ummtaalib

The Indispensability of Abundant Zikr and Muraqabah for the Seeker Translation of a talk given by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (damat barakatuhum) The first lesson in the esteemed Naqshbandi Silsilah is Latifa-e-Qalb. Upon this, the seeker traveling the spiritual path (salik) engages in the spiritual exercise of muraqabah, where he or she sets aside some private time to sit and reflect on Allah . In this exercise the salik strives to empty the heart of all thoughts and imagines the blessings and mercy of Allah entering the heart and erasing its darkness. As if in gratitude to being cleansed of darkness the heart joyfully calls out the Name of Allah over and over again… Allah ! Allah ! Allah ! A general scientific principle states that whenever a vacuum is created, something comes in to fill it and therefore the vacuum does not stay as is. Similarly when we sit and strive to remove all thoughts from our heart the aim is to create a void that will hopefully be filled with thoughts of Allah . Darkness and light cannot coexist in the same space. Hence the more we strive to rid our hearts of filth, the hope is that divine light, goodness and blessing will enter to replace the darkness that was there. This is why it is extremely important to do muraqabah in abundance. Wherever in the Holy Quran we find the command to practice dhikr, the word is accompanied with the adjective signifying abundance (dhikr-e-kathir). O you who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah , and do this often [33:41] What then is meant by abundant dhikr? At all times a person is either lying down, sitting or on his feet. Abundant dhikr refers to remembering Allah at all times in all these states. To clarify this, the elders usually present the example of a man who falls ill and is running a high fever. Under this scenario his doctor prescribes antibiotics three times a day for seven days, so that it would take a total of 21 pills to cure the fever. Now, if this person breaks this sequence and has one pill every 3 days, even if he were to have a total of 22 his illness will not be cured. Why then is the illness not cured even though the person takes more of the medication? Despite the accuracy of the diagnosis and the effectiveness of the medicine, it was not taken in the quantity prescribed by the physician and so the person remains ill. This indicates that quantity counts for a lot in some matters, especially here. Thus even if a patient skips a dose of his medication just one time, the doctor tells him to start the course again from the beginning for the sake of effectiveness. Consequently, quantity in dhikr is absolutely crucial for a seeker on this path. A little dhikr does the seeker no benefit. Little do they hold Allah in remembrance [4:142] The result of this is; (They are) distracted in mind even in the midst of it, being (sincerely) for neither one group nor for another whom Allah leaves straying, never wilt thou find for him the way [4:143] A person whose dhikr is insufficient becomes a victim of doubt. He does not tread with confidence the path that leads him to his destination – his feet falter and he constantly changes direction. On the other hand, abundance of dhikr eliminates the darkness of the heart. It is thus that our elders tell us that the filth of thought (fikr) is only removed by the abundance of remembrance (dhikr). How can a person tell whether a particular thought is inspired by Allah or the Devil (Shaitan)? Remembrance (dhikr) and piety (taqwa) reveal this distinction. The Holy Quran says Allah grants furqan to whoever has taqwa. He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong) [8:29] Furqan is the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, the insight that distinguishes between good and evil. While there may be no apparent basis for making this distinction, this internal light [1] allows a person to differentiate between righteousness and wickedness. This furqan is a blessing that Allah grants to those who engage in plentiful dhikr. So we must strive to remember Allah lying down, sitting, and whenever we are on our feet. The hearts of the believers should be connected with their Lord in every situation until the very traces of sinfulness are erased from every vein and muscle of their bodies. Constant remembrance leads to spiritual connection (nisbah) to Allah , and cleanses a person completely when it permeates the body. Such a person submits his entire being to Allah and his life and death become only for Allah , and Allah does not let down a person who so completely gives himself up to Him. The Glory of Allah is His alone, and He never abandons the one who submits to Him, but rather protects His servant. The basic rule for one who seeks to gain all this benefit is to engage in abundant dhikr, and this is one criterion that the majority of seekers fail to meet. They give bay’ah [2] and most of them even change their lifestyle and appearance, but fail to do sufficient dhikr. If they sit for muraqabah at all it only lasts five or ten minutes, and they fail to realize that Allah is not found through mere minutes of muraqabah! Even the world cannot be gained with just a few minutes of effort, so how can we expect to reach the Lord of the worlds by such a meager attempt? It is commonly understood that if one wishes for a meeting with someone of importance, then he or she will have to wait in line for one’s turn just because of the high rank and demand of the individual or party sought after. For example, people line up for hours and sometimes days for an audience with a famous movie or sports star just because of that individual’s high status in society. Now if people are required to wait for a meeting with another human being, then surely a meeting with Allah the Lord of the Worlds mandates a waiting period also. This waiting time is fulfilled through muraqabah. A person who thus spends his life sitting with his head lowered yearning for a meeting with Allah , fulfills his waiting time on the Day of Judgment. Consequently the one who does not do this in the world will have to spend the necessary wait time in the Hereafter. But the wait time in the Hereafter is indeed grueling! Someone will have to stand in wait for a thousand years – someone for a thousand more. Abundance in dhikr is so important that Allah ordained it upon His Prophets. Allah commanded Prophet Musa: Go, you and your brother, with My Signs, and slacken not either of you in keeping Me in remembrance [ 20:42 ] Whenever our elders say or command something their words carry potency and weight. How incredibly important must dhikr be in our lives if Allah is issuing the command and on the receiving end are two prophets? So if we want the love of the world and the darkness of sin to be erased from our hearts, the only way to achieve this is through abundant dhikr. Just like the earth is cleansed when rain falls upon it, hearts are purged when mercy rains down upon them through abundant dhikr. Hadrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi (may the mercy of Allah be upon him) has written that there are two ways in which the earth regains purity if there is filth upon it. Water pours down in such abundance that the filth is completely washed away. The sun shines down so intensely that all trace of filth is burned away. Similarly, there are only two ways to attain purification of the heart. One way is to engage in so much dhikr that mercy rains down upon one’s heart to such an extent that it eliminates the filth and cures the diseases of the heart. The other is to remain in the company of a righteous Shaykh and serve him, and like the sun the heart of the Shaykh shines its rays upon his heart. The resulting blessing (faidh) removes all signs of the filth and a person’s heart is rendered pure. Thus, we should be frequent and regular in our dhikr so that Allah grants us annihilation of the heart (fana-e-qalbi), a blessing attained after the heart is purified in which a person is forever occupied in the remembrance of his Lord. However, this does not mean that he always sits in prayer and forsakes all other responsibilities. Rather the opposite is true and he takes care of all his worldly and family responsibilities but with a constant awareness of and a deep connection with Allah . The love of the world has taken over our hearts and we are constantly thinking about it! Even if we make the firm intention not to think about worldly affairs during prayer or throughout the day we cannot let go of these thoughts. This is called annihilation in the world (fana-fid-duniya). Today we are so absorbed in the world that despite our best efforts we are not able to rid our hearts of preoccupation with it. If only we would gain such a level of annihilation in Allah (fina-fillah) that we wouldn’t be able to forget Him even if we tried. Such is the station that we aspire towards, and how pitiful is our present state! It is our prayer that Allah grants us this lofty station, so that our life is spent upon goodness and our feet remain firm on the path that leads us to Him. Ameen. ——————————————————————————— [1] A saying of the Prophet tells us “Beware of the insight of a believer, for he sees with the light (nur) of Allah ” [2] Students begin their spiritual journey by taking an oath (bay’ah) with a spiritual master (Shaykh). This oath entails seeking forgiveness from Allah for past sins and renewing a lifetime commitment to living according to the Holy Quran and the example (sunnah) of the Prophet. The Messenger took such pledges from many of his companions, and hence the act of bay’ah is classified by traditional scholars as a sunnah. tawwabeen.org

The colour of henna will only show its true effect once it permeates (i.e. the beauty of the Sunnah will only show itself through a person’s sublime character, when the sunnah permeates a person’s heart and life) Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (Rahmatullahi Alaihi)

An Example of Unqualified Qiyaas Why is Talaaq issued in the state of anger taken into consideration? Question I am deeply concerned with the advice given to fellow Muslims about talaaq. A lot of questions state that the husband said talaaq thrice in anger and the answer given was is that the marriage is over. Talaaq is a very sensitive issue and a simple yes or no answer is not enough. Many scholars have different opinions about this and this should be mentioned to all the people who ask talaaq questions and all the Ahadith and Aayaat should be mentioned, not just a few that support the student/ mufti’s opinion. I have researched enough to find out that Allah does not take thoughtless oaths seriously and talaaq is also considered an oath. Also, everyone gets angry, and when this happens, words and reasoning can’t be taken seriously as anger makes people insane to extreme levels. So talaaq given in anger is a thoughtless and insane oath. Also, many scholars mentioned a Hadith from Hazrat Abu Bakr radhiallahu anhu stating that talaaq given thrice at any one time is counted as one talaaq. My personal opinion is that if a person is not sane, then how can the talaaq from such a person in that state be taken seriously! I feel it is common sense. Allah hates divorce and it cannot be that easy to get done. Majority of people say things in anger and if everyone took these words seriously, we would not have families or a society etc. Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. We have analyzed your email and understand that you are expressing your opinions rather than asking a query. While your concern for the Ummah and sincerity is appreciated, the fact of matter is that concern for the Ummah must be addressed through the channels of Shariah; Quran, Ahādīth, Ijmā’ and Qiyās. Qiyās is the science of analogy which has its defined rules in Shariah. It is only when the rules are correctly applied that the outcome will be valid. Not all analogies are valid and accepted. Before we destruct your analogy of talāq on oaths and anger on insanity, we hereby present a brief to you about the rules of analogy in Shariah. An analogy (qiyās) is conducted to search for a ruling about an issue which is not expressly mentioned in the Quran or Ahādīth.[1] Qiyās (analogical deduction) linguistically means to evaluate and examine one thing based on another.[2] [3] In the terminology of Usūl ul fiqh, it is applying the ruling of an Asl to a Fara’; the Asl refers to a known ruling and the Fara’ refers to an unknown ruling. [4] [5] In the science of analogy, the illah (effective cause) of the Asl is derived and the Fara’ is analyzed to see if it fits all the characteristics of the Asl in order to determine whether the ruling of the Asl can be extended to the Fara’ or not. There are many laws that govern the science of Qiyās. There are four components of Qiyās: 1. Asl: This is an issue proven from the Quran, Ahādīth or Ijmaa (consensus) 2. Fara’: This is a new issue not found in the Quran, Ahādīth or Ijmaa 3. Illah: The cause of the ruling of the Asl. 4. Hukm: The ruling given for the Fara’ based on the Asl after conducting the Qiyās. There are 5 conditions for a Qiyās to be valid. 1. The Qiyās cannot oppose a nas (express decree) : Example: Can a woman travel with a group of women based on the analogy that she can travel with a mahram? Just as she is safe with a mahram, she is also safe with other women. This analogy is invalid as the prohibition of a woman travelling without a mahram is expressly stated in the Hadīth. [6]One therefore cannot apply any analogy on a woman travelling without a mahram. 2. The Qiyās should not change the ruling of anything proven from the nas: Example: There are four body parts that must be washed during wudhu; the arms, face, head and feet. This is based on the verse of the Holy Quran.[7] Therefore, to analogize wudhu on tayammum and say that niyyah is also compulsory in wudhu as it is in tayammum is incorrect. This is because adding the compulsion of niyyah to wudhu will be adding on the nas[8]which is impermissible. 3. The Asl should not be contrary to Qiyās (Amre ta’abbudi/ khilāfe qiyās): Example: If a person laughs aloud in salah, both his salah and wudhu will break and he will have to perform wudhu and salah again. We can understand the salah breaking, but why does the wudhu break? This is ‘contrary to Qiyās’- we cannot understand the reasoning behind it; but we accept it as this is the ruling mentioned in the nas.[9]Now, if someone backbites or sings in salah, can we analogize these issues on laughing in salah and conclude that backbiting and singing breaks one’s wudhu aswell? This analogy is incorrect as the ruling of wudhu breaking due to laughing is illogical. This cannot serve as an Asl for the other issues. 4. The illah in the Qiyās should be based on a Sharī ruling, not a linguistic matter: Example: The linguistic meaning of ‘Hajj’ is to travel. To say that it is compulsory for a person to do ‘Hajj’ (go to a certain place other than Makkah…) if he has enough money and the means to go is incorrect. It is incorrect because in the light of Shariah, only the journey to Makkah in the months of Hajj with the intention of performing Hajj is called ‘Hajj’. All other journeys do not fall under Shariah’s definition of Hajj. 5. The ruling of the Fara’ should not be mentioned in the nusūs[10]: Example: Allah Ta῾ālā instructs the believers in the Holy Quran not to come close to salāh after they have drunk alcohol. For a person to use this verse to say that it is permissible to drink alcohol before salah will be incorrect because Allah has prohibited alcohol as whole in another place in the Holy Quran. Please note that the above five conditions are general conditions. Each of the components (Asl, Fara’, Hukm and Illah) all have certain requirements and conditions that must be fulfilled. Below is an illustration to demonstrate the correct use of Qiyās: _______________________________________________________________________________ Example of Qiyās Hypothetical question posed: What is the ruling for taking cocaine? After searching through the nusūs (Qurān and Ahādīth), we realise that there is no explicit ruling regarding cocaine. We now need to deduce the ruling of cocaine in Shariah. We analyze some of the characteristics of cocaine to determine the closest example of it in Shariah. Further research into the issue shows us that one of the characteristics of cocaine is that it intoxicates. This characteristic is also found in wine which is proven to be impermissible from the nusūs[11]. So… The jurists take the ruling of wine (impermissibility) and apply it to cocaine.[12] The above is just a basic example of qiyās. You have unfortunately analogized talaaq with a thoughtless oath and given talaaq the same ruling as a thoughtless oath. This analogy is incorrect as the analogy violates the first condition of Qiyās; there are nusūs about talaaq[13] [14] [15] therefore Qiyās cannot be conducted.[16] Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is reported to have said: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ثَلَاثٌ جَدُّهُنَّ جَدٌّ، وَهَزْلُهُنَّ جَدٌّ: النِّكَاحُ، وَالطَّلَاقُ، وَالرَّجْعَة [17] Translation: Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “There are three things which, whether undertaken seriously or in jest, are treated as serious: Marriage, divorce and taking back a wife.” We do not understand how you came to the conclusion that talaaq is a thoughtless oath; because it is not even an oath to start off with; it is a statement. Nevertheless, we assume that you are referring to yameene laghw ‘thoughtless oath’. There are numerous concerns and problems that emerge from this analogy. If talaaq was given the same ruling as a thoughtless oath and regarded as invalid, then we would face the same problem that the women faced in the time of Jahiliyyah. A husband could have the power issue a divorce whenever he wants to and could then revoke it saying that he didn’t mean it. عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّاسُ وَالرَّجُلُ يُطَلِّقُ امْرَأَتَهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَهَا، وَهِيَ امْرَأَتُهُ إِذَا ارْتَجَعَهَا وَهِيَ فِي العِدَّةِ، وَإِنْ طَلَّقَهَا مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ، حَتَّى قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِامْرَأَتِهِ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أُطَلِّقُكِ فَتَبِينِي مِنِّي، وَلَا آوِيكِ أَبَدًا، قَالَتْ: وَكَيْفَ ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: أُطَلِّقُكِ، فَكُلَّمَا هَمَّتْ عِدَّتُكِ أَنْ تَنْقَضِيَ رَاجَعْتُكِ، فَذَهَبَتِ المَرْأَةُ حَتَّى دَخَلَتْ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَأَخْبَرَتْهَا، فَسَكَتَتْ عَائِشَةُ، حَتَّى جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَخْبَرَتْهُ، فَسَكَتَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، حَتَّى نَزَلَ القُرْآنُ: الطَّلَاقُ مَرَّتَانِ فَإِمْسَاكٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ تَسْرِيحٌ بِإِحْسَانٍ[18] Translation: Hazrat Aisha radhiallahu anha narrates that a person would give his wife however many talāq’s he wished and she would still be considered his wife if he took her back into his marriage even if he divorced her a hundred times or more. Until the extent that one man told his wife “I swear that I will put you in such a situation wherein you won’t separate from me and I won’t approach you ever.” She inquired “How do you intend to do that?” He said “I will divorce you. Then whenever your iddah (waiting period) is close to finishing, I will take you back into my marriage and I will constantly keep on doing this. So this woman went to Hazrat Aisha radhiallahu anha and explained the situation to her. Hazrat Aisha remained silent until Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam arrived and she informed him. Nabi sallallahu alaihi wasallam also remained silent and did not say anything. Then Allah revealed the verse of the Holy Qurān “Talāq is twice (after which one can take his wife back into his marriage). Then either keep your wife in a good manner or release her amicably.” This was a practice from the time of the days of Jāhiliyyah (ignorance) as stated in Tafsīr al Tabarī .[19] What this effectively means is that a husband could have control over his wife for as long as he wants. He could just divorce her when he felt like it and stop her from marrying anyone else by taking her back into his marriage. He would make her life miserable because he would not have marital relations with her and he would not let her go. She would remain in this ‘hanging’ state as long as he wanted. When the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam was asked about it, the above mentioned verse was revealed ordaining that a man has a maximum of two chances. If he gives her a third talāq, he cannot take her back. This is for the ease and consideration of the wife as much as it is for the man. On the other side, regard the talaaq to be valid and observe the restraint and cautiousness in men when uttering talaaq. This inadvertently gives respect and protection to women. If talaaq is regarded as a thoughtless oath, a husband will keep on issuing divorces and he will not be sanctioned with the loss of his wife. On the other hand, the wife will be forced to live a life of suspense; she will be a wife in theory but in reality she is neither here nor there. This is the absurd conclusion that would emerge if we accepted your erroneous analogy of talaaq on a thoughtless oath. Another problem with giving talaaq the same ruling as a thoughtless oath is that a thoughtless oath has nothing to do with another person. It is limited to oneself; whereas the laws and rulings of talaaq are extended to another person; a man’s wife. An additional aspect that you have overlooked is that a ‘thoughtless’ oath is only one type of oath. There are two other oaths that a person WILL be held responsible for; yameene ghamoos and yameene mun’aqidah. However, this is not the time to delve into this because the analogy of talaaq on a thoughtless oath is flawed and erroneous from the beginning. You have also made Qiyās of anger on insanity. From the principle, theoretical and academic angle, your analogy of anger on insanity is incorrect. This is because the fundamental requisite for extending a ruling from the Asl to the Fara’ is that the Asl and Fara’ must share a common cause (illah muttahidah); which is non-existent in this scenario rendering the Qiyās incorrect from the outset. Furthermore, there are a number of inconsistencies with this analogy. Being in the state of anger doesn’t justify an act. For example, if a person shoots and kills someone out of anger, he cannot justify his murder by saying “I did it because I was angry, if I was in the right state of mind I wouldn’t have pulled the trigger.” The same applies for what we say with our tongues. Just because we are angry at the moment of uttering something doesn’t mean the ruling won’t be applied. Insanity is when a person is mentally unstable to such an extent that he cannot distinguish or differ between fantasy and reality, between right and wrong, between good and bad. It is the result of a person being mentally deficient. Anger, on the other hand is caused by destructiveness, grandiosity, selfishness, vengeance, hurtfulness, and unjust blaming. In a marriage, it is when a spouse expresses dispassion, evasiveness and ineffectualness along with the previously mentioned things. It is when one doesn’t have his priorities in the right order and acts impulsively knowing the consequences but deciding to overlook them to express ones feelings. Aisha radhiallahu anha narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: " رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ: عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ، وَعَنِ الصَّغِيرِ حَتَّى يَكْبَرَ، وَعَنِ الْمَجْنُونِ حَتَّى يَعْقِلَ[20] Translation: “The pen has been lifted from three persons; from a sleeping person until he awakes, from a young immature person until he grows up and from an insane person until he regains his sanity.” The reason (illah) as to why these three people are not held accountable for what they do or say is because they have no control over what they do or say. They cannot differentiate between right and wrong, between harmful and safe. The same cannot be said for an angry person. An angry person generally has full control over what he does or says; the only issue is that his anger might cause him to make rash decisions. The point being made is that there is a fundamental difference between insanity and anger. They are not the same thing and one cannot be used interchangeably. Inevitably, the amount of anger one has differs from person to person, but Allah has given every sane person the ability to control their anger, or better still to control what they do and say when they are angry. All anger is either justified or unjustified; however one alone bears the sole responsibility of how it is expressed regardless of the cause and extent of it. The Fuqahā have taken into consideration the fact that there are some people that get angry to such an extent that they do not know or have control over what they are doing or saying in this state of anger. The rulings for such a person are different from a normal person. The challenge in such a claim is to determine whether the person is indeed insane or not. The Fuqahā have stated that there are more than 70 categories of insanity. To fit a person into one of these and thereafter apply the ruling is no easy job. The aforementioned rules and conditions of Qiyās are just the basics that a student learns in the second or third year of a six to seven year Aalim course. There are numerous other issues and conditions that must be learnt, applied and taken into consideration before Qiyās can be correctly implemented. Advice Allah Ta῾ālā states in the Holy Quran: وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ (43/32) “And we have raised some people above others in rank.” Allah Ta῾ālā has bestowed different people with different qualities, abilities and virtues. Some people excel in law whereas others excel in sociology. Some are well versed in poetry whereas others are skilled surgeons and doctors. Some are professional chefs and others are professional footballers. Similarly, some people choose to study and pursue Islamic knowledge; the Quran, Ahādīth and Islamic jurisprudence and excel in their chosen field. There is no one person who can do everything. Allah Ta῾ālā instructs us in the Holy Quran: فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (16/43) “And ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” When a person requires medical attention, he consults a physician. He cannot pretend to be a physician and treat himself. In that instance, he will remain sick and his health may deteriorate. This is something that everyone understands. Furthermore, if a competent physician diagnoses the sickness, the patient places his trust in the physician and acknowledges his expertise. Will it be correct for the patient to object to the physicians’ diagnosis? It is understood if an equally or more highly qualified physician disagrees. That is a disagreement based on qualifications. It is an academic disagreement; which is appreciated. The disagreement of an ignorant person pretending to be qualified is not appreciated. Similarly, in issues of religion and religious verdicts, one should be humble, honest and act responsibly. Allah Ta῾ālā states in the Holy Quran: فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (16/43) “And ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” Three points are illustrated in this verse: 1. The word فَاسْأَلُوا suggests that if he does not know, he should humble himself and acknowledge the fact that he does not know. Don’t pretend to know. 2. The words إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ suggest that one should be honest in his conclusion of not knowing. 3. The words أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ suggest that one should act responsibly and refer to people of knowledge. Religious verdicts are a result of following certain disciplinary rules and codes. A correct verdict is measured with the disciplinary rules applied in arriving to its conclusion. If the road travelled on (principles) is correct, the destination (verdict) will be realised. There must be consistency between the principles (usool), application and its verdict. Being short of anything in this will be academic gymnastics or promiscuous interpretation. If one is not qualified in the field of Fiqh or Usoole Fiqh and pretends to be qualified, that is total dishonesty and a major sin. His attitude is similar to a patient objecting to a competent physician’s diagnosis, except that in the case of the patient, it is detrimental to his health. Here, it is detrimental to ones religion. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. www.daruliftaa.net askimam.org

A Technical look at Qiyaas: There are four essential elements of Qiyaas, called its Arkaan or pillars: 1. The Asl -- original or principle case. 2. The Far’ -- the novel issue requiring determination 3. The ‘illah which is the common effective feature found both in the Asl and the Far’ and 4. The Hukm -- the ruling in the Asl which is then extended to the Far’. By way of example, to illustrate the application of these terms consider the issue of narcotic drugs. These drugs are a recent development and were not present at the time of revelation. Therefore they are not explicitly mentioned in the Divine texts (Qur’aan and Hadith). However alcoholic beverages were explicitly mentioned in the texts. Alcoholic beverages will be the Asl (the principle case). The narcotic drugs are the Far’ (the novel case to be determined). The Hukm would be the prohibition or impermissibility to use such a substance. The Jurist may then look into the Asl todetermine the ‘illah (the effective cause). If it is determined that the effective cause is intoxication, the Jurist then investigates whether the same factor is found in the Far’ (narcotic drugs). If so the Hukm (rule of impermissibility) is extended from the Asl (principle case) to the Far’ (novel issue). The conclusion would be that narcotic drugs are also impermissible. Television and Images by Mufti Emraan Vawda - Page 61 Source

Question Is it mustahab not to remove hair and nails during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah? Answer Sayyidatuna Ummu Salamah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ''When Dhul Hijjah begins and a person intends to make udhiyah (slaughter on Eid day), then he should not remove hair nor clip his nails''. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 5090) Based on the above Hadith, the Hanafi Jurists say that it is mustahab (preferable) for a person intending to do udhiyah, not to remove hair or clip his nails until after his animal is slaughtered. Note 1:However this should not be considered binding. Note 2:If one hasn’t cut his nails or removed body hair for up to forty days, and by practicing on the above, he will be exceeding the forty day limit, he should not delay. In this case, he is instructed to rather remove the hair/nails etc instead of waiting till after slaughter. This is because Shari’ah instructs us to remove unwanted hair/nails once every forty days. (Refer: Badhlul Majhud, under Hadith: 2791) And Allah Ta’ala Knows best Verified by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers

The Compilation of the Qur'an The Qur'an was written down from the earliest time. The Qur'an is the Holy Book of Islam. It is the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, over a period of 23 years (from 610 to 633 CE) through the angel Jibreel (Gabriel). The Qur'an is still in its original form as it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. During the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the Qur'an was mainly preserved through memorization. Hundreds of Companions of the Prophet, were huffaz, or memorizers of the whole Qur'an and had memorized the Qur'an without any mistakes. But the Qur'an was also preserved through writing. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, made special arrangements to have it written down. When Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to receive a revelation, he dictated it to a Companion, who wrote it down on anything that was available: bark, stone, bones, leaves, etc. The companion then read, what he had written, to the Prophet. If there were any mistakes, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would correct it and then let it be brought before everyone. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, also told the order of the verses, etc, and they were written accordingly. So, in the days of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, one copy of the Qur’an existed of what he had gotten written under his personal supervision. It was not in book form but in different parchments. Other Companions also had collections of the Qur'an for their personal record but no standard copy of the Qur'an in book form existed. Hadith About Reading From a Transcript Some people argue that the Qur'an was not written at all during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. This is not true as there are many Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, that indicate that the Qur'an did exist in written form during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. For example, the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: “If anyone recites the Qur'an without seeing the transcription, the reward is one thousand times, and if he reads it from the transcription, the reward is two thousand times.” This Hadith shows that Companions did possess written copies of the Quran during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Compilation in the Khilafah of Abu Bakr After Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, died in 633 CE, Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, became the Khalifah (caliph). The need of the compilation of the whole Qur’an in the form of a Book was seen. In the battle of Yamamah and other battles, many huffaz were martyred. Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, noticed this and went to the Khalifah, and told him about this matter. At first Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, hesitated in doing something that the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, hadn’t done but then, seeing the importance of this, he agreed. Then Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, was called. Hazrat Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, used to write the Qur'an for the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, during his time. At first, Sayyidna Zayd, Radi-Allahu anhu, refused to do so but then, he, too, agreed. The compilation of the Qur'an started, with Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, in charge. Lots of companions, including himself had memorized the whole Qur'an and so the Qur'an could have easily been written down from memory. There were also complete collections of the verses of the Holy Qur'an available with many companions. But Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, knew he had to be careful. He used both methods by collecting verses that were written during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam and also using memory. He followed four steps. First he verified the verse with his own memory. Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, who was a Hafiz, was also in charge of the project and he verified it, too. Then, before the verse could be accepted, the two reliable witnesses had to testify that it was written in the presence of Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. After that, written verses were collated with the collections of different Companions. The purpose of this method was so that the utmost care be taken in the transcription of the Qur'an, and rather then rely on memory, it should be transcribed from verses that were written in the presence of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. It was this way that the Qur'an was compiled. In this copy, all Surahs were written separately. The purpose of this transcription was to prepare an organized document with the endorsement of the whole Ummah so that reference could be made to it when required. The transcripts stayed with Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu. After his death in 634 CE they were passed on to the second Khalifah Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu. And after Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, they were given to his daughter, Hazrat Hafsah, Radi-Allahu anha. Compilation in the Khilafah of Sayyidna Uthman When Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, became Khalifah in 644 CE, Islam had spread to far areas such as Iran and Byzantine. People who accepted Islam learned how to read the Qur'an from Muslim soldiers, traders and other Muslims. There are seven different ways to recite the Qur'an and different Companions had learned it from the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in different recitals. People though that only their way of reciting was correct and started disputing with other people. Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, accomplished the feat of making the Qur'an’s recitation standard. First, Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, borrowed the first copy of the Holy Qur'an from Hafsah, Radi-Allahu anha. He then formed a group of four companions, Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Zubayr, Saeed ibn al Aas, and Abdur Rahman bin Harith Radi-Allahu anhuma. The group had the task of making transcripts of the original copy and also to put the Surahs in sequence. Other companions were also called upon to help them. After having these standard transcripts prepared, all other transcripts were burnt, so that all copies of the Qur'an become uniform in script and the sequence of Surahs, leaving no room for differences. The copy produced by Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, is still extant. All copies of the Qur'an available today in the world are exactly identical to the Uthmani Version, which was completed less than twenty years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Later some improvements were made in the Arabic script, like the adding of dots and diacritical marks, to make it easier for non-Arabs to read, but of course, the text of the Qur'an has remained, and will remain the same forever. albalagh.net

The Urdu and persian word Qurbani (Sacrificial slaughter) is derived from the Arabic word Qurban. Lexically, it means an act performed to seek Allah's pleasure. Originally, the word Qurban included all acts of charity because the purpose of charity is nothing but to seek Allah's pleasure. But, in precise religious terminology, the word was later confined to the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah. The sacrifice of an animal has always been treated as a recognized form of worship in all religious orders originating from a divine book. Even in pagan societies, the sacrifice of an animal is recognized as a form of worship, but it is done in the name of some idols and not in the name of Allah, a practice totally rejected by Islam. In the Shari'ah of our beloved Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the sacrifice of an animal has been recognized as a form of worship only during three days of Zulhijjah, namely, the 10th, 1lth and 12th of the month. This is to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by the Prophet Sayyidna Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, when he, in pursuance to a command of Allah conveyed to him in a dream, prepared himself to slaughter his beloved son, Sayyidna Isma'il, Alayhi Salam, and actually did so but, Allah Almighty, after testing his submission, sent down a sheep and saved his son from the logical fate of slaughter. It is from that time onwards that the sacrifice of an animal became an obligatory duty to be performed by every well to do Muslim. Qurbani is a demonstration of total submission to Allah and a proof of complete obedience to Allah's will or command. When a Muslim offers a Qurbani, this is exactly what he intends to prove. Thus, the Qurbani offered by a Muslim signifies that he is a slave of Allah at his best and that he would not hesitate even for a moment, once he receives an absolute command from his Creator, to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even if it be at the price of his life and possessions. When a true and perfect Muslim receives a command from Allah, he does not make his obedience dependent upon the command's reasonability' as perceived through his limited understanding. He knows that Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise and that his own reason cannot encompass the knowledge and wisdom underlying the divine command. He, therefore, submits to the divine command, even if he cannot grasp the reason or wisdom behind it. This is exactly what the Prophet Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, did. Apparently, there was no reason why a father should slaughter his innocent son. But, when came the command from Allah, he never asked about the reason for that command, nor did he hesitate to follow it. Even his minor son when asked by his father about the dream he had seen, never questioned the legitimacy of the command, nor did he pine or whine about it, nor did he ask for one good reason why he was being slaughtered. The one and only response he made was: 'Father, do what you have been ordered to do. You shall find me, God willing, among the patient". The present-day Qurbani is offered in memory of this great model of submission set before us by the great father and the great son. So Qurbani must be offered in our time emulating the same ideal and attitude of submission. This, then, is the true philosophy of Qurbani. With this in mind, one can easily unveil the fallacy of those who raise objections against Qurbani on the basis of economic calculations and depict it to be a wastage of money, resources and livestock. Unable to see beyond mundane benefits, they cannot understand the spirit Islam wants to plant and nourish among its followers, the spirit of total submission to Allah's will which equips man with most superior qualities so necessary to keep humanity in a state of lasting peace and welfare. Qurbani is nothing but a powerful symbol of the required human conduct vis-a-vis the divine commands, however "irrational" or "uneconomic" they may seem to be in their appearance. Thus, the distrustful quest for mundane economic benefits behind Qurbani is, in fact, the negation of its real philosophy and the very spirit underlying it. No doubt, there are in every form of worship ordained by Allah, certain worldly benefits too, but they are not the main purpose of these prescribed duties, nor should they be treated as a pre-condition to submission and obedience. All acts of worship, including Qurbani, must be carried out with a spirit of total submission to Allah, irrespective of their economic, social or political benefits. This is what Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, did, and this is what every true Muslim is required to do, al-balagh Rules: Here

10 years after his migration from Mecca to Medina, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) performed his Hajj, which came to be known as the "Hajj of Farewell." The Prophet told his followers: "Learn how to perform Hajj, as after this year I may not perform it." As the news spread around, people from Medina and nearby areas started assembling there to accompany the Prophet. On the afternoon of Thursday, 24 Dhul Qada, 10 AH, the Prophet mounted his she-camel to set out for Makkah. A multitude of people, over 100,000 in number, accompanied him. Jabir, a Companion of the Prophet said, "I could see people as far as my eyes could see." On the way more people joined the caravan. When the Prophet reached a place called Dhul Hulaifa, he spent the night there and in the morning took a bath and put on Ihram, the pilgrims’ dress, made up of two unstitched sheets (women wear normal dress and cover their heads by a scarf). Afterwards he moved towards Mecca saying the talbiyah prayer: "Here I am, O Allah, Here I am at Your service! You have no partner, here I am. All praise, grace and dominion belongs to You. You have no partner." The multitude joined him in repeating these words. After travelling for nine days, the Prophet reached Mecca on 4 Dhul Hijjah. He first went to the Sacred Mosque. On seeing the Kabah, he said: "O Allah! increase the greatness and sublimity of Your House." And further added, "O Allah, You are peace, with You is peace. Our Lord, keep us alive with peace." Afterwards he performed tawaf—going round the Kabah seven times. As he did this, he kept calling upon God: "Our Lord, give us goodness in this world and goodness in the Hereafter, and keep us safe from the fire of Hell." When he had finished going round the Kabah, he prayed two rakat at the Maqam Ibrahim—the Station of Abraham, and went towards the Black Stone and kissed it. He moved towards Safa, saying that Safa and Marwa were one of the signs of Allah. He went up the Safa hill, till he could see the Kabah. (At that time the hills of Safa and Marwa were outside the Sacred Mosque, but now after the expansion of the grounds, they come within the boundary wall). The Prophet walked briskly between the two hills seven times and ended the walk at Marwa. Some of the seven laps he did on camel-back. Perhaps he did so that people could see him from a distance. The Prophet was staying in Mecca at a place called al-Bath. After staying there for four days, he moved to Mina on 8 Dhul Hijjah and the next morning, he moved off towards Arafat. At Arafat, he stayed in a small tent in the Arnah valley. In the afternoon he rode his she-camel as far as the middle part of the Arafat valley. Here, mounted on his she-camel, he gave a sermon which is known as the Sermon of the Farewell Hajj. Today, at this very spot there stands a mosque by the name of Namirah. In his message to humanity, the Prophet emphasized the highest moral values. Here the Prophet announced: "No Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab. No black man is superior to a red man and no red man is superior to a black, except through taqwa or fear of Allah. The most noble among you is the one who is deeply conscious of God." While the Prophet was praying here, the very last verse of the Qur’an was revealed to him, and so the Holy Book was completed. After delivering the sermon, the Prophet performed two prayers together—Zuhr and Asr. After prayers, the Prophet came to the spot in Arafat which known as the "standing place". Here, mounted on his she-camel, the Prophet prayed till sunset. He said that the prayer of this day was the best of all. The Prophet was praying with divine feelings. He was praying, the people around him were praying, some standing, some mounted on their animals—weeping and crying to their Lord for His favors, vowing for repentance and craving His blessing. It was such a great moment that the Prophet said, "Arafat is Hajj." He prayed, "O Allah, You are listening to me. You are watching my place. You are aware of my hidden and open affairs. I am miserable and needy, I am pleading to You. Asking your protection..." After sunset, the Prophet rode towards Muzdalifa. He asked Usama ibn Zayd to ride his camel too. He went on saying Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk—"Here I am O Lord, Here I am". And the people were chanting the same. The Prophet asked people not to run, but to move slowly and calmly, as running was no work of piety. On reaching Muzdalifa, the Prophet asked his Companion, Bilal to give the call for prayers. There he said the Maghrib and the Isha prayer together. The Prophet took rest at night and in the morning after praying, he went towards a place called Mashar Haram where he offered further for prayers. Before sunrise, the Prophet left Muzdalifah for Mina, after taking seven small pebbles from there. On the way, passing through the valley of Muhssar, he asked people to move fast, as this was the place, where the People of the Elephant, who came to destroy the Kabah, were punished by Allah. This incident happened in the year in which the Prophet was born. Riding on, he reached the Jamarah, the three pillars at Mina, at which he cast seven pebbles, saying Allahu Akbar each time. The Prophet gave his second sermon at Mina, which was similar to the previous one at Arafat. Afterwards the Prophet offered his sacrifices, shaved his head and took off the ihram—the pilgrims’ dress. That was the day of the feast—(today we remember that day as Id al-Adha). On the same day, the Prophet rode to Mecca, performed Tawaf, drank water at Zamzam and returned to Mina. At Mina people came to him, asking many questions about the pilgrimage. Some said, "I delayed in doing so and so," or "I performed something before it was due," and so on. But the Prophet would tell them: "No objection, no objection! Objections are only for the person who wrongfully violates the honor of his fellow-man." At Mina the Prophet spent three more days for the throwing of stones. In the afternoon of Tuesday, the Prophet moved to Mecca, where he stayed in a tent and slept briefly. Before the morning prayer, he went to the Sacred Mosque and performed the Tawaf of Farewell. The Prophet stayed in Mecca during Hajj for 10 days. Afterwards he left for Medina. At a place called, Dhul Hulaifa he rested for the night, and at the sunrise, entered his beloved city—Medina, the Radiant. When he first saw the city dwellings from a distance, words of praise started pouring from his lips: "Allah is most High. There is no deity save Him. He is One. No one is His partner. He is Lord of everything. All praise belongs to Him and He empowers all things. We are returning repentant, praying, prostrating ourselves, praising our Lord. Allah has kept His promise."The Prophet passed away two months after performing His Hajj. darulihsan

A King Learns from an Ant Submitted by Professor Nazeer Ahmed The king was distraught. He had lost a battle to his enemies. Many of his cohorts had fallen. His treasures were looted. Humbled on the battlefield, the once mighty king retreated into the forest and took refuge in a cave. As he rested against a hard rock in the damp cold of the forest cave, the king noticed a little black ant as it struggled to carry a grain up a slope on a wall. The white of the grain stood out against the black silhouette of the ant as it struggled to balance the mass of the grain with its mouth and its front legs. The wall was wet and slippery and the first attempt of the ant was a failure. The grain slipped from its hold and fell on the ground. Undaunted, the ant retraced its steps, picked up the grain and started again on the arduous journey up the slippery wall. This time the ant negotiated a little distance, perhaps an inch or two before it lost control of the grain which tumbled and fell down. Back to the grain the ant went. It positioned itself at the correct angle and pushed the grain on the ground and then up the wall a third time. Fortune was not with the ant. The grain slipped and fell once more. The process repeated itself seven times. Each time, the ant started its uphill task afresh, not discouraged by the failures of the past. The seventh time, it found its footing and successfully carried the grain on to its destination. The king was inspired by the efforts of this little ant. “What is this ant trying to teach me?”, he asked himself. “If a little ant can labor so hard to carry a single grain to its destination, surely I can struggle with determination to regain my throne.” The king resolved to regroup and continue his fight. He moved from hamlet to hamlet, village to village, town to town, arousing the people to join him in battle and defeat the usurpers. Soon, he had gathered together and trained a mighty force. He marched forth, and in a pitched battle defeated his enemies and reclaimed his throne. Humankind was born into toil and struggle. The soul must never give up its struggle to find Divine Presence through signs in nature, in history and in its own essence. It is a struggle that is ceaseless, boundless, unending until the soul departs from this world and meets Him. Allah favors those who strive patiently and persevere. This is the inner meaning of Sabr.

15 Incentives for Wudu The wudu of a believer is indicative of the position that cleanliness holds in Islam. Being the key to Salah, a mu’min will perform wudu at least 5 times a day. Therefore, utmost care should be taken in perfecting it. By implementing the following sunnats and guidelines extracted from the noble Ahadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam), one would Insha Allah be able to achieve maximum reward for the wudu. 1. If a person recites the following du’a before commencing wudu, the angles will continue recording reward for him as long as he remains in that wudu: Bismillahi wal Hamdulillah Translation: In the name of Allah, all praise is for Allah. (Al-Mu’jamus Saghir li Tabarani, vol.1 pg.73, Allamah-al-Haythami rahimahullah has classified the chain of narrators as “Hasan; soundly authentic, Majmaúz zawaid, vol.1 pg.220) 2. The use of miswak multiples the reward of two rakats of salah 70 fold. (Abu Nu’aim in Kitabus Siwak; Targheeb vol.1 pg.168) 3. Among the practices of Rasulullah (sallallahuálayhi wasallam) that is extinct nowadays during wudu is the khilal (passing of wet fingers) through the beard. He (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) would utter the following words whilst making khilal through the beard: Hakazha amaranee Rabbee (Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith:146, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith:1081) 4. It is mustahabb (preferable) to do masah (wipe with wet fingers) on the nape. One who makes masah on the nape will be saved from severe thirst and from being shackled on the day of Qiyamah. (see authentication of supporting narrations in: I’la-us sunan. vol.1 pg.123) 5. It is also sunnah to spinkle some water towards the private parts (on the pants) after wudu as this will remove any doubt that the pants are wet due to urine. (Sunan Abi Dawud; I’la-us sunan. vol.1 pg.132) 6. The sins committed by the limbs that are being washed in wudu are also washed away. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith:576) 7. Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) has informed the ummah that they will be distinguished from the rest of mankind by the shine of the limbs of wudu. He (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) therefore encouraged: “those who can increase the shine should do so.” i.e. By washing extra (Sahih Bukahri, Hadith:136) Sayyidiuna Abu Hurairah radiyallahuánhu would actually wash up to his armpits and shins because of this Hadith. (Sahih Muslim Hadith:578) Some Fuqaha (Jurists) have stated that it is mustahabb (meritorious) to at least do so up to half way between the elbows and armpits and up to half the shin. This will not be considered as israf (wastage) (Tahtawi ála durr, vol.1 pg.76, Shami, vol.1 pg.130) 8. The past and future minor sins of one who makes a thorough wudu (i.e, by washing all limbs completely) on a cold day will be forgiven. (Musnad Bazzar, Hafidh Munzhiri & Államah Haithami rahimahumallah have classified this narration as “Hasan”; soundly authentic; Targheeb, vol.1 pg.153 & Majmaúz zawaid, vol.1 pg.236-237) This is also reported as one from among those deeds, which, if carried out constantly, ensure a pleasant death. (Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith:3235) 9. One should try to be in the state of wudu all the time. He who passes away in the state of wudu dies as a Shaheed (martyr) (Majmaúz zawaid, vol.1 pg. 271 & Fathul malikil áliy, pg.35) 10. One who performs wudu at home then proceeds to the masjid for fard salah secures the reward of a Haji in the state of ihram. (Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith:559) 11. For every step taken towards the masjid in the state of wudu one sin is forgiven, one reward accrued and one stage is elevated in the hereafter. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith:647 & Sahih Muslim 1504) 12. He who waits for (the commencement of) salah in the masjid is rewarded as if he is in salah. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith:695 & Sahih Muslim, Hadith:1507) NB: Such a person will obviously be in the state of Wudu 13. The angels ask Almighty Allah to forgive and have mercy on the one who remains after the completion of the salah with wudu in the masjid until the wudu is broken. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith:445 & Sahih Muslim, Hadith:1507) 14. Despite having wudu it is mustahabb (preferable) to renew the wudu for every Salah. (Sunan Tirmizhi, hadith:58-59 & Faidhul Qadir, Hadith:8607) NB: This only applies to the one who has offered salah or any other act of worship with the previous wudu. (Shami vol.1 pg.119) 15. The greatest incentive of wudu is that it is the key to salah and salah is the key to Paradise. (Musnad Ahmad Hadith 14597) Imagine the reward of the one who implements this daily, five times each day? Now consider the extent of his reward if he teaches this to others… al-miftah

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wa'alaykumus salaam ww you are an inspiration mashaAllah....hmmmm lets see........

Hazrat Maulana Maseehullah Khan Saheb (R.A) By: Hazrat Maulana Dawood Seedat Saheb (DB) Bi ismihi Ta’ala Sha’nuhu Explanation of anger and treatment thereof by Hadhratjee Moulana Maseehullah Jalalabadi R.A. extracted from the kitaab titled “Good Character” Ghussa / Anger Definition: Revenge in the form of erupting or exploding in anger, taken at some slight or personal injury. Danger and consequences: Uncontrolled anger leads to rage, quarrels, hatred, violence and a host of other evils. To be completely devoid of anger is the opposite extreme and manifests as cowardice, which also falls in the category of being despicable. It must be pointed out that anger is an essential instinctive quality. Thus anger developing in an individual is not in his control, but the individual has the option of giving expression to the anger or not. The ideal therefore is anger reacting only to the demands of the shariat. Prevention 1. Control of the nafs by means of mujaahadah and riyadhat 2. Development of patience and forebearance (sabr and hilm) Treatment 1. Pause to reflect. Avoid reacting immediately to any situation. 2. Analyse the cause of the anger. Is it for the sake of Allah Ta’ala or is it for personal reasons? 3. Ask oneself, would I like Allah Ta’ala to treat me for my shortcomings as I am about to treat my detractor? 4. Recite “A’oozu……..” to repel shaitaan. 5. Change posture and position – if standing sit, if sitting lie down. 6. Drink cold water, or make wudhu with cold water. 7. Take up a book to read, or involve oneself in another activity. 8. Remove oneself from the situation by leaving the room. 9. Remind oneself that this is but a test from Allah Ta’ala and was written in one’s taqdeer (fate) Correction is an important principle where one’s anger has exceeded the bounds of shariat – this is done as follows: 1. Make istighfaar. 2. Apologise humbly to the person on whom one has vented one’s anger 3. Impose a penalty on oneself, for eg. Make nafl salaah, keep nafl fast, give sadaqaa etc. khanqah.co.za

What is difference between Hajj and Hajj-e-Akbar? Answer (Fatwa: 1202/1202=M/1429) It is famous among people that a hajj occurring on Friday is Hajj-e-Akbar, but it is not proved from any Fiqh books and mujtahid imams. However, the Fiqh and Hadith books state that hajj is hajj-e-akbar (big hajj) while umrah is hajj-e-asghar (small hajj). Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Deoband Source

HAJJ-E-AKBAR? By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmaani Question: It is generally presumed that the Hajj performed on a Friday is called "Haj-e-Akbar" and that it is a more meritorious Hajj as compared to the Hajj performed on any other day of the week. What is the correct meaning of "Haj-e-Akbar" and it's status in terms of the Shariah? Answer: The term used in the Glorious Quraan "Al Hajjul-Akbar" does not mean a Hajj performed on a Friday, as is generally alleged by the people. The Qur'aan has used this term for the Hajj performed by the Muslims under the supervision of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (radhiallaahu-anhu) in the year 9 A.H., one year prior to the last Hajj of Nabi (sallallaahu-alayhi-wasallam). This Hajjul-Akbar (in 9A.H.) was not even performed on a Friday, yet the Quraan refers to it as "Al Hajjul-Akbar". It is therefore evident from the above that this term has no relevance to the Hajj performed on a Friday. The correct meaning of the term, as explained by a large number of the commentators of the Glorious Qur'aan is that, the UMRAH was generally called "Al Hajjul-Asghar" (the minor Hajj). In order to distinguish Umrah from Hajj, the latter (i.e. HAJJ) was named "Al Hajjul Akbar" (the greater Hajj). Therefore, every Hajj is a "Al Hajjul-Akbar" whether it is performed on a Friday or on other day. Source:jamiat.org

Qiyas (Analogical Deduction) The buffalo that refutes Salafies- By Maulana Amin Safdar Okarvi

Raising hands in dua after salah (Includes wiping hands on the face after dua) Answer: Raising the hands in the Dua after obligatory prayers is not ‘Bid’ah’, rather it is Mustahab to raise the hands during normal duas. After Salah is one of the places of acceptance of dua, therefore there is no harm in raising them during the dua after fardh. I have seen my mashaaikh raising them and they were staunch followers of the sunnah. Those people who say it is ‘Bid’ah’ are mistaken due to a hadeeth of Saheehayn (Bukhari, Muslim) narrated on the authority of hazratAnas (Radhiyallahuanhu). حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : لاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ إِلاَّ فِي الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ وَإِنَّهُ يَرْفَعُ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ Translation: Hazrat Anas bin Malik (Radhiyallahu Anhu) says: “Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam would not raise his hands for supplication except for that of Istisqâ’(seeking rain from Allah) ; and he used to raise them so much that the whiteness of his armpits would become visible” However, this hadeeth only means that the narrator Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahuanhu) did not see the Prophet raise his hands in supplications except for Istisqa, but many other Sahaba did see him raise them on other occasions, as it is narrated in many ahadeeth. Also Imam nawawi says that what Anas (rad) means is that he would not normally raise them high above his head except in istisqa. Hafiz JalaluddinSuyooti has said in TadreeburRawi that the Ahadeeth of ‘raising the hands in dua’ have reached the level of Tawatur (Transmitted through such narrations that is it impossible to be fabricated). He further on states that approximately 100 Ahadeeth have been narrated from the Prophet (sallalahu Alayhi wasallam) regarding raising the hands in supplication. Imam Nawawi (RahmatullahiAlayh) has said in his commentry of Saheeh Al-Muslim Commentating on Hazrat Anas’s hadeeth: “The apparent words of this hadeeth portray that the Prophet (sallalahu Alayhi wasallam) did not raise his hands in dua except for Istisqa, however it has been proven that the Prophet (sallalahu Alayhi wasallam) raised his hands in supplication as well as in Istisqa. There are countless such ahadeeth. I have gathered approximately 30 ahadeeth from the saheehayn which I have mentioned at the end of ‘The chapter of Sifate Salah’ in Sharhul Muhazzab”. There are also many other ahadeeth besides the saheehayn in which there is reference of raising the hands. حدثنا أبو موسى محمد بن المثنى و إبراهيم بن يعقوب وغير واحد قالوا حدثنا حماد بن عيسى الجهني عن حنظلة بن أبيسفيان الجمحي عن سالم بن عبد الله عن أبيه عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا رفع يديه في الدعاء لم يضعهما حتى يمسح بهما وجهه Translation: Hazrat Umar (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (sallalahu Alayhi wasallam) would raise his hands in supplication he would not put them down until he would wipe them over his face.(Tirmizi) حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ ، قَالاَ : حَدَّثَنَا عَائِذُ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ ، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى الله عَليْهِ وسَلَّمَ : إِذَا دَعَوْتَ اللَّهَ , فَادْعُ بِبَاطِنِ كَفَّيْكَ ، وَلاَ تَدْعُ بِظُهُورِهِمَا ، فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ , فَامْسَحْ بِهِمَا وَجْهَكَ. Translation: It is narrated that Ibn `Abbâs said: “The Messenger of Allâh said: `When you call upon Allâh, then do so with the palms of your hands (upwards). Do not do so with the back of your hands (upwards). And when you finish, then wipe your face with them.’ ’’(Ibn Majah) Also raising the hands is one of the humble expressions that Allah Ta’ala likes and there is more hope of dua being accepted when one shows this humbleness as we learn from the hadeeth of Tabrani: حدثنا عبدان بن أحمد قال حدثنا عبيد الله بن معاذ قال حدثنى ابي قال حدثنا يوسف بن محمد بن المنكدر عن ابيه عن جابر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أن الله عز و جل حيي كريم يستحي من عبده أن يرفع إليه يديه فيردهما صفرا ليس فيهما شيء Translation: “Hazrat Jabir (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrates that the prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi wasallam) said ‘Verily Allah Ta’ala is shy, generous, he feels ashamed when his servant raises hands making dua to Him that He should return them empty. (Muhsin2/12) Source

Wiping the face upon the completion of Dua It is not Bid’ah to wipe the face upon the completion of du’a. This was the sunnah and practice of Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and we are encouraged to do so. عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا رفع يديه في الدعاء لم يحطهما حتى يمسح بهما وجهه “Umar Bin Khattab (radiyallaahu anhu) reports: When Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) would to raise his hands in du’a, he would not lower them until he passed them over his face” (Sunan Al-Tirmizhi, #3386) Ibn Hajr Asqalani has classified the above Hadith as sound. (Bulugh Al-Muraam, pg 264, Dar Al-Fikr) And Allah knows best Wassalam Ml. Talha Desai, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah

Wiping Face After Dua: Sunna Not Bid`a Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Some people when they finish making the dua after the prayer wipe their face after they have made the dua. Is that a bida; is there any contextual evidence from the sunna for it’s permissibility. sorry if that sounds too salafi like! Answer: al-Salam alaykum No, this is not a bid`ah; rather, it is an established sunna and recommended to wipe one’s face after supplicating. It is reported in authentic hadiths, such as the one Imam Tirmidhi reports, that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) use to wipe his hands over his face after completing the du`a. This is mentioned as being recommended by: Shafi`i: Imam Nawawi (Adhkar, Majmu` 4.451), and others Hanafi: (Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya 3.19) Imam Shurunbulali (Shurunbulaliyya) Imam Haskafi (Durr al-Mukhtar) Imam Ibn Abidin (Radd al-Muhtar) Abu Usamah & Faraz Rabbani في الأذْكَارُ النَّوَويَّة بابُ رَفعِ اليدين في الدعاءِ ثم مَسْحِ الوَجْهِ بهماروينا في كتاب الترمذي، عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي اللّه تعالى عنه قال :كان رسولُ اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وسلم إذا رفع يديه في الدعاء لم يحطَّهما حتى يمسحَ بهما وجهَه .‏ وفي سنن الترمذي3446- حَدَّثَنَا أبو مُوسَى مُحَمَّدُ بنُ المُثَنَّى وإِبْرَاهِيمُ بنُ يعقوبَ وغيرُ واحدٍ قَالَوا أَخْبَرَنَا حمَّادُ بنُ عيسى الجُهَنيُّ عَن حنظلةَ بنِ أبي سُفْيَانَ الجمحيِّ عَن سالمِ بنِ عبدِ اللَّهِ عَن أبيهِ عَن عُمرَ بنِ الخطَّابِ قَالَ “كان رَسولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّم إذا رفعَ يديهِ في الدُّعاءِ لمْ يحطَّهُما حتَّى يمسحَ بهمَا وجهَهُ “. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ المُثَنَّى في حَدِيثهِ لم يردّهُمَا حتَّى يمسحَ بهما وجهَهُ “. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيْبٌ لا نعرفُهُ إلاّ مِن حَدِيثِ حمَّادِ بنِ عيسى وقدْ تفرَّدَ بهِ وهوَ قليلُ الحديثِ وقدْ حدَّثَ عنهُ النَّاسُ، وحنظلةُ ابنُ أبي سُفْيَانَ الجُمَحِيُّ ثِقَةٌ وثَّقَهُ يَحْيَى بنُ سَعِيد القَطَّانُ .‏و في تحفة الاحوذي :قال الحافظ في بلوغ المرام : وله شواهد منها حديث ابن عباس عند أبي داود ومجموعها يقتضي أنه حديث حسن انتهى Source

The Reality and Mystery of Waswasah A stray thought crossing the mind is not nugatory of veneration for the Ahkaam (Commandments of the Shariah). In fact, that is a sign of perfection in Imaan and hence the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) experienced such waswasah. When they submitted this problem to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saying: “Yaa Rasoolallah, we are experiencing such stray thoughts that it is better for us to burn to ashes than express these waswasah,” Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) queried and stated: “Do you really experience such thoughts? That is clear sign of your Imaan.” He furthermore said: “Alhamdulillah, Allah Ta’ala has diverted the plot of Shaitaan to waswasah.” His reach fell short of your Aqaaid and A’maal (Beliefs and Practices). The Ahl-e-Sulook (those who desire the closeness and love of Allah) also experience such wasaawis (plural of waswasah), that committing suicide appears easier to them than going through such thoughts. Those who are ignorant among them even carry out suicide. But the informed Saalikeen exercise Sabr (patience and fortitude). The mystery and rationale behind these waswasah is that when a Saalik sets out on the path to Allah then Shaitaan becomes extremely vexed. Shaitaan then desires to harm this Saalik. He firstly embarks on a campaign of stopping the Saalik from Namaaz, Roza, Faraaiz and Waajibaat. In this way he schemes to harm the Deen of the Saalik. When he realizes that he has failed in this nefarious plot he plans another strategy. He then satisfies himself with inflicting physical harm and worries. Towards this end he whispers evil and obscene thoughts into the heart of the Saalik. The Saalik becomes horrified at these stray thoughts and he grieves thinking that his Imaan is deficient. He cannot understand why these thoughts are plaguing him, whereas these thoughts are not at all harmful to his Imaan, yes they are unsettling. Being unsettled by these thoughts also has an underlying reason to it; a misunderstanding. The Saalik thinks that these wasaawis are produced by his heart; that they stem from his heart, whereas this is wrong. These are the production of Shaitaan. Shaitaan blows these evil thoughts into the heart and mind. The heart is merely the locus and thoroughfare of these stray thoughts. After understanding and remembering this mystery, Insha-Allah one will find no reason to become unsettled at all. In fact, waswasah will be uprooted because Shaitaan flings waswasah at a person to trouble a person. When this person doesn’t become troubled and unsettled then Shaitaan will give up his waswasah-strike. Practical Remedy for Waswasah So the practical thing to do when troubled by waswasah is to recite “A’uthubillahi minash Shaitaanir Rajeem”, for it is proven that these wasaawis are by the meddling of Shaitaan, and with Ta’awwuth (reciting, A’uthu...), in fact with any Zikr, Shaitaan is repulsed. Furthermore, when one engrosses oneself in Zikr, and complete engrossment in two things at the same time is not possible, then one will not be disturbed by the waswasah. Assuming for a moment that waswasah does not cease even in this case and one is overwhelmed then this is also a type of Mujaahadah (spiritual discipline). There is pure benefit then too. One should, therefore, not become grieved. A person who concerns himself with repelling waswasah and gaining pleasure from his Ibaadat and Zikr – which is the case with most Saalikeen today – such a person makes Ibaadat and Zikr for personal pleasure. Such a person is not offering his Ibaadat and Zikr for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. The second remedy for waswasah is Zikr in general, as mentioned above. When under a waswasah-attack, engage in Zikr. The Hadeeth says: “When he (the Mu-min) engages in Zikr then Shaitaan retreats. And when he (the Mu-min) becomes forgetful (of the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala) then Shaitaan throws waswasah.” A Test by Allah Ta’ala Another hikmat (underlying reason) of waswasah is that it is a test by Allah Ta’ala of the Saalik. The test is to see whether the Saalik’s Ibaadat was for carnal pleasure or steadfastness even under the duress of waswasah; where does his gaze go to when afflicted by waswasah? Therefore, do not become troubled at all with these wasaawis, and continue with your work. These wasaawis are not nugatory of one’s closeness to Allah Ta’ala. Such a person is close unto Allah. As matter of fact, these wasaawis are not even in the heart, although they may appear to be so. In actual fact, they are out of the heart. It is like a fly sitting on a mirror. The onlooker may perceive the fly to be in the mirror, whereas it is outside the mirror. Similarly, the waswasah is outside the heart. Where there is Zikrullah in the heart there is no scope for waswasah there. Such a Mu-min’s heart is practically sealed and protected from waswasah. Similarly, waswasah does not pass through the heart of a Zaakir (one who observes Zikr dutifully). Whatever feeling he gets of waswasah is the reflection of waswasah. Another Strategy One Buzrug says that as treatment of this malady one should become very happy because this is a sign of Imaan, for Nabi (Alaihis Salaam) said: “That is a clear sign of Imaan.” A thief breaks into a home when there is some wealth there and hence waswasah is experienced by Saaliheen (pious people). Those who are caught in fisq and fujoor (transgression and shameless acts) are not bothered by waswasah. The rationale behind becoming happy at the waswasah is that it severs the waswasah. Shaitaan’s desire by striking a person with waswasah is to make the person sad and dejected. So, if instead of that he (the one who experiences waswasah) becomes happy then Shaitaan will give up. Subhaanallah! What a remedy! You can understand from this the level of perfection in the Ilm of the illustrious Fuqaha and Soofiyah. (From Al-Ikhlaas Part One of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alaih) thejamiat

Imam Waqidi's Futoohush shaam Question: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah, I would like to ask Mufti sahb ragarding the book 'futoohush Shaam' which is being translated by your esteemed madrassah. One of my friend told me that the book is attributed wrongly to imam Waqidi and that it contains lot fabricated stories in it. Does Mufti sahb have any tahqeeq on this issue? Jazakumullah khairan Answer: Futoohush Shaam is a reliable work on the battles of the Sahaabah. Studying it is necessary in these times. It is a source of tremendous fervour to Imaan and in serving Islam. The criticism levelled at it is baseless. We have responded to the disputer’s claims. Our response is attached hereto. Disputing the Attribution of Futoohush Shaam to Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi Alaih) Respected Brother Your email dated May 15, 2013 refers. Our comments germane to the article you have forwarded, which article belies the attribution of the popular Arabic print of Futoohush Shaam to Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih), are as follows: 1. We feel we should firstly say something in defence of Imam Waaqidi’s credentials in the Field of Hadeeth in view of the ‘researcher’ derogating Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) in the science of Hadeeth. We are not aware of the ‘researcher’s’ math-hab, but according to us, Ahnaaf Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) is reliable even in his Hadeeth narrations. Allaamah Zafar Ahmad Uthmaani (Rahmatullahi alaih) has let this case to rest in Qawaa’id Fee Uloomil Hdeeth (the Muqaddimah of I’laaus Sunan) in a chapter titled, Tautheequl Waaqidi. 2. The available Arabic print of Futoohush Shaam is a collection of several of Imam Waaqidi’s Futooh writings, viz. Futoohush Shaam, Futoohu Misr, Futoohul Iraq Wal Ajam, etc. 3. In his opening reason for discrediting the attribution to Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) the author of the article extrapolates his conclusion from the fact that citations are found in the kitaab from Ulama and historians who flourished years after the demise of Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) and from Imam Waaqidi himself. The writer of the article has reproduced two passages to confirm his point. Whilst his citations are correct, his overall conclusion is erroneous. The passages the author of the article reproduced are from an appendix to Futoohush Shaam and which appendix is plainly not Imam Waaqidi’s work, although extensive citations are forthcoming in the appendix from the great Mu-arrikh of Islam, Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih). This appendix deals with the conquest of Al-Bahnasa which is a city in Upper Egypt. On the basis of the appendix not being the compilation of Imam Waaqidi it is not correct to summarily dismiss the entire book as an incorrect attribution to Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih). It is like saying that the muqaddimah of the popular print of Rasmul Mufti was not written by Allaamah Ibn Aabideen and thus the attribution of Rasmul Mufti to Ibn Aabideen is false. The corruption of this inference is self-evident. The researcher’s disproving of the authenticity of the attribution holds only for the final few chapters of the two volume Arabic print currently available and hence his citations in this regard are from the closing chapter – the supplement. 4. We are curious to know how the author of the article discovered that the so-called ‘original’ Futoohush Shaam is ‘mafqood’ or non-existent in the world today. Firstly, his supposition is based on discrediting the available and popular Arabic version as being the Futoohush Shaam of Imam Waaqidi. He has, however, failed to prove his hypothesis convincingly. Secondly, making such a sweeping statement is unsustainable in an academic argument. This claim can easily be demolished. 5. The writer of the article did not substantiate his claim of some of the Asaaneed of Futoohush Shaam not being consistent with Imaam Waaqidi’s Asaaneed in Kitaabul Maghaazi. If the writer is referring to Asaaneed which appear in the Conquest of Al-Bahnasa which is the supplement to Futoohush Shaam, then his inference here, too, is incorrect. In a matter of this importance where senior Ulama have accepted the ascription of the Futoohush Shaam in our hands to be Imaam Waaqidi’s (Rahmatullahi alaih) the dissenting author of the article had as an obligation to elucidate on his dalaail and not leave his arguments clouded in ambiguity. 6. The difference of style between Futoohush Shaam and the Seerah’s of Ibn Is’haaq and Ibn Hishaam (Rahmatullahi alaihima) does not prove at all that the particular style adopted in Futoohush Shaam is of a later generation. The Hanafi Fiqh kutub were the first of their kind. The methodology and style in the kutub of Imam Muhammad (Rahmatullahi alaih) were such that the Muhadditheen were irked and some were incensed to the extent of dumping the Hanafi kutub in the river, Dijlah. Difference of writing style is a common feature among contemporaries. The author should rather illustrate why he thinks that this is not the writing of Imam Waaqidi, from Imam Waaqidi’s other kutub. Consideration can then be given to his theory. His ramblings of some ‘misguided historian’ authoring the book under discussion are unsubstantiated. 7. Then the critic of Futoohush Shaam cites as support for his theory the names and statements of two Shaafi’ Aalims, some orientalists and the Muslim historian, Zirikly. Firstly, it is totally unexpected of a student of Ifta to rely on the words of orientalists whose objective was the undermining of Islamic scriptures and textual documents. The orientalists are highly unreliable in matters of Islamic import and it is only expected that they would have laboured feverishly to refute the stunning and heroic feats of the illustrious Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) in their battles with the Roman Christian Forces. 8. In so far as the comments of the two Shaafi’ Aalims are concerned it is quite possible that they based their views on the criticism of some Muhadditheen of Imam Waaqidi. Shaikh Qalyoobi and Sayyid Alawi (Rahmatullahi alaihima) did not dilate on the issue. The critic’s contention is that the Futoohush Shaam which we have before us was the work of ‘a misguided historian’. How is it conceivable that the Ulama of the time and later displayed such complacency and inertia in refuting the purported ‘fabrication’? Surely there must have been a lengthy rebuttal of the work and its attribution to Imam Waaqidi supposing that it was the handiwork of a fraud! Why is there no detailed and conclusive dissertation on this ‘maudhoo’ piece; only some snippets from Ulama who came centuries after the alleged forgery appeared in the critic’s own estimate? 9. The critic’s citation of Zirikli’s passage is misleading. He seeks to give the impression that the words discrediting Futoohush Shaam are the words of Zirikli, whereas this is not the case. The critic deleted the words: “وفي دائرة المعارف البريطانية:” which reveal that the criticism is from the orientalists and which criticism is that of The Encyclopaedia Britannica which Zirikli quoted in regard to the Englishman, Simon Ockley, and not George Sell as the author of the article has inadvertently written. 10. The strongest reason the critic has proffered for refuting the attribution of the available Futoohush Shaam to Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) is Ibn S’ad’s documentation of Imam Waaqidi authenticating the death of Hazrat Dhiraar Bin Azwar to have taken place at Yamaamah. The critic therefore concludes that our Futoohush Shaam could never have been Imam Waaqidi’s compilation for it mentions the heroic feats of Hazrat Dhiraar in the campaigns in Shaam and even in Egypt! However, if this argument is accepted then we will have to refute the attribution of Kitaabur Riddah to Imam Waaqidi as well, whereas there is no dispute in regard to Kitaabur Riddah. The available Kitaabur Riddah of Imam Waaqidi is confirmed to be the great Imam’s. And, in his Kitaabur Riddah Imam Waaqidi narrates the excursion of Khalid Bin Waleed (Radhiyallahu anhu) to Persia under the instruction of Khaleefatu Rasoolillah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), Sayyidina Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu anhu). Accompanying Khalid Bin Waleed in his division was none other than Hazrat Dhiraar Bin Azwar. Imam Waaqidi reports the conversation between Khalid Bin Waleed and Hazrat Dhiraar Bin Azwar when the Muslim army besieged the city of Heerah. This account severely harms the critic’s case. 11. The critic then targets the sister of Hazrat Dhiraar (Radhiyallahu anhuma) for annihilation. He states in regard to Hazrat Khowlah Bint Azwar (Radhiyallahu anha): “Research shows that the mention of this personality is only found in this book,” whereas the critic’s own source, Al-A’laam of Zirikly covers her biography and even states that she passed away in the late stages of Hazrat Uthmaan’s (Radhiyallahu anhu) Khilaafat. The critic has thus betrayed his research with his attack on the personality of Hazrat Khowlah (Radhiyallahu anha). 12. The writer then sums up his article by averring that Futoohush Shaam differs in every respect to other well-known historical works even in “the manner in which the battle is played out.” What does the author mean by, “in the manner the battle is played out”? All the historical works, including Futoohush Shaam, relate the outcome of the numerous battles the same. There is no difference that the Muslims conquered Damascus, routed the kuffaar Romans at Ajnaadain, crushed the mighty coalition forces at Yarmook, and so forth. There is, furthermore, proof of Imam Waaqidi’s anthologies being unique and cogent reasons for same. The introduction of Kitaabur Riddah dilates on this matter. 13. The critic also finds it hard to believe how the ‘fine details’ could have been recorded. It appears that the critic is unaware of the incredible retentive power the Arabs in particular, and people in general possessed during that age. If a Bedouin could recall the description of each and every camel he travelled on for his seventy Haj during those days, then why the disbelief in an Aalim of the calibre of Imam Waaqidi not recalling such “fine details”? It will be salutary for the writer to read the biography of Imam Waaqidi in Kitaabur Riddah edited by Shaikh Yahya Jaboori. The colossal treasure of Imam Waaqidi’s kutub at the time of his demise equalled six hundred haversacks, each haversack heavy enough for two men to carry! Another description gives his kutub at 120 mule-loads! He had two scribes writing for him day and night. Such was the phenomenal treasure of literature Imam Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih) left for the Ummah. 14. Our conclusion is that the writer’s article is severely flawed and riddled with inaccuracies. There is much conjecture in his essay. Whilst we are not dogmatic on the issue, we do maintain that the article disputing the attribution of the available Arabic print of Futoohush Shaam to Imam Waaqidi is of poor academic worth and does not hinder the reading and benefitting from this wonderful work. We, therefore, maintain that there is nothing wrong in reading the Fadhaail of the Sahaabah in this wonderful book of Imam Waaqidi and taking inspiration from the exploits of the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) therein. 15. Finally, we would like to take the opportunity to offer naseehat to students contemplating ‘research’ on issues enjoying general acceptance, and that is to refer to the statements of our Akaabir firstly. In fact, this should be our protocol for all our work. Opposing them in our times is invariably dhalaal. Rushing off to do new ‘research’ will more often than not result in the ‘research’ being abortive, rather than productive. The Akaabir did not reach such outstanding calibre without purpose. Allah Ta’ala cast His special Gaze of Rahmat on these Ulama of Deoband for posterity. Without any preconceived ideas they rendered sterling service to Islam with pure Lillaahiyyat, and hence their tehqeeqaat were unique and the Haqq. Senior Ulama, the likes of Hazrat Moulana Maseehullah, Hazrat Moulana Thanwi and others (Rahmatullahi alaihim) have taken the episodes of the Sahaabah’s battles and conquests from Futoohush Shaam as reliable. Mufti Ali Bhopali Saheb also mentions some names of seniors who were inspired and who would study these conquests in his introduction to part two of Moulana Kindi’s translation of Futoohush Shaam. 16. We have not exhausted ourselves on the issue. A thorough study will most probably add much more weight to the popular perception of the Futoohush Shaam in our hands being reliably attributed to the Imam of Islamic History, Muhammad Bin Umar Al-Waaqidi (Rahmatullahi alaih). And Allah Ta’ala knows best. thejamiat

Question Loud laughter invalidating wudhu. What is the Hanafi Evidences? In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. Answer There are four conditions which need to be found for loud laughter to break the Salah. 1. One is an adult 2. One is awake 3. One’s laughter is loud. 4. The prayer contains Ruku and Sajdah. There are three possible scenarios of laughing in Salah. Loud laughing: Laughter with a raised sound such that under normal circumstances, the person praying next to one would be able to hear it. As long as the four conditions above are found, the wudhu and Salah would break. Laughing: Laughter such that under normal circumstances one would be able to hear it however, the person praying next to one would not be able to hear it. In this situation, the prayer only is invalidated and not the wudhu. Smiling: One cannot hear it. This has no effect on the validity of the prayer. (Extracted from Sharhul Wiqayah p.71 –p.72 v.1) The evidence from hadith is the narration from al-Tabarani from Saaiduan Abu Musa al-Ashari Radiallahu Anhu that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam was praying with the people when a man entered and fell into a hole which was in the masjid, and there were problems with his eyesight. Many of the people laughed and they were in the prayer, so the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam ordered those who laughed to repeat the wudu and prayer.’ Only Allah Knows Best Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham Source

Imam Abu Haneefah’s insight is remarkable. Consider the view of Imam Abu Haneefah that it is not permissible for a waaiz (public-speaker) or anyone else to break musical instruments otherwise compensation will be liable. This is the prerogative of the ruler. He can investigate and break these instruments. He can mete out appropriate punishment for the use of such haraam items. Consider how much peace there is in this ruling. Such forceful action taken by any one besides the ruler does not stop the actions of the guilty party; it only serves to inflame the situation and cause strife. The resultant friction and anarchy have wide-reaching consequences. Similarly, enacting penal punishments is the exclusive right of the Sultaan. Fiqah is a difficult subject. The Faqeeh should be an all-rounder. He should be a mufassir, muhaddith, faqeeh and mutakallim. (In other words, he should be a specialist in the fields of Tafseer, Hadeeth, Fiqah and Ilmul Kalaam which is the science of Islamic Scholasticism.) He should have an understanding of politics. In fact, there is a need for being aware of Tibb here and there. Even awareness of physiology is required for certain issues. Fiqah is not an easy subject, yet in some quarters the gratitude shown to the Fuqaha is by reviling them. These revilers are extreme anarchists. They wilfully cause anarchy and fuel fires of trouble. The ghair muqallids (those who make taqleed of their nafs instead of Taqleed of the Aimmah Mujtahideen) frequently call themselves ‘Ahlul Hadeeth’ whereas they have no clue what is Hadeeth. They only confine themselves to words. What is to be understood by the Hadeeth, alluded to in the narration: “Whoever Allah wishes well for (khair), He makes that person a Faqeeh of the Deen,” that is something else. If it was only a matter of understanding words, the kuffaar of Makkah understood the words and thus they would have been Faqeeh and among the Ahlul Khair. Being a Faqeeh in Deen is to have acumen in the Deen together with the understanding of words of the Qur’aan and Hadeeth. Such persons are found in abundance among the Hanafiyyah. Hazrat Haji Imdaadullah Saheb was a Shaikh of Tasawwuf. He wasn’t a complete textual Aalim but listen to his philosophy of the truth. A person from Bhopal came for Haj. He became bai’t to Haji Saheb. This person was accompanied by another person also from Bhopal who was an extreme ghair muqallid and who took his companion also to be a ghair muqallid. By his companion being accepted into bai’t the ghair muqallid assumed that there were no restrictions on ghair muqallideen being taking into bai’t by Haji Saheb and he therefore requested via his companion for bai’t stipulating however that he will remain ghair muqallid. Hazrat accepted the condition. He then came personally and asked. Hazrat replied that there was no problem and he was accepted into bai’t. Allah Ta’ala alone knows what effect this bai’t had upon him that the first Namaaz thereafter he did not say Aameen aloud and nor did he make Rafa’ Yadain (raise his hands before and after Ruku’). Hazrat came to know of this. Hazrat was startled. Hazrat called him and said: “If your findings have changed then, fine. But if it is for my sake that you did so then I do not wish to bear the consequences of you forsaking the Sunnah.” Just consider this philosophy of the truth. Our august elders and in particular Hazrat Haji Saheb were obsessed with the Sunnah. Isn’t it then absolute zulm (injustice) to brand such personages of being muta’assib (bigoted)? Yes, they were mutasallib (rigid), not muta’assib. Tasallub is one thing and ta’assub is something else. Mutasallib Fid Deen is he who is rigid in the Deen whilst a mut’assib is he who clings to wrong intransigently. Imam Shaafi’ (Rahmatullahi alaih) says: “I desired Jannat when I learnt that it is the meeting place of friends.” This was a Faqeeh and a Soofi. Now people have distorted the meaning of Fiqah and Tasawwuf. They have declared the two to be opposites, whereas there is nothing contradictory between the two. Tasawwuf means: to build oneself externally and internally; externally with A’maal and internally with Akhlaaq. Imam Abu Haneefah (Rahmatullahi alaih) has defined Fiqah as: “Understanding what is beneficial for one and what is harmful.” This definition is wide-ranging and covers external acts and internal traits. Thus, how can Tasawwuf and Fiqah be opposites? Muslims of former times were endowed equally with Fiqah and Tasawwuf. This curse has spread only in these times where both are considered to be separate and the two have been corrupted, whereas both are harmonious. Shah Waliyyullah (Rahmatullahi alaih) writes that one should keep the company of a person who is a muhaddith, a faqeeh and also a soofi. Equilibrium is in this. He stated this in Qaulul Jameel. The family of Shah Abdul Azeez Saheb, Masha-Allah, were paragons of this comprehensiveness. Among them was Shah Isma’eel Shaheed Saheb. Some people think Shah Isma’eel Saheb was a ghair muqallid. This is absolutely false. An Ustaad of mine used to say that he met a person who was in the army of Hazrat Sayyid Saheb and asked him whether Moulana Isma’eel Saheb was a ghair muqallid. He replied: “I don’t know, but what I can tell you is that in the army of Sayyid Saheb it was common word that ghair muqallids are Little Raafzis (Shiahs).” From this you can judge whether there was any ghair muqallid in that army. Once, someone asked Moulana Shaheed Saheb a mas-alah. Moulana replied that according to Imam Abu Haneefah the ruling was this… The person posing the question said: “Tell me what is your view?” Moulana responded: “What can I say in front of Imam Saheb?” (Extracts from Adabul I’laam and Adabul I’tidaal of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Quddisa Sirruhu) thejamiat

Aameen, thumma aameen! How beautiful!

Translation by Zameelur Rahman of Raf' al-Yadayn section from I'la as-Sunan sunniforum.com Chapter on Not Raising the Hands in other than the Opening & the Command to be Still in Salah By ‘Allamah Zafar Ahmad al-‘Uthmani Translated by Zameelur Rahman 1. Narrated from Tamim ibn Tarafah from Jabir ibn Samurah (Allah be pleased with him): He said: Allah‟s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) came out to us and said: “Why do I see you raising your hands like they are the tails of wild horses? Be still in Salah!” Muslim narrated it (1:181). I say: The evidence adhered to in this hadith is his (Allah bless him and grant him peace) statement, “Be still in Salah,” as it proves the obligation of stillness and that raising the hands in Salah negates this [stillness]. If it is said that his (Allah bless him and grant him peace) statement, “Why do I see you raising your hands like they are the tails of wild horses?” was said specifically with respect to raising [the hands] upon salam as clarified in a second hadith, which is Muslim’s narration from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn al-Qibtiyyah from Jabir ibn Samurah, he said: “We would, when praying with Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him), say ‘al-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat Allah, al-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat Allah,’” and he gestured with his hands to the side, “so Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Why do you gesture with your hands like they are the tails of wild horses?’” translation-of-ila-al-sunan-section-on-raf-al-yadayn.pdf