A little knowledge can take you a long way:

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Rasheed AHC 20150523_052002A little knowledge can take you a long way. It changes perspectives, alters feelings, and the blessing of knowledge is greater than material possessions.

I recall a time during Ramadhan a couple years ago where I was walking with a brother late at night. This was during Caribana, so you can imagine the activity taking place. He suddenly began to breakdown and cry, to my confusion, I asked him “what is up?”; The brother, may Allah bless him with good in this world and the Hereafter replied with a sentence which stuck to since, he replied and said “Allah has facilitated my affairs and made it easy for me to worship Him, while people are out here living and wasting away their time”. This comment was mentioned after seeing the amount of youth, as well of people of all ages trying to have a “good time”.

Regarding the first point, the blessing of knowledge. Knowledge allows us to see the world through a different perspective, to put on a pair of glasses, and the parables are endless. Knowledge separates us from the ignorant, empowers us to know and do better and is a great benefit. We can think of many ways knowledge can benefit us, both for our dunya (worldly affairs) and our akhirah (Hereafter). My point here is that Allah gave the brother understanding in order for him to learn, develop and fear his Lord.

عن معاوية رضي الله تعالى عنه قال، قال رسول صلى الله عليه و سلم:
“مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ”
رواه البخاري و مسلم
Narrated by Mu’awiyah:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If Allah wants good for somebody, He gives him understanding of deen (their Islam).

Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim

Pertaining the second highlight, the comment from the brother: “Allah has facilitated my affairs and made it easy for me to worship Him, while people are out here living and wasting away their time”. The reason why this stuck with me is how accurate this statement is. Allah makes it easy for whom He wills. The fact that people drive for hours to come to Toronto every year to commit zina (fornication) during Caribana, while people are in the Masajid worshipping Allah, it is definitely something to be grateful for. Sometimes we forget that being able to sit down and defecate is a blessing, being able to feed ourselves is a blessing, and the biggest blessing of all, Islam. How grateful are we for our Islam? How often do we thank Allah for making us amongst those who believe in Him, His Angels, His books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgement in which He will have the last say, and His decree (both good and ‘bad’)?

Allah says in the Qur’an:

Surah An-Nahl, Verse 18:
وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And if you would count the graces of Allah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

(English – Mohsin Khan)

With this I would like to remind myself first and then you to be grateful for the blessings of Allah. Use His many blessings for good and fear a day in which where you will be brought to account for every single word you uttered and every single action you did (i.e The Day of Judgement).

Allah says in the Qur’an:

Surah Luqman, Verse 33:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْا يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ وَلَا مَوْلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِ شَيْئًا إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ

O mankind! Be afraid of your Lord (by keeping your duty to Him and avoiding all evil), and fear a Day (i.e Judgement Day) when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the Promise of Allah is true, let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allah.

(English – Mohsin Khan)

And,

Surah Luqman, Verse 34:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).

(English – Mohsin Khan)

May Allah grant us understanding, steadfastness and gratitude,
اللهم آمين يارب العالمين

The Forgotten Sunnah of…

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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 – gentleness

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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.

Fasting consecutive Days is not a Condition in fasting the six Days of Shawwal

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Question:

In fasting the six days of Shawwal, is it necessary that the days be consecutive or is there no harm in fasting them separately (spread out) during the month?

Answer:

Fasting six days of Shawwal is a confirmed Sunnah from the Messanger of Allah-Sallallahu alaihi wasallam. It is permissible to fast them consecutively and separately. This is because the Messanger- Sallallahu alaihi wasallam- mentioned their fast unrestrictedly and he did not mention that they should be done consecutively or separated. This was when he said: Whoever fasts Ramadhan, and then follows it up with six (days of fasting) from Shawwal, then that is as if he fasted the entire time(i.e.,year)[1] This was recorded by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. And success is from Allah.

1.Muslim no. 1164.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz
Fatawa Islamiyah Page no. 335 Vol: 2

Salatul ‘eid & jumu’ah/ duhr

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Below is Shaikh al-Albani’s position on the issue… *& there is a difference of opinion regarding praying duhr or not*

Questioner: Also a question out teacher about the Jummah prayer if it comes on the day of Eid, does it drop altogether? That is the permission that a Muslim does not have to pray it?

Shaikh: Yes

Questioner: He does not pray in its place anything: that is: Dhuhr for example?

Shaikh: No, verily the Imam must pray Jummah

Questioner: He prays Jummah?

Shaikh: The Imam

Questioner: Yes

Shaikh: Those who pray Eid, then they can choose. Whoever wants can leave it off and whoever wants can pray

Questioner: Jummah

Shaikh: Yes

Questioner: Does he pray dhuhr if he did not pray Jummah?

Shaikh: No, if the dhuhr prayer falls as a pardon if the Jummah prayer falls, then therefore the dhuhr prayer falls as well.

Questioner: Jazakallahu Khairan

Shaikh: Wa iyyaka

[Silsilatul Huda wan-Nur no. 29]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

27th night of Ramadan

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Tonight is the 27th of Ramadan, which is possibly laytul qadr. As comes in the Hadith:

إِنَّهَا لَيْلَةُ سَابِعَةٍ أَوْ تَاسِعَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ، وَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَدَدِ الْحَصَى

Verily, it is during the twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth night. And verily, the angels who are on the earth during that night are more numerous than the number of pebbles

[Reported by Imam Ahmad and graded Hasan by al-Albani in Silsilatus-Saheeha no. 2205]

1. Taking a Shower and Wearing Good Clothing and Perfume

Ibn Rajab rahimahullah said:

“Ibn Jareer said: They used to recommend to shower every night of the last ten nights and an-Nakhai used to shower in every night from them and he used to shower and uses perfume in the nights which he hoped was laytul Qadr…[until he said]…Thabit said: Tamim ad-Daari used to have a hulla (type of clothing) which he bought for 1000 dinars and wore it on the night he hoped was laytul-Qadr. So like this it is recommended in the night which it is hoped to be laytul-Qadr to clean oneself, adorn, use perfume, shower, wear good clothing as it is legislated for Jummah’s and the Eids. Like this, it is legislated to wear adornment in all the prayers as Allah, the Exalted said:
خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ

O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying 

[7:31]

Ibn Umar radiallahu anahumma said: Allah has more right that you beautify yourself for him. It was also reported as a Hadith raised to the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam [Saheeh Jami no. 652]”

[Taken from Lataaif al-Maarif pg. 189]

2. Standing for Qiyaam ul-Layl/Tahajjud

Proof:

وَمَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

 and he who observed prayer on Lailat-ul- Qadr with faith and seeking reward (from Allah), all his previous sins would be forgiven

[Saheeh al-Bukhari no. 1901 and Muslim no. 760]

3. Making the Dua.

A Muslim should made the following dua on Laytul-Qadr, which the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam taught Aisha radiallahu anha:

 قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ : أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَلِمْتُ أَيَّ لَيْلَةٍ لَيْلَةُ اَلْقَدْرِ, مَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا? قَالَ: ” قُولِي: اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ اَلْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), if I know what night the night of Qadr is, what should I say during it?’ He said, “Say:
O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me.”

[Saheeh Tirmidhi no. 2513]

So Aisha radiallahu anha asked what she should say when she knows its Laytul Qadr. This is because Laytul Qadr is known by its signs:

Imam Shawkani rahimahullah said:

وفيه دليل على إمكان معرفة ليلة القدر وبقائها

“And it is evidence for the possibility of knowing Laytul Qadr and that it still remains ”
[Nayl ul-Awtar]

This dua should only to be read when we believe it is Laytul Qadr as that is what Aisha asked and the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam instructed:

Imam Shawkani rahimahullah said:

دليل على استحباب الدعاء في هذه الليلة بهذه الكلمات

“It is evidence for the recommendation of supplicating in this night with these words”
[Nayl ul-Awtaar]

The Scholars also mention that one can increase upon this dua by asking Allah what he/she needs [See Sharm Mumti’ (6/498)] 

Side Benefit:

What are the Signs of Laytul-Qadr? 

Laytul Qadr has signs through which a person can determine it.

Shaikh Ibn ul-‘Uthaymeen rahimahullah said:

“Laytul Qadr has signs that are occur during the night and signs afterwards. As for the signs that occur on the night, they are:

Strong light in that night. This is a sign that in this present time cannot be noticed except by those in a land far away from the lights
Tranquility: the tranquility of the heart and expanding of the chest of the believer. He will find a comfort and tranquility and expansion of the chest that night more than he will find in other nights
That Allah may show person the night in his dream as it happened to some of the Companions radiallahu anhum
That a person will find pleasure and enthusiasm in the standing for prayer more than he will find in other nights    
As for the signs afterwards:

Then from it is the sun will rise in the morning smooth without rays, which is not its custom in the remaining days. As for what is mentioned of decrease in dogs barking or not barking at all, then this is not correct. In sometimes a person notices all ten nights that the dogs do not bark and are not quiet. A person may say: what is the benefit of the signs afterwards? The answer: is to give the hard worker a glad tiding in the night and to strengthen his Iman and affirmation. It will increase his hope in what he did that night”

[Sharh Mumti’ (6/497)]

The Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam mentioned the signs in the following Hadith:

إِنَّ أَمَارَةَ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ أَنَّهَا صَافِيَةٌ بَلْجَةٌ، كَأَنَّ فِيهَا قَمَرًا سَاطِعًا، سَاكِنَةٌ سَاجِيَةٌ، لَا بَرْدَ فِيهَا وَلَا حَرَّ، وَلَا يَحِلُّ لِكَوْكَبٍ يُرْمَى بِهِ فِيهَا حَتْى يُصْبِحَ، وَإِنَّ أَمَارَتَهَا أَنَّ الشَّمْسَ صَبِيحَتَهَا تَخْرُجُ مُسْتَوِيَةً لَيْسَ لَهَا شُعَاعٌ، مِثْلَ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، وَلَا يَحِلُّ لِلشَّيْطَانِ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مَعَهَا يَوْمَئِذ 

Verily, the sign of the Night of Al-Qadr is that it is pure and glowing as if there were a bright, tranquil, calm moon during it. It is not cold, nor is it hot, and no shooting star is permitted until morning. Its sign is that the sun appears on the morning following it smooth having no rays on it, just like the moon on a full moon night. Shaytan is not allowed to come out with it (the sun) on that day

[Reported by Imam Ahmad and others. Graded Good by Hafidh Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir of Surah Qadr]
 
And Allah Knows Best

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

WHAT SHOULD A WOMAN WEAR ON THE DAY OF EID?

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WHAT SHOULD A WOMAN WEAR ON THE DAY OF EID?

Imam Ibn Qudama rahimahullah wrote:

“Verily it is recommended for them [the women] to come out not perfumed and not wearing a clothing of fame/popularity nor adornment. They should come out in the clothing they wear when serving/working due to the statement of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salaam:

لِيَخْرُجْنَ وَهُنَّ تَفِلاَت

“but they may go out (to the mosque) having no perfumed themselves”

[Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 565]

They should not mix with the men, but be to the side of them”.

[al-Mughni (2/116)]

Imam al-‘Adheemabaadi rahimahullah explained the above Hadith saying:

“That is not perfumed. It is said a woman is ( تفلة) if her scent changes. That is what Ibn Abdul Barr said and others said. That is what Shawkaani said. In al-Ma’aalim it states: ( التفل) is a bad scent. A woman is said to be ( تفلة) if she is not perfumed and women are called ( تفلات) [end quote]. Verily, they were ordered that and prohibited from perfume as in the narration of Muslim ibn Zaynab so that they do not stir the men by their perfume. Connected to perfume is whatever takes its meaning from the things that stir the desires, like good clothing and jewelry whose traces are seen and luxurious adornment”.

[‘Awn al-Ma’bood]

However, some of the Salaf interpreted the word (تفلات ) to mean without perfume, instead of smelling bad.

حدثنا هشيم عن يونس عن الحسن قال : كن النساء يجمعن مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وكان يقال : لا تخرجن إلا تفلات لا يوجد منكن ريح طيب

Hasan al-Basri rahimahullah said: “The women used to gather with the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam and it used to be said: Do not come out except (تفلات) a good scent should not be present with you”

[Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah in his Musannaf and graded Saheeh by al-Albani in al-Ajwibah an-Nafi’ah pg. 48]

Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbad hafidhuhallah explained it as:

“There is not with them a good scent. Verily,they come out in their usual scent which does not have perfume. Verily they come out of their houses without beautifying and perfuming. The intent of (التفلة) is without perfume. So she comes out with the scent that which upon her without using perfume”

[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no.78]

While a woman does not have to wear the clothing she wears while serving or working, she should wear a jilbab on the day of Eid.

Proof:

عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَتْ أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نُخْرِجَ، الْحُيَّضَ يَوْمَ الْعِيدَيْنِ وَذَوَاتِ الْخُدُورِ، فَيَشْهَدْنَ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَدَعْوَتَهُمْ، وَيَعْتَزِلُ الْحُيَّضُ عَنْ مُصَلاَّهُنَّ‏.‏ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِحْدَانَا لَيْسَ لَهَا جِلْبَابٌ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ “‏ لِتُلْبِسْهَا صَاحِبَتُهَا مِنْ جِلْبَابِهَا ‏”‏‏

Narrated Umm `Atiya:

We were ordered to bring out our menstruating women and veiled women in the religious gatherings and invocation of Muslims on the two `Id festivals. These menstruating women were to keep away from their Musalla. A woman asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ‘ What about one who does not have a veil?” He said, “Let her share the veil of her companion.”

[Al-Bukhari no. 351]

Hafidh Ibn Hajr rahimahullah said:

“The intent is her sister who is a friend. It is possible to mean that she shares her thawb with her. What supports this is the version of the Hadith in Abu Dawood: Let her wear some of her clothing. That is if it is spacious. It is possible that the intent of his statement her clothing is type of clothing, so it returns to the first. It is taken from this Hadith the permissibility of two women being under or in one clothing when covering. It was said this was mentioned by way of exaggeration”.

[Fath ul-Baari ]

Mulla Ali Qaari rahimahullah said:

“In this Hadith is the recommendation of preparing a Jilbaab for a woman, the permissibility of borrowing clothing, and preventing a woman from going out without a Jilbaab”

[Mirqaatul Mafatih (5/32)]

So a woman should wear a Jilbab on the day of Eid and if she does not have one she should either borrow on from her friend or even wear the same Jilbab as that of her friend! This instruction and guidance of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam is lost nowadays. In fact, we see the Muslim women, young and old, doing the opposite by wearing all types of revealing clothing on the day of Eid, perfumed, and adorned. The Jilbab for many sisters has been replaced with a summer dress which does not meet the requirements of the Hijab. Let alone those who wear pants and other such clothing. Allahu Mustaan.

We ask Allah to guide our sisters back to the Sunnah and to the example of our pious predecessors. May Allah give them the courage to leave off all this fashion in favor of the clothing of taqwa.

And Allah Knows best

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned…

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Surah Fatir, Verse 44:
أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا

Have they not travelled in the land, and seen what was the end of those before them, and they were superior to them in power? Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him. Verily, He is All-Knowing, All-Omnipotent.

Surah Fatir, Verse 45:
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا

And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned,
He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves.

(English – Mohsin Khan)