ummtaalib

Leaving the Musjid to Perform Sunnah Ghusal Q: If one sitting in sunnah i’tikaaf left the masjid with the intention of sunnat ghusal on Friday, will the I’tikaaf break? A: The I’tikaaf will break. ( وحرم عليه ) أي على المعتكف اعتكافا واجبا أما النفل فله الخروج لأنه منه له لا مبطل كما مر ( الخروج إلا لحاجة الإنسان ) طبيعية كبول وغائط وغسل لو احتلم ولا يمكنه الاغتسال في المسجد كذا في النهر (الدر المختار مع رد المحتار 2/444-445, الفتاوى الهندية 1/212) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Juz Thirteen Sūrah Yūsuf Sūrah Yūsuf is unique among Qur’ānic narratives as the entire sūrah is devoted to the story of Prophet Yūsuf. Further, his story, unlike other stories, is not mentioned anywhere else. The sūrah is filled with moral lessons, for which a good tafsīr should be consulted. Here are only some of those lessons. In-between Muslims اقْتُلُوا يُوسُفَ أَوِ اطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا مِن بَعْدِهِ قَوْمًا صَالِحِينَ “Let us kill Yūsuf, or throw him at some place on earth, and thus your father’s full attention will be devoted for you alone, and after doing that, you may become a righteous people.” (Yūsuf, 12:9) The brothers of Prophet Yūsuf were Muslims. They were driven by jealousy and not by an ideological conflict. But this jealousy led them to commit serious wrongs. Torn between their negative emotions and their sense of right and wrong, they were the in-between Muslims. They must have felt the pricks of conscience in formulating their evil plan. This is how they assuaged their guilt feeling. “Do this one wrong now, and afterward lead a virtuous life.” Anyone resorting to the same justification for any wrong should realize the hollowness of this logic. Human Nature This sūrah gives extremely valuable insights into human nature. It also tears apart the idea that good people are above lusts and desires or that there can be such a thing as platonic love. This idea only helps remove the safeguards thereby making succumbing to those desires easier. This is the story of a Prophet, whose innocence is attested to by the Qur’ān. Yet it also says clearly that he could have succumbed to the lust, except for the help from Allāh. The following āyahs make it very clear. وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَا أَن رَّأَىٰ بُرْهَانَ رَبِّهِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ السُّوءَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ ۚ إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُخْلَصِينَ She certainly desired him, and he might have desired her, had he not seen the proof from his Lord. Thus We did, to turn evil and lewdness away from him. Surely, he was one of Our chosen servants. (Yūsuf, 12:24) قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ ۖ وَإِلَّا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي كَيْدَهُنَّ أَصْبُ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ He (Yūsuf ) said, “My Lord, the prison is dearer to me than what these women invite me to do. If You do not turn their guile away from me, I might yet yield to their allure and become one of those who are unaware (of right and wrong). (Yūsuf, 12:33) وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ And yet, I am not trying to absolve myself: for, verily, man’s inner self does incite (him) to evil, and saved are only they upon whom my Sustainer bestows His grace. Certainly, my Sustainer is the Most- Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (Yūsuf 12:53) In the first āyah Allāh is saying that Prophet Yūsuf might have desired her. In the second āyah Prophet Yūsuf is seeking Allāh’s help against their seduction since without that help he might yield to their allure. The third āyah is a general observation about human nature which has inclinations to evil. The idea that human beings can be reformed against their nature is a fantastic one. This story should liberate us from such illusions. The proper moral reform consists in recognizing human nature and eliminating the opportunities for it taking the wrong course. The attraction between the sexes is an important force of nature, which makes family life possible, which is the basic unit of society. When it spills outside marriage, it becomes a destructive force, which must be curbed. And the way to do that is to restrict the exposure and opportunities for interaction between the sexes in those situations. Hence the laws of hijab and the restrictions against free-mixing, which are based on a perfect knowledge of the human nature. All those who try to water them down are working against the forces of nature. It should also be noted that Zulaykha was older than Prophet Yūsuf. He had entered their house as a child to be possibly adopted as a son. This removes any grounds for relaxation of the requirements of hijab for an older (as opposed to an old) woman. As long as the two are of marriageable age, the restrictions are to be observed. Sermon in the Prison قَالَ لَا يَأْتِيكُمَا طَعَامٌ تُرْزَقَانِهِ إِلَّا نَبَّأْتُكُمَا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمَا مِمَّا عَلَّمَنِي رَبِّي ۚ إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ مِلَّةَ قَوْمٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَهُم بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ. وَاتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ آبَائِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِاللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ. يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ. مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ I have abandoned the way of those who do not believe in Allāh, and who are deniers of the Hereafter. And I follow the creed of my forefathers Ibrāhīm (Abraham), Isḥāq (Isaac), and Yaʿqūb ( Jacob). It is not conceivable that we should (be allowed to) ascribe divinity to anyone beside Allāh: this is (an outcome) of Allāh’s bounty unto us and unto all mankind – but most people are ungrateful. O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable: (belief in the existence of numerous divine) lords, each of them different from the other—or (in) Allāh, the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists? All that you worship instead of Allāh is nothing but (empty) names which you have invented—you and your forefathers—(and) for which Allāh has bestowed no warrant from on high. Sovereignty belongs to none but Allāh. He has ordained that you shall not worship anyone but Him. This is the only right path. But most of the people do not know. (Yūsuf 12:37-40) This is a very powerful sermon that passionately appeals to our ingrained sense of truth and falsehood to show the truth of the universal call of Islam. Prophet Yūsuf, like all prophets, is constantly on the lookout to call people to Allāh. He gets an opportunity when the inmates approach him for interpretation of their dreams. With great wisdom and passion he uses the occasion to deliver them the message. It is a penetrating question, which can be posed to all the polytheists of the world: “Which is more reasonable: (belief in the existence of numerous divine) lords, each of them different from the other—or (in) Allāh, the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists?” It is telling that this important part of the story is completely missing from the narrative in the Torah, which otherwise has many historical details (names, places, numbers) not mentioned in the Qur’ān. Such details are a characteristic of human story telling. On the other hand the Qur’ān ignores such details and focuses totally on telling the stories to highlight the guidance for humanity inherent in them. Tawakkul وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِن بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ ۖ وَمَا أُغْنِي عَنكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ And he said, “O my sons, do not enter (the city) all of you from the same gate; rather, enter from different gates. And I cannot help you in any way against (the will of ) Allāh. Sovereignty belongs to none but Allāh. In Him I place my trust, and all those who trust should trust in Him alone.” (Yūsuf, 12:67) For security reasons Prophet Yaʿqūb (Jacob) asked his sons not to travel together. But after advising them of the necessary precaution, he made it very clear that his trust was not in his prudence but in Allāh. This is a lesson in the very important concept of tawakkul: We should take the best steps needed based on our knowledge and understanding, then leave the results to Allāh. Tawakkul means making and executing the plans to the best of our ability and then putting our trust in Allāh to make our plans and actions bring out the desired outcomes. This is Islam’s middle way between the extremes of taking matters completely in our hands or leaving them altogether and hoping for desired outcomes without any effort. Tawakkul ends worries and anxieties without compromising on our plans and actions. Forgiveness قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ He said, “No reproach upon you today! May Allāh forgive you, and He is the Most- Merciful of all those who show mercy. (Yūsuf, 12:92) قَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُم مِّنَ الْبَدْوِ مِن بَعْدِ أَن نَّزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي (My Lord) favored me when he released me from the prison, and brought you from the countryside after Satan had caused a rift between me and my brothers. (Yūsuf, 12:100) This is the greatness of the Prophetic character, an example in both forgiveness and thankfulness. After all the ordeals through which his brothers had put him as a young child, he forgave them. And the forgiveness referred to in the first āyah mentioned above was really meant as we can see in the second āyah quoted above. Prophet Yūsuf, instead of blaming his brothers, simply referred to whatever happened to the inspirations of Satan. When Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ conquered Makkah and he was in a position to take revenge from the Quraysh leaders who had left no stone unturned in hurting him and his followers for more than a decade, he used the same words to forgive them. Prophet Yūsuf had faced three great tribulations. First, he was mistreated by his brothers. Second, he had to withstand long separation from his parents. Third, he was unjustly put in prison. Here in summing up his story he is giving a profound lesson in thankfulness. First, he reversed the order making the last incident the most important and the first, which had started it all and for which his brothers were directly responsible, the least. Second, he focused not on the ordeal but on the ending of the ordeal. He thanked Allāh for helping him get out of the prison, and for bringing back his parents and family. No complaints about his long ordeal, no ill feeling about his brothers. Only thanks and rejoicing. Knowledge, Wisdom, Blindness أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ Now, can the one who knows that whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be equal to one who is blind? But only men of understanding heed. (Ar-Raʿd, 13:19) Allāh’s guidance has been mentioned in many places as the light. This light makes the believers see the truth as truth. Others are in utter darkness and therefore they cannot see it. That is, they are blind to it. Worldly Provisions اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ Allāh expands the provision for whom He wills and narrows it (for whom He wills). And they (who are given abundance) rejoice in the life of this world—even though, as compared with the life to come, the life of this world is nothing but a fleeting pleasure. (Ar-Raʿd, 13:26) Too many people get deceived into thinking that their economic achievements are a result of their own smarts. This āyah should help destroy this myth. A person who truly believes in this statement will always be thankful to Allāh for all his provisions and earnings, will not be tempted by ḥarām sources of income, and will be a contented person. Peace of Mind الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ The ones who believe and their hearts are peaceful with the remembrance of Allāh. Listen, the hearts find peace only in the remembrance of Allāh. (Ar-Raʿd, 13:28) This is the real recipe for achieving that elusive peace of mind. Remembrance of Allāh (dhikr) brings one closer to Allāh. And as one gets closer to Allāh his worries and anxieties are replaced by tranquility and contentment. Dhikr is the food for the soul. Nothing else would satisfy a healthy soul. On the other hand a sick soul may not be able to digest it, but it will find nothing else either that can provide proper nourishment for it. That is why the āyah first says that the guidance of Allāh is for those whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allāh. In other words those who have healthy souls. Then it tells that real peace lies only in the remembrance of Allāh. Conquering Nature? اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْأَنْهَارَ. وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ It is Allāh Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain from the skies, and with it brings out fruits wherewith to feed you; it is He Who has made the ships subject to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command; and the rivers (also) has He made subject to you. And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and the night and the day has He (also) made subject to you. (Ibrāhīm 14:32-33) Here is the cure for the delusion of modern science that it is conquering nature. We constantly hear how man has conquered the earth and is now out to conquer space. The apparent control over rivers and seas, mountains and deserts, and plants and animals that mankind seems to exert, the astounding ability with which the powers of the sun and the moon have been harnessed to serve human needs, the wonderful inventions that seem to put gigantic forces of nature at our disposal-all of these result from His Will. It is Allāh who created the universe and it is He who has granted us control over it. (And whenever He wills, He takes it back as well.) Instead of congratulating ourselves for “conquering” it, we should be thanking Allāh for granting us this domination. The disasters that modern science has produced, especially the environmental disaster, are a result of its delusion. A scientist informed by this āyah will be freed from this debilitating sickness that is threatening the humanity. He would act responsibly, knowing that he is accountable before Allāh for how he uses the domination given to him as a test. He would be a grateful and humble servant of Allāh instead of the mad scientist out to maximize his power and profits. He would know that Allāh created the universe to serve us and created us to serve Him.

Opinions Of The Scholars Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, and Imam Ahmad (rahmatullahi alaihim) are unanimous that twenty rak’ats are to be performed for taraweeh during Ramadan. There are different opinions recorded from Imam Malik (rahmatullahi alaih): one states twenty rak’ats; another is of thirty-six rak’ats, about which Imam Malik (rahmatullahi alaih) said, ”This is our former opinion;” and a third view is of thirty-eight rak’ats. There is also an opinion which states forty-one rak’ats (Bidayat al-Mujtahid 1:210). ‘Allama ‘Ayni (rahmatullahi alaih) mentioned the second of view of thirty-six rak’ats to Imam Malik’s (rahmatullahi alaih) more popular opinion. What becomes clear at this point is that none of the four prominent Imams held a view of taraweeh being less than twenty rak’ats. Twenty is the minimum number mentioned, and the reason for Imam Malik’s (rahmatullahi alaih) view of thirty-six is that it was the practise of the people of the noble city of Makkah to perform tawaf (circumambulation) of the Ka’bah after every four rak’ats of taraweeh. During the pause between each four rak’ats of taraweeh, the people of the illuminated city of Madinah would observe an extra four rak’ats of prayer in place of the tawaf. (see al-Mughni 2:167) Therefore, since taraweeh was performed as twenty rak’ats, consisting of five sets of four rak’ats (each set called a ‘tarweeha’), the people of Madinah would perform an extra four rak’ats after every tarweeha, bringing the total number of extra rak’ats to sixteen. Sixteen extra rak’ats plus the twenty rak’ats of taraweeh make thirty-six rak’ats. Hence, the actual number of tak’ats of Taraweeh was twenty even according to Imam Malik (rahmatullahi alaih). ************* Views of the Scholars Imaan Qurtubi radhiallahu anhu states: “Twenty rakaats taraweeh and three rakaats witr is the most authentic narration.” Imaam Nawawi radhiallahu anhu states: “Taraweeh is a unanimously accepted sunnah of the Muslims. It is twenty rakaats”. “The pandemonium that the Ghair Muqallideen (people who do not follow any Mazhab) had started for the past hundred years was never heared of in the Islamic world before……… Similarly from the time of Umar radhiallahu anhu upto the emergence of this sect there was no masjid in the world where eight rakaats of Taraweeh was performed……”. (Moulana Habib ur Rahmaan Azmi).

The practice of the Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) In a narration it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) performed twenty rak’ahs in tarawih.[24] The chain of this narration is weak. However, it is a well established principle in the sciences of Hadith and Fiqh that if a hadith possesses a weak chain but is supported by the general practice of the Ummah in the era of the Companions and the Followers (Tabi’in) then that hadith will be considered authentic.[25] Mawlana Habib al-Rahman Al-A’zimi has mentioned that this albeit weak narration is supported by the following points: (1) The fact that the general practice of the Muslims in the era of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) conformed to it, (2) this remained the practice even in the era of Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), (3) all of the four madhhabs concur with it and (4) the fact that the entire Ummah has been practicing upon it till this day. These are sufficient reasons to strengthen this narration and raise it to the level of authenticity. (Rak’ate Tarawih, pg. 60) Interestingly, Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah, under the chapter of “The number of rak’ahs to be performed in Ramadan”, first quotes the practice of twenty rak’ahs from ten different Companions and Followers (Tabi’i) and thereafter cites the narration of twenty rak’ahs from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).[26] This probably means he was alluding to the strength of this narration.

Tarawih - Proof For 20 Rak'ats

Q. Is it true that we are supposed to recite Dua e Jameelah on the fifteenth Ramadaan? What is the significance of this? A.There is no virtue mentioned in the Hadith with regards to reciting Dua–e-Jameelah on the 15th Ramadaan nor is there any virtue recorded in authentic sources for the Dua itself. A person should rather engage in Duas that are recorded in the Hadith. And Allah Knows Best Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

A wealthy person Discharging sadaqatul fitr on behalf of his minor children Q: Is it necessary for a wealthy person to discharge the sadaqatul fitr on behalf of his minor children? A: It is necessary for a wealthy person to discharge the sadaqatul fitr on behalf of his minor children. فيخرجها عن نفسه وأولاده الصغار الفقراء (مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوى ص723, الدر المختار مع رد المحتار 2/361) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Is it permissible for several people to give their sadaqatul fitr to one poor person? A: It is permissible. كما جاز دفع صدقة جماعة إلى مسكين واحد بلا خلاف (تنوير الأبصار مع رد المحتار 2/367, مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوى ص725) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Giving the value of the wheat or barley as sadaqatul fitr Q: Is it necessary for one to give the actual wheat or barley as sadaqatul fitr or can one give the value of the wheat or barley as sadaqatul fitr? A: One can give the value of the wheat or barley as sadaqatul fitr. ويجوز دفع القيمة وهي أفضل عند وجدان ما يحتاجه لأنها أسرع لقضاء حاجة الفقير وإن كان زمن شدة فالحنطة والشعير وما يؤكل أفضل من الدراهم (مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوى ص724) ( ودفع القيمة ) أي الدراهم ( أفضل من دفع العين على المذهب ) المفتى به جوهرة و بحر عن الظهيرية وهذا في السعة أما في الشدة فدفع العين أفضل كما لا يخفى وقال فى الشامية: قوله ( أي الدراهم ) ربما يشعر أنها المرادة بالقيمة مع أن القيمة تكون أيضا من الفلوس والعروض كما في البدائع و الجوهرة ولعله اقتصر على الدراهم تبعا للزيلعي لبيان أنها الأفضل عند إرادة دفع القيمة لأن العلة في أفضلية القيمة كونها أعون على دفع حاجة الفقير لاحتمال أنه يحتاج غيرالحنطة مثلا من ثياب ونحوها بخلاف دفع العروض وعلى هذا فالمراد بالدراهم ما يشمل الدنانيرتأمل قوله ( على المذهب المفتى به ) مقابله ما في المضمرات من أن دفع الحنطة أفضل في الأحوال كلها سواء كانت أيام شدة أم لا لأن في هذا موافقة السنة وعليه الفتوى منح فقد اختلف الإفتاء ط (شامى 2/366) وذكر في الفتاوى أن أداء القيمة أفضل من عين المنصوص عليه وعليه الفتوى (الفتاوى الهندية 1/192) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach

Fast Breaking while in Itikaaf Q: If ones fast broke during the last ten days of Ramadhaan, will his sunnah i’tikaaf also break? A: His sunnah i’tikaaf will also break. قلت ومقتضى ذلك أن الصوم شرط أيضا في الاعتكاف المسنون لأنه مقدر بالعشر الأخير حتى لو اعتكفه بلا صوم لمرض أو سفر ينبغي أن لا يصح عنه بل يكون نفلا فلا تحصل به إقامة سنة الكفاية (رد المحتار 2/442 ,البحر الرائق 2/300) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved:

Carrying out a Compulsory Itikaaf Q: If one made i’tikaaf compulsory upon himself, will it be compulsory to carry it out? A: It will be compulsory to carry it out. ( وهو ) ثلاثة أقسام ( واجب بالنذر ) بلسانه وبالشروع… ( وشرط الصوم ) لصحة ( الأول ) اتفاقا وقال الشامي: قوله ( وشرط الصوم لصحة الأول ) أي النذر حتى لو قال لله علي أن أعتكف شهرا بغير صوم فعليه أن يعتكف ويصوم بحر عن الظهيرية (رد المحتار 2/441-442, مراقي الفلاح مع حاشية الطحطاوي 701) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Q: At which time can one sit for nafl i’tikaaf? A: Nafl I’tikaaf is not restricted to any time. Whenever one remains in the masjid with the intention of i’tikaaf, nafl i’tikaaf will take place. ( وأقله نفلا ساعة ) من ليل أو نهار عند محمد وهو ظاهر الرواية عن الإمام لبناء النفل على المسامحة وبه يفتى (الدر المختار مع رد المحتار 2/443, الفتاوى الهندية 1/211) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach) Fasting when Sitting for Nafl Itikaaf Q: When sitting for nafl i’tikaaf, is it necessary for one to be fasting? A: It is not necessary. واستنبط المشايخ منه أن الصوم ليس من شرطه على ظاهر الرواية (البحر الرائق 2/300) ( فلو شرع في نفله ثم قطعه لا يلزمه قضاؤه ) لأنه لا يشترط له الصوم ( على الظاهر ) من المذهب (الدر المختار مع رد المحتار 2/442) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

How to Clean The Heart The sin of malice and discord is serious. Even on auspicious occasions despite Allah’s abundant mercy, we always find one particular class of people that are deprived; those who harbour ill-feelings in their hearts towards others. In addition to this, some narrations state that such people’s salah is not accepted by Allah. (At-Targheeb, vol.3 pgs.455-462) Hereunder are a few prescriptions (from the hadith and advice of seniors) to remove ill-feelings from the heart: 1. Recite the following ayah in abundance: “Rabbanagh fir lana wa li ikhwaninal lazheena sabaquna bil iman, wala taj’al fee quloobina ghillal lillazheena amanu Rabbana innaka Raoofur Raheem” (Surah: 59 Ayah: 10) 2. Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) said: “Offer gifts to each other, for this creates affection and removes the anger of the hearts” (Muwatta Imam Malik, see Al-Tamheed, vol.15 pg.85-91 & Takhreejul ihya, hadith: 1453) 3. Greet each other with Salam and shake hands. This is also a way of bonding the hearts. (Sahih Muslim, hadith: 192) 4. Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) said: “By fasting during the month of Ramadhan and 3 days of every other (Islamic) month, the rancour of the heart is removed” (At-Targheeb, vol.2 pg.121) 5. Make du’a for the the person from whom one is disillusioned. 6. Praise him in his absence. By implementing the above with the sincere intent of freeing ourselves from ill-feelings, Allah Ta’ala will cleanse our hearts Insha Allah. Inspiration from a Sahabi (radiyallahu’anhu) Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says: “We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) when he said: “A man who is from the inmates of Jannah is about to arrive.” Soon thereafter, a Sahabi (radiyallahu’anhu) came in, with his shoes in his left hand and the water of wudhu dripping from his beard. When the gathering ended, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘As (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) followed this person (with the motive of learning the reason for him being blessed with such a glad tiding) He said to him: “I have taken an oath that I will not go home for 3 days. Is it possible for you to accommodate me for this time?” The Sahabi agreed. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr stayed with him for 3 days, but noticed nothing extraordinary in his routine. i.e, he never engaged in additional voluntary deeds as expected. However, whenever this Sahabi (radiyallahu ‘anhu) would go to bed at night, he would recite some form of dhikr, then sleep till fajr. Furthermore, during these 3 days he did not hear him utter any word besides good. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) says: “After three nights I almost deemed his deeds as “nothing so special”. I approached him and explained that my real motive for staying with him was to discover the special act that he may be engaging in, which warranted his guarantee of Jannah.” Then I asked him: “How did You achieve such a rank?” He said: “I have no special deeds beside whatever You have seen during your stay.” I accepted this and was about to leave when he exclaimed: “O, Yes! there is something. I do not harbor any evil or malice in my heart against any fellow Muslim. I am not jealous over whatever good Allah bestows upon any of them.” Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) said: “That is precisely the reason for You reaching such a lofty status.” (Musnad Ahmad & Nasaai. Hafiz Ibn Katheer -rahimahullah- has declared the chain of Nasaai as authentic, in accordance to the standards of Imams Bukhari & Muslim. refer: Tafseer Ibn Katheer, surah:59, Ayah: 9) We often look for extraordinary deeds to acquire success, when the solution lies in the basics… May Allah Ta’ala guide us all. Ameen. Source

Juz Twelve Joys and Pains of This Life وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ. وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ نَعْمَاءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنِّي ۚ إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ. إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ And thus it is: if We let man taste some of Our grace, and then take it away from him—behold, he abandons all hope, forgetting all gratitude (for Our past favors). And thus it is: if We give him a taste of comfort after a hardship has touched him, he will say, “Evils have gone away from me”, (and thus) He will become over-exulting, boastful. (And thus it is with most men—) save those who are patient in adversity and do righteous deeds: it is they whom forgiveness of sins awaits, and a great reward. (Hūd 11:9-11) The big barrier to following an ākhirah-oriented life is the human weakness of being a slave to the present moment. Hardships in the now make us desperate; joys in the now make us exultant because we cannot see beyond the immediate. Patience and righteousness help us overcome this tendency and make us see the bigger picture of life, thereby promising forgiveness for our mistakes and great reward for our good deeds. It may be noted that the pop culture and the consumerist society thrive on the desire for instant gratification. Marketing experts learn the art of exploiting this human weakness. And with the latest electronic gadgets, with their click-click and now tap-tap world, where results come in split seconds, this natural human weakness is taken to extremes. While we use them we need to take extra steps to counter these tendencies. Pursuit of Happiness or Disaster مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ. أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُ ۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ Those who seek (merely) the worldly life and its beauty, We shall repay them in full for all that they did in this (life), and they shall not be deprived of their just due therein. It is they who, in the life to come, shall have nothing but the fire—for in vain shall be all that they wrought in this (world), and worthless all that they ever did! (Hūd 11:15-16) This is again a very powerful reminder that a life led based on the idea that this world is all there is to it is entirely wasted. Good deeds performed without faith and without expectation of reward in the Hereafter are rewarded in this world. Such a person may get luxuries of this life and fame here, but nothing but disaster in the eternal life. Having the right motives and intentions is so important even for the apparently good deeds! Response to Those Who Mock Our Religion وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ ۚ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ He started making the Ark. Whenever the chieftains of his people passed by him, they scoffed at him. (Thereupon) he said: “If you are scoffing at us—behold, we are scoffing at you (and your ignorance), just as you are scoffing at us. (Hūd 11:38) There is great support and inspiration here for those struggling to swim against the popular currents. As they know too well, the most visible symbols of an Islamic life are generally also the favorite targets of this popular pressure. Thus we see that in many Muslim countries even such a simple act as growing a beard (or observing hijab for women) are treated as crimes punishable by public ridicule! To go beyond that and challenge any of the established un-Islamic practices qualifies one to be labeled as a fanatic! This episode from the story of Prophet Nūḥ is so telling. His final act of building the ark was considered proof positive by his people of he being out of his mind. Building a ship in an area nearly a thousand miles away from the sea! What could be crazier than that! They were having a great time, making fun of Prophet Nūḥ. Little did they realize that soon the Flood would wash away all of their ignorant self-assurance. One can imagine their horror when the end finally came, for it must have been in proportion to their delusion till that point. We must realize that the most ridiculous thing would be for anyone to leave the Straight Path for fear of being ridiculed by those who are happily rushing on their path to eternal doom. The most laughable act is to trade truth for falsehood for fear of being laughed at. The craziest deed would be to knowingly disobey Allāh for fear of being called crazy! Supporting Oppression وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ And do not incline towards those who are bent on evildoing lest the fire (of the Hereafter) touch you: for (then) you would have none to protect you from Allāh, nor would you ever be helped (by Him). (Hūd 11:113) There is a stern warning here that we should never lend any support to the powers of oppression and injustice. What is prohibited here is even a slight inclination towards them. Can we imagine the dire results for the oppressors themselves? Good Deeds Drive Away Bad Deeds وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ Establish Ṣalāh at both ends of the day, and in the early hours of the night. Surely, good deeds erase bad deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful. (Hūd 11:114) This āyah covers the five daily obligatory ṣalāhs, details of which are in hadith. The five ṣalāhs set the rhythm of the daily life of a Muslim. They also act as strategically placed filters that sift out the dirt and contamination picked up during the course of the day to clean out a person’s account of deeds. The principle stated in the second part (good deeds drive away bad deeds) is a general one and we are asked to remember to always do some virtuous act after having committed a mistake, to wipe it out, although ṣalāh is especially emphasized for this purpose. If we make a mistake then as soon as we realize it, we should pull out the eraser and erase it. The mechanism works in three ways. 1) Good deeds cause the bad deeds to be erased from our record. 2) They strike at one’s inclination for doing bad deeds, thereby reducing the possibility of their recurrence. 3) They help create an environment for the community in which virtue flourishes and vice is curbed. However as Shāh ʿAbdul Qādir noted, the volume of good deeds is important to attain the desired results: The detergent should be in proportion to the laundry load. Destruction of Nations وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ Your Lord is not such that He would destroy the towns unjustly, while as yet their people were putting things right. (Hūd 11:117) This should set our perspective right on the causes of and way out from the destruction going on around the world. A nation would not be destroyed if it is engaged in reform. But it is a candidate for punishment when evil and corruption becomes dominant in it and voices and efforts for reform have been marginalized.

Juz Eleven Sin, Repentance, and Forgiveness وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ And there are others who admitted their sins while they had mixed a good deed with an evil one. It is likely that Allāh will relent towards them. Surely, Allāh is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (At-Tawbah 9:102) This is part of the commentary of the Qur’ān on the Tabūk expedition. It was an extraordinary time. The Islamic state faced a grave threat from the Roman army, which represented a superpower of the time. A call for universal mobilization was thus given. The hypocrites failed to respond. But some true Muslims also failed to show up. What separated these ten people from the rest was their later behavior. The hypocrites fabricated excuses for their failure. The true believers admitted their mistake without hesitation. Out of these, seven Companions tied themselves to the pillars in the Masjid Nabawi as an act of self punishment. These are mentioned here and forgiveness for them is announced. Three others did not submit themselves to this self-punishment but acknowledged their error when the Prophet ﷺ returned. They were subjected to a severe social boycott for fifty days before they were forgiven. The hypocrites did not get any punishment. But their eternal punishment in the Hereafter was announced here. We all make mistakes. What distinguishes a true believer from a hypocrite is not the absence of sin, even major sin, but the moral courage to admit it and sincere desire to reform. A true believer would never try to rationalize or justify his sins, leave alone insist on them. Boundaries Set by Allāh التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Triumphant) are those who turn repentant (to Allāh), those who serve (Him), those who praise (Him), those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate (in worship), those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep (within) the boundaries (set by) Allāh—And give glad tidings to believers! (At-Tawbah 9:112) These are the qualities of the true believers who were being contrasted with the hypocrites in this sūrah. Each of these qualities demands serious introspection so we can see where we stand. “Keeping within the boundaries” requires a word of explanation. Our life is a complex web of relations and interactions involving ourselves, the world around us, and our Creator. We are subject to conflicting demands and emotions regarding all of them. To achieve a perfect balance in this complex situation is a lifelong struggle. The key to success in this struggle is being fully cognizant of the boundaries set by Allāh. For example, our spouses have rights on us, as do our parents. They may sometimes also come into conflict. Earning a ḥalāl living is a sacred duty. It can at times also interfere with our other obligations. Serving humanity is a noble act. What if it causes one to neglect his duties toward Allāh? In all these cases the fair resolution of the conflict requires that we not exceed the limits set by Allāh in each relationship. Learning the limits, and learning to stick by them in real life, is itself a lifelong effort. We should know where the lines are drawn in each situation and make our best effort not to cross them. But only those can have some hope of succeeding in this effort who are aware of the task itself. Education وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا كَافَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ Nor should the Believers all go forth together (in time of war): if a contingent from every expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to studies in religion, and admonish the people when they return to them—that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil). (At-Tawbah 9:122) The Tabūk expedition required a general mobilization where everyone was required to go with the army. Here it is made clear that this was the exception and not the rule. Even during war, there is another very important task that the community collectively has to be aware of. This is the task of Islamic education. The purpose of Islamic education, as laid out here, is to provide that knowledge, guidance, and inspiration that is needed by the community of believers to guard itself from all harmful and un-Islamic practices and continue its journey of life on the Straight Path. This āyah is the foundation stone upon which the entire structure of Islamic education is to be built. All talk of education in the Muslim world that is not informed by this āyah is misguided and a waste—as is happening today. Calls to Revise the Qur’ān وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ ۙ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَٰذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ ۚ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِن تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِي ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ ۖ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ And when Our clear āyahs are recited unto them they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Qur’ān other than this, or change it. Say (O Muḥammad): It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow that which is revealed to me. Lo! If I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day. (Yūnus 10:15) The calls to “reform” or revise the Qur’ān keep coming to this day. Sometimes they use the euphemism of reinterpretation for revision. There is nothing modern or novel about them. Their motive is the same, and our answer is the same as given here. The Reality of This Life إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالْأَنْعَامُ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِالْأَمْسِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ . وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَىٰ دَارِ السَّلَامِ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ The example of worldly life is just like the water We sent down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth grew with it, which is (meant to be) eaten by men and cattle, until when the earth took on its ornament and was fully adorned, and its people thought that they had control over it, Our command came to it at night or by day, and We turned it into a stubble, as if it had not been there a day earlier. This is how We elaborate the signs for a people who reflect. And Allāh summons to the abode of peace, and leads whom He wills to a straight path. (Yūnus,10:24-25) This life is temporary and to get a full appreciation of what that means, one only needs to look at the plants in one’s backyard. How they sprout, grow to full vigor producing flowers, fruits and vegetables that please us, and then wilt and disappear. And sometimes, when it is Allāh’s will, they may not even go through their normal lifecycle. The real abode of peace and unmixed happiness is the Hereafter. And Qur’ān calls the humanity to that perfect bliss. The path leading to it is the Straight Path. No Compulsion to Accept Islam وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ And if your Lord willed, all who are in the earth would have believed together. Would you compel men until they are believers? (Yūnus10:99) قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۖ وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ Say: “O mankind! The truth from your Sustainer has now come unto you. Whoever, therefore, chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, goes but astray to his own hurt. And I am not responsible for your conduct.” (Yūnus 10:108) These two āyahs set it straight. We invite humanity to the Straight Path. Our job is only to deliver the message, not to compel or manipulate people into submission. Neither force nor fancy un-Islamic attractions or methods are to be used for this dawah mission because its purpose is not to win converts but to discharge our responsibility of delivering the message in its pure, unadulterated form. Essential Qur’ānic Message الر ۚ كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ. أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّنِي لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ. وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ. إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ Alif , Lām , Rā . (This is) a book the āyahs of which have been made firm, and elaborated by the One who is All Wise, All Aware. (It teaches) that you should worship none but Allāh. (Say): “ Verily I am (sent) unto you from Him to warn and to bring glad tidings. Ask your Sustainer to forgive you your sins, and then turn towards Him in repentance—(whereupon) He will grant you a goodly enjoyment of life (in this world) until a term set (by Him is fulfilled); and (in the life to come) He will bestow upon everyone possessed of merit (a full reward for) his merit. But if you turn away, then, verily, I dread for you the suffering (which is bound to befall you) on that awesome Day. To Allāh is your return, and He is powerful over everything.” (Hūd 11:1-4) The Qur’ān contains clear and firm guidance for the entire life. It comes from the All-Wise, All-Knowing Creator. It provides certain knowledge, not conjectures and speculations. The guidance covers our entire life, not just spiritual life, and promises total success. Those who follow it will also get a goodly enjoyment of this worldly life. Those who refuse to follow it stand to get the terrible punishment when they return to Allāh. In essence the message is to realize the reality of the eternal life to come (ākhirah) and lead an ākhirah oriented life in this world. We should also take note of the term مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا (goodly enjoyment) used here to refer to the provisions of worldly life. Normally it is referred to as مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ (illusory enjoyment) in the Qur’ān. The difference tells us much about Islam’s view of this world. When a person is occupied with the enjoyments and achievements of this world, with no concern for the Hereafter, this is an illusory enjoyment. When a person has his or her focus on the Hereafter (as called for here) and uses this life to prepare for that, then this same world becomes a goodly enjoyment.

Brother CH and Sister Acacia, this is a very important topic. MashaAllah, Acacia as usual your research is very informative and along with what is on muftisays.com I feel its important to have an appropriate name for it. Perhaps you can think of one? I'm moving it to general...

FORGIVENESS IS DIVINE By Sister Jasmine “Surely Allah loves those who constantly turn to Him in repentance and those who keep themselves pure” (Quran-Surah al-Baqarah 2:222) We are now entering the second ten days of Ramadaan, the days when we have the opportunity to beg Allah for forgiveness. There is a du’a (prayer) we are encouraged to recite throughout these ten days, but how mindful are we of the benefits of these days? It is not enough to beg for Allah’s forgiveness. If we have wronged someone, we should ask for that person’s forgiveness. Sometimes the person will forgive, sometimes not. Once you have done your part, turn to Allah in repentance for the act. If someone has wronged you, are you still carrying that resentment? Often we believe that in forgiving someone we are we are either excusing or condoning the behaviour. Forgiving a wrong brings peace to us. It releases us from the feelings of hurt, anger, and resentment which will poison us and affect every emotion and action. Remember, we are in Ramadaan, the days when Allah promises forgiveness for our sins. If Allah is so forgiving, who are we to withhold what is so freely and divinely given. How many families are split due to anger, judgment and a refusal to forgive? Allah says in the Holy Quran in Surah Ar Rad that those who sever family ties, their home is the Jahannam(hell). In The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we have the perfect example, no matter what people did to him, no matter how horrifying and despicable the acts were, he freely forgave those who wronged him, and continued to be a perfect example. When we refuse to forgive, it is like drinking poison, and expecting the other person to die. There is one type of forgiveness which we find very hard. It is the forgiveness of the self. We constantly hark back to things we did or said when we knew no better, or when we were not in a very good emotional space. We punish ourselves and find it very difficult to forgive our own mistakes. Our self-worth is so low that when we have a bad experience we think we deserve it. This is because we believe others have the power to control or alter our destiny. Forgive yourself for the belief that your truth can be altered by another human being. Often we say, or do something without thinking through the consequences and we hurt or insult others. When we do this our bodies will experience a feeling of unease, and we may exclaim silently: “I can’t believe I just did/said that”. The thing to do is to immediately say: “I am sorry I said/did that”. Firstly you clear yourself and bring ease back to your body, secondly the other person has no time to take offence and get angry. After all we do not really mean to hurt or insult people; as humans and creations of Allah we are naturally predisposed to be good. When we say we are sorry we practise kindness, this is a good first step to forgiving. Having done this we can now turn to begging Allah for forgiveness for the wrongs we have done. We do this with sincere taubah (repentance), a process of turning from sin and resolving not to repeat the sin and to feel regret and sorrow. It means leaving what Allah has prohibited and returning to what He has commanded. During the second ten days of Ramadan we can strive for purification and thus return to our original sinless state of the Fitrah. Allah’ infinite mercy has proclaimed this middle part of Ramadan specifically for begging for forgiveness, an act of repentance which is itself an act of worship through which we may be saved. Making full use of these days and sincerely obeying Allah’s command to turn to Him in repentance, we will embark on an act of worship which is so great that it can totally absolve us of our sins. As we pass the halfway mark of Ramadan, many of us tend to get a little lax; this is the time when the Masajid has fewer musallees (worshippers) for Taraweeh Salaah, thoughts turn to all the things we still have to do for Eid. The du’a that we should constantly be reciting: Allahuma Innaka Afuwun Kareemun, Tuhibul Afwa fafu Ani (Oh Allah,Thou art the One who grants pardon for sins. Thou lovest to pardon, so pardon me) But there is a danger that it could become a ritual done without full consciousness. To make Istighfar(seek forgiveness), to recite with complete consciousness and sincerity, hoping for Allah’s forgiveness, opens a pathway to relief and contentment. You will find that you move from anxiety to tranquillity. Repentance opens the door of mercy, the door of knowledge and leads to greater productivity. Ibn Abbas (RA) related: “The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) said: “If anyone constantly seeks pardon from Allah, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects it not.” (Hadith-Abu Dawud). Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself sought Allah’s forgiveness at least 70 times per day. Asking for forgiveness causes Allah to deal with the person in the same manner as Allah does with the servant who has attained taqwa (piety). Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said: “The one who regularly makes Istighfar(seeks forgiveness), Allah will open a path from poverty and difficulties (All sorrow and hardship will be removed, and in its place prosperity and contentment granted.) and one will receive sustenance from unimagined and unexpected sources”. The benefits of begging Allah for forgiveness are immense and it would be unfortunate if we do not take advantage of this Ibadah (act of worship). As Muslims we are so blessed with the bounties that Allah has bestowed upon us. We can do this at any time, but here Allah has carved out a period for us where He promises forgiveness if we are truly repentant. Allah is so Merciful; Let this quality of mercy manifest within us.There are so many people sad and unhappy because of rifts in families, broken marriages, and friendships which ended for no apparent reason. We should also ask Allah to forgive those who have hurt us, after we have forgiven them. The doors of repentance and forgiveness remain open during this period; let us not shut it as we would slam the door on someone we do not want to see. To err is human and to forgive is divine! From the first ten days of mercy, which Allah has promised us, let us go through these ten days with full consciousness of Allah, who loves us and does not want to punish us. Let us resolve now to take full advantage of this gift, let us not allow Ramadaan to pass without extracting all of its blessings. After all, they were intended by Allah, for His creation, and we are the divine creations of Allah, Alhamdulillah. Forgiveness: It’s Extra Special please visit: EISLAM

Juz Ten Nurturing Īmān Before Issuing Commands This juz begins with the following āyah: وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ إِن كُنتُمْ آمَنتُم بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا يَوْمَ الْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ And know that whatever spoils you receive, their one fifth is for Allāh and for His Messenger, and for kinsmen and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you do believe in Allāh and in what We sent down upon Our Servant on the Decisive Day, the day when the two forces encountered each other. And Allāh is powerful over everything. (Al-Anfāl, 8:41) This is an answer to the question which was mentioned right in the beginning of sūrah al-Anfāl itself, forty āyahs ago. That āyah said: “They ask you about the spoils. Say, “The spoils are for Allāh and the Messenger.” So, fear Allāh, and set your relations right, and obey Allāh and His Messenger, if you are believers.” The question was about the distribution of the spoils of war. In the tribal society the soldier who laid his hand on the spoil kept it. The rules were to be changed now. But it is extremely significant that after mentioning the question, the answer was delayed while mention was made of the special favors of Allāh that led to the decisive victory in the highly unequal battle of Badr for which Muslims were not even prepared. Mention was also made of the qualities of the true believers, whose hearts tremble upon the mention of the name of Allāh, whose īmān increases upon listening to the Words of Allāh, and who put their trust in Him. The ruling regarding distribution was given after the minds had been prepared to accept it. Today a mention of rulings—in all areas of life—elicits arguments instead of compliance because of the lack of this preparation. Unless Islamic education carefully nurtures īmān and creates strong conviction about Islamic beliefs and teachings, simply imparting knowledge of commandments will not change the behavior. Today the sources of this nurture are neither in the formal education nor in the environment created by the media. Parents and educators can continue to ignore this point only with disastrous results. The Wealth of the Hypocrites فَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُهُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ Let not, then, their wealth and their children excite your admiration. In fact, Allāh intends to punish them with these in this lowly life and that their souls should depart while they are disbelievers. (At- Tawbah, 9:85) Sūrah Tawbah contains much commentary about the hypocrites. This āyah is also about them. The hypocrites were men of wealth and position. In fact their possessions, and their undue love for them, were the main cause of their hypocrisy. This āyah reminds us that the wealth of a hypocrite or non- believer should never engender envy in the believer. We must not be dazzled by the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Net worth estimates should not excite us. Accounts of the richest men should not attract us. If we realize the troubles in the Hereafter caused by disbelief, we’ll feel pity rather than envy. Hypocrites versus Believers الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّن بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ ۚ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ The hypocrites, males and females, are all alike. They enjoin vice and forbid virtue and withhold their hands (from doing good). They are oblivious of Allāh, and so He is oblivious of them. Surely, the hypocrites are the sinners. (At-Tawbah, 9:67) وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ The believers, male and female, are protectors one of another: they enjoin virtue and forbid vice and establish Ṣalāh and pay Zakāh and obey Allāh and His Messenger. On them will Allāh pour His mercy. Surely, Allāh is Powerful, Wise. (At-Tawbah, 9:71) These two verses compare and contrast believers and hypocrites and invite deep reflection. More often than we realize we are engaged in persuading others or are being persuaded by them about big and small things in life. It is a very powerful force. That is why marketers yearn for word of mouth publicity and powerful media machines long for becoming the talk of the town. Concerned with good as it is, Islam gives this tremendous social force a purpose. It must be used for promoting good, truth and justice and checking evil and injustice. That is the essence of amr bil maʿrūf wa nahi ʿanil munkar. And the Qur’ān declares it as the defining mission for this Ummah. A believer may commit sins, but he cannot be on the side of promoting them. In the Islamic society sin is a private weakness, not a public cause. Today we seem to be doing exactly the opposite. There are Muslim women who have been pressured out of observing hijab by friends and relatives. Men and women are enticed into riba transactions by family and friends. All innovations (bidʿah) and false social practices continue under social pressures. Bribery, backbiting, corruption, indecency, and dishonesty flourish under social approval. It is frightening to see how our real life matches the description given for the hypocrites. For we are warned that if we persuade others to commit a wrong we’ll add to our burden of sins by the same amount. It is one thing to commit a wrong out of weakness. It is totally different to advocate the wrong and willingly multiply our burden of sins.

There were three boys who wanted to get married to the imaams daughter, so all three of them went to the imaams house to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. The imaam asks the first guy "What's your name?" first guy:"My name is Ibraheem" Imaam:Oh ok, recite to me surah Ibraheem"...and so he did Imaam:"Maasha-Allah! and what is your name?" second guy:"My name is Yusuf" Imaam:"Recite surah Yusuf" and he recites it So then the imaam asks the third guy "What's your name?" The third guy was really nervous and was like "err, my name is Yaseen, BUT BUT BUT at home my parents call me Qulhuwallahu Ahad. source

Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani HA said, “This idea has crept into and firmly settled on, our hearts that what the western nations are doing is worth emulation and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet is – God forbid – an ordinary issue, unworthy of being followed. It is rather a hurdle and hindrance in the path of progress. Consider! What harm will fall on us if we take our food with the right hand? Our malady is that the evil of slavery to the west has over-powered our minds. We have given up slavery to the Holy Prophet and become slaves to the western powers, with the natural result that we are living and dying in slavery. We have become entangled in this slavery so badly that we now see no way out of it. The fact, however, remains that we cannot get out of this slavery, nor can we attain honour and superiority in this world unless we accept slavery to the Holy Prophet in the true sense and follow in his footsteps.” [islahi Khutbaat: Discourses on Islamic Way of Life, Vol: VII, pg. 184] Source

Benefits of Ramadan 1. Fasting in Ramadan helps in achieving Taqwaa. Allaah says: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous (achieve Taqwaa)” (Al-Baqarah, 2:183) When we change our attitude while fasting and have a good mental state, we can achieve Taqwaa. Jabir ibn Abullah said, “When you fast, your hearing, your vision, and your tongue should also fast by avoiding lies and sins. You should not abuse your servant. You should maintain your composure and dignity on the day you fast. Do not make your fasting day the same as your normal day.” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah) 2. Double reward of fasting: “Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward.” (Al Tirmidhee) Ibn Taymiyah said: What is meant by giving him iftaar is giving him enough to satisfy him. (Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 194) 3. Reading Qur’an in Ramadan assists in attaining “Taqwaa” Reading Qur’an in this month assists in attaining “Taqwaa” since it is one of the main objectives of the revelation of the Qur’an. Allaah says: “(It is) an Arabic Qur'an, without any deviance that they might become righteous.” (Az-Zumar, 39:28) 4. A means of gaining forgiveness of sins: The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: a. “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (al-Bukharee, 2014; Muslim, 760) b. “…from one Ramadan to the next are expiation for sins committed in between, so long as you avoid major sins.” (Saheeh Muslim (233)) 5. Steadfastness and Patience: Fasting helps in developing a strong will power. Fasting is patience in obeying Allaah, patience in keeping away from the things forbidden by Allaah, and patience in bearing the decree of Allaah, hunger, thirst, physical and mental weakness. So it combines all three types of patience, thus the fasting person deserves to be counted as one of the patient, and Allaah says: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (Az-Zumar, 39:10) 6. Seeking Laylatul Qadr: Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” ( An-Nasa’ee, 2106; Ahmad, 8769.) 7. Fasting precludes ar-riya and assists in ikhlaas: “Allaah said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it…’” ( Al-Bukharee (1761) and Muslim (1946)) Allaah didn’t say “prayer is Mine”, or “Hajj is Mine”, or “charity is Mine”. Why did He single out fasting? Al-Qurtubi said: Because showing off may enter into all good deeds, but no one can see when a person is fasting except Allaah, so Allaah connected it to Himself. 8. Ramadan trains us to have good character and be truthful: The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it and ignorant behaviour, Allaah has no need of his giving up his food and drink”. (Sahih Al-Bukharee,1903) So if a person refrains from disobeying Allaah or gives up sinfulness, then this is true fasting. Meaning, your body needs to fast with you too along with hunger and thirst. 9. A sense of Unity: All the Muslims participate in this act of worship. All of us are fasting and breaking the fast at the same time. We as a single ummah gather upon a single act of worship directing towards a single purpose. 10. Ramadan is an opportunity to learn discipline in food and drink: One of the benefits of fasting is good health. This is something we should seek because with good health, we can worship Allaah better and do extra good deeds which we might not be able to do if we did not have it. The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allaah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone…” (Sahih Muslim 2664) 11. Two moments of Joy: The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “The fasting person will have two moments of joy: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” (al-Bukharee, 1771) Source : Idealmuslimah (Edited)