ummtaalib

Assalamu alaykum, I received the following message: “When asked regarding Palestine situation, Hadhrat Moulana Yusuf Motala Saheb replied that make dua but also recite 125000 times amongst families, friend’s, group’s etc.. لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ Hadhrat also said this was the ma’mool of Hadhrat Shaikh (r.a.) during trouble time’s, Hadhrat Shaikh would firstly instruct immediate family then other’s. Plz encourage friend’s & families..” I just want to know if the prophet SAWS ever did that during their times of hardship? If so, then we will do it, insha Allah. Kindly advise. Answer Wa'alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa baraktuhu, Allah Ta'ala revealed the Quran and has divinely empowered it. Every verse has phenomenal power. From the glorious era of prophethood, the companions used many verses of the Quran to avert calamities, and Allah unveiled for them exceptional results. When the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would come to know of these verses, not only would he acknowledge them, he would even praise and endorse those verses. A famous narration comes in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): قال الإمام البخاري حدثنا أبو النعمان حدثنا أبو عوانة عن أبي بشر عن أبي المتوكل عن أبي سعيد رضي الله عنه قال انطلق نفر من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في سفرة سافروها حتى نزلوا على حي من أحياء العرب فاستضافوهم فأبوا أن يضيفوهم فلدغ سيد ذلك الحي فسعوا له بكل شيء لا ينفعه شيء فقال بعضهم لو أتيتم هؤلاء الرهط الذين نزلوا لعله أن يكون عند بعضهم شيء فأتوهم فقالوا يا أيها الرهط إن سيدنا لدغ وسعينا له بكل شيء لا ينفعه فهل عند أحد منكم من شيء فقال بعضهم نعم والله إني لأرقي ولكن والله لقد استضفناكم فلم تضيفونا فما أنا براق لكم حتى تجعلوا لنا جعلا فصالحوهم على قطيع من الغنم فانطلق يتفل عليه ويقرأ الحمد لله رب العالمين فكأنما نشط من عقال فانطلق يمشي وما به قلبة قال فأوفوهم جعلهم الذي صالحوهم عليه فقال بعضهم اقسموا فقال الذي رقى لا تفعلوا حتى نأتي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فنذكر له الذي كان فننظر ما يأمرنا فقدموا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فذكروا له فقال وما يدريك أنها رقية ثم قال قد أصبتم اقسموا واضربوا لي معكم سهما فضحك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال أبو عبد الله وقال شعبة حدثنا أبو بشر سمعت أبا المتوكل بهذا (متفق عليه) “A group of companions of the messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey and travelled until they reached the vicinity one of the Arab tribes. They requested to spend the night there but the tribe refused to host them. Co-incidentally, the chief of that tribe was stung by a scorpion and the clan tried everything but nothing helped them. Some of them said, ‘Why don’t you go to those people who are camped (near us), maybe they can offer some assistance.’ So they went to them and said, ‘O people, our chief has been stung by a scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of you do anything?’ One of them said, ‘Yes, by Allah, I will recite ruqyah for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not host us, so I will not recite ruqyah for you until you give us something in return.’ They agreed upon a flock of sheep.’ This companion went and spat drily and recited Surah Fatiha over him. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a chain and started walking, and there were no signs of sickness on him. They paid them what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the ruqyah said, ‘Do not divide them until we go to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and see what he tells us to do.’ So they went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, ‘How did you know that it (al-Faatihah) is a ruqyah?’ Then he added, ‘You have done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share too.’ And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) smiled.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/93, Sahih Muslim, 4/1727) Similarly, 'Allamah Ibn Kathir stated via Ibn Abi Hatim, وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا يحيى بن نصر الخولاني، حدثنا ابن وهب، أخبرني ابن لهيعة، عن أبي هبيرة عن حنش بن عبد الله؛ أن رجلا مصابا مر به عبد الله بن مسعود، فقرأ في أذنه هذه الآية: {أفحسبتم أنما خلقناكم عبثا وأنكم إلينا لا ترجعون * فتعالى الله الملك الحق} ، حتى ختم السورة فبرأ، [فذكر ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم] ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "بماذا قرأت في أذنه؟ " فأخبره، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "والذي نفسي بيده، لو أن رجلا موقنا قرأها على جبل لزال". (تفسير ابن كثير (5/ 501) "Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) once passed by an ill person and whispered the ending verses of Surah al-Muminun in the ear of that ailing person. He hardly completed the Surah, and that person immediately got cured. This was mentioned to the prophet of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Abdullah bin Masood, 'Which verse did you recite in his ear?' Abdullah bin Masood informed the prophet of Allah, upon which the prophet responded, 'By that Being in whose power lies my life, if a person reads these verses with full faith on a mountain, the mountain will vanish." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 5/501) The afore-mentioned clearly demonstrates the power and might of the Quran. In both incidents we find that the companions recited specific verses and only informed the prophet (salllalahu alayhi wa sallam) later on. That proves that we do not need a separate narration for each verse outlining its virtues and powers. Rather, if certain people recite a verse and find a particular power in it, it will be correct for others to also recite that same verse for a similar purpose. When we look at the particular verse which the honourable Shaykh Yusuf (may Allah preserve him) has advised, we find that there are absolutely lucid narrations which illustrate their great influence and strength. Firstly, these are the exact same verses which the Prophet Yunus (may peace be upon him) recited in the stomach of the whale. Allah says in verses 87 and 88 of Surah al-Anbiya, وذا النون إذ ذهب مغاضبا فظن أن لن نقدر عليه فنادى في الظلمات أن لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين ، فاستجبنا له ونجيناه من الغم وكذلك ننجي المؤمنين "And (remember) Dhun-Nun (Yunus) , when he went off in anger(his anger was towards his people for not accepting his call to Allah), and imagined that We shall not punish him (for his impatience)! But he cried through the depths of darkness (saying): "La ilaha illa Anta, subhanaka inni kuntu min adhaalimin (none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah), Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.) So, We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness." (Surah al-Anbiya, verses 87 and 88) This clearly shows that a great prophet like Yunus (peace be upon him) recited this supplication at a time of difficulty and Allah praised him for it in the Quran. In fact, Allah even mentions that had he not glorified Allaah in this manner, he wouldn't have been relieved of his difficulty. فلولا أنه كان من المسبحين للبث في بطنه إلى يوم يبعثون “Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection.” (Surah As-Saffaat, 143-144) The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also exhorted us to recite the same supplication when we ask from Allah, stating that by virtue of this verse, Allah will definitely respond to our prayers: قال الإمام الترمذي حدثنا محمد بن يحيى حدثنا محمد بن يوسف حدثنا يونس بن أبي إسحق عن إبراهيم بن محمد بن سعد عن أبيه عن سعد قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم دعوة ذي النون إذا دعا وهو في بطن الحوت لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين فإنه لم يدع بها رجل مسلم في شيء قط إلا استجاب الله له " . (أخرجه الترمذي في سننه (5/ 529) "The supplication of Yunus which he prayed whilst in the belly of the whale is: La ilaha illa Anta, subhanaka inni kuntu minadhaalimin. Whichever Muslim recites it for anything, Allah will respond to his prayer." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 5/529) Similarly, Abu Ya'la recorded that Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: قال أبو يعلي حدثنا أبو هشام الرفاعي، حدثنا أبو خالد الأحمر، حدثنا كثير بن زيد، عن المطلب بن عبد الله بن حنطب، عن مصعب بن سعد، عن سعد، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من دعا بدعاء يونس استجيب له (أخرجه أبو يعلى الموصلي في مسنده (2/ 65( “Whoever offers supplication in the words of the supplication of Yunus, will be answered.” (Musnad Abi Ya'la, 2/65) This establishes that the invocation advised by the Shaykh is in conformity with Quran and Hadith, and by us all reciting it, there is great hope that Allah will respond to our prayers. As for the number of 125000, that too is fine. As mentioned above, if a particular manner of reciting a specific verse has been proven to be beneficial, there will be no harm in following that manner. Shaykh al-Hadith, Mawlana Zakariyya Kandhlawi (may Allah be pleased with him) found that this verse has amazing wonders if recited that many times. Thus, it is correct for us to follow him. Ibn Taymiyya too would repeat particular verses multiple times. His student, Ibn al-Qayyim writes, ومن تجريبات السالكين التي جربوها فألفوها صحيحة أن من أدمن يا حي يا قيوم لا إله إلا أنت أورثه ذلك حياة القلب والعقل. وكان شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية قدس الله روحه شديد اللهج بها جدا، وقال لي يوما: لهذين الاسمين وهما الحي القيوم تأثير عظيم في حياة القلب، وكان يشير إلى أنهما الاسم الأعظم، وسمعته يقول: من واظب على أربعين مرة كل يوم بين سنة الفجر وصلاة الفجر يا حي يا قيوم، لا إله إلا أنت، برحمتك أستغيث حصلت له حياة القلب، ولم يمت قلبه. (مدارج السالكين بين منازل إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين (1/ 446) "Among the tried Awrad (Mujarrabat) which the spiritual travellers have tried and found to work is: 'He who continuously recites 'Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum, La Ilaha Illa Anta' his heart and mind will become alive.' Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was very attached to repeating this Dhikr, and said about it: 'the Divine names Hayy and Qayyum have a strong spiritual effect on the heart' and he would say that they are the Ism al-A'dham (the Supreme Name). I heard Ibn Taymiyyah also say: 'He who recites Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum Laa ilaaha illa anta, bi rahmatika astaghith 40 times between the Sunnah of Fajr and its Fard, his heart will stay alive (spiritually) and not die." (Madaarij as-Saalikin, 1/446) It is not proven that the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or any of the companions recited this supplication exactly that amount of times and exactly at the time in which Ibn Taymiyya suggested. Yet this practice of his has been followed. In short, there is absolutely no problem reciting any verse of the Quran or any Dua for a specified amount of times. Yes, if the people begin regarding its recitation as necessary and criticize those who do not participate in its recitation, then it would not be permissible. fatwaa.com

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Envy is justified in regard to two types of persons only: a man whom Allah has given knowledge of the Qur'an, and so he recites it during the night and during the day; and a man whom Allah has given wealth and so he spends from it during the night and during the day." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Playing with dolls Salam, We find mention in the Ahadith that Ayesha ((May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with her) had a doll. Based on this, what it the law pertaining to playing with dolls? Answer Wa'alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, The Ahadith of A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) wherein it is stated that she used to play with dolls cannot be used to justify the playing with dolls. There are many narrations that prohibit the making of life-like statues and objects. In some narrations the incident of the messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) not entering Aa’ishas (may Allah be pleased with her) house because of there being the pictures of animate objects in the house is mentioned. Thus, it will be best to say that the dolls, which are mentioned in the Ahadith were not like the ones of today, but rather they were of a different type, perhaps something simple made of rags which did not have any specific lifelike shape and features. Thus Hadhrat Mawlana Allamah Anwar Shah Sahib Kashmiri (may Allah have mercy on him), in his book Faidh al-Bari vol. 4 pg. 395 has mentioned this; وكانت حقيقتها في القديم أنهم كانوا يأخذون ثوبا ، و يشدّونه من الوسط فكانت لا تحكي عن صورة و شكل ، و لم تكن كبناتنا اليوم فإنها تماثيل كالأصنام فلا تجوز قطعاً. (فيض الباري ( (4/ )395 “The reality of the dolls of previous times is that people used to take cloth and tie it in the middle. It did not have a face or a shape. It was not like the dolls of today because they are statuettes like idols; thus they are definitely not permissible.” (Faidh al-Bari vol. 4 pg. 395) Similarly, In Badhl al-Majhud , the commentary of Sunan Abi Dawud, the footnote of Hadhrat Mawlana Muhammad Yahya Sahib (may Allah be pleased with him) is reproduced which states that the dolls of Aa’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) were not fashioned like animate objects, otherwise, there would have been no reason for Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to inquire and ask what it was. { فقال ما هذا يا عائشة} كتب مولانا محمد يحيي المرحوم في التقرير قوله ما هذا يا عائشة لعل هذا يرشدك أنها لم تكن تماثيل تامة و إلا لما افتقر إلى المسألة و لما ترك في بيته ولما خفي ذلك عليه مدة كذا لأن الملك لا يدخل بيتاً فيه تصاوير فلو كانت تماثيل لامتنع الملك قبل تلك الواقعة من النزول إليه كما في جرو الكلب مع أن عائشة كانت غير مكلفة بعد انتهى. (بذل المجهود 171 /)19 Hafidh Mundhiri (may Allah be have mercy on him) has said that if (for argument’s sake), these dolls were shaped like real dolls then this incident will be said to have taken place before the prohibition of statues, and if it was not life-like then it will be said that the word lu’bah (toy, doll) can be used for something which is inanimate. Allamah Halimi (may Allah have mercy on him) also holds the same view. وقال المنذري إن كانت اللعب كالصورة فهو قبل التحريم وإلا فقد يسمى ما ليس بصورة لعبةو بهذا جزم الحليمي فقال إن كانت الصورة كالوثن لم يجز و إِلا جاز. إه .(فتح الباري ()10/526 Finally, scholars like Imam Bayhaqi, Ibn Jawzi, Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on them all) and others are of the view that the narration of Aa’isha has been abrogated.

Abrogation in the Qur’an By Shah Waliullah al-Muhaddith al-Dahlawi Translated by Shaykh Muhammadullah Khalili Qasmi Edited by Saad Khan www.deoband.org One of the difficulties in the science of Qur’anic commentary is to know which are the abrogating verses (nasikh) and which are the abrogated ones (mansukh). This subject has been discussed at length with considerable disagreement [among Muslim scholars]. One of the main reasons behind the difficulty of this subject is the difference of opinion between the early and later scholars about the technical meaning of the word naskh (abrogation). Abrogation According to the Early Scholars What is known from some investigation into the speech of the Companions and the Followers is that they used the word abrogation in the common linguistic sense, namely, the removal of one thing by another, and not in the sense taken by legal theorists [i.e., that one verse has abrogated another verse and it is not acceptable to act upon that verse anymore]. The meaning of abrogation, according to them, is the “removal of some of the qualities of one verse by some other verse,” whether the removal be because: 1. The time for acting upon the abrogated verse has come to an end; 2. The speech has been diverted from the most likely meaning to a less one; 3. The condition is only accidental [not exceptive]; 4. The general import is particularized; 5. The explanation of what differentiates the textual (mansus) and the one which is plainly analogical; 6. One of the pre-Islamic pagan customs has since become extinct; 7. The abrogation of any previous sacred law (Shara’i). Thus, the subject of abrogation became very vast and its scope widened. There is considerable difference of opinion about it. This is why some commentators have elevated the number of abrogated verses to as high as five hundred. But if you think a bit more deeply, you will find that verses of this sort are near countless. Abrogation According to the Later Scholars As regards the verses considered abrogated according to the technical meaning taken by the later scholars, their number is small, particularly in light of the assessment we have made. Shaykh Jalal al-Din Suyuti, after considering the views of some of the learned scholars about them, has given a full account of them in his Itqan. He has noted down the verses which are taken as abrogated by the later scholars in agreement with the view of Qadi Abu Bakr ibn al-’Arabi, and settled their number at approximately twenty. But I have a different opinion about some of these twenty as well. Al-Fawz al-Kabir fi Usul al-Tafsir, translated into Arabic by Salman al-Husayni al-Nadwi, p.81-84 Note: [shah Waliullah al-Dahlawi states in another place in Al-Fawz al-Kabir that abrogation can only be ascertained in five verses according to the meaning taken by the later scholars. He offers an explanation for the remaining fifteen verses that were considered abrogated by Jalal al-Din Suyuti and others, and demonstrates why those verses are not in fact abrogated. For example he writes that the verse "As for those with whom you have made a pledge, give them their shares. Surely, Allah is Witness over everything" (4:33), is said to have been abrogated by the verse "As for the womb-relatives, they are closer to one another according to the Book of Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of everything" (8:75). He comments, "Here I must state that the verse apparently means that the inheritance is intended for the clients (mawali), while doing good and maintaining connection are meant for the master of clientship. As such, there is no abrogation here." On another verse, he comments, "'The adulterer shall not marry save an adulterous or an idolatress, and the adulteress none shall marry save an adulterer or an idolater. All that is forbidden unto believers' (24:3), is taken as abrogated by the verse 'Arrange the marriage of the spouseless among you, and the capable from among your bondmen and bondwomen' (24:32)". He then goes on to say, "I am to state that Imam Ahmad has followed the outward meaning of the verse, while its meaning according to other scholars is that the doer of a great sin is not fit but for the adulteress or that it is not desirable to take the adulteress in marriage. The words of the verse ('All that is forbidden unto believers') is a hint toward adultery and polytheism. Hence, there is no abrogation here." Following are the five verses that are considered abrogated by Shah Waliullah al-Dahlawi: (1) Al-Anfal 65 by Al-Anfal 66; (2) Al-Mujadilah 12 by Al-Mujadilah 13; (3) Al-Baqarah 180 by Al-Nisa' 11; (4) Al-Ahzab 50 by Al-Ahzab 52; (5) Al-Muzzammil 1 by Al-Muzzammil 20. However, Mufti Sa'id Ahmad Palanpuri writes while quoting Mawlana 'Ubaydullah Sindhi, "Thus, according to this term, Shah Sahib sees no verse of the Qur'an as abrogated. But it should be noted that the statements of Shah Waliullah in this regard is wise; in view of the condition of people, he attempted to gradually explain this matter to them." Mufti Palanpuri goes on to say, "'Allamah Sindhi (may Allah have mercy on him) wants to say that no verse, according to Shah Waliullah, is abrogated. But had he expressed this opinion all of a sudden, it would not have been acceptable to the people. Therefore, he wanted to take people gradually to the concept that the Qur'an underwent a process of abrogation, but there is no verse in the present Qur'an which is altogether abrogated."[1] (Sharh al-Fawz al-Kabir, p.275)] _____________________________ 1. For more on this topic see Shah Waliullah awr un ka Falsafah by Mawlana ‘Ubaydullah Sindhi, Sharh al-Fawz al-Kabir by Mufti Sa’id Ahmad Palanpuri, and Bulghat al-Hayran of Shaykh Husayn ‘Ali al-Punjabi.

By Ebrahim Saifuddin People often ask the question that if Muslim men are allowed to marry non-Muslim women, why Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslim men. Firstly it is important to point out that Muslim men are not allowed to marry any non-Muslim women. The only people with whom the Muslim man is allowed to marry are from the People of the Book i.e. those who have faith in the previous revelations informed by Allah (swt). “… (lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time, – when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” – [Qur'an 5:5] Also from the Qur'anic Ayah it is important to note that lawful are not all the women among the People of the Book but only the chaste ones. Apart from these, a Muslim man is not allowed to marry any other woman. Hence the question asked by people should be rephrased into ‘why can’t a Muslim woman marry from among the People of the Book?’ Islam being a complete way of life gives us the minutest details of how to live our lives and the roles we have in society. Man by nature tends to be dominant and woman by nature tends to be compromising. This is a fact which cannot be denied. Some women might claim that they are more dominant in their marriage etc and hence it is not always true that men are dominant. Even if I do agree that there are some women who are more dominant as compared to their husbands, these still are rare cases. Like two in a thousand and thus a minority. Islam is a universal religion and thus needs to secure people at a global level and thus in certain issues its rulings are based on the majority rather than minority. One might ask here how Islam is securing the woman by its rulings on this matter. Primarily Islam teaches us to believe in all the prophets علیھم السلام that were sent by Allah(swt) to Mankind. Thus a Muslim by default believes in Jesus and Moses علیھما السلام. On the other hand, the Christian does not believe in Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Jew does not believe in Muhammad ﷺ nor Jesus علیہ السلام as prophets of Allah(swt). This is a very important point because a Muslim man would by default respect the prophet which his non-Muslim wife believes in but a non-Muslim man would not believe or respect the prophet which his wife believes in. After the couple has children, the non-Muslim wife would teach their child to love and respect the prophet she believes in. The Muslim man would certainly not object if his child is being taught to love Jesus or Moses علیھما السلام. On the other hand the non-Muslim husband might object when his Muslim wife would teach their child about Islam. It is highly likely for the man to teach his children the religion he follows. A non-Muslim man with a Muslim wife would then teach their child to be a Christian or Jew. This would mean that the mother would have to be a witness to her child being led onto the wrong path. In such a situation the mother might retaliate by teaching her child the Islamic values and principles. This in turn would lead the relations between the spouses to turn sour. This could also lead to domestic violence. The United States is a country which is most vociferous regarding rights of individuals. In a survey carried out by The Commonwealth Fund in 1998 and it was seen that there was an estimated 960,000 cases of domestic violence. They stated that around one-third of the American women report being physically or sexually abused by their husbands or boyfriends. Moreover they add that around thirty percent of the American people claim that they know of a woman who was abused physically by her husband or boyfriend. These are the realities which one tends to overlook when they speak about Islam being unfair to the Muslim woman. Further the non-Muslim spouse could end up divorcing his wife, which would lead to trauma for the Muslim woman and the children. The non-Muslim husband would naturally not recognize Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be a prophet of Allah(swt) and might object to the Islamic practices of his wife. He could object to the hijab which the wife would wear. He could want the wife to dress more ‘moderately’ especially when accompanying him to a party. Moreover he could ask the wife to sit with him while he consumes alcohol. The husband could want the wife to serve alcohol for him and a couple of friends after dinner. It is a huge sin in Islam for a person to have anything to do with alcohol. Moreover the husband could want to eat pork for lunch or dinner and could ask the wife to cook it for him. Again this is something not allowed for a Muslim to do and thus would cause trouble in the family. The husband could find it okay for him to drink where his wife is offering prayers. It could be okay for the husband to keep a pet dog inside the house. This is another thing which is not allowed by Islam but the non-Muslim husband might not understand it. As it can be seen, there can be a lot of issues which can arise between the marriage of a Muslim woman and non-Muslim man. It is also important to point out that the non-Muslim man could later on, either of himself or out of pressure from his family, compel the Muslim woman to accept the faith he follows. On the other hand, a Muslim man respects the People of the Book and is under strict instructions from Allah(swt) not to compel his wife to change her faith. Hence the rights of a non-Muslim wife are secure and protected in the house of a Muslim man whereas it is not necessarily the same in a vice versa situation. One might say that it could also be possible for a non-Muslim wife to disrespect the Muslim husband’s beliefs as well. What is interesting is that such a case is highly unlikely to occur because of the teachings present in the books of the People of the Book. The Bible tells us that when Eve committed the sin, the punishment she received from God was: To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” – [Genesis 3:16] Thus to the women of the People of the Book, their scripture teaches that their husband will rule over them and they are not to speak against them as the husbands are given this position by God. It should be noted here that such a concept does not exist in Islam and both Adam and Eve are blamed equally for the sin they committed. For details on that issue refer to my article “Original Sin or Original Forgiveness – What is the lesson?” Now let us further see what the religious scriptures, of the People of the Book, teach. They state that the wives are to submit to their husbands just as they submit to God. The wife is told to submit to their husbands just the way the church submits to Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. – [Ephesians 5:22-24] Another verse that is important to mention is as such: Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. – [1 Peter 3:1-2] As one can see that the women of the People of the Book are told to completely submit to their husbands regardless of whether the husband believes in the word or not. To them the husband has been given a position by God to rule over them. Thus it is highly unlikely for her to disrespect her husband. At the same time the non-Muslim man comes from the line of thought that they are in this world to rule over their wives and that their wives should submit to them like they would submit to God. Hence it is highly likely for there to be clashes between the marriages of non-Muslim men with Muslim women. However this would further give rise to another question which people could ask. They could say that Islam teaches the wife to be respectful towards her husband so then there should be no clash between a Muslim wife and her non-Muslim husband. This line of argument would hold to be true only if the husband was given a status above God in Islam. That is of course not the case and Islam asks for complete submission to Allah(swt) and then come other responsibilities. Islam stresses on Muslims to respect their parents yet Muslims are not supposed to follow their parents’ orders if they are contrary to the teachings of Islam. Similarly a Muslim woman is not to follow what her husband says if it is contrary to the teachings of Islam. Thus keeping all the factors in mind any Muslim woman would agree that she is better off marrying a Muslim man as opposed to a non-Muslim man. Allah(swt) has Absolute Wisdom and thus He has set laws which are only better for us. We, being humans, have limited wisdom which is negligible in front of Allah(swt) and thus at times we might not be able to comprehend the true reason why certain things are forbidden in Islam. Allah(swt) does know that many would not recognize that which is bad for us and thus He says in the Quran: But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not. – [Quran 2:216] In the end, it is important for us to realise that as we accept Allah(swt) as our Creator, we bring belief on to what He has decreed for us and accept that to be in our best interest. Thus we hear and we obey. The reasons which were stated in the article are not absolute but the wisdom of Allah(swt) is Absolute. Thus, hypothetically, if we are to say that all the reasons stated above are invalid today, still the ruling of Allah(swt) remains and we are to obey it. Source

Dear Hãji Taken from ATTARBIYAH Published by Islamic Tarbiyah Academy MUFTI ZUBAIR DUDHA (Hafizahullah) General advice from the writings of the Ulamã for those who intend to perform Hajj . Actions are judged according to the intention. Therefore one must sincerely intend only to perform Hajj to fulfil the command of Allah Ta’ãla and earn His pleasure. Let there be absolutely no worldly motive in one’s Hajj. To also have some worldly motive together with the intention to perform Hajj is like mixing milk with water. . Before embarking on the journey, repent sincerely for all one’s sins. Perform two Rak’ãts of Salãtul Tawba before leaving the home. Give some Sadaqah (charity) as well. The effect of sincerely repenting before going for Hajj is that one will be blessed with the ability of performing more good actions than one had been doing. . Fulfil all the rights of people and pay all the dues. Seek forgiveness from those who you may have hurt in any way. . Write out your will before leaving. If you owe money to anyone, or if money is owed to you, write it out in full detail. Likewise if any trust property is in your possession, write that as well in full detail. . One unique aspect of Hajj is that it only becomes Fardh once in one’s life. Any subsequent Hajj performed is Nafl. Therefore, one must become well acquainted with all the Masã’il as well as the Sunnah and Mustahab acts before leaving. . The journey of Hajj is a journey undertaken to fulfil the a Fardh Ibãdah. Hence one should be even more careful with the other Farã’idh while going for Hajj. No Salãh should be missed. One should take special care of this especially while travelling. . Leave home happily. Do not leave with any sorrow or grief. The Hajj performed with enthusiasm and love becomes a means of progress in Deen. Similarly, the hardships of the journey should not damper one’s spirit or decrease the zeal for performing Hajj. . Be kind and considerate to your fellow travellers. Help them as much as possible. . The duã of a traveller is accepted. While travelling to the Holy Lands, continuously make duã after every Salãh and at other times for an accepted Hajj for oneself as well as all the other Hajis. . Your time is extremely precious. You have no idea whether you will blessed with this opportunity. Therefore do not waste this precious time in idle talk, etc. Use your time in Tawãf, Tilãwat, Zikr, etc. Increase your recitation of Durood tremendously while in Madinatul Munawwarah. Also set a minimum target for the amount of Tilãwat you will make daily and complete it by all means. At least one Khatam each should be made in the Haram of Makkatul Mukkaramah and Madinatul Munawwarah. . Rewards for good deeds are increased in the holy places of the Haramain. Likewise the sins of evil arte also multiplied. Sayyidinah Umar (RA) is reported to have said: “It is more severe upon me that I commit one sin in Makkah than committing seventy sins outside Makkah.” Hence much more care should be taken to totally refrain from sin. Be particularly careful about protecting the eyes from gazing at strange women. This is an extremely destructive evil. . Sit with much dignity and honour in the Haramain. Never resort to laughing, joking and idle talk in the Haram. Similarly do not pay attention towards the decorations and beauty of the buildings. Rather engage yourself in the Ibãdah (worship) of the Creator of all beauty. . Perform Nafl Tawãfs and Umrahs with the intention of passing the rewards to Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The same could be done to one’s relatives etc., especially those who have passed away. . Be kind and soft in your dealings with the people of the Haramain. Never attempt to deceive them nor cause them any difficulty or harm. To do so is to bring destruction upon oneself. . Protect your Hajj from Riya (show and ostentation). Duãs are especially accepted at all the places of MakkatuL Mukkaramah, Madinatul Munawwarah, Mina, Muzdalifa, Arafaat, etc. One should therefore engage excessively in duã for oneself as well as the entire Ummah. . While standing in front of the Rawdah Mubarak (the resting place of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), make a firm intention to return as an ambassador of the mission of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). You will Insha Allah witness the benefit of this. . When you return, do not discuss the difficulties you may have experienced. Keep your gaze fixed on the rewards you will receive and realize that compared to those rewards these difficulties are absolutely nothing. . While still on Hajj and even after returning, perform much Nafl Salãh as Shukr (gratitude) for this great gift.

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, My husband desires that I wear fancy cloaks with stylish Niqaabs. Is this correct? Answer Wa'alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, Observing the Niqaab (Hijaab/Purdah) is a very important part of Deen for every woman. The objective of wearing a Niqaab is to conceal one’s self from Ghayr Mahram (strange) men, together with distracting them and turning them away from one’s self. This objective and purpose of Niqaab is unfortunately being defeated due to the new types and styles of garbs that are in ‘fashion’. Wearing beautiful garments, cloaks and Niqaabs attracts the attention of men, defeating the very purpose of the Niqaab. You should explain to your husband that the purpose of Niqaab is being defeated by you wearing such garbs that are fancy and consisting of different colours. Politely explain to him the importance of practicing on Shari’ah in totality, and the rewards and worldly benefits of doing so. Insha Allah, he will understand.

Udhiya (Qurbani) What is Udhiya? ‘Udhiya’ is an Arabic word meaning "blood sacrifice", and ‘Qurbani’ is an Urdu and Persian word derived from the Arabic word "Qurban" which literally means an act performed to seek Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure. It is technically used for the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah Ta’ala. The sacrifice of an animal has always been a recognised form of worship in many religions, but in the ‘Shariah’ (Islamic sacred law) of The Last and Final Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (Peace be upon him) the sacrifice of an animal has been recognised as a form of ibadah (worship) during the three days of the month Zul Hijjah, namely the 10th, 11th, and 12th . This is to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by the Prophet Sayyidna Ibrahim, Alayhi Salam, when he, in pursuance to a command of Allah Ta’ala conveyed to him in a dream, prepared himself to slaughter his beloved son, Sayyidna Isma'il, Alayhi Salam, and actually intended to do so, but Allah Ta’ala the Almighty, after testing his submission, sent down a sheep and saved his son from the logical fate of slaughter. It is from that incident that the sacrifice of an animal became an obligatory duty to be performed by every Muslim who has the means to do it. On who is it obligatory? Qurbani is Wajib (obligatory) on every Muslim who is Of sound mind - mature (has reached the age of puberty), Muqeem (i.e. he is not a traveller in terms of Sharia) Possesses the amount of 612,36 grams of silver or wealth equivalent to that value which is in excess of one's basic needs and debts on any of the three days of Qurbani. It is not necessary that this amount be in one's possession for a complete lunar year. (please do consult your local Islamic Scholars for more details and exact value in your local currency) What the Quran and Hadith says: Allah Ta’ala Ta'ala, The Most Wise says: "It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allâh, it is your piety that reaches Him. Indeed He has subjected them (animals) to you so that you may glorify Allah for guiding you, and give glad tidings to those who excel in good." (Quran-22:37) The Noble Messenger of Allah Ta’ala(Peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "For every hair that is on the sacrificial animal, one reward is recorded for the person making the Qurbâni." "There is nothing dearer to Allâh during the days of Qurbâni than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Qiyamah with its horns, hair and hooves (to be weighed in reward). The sacrifice is accepted by Allâh before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart." (Hadith-Ibn Majah). "Whoever has the capacity to sacrifice and does not do so, should not come to the place where the Eid prayer is offered." (Hadith-Ibn Majah). Therefore not ignore this important part of Deen if you do have the means.There are many more details that relate to Qurbani which we have not covered in this brief article. For a detailed article on the Laws & Virtues of Udhiya (Qurbani) please visit: eislam

assalaamu 'alaykum Aapa at zamzam academy is not a muftiyah however she does answer questions related to women's issues i.e. haydh, nifas etc. Mufti Abdur Rahman Mangera however replies queries from their website. Once you have contact with a mufti sahib, Haya, you dont really need the email of an aalimah (or even an aalim) as its best to ask fiqh related questions to a mufti or ifta websites. As for facebook, i have always had very strong feelings about its use by our youth and especially young muslimaat even before i knew about the Israeli connection. When there are other means of communication it really is not a necessity. Q. what do you mean by visiting the dhahiri group?

16 qualities which Allah loves Here.....

A Humble Appeal To The Christians Leaflet - A Humble Appeal To The Christians.pdf

Q. WHY IS ISLAM THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION ? A. BECAUSE THERE ARE FAITHFULS WHO WANT PARADISE !! Islam continues to be successful in the developed world, and elsewhere, because its call is in accordance with the natural inclinations of mankind, and it advocates the best of human values, such as tolerance, love, mercy, truthfulness and sincerity. Islam educates people and lifts them up to righteous conduct, good manners and virtue. Its call is distinguished from others by its realism, balance and moderation. Islam pays due attention to both the soul and the body. It neither suppresses physical desires nor allows extravagance in this regard; it makes a distinction between the natural inclination to enjoy the pleasures of this world and forbidden desires that come under the heading of depravity and perversion. People embrace Islam because they find security, comfort and peace in it, they see a cure for their problems in it, and through it they are able to get rid of their feelings of confusion, anxiety and loss. Mankind is basically inclined towards Tawheed (pure monotheism), as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reported that his Lord (Allaah) said: “I created all my slaves as ‘hunafa’ (pure monetheists), but the devils turned them away from their religion.” (Reported by Muslim). For this reason the one who becomes a Muslim after having been a disbeliever is described as having “reverted” to Islam, as this is more correct than saying that he “converted.” When Islam enters a country where there is no nationalism or great legacy of jaahiliyah (ignorance), it spreads quickly because of its strength and the small number of obstacles. You may also see that Islam is suitable for all people, educated and uneducated, male and female, old and young; everyone finds in it what he wants and needs. Those who become Muslim in developed countries realize what their country’s civilization and laws, which have been fabricated from men’s whims and desires, have done to them, and they realize the extent of the misery in which people in developed countries are living. They see how prevalent psychological illnesses, nervous breakdowns, insanity and suicides are, despite the technological advances and great number of discoveries and inventions and modern systems of management. This is because all of that is concerned only with the physical and the outward, but it neglects the inward and fails to nourish and nurture the heart and soul. Allaah says of these people (interpretation of the meaning): “They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” [al-Room 30:7] Islam will continue to succeed, with the permission of Allaah, so long as those who work for its sake are sincere and its followers adhere to it and believe in it, and apply its laws.

The Harm of Shaving the Beard Hazrat Shaikh (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) mentioned: Today, people do not regard the shaving of the beard as a sin. Once, two kaafir messengers, with shaven beards, came to Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) turned his blessed face away (from them). Oh my beloved friends! After death when one appears before Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), then if at that time Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had to turn his blessed face away from one, what will one do?!! (Malfoozaat of Hazrat Shaikh pg. 160) Ihyaauddeen

The Wrongs Of Shaving The Beard Shaving the beard results in a series of Islamic violations, among which are the following: 1. Disobedience to Allah Shaving the beard is an act of disobedience to Allah, as is expressed in the words of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam: Abu Hurayrah RA, reported that the ruler of Yemen, appointed by the Persian emperor Kisra, sent two envoys to the Messenger . When they came into the Prophets presence, he noticed that they had shaved their beards and let their moustaches grow big. Hating their ugly appearance, The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam turned his face away and said, "Woe be to you, who told you to do so?" They replied:"Our lord (Kisra) did!" The Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam responded "But my Lord, exalted and glorified be He, has commanded me to spare my beard and trim my moustache." [Recorded by Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, Ibn Sa'd, and Ibn Bishran. Verified to be hasan (good) by al-Albani (Fiqh us-Sirah by al-Ghazali p. 359)] 2. Disobedience to the Messenger (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) Shaving the beard is an act of disobedience to the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam who commanded the men to spare their beards in many hadiths. Ibn Umar RA, reported that Allah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said: "Closely trim the moustache, and spare the beard." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others]. Obeying the Messenger (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) is equivalent to obeying Allah: "He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; and as for those who turn away: We have not sent you as a guardian over them." [An-Nisa 4:80] 3. Deviation from the Guidance of the Messenger (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) There is no doubt that Allah's Messenger is the best example of a man, both in his appearance and actions. Allah says: "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern - for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day, and who remembers Allah often." [An-Nisa' 4:80] And Jabir RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "Verily, the best guidance is Muhammad's guidance." [Recorded by Muslim] Jabir Bin Samurah RA reported that Allah's Messenger "had a large beard." [Recorded by Muslim]. Shaving the beard clearly exhibits a deviation from his appearance and guidance. 4. Deviation from the Way of Believers One must strive to follow the ways of the believers and identify with them. This is an obligation expressed by Allah: "Whoever opposes the Messenger, after guidance has become clear to him, and follows other than the way of the 'Believers', We will give him what he has chosen and let him into Hell: What an evil destination!" [an-Nisa 4:115] Note: The description 'Believers' in the ayah applies first and foremost to the Sahabah [the Prophet's noble companions - Radiallahu Ta'ala Anhum Ajmaeen] All of the prophets (alaihimus-salatu-as-salaam), the Sahabah (the Prophet's companions RA), the great 'ulama', and the righteous Salaf (early Muslims) of this Ummah (Nation) grew their beards. There is no report of a single one of them selectively shaving his beard. For example, Allah tells us that Harun (as) addressed his brother Musa (as) as follows: He said, "O son of my mother! Do not hold me by my beard or head." [Ta-Ha 20:94] Furthermore, there are authentic reports indicating that the Rightly Guided Successors, as well as other sahabah and tabi'un had large beards. Abu Bakr RA had a thick beard [Qut ul-Qulub 4:9], Umar RA had a big beard [Al-Isabah 2:511], Uthman RA had a large beard [Al-Isabah 2:455], and Ali's RA beard was so wide as to span the distance between his shoulders [At-Tabaqat (3:25) by Ibn Sa'd], Therefore, shaving the beard exhibits a clear deviation from the way of the believers. 5. Imitation of the Kufaar (Disbelievers) The Muslims have been commanded to be different and distinct from the Kufaar (disbelievers). In Surat ul-Fatihah, we are commanded to ask Allah to guide us away from the ways of the disbelievers: "Guide us to the Straight Path - The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favor, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who are astray." [Al-Fatihah 1:6~7] Also, Allah prohibits His Messenger from following the desires of the ignorant. And indeed, anyone who is not on the True Guidance is ignorant. Allah says: "Do not follow the whims of those who have no knowledge (of Islam)." [Al-Jathiyah 45:18] The Prophet has indicated that a person who imitates a certain people will be counted (in Islam) as being one of them. Ibn Umar RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "I have been sent, close to the Last Hour, with the sword (to fight for the truth) - until Allah is worshipped alone without partners. My sustenance has been allotted under the shade of my spear. Humility and defeat have been allocated to whoever strays from my command. And whoever imitates a people is one of them." [Recorded by Abu Dawud and others. Verifies to be authentic by al-Albani (Irwa ulghalil no. 1269)] How terrible it would be for a person whom Allah has favored with Islam to find himself resurrected on the Day of Judgment among non-Muslims - simply because he liked to imitate them. In several hadiths, Allah's Messenger has linked sparing the beard to being different from the followers of other religions. Abu Hurayrah RA reported that the Prophet said: "Cut the moustaches and grow your beards. Be different from the 'Magians'." [Recorded by Muslim and Others] Note: 'Magians' - Followers of an ancient Persian religion. Abu Umamah RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "Cut your moustaches and leave your beards alone. Be different from the people of the scripture." [Recorded by Muslim] Ibn Umar RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "Be different from the 'mushrikin'; trim your moustaches and save your beards." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Note: 'mushrikeen' - Those who join others with Allah in worship. Therefore, shaving the beard is an act of imitation of the disbelievers, and should be extremely abhorred. It conflicts with many fundamentals of Islam, and yet many Muslim men do it in compliance with the practices of the disbelievers! Verily, Allah's Messenger foretold the truth, as was reported by Abu Said al-Khudri RA, when he , said: "You will follow the example of those who preceded you, hand-span for hand-span, and arm-length for arm-length. Even if they entered into a lizard's hole, you would surely enter it!" He was asked, "Do you mean the Jews and Christians?" He replied, "Who else are the (previous) people?" [Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others]. 6. Changing Allah's Creation Without Permission Except for cases that are expressly indicated in Islam, it is prohibited to change the way that Allah has created things. Changing Allah's creation without permission involves obeying Satan who, as Allah tells us, had said: "They actually call upon none but rebellious Satan, whom Allah has cursed. And he had said (to Allah), "I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. I will mislead them, give them false promises, command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and command them so they will change the creation of Allah." Certainly, whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah is in tremendous loss." [an-Nisa 4:117~119] Allah has honored the human beings and fashioned them in the best form: "Verily, We have created the human being in the best of stature." [At-Tin 95:4] Changing this without permission is indeed an act of great atrocity and deviation that deserves punishment. The Messenger declared that the women who change what Allah has created (such as removing their facial hair, wearing wigs, filing their teeth, or tattooing their bodies) seeking by that to improve their appearance, are accursed by Allah. Ibn Mas'ud RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "Allah curses those (women) who tattoo (for others) and those who get tattoos, those who pluck the facial hair (for others) and those who have their facial hair plucked, those who connect their hair with other (fake) hair, and those who file their teeth for beauty - they all change Allah's creation." [al-Bukhari and Muslim] This hadith mentions women in particular because they normally seek to beautify themselves more than men. But the warning applies to both genders, because the condition for the curse is declared: changing Allah's creation. Thus the curse applies to anyone who satisfies such condition. Shaving the beard falls under this warning, as it is much worse than 'nams' (removal of facial hair) practiced by some women. At-Tahanawi said: "It is established that changing Allah's creation is a cause for the curse, and that whatever Allah's Messenger prohibits is prohibited by Allah." [bayan ul- Quran] Waliyy Ullah ad-Dahlawi said: "Cutting it is the way of the Magians, and involves changing Allah's creation." [bayan ul-Quran] 7. Imitation of Women The beard presents a major distinction between men and women. Shaving it removes this distinction, and is thus a means of imitating women. Any act that involves imitation of the opposite gender makes a person liable for the curse of Allah and His Messenger . Ibn Abbas RA reported: "Allah's Messenger has cursed the men who imitate the women; and the women who imitate the men." [Recorded by al-Bukhari and others]. Al-Kandahlawi said: "No one can have doubt that complete imitation of women arises from shaving the beard. This imitation is stronger than that of imitating their clothing and other matters, because the beard is the foremost and greatest distinction between men and women. This is possible to observe by all people, and is not denied except by one who wants to deceive himself, follow his whims, and be effeminate after Allah has favored him with the good appearance of a man." [Wujub i'fa il-Lihyah 31-32] 8. Contradicting the Pure Fitrah The Messenger indicated that a child is born with a pure nature, which may subsequently be blurred by self-indulgence or unfavorable environmental influence. Abu Hurayrah RA and al-Aswad Bin Sari RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "Every child is born with the pure fitrah (nature) - until he becomes able to express himself. It is his parents who then turn him into a Jew, a Christian, a Magian, or a pagan." [al-Bukhari and Muslim] Furthermore, Allah's Messenger mentioned ten qualities as indicative of a good, clean nature. Two of these qualities are to trim the moustaches and to grow the beard. A'ishah RA reported that Allah's Messenger said: "There are ten qualities of fitrah: trimming the mustaches, sparing the beard, siwak (brushing the teeth), inhaling water (to clean the nose) [and rinsing the mouth], cutting the nails, washing the finger knuckles, plucking the armpit hair, shaving the pubic hair, washing the private parts with water, [and circumcision]." [Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaybah, and others. The part between square brackets is not in Muslim (Sahah ul-Jami `no. 2222)] This fitrah never changes with time: Allah says: "The pure nature according to which Allah has created the people. There is no change in Allah's creation." [ar-Rum 30:30] In the footsteps of the disbelievers, many Muslims fitrah is now very deformed. They find a clean-shaven man more handsome and masculine than one with a beard - exactly the opposite to what the Messenger declared in in the above hadith! 9. Ridiculing the Deen With the deformed fitrah that many contemporary Muslims have, they approve of the ways of the disbelievers and disapprove of the guidance of Allah's Messenger ! They adorn themselves with closely shaved beards, and are ashamed of attending important functions or meetings with even a slight beard. They admire the shiny look of a clean shaved man, and congratulate one who just had a nice shave! They command their relatives, children, and subordinates to shave their beards, declaring that the beard is a sign of being messy, backward, and lazy! They ridicule the beard and anyone who grows it! By doing this, they redicule an established part of the religion of Islam, which is a major sin. If they do not know that, they are most ignorant about their din, and if they do it knowingly, they could fall into a definite act of kufr (disbelief) - in Allah we seek refuge. [The Beard Between the Salaf & Khalaf] Source

Status Of The Beard All the great scholars of Islam unanimously agree on this issue that to grow a beard no less than the length of a fist is Wajib (compulsory) upon all Muslim men as it is a distinctive sign of Islam, and it is haram (forbidden) for a mature stable Muslim to shave his beard. This verdict was reached on the grounds that there are numerous ahaadith where the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam is explicitly commanding the Muslims to grow a beard. In this respect a few ahaadith from Bukhari and Muslim are quoted below. Ibn Umar quotes the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, "Cut short the moustache and lengthen the beard." (Bukhari and Muslim) Abu Huraira quotes the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, "Shorten the moustache and lengthen the beard." (Muslim) Ibn Umar quotes the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, "Grow (lengthen) the beard." (Muslim) Yahya ibn Kathir says that, once a person from Ajam (external province) who had grown a moustache and shaved off the beard entered the mosque. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam asked him, "What motivated you to do this act?" He replied that his Lord had ordered him to do so. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, "Allah has ordered me to shorten my moustache and lengthen my beard." Besides these ahaadith, there are other ahaadith which support the necessity of growing the beard. Therefore, to shave, or trim one's beard less than the length of a fist is haram (forbidden) and anyone contradicting this ruling will be committing a major sin and regarded as a fasiq (immoral person). The above mentioned ruling applies to all Muslims as a general rule, as for an Imaam or a Hafiz it becomes all the more important to grow a beard as he will have to lead the prayers. And the Imamat (leadership) of a person who shaves or trims his beard is makrooh-e-tahrimi (severely disliked), although the prayer behind such a person will be valid. It is stated in a hadith of Ibn Majah that (page 77), 'Let not a sinful and immoral person lead in a prayer of a true believer.' It is also stated in Raddul Mukhtar (page 560, vol. 1), 'It is makrooh-e-tahrimi for a fasiq (immoral person) to lead the prayers. An Imaam is the best person in the community worthy of leading the people in their prayers, he should be pious and apparently free from sin and immorality.' In a hadith of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam it is stated, "If you wish that your prayers are accepted, than the most pious amongst should act as your Imaam, for he is a messenger between you and your Lord." It is apparent from these ahaadith that an Imaam must grow a beard in order to lead the prayers. According to all four schools of thought (Madhabs), it is compulsory upon a Muslim man to grow a beard and refrain from shaving it, or trimming it to less than the length of a fist. Given below are fatawas (religious verdicts) issued by the four Madhabs and it's leading scholars on the issue of growing the beard. Hanafi madhab: To trim the beard when it is less than a fist's length, as done by some modern people and hermaphrodites is not permissible in the opinion of all the jurists. To shave the beard as done by unorthodox Jews, Hindus and others is also not permissible. (Durre Mukhtar) Maliki madhab: To shave the beard is haram and to trim it in such a manner that it changes one's natural and normal facial features is also haram. It is also quoted in Kitabul Ib'daa', that without doubt the four Madhabs are agreed that the beard should be lengthened and that shaving it is haram. Shafi madhab: It is quoted in Al Ibaab', that Imaam ibn Ar'rifaah says that Imaam Shafe'ee, in his book, Kitabul Umm, has categorically stated that shaving the beard is haram. Al Azraiy says that the correct position in the Shafe'ee madhab is that to shave the beard without a valid medical reason is haram. Similar verdict of prohibition has been issued by Zarakhshi, Baihaqi in his book, Shu'ab Al Iman, and by his teacher Qa'ffal Shashi in Muhasin As Shar'iyyah. Hanbali madhab: It is narrated in Shar'hul Muntahaa' and Shar'hul Manzoomatul Adaab, the most accepted view is that it is haram to shave the beard. Some Ulama like the author of 'Insaf', have categorically stated that it is haram. There is no report from anyone to the contrary. Sheikhul Islam ibn Taymiyyah says, "Shaving the beard is haram." Ibn Hazm has narrated Ijma (consensus of the Muslims) regarding the obligation of trimming the moustache and keeping the beard, he brings the following ahaadith in support of this Ijma: "Oppose the Mushrikeen polytheists), trim the moustache and lengthen the beard." (Muslim) "Whosoever does not trim his moustache, he is not from amongst us." (Ahmed Tirmidhi and Nasai) The following are some fatawas given, issued by some prominent Muftis of the Arab world, in recent time regarding the necessity of keeping the beard. Sheikh ibn Abdur Rahman Al Banna writes in Fathur Rabbani, "Shaving the beard is strictly haram. This is the madhab of Hanbalis and Zahiriyyah." Sheikh Nasir Uddin Albani writes, "Due to the above references, it is wajib to lengthen the beard and to shave is haram." Sheikh Abu Bakr Al Jazari writes, "One should leave his beard until it fills his face, because the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam has ordered, shorten your moustaches and lengthen your beards." We can conclude from what has been said that to keep a beard is compulsory and to trim it or shave it is haram. Keeping the beard has been the practice of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam, as it has also been the practice of the earlier Prophets before him. When Musa alaihis salaam returned from his journey of Mount Tur and found the Israelites engrossed in idolatry, he became furious and in severe anger he pulled the beard of his deputy (and brother) Haroon alaihis salaam who said: "O son of my mother, seize me not by my beard nor my hair." In the books of ahaadith, numerous hadith describe the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as having a copious beard. Umm Ma'bad radiyallahu anhu says that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam had a copious beard. At an age when moral and spiritual decline is at its peak, acting upon a single prophetic tradition could insure success in the hereafter. It is narrated in a hadith, "One who is steadfast upon my Sunnah at the decline of my Ummah, for him there is the reward of a hundred martyrs." One Maulana has said, "Within a body there is nothing which we can imitate the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam. Our hands, feet, chest, eyes, ears, nose etc. cannot imitate the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam. There is only one thing and that is the beard, in which we can imitate the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam. He had a full, dense beard. We should try to imitate him in this matter." Acting upon the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam brings the pleasure of Allah and in turn great rewards in the hereafter. Similarly, opposing the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam brings the displeasure of Allah. It is stated in a hadith, The messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihe wasallam has cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men. The beard is a distinctive sign of a man and removing it is like imitating a woman and anyone who commits this crime earns himself the displeasure of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam and to displease the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam is to displease Allah. May Allah save us all from Allah's displeasure and wrath. Ameen. Modern scientists and doctors have realised the benefits of keeping a beard. One doctor writes, that by continually shaving, the veins of the sight are affected, resulting in failing eyesight. Another doctor writes that a lengthy beard stops harmful germs from reaching the throat and chest. Another goes so far as to say, "If men shaved for seven generations, the men in the eighth generation will have no beards. This means that the sperm gets weaker in every generation, until in the eighth this quality is completely destroyed." Keeping the beard is the right of every individual. Therefore, even parents cannot order their children to shave the beard. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, "There is no obedience to any creation when the creator is being disobeyed." In such situations where children are forced to shave their beard by their parents, the children must oppose them, for there is no obedience to anyone when the rules of Shari'ah are asked to be violated. A Muslim should strive hard to imitate the blessed Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam in all aspects of their life and refrain from imitating the non-Muslims. There are numerous ahaadith in many books of hadith which describe the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as having a full beard. Given below are some ahaadith regarding this: Ali radiyallahu anhu narrates that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam was neither too tall nor too short. He had long hair and beard. Bukhari and Abu Dawood narrate from Abu Ma'mar, who says, "We asked Khabbab radiyallahu anhu, did the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam recite the Qur'an in Zuhr and Asar prayers?" He replied, "Yes." We asked him how he knew this. He said, "From the movement of his beard." Muslim narrates from Jabir ibn Samura radiyallahu anhu, who says, "The front part of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam's hair and beard had become grey. When he used to apply oil, it was not apparent but when the hair was unkempt it use to become apparent. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam had a dense beard." At'a ibn Yasir radiyallahu anhu says, "The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam was in the mosque, when a man entered who's hair and beard were unkempt. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam indicated towards him with his hand as though he was ordering him to adjust his hair and beard. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, 'Is this not better than coming with unkempt hair like shaitan.'" Aisha radiyallahu anha relates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, "Ten things are of nature in which shortening the moustache and growing a full beard are mentioned." Amongst the fitraat (Deen) of Islam is the cutting of the moustache and the lengthening of the beard, for surely the Majoos (Fire worshippers) lengthen their moustaches and cut their beards. In these two hadith, it has been mentioned that the beard is the natural beauty of a man. To shave it is a unnatural act. Also, shaving the beard is imitating the Kuffar, which is forbidden in Islam. Ibn Al Jawzy narrates in Al Wafa Bi Ahwal Al Mustafa from Ali ibn Abi Talib that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam had a full beard. Tirmidhi narrates in his Shamaail from Abu Hala, who used to describe the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam. He says that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam had a copious beard. Muslim narrates from Ibn Umar that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, "Oppose the Mushrikeen (polytheists), shorten the moustache and lengthen the beard." In another hadith, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam warns the Muslims not to imitate the Kuffar. It is stated in the hadith: The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, "One who imitates another nation, he is from amongst them." This is a severe warning to those Muslims who wish to imitate the non Muslims in their dress and appearance. Anas radiyallahu anhu narrates that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam, most of the time used to oil his hair and comb his beard. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam used to take care of his beard and hair. In one of the hadith that has been previously mentioned, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam told a man to comb his hair and beard. He also given the similarity of a man who has unkempt hair and beard with the devil. To conclude, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam has emphatically commanded the Muslims to grow a beard. He also gave a severe warning to those who oppose this command, especially those people who openly oppose it. In a hadith it is mentioned: "All the sinners of my Ummah are forgiven except those who commit sins openly." This is a warning to those people who openly shave their beards and have no shame in doing this act. May Allah give us all the ability to act upon the commands of the Shari'ah. Ameen. inter-islam

Ruling on Growing a Beard and Moustache We have been contacted by an enquirer who would like to know about the requirements of facial hair within the Islamic tradition, specifically is wearing a beard a requirement of the faith? Also, what is the Islamic perspective on growing a moustache? Any information that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. ANSWER In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, Growing a beard is an extremely emphasised and encouraged way (Sunnah) of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), and held by the Muslim scholars to be necessary (wajib) for a man. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) repeatedly instructed the growing of a beard in many narrations, and his own habitual and continuous practice was that of growing a full beard. Thus, the obligation of keeping a beard is clear from the statements of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), the statements of the great Imams and the constant practice of the early Muslims (salaf). 1) Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Trim (your) moustaches and lengthen/grow (your) beards.” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim) 2) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Cut off moustaches, leave beards and do otherwise than the fire worshippers.” (Sahih Muslim, no. 260) 3) Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Trim moustaches, lengthen/leave beards and do not imitate the Jews.” (Tahawi, Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar, 4/230) 4) Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) ordered the trimming/clipping of moustaches and the leaving of the beards.” (Sahih Muslim, no. 1/222) In the above Hadiths, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) categorically commanded the keeping of the beard in many different ways, and with using different words. In the English translation of the above narrations (Hadiths), it is not possible to clearly observe the different wordings used. However, those who may look at the original Arabic text of these narrations will see that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used different phrases and words to emphasise the keeping of the beard. The great Hadith master, Imam al-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his renowned commentary of Sahih Muslim: The words: A’fu, Awfu. Arkhu, Arju and Waffiru have all been used; the meaning of all of which is to leave the beard as it is.” (Sharh Sahih Muslim, 3/151) In the above narrations, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) explicitly commanded the growing of the beard. According to the scholars of the “science of juristic principles” (usul al-Fiqh), the explicit command (amr) of the Qur’an and Sunnah signifies the obligatory nature of an act (al-Amr li al-Wujub) unless otherwise proven. (See, for example: al-Nasafi, Kashf al-Asrar Sharh al-Manar, 1/37 for the Hanafi school, al-Baji, Ihkam al-Fusul fi Ahkam al-Usul, p.79 for the Maliki school, al-Shirazi, al-Luma’ for the Shafi’i school and Ibn Badran, Nuzhat al-Khatir al-Atir, 2/43 for the Hanbali school). The Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him & give him peace) constant practice was also that of keeping a beard: 5) Abu Ma’mar relates that we asked Khabbab (Allah be pleased with him) whether the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to recite the Qur’an in the Zuhr and the Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. We said, “How did you come to know of this?” He replied, “From the movement of his beard.” (Sahih al-Bukhari1/971 & Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 801) 6) Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) performed ablution (wudhu), he would take a handful of water and put it under his jaws and pass it through his beard. He said, “This is what my Lord ordered me to do.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 145, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1.54 and authenticated by al-Hakim) 7) Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)…….had a thick beard….” (Sahih Muslim, no. 1823) The four Sunni schools of Islamic law (madhhabs) also quite clearly mention the impermissibility of shaving the beard: The Hanafi School The great Hanafi jurist, Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his Durr al-Mukhtar: “It is unlawful for one to trim his beard….And as for shortening it when it is less than a fistful, as some North Africans and effeminate men do, this is something no one (i.e. of the Hanafi scholars) has said is permitted.”(See: Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/113, Kitab al-Sawm) This position is also confirmed in other works, such as al-Bahr al-Ra’iq, Fath al-Qadir, al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Bada’i al-Sana’i and al-Ikhtiyar. The Maliki School Imam al-Dasuqi (Allah have mercy on him) states: “It is unlawful (haram) for a man to shave off his beard, and the perpetrator will be disciplined.” (Hashiyat al-Dasuqi ala Sharh al-Kabir, 1/90, Kitab al-Taharah) The Shafi’i school It is stated in Sharh al-Ubab: “The two shaykhs of the school (i.e. Nawawi & Rafi’i) state that it is Makruh (disliked) to shave the beard, but Ibn al-Rif’a objected to this stating that Imam Shafi’i (Allah have mercy on him) himself categorically mentioned in his book “al-Umm” that shaving the beard is unlawful (haram). Imam al-Azra’i said that the correct position of the school is that, to shave the beard without a valid medical reason is unlawful.” (Sharh al-Ubab & Hashiya Ibn Qasim al-Abbadi, 9/376) Imam Ibn Qasim al-Abbadi also stated in his Hashiya: “It is said that, shaving of the beard is unlawful.” (See: Hashiya Ibn Qasim al-Abbadi ala Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, 2/468, Kitab al-Salat) The Hanbali School Imam al-Bahuti (Allah have mercy on him) states: “(From the acts of nature (fitrah) is to lengthen the beard in a way that it should not be trimmed at all. It is stated in the school that, this is as long as it does not become abnormally long in a way that it causes abhorrence. And it is unlawful (haram) to shave it off.” (Kashaf al-Qina’, 1/75). This is also confirmed in the other major Hanbali works, such as: al-Insaf, 1/121 by al-Mawardi, Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat, 1/85 by al-Bahuti and al-Rawdh al-Murbi’, 27-28 also by al-Bahuti. The above statements of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and the statements of the jurist (fuqaha) go a long way in proving that to shave the beard (or trimming it to a very thin line which in effect is shaving) is unlawful (haram). A Muslim (and especially one who classes himself to be practicing) can never look with favour towards the act of shaving the beard. Length of the beard As far as the length of the beard is concerned, there is no doubt in the fact that the practice of the Mercy of both worlds, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and his Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) was that of keeping and growing the beard to at least a fistful. The Hadith quoted above from Sahih al-Bukhari, wherein Khabbab (Allah be pleased with him) said that, they (sahaba) came to know of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) reciting in his prayers due to the movement of his beard, is a clear proof of this. One can imagine the length of the Messenger of Allah’s beard if the Companions could see it moving from standing behind him in prayers. Similarly, there are other narrations that clearly state that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) had a very thick and copious beard. Imam al-Bukhari relates in his “Sahih” from Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Do otherwise than those who ascribe partners to Allah (al-mushrikin): leave beards, and trim moustaches.” And Ibn Umar, when he went on Hajj or Umra, would grasp his beard with his hand, and removed what was in excess of it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 7/206) Other Companions such as Abu Hurayra and Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with them all) are also reported to have trimmed their beards to a fistful, thus the practice of the Sahaba, who understood the Sunnah more than anyone else, is a clear proof on the permissibility of trimming the beard to a fistful. The great Hanafi jurist, Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) states: “when a narrator (Ibn Umar, in this case), does something in contradiction to what he has narrated (the words “leave/grow beards”), it indicates that the original ruling (of not trimming the beard at all) has been superseded (mansukh) by a subsequent one–permitting the beard to be trimmed, in this case. But trimming it when it is already less than a handful is not permissible in the Hanafi school (Ibn Abidin: Radd al-muhtar ala al-durr al-mukhtar, 2/113) Thus, as also quoted earlier, the Hanafi School is quite clear, in that it is unlawful to trim the beard shorter than a fistful, as mentioned by both Imam al-Haskafi and Imam Ibn Abidin. There is also an opinion in the school that, to trim the excess hair of a fistful is necessary (wajib), although the preferred opinion is that it is recommended (mandub) to trim it to a fistful. (See: Durr al-Mukhtar) The Maliki School is also quite clear in that it is impermissible to trim the beard unless it is extremely long. However, they don’t restrict this to a fistful. Imam Shaykh Ali al-Sa’idi al-Adawi (Allah have mercy on him) states: “There is nothing wrong (in the sense that it is recommended) in trimming the beard if it is exceptionally long…..It will be impermissible to trim it if it was not long enough or was only slightly long. Some commentators (on the risala) explained the meaning of “lengthiness” (kathra) that which is considered to be abnormal, for leaving (such a lengthy beard) causes abhorrence in one’s appearance…….I would say: Some commentators have mentioned that trimming the beard when it has not grown (very) long will be unlawful similar to shaving it. But the apparent interpretation (of the text) is that the point of prohibition – as we have already demonstrated to you – is when clipping results in disfigurement (muthla), and this clear in the absence of lengthiness or when it is slightly long and one goes overboard in trimming. As for when it is (very) long and clipping it doesn’t produce disfigurement, then the apparently correct interpretation is that it is contrary to what is more appropriate (khilaf al-awla).” (Hashiya of Shaykh Ali al-Adawi on the commentary (sharh) of Imam Abu al-Hasan to the Risala of Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, 1/409/410) Imam al-Qarafi (Allah have mercy on him) states: “From the nature (fitrah) is the lengthening of the beard unless it becomes extremely long (Jiddan), in which case, it would be recommended to trim it.” (al-Zakhira, 13/278) The Shafi’i school, which is the most liberal on the beard issue, states that it is disliked (makruh) to trim the beard. Imam al-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) states: “The correct opinion is that it is disliked to trim the beard unrestrictedly (mutlaqan), rather, it should be left uncut however it grows.” (al-Majmu’, 1/290) Imam Ibn Hajar (Allah have mercy on him) says in his Tuhfa: “The outward purport (dhahir) of what our imams say is that it is unconditionally disliked to trim the beard.” (Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, 9.376) The Hanbali School mentions that to leave the beard is necessary, and permissible to trim it to a fistful. (See: Kashaf al-Qina’, 1/75) The upshot of all of the above is that, all the four schools of Islamic law regard the trimming of the beard less than a fistful as blameworthy (unlawful, according to the three schools and disliked according to the Shafi’i school). Thus, one should not trim his beard less than a fistful. Scholars and those associated to Da’wa work must take extra care with regards to this. Even if trimming the beard less than a fistful is considered to be disliked, it is unfitting for a person active in Islamic work to involve himself in such a practice, for a person is more effective with his actions than his words. Some individuals try to justify the shaving of the beard using many excuses, such as, it could be an obstacle in the way of effective Da’wa, etc, but these excuses are just that. When we have the clear guidance from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), then there is no other way for us other than that of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) If the service to Islam and Muslims is done with adherence to the laws of Shariah, then one will be rewarded. However, service to Islam and the Muslims, whilst forgoing the injunctions of Islam is neither effective nor acceptable by Allah Almighty. Consider the following incident recorded by Imam Ibn Kathir in his al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, Imam al-Tabari in his Tarikh and Imam Ibn al-Athir in his al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh: “When the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) wrote a letter to the King of Persia (kisra) inviting him to Islam, he (kisra) tore the latter apart and then sent two of his people to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). When they entered onto the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), their beards were shaven and they had grown a big moustache, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) disliked to even look at them, and said; “Who commanded you to do this? They replied that their Lord (kisra) had ordered them to do so. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “But my Lord has ordered me to shorten my moustache and lengthen my beard….” (al-Bidaya Wal-Nihaya, 4/269/270) In the above episode, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) disliked even to look at the Messengers of Kisra, for they had grown their Moustaches and shaved off their beards. This should serve as a great deterrent for all those who do not want to hurt the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) in any way, and thus abstain from any practice that would be disliked by him. Before parting with the issue, I would like to mention that, the position taken above is according to my understanding of the Islamic ruling with regards to the beard, and this is what I have learnt from the majority of my teachers. This is also the position held by the scholars of the Indian Subcontinent and elsewhere. However, there are other major scholars, especially in the Middle East, who hold a more lenient position with regards to the trimming of the beard. And, as you have seen, that there is nothing clear and decisive in the Shafi’i school stating that the beard must be grown to a fistful unless one will be sinful, thus many great Shafi’i scholars (from Yemen, for example) do not consider growing the beard to a fistful as obligatory, rather merely somewhat disliked if not kept. Therefore, it is necessary that we have full conviction in what we believe and respect the opinions of others, as long as it falls into the category of valid Ijtihad. The most one may do is offer sincere advice (nasiha) while respecting others’ right not to follow the opinion one believes to be correct. This is the path of tolerance, and mercy. The ruling on Moustache The trimming and shortening of the moustache has been emphatically mentioned in many narrations of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), as we have seen above, thus, there is no need to repeat these narrations. The Hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) mention two things: 1) Some state, “Shorten your moustaches.” 2) Others state, “Remove your moustaches.” (See: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). Thus, all the Schools of Islamic law agree on the fact that, it is impermissible to leave the moustache in a way that it covers the upper lip, for it is against the Sunnah and unhygienic, especially when eating. It would be unlawful to grow a very long moustache, as is customary in many people. Zayd ibn Arqam (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Whosoever does not shorten his moustache is not one from us.” (Sunan Tirmizi, no. 2761, Sunan Nasa’i, no. 14 and Musnad Ahmad, 4/366, and Imam al-Tirmizi classed it to be authentic). Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to trim or take from his moustache, and the friend of Allah (khalil), the Prophet Ibrahim (blessings be upon him) would also do the same.” (Sunan Tirmizi, no. 2760 and Musnad Ahmad, 1/301) However, the scholars differ as to whether it is better to shorten the moustache or remove it and shave it altogether. The relied upon opinion in the Hanafi School is that, it is even better to remove one’s moustache, though the sunnah is achieved by shortening the it such that it no longer covers the upper lip. Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) states that the opinion of shaving off the moustache being a Sunnah, was chosen by many scholars. (Radd al-Muhtar) Imam al-Tahawi said that it is a Sunnah to shave the moustache, and it is better than shortening it, affirming that this is the position of Abu Hanifa and both his main students (Allah have mercy on them). (See: Tahawi, Sharh Ma’ani al-Athaar, 4.229, He also reported, with his authentic chains of transmission, that this was from the practice of great Companions, including Abd Allah ibn Umar, Abu Hurayra, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, Abu Usayd al-Sa’idi, Rafi’ ibn Khadij, Jabir ibn Abd Allah, Anas ibn Malik, and others. (ibid.) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Allah have mercy on him) used to shave his moustache, thus the Hanbali position is also similar to that of the Hanafis. The Maliki School states that the moustache should not be completely removed, rather only shortened. The Shafi’is also hold a similar view. This is what I have, and Allah knows best. [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK Source

On one occasion Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) mentioned: Apart from the abundant virtues that have been reported regarding sickness, the Hadith mentions the immense rewards for the sick. It is well-known that when a person exercises patience, he is rewarded. However some researchers (Muhaqqiqeen) opine that in sickness a person receives a separate reward for sickness and a separate reward for being patient. Since sickness is not in one’s volition, instead it comes from the side of Allah Ta’ala, and patience is in one’s volition, therefore both are two separate things and a person will be rewarded for both separately. I always say that in principle, even though a person does not exercise patience when he is ill, he will still receive the reward for sickness. However, he will also be taken to account for not fulfilling the command of Allah Ta’ala with regard to exercising patience. In the month of Ramadhaan many people fast, yet they do not perform their Salaah. They will be rewarded for fasting, though they will be taken to account for not performing Salaah. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 10/ 215) ihyaauddeen

Where do I start? By Abu Muhammad Yusuf Imagine waking up one morning to find everyone smiling, just peace, harmony, tranquillity, mutual love, respect, serenity…wouldn’t it be divine? We all desire to change the world for the better, but where do we start? A wise man once said; When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town .I couldn’t change the town, so I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I know the only thing I can change is myself. And suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world. So what is really the secret to changing world? Actually it's not such a big secret! Allah Ta’ala gives us the perfect and most wise solution: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran-Surah Rad, 13:11) If we desire change, then let us change what is within ourselves first and have high hopes and good expectations about gaining help from our Creator. The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that Allah says: "I treat my servant according to his expectations from Me and I am with him when he remembers Me…if he takes one step towards Me, I will take ten steps towards him. If he walks towards Me, I will run unto him.” (Hadith: Bukhari & Muslim) Often we fear and resist change. Boldness, courage and determination are essential components of change. The secret of change is not to fight the old, but to refocus and build the new. We need to take it one step at a time. Rome was not built in a day and a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Sometimes it's the smallest decisions we make that can change our life forever. If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will Insha Allah change. Allah,The Most Wise, is always there to Help and Guide us. So let us not delay and try to be the change that we wish to see in the world. eislam

Two Arab youngsters were chatting at an airport in the UAE… talking about their trip to Morocco & their proposed plans & how they had lied & fooled their parents into believing that they were going for Umrah. Little did they realise they were being overheard by an Arab jamaat brother. Feeling rather uneasy about what these boys were up to, the brother contemplated whether to approach & advise them or to remain silent. Being Arab, his straight forward nature coupled with deep compassion was inherent… & having the Ummah’s concern at heart, he just couldn’t remain silent… So he approached them & informed them of what he’d heard. The only thing that kept coming to his mind which he felt would deter them from their plans & he expressed it to them was, “What if your death come in Morocco!!” “How will your parents feel if they had to receive news of that??” He then convinced them to cancel their 10 day trip to Morocco. Alhamdulillah, Allah turned their hearts & they did. Arrangements were then made for them to meet with a jamaat in Jeddah who would make arrangements for their Umrah & so they left for Jeddah. On their way for Umrah, as was Muqaddar(destined), they passed away… انا لله وانا اليه راجعون Now forever, will these 2 boys receive the reward of Umrah & so will the brother who made Amr bil Ma’roof & Nahiy ‘anil Munkar/who enjoined the good & forbade the evil. May Allah Ta’ala make us from those who fulfill this task(Amr bil Ma’roof & Nahiy ‘anil Munkar) which was exclusive to the Ambiya alayhimussalaam & now is the obligation of each person of this Ummah. آمين يا رب العالمين (Story was related by Ml Ahmad Suleman Khatani, South Africa. Sat, May 18, 2013) Source

Humility of Shaikhul Hind (Rahimahullah) Moulana Mu`een-ud-Deen Ajmeri [رحمه الله] was renowned for his mastery in the field of philosophy. He had once heard of the prominence and piety of Shaikh-ul-Hind Moulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan [رحمه الله]. Hence, he decided to travel to Deoband and pay him a visit. It was during summer. When he arrived at the home of Shaikh-ul-Hind [رحمه الله] he met a person dressed only in a lungi and a vest. He introduced himself to him and said, I have come to meet Hadhrat Moulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan Sahib. This person welcomed him in with a lot of respect and seated him saying, You will soon meet him. Whilst waiting, this person served Moulana Ajmeri with refreshments. Moulana Ajmeri told him, Kindly inform Hadhrat Moulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan. This person replied, Dont worry and make yourself comfortable. After a little while, this person now brought some food and insisted on Moulana Ajmeri that he partakes of the meal. Moulana Ajmeri told him, I have come to meet Hadhrat Moulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan. Please inform him. This person told Moulana, He has been notified. Partake of the meal and you will meet him. After Moulana Ajmeri partook of the meal, this person began fanning him. When this continued for some time, Moulana Ajmeri became annoyed and said, You are wasting my time. I have come to meet Moulana and it has been so long yet you have not let me meet him. This person then said, The reality of the matter is that there is no Moulana over here. However, this insignificant servants name is Mahmood. Hearing this reply, Moulana Ajmeri was totally astounded and realised the worth of Hadhrat Shaikh-ul-Hind [رحمه الله]. source

"Lo! My Salāh and my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allāh, Lord of the worlds." (Glorious Qur’ān 6:162) Udhiyah [Qurbānī] By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Virtues Of Udhiyah [Qurbānī] • Udhiyah is a practice commanded by Allāh ta‘ālā: ... So turn in prayer towards your Lord and sacrifice (animals). (108:2) • There is nothing dearer to Allāh ta‘ālā during the days of udhiyah than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgement with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allāh ta‘ālā before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore, sacrifice with an open and happy heart. (At-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah) • Zayd ibn Arqam radhiyallāhu ‘anhu relates that the Companions radhiyallāhu ‘anhum asked, “O Rasūlullāh! What is udhiyah?” He replied, “It is the sunnah of your father Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām.” They asked again, “What benefit do we get from it?” He answered, “A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal).” “And (what reward is there for animals with) wool, O Rasūlullāh?” they asked. “A reward”, he said, “for every fibre of the wool.” (Ibn Mājah) • When a person slaughters an udhiyah animal, he is forgiven at the fall of the first drop of blood, and verily, the animal shall be brought forward on the Day of Judgement with its blood, meat etc., and shall be increased in weight seventy times more than its own weight, and thereafter it will be placed on the scale of deeds. (Kanz-al-‘Ummāl) On Whom is Udhiyah Wājib? • Udhiyah is wājib on every Muslim who is of sound mind, mature (who has reached the age of puberty), muqīm (i.e. he is not a Shar‘ī traveller) and possesses the amount of fifty two and half tolas of silver (612.36 grams) or wealth equivalent to that value which is in excess of one’s aslī (basic) needs. It is not necessary that this amount be in one’s possession for a complete lunar year. It’s possession during the three days of udhiyah will make udhiyah obligatory. Udhiyah is not incumbent on a child or an insane person whether they own wealth equivalent to the amount above or not, nor is it wājib upon their guardians to perform it on their behalf. Similarly, it is not wājib on a Shar‘ī traveller. NOTE: A Shar‘ī traveller is he who goes on a journey with an intention of travelling forty eight miles. He will be treated as a traveller as soon as he goes out of his town. • It is highly virtuous for one on whom udhiyah is not wājib to offer sacrifice for the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. He will be eligible for all the reward mentioned in the ahādīth. • During the days of udhiyah, sadaqah and charity cannot compensate for udhiyah nor fulfil the wājib. Udhiyah is a unique ‘ibādah. Just as zakāh cannot compensate for hajj, or sawm (fasting) cannot compensate for salāh, similarly charity cannot compensate for udhiyah. However, if the days of udhiyah had passed, and the udhiyah was not offered despite being obligatory due to not knowing, negligence or for some other reason, then it becomes wājib to give in sadaqah the price of udhiyah animal or the animal itself to the poor. • If a traveller returned home or a person acquired the required wealth on the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah before sunset, it will be wājib upon him to perform udhiyah. • A traveller who makes an intention of staying at a certain place for fifteen days or more, no longer remains a traveller. He must offer udhiyah if he possesses the prescribed amount. Days of Udhiyah • The days of udhiyah are the tenth, eleventh and twelfth of Dhul-Hijjah. The first day is better than the second, and the second better than the last. Time for Udhiyah • In towns and cities where Jumu‘ah and ‘Īd are performed, Udhiyah is not permissible before the ‘Īd salāh. If the Udhiyah has been offered before the ‘Īd salāh, it will have to be repeated. Therefore, the time for udhiyah commences after ‘Īd salāh on 10th Dhul-Hijjah until before the sunset of 12th Dhul-Hijjah. • It is permissible, but not preferable to perform udhiyah at night. The Udhiyah Animal • It is permissible to offer in sacrifice a goat or she-goat, sheep of all kinds, cow, bull, buffalo or camel. • It is necessary that the goat is one (full) year old, whether male or female. A cow, bull or buffalo will have to be two years old, and a camel five years. Animals that are younger are not suitable for udhiyah. • A sheep (of any kind) not less than six months old, so strong and fat that it appears to be one year old will suffice for udhiyah, otherwise it will have to be one (full) year old. • A cow, bull, buffalo or camel will suffice for seven persons provided no one’s share is less than one seventh and the niyyah (intention) of all partners is to attain thawāb (for udhiyah), and not merely to obtain meat. • The udhiyah of only one person can be performed from a goat, sheep or ram. • If an animal seller says that the animal has reached the required age, and outwardly there is no sign to disprove it, then it is permissible to rely on his statement. • Animals that are castrated can be used for udhiyah. In fact this type of animal is preferable. • The following cannot be used for udhiyah: Animals that are blind, one-eyed or have lost one-third or more of their eyesight. Animals that have lost a third of the ear or the tail. Similarly, the animal which has no ear from birth. An animal whose horn has been broken off from the root. An animal which has one leg lame to the extent that it walks on three legs only and is unable to use the fourth leg. An animal so lean and thin that its bones have no marrow. An animal so weak that it cannot walk to the place of slaughtering on its own. An animal completely toothless or one that has lost most of its teeth. • It is virtuous to purchase the animal for udhiyah a few days prior to slaughtering and care must be taken in feeding and nursing it. Masnūn Method of Sacrifice • It is more virtuous to slaughter the animal with one’s own hands. If one does not know how to slaughter, it is preferred that he remain present while someone else is sacrificing the animal. It is not necessary to make the niyyah (intention) of udhiyah with the tongue, however it is necessary to say ‘Bismillāhi Allāhu Akbar’ when slaughtering. • Use a sharp knife and slaughter the animal quickly so that it does not suffer. • Do not sharpen the knife in front of the animal. • After slaughtering, do not skin the animal before it becomes completely cold. • Do not slaughter one animal in the presence of another. • It is mustahab (desirable) for one who intends to perform udhiyah to refrain from cutting hair or clipping nails from 1st Dhul-Hijjah to 10th Dhul-Hijjah, (i.e. until after udhiyah). The Udhiyah Meat and Skin • It is permissible to eat the udhiyah meat. It can also be distributed to relatives and friends, whether wealthy or poor, Muslims or non-Muslims. It is better to divide it into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives and friends and one for the poor and needy. • The skin of the udhiyah animal can be kept for personal use, e.g. using it as a prayer-mat, water bag etc. • If the skin of the udhiyah animal is sold, then it is wājib to give that amount in sadaqah to the poor (i.e. those who are eligible for zakāh). • It is not permissible to give meat, fat, etc. of the sacrificed animal to the butcher as his wages. • The meat of the animal slaughtered by partners should be shared by weight and not by estimation. • The rope, cover, etc. of the animal should be given away as sadaqah. Udhiyah On Behalf Of The Deceased If one has been favoured by Allāh ta‘ālā with wealth, then he should also perform udhiyah on behalf of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, his Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, his Ummah, the Prophets ‘alayhimus salām and for his own living or deceased relatives, friends and teachers who have conveyed Dīnī knowledge. One should always remember and never overlook our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and perform udhiyah on his behalf. Abū Talhah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu has related that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam sacrificed one ram and while sacrificing another he said, “This is on behalf of every one of my Ummah who believed in me and testified (to my prophethood).” (At-Tabrānī) It is a matter for deep thought and consideration that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam kept his Ummah in his mind while offering the sacrifice and it is deplorable for the Ummah not to remember him at the time of udhiyah. © Islāmic Da'wah Academy

Sports and Entertainment in Islam By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Translated by Zameelur Rahman www.deoband.org Zuhayr ibn Harb narrated to me: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us: from Sufyan: from ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad: from Sulayman ibn Buraydah: from his father: that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “He who played backgammon is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.” (Sahih Muslim) His statement “dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine”: Al-Qurtubi said, “This is an allusion to sacrificing and slaughtering it while [it is know that] its slaughter is prohibited (haram).” Al-Nawawi said, “It is an allusion to eating it because the one who consumes swine his hand is polluted by the flesh of swine and if he slaughters it his hand is polluted by its blood.” Whatever [the case], the hadith proves the impermissibility of playing backgammon, and the ‘ulama have agreed on this with the exception of what was narrated from Ibn al-Mughaffal, Ibn al-Musayyab and Abu Ishaq al-Marwazi as [mentioned] in Nayl al-Awtar (8:85). The majority have analogised it to chess, thus taking the view of its impermissibility also. Al-Haskafi said in al-Durr al-Mukhtar: Playing backgammon is prohibitively disliked, and likewise chess … al-Shafi’i permitted it as did Abu Yusuf according to one narration, and the commentator of al-Wahbaniyyah versified this and said: There is no harm in chess, which is one narration transmitted From the great scholar, the Qadi of the East and the West (i.e. Abu Yusuf) This is when there is no gambling, and no persistence, and one does not forsake an obligation, for otherwise it is prohibited by consensus. (See Radd al-Muhtar 6:394) Moreover, although al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) did not take the view of the prohibition of chess, it is however disliked (makruh) even according to him, as was explicated by al-Nawawi, although its reprehensibility is less than the reprehensibility of backgammon. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn Umar, Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, Abu Sa’id and ‘A’ishah (Allah be pleased with them) that they disliked chess. It was related in Daw’ al-Nahar from Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Hurayra, Ibn Sirin, Hisham Ibn ‘Urwah, Ibn al-Musayyab and Ibn Jubayr (Allah be pleased with them) that they deemed it permissible. This was [mentioned] in Nayl al-Awtar (8:95), but I did not find the transmission from them in the books of hadith. The Ruling of Entertainment (malahi) and Sports (al’ab) in the Shari’ah As regards to the ruling of entertainment and sports in general, my teacher and my father ‘Allamah Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) compiled an independent treatise on it, published in his book Ahkam al-Qur’an. I will summarise in what follows the conclusions that he reached after enumerating the texts narrated on the subject, by quoting certain of his different statements: Know that the pure and magnanimous Shari’ah of the Chosen One does not prohibit gains and benefits which the human nature is disposed to, and it does not approve of monasticism (rahbaniyyah) and absolute asceticism (tabattul), rather it demands civilisation and proper social intercourse. Yes, it prohibits extremism in entertainment and total immersion in it whereby one is distracted from the necessities of religion and livelihood. From what is acknowledged is that one of the needs man is disposed to is [the need to] exercise the body and relax the heart and give it enjoyment from hour to hour. Hereof, he (upon him be blessing and peace) said, “relax the hearts from hour to hour.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in his Marasil from Ibn Shihab in mursal form, and Abu Bakr al-Muqri’ in his Fawa’id and al-Quda’i from him from Anas (al-Jami’ al-Saghir). And hereof the practice of joking occurred in his (Allah bless him and grant him peace) sayings and actions. It was narrated from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he said “entertain [yourselves] and play, for indeed I dislike to see harshness in your religion.” Al-Bayhaqi narrated it. And it was narrated from ‘A’ishah (Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Do you have with you any amusement (lahw), for indeed the Ansar love amusement?” Al-Hakim narrated it. Hereof, it was transmitted from ‘Ali and ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with them): “the heart becomes bored just as the body becomes bored, so search for it paths of wisdom.” And it was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased him) that when talk about the Qur’an and traditions became excessive he would say to one near him “entertain us” i.e. immerse [yourself] in poetry and stories. And [others] besides him said “relax the hearts along with [doing] dhikr“. This is [mentioned] in Kaff al-Ru’a’ on the margins of al-Zawajir (1:164) … The upshot of the discourse is that relaxing and giving enjoyment to the heart and likewise exercising the body are from the permissible benefits and human interests which the magnanimous Shari’ah has not prohibited completely. Yes, it prohibits extremism and total immersion in it whereby it harms the worldly life or the afterlife. This is the underlying reason in the permissibility of some [forms of] entertainment in some situations, since this [type of] amusement (lahw) with this intention and purpose is no longer futile (lahw), rather it pertains to an interest and benefit, as has preceded in the hadiths cited on the permissibility of swimming, archery and competition with the crossbow, and racing with camels and beasts and riding horses and playing with the family, for although these are in the form of futile entertainment, because engaging in them is with the correct purpose and [contains] benefits for this life and the afterlife, it is excluded from true futility (lahwiyyah), and is thus made permissible, and at times is recommended. Yes, one who did these with the intention of amusement (talahhi) and play (tala’ub) it would indeed be prohibited and disliked. The fuqaha (jurists) have clarified this. Just as amusement (lahw) occasionally becomes a benefit with the intention and is excluded from futility (lahwiyyah), similarly good deeds occasionally become futile by a corrupt intention, or because of its prevention from the remembrance of Allah it relates to [mere] play and disobedience. He (upon him be blessings and peace) said, “All things not from the remembrance of Allah are futile (lahw) and play (la’b).” Al-Suyuti mentioned this in al-Jami’ al-Saghir with the abbreviation [indicating it was transmitted] by al-Nasa’i and he placed by it the sign for “sound” (hasan).” … Once you understand that amusement sometimes becomes a benefit by the right intention and an anticipated benefit and benefits become futile by a corrupt intention or total immersion in it whereby it distracts from the remembrance of Allah, then it should be clear to you why the fuqaha differed about a certain [form of] entertainment, since one permitted it [when it is done] for a good purpose and with a good intention … and the one who prohibited it prohibited it because of his lack of confidence in that good intention and acceptable objective in respect to the corrupt practices that will result and because of what he discovered by experience that its harm is greater than its benefit. … Hence, the rule in this subject, according to our [Hanafi] scholars, acquired from their principles and statements, is that entertainment by itself which has no purpose behind it, and does not have a beneficial goal in the worldly life or the afterlife is prohibited (haram), or prohibitively disliked (makhruh tahriman) and this is a matter that is agreed upon in the ummah and the imams have concurred upon this. And that which contains an objective and a religious or worldly benefit, if its prohibition is mentioned in the Book or the Sunnah, like in backgammon, it is prohibited or prohibitively disliked, and that benefit and goal is legally [hukman] negated due to its opposition to the transmitted prohibition since its harm is greater than its benefit … and this too is agreed upon amongst the imams. However, its prohibition may not have been established according to some of them and thus they permitted it and gave a dispensation in it, and it may be established according to others, so they forbade it and disliked it. This is the case with chess since the prohibition narrated about it is disputed from the perspective of narration and transmission. It is established according to the Hanafis and the generality of the fuqaha so they disliked it, and it is not established according to Ibn al-Musayyab, Ibn al-Mughaffal and in a narration according to al-Shafi‘i too, so they permitted it. As regards to that which prohibition from the Lawgiver has not been mentioned, and contains a benefit and interest for the people, then it is by jurisprudential opinion of two types: [1] First, that which experience has shown its harm is greater than its benefit and its evils outweigh its uses, and that one who engages in it is distracted from the remembrance of Allah alone and the [obligatory] prayers and mosques, that will join what has been prohibited because it shares the ‘illah (ratio legis or underlying reason) so it is prohibited or disliked. [2] Second, what is not so [i.e. experience has not shown it to be harmful], if people engage in it with the intention of amusement and play it is disliked, and if engaging in it is for the purpose of acquiring that benefit, and with the intention of seeking to attain that benefit, it is permissible; rather it may rise to the level of recommendation (istihbab) or greater than that. This is a summary of what my father Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ concluded in Ahkam al-Qur’an (3:193-201). Based on this principle, sports which are intended to exercise the bodies or minds are permissible in themselves, so long as they do not contain other sins, and so long as one is not totally immersed in them to the degree that they infringe on the responsibility of man in his religion and his living. And Allah Most High knows best. Takmilah Fath al-Mulhim, 4:380-2

Tests by Allah سبحانه و تعالى By Ebrahim Saifuddin Allah سبحانه و تعالى has tested the people of the past in various ways and will keep on testing His creation. He has informed us about these tests in the Quran. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also informed us that Allah سبحانه و تعالى will test us from time to time. Sometimes hardships and losses occur in life due to our sins. To wash of these sins in this world, Allah سبحانه و تعالى inflicts upon us these hardships: Narrated by 'Ayesha: Allah’s Apostle ﷺ said, “No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn.” (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #544) And again by a different narrator: Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira: The Prophet ﷺ said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #545) Paying for sins in this world is much easier than paying in the Hereafter. It is a blessing in disguise which Allah سبحانه و تعالى bestows upon us and saves us from the payment of these sins in the Hereafter. The Quran informs us what to do when we face these tests in our life and also tells us about the reward that we will receive if we are successful in dealing with the situation in the way we are expected to: Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”:- They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. – [Quran 2:155-157] We are to be patient during hard times and always remember that Allah سبحانه و تعالى is the Creator of everything and We all will return to Him. No deed is lost in front of Allah and we will be rewarded for even the minutest good that we ever did do. Trials afflicting us can be signs of His Love. It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Narrated By Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle ﷺ said, “If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.” (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #548) Misfortune can bring a person towards the right path. It can make better Muslims out of people. Observing patience, remembering Allah سبحانه و تعالى and turning only to Him for help and guidance during such times, will help us attain Allah’s forgiveness and His rewards. Allah سبحانه و تعالى tests man through various agencies, both through adversity and prosperity. A person with a luxurious life is tested to see how much he spends in the way of Allah سبحانه و تعالى and how much he is thankful to Allah سبحانه و تعالى for the blessings bestowed upon him. Another can be tested by the things he desires but does not and/or cannot possess. What do these people do is actually their test. Does the person deviate from the way of Allah سبحانه و تعالى to pursue the worldly gains? Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. To Us must ye return. [Quran 21:35] The Quran reminds us that in periods of hardships, we are to remain patient, remember Allah, and protect ourselves from committing that which is declared unlawful by Allah سبحانه و تعالى: Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall certainly Hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil,-then that will be a determining factor in all affairs. – [Quran 3:186] An important thing that we should always remember is that everyone is tested. If we declare that we are Muslims, that does not mean that we will not be tested in this world. The Quran is very clear on this issue: Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe”, and that they will not be tested? – [Quran 29:2] One should not think or feel that he is the only unique person going through such times or that Allah سبحانه و تعالى is displeased with him. Every single person faces difficulties to the best of their capacity. Surely Allah is not unjust and does not over burden a soul: On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear – [Quran 2:286] This world is an abode for tests and one should not deny or avoid these but should face them and pass them successfully. A person can be put into hardships for a number of reasons and we might not know those reasons when undergoing a certain loss but what we must do is always remember Allah سبحانه و تعالى, be patient, abstain from what is unlawful, give charity and ask Him to help ease out our hard times. If we do fail to do this then we should turn to Allah سبحانه و تعالى and ask for forgiveness. Allah سبحانه و تعالى is Most Merciful and InshaAllah He will forgive us for the wrong that we do.

Writes dr76 sahib..... From the Mashaikh this useless fellow visited in the past.. i have heard them stress a lot on two things.. 1.Ikhlaas 2.Niyyat A Shaikh of my town, someone very close to me since 1993 - Hazrat Dr. Ali Malpa sahab damat barakatuhum ( khalifa of Hazrat Maulana Shah Wasiullah sahab ilahabadi And Hazrat Maulana Shah Abrar ul Haq sahab Hardoi .) would advise me many times on the lofty benefits of Ikhlaas and rectifying Niyyat.. Once while in Madina Munawwara in the service of Hazrat Rasul Ahmed sahab db ( a very old founding Tableeghi elder of the blessed city) on seeking permission to depart I requested Hazrat to make dua for ikhlaas.. He said, Ikhlaas Allah ke khazanon me se ek azeem daulat hai.. aur Allah use deta hai jo uske raaste me qurbaniyan deta hai.. (Ikhlaas is a great wealth from the treasures of Allah سبحانه وتعالى He bestows it upon those who give sacrifices in his path..) While in a suburb of Darbhanga (Bihar, India) in the Presence of an eminent Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Shaikh, Hazrat Maulana Shams ul Huda sahab db , I asked Hazrat to make dua for Ikhlaas.. Hazrat replied.. beshak.. Ikhlaas ek bahot badi nemat hai.. lakhon me kisi ek ko hasil hoti hai.. (surely.. Ikhlaas is a great bounty from Allah سبحانه وتعالى , only one in lakhs may have attained it..) And the words of Hazrat Maulana Ahmed Ali lahori sahab seems like written in gold.. Sabhi to hain usi ke.. par uska koee ek.. Hazaron me na milega ..laakhon me tu dekh.. Everyone belongs to him alone.. but he loves the one amongst.. In thousands u may not find him.. behold him among the lakhs.. dr76 sahib then begins the translation of the a Majlis where Hazrat spoke on Ikhlaas and its rewards in Wasiyatul irfan that was Published from the Khankah of Hazrat Maulana Shah Wasiullah sahab Read HERE...