ummtaalib

Du'a for Taqwa اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا ، وَزَكِّها أنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا ، أنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلاَهَا O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof. Thou art the Protecting Friend thereof, and Guardian thereof. ‏ ‏اللهم إني أسألك الهدى، والتقى، والعفاف، والغنى‏ Allaahumma innee as-alukal hudaa, wattuqaa, wal 'afaafa, wal ghinaa "O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety, safety and well-being, and contentment and sufficiency."

Blessings of Righteousness (Taqwa) excerpted from The Sermons by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db) Oh Mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you, and Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things [49:13] Stars beautify the heavens whereas the obedient beautify the earth. The only purpose of life is the obedience to Allah and the purpose of living is the remembrance of Allah . The Most Honorable Allah says in the Holy Quran: Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you, and Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things [49:13] The emphasis here is neither on color nor race, and neither is it on being an Arab versus being a non-Arab. In fact, the nearest to Allah are the most righteous. Signs of Being Near to Allah Ta'ala Nearness to Alla hta'ala is directly proportionate to a person’s level of righteousness (taqwa), and thus taqwa becomes a clear indicator in judging the closeness of beings to Allah . This is why the Holy Quran states: No men can be its (the Blessed Ka’bah) guardians except the righteous [8:34] Neither Grief Nor Fear Verily on the Friends of Allah there is no fear nor shall they grieve [10:62] Khauf refers to fear from an outside source whereas huzn is fear from within, and Allah says that His Friends the Auliyaa Allah ta'ala are protected from both of these kinds through His Mercy. This special status is only reserved for these honored people, whom Allah defines as: Those who believe and guard against evil [10:63] Allah ta'ala further specifies the rewards of His Auliyaa: For them are glad tidings in the life of the present and the Hereafter [10:64] Allah ta'ala honors His decisions and promises. Hence, people should practice taqwa in order that they enter into such an honored category of people such as the Auliyaa. Different Degrees There are different stages of wilayah [Friendship of Allah ], the first of which is shared by all who testify to the Testament of Faith (kalimah) and are Muslims. This is the first and simplest stage, where the lowest definition of wilayah is widely spread among all Muslims, since no one is actually an enemy of Allah . Wilayat-e-‘Aammah and Wilayat-e-Khasah This first stage, which is accessible to all Muslims who recite the kalimah is called Wilayat-e-‘Aammah, the lowest stage without which Allah does not even accept deeds. The next and special stage of wilayah is Wilayat-e-Khasah that is only accessible to people who attain taqwa. Surely Allah does accept of those who are righteous. [5:67] Decorated with Taqwa Just as a vendor painstakingly arranges his food stall by placing the best fruits and nuts at the top, Allah ta'ala has adorned His Holy Book with references to taqwa after every three to four verses. Such references shine throughout the Holy Quran like dancing stars, even as the command to acquire taqwa may occur three or more times in one verse alone. For Allah to issue a command even once is no small matter, and so the numerous times that this command occurs should serve as an important message indicating its importance. Oh Mankind! Fear your Guardian Lord! [4:1] This verse is structured in a command form, exhorting all those addressed to acquire taqwa and fear their Creator. Oh Mankind! Fear your Guardian Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered countless men and women: fear Allah through Whom you demand you mutual rights and revere the wombs that bore you, for Allah ever watches over you [4:1] This verse serves as another beautiful illustration wherein taqwa is mentioned at the beginning and at the end of the verse. Yet another verse with this command is: O you who believe! Fear Allah and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for the morrow [59:18] No Limit to Taqwa The shariah has prescribed limits for everything except taqwa. Allah ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: So fear Allah as much as you can [64:16] O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared [3:102] Indeed, taqwa has a special station with Allah to have been given such importance and the honor of being the one thing without limitation. Benefits of Taqwa Taqwa is a tremendous blessing that itself provides a doorway to other blessings. It provides means for forgiveness from sin and gives the believer extraordinary insight. Allah states in the Holy Quran: If anyone fears Allah He will remove his ills and enlarge his reward [65:5] Elsewhere in the Holy Quran Allah ta'ala says: O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion [8:29] Here, Allah ta'ala says that He will bestow the insight of Furqan upon the righteous, such insight and brilliance that leaves no doubt of the difference between truth and falsehood. One no longer needs to debate the taqwa behind an action or wander in doubt because everything becomes clear. Sustenance of the Flesh Allah ta'ala says in the Holy Quran that He would shower blessings from above and below if only the people accept faith and acquire taqwa. If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We would indeed have opened to them blessings from heaven and earth [7:96] Elsewhere, Allah ta'ala says: If only they had stood fast by the Law and all the revelation sent to them, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side [5:66] Man is composed of two things, flesh and the soul (ruh). Whatever is from the earth receives sustenance from the same, which in this case means that the body receives its nourishment from the earth, because this is what it was created from. For example, bread is made from wheat that grows out of the ground and water springs forth from the oceans and mountains. Similarly, the clothes that man uses to cover his body are made from cotton that also grows out of the ground. Hence, since Allah ta'ala created the body from the earth, so did He assign all its sustenance to come from the same. Sustenance of the Ruh The origin of the ruh is ‘Aalam-e-Amr[1]. Consequently the ruh derives its sustenance from the countless blessings and mercy that continuously flow from Allah’s ta'ala Throne. They ask you concerning the Ruh. Say it comes by command of my Creator [17:85] While the body derives all its needs from the earth from which it was made, the ruh in turn derives its nourishment from the heavens from where it was created. Allah ta'ala says that He will give both the ruh and the body its due sustenance from where He designed it. taqwa is such a blessing that it opens not only the doors of sustenance, but all blessings, and Allah will always provide amply if people are grateful. However, ingratitude and rebellion will only result in this abundance being withdrawn to the point that Allah ta'ala may even stop their flow. If you are grateful, I will add more favors unto you, but if you are thankless, truly My punishment is dire! [14:7] In the Holy Quran, Allah ta'ala cites the example of a nation thriving in abundance and blessing, that was consequently in no grief or fear from anyone. Their pride in their abundance eventually translated into ingratitude and rebellion to Allah ta'ala, and hence, Allah ta'ala withdrew all His blessings from them so that they were left in dire poverty and hunger. A city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place; yet was it ungrateful for the favors of Allah, so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror, (closing on it) like a garment because of the evil which its people wrought [16:112] If man is ungrateful, Allah ta'ala will cease showering His blessings, and instead of having plenty, man will be reduced to having naught. On the other hand, if man is grateful and righteous, then Allah ta'ala will open the gates of His mercy, and blessings will rain down heavier than ever before, such that sustenance comes from places and by means that man could not possibly have imagined. For those who fear Allah He prepares a way out [65:2] Hadrat Thanvi (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) wrote a fascinating story regarding the blessings of Allah ta'ala. A young man said to his brothers that he would readily forsake his share of the inheritance to them if he could solely be left with the responsibility of caring for his parents. The brothers readily agreed to this and this young man served and tended to his parents very devoutly until the day they passed away. One night, he saw a dream in which a voice told him that he would find one hundred dinars under a particular stone because of his service to his parents. He asked if the money would have Allah’s ta'ala blessings, but the voice said no, and so he declined to accept. The next morning, he told his wife about his dream, and she advised him to check for the money even if he was not going to take it. However he refused, since he was firmly against the idea. The next night, he heard a voice in his dream telling him of ten dinars under a particular stone that he still had the chance to take as a reward for his service to his parents. Again, he asked the same question, and declined after receiving the same reply. The third night, the voice said that there was one dinar under the stone and this was his final chance to take it. The young man again asked if the dinar would have Allah’st ta'ala blessing, and this time the voice said yes. Hence, the next morning he eagerly took the dinar from under the stone. Walking home, he decided to buy something in the market for his wife to cook, and thus brought a fish home with him. As his wife was cleaning the fish, she found a precious jewel inside that they were able to sell and live comfortably for the rest of their life. Such are the blessings of Allah ta'ala, that He grants sustenance through avenues that people cannot possibly conceive. Sustenance of the People of Allah The People of Allah ta'ala find sustenance from the same source as prophets, and receive lovingly from Allah ta'ala, just as a devoted father cares for his child. Allah opens His vast treasures for them and the Holy Quran says: He prepares a way out and provides for him from sources he could never imagine [65: 2-3] Definition of Sustenance The closest translation for the Arabic word rizq is sustenance and means. Collectively, this includes the livelihood and honor of the whole family, food and earning, and the tranquility that accompanies a satisfied life. It is unfortunate that this is exactly the kind of fruitful life people struggle for all their lives but somehow feel that it is always beyond their grasp. Working more than one job also does not seem to solve their problems and this is because Allah ta'ala withdraws His blessings because of something that is gravely wrong or missing from daily life. The Paradigm Reversed People today pursue careers in engineering and medicine because they feel that they cannot possibly sustain themselves if they pursue a lifetime of pleasing Allah ta'ala as a scholar (‘aalim) or someone who has memorized the Holy Quran (hafiz). This is an unfortunate delusion because one cannot possibly find even one example where a true practicing ‘aalim or hafiz ever died from hunger or poverty. Sustenance comes from Allah ta'ala who will never fail those who serve and obey Him. So this way of thinking is ridiculous and a delusion from Shaitan. It is frequently the other way around, where one often hears of others who have completed high degrees, but have ended their lives in dire poverty and hunger. Hadrat Imam Abu Yusuf Imam Abu Yusuf (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) lost his father as a young child and so his mother sent him to the local launderer to be an apprentice so he could learn the trade and begin earning. On his way, the young Abu Yusuf encountered Imam Abu Hanifa (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) and began sitting in his company. Abu Yusuf subsequently became Hadrat Imam Abu Hanifa’s student and told him about his mother’s concerns. Imam Abu Hanifa advised him to console his mother by telling her that he had high hopes of a great career from what he was learning instead of being apprenticed to a launderer. The mother was not satisfied by this, and came to Imam Abu Hanifa to complain, saying that she had not sent her son to seek knowledge but to learn a trade so that the family could generate some immediate revenue. Imam Abu Hanifa tried to reassure the mother and said, “You will see that your son will prosper and eat sweet dishes and delicacies meant only for rulers.” The mother finally acquiesced and left her son in Imam Abu Hanifa’s tutelage. This son would later become an exemplary student and scholar of the Islamic world. Later in his lifetime, Imam Abu Yusuf served as Chief Justice and the Caliph Harun Rashid (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) would sit in his company. Once the caliph said to Imam Abu Yusuf, “Hadrat, I have had a dish prepared for you and would like it brought to you everyday.” Hadrat Imam Abu Yusuf liked the sweet dish very much and asked what it was. Harun Rashid replied, “This dish is so special that it is prepared for me only seldom but from now on, it will be prepared for you daily because of your exemplary status in knowledge.” Imam Abu Yusuf was grateful but again asked what it was, and the king replied, “This is a sweet dish made from pistachios.” Hadrat Imam Yusuf was at once reminded of the words his great teacher Imam Abu Hanifa had spoken to his mother that her son would be dining on dishes reserved for rulers, for in those times pistachios were considered a rich delicacy. Hadrat Salim Hadrat Salim (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) had originally been sold as a slave for three hundred dirhams, but afterwards, his pursuit of religious learning reached such an honored status that the king of the time used to come to his door seeking advice. It also happened once that the king was even refused an audience with Hadrat Salim and had to return empty handed, because Hadrat Salim had been so preoccupied with his religious duties. Hadrat Salim had once been a slave sold for merely three hundred dirhams, but his intense desire for knowledge and a connection with Allah ta'ala increased his worth a hundred fold. Unknown we remained until we were sold, Your buying made us priceless. The Responsibility of Sustenance Allah ta'ala delivers sustenance to all humankind from His vast treasures, but showers it especially on the righteous. Allah ta'ala takes responsibility for sustaining all of creation in the Holy Quran, but yet man is the only creature that hoards, as if this will somehow subside or be insufficient. And there is not a thing but its (sources and) treasures are with Us …We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures [15:21] There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance depends on Allah [11:6] It is Allah who feeds (both) them and you [29:60] Someone once came to Hadrat Bayazid Bustami (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) seeking advice because he was very troubled. He said that he had a large family and was struggling to make ends meet. Hadrat Bayazid replied, “I want you to return home and evict all the people whose sustenance you are responsible for providing and only let those stay whose sustenance is the responsibility of Allah ta'ala.” Family Planning In the 1800s, a man named Malthus urged the importance of population control, claiming that the earth’s resources would become insufficient to sustain mankind if population growth was not curbed. This concept was revisited in the 1960s when governments urged family planning so that there would be enough for the 1970s generation to live comfortably. The 1970s came and passed and so did the 1980s with populations living in the same condition as before if not better. Decade after decade, governments issued these warnings that people would be reduced to cannibalism by the 1990s if population growth was not curbed with efficient family planning. However, even the 1990s came and passed with people living and eating even better. The simple and beautiful truth is that people in the 1990s were being sustained even better than their counterparts in the 1960s because Allah ta'ala was increasing means and sustenance as the world population increased. This was and is in conjunction with Allah’s ta'ala promise that sustenance is His responsibility. When Hadrat Adam e was the only human being on earth, Allah ta'ala just sent down sustenance for one, and subsequently allowed for more as the world’s population increased. Furthermore, the earth did not produce nearly as much as it does today in modern times when Hadrat Ibrahim e was alive, because Allah ta'ala made the earth produce only what was necessary at that time for what the population numbered then. Doors of Taqwa and Sustenance The provision of sustenance is Allah’s ta'ala responsibility. This by no means implies that man should not work or make effort to support himself, but rather than he should keep focused on that fact that Allah ta'ala is the Source of all. Difficulties and financial strains arise only when people neglect to focus on Allah ta'ala as the primary source of sustenance and thus resort to illegal means of acquiring income. On the other hand, the righteous never have the opportunity to complain because Allah ta'ala opens the vast treasures of His u sustenance for them. Taqwa in All Phases of Life Taqwa benefits man in all circumstances and in all phases of existence – in the temporal world; the grave; barzakh (the intermediary world), and the Hereafter. Allah ta'ala says in the Holy Quran: Said Moses to his people, “Pray for help from Allah and (wait) in patience and constancy…and the end is (best) for the righteous [7:128] The Holy Quran stresses taqwa and further guarantees success in this world and the Hereafter because of taqwa. Taqwa and the Bridge of Sirat Family, relatives, friends and all except the righteous will become bitter enemies on the Day of Judgment. Taqwa will prove useful even after death, and everyone will have to cross the Bridge of Sirat. Not one of you but (the righteous) will pass over it [19:71] Allah ta'ala says that all will cross, in order to separate righteousness from evil. This is by your Lord, a Decree that must be accomplished [19:71] Only the righteous will be able to cross and thus be saved, whereas the evil and rebellious shall fall into Hellfire. But We shall save those who guarded against evil [19:72] Having successfully crossed the Bridge, the righteous shall be escorted to the gardens of Paradise awaiting them. Those who feared their Creator will be led to Paradise in crowds [39:73] Inhabitants of Paradise Angels will welcome the righteous into Paradise at every gate, praising their patience and wishing them peace. Angels shall enter unto them from every gate [13:23] Allah ta'ala says that the righteous shall inherit Paradise, and at one place in the Holy Quran, an entire ruku’ is dedicated to the good tidings of Paradise. Such is the Garden that We give to those who guard against evil [19:63] All that is in Paradise is for the righteous, and the Holy Quran is filled with the beauty that lies within. Verily for the righteous will be a fulfillment of desires; Gardens enclosed and grapevines; companions of equal age; and a cup full to the brim. No vanity shall they hear therein, nor untruth. Recompense from your Lord, a gift, sufficient. [78:31-36] Four streams shall flow through the Paradise of the righteous for their drink and pleasure. A parable of the garden which the righteous are promised; in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear [47:15] Success and honor in both the temporal world and the Hereafter is based on taqwa. Hence, people should abandon all their worthless pursuits in this life and put all their efforts into practicing taqwa. Hadrat Yusuf AS Allah ta'ala says in the Holy Quran that Surah Yusuf is one that carries important and essential lessons for mankind. We relate unto you the most beautiful of stories [12:3] Herein is the story of two fellowships – that of Hadrat Yusuf and that of his brothers. Indeed, Hadrat Yusuf was only one man, but sometimes even one man can outweigh a company of many men because of his strength and fortitude as proved to be the case here. Hadrat Ibrahim e was only one man, but the Holy Quran says: Ibrahim was indeed a nation [16:120] Allah ta'ala tested Hadrat Yusuf’s brothers who resolved to kill their brother as a possible solution to their problem and consoled themselves by saying that they would repent later. Slay Yusuf or cast him out to some (unknown) land [12:9] Hence, the brothers committed a grave sin through which Hadrat Yusuf ewas tested severely, but he emerged successful through Allah’s grace and mercy. But she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his (true) self [12:23] Allah ta'ala further tested him through a woman’s charms, but Hadrat Yusuf also proved successful in this and the master was compelled to proclaim Hadrat Yusuf’s e sincerity. Yusuf! O man of truth! [12:46] The events that follow show that Hadrat Yusuf was not only freed from jail but also promoted to the post of Finance Minister over all of Egypt. By the wisdom Allah had bestowed upon him, he successfully steered Egypt through the years of abundance and then the years of famine, as had been foreshadowed in the king’s dream. The events that follow this are even more fascinating in the contrast that they present. The famine had been very severe on Hadrat Yusuf’s family, and so his brothers came to barter most of the family’s belongings for food. The money and other belongings that they brought were by no means enough to buy all the food that they wanted, and knowing this, they requested Hadrat Yusuf to be charitable in their time of need. Both the brothers and Hadrat Yusuf were sons of the same prophet, but the brothers had failed Allah’s ta'ala tests whereas Hadrat Yusuf had passed the tests. Now, Hadrat Yusuf was seated on a pedestal whilst his brothers were at his feet on the ground. Presenting themselves in this fashion, the brothers put their case of suffering and their request for charity to Hadrat Yusuf e. The Holy Quran records their conversation for posterity: O exalted one! [12:78] Distress has seized us and our family. We have brought but scanty capital, so pay us full measure and treat it as charity to us; Allah rewards the charitable [12:88] Upon hearing that their situation had become so dire, Hadrat Yusuf e asked: Know you how you dealt with Yusuf? [12:89] Are you indeed Yusuf? [12:90] Taken aback, the brothers asked if he was really the brother they had tried to kill. Hadrat Yusuf e revealed himself to them and also emphasized his relationship to his brother Binyamin. I am Yusuf and this is my brother [12:90] Hadrat Yusuf e said that Allah ta'ala rewards the patient and righteous. Allah ta'ala guarantees that the sacrifices and deeds of the righteous are never in vain. Never will Allah suffer the reward to be lost of those who do right and are patient [12:90] Taqwa and Nearness to Allah ta'ala The previous scholars and venerable sages (mashaikh) understood the importance of inculcating taqwa into their lives and endured tremendous hardship and sacrifice to do so and were thus successful. Today the Muslims have forgotten this important lesson and hence, are in a state of dishonor and disgrace. Hadrat Qasim Nanotvi, Hadrat Rashid Ahmed Gangohi, Hadrat Shaykh ul-Hind (May the mercy of Allah be upon them) and countless mashaikh of the past embodied taqwa and left magnificent examples that shine throughout time for the whole world. Yet, they studied from the same texts that students study from today, but the students of today are certainly not the caliber of the likes of Hadrat Nanotvi. The elders of the past were able to partake of the mercy of Allah ta'ala by deciphering the jewels and pearls of taqwa from within the holy texts, something which people have unfortunately forgotten today. Such great personalities would not even fill their stomachs with lawful earnings but yet, their progeny is satisfied from filling its belly with the unlawful. The progeny of great people who would not sleep but worship all night is satisfied with sleeping soundly all night in warm beds. It is indeed unfortunate that Muslims have forgotten so much. All the more reason to reflect and practice now before it is too late. Knowledge is a Thing Most Delicate Indeed, knowledge is a blessing to be treated delicately and with respect. None is to be pitied more than one who has acquired the knowledge and speech of an ‘aalim but his heart remains hard and ignorant. Hadrat Luqman e said that he had lifted the heaviest weights but found nothing to be heavier than knowledge. He also said that he had partaken of the sweetest dishes but found nothing as sweet as the remembrance of Allah ta'ala . Today, most Muslims wear some of the softest and richest clothing and eat the most exotic dishes and so, their hearts remain harder than stone. The Heart: A Place of Filth? RasulAllah a said that the heart is the seat of taqwa. Today, the heart of the common Muslim is filled with filthy desires that always put the nafs above Allah’s ta'ala wishes; The heart has truly become a wicked and filthy place. Purification of such a heart requires a sincere will and struggle to change the heart to the obedience and remembrance of Allah ta'ala. What are these images to which you are so devoted? [21:52] Angels of mercy do not enter a house in which there are pictures. Today Muslims have pictures and idols of lust and greed littering their hearts, so how can the Mercy of Allah be expected to descend onto such a filthy place that is already filled with others? Struggle and perseverance against the nafs is required to rectify such hearts and only then will taqwa take root therein. Muslims must sincerely practice what the Holy Quran says and hold themselves accountable before they are held accountable. Putting the Holy Quran into action in our daily lives is the only way to inculcate taqwa, and others will only listen when the speaker himself is a living and breathing example of what he is preaching. I advise myself first and then you [Hadith] If words fail to impact one’s own ears, how can they be expected to impact others? It should be that we listen to our own advice to others and reflect on the same. Along those same lines, we should ponder upon and implement what we read in the texts. Hadrat Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri A group of Hindus once accepted Islam at the hand of Hadrat Anwar Shah Kashmiri (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) and so someone asked them why they had done so. Pointing to their benefactor, Hadrat Kashmiri, they said that Hadrat’s face could not be that of a liar. These were the great personalities from Islam’s past, whose faces would glow with taqwa and shimmer from their acts of worship. Alas where are such people today? Definition of Taqwa Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab RA once asked Hadrat Ibn Ka’ab RA the definition of taqwa. In reply Hadrat Ibn Ka’ab RA asked, “Have you ever had to traverse a thorny path?” Hadrat Umar RA replied in the affirmative and Hadrat Ka’ab continued, “How do you do so?” Hadrat Uma rRA said that he would carefully walk through after first having collected all loose and flowing clothing in his hands so nothing gets caught in the thorns hence injuring him. Hadrat Ka’ab RA said, “This is the definition of taqwa, to protect oneself from sin through life’s dangerous journey so that one can successfully complete the journey unscathed by sin.” And your garments keep free from stain [74:4] Taqwa is the best protector and life companion, for it shall always guard against sin and evil. But the raiment of taqwa is best [7:26] Take a provision with you for the journey, but the best provision is taqwa [2:197] Being the ultimate guide to married life, Surah al-Nisa is decorated with references to taqwa every third to fourth verse, because the nurturing of taqwa is the key ingredient to the success of any marriage. Allah ta'ala warns us in the Holy Quran: And fear Allah and know that you are to meet Him [2:223] Hadrat Maulana Hafiz Ghulam Habib (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) used to define taqwa as the shunning of everything and anything that causes a deficiency in one’s relationship with Allah ta'ala. Taqwa is not merely a word or something associated with just a single act, but needs to be implemented from head to toe and throughout a person’s life. Whatever the human definition, Allah ta'ala provides a clear explanation of taqwa in the Holy Quran. Let Muslims turn to the Holy Quran for its divine guidance and explanation. It is not taqwa that you turn your faces toward East or West, but it is taqwa to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book and the Messengers, to spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts you have made; to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity. Those are the truthful and those are the righteous [2:177] Those who practice the divine words above are truly worthy of being called the truthful and the righteous. Those are the truthful [2:177] Those are the righteous [2:177] May Allah ta'ala give us all the ability to adhere to the Holy Quran and inculcate taqwa within ourselves. Ameen. [1] The heavenly part of Allah’s ta'ala creation that is created spontaneously and immediately by the Divine Command Be, and it is, including but not limited to the Throne and the Angels. This is in contrast to ‘Aalam-e-Khalq, the worldly creation that was created gradually over a period of time. tasawwuf.org

A Wounded Heart Maria Karim The sudden dreadful crying and screaming woke Zainab up. She lay on her bed, burying her face into the pillow, trying hard to block out the growing noise coming from the other room. It had hardly been two hours since she had cried herself to sleep. Her tender heart started pounding against her chest at the thought of what would follow this pattern. It was the norm; after her father came home, her mother would scream at him, he would yell back, and then it would get worse until she, being the eldest child, would intervene, crying and begging her parents to stop the awful fight, the reason for which those little children could never understand. Zainab had secretly prayed to Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), many times to take her back to Him. She somehow felt responsible for what was happening between her parents. Often, she felt that even Allah (swt) was not happy with her for her du`a’s (supplications) were not being accepted. The only thing she ever wanted was to see her parents happy and together. Whenever they were happy, she would hope time would freeze so she could preserve every bit of it, but unfortunately, the happy moments would not last for long before a simple disagreement would turn into a heated argument leading towards a terrible dispute. What really wounded her heart was when her parents held grudges against each other and complained to others about each other or when other people would gossip about her parents while disregarding her presence as she was a mere child, supposedly devoid of feelings or a sense of understanding. This infuriated her, and she started to accumulate hatred and resentment within herself. Her fear and anxiety grew as she could overhear the increasingly enraged arguments coming from the other room. “Stop! Please stop!” Zainab screamed in her mind, tightly clamping her hands around her throbbing head which felt like it would burst. Despite being huddled up in a warm and soft quilt she could feel her feet getting cold. Tears of anger, rage and distress were rolling down from the sides of her eyes fading away in the darkness while she lay there in the emptiness of her room hoping that the yelling from outside too would soon fade away. Sound Familiar? Does this sound familiar? Have you, as a child, felt the way Zainab was feeling? Or even worse, could your children be going through what Zainab was experiencing? Catastrophically, the innocent victim of such a battle is always a child, who has no role to play in a conflict between adults except to helplessly watch and get destroyed. Any Excuses? Whatever excuses parents might have to justify their perpetual conflicts, ill temper or regular tantrums, whether towards each other or directed towards their children as a result of being frustrated in a mutual relationship, are completely unacceptable and unjustifiable. Since they are the adults and they have been given the responsibility of raising a human being, they are liable for and therefore must be mindful of, not only the physical upbringing of their child, but also the psychological development including the spiritual growth and emotional enrichment of this little individual. Consequences! A child witnessing relentless unkind behavior, intolerance, exchange of harsh words, sarcasm, mistrust, offensive gestures, unpleasant treatment and/or indifference between his/her parents will most likely deal with multiple problems, such as: Lack of Religious Growth: Children from a disturbed household hardly become religious unless someone consciously channels them. Since they rarely see their parents ever turn to their Rabb (Sustainer) and exercise patience in times of distress, they cannot relate to this concept. Absence of Spiritual Connection: When children witness their parents trying to find peace through other means and relying on those means besides Allah (swt), they automatically relate to seeking peace and relying on ways and means other than the true source of khayr (goodness), their Creator. Loss of Self Confidence: Such children lose their confidence because they have been devoid of the kind of emotional support required to boost their ego and individuality. Low Self Esteem: The loss of dignity between parents or such a behavior pattern established by one of the parents gives birth to low self esteem in their child’s character, resulting in a feeling of worthlessness. Insecurity: When children witness ill treatment between their parents or by any one parent towards the other they feel insecure about their relationship with them and dread being the victim either directly or indirectly. They also feel worried about their parents or their siblings and feel powerless. Anxiety: A child observing domestic disorder whether emotional, verbal or physical is always on guard, watching and waiting for the next event to occur. He/she never knows what will trigger the abuse and therefore they never feel safe. Self doubt: When a child’s tender mind is not able to explain why his/her parents hardly get along, they sometimes start blaming themselves; that if they hadn’t done such and such the argument would not have started, or if they are unable to explain the reason for a fight they remain doubtful about the occurrence of it which leaves them confused and frustrated. The feeling of self doubt makes them feel humiliated and embarrassed. Resentment: Children experiencing a chaotic household become resentful towards either their siblings or one of the parents who they think are responsible for triggering an argument. They can possibly become enraged, short tempered and abusive as adults themselves. Suppression: Children experiencing domestic issues are always engrossed in coping with the stress at home. They are expected to keep the conflicts at home a secret. Consequently, this can turn them into inexpressive and suppressed beings. Intimidation: On the other hand, sometimes children who witness one of their parents as the victim at home, learn to grow up to be intimidating individuals themselves to get their way in an intimate relationship because children have a natural tendency to identify with strength. Controlling Behaviour: Knowing their strength, children from disturbed homes are prone to becoming controlling with their spouse. They have been brought up to feel anxious about relationships and therefore are desperate to take charge in order to preserve a relationship from disintegration. They feel that their controlling would help keep it intact. Vulnerability: These children feel isolated and vulnerable. They crave attention, validation and company. As both parents are consumed in their own survival, they are hardly emotionally available for the child. Therefore, the child is most likely to look for emotional dependency elsewhere. The above are only few of the many setbacks that a child from a disordered home goes through. The question is: do we want our children to experience this? The expected answer in all cases would be no. Then what are we, as parents, doing to prevent them from such experiences? Having said this, I do not intend to include the unique situation in which a spouse has a psychological disorder and the other spouse is expected to put up with them. Realistically speaking, how many of us face the above mentioned condition where we have zero control over our respective relationship? Truthfully, the genuine reason isn’t that we can’t avoid drastically damaging scenarios, but usually we choose not to prevent them as every dispute has a history of negative, unresolved events trailing behind it accompanied by insensitive, tactless and careless actions between the parents. Generally speaking, we are selfish individuals that are primarily concerned with catering first to our personal emotional and psychological needs. While in a conflict, we are either immersed in self-pity and depression or are trapped amidst the battle of egos, so we neglect the little hearts from being repeatedly aggrieved and wounded. Emotionally and physically drained, frustrated and exhausted from having to keep up with the relationship with our spouse, we become oblivious to the damaging impact our indifference towards each other might have on our child’s well-being. However, we must remind ourselves that our children are dependent on us in every single way for each little thing and realize the gravity and responsibility that parenthood holds. We cannot help the reaction of our spouse but what we can control is our attitude towards them or towards an unpleasant situation or experience. Obviously, it is not as simple as this statement and requires counseling and perhaps a series of articles to get into the intricacies of a relationship and its do’s and don’t’s. Nonetheless, the focus of this article is to highlight the traumatic conditions that children who experience domestic violence go through and its consequences. A child is similar to a soft lump of dough and just as we can mold it how we wish, it goes through what we make it go through. A lump of dough, when handled with love, care and wisdom can be beneficial, but if it is mishandled roughly and carelessly, it can prove to be just the opposite. Our children are an amanah (trust) from Allah (swt). They have been sent to us so that we can nurture them with love, respect, care and concern. We leave our impressions on them. We either leave our child with a well-nurtured body and soul, or we leave that child with a scarred soul and a wounded heart. The choice, of course, is ours.

Quotes on Taqwa Hadrat Hasan Basri said, Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) said, Hadrat Maulana Hafiz Ghulam Habib (r.a.) used to define taqwa as Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat

Levels of Taqwaa

Sayyiduna Ali (R.A) defined Taqwa as being the "Fear of Jaleel (Allah), Acting upon the tanzeel (Quran), Being content with qaleel (little), And preparing for the day of raheel (journeying from this world)." Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab (R.A) once asked Hadrat Ibn Ka’ab (R.A) the definition of taqwa. In reply Hadrat Ibn Ka’ab asked, “Have you ever had to traverse a thorny path?” Hadrat Umar replied in the affirmative and Hadrat Ka’ab continued, “How do you do so?” Hadrat Umar said that he would carefully walk through after first having collected all loose and flowing clothing in his hands so nothing gets caught in the thorns hence injuring him. Hadrat Ka’ab said, “This is the definition of taqwa, to protect oneself from sin through life’s dangerous journey so that one can successfully complete the journey unscathed by sin.” The renowned Companion Abdullah Ibn Abbas radiallahu anhu would say that; "The reality of Taqwaa is that one obeys Allah and does not disobey Him. He remembers Allah and does not forget Him, and he thanks Allah and is not ungrateful to Him"

Taqwa in the Qur’an Taqwa is mentioned in the Qur’an many times. لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ “It is not taqwa that you turn your faces toward East or West, but it is taqwa to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book and the Messengers, to spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts you have made; to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity. Those are the truthful and those are the muttaqun.” [Qur’an 2:177] يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ “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 Allah is that (believer) who has Taqwa. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” [Qur’an 49:13] يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ "O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah. And let every soul look to that which it sendeth on before for the morrow. And observe your duty to Allah! Lo! Allah is informed of what ye do." [Qur'an 59:18] وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ "And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil);" [Qur'an 3:133] وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (...and have Taqwa of Allah that you may be successful.) [part of 2:189] Have Taqwa of Allah, means to do what He has commanded you and refrain from what He has forbidden for you [ibn Katheer] Taqwa in Ahadith عـن أبي ذر جـنـدب بـن جـنـادة ، وأبي عـبد الـرحـمـن معـاذ بـن جـبـل رضي الله عـنهما ، عـن الرسول صلي الله عـليه وسلم ، قـال : ( اتـق الله حيثما كنت ، وأتبع السيئة الحسنة تمحها ، وخالق الناس بخـلـق حـسـن . On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junaadah, and Abu ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan Mu’aadh bin Jabal (radi allahu anhuma) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : Have Taqwaa (Fear) of Allah [be pious] wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “The most common thing which leads people to Paradise is taqwa of Allah and good conduct, and the most common thing which leads people to the Hell Fire is the mouth and the private parts.” [Tirmidhi] Tafseer ibn Kathir mentions that Atiyah As-Sa’di said the Propeht (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “The servant will not acquire the status of those with taqwa until he abandons what is harmless out of fear of falling into that which is harmful.” [ibn Majah, Tirmizi]

At-Taqwa Piety / Righteousness / Fear of Allah / God Consciousness

Historic Al-Hudaibiya mosque to be rebuilt JEDDAH: The historic Al-Hudaibiya mosque will be demolished and rebuilt by the Islamic Affairs Ministry and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) to reflect its significance in Islam. The mosque was built on the site where the Prophet (peace be upon him) signed a peace agreement in 628 CE with the pagans of Makkah, which was called the Treaty of Hudaibiya. The area is on the western side of Makkah. Mohammad Al-Reemi, supervisor at the ministry’s branch in Makkah, told the newspaper that there was an agreement with the SCTNH to preserve all ancient mosques and buildings in Makkah and Madinah. A study on the reconstruction has been completed, he was quoted as saying by an online publication recently. Faisal Al-Shareef, director general of the SCTNH in Makkah, said an experienced engineering firm would be brought in to oversee the project using the latest scientific techniques and materials. The SCTNH and the Al-Turath Heritage Foundation has completed the restoration of 21 mosques around the country. The SCTNH, at its 39th meeting recently, has also set up a project to restore other mosques in cooperation with the Islamic Affairs Ministry, to highlight their religious importance. A study to revamp eight mosques has been completed. They are the Al-Baiah mosque in Makkah, and five mosques in the Sabaa Masajid area, which would be completed by the secretariat of Madinah. The Al-Memar and Al-Hanafi mosques in the old part of Jeddah would be restored with support from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. Eighty-seven historic mosques in the Kingdom have been identified for restoration including four in Makkah, eight in Madinah, 14 in Riyadh, five in Qassim, 36 in Asir, six in Tabuk, six in Jazan, four in Najran and four in Baha. arabnews

Words of Wisdom "Utilising means other than the dhikr of Allāh ta'ālā to acquire peace of heart is akin to brushing your difficulties under the carpet. The unease, despite being masked, is still there. It is just like being under anaesthetic; as soon as you ‘wake up’ you will realise that the pain has not gone away." Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh (at-tazkiyah) *Remember that "Dhikr" - Remembrance of Allah, includes many forms of worship including Salaah as well as explained in this post

Another sign of a Stroke Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Remember the '3' steps, STR Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S *Ask the individual to SMILE. T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. Chicken Soup) R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. New Sign of a Stroke Stick out Your Tongue! NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

Recognising the signs of a stroke NHS UK The signs and symptoms of a stroke vary from person to person but usually begin suddenly. As different parts of your brain control different parts of your body, your symptoms will depend on the part of your brain affected and the extent of the damage. The main stroke symptoms can be remembered with the word FAST - Face-Arms-Speech-Time. Face – the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile or their mouth or eye may have drooped. Arms – the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of arm weakness or numbness in one arm. Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake. Time – it is time to dial 999 immediately if you notice any of these signs or symptoms. It is important for everyone to be aware of these signs and symptoms. If you live with or care for somebody in a high-risk group, such as someone who is elderly or has diabetes or high blood pressure, being aware of the symptoms is even more important. Other possible symptoms Symptoms in the FAST test identify most strokes, but occasionally a stroke can cause different symptoms. Other symptoms and signs may include: complete paralysis of one side of the body sudden loss or blurring of vision dizziness confusion difficulty understanding what others are saying problems with balance and co-ordination difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) a sudden and very severe headache resulting in a blinding pain unlike anything experienced before loss of consciousness However, there are usually other causes for these symptoms.

Five Ways to Achieve Inner Peace Summarized by Samah Syed from the ‘Gateways of Relief and Assistance’ webinar by Shaykh Tameem Ahmadi. It is in the nature of this worldly life that it will be filled with trials and tribulations for every individual, old or young, rich or poor. Allah Most High states in the Qur’an: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned” (Qur’an, 42:30) Thus, we should understand that any calamity that befalls us is often a consequence of our wrongdoings and ultimately this is a calling for us from Allah Most High to turn back to Him. Although we must turn to Allah in both good times and bad, it is especially natural for the human in his desperate and broken state to wholly and completely turn to His Lord in need. Here are five ways through which we can attain nearness to our Lord and thereby attain ultimate peace of heart in times of trial and tribulation: #1 Du’a Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: “And your Lord says: ‘Call on me; I will answer your prayer’ (Quran, 40:60)” Du’a is a direct link to our Creator and is an act of worship that can be done at anytime and anywhere. It is a means by which we can pour our hearts out and rest assured that our affairs will be taken care of by the King of kings. It is stated in a hadith that when Allah Most High sees the hands of the slave lifted up to him He feels shame that He should leave that person’s hands unfilled (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). We should therefore keep making du’a with a firm conviction that Allah Most High will most definitely answer it. We must never be despondent and complain that Allah is not answering our du’as. When we ask Him, either Allah gives us exactly what we want, or He doesn’t and instead stores something better for us in the hereafter or He removes some calamity of this life by means of that du’a. Thus, making du’a is a “win-win-win” situation. #2 Reciting Qur’an In the Qur’an there is an invitation of Allah, therefore we should accept the invitation, the way a guest honors the invitation given to him by his host. Abundant recitation of the blessed Book of Allah brings about nur (light) and barakah (blessings) within a person and allows one to attain peace of heart and mind. For every letter we recite, Allah Most High grants us ten hasanat (rewards). The Qur’an is said to be the rope of Allah, and just as a rope is used to pull a fallen individual out of a dark well, the Qur’an is a means of pulling us out from the darkness of all our worries and difficulties. #3 Dhikr Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: “Those who believe, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest (Qur’an, 13:28).” Allah Most High states that He is with us whenever we remember Him. Thus, what better method of dealing with our sorrows and anxieties than being in the company of our Creator? When we engage in abundant dhikr (remembrance), depression and worry is taken away from the heart and happiness is brought into the heart. We drive away Satan and attain Allah’s pleasure. Our bodies and hearts are strengthened and a nur (light) develops in our hearts and faces. Dependent upon how much dhikr we make, we develop a proximity or closeness to Allah and a mahabbah or love for Allah also forms in our hearts. Dhikr can take many forms, the most common of which are tasbih (SubhanAllah), tahlil (La ilaha il Allah), tahmid (Alhamdullilah), takbir (Allahu Akbar) and istighfar (Astaghfirullah). It is stated in a hadith that just as iron rusts, so too do our hearts and therefore just as iron needs polish, the polish for our rusted hearts is abundant dhikr. Thus we should make use of these “polishes” so that our hearts are constantly renewed and refreshed. #4 Salah Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: “And seek help in patience and As-Salat (Qur’an, 2:45).” Salah or prayer is our daily connection with Allah and has been referred to as the mi’raj or ascension of the believer. Whenever Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) had any trouble or concern he would quickly resort to salah to gain comfort and clarity. Our daily prayers are our links to Allah and it is in salah where we are the closest to Him. Our prayers (salahs) attract rizq (provisions) and serve as protection for our wealth and material well-being. #5 Salutations upon the Prophet (ﷺ) Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: “Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. Oh you who believe! Send blessings on him, and salute him with all respect (Qur’an, 33:56).” Ubayy ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) once came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him how much of his du’a should include salutations upon the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) told him he could include as much as he pleased and if he did more then it would be better for him. Ubayy ibn Kaab (may Allah be pleased with him) then asked him about dedicating a quarter of his du’a to salawat (salutations upon the Prophetﷺ). Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) gave him the same reply again. He then asked him about half and then two-thirds until he finally asked if he should make his entire du’a dedicated to sending salawat. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) told him if he did this then all his worries would be taken care of and all of his sins would be forgiven (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). Thus, we should make it a habit to send abundant salutations on Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) every day, especially on Fridays. By doing so we would have opened yet another gateway of bringing tranquility and contentment to our hearts. About the Author: Samah Syed Samah is a volunteer and student at Rayyan Institute based in Toronto, Canada. rayyaninstitute

The Fly and Antibiotics What’s in a wing of a fly that led our Noble Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) to say: “If a fly falls in the vessel of any of you, let him dip all of it (into the vessel) and then throw it away, for in one of its wings there is a disease and in the other there is healing (antidote for it)." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Number 673) Well, look at this short article. The New Buzz on Antibiotics Danny Kingsley - ABC Science Online The surface of flies is the last place you would expect to find antibiotics, yet that is exactly where a team of Australian researchers is concentrating their efforts. Working on the theory that flies must have remarkable antimicrobial defences to survive rotting dung, meat and fruit, the team at the Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, set out to identify those antibacterial properties manifesting at different stages of a fly's development. "Our research is a small part of a global research effort for new antibiotics, but we are looking where we believe no-one has looked before," said Ms Joanne Clarke, who presented the group's findings at the Australian Society for Microbiology Conference in Melbourne this week. The project is part of her PhD thesis. The scientists tested four different species of fly: a house fly, a sheep blowfly, a vinegar fruit fly and the control, a Queensland fruit fly which lays its eggs in fresh fruit. These larvae do not need as much antibacterial compound because they do not come into contact with as much bacteria. Flies go through the life stages of larvae and pupae before becoming adults. In the pupae stage, the fly is encased in a protective casing and does not feed. "We predicted they would not produce many antibiotics," said Ms Clarke. They did not. However the larvae all showed antibacterial properties (except that of the Queensland fruit fly control). As did all the adult fly species, including the Queensland fruit fly (which at this point requires antibacterial protection because it has contact with other flies and is mobile). Such properties were present on the fly surface in all four species, although antibacterial properties occur in the gut as well. "You find activity in both places," said Ms Clarke. "The reason we concentrated on the surface is because it is a simpler extraction." The antibiotic material is extracted by drowning the flies in ethanol, then running the mixture through a filter to obtain the crude extract.When this was placed in a solution with various bacteria including E.coli, Golden Staph, Candida (a yeast) and a common hospital pathogen, antibiotic action was observed every time. "We are now trying to identify the specific antibacterial compounds," said Ms Clarke. Ultimately these will be chemically synthesised. Because the compounds are not from bacteria, any genes conferring resistance to them may not be as easily transferred into pathogens. It is hoped this new form of antibiotics will have a longer effective therapeutic life. (End) Fa Tabarakallahu Ahsanul Khaliqeen (So Glory be to Allah, the best of Creators) Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Deeds which equal the Reward of Haj

Allah ta'ala accept and make it a means of comfort for those seeking peace

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ (Allah (alone) is sufficient for us) - Qur'an 3:173 Taken from HERE By leaving your affairs to Allah, by depending upon Him, by trusting in His promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking favourably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, you reap some of the greater fruits of faith and display the more promonent characteristics of the believer. When you incorporate these qualities into your character, you will be at peace concerning the future, because you will depend on your Lord for everything. As a result, you will find care, help, protection, and victory. When Prophet Ibrahim (as) was placed in the fire, he said, "Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs (for us)." Thereupon, Allah made the fire to be cool, safe, and peaceful for Prophet Ibrahim (as). When the prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions were threatened by the impending attack of the enemy, they said words that are related in the first part of this verse: "Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs (for us).".............................And Allah is the owner of Great Bounty (Qur'an 3:173-74) No person by himself is capable of fighting against the current of misfortune, nor can he fend off the blows of disaster when they strike. This is because man was created weak and fragile. However, when in times of difficulty, the believer places his dependency and trust with his Lord; he knows that all difficulties can be overcome. "And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed" (Qur'an 5:23)

Something of benefit to those under going difficulties. Taken from HERE Those moments when your forehead touches the ground when you’re praying, and there’s tears in your eyes. Tonight I feel so weak. I feel so unwanted, and I feel so small. I may over think some certain things, but I could feel that I'm losing things that I love in life. I know nothing is permanent. Everything is for temporary. Human, animals, wealth, health, air, every single thing belongs to ALLAH. I know that. But I don't know why somehow I pray that - this one thing may last. I've been crying for the past 3 days. Don't know the reason why, or maybe I know the reason, but I just pretend like I don't. I can't help myself from praying that I wont lose those precious things in my life. Ya Allah, I've gone too far from what You taught me. Forgive me. Guide me to go to the right path. There's too much love in my heart that I know it wont last. No matter how I want it badly, I know You know whats best for me. Please help me to get through this Ya Allah. 1) WE ALWAYS ASK: Why was I TESTED? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "Do men think that they will be left alone saying,'We believe', and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false." [29:2-3] 2) WE ALWAYS ASK: Why I never get what I wanted? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: " It is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing, which is bad for you. But Allah knows, while you know not." Surah Al-Baqarah [2:216] 3) WE ALWAYS ASK: Why was I burdened this way? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "Allah does not place a burden to a soul greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns." Surah Al-Baqarah [2:286]& " So verily, with every difficulty there is relief: (repeated) Verily, with every difficulty there is relief." Surah Al-Insyirah [94:5-6] 4) WE ALWAYS ASK: Why am I losing hope? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For you will be superior if you are true in Faith." Surah Al-Imran [3:139] 5) WE ALWAYS ASK: How can I face it? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: " O you who believed! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah that you may prosper." Surah Al-Imran[3:200] & "And seek(Allah's) help with patient, perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a humbly submissive (to Allah)." Surah Al-Baqarah [2:45] 6) WE ALWAYS ASK: What do I get from all these? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and properties (in exchange) for that they will have the garden (of Paradise)..." Surah At-Taubah [9:111] 7) WE ALWAYS ASK: To whom could I depend? AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "(Allah) suffice me: there is no god but He: On Him is my trust- He the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme." Surah At-Taaubah [9:129] 8)WE ALWAYS ASK: But I can't take it anymore! AL-QURAN ANSWERS: "...and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy; truly No one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy. except Those who have no faith." Surah Yusuf [9:87]& "Despairs not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives All sins for He is Often- Forgiving, Most Merciful." Surah Az-Zumar [39:53] Ya Allah, make my relationship with You so strong that I don’t need these people or this world. Ya Allah, let me thrive on Your love and the love for Your deen. Alhamdulillah for the beauties of this world You have blessed me with, but, Ya Allah, do not let me get attached to such short-lived materials.

Sunnats and Aadaab of Duaa – Part 8 1. Upon completion of the du’aa, one should rub the palms over the face. عن عمر رضي الله عنه قال : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا رفع يديه في الدعاء لم يحطهما حتى يمسح بهما وجهه. ( الترمذي رقم 3386) Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that whenever Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would raise his hands in duaa, he would not lower them until he wiped his hands over his face.” 2. Do not be hasty and impatient for the acceptance and materialising of your du`aa. عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: لا يزال يستجاب للعبد ما لم يدع بإثم أو قطيعة رحم ما لم يستعجل. قيل: يا رسول الله ما الاستعجال؟ قال: يقول: قد دعوت وقد دعوت، فلم أر يستجيب لي، فيستحسر عند ذلك ويدع الدعاء (مسلم رقم 2735) Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “A person’s duaa will continuously be accepted as long as he does not ask for something sinful or for the cutting of family ties, and as long as he is not hasty (in his duaa).” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked: “How is a person hasty (in his duaa)?” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied: “A person says, ‘I have made duaa and I have made duaa, yet I do not see my duaa being answered.’ He then gets tired and leaves out duaa.”

Duaa before Sleeping – 2 One should recite the following duaa before going to sleep: بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي فَاغْفِر لي ذَنْبِي O my Rabb, with Your name (have I lay down to sleep), so forgive my sins عن عبد الله بن عمرو أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان إذا اضطجع للنوم يقول : باسمك ربي فاغفر لي ذنبي رواه أحمد وإسناده حسن (مجمع الزوائد رقم 17045) Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would recite the following duaa when retiring to bed: بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي فَاغْفِر لي ذَنْبِي

Duaa before Sleeping - 1 One should recite the following duaa before going to sleep بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِى اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِى ذَنْبِى وَأَخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِى وَفُكَّ رِهَانِى وَاجْعَلْنِى فِى النَّدِىِّ الأَعْلَى In the name of Allah Ta’ala have I placed my side down (i.e. I have lay down to sleep), O Allah, forgive my sins, repel my shaytaan from me, and free me (from my burdens and worries), and make me amongst the exalted gathering of servants. عن أبى الأزهر الأنمارى أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أخذ مضجعه من الليل قال: بسم الله وضعت جنبى اللهم اغفر لى ذنبى وأخسئ شيطانى وفك رهانى واجعلنى فى الندى الأعلى (ابو داود رقم 5056) Hadhrat Abul Azhar Anmaari (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that when Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would retire to bed, he would recite the following duaa: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِى اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِى ذَنْبِى وَأَخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِى وَفُكَّ رِهَانِى وَاجْعَلْنِى فِى النَّدِىِّ الأَعْلَى Ihyaauddeen

How Do You Keep Up The Memorization Of The Quran During Menstruation Question: If one is memorizing the Quran, how do you keep up the memorization process during menstruation? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. In principle, it is not permissible for a woman in the state of Haidh(menstruation) to recite the Qur’an. However, you may consider the following options in order to keep up the memorization of the Qur’aan: 1. Looking inside the Qur’an without reading the Qur’aan or touching the Qur’an. 2. Listening to someone reading the Qur’aan. It is hoped that the above methods will assist you in keeping up the memorization process. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

Taking Dispensation from another Madhab Can a Hanafi Student Memorizing the Qur’an follow the Maliki School & Recite during Menstruation? Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani In this particular Girl Qur’an school, where we memorize the Qur’an, teachers allow us to read and memorize the Qur’an while one has her menstrual period. And they base their permission by saying that Imam Malik issued a fatwa, giving permission for a woman to read Qur’an while having her menstrual period. Since our school is in majority “Hanafi” (only 1 or 2 students are Shafii) , and in our madhab we may practice a ruling from another madhab, even without a reason, our teachers say it is valid to follow Imam Malik in his istihad, especially since these girls are trying to memorize the Qur’an in it’s entirety, and some may have long (in days) menstrual periods, which may cause them to forgot what they have memorized because of the large amount of time in between. Though these girls read and memorize the Qur’an during their periods, they hold the Qur’an with a towel, or clothe, where as Imam Malik also gave permission to hold AND read Qur’an in this state. When I asked if I could make amel according to Rasulullah sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam’s hadith, on behalf of not reading the Qur’an during my period, they told me I was making FITNAH amongst them. They asked if I thought I was more ehl-i Takwa than Imam Malik, for not wanting to follow him, and I said, surely not, but that I would like to follow Rasulullah, for Allah says: “Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.” (Al-Ahzaab 33:21) What is the ruling on reading Qur’an during this state? Currently my school now leaves the decision to the student whether to read or not, and I want to know the full fatwa on this topic, to do what is right. I have read many other articles on this issue, but never specifically have I come across a fatwa “for girl students that are studying hifz”, as my teachers put it. Answer: Walaikum assalam, This is a matter of personal choice, at the end of the day. The scholars generally have two ways of dealing with the issue of following another madhhab than one’s own: 1. It is permitted to do so, but without making it a habit to always “seek out” dispensations; 2. One may not do so without a genuine hardship and need, for otherwise it is “following one’s whims,” which the Shariah has interdicted. Generally, my Syrian Hanafi teachers took the former position, though the Indian and Pakistani scholars are firm on the second position. They are both valid ‘ways’ of acting. One should stick to the second way, though, as much as possible, for it is the way of taqwa. (This is something that everyone would agree on.) The scholars of the sunni way agree, though, that the four schools, are all valid to follow, and each represents a sound operationalization of the Qur’an and Sunna, based on the interpretative principles laid down by its mujtahids. As such, a person who follows a position of any one of the four schools cannot be considered to be “going against” the Qur’an or Sunna. A well-versed scholar who understands the primary texts, fiqh, and usul, may disagree with another school, but the agreed-upon principle of sunni fuqaha is: “My position is correct with the possibility of being wrong. The position of others is wrong, with the possibility of being right,” because such differences only arose because of the probabilistic nature of the primary evidences. In the case you mention, it is true that what they mentioned is the position of Imam Malik (Allah be pleased with him), though the majority of the mujtahid imams, including Abu Hanifa and his students, did not agree, because of the primary evidence that points to the contrary. (The Malikis were aware of this evidence, but understood it differently.) Therefore, according to the first understanding (above), you could follow it and there would be nothing wrong with it. Just beware of making it a habit to seek out dispensations, and beware of those who have a habit of handing out fatwas from different schools: it is hard enough for true fuqaha to master one school, let alone four (or more). I specifically asked Shaykh Hassaan al-Hindi, in Damascus, about a sister taking the Maliki dispensation on this issue, and he said that there is nothing wrong with it. I asked, “Sidi, but what if she wants to stick to her madhhab?” He said, “Well, that is her choice.” However, if you don’t feel comfortable or prefer to stick to the second approach, this is being cautious in religion. Just beware, though, of not creating fitna or ‘discussing’ with teachers or students why you are not reciting… This was something posted a while back on the Hanafi fiqh list: Sticking to One School It is not religiously binding on the Muslim to stick to one school on all matters, without exception, as both al-Tahtawi and Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on them), the two leading late authorities for fatwa in the Hanafi school, both explain. Rather, there is nothing wrong with taking a dispensation if there is a need; what is impermissible is to make it a habit to seek out dispensations [i.e. even if there is no hardship or need]. The Path of Taqwa The path of taqwa, as the scholars and sufis explain, is to avoid taking dispensations unless there is genuine hardship in following one’s own school. In fact, they say that those who have learned their own school should seek out the strictest positions from other school whenever reasonably possible, so that one’s worship and practice is sound without argument. May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge, and the success to act according to it, on the footsteps of the His Beloved (Allah bless him and give him peace), with the secret of sincerity, without which actions are but lifeless forms. And Allah knows best. Wassalam, Faraz Rabbani Qibla.com Source

Female reciting Quran during her menstruation period According to the four Madhaahib Question: I have heard that a female is allowed to recite Qurān during her monthly menses according to the most authentic of scholarly opinions? Is this true? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. According to the mainstream (majority) opinion, a female is not allowed to verbally recite Qurān during her menses. This is the ruling in accordance with Hanafī Jurisprudence (Fiqh), Shāfiī Jurisprudence (Fiqh), and Hambalī (Fiqh) Jurisprudence.[1] Consider the following texts: Hanafī Jurisprudence Allāmah Sarakhsī, a well known early Hanafī Jurist of the 5th century states the following in his celebrated Jurisprudic Manual named “al-Mabsūt”: وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهَا لَا تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ (المبسوط للسرخسى، فَصْلٌ الْأَحْكَامُ الَّتِي تَتَعَلَّقُ بِالْحَيْضِ) Among the rulings pertaining to menstruation is that a female is not permitted to recite Qurān during her menses. (al-Mabsūt) Allāmah Marghīnānī Rahimahullāh, a well-known Hanafī Jurist (Faqīh) of the 6th century states: وليس للحائض والجنب والنفساء قراءة القرآن لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم ” لا تقرأ الحائض والجنب شيئا من القرآن “ (الهداية، باب الحيض والاستحاضة) It is not permissible for a female experiencing Haidh (menstruation), a female experiencing Nifās, and an impure person to recite Qurān. This is so because Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam has stated, “A female in her menses and an impure person must not recite any Qurān. (al-Hidāyah) Shāfiī Jurisprudence Allāmah Shīrāzī Rahimahullāh, a Faqīh of the 5th century states the following regarding the issue according to Shafiī Jurisprudence: وحرم عليها الصوم والطواف وقراءة القرآن (التنبية في الفقه الشافعي،باب الحيض) A female is prohibited from fasting, Tawāf, and recitation of Qurān during her menses. (at-Tambīh) Hambalī Jurisprudence Allāmah Bahūtī, a Hambalī Faqīh of the 11th century states the following in his commentary on Zād al-Mustaqnī: (ومن لزمه الغسل) لشيء مما تقدم (حرم عليه) الصلاة والطواف ومس المصحف و (قراءة القرآن) (الروض المربع شرح زاد المستقنع، باب الغسل) It is prohibited to perform Salāh, perform Tawāf, touch the Qurān, and recite the Qurān for everyone in need of a Ghusl (such as a female experiencing menstruation) (ar-Rawdh al-Murbī) ~~~~ It is important to note that it is necessary for every individual to learn the basic laws and injunctions of Dīn in accordance with any one Madhab (Jurisprudic School of thought). Thereafter, he/she must adhere to that particular Madhab and must not jump from Madhab to Madhab. Kindly refer to the following write-up on the importance of adhering to one Madhab: At the outset, it is important to understand that all four Madhāhib (schools of thought) are on Haqq (the truth). If any individual adheres sincerely to any of the four Madhāhib (Hanafī, Shāfi’ī, Mālikī, and Hambalī), he will be following the right path. After the era of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam and the Sahābah there was a need to codify Islāmic Fiqh (Jurisprudence). There were many chosen servants of Allāh Ta’ālā who were qualified in the field of Ijtihād i.e. to extract laws directly from Qurān and Hadīth. Among them were the four Imāms, namely Imām Abū Hanīfah, Imām Shāfi’ī, Imām Mālik, and Imām Ahmad bin Hambal Rahimahumullāh. It was the will of Allāh that the Madhāhib of these four great individuals were preserved and passed down from generation to generation. Even today, there are followers of all four schools of thought present in the world. Even though all four schools of thought are genuine, the Ulamā have ruled that it is necessary for a layman to stick to the teachings of one Madhab. The reasons for this are elaborated hereunder: It is prohibited to follow one’s desires Each Madhab is based on certain principles Man has been created for the worship of Allāh and to submit to the will of Almighty Allāh and obey His commands. The Qurān has explicitly prohibited Insān from following his baseless desires. If a layman were to choose between the rulings of the various Madhāhib without expertise in Sharīah knowledge, his criterion to determine which ruling to follow would inevitably be his internal desires. Whichever Madhab he would find to be easier and more accommodating, he would hold on tightly to that view. And in another issue if another Madhab would be more lenient, he would jump to that particular Madhab. With such an attitude, the Dīn of Allāh would become a mere play and game that would be followed by people who are in search of fulfilling their desires rather than sacrificing their desires for Allāh Ta’ālā. Based on this attitude of jumping from Madhab to Madhab, at times one reaches a conclusion that contradicts all scholars and all four Madhabs. This would result in a new and separate Madhab created by himself without having adequate knowledge of Dīn. For example, in the Hanafī Madhab, bleeding nullifies Wudhū while it does not nullify Wudhū according to the Shāfi’ī Madhab. On the other hand, touching a female nullifies Wudhū according to the Shāfi’ī Madhab while it does not nullify Wudhū according to the Hanafī Madhab (even though it is prohibited if one touches a non-Mahram female). Hence, if an individual starts to bleed and chooses to follow the Shāfi’ī view in this regards, his Wudhū is intact. If the same individual touches a female immediately after bleeding, and he chooses to follow the Hanafī stance on this issue, then according to his understanding his Wudhū is still intact. However, in such a scenario, according to both the Hanafī Madhab and Shāfi’ī Madhab the Wudhū of such a person is nullified (Hanafīs due to bleeding and Shāfi’īs due to touching a female), while his Wudhū is still intact according to his own understanding.[2] Another reason why it is necessary to follow one particular Madhab is because the system of each Madhab is based on certain broad principles. Various Juristic rulings flow from these broad principles. Hence, the laws and Masāil of one Madhab are inter-connected in that they flow from the same broad principles. If one was to pick and choose which Madhab to follow for different situations, then he would be causing disruption in the system of principles laid out by the Jurists.[3] Lastly, it is important to note at this juncture that a person who follows a Madhab is in actual fact following the teachings of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam. He is not following the teachings of the Madhāhib so to say, rather he is following Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam the way it was understood by the Madhab. This is similar to a layman seeking religious advice from a scholar. No one would claim that the man is following the scholar himself, rather he is following the way Dīn was understood and explained by the scholaar. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best (Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman Source

Reciting Quran during menstruation According to the Majority of Scholars Q. A salafi girl said that you can recite Quran Shareef during menstruation while looking into it and not by memory. I know that this is haraam for hanafis. What is the stand of the four imams on this, and how do I prove to her that she is wrong? A. Reciting Quran while looking into it is also deemed to be ‘reciting Quran’, even if it is not from memory. This act of reciting Quran during one’s menses is not allowed according to the majority of scholars, the verdicts are as follows: – Imam Abu Hanifa has considered it to be unlawful (Hidaya; Fathul Qadeer vol.1 pg. 148). Imam Shafi has considered it to be haram and unlawful. This is also the opinion of the great scholars from the Sahabahs and Tabieen like Umar (RA), Ali (RA), Jabir (RA), Hasan Basri, Qatada, Ata, Abul Aaliya, An Nakhi, Saeed bin Jubair, Zuhri, Ishaq and Abu Thaur. (Al Majmoo Sharhul Muhazab vol. 3 pg.282). With respect to the opinion of Imam Ahmad, Imam Tirmizi has recorded him from among those who state that a woman in menses should not recite the Holy Quran, (Tirmizi Chap. ‘What is mentioned about a woman in menses and on in Janabah (major ritual impurity) should not recite the Quran)’. Imam An Nawawi has also stated that one of the opinions of Imam Ahmad and Imam Malik is that it is unlawful(haram) for a woman in menses to recite Quran. (Al Majmoo Sharhul Muhazab vol. 3 pg.282). In Al Mughni, Ibn Qudama has mentioned that the established Mazhab of Imam Ahmad is that a woman in her menses is prohibited from reciting Al Quran. (Al Mughni vol.1 pg144). There is an established opinion of Imam Malik which states that he is of the opinion that a woman in menses can recite the Quran. His evidence for this is that ‘the days of her menses may be long, and prohibiting her from reciting the Quran may cause her to forget it. She is also excused and may have the need to recite the Quran but is incapable of acquiring purity (due to her state)’. From this explaination, we see that from among the four great Imams of Fiqh, only Imam Malik has given an allowance for the menstruating woman to recite Quran. All the others have ruled that she is prohibited from doing so. The evidence for these scholars is a tradition of the Prophet (SAS) which has been recorded by Imam Trimizi, from the tradition of Abdullah bin Umar (RA). This tradition states that Ibn Umar said, ‘the Prophet (SAS) said a woman in menses and a person in Janabah must not read anything from the Quran’. (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah). Having recorded this tradition, Imam Tirmizi said, ‘This is the statement of most of the scholars from the companions of the Prophet (SAS), the Tabi’een and those after them like Sufyan Thauri, Abdullah bin Mubarak, Imam Shafi, Imam Ahmad, Ishaq’. (Tirmizi Chap. ‘A woman in menses and person in Janabah (major impurity) must not read the Quran). Although some scholars have considered the above tradition to be weak on account of one of its narrators Isma’eel bin Ayaash, those who have mentioned prohibition have referred to the tradition in which it is clearly evident that a person who is in the state of Janabah (major ritual impurity ) must not read the Quran. In this regard, the tradition of Ali (RA) has been quoted, which states that Ali (R.A.) said ‘The Messenger of Allah (SAS) would recite Quran to us in all states except when he was in Janabah (major ritual impurity being in the state of sexual pollution) (Imam Tirmizi recorded this and then said, ‘This hadith is good and sound Chapter-A man can recite Quran in all states except in the state of Janabah. Ibn Hibban has also considered it to be Saheeh (sound)). Hakim has also considered it Saheeh (sound). Abu Dawood, Nasai and Ibn Majah have also recorded it (Tuhfatul Ahwazi vol.1 pg.476) While commenting on the above hadith, Ibn Qudama states, ‘When this (the prohibition to recite Quran ) is given for one who is in the state of Janabah (ritual impurity after sexual relations) then to a greater extent, it will be given for a woman who is in her menses, since her state of impurity is graver and more major than one who is in the state of sexual pollution. It is on account of the serious/grave nature of her state (menses), sexual relations is totally haram, fasting is prohibited and Salaah has been excused.( Al Mughni vol.1 pg.144). With respect to the opinion that states that she is allowed to recite Quran since the long duration of menses can cause her to forget the Quran, Imam Nawawi has refuted this and has said, ‘As for the fear of forgetting the Quran, this is rare, since the duration of menses is approximately six or seven days, and a woman does not normally forget in this time. ( Al Majmoo Sharhul Muhazzab vol. 3 pg.283 ). The summary of this discussion is that the majority of scholars from the Sahabahs and those afterwards, have all stated that a woman in her menses must not recite the Holy Quran. Some scholars have differentiated between ‘a woman in menses’ and ‘one who is in the state of Janabah’. However, the majority of scholars have considered the both to be on the same level of impurity, and reciting the Holy Quran will be prohibited for both. Ibn Qudama has made this very clear in his book ‘Al Mughni’ (vol. 1 pg.144) Imam Nawawi has also clearly stated that ‘the Jumhoor (majority of scholars) have taken their evidence from the riwayah (tradition) of Abdullah bin Umar (RA). Even if this is accepted to be weak, one must draw analogy upon the person in the state of Janabah’. ( Al Majmoo Sharah Al Muhazzab vol.3 pg.283). Some scholars have also spoken about the tradition of ‘the prohibition for a person in Janabah to recite Al Quran’. Regarding the different statement of scholars regarding the status of this tradition, the author of Tuhfatul Ahwazi (Commentary of Jami At Tirmizi) states, ‘there are a few traditions which speak about the prohibition of reciting Quran by one in the state of Janabah. In all of them, there may be contention, however, they become strong when they are attached to each other (that is, when some are supported by others). All together, they become sound (and authentic), so that evidence/proof be taken from them’. (Tuhfatul Ahwazi vol.1 pg.428) So, like other individual Mas’alas, it seems (from narrations) that a few scholars in the past have adopted the opinion that a menstruating woman can recite the Quran. However, as recorded by Imam Tirmizi, ‘Most of the scholars from the Sahabahs, Tabi’ee, and those after them have clearly stated that a woman in menses must not recite the Quran’ (Tirmizi) Imam An Nawawi has also stated that ‘the majority (Jumhoor) of the scholars have adopted this verdict. (Al Majmoo) And Allah knows best. Mufti Waseem Khan Source