanied by action. So a person must strive to attain that which will benefit him in worldly and spiritual terms, and ask his Lord to make his efforts successful, and he should seek His help in that, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah, and do not be helpless. If anything (bad) happens to you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-andsuch, then such-and-such would have happened.’ Rather you should say, ‘Qaddara Allaah wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allaah decrees, and what He wills He does),’ for (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytaan.” (Narrated by Muslim). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) connected the matter of striving to achieve good things with the matter of seeking the help of Allaah 24

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and not giving in to feelings of helplessness which are a harmful kind of laziness, and with the matter of accepting things in the past which are over and done with, and acknowledging that the will and decree of Allaah will inevitably come to pass. He described matters as being of two types: 1 – Matters which a person may strive to achieve or to achieve whatever he can of them, or to ward them off or alleviate them. In such cases a person must strive and make the effort, and also seek the help of Allaah. 2 – Matters where such is not possible, so he must have peace of mind, accept them and submit to Allaah’s will. Undoubtedly paying attention to this principle will bring happiness and relieve worry and distress. 5 – One of the greatest means of feeling content and relaxed and of acquiring peace of mind is to remember Allaah a great deal (dhikr). That has a great effect in bringing contentment and peace of mind, and relieving worry and distress. Allaah says: “verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest” [al-Ra’d 13:28] Remembering Allaah (dhikr) has a great effect in achieving this aim because it has a special influence and because of the hope that it brings of reward. 6 – Another of the means of bringing happiness and relieving worry and distress is striving to eliminate the things that cause worry and to achieve the things that bring happiness. That may be done by forgetting about bad things in the past which cannot be changed, and realizing that dwelling on them is a waste of time. So a person must strive to stop himself from thinking of that, 25

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and also strive to stop himself from feeling anxious about the future and the things that he may imagine of poverty, fear and other bad things that he thinks may happen to him in the future. He should realize that the future is something unknown, he cannot know what good or bad things are going to happen to him. That is in the hand of the Almighty, the Most Wise, and all that His slaves can do is to strive to attain the good things and to ward off the bad things. A person should realize that if he diverts his thoughts from worrying about his future and puts his trust in his Lord to take care of his situation, and puts his mind at rest concerning that, if he does that, then his heart will be at peace and his situation will improve and he will be relieved of worry and anxiety. One of the most effective ways of dealing with worries about the future is to recite this du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite: “Allaahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaaya allati fiha ma’aashi, wa aslih li aakhirati allati ilayha ma’aadi, waj’al al-hayaata ziyaadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta raahatan li min kulli sharr (O Allaah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil).” (Narrated by Muslim, 2720). And he said, “Allaahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allaah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not abandon me to myself even for a moment. And correct all my affairs. There is no god but You).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, no. 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, p. 49). 26

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If a person utters these du’aa’s, which ask that his spiritual and worldly affairs may be set right or corrected, with proper presence of mind and sincerity of intention, whilst striving to achieve that, Allaah will grant him what he has prayed for, hoped for and striven for, and He will turn his worry into joy and happiness. 7 – If a person experiences anxiety and distress because of a disaster, then one of the most effective means of relieving himself of that is to think of the worst scenario to which that may lead, and try to accept that. When he has done that, then he should try to alleviate it as much as possible. By means of this acceptance and these efforts, he will relieve himself of his worries and distress, and instead of worrying he will strive to bring about good things and to deal with whatever he can of the bad things. If he is faced with things that cause fear or the possibility of sickness or poverty, then he should deal with that by striving to make himself accept that, or something even worse, with contentment, because by making himself accept the worst-case scenario, he lessens the impact of the thing and makes it seem less terrible, especially if he occupies himself with efforts to ward it off as much as he can. Thus as well as striving to achieve something good which will distract him from his worries about calamity, he will also renew his strength to resist bad things, and put his trust and reliance in Allaah. Undoubtedly these matters are of great benefit in attaining happiness and peace of mind, as well as bringing the hope of reward in this world and in the Hereafter. This is something which is well known from the experience of many who have tried it. 8 – Steadfastness of heart and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these 27

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thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, that will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allaah and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allaah and has hope of His bounty, that wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity. It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite. The person who is safe from all of that is the one who is protected by Allaah and helped by Him to strive to achieve that which will benefit and strengthen the heart and ward off anxiety. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him” [al-Talaaq 65:3] i.e., He will be sufficient for all that is worrying him in his spiritual and worldly affairs. The one who puts his trust in Allaah will have strength in his heart and will not be affected by anything he imagines or be disturbed by 28

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events, because he knows that these are the result of vulnerable human nature and of weakness and fear that have no basis. He also knows that Allaah has guaranteed complete sufficiency to those who put their trust in Him. So he trusts in Allaah and finds peace of mind in His promise, and thus his worry and anxiety are dispelled; hardship is turned to ease, sadness is turned to joy, fear is turned to peace. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound, and to bless us with strength and steadfastness of heart, and complete trust, for Allaah has guaranteed all good things to those who put their trust in Him, and has guaranteed to ward off all bad and harmful things from them. If bad things happen or there is the fear of such, then you should count the many blessings that you are still enjoying, both spiritual and worldly, and compare them with the bad things that have happened, for when you compare them you will see the many blessings that you are enjoying, and this will make the bad things appear less serious. See al-Wasaa’il al-Mufeedah li’l-Hayaat al-Sa’eedah by Shatkh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Sa’di Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allaah may dispel worries and regret. These are as follows: 1- Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (belief in the Oneness of Divine Lordship) 2- Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (belief in the Oneness of the Divine nature) 3- Tawheed of knowledge and belief (i.e., Tawheed alAsma’ wa’l_Sifaat, belief in the Oneness of the Divine names and attributes) 4- Thinking of Allaah as being above doing any injustice 29

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to His slaves, and above punishing anyone for no cause on the part of the slave that would require such punishment. 5- The person’s acknowledging that he is the one who has done wrong. 6- Beseeching Allaah by means of the things that are most beloved to Him, which are His names and attributes. Two of His names that encompass the meanings of all other names and attributes are al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyoom (the Eternal). 7- Seeking the help of Allaah Alone. 8- Affirming one’s hope in Him. 9- Truly putting one’s trust in Him and leaving matters to Him, acknowledging that one’s forelock is in His hand and that He does as He wills, that His will is forever executed and that He is just in all that He decrees. 10-Letting one’s heart wander in the garden of the Qur’aan, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress. 11-Seeking forgiveness. 12-Repentance. 13-Jihad. 14-Salaah (prayer). 15-Declaring that he has no power and no strength, and leaving matters to the One in Whose hand they are. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound from worries 30

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and to relieve us of distress and anxiety, for He is the AllHearing, Ever-Responsive, and He is the Ever-Living, Eternal. See Alhomoom – Dealing with Worries and Stress, in the Books section of this site. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 14258: Conditions for deeds to be acceptable to Allaah Question: When a Muslim does an action, what conditions make it acceptable and therefore rewarded by Allah. Is it simply that you intended to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah, and therefore you will be rewarded even though you may have been wrong in your action. Or is it that you must have the intention, but you also need to follow the correct Sunnah as well. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. For acts of worship to be acceptable to Allaah and for a person to be rewarded for them, there are two conditions which must be met:

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The first condition: it should be devoted to Allaah Alone. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him)” [al-Bayyinah 98:5] The meaning of worshipping Allaah alone is that the person should intend in all his words and deeds, both inward and outward, to seek the Face of Allaah (i.e., His pleasure). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back, Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High” [al-Layl 92:19] “(Saying): “We feed you seeking Allaah’s Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you” [al-Insaan 76:9] “Whosoever desires (by his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world (by his deeds), We give him thereof (what is decreed for him), and he has no portion in the Hereafter” [al-Shoora 42:20] “Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter 32

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but Fire, and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do” [Hood 11:15-16] It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Bad’ al-Wahy, 1). It was narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: ‘I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me.’” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Zuhd wa’l-Raqaa’iq, 5300) The second condition is that the action should be in accordance with the only way which Allaah has prescribed for worship, which is by following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the laws that he has brought. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Aqdiyyah, 3243). Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “This hadeeth forms one of the most important principles of Islam. It is like a scale for weighing up deeds according 33

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to their outward appearance, just as the hadeeth ‘The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions’ is the means of weighing up the inner nature of deeds. Just as every action which is not intended for the sake of Allaah brings no reward to the one who does it, so too every deed which is not in accordance with the command of Allaah and His Messenger will also be rejected and thrown back at the one who does it. Everyone who innovates in Islam something for which Allaah and His Messenger have not granted permission, that thing is nothing to do with Islam. (Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam, part 1, p. 176) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined following his Sunnah and teachings, and made them binding. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You have to follow my Sunnah (way) and the way of my rightly-guided successors (al-khulafa’ alraashidoon); bite onto it with your eyeteeth (i.e., cling firmly to it).” And he warned against bid’ah (innovation), as he said: “Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is a going astray.” (narrated by alTirmidhi, al-‘Ilm, 2600; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2157) Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Allaah has made devotion of worship to Him alone and following the Sunnah the means of deeds being accepted; if these conditions are not met, then deeds are unaccaptable.” (al-Rooh, 1/135) Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed” [al-Mulk 67:2]

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al-Fudayl said: “’best in deed’ means, most devoted to Allaah alone and most in accordance with the Sunnah. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10946: He wants to work some days of the week and spend the rest in worship Question: I know a Brother in Islaam, who left his haraam job, after realsing the haraam nature of it - Alhamdhu Lillah. He is now looking for a job that is just sufficient to feed and clothe his family. He is keen to work only as many days to earn that income. The rest of the week he wants to spend in the mosque reading Qu’raan and praying etc.. Is his behaviour permissible? Does Islaam not say that the daytime is for seeking sustenance and the night for prayers.? Is it not better for him to seek a good job so that the extra money can be given as zakat to the poor? Doesn’t his family have rights over him with regard to time. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Muslim who is able to earn a living must strive to earn that which will keep him and those under his guardianship, such as his wife and children, from having to beg, and to earn what he needs to spend on their maintenance. If he manages to do that, then if he spends 35

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the rest of his time, whether during the night or the day, in worshipping Allaah by praying, fasting, reading Qur’aan, that is better. There is no specific time for worship in general, but yes, praying qiyaam at night is better than praying during the day. This does not mean that there is no reward for praying naafil prayers during the day. He should start by doing that which is obligatory, whether the obligation is towards Allaah or towards His creation, then he can use the rest of his time for doing that which is mustahabb, and if he indulges in some permissible activities for the purpose of relaxation and recreation, that is OK. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr (www.islam-qa.com) 12053: Guidance is in the hand of Allaah Question: How can we reconcile between the aayahs (interpretation of the meanings): “Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like” [al-Qasas 28:56] and “And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path”[al-Shooraa 42:52]? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah has created man and given him reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice. “And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever

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wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve [al-Kahf 18:29 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey the truth to all of mankind. Then they have the choice to do as they wish. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance)’”[Yoonus 10:108] Islam is the religion of the natural state of man (fitrah), the religion of reason and thought. Allaah has distinguished the truth from falsehood. He has enjoined all that is good and forbidden all that is evil. He has permitted good things and forbidden evil things. There is no compulsion in religion because the benefits or harms come back upon the created being, not upon the Creator. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot (false gods) and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break” [al-Baqarah 2:256] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

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“Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves”[Fussilat 41:46] Guidance is in the hand of Allaah. If Allaah willed, He could guide all of mankind, for there is nothing that He cannot do on this earth or in the heavens. Nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He wills. “Say: ‘With Allaah is the perfect proof and argument, (i.e. the Oneness of Allaah, the sending of His Messengers and His Holy Books, to mankind); had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all’”[al-An’aam 6:149 – interpretation of the meaning] But in His Wisdom, Allaah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his ownself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and I (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you” [al-An’aam 6:104] The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has no part in guidance; all that he and the Muslims have to do is to explain and convey the message, and show them guidance but they cannot force people to follow it, as Allaah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have 38

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believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers”[Yoonus 10:99] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly”[al-‘Ankaboot 29:18] Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allaah alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allaah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided[al-Qasas 28:56] Allaah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety”[Muhammad 47:17] But whoever disobeys Allaah and turns away from Him, Allaah will not guide him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Truly, Allaah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever” [al-Zumar 39:3] Allaah is Omniscient and knows what has happened and is happening and what is yet to come. Allaah knows the believers and the disbelievers, and what they will do, and He knows what their fate will be in the Hereafter. He has 39

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written all that in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And all things We have recorded in a Book”[al-Naba’ 78:29] Allaah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believer or disbelieve, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful” [al-Insaan 76:3] Man has the choice in terms of his reason only; if he loses his reason by which he is able to distinguish between the alternatives of good and evil, truth and falsehood, then he is not accountable. Hence according to Islamic sharee’ah, the pen is lifted from the insane person (i.e., he is not accountable) until he recovers his senses, and from the child until he reaches the age of understanding, and from the sleeper until he wakes up. None of these people are accountable until they gain or recover the reason by which they may distinguish between the alternatives of faith and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and so on. Whatever direction a person takes, there will be reward and punishment, If he obeys, there will be Paradise: “Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allaah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds” [al-Shams 91:9 – interpretation of the meaning] and if he disobeys, there will be Hell: “And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allaah has ordered by rejecting the true 40

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Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds” [al-Shams 91:10 – interpretation of the meaning] The choice of one of these two ways is something about which a person will be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds. Hence it is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is the matter of personal choice. Allaah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice: “Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves”[Fussilat 41:46] Whoever loves Allaah and His Messenger and desires good in this world and in the Hereafter, let him enter Islam, and whoever turns away from that and is content with this world and has no interest in the Hereafter and does not submit, then his abode will be Hell. The individual is the one who will benefit or harm himself. There is no compulsion to choose either. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, this (Verses of the Qur’aan) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord (Allaah)” [al-Insaan 76:29] From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 6020: She always feels distressed when plane crashes happen Question: I am newly converted to the Islamic religion. To get to know Allah and be able to know that He is with us in our 41

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daily life, it is a great comfort. However, I was so stunning by the air plane crash of JFK jr., I could not stop crying. I don’t understand why Allah sometimes acts in a such mysteroius way. I feel that we as human beings really don’t have control over lives. When I am in a difficult situation, I often pray to Allah to help me go through the tough time, sometimes I feel my prayers are being answered,that Allah is so close to me; yet other times I feel He is so distanced from us, prayers to Allah are the only way for me to get comforts from the Almighty, but I still don’t understand why tragedy happened so often. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Praise be to Allaah for your coming to Islam. Allaah has blessed you by making you Muslim. And praise be to Allaah for the fact that you feel Allaah is with you, for this is what brings peace to the heart and makes deeds righteous. Please understand that Allaah sends trials upon people so as to distinguish between them, so that it will be known who will bear it with patience and the hope of reward from Allaah, and who will be filled with despair and will resent the decree of Allaah. So those who are patient will be rewarded with Paradise and those who despair will be punished with torment, grief and pain in this world, before the Hereafter. The plane crash which you mentioned is of this nature. The people on board were either committed Muslims, so this disaster is an expiation for their sins and will raise their status, as it is a kind of martyrdom (shahaadah) for which they will be rewarded, and their families will be rewarded if they bear their loss with patience; or they 42

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were kuffaar and evildoers who did not obey their Lord, so the accident was a punishment from Allaah and vengeance from Him. A Muslim must not feel sad for the death of non-Muslims because every human being is destined to die. But dying before we Muslims were able to guide them to Islam is our source of grief and sadness because who ever is not Muslim is doomed in hell. There is nothing mysterious about this as you claim. It is the decree of Allaah which happens at every instant; we must bear it with patience and not let grief overwhelm us. The crash of this airplane is a sign from Allaah to mankind, to remind them of the greatness of the power of Allaah. Allaah says concerning ships (interpretation of the meaning): “And among His Signs are the ships in the sea like mountains. If He wills, He causes the wind to cease, then they would become motionless on the back (of the sea). Verily, in this are signs for everyone patient and grateful. Or He may destroy them (by shipwreck) because of that which their (people) have earned. And He pardons much. And those who dispute (polytheists, with Our Messenger Muhammad) as regards Our Ayaat (proofs, signs, verses of Islamic Monotheism) may know that there is no place of refuge for them (from Allaah’s punishment) So whatever you have been given is but (a passing) enjoyment for this worldly life, but that which is with Allaah (Paradise) is better and more lasting for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic 43

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Monotheism) and put their trust in their Lord (concerning all of their affairs).” [al-Shoora 42:32-36] Plane crashes and other disasters serve to remind people that no matter how much progress they make in earthly terms and how much strength they gain, Allaah is stronger and more powerful than they. What they do and the developments they have made will not save them from the punishment and decree of Allaah if it comes to them. Let people go back and look at themselves, and realize how incapable and weak they really are, and how strong, mighty and powerful Allaah is. Please realize that Allaah is close and that He responds to the call of the one who is in need. Allaah does not distance Himself from man unless man distances himself from Allaah and becomes arrogant. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright” [al-Baqarah 2:186] So no one should feel that Allaah is far away from him, unless he has done something to affect the relationship between him and Allaah. If he puts matters right between him and Allaah, then he will not feel that grief and distance. The feelings of grief and loneliness that have overwhelmed you are from the accursed Shaytaan who 44

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wants to cause grief to those who believe; he does not want to see them active in doing actions of obedience to Allaah that will bring joy to their hearts. Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the AllHearer, the AllKnower” [Fussilat 41:36] “Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (i.e. don’t punish them). And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytaan (Satan), then seek refuge with Allaah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower” [al-A’raaf 7:199-200] “Repel evil with that which is better. We are BestAcquainted with the things they utter. And say: ‘My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayaateen (devils). And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.’” [al-Mu’minoon 23:96-98] “Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allaah orders the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly) then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient — and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of happiness in the Hereafter, i.e., Paradise and of a high moral character) in this world. 45

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And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the AllHearer, the AllKnower.” [Fussilat 41:34-36] There is no fourth aayah with a meaning like that of these three, which is that Allaah commands us to be kind to human enemies and treat them kindly so that their inherent good nature will prevail and they will become our friends. But He commands us to seek refuge with Him from satanic enemies; there is no point in being kind to them or treating them nicely, for they want only to destroy the sons of Adam because of the intensity of the enmity between them and their father Adam beforehand. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytaan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwaa’ (Eve)] out of Paradise” [al-A’raaf 7:27] “Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire” [Faatir 35:6] “Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc).” [al-Kahf 18:50] Iblees swore to our father Adam that he was one of the sincere, but he lied, so how about his dealings with us? Especially since he said: “By Your Might, then I will surely, mislead them all, Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (i.e. faithful, 46

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obedient, true believers of Islamic Monotheism)” [Saad 38:82-83 – interpretation of the meaning] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So when you want to recite the Qur’aan, seek refuge with Allaah from Shaytaan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one). Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allaah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allaah, i.e. those who are Mushrikoon, i.e., polytheists.” [al-Nahl 16:98-100] (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/14) So turn to Allaah, remember Him and strive to worship Him, so that your soul will become pure and love for Him will become firmly entrenched in your heart, and you will be relieved of your worry and grief. Remember the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says: ‘Allaahumma inni ‘abduka ibn ‘abdika ibn amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al alQur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’ huzni wa dhihaab hammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant; my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the 47

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Unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety),’ but Allaah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy.” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 3704; it is a saheeh hadeeth). May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 3009: Ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads) Question: What is the ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Some scholars say that it is permissible to use the masbahah, but they say that it is preferable to do tasbeeh on one’s fingers; others say that it is bid’ah (reprehensible innovation). Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Fataawa (22/ 187): “Some of them might show off by putting their prayer-mats over their shoulders and carrying their masbahahs in their hands, making them symbols of religion and prayer. It is known from the mutawaatir reports that neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) nor his Companions used these as symbols. They used to recite tasbeeh and count on their fingers, as the hadeeth says: “Count on your fingers, for they will asked, and will be made to speak.” Some of them may count their tasbeeh with pebbles or date stones. Some people say that doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is 48

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makrooh, and some allow it, but no one says that tasbeeh with the masbahah is better than tasbeeh with the fingers.” Then he (may Allaah have mercy on him) goes on to discuss the issue of showing off with the masbahah, saying that it is showing off with regard to something that is not prescribed by Islam, which is worse than showing off with regard to something that is prescribed. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (al-Liqa’ al-Maftooh, 3/30) was asked whether using the masbahah for tasbeeh is bid’ah, and his reply was: “It is better not to do tasbeeh with the masbahah, but it is not bid’ah, because there is a basis for it, which is the fact that some of the Sahaabah did tasbeeh with pebbles. But the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught that tasbeeh with the fingers is better, as he said, ‘Count with the fingertips, for they will be made to speak.’ Doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is not haraam or bid’ah, but it is better not to do it, because the one who does tasbeeh with the masbahah has shunned something better. Using the masbahah may also be contaminated with some element of showing off, because we see some people carrying masbahahs that contain a thousand beads, as if they are telling people, ‘Look at me, I do a thousand tasbeehs!’ Secondly, those who use the masbahah for tasbeeh are usually absent-minded and not focused, so you see them doing tasbeeh with the beads, but their gaze is wandering all over the place, which indicates that they are not really concentrating. It is better to do tasbeeh with one’s fingers, preferably using the right hand rather than the left, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to count his tasbeeh on his right hand. If a person counts his tasbeeh using both hands, there is nothing wrong with that, but it is better to use the right hand only.” Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani said in 49

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Al-Silsilat al-Da’eefah (1/110), where he quotes the (weak) hadeeth “What a good reminder is the subhah [masbahah],” “In my view, the meaning of this hadeeth is invalid for a number of reasons: Firstly, the subhah [masbahah] is bid’ah and was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It happened after that, so how could he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have encouraged his Sahaabah to do something that was unknown to them? The evidence for what I have said is the report narrated by Ibn Waddaah in Al-Bid’ wa’l-Nahy ‘anhaa from al-Salt ibn Bahraam, who said: ‘Ibn Mas’ood passed by a woman who had a [masbahah] with which she was making tasbeeh, and he broke it and threw it aside, then he passed by a man who was making tasbeeh with pebbles, and he kicked him then said, “You think you are better than the Sahaabah, but you are following unjustified bid’ah! You think you have more knowledge than the Companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!”’ Its isnaad is saheeh to al-Salt, who is one of the trustworthy (thiqah) followers of the Taabi’een. Secondly, it goes against the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) counting the tasbeeh on his right hand.’” He also said (1/117): “If there is only one bad thing about the masbahah, which it is that it takes the place of the Sunnah of counting on the fingers, even though all are agreed that counting on the fingers is preferable, then that is bad enough. How rarely I see people counting their tasbeeh on their fingers! 50

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Moreover, people have invented so many sophisticated ways of following this bid’ah, so you see the followers of one of the [Sufi] tareeqahs wearing the masbahah around their necks! Or some of them counting with the beads whilst talking or listening to you! Or another one – the like of whom I have not seen for some time – riding his bicycle through a street crowded with people, with the masbahah in one of his hands! They are showing the people that they are not distracted from the remembrance of Allaah for even an instant, but in many cases this bid’ah is a cause of their neglecting what is obligatory (waajib). It has happened many times – to others as well as myself – that when I greet one of these people with salaam, they answer only by waving and not by saying the words of the greeting. The bad results of this bid’ah are innumerable, and no one can say it better than the poet: ‘All goodness is in following that which went before (the salaf) All badness is in the innovations of those who came later.’” And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 324: The difference between punishments and trials Question: Allah menitions in the Quran that when an evil befalls us it is due to what our own hands have earned. Also our beloved Messenger, Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alayhi 51

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wassallam) said in a hadith that the most tried are the Prophets, then those in piety after those. So therefore in our day to daylife when things go wrong in our lives how do we decide whether it is due to our sinfulness or that Allah loves us . and therefore sends a trial upon us Jazakallahu khairun Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Punishments are what happen to people in return for their evil deeds. Trials are tests which are sent to try people, and people may be tested by good things or by bad. Concerning punishments, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself…” [al-Nisa’ 4:79] Concerning the phrase “is from yourself”, Qutaadah said: “[It means] the punishment is for you, O son of Adam, because of your sin.” Abu Saalih said that “whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself” means “because of your sin, and I [Allaah] am the One Who decreed it for you.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer). Allaah also says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” [alShoora 42:30] Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “[It means] whatever misfortune happens to you, O people, is because of evil deeds that you have already done, and ‘He pardons much’ refers to evil deeds – He does not punish you for them but He pardons them. ‘And if Allaah were to punish men for that which they earned, he would 52

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not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth…’ [Faatir 35:45 – interpretation of the meaning].” Concerning trials, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If Allaah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever has patience will have patience, and whoever is anxious will be anxious.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1706). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “The extent of the reward will be in accordance with the extent of the trial. If Allaah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is content will have contentment, and whoever is angry will have anger.” (Reported by alTirmidhi, 2320; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2210). The following outlines how one may tell whether a given event is a punishment or a trial: If the misfortune results from doing an act of obedience to Allaah, such as being wounded in jihaad, or losing money when migrating for the sake of Allaah, or losing a job because of becoming Muslim or increasing one’s commitment to Islam, then this is a trial. Whoever bears it with patience will be rewarded, but if one reacts angrily then one will earn the wrath of Allaah. If the misfortune results from sin, such as sexually-transmitted diseases or illnesses caused by drinking alcohol and taking drugs, and so on, then this is the kind of punishment that comes in this world (as opposed to being deferred until the Hereafter). If the misfortune is connected neither to a good deed nor a sin – such as other kinds of disease and sickness, losing a child, or failing in business – then it depends on the person’s situation. If he is good and devout, it is a trial, and if he is sinful, it is a punishment. The misfortune may be a punishment to atone for sins, or it may be a trial aimed at raising a person’s status and 53

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increasing his hasanaat (good deeds/rewards) – this may be determined by whether a person is obedient or disobedient. A person should not praise himself, rather he should criticize himself for his shortcomings and strive to attain perfection. He will benefit from misfortunes in any case, if he has patience and hopes for reward. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 2 Love of Allaah 44593: Fleeing to Madeenah form tribulation Question: How can I flee to Madeenah to save myself from the tribulations that have appeared and become prevalent??. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is proven in the hadeeth of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Madeenah is like a bellows that eliminates the dross and enhances the good elements.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6785; Muslim, 1383. Al-Nawawi said: What this means is that those who faith is contaminated will leave Madeenah and those whose faith is sincere will stay there. It is proven in the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no land that the Dajjaal will not enter, apart from Makkah and Madeenah. At every path of them there are angels in ranks, guarding them. Madeenah will be shaken three times with its inhabitants, and Allaah will bring out of it every kaafir and hypocrite.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1782; Muslim, 160. And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings 55

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of Allaah be upon him) said: “There will come a time when a man will say to his cousin and relatives, ‘Come to an easy life, come to an easy life,’ but Madeenah will be better for them if only they knew. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no one leaves Madeenah because he prefers to lives elsewhere but Allaah will replace him with someone who is better. Madeenah is like a bellows that brings out the dross. The Hour will not begin until Madeenah is cleansed of its evil people like the bellows cleanses iron of dross.” Narrated by Muslim, 1381. These ahaadeeth explain that no evil will remain in Madeenah and that it is always cleansed of its evil; the Dajjaal will never enter it, and it is a better for those who leave it for other places. But this does not necessarily mean that those who leave Madeenah have been tempted by the Shaytaan. Allaah has created the causes of remaining steadfast in adhering to truth and guidance, just as He has created the causes of going astray. Everything is in the hand of Allaah, from beginning to end, and Allaah creates causes for everything. Some of the causes and means of remaining steadfast in adhering to guidance are as follows: 1- Remembering Allaah a great deal (dhikr), praying and reading Qur’aan 2- Always making du’aa’ and asking Allaah to make one steadfast 3- Keeping company with good people and sitting with righteous people 4- Keeping away from situations and places that provoke desires and cause temptation 56

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5- Arming oneself with Islamic knowledge 6- Calling people to Allaah (da’wah) and sacrificing that which is most precious for the sake of Allaah 7- You should read the books Ways to Steadfast Faith and the book , 33 Ways of Developing Khushoo’ in Salaah on this website (under Useful Material > Books). May Allaah help you to do all that is good. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 27232: What are the signs of Allaah’s love for His slave? Question: What are the signs of Allaah’s love for His slave?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. You have asked about a serious and weighty matter, which none attain but very few of the righteous slaves of Allaah. The love of Allaah is “the status for which the righteous compete and strive… It is the nourishment of hearts and souls… the delight of the eyes… It is the life of which one who is denied it is dead… the light which the one who loses it is in deep darkness… the healing of which the one who is denied is sick… the joy which the one who is deprived of it lives in distress and pain… It is the spirit of faith and good deeds… by means of which one may draw closer to Allaah… which, when it is absent, one is like a body in which there is no soul.” 57

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O Allaah, make us among those whom You love. The love of Allaah has signs and causes which are like the key to the door. These causes include the following: 1 –Following the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:31] 2-5 – Being humble towards the believers and stern towards the kaafirs, waging jihad for the sake of Allaah, and not fearing anyone or anything but Him. Allaah has mentioned these qualities in a single verse, in which He says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allaah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allaah, and never fear of the blame of the blamers” [al-Maa’idah 5:54] In this verse Allaah describes the attributes of those whom He loves, the first of which is: humility and not being arrogant towards the Muslims, and being stern towards the kaafirs, and not humbling or humiliating oneself before them. They (the ones whom Allaah loves) strive for the sake of Allaah, against the Shaytaan, the kuffaar, the hypocrites and the evildoers, and they strive against their own selves (jihad al-nafs). They do not fear the blame of 58

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any blamer, because so long as they are following the commands of their religion, he will not care about anyone who mocks him or blames him. 6 – Doing naafil (supererogatory) acts of worship. Allaah says – according to a hadeeth qudsi – “My slave keeps drawing near to me by means of supererogatory acts of worship until I love Him.” Supererogatory acts of worship include naafil prayers, charity, ‘Umrah, Hajj and fasting. 8-12 – Loving, visiting one another, helping one another (financially) and offering sincere advice to one another for the sake of Allaah. These attributes were mentioned in a single hadeeth in which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) narrated that his Lord said: “My love is guaranteed for two who love one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who visit one another for My sake; My love is guaranteed for two who help one another (financially) for My sake; My love is guaranteed to two who uphold ties with one another for My sake.” Narrated by Ahmad, 4/236 and 5/236; al-Tanaasuh by Ibn Hibbaan, 3/338; the two ahaadeeth were classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’lTarheeb, 3019, 3020, 3021. What is meant by “two who visit one another for My sake” is that they only visit one another for the sake of Allaah, seeking thereby His pleasure for their loving one another for His sake or cooperating in worshipping Him. From al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’, hadeeth 1779. 13 – Being tested. Calamities and disasters are a test for a person, and this is a sign that Allaah loves him, because this is like medicine: even though it is bitter, but still you offer the medicine, despite its bitterness, to the one whom 59

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you love; and Allaah’s is the highest description. According to a saheeh hadeeth: “The greatest reward comes from the greatest trial. When Allaah loves people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it gains the pleasure of Allaah and whoever complains earns His wrath. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2396; Ibn Maajah, 4031; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani. For calamities to befall the believer is better than punishments being stored up for him in the Hereafter. How can it be otherwise when he is raised in status and his bad deeds are erased thereby? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Allaah wills good for His slave, He hastens his punishment in this world, and when He wills bad for His slave, He withholds his sins until he comes with them on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2396; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani. The scholars have explained that the one from whom calamities and trials are withheld is the hypocrite, for Allaah withholds [his punishment] in this world, so as to bring him with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection. O Allaah, make us among those whom You love. If Allaah loves you, do not ask about the good that you will attain and the virtue that you will acquire… it is sufficient for you to know that you are beloved of Allaah. The great fruits of the love of Allaah for His slave are as follows: 1 – People will love him and he will be accepted on earth, as it says in the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (3209): “When Allaah loves a slave, He says to Jibreel, ‘I love so-and-so, so love him,’ so Jibreel loves him and then 60

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calls out to the people of heaven, ‘Allaah loves so-andso, so love him,’ and the people of heaven love him, and then acceptance is placed in the Earth for him.” 2 – What Allaah has mentioned in the hadeeth qudsi of the great virtues of those whom He loves. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 6502. This hadeeth qudsi includes a number of benefits of Allaah’s love for His slave: (i) “I am his hearing with which he hears” i.e., he does not listen to anything but that which Allaah loves. (ii) “his seeing with which he sees” i.e., he does not see anything but that which Allaah loves. (iii) “his hand with which he strikes” i.e., he does not do anything with his hand but that which Allaah loves. (iv) “and his foot with which he walks” i.e., he does not go towards anything but that which Allaah loves. (v) “Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely 61

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give it to him” i.e., his du’aa’s are heard and his requests are granted. (vi) “and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it” i.e., he is protected by Allaah from all things… We ask Allaah to help us to please Him. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 949: When does the love of Allaah save a person from punishment? Question: Will a person who loves Allaah enter Hell? There are many kuffaar such as Jews and Christians who love Allaah, and similarly there are immoral Muslims who love Allaah. They would never say that they hate their Lord. Can you clarify this matter? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said regarding this matter: There are four kinds of love, which we must differentiate between, and those who go astray do so because they do not make this distinction. The first of them is love of Allaah, but this alone is not sufficient to save a person from the punishment of Allaah and to earn him His reward. The Mushrikeen, worshippers of the cross, Jews and others all love Allaah. The second is love of that which 62

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Allaah loves. This is what brings a person into Islam and out of Kufr. The most beloved of people to Allaah is the one who is most correct and most devoted in this kind of love. The third kind is love for the sake of Allaah, which is one of the essentials of loving that which Allaah loves. A person’s love of that which Allaah loves cannot be complete until he also loves for the sake of Allaah. The fourth is love for something alongside Allaah, and this love has to do with shirk. Everyone who loves things alongside Allaah but not for the sake of Allaah has taken that thing as a rival to Allaah. This is the love of the Mushrikeen. There remains a fifth kind of love which has nothing to do with our topic; this is the natural love which is a person’s inclination towards that which suits his nature, such as the love of a thirsty person for water or of a hungry person for food, or the love of sleep, or of one’s wife and children. There is nothing wrong with this unless it distracts a person from remembering Allaah and keeps him from loving Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah” [al-Munaafiqoon 63:9] “Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah” [al-Noor 24:37] (Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, 1/134) And he said (may Allaah have mercy on him): The difference between loving for the sake of Allaah and loving something alongside Allaah is one of the most important distinctions. Everyone needs to make this distinction and is indeed obliged to do so. Loving for the 63

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sake of Allaah is a sign of the perfection of faith, but loving something alongside Allaah is the essence of shirk. The difference between them is that a person’s love for the sake of Allaah is connected to his love of Allaah; if this love becomes strong in his heart, this love dictates that he will love that which Allaah loves. If he loves that which his Lord loves and he loves those who are the friends of Allaah, this is love for the sake of Allaah. So he loves His Messengers, Prophets, angels and close friends because Allaah loves them, and he hates those who hate them because Allaah hates those people. The sign of the love and hatred for the sake of Allaah is that his hatred for the one whom Allaah hates will not turn into love merely because that person treats him kindly, does him a service or meets some need he has; and his love for those whom Allaah loves will not turn to hatred simply because that person does something that upsets or hurts him, whether it is done by mistake or deliberately, in obedience to Allaah or because the person feels that he has a duty to do it for some reason, or because the person is a wrongdoer who may yet give up his wrongdoing and repent. The entire religion revolves around four principles: love and hatred, and stemming from them, action and abstinence. The person whose love and hatred, action and abstinence, are all for the sake of Allaah, has perfected his faith so that when he loves, he loves for the sake of Allaah, when he hates, he hates for the sake of Allaah, when he does something, he does it for the sake of Allaah, and when he abstains from something, he abstains for the sake of Allaah. To the extent that he is lacking in these four categories, he is lacking in faith and commitment to religion. This is in contrast to the love of things alongside Allaah, which is of two types. One is diametrically opposed to the principle of Tawheed and is shirk; the other is opposed to perfection of sincerity and love towards Allaah, but does not put a person beyond the pale of Islam. The first kind is like the love of the Mushrikeen for their 64

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idols and gods. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah” [al-Baqarah 2:165] These Mushrikeen love their idols and gods alongside Allaah as they love Allaah. This love and devotion is accompanied by fear, hope, worship and supplication. This love is pure Shirk which Allaah does not forgive. Faith cannot be perfected unless a person regards these idols as enemies and hates them intensely, and hates the people who worship them, and regards them as enemies and strives against them. This is the message with which Allaah sent all His Messengers and revealed all His Books. He created Hell for the people of shirk who love these rivals, and He created Paradise for those who strive against them and take them as enemies for His sake and to earn His Pleasure. Anybody who worships anything from the vicinity of the Throne to the lowest depths of the earth and takes a god and a supporter besides Allaah and associates another beings in worship with Him, will be disowned by the object of his worship when he is most in need of it [i.e., on the Day of Judgement]. The second kind is love for the things which Allaah has made attractive to people, such as women, children, gold, silver, branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. People love them with a kind of desire, like the love of the hungry person for food and the thirsty person for water. This love is of three kinds. If a person loves them for the sake of Allaah and as a means of obeying Allaah, he will be rewarded for that; it will be counted as a part of love for the sake of Allaah and a means of reaching Him, and he will still find enjoyment in them. This is how the best 65

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of creation [i.e. the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] was, to whom women and perfume were made dear in this world, and his love for them helped him to love Allaah more and to convey His Message and fulfil His commands. If a person loves them because they suit his nature and his own desires, but he does not give them preference over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, and he gets them because of his natural inclination, then they come under the heading of things which are permissible, and he will not be punished for that, but his love of Allaah and for the sake of Allaah will be lacking somewhat. If his sole purpose in life is to get these things, and he gives priority to that over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, then he is wronging himself and following his own desires. The first is the love of al-Saabiqoon (those who are foremost in Islam); the second is the love of almuqtasidoon (those who are average) and the third is the love of al-zaalimoon (the wrongdoers). Al-Rooh by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/254. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10117: The indications of allah’s love for his worshippers and the way to its achievement. Question: What is the indications of allah’s love for his worshippers and how to achieve it. 66

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Almighty Allah said : “Say (O Mohammad Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam to mankind) : “if you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept islamic monotheism, follow the Qur’an and Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Qur’an 3:31. Abu Huraira Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam. Said, ‘if Allah loves a person, He calls Jibrael (Gabriel) saying,’Allah loves so and so; O Jibrael (Gabriel) love him.’ And make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the heaven: “ Allah loves so and so therefore you should love him also, and so all the inhabitans of the heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasures of the people on the earth.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Huraira Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated tha Allah’s Messenger Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said that Allah said: “I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of mine And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My worshipper keeps on coming closes to Me through perfoming Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is (obligatory) till I love him, then I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hands with which he grips, and his legs with which he walks; and if he ask Me, I will give him, and if he ask My Protection (Refuge), I will Protect him.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari. A-The EXCELLENCE OF RECITING THE 67

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QUR’AN 1. Abu Umamah Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that he heard the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam saying: “ Read the Qur’an (regularly) for it will act as an intercessor for its readers on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by Muslim. 2. Uthman Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said: “ The best among you (muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it (to others).” Narrated by Al-Bukhari. 3. Abdullah bin Mas’ud Radhiallahu ‘anhu reported that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said : “when somebody recites one letter from the Qur’an he will get one good deed in recompense will be equal to ten good deeds. I do not say that Alif Lam Meem is a letter, but A is a letter, L is a letter and M is a letter i.e it is equal to three letters.” Narrated by At-Tirmithi. B-The EXCELLENCE OF THIKR ALLAH (REMEMBERING ALLAH I.E., GLORIFYING AND PRAISING HIM ETC.) 1. Abu Huraira Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said : “ A person who recites after every salah (prayer) : sub-han- Allah (glory be to Allah) thirty three times, Al-ham-do Lil-lah (all praise belongs to Allah) thirty three times and Al-laho Akbar (Allah is great) thirthy three times, and completes the figure of hundred with the recitacion of La ilaha ila Allah wahdahu lasharikalahu lahu almulku walahu alhamdu wahuwa ala kul shai in gadeer. “ None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and He has no partner in Lordship or in the Names and and the Qualities and for Him is the kingdom and all the praises and thanks are for Him and he is Omnipotent “will have 68

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his (minor) sins forgiven, although they may be as much as the foam of the sea. Narrated by Muslim. 2. Abu Huraira Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that Allah’s Messenger Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said: “Who-ever says ‘Subhan Allahi wa bihamdi hi, one hundred time a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. 3. Abu Musa Radhiallahu ‘anhu narrated that the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam said : “The similitude of the one who remembers (gorifies the praises of) his Lord (Allah) in comparison to the one who dos not remember (glorify the praises of) his, Lord, is like that of a living and the dead.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari. C-INVOKING ALLAH’S BLESSING UPON THE PROPHET Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam. 1. Almighty Allah said : “ Allah and His Angels send blessing on the Prophet, O you who believe ! send your (salah) and salute (greet) on him with a worthy salutation.” Qur’an 33:56. 2. Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas Radhiallahu ‘anhu said that he heard the Prophet Shalallahu ‘alaihi wa Salam saying : “A person who calls for blessings on me, (recites salah) once, Allah sends down mercies on him ten times.” Narrated by Muslim. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

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Chapter 3 Sincerity 27170: Is it permissible to offer money to a person on the condition that he does a good deed? Question: Is it permissible to offer money to a person on the condition that he does a good deed ? For example, can I say to a Muslim uncle, I will give you 500 Dirhams if you grow and keep a beard ?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It seems that there is nothing wrong with doing that. Allaah has enjoined certain actions upon His slaves, and has promised a great reward in this world for doing them, so as to encourage people to do them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine” [al-Talaaq 65:2-3] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever would like his provision in this world to be increased and his life span to be extended, let him 70

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uphold the ties of kinship.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5986; Muslim, 2557. As a way of encouraging righteous deeds, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave permission for the one who killed a kaafir on the battelefield to take his spoils. It was narrated that Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, during the year of Hunayn: “Whoever kills an enemy and has proof of that will have his spoils.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2973; Muslim, 1751. “Spoils” here refers to the money, luggage, clothing and weapons that a fighter has with him. And the scholars regarded it as permissible to offer prizes for memorizing soorahs from the Qur’aan or ahaadeeth, or for winning a contest of knowledge. The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: What is the ruling on receiving prizes for Qur’aan memorization contests? They replied: There is nothing wrong with that, and there is no difference between men and women in this regard. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 4/126 This has to do with giving and offering: it is permissible to offer and give money to one who lets his beard grow or does other things required by sharee’ah. But with regard to the one who takes that money: if he let 71

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his beard grow in order to take the prize, then he will not be rewarded for his action, but if the prize motivated him to fulfil the command of Allaah, or if he started because of the prize and then changed his intention after that and adhered to (following the ruling), then he will be rewarded for that in which his intention was sound, and it will not matter that at first he was doing it for the prize. It was narrated from Anas that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for sheep between two mountains and he gave them to him, then he went to his people and said, “O my people, become Muslims, for by Allaah Muhammad gives generously and he does not fear poverty.” Anas said: People would become Muslim only for worldly gains, but as soon as they became Muslim Islam became dearer to them than this world and everything in it. Narrated by Muslim, 2312. Al-Nawawi said: This is how it appears in most copies: “fa ma yuslim (as soon as [they] became Muslim).” In some copies it says “fa ma yumsi (before the day ended).” Both are correct. The first means that shortly after they became Muslim, Islam became dearer to them, i.e., at first they professed Islam for worldly purposes, with no sound intention in their hearts, then by the blessing of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the light of Islam, their hearts were soon opened to true faith which took root in their hearts, and then Islam became dearer to them than this world and everything in it. Sharh Muslim, 15/72, 73. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 72

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20742: Intention to do good deeds Question: What should one’s intention be while commiting a good deed? Should one commit a good deed for the sake of Allah and the Holy Prophet , should one commit his good deed for the sake of Allah and out of love of the Holy Prophet or his Sunnah, or should one commit a good deed for the sake of Allah alone?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. When doing acts of worship, they should be done sincerely and purely for the sake of Allaah alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform AsSalaah (IqaamatasSalaah) and give Zakaah, and that is the right religion” [al-Bayyinah 98:5] “And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back, Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High” [al-Layl 92:19-20] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah does not accept any deed except that which is done only for Him and to seek His Countenance.”

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Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 3140; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 52. Think about what Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Would that they were contented with what Allaah and His Messenger gave them and had said: “Allaah is Sufficient for us. Allaah will give us of His Bounty, and so will His Messenger (from alms). We implore Allaah (to enrich us)” [al-Tawbah 9:59] Note how this verse ascribes the giving to Allaah and His Messenger, and sufficiency to Allaah alone. The verse does not say “Allaah and His Messenger are sufficient for us”. And it describes the imploring as being to Allaah alone, as He said, “We implore Allaah”, and does not say “we implore Allaah and His Messenger.” This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So when you have finished (your occupation), devote yourself for Allaah’s worship. And to your Lord (Alone) turn (all your) intentions and hopes” [al-Inshiraah 94:7-8] See Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/36 So worship should be devoted to Allaah alone; it is not permissible to do any act of worship with the intention of drawing closer to any created being. With regard to loving the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that means following him and venerating him, not by worshipping him. Worship can only be acceptable to Allaah if it meets two conditions: 74

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1 – It is done sincerely for Allaah alone 2 – It follows the Sunnah of Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and is in accordance with his sharee’ah. These two conditions are indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord” [al-Kahf 18:110] Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “ ‘Let him work righteousness’ means, that which is in accordance with the laws of Allaah. ‘And associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord’ means, worship in which he seeks the Countenance of Allaah alone, with no partner or associate.’ These are the basis of acceptable deeds: it must be sincerely for the sake of Allaah alone, and correct according to the sharee’ah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).” So when you worship you must seek the Countenance of Allaah alone, and strive to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). We ask Allaah to help us to do righteous deeds. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 12087: If the owner of an Islamic web-site takes payment for advertisements, will that detract from his reward? Question: We are a group of young men who are seeking reward 75

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with Allaah by putting an Islamic web-site on the Internet. The site has started to bring us some income through the advertisements placed on the site, etc. If we take this money and rely on it – after Allaah –to prepare for marriage, will this detract from our reward? We have read that Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari that the one who takes a worldly reward for an action that has to do with the Hereafter, that will detract from his reward in the Hereafter. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows: What they get (i.e., payments) without asking for it will not detract from their reward. Question: The people who made this web-site say in one part of their site that anyone who wants to place an advertisement with us on a monthly basis has to pay a certain amount, in return for which they will place the advertisements. Answer: If that is the case, then this money will detract from their reward, because they are the ones who are asking for it. But if they take what is given to them to help them with what they are doing, there is nothing wrong with them taking it. It says in the hadeeth of ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any of this money comes to you without your hoping for it or asking for it, then take it, and whatever does not come to 76

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you, do not trouble yourself about it (i.e., if it does not come to you, do not seek it, leave it alone).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1473) And Allaah knows best. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (www.islam-qa.com)

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Chapter 4 Showing Off 45872: The Shaytaan whispers to him that he is showing off so that he will give up doing acts of worship Question: I am committed, praise be to Allaah, to doing the obligatory acts of worship which Allaah has enjoined, and I ask Allaah to accept them. But recently I have started to experience waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) telling me that which I do is contaminated with elements of showing off, and Allaah will never accept it. Sometimes I find myself hesitating to do some good things for fear of showing off. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Just as the Shaytaan comes to the Muslim to make him admire his actions and show off to people, sometimes too he uses the opposite trick and makes a person think that he is showing off, so that he will not do it. In order to avoid both problems, we have to make sure that our intention is sound and make it sincerely and purely for the sake of Allaah, and not worry after that about anything that the Shaytaan may come up with. Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali said – in a chapter on “We should not give up prescribed actions for fear of showing off”: One of the things that may happen to a person is that when he wants to do an act of worship, it occurs to him that he should not do it for fear of showing off. 78

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What he should do is not to pay attention to that. He can do that which Allaah has commanded him to do or encouraged him to do, and seek the help of Allaah, and trust in Him that he will do it in the manner prescribed in Islam. Shaykh Muhiy al-Deen al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: You should not give up remembering Allaah verbally and in your heart because you think you may be showing off, rather you should remember Him in both ways, seeking thereby the Face of Allaah. And he quoted al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) as saying: Giving up a good deed for the sake of people is also showing off, and doing it for the sake of people is shirk. He said: If a person opens the door to noticing people and worrying about what they think then most of the doors to goodness will be closed to him. Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi said: With regard to not doing good deeds for fear of showing off, if the motive for doing that deed is other than religious, then he should not do it because it is a sin. But if the motive for that is religious and it is sincerely for the sake of Allaah, then he should not refrain from doing it, because the motive is religious. Similarly if he does not do a good deed for fear that it will be said that he is a show-off, then he should ignore that because it is one of the tricks of the Shaytaan. Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i said: If the Shaytaan comes to you when you are praying and says, “you are showing off,” then you should make it even longer. With regard to the reports narrated from one of the salaf, that he stopped worshipping for fear of showing off, this is to be understood as meaning that they felt that they were showing off, so they stopped it. And that is indeed the case. For example, al-A’mash said: I was with Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i when he was reading Qur’aan, and a man asked for permission to enter, so he covered the Mus-haf. He 79

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said: So that he will not think that I read it all the time. So if you should not stop doing an act of worship for fear of showing off, it is more appropriate that you should not stop it for fear of self admiration that may occur later on. Al-Adaab al-Shara’iyyah, 1/266-267 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: When a person thinks of doing a good deed, the Shaytaan comes and whispers to him: “You want to do that to show off and have a good reputation,” so he backs off from doing that good deed. How can we avoid this? He replied: That can be avoided by seeking refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan, and going ahead with the good deed. You should not pay attention to this waswaas (whisper from the Shaytaan) that puts you off doing good. If you turn away from this and seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan, the problem will disappear, by Allaah’s leave. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, question no. 277 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11909: Haatim al-Taa’i in the Sunnah Question: What did Prophet Muhammad say regarding Hatim Tai?. 80

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are a number of ahaadeeth which mention Haatim al-Taai, some of which are hasan (good), some da’eef (weak) and some mawdoo’ (fabricated). (a) It was narrated that ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim said: I said to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “My father used to uphold the ties of kinship, and do such and such… Will he have any (reward) for that?” He said, “Your father seeking something and he got it.” This was narrated by Ahmad, 32/129, and classed and hasan by Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot. (b) It was narrated that ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim said: I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, my father used to uphold the ties of kinship, and do such and such.” He said, “Your father wanted something and got it” meaning, fame. Narrated by Ahmad (30/200); classed as hasan by Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan, 1/41. (c) It was narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Saa’idi that ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, my father used to uphold the ties of kinship, and spend on the needy, and feed people.” He said, “Did he live to see Islam?” He said, “No.” He said, “Your father wanted to be remembered.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 6/197. Its isnaad includes Rushdeen ibn Sa’d, who is da’eef (weak), but it is supported by the report mentioned above. The phrase translated above and “spend on the needy” 81

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means spending on the weak, the poor, orphans and dependents, etc. (d) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: Mention was made of Haatim in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he said, “That is a man who wanted something and got it.” Al-Haythami said: This was narrated by al-Bazzaar, and its isnaad includes ‘Ubayd ibn Waaqid al-‘Absi, who was classed as da’eef by Abu Haatim. Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 1/119 But it is supported by the reports quoted above. Ibn Katheer said: We have mentioned the biography of Haatim Tay’ in the days of the Jaahiliyyah when we mentioned those who died of the famous people of that era, and we referred to his generosity and kindness to people. But generosity and kindness must be based on faith if they are to benefit a person in the Hereafter, but he never said one day, “O Lord, forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgement.” Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 5/67. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6356: Admiring oneself after doing a good deed Question: Sometimes a person finds himself filled with selfadmiration or showing off after doing a good deed or act 82

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of worship, and he is scared that this will cancel out what he has done. What do you advise? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If a person feels self admiration after doing something good or fears that he may show off, he should ward that off and resist it by seeking refuge with Allaah from it, and saying “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam, wa’staghfiruka lima laa a’lam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from knowingly associating anything with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware)” – as was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). These kind of feelings happen to everyone, but you have to try to be sincere towards Allaah, seek His forgiveness, and remember that there is no strength and no power except with Allaah; if it were not for the help of Allaah, you would not have been able to do this good deed, so to Allaah be praise in the beginning and at the end. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh ibn Jabal: “O Mu’aadh, by Allaah indeed I love you, and I advise you, O Mu’aadh, do not forget at the end of every prayer to say: Allaahumma a’inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ‘ibaaditika (O Allaah, help me to remember You, give thanks to You and worship You in the best way).” (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood, al-Nasaa’i, and others; it is saheeh). Do not forego doing good deeds for fear of showing off, because this is one of the tricks that the Shaytaan uses to weaken people’s resolve and stop them from doing things that Allaah loves and is pleased with. 83

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As for merely feeling happy that one has done a good deed, this does not contradict sincerity and faith, for Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: “In the Bounty of Allâh, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islâm and the Qur’ân); —therein let them rejoice.” That is better than what (the wealth) they amass” [Yoonus 10:58] – meaning, if he attains guidance, faith and righteous deeds, and the mercy resulting from that overwhelms him and he feels joy and success as a result. Hence Allaah commanded us to rejoice over such things. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If your good deeds make you happy and your bad deeds make you sad, then you are a believer.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Majaah and others from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah; it is a saheeh hadeeth). By the same token, if people praise you for your good deed, then this is a portion of the glad tidings of the Hereafter, which Allaah gives a person in this world. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked, “What do you think if a man does a good deed and the people praise him for it?” He said: “That is the portion of the glad tidings for the believer which he is given in this world.” (Narrated by Muslim from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him). So this praise is a sign that Allaah is pleased with him and loves him, so He makes him dear to other people. We ask Allaah to make our intentions and deeds right. Reference: Masaa’il wa Rasaa’il by Muhammad alMahmood al-Najdi, p. 21 (www.islam-qa.com) 84

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21254: He gave charity because he felt embarrassed in front of his boss at work Question: I gave money to a charitable project because I felt scared of my boss at work. If it had been up to me I would not have given even a penny. Will I have the complete reward for this action just as I would if I had given willingly and by my own choice? Please answer with evidence (daleel). Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If the situation is as you described, then you will not be rewarded for this donation, because you did not give it for the sake of Allaah, rather you gave it for the sake of your boss because you were afraid of him. It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intention and each man will have but that which he intended.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in Bad’ al-Khalq and Muslim in al-Imaarah, no. 1907). Fataawa li’l-Muwazzafeen wa’l-‘Aml, al-Lajnah alDaa’imah, p. 66 (www.islam-qa.com) 22293: He has stopped advising people for fear of showing off Question: I am afraid of showing off, and I am cautious about it to the extent that I cannot advise some people or forbid them 85

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from doing certain things such as backbiting, slandering, etc. I am afraid that doing so would be showing off on my part, and I am scared that people may think that I am showing off. So I do not give any advice, and I tell myself that they are educated people and they do not need any advice. What do you suggest? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This is one of the plots of the Shaytaan by means of which he discourages people from calling others to Allaah and from enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. For example, he makes them think that this is a kind of showing off or that people will think he is showing off. You, my sister in Islam, should not pay any attention to it, rather you should advise your sisters and your brothers if you see them falling short in any duty or committing any sin such as backbiting, slandering, or not covering in front of men. Do not be afraid of showing off, rather focus your intention on Allaah and be sincere towards Him, and be of good cheer. Ignore the plots and whispers of the Shaytaan. Allaah knows what intention is in your heart and how sincere you are towards Him and towards His slaves. Allaah knows that showing off is shirk and it is not permissible, but it is also not permissible for a believer, man or woman, to stop doing what Allaah has enjoined, namely calling people to Him and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, for fear of showing off. So you have to beware of that and do what is obligatory in the midst of men and women. Men and women are equal in this regard. Allaah has explained this in His Book where He says (interpretation of the meaning): “The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin 86

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(on the people) AlMa‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from AlMunkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give the Zakaah, and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Tawbah 9:71] Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz in al-Fataawa alJaami’ah li’l-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, p. 1016. (www.islam-qa.com) 21880: We should not stop doing what is prescribed for fear of showing off Question: Sometimes I want to do a righteous deed such as praying or reading Qur’aan, then someone comes in and I stop reading in the Mushaf or I don’t start praying, or I shorten my prayer if I have started it. Is it correct to do this? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibn Muflih said: “We should not stop doing what is prescribed in Islam for fear of showing off.” One of the things that may happen to a person is that he wants to do an act of worship, but something happens that makes him stop doing it for fear that he may be 87

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showing off in some way. He should not pay attention to that. We should do what Allaah has commanded and encouraged us to do, and seek the help of Allaah, and put our trust in Him that He will help us to do the action in the manner prescribed in sharee’ah. Shaykh Muhiy al-Deen al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: We should not stop remembering Allaah (dhikr) with our tongues as well as in our hearts for fear that people may think that we are showing off; rather we should remember Allaah with both, seeking the pleasure of Allaah thereby. He mentioned what al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: that not doing something because of people was (a form of) showing off, and doing something because of people was (a form of) shirk. He said: if we start to pay attention to people and try to protect ourselves from their thinking badly of us, that would stop us from doing a lot of good deeds. Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi said: As for not doing an act of worship for fear of showing off, if the motive for doing that act of worship is something other than religious commitment, then he should refrain from doing it, because it is a sin. But if the motive for doing it is religious commitment and he does it sincerely for the sake of Allaah, then he should not refrain from doing it, because the motive is religious commitment. Similarly, if he refrains from doing a righteous deed for fear that he will be called a show-off, he should not do that (refrain from that deed) because this is one of the traps of the Shaytaan. Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i said: if the Shaytaan comes to you whilst you are praying and says, “you are showing off,” then make your prayer longer. With regard to the report that one of the salaf stopped praying for fear of showing off, this is to be interpreted as meaning that they felt as if they were showing off, so they gave up. This is as he said. For example, al-A’mash said, “I was with Ibraaheem al-Nakha’i and he was reading Qur’aan. A man asked 88

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permission to enter and he covered the Mus-haf and said, ‘He should not think that I read it all the time.’ If we should not stop doing acts of worship for fear of showing off, then it is more appropriate that we should not refrain from doing them for fear of the self-admiration that may come after doing them. We have discussed above the issue of self-admiration before the chapters on enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. We mentioned before the chapter on clothing the issue of visiting the ruler in order to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and we quoted the opinion of Dawood al-Taa’i who said, ‘I fear that he may be punished by the whip.’ It was said to him, ‘He can bear that.’ He said, ‘I fear that he may be executed by the sword.’ It was said to him, ‘He can bear that.’ Then he said, ‘I fear that he may be afflicted by the hidden disease’, i.e., self-admiration. Al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih, 1/267, 268 (www.islam-qa.com) 12603: Seeking knowledge in order to teach people and not for the purpose of showing off Question: If a person learns one of the branches of religious knowledge in order to play his role in the village where he lives, and he memorizes Qur’aan in order to lead the young men in praying at night in Ramadaan, will that be a kind of minor shirk (al-shirk al-asghar)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 89

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It is known from the evidence of sharee’ah that seeking knowledge and seeking to understand the religion is one of the best acts of worship and obedience. The same is true of studying the Qur’aan and trying to recite it a lot and to memorize it or as much as one can. All of these are among the best acts of worship. If you do what you should of teaching the people of your village, guiding them, leading them – the young men and others – in prayer, all of these are good deeds which will be appreciated and for which you will be rewarded. This is not showing off and it is not shirk, if your aim is to seek the pleasure of Allaah and the Hereafter, and you are not doing it to show off to people and earn their praise, but to help them and increase their knowledge and understanding of their religion. That could be minor shirk only if you did it to show off to people or to earn their praise. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The thing that I fear most for you is minor shirk.” He was asked what that was, and he said, “Showing off.” “When a man stands up to pray and he makes his prayer beautiful because he thinks that the people are looking at him.” On the Day of Resurrection, Allaah will say to those who show off, “Go to those for whom you used to show off in the world, and see whether you find any reward with them.” Showing off means that you do something with the aim of people seeing you and praising you; reputation is a part of that. For example, if you read Qur’aan so that people will praise you and say, “He is a good reader” or “He reads well”; or you do a lot of dhikr so that they will praise you and say, “He does a lot of dhikr”; or you enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil so that people will praise you. This is showing off, and this is minor shirk. It is essential to beware of that and to do what you do for the sake of Allaah alone, not for the sake of showing off to people and earning their praise. But you should learn in order to act upon that knowledge and to teach your brothers and lead them in prayer, and hope for the reward 90

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that is with Allaah. You should do that with the aim of helping them, not for the purposes of showing off or enhancing your reputation. If you read from the Mus-haf there is nothing wrong with that if you lead your brothers in prayer reading from the Mus-haf in Ramadaan. The freed slave of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) used to lead her in prayer reading from the Mus-haf. So it is OK to read from the Mus-haf when praying at night in Ramadaan if you have not memorized it, but if one has learned it by heart and can recite it from memory, that is better, but there is nothing wrong with reading from the Mus-haf if necessary. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, vol. 9, p. 3 (www.islam-qa.com) 1733: Working for a salary and not for the Hereafter – is this blameworthy? Question: There is an employee who has been working for the state for more than twenty years. He is an honest worker with a good attitude who tries to please his superiors and boss, and works hard so that he will receive his salary in full with nothing docked from his pay, and so that he will earn promotion. All of these efforts are only for the sake of his work, not for the sake of Allaah. But this employee worships Allaah and does good deeds sincerely for the sake of Allaah, outside of his work. He prays, fasts, gives charity, pays zakaah, goes for Hajj, reads Qur’aan, reads Tafseer and does all kinds of good things sincerely for the sake of Allaah and in accordance with His sharee’ah. So what is your opinion – may Allaah reward you with 91

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good – about this man’s attitude when he is at work? Is it permissible, or is it shirk , or what? Please advise us and tell us what he should do. Is there any sin on him for what he has done in the past in his work? May Allaah take care of you. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is known that employment and work is not called ‘ibaadah (worship), and it is not one of the kinds of worship that should be done only for Allaah. People work at their jobs in order to make their salaries halaal, and so that they will be deserving of what they are given, and so on. The intention cannot be described in terms of worship. But if he knows that it is a trust between him and Allaah, and that Allaah is always watching him, so he pays attention to the fact that his Lord is watching him in this work, so that what he takes as wages will be halaal beyond a doubt, then he will have the reward for this sincerity, even if his intention is that nothing should be docked from his pay and so on. Given that this employee undertakes his religious duties and keeps away from haraam things, he is to be commended for that. And Allaah multiplies the reward for whomsoever He wills. And Allaah is the Generous Bestower and All-Knowing. Al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawaa al-Shaykh ‘Abd alrahmaan ibn Al-Jibrin, p. 62 (www.islam-qa.com) 449: An imaam is guilty of some secret sin; should he continue in his position as imaam? Question: A young man is an imaam in one of the mosques. He is, 92

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as he says, well-liked by the people at the mosque, but he knows deep down that he has shortcomings and is guilty of some sins, and does not deserve to be the imaam or to have this love and respect from people. He fears that if he remains as imaam of the mosque, he may become a hypocrite or show off. Should he stay in the mosque? Should he continue leading the people in prayer, or should he leave this position out of fear of becoming a hypocrite and show off? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. You describe this young man as being loved by his people, but he is guilty of some transgression which is a matter between him and his Lord. I say that the fact that Allaah has blessed him with the position of imaam and the love of his people dictates that he should give up his sin and stop transgressing against himself, and he should worship Allaah properly, and give thanks to Allaah, because the fact that a person is loved by his people and is their imaam is a great blessing from Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the slaves of the Most Beneficient (Allaah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness… And those who say: ‘Our Lord… and make us leaders for the muttaqoon (the pious)…” [al-Furqaan 25:68, 74] Those who pray are among the pious, and the one who leads them in prayer is imcluded in this aayah, “…and make us leaders for the muttaqoon (the pious)…” So let him praise Allaah for this blessing, and stop transgressing against himself, and let him make this one of the means of bringing himself back to obedience to Allaah, and let him fear Allaah with regard to his status. 93

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When he says that he is afraid he may show off, this is waswaas (insinuating thoughts) that the Shaytaan puts into a person’s mind whenever he wants to do an act of obedience to Allaah. The Shaytaan comes to him and says, “You are showing off.” He has to cast this idea aside, ignore it and seek the help of Allaah, for he always recites in his salaah the words, “Iyyaaka na’budu wa iyyaaka nasta’een (You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help” [al-Faatihah 1:5 – interpretation of the meaning]. Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 53/77 (www.islam-qa.com)

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Chapter 5 Supplications prescribed in Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) 36627: Takbeer at specified times and all the time Question: What is the takbeer at specified times and all the time? When does it start?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly – The virtue of Takbeer The first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are venerated days. Allaah swore by them in His Book, and swearing by a thing is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the dawn; By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of DhulHijjah)” [al-Fajr 89:1] Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others among the earlier and later generations said: This refers to the ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: This is the correct view. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413 Good deeds during these days are beloved to Allaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be 95

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upon him) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 969; al-Tirmidhi, 757. This version was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 605. One of the righteous deeds during these days is to remember Allaah by reciting takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar”) and tahleel (saying “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah”), because of the following evidence. 1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days” [al-Hajj 22:28] The “appointed days” are the first ten days of Dhu’lHijjah. 2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And remember Allaah during the appointed Days” [al-Baqarah 2:203] These are the days of al-Tashreeq, i.e. the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhu’l-Hijjah. 3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 96

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him) said: “The days of tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” Narrated by Muslim, 1141. Secondly: Description of the Takbeer The scholars differed concerning the form of the Takbeer. 1 – The first view is that it is: Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and to Allaah be praise). 2 – The second view is that it is: Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and to Allaah be praise). 3 – The third view is that it is: Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa lillaahi’lhamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and to Allaah be praise). The matter is broad in scope because there is no text narrated from the Prophet SAW which specifies a particular form of the Takbeer. Thirdly – The time of the Takbeer The takbeer is divided into two categories: 97

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1 – Takbeer at any time. This is takbeer that is not limited to a specific time, and it is Sunnah to say it all the time, morning and evening, before prayer and after prayer, at all times. 2 – Takbeer at certain times. This is takbeer that is limited to the time immediately after prayer. It is Sunnah to recite takbeer at any time during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah and all the days of Tashreeq, starting from the beginning of the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah (i.e., from sunset on the last day of Dhu’l-Qa’dah) until the end of the days of al-Tashreeq, which is when the sun sets on the thirteenth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah). With regard to at certain times, it starts from Fajr on the day of ‘Arafah and lasts until the sun sets on the last day of the days of Tashreeq, in addition to the takbeer that may be recited at any time. So when a person says the tasleem at the end of the obligatory prayer, he should pray for forgiveness (by saying Astaghfir-Allaah) three times, and say, “Allaahumma anta al-salaam wa minka alsalaam, tabaarakta yaa dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam (“O Allaah, You are al-Salaam [the One Who is free from all defects and deficiencies), and from You is all peace, blessed are You, O possessor of majesty and honour)”, then start the takbeer. This is for those who are not on Hajj. The pilgrims should start the takbeer recited after prayer from Zuhr on the Day of Sacrifice (the 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah). And Allaah knows best. See Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), 13/17; al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 5/220-224. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 98

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10508: Unrestricted Takbeer or Takbeer restricted to certain times during the days of Dhu’l-Hijjah Question: About unrestricted Takbeer during Eid al-Adha – is the Takbeer following every prayer included in the unrestricted Takbeer? Is it Sunnah, mustahabb or bid’ah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. With regard to Takbeer on (Eid al-) Adhaa, it is prescribed from the beginning of the month until the end of the thirteenth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days” [al-Hajj 22:28] - which are the ten days; and because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And remember Allaah during the appointed Days [These are the three days of staying at Mina during the Hajj; 11th, 12th and 13th days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah]” [al-Baqarah 2:203] - which are the days of Tashreeq. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The days of Tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” (Narrated by Muslim 99

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in his Saheeh). Al-Bukhaari mentioned in his Saheeh, in a mu’allaq report, that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the market-place on first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people used to recite Takbeer because of their Takbeer. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab and his son ‘AbdAllaah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) used to recite Takbeer during the days of Mina in the mosque and in the camps, and they would raise their voices until Mina echoed with their Takbeer. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and a group of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to recite Takbeer following each of the five prayers from Fajr on the day of ‘Arafaah until ‘Asr on the thirteenth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. This applies to those who are not on Hajj; for those who are on Hajj, they should concentrate on their ihraam and recite the Talbiyah, until they throw the stones at Jamarat al-‘Aqabah on the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr); after that they may recite Takbeer. The Takbeer should start with the first stone thrown at the Jamarah mentioned. If the pilgrim recites the Takbeer along with the Talbiyah, that is OK, because Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Some would recite the Talbiyah on the Day of ‘Arafaah, and they were not told off for doing so, and some would recite Takbeer and they were not told off for doing so.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari). But it is better for the one who is in ihraam to recite the Talbiyah and for the one who is not in ihraam to recite Takbeer on the days mentioned. Hence we know that according to the most correct scholarly view, unrestricted takbeer and takbeer restricted to certain times are combined on five days, i.e., the Day of ‘Arafaah, the Day of Sacrifice and the three days of Tashreeq. With regard to the eighth day (of Dhu’l-Hijjah) and the days preceding it, Takbeer on those days may be done at any times, not only at certain times, because of 100

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the aayahs and reports mentioned above. In al-Musnad it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are no days on which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allaah than on these ten days, so recite much Tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha illAllaah), Takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdu Lillaah),” or similar words. Kitaab Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 13, p. 17 (www.islam-qa.com) 7747: When should we say “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”? Question:

Pls. let me know the : (1) meaning with (2) brief commentary of the sentence, ‘LAL HAWLA WALA KUWATAH ILLAH BILLAH HU WAL ALI ELAZIM”. (3) And, when the same is used. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The meaning of this phrase (there is no power and no strength except with Allaah) is a person’s admission that he is unable to do anything without the help and support 101

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of Allaah. No matter how great his power, energy and strength may become, a person still cannot do anything without the help of Allaah Who is Above all of His creation, the Most Great, compared to Whom nothing else is great. Every strong person is weak when compared with Allaah. Every great person is insignificant and weak when compared with His Might. This sentence is uttered when some serious matter befalls a person that he cannot cope with, or there is something that it is very difficult for him to deal with. Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd. Among the occasions on which this phrase is uttered are the following: – When turning over at night: It was reported that ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever turns over at night and says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’lhamd was lahu’l-mulk wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Al-hamdu-lillaah wa subhaan-Allaah wa laa ilaaha illAllaah wa Allaahu akbar, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate. To Him belongs praise and His is the sovereignty, and He is Able to do all things. Praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah and Allaah is Most Great. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah), then he says, Allaahumma aghfir li (O Allaah, forgive me), or he makes du’aa’, his prayer will be granted. If he does wudoo’ and prays, his salaah will be accepted.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1086) – When the muezzin says “Hayya ‘ala’l-salaah (come to prayer)” or “Hayya ‘ala’l-falaah (come to success)” 102

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It was narrated from Hafs ibn ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar ibn alKhattaab, from his father, that his grandfather ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When the muezzin says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great),” and one of you says, “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says, “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allaah (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah” and you say “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allaah”; then he says, “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah” and you say, “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah”; then he says, “Hayya ‘ala’l-salaah (come to prayer)” and you say, “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”; then he says, “Hayya ‘ala’l-falaah (come to success)” and you say, “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”; then he says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar,” and you say, “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says “Laa ilaaha illa Allaah” and you say, “Laa ilaaha illa Allaah” – if he says that from the heart, he will enter Paradise.’” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 578, and by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, 443) – When leaving one’s house It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says – i.e., when he is leaving his house – “Bismillaah, tawwakaltu ‘ala Allaah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah),” it will be said to him, “You are taken care of and protected,” and the Shaytaan will leave him alone.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, 3348. Abu ‘Eesa said, this is a hasan saheeh ghareeb hadeeth which we only know through this isnaad. See Saheeh al-Jaami’ by al-Albaani, 6419. It was also narrated by Abu Dawood 103

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in his Sunan (4431), where he adds: “And another shaytaan says to him, ‘What can you do with a man who has been guided, taken care of and protected?’”) – After praying It was narrated that Abu’l-Zubayr said: “Ibn al-Zubayr used to say immediately after every prayer, when he had said the salaam, ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah wa laa na’budu illaa iyyaah. Lahu’l-ni’mah wa lahu’l-fadl wa lahu’l-thanaa’ al-hasan. Laa ilaaha illAllaah mukhliseena lahu’l-deena wa law kariha’lkaafiroon (There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all things. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah, and we worship none but Him. From Him (alone) come all blessings and favours, and all good praise is due to Him. There is no god but Allaah and we make our worship purely for Him (alone) however much the disbelievers may hate that).’ He said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say these words immediately after every prayer.’” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 935) Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 14608: The virtue of one who says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Question: What is the reward of one who says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (there is no god but 104

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Allaah alone, with no partner or associate. His is the Dominion and to Him be praise, and He is able to do all things) one hundred times each day?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer one hundred times in a day will have (a reward) equivalent to freeing ten slaves, one hundred hasanaat (good deeds) will be recorded for him and one hundred sayi’aat (bad deeds) will be erased from him, and he will be protected from the Shaytaan for that day until evening comes. No one can do anything better than what he has done except one who does more than that. Whoever says Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah) one hundred times in a day, his sins will be erased even if they were like the foam of the sea.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. From Adhkaar al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah min al-Qur’aan wa Saheeh al-Sunnah, p. 18. (www.islam-qa.com) 33663: Can we say, “Praise be to Allaah besides Whom no one can be praised for that which is disliked”? Question: Is it Sunnah to make du’aa’ if we are afflicted by calamity and say, “Praise be to Allaah besides Whom no one can be praised for that which is disliked”? I hear this du’aa’ a great deal, but I do not know whether it was proven to be from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or not. 105

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This du’aa’ was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). What was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that which was narrated by Ibn Maajah (3803) from ‘Aa’ishah who said: “When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw something that he liked, he would say, ‘Al-hamdu Lillaah alladhi bi ni’matihi tatimm ul-saalihaat (Praise by to Allaah by Whose blessing good things happen).’ And if he saw something that he disliked he would say, ‘Alhamdu Lillaahi ‘ala kulli haal (praise be to Allaah in all circumstances).’” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Tafseer Juz’ ‘Amma (p. 127): With regard to what some people say. “Praise be to Allaah besides Whom no one can be praised for that which is disliked”, this is contrary to that which is taught in the Sunnah. Rather you should say what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Al-hamdu Lillaahi ‘ali kulli haal (praise be to Allaah in all circumstances).” If you say, “Praise be to Allaah besides Whom no one can be praised for that which is disliked”, then you are in fact announcing that you dislike what Allaah has decreed for you, and this is not appropriate. Rather what you should do is to bear with patience that which Allaah has decreed for you, whether you like it or not, because the One Who has decreed it is Allaah, may He be glorified. He is your Lord and you are His slave; He is your Owner and you belong to Him. If Allaah is the One Who has decreed for you something that you dislike, then do not panic, rather you must be patient and not get 106

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angry, whether you keep that in your heart or you express it in your words and physical actions. Be patient and put up with it, because circumstances change and nothing in this world lasts forever. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Know that victory comes with patience, and that ease comes with difficulties, and that with hardship there is relief.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Tahqeeq al-Sunnah li Ibn Abi ‘Aasim, 315. Allaah is to be praised in all circumstances, at times of both ease and hardship, because if He decrees a time of ease, it is a test and a trial. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good” [al-Anbiya’ 21:35] If something bad happens to you, then bear it with patience, for that is also a test and a trial from Allaah, to see whether you will be patient or not. If you are patient and seek reward from Allaah, then Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning” [al-Zumar 39:10]. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20953: Ruling on making du’aa’ in languages other than Arabic in the prayer Question: Can we ask duas,in languages other than arabic in the salat after thashahud and the duas in sunnah.can we pray other duas from the quran that is not in sunnah. 107

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: If the worshipper can say du’aa’ well in Arabic, it is not permissible for him to make du’aa’ in any other language. But if the worshipper is unable to make du’aa’ in Arabic, there is no reason why he should not make du’aa’ in his own language, so long as he starts learning Arabic in the meantime. With regard to making du’aa’ in languages other than Arabic outside of prayer, there is nothing wrong with that, especially if that will make the worshipper more focused in his du’aa’. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: It is permissible to make du’aa’ in Arabic and in languages other than Arabic. Allaah knows the intention of the supplicant and what he wants, no matter what language he speaks, because He hears all the voices in all different languages, asking for all kinds of needs. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/488-489. See also the answers to questions no. 3471 and 11588. Secondly: There is nothing wrong with reciting du’aa’s mentioned in the Qur’aan even if there is no report in the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited them in his du’aa’. They are all good and contain guidance. Most of the du’aa’s of the Prophets and Messengers that we know are from the Qur’aan. Undoubtedly their du’aa’s are the most eloquent and most profound in meaning. 108

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Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: People should make du’aa’ by reciting the prescribed du’aa’s that are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, because these are undoubtedly virtuous and good, and this is the straight path. The scholars of Islam and the imams have mentioned the du’aa’s that are prescribed in Islam, and turned away from the innovated du’aa’s, so we should follow them in that. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa’, 1/346, 348. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 9286: Remembering Allaah in the washroom Question: Can one read Quran or remember God(Thiker)without speaking out loud but in ones heart, while in the washroom. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 1 – There are two types of dhikr: dhikr with the tongue such as reciting Qur’aan and du’aa’s, which is encouraged in sharee’ah, and dhikr in the heart, which means thinking of Allaah and His greatness and power, or reciting the Qur’aan in one’s heart. This does not bring the same reward as reading Qur’aan, because the reward has to do with reading, which can only done on the tongue (by moving the tongue and speaking the words). The same 109

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applies to du’aa’; they should be spoken on the tongue and it is not sufficient to recite it in the heart. The scholars differentiated between the two types of dhikr. They said that it is makrooh to remember Allaah on the tongue (by speaking) in the bathroom and glorify Allaah in that place. With regard to remembering Allaah in one’s heart, they said that this is not makrooh and there is nothing wrong with it. The proof that this distinction is made between the two kinds of dhikr is the fact that the scholars are agreed that it is permissible for a person who is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual activity) to recite Qur’aan in his heart, but it is haraam for him to recite it out loud or utter it. Al-Nawawi said: (The scholars) are agreed that if a person who is junub thinks of Qur’aan in his heart, without moving his tongue, he is not reciting it in the way that is forbidden for one who is junub. Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Saheeh Muslim, 4/103 Ibn al-Mundhir said in al-Awsat: ‘Ikrimah said: A person should not remember Allaah on his tongue (by speaking) when he is in the toilet, rather (he should do so) in his heart. Al-Awsat, 1/341 The Standing Committee said: It is part of Islamic etiquette that a person should remember his Lord when he wants to enter the toilet or the bathroom, by saying before he enters: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith (O 110

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Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the male and female devils).” But he should not mention Allaah after he enters, rather he should stop mentioning Him after he enters. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/93 Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said: Remembering Allaah in one’s heart is permissible at all times and in all places, in the washroom and elsewhere. Rather what is makrooh in the washroom and similar places is to remember Allaah on one’s tongue (by speaking), except for saying Bismillaah when beginning to do wudoo’. He should say that if it is not easy for him to do wudoo’ outside the bathroom, because it is obligatory according to some of the scholars, and it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) according to the majority. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/408 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11169: Timing of evening adhkaar Question: What is the timing of the evening adhkaar? What is the best time for reciting them? Can they be made up later on if one forgets them? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The evening (al-masaa’) is a lengthy period, from after ‘asr prayer until ‘ishaa’ prayer – all of 111

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this period is called masaa’ (evening). It is the same whether one recites the dhikr at the beginning of this time or at the end, apart from those adhkaar which the reports specifically say should be recited at night, such as reciting Aayat al-Kursi at night. Adhkaar which should be recited specifically at night should be recited at night, and those which should be recited specifically during the day should be recited during the day. With regard to making them up if one forgets them, I hope that he will be rewarded for doing that. From the fatwas of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen for al-Da’wah magazine, issue # 1741, 7/2/1421 AH, p. 36 (www.islamqa.com) 5666: Du’aa’s between the adhaan and iqaamah Question: I would like to know what say(doa) before adhaan and iqomah and after adhaan and iqomah. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 1 – With regard to du’aa’ before the adhaan, there is no du’aa’ to be recited before the adhaan as far as I know. If that time is singled out for any type of du’aa’, this is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah). But if it is done by coincidence and accidentally then there is nothing wrong with it. 2 – With regard to before the iqaamah, when the muezzin is about to start the iqaamah, we know of no specific words to be recited at this time. Doing so when there is no solid shar’i evidence is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah). 112

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3 – With regard to the time between the adhaan and iqaamah, du’aa’ is encouraged at this time and it is mustahabb. It was narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Du’aa’ is not rejected between the adhaan and iqaamah, so make du’aa’.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 212; Abu Dawood, 437; Ahmad, 12174 – this version narrated by him. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 489). There is a specific du’aa’ to be narrated immediately after the adhaan: It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer: ‘Allaahumma Rabba haadhihi’l-da’wat iltaammah wa’l-salaat il-qaa’imah, aati Muhammadan il waseelata wa’l-fadeelah, wab’athhu maqaaman mahmoodan illadhi wa’adtah (O Allaah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer to be offered, grant Muhammad the privilege (of intercession) and also the eminence, and resurrect him to the praised position that You have promised),’ my intercession for him will be permitted on the Day of Resurrection.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 589). 4 – With regard to du’aa’ after the iqaamah, we know of no evidence for that. If any specific du’aa’ is made in the absence of any sound evidence, it is an innovation (bid’ah). 5 – With regard to du’aa’ at the time of the adhaan, it is Sunnah to repeat what the muezzin is saying, except when he says “Hayya ‘ala’l-salaah, hayya ‘ala’l-falaah (Come 113

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to prayer, come to success),” when you should say ‘Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there is no power and no strength except with Allaah).” It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If the muezzin says ‘Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar’ and one of you says, ‘Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar’; then he says ‘Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah’ and you say ‘Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah’; then he says, ‘Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah’ and you say, ‘Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-salaah’ and you say ‘Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-falaah’ and you say ‘Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah’; then he says, ‘Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar’ and you say, ‘Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar’; then he says ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah’ and you say, ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah’ from the heart, you will enter Paradise.” (Narrated by Muslim, 385). 6 – With regard to making du’aa’ at the time of the iqaamah, some of the scholars regarded it as being like the adhaan, so it is mustahabb to repeat the words. Other scholars did not regard it as mustahabb, because of the weakness of the hadeeth which speaks of repeating the words of the iqaamah. These scholars include Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem, in al-Fataawa, 2/136, and Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 2/84. It is a mistake to say “Aqaamaha Allaah wa adaamaha Allaah” when the muezzin says “Qad qaamat il-salaah,” because the hadeeth narrated concerning that is da’eef (weak). It was narrated from Abu Umaamah or from one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that Bilaal began to recite the iqaamah and 114

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when he said, “Qad qaamat il-salaah,” the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Aqaamaha Allaah wa adaamaha Allaah.” And he said concerning the rest of the iqaamah something like what is mentioned in the hadeeth of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) about the adhaan. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 528. This hadeeth was classed as da’eef (weak) by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in al-Talkhees al-Habeer, 1/211) And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 22765: Is there a set time for reciting the morning and evening dhikrs? Question: Is there a set time for reciting the morning and evening dhikrs, and if there is a set time but I do not remember until after that time has ended, should I still recite them, or not? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The correct view is that there is a set time for reciting the morning and evening dhikrs, because of the time mentioned in many ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in which he said: “Whoever says such and such in the morning…” and “whoever says such and such in the evening…” But the scholars differed to the exact start and end of the 115

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time in the morning and the evening. Some of the scholars said that the time in the morning begins when the dawn comes, and ends when the sun rises. Others said that it ends when the forenoon (al-duha) ends, but the preferred time for dhikr is from when dawn begins until the sun has risen. With regard to the evening, some scholars said that the time (for dhikr) begins at the time of ‘Asr and ends when the sun sets, and others said that the time lasts until one-third of the night has passed. And some of them said that the time for the evening dhikr starts after sunset. Perhaps the most appropriate view is that a person should strive to recite the morning dhikrs between dawn and sunrise, then if he misses that it will be acceptable if he recites them before the time of the forenoon (al-duha) ends, which is shortly before the time for Zuhr prayer. And he should recite the evening dhikrs between the time of ‘Asr and Maghrib, then if he misses that it will be acceptable if he recites them before one-third of the night has passed. The evidence for this preference is the fact that the Qur’aan urges us to remember Allaah in the early morning (bukoor) and in the late afternoon (‘ashiy), which is the time between ‘Asr and Maghrib. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘and glorify the Praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting’ [Qaaf 50:39] This is the interpretation of what is mentioned in the ahaadeeth, ‘Whoever says such and such in the morning… and in the evening’. What is meant by this is before the sun rises, and before it sets. The time for that is between dawn and sunrise, and between ‘Asr and Maghrib. And Allaah says: ‘and glorify the praises of your Lord in the 116

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‘Ashi (i.e. the time period after the midnoon till sunset) and in the Ibkaar (i.e. the time period from early morning or sunrise till before midnoon)’ [Ghaafir 40:55] Ibkaar means the first part of the day, and ‘ashiy means the latter part. So the time for these dhikrs is after Fajr and after ‘Asr.” (Summarized from al-Waabil al-Sayyib, 200. See also Sharh al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah by Ibn ‘Allaaj, 3/74, 75, 100). There are also dhikrs to be recited during the night, as was narrated in the hadeeth: “Whoever recites the last two verses of Soorat al-Baqarah at night, that will be sufficient for him.” (al-Bukhaari, 4008; Muslim, 807). And it is known that the night starts at sunset (Maghrib) and ends at dawn. So the Muslim must strive to recite every dhikr that is connected to a specific time at the right time, but if he misses it, should he make it up or not? Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “With regard to making it up if he forgets it, I hope that he will be rewarded for that.” See also Question no 11169 and 3781. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 22015: Mentioning the name of Allaah in the washroom Question: Sometimes I feel afraid when I am in the washroom and I

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mention the name of Allaah in my heart. What is the ruling on that? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. A person should not mention the name of his Lord inside the washroom, because the place is not appropriate for that. If he remembers Him in his heart that is OK, so long as he does not say this out loud. Otherwise it is better not to say it out loud in this place; he should wait until he comes out. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 11, p. 109 (www.islam-qa.com) 10192: Is there a du’aa’ for memorizing the Qur’aan? Question: Is there a du’aa’ for memorizing the Qur’aan, and what is the way to memorize it? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. I do not know of any du’aa’ for memorizing Qur’aan, except one hadeeth. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught it to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him), but there is some dispute as to how sound it is. Ibn Katheer said concerning it: it is ghareeb, rather munkar (i.e., it is not saheeh). 118

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Al-Sayyid Muhammad Ridaa said, commenting on it: its style is that of the fabricated reports, not the style of the most eloquent of mankind, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the style of ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him), nor the style of their age. Al-Dhahabi said this is a shaadhdh (odd) munkar hadeeth. From Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al‘Uthaymeen, Kitaab al-‘Ilm,p. 157 (www.islam-qa.com) 12560: Reading Qur’aan after Fajr prayer Question: At what times Quran can be read. My understanding is Quran is one of forms of dhikar and dhikar can be done at any time. But few brothers in our mosque feel that it cannot be read between fajr and sun rise, reason is we cannot perform sajjud during this time and if sajde-thilawa comes we cannot perform sajdah and hence we should be reading during this time. Please answer this question in light of Quran and Sunnah with some evidence. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This question covers a number of issues 1 – When is a Muslim not allowed to read the Qur’aan? It is permissible for a Muslim to read Qur’aan in all situations, except when he is junub (in a state of major impurity following sexual activity); he is not permitted 119

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to read Qur’aan in this situation. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said: “The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is forbidden for the person who is junub to read Qur’aan.” (See Tawdeeh al-Ahkaam by ‘Abd-Allaah alBassaam, vol. 1, p. 309) With regard to what is mentioned about reading Qur’aan being dhikr, this is correct, indeed it is one of the best forms of dhikr, because it is the words of Allaah. 2 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade prayer at certain times. See the answer to Question # 8818. It was narrated that it is not allowed to pray or to bury the dead at those times, but that does not include reading Qur’aan. Rather it was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that it is mustahabb to remember Allaah (dhikr) after Fajr, which undoubtedly includes reading Qur’aan. Al-Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in jamaa’ah, then sits and remembers Allaah until the sun comes up, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘Umrah.” He said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Complete, complete, complete.” (al-Jumu’ah 535; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 480). Disallowing this is not valid unless there is evidence (daleel) to that effect; how can that be when there is evidence to indicate that it is mustahabb? 3 – Is sujood al-tilaawah (prostration during recitation of Qur’aan) considered to be salaah (prayer)? Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: Some of the scholars were of the view that it is prayer. Some of the scholars were of the view that it is not prayer, 120

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because the definition of prayer does not apply to it, as it is not proven in the Sunnah that there is any takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar” as in the beginning of prayer) or tasleem (saying salaams, as at the end of prayer) involved in it. The ahaadeeth narrated concerning Sujood alTilaawah do not mention anything except sujood (prostration) – “he prostrated and we prostrated with him” – except for one hadeeth which was narrated by Abu Dawood, but its isnaad is subject to question (“he said ‘Allaahu akbar’ when he prostrated”). But there is no tasleem. It was not narrated in any hadeeth, da’eef (weak) or saheeh (sound), that he said tasleem after doing sujood al-tilaawah. If if there is no saheeh hadeeth to indicate that one should say tasleem, then it is not prayer, because prayer has to begin with takbeer and end with tasleem. This is the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). On this basis there is no need for tahaarah (to have wudoo’) or to cover one’s ‘awrah or to face the qiblah. It is permissible to prostrate even if one has broken one’s wudoo’ (minor impurity). Whoever studies the words of Ibn Taymiyah will see that the correct view is that which he expressed, which is that sujood al-tilaawah is not prayer and is not subject to the same conditions as prayer. If you recite Qur’aan from memory and you do not have wudoo’, and you come to an aayah where sujood is required, then according to this view you may prostrate and it is OK. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), even though he was known to be very strict, used to prostrate when he did not have wudoo’, but to be on the safe side it is better not to prostrate without having wudoo’. Al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 4, p. 126 On this basis, it is permissible to read Qur’aan after praying Fajr, indeed it is mustahabb. With regard to the issue of the reader coming across an aayah where sujood 121

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al-tilaawah is required, after Fajr or after ‘Asr, Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked whether the person who is reading Qur’aan after ‘Asr or after Fajr should do sujood al-tilaawah. He said: It is prescribed to do sujood al-tilaawah after Fajr and after ‘Asr, because this is something that is done for a reason, and because it does not come under the rulings of prayer according to the more correct of the two scholarly views. Rather it comes under the ruling of reading Qur’aan and saying tasbeeh (“subhaan Allaah”) and tahleel (“laa ilaaha ill-Allaah”), so it is permissible for the one who is reading Qur’aan to do sujood al-tilaawah, even if he does not have wudoo’, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 2, p. 344 Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 21895: Saying Bismillaah for wudoo’ when one is in the bathroom Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim, after relieving himself in the bathroom to say “Bismillaah” inside the bathroom and then do wudoo’, or should he go out, say “Bismillaah” then go back in and do wudoo’ (because there is no wudoo’ for the one who does not mention the name of Allaah)? Is it permissible to mention the name of Allaah when I am taking a bath in the bathroom? 122

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about that and he said: When a person is in the bathroom, he should say the name of Allaah in his heart and not utter it aloud. So if you are in this situation, do this. The more correct opinion is that saying the name of Allaah is not obligatory, rather it is mustahabb, but you should not pay attention to waswaas (insinuating whispers from the Shaytaan) or be negligent. Fataawa Islamiyyah, part 1, p. 219 (www.islam-qa.com) 12207: Which is better, glorifying and praising Allaah, or sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Question: Please which is more rewarding with Allah, to recite “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa sallim” OR “Subhanallahi wa bi hamdihi wa subhanallahil azim”? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We may combine the two, because it is recommended to send blessings upon the Prophet before and after asking Allaah for anything. It was narrated that sending blessings upon the Prophet is a means of du’aa’ being accepted. This is also true in the case of dhikr using the words “Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih, subhaan Allaah il-‘Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the 123

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Almighty).” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that both of them bring great reward. Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (www.islam-qa.com) 12173: He wants to learn the awraad and adhkaars prescribed in Islam Question: I would like you to write for me the “awraad and adhkaars prescribed in Islam ”. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. With regard to awraad and adhkaar (dhikr etc.), there are many of them. Among those which have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are adhkaar for getting up from sleep, du’aa’s for morning and evening, and when going to sleep. One of the du’aa’s which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us to say in the morning and evening is as follows: “Reciting ‘Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad’ and al-Mi’wadhatayn [the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan] three times in the evening and in the morning will protect you against everything.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Da’waat, 3499. It was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2829) Sayyid al-Istighfaar (the most superior way of asking for forgiveness), which is: 124

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“Allaahumma Anta Rabbee laa ilaah illa Anta, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wad’ika maa asta’tu, a’oodhu bika min sharri ma sana’tu aboo’u laka bi ni’matika ‘alayya wa aboo’u laka bi dhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu laa yaghfir al-dhunoob illa anta (O Allaah, you are my Lord. None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise (to You) as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.).” He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: Whoever says this during the day, believing in it with certainty, then dies on that day before evening comes, will be one of the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night, believing in it with certainty, then dies on that night before morning comes, will be one of the people of Paradise.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Da’waat, 6306) It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says morning and evening, Subhaan Allaah wa bihamdih (Glory and praise be to Allaah)’ one hundred times, no one will come on the Day of Resurrection with anything better than him, except for one who said the same as he said, or who said more.’(Narrated by Muslim, al-Dhikr wa’l-Du’aa’, 2692) The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a person says, every day in the morning and every night in the evening, ‘Bismillaah alladhi laa yadurru ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ardi wa laa fi’l-sama’ wa Huwa al-Samee’ al-‘Aleem (In the name of Allaah with Whose name nothing can cause harm on earth 125

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or in heaven, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing)’, three times, nothing will harm him.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Da’waat, 3388, Al-Albaani said in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, it is hasan saheeh. No. 2689) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say in the evening: “Amsayna wa amsaa al-mulku Lillaahi wa’l-hamdu Lillaahi wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah… ([the narrator] said: I think he added)… lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. As’aluka khayra ma fi hadhihi’l-laylah wa khayra ma bad’ahaa. Wa a’oodhu bika min sharri hadhihi’l-laylah wa sharri ma bad’ahaa. Wa a’oodhu bika min al-kasal wa soo’ al-kibari wa a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab al-naar wa ‘adhaab al-qabr (We have reached the evening and at this very time unto Allaah belongs all sovereignty, and all praise is for Allaah. None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone, without any partner. ([the narrator] said: I think he added)…To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things omnipotent. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this night and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and senility. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the Fire and the punishment of the grave).” And in the morning he used to say that too: “Asbahnaa wa asbaha al-mulk Lillaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah…(We have reached the morning and at this very time unto Allaah belongs all sovereignty…)”. (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Daw’aat, 3390; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2699)

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The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his companions to say in the morning, “Allaahumma bika asbahnaa wa bika amsaynaa wa bika nayha wa bika namoot wa ilayka al-maseer (O Allaah, by Your leave we have reached the morning and by Your leave we have reached the evening, by Your leave we live and die, and unto You is our return),” and to say in the evening, “Allaahumma bika amsaynaa wa bika asbahna wa bika nahya wa bika namoot wa ilayka alnushoor (O Allaah, by Your leave we have reached the evening and by Your leave we have reached the morning, by Your leave we live and die, and unto You is our resurrection).” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Da’waat, 3391; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, no. 2700) He taught one of his companions to say: “Allaahumma ‘aalim al-ghaybi wa’l-shahaadah, faatir al-samawaati wa’l-ard, Rabba kulli shay’in wa maleekahu, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill anta, a’oodhu bika min sharri nafsi wa min sharri’l-shaytaan wa sharakihi (O Allaah, knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and sovereign of all things, I bear witness that there none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil of the Shaytaan and his tricks).” He said: “Say this in the morning and in the evening, and when you go to your bed.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Da’waat, 3392; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2701) The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never missed reciting these du’aa’s in the evening and in the morning: 127

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“Allaahumma inni as’aluka al-‘aafiyah fi’l-dunya wa’laakhirah. Allaahumma inni as’aluka al-‘afw wa’l‘aafiyah fi deeni wa dunyaaya wa ahli wa maali. Allaahumma astur ‘awrati [‘Uthmaan said, ‘awraati] wa aamin raw’aati. Allaahumma ihfazni min bayna yadayya wa min khalfi wa ‘an yameeni wa ‘an shimaali wa min fawqi wa a’oodhu bi ‘azamatika an ughtaala min tahti (O Allaah, I ask You for well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allaah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth. O Allaah, conceal my faults and keep me safe from the things that I fear. O Allaah, protect me from the front and from behind, and on my right and on my left and from above, and I seek refuge in Your greatness from receiving unexpected harm from below me [being swallowed up by the earth]).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Adab, 5074. Classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 4239) Similarly he said: “ ‘Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-kufri wa’l-faqri. Allaahumma inni a’oodhi bika min ‘adhaab al-qabri. Laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allaah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty. O Allaah, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave. None has the right to be worshipped except You).’ Repeat this three times in the morning and three times in the evening” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Adab 5090. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, its isnaad is hasan. No. 4245) And he said: “Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi ‘adada khalqihi wa ridaa nafsihi wazinata ‘arshihi wa midaada kalimaatihi (Glory be to Allaah and praise be to Him (as great as) the number of His creatures, the extent of His satisfaction, the weight of His domain and the ink (needed to write down His countless) signs (of presence, omnipotence and grace)).” 128

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(Narrated by Muslim, al-Dhikr wa’l-Istighfaar, 4905. This is to be said in the morning). For more information, see Question # 3064, and books of saheeh du’aa’s. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 7041: He says adhkaar but bad things happen to him Question: There is a man who regularly recites adhkaar, but despite that, bad things happen to him. Could it be that he is doing something to cancel out his adhkaar? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Perhaps what is meant here is that this man has done some bad things (makroohaat – things which are disliked), or he has committed some sins, and he fears that his good deeds, including his daily adhkaar, will be cancelled out. On this basis we advise him to keep on reciting the adhkaar and awraad, and to give up the bad deeds, for good deeds wipe out bad deeds, and when he repents to Allaah, his bad deeds will be wiped out and his good deeds will be multiplied. He should not despair of the mercy of Allaah or stop doing righteous deeds. If what is meant here is that this man recites awraad regularly, but some disasters (punishments) still happen to him, such as physical sickness and financial problems, and he fears that his adhkaar are unacceptable and are not having the effect of protecting him and keeping him safe, we say to him, Do not worry, because disasters and trials befell the Prophets and the righteous, but that did not detract from their good 129

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or mean that their adhkaar were not accepted; on the contrary, that happened in order to raise their status and multiply their reward. Al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawa al-Shaykh ibn Jibreen, p. 66 (www.islam-qa.com) 3781: When can adhkaar al-sabaah be recited? Question: If i forgot to say Athakar Assabah before sunrise,is acceptable if i say it whenever i wake up?? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Adhkaar al-sabaah (supplications recited in the morning) are not connected only to the time when the sun rises; in Arabic the word subh (morning) applies to dawn and the first part of the day, as is stated in al-Qaamoos al-Muheet, 291 [a famous Arabic language dictionary – Translator]. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and celebrate the Praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning.”[Ghaafir 40:55 – Yusuf ‘Ali’s translation] Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (4/86) that this means in the early part of the day and in the early part of the night. But the best time of the day for making dhikr is after the dawn prayer, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting…” [Taa-Haa 20:130] 130

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and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits and remembers Allaah (makes dhikr) until the sun rises, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like that for Hajj and ‘Umrah, complete, complete, complete.” (Saheeh alJaami’, 6222). Based on the above, this is how we understand the reports narrated on this topic, such as the ahaadeeth: “Whoever says, in the morning and the evening, ‘Subhaan Allaahi wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allaah)’ one hundred times, will not come with anything better than it on the Day of Resurrection, except for one who does likewise or does more.” (Reported by Muslim, 2692). “Allaahumma bika asbahnaa wa bika amsaynaa wa bika nahyaa wa bika namoot wa ilayka al-nushoor (O Allaah, by Your blessings we reach the morning, by Your blessings we reach the evening, by Your blessings we live, by Your blessings we die, and unto You is the Resurrection).” (Reported by Abu Dawood in al-Sunan, no. (5068); alNisaa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra (9836). Al-Albaani said it is a saheeh hadeeth). Therefore you can say Adhkaar al-Sabaah when you wake up from sleeping, because it is still the time of subh (morning). And Allaah is the Source of strength. Note: Muslim reported in his Saheeh (no. 747) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps without doing his regular dhikr or part of it, then recites it during the time between Fajr prayer and Zuhr prayer, it will be recorded as if he had recited it at night.” 131

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In Sharh Muslim (6/27), al-Nawawi said: “This indicates that it is mustahabb (liked, preferred), to recite awraad (dhikr, supplications) regularly, and that if one misses it, one can make it up later.” In ‘Awn al-Ma’bood (4/198) it says: “This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to recite wird regularly at night, and that it is permissible to make it up if one misses it because of sleeping or any other reason. It also indicates that the one who does this between Fajr prayer and Zuhr prayer is like the one who does it at night, so it is mustahabb to make up tahajjud if one misses it at night.” And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2165: Adhkaar al-wudoo’ (du’aa’s to be recited when doing wudoo’) Question: What is mustahabb (recommended) to be done during wudoo’? What should one say afterwards? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The correct procedure for wudoo’ is: a person should pour water from the vessel onto his hands three times, then put his right hand into the vessel and rinse his mouth and nose three times, then wash his face three times, then wash 132

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his arm up to the elbow three times, then wipe his head and ears once, then wash his feet up to the ankles three times. If he washes everything twice, or once, this is sufficient. Then after doing wudoo’ he should say: “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh. Allaahumma-j’alni min al-tawwaabeen waj’alni min al-mutatahhireen (I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. O Allaah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who are purify themselves).” Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/231. Before doing wudoo’, one should say Bismillah, because of the hadeeth: “There is no wudoo’ for the one who does not mention the name of Allaah when he starts.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 56) Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 1180: Du’aa’ of wudoo’ Question: Is there any du’aa’ to be recited during wudoo’? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is no proof that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made any du’aa’ during wudoo’ whilst washing or wiping his limbs etc. Any such du’aa’s 133

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that are known are bid’ah (innovation) and have no basis. What is known from Islamic sources is that one should say “Bismillaah il-Rahmaan il-Raheem” at the beginning, and after finishing one should recite the Shahaadatayn and say, “Allaahumma aj’alni min al-tawwaabeen waj’alni min al-mutatahhireen (O Allaah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves).” (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/205) (www.islamqa.com) 2554: Du’aa’ to relieve worry and distress Question: Salam, One of my best friend is having lots of problems in life and due to this she lost her happiness, satisfaction, peace of mind. I am very worried about her. Would you please recommend me any duah so can she be happy again in her life. One more thing I heard of ‘Aiyat karema’, a kind of vasifa, in this if someone read a specfic duah for 100,000 times then Allah will fullfill someone’s problem. Idon’t know if this is the authentic way to pray to God. Can you please tell me any duah so I can pray for my friend. I am very worried about her so please reply at your earliest convinence. Please give some advice. Thanks Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is no evidence to suggest that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us to repeat 134

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any aayah or du’aa’ or dhikr 100,000 times. To learn more about du’aa’s that will relieve worries and distress, please refer to the book .Alhomoom - Dealing with Worries and Stress...” Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2355: Dhikr after salaah and before sleeping Question: Bis-millahir-rahmanir-raheem. As’salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu, My question is concerning dhikhr after every fard salat. I have read hadith that state recite” Allahu Akbar”, “Alhamdulillah” and “SubhanAllah” 33 times each. I was informed that it only a total of 30 times after each compulsory(Allahu Akbar, Al-Hamdulillah and SubhanAllah 10 times each). Which, if either, is the correct method for this particuliar dhikr? Also, it has been related to me that you perform the same before you go to sleep except you recite “Allahu Akbar” 34 times which will total one hundred. What is the reward recorded on your behalf for this action? Finally, what is the proper method for performing dhikr on the right hand ? Do you start with the thumb going down and left to right? Which joints to you count on? Your reply would be greatly appreciated, insha’Allah. Jazakullahkhair 135

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah The dhikr after salaah referred to in the question has been reported in a hadeeth reported by Abu Hurayrah from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever glorifies Allaah (says Subhaan Allaah) thirty-three times immediately after each prayer, and praises Allaah (says Al-hamdu Lillaah) thirty-three times, and magnifies Allaah (says Allaahu akbar) thirtythree times, this makes ninety-nine, then to complete one hundred says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god except Allaah Alone, with no partner, His is the power and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things) – his sins will be forgiven even if they are like the foam of the sea.” (Reported by Muslim, 939). A number of different descriptions of the dhikr after salaah have been narrated, an example of which has been referred to in the question. The evidence for this is the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There are two qualities, no Muslim man acquires them but he will enter Paradise, and they are simple and easy. He should glorify Allaah (say Subhaan Allaah) ten times immediately after each prayer, and praise Him (say Al-hamdu Lillaah) ten times and magnify Him (say Allaahu akbar) ten times.’ I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) counting this on his fingers. He said: ‘That makes one hundred and fifty on the tongue, and one thousand five hundred (hasanaat) in the scales. [Translator’s note: each of three phrases repeated ten times makes thirty; multiplied by the number of daily prayers, which is five, makes one hundred and fifty. Each of these 136

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good deeds of the tongue will be rewarded with ten hasanaat which will be added to the total of good deeds to be weighed in the balance or scales on the Day of Judgement]. When you go to bed, glorify Him and praise Him and magnify Him one hundred times: that will be one hundred on the tongue and a thousand in the scales. Who among you does two thousand and five hundred sayi’aat (bad deeds) in one day?’ They said: ‘How could we not count (our sins)?’ He said: ‘The Shaytaan comes to any one of you whilst he is praying and says, Remember this, remember that, until he finishes his prayer and does not do (this dhikr), or he comes to him when he is lying down and makes him sleepy, until he falls asleep (without doing this dhikr).’” (Abu ‘Eesaa said: This is a hasan saheeh hadeeth. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3332). Among the adhkaar that may be recited before going to sleep, as referred to in the question, is that reported in the hadeeth of ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that Faatimah (upon whom be peace) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him for a servant. He said, “Shall I not tell you of something that is better for you than that? When you go to sleep, say ‘Subhaan Allaah’ thirty-three times, ‘Al-hamdu Lillah’ thirty-three times, and ‘Allaahu akbar’ thirty four times.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4943). As regards counting this tasbeeh, the Sunnah is to use the fingers of the right hand, although it is permitted to use the left hand. The evidence that the right hand is preferable was reported by Abu Dawood (may Allaah have mercy on him), who said: “ ‘Ubayd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar ibn Maysarah and Muhammad ibn Qudaamah, among others, told us: ‘Aththaam told us from al-A’mash from ‘Ataa’ ibn al-Saa’ib from his father from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr who said: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) counting the tasbeeh.’ Ibn Qudaamah said: ‘With his right hand.’” 137

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(Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitaab al-Salaat, Baab al-Tasbeeh bi’l-hasaa). It was said in Haashiyat al-Tahtaawi: “It is correct that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to count the tasbeeh on his right hand. It was reported that he said: ‘Count with your finger tips, for they will be asked and they will be made to speak.’ Ibn Hijr said: Counting the tasbeeh with the fingertips is better than using the subhah (prayer-beads or “rosary”). The sunnah is to count with the fingertips by putting them on the palm of the hand. As to precisely which finger of the right hand one should start with, I have no specific information on this. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 6 Virtues of deeds 47190: Is he regarded as sponsoring an orphan if he simply pays money to a charity that sponsors orphans? Question: I sponsor an orphan through Jama’iyyat al-Birr in Jeddah, paying 200 riyals a month which is given to the mother of the child through them. I am not responsible for anything else concerning the child apart from paying this money. Is this what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined when he said, “I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be in Paradise”? Please advise me, may Allaah reward you with good. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: sponsoring an orphan is one of the righteous deeds which Islam encourages us to do and tells us are among the means of entering Paradise, and indeed of attaining the highest positions therein. There is sufficient encouragement for the believer to do these actions in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be in Paradise like these two” – and he gestured with his forefinger and middle finger, holding them apart. AlBukhaari, 5304. Ibn Battaal (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “It is a duty for the one who hears this hadeeth to act upon it, so that he will be with the Prophet (peace and blessings of 139

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Allaah be upon him) in Paradise.” (Quoted by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari, 10/436. Secondly: spending money on an orphan is something that is encouraged in particular. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “This money is fresh and sweet. Blessed is the wealth of the Muslim, from which he gives to the poor, the orphan and the wayfarer” or as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said it. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1465; Muslim, 1052. But this spending is not the be-all and end-all of the sponsorship that is encouraged in Islam, for which a person is promised a high status in Paradise, rather it is just one kind and one aspect of sponsorship and kind treatment of the orphan until he grows up. Rather sponsorship in the complete sense means looking after him, guiding him with regard to his religious and worldly affairs, educating him, and treating him kindly until he is no longer regarded as an orphan (i.e., when he reaches adulthood). Ibn al-Atheer said: “The sponsor is the one who takes care of the orphan’s affairs and brings him up.” Al-Nihaayah, 4/192. In Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) defined the sponsor of an orphan as being the one who takes care of his affairs. The commentator on this book said: (that means) his religious and worldly affairs, by spending on him, clothing him, etc. Daleel al-Faaliheen, 3/103. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Sponsoring an orphan means taking care of his religious and worldly interests, teaching him and guiding him etc with regard to religious matters, and taking care of his food, drink, shelter and other worldly concerns. Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, 5/113. The religious and educational affairs of the orphan both come under the heading of sponsorship; it is not only the 140

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matter of material, worldly interests. Indeed, these (religious and educational interests) are more important, just as a father’s educating and disciplining his children is more important than his simply spending on them. Shaykh Ibn Sa’di said – concerning a man educating his children: When you feed them, clothe them and train them physically, you are fulfilling their rights for which you will be rewarded; by the same token, when you train them spiritually and impart beneficial knowledge to them, and guide them towards good morals and manners and warn them against the opposite, you are also fulfilling rights which are even more important.” Bahjat Quloob alAbraar, 128. This is the true sponsorship of an orphan, bringing him up like one’s own son, which is not limited to feeling compassion for him and being kind to him, and teaching him and disciplining him and educating him in the best manner. Fayd al-Qadeer by al-Manaawi, 1/108. Al-‘Iraaqi (may Allaah have mercy on him) wondered whether this was the reason why the one who sponsors an orphan would be close to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Paradise. He said: “Perhaps the reason why the one who sponsors an orphan will be so close to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Paradise is because a Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is usually sent to people who do not know about Allaah and the true religion, so a Prophet is like a sponsor, teacher and guide for them, and the one who sponsors an orphan is taking care of one who does not understand his religion, or even his worldly affairs, so he guides him, teaches him and disciplines him. (Quoted by al-Haafiz in al-Fath, 10/ 437. Moreover, limiting it to spending, especially when the orphan is far away, deprives the sponsor of one of the 141

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means of softening the heart and meeting needs, which is embracing the orphan and treating him kindly. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Bring the orphan close to you, wipe his head and give him some of your food, for that will soften your heart and fulfil your need.” Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 854. The point is that the best way of sponsoring an orphan is for a man to bring him in with his own children, and raise him as he raises them, and spend on him as he spends on them. If the sponsor cannot afford to spend on the orphan, or if the orphan has enough wealth to be independent of means, and a man brings him in with his own children, this is good, even if it is lower in status than the first suggestion. This is one of the greatest types of sponsorship, and serves one of its greatest aims. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “This virtue is attained by the one who sponsors an orphan from his own wealth or from the orphan’s wealth under legitimate shar’i guardianship. Quoted by Ibn ‘Alaan in Daleel al-Faaliheen, 3/104. If a man has wealth from which he can spend on an orphan, as in the case of the person asking this question, then he is doing something very good in sha Allah, and it will be sufficient to protect him from the fitnah (trial, temptation) of wealth and stinginess. And it will fulfill the condition stipulated by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “… from which he gives to the poor, the orphan and the wayfarer.” But this is not sponsorship in the fullest sense, for which a person is promised closeness to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Paradise. But if he has a pure and sincere intention he may achieve thereby that which he could not attain by his deeds. It was narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was on a campaign and he said: 142

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“There are people whom we have left behind in Madeenah, but we did not travel though any mountain pass or valley but they were with us. They were detained by some excuse.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2839. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 36546: Examples of good deeds we can do every day to increase our hasanaat Question: I hope you can give me some examples of good deeds that we can do every day to increase our hasanaat. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If Allaah helps him to do righteous deeds, the Muslim can earn a great deal of reward. There are many different kinds of righteous deeds that can be done by rich and poor, old and young, male and female, depending on each person’s circumstances, ambition and energy, after the help of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [al-Nahl 16:97] 143

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It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before there come tribulations like pieces of a dark night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a kaafir by evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and a kaafir by morning, selling his religious commitment for worldly gain.” Narrated by Muslim, 118. The kinds of good deeds that a person can do every day include the following: 1 – Praying in congregation in the mosque It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning and evening, Allaah will prepare for him an honourable place in Paradise every time he goes and comes.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 631; Muslim, 669. 2 – Attending funerals and offering the funeral prayer It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever attends a funeral until he offers the (funeral) prayer will have one qiraat (of reward) and whoever attends until the burial is done will have two qiraats.” It was said: “What are the two qiraats?” He said: “Like two great mountains.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1261; Muslim, 945 3 – Saying “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Dominion, to Him be all praise, and He is able to do all things)” one hundred times each day. 144

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It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’lmulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer one hundred times in a day, it will be as if he freed ten slaves, and one hundred hasanaat (good deeds) will be recorded for him, and one hundred sayi’aat (bad deeds) will be erased from him, and it will be a protection for him against the Shaytaan all that day until evening comes. No one can do anything better than that except one who does more.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3119; Muslim, 2691. 4 – Upholding the ties of kinship It was narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever would like his provision to be increased and his lifespan extended, let him uphold his ties of kinship.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5639; Muslim, 2557. 5 – Observing voluntary fasts, visiting the sick and giving charity. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Who among you is fasting today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I am.” He said: “Who among you has attended a funeral today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” He said: “Who among you has fed a poor person today?’ Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” He said: “Who among you has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I have.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be 145

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upon him) said: “These (traits) are not combined in a person but he will enter Paradise.” Narrated by Muslim, 1028. 6 – Saying Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allaah) one hundred times. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allaah) one hundred times, morning and evening, his sins will be erased even if they are like the foam of the sea.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6042; Muslim, 2691. 7 – Tasbeeh, tahmeed and takbeer, and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and praying Duha. It was narrated from Abu Dharr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For every bone of the son of Adam a charity must be given each day. Every tasbeehah [saying Subhaan Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)] is a charity, every tahmeedah [saying al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah)] is a charity, every tahleelah [saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah)] is a charity, every takbeerah [saying Allaahu akbar [Allaah is Most Great]) is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and two rak’ahs offered in the mid-morning (Duha) is sufficient.” Narrated by Muslim, 720. 8 – Reading Qur’aan. It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever reads a letter of the Book of Allaah will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed 146

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gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is a letter, rather alif is a letter, laam is a letter and meem is a letter.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2910; he said it is hasan saheeh. Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh alTirmidhi. And there are many other good deeds. The Muslim should seek the help of his Lord to do good deeds, and do his best to do them. He should persist in doing these good deeds even if they are little, for that is better than doing a lot of good deeds then stopping. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O people, you should do whatever good deeds you can, for Allaah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of good deeds to Allaah is that in which a person persists, even if it is little. If the family of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to do something, they would persist in it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 43; Muslim, 782. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34604: Will a person be rewarded for any calamity such as disease or an accident that befalls him? Question: Witchcraft and the evil eye are trials from Allaah. Will a person be rewarded if he is afflicted by either of them? Will a person be rewarded for any calamity such as disease 147

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or an accident that befalls him, or are there things that Islam says must be followed in order to attain the reward?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We have already posted, in the answer to question no. 10936, the fatwa of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn ‘Uthyameen (may Allaah have mercy on him), which states that the calamities for which a Muslim may be rewarded are those which he bears with patience and seeks the reward from Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted. Undoubtedly being afflicted by the evil eye and witchcraft are some of the greatest calamities that may befall a Muslim, for their effects on the mind, heart and body of the victim may be serious. Bearing that with patience will bring a great reward from Allaah. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that a black woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “I suffer from epilepsy and I become uncovered. Pray to Allaah for me.” He said: “If you wish, you can be patient and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish I will pray to Allaah to heal you.” She said, “I will be patient.” Then she said: “But I become uncovered. Pray to Allaah that I will not become uncovered.” So he prayed for her. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5652; Muslim, 2576. The calamities that befall a person and affect him or his wealth or his family are not completely bad, rather they may result in a lot of good for a person. Allaah has told us in His Book of that which may reduce the impact of the calamity on a person and encourage him to seek reward, namely patience and saying Inna 148

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Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return). This is a promise from Allaah that He will fulfil. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “but give glad tidings to As Saabiroon (the patient). 156. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ 157. They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones” [al-Baqarah 2:155-157] Ibn al-Qayyim said: This phrase is one of the greatest means of dealing with calamity and is one of the most beneficial in this world and in the Hereafter. It comprises two great principles which, if a person understands them properly, will bring him consolation for the calamity that has befallen him: 1 – That the person, his family and his wealth all belong to Allaah in a real sense; they have been given to him as a loan, and if they are taken from him, that is like the lender taking back his property from the borrower. 2 – The person will ultimately return to Allaah his Lord. He will inevitably leave this world behind and come before his Lord on his own as He created him the first time, with no family, no wealth, no tribe, rather with good deeds and bad deeds. If this is how he started and is how he is going to end, then how can he rejoice over what he has or grieve over what he does not have? Thinking about how he began and how he will end is the best remedy for this problem. 149

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Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/189. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us that bearing hardships and calamities with patience is something that can only be done by those who have achieved true faith. It was narrated that Subhayb al-Roomi (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affair is all good, and this applies to no one except the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks and that is good for him, and if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and he will be rewarded for that, so everything that Allaah has decreed for the Muslim is good.” Narrated by Muslim, 2999. Trials and calamities are a test, and are a sign of Allaah’s love for a person. They are like medicine: even if it is bitter, you offer it despite its bitterness to one whom you love – and for Allaah is the highest description. According to a saheeh hadeeth: “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allaah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2396; Ibn Maajah, 4031; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani. We should not hate the trials that Allaah has decreed for us. Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Do not hate the trials that befall you or the calamities that happen to you, for they may be something that you hate but it leads to your salvation, and there may be something that you love, but it leads to your doom. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 150

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7859: The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal Question: What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, alNisaa’i and Ibn Maajah). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan brings the 151

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reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.” The Hanbali and Shaafa’i fuqaha’ explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it. Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person’s obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting. On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.’ If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Complete the obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.’ Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 152

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11722: Virtues of Laylat al-Qadar Question: what is the importance of 15 shaban,is it the night in which the fate of every one is decided for the next year? the especial night mentioned in surah Dakan means which night.is it the shaban or Qadar? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the 15th of Sha’baan) is like any other night, and there is no sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to indicate that on this night the fate or destiny of people is decided. See Question no. 8907. With regard to the night mentioned in the verses: “We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]. Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments” [al-Dukhaan 44:3-4] Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: the commentators differed concerning that night, i.e., which night of the year it is. Some of them said that it is Laylat al-Qadr, and it was narrated from Qurtaadah that

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it is Laylat al-Qadr. Others said that it is the night of the 15th of Sha’baan. The correct view is the view of those who say that it is Laylat al-Qadr, because Allaah has told us of that when He says, ‘Verily, We are ever warning’ [al-Dukhaan 44:3].” (Tafseer al-Tabari, 11/221) With regard to the phrase, “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments”: Ibn Hajar said in his commentary on Saheeh al-Bukhaari: “What this means is that the decrees for the year are decided on that night, because Allaah says: ‘Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments’. And al-Nawawi said: the scholars said that it is called Laylat al-Qadr because on this night the angels write down the decrees (aqdaar), because Allaah says, ‘Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments’. This was also narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq and other mufassireen with saheeh isnaads from Mujaahid, ‘Ikrimah, Qutaadah and others. Al-Toorbashti said that the word used in the Qur’aan is qadr, whereas people think it is qadar (decree); the word qadr refers to the detailed manifestation of the decree. Laylat al-Qadr brings great reward for the one who does good deeds and strives in worship on that night. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of AlQadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the Night of AlQadr (Decree) is? The Night of AlQadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). 154

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Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”[alQadr 97:1-5] There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of that night, such as the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven, and whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Sawm, 1768). And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 45839: The virtue of reading Qur’aan at night when people are asleep Question: What is the virtue of reading the Qur’aan at night when people are asleep?.

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is proven in the saheeh Sunnah that the Qur’aan will intercede for those who read it at night, as Ahmad (6626) narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger 155

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of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting and the Qur’aan will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I deprived him of his food and his desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ And the Qur’aan will say: ‘I deprived him of his sleep at night so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will intercede.” Narrated by Ahmad; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 3882. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated that reading the Qur’aan at night is one of the blessings that the believer is to be envied for. He said: “There should be no envy except in two cases: a man to whom Allaah teaches the Qur’aan, so he recites it during the night and during the day, and his neighbour hears him and says, ‘Would that I had been given what So and so has been given and I could do what he does, and a man to whom Allaah gives wealth so he spends it all for the sake of the truth, and a man says, ‘Would that I had been given what So and so has been given and I could do what he does.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4738. Reading Qur’aan at night saves one from negligence, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever reads ten verses at night will not be recorded as one of the negligent.” Narrated by al-Haakim, who said it is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’lTarheeb (640): It is saheeh because of corroborating reports. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever observes these prescribed prayers regularly will not be recorded as one of the negligent, and whoever reads one hundred verses in a night will be recorded as one of the devout.” Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh, and by al-Haakim, who said it 156

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is saheeh according to the conditions of both (al-Bukhaari and Muslim). It was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 640. Allaah has described the pious as follows (interpretation of the meaning): “They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allaah) and praying, with fear and hope]. 18. And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allaah) for forgiveness” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:17, 18] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21748: When is the “hour of response” on Friday? Question: Is the last hour of ‘Asr on Friday the “hour of response”? Does the Muslim have to be in the mosque at this time, and do women have to be at home? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are two opinions concerning the hour of response on Friday which are likely to be correct: The first is that it lasts from after ‘Asr until the sun sets, for those who sit and wait for Maghrib, whether that is in the mosque or at home, making du’aa’ to their Lord, whether they are men or women; whoever does that is 157

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more deserving of seeing a response to his or her du’aa’. But men should not pray Maghrib or any other prayer at home unless they have a legitimate shar’i excuse, as is well known from the evidence of sharee’ah. The second is that it lasts from the time when the imaam sits on the minbar to deliver the khutbah on Friday until he finishes the prayer. Du’aa’ at either of these times is deserving of being answered. These two times are more likely to be the times of response on Friday, because of the saheeh ahaadeeth which indicate that. The hour of response may also be sought at other times of the day. And the bounty of Allaah is great. Among the moments when response may come to a du’aa’ in all prayers, obligatory and naafil alike, is the moment of sujood (prostration), because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The closest that a person may be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du’aa’ in sujood.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), in al-Salaah, 482). And Muslim (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated in his Saheeh from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “As for rukoo’ (bowing), proclaim the greatness of your Lord in rukoo’ and strive in du’aa’, for you will be more deserving of being responded to.” (Muslim, al-Salaah, 479). Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Majallat alBuhooth, issue no. 34, p. 142 (www.islam-qa.com) 26242: Good deeds Question: What exactly are good deeds (as-salihat)? I know some but maybe not all of them. 158

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Good deeds are those which are in accordance with sharee’ah, and which are done sincerely for the sake of Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] defined ‘ibaadah (worship) as “a general term which includes all that Allaah loves and is pleased with, be it words or deeds, both inward and outward; these are of many kinds and we cannot list them, let alone enumerate them, but we will mention some of them: 1. Belief in Allaah – which includes belief in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the divine will and decree (al-qadar), both good and bad. 2. Prayer done on time – there are five prayers that Allaah has enjoined during the night and day. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with hem) were all agreed that the one who does not pray is a kaafir. It is not permissible to delay the prayers beyond their appointed time. It is obligatory to perform all the obligatory parts of the prayer, and the Muslim should pray as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed. 3. Acceptable Hajj – which means: a. It should be done with halaal money (earned from permissible sources) b. One should avoid immoral actions, sin and arguments whilst doing Hajj c. He should perform all the rituals according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). d. He should not do Hajj to show off, rather he should do it sincerely for the sake of Allaah. 159

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e. He should not follow it with any act of disobedience or sin. 4. Honouring one’s parents – which means obeying them in acts of obedience towards Allaah; it is not permissible to obey them in matters of disobedience or sin. Honouring them also means not raising one’s voice to them, and not offending them with hurtful words. It also includes spending on them, and serving them. 5. Jihad for the sake of Allaah. Allaah has prescribed jihad in order to establish Tawheed and spread Islam throughout the world. Allaah has prepared a great reward for the mujaahideen. 6. Loving for the sake of Allaah and hating for the sake of Allaah. This means that the Muslim loves his fellow Muslim for the sake of Allaah, not for his colour, nationality or wealth, rather for his obedience to his Lord and his closeness to Him. Similarly he hates the sinner for his disobedience towards Allaah. 7. Reading and reciting Qur’aan – whether that is in the portion he reads each day or what he recites in prayers at night (qiyaam al-layl). 8. Persisting in acts of worship even if they are little. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) loved actions that were done consistently, even if they were little. A small action done persistently is better than a greater action done intermittently. 9. Fulfilling one’s trusts. This is an obligatory action and is one of the greatest of deeds. It is known in Islam that the hypocrite is the one who betrays his trust and does not render trusts back to the people who entrusted them to him. 10. Being forgiving towards people. This means foregoing 160

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one’s personal rights, forgiving the one who has done you wrong, if doing so will lead to his changing, or if he has repented and regrets what he did. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person only increases in honour by forgiving.” Narrated by Muslim, 2588 11. Being truthful in speech. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man will keep on speaking the truth and endeavouring to tell the truth until he will be recorded with Allaah as a speaker of truth. Truthfulness is a means of salvation; it is a great characteristic which was one of the features of the Prophets and those who followed them in truth.” Narrated by Muslim, 2607. 12. Spending for the sake of Allaah. This includes spending on jihad, and spending on one’s parents, the poor and needy, on building mosques, on printing copies of the Qur’aan and Islamic books, and spending on one’s family and children. 13. Ensuring that the Muslims are safe from one’s words and actions. That means refraining from gossip, backbiting, slander, insults and curses, and refraining from hitting or beating those who do not deserve such treatment. 14. Feeding the hungry – which includes feeding both humans and animals. 15. Spreading the greeting of salaam to those whom you know and those whom you do not know – except in the case of those whom the texts say we should not initiate the greeting of salaam with, namely the kuffaar. 16. Helping the needy, wayfarers and those who are helpless. 161

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17. Keeping your evil away from people, which is an act of charity that may benefit you. And there are many other good deeds. The following hadeeth enumerates several good deeds: Al-Bayhaqi narrated that Abu Dharr said: I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what will save a person from Hellfire?” He said, “Belief in Allaah.” I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, are there are any deeds that should accompany that belief?” He said, ‘He should give from that provision which Allaah has granted him.” I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what if he is poor and does not have anything to give?” He said, “He should enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil.” I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what if he cannot enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil?” He said, “He should help the one who is helpless (i.e., has no skills and cannot earn a learning).” I said, “What if he himself is helpless and cannot do anything?” He said, “He should help one who has been wronged.” I said, “What if he is weak and cannot help one who has been wronged?” He said, “You do not want to think of your companion as having any good in him. Let him refrain from harming people.” 162

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I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, if he does that, will he enter Paradise?” He said, “There is no believer who does not strive to acquire one of these characteristics, but I will take him by the hand and lead him into Paradise.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Targheeb, 876 And Allaah is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 12702: Is there reward for good deeds in this world apart from reward in the Hereafter? Question: Do we get rewarded by allah in this world not only the next.. Meaning allah will reward us in life for doing good deeds and also get more reward in the hereafter.. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, Allaah has promised the believer who does righteous deeds reward in this world, as well as the greater reward which awaits him in the Hereafter. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful 163

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provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter” [al-Nahl 16:97] Ibn al-Qayyim said: Allaah guarantees to those who believe and do righteous deeds reward in this world with a good life, and Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. The rewards in this life for some good deeds have been mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. These include the following: 1 – Spending for the sake of Allaah Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allaah’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers” [Saba’ 34:39] It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah says: ‘O son of Adam, spend and I will spend on you.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4407; Muslim, 993). Spending for the sake of Allaah is one of the means of increasing one’s provision. 2 – Being easy-going with a debtor who is facing hardship, concealing a Muslim’s faults and helping him. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a Muslim of some distress in this world, Allaah will relieve him of some distress on 164

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the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is easy-going with a debtor who is facing hardship, Allaah will make it easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter. And whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allaah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. And Allaah will help His slave so long as His slave helps his brother.” Narrated by Muslim, 2699. 3 – Being humble for the sake of Allaah. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Wealth never decreases because of charity. No person shows forbearance but Allaah will honour him and no one is humble for the sake of Allaah but Allaah will raise him in status.” Narrated by Muslim, 2588. Al-Mubaarakfoori said: “raise him in status” means in this world and in the Hereafter. Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 6/150. 4 – Upholding the ties of kinship It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever would like to have his provision increased or his lifespan extended, let him uphold the ties of kinship.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1961; Muslim, 2557. With regard to the extension of one’s lifespan there is a well-known scholarly discussion, which is that lifespans and provisions are decreed and cannot increase or 165

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decrease. “when their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)” [Yoonus 10:49 – interpretation of the meaning]. The scholars came up with several answers to this issue, the most correct of which: That this refers to an increase of blessing during one’s lifetime, being guided to do good deeds and to make use of one’s times in ways that will be of benefit in the Hereafter and to make the most of his time for the sake of Allaah. The second suggestion is that it refers to what the angels see and what is in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz, etc. For the angels see in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz that a person’s lifespan will be sixty years, unless he upholds the ties of kinship, in which case another forty years will be added to his life. Allaah knows what will happen to him in that regard. This is the meaning of the words (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills)” [al-Ra’d 13:39]. With regard to what Allaah knows and what He has already decreed, nothing can be added to that; such a thing is impossible. With regard to what people see, they see that it is increased. This is what is meant by the hadeeth. And Allaah knows best. Sharh Muslim, 16/114 Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21434: The reward of one whose child dies and he bears that with patience Question: What is the reward parents recieve for being patient and thanking Allah, when they have an infant or child die?. 166

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are many texts in the Qur’aan and Sunnah which point to the virtue and great reward of those who are patient and state that Allaah will give them reward without measure. This includes everyone who bears with patience any calamity with which he is tested. Undoubtedly the loss of a child is one of the greatest calamities for the one whom it befalls. Whoever bears that with patience and accepts the will and decree of Allaah will have a great reward by the grace and bounty of Allaah. There follow some of these texts, which we hope will be of consolation to you in your time of calamity: Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As Saabiroon (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones” [al-Baqarah 2:155-157] “And Allaah loves As-Saabiroon (the patient)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:146] “Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning” [al-Zumar 39:10] 167

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And there are many similar verses. There are also many ahaadeeth, including the following: Muslim (5318) narrated that Suhayb said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affair is all good, and this applies to no one except the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks and that is good for him, and if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.” This has to do with the virtues of patience in general. There are also ahaadeeth which speak specifically of losing a child. For example: Al-Tirmidhi (942) narrated that Abu Sinaan said: I buried my son Sinaan and Abu Talhah al-Khoolaani was sitting at the graveside. When I wanted to go out he took my hand and said, “Shall I not give you some glad tidings, O Abu Sinaan?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Al-Dahhaak ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Arzab narrated to me from Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a person’s child dies, Allaah says to His angels, ‘You have taken the child of My slave.’ They say, ‘Yes.’ He says, ‘You have taken the apple of his eye.’ They say, ‘Yes.’ He says, ‘What did My slave say?’ They say, ‘He praised you and said “Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return).’ Allaah says, ‘Build for My slave a house in Paradise and call it the house of praise.’” (Classed as hasan by alAlbaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1408) It was narrated in al-Saheehayn that there is a special reward for the person whose child dies but he bears that with patience and hopes for reward. It was narrated from 168

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Abu Sa’eed (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the women said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Give us a day (to teach us),” So he preached to them and said, “Any woman who loses three of her children, they will be a shield for her against the Fire.” A woman said, “And two?” He said, “And two.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 99; Muslim, 4786) According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1292), Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no Muslim who loses three of his children before they reach the age of puberty, but Allaah will admit him to Paradise by virtue of His Mercy towards them.” These ahaadeeth explain that if two or more of a person’s children die and he bears that with patience, then he is promised Paradise and salvation from the Fire. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us a du’aa’ to say at times of calamity, in which there is virtue and great reward. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (1525) that Umm Salamah said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, “There is no Muslim who is afflicted with a calamity and says that which Allaah has enjoined, Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon. Allaahumma ajurni fi museebati wakhluf li khayran minha (Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than it), but Allaah will compensate him with something better than it.” She said, When Abu Salamah died, I said, who among the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Then I said these words, and Allaah compensated me with the 169

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Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). We ask Allaah to bless you with patience in the face of your loss, and to compensate you with something better. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 5201: The difference between sponsoring orphans and adopting them Question: Many refugees are entering the USA from Kosova, they may be sponsored by christain organizations. Some brothers want to sponsor the orphans by allowing them to live in their homes and feeding them. A scholar here said that it is Haraam to adopt someone in Islaam, and he discouraged the people from sponsoring the orphans. My question is, doesn’t Islaam allow us to adopt the orphans, only that the orphan does not change his last name, nor is he considered the child of the one adopting him. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is a difference between adoption and sponsoring orphans. A – Adoption means that a man takes an orphan and makes him like one of his own children and calling him after him, so that the orphan is not allowed to marry one of the man’s mahrams; so the sons of the adoptive father are regarded as brothers of the orphan and his daughters are 170

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regarded as his sisters, and the adoptive father’s sisters are regarded as his paternal aunts, and so on. This was one of the things that were done during the first Jaahiliyyah, and some of the Sahaabah carried the names of their adoptive fathers, as in the case of al-Miqdaad ibn al-Aswad whose real father’s name was ‘Amr, but he was called ibn (son of) al-Aswad, after the man who had adopted him. This continued into the early days of Islam, until Allaah forbade that, according to a well-known story. Zayd ibn Haarithah was called Zayd ibn Muhammad, and he was the husband of Zaynab bint Jahsh, then Zayd divorced her. It was narrated that Anas said: When Zaynab’s ‘iddah came to an end, the Messenger of Allaah said to Zayd ibn Haarithah, “Go and tell her about me (that I want to marry her).” So he went to her and found her kneading dough. He said, “O Zaynab, good news. The Messenger of Allaah wants to marry you.” She said, “I will not do anything until I consult with my Lord.” Then she got up and went to her prayer-place, then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came and entered upon her. Concerning this, Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when you said to him (Zayd bin Haarithah the freedslave of the Prophet) on whom Allaah has bestowed grace (by guiding him to Islam) and you (O Muhammad too) have done favour (by manumitting him): ‘Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allaah.’ But you did hide in yourself (i.e. what Allaah has already made known to you that He will give her to you in marriage) that which Allaah will make manifest, you did fear the people (i.e., their saying that Muhammad married 171

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the divorced wife of his manumitted slave) whereas Allaah had a better right that you should fear Him. So when Zayd had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allaah’s Command must be fulfilled” [al-Ahzaab 33:37] (Narrated by Muslim, 1428) B – Allaah has forbidden adoption because it causes knowledge of people’s lineage to be lost, and we have been commanded to preserve people’s lineage. It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no man who knowingly calls himself after someone other than his father but he has committed kufr. Whoever claims to belong to people to whom he has no ties of blood, let him take his place in Hell.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3317; Muslim, 61) What is meant by “committed kufr” is that he has done an act of kufr, not that he is beyond the pale of Islam, because he is forbidding something that Allaah has permitted and is permitting something that Allaah has forbidden. Because forbidding the orphan to marry the daughters of the adoptive father, for example, is forbidding something that is permissible that Allaah has not forbidden. And allowing the orphan to inherit [like a son] from the adoptive father after he dies is permitting something that Allaah has forbidden, because the inheritance is the right 172

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of the children who come from his own loins. This may generate hatred and resentment between the adopted son and the children of the adoptive father, because it will cause them to lose out on something that is rightfully theirs, which will go to this orphan unlawfully who they know is not entitled to it as they are. Sponsoring an orphan means that a man brings the orphan to live in his house, or he sponsors him somewhere other than his house, without giving him his name or forbidding that which is permitted or permitting that which is forbidden, as is the case with adoption. Rather the one who sponsors an orphan does it as an act of charity. So there can be no comparison between one who sponsors an orphan and one who adopts a child, because of the great difference between them and because sponsoring orphans is something which is encouraged in Islam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…And they ask you concerning orphans. Say: The best thing is to work honestly in their property, and if you mix your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. And Allaah knows him who means mischief (e.g. to swallow their property) from him who means good (e.g. to save their property). And if Allaah had wished, He could have put you into difficulties. Truly, Allaah is All-Mighty, AllWise” [al-Baqarah 2:220] The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that sponsoring orphans is a means of being together with him in Paradise. It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa’d said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be like this in Paradise” – and he gestured with his index and middle fingers, holding them slightly apart. 173

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(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4998) But we must point out that when these orphans reach adolescence, they must be separated from the wives and daughters of the sponsor; when doing an act of charity we should not let that lead to immorality. We should also note that the one who is sponsored may be an orphaned girl and she may be beautiful and may become attractive before adolescence, so the sponsor must watch his sons lest they fall into doing haraam things with the orphans, because this could happen and be a means of causing mischief which it will be difficult to put right. We encourage our brothers to sponsor orphans, for this is something that is rarely done except by those whom Allaah has made righteous and caused them to love good and feel compassion for the orphans and the poor, especially our brothers in Kosova and Chechnya who are faced with hardship and difficulties. We ask Allaah to relieve them of their distress. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 13210: Do the agonies of death reduce a person’s sins? Question: Do the agonies of death reduce a person’s sins? Does sickness reduce a person’s sins? Please advise us. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, everything of sickness, difficulty, worry or distress 174

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that befalls a person, even the prick of a thorn, is an expiation for his sins. Then if he bears it patiently and seeks reward for that with Allaah, as well as the expiation of his sins he will be rewarded for the patience with which he bears the calamity that has befallen him. It makes no difference whether that is at the time of death or before. Calamities are expiation of sin for the believer. The proof of that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much”[alShoora 42:30] Since that is because of what our hands have earned, this indicates that it is an expiation for the things we have done. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that no worry, distress or hurt befalls the Muslim, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will expiate his sins thereby. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, in al-Fataawa al-Jaami’ah li’lMar’ah al-Muslimah, part 3, p. 1138 (www.islam-qa.com) 14035: The advantages of the haafiz in this world and in the Hereafter Question: What are the benefits that a Hafiz gets in this life and the next. And what about his relatives and offspring? What about the genereations before and after him. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 175

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Firstly: Memorizing the Qur’aan is an act of worship through which one seeks the Face of Allaah and reward in the Hereafter. Without this intention, he will never have any reward, rather he will be punished for doing this act of worship for someone or something other than Allaah. The haafiz (the person who has memorized the Qur’aan) should not have any intention of gaining worldly benefits by memorizing the Qur’aan, because his memorization thereof is not a product to be traded with in this world, rather it is an act of worship which is done for the sake of his Lord. Allaah has given special privileges to the one who memorizes the Qur’aan in a number of ways in this world and in the Hereafter, for example: 1 – He takes precedence over others in leading the prayer. It was narrated that Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The people should be led in prayer by the one among them who has the most knowledge of the Book of Allaah; if they are equal in knowledge of the Qur’aan, then by the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah; if they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then by the one who migrated (made hijrah) first; if they are equal in terms of hijrah, then by the one who became Muslim first. No man should lead another in prayer in his domain of authority, or sit in his place in his house, except with his permission.” (Narrated by Muslim, 673) It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: “When the first muhaajiroon (emigrants) came to Quba’, before the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah 176

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be upon him) came (to Madeenah), Saalim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah used to lead them in prayer, and he was the one who knew the most Qur’aan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 660) 2 – He is placed in front of others in a common grave, closer to the qiblah, if it is essential to bury him with others. It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Prophet would wrap two of the men slain at Uhud in a single cloth, then he would ask, ‘Which of them knew more Qur’aan?’ If one of them was pointed out to him, he would put that one in the lahd (niche in the side of the grave) first. And he said, ‘I will be a witness over these people on the Day of Resurrection.’ He commanded that they should be buried with their blood, without being washed, and that no funeral prayer should be offered for them.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1278) 3 – He takes precedence in leadership if he able to bear that It was narrated from ‘Aamir ibn Waathilah that Naafi’ ibn ‘Abd al-Haarith met ‘Umar in ‘Usfaan, and ‘Umar had appointed him as governor of Makkah. ‘Umar said, “Who have you appointed in charge of the people of the valley?” He said, “Ibn Abza.” ‘Umar asked, “Who is Ibn Abza?” He said, “One of our freed slaves.” Umar said, “Have you appointed over them a freed slave?!” He said, “He is well-versed in the Book of Allaah and he has knowledge of the laws of inheritance.” ‘Umar said: “Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Indeed, by this Book, Allaah would exalt some people and degrade others.’” (Narrated by Muslim, 817) 177

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With regard to the Hereafter: 4 – The status of the one who memorizes Qur’aan will be commensurate with the last aayah he memorized. It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan (i.e., the one who memorized and studied it): ‘Read, advance in status and recite as you used to do in the world, for your status will be commensurate with the last aayah that you recite.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2914; he said this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, no. 2329, it is hasan saheeh. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 1464). What is meant by reciting here is memorizing. 5 – He will be with the angels, accompanying them. It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who recites the Qur’aan and learns it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself to learn the Qur’aan by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4653; Muslim, 798) 6 – He will be given a crown of honour and a garment of honour to wear. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord, adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honour.’ Then it will say, ‘O 178

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Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed).” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2915. He said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2328, this is hasan). 7 – The Qur’aan will intercede for him with his Lord. It was narrated that Abu Umaamah al-Baahili said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘Recite the Qur’aan, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection to intercede for its companions. Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, for they will come on the Day of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds in ranks, pleading for those who recite them. Recite Soorat al-Baqarah for to take recourse to it is a blessing and to give it up is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it.” (Narrated by Muslim, 804, and by al-Bukhaari in a mu’allaq report). Secondly: With regard to his relatives and descendents, there is evidence concerning his parents that they will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world, and that will only be because they took care of and taught their child. Even if they themselves were ignorant, Allaah will honour them because of their child. But the one who prevented his child from learning the Qur’aan, he will be one of those who are deprived. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 179

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said: ‘The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection like a pale man saying to its companion, “Do you recognize me? I am the one who made you stay up at night and made you thirsty during the day…” Then he will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left, and a crown of dignity will be placed upon his head, and his parents will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “O Lord, how did we earn this.” It will be said to them, “Because you taught your child the Qur’aan.”’” (Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 6/51). It was narrated that Buraydah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads the Qur’aan, learns it and acts in accordance with it, on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, “Why have we been given this to wear?” It will be said, “Because your child learned the Qur’aan.”’” (Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/756) These two hadeeth support one another. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2829. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 21374: What are the best righteous deeds after the obligatory duties? Question: What are the best righteous deeds after the obligatory duties? 180

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked the following question: I asked the Shaykh, who followed in the footsteps of the earlier generations and was the example for the later generations, the most knowledgeable man I have ever met in the east or the west, Taqiy al-Deen Abu’l-‘Abbaas Ahmad ibn Taymiyah, to point out to me what is the best righteous deed after the obligatory duties. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied as follows: What you have asked about, the best deed after the obligatory duties, varies from one person to another, depending on what they are able to do and what is best at any given time. So it is not possible to give a comprehensive, detailed answer that suits everyone. But what those who have knowledge of Allaah and His commands are agreed upon is that constantly remembering Allaah (dhikr) is the best thing with which a person may occupy himself in general. Therefore the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah narrated by Muslim says: “ ‘The mufridoon have gone ahead.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, who are the mufridoon?’ He said, ‘Those men and women who remember Allaah much.’” And Abu Dawood narrated from Abu’l-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds and that which is most pure in the sight of your Lord, that which raises you more in status and is better for you than giving gold and silver (in charity), and better than your meeting your enemy and striking their necks and they strike your necks?’ They said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He said, ‘Remembering Allaah (dhikr).’” 181

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There is a great deal of Qur’aanic evidence to support this. The least that a person should do is to persist in reciting the adhkaar (pl. of dhikr) which have been narrated from the teacher of good and the leader of the pious (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as the adhkaar to be recited at certain times, at the beginning and end of the day, when going to bed and waking up from sleep and after the prescribed prayers; and the adhkaar to be recited on certain occasions, such as that to be said when eating and drinking, when getting dressed, when having intercourse, when entering or leaving the home, the mosque or the washroom, when it rains, when thunder is heard, and so on. Books have been compiled on this topic called ‘Aml alYawm wa’l-Laylah (Actions of the Day and Night). One of the best books written on this topic is the small book entitled Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, which is derived from the book by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah called al-Kalim al-Tayyib; this has been edited by al-‘Allaamah alAlbaani. Then one should persist in remembering Allaah in general, the best of which is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. There may be some situations where certain kinds of dhikr are preferable, such as saying Subhaana Allaah wa’lhamdu-Lillaah wa Allaahu akbar wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah. Moreover, one should realize that everything that the tongue utters or the heart imagines that may bring one closer to Allaah, such as seeking knowledge or teaching, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, is a kind of dhikr or remembering Allaah. Hence the one who occupies himself in the pursuit of beneficial knowledge after performing the obligatory duties, or who joins a gathering in order to learn or teach, which Allaah and His 182

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Messenger have called fiqh or understanding, is also doing something which is one of the best forms of remembering Allaah (dhikr). If you think about it, you will not find much difference of opinion among the earliest generation concerning what is the best of deeds. Whenever a person is confused he should pray istikhaarah as prescribed in sharee’ah, for the one who prays to Allaah asking Him for that which is best (istikhaarah) will not have any regrets. He should do that a lot, and make a lot of du’aa’, for that is the key to all goodness. He should not be hasty and say “I prayed but I did not get an answer.” He should seek out the times of special virtue, such as the end of the night, the times immediately following the prescribed prayers, the time of the adhaan, when rain is falling, and so on. Quoted from the essay al-Wasiyyah al-Jaami’ah li Khayr al-Dunya wa’l-Aakhirah, by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), published by al-Maktabah al-Salafiyyah, Cairo. (www.islamqa.com) 21905: Seeing Laylat al-Qadr Question: Can Laylat al-Qadr be seen, i.e. can it be seen with the human eye? Some people say that if a person can see Laylat al-Qadr he sees a light in the sky and so on. How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them all) see it? How can a person know that he has seen Laylat al-Qadr? Will a person still gain its reward even if he could not see that night? Please explain that to us, and mention the evidence for it. 183

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Laylat al-Qadr may be seen with the eye, for the one whom Allaah helps to see it. That is by seeing its signs. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to recognize it by its signs. But not seeing them does not means that one will not gain its reward, if one spends that night in prayer out of faith and the hope of reward. The Muslim should strive to seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, as enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), hoping to earn reward. If it so happens that a person spends this night in prayer out of faith and seeking reward, then he will gain its reward, even if he does not know that that was Laylat alQadr. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” According to another report: “Whoever spends that night in prayer, seeking Laylat alQadr, then he catches it, his previous and future sins will be forgiven.” And a sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicates that the sign of Laylat al-Qadr is that the sun rises on the following morning with no visible rays. Ubayy ibn Ka’b used to swear that it was the night of the twenty-seventh, citing this sign as evidence. The more correct view is that it moves through all the last ten nights, but it is most likely to be one of the odd-numbered nights, and the night of the twenty-seventh is the most likely among the odd-numbered nights. Whoever strives in worship during all of the last ten nights, praying, reading Qur’aan, making du’aa’ and other kinds of good deeds will undoubtedly catch up with Laylat alQadr and attain what Allaah has promised to those who do that out of faith and seeking reward. 184

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And Allaah is the Source of strength, May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 14590: Listening to Qur’aan from a CD whilst on the bus Question: Is it possible to make an audio cd from a quran software cd so i could possibly listen to it while travelling on a bus or for general listening on a cd player? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Qur’aan is the word of Allaah which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is mustahabb to read it and recite it frequently. This is one of the means of raising one’s status in Paradise, as it was narrated in the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companions of the Qur’aan (i.e., those who read it much), ‘Read and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be commensurate with the last aayah you read.’” Likewise, listening to the Qur’aan is also mustahabb, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) listened to the recitation of Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari, and he said to him, “If only you could have seen me when I was listening to your recitation yesterday.” And the 185

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Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) to recite the Qur’aan to him. ‘Abd-Allaah said, “Should I recite it to you when it was revealed to you?” The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “I like to hear it from others.” So your listening to the Qur’aan on CD, as you asked about, or from a tape recorder or on the radio or TV, comes under the same ruling (i.e., it is mustahabb), whether that is at home, in the car, on the bus or in any other appropriate place. So long as you focus on it and do not listen to it whilst doing something else, you will be rewarded for listening. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 21982: He wants something that will guide him in his worldly and religious affairs Question: Can you advise us of something that will guide us in our worldly and religious affairs? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked the following question: I ask the shaykh and imaam, the follower of the salaf (earlier generations) and the leader of the later generations, 186

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the most knowledgeable man whom I have met in the east or the west, Taqiy al-Deen Abu’l-Abbaas Ahmad Ibn Taymiyah, to advise me of something that will guide me in my worldly and religious affairs. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied as follows: With regard to advice, I do not know of any advice more beneficial than the advice of Allaah and His Messenger, for those who understand it and follow it: “And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allaah, and keep your duty to Him”[al-Nisaa’ 4:131] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised Mu’aadh, when he sent him to Yemen, “O Mu’aadh, fear Allaah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed, and it will wipe it out, and treat people in a kind manner.” Mu’aadh (may Allaah be pleased with him) was held in high esteem by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he said to him, “O Mu’aadh, by Allaah I love you.” And he used to let him ride behind him. It was narrated that he was the most knowledgeable of this ummah concerning halaal and haraam, that he will be gathered (on the Day of Resurrection) one step ahead of the scholars. One of his virtues is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent him to Yemen to convey the message from him, as a daa’iyah, mufti and judge for the people of Yemen. And he used to liken him to Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and Ibraaheem was a leader of mankind. And Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to say that Mu’aadh was an ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities), obedient to Allaah, and he was not one of the mushrikeen (cf. al-Nahl 16:120), likening him to Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). 187

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Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave him this advice, so we should note that it is concise and comprehensive. It is like that for the one who understands it, even though it is an interpretation of advice given in the Qur’aan. With regard to its conciseness, that is because each person has two duties: his duty towards Allaah and his duty towards others. It is inevitable that he will fall short sometimes with regard to those duties, either by failing to do something he is commanded to do or by doing something he is forbidden to do. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fear Allaah wherever you are.” This is a comprehensive phrase. The words “wherever you are” refer to the need for taqwa in secret and in the open. Then he said: “and follow up a bad deed with a good deed, and it will wipe it out”. For when the doctor sees a patient and realizes that he has ingested something harmful, he will tell him to take something that is good for him. Sin is something inevitable for man, so the smart man is the one who keeps doing good deeds so that they will wipe out his bad deeds. In the wording of the hadeeth, the word sayi’ah (bad deed) is mentioned first, even though it is the object, because the aim here is to wipe out bad deeds, not to emphasize good deeds. The good deeds should be of a similar nature to the bad deeds, for that will be more effective in wiping them out. The consequences of sin may be erased by several things, the first of which is repentance, and the second is seeking forgiveness (istighfaar) without repenting, for Allaah may forgive him in response to his du’aa’ even though he has not repented. But if repentance and seeking forgiveness are combined, this is perfect. The third thing is doing righteous deeds that expiate for sin. 188

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With regard to specific acts of expiation, such as those prescribed for one who has intercourse during the day in Ramadaan, one who divorces his wife by zihaar (a jaahili form of divorce by which a man says to his wife “You are to me as my mother’s back), the one who commits some actions which are forbidden during Hajj or who fails to fulfil some of its obligations and the one who hunts during Hajj, these expiations are of four types: offering a sacrifice, freeing a slave, giving in charity and fasting. With regard to kinds of expiation that are not specified, as Hudhayfah said to ‘Umar: The fitnah faced by a man (i.e., his shortcomings with regard to religious duties) because of his family, wealth and children may be expiated by prayer, fasting, charity and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. This is indicated by the Qur’aan and the saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of expiation via the five daily prayers, Jumu’ah, fasting, Hajj and all the actions concerning which it is said, whoever says such and such or does such and such, he will be forgiven, or his previous sins will be forgiven. There are many such reports in the books of Sunan, especially those books which have been written concerning virtuous deeds. It should be noted that paying attention to such matters is one of the things of which man is in the greatest need. When a person reaches the age of puberty, especially in these times and similar periods which resemble the time of jaahiliyyah in so many ways, the person who grows up among knowledgeable and religious people may be affected by matters of jaahiliyyah to some extent, so how about others? In al-Saheehayn it is narrated in the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You will follow the path of those who came before you step by step, so that even if they entered the hole of a lizard, you 189

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will enter it too.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, do you mean the Jews and Christians?” He said, “Who else?” This report is confirmed by the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “so enjoy your portion (awhile) as those before you enjoyed their portion (awhile); and you indulged in play and pastime (and in telling lies against Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad) as they indulged in play and pastime” [al-Tawbah 9:69] And there are further corroborating reports in the saheeh and hasan ahaadeeth. This is something which affects those among the elite who claim to be religiously committed, as more than one of the salaf, including Ibn ‘Uyayanah, said. For many of the characteristics of the Jews are things from which some of those who claim to be knowledgeable are suffering, and many of the characteristics of the Christians are things from which some of those who claim to be religiously-committed are suffering – as is clear to everyone who understands the religion of Islam with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then tries to understand people in the light of Islam. If this is the case, then the one whose heart Allaah opens to Islam will be following light from his Lord, for he was dead then Allaah revived him and gave him light by which to walk among mankind. So he will inevitably notice the characteristics of jaahiliyyah and the path of the two nations with whom Allaah is angry and who have gone astray, namely the Jews and Christians, and he will see that he is also afflicted with some of that. The most useful thing that both the elite and the common folk may know is that which will cleanse their souls of 190

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these bad effects, and that is following bad deeds with good deeds. Good deeds are those which Allaah has encouraged on the lips of the final Prophet, whether they are actions, attitudes or characteristics. Among the things which remove the consequences of sin are disasters or calamities which expiate sin; these include all kinds of anxiety, grief or harm with regard to wealth, honour, one’s body, and so on, but which are not brought about by a person’s own actions. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had stated the rights of Allaah with regard to doing righteous deeds and putting right bad deeds, he then said, “and treat people in a kind manner”. This refers to one’s duty towards other people. A good attitude towards other people is based on maintaining contact with one who cuts you off by greeting him with salaam, honouring him, making du’aa’ for him, praying for forgiveness for him, praising him and visiting him; giving to one who has deprived you of knowledge, benefits and money; forgiving one who has wronged you with regard to blood, wealth or honour. Some of these matters are waajib (obligatory) and some are mustahabb (encouraged). With regard to the “exalted standard of character” [alQalam 68:4] with which Allaah described Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this is the religion which includes all that Allaah has enjoined. Hence Mujaahid said that he was the interpretation of the Qur’aan, as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “His character was the Qur’aan.” The essence of his character was that he hastened to do what Allaah loves with a willing spirit and an open heart. All of this may be summed up in the word taqwa (fear of Allaah), which includes doing everything that Allaah has enjoined whether it is waajib (obligatory) or mustahabb (recommended), and avoiding all that He has forbidden, 191

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whether it is haraam (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked). This combines both duties towards Allaah and duties towards other people. But as taqwa may sometimes mean fearing the punishment which makes one refrain from forbidden things, it was explained in the hadeeth of Mu’aadh. Similarly, in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) which was narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi, “it was said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, which thing most commonly brings people into Paradise?’ He said, ‘Fear of Allaah (taqwa) and a good attitude.’ It was said, ‘And which thing most commonly brings people into Hell?’ He said, ‘The two hollow things: the mouth and the private parts.’” In al-Saheeh it is narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most perfect of the believers in faith is the one who is best in attitude.” So he connected perfection of faith to good attitude. It is well known that faith is all fear of Allaah (taqwa), but this is not the place to discuss the basic principles and minor details of that. This is the whole of religion, but the source of goodness is sincere devotion of the slave to his Lord, worshipping Him alone and seeking His help alone, as in the aayahs (interpretation of the meaning): “You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” [al-Faatihah 1:5] “So worship Him (O Muhammad) and put your trust in Him”[Hood 11:123] “in Him I trust and unto Him I repent”[Hood 11:88] “so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17] 192

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Thus the slave does away with any hope of benefiting from created beings and does not strive for their sake, and he focuses all his concern on his Lord, by praying to him for all his needs, fears, etc., and striving to do all that He loves. Quoted from the essay al-Wasiyyah al-Jaami’ah li khayr al-Sunya wa’l-Aakhirah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), published by alMaktabah al-Salafiyyah, Cairo (www.islam-qa.com) 21018: The danger of rushing to issue fatwas Question: There are some muftis on some satellite channels who answer all questions without exception. Some people in some gatherings, when a question is posed, rush to answer it and each of them wants to speak before the other. What is the Islamic ruling on this? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibn al-Qayyim said: The salaf, the Sahaabah and Taabi’een, used to regard it as makrooh to rush to issue fatwas. Each of them would wish that someone else would take care of it, but if he realized that he had no alternative but to answer, he would do his utmost to find the ruling from the Qur’aan and Sunnah or the words of the Rightly-Guided khaleefahs, then he would give his fatwa. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn alMubaarak said: Sufyaan told us from ‘Ataa’ ibn al-Saa’ib from ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Layla who said: I met 193

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one hundred and twenty of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – and I think he said, in the mosque – and there was none of them who had to speak but he wished that his brother would take care of it; there was no one who had to give a fatwa but he wished that his brother would take care of it. Imaam Ahmad said: Jareer told us from ‘Ataa’ ibn al-Saa’ib from ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Layla that he said: I met one hundred and twenty of the Ansaar from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and there was no man among them who was asked about something but he would wish that his brother would take care of it, and there was none who had to speak but he would wish that his brother would take care of it. Maalik said, narrating from Yahya ibn Sa’eed that Bukayr ibn al-Ashajj told him, narrating from Mu’aawiyah ibn Abi ‘Ayaash that he was sitting with ‘Abd-Allaah ibn alZubayr and ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar, when Muhammad ibn Iyaas ibn al-Bukayr came and said, A man from among the desert people has divorced his wife three times, what do you think? ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr said, This matter is something about which we know nothing; go to ‘AbdAllaah ibn ‘Abbaas and Abu Hurayrah, for I have just left them with ‘Aa’ishah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then come and tell us (what they say). So I went and asked them, and Ibn ‘Abbaas said to Abu Hurayrah: Give him the answer, O Abu Hurayrah, for here there is a problem. Abu Hurayrah said: one talaaq makes her divorced, and three makes her forbidden to him until she has married another husband. Maalik narrated that Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed said: Ibn ‘Abbaas said: Everyone who issues fatwas to the people concerning everything that they ask him about is crazy. Maalik said: I heard something similar from Ibn Mas’ood. This was narrated by Ibn Waddaah from Yoosuf ibn ‘Adiy from 194

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‘Abd ibn Humayd from al-A’mash from Shaqeeq from ‘Abd-Allaah; and it was narrated by Habeeb ibn Abi Thaabit from Abu Waa’il from ‘Abd-Allaah. Sahnoon ibn Sa’eed said: the most audacious of the people in giving fatwas is the one who has the least knowledge; a man may have a grasp of one branch of knowledge and he thinks that all the truth is to be found in this branch. I say: being audacious in giving fatwas may be because of a lack of knowledge or because of an abundance thereof. If he is lacking in knowledge he gives a fatwa on everything concerning which he is asked without knowledge. If his knowledge is abundant he will be able to answer a lot of questions. Hence Ibn ‘Abbaas was one of the Sahaabah who issued the most fatwas. We have mentioned above that his fatwas were compiled in twenty volumes. Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib also issued a lot of fatwas, and they used to call him al-Jaree’ (the Bold), as was mentioned by Ibn Wahb from Muhammad ibn Sulaymaan al-Muraadi from Abu Ishaaq, who said: I used to see a man at that time entering and asking about some matter, and the people would divert him, sending him from one gathering to another, until he was sent to the gathering of Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib, because they did not like to issue a fatwa. He said, And they used to call Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib, al-Jaree’ (the Bold). Sahnoon said: I memorized some issues concerning which there would be eight opinions from eight of the leading scholars, so how could I hasten to answer before I am certain which one is correct? Why should anyone blame me for not giving an answer? Ibn Wahb said: Ashhal ibn Haatim told us from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Awn from Ibn Seereen who said: Hudhayfah said: The one who gives fatwas to the people is one of three: either he knows what has been abrogated of the Qur’aan, or he is a leader who has no choice (but to issue a fatwa) or he is a fool who is 195

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doing something that is not his job. He said, perhaps Ibn Seereen said: I am neither of the first two, and I do not want to be the third. I’laam al-Muwaqqi’een, 1/28, 29 (www.islam-qa.com) 21575: What are the best fields of worldly work, employment or trade? Question: What are the best fields of worldly work, employment or trade? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked the following question: I ask the shaykh and imaam, the follower of the salaf (earlier generations) and the leader of the later generations, the most knowledgeable man whom I have met in the east or the west, Taqiy al-Deen Abu’l-Abbaas Ahmad Ibn Taymiyah, to explain to me the best means of earning a living. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) answered as follows: The best way of earning a living is to put one’s trust in Allaah and have faith that He is Able to take care of you, and to think well of Him. That means that one who is keen to earn a living should turn to Him and call upon Him, as Allaah said, according to the report (hadeeth qudsi) in which His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘All of you are hungry except those 196

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whom I feed; ask Me for food and I will feed you. All of you are naked except those whom I clothe. Ask Me to clothe you and I will clothe you.’” And al-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Let each one of you ask his Lord for whatever he needs, even if it is a thong for his sandal when it breaks, for if Allaah does not make it easy for him, he will not be able to fix it.” (A similar reports from Umm al-Mu’mineen ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) has been classed as saheeh. See alSilsilah al-Da’eefah, no. 1362). Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): “… and ask Allaah of His Bounty” [al-Nisa’ 4:32 – check this is the right quote] “Then when the (Jumu‘ah) Saaaht (prayer) is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allaah (by working)…” [al-Jumu’ah 62:10] Although this refers to Jumu’ah (Friday prayers), the meaning applies to all the prayers. Hence – and Allaah knows best – the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us to say when entering the mosque, “Allaahumma iftah li abwaab rahmatika (O Allaah, open to me the gates of Your mercy),” and when leaving the mosque to say, “Allaahumma inni as’aluka min fadlika (O Allaah, I ask You of Your Bounty).” And Ibraaheem the close friend of Allaah (peace be upon him) said: “so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17 – interpretation of the meaning] 197

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This is a command, and a command demands a response. So seeking the help of Allaah, turning to Him with regard to the matter of provision and other matters, is an important principle. Then one should seek to earn money with self-respect and pride, so that Allaah may bless it for him; one should not take it with an attitude of desperation and greed. Rather money should be like the toilet, which one needs but which does not hold any special place in one’s heart. Striving to earn money should be like striving to fix the toilet. According to a marfoo’ hadeeth which was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and others, “Whoever wakes up and this world is his main concern, Allaah will make him scattered and shattered, and he will feel a sense of panic and loss, and he will get nothing of this world except that which was already decreed for him. But whoever gets up and is mostly concerned about the Hereafter, Allaah will cause him to feel focused and content, and will give him a feeling of being independent, and worldly gains will come to him willingly or unwillingly.” One of the salaf said: You are in need of this world but you are in greater need of your share of the Hereafter. If you start with your share of the Hereafter, then your share of this world will automatically come with it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures). Verily, Allaah is the AllProvider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56-58] 198

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With regard to specifying a particular means of earning a living, whether it be in industry, business, construction, farming, etc., this varies from one person to another. I do not know of any general ruling, but if there is a direction that a person wants to take, then let him seek the guidance of Allaah and pray istikhaarah as taught by the teacher of all good (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), for there is such great blessing in that that it cannot be comprehended, then whatever is made easy for him, he should be content with that, unless it is something which is objectionable on Islamic grounds. Quoted from Ibn Taymiyah’s essay al-Wasiyyah alJaami’ah li khayr al-Dunya wa’l-Aakhirah, published by al-Maktabah al-Salafiyyah, Cairo. (www.islam-qa.com) 10936: Calamities expiate for sins Question: My wife used to pray until she had her first child, then she became lazy, claiming that any woman who gives birth, all her sins are forgiven because of the pain that she suffers in childbirth. What do you say to her? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This is not correct. A woman, like anyone else among the children of Adam, if anything befalls her and she bears it with patience and seeks reward (from Allaah), then she will be rewarded for these pains and calamities. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave the example of something that is less severe than that, and said that if a thorn pricks a person, he will have 199

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expiation because of that. It should be noted that if a person bears the disasters that befall him with patience and seeks reward from Allaah, he will be rewarded for his patience and seeking reward, and the disaster itself will be an expiation for his sins. Calamities expiate sins in all cases; if that is accompanied by patience, a person will be rewarded for his patience in the face of those calamities. When a woman gives birth, there is no doubt that she endures pain and suffering; this pain is an expiation for her, and if she bears it with patience and seeks reward from Allaah, that will increase her reward and hasanaat… and Allaah knows best. From the fataawa of Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Majallah al-Da’wah, no. 1789, p. 61 (www.islam-qa.com) 12391: The most honoured of you with Allaah is the one who is the most pious Question: What does Islam say about racial discrimination? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. All people are the descendants of one man and one woman, believer and kaafir, black and white, Arab and non-Arab, rich and poor, noble and lowly. Islam does not pay attention to differences in colour, race or lineage. All people come from Adam, and Adam was created from dust. In Islam, differentiation between people is based on faith (eemaan) and piety (taqwaa), by doing that which Allaah has enjoined and avoiding that which 200

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Allaah has prohibited. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has AtTaqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]. Verily, Allaah is AllKnowing, All Aware” [al-Hujuraat 49:13] Islam regards all people as equal as far as rights and duties are concerned People are equal before the law (sharee’ah), as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [al-Nahl 16:97] Faith, truthfulness and piety all lead to Paradise, which is the right of the one who acquires these attributes, even if he is one of the weakest or lowliest of people. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever believes in Allaah and performs righteous good deeds, He will admit him into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever. Allaah has indeed granted for him an excellent provision” [al-Talaaq 65:11] Kufr, arrogance and oppression all lead to Hell, even if the one who does these things is one of the richest or noblest of people. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 201

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“But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allaah – Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination” [al-Taghaabun 64:10] The advisors of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) included Muslim men of all tribes, races and colours. Their hearts were filled with Tawheed and they were brought together by their faith and piety – such as Abu Bakr from Quraysh, ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib from Bani Haashim, Bilaal the Ethiopian, Suhayb the Roman, Salmaan the Persian, rich men like ‘Uthmaan and poor men like ‘Ammaar, people of means and poor people like Ahl al-Suffah, and others. They believed in Allaah and strove for His sake, until Allaah and His Messenger were pleased with them. They were the true believers. “Their reward with their Lord is ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity), underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever, Allaah will be pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord” [al-Bayyinah 98:8 – interpretation of the meaning] From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 8511: The six blessings of the martyrs Question: What are the six characteristics of the martyrs (shahid)taught to us from our beloved Prophet Muhammad ? 202

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It was reported in the hadeeth of al-Miqdaam ibn Ma’di Karb that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The martyr (shaheed) has seven blessings from Allaah: he is forgiven from the moment his blood is first shed; he will be shown his place in Paradise; he will be spared the trial of the grave; and he will be secure on the Day of the Greatest Terror (the Day of Judgement); there will be placed on his head a crown of dignity, one ruby of which is better than this world and all that is in it; he will be married to seventy-two of al-hoor al-‘iyn; and he will be permitted to intercede for seventy of his relatives.” According to another report, the martyr has six blessings from Allaah. According to other reports (the number is) six, or nine, or ten. (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who said it is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Ibn Maajah in al-Sunan, by Ahmad, by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf, by al-Tabaraani in alKabeer, and by Sa’eed ibn Mansoor in al-Sunan). Shaykh Waleed al-Firyaan (www.islam-qa.com) 5226: Reward for patience when miscarrying a foetus who had a soul Question: Does the hadeeth “Whoever loses three children who had not reached the age of puberty…” include miscarried foetuses into whom the soul had already been breathed? 203

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows: Yes, they are included, but they are not like children who have been born and to whom one has developed an attachment. Question: but will a person get the same reward? Answer: yes, we hope so. And Allaah knows best. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (www.islam-qa.com) 11419: The female martyr and the male martyr’s reward of seventy-two hoor al-‘iyn Question: If a woman is killed as a martyr for the sake of Allaah, how does the hadeeth “The shaheed will be married to seventy-two hoor al-‘iyn” apply to her? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows: This number is only for men. A woman will have only 204

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one husband in Paradise, and she will be satisfied with him and will not need any more than that. The Muslim woman – who is not influenced by the claims of those who propagate permissiveness and knows that she is not like men in her make-up and nature, because Allaah has made her like that – does not object to the rulings of Allaah or feel angry. Rather she accepts what Allaah has decreed for her. Her sound nature tells her that she cannot live with more than one man at a time. So long as she has entered Paradise, she will have all that she desires, so she should not dispute now about the delights and rewards that her Lord has chosen for her, for your Lord does not treat anyone unjustly. If she is one of the people of Paradise, then she is included, like men, in the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them; (there will be) therein all that innerselves could desire, and all that eyes could delight in and you will abide therein forever” [al-Zukhruf 43:71] We ask Allaah for al-Firdaws, the highest part of Paradise. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 9282: Whoever dies of appendicitis or cirrhosis of the liver is a shaheed (martyr) Question: It was narrated in the hadeeth that the mabtoon (one who dies of an abdominal disease) is a shaheed. What is the 205

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meaning of the word mabtoon? Does it include one who dies of cirrhosis of the liver? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Concerning the word mabtoon, the scholars said: one who dies of an abdominal disease. The apparent meaning is that this would include one who dies of appendicitis because it is one of the abdominal diseases that can kill. It may also include those who die of cirrhosis of the liver, because this is also a abdominal disease that can kill. From the fatwas of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen for al-Da’wah magazine (www.islam-qa.com) 924: Those whom Allaah will shade with His shade Question: What i want to know is that: What kind of people will be included into the “shade” of the chair which Allah (s.w.t) will be sitting, when the sun is brought closer to the earth. I hope i am phrasing the question right. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Seven of those whom Allaah will shade with His shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His were mentioned in the saheeh ahaadeeth. It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 206

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“There are seven whom Allaah will shade with His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His: the just ruler; a young man who grows up worshipping his Lord; a man whose heart is attached to the mosque; two men who love one another for the sake of Allaah and meet and part on that basis; a man who is called by a woman of rank and beauty and says ‘I fear Allaah’; a man who gives in charity and conceals it to such an extent that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives; and a man who remembers Allaah when he is alone, and his eyes fill up.” (Agreed upon, narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 620; Muslim, no. 1712; and others). This is one of the blessings that Allaah bestows upon His believing slaves. On the great Day when mankind will be suffering distress and hardship,the sun will be brought near to mankind, until the distance between them is equal to the length of the stick used for applying kohl to the eyes [meel= may also mean a “mile”], and all the people will sweat according to their deeds, except for some of the believers, whom Allaah will single out to shade them with His shade, and He will protect them from the sun and from sweating. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The sun will be brought near to the earth and the people will sweat. For some people, the sweat will come up to their heels; for some it will come halfway up their shins; for some it will come up to their knees; for some it will come up to their backsides; for some it will come up to their hips; for some it will come up to their shoulders; for some it will come up to their necks; for some it will come up to the middle of their mouths; and some of them will be comepletely covered with their sweat.” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad, no. 16798) 207

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There follows the commentary of Ibn Hajar (may Allaah be pleased with him) on the hadeeth (about the shade of Allaah): “with His shade”. The fact that the shade is connected to Allaah is an expression of honour, for every shade belongs to Him. It was said that this refers to His honour and protection, just as it may be said (in Arabic) that a person is in the shade (or shadow) of the king. And it was said that it refers to the shadow of His Throne, which is more correct “the just ruler” means one who holds the position of khaleefah, and anyone else who is appointed to a position of authority over the Muslims’ affairs, and he fulfils his duties justly. The best definition of “just” is: one who obeys the commands of Allaah and puts everything in its proper place without going to the extreme either of overdoing it or of negligence. The just ruler is mentioned first because his benefits are so far-reaching. “a young man”. Young men are mentioned in particular because they are more likely to feel desire because of their strong motives for following their desires. The fact that a young man adheres to worship despite that is indicative of the strength of his taqwaa (piety). “worshipping his Lord”. In the hadeeth of Salmaan it says that he “spent his youth and his energy in worshipping Allaah.” “attached to the mosque”. The apparent meaning is attachment in the sense of hanging, as if his heart is likened to something that hangs in the mosque – like a lamp, for example – indicating that his heart is so strongly attached to the mosque that even when he leaves the mosque, his 208

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heart is still there. Or it could mean attachment in the sense of a deep love. “love one another” means, they shared a kind of love whereby each loved the other in a genuine sense, not just to show off. “and [they] meet and part on that basis” means, this is an ongoing love based on religion, which they do not cut off for any worldly reason, whether they meet in reality or not, until death comes between them. “a man who is called by a woman of rank and beauty”. The meaning of “of rank” is, of high birth or a high position; this may refer to lineage or to wealth. The woman is described as having all the qualities which people usually seek, power and wealth, along with beauty. It is very rare to find all three in a woman. The apparent meaning is that she called him to commit immoral actions. “and says ‘I fear Allaah’”. The apparent meaning is that he says this out loud, either to rebuke her for her immorality or to refuse her call. It may also be that he says it in his heart. “to such an extent that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives”. What is meant by this is that he conceals his charitable giving , and goes to such an extreme that his left hand, even though it is so close to his right hand and is always with it that even if we imagined that it could understand, it would not know what the right hand is doing because of this utter secrecy. This is a metaphor. “and a man who remembers Allaah” – either in his heart, or by mentioning Him out loud. “when he is alone” – because this is furthest away from

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showing off. What is meant here is that there are no distractions, so he pays attention to nothing except Allaah. “his eyes fill up (lit. flood)” means, they fill with tears; this is another metaphor. Although men are mentioned in this hadeeth, women are also included in what is described here. Although what is meant by a “just leader” is the position of imaam (khaleefah), women may also be included in this, if they have children and treat them justly. The idea of being attached to the mosque does not apply to women, because a woman’s prayer in her home is better than her prayer in the mosque. Apart from that, women have a share in all of these things; if a man may be called by a woman, then it can be imagined that a woman could be called by a handsome king, for example, and she refuses because she fears Allaah, even though she may have motives to respond. Fath al-Baari, 620. There are others whom Allaah will also shade with His shade – apart from the seven mentioned in the hadeeth quoted above – who are mentioned in other ahaadeeth. Ibn Hajar listed them in Fath al-Baari (620) as follows: “Those who fight (for the sake of Allaah); those who help the mujaahideen; those who defer payment of debt for debtors who are in difficulty, or let them off all or part of the debt; those who help people who are heavily in debt; those who help slaves who have drawn up contracts of manumission; those who have a good attitude; those who walk to the mosque; sincere and honest traders; those who take what is due to them and no more; those who spend for the sake of Allaah; those who sponsor orphans.” We ask Allaah to shade us with His shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His. 210

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Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 8800: His wife died following childbirth – is she a shaheedah (martyr)? Question: My wife (may Allaah have mercy on her) died two hours after giving birth to my daughter. Is my wife considered to be a shaheedah (martyr)? What are my duties towards her daughter? Am I counted as one who sponsors an orphan? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If a woman dies with a child in her womb, or she dies during childbirth or after childbirth but within the period of nifaas (post-partum bleeding), she is considered to be a shaheedah in sha Allaah. Raashid ibn Hubaysh narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit when he was sick and said, “Do you know who is a shaheed (martyr) in my ummah?” The people remained silent, then ‘Ubaadah said, “Help me to sit up.” They helped him to sit up, then he said, “O Messenger of Allaah, (is it) the patient one who seeks reward from Allaah for his patience?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Then the martyrs among my ummah would be very few. Being killed for the sake of Allaah is martyrdom, the plague is martyrdom, drowning is martyrdom, stomach disease is martyrdom, and if a woman dies during the post-partum period, her child will drag her to Paradise by his umbilical cord.” 211

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The umbilical cord is that which is cut by the midwife when the child is born. The hadeeth was narrated by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad with a saheeh isnaad. (alMusnad, 3/489). There is a corroborating report narrated by Maalik (1/233) and Abu Dawood, 3/482). ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit also narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Who is counted as a shaheed among you?” They said, “The one who fights and is killed for the sake of Allaah.” The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Then the shaheeds among my ummah would be few. The one who is killed for the sake of Allaah is a shaheed; the one who dies of plague is a shaheed; the one who dies of a stomach disease is a shaheed; the woman who dies with a child in her womb is a shaheed.” This was narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 5/315, and by Ibn Maajah, and by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, who said its isnaad is saheeh. A report with a similar meaning was narrated by Muslim, as referred to above. With regard to how you should take care of your daughter after her mother’s death, this means that you should spend on her, clothe her, teach her good manners and educate her, etc. This is obligatory upon you, and you will have the reward for that as long as your intention is sincerely for Allaah. But this is not counted as sponsoring an orphan, because according to sharee’ah the orphan is the person whose father dies whilst he or she is still a child. Muslim reported in his Saheeh that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who sponsors an orphan, whether he belongs to him or to someone else, and I will be like these two in Paradise” – and Maalik made a gesture with his forefinger and middle finger. What is meant by “who belongs to him” is that the sponsor is related to the orphan, e.g. his grandfather, mother, grandmother, brother, sister, paternal uncle, 212

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paternal aunt, maternal uncle, maternal aunt, or other relative. What is meant by “or to someone else” is that the sponsor is a “stranger” (i.e., not closely related) to the orphan. Your duty towards your daughter is to spend on her food, drink, clothing and shelter, and take care of her Islamic upbringing, teaching her about her religion and instilling the pure Islamic ‘aqeedah in her heart. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3095: She fell into a well and died – is she counted as a shaheedah (martyr)? Question: My mother died approximately twenty years ago, by falling into a well that was not completely filled with water. She was a righteous woman. Is she among those who are counted as shuhadaa’ (martyrs)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, those who drown are counted as martyrs, because of the report from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The shuhadaa’ are five: the one who dies of plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed by a falling wall, and the one who is killed for the sake of Allaah.” This was narrated by Maalik in alMuwatta’, and by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless 213

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our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 4156: What can you do in one minute? Question: In our offices and workplaces we can hardly find time to do acts of worship and righteous deeds. What can we do in the short time that we can find in our day? How can we make use of it? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Time is of the essence, it is too precious to be wasted or neglected. The wise person is the one who pays attention to his time and does not treat it as a vessel to be filled with cheap things and vain talk. Instead, he limits it to worthy efforts and righteous deeds that please Allaah and benefit other people. Every minute of a person’s life carries the potential to raise his own status and to make his people happier, little by little. If you are keen to attain the highest position, and bring the most happiness to your people, then forget about relaxing and keep away from empty amusement. In one minute you can do a lot of good and earn much reward. In just one minute, by giving in charity, studying, memorizing, or striving to do good deeds, you can make sure that this minute of your life is not wasted. One minute 214

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may be recorded in your book of good deeds if you know how to make the most of it and take care of it: Strive to make the most of each minute If you forget it, you forget the most important thing, the truth. There follows a list of things that can be done in one minute, by the permission of Allaah: 1. 1. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Faatihah 3 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Some scholars said that the reward for reading al-Faatihah is more than 600 hasanahs, so if you read it 3 times you will, by the permission of Allaah, gain more than 1800 hasanahs – all of that in one minute. 2. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Ikhlaas (Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad) 20 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Reciting it once is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’aan. If you read it 20 times it is equivalent to reading the Qur’aan 7 times. If you read it 20 times in one minute each day, you will have read it 600 times in one month, and 7200 times in one year, which will be equal in reward to reading the Qur’aan 2400 times. 3. You can read one page of the Book of Allaah in one minute. 4. You can memorize a short aayah of the Book of Allaah in one minute. 5. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god except Allaah alone with no partner; to Him be dominion and praise, and He is Able to do all things) – 20 times. The reward for saying this is like freeing 8 slaves for the sake of Allaah from among the sons of Ismaa’eel. 215

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6. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaahi wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah) 100 times. Whoever says that in one day will be forgiven for his sins even if they are like the foam of the sea. 7. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaahi wa bi hamdihi Subhaan Allaah il-‘Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the Almighty) 50 times. These are two phrases which are light on the lips, heavy in the balance and beloved to the Most Merciful, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. 8. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I say ‘Subhaan Allaah, wa’l-hamdu Lillah, wa laa ilaah ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah, and Allaah is Most Great)’, this is more beloved to me than all that the sun rises upon.” (Narrated by Muslim). In one minute, you can say all of these words more than 18 times. These words are the most beloved words to Allaah, the best of words, and they weigh heavily in the balance of good deeds, as was narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth. 9. In one minute you can say, Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there is no strength and no power except with Allaah) more than 40 times. This is one of the treasures of Paradise, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. They are a means of putting up with difficulties and of aiming to achieve great things. 10. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah approximately 50 times. This is the greatest word, for it is the word of Tawheed, the good word, the word that stands firm. If these are the last words of a person, he will enter Paradise, and there are other reports which indicate how great these words are. 11. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaah wa bi 216

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hamdih, ‘adada khalqihi, wa ridaa nafsihi, wazinata ‘arshihi, wa midaada kalimaatihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) more than 15 times. This words bring many more times the reward for other forms of tasbeeh and dhikr, as was reported in saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 12. In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allaah more than 100 times by saying “Astaghfir-Allaah (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one’s strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one’s wealth and children. 13. You can say a few brief and concise words in one minute, and Allaah may bring about some good through them that you could never imagine. 14. In one minute you can send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 50 times by saying Sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah bless him and grant him peace). In return Allaah will send blessings upon you 500 hundred times because one blessing brings ten like it. 15. In one minute you can motivate your heart to give thanks to Allaah, to love Him, to fear Him, to put hope in Him, to long for Him, and thus travel through the stages of ‘uboodiyyah (total enslavement to Allaah). You could do this when you are lying on your bed or walking in the street. 16. In one minute you can read more than two pages of a useful book that is easy to understand. 217

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17. In one minute you can uphold the ties of kinship by calling a relative on the phone. 18. You can raise your hands and recite any du’aa’ you wish from the books of du’aa’, in one minute. 19. You can say salaams to and shake hands with a number of people in one minute. 20. You can forbid an evil action in one minute. 21. You can enjoin something good in one minute. 22. You can offer sincere advice to a brother in one minute. 23. You can console someone who is depressed in one minute. 24. You can remove something harmful from the road in one minute. 25. Making the most of one minute motivates you to make the most of other periods that would otherwise be wasted. Al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: When people go to sleep, I let my tears flow, and I recite a verse of the most eloquent poetry Is it not a waste that nights go by and I do not increase in knowledge, yet this time is counted as part of my life? Finally, the more sincere you are towards Allaah and the more aware you are of Him, the greater will be your reward and the more your hasanaat will increase. Note that most of these actions will not cost you anything; they do not require tahaarah (purity) and they will not tire you out or take much effort. On the contrary, you can do them whilst you are walking, or in your car, or lying down, or standing, or sitting, or waiting for somebody. 218

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These actions are also among the greatest means of attaining happiness, expanding the chest (i.e., bringing relief and joy) and removing stress and anxiety. May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 5893: Sponsoring a lost child Question: Is it possible to sponsor a child whose father is missing under a program for sponsoring orphans, or should this sponsorship program be only for orphans? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The orphan is a child whose father has died, as was stated by the scholars in Lisaan al-‘Arab [an Arabic-language dictionary] and elsewhere. Such a child is regarded as an orphan until he reaches the age of puberty, i.e., the age of fifteen or earlier if the signs of puberty appear. These signs are: the emission of gushing water (ejaculation) during intercourse or a wet-dream, the growth of coarse hair around the private parts, and, in the case of females, the onset of menstruation. (See Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudaamah, 6/591) As for the child whose father is missing, he is not 219

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considered to be an orphan unless it is proven that his father is dead, or a period of time passes beyond which it is impossible that his father would still be alive; this should be left to the discretion of the judge, as stated by the majority of the fuqaha’ on the topic of the inheritance of one who is missing. If this child is poor or comes from a poor family, then money can be spent on him from the Zakaah or general charity funds, but orphan sponsorship does not apply in his case. Reference: Masaa’il wa Rasaa’il, Muhammad AlHammood Al-Najdi, p. 13 (www.islam-qa.com) 4236: The Hadith of the Seven is Not in Reference to Men Only Question: Is the hadith that talks about the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day in which there is no shade except Allah’s specific just for men or is it for anyone, such as women, who perform those acts and, therefore, they will receive that reward mentioned in the hadith? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The merits mentioned in the hadith are not specifically for men. In fact, they are general for both men and women. If a young woman grows up in the worship of Allah, she is included among them. Similarly, two women who love each other for the sake of Allah alone are also included. Again, any woman who is invited to illegal sexual 220

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intercourse by a man of nobility and beauty and she refuses his advances, saying, “I fear Allah,” will be one of those in the shade of Allah. Any woman who gives in charity from her legal earnings to the extent that her left hand does not know what her right hand has given will be included among them. If a woman remembers Allah when she is alone by herself, she will be included among them like any man. However, the righteous leader is something specific for men. Similarly, performing the prayers in congregation in the mosque is something specific for men. The prayer of the woman in her house is more virtuous as has been stated in the authentic Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Shaikh ibn Baz (www.islam-qa.com) 1699: Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah Question:

How do the first ten days of the Month of Dhul Hijjah differ from other days of the year? Answer: The first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah: Days of virtue and righteous deeds Praise be to Allaah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied 221

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many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement. This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. Every one of these special occasions involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allaah, and some kind of blessing though which Allaah bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoever He will. The happy person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allaah and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of Hell. (Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if, p.8) The Muslim must understand the value of his life, increase his worship of Allaah and persist in doing good deeds until the moment of death. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty.” [al-Hijr 15:99] The mufassireen (commentators) said: “‘The certainty’ means death.” Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allaah has preferred over all the other days of the year. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?” He said, “Not even jihaad 222

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for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” (Reported by alBukhaari, 2/457). Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice.” He was asked, “Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?” He said, “Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” (Reported by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwaa’, 3/398). These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr (“the Night of Power”), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. (See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412). You should know, my brother in Islaam, that the virtue of these ten days is based on many things: Allaah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the dawn; by the ten nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn alZubayr, Mujaahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: “This is the correct opinion.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 223

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testified that these are the best days of this world, as we have already quoted above from saheeh ahaadeeth. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged people to do righteous deeds because of the virtue of this season for people throughout the world, and also because of the virtue of the place - for the Hujjaaj (pilgrims) to the Sacred House of Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“SubhanAllaah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”) and Takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”) during this time. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are no days greater in the sight of Allaah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel (“La ilaaha ill-Allaah”), Takbeer and Tahmeed.” (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh). These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day of ‘Arafaah), on which Allaah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day. These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj. Question: What must the Muslim avoid during these ten days if he wants to offer a sacrifice? The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must stop cutting his hair and nails and removing anything from his skin, from the beginning of the ten days until after he has offered his sacrifice, because the Prophet 224

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(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, then he should stop cutting his hair and nails until he has offered his sacrifice.” According to another report he said: “He should not remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin.” (reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146) The Prophet’s instruction here makes one thing obligatory and his prohibition makes another haraam, according to the soundest opinion, because these commands and prohibitions are unconditional and unavoidable. However, if a person does any of these things deliberately, he must seek Allaah’s forgiveness but is not required to offer (an extra) sacrifice in expiation; his sacrifice will be acceptable. Whoever needs to remove some hair, nails, etc. because it is harming him, such as having a broken nail or a wound in a site where there is hair, should do so, and there is nothing wrong with that. The state of ihraam is so important that it is permitted to cut one’s hair if leaving it will cause harm. There is nothing wrong with men or women washing their heads during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only forbade cutting the hair, not washing it. The wisdom behind this prohibition of the one who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., is so that he may resemble those in ihraam in some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone until the time when he has offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah knows best. If a person has cut his hair or nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he was not planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides later, during the ten days, to 225

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offer a sacrifice, then he must refrain from cutting his hair and nails from the moment he makes this decision. Some women may delegate their brothers or sons to make the sacrifice on their behalf, then cut their hair during these ten days. This is not correct, because the ruling applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, whether or not he (or she) delegates someone else to carry out the actual deed. The prohibition does not apply to the person delegated, only to the person who is making the sacrifice, as is indicated in the hadeeth. The person who is sacrificing on behalf of someone else, for whatever reason, does not have to adhere to this prohibition. This prohibition appears to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children, unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice “on behalf of the family of Muhammad,” but there are no reports that say he forbade them to cut their hair or nails at that time. If a person was planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to go and perform Hajj, he should not cut his hair or nails if he wants to enter ihraam, because the Sunnah is only to cut hair and nails when necessary. But if he is performing Tamattu’ [whereby he performs ‘Umrah, comes out of ihraam and enters ihraam anew for Hajj], he should trim his hair at the end of his ‘Umrah because this is part of the ritual. The things that are described above as being prohibited for the person who is planning to offer a sacrifice are reported in the hadeeth quoted above; the person is not forbidden to wear perfume, have marital relations, wear sewn garments, etc. Concerning the types of worship to be performed during these ten days: one must understand that these days are a 226

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great blessing from Allaah to His slave, which is appreciated properly by the actively righteous. It is the Muslim’s duty to appreciate this blessing and make the most of the opportunity, by devoting these ten days to paying more attention to striving hard in worship. Among His blessings to His slaves, Allaah has given us many ways in which to do good and worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord. Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are: Fasting. It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu’lHijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allaah has chosen fasting for Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth qudsi: “Allaah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1805). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month.” (Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawud; classified by al-Albaani as saheeh in Saheeh Abi Dawud, 2/462). Takbeer. It is Sunnah to say Takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”), Tahleel (“La ilaha illAllaah”) and Tasbeeh (“Subhaan Allaah”) during the first 227

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ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may He be exalted. Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That they might witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)...” [al-Hajj 22:28] The majority of scholars agree that the “appointed days” are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because of the words of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father): “The ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah).” The Takbeer may include the words “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise),” as well as other phrases. Takbeer at this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been forgotten, especially during the early part of this period, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer, except from a few people. This Takbeer should be pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and as a reminder to the negligent. There is sound evidence that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to go out in the marketplace during the first 228

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ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the people to recite Takbeer is that each one should recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no basis in Sharee’ah for doing this. Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this is a hasan hadeeth because of corroborating asaaneed). Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah. The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise.” Doing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying (salaat), reading Qur’an, remembering Allaah, making supplication (du’aa’), giving charity, honouring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship. Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allaah during these ten days is offering a 229

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sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allaah. (more information to follow, in sha Allaah). Sincere repentance. One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means coming back to Allaah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, but to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves. If a Muslim commits a sin, he must hasten to repent at once, without delay, firstly because he does not know when he will die, and secondly because one evil deed leads to another. Repentance at special times is very important because in most cases people’s thoughts turn towards worship at these times, and they are keen to do good, which leads to them recognizing their sins and feeling regret for the past. Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of success, in sha Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful.” [al-Qasas 28:67] The Muslim should make sure that he does not miss any of these important occasion, because time is passing quickly. Let him prepare himself by doing good deeds which will bring him reward when he is most in need of it, for no matter how much reward he earns, he will find it is less than he needs; the time of departure is at hand, the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread, and the road is long, but Allaah is ever watchful, and to Him 230

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will we return and render account. As the Qur’aan says (interpretation of the meaning): “So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it, And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it.” [al-Zalzalah 99:7-8] There is much to be gained, so make the most of the opportunity afforded by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten days. Hasten to do good works, before death strikes, before one can regret one’s negligence and failure to act, before one is asked to return to a place where no prayers will be answered, before death intervenes between the hopeful one and the things he hopes for, before you are trapped with your deeds in the grave. O you whose hard heart is as dark as the night, is it not time that your heart was filled with light and became soft? Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord’s mercy during these ten days, for Allaah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgement. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and Companions. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 7 Sins of the Tongue 45865: Ruling on double entendres Question: What is the ruling on double entendres?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Double entendre refers to when a person means something other than the apparent meaning of the words. It is permissible subject to two conditions: 1 – that the word may be interpreted in that fashion 2 – that there be no wrongdoing involved. If a man says, “I only sleep on a watd” – a watd is a piece of wood placed on the wall for things to be hung from (i.e., a hook), but the man says that what he meant by watd was a mountain, this is an acceptable kind of double entendre, because the word watd may also mean a mountain, and there is no wrong being done to anyone in this case. Similarly if a man says, “I only sleep under the saqaf (lit. roof),” then he sleeps on the roof, and says that what he meant by saqaf was the sky, this is also acceptable, because the sky is called saqaf in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We have made the heaven a roof [saqafan], safe and well-guarded” [al-Anbiya’ 21:32] 232

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But if you use double entendres in order to wrong someone, that is not permitted, such as if a person deprives another of something that is his due, then he goes to the qaadi (judge), but the one who was wronged has no proof, so the qaadi asks the one who took away his right to swear that he does not have anything that belongs to the claimant, and he swears saying, “Wallaahi maa lahu ‘indi shay’,” and the qaadi rules in his favour, then some of the people speak to him and told him that his oath was a false oath (yameen ghamoos) which may doom him to Hell. It says in the hadeeth, “Whoever swears an oath when asked to do so, in order to deprive a Muslim man of his rights unlawfully, will meet Allaah when He is angry with him.” The person who swore this oath said, “I did not mean to deny, I meant to affirm, and what I meant by saying “maa lahu” was “Of Whose I have something.” [i.e., I have something that belongs to Allaah – because all things belong to Allaah]. Even though what he said may mean this, his intention was to wrong another and not give him his due, so it is not permissible. Hence it says in the hadeeth: “Your oath is according to what your companion believes.” Twisting the meaning will not avail you anything before Allaah, and you are now swearing a false oath. If a man accuses his wife of betraying him and she is innocent of that and he swears an oath and says, “By Allaah she is my sister,” and says that he meant she is his sister in Islam, then this is a valid statement, because she is his sister in Islam and she has been falsely accused. Majmoo’ Duroos wa Fataawa al-Haram al-Makki, 3/367, by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

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40441: Ruling on a woman saying zihaar to her husband; and does she have to offer expiation for that? Question: My husband always makes fun of me and mocks me, and I have put up with a lot and been patient. But one day he insulted me in all kinds of ways and made me cry and get angry. So I said to him, “You are to me like my brother, you are to me like my brother’s back.” Is this considered to be zihaar [a jaahili form of divorce in which the husband says to his wife, “You are to me like my mother’s back”]? What is the kafaarah (expiation) that I have to offer?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible for a Muslim to make fun of his brother. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one’s brother after having Faith [i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: ‘O sinner’, or ‘O wicked’]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zaalimoon (wrongdoers).” [al-Hujuraat 49:11] The husband is obliged to treat his wife kindly. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 234

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“and live with them honourably” [al-Nisa’ 4:19] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of you are those who are best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895. Our advice to you is to continue to be patient and put up with your husband’s mistreatment, and pray for him to be guided, and keep reminding him of his duties. With regard to your telling him, “You are haraam to me like my brother” etc., this is not zihaar, rather it is a yameen mukaffarah (an expiable oath). Zihaar is done by a man to his wife, not vice versa. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those among you who make their wives unlawful to them by Zihaar (i.e., by saying to them ‘You are like my mother’s back’)…” [al-Mujaadilah 58:2] Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen was asked: My wife always says to me, “You are my husband, you are my brother, you are my father, you are everything to me in this world.” Do these words make me haraam to him or not? He replied: These words do not make her haraam for you, because what she means by saying “You are my father and brother” etc is that you are like her father and brother in love and care. She does not intend to make you a mahram like her father and brother. 235

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Even if we were to assume that she does mean that, you are not haraam for her, because zihaar cannot be given by women to their husbands, rather it is something given by men to their wives. Hence if a woman tries to give her husband zihaar by saying to him, “You are to me like my father’s back” or “my brother’s back” etc, this is not zihaar, but it comes under the ruling of oaths, in the sense that it is not permissible for her to allow him to be intimate with her unless she offers kafaarat al-yameen (expiation for breaking a vow). If she wishes, she can offer the expiation before she allows him to be intimate with her, or if she wishes she may do that afterwards. Kafaarat yameen (the expiation for breaking a vow) is to feed or clothe ten poor persons, or to free a slave. If the person cannot do any of these things, then he or she must fast for three days. Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 2/ 803. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 36743: The expression “The rest is up to Allaah” is not correct Question: How correct is it to say, “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allaah”?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This expression is not correct, because it means that the one who does that is relying upon himself first of all. Saying, “I have done my best and I ask Allaah for help” is 236

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correct. Perhaps when a person says, “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allaah,” he means what I have mentioned, i.e., I have done what I can and what I cannot do is up to Allaah. But the basis of this expression is wrong, rather he should say, “I have done my best and I ask Allaah for help.” Fatwa of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) in Majallat al-Hibah, issue no. 50, p. 17. (www.islam-qa.com) 27261: When is deliberate ambiguity permissible? If it is in cases of necessity, how do we define necessity? Question: When is deliberate ambiguity valid? If that is in cases of necessity only, then what is the definition of necessity in this case?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Arabic word tawriyah [translated here as deliberate ambiguity] means to conceal something. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then Allaah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him how to hide [yuwaari] the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: “Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?” Then he became one of those who regretted” [al-Maa’idah 5:31] 237

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“O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts – yuwaari saw’aatikum) and as an adornment; and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah, that they may remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth)” [al-A’raaf 7:26] With regard to the meaning in sharee’ah terminology, it refers to someone who says something that may appear to have one meaning to the listener but the speaker intends something different that may be understood from these words. For example, he says, “I do not have a dirham in my pocket,” and that is understood to mean that he does not have any money at all, when what he means is that he does not have a dirham but he may have a dinar, for example. This is called ambiguity or dissembling. Deliberate ambiguity is regarded as a legitimate solution for avoiding difficult situations that a person may find himself in when someone asks him about something, and he does not want to tell the truth on the one hand, and does not want to lie, on the other. Deliberate ambiguity is permissible if it is necessary or if it serves a shar’i interest, but it is not appropriate to do it a great deal so that it becomes a habit, or to use it to gain something wrongfully or to deprive someone of his rights. Al-Nawawi said: The scholars said: If that is needed to serve some legitimate shar’i interest that outweighs the concern about misleading the person to whom you are speaking, or it is needed for a reason that cannot be achieved without lying, then there is nothing wrong with using deliberate ambiguity as an acceptable alternative. But if there is no 238

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interest to be served and no pressing need, then it is makrooh, but is not haraam. If it is a means of taking something wrongfully or depriving someone of their rights, then it is haraam in that case. This is the guideline in this matter. Al-Adhkaar, p. 380 Some scholars were of the view that it is haraam to resort to deliberate ambiguity if there is no reason or need to do so. This was the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). See alIkhtiyaaraat, p. 563. There are situations in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught that we may use deliberate ambiguity, for example: If a man loses his wudoo’ whilst praying in congregation, what should he do in this embarrassing situation? The answer is that he should place his hand over his nose and leave. The evidence for that is the report narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If anyone of you breaks his wudoo’ whilst praying, let him hold his nose and leave.” Sunan Abi Dawood, 1114. See also Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 985. Al-Teebi said: The command to hold his nose is so that it will look as if he has a nosebleed. This is not a lie, rather it is a kind of ambiguity. This concession is granted so that the Shaytaan will not trick him into staying put because of feeling embarrassed in front of people. Mirqaah al-Mafaateeh Sharh Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/ 18 239

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This is a kind of ambiguity that is permitted, so as to avoid any embarrassment and so that whoever sees him leaving will think that he has a nosebleed. Similarly If a Muslim faces a difficult situation where he needs to say what is against the truth in order to protect himself or someone who is innocent, or to save himself from serious trouble, is there a way for him to escape the situation without lying or falling into sin? Yes, there is a legal way and a permissible escape that one can make use of if necessary. It is equivocation or indirectness in speech. Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) entitled a chapter of his Saheeh: “Indirect speech is a safe way to avoid a lie”. (Saheeh alBukhaari, Kitaab al-Adab (Book of Manners), chapter 116). Equivocation means saying something which has a closer meaning that the hearer will understand, but it also has a remote meaning which what is actually meant and is linguistically correct. The condition for this is that whatever is said should not present a truth as falsity and vice versa. The following are examples of such statements used by the salaf and early imaams, and collected by Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim in his book Ighaathat al-Lahfaan: It was reported about Hammaad (may Allaah have mercy on him), if someone came that he did not want to sit with, he would say as if in pain: “My tooth, my tooth!” Then the boring person whom he did not like would leave him alone. Imaam Sufyaan Al-Thawri was brought to the khaleefah al-Mahdi, who liked him, but when he wanted to leave, the khaleefah told him he had to stay. Al-Thawri swore that he would come back. He then went out, leaving his shoes at the door. After some time he came back, took his 240

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shoes and went away. The khaleefah asked about him, and was told that he had sworn to come back, so he had come back and taken his shoes. Imaam Ahmad was in his house, and some of his students, including al-Mirwadhi, were with him. Someone came along, asking for al-Mirwadhi from outside the house, but Imaam Ahmad did not want him to go out, so he said: “Al-Mirwadhi is not here, what would he be doing here?” whilst putting his finger in the palm of his other hand, and the person outside could not see what he was doing. Other examples of equivocation or indirectness in speech include the following: If someone asks you whether you have seen so-and-so, and you are afraid that if you tell the questioner about him this would lead to harm, you can say “ma ra’aytuhu”, meaning that you have not cut his lung, because this is a correct meaning in Arabic [“ma ra’aytuhu” usually means “I have not seen him,” but can also mean “I have not cut his lung”]; or you could deny having seen him, referring in your heart to a specific time and place where you have not seen him. If someone asks you to swear an oath that you will never speak to so-and-so, you could say, “Wallaahi lan ukallumahu”, meaning that you will not wound him, because “kalam” can also mean “wound” in Arabic [as well as “speech”]. Similarly, if a person is forced to utter words of kufr and is told to deny Allaah, it is permissible for him to say “Kafartu bi’l-laahi”, meaning “I denounce the playboy” [which sounds the same as the phrase meaning “I deny Allaah.”] (Ighaathat al-Lahfaan by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/381 ff., 2/106107. See also the section on equivocation (ma’aareed) in Al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih, 1/14). However, one should be cautious that the use of such 241

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statements is restricted only to situations of great difficulty, otherwise: Excessive use of it may lead to lying. One may lose good friends, because they would always be in doubt as to what is meant. If the person to whom such a statement is given comes to know that the reality was different from what he was told, and he was not aware that the person was engaging in deliberate ambiguity or equivocation, he would consider that person to be a liar. This goes against the principle of protecting one’s honour by not giving people cause to doubt one’s integrity.. The person who uses such a technique frequently may become proud of his ability to take advantage of people. End quote. From Madha taf’al fi’l-haalaat al-aatiyah (What to do in the following situations)? And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 9410: Kinds of speech that we must refrain from Question: I know theres certain types of speech which we must refrain from. like the speech the Prophet sallalaho alayhe wasalam stayed away from please could you send that to me. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Muslim has to control his tongue and not speak unless he says something good. 242

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Al-Bukhaari (6018) and Muslim (47) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him speak good or else keep silent…” Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If he wants to speak, then if what he wants to say is good and he is confident that he will be rewarded for it, whether it is obligatory or praiseworthy, then let him speak, but if it does not seem to him that it is good and he will be rewarded for it, then let him refrain from speaking, whether he thinks it is haraam or makrooh or permissible. Based on this, it is recommended to refrain from saying permissible words and we are enjoined to avoid that, lest that lead us into something that is haraam or makrooh, which is what happens in many cases or in most cases. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)’ [Qaaf 50:18] Imam al-Shaafa’i understood the hadeeth to mean that if a person wants to say something, he should think about it: if it seems to him that it will not do any harm, then he should speak, but if he thinks that it will do some harm or he thinks that this is most likely, then he should refrain from speaking.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to control our tongues in more than one hadeeth, such as that narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2406) from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what is salvation?’ He said, ‘Control your tongue, keep to your house and weep over your sin.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 3331. 243

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Al-Tirmidhi (2616) also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh, after teaching him some of the laws of Islam, “Shall I not tell you what is the foundation of all that?” I [Mu’aadh] said: “Of course, O Prophet of Allaah.” He took hold of his tongue and said, “Control this.” I said, “O Prophet of Allaah, will we be held responsible for what we say with it?” He said, “May your mother be bereft of you, O Mu’aadh! Will the people be thrown into Hell on their faces or on their noses for anything other than the harvest of their tongues?” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2110. The hadeeth enjoins refraining from indulging in specific things, because that is something that is of no benefit to a person, and indeed it may cause him a great deal of harm in his spiritual and worldly affairs. It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If my companions are mentioned, then keep quiet; if the stars are mentioned, then keep quiet; and if the divine decree is mentioned, then keep quiet.” (Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 2/96. Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 34). This hadeeth indicates that it is not permissible for a person to speak badly of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and that he should keep quiet about the disputes that occurred among them, because speaking badly of them or criticizing them implies that one is rejecting what Allaah said about them in the Qur’aan, where He praised them by saying (interpretation of the meaning): 244

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“And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success” [al-Tawbah 9:100] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. And those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking Bounty from Allaah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers)” [al-Fath 48:29] This is how Allaah has described them in His Book, so no doubt they are of just character and are the best and greatest of mankind. So no one hates them but a hypocrite and no one loves them but a believer. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “One of the basic principles of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’lJamaa’ah is that they think and say nothing to criticize the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as Allaah has described them in the verse in which He says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And those who came after them say: Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have 245

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believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful’ [al-Hashr 69:10] And they obey the command of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘Do not curse my companions, for by the One in Whose hand is my soul, if any one of you were to spend the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold, he would not reach the status of one of them, nor even come half way.’ (Agreed upon).” Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 3/152. Abu Zar’ah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If you see a man criticizing any one of the Sahaabah, then know that he is a heretic, because the Qur’aan is true, and the Messenger is true, and what he brought is true, and no one conveyed all of that to us but the Sahaabah. So whoever criticizes them means in effect to say that the Qur’aan and Sunnah are false, so it is more appropriate that he should be criticized and ruled to be a heretic who is misguided.” Al-Sawaa’iq al-Muhriqah ‘ala Ahl al-Rafd wa’l-Dalaal wa’l-Zandaqah, 2/608. With regard to the second part of the hadeeth, which enjoins refraining from speaking about the stars, what is referred to by that – and Allaah knows best – is seeking guidance by the stars concerning matters that are unseen, as the people of the jaahiliyyah used to do by means of astrology, such as using the movement of heavenly bodies to indicate when certain earthly events would occur, such as the blowing of the wind, rainfall, changes in prices, and other matters which they claimed to know from the movements of heavenly bodies. They used to say that whoever got married under such and such a star, such 246

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and such would happen to him, or whoever traveled under such and such a star, such and such would happen to him, and whoever was born under such and such a star would be lucky or unlucky, etc. (See Kitaab al-Tawheed by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, Baab Id’aa’ ‘ilm al-Ghayb min Qiraa’at al-Kaff wa’lFinjaan wa ghayrihima. See also Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah, 2/185-186-187-190) by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, where he makes some very useful comments). With regard to the third part of the hadeeth, which refers to refraining from speaking about the divine decree (alqadar), Abu Ja’far al-Tahhaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The divine decree is a secret known which Allaah has hidden from His creation. No angel who is close to Him and no Prophet whom He sent knows that. Pursuing such matters only leads to failure and deprivation of the mercy of Allaah, and it leads to injustice, so beware of looking into the matter, thinking about it and wondering about it. Allaah has kept knowledge of His decree from His slaves, and has forbidden them to pursue the matter, as He says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): ‘He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned’ [al-Anbiya’ 21:23] So whoever questions what Allaah does has rejected the ruling of the Book, and whoever rejects the ruling of the Book is a kaafir.” Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 276 So the Muslim has to submit to Allaah in all His affairs, and know that whatever happens to him could never have 247

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missed him, and what misses him could never have happened to him. There is a lot that may be said on this topic. May Allaah bless the man who believes in the will and decree of Allaah without indulging in philosophical discussion about the matter. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 1211: The phrase “The rest is up to Allaah” is not correct Question: How correct is it to say, “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allaah”? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This phrase is not correct, because it means that the one who says it is putting his trust in himself first. What he should say is, “I have done my best and I ask Allaah for help.” This is what is correct. Perhaps when a person says “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allaah”, what he means is what I have suggested here, i.e., what I could do, I have done, and what I cannot do is up to Allaah, But the phrase is basically incorrect. Rather he should say, “I have done my best and I ask Allaah for help.” al-Da’wah magazine,issue#1798 p/61 (www.islamqa.com) 248

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10102: Ruling on cursing one’s children or wife, and does cursing one’s wife count as divorce (talaaq)? Question: 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? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Cursing one’s wife is not permitted, and it is not a divorce; she still remains married to him and he has to repent to Allaah for that 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 Allaah be upon him) said: “Trading insults with a Muslim is evildoing and fighting him is kufr (disbelief).” (Saheeh – agreed upon). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Cursing a believer is like killing him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh). These two saheeh hadeeths indicate that a Muslim’s cursing his brother is a major sin, so we must beware of that and restrain our tongues from committing this awful sin. A woman is not divorced if her husband curses her; she is still married to her husband, as stated above. Kitaab Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 8, p. 398 (www.islam-qa.com) 249

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8055: Ruling on describing nurses as “angels of mercy” Question: We often read about and hear the common people and their writers and poets describing nurses as “angels of mercy.” Is that permissible? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to apply this description to nurses, because the angels are male and are not female. Allaah denounced the mushrikeen for describing the angels as female. Moreover, the angels of mercy have their own description which cannot be applied to nurses, for there are good and bad nurses, so it is not permissible to apply this description to them. And Allaah knows best. From Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, vol. 8, p. 423 (www.islam-qa.com) 10915: Ruling on one who curses life Question: Is it permissible for a man to curse life if he gets angry or if heg ets fed up? We hope that you can advise us concerning that. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 250

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It is not permissible for a man to curse life if he feels fed up, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, in a hadeeth qudsi that Allaah says, “The son of Adam offends Me by inveighing against [the vicissitudes of] Time, and I am Time. In My Hand is the alternation of night and day.” It was also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not inveigh against Time, for Allaah is Time”, i.e., He is the One Who is controlling Time. So when man is afflicted with calamity, he must be patient and seek reward, for Allaah has enjoined patience. And Allaah said to His Prophet ‘ (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “This is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal unto you (O Muhammad); neither you nor your people knew it before this. So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for the Muttaqoon (the pious)” [Hood 11:49] Let man know that no matter what happens there is something worse than that somewhere else in the world. If he understands that, then his problem will become easier to bear. From the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih ‘Uthaymeen for al-Da’wah magazine, issue # 1757, p. 45 (www.islam-qa.com) 9740: It is forbidden to lie in all circumstances Question: My mother is still alive and is over one hundred years old. She is in a difficult situation because she cannot understand things, and she asks whether it is evening when it is morning, and she repeats words more than five times. 251

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She cannot move from where she is, and if she has been sleeping she is not able to sit up, etc. Her children answer all her questions, but their answers may be lies, such as when she asks them in the evening whether it is the morning, and they tell her yes, even though it is the evening, and so on. My question is: if they tell her lies, are they sinning or not? The second question is: is there any kafaarah (expiation) which they should pay to make up for her fasts and prayers, or not? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. You should not tell her lies; you should tell her the truth, because telling her lies does not serve any purpose or benefit her in any way, or make her happy. With regard to prayer and fasting, there is no kafaarah to be paid, and there is no sin on her, because she has become like a child. So long as she cannot tell what is what, and her feelings and mind have changed, she is not obliged to pray or fast, because she is not held accountable for that. She is now like a little child who is free of responsibility and there is no sin involved, in sha Allaah. And Allaah knows best. Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Humayd, p. 43 (www.islam-qa.com) 12030: Is it a sin to insult one’s Muslim brother? Question: What should be done with a person who calls a Muslim a dog, pig, or other offensive word? Is it a sin? 252

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is a sin and he should be punished (ta’zeer – punishment to be specified by the qaadi/Muslim judge). He also has to repent. And Allaah knows best. Fataawa al-Imaam al-Nawawi, p. 224 (www.islamqa.com) 10834: April Fool Question: In some foreign countries – kaafir countries – there is the well-known custom of April Fool, 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? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Lying is not permissible at all, at any time. And it is not permissible to imitate the kuffaar and to be like them, on this day or on any other, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” From the fatwaas of Shaykh Saalih Fawzaan in alShaqaa’iq magazine, no. 32, Safar (www.islam-qa.com) 5733: She gets angry quickly and curses the person with whom she is angry Question: I get angry easily and at times I go in a rage and start 253

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cursing the person I am angry at in private. When I cool down, I say “astagfirruallah,” and I keep making an intention to not do it again. I know cursing is haraam. I hate what I do, and I wish I can control myself. I want to know how does one repent for cursing someone in anger. The person does not hear me say these things but I still feel bad about them. And do I have tell the person that I cursed them in private? Can I just keep it to myself as to not create animosity between me and the person? Can I give sadaqah to cancel the harm I did? What do I need to do to fix the problem. I want to stop, and I keep making dua’ - but for now I want to repent for the times I cursed people in anger. Also does Allah accept my curses in anger? I am feeling very depressed over this issue. I feel bad when I stand for prayer. I wish to really repent and feel content about my repentance. Jazak Allahu Khairan. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. You have to restrain your anger, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the gooddoers).” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:134] “And those who avoid the greater sins, and AlFawaahish (illegal sexual intercourse), and when they are angry, they forgive.” [al-Shooraa 42:37] This is because when a person does not restrain his anger, he insults, curses, swears and hits. Anger may be a door to all kinds of evil. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) often advised people not to get angry. 254

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Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Saheeh (6116) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Advise me.” He said: “Do not get angry.” The man repeated his request several times, and he said, “Do not get angry.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarded the one who controls himself when he is angry as being the strongest of men. Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Saheeh (6114) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The strong man is not the one who can wrestle (fight); the strong man is the one who controls himself at the time of anger.” Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) made some important points in Fath al-Baari (10/520) in his commentary on the hadeeth “Do not get angry”. He said: “Al-Tabaraani quoted the hadeeth of Sufyaan ibn ‘AbdAllaah al-Thaqafi: I said, O Messenger of Allaah, tell me something that will be of benefit to me, and make it brief and concise. He said, “Do not get angry, and Paradise will be yours.” It was also narrated that Abu’l-Dardaa’ said: I said, O Messenger of Allaah, tell me of a deed which will earn me admission to Paradise. He said, Do not get angry… Al-Khattaabi said: The meaning of the phrase ‘Do not get angry’ is, Avoid the things that cause anger and do not expose yourself to that which provokes it. Anger itself could not have been forbidden, because it is something natural which cannot be removed from human nature. Someone else said: what is meant is that which can be achieved by training oneself… It was said that it means, Do not do that which anger provokes you to do. Ibn Battaal said: the hadeeth indicates… that striving to control oneself is more difficult than striving against the enemy, because the Prophet (peace and 255

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blessings of Allaah be upon him) described the one who controls himself at times of anger as being the strongest of people. Someone else said: Perhaps the person who asked this question was hot-tempered; the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to command each person to do that which was most appropriate for him, so he summed up his advice to this person by telling him not to get angry. Ibn al-Teen said: in the words ‘Do not get angry’, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought together the good of this world and of the Hereafter, because anger results in cutting off ties and withholding kindness, and it may lead to one doing harm to the person with whom one is angry, which diminishes one’s religious commitment. One of the scholars said: Allaah created anger from fire, and made it an instinct in man. When there is a dispute, the flames of anger are fanned until a person’s face and eyes become red, because the skin reflects what is underneath it… Anger produces external and internal changes, such as a change in colour, trembling, uncontrolled actions and a change in appearance, such that if the angry person could see himself when he is angry, he would feel ashamed of his ugly appearance and they way his appearance has changed. All of that is what happens on the outside. The internal effects are even worse, because it generates hatred in the heart, envy (hasad) and all kinds of bad feelings. The most ugly effects of anger are the internal effects, and the external changes are the results of the internal changes. All of this has an effect on the body. The effect on the tongue is that it speaks words of slander and foul language which the wise person would feel ashamed of, and the angry person regrets them when he calms down. The effects of anger can also be seen in people’s actions, when they beat and kill. If the angry person does not have the chance to do that, he turns his anger against himself, tearing his garments and 256

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slapping his cheeks; sometimes he may have a seizure, or fall unconscious, or break vessels, or hit someone who has not done anything wrong. Whoever thinks about these evil actions will realize just how much wisdom there is in these gentle words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Do not get angry,’ and to how great an extent they protect people’s interests by warding off this great evil which may otherwise lead who knows where. All of this has to do with anger for the sake of worldly things, not anger for the sake of religious matters… (Anger for the sake of Allaah is praiseworthy and recommended, such as anger when seeing evil actions). It helps a person not to get angry when he bears in mind what has been narrated concerning the virtues of restraining anger, and the warnings concerning the results of anger; he should also seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan… and do wudoo’… And Allaah knows best.” Remember, too, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not a person who insulted or cursed others. It was reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (6031) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not a person who insulted people or used obscene language, and he did not curse people. If he wanted to rebuke anyone, he would say, “What is wrong with him? – may his forehead be rubbed with dust.” You must repent to Allaah for any curses and aggressive words that you have uttered, but there is no need to tell those whom you have cursed, so as not to provoke any evil actions. You can ask their forgiveness in a general way. With regard to the people whom you have prayed against, pray for good things for them, especially if you have been unfair to them in your prayers against them when they did not deserve such a thing. Ask Allaah to be kind to you, for a person’s du’aa’s may come back on 257

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him if he prays against someone who does not deserve that. You must keep your tongue busy with du’aa’ and dhikr (remembrance of Allaah), because that brings peace to the heart. “… verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest” [al-Ra’d 13:28 – interpretation of the meaning]. Keep away from using your tongue to hurt other people. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1079: He got angry and cursed the pen and paper Question: A man was writing on a piece of paper, and whilst he was writing he made a mistake with some of the words. He got very upset, and because he was so angry he cursed the pen and paper [the Arabic wording states that he “cursed the religion and the heaven of the pen and paper” – Translator]]. Is cursing [the religion and the heaven of] the pen or paper or rock or tree or chair or whatever considered to be Kufr ? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Undoubtedly this kind of cursing is haraam. Even if we say that the pen and paper have no religion in the sense of doing acts of worship, nevertheless the religion is one, and it is Allaah Who has subjugated these pens and other tools and made it easy for us to use them, so there is the fear that this cursing may be referred back to Allaah. So 258

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this person has to repent and seek forgiveness, and not do anything like this again. Al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen fi Fataawaa Ibn Jibreen, p. 34 (www.islam-qa.com) 5850: Nameemah (back biting to destroy relations) from a Kaafir Question: I am a new convert to Islam, and I have a christian brother who lives with me. My brother does not like a person, who used to be a friend, that helped me to become a muslim, and my brother told me some bad things about that friend. So I had a big fight with this friend and we don’t talk any more. Did I do wrong? By the way this friend used to ask me “where I go?” and he used to call me a lot. Do you think it is wrong to cut my relationship with this friend? P.S. I know that this friend likes me very much...And I think he is a good muslim Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Subhaan Allaah! How did you cut off your ties with your Muslim brother because of some news about him that was brought by a kaafir? 259

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Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with news verify it…” [al-Hujuraat 49:6]. This person is not just a “rebellious, evil person” (faasiq), he is also a kaafir, so how could you believe what he said and on that basis cut off your ties with your Muslim brother? Indeed, what you have done is wrong, and you must go back to this Muslim friend, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to forsake his brother for more than three days. Since he likes you and was the reason why you became Muslim, you owe him a great deal. How can you cut him off? Go back to him and do not leave him unless there is some clear evidence and proof that you should forsake him for some serious matter that goes against Islam. We ask Allaah to grant us and you guidance and strength. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 8 Backbiting and Gossip 44615: He said that he committed zina with a woman but he was lying Question: I am suffering deep torment because of a sin that I committed in the past, and I do not know how to rid myself of it. My life has been turned into hell because of this thing. Five years ago I was living in a religious vacuum, and I was far away from Allaah. I have a cousin who was the only friend I had in the whole world. One day the Shaytaan tricked me, and I told my cousin that I had an illicit relationship with some girls, but in fact I had no relationship at all with them. I do not know the punishment for this sin. Unfortunately I thought that manhood meant having relationships with women as many young men think nowadays. No one knows about this and news of it did not reach those women. In Ramadaan last year I repented to Allaah. I had a relationship with some women by phone and internet, so I told them that I had repented and severed my ties with them. I felt the sweetness of faith that I had never felt before. But I still remember the sin that I committed several years ago. It has to do with people’s honour. I prayed istikhaarah 261

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and thought about it a great deal, and I am still hesitant. Should I tell my friend that I lied to him so as to prove to him that these women are innocent of what I said about them, in which case I will lose my only friend when he sees that I lied to him? Or should I keep quiet and not say anything, but I fear Allaah’s punishment for this sin, so what should I do?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We ask Allaah to forgive your sin and to conceal your fault, and to help you avoid temptations both obvious and hidden. With regard to your question, it can be answered in the following points: 1 – It seems from your question that the one whom you accused of committing forbidden actions is a specific woman whom you and your cousin know. If it is a specific, known, woman, then this is slander by you against her, which is a major sin and an abhorrent forbidden action, because it is a slander against her honour and a transgression of the limits set by Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, as was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him): “Avoid the seven sins that doom one to Hell.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what are they?” He said: “Associating others with Allaah (shirk), witchcraft, killing a soul whom Allaah has forbidden us to kill, except when it is lawful, consuming riba, consuming the orphan’s wealth, running away from the battlefield, and slandering chaste believing women who never even think of anything touching their chastity (cf. al-Noor 24:23).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 2615; Muslim, 89. As well as slandering that woman, you are also saying that you yourself committed zina, even if you are lying. 262

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But if it is not a specific women, for example you said, “I did such and such with a woman,” and did not refer to a specific woman, then this is not regarded as slandering anyone, but you are still saying that you committed zina for which a hadd punishment is deserved, so you have to clear your own name. It says in Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’: If a person says, “I committed zina with a woman, but I do not know who she was,”, his confession is valid and he should be punished. Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’, 7/51 2 – If it is a specific woman, but you have repented and regret what you did, part of your repentance is to tell others that you were lying, so you have to tell your cousin that you were not telling the truth, because you have to clear the name of that chaste woman. It is not permissible for you to give precedence to the friendship with your cousin by slandering the honour of a Muslim woman. Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: The apparent meaning of Ahmad’s words is that the repentance of the slanderer is to state that he was lying. So he should say, “I was lying when I said that.” This is the view of al-Shaafa’i. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: Those who said that also include Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib, ‘Ata’, Tawoos, al-Shu’bi, Ishaaq, Abu ‘Ubayd and Abu Thawr. ‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated in al-Musannaf (5/77) that Tawoos said: His repentance (i.e., the one who accused someone of zina) is to say that he was lying. 3 – You should note that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allaah by angering people, Allaah will suffice him against people, but whoever seeks to please people by angering Allaah, Allaah will leave him to the people.” 263

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Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2414; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. This hadeeth indicates that what you fear of a bad relationship between you and your cousin is an insignificant matter. Whoever obeys Allaah and seeks to please Him, Allaah will suffice him against people. So you should care more about your relationship with your Lord than your relationship with your cousin. Remember that this is one of the trials with which Allaah tests you, so do what is right and put your trust in Allaah, and do not fear the blame of anyone. Pray a great deal for forgiveness, repent and make du’aa’ to Allaah, asking him to make you steadfast in speaking the truth, and to reconcile you and your cousin, for the hearts of men are between two of the fingers of the Most Merciful, and He turns them however He wills. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20711: Can one backbite about a kaafir? Is complaining for the purpose of seeking advice considered to be backbiting? Question: I am a muslimah for 2yrs. alhamdulillah, however my family has not alway be supportors of me and at one point my mother wanted to take my daughter and put me in a mental hospital, due to my change. Alhamdulillah now she is understanding. I was speaking to one sister and I was telling her about my mother and how she treated me, now I am thinking about what happen and it might make her look bad in the sight of that sister. She(my mother) is not muslim, does this mean I have commited ghebbah(back bitting)! I feel very bad for that because I know she just did not understand due to the American Media. May Allah forgive me!!!! Ameen. 264

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We praise Allaah for having guided you to Islam, and we ask Him to guide your family and to bring you together on the basis of good in this world and in the Hereafter. The bad treatment that a Muslim encounters from people after choosing the path of Islam is something natural. The Prophets themselves were faced with this, and they had aspersions cast upon their honour and their mental faculties. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Likewise, no Messenger came to those before them but they said: ‘A sorcerer or a madman!’” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:52] Gheebah (backbiting) means say about others things that they dislike. It is permissible in some situations, such as the advice of one who is able to advise you, and complaining about one who is mistreating you. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been wronged” [al-Nisa’ 4:148] Mujaahid said concerning the meaning of this verse: It refers to the one who has been wronged speaking about the wrong action of the one who wronged him. Al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih, 1/246. It seems that when you spoke about how your mother has treated you, you did that only for the purpose of seeking advice from your friend, not to tell everybody how bad she is. There is nothing wrong with this, and it is one of the kinds of gheebah (speaking of a person in his or her 265

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absence) that are permitted, especially when you have been mistreated. The evidence for what has been stated above is as follows: ‘Aa’ishah narrated that Hind – the wife of Abu Sufyaan – said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Abu Sufyaan is a stingy man, and he does not give me what is enough for me and my child unless I take something from him when he does not realize it.” He said, “Take whatever is sufficient for you and your child on a reasonable basis.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5049; Muslim, 1714. Abu Hurayrah said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) complaining about his neighbour. He said, “Go and bear it with patience.” He came back two or three times, then he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: “Go and put your belongings out on the street.” So he put his belongings out on the street and the people started asking him about that, and he told them the reason. So the people started cursing [that neighbour] and praying against him. Then his neighbour came to him and said, “Go back, and you will never see me doing anything you dislike.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5153. So there is no sin on you for what you have said about your mother or and do not worry about the influence of the American media on her or anyone else, because if you treat her well and give a good impression of Islam, that will bring better results. For more information on gheebah and the rulings on it, please see the answers to question no. 9784 and 7660 and 23328. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 266

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9784: What is the definition of gheebah and what is the ruling on it? Question: What is the definition of gheebah and what is the ruling on it? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Gheebah (backbiting, gossip) means that a person mentions the faults of his Muslim brother in his absence, which he would not like if he heard about it, when there is no need to mention them. When I say “mentions the faults of his brother”, this excludes cases when the other person says something to praise or commend him. When I say “Muslim brother”, this excludes the kaafir, for there is no gheebah in the case of a kaafir. When I say, “in his absence”, this excludes things said in his presence, which is not called gheebah according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. When I say, “which he would dislike if he heard about it”, this excludes things which he would not mind. When I say, “when there is no need to mention them”, this excludes cases when there is a shar’i reason for doing that, such as warning against an innovator to make people aware of his bid’ah. It is essential to pay attention to the following in such cases: 267

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1. Sincerity towards Allaah and seeking His pleasure. 2. Paying attention to the interests being served by such things. 3. What is said should be limited to the shortcomings in question and should not go further, to matters in which there is no benefit. The scholars agreed that it is haraam to talk behind a person’s back for no legitimate purpose. Most of them stated that this is a major sin and that it varies in degree, some kinds being worse than others. The one who backbites about a scholar is not like one who backbites about an ignorant person. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from al-‘Alaa’ ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan from his father from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you know what gheebah is?” They said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “That you say something about your brother that he dislikes.” He was asked, “What if what I say about my brother is true?” He said, “If what you say is true then you have gossiped about him, and if it is not true then you have slandered him.” Abu Dawood narrated in his Sunan via Nawfal ibn Masaahiq from Sa’eed ibn Zayd that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most 268

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prevalent kind of usury (riba) is going to lengths in talking unjustly against a Muslim’s honour.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Your blood, your wealth and your honour are sacred among you, as sacred as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours. Let those who are present convey it to those who are absent; perhaps he will convey it to one who has more understanding than he does.” (Agreed upon, from the hadeeth of Abu Bakrah). One of the worse types of gheebah and one which is most emphatically forbidden it to look down upon a Muslim and do one’s utmost to insult him, show disrespect towards him and cast aspersions upon his honour. This is a blameworthy characteristic and a serious malady; it is one of the major sins and the one who does this is subject to the warning and a severe punishment. Shaykh Sulaymaan ibn Naasir al-‘Alwaani (www.islam-qa.com) 23328: Backbiting (gheebah) and its expiation Question: A.What is the ruling on accusing somebody of having a loose tongue? B.Do you have to tell them what they have said and to whom? This is a matter that has arose and instead of the person being told what they are supposed to have said and to whom. They are being told that the ones telling them they have a loose tongue, that they have it on good authority 269

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that they do not have to say anymore than “you have a loose Tongue” C.How can a person be accused of something they might not have said without telling them? The person could be innocent and their reputation is now in pieces. I ask you to please provide all the relevant islamic rulings on this matter to inshallah stop all the slandering and backbiting that is happening to the person accused of having a loose tongue. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The Muslim has to guard his tongue and avoid things that have been forbidden. Among these forbidden things which people take often lightly are gheebah (backbiting), buhtaan (slander) and nameemah (malicious gossip). Gheebah or backbiting means speaking about a Muslim in his absence and saying things that he would not like to have spread around or mentioned. Buhtaan or slander means saying things about a Muslim that are not true, or in other words telling lies about him. Nameemah or malicious gossip means telling one person what another said in order to cause trouble between them. There is a great deal of evidence to show that these actions are haraam. It will suffice for us to mention just a few of them in order to demonstrate that they are haraam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so 270

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hate backbiting). And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you know what gheebah (backbiting) is?” They said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “Saying something about your brother that he dislikes.” It was said, “What if what I say about my brother is true?” He said, “If what you say is true then you have backbitten about him, and if it is not true, then you have slandered him.” Narrated by Muslim, 2589 It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and said, “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid. One of them used to walk about spreading malicious gossip (nameemah), and the other used not to take precautions to avoid getting urine on himself when he urinated.” Then he called for a green branch, which he split in two and planted a piece on each grave, and said, “May their torment be reduced so long as these do not dry out.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 213; Muslim, 292 For a person to say of another, “He cannot control his tongue (or he has a loose tongue)” is undoubtedly one of those things that a person would dislike to have said about him. If it is true, then it is gheebah (backbiting), and if it is not true then it is buhtaan (slander). Everyone who does any kind of backbiting, slander or 271

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malicious gossip has to repent and pray for forgiveness, and that is between him and Allaah. If he knows that any of his words reached the person about whom he was speaking, then he should go to him and ask him to forgive him. But if he does not know, then he should not tell him; rather he should pray for forgiveness for him and make du’aa’ for him, and speak well of him in his absence just as he spoke against him. Similarly, if he knows that telling him will provoke more enmity, then it is sufficient to make du’aa’ for him, speak well of him and pray for forgiveness for him. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to his honour or anything else, let him seek his forgiveness today, before there will be no dinar and no dirham, and if he has any good deeds to his credit they will be taken from him in a manner commensurate with the wrong he did, and if he has no good deeds, then some of his counterpart’s bad deeds will be taken and added to his burden.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2317. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: Whoever wrongs a person by slandering him, backbiting about him or insulting him, then repents, Allaah will accept his repentance, but if the one who was wronged finds out about that, he has the right to settle the score. But if he slandered him or backbit about him and the person did not hear of that, then there are two views according to the scholars, both of which were narrated from Ahmad, the more correct of which is that he should not tell him that he spoke against him in his absence. It was said that he should rather speak well of him in his absence just as he spoke badly of him in his absence, as 272

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al-Hasan al-Basri said: the expiation for gheebah is to pray for forgiveness for the person about whom you backbit. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 3/291 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6710: Is mentioning the faults of (female) servants in a women’s gathering considered to be gheebah (backbiting or gossiping)? Question: Ten women got together, and each of them complained about their (female) servants in specific terms. Is this gheebah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (may Allaah preserve him), who answered as follows: This is gheebah, because there is no benefit in complaining to other women in this manner. The employer has to discipline and train her servant properly. If she wants to consult with knowledgeable people (if there is a woman among them who has experience and knowledge of such matters) about how she can discipline and train her servant properly, then it is OK to mention the servant’s faults (because there is a legitimate need to do so). And Allaah knows best. Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (www.islam-qa.com) 273

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8504: Ruling on condemning people on the Internet Question: I am 22 years old and I am from XXXXXX . In former Soviet Union Islam is reviving, but many Muslims still do not have much knowledge about religion. There are some Russian-language Islamic web-sites in the Internet and they host discussion rooms and view forums for Internet users. Sometimes a Muslim participant might say something, which is absolutely not right in Islam and he/she might not know it because he/she might lack some knowledge. My brother in XXXXXX partcipates in these discussion rooms (view forums) and he asked me to ask you a question, which is as follows: “... There are some discussion rooms and view forums in the Internet, where participants can express their opinions and tell their thoughts on different issues on Islam. Sometimes a Muslim participant might disagree with certain thoughts of another Muslim participant and criticize his/her opinion or expression. However, sometimes such a critique might touch the participant’s personality and [also] his/her way of belief, i.e.aqeeda. When somebody is criticizing his/her brother/sister Muslim in such a manner, the latter might not be present in a discussion room and he/she might never come back to see it again. [In my country we have rare access to Internet. This means that somebody might never see the view forum again, hence he/she will never see the answer to his/her thoughts]. However, certainly, this critique becomes known to other participants of the discussion room. 274

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Is such a critique considered backbite/slander, i.e. ghaiba, because of the fact that the one criticizing is not aware of whether the one criticized knows it? Might it be so that a Muslim talks about another Muslim such things, which the latter one would not want to be talked about him/ herself behind his/her back. As you understand the question is important, because I was criticizing some thoughts of some Muslims too. If it was ghaiba, then I will have to make repentance and to ask those Muslims to forgive me and never do it again...” Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Gheebah (backbiting, gossip) means that you mention something about your Muslim brother which he does not like, such as his faults. This is haraam, no matter by what means it happens or whatever form it takes. It is haraam according to the consensus of the Muslim scholars. Criticizing people, if the aim is to expose their faults, is gheebah and is among the “evil uttered in public” that Allaah does not like [cf. Al-Nisaa’ 4:148]. But if the intention is to put people off a person’s evil action that is forbidden according to sharee’ah, to make a person to stop doing that, to combat someone’s bid’ah and warn people against it, or to expose something false that a person has said in front of others in discussion groups or newsgroups on the internet or elsewhere, then this is permissible and is not the gheebah which is forbidden. Indeed it is an act of worship that brings a person closer to Allaah, or it is an obligation upon whoever is able to do that. The Salaf condemned innovators and critiqued the narrators of reports, in sincerity to Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 275

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What is important is to look at the aim and intention. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 7660: Is it gheebah if she complains about her relatives to her husband? Question: is the following backbiting? mother talking behind about her son to her another son or sister / wife talking to husband about her sister/brother and real brothers talking behind about another realbrother Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Backbiting (gheebah) is a bad characteristic which Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he does not betray him, lie to him or forsake him. The whole of 276

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the Muslim is sacred to his fellow Muslim – his honour, his wealth and his blood. Taqwa (piety) is here. It is sufficient evil for a man to despise his brother.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 4650; al-Tirmidhi, no. 1850). It was reported that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I was taken up into the heavens (the Mi’raaj), I passed by some people who had nails of copper with which they were scratching their faces and chests. I said, ‘Who are these people, O Jibreel?’ He said, ‘These are the ones who used to eat the flesh of the people and slander their honour.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 6095; Abu Dawood, no. 4253). With regard to the meaning of gheebah (backbiting), it was reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you know what gheebah is?” They said: Allaah and His Messenger know best. He said, “(It is) when you mention something about your brother that he does not like.” It was said, What do you think if what I say about my brother is true? He said, “If it is true then you are backbiting against him and if it is not true then you are slandering him.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 4690; alTirmidhi, no.1857). Gheebah means mentioning something about your brother in his absence and saying something that he does not like to have said about him, with the intention of mocking him or making fun of him. But if you say something about him in his absence to someone who can offer him advice so that he will advise him, or you are asking for help from someone who you hope will have an influence on him so that he will stop doing some evil action or sin that he has fallen into, and thus bring him back to the straight path – this is not 277

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gheebah. For example, if a wife talks to her husband or her son about another of her sons so that he can advise him, this is not gheebah. Similarly, if you speak about your brother or someone else to his guardian or to someone who is able to stop him from doing wrong – with the intention of voicing a grievance and asking for help, or because he has taken something from you unlawfully and you want to demand your rights from the guardian of the one who took what is rightfully yours, such as when a man complains about his brother to his father if he has mistreated him or taken something that belongs to him, in order to have his rights restored to him, or complaining to a ruler or judge of unfair treatment – this is not gheebah. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on Saheeh Muslim (Sharh Saheeh Muslim): “But gheebah (speaking about a person in his absence) is permissible if it is for some legitimate (shar’i) purpose, which includes six reasons: The first is complaining about unjust treatment: it is permissible for a person who has been mistreated to complain to the ruler or judge, or other people who have the authority or power to deal with the person who has mistreated him. He can say, So and so mistreated me, or, he did such and such to me. The second is seeking help to change some evil action, and bring a sinner back to the right path: so he may say to the person who he hopes can help: So and so is doing such and such, so try to stop him, and so on. The third is seeking a religious ruling or fatwa: whereby a person may say to the Mufti: So and so – or my father, or my brother, or my husband – has treated me unjustly by doing such and such; does he have the right to do that? 278

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How can I deal with this and protect myself from his mistreatment? etc. This is permissible in cases of need. It is preferable to say in the case of a man or a husband or a father or a son that someone did such and such [i.e., describe it indirectly], but naming names is permissible, because of the hadeeth of Hind who said (to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Abu Sufyaan is a stingy man. The fourth is warning the Muslims against some evil: this may take various forms, such as mentioning the faults of narrators, witnesses and authors. This is permissible by scholarly consensus. Indeed, it is obligatory, in order to protect the sharee’ah. It also includes describing faults when one is consulted [about a person, for a serious reason such as business, marriage, etc.], and speaking up if one sees someone buying faulty goods or a slave who steals or commits zinaa or drinks wine etc. – he should mention that to the would-be purchaser if he does not know about it. This is by way of sincere advice, not to cause harm or offence or corruption. Also, if you see a seeker of knowledge frequently visiting a person who is immoral or who follows innovations, and taking knowledge from him, and you fear that he may be harmed, you must advise him by explaining the situation to him, with the aim of offering sincere advice. If you see a person in a position of authority which he cannot discharge properly because he is not qualified for it or because he is corrupt, you should tell whoever has authority over him and explain what he is really like so that he will not be deceived by him and so that he will discipline him – this is not gheebah, and it is obligatory to put things right. The fifth is if a person is openly committing immoral deeds or following bid’ah: such as drinking wine, confiscating people’s property unlawfully, collecting extortionate taxes, being in charge of illegal activities etc. It is permissible to speak of what he is doing openly, but 279

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it is not permissible to speak of other things except for another reason. The sixth is for the purposes of identification: if a person is known by a nickname such as al-A’mash (rheumyeyed), al-A’raj (lame), al-Azraq (blue), al-Qaseer (short), al-A’maa (blind), al-Aqta’ (missing a limb) etc., this is permissible for purposes of identification, but it is haraam to use such names for the purpose of belittling a person, and if it is possible to identify them by using other words, this is better. And Allaah knows best.” But if there is no useful purpose to be served by speaking about a person, or if the aim is to make fun of him or expose him, this is gheebah and is not permitted. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 6308: Is it obligatory to seek forgiveness of the person you have gossiped about? Question: Is it obligatory for a person who has gossiped about a Muslim and wants to repent to Allaah to seek the forgiveness of the person about whom he gossiped? Does he have to tell him what he said about him behind his back, if he thinks that telling him about it may make him hate him? In this case does he have to tell him, or is it sufficient to ask his forgiveness without telling him what was said? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 280

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The correct view –and Allaah knows best – is that he should not tell him that he has gossiped about him if he does not know; it is sufficient just to ask Allaah for forgiveness for the sin and to ask for forgiveness for his brother to counteract the harm caused by his gossiping about him. There follow some of the scholars’ opinions on this matter: Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mecy on him) said in his book al-Adhkaar (2/845, Baab Kafaarat al-Gheebah wa’l-Tawbah minhaa – Chapter on the expiation for backbiting and repenting from it): “Know that everyone who commits a sin must hasten to repent from it. Repentance in the case of a sin involving the rights of Allaah (i.e., in which no other person is affected) requires the following three conditions: He must give up the sin immediately He must regret what he has done He must resolve not to do it again. With regard to repentance from a sin that affects the rights of other people, these three conditions are also required, and to them is added a fourth: he must restore to people what is due to them and settle the matter, or else ask for forgiveness and find a way to relieve himself of this burden of sin. The repentance of the backbiter must meet these four conditions, because backbiting or gossip affects other people, so he has to seek the forgiveness of the person about whom he gossiped. Is it sufficient for him to say: ‘I gossiped about you so please forgive me’, or does he have to tell him what he said about him? 281

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The companions of al-Shaafa’i, may Allaah have mercy on them, had two views: The first was that he has to tell him, because if he forgives him without being told what was said, it does not count, as in the case of forgiving someone with regard to an unknown amount of money. The second was that he does not have to tell him, because this is something that can be forgiven, so he does not have to tell him what he said, unlike the case with money. The first view is more correct, because a person could forgive some type of gossip but not others. If the person about whom you gossiped is dead or is not present, it is not possible to ask him for forgiveness, but the scholars said: you should pray a lot for him to be forgiven, and make du’aa’ for him, and do lots of good deeds. Know that the person who was spoken about should forgive him for that, but he does not have to, because this is a voluntary giving up of one’s rights. The choice is up to him, but it is strongly encouraged (mustahabb) for him to forgive him, so that his Muslim brother may be relieved of the consequences of his sin and he himself may attain a great reward from Allaah and the love of Allaah. (This was the view of al-Shaafa’i) Ibn Muflih said in al-Aadaab al-Shara’iyyah (1/9): “It was said that if the person who was wronged by the gossip knows about it (then you cannot do anything about that), otherwise you should make du’aa’ for him and pray for forgiveness, but he should not be told. Shaykh Taqiy alDeen mentioned that this was the view of the majority. More than one scholar said: if a person who slandered or gossiped about another repents before the person comes 282

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to know about it, is it a condition of his repentance that he should tell the person and ask for his forgiveness? There are two views. Al-Qaadi said that he does not have to do that, because of the reports narrated by Abu Muhammad al-Khallaal with his isnaad from Anas, and attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever backbites about a man then asks for forgiveness for him, his backbiting will be forgiven” and “The kafaarah (expiation) of the one who gossips about another is that he should ask for forgiveness for him.” These two ahaadeeth are not saheeh in their transmission from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Another reason is that by telling the person what was said, this may make him hate him. Al-Qaadi said: this is not permissible. This was also the view of Shaykh Abd al-Qaadir. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in his book Bahjat al-Majaalis: “Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The kafaarah (expiation) of the one who gossips about another is that he should ask for forgiveness for him.” ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak said to Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah: the repentance for backbiting is that you should pray for forgiveness for the one you gossiped about. Sufyaan said: rather you should ask for forgiveness for what you said about him. Ibn al-Mubaarak said: do not hurt him twice. Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen ibn al-Salaah al-Shaafa’i also said in his Fataawa something like that which was said by Ibn al-Mubaarak. After mentioning these two reports on this issue, Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen said: “Any talk about a person’s honour is either truthful gossip or a fabricated lie. In either case it is slander, because if slander is true then it is gossip and if it is not true then it is a false accusation.” Our companions were of the opinion that he should not 283

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tell him; rather he should make du’aa’ for him which will be a good deed towards him, to make up for his wrongdoing towards him, as was stated in the reports. It is clear that what Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said about telling the person hurting him twice makes sense, and that there is the fear that it could lead to conflict, hatred and a breakdown of the relationship between them. And Allaah knows best. Reference: Masaa’il wa rasaa’il by Muhammad alMahmoud al-Najdi, p. 61. (www.islam-qa.com) 99: Repentance (tawbah) involving backbiting (gheeba) and whether the person offended must be informed Question: I have committed backbiting involving a person or a group of people, or have unjustly slandered some people regarding things with which they didn’t have anything to do. Is it a condition of repentance that I should inform them and seek their pardon? And if this is not required then how do I repent? Answer: The answer will depend on the nature of the interests of the people involved. If the case is such that if he were to inform them of what he had once said about them, it would not be likely to increase their anger, then, he should do that and seek their forgiveness. He may then tell them in general terms, and without offering details - that he had wronged them in the past by expressing such sentiments about them that were not right and just, and that now he has repented and seeks their forgiveness. 284

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But if the case is the opposite, that is, the fear is that if he told them of the previous backbiting or slander, they will - and in most cases that is most likely to happen - be angry with him, or will not be satisfied with the general terms, rather, will demand to know all the details, which is sure to provoke them to anger, them, in such a case, it is not obligatory on him to let them know and seek their forgiveness. For the shari’ah does not order adding insult to injury. And informing a person who was in a happy mood, of things that will evoke feelings of distress or anger, is something against the purpose of the shari’ah, which enjoins the spread of happiness and brotherliness. In fact, sometimes such action may give place to animosity where there was love. In such situations it is enough to repent in the following manner. Evoke in oneself the feeling of regret, and seek forgiveness from Allah accompanied by the conviction that it was an abominable and unlawful thing in which he had indulged. Try and make up for what he had said earlier before others by denying the presence of things and qualities he had alleged were in them and clear the person or persons involved. Follow up by mentioning and asserting good qualities of those he had spoken ill of in the presence of the same people in whose company he had slandered them. Defend the people he had slandered when they are slandered in his presence. Pray to Allah in private to forgive the sins and shortcomings of those he had wronged. (See Madaarij Al-Salikin, and Al-Mughni with explanatory notes for further elucidation). You must note, dear brother Muslim or sister Muslima, that there is a difference between the material rights of 285

the people and non-material rights, between backbiting and defamation. When the material rights are returned to the people, they are put to some use and cause increase in happiness, and therefore they must not be put under the mattress. Whereas non-material rights, such as those concerning a man’s honor, when returned to the people can only cause increase in distress. Excerpts from the book “I would like to repent BUT...” (www.islam-qa.com)