‏قالـ الإمـام أحمـد رحمـه الله:

¤ رحــم الله عبــدا :
↶ قال بالحق
↶ واتبع الأثر
↶ وتمسك بالسنة
↶ وجانب أهل البدع
↶ وترك مجالستهم ومحادثتهم
↶ طلبا للقربة من الله وإعزاز دينه.

[طبقـات الحنابلـة لابن أبي يعلى الحنبلـيّ (1/ 13)
__________________

Al-Imaam Ahmed رحمه الله Said :

May Allah have mercy on a slave who :
– Speaks With the Haqq
– And he follows the Narrations
– And he holds Firm to the Sunnah
-And He stays away from the People of Bid’ah
– And he leaves there sittings and their Speeches
– Wanting the closeness from Allah and Honouring his Deen

[ Tabaqaat Al-Hanaabilah By Ibn Abee Ya’laa Al-Hanbalee 1/13]

It is reported from Al-Hasan al-Basree, رحمه الله, that he said:

The life of this world is made up of three days: yesterday has gone with all that was done; tomorrow, you may never reach; but today is for you so do what you should do today.

[Al-Bayhaqee, Az-Zuhd al-Kabeer. Pg. 197]

Benefits For Moving Into a New House

Reading the Following Dua:

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah was asked about slaughtered meat when entering a new home and he answered that is not allowed and it even may be major Shirk. Then he said:

“And it is necessary a person if he settles in a place to say what has been reported from the Sunnah:

أعوذ بكلمات الله التامات من شر ما خل

I seek refuge with the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created

For verily whoever, settles in a place and says: I seek refuge with the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created),’ nothing will harm him until he leaves that place…”

[http://binothaimeen.net/content/9188]

2. Reading Surah Baqarah

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah was asked:

Question: Is it from the Sunnah to recite Surah al-Baqarah in a new house?

Answer: “What is apparent is that there is no harm in that, especially if the satanic whispers increase and the hostility of the devils. There is no harm in it. However, I do not know this to be a Sunnah of the Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salam, except he encouraged that in his statement :

إن الشيطان ينفر من البيت الذي تقرأ فيه سورة البقرة

Satan runs away from the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.

[Muslim no. 28]

So there is no harm, especially if the mistakes caused by the devils increases. Yes”

[Sharh Iqtidaa Siraat ul-Mustaqeem no. 23 Side A]

Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbad hafidhuhallah said likewise that it is not a Sunnah specifically, but something that should be done in general due to the Hadith [See: Sharh Tirmidhi no. 312]

Side Benefit:

Can this be achieved by a group of people, each person reciting a designated portion?

Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbad hafidhuhallah was asked:

Question: Is it necessary for it to be one reciter? If I recite half and my wife recites the remaining or my daughter the other half, does it suffice?

Answer: “The desired goal will be met by that. However, one person reading and not dividing the surah between them is no doubt more deserving. Otherwise, if some read some parts and others read other parts, like that, it will be [achieved]. Surah Baqarah is recited from beginning until end. However, one reciter is more deserving than dividing between a group and everyone having a portion of it”

[Sharh Tirmidhi no. 312]

3. Having a Meal on the Occasion

Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan hafidhuhallah was asked:

Question: Oh Virtuous Shaikh, may Allah facilitate for you good,: Is having a banquet for moving into a new house considered an innovation?

Answer: “Permissible. Establishing a banquet for moving into a new house is permissible. It is not said it is a Sunnah or it is unlawful. It is permissible. A permissible custom. There is nothing wrong with it inshallah”

[http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/2712]

And Allah Knows Best

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan

Abu Sulaymaan

Shaykh ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said when differentiating between self-admiration and show-off:

“Self-admiration is akin to showing off, but showing off is a kind of including people as a motive for one’s efforts, whereas self-admiration is including oneself with Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) (in the sense that one remembers one’s talent but forgets that they all come from Allah and by His help).

So the show-off is not fulfilling the words, “You (alone) we worship”, [1:5] and the one who admires himself is not fulfilling the words, “and You (alone) we ask for help,” [1:5] because the one who fulfils the words “You (lone) we worship” will avoid showing off, and the one who fulfils the words “and You (alone) we ask for help” will avoid self-admiration.“

[Majmoo’ Al-Fataawaa, 10/277]

Success

Only a few years ago, I had a flawed perception as to what the purpose of life was. It was merely something which came about with a unconscious connection to “success”. Now, success back then, to me; success was simply a word which I tied with being wealthy. I thought that success was to wake up to a beautiful view, in a beautiful home, with a beautiful career, with a beautiful bank account. How wrong was I? I was a teenager raised in a society where the concept of “success” was fed to us. We were taught, it was to go to school, get a education, get a good career, and then you work until you die.

The Refutation of the Statement: Material Cannot be Created Nor Destroyed – Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan

Question: May Allah reward you, what is the refutation of the expression which is taught in schools: “that material does not perish nor is it created from nonexistence“, knowing that Allah is the Originator of the Heavens and Earth?

Answer: “This is the speech of the naturalists. Those who say that [the world and its affairs] are natural [occurrences]. They do not affirm a Creator. The truth is everything exists from nonexistence and ends after its existence except for Allah, the Exalted. For He does not have a beginning nor end:

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ – وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلْـلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever [55:26-27]

[Sharh Usool us-Sittah pg. 45]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan

Abu Sulaymaan

THE PATIENCE OF PROPHET AYYOOB: A REMINDER FOR THE MUSLIM SUFFERING FROM AILMENTS

Allah the Glorified and Exalted says,

“And remember Ayyoob, when he cried to his Lord: Verily distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy. So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him and the like thereof along with them, as a mercy from Ourselves and a reminder for all who worships Us.”

[Soorah al-Anbiyaa’ 21:83-84]

Imaam ‘Abdur-Rahman as-Sa’dee (d.1376H) – rahimahullaah – said,

“Meaning, remember Our slave and Messenger Ayyoob (‘alayhis salaam), praising him and revering him, (and) raising his station, when (Allah) tested him with a severe test and thus found him remaining patient, being pleased with Him. (What occurred) is that Shaytaan had gained strength over his body as a trial and test from Allah. He (Shaytaan) blew into his body so he became full of ulcers. He remained this way a long period, and his ailment worsened and his family died and he lost his wealth. So he cried out to his Lord:

“Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.”

So he sought a means of nearness to Allah (with supplication) by mentioning his condition, and that affliction has seized him greatly. And due to the expansive and vast mercy of his Lord, Allah answered him and said,

“Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.”

[Soorah Saad 38:42]

So he struck (the ground) with his foot and a cold spring gushed forth, so he washed therefrom and drank, so Allah cured him of his ailments.

(Allah said),

“…and We restored his family to him…”

Meaning, We returned to him his family and his wealth.

(Allah said),

“…and the like thereof…”

(Meaning), that Allah bestowed upon him well-being, also an abundance of family and wealth.

(Allah said),

“…as a mercy from Ourselves…”

(Meaning) upon him due to him having patience and being pleased (with what Allah decreed), so Allah gave him an immediate reward before the reward of the Hereafter.

(Allah said),

“…and a reminder for all who worship Us…”

Meaning, We have made it an admonition for the worshippers who benefit from practicing patience. If they look to the distress that afflicted Ayyoob (‘alayhis salaam) then how (Allah) rewarded him after it left him, and (if) they look at the reason behind that, they will find that it was (because) of his patience. Due to this, Allah praised his mention because of it in His statement,

“Truly, We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to us).”

[Soorah Saad 38:44]

So He made him an example (for the slaves) when calamities befall them.”

Taken from:

Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan (p. 613-614) of Imaam as-Sa’dee

Ibn al-Qayyim’s Astounding Humility: Calling Himself Bankrupt Instead of a Shaikh

Ibn al-Qayyim wrote a priceless book on patience called Uddatus-Saabirin wa Dhakhiratush-Shakirin, out of his humility, he said the following about it and himself:

“Despite that, this book is the effort of someone who lacks the means [i.e., lacks knowledge], the output of someone bankrupt, in which he warns others against the disease even though he is among the ranks of those who suffer from it, in which he has outlined the remedy even though, due to his injustice and ignorance, he didn’t have the forbearance to use it himself, but he hopes that, through this advice which he is imparting to His believing slaves, the Most Kind and the Most Merciful will forgive the way he has cheated himself.

And so whatever in this book is correct is from Allaah, Alone, for it is He who is the Commendable, the One who helps, and whatever mistakes are found in it are from its author and the devil …”

Uddatus-Saabirin, p. 11.

A Benefit from Ash-Shaykh al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him, regarding the meaning of Envy and Jealousy:

The Second Chapter: Mistakes which are Compulsory to Beware of

Firstly: Envy and Jealousy

“It is unhappiness for what Allah has bestowed upon others of bounties, whereas it does not (merely mean) wishing the blessing to be removed from others rather it is just by a person disliking what Allah has bestowed upon others of bounties, so this is envy, whether he wished it (i.e. the bounty and blessing) to be removed or to remain whilst disliking it for him. As this has been affirmed by Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, where he said: envy is the unhappiness of a person for what Allah has bestowed upon others of bounties while the human-souls are mostly not free from envy, meaning the soul could be forcefully disposition upon it however it came in the hadeeth ‘if you envy then do not transgress and if you have an (evil) thought then do not implement it’ meaning that it is obligatory upon the person if he sees from his heart any form of envy for others then he should not transgress whether be in speech or actions, for verily that is from the traits of the Jews, those who Allah said regarding (them):

: {أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا} [النساء: 54]

“Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His Bounty? Then We had already given the family of Ibrahim the Book and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah), and conferred upon them a great kingdom.

Hence the envious commits several forbidden acts:

Firstly: His unhappiness of what Allah has decreed, for verily his displeasure for what Allah has bestowed this person with of bounties is actually a dislike for what Allah has decreed to occur and an opposition to the preordainment of Allah azza wajal.

Secondly: That envy devours goods deeds as the fire devours pieces of wood because generally the envious transgresses the envied by mentioning some of that which he dislikes and by distancing the people from him and by degrading his value and the likes of that

Thirdly: What befalls the heart of the envious of sorrow – while the hell-fire will devour him severely -, so whenever he sees this blessing upon this envied one he would become distressed and depressed whereas he begins to observe this person, (so) every time Allah bestows upon him any bounties he becomes sad and distressed and depressed throughout his worldly affairs.”

Reference: The Book of Knowledge, page 54.

Some benefits from Imam Ibn Qayyim’s Book al-Fawaaid

Imam Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah said:

من عرف ربه اشتغل به عن هوى نفسه

Whoever knows his Lord, he will be busy with Him instead of the desires of his soul

[al-Fawaaid pg. 57]

He also said:

الدنيا جيفة والأسد لا يقع علي الجيف

The worldly life is a dead carcass and lions do not eat from a dead carcass.

[al-Fawaaid pg. 51]

And He also said:

اشتر نفسك؛ فالسوق قائمة، والثمن موجود

Buy yourself, for the market is established and the price is present

[al-Fawaaid pg.41]

He also said:

استوحش ممالا يدوم معك، واستأنس بمن لا يفارقك

Be away from what does not last with you and accompany the one who will not leave you

[al-Fawaaid pg. 50]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan