The Forgotten Sunnah of Uncovering Part of the Body at the Beginning of Rainfall

Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan hafidhuhallah was asked:

Question: May Allah be good to you, Oh Generous Parent. The questioner says: Did the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam remove the turban from his head during the beginning of a rainfall or did he remove it during the entire time the rain fell?

Answer: “At the beginning of the rainfall. He would go out during the beginning of the rainfall and allow some rain to fall on him. Yes”

[Taken from: http://islamancient.com/play.php?catsmktba=67650]

Imam an-Nawaawi rahimahullah said:

وفي هذا الحديث دليل لقول أصحابنا أنه يستحب عند أول المطر أن يكشف غير عورته ليناله المطر

“In this Hadith is evidence for the statement of our companions (i.e. the Shafi’ee Scholars) that it is recommended to uncover some part of the body, other than the awrah, during the beginning of the rainfall in order for some of the rain to fall on it”

[Sharh Saheeh Muslim]

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah was asked:

Question: Is it from the Sunnah when the rain descends for a person to uncover his head and allow the rain to fall on it”?

Answer: “Yes, it is from the Sunnah for a person to uncover something of his body when the rain descends in order for the rain to fall on it. That is not specific to the head. When the rain fell,the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam used to uncover his clothing so the rain could fall on it.

On the authority of Anas ibn Malik radiallahu anhu who said:

A shower of rain fell on us when we were with the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) went out and removed his garment till some of the rain fell on him. We asked him; apostle of Allah! Why did you do this? He replied: Because it has recently been with its Lord”

[Saheeh Sunan Abu Dawood no. 5100]

[Taken from: http://islamancient.com/play.php?catsmktba=11657]

Note: Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah mentioned it is not from the Sunnah to remain in the rain continuously. The narration says that some of the rain fell on him, not to remain in it. He also said that the jurists said a person can go out into the rain, if he is indoors, in order for the rain to fall on him [See here: http://alathar.net/home/esound/index.php?op=tadevi&id=2294&coid=35507]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

A Small Benefit,

Ash-Shaykh Bin Baaz, Rahimahullah, said when explaining the following hadeeth:

: ( إن الرفق لا يكون في شيء إلا زانه ولا ينزع من شيء إلا شأنه )

(Verily whenever gentleness enters into something, it adorns it and whenever is removed from it disfigures it.)

ولا سيما في هذا العصر ، هذا العصر عصر الرفق والصبر والحكمة ، وليس عصر الشدة ،

“Especially in this era, this era is an era for rifq (i.e. gentleness) and patience and wisdom and it is not an era for shiddah (i.e. harshness) ”

الناس أكثرهم في جهل ،
في غفلة وإيثار للدنيا ، فلا بد من الصبر ، ولا بد من الرفق حتى تصل الدعوة ، وحتى يبلغ الناس وحتى يعلموا ، ونسأل الله للجميع الهداية

“Majority of the people are in ignorance and heedlessness and in giving preference for the dunya, therefore it is a must to be patient and it is a must to have rifq up until the dawah reaches and is conveyed to the people and up until they come to know, while we ask Allah for guidance for all of us.”

نشرت في ” جريدة المسلمون ” ، العدد : (532) ، و ” مجموع فتاوى ومقالات متنوعة ” : ( الجزء الثامن ) .

Majmoo’ fataawa, the eight chapter.

Abu Dharr reported:

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said, “O my servants, I have forbidden oppression for myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another. O my servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance from me and I shall guide you. O my servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you. O my servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing from me and I shall clothe you. O my servants, you sin by night and day and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from me and I shall forgive you. O my servants, you will not be able to cause harm to me and you will not be able to cause benefit to me. O my servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you, to become as pious as the most pious heart of anyone of you, that would not increase my kingdom in anything. O my servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you, to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of anyone of you, that would not decrease my kingdom in anything. O my servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you, to rise up in one place and make a request of me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have any more than a needle would decrease the sea if put into it. O my servants, it is only your deeds that I record for you and then recompense for you, so let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.”

Source: Sahih Muslim 2577

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيمَا رَوَى عَنْ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلَّا مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلَّا مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلَّا كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدْ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَهُ

2577 صحيح مسلم كِتَاب الْبِرِّ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْآدَابِ بَاب تَحْرِيمِ الظُّلْمِ

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

We are Muslims before anything else. We are Muslim before we are Black. We are Muslim before we are White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, etc.

Who are we to look down on another due to the land which they originate? Who are we to feel disgusted by a group of people who are different?

Are we ignorant to the fact that Allaah is رب العالمين? Are we ignorant to the fact Allaah created us and we have no choice in the affairs of our creation?

Is our Tawheed and intellect that deficient?

Or do we believe there is a catalogue which people can decide where they would want to be born or look like upon entering the dunya?

Allaah says:
[ هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُ‌كُمْ فِي الْأَرْ‌حَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ]
“It is He who forms you all in the wombs however He wills” (3:6)

I advise myself first and then you to fear Allaah. Fear Allaah as He should be feared and fear a Day where justice will be given to every soul.

He also says:
[ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ]
“Is not Allah the Best of judges?” (95:8)

Shaykh Al-Albani (رحمه الله) said:

“That a white man makes fun of a black man due to his skin colour or vice versa, means to make fun of Allah who has created them.”

[Silsilah Huda wan Noor, 24]

A beautiful hadith also mentions:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قال، قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:
“حَسْبُ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ”

رواه ابي داود

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “It is sufficient evil for a man to look down on his Muslim brother.”

[Saheeh: Saheeh Abee Dawood, No. 4882]

A questioner asked Shaykh Abdulmuhsin al-‘Abbad (حفظه الله) the following:

Question: Does speaking about a people or a specific people of a land with what they dislike considered backbiting?

Answer: “This is backbiting no doubt because a person himself would not love anyone speaking about the people of his land or dispraise the people of his land because he is one of them”.

[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 557]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan

Abu Sulaymaan

Another benefit worth sharing,

It was narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b that a man boasted in an arrogant manner of his tribal lineage, so he told him to bite his father’s penis, and he did not use a metaphor. The people looked askance at him, so he said to the people: I can see what you are thinking, and I can only say this: that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed us: “If you hear someone boasting in an arrogant manner of his tribal lineage, then tell him to bite his father’s penis, and do not use a metaphor.”

Narrated by Ahmad (35/157); classed as hasan by the commentators on al-Musnad.

It was narrated from Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man boasted of his tribal lineage, and Ubayy told him to bite his father’s penis, and they said: You were never given to obscene speech! He said: We were instructed to do that.

Narrated by Ahmad (35/142); classed as hasan by the commentators on al-Musnad and as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Hence some of the scholars said that this indicates that it is permissible to bluntly state the name of the private part if there is a need to do so or there is an interest to be served thereby, and this does not come under the heading of obscene speech that is forbidden, as in the hadith of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

“If you hear someone boasting in an arrogant manner of his tribal lineage, then tell him to bite his father’s penis, and do not use a metaphor.” Narrated by Ahmad. And Ubayy ibn Ka‘b heard a man saying: O So and so, and he said: Bite your father’s penis. Something was said to him about that, and he said: This is what the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed us to do (in the case of such a person).

Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah (8/408, 409)

SubhanAllah, look at how a Sahabi, a student of Rasulullah sallahu ‘alayhi wasalam rebuked this filthy disease!

How easy is it to move our tongue (in speech), but how easier is it to earn Allaah’s wrath with it?

I ask Allaah ta’ala to grant us understanding and to guide us to what pleases Him.

Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said:

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِي الْعَقْلِ الصَّرِيحِ وَلَا فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ النَّقْلِ الصَّحِيحِ مَا يُوجِبُ مُخَالَفَةَ الطَّرِيقِ السَّلَفِيَّةِ أَصْلًا

“..Know that there is not in the clear intellect nor anything in the sound texts, that which requires opposing the path of Salafiyyah at all…”

[Majmoo’ Fataawa (5/28)]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

Avoiding Statements or Actions that people will Later Need to Repent From

Sometimes when people rant, vent, or get upset, they say things that they do not actually mean at the moment. This usually results in an apologize afterwards for those statements and a feeling of regret. To help tackle this habit, we should adhere to the guidance offered by the Prophets sallahu alayhi wa salam.

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar radiallahu anhumma that the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam said:

وإيَّاكَ وما يُعتَذَرُ منهُ

“And beware of what needs to be apologized for”

[Saheeh Targheeb no. 3350]

Imam al-Munaawi rahimahullah said:

أي احذر أن تتكلم بما تحتاج أن تعتذر عنه

“That is: beware of speaking with what you will need to apologize from..”

[Fayd ul-Qadir]

The same goes for actions as comes in another version of the Hadith:

إياكَ وكُلَّ أَمْرٍ يُعْتَذَرُ منهُ

“And beware of every affair that needs to be apologized for”

[Saheeh Jami no. 2671]

Imam as-San’aani rahimahullah said:

أي احذر إتيان كل أمر من قول أو فعل يوجب الاعتذار، إما معصية توجب الاعتذار بالتوبة عنها، أو فعل يوجب الاعتذار من الناس، أو قول، فالحديث جامع للمنع عن كل ما يقتضي الاعتذار وإطلاق ما لا عذر فيه

“That is: beware of performing an affair from speech or action that requires an apology. Whether it be disobedience which requires repentance or an action which requires an apology to the people. So the Hadith is comprehensive in preventing everything that requires an apology and performing what does not need an apology”

[Tanweer Sharh Jami as-Sagheer]

So we learn that everything that will lead to a future apology, should be left off. I think this is especially important in today’s culture where people rant recklessly on social media, celebrities included, only to apologize from that after a few hours.

May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge and the honor of the Sunnah

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan