ummtaalib

I think you'll have to ask those who have seen Him : )

The answer is here in the first quote in my post... Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states in his renowned Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar: “The majority of the scholars are of the view that the vision of Allah Most High in sleep is possible, without any given description of modality (kayfiyya), direction (jiha) or quiddity (hay’a) and in the second quote: Imaam al-Daarimi said, in his refutation of Bishr ibn Ghiyaath, “This seeing took place in a dream, and in a dream it is possible to see Allaah in any shape or form.” (p. 166) Read the whole of part b in the article at the source... here inshaAllah you will understand

Masjid Ash-Shams It is in the Qubaa area and so named because being on a higher place than the surrounding buildings, the sun rises on it first. It is the place where the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam had his tent pitched during the siege of the Jewish tribe of Bani An-Nadhir (From "Memories of the Luminous City")

Umar RA once said, “The one who speaks a lot commits a lot of mistakes. The one who makes lots of mistakes commits lots of sins. The one who commits lots of sins will have the Hell-fire as the first place for him."

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good things or keep silent...." Part of a hadith [bukhari and Muslim]

Mujahid Brother Dawood (Shaheed Inshallah) Dawood, from Britain. Killed during a battle against Croatian Forces in Bosnia in 1993. Aged 29. 1st hand account. Present on In the Hearts of Green Birds Born and brought up as a Christian in Britain, he started his job in a Computer Company. One morning he came to work wearing Islamic dress. Upon being asked why he was wearing this dress he informed his work colleagues that he had converted to Islam. One week later he was fired from his job and went to Bosnia with two other brothers. Four months later, his brothers were returning to Britain for a few months and they asked him to come with them. He refused, saying, What is there for me to do in the land of disbelievers? He was a very calm and quiet brother, funny at the same time. He loved guarding his brothers on the mountain in snow and cold weather. A very fast learner of Islam and the Arabic language, he loved to keep all the Sunnahs of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). He used to sleep on his right-hand side in a crouched position, he used pray all night and fast most days. Commander Abul-Harith (RA) said about him, All of us knew that Dawood would be the next Shaheed from amongst us, as he was getting higher and higher and higher in his Iman and Taqwa. The night before the Operation, Dawood had a dream, in which he saw himself running in a place with large palaces on either side. He asked, Who do these palaces belong to? It was said to him, These are the houses of the Shuhadaa. He asked, Where is the house of Abu Ibrahim? (the Turkish brother from Britain who was shot dead by the French United Nations near Sarajevo Airport). The voice said to him, The house of Abu Ibrahim is over there. And so in the dream Dawood began to run towards the house of his friend, Abu Ibrahim, and then suddenly he fell down and woke from his sleep. The following morning there was a large operation against the Croats. During this operation, while he was running, he was killed by a single shot to the heart. He fell down and his body rolled down to the Croat bunkers below. After three months his body was returned to the Mujahideen. It was as new, it was bleeding and smelling of musk. His body was found crouched on its right-hand side, just how he used to lie down to sleep. (Story courtsy of WWW.AZZAM.COM)

More answers here: What Takes a Person Out of the Fold of Islam? - seekersguidance

Ok here is something which will interest you...full answer HERE Also:

Seeing Allah in Dreams, Waking and the Afterlife <QUESTION> Is it possible to see Allah in a dream? It is reported from Imam Abu Hanafi and others that they saw Allah in a dream, is that true? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, The position of the mainstream Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah (Asha’ira and Maturidiyya) is that the vision of Allah Most High with the eyes of the head is rationally (aqlan) possible and that the believers will be blessed with this vision in the hereafter. This vision, however, will be without encompassment (ihata) or delimitation (tahdid) within any given limit (hadd), whether from the front, the back, above, below, right, or left. Allah Most High will be seen (unlike any material being) not in place or in a direction so far as being confronted, nor by the conjunction of the rays of light, nor by a certain definite distance between the one who sees and Allah. In other words, the believers will see Allah Most High in Paradise without our specifying how and in a manner Allah knows best. It is impossible and wrong to draw analogy for the unseen from the seen. This vision of Allah is certainly unlike the vision of material things in this world, for vision in this world requires the seen to be in a place, direction, at a specific distance, etc, whilst the vision of Allah Most High in the hereafter will be free from such restrictions. Allah Most High will enable the believers to see His esteemed self. (Culled from Mulla Ali al-Qari’s Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar P: 245-246, Taftazani’s Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya P: 131, Nuh Ali Suleyman’s commentary on Jawhara al-Tawhid P: 113 and Bajuri’s commentary on the Jawhara P: 114) The above is the position that the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah scholars have always maintained. The Mu’tazila and some other groups such as the Shi’a held that Allah Most High could not be seen at all, even on the Day of Resurrection or in Paradise. They interpreted certain verses of the Qur’an erroneously, rejected some sound hadiths claiming that such vision necessitated a physical body for Allah and a direction, which He Most High is free from. However, the position of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah is supported by many evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah, of which some are presented below: 1) Allah Most High says: “Some faces, that day, will beam (in brightness and beauty), looking towards their Lord.”(Surah al-Qiyama, V: 22-23) 2) Allah Most High says regarding the Prophet Sayyiduna Musa (Peace be upon him): “When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, He said: “O my Lord! Show (Yourself) to me, that I may look upon You.” Allah said: “By no means can you see Me (direct); But look upon the mount; if it abides in its place, then you shall see Me…” (Surah al-A’raf, V: 143) In the above verse, Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) requested to see Allah Most High. Had the vision of Allah been impossible, the request of Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) would have been out of ignorance or foolishness or he would be making a request for the impossible, whereas all the Prophets of Allah are far removed from such things. Secondly, Allah Most High connected the vision with the abiding of the mountain firm in its place, which is something that is possible in itself. Hence, that which is connected to the possible is also possible. (Taftazani and Nasafi, Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya, P: 127-128) 3) Allah Most High says: “There will be for them therein (in Paradise) all that they wish, and more besides in Our presence.”(Surah Qaf, V: 35) The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) interpreted “more” saying that it referred to the vision of Allah Most High. (Narrated by Muslim and others) 4) Allah Most High says regarding the disbelievers: “Verily, from their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled.”(Surah al-Mutaffifin, V: 15) This verse explains that the disbelievers will be deprived from the vision of Allah; hence by contrast, it implies that the believers will be blessed with this vision. Thus, Sayyiduna Imam Shafi’i (Allah have mercy on him) said: “Allah Most High’s veiling Himself from a people (disbelievers) due to His displeasure indicates that a group (believers) will see Him due to His pleasure. By Allah, had Muhammad ibn Idrees (Shafi’i himself) not been convinced that he will see his Lord in the hereafter, he would not have worshipped him in this world!” (Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid) 5) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people (companions) said: “O Messenger of Allah! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” He replied: “Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a clear (not cloudy) night?” They replied: “No, O Messenger of Allah” He said: “Do you have any doubt in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?” They replied in the negative. He said: “You will see Allah (your Lord) in the same way….” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 773) 6) Sayyiduna Jarir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we were sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) on a fourteenth night (of the lunar month), and he looked at the (full) moon and said: “You will see your Lord as you see this moon. You have no trouble in looking at it. So, whoever can should not miss the offering of prayers before sunrise (Fajr prayer) and before sunset (Asr prayer).” Then the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) recited: “And celebrate the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 4570 and others) 7) Moreover, the occurrence of the vision of Allah has been narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Huzayfa ibn al-Yaman, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash’ari and many others (Allah be pleased with them all). No Companion (sahabi) of the Messenger of Allah is reported to have rejected the vision of Allah; hence there is complete consensus of the Companions on this. (Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya, P: 131 & Tuhfat al-Murid Sharh al-Jawhara, P: 115) As far as the verse “Visions comprehend Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision” (6: 139) is concerned, it refers to encompassing Allah Most High with our vision. Vision and encompassment are two different things, the latter is rejected in this verse, in that the visions of humans will not be able to encompass Allah most High (even in the hereafter), whilst the former (vision) has been proven in many verses of the Qur’an and many Hadiths. (ibid) The vision of Allah Most High in this world The above few evidences were relating to the possibility of seeing Allah and the believers seeing Him Most High in the hereafter. As far as seeing Allah Most High in this world is concerned, there are two situations here. Seeing Him whist awake and secondly seeing Him in sleep. a) Seeing Allah whilst awake There is, more or less, a consensus amongst the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah scholars that, though logically possible, nobody is able to see Allah Most High in this world in the state of being awake. However, there is a difference of opinion as to whether the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah Most High in the night of ascension (me’raj) or not. The renowned Hadith scholar and Hanafi jurist, Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states: “There is an agreement among the Muslims (scholars) that no believer will see Allah Most High with his eyes in this world. The scholars only differed with regards to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) seeing Allah during his ascension to the heavens.” (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 354) Mulla Ali al-Qari then said, there is a consensus on the fact that the vision of Allah cannot take place in this world for other than the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). He quoted Ibn al-Salah and Abu Shama saying that the one who claims to have seen Allah whilst being awake will not be believed, for this (vision of Allah whilst being awake) is something that even Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) was prevented from when Allah Most High said to him: “By no means can you see Me”. However, there is a difference of opinion whether this vision occurred for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). (ibid) Some scholars went to the extent of considering such a person, who claims to have seen Allah whilst awake, a Kafir, although most scholars were precautions and did not consider such a person to be an outright Kafir. However, there is no doubt that this person will be considered to have severely deviated. (ibid) Hence, no individual (besides the Messenger of Allah) is able to see Allah Most High whilst being awake in this mortal world. As far as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) is concerned, the Companions differed as to whether he (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah in the night of Isra’ and Me’raj or not. Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas and others (Allah be pleased with them all) related that he did, whilst Sayyida A’isha, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud and others (Allah be pleased with them all) were of the opinion that he did not see Allah with the eyes of his head during his ascension to the heavens. As a result, the scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah also have conflicting views on this issue. Imam al-Bukhari relates that Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) said regarding the statement of Allah: “And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We showed you, but as a trial for men…” (17.60): He said: “The sights which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was shown on the night he was taken to Bayt al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the cursed tree (mentioned) in the Qur’an is the tree of Zaqqum.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 3675) Imam Tirmidhi has also related some narrations from Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) wherein he states that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see his Lord in the night of Isra’ and Me’raj. (See: Sunan Tirmidhi, chapter on the commentary of the Qur’an, Surah al-Najm) On the other hand, Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) has rigorously denied that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah Most High with the eyes of his head. The following is the narration expressing her viewpoint: Imam al-Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Masruq that the latter said: “I said to A’isha: “O my mother! Did Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) see his Lord?” She replied: “My hair stands on end because of what you said. Have you no idea of three things? Whoever tells them to you is lying. Whosoever tells you that Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw his Lord, is lying.” She then recited: “Visions comprehend Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision. He is the Subtle, the Aware” and “And it is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil”. (Secondly), whosoever tells you that he knows what shall happen tomorrow is lying.” She then recited: “No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow” And (thirdly) whosoever tells you that he (Allah bless him & give him peace) concealed something, is lying.” She then recited: “O Messenger. Proclaim the (message) which has been sent to you from your Lord”. “However, he (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see (the angel) Jibra’il (peace be upon him) in his actual form twice.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 4574). Some scholars explained that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) had a vision with the eyes of the heart, and not with the eyes of his head. This is elucidated by Ibn Abbas’ other narrations in Sahih Muslim and elsewhere where he said: “He saw him with his heart.” Hence, in this way, the two opinions may be reconciled. (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 8/430) Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) said that the preferred position according to the Ulama is that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see his Lord in the night of al-Isra’ and al-Me’raj with the eyes of his head. The Hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) will be given preference over the position of Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her), as the principle states “Affirmation (ithbat) takes precedence over the negation (nafi)”. Hence, the position of Ibn Abbas and others (Allah be pleased with them all) will be given preference and it will be said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was blessed with the vision of his Lord in the night of al-Isra’ and al-Me’raj. (Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid, P: 117-118) The best statement on the issue is of Shaykh Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi (Allah have mercy on him). He said: This world is that which is below the heavens and anything above the heavens is considered to be part of the next world (akhira). Hence, the vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) will not be considered a vision of this world; rather it is a vision of the next world, and there is no disagreement concerning the vision of the hereafter. Hence, this vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was also a type of the vision of the hereafter. (See: Ma’arif al-Qur’an, 3/412) b) Seeing Allah in a dream As far as the vision of Allah Most High in a dream is concerned, Imam al-Taftazani (Allah have mercy on him) states in his commentary of Imam Nasafi’s al-Aqa’id: “As far as the vision of Allah in sleep is concerned, it is something that has been related from many predecessors (salaf). And there is no doubt that this is a type of observation by the heart rather than the eye.” (Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya, P: 135) Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states in his renowned Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar: “The majority of the scholars are of the view that the vision of Allah Most High in sleep is possible, without any given description of modality (kayfiyya), direction (jiha) or quiddity (hay’a). It is recorded that Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him) said: “I saw Allah Most High 99 times whilst asleep.” Then he saw Him the hundredth time also, the story of which is long and not feasible to be mentioned here. It is recorded that Imam Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him) said: “I saw Allah Most High in a dream, I said: “O Lord! How is it possible to achieve closeness to You?” He replied: “By the recitation of my speech (Qur’an).” I said: “O Lord! Recitation with understanding or (even) without understanding?” He replied: “With or without understanding.” It is also narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he said: “I saw my Lord in my sleep.” Hence, the vision of Allah in sleep is recorded from many predecessors (salaf) and it is a type of observation by the heart observed by noble people…” (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 356-357) Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) states: “As far as seeing Allah Most High in sleep, it is narrated from Qadhi Iyadh that there is no difference of opinion regarding its occurrence and truth, for the Satan cannot take the form of Allah Most High like he cannot take the form of the Prophets (peace be upon them)….. (Tuhfat al-Murid, P: 118) The above-mentioned few texts of the scholars indicate clearly that Allah Most High can be (and has been) seen in a dream. It is something that His noble and pious servants are blessed with, and one cannot deny its occurrence. Indeed some Ulama did deny the possibility of seeing Allah in sleep, but that is a minority position not accepted by the majority of the scholars. Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned some additional notes regarding the vision of Allah in sleep in his commentary of Jawhara al-Tahid. He states that, if one sees Allah in a manner that is not impossible for Allah, then one has surely seen Him. However, if one sees Him in a form that is impossible for Him such as seeing Him in a form of a specific individual, then that is not Allah rather it is the creation of Allah, and the dream will need to be interpreted by those qualified to do so. Some scholars said that even in such a case, one did actually see Allah, but the form seen is not the reality of Allah; rather, it is reflecting the mind of the one having the vision. (Tuhfat al-Murid Sharh Jawhara al-Tawhid, P: 118) Imam Ibn Sirin (Allah have mercy on him), a major classical scholar considered to be a master in the science of interpreting dreams, states in his renowned book, The Interpretation of Dreams: (This book incidentally covers over 900 dreams with their meanings explained. It explains what facts are to be taken into account when interpreting a dream, when is a dream regarded as true or false, etc.) “Sayyiduna Daniyal (peace be upon him) relates that if a believer was to see Allah Most High in his dream unequalled and incomparable, as is related in the verses of the Qur’an and in the Hadiths, he will be blessed with the magnificent sight of Allah Most High (in the hereafter) and his needs will also be fulfilled. If an individual was to see a dream in a manner that he was standing before Allah Most High and that He Most High was watching him, then the dream is a sign of his piety and spiritual well-being. He will be chosen for forgiveness, and if he is sinful he will repent.” (Ta’bir al-Ru’ya, P: 67) Imam Ibn Sirin then goes on to mention many types of dreams in which one sees Allah Most High and gives their interpretations. For example, if one sees that Allah Most High is talking secretly with one, then this means one is close to Allah Most High. If one sees that Allah Most High is advising one and giving one Nasiha, then this alludes to the fact that Allah Most High is not completely happy with one’s actions. A glad tiding from Allah is a sign of His pleasure and admonition from Allah is a sign of His wrath and anger (ibid). For more details, one may refer to Imam Ibn Sirin’s above-mentioned book, but one should consult a reliable scholar of knowledge, piety and wisdom before coming to any sort of conclusion. To sum up, the vision of Allah Most High is rationally possible and the believers will be blessed with this vision in the hereafter. However, no one is able to see Allah in this world whilst in a state of being awake besides the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), and regarding the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) too, there is a difference of opinion amongst the Companions (Allah be pleased with them all). As far as seeing Allah in sleep is concerned, this is possible and is related from many pious servants of Allah, saints and scholars. And Allah knows best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Hadiths that encourage visiting the grave of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) Question Are the following which are quoted to be hadith really hadith? 1. One who visits me after my death is as if he visited me during my life. 2. One who visits my grave my intercession for him is certainly due. A saudi scholar has mentioned in his umrah kitaab under the section of ziyarat that, although quoted to be Hadiths they are not Hadiths. Answer Both these Hadiths are suitable to quote. The following is an excerpt from the book: ‘Al-Maqasidul Hasanah’ of the famous Muhaddith (Hadith Master) ‘Allamah Shamsud Din Sakhawi (rahimahullah) – demise: 906 A.H. ‘The Hadith: ‘My intercession is incumbent for he who visits my grave.’ is recorded by Imams: Abush Shaykh, Ibn Abid Dunya and others on the authority of Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu’anhuma). It also appears in the Sahih of Imam Ibn Khuzaymah who has also pointed its weakness. Abush Shaykh, Tabarani, Daraqutni, Bayhaqi and others have reported this with the words (He who visits my grave) is like one who visited me in my lifetime. Bayhaqi has said it to be weak. ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) said: ‘All the chains for this narration are slightly weak, but are strengthened by each other since none of the chains have any narrator that is suspected of lying.’ He (Dhahabi) also said: ‘The version that has the best chain is the one reported by Sayyiduna Hatib (radiyallahu’anhu): ‘Who visits me after my demise is like one that has visited me in my lifetime’ Recorded by Ibn ‘Asakir and others. end of quote from Al-Maqasidul Hasanah, hadith: 1125. Also see Manahilus Safa of ‘Allamah Suyuti (rahimahullah), hadith; 1115. ‘Allamah Taqiud Din Subki (rahimahullah) has also approved these Hadiths in his book: Shifaus Siqam. Hafiz Ibn Nasirud Din Ad-Dimashqi (rahimahullah) has also written extensively on this and has approved several Hadiths on this topic in his monumental book: ‘Jami’ul Athar’, vol.8 pgs. 129-141. He then writes at the end of the discussion: ‘Visiting the grave of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) is a sunnat of the Muslims, it is unanimously accepted as an act of reward and it is an act of virtue that is encouraged. The Hadiths on this topic have been accepted and practised upon, even though a few of these Hadiths have weakness. Only a deviate will reject them totally.’ (Jami’ul Athar, vol.8 pg.141) Cautionary note: One should avoid reading books of scholars like the one’s mentioned in your question. Reading their books causes a lot of confusion. And Allah Ta’ala Knows best, Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers

Enjoining good even though one doesn’t practice himself Question May Allah always keep you in good health with ‘Afiyah. May Allah increase your knowledge. I would like to know a few Hadiths that encourage dawah to others even though one isn’t practicing on what he is preaching. Also what is the stance of our ‘Ulama on this? Answer In the light of Quran and Hadith, a very large number of ‘Ulama have unanimously mentioned that one who is lacking in a particular deed, may still invite others towards it. ‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) writes in his commentary on Sahih Muslim: ‘The ‘Ulama have stated that is is not a precondition in one who engages in enjoining good and forbidding evil, that he himself be abiding to what he advocates. In fact, he is duty bound to enjoin good even if he is lacking in implementing it, just as he is bound to forbid wrong although he is involved in the same wrong. This is because one has 2 separate responsibilities; a) to command himself to do the good b) to command others. If he lacks in one of these responsibilities, how would that allow him to lack in the other?!’ (Sharh Nawawi ‘ala Sahih Muslim, vol.1 pg.51) The same explanation has been echoed by the general Mufassirun (commentators of Quran) under verse: 44 of Surah Baqarah. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah writes in the commentary of this verse of Surah Baqarah: ‘Commanding good and practising upon it are 2 separate responsibilities. Either one of these will not fall away even if an individual fails in the other. This is the most correct view of the earlier and latter scholars. Some have the opinion that one who engages in a sin cannot forbid others from it. This is a weak view. It’s even weaker for them to use this verse (of Surah Baqarah) in support of their claim, as there is no substantiation in it for their view!’ (Tafsir Ibn Kathir. Also see: Tafsir Baydawi, Ruhul Ma’ani & Ma’ariful Quran under the same verse of Surah Baqarah, ‘Allamah Munawi (rahimahullah has also written this under hadith: 8177 of Faydul Qadir) There is more to this discussion, and those who are interested may refer to Tafsir Ibn Kathir, surah Ma-idah, Ayah: 105. Having said the above, one should always endeavour to act upon what one propagates, as there are stern warnings in the Hadith for those who fail to ‘practice what they preach’. And Allah Ta’ala Knows best, Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers

Muslim girls have eating disorders too The article hereunder was submitted by a sister who requested its publication for the benefit of the Muslim community. When I was put to the task of writing an article related to counseling, I wracked my mind for an idea. What could I write, after possibly, a five year academic hiatus? I trawled articles, blogs and websites on the internet for inspiration. And then a thought: why not write an article on a problem that has plagued me for most of my teenage and young adult years. A problem that was, undoubtedly, a deciding factor in choosing my undergraduate field of study in psychology. Eating Disorders. I did not want this article to be a regurgitating hash of psychological terms and textbook-style definitions. Open any book, magazine article or website on Eating Disorders and you will read this. Nor did I want this article to be about Mary* (pseudonym for a person that probably does not even exist) and how Mary manages to overcome her obsession with food. I wanted to share with you my story. The story of a Muslim woman whom struggled for many years with a mental illness that is commonly thought of as a disease of the west. Almost everyone has a love of food. Our gatherings and celebrations are often centered on mouth-watering, delicious dishes and calorific, sugar-laden desserts. Food has a universal appeal. It transcends religions and cultures. Nevertheless just about every person has said, at least once, that they need “to go on a diet.” For some people, however, this goes far beyond simply choosing a low-fat or non-fat version of a foodstuff in a bid to be healthier. It becomes a serious and life-threatening reality. An anxiety that consumes every second of their waking lives. I know this obsession by its first-name. It was an unwelcome guest for a countless many breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I struggled day after day; often feeling like a war was being waged on my body and in my mind. And I felt very alone. A Muslim girl suffering from an eating disorder? Unheard of. There were definitely others like me, but we were blanketed by the disapproval of a society that assumes these are the problems of the “white girls.” It was only after researching social network sites and the internet that I realized; Eating Disorders are prevalent amongst Muslim females and in certain cases, Muslim males. It is a growing phenomenon and is often overlooked. Do we presume that because a woman wears a hijab, she is immune to media and social pressures that dictate a certain standard of beauty? A Muslim woman may be the embodiment of modesty and reserve, but she is still just a woman. I am not sheltered in a cocoon, blissfully unaffected by a measure that values the lithe and slender. I particularly remember an incident when I was in the awkward phase of puberty- a time of teenage angst and melodrama, and whilst visiting some family members, an old lady said to my mother, “she could be pretty if she lost some weight.” This comment, although it was probably well-meaning, was very damaging to my emerging self-esteem and it became the twisted motivation I used to starve myself. Fast-forward a few years and I beat my body into submission. I became an emaciated version of my former self. At the peak of my struggle with my eating disorder, I felt at the lowest ebb of my Iman. The blessed month of Ramadaan became my enabler and often times I questioned myself, “was I fasting for myself or for Allah.” An eating disorder is a debilitating disease and it encumbers you from doing what you really want to do. Your spirituality is put to the test. On the contrary, I finally received approval from the marriage police. You know the sort- those well connected aunties who rate you based on a number of factors: complexion, eye-colour, body size and social class. If you were fair, green-eyed, slim and from a good family, then you rated extremely high on the potential bride scale. You would hardly, if ever, hear about the girl that was an excellent match for so-and-so because of her good character. These are the unspoken rules of our society. A society that frowns upon anything remotely westernized yet uses these same shallow principals when discussing young Muslim women as prospective brides-to-be. Therefore, we should not only blame the western objectification of women’s bodies, fashion and clothing. We are far too quick to lay fault on modern ideals. “These young girls are obsessed by movie stars,” is often our repetitive complaint. Perhaps we need to rethink the discourses of our own culture. Through the immeasurable mercy of the Almighty, this story has a happy ending. I have thankfully, managed to overcome my eating disorder and my obsession with being a size zero. It is important to seek the help of a professional counselor or psychologist to defeat this mental illness. I also firmly believe in the power of supplication and in earnestly asking our Creator for help and forgiveness to supplement ones treatment. “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He has also created its treatment.” (Al-Bukhari) It is my sincere wish that this article will help, inspire and encourage others. After reading this, I hope they realize that they are not alone in their struggles. Muslim girls have eating disorders too. Sister F. Docrat (END) Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

Welcome to the forum. InshaAllah this is of help brother Sumalia hadi Q. What make a person kafir? What keeps a person in faith in spite of these apparent words of denial? Who is the authority to judge this person, and what is the sentence? Is there a deadline for Tawbah or should it be put to death immediately? Can you give us a detailed article (complete on the subject) in the Hanafi madhhab on this issue? A. Apostasy [ar Ridda] Apostasy [ar Ridda] is to regress from the truth to that which is false, to fall back from guidance into misguidance and from illumination and blessings to darkness and evil. It is nullification of one’s faith. The literal definition of apostasy (ar-Riddal) is to retract from something and to withdraw from it for something else. It is the worst type of unbelief and is ruled as the most repugnant. It destroys and wipes out one’s (righteous) works provided one dies in that state; and it destroys the rewards of one’s actions from the moment one regresses from the truth. This is according to Shafi’i – in that he restricts the rule to death. So if one were to come back to Islam after his retraction from it, his actions would not be invalid and he would be rewarded for them and would not have to repeat them, such as having to repeat hajj for instance. Imam Shafi’i’s view is owing to the verse: “As for any of you who revert from their religion and die unbelievers.” (Quran 2:217) However, Imam Abu Hanifa maintained that the act itself destroys one’s works and rewards. Allah says: “As for those of you who revert from their religion and die unbelievers, their (righteous) actions will come to nothing in this world and the next.”(Quran2:217) According to the Sacred Law, apostasy is the intent to sever the continuance of Islam or to utter a word of disbelief or perform a certain action regardless of whether it is an action or saying of belittlement, pride or belief. Allah says [if you ask them (about their mockery of you and the Quran while they were travelling with you to Tabuk), they will say: "We were only joking and playing around." Say, "Would you make a mockery of Allah and of His signs and of His Messenger?" Do not try to excuse yourselves. You have disbelieved after having believed. If We pardon one group of you (due to their sincerity and repentance) We will punish another group for being evildoers]. The apostate therefore is the one who rejects the existence of the Creator, or rejects the existence of the Prophet or belies him. Likewise, declaring something forbidden as lawful is disbelief by consensus, such as adultery, and drinking alcohol. Equally, to forbid what Allah has made lawful holds the same ruling, such as trade, and marriage. Furthermore, to reject what is absolutely agreed upon by consensus, such as the five daily prayer constitutes disbelief. To resolve oneself to disbelief or retract from what is necessarily known amounts to disbelief. Examples include: to intentionally belittle that which is clearly acknowledged in Islam, such as to deliberately discard a mus-haf in filth. Conditions of Apostasy A) Maturity – there is no consideration given to the retraction [ridda] of a boy who has the capacity to distinguish, on the basis that he is not yet accountable. There is no weight or consideration relating to what he says or believes. The Prophet said: ‘The pen has been lifted from three. The young until he experiences a sexual dream. The sleeping person until he wakes. And the insane until he returns to his senses’. (Ahmad; Abu Dawud; Ibn Majah). However, AI-Ikhtiyar [a comprehensive fiqh text of the Hanafi school] states: If a young boy who has acquired understanding and intellect embraces Islam, it is valid and likewise, if he retracts from Islam, then his retraction is considered apostasy. Such a person is to be ordered to accept Islam and is not to be killed. However, Imam Abu Yusuf said, “His Islam is valid though his reneging from Islam is not valid.” Note: the reason one’s Islam is considered valid prior to maturity is because Islam is connected with one’s understanding and intellect and not maturity; and the proof is that an individual may mature but may not have the presence of mind, thus rendering his Islam as invalid. Also, the intellect can be present in the young just as it is with the developed.(kitab Sharh As Sawi). If however, the boy has not attained intellect and understanding, then his Islam and his retraction from Islam are both invalid. The same applies to the insane. The reason is that Islam and disbelief are concerned with the intellect. In addition, if an intoxicated person denounces his Islam, it does not amount to anything according to principle of istihsan (equity in Islamic law).(Al Ikhtiyar). B) Sanity – the retraction of an insane person is disregarded, because sanity is key for accountability and sanity is regarded as conditional in one’s capacity and capability concerning his beliefs and other matters (i.e. one must fit the criteria before he is held accountable for what he believes and sanity is critical to this). As for the intoxicated person, Imam Shafi’i and Ahmad hold that his retraction [ridda] stands, and that he is not to be killed except after three days when he recovers (and still maintains his claim). The Hanafis maintain that according to equity in Islamic law [istthsan], the retraction of an intoxicated individual is not regarded, regardless of whether it is aggravated by one’s intoxicated state or not; because the matter is connected to what one believes and intends and the intoxicated at the time is not in his right mind and is deemed like a sleeping person. On this basis, his retraction does not take affect because in such a state, belief and a firm resolve is not valid from him. C) Choice – the apostasy or retraction of one who is coerced is disregarded, provided his heart is content and at rest with faith. Allah says, “Except for someone who was forced to do it whose heart remains at rest in his faith.” (Quran 16: 106) The Repentance of An Apostate The repentance of an apostate whether male or female is necessary according to the majority of scholars and is recommended according to the Hanafis. One is to be asked to repent three times before being killed on the basis of the following proof narrated in the Muwatta of Malik who reported from Umar Ibn al-Khattab that Abu Musa sent a man to Umar. Umar asked him, “Is there any recent news?” He said, “Yes; a man disbelieved after embracing Islam.” He said, “What did you do with him?” He said, “We brought him near and cut his throat.” Umar said, “Did you imprison him for three days? And feed him a loaf of bread each day? And request that he repent on the possibility that he may repent and return to the command of Allah? Umar then said, “By Allah, I did participate nor order such a thing and I am not pleased with what you have informed me.” (Muwatta of Imam Malik). And Allah knows best. Darul Ifta

Attaining fina-e-qalbi: Annihilation of the Heart - Translation of a talk given by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (damat barakatuhum) “And that person who was dead, we gave him life and we granted him a light because of which he walks amongst people.” (Surah al-An’am, Verse 122) A heedless person is like a corpse, whereas truly alive is the one who is constantly engaged in remembering Allah . Through the abundant remembrance of Allah the heedless heart of a person is transformed into a living one. Hence, this light of nisbah(spiritual connection) is such a blessing that it gives life to the heart that was once dead and devoid of the remembrance of Allah . Different people display different signs of the attainment of this light. This light in the language of our mashaikh (spiritual elders) is also called faidh, barakah, rahmah, andnoor. All these words point to the same blessing. Attainment of faidh means the attainment of illumination. When a person gives bayt (pledges allegiance) to a shaykh and engages in the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) he attains faidh through this dhikrand his heart fills with noor. His heart attains peace as a result. Light and darkness cannot coexist in the same space. Whenever noor enters the heart of a person he achieves tranquility, and whenever his heart is engulfed by darkness he is in a state of perpetual anxiety. Darkness causes unrest and confusion while noorbrings peace. Engaging in dhikr and muraqabah, praying, and coming to the mosque are all righteous acts that attract the noor of Allah which makes us feel light and at ease. This inexplicable happiness is because of the attainment of faidh and cannot be adequately expressed in words. We experience this elation despite the overwhelming amount of worries in our life. Who is there in this world that is not plagued by problems? Indeed, this world is the very place of troubles. One has to face different difficulties at different stages of one’s life but attaining tranquility in the heart despite these worries and challenges is a proof of the attainment of faidh. At times a person has pleasant dreams in which he may be visited by the auliya(friends) of Allah , the Prophet, or even by Allah Himself. For the majority of the time such dreams are indicators of the attainment of faidh and noor. On the other hand, if the person lives a life of heedlessness then his dreams may be very frightening. He may dream that various animals are chasing and attacking him, and is likely to be persistently haunted by such bizarre and frightening dreams. Hence, a sign of the attainment of faidh may be that a person receives mubasharaat (glad tidings). In some people the faidh causes the fire of the love for Allah to burn so intensely that its heat can be felt throughout the body. Sometimes an indication of the attainment of faidh is that at times seekers experience a sleep-like state while inmuraqabah. In reality this is not sleep but rather it is a drowsiness that is callednuaas in Arabic. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Remember he covered you with a sort of drowsiness (nuaas), to give you calm as from Himself” (Surah al-Anfaal, Verse 11) On the night of the Battle of Badr, Allah sent His sakina (serenity) down onto the Prophet and the Noble Companions. This sakina took the form of nuaas, about which Allah says: “But Allah did pour His calm (sakina) on the Messenger and on the Believers.” (Surah at-Tauba, Verse 26) The descent of this kind of sakina is a mercy, and we also know from the sayings of the Prophet that a deep tranquility descends upon those who remember Allah . When sakina descends it overwhelms the heart and the person experiences a state akin to drowsiness that an ordinary person mistakenly assumes is sleep as he cannot distinguish between the two. However, sleep is different from the drowsiness felt due to the descent of the mercy of Allah . A person who consumes an intoxicating drug might experience a state mirroring the effects of sleep. The person is not physically experiencing sleep but the drug is altering the state of his mind. Similarly a person’s mind can attain a state of drowsiness because of this rahmah. This is one reason why our elders have said that one should not worry if one experiences drowsiness during muraqaba because it is in fact a sign of the mercy of Allah . The example of such a person is like that of a beggar who waits outside the door of a rich and generous person in the hope of being given something. He waits there all day and during that time drowsiness or even sleep may overtake him. Now when the owner of the house asks his attendants the length of time that the beggar has been sitting at his doorstep, will they subtract from their estimate the one or two hours that the beggar might have dozed off or rather say that he had been sitting there since Fajr? Indeed they will say that he came after Fajr and the time he napped will be included in his waiting time. Similarly, even if a person dozes off after having sat down with the intention of muraqaba, the time he dozed will be included in his muraqabah. These days it is even easier to understand this concept. If we connect our cell phones with a charger it makes no difference whether the screen is on or off because the charging takes place in either case. Similarly in muraqabah whether the screen of the person is on or off he continues to benefit from the faidh because the connection has been established. Other manifestations of faidh are that hearts become more attentive towards the Hereafter; towards the grave, resurrection and Paradise. Furthermore, faidh softens a person’s heart and it overflows with the love and remembrance of Allah . Now what are the consequences of the attainment of this faidh on the heart of the believer? If a person regularly and abundantly engages in dhikr a time comes when his heart becomes jaari (set in motion). What is meant by the heart becoming jaari? This has several meanings. One is that a person experiences a movement in his heart. Just as we may feel a muscle in our body quiver at times, the heart muscle of a person also gains some movement because of dhikr. His heart experiences intense attention towards the name of Allah . It is important to distinguish between the regular palpitation of the heart and the heart being jaari. The beating of the heart is the pumping of blood seventy to eighty times a minute, but movement due to abundant dhikr is two to three times faster than the beating of the heart and is experienced as a delightful tickling in the heart. This is referred to as taharruk (movement) which soon after transforms intotazakkur (remembrance) where the person actually perceives his heart calling out the name of Allah . The heart is the control center of the body and the limbs respond to the decisions that the heart processes. Hence the limbs will act righteously only if the heart is pure and vice versa. Consequently some elders have said that the heart becoming jaari means that the commands of the righteous heart are accepted by every other part of the body and thus the body becomes subservient to such a heart. Another opinion is that a heart becomes jaari when a person’s body begins to obey the commands of Allah , the shariah. If a person thinks that his heart is jaari he should see if he is obeying the commandments of Allah . It is a blessing if he is but if not, then what is the use ofdhikr if it does not take one towards the inculcation of the sunnah of the Prophet? These blessings are attained with muraqabah and and we should try to perform dhikrabundantly so that Allah will bless us with His favors. Once a heart becomes jaari one attains such immense pleasure that he cannot forget Allah for an instant even if he tried. We should all ask Allah for this blessing because this is a grand station from which there is no return. About this our elders have said that a fani (one who has achieved annihilation) never returns. Some people raised objections to this and asked why it is that a fani cannot return. To this objection our elders responded by asking whether a fully ripened fruit can ever return to its former stage of growth? Can a child ever return to infancy after having attained maturity? The answer to both these questions is negative. Similarly, once a person has attained this blessing Allah protects him from sin in such a manner that the question of him falling back into error does not arise. This is called fina-e-qalbi(annihilation of the heart) and we should all pray to Allah to grant us this blessing. Source

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) Serving the Creation During the Khilafat of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anho), Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anho) would patrol the streets and suburbs of Madinah Munawwarah during the night to keep watch. During one of his night patrols, he noticed a camelhair tent pitched in an open space. He had never seen this particular tent before. Approaching the tent, he found an individual sitting outside, and from inside the tent groans of a sick person could be heard. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) greeted the stranger with salaam and sat down beside him and the following dialogue ensued: Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Where are you from, my brother? The person: I am from the desert and a stranger to this place. I have come to request the Amir ul-Mu’mineen for some assistance in my need. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Who is groaning inside your tent? The person: Please mind your own business. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Please inform me. Perhaps I can be of some assistance to you. The person: If you wish to know, it is my wife groaning due to labour pains. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Is there anybody present to attend to her? The person: No one is present. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), thereupon, got up and hurried to his home. He immediately informed his wife Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) saying: “O my wife, indeed Allah Ta’ala has brought about an opportunity for us to receive great blessings.” Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha): ' What is it, O Amir-ul-Mominin? Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho): A poor woman from the desert is in labour, with no one to attend to her. Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha): If it pleases you, I am ready to attend to her. Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) was after all the daughter of Hadhrat Fatimah (Radhiallahu Anha), and the granddaughter of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). How could she hesitate in fulfilling what is pleasing to Allah Ta’ala in serving her forlorn sister at the time of need? Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu): Then you should hasten. Also take with you a pan, some butter, provisions and things required during the child birth. Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) immediately complied and accompanying Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) set out to the place where the tent was pitched. She entered the tent, while Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) made a fire and occupied himself with cooking something which those people could eat. After some time, Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiallahu Anha) called out from inside the tent: “Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, congratulate your friend on the birth of a son.” The person was put to shame and felt greatly embarrassed when he heard the address of “Amir-ul-Mu’mineen” and realized the position of the person who had been serving him. However Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) allayed his fears saying: “There is nothing to worry about.” He then placed the pan near the tent, asking his wife to take it and feed the woman. She fed her and returned the pan. Then Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) asked the bedouin to partake of the food, as he had remained awake the entire night. Having rendered this service, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) returned home with his wife, telling the person: “Come to me tomorrow, and I shall see what I can do for you.” Is there any king, or even an ordinary middle class person of our time, who will thus render service to the creation like how Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu) and his wife rendered? We should realize that unless we really follow in the footsteps of those God-fearing people whom we profess to look up to as our role-models, we cannot deserve and wish for the special blessings that Allah Ta’ala bestowed upon them. [1]

The Knowledge of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu عَن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ سَلَّمَ رَأَيتُ كَأَنِّي أُتِيتُ بِقَدَحٍ مِن لَبَنٍ فَشَرِبتُ مِنه فَأَعْطَيتُ فَضْلِي عُمَرَ بنَ ا لخَطَّاب قاَلوُا فَمَا أَوَّلْتَه يا رَسُولَ الله ؟ قَالَ العِلْمُ (الترمذي رقم 2284 Hadhrat ibn Umar (Radhiallahu Anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “I had seen a dream wherein I was presented with a utensil of milk. I drank from it and gave the remainder to Hadhrat Umat (Radhiallahu Anhu). The Sahaabah (Radhialahu Anhum) asked: “O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), what is the interpretation for this dream?” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied: “(Milk refers to) Knowledge.”

Tajalliat -e- Jazb (Manifestation of Allah's Attraction) By Shaykh Hakeem Akhtar Tajalliat-e-Jazb was a series of lectures in Urdu delivered by the Respected Shaikh in Masjid-e-Ashraf, Karachi, Pakistan. The lectures were first translated into four booklets and it was felt and requested by many that a single volume would be of greater benefit, which through the mercy of Allah Ta'ala is now ready. Shaikh's discourses permeate the listeners' hearts with Allah's love, Greatness and hope of salvation. Every word he utters brings one closer to the Creator, Almighty Allah. His company impresses upon those around him to converge their mental as well as physical 'being' into living a life to the Creators criterion. His discourses knows no language, colour or age barriers and even those alien to Urdu benefit. During Ramadhan 1419 (1998/99), a European from Belgium, who could not speak nor understand Urdu, spent the month Ramadhan with Shaikh. He was occasionally seen mesmerized by the Shaikh's discourses and tears rolled down his cheeks. When I asked him what was that kept him in Shaikh's company? He replied, "Shaikh's words touch my heart and eyes involuntarily weep, thinking of Allah's Greatness". It is because of Shaikh's great appreciation and understanding of Allah's qualities that his Shaikh awarded him the title oiArifbillah (One who has become acquainted with Allah's qualities). Read this beautiful book..... HERE Manifestation_of_Allahs_Attraction.pdf

Practices Following Death and an Insight into Arranging a Muslim Funeral A brief guide (22 pages) provided by MBCOL (Leicester). This booklet is a guide on what to do when a Muslim dies. It has been compiled with the help of an 'Aalimah (a female scholar) who held practical demonstrations of the bathing and shrouding for sisters on several occassions due to demand. Introduction Grief is the most painful of all human experiences and can bring about stronger emotions than perhaps you have ever felt. It is the process, which allows people to grieve and come to terms with the loss and resulting change in their lives. Grief is a very personal and individual experience and is comprised not of just one feeling, but of many. However, though we may experience different feelings at different times, grief usually follows a general, recognisable pattern. After a loss such as bereavement, the initial response is one of numbness and disbelief. Different people react in different ways and even if death occurred after a long ailment you may feel cold, numb, empty and the situation unreal for a time. You may experience anger, panic, guilt and sadness. This may also be accompanied by periods of restlessness, especially at night when it is difficult to sleep. You may react by becoming irritable or critical of yourself and others, which can lead to feelings of despair. All these are natural reactions to bereavement and it should not be assumed that you cannot cope any more. Muslims believe in the inevitability of death of the human body and not the end of the spirit but the beginning of the life hereafter, which is everlasting. Death must therefore be accepted and dealt with in a dignified manner and according to the rulings of the Islamic Shariah. Download book