ummtaalib

The Blessed Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ - Volume 1 (Concise version) Jointly Published by: Wifāq ul Ulāma (SA) Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen, Isipingo Beach, Durban, South Africa Download

Quds News Network (@qudsnen) • Instagram photos and videos

The Israeli occupation authorities demolish Al Araqeeb bedouin village in Al Naqab for the 197th time #savealnaqab

Reagrding the new facts Mohammed El-Kurd @m7mdkurd

New facts revelas massacre and mass grave of Plestinians New facts are being revealed about the heinous massacre of Tantura which was committed by Israeli occupation forces in 1948 New documentary revelas massacre and mass grave of PlestiniansThe documentary 'Tantura ' sheds new light on the massacre the of Palestinians after the conquest of Tantura village in 1948. The bodies of the villagers were buried in a mass grave. Via @trtworld Eye On Palestine on Instagram: "🇵🇸#Palestine | New documentary reveals massacre and mass grave of Palestinians. The documentary 'Tantura ' sheds new light on the massacre…"

The Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan came to a Security Council meeting holding a rock to prove Palestinian "terror attacks with rocks". Eye On Palestine on Instagram: "🇵🇸#Palestine | The Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan came to a Security Council meeting holding a rock to prove Palestinian "terror…"

Condemnation of Israeli forced expulsions Here is how representatives condemned the Israeli forced expulsion of the Palestinian family of Salhiya from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood HRW's Communications Coordinator: "The forcible expulsion of the Salhiya family and demolition of their home in #SheikhJarrah are war crimes. This is what apartheid and persecution looks like. Perpetrators should be prosecuted & sanctioned."Human Rights Watch denounced on Wednesday Israel's demolition of Palestinian family house and forcibly displacing its 18 members, saying these are "war crimes" and "Perpetrators should be prosecuted and sanctioned." The British Consul General in Jerusalem, Diane Corner, joined on Monday other representatives of the European Union and like-minded countries to bear witness to the ongoing forced displacement of the Salhia family, who live and run a business opposite the British Consulate in East Jerusalem. Quds News Network (@qudsnen) • Instagram photos and videos

“They silenced it. It mustn’t be told; it could cause a whole scandal. I don’t want to talk about it, but it happened. What can you do? It happened."This is what the former Israeli soldier Moshe Diamant told the film director Alon Schwartz in a new documentary film that goes back to the affair of the Palestinian village #Tantura.Akevot’s researcher Adam Raz told Haaretz about the new testimonies about the battle of #Tantura, and about the code of silence among the soldiers who were there – and among all of us – that prevents any discussion about what happened.

How to Attain Khushuʿ 5: Increase Your Time in Private Worship Another means of attaining khushūʿ in ṣalāh is to engage in ʿibādah, especially in private. Just you and Allah (‘azza wa jall). No one else. You may perform many acts of ʿibādah, but still not experience their sweetness. Rectify this by increasing your private worship. Private worship is one of the best ways to attain sincerity and protect yourself from hypocrisy. Once your heart is purified, you will taste the sweetness of īmān and worship. Imām Mālik (raḥimahullāh) said, “Whoever would like to have peace in his heart, and be saved from the agonies of death and the terrors of the Day of Judgement, then let his private deeds be greater than his public ones.” The Nafs Loves Praise Our inner self (nafs) rages inside of us. It loves praise and hates criticism. Sometimes it insidiously manifests itself when we mention our private worship in casual conversation with someone. We must, however, fight this. We should avoid mentioning our private acts of worship and maintain it as a special ‘secret’ between us and Allah (‘azza wa jall). Sufyān al-Thawrī (raḥimahullāh) said, “When the servant performs a deed in private, Shayṭān keeps at him until he mentions it. It then moves from the records of private deeds to the record of public deeds.” However, this does not mean that every deed should be done only in private. On the contrary, numerous deeds have to be performed communally and, therefore, in public. Nevertheless, we should strive to have a collection of ‘secret deeds,’ deeds that no one has knowledge of but Allah (‘azza wa jall). Be careful of ʿujb Conducting deeds in private may seem like an act that is free from risks. It is not, and you should be careful of your nafs. Just like you ought to be wary of riyā’ (showing off) when you worship Allah in public, you should be wary of ʿujb (self-admiration) when you worship Allah in private. ʿUjb is to be impressed with yourself and your feats. ʿUjb can lead to pride (kibr). This pride can lead to you comparing your actions to others, and start regarding your deeds to be better than theirs. You may, as a result, start looking down on them. Consequently, instead of purifying the soul, your private deeds lead to the destruction of the soul.

Introduction For quite a while, very deceiving tactics have been utilised by the non-Madhhabīs (also known as Salafiyyah) over the past few decades to lure people into their sect. The most prominent of these tactics is to have the unsuspecting public thinking that having differences of opinion in matters of fiqh is dangerous and something unfounded within the parameters of our dīn. The general public are given questions by the non-Madhhabīs to cause doubts in their minds. These questions range from ‘how can four schools (madhhabs) be correct?’ to questions like ‘how can four different opinions be right? Isn’t our Prophet j one?’ They also propagate that there must be one way in all matters of jurisprudence (fiqh). However these people of innovation (bidʿah) conceal, or are ignorant of their own scholars who themselves have differed in fiqh. The following is a compilation of a range of issues where the Salafī scholars have differed among themselves in just the description of prayer (ṣalāh) itself. Venturing beyond the scope of differences in ṣalāh will, by far, be too lengthy and time consuming for this short epistle; hence, it has been limited to the prayer itself. This is because there are a lot of scholarly differences that can be accumulated between them (adding other differences from other chapters besides the description of prayer). However, the intention is to give the intrigued reader the upshot of this essay and an insight regarding the differences that have occurred between the Salafī scholars. الاختلاف في صفة الصلاة بين علماء السلفية The Differences in the Description of Prayer between the Salafī Scholars May I remind the readers that the intent of this short work is to show that Muslims can never be unified under one opinion in all aspects relating to the religion; differences will occur in our jurisprudence (fiqh), and that the scholars will always differ down to the grain. Classical scholars have always agreed on a principle that differences amongst the scholars is a mercy from Allāh (subhana wa ta’ala). To proceed with the differences: [1] Folding the Hands after Bowing (Rukūʿ) – Qawmah a) Sh. al-Albānī’s opinion that placing your hands back after rukūʿ is a misguided innovation (bidʿah ḍalālah): ولست أشك في أن وضع اليدين على الصدر في هذا القيام ( يعني بعد الرفع من الركوع) بدعة ضلالة، لأنه لم يرد مطلقا في شيء من أحاديث الصلاة وما أكثرها، ولا ذكره أحد من أئمة الحديث فيما أعلم “I have no doubt that placing the two hands upon the chest in this standing (i.e. standing after rukūʿ) is a misleading bidʿah (innovation in religion), because this was not mentioned at all in any of the h̩adīths on [describing] ṣalāh though they are numerous. This was not mentioned by any of the scholars of h̩adīth as far as I know.”([1]) b) While Sh. Ibn Bāz was of the opinion that it was from the Sunnah: ينبغي أن يعلم أن ما تقدم من البحث في قبض الشمال باليمين ووضعهما على الصدر أو غيره قبل الركوع وبعده كل ذلك من قبيل السنن “It should be known that the above discussion on holding the left hand with the right one and placing them both on the chest, or any other place, either before or after rukūʿ is an act of Sunnah.”([2]) [2] Constantly Moving Finger in Tashahhud a) Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn was of the opinion that the finger should be moved constantly in tashahhud with the duʿāʾ, utilising the narration containing the narrator Zāʾidah Ibn Qudāmah: دلت السنة على أنه يشير بها عند الدعاء، لأن لفظ الحديث «يحركها يدعو بها» فكلّما دعوت حرِّكْ “The sunnah indicates that he should point with it when supplicating (duʿāʾ̃), because the h̩adīth reads, ‘moving it, making du’ã with it’. So every time you make duʿāʾ̃ (in tashahhud), move your finger.”([3]) b) Sh. Muqbil Ibn Hādī al-Wādiʿī , utilising ʿAbdullāh Ibn Zubayr’s narration, says: هذا الحديث يدل على الإشارة بالأصبع، وأما التحريك فقد تفرد به زائدة بن قدامة، وقد خالف أربعة عشر راوياً “This h̩adīth proves the indication (ishārah) with the finger, as for moving it then Zāʾidah Ibn Qudāmah is alone in his narration. He has opposed fourteen narrators.” He goes on to reject the narration of Zāʾidah Ibn Qudāmah, saying it is isolated (shādhdh).([4]) [3] Placing the Knees on the Ground before the Hands during Sujūd a) Ibn Bāz , while discussing the ah̩ādīth regarding the knees going first before the hands during the prostrations (sujūd), says: وهذا هو الأصح والأرجح، وبذلك يتفق الأحاديث ولا يقع بينها خلا ف. النهي عن البروك كبروك البعير يوافق حديث وائل في تقديم الركبتين، ثم اليدين بعد ذلك في السجود “And this is the most correct and likely opinion, for that is in agreement with the ah̩ādīth and there is no difference between them. For the prohibition of kneeling like that of the camel is in agreement with the h̩adīth of Wāʾil regarding the knees going first [for sujūd], thereafter the hands after that during the sujūd.”([5]) b) However, Sh. al-Albānī mentions to do the opposite: الخرور إلى السجود على اليدين… كان يضع يديه على الأرض قبل ركبتيه “Going Down into Sujūd with the Hands: He used to place his hands on the ground before his knees.”([6]) [4] Joining the Feet/Ankles in Prayer (Ṣalāh) a) Sh. al-Albānī was of the opinion that joining the feet in prayer is from the authentic Sunnah: ولكن ربما يخفى على الكثيرين منهم أن من إقامة الصف تسويته بالأقـدام، وليس فقط بالمناكب، بل لقد سمعنا مراراً من بعض أئمة المساجد -حين يأمرون بالتسوية- التنبيه على أن السنة فيها إنما هي بالمناكب فقط دون الأقدام ولما كان ذلك خلاف الثابت في السنة الصحيحة، رأيت أنه لابد من ذكر ما ورد فيه من الحديث؛ تذكيراً لمن أراد أن يعمل بما صح من السنة؛ غير مغتر بالعادات والتقاليد الفاشية في الأمة “However, it remains unknown to many that straightening the rows requires straightening it with the feet, not just the shoulders. Indeed, we have often heard some of the Imāms of the mosques (masājid) pointing out – when ordering the people to straighten the rows – that the Sunnah is to do so with the shoulders to the exclusion of the feet! Since this is contrary to what is established in the authentic Sunnah, I thought it necessary to mention some ah̩ādīth that exist on this topic, as a reminder for whoever wishes to act in accordance with the authentic Sunnah, not being deceived by the widespread customs and habits prevalent in the Ummah.”([7]) b) Contrary to this position, Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn mentions the feet should not be joined throughout prayer (ṣalāh) and said to do so is extreme: وليس معنى ذلك أن يلازم هذا الإلصاق ويبقى ملازماً له في جميع الصلاة. ومن الغلو في هذه المسألة ما يفعله بعض الناس من كونه يلصق كعبه بكعب صاحبه ويفتح قدميه فيما بينهما حتى يكون بينه وبين جاره في المناكب فرجة فيخالف السنة في ذلك، والمقصود أن المناكب والأكعب تتساوى “It does not mean that he should continue this joining and remain so for the whole s̩alāh. From the extremism that has occurred with regard to this issue is what is done by some people in that one of them will join his ankle to the ankle of his companion, and he will spread his feet so far apart until there is a gap between his shoulder and the shoulder of his companion, so he will oppose the Sunnah by doing that. The aim is that the shoulders and ankles should be in line with each other.”([8]) [5] Where to Place the Hands in Prayer (Ṣalāh) a) Sh. al-Albānī vehemently advocates the view that the hands should be placed on the chest in prayer: وضعهما على الصدر هو الذي ثبت في السنة، وخلافه إما ضعيف أو لا أصل له “Placing the hands on the chest is what is established in the Sunnah, and any other opinion besides this is either weak or has no basis.”([9]) b) However, according to Sh. S̩ālih̩ al-Fawzān , other opinions are also regarded as Sunnah: سنن الأفعال …وضعهما على الصدر أو تحت السرة في حال القيام “Sunnah actions: and (he should) place both his hands upon the chest or below the navel in the standing posture.”([10]) [6] To say ‘al-Salām ʿalā ’l-Nabī’ or ‘al-Salām ʿalayka ayyuhā ’l-Nabī’ in al-Tah̩iyyāt a) Sh. S̩ālih̩ al-Munajjid, who supervises the question and answer website, Islamqa, said after quoting the ḥadīth of Ibn Masʿūd (ra) stating that after the death of Nabī (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) they said ‘al-Salām ʿalā ’l-Nabī’: وهذا أثبت ألفاظ التشهد وأحسنها عند العلماء “This is the soundest version of the wording of the tashahhud according to the scholars.”([11]) b) However, Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn says this is from the ijtihād of Ibn Masʿūd (ra), and that ‘al-Salām ʿalayka ayyuhā ’l-Nabī’ should be said: وأمّا ما وَرَدَ في صحيح البخاري عن عبد الله بن مسعود h أنهم كانوا يقولون بعد وفاة الرسول ﷺ: «السَّلامُ على النَّبيِّ ورحمة الله وبركاته» فهذا مِن اجتهاداتِه h التي خالَفه فيها مَنْ هو أعلمُ منه؛ عُمرُ بن الخطَّاب h، فإنه خَطَبَ النَّاسَ على مِنبر رسول الله ﷺ وقال في التشهُّدِ: «السَّلامُ عليك أيُّها النبيُّ ورحمة الله» كما رواه مالك في «الموطأ» بسَنَدٍ من أصحِّ الأسانيد، وقاله عُمرُ بمحضر الصَّحابة j وأقرُّوه على ذلك “As for what is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī from Ibn Masʿūd (ra), that they used to say ‘al-Salām ʿalā ’l-Nabī’ after the Prophet’s (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) demise, this is from his ijtihād, in which someone more learned than him, ʿUmar Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (ra) differed with him. ʿUmar (ra) used to give sermons on the minbar of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and he used to say in the tashahhud: ‘al-Salām ʿalayka ayyuhā ’l-Nabī’, as narrated by Imām Mālik in his Muwat̩t̩aʾ with a very authentic chain, and ʿUmar h did this in the presence of many Ṣah̩ābah (raa), and they all agreed with him.”([12]) [7] Reciting al-Fātih̩ah in the Loud (Jahrī) Prayers behind the Imām a) Sh. S̩ālih̩ al-Fawzān mentions three opinions, of which he agrees with the third opinion that it is only obligatory to recite Sūrat al-Fātih̩ah behind the Imām in the quiet prayers: القول الثالث: التفصيل، في الصلاة السرية تجب؛ أما في الجهرية فيستمع لقراءة إمامه، لقوله تعالى: ﴿ وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ فَٱسۡتَمِعُواْ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ٢٠٤ ﴾ وهذا هو الراجح، وهو اختيار شيخ الإسلام ومذهب الإمام مالك، هو الراجح إن شاء الله لأنه تجتمع به الأدلة أن المأموم يجب عليه قراءة الفاتحة في الصلاة السرية الظهر و العصر، ولا يقرأ في الصلاة الجهرية والإمام يقرأ “The third opinion: specifically, in the quiet (sirrī) prayers it is obligatory [to recite Sūrat al-Fātih̩ah]; as for the loud prayers, then he should listen to the recitation of his Imām, as Allāh says: ‘When the Qurʾān is being recited, listen attentively and remain silent so that you may receive mercy’. This is the correct opinion, and it was also the preferred view of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and in accordance with the School of Imām Mālik. It is the correct opinion, InShāʾAllāh, because it combines all the proofs: like it is obligatory upon the follower to recite al-Fātih̩ah in the quiet prayers like Ẓuhr and ʿAṣr, and that he should not recite in the loud prayer while the Imām is reciting.”([13]) b) However, the standing committee of Saudi for research and fatwā said it is obligatory to recite al-Fātih̩ah in both quiet and loud prayers: الصحيح من أقوال أهل العلم وجوب قراءة الفاتحة في الصلاة على المنفرد والإمام والمأموم في الصلاة الجهرية والسرية “The correct opinion from amongst the people of knowledge is that it is obligatory to recite al-Fātih̩ah in the prayer for both the munfarid [one praying alone], Imām, and follower, in the loud and quiet prayers.”([14]) Conclusion By the grace of Allāh (subhana wa ta’ala), the above should be more than sufficient to prove the point. The many examples are regarding the differences amongst Salafī scholars in matters related to just prayer alone. The above gives overwhelming proof that differences are inevitable; this is despite the many other scholars from their group who have been left out from this discussion, as well as other issues of differences they have between themselves besides prayer, such as ablution (wuḍūʾ), bathing (ghusl) and even issues relating to Ḥajj and Ṣawm etc. Final Note May I remind the readers who are looking for the truth that sincerity is important: although we want to act upon the most correct view (in accordance with the Qurʾān and the Sunnah), most of the times our sincerity is severely lacking, harbouring pride (takabbur) or even looking down upon others, because we think they are not acting upon the truth – which will, in essence, damage any good actions we may strive to do. والله تعالى أعلم وصلى الله تعالى على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين Compiled by – Abu Humayd —————————————————————————————————- ([1]) S̩ifah S̩alāt al-Nabī, Nās̩ir al-Dīn al-Albānī, p. 145. ([2]) Fatāwā Ibn Bāz, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Ibn Bāz, vol. 11 p. 142. ([3]) Al-Sharh̩ al-Mumtiʿ, S̩ālih̩ Ibn ʿUthaymīn, vol. 1 p. 594. ([4]) Al-Jāmiʿ al-S̩ah̩iḥ, Muqbil Ibn Hādī, vol. 2 p. 121. ([5]) Nūr ʿalā ’l-Darb, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Ibn Bāz, online ref: http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/14936. ([6]) S̩ifah S̩alāt al-Nabī, Nās̩ir al-Dīn al-Albānī, p. 139. ([7]) Silsilat al-Ah̩ādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Nās̩ir al-Dīn al-Albānī, vol. 1 pp. 70-74. ([8]) Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām, S̩ālih̩ Ibn ʿUthaymīn, vol. 1 p. 312. ([9]) S̩ifah S̩alāt al-Nabī, Nās̩ir al-Dīn al-Albānī, p. 88. ([10]) Al-Mulakhkhas̩ al-Fiqhī, S̩ālih̩ al-Fawzān, vol. 1 p. 134. ([11]) S̩ālih̩ al-Munajjid, online ref: http://islamqa.info/ar/11417. ([12]) Al-Sharh̩ al-Mumtiʿ, S̩ālih̩ Ibn ʿUthaymīn, vol. 1 p. 150. ([13]) S̩ālih̩ al-Fawzān, transcribed from the following Q&A session available from his website, online ref: http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/12731. ([14]) Fatāwā al-Lajnah al-Dāʾimah, vol. 6 p. 384. darultahqiq

At 3 Am, Hundreds of Israeli occupation forces besieged Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, attacked the home of Salhiya family, detained its owners and others and demolished the home.

UK should be saying, stop because its ethnic cleansing, its wrong, its illegal, its a crime against humanity?!! And just this one family because there is an outcry? What about the rest of palestine being ethnically cleansed?

Details of the forced eviction in Sheikh Jarrah (Jerusalem) A Palestinian man, whose family is facing imminent eviction, threatened to set off gas canisters on the roof of his home on Monday in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, rather than let Israeli forces force them out.Dozens of Israeli police officers stormed the home of the Salhiya family, where 40 people live, ordering them to evacuate their property.Some family members refused to obey the Israeli police order and barricaded themselves on the roof with gas canisters, while a team of Israeli negotiators attempted to convince them to come down.Israeli media reported that Mahmoud Salhiya had threatened to set himself on fire if the eviction order was carried out. "We've been in this home since the 1950s," said Salhiya family member Abdallah Ikermawi from the roof of the home."We don't have anywhere to go," he said in quotes provided by the Sheikh Jarrah Committee organisation.Sheikh Jarrah has been a significant flashpoint over the past year, after Israel tried to expel Palestinian families from the area last May to make way for Israeli settlers.The events had led to widespread protests in the occupied West Bank and Israel's mixed cities of Arabs and Jews, and a large-scale military operation in the besieged Gaza Strip.Israeli forces on Monday prevented activists from entering the area, located north of Jerusalem's Old City, leaving the Salhiyas to face the eviction order alone.Meanwhile, Instagram blocked Palestinian activist Muna el-Kurd from live streaming Israeli forces preparing to expel the family from their home to her 1.6 million followers.

Occupied Jerusalem (QNN) - The Dutch government has called on Israeli occupation authorities to “immediately” stop its forced displacement of a Palestinian family from its house in Sheikh Jarrah neighbirhood in East Jerusalem. “Ongoing attempt to evict a Palestinian family from their East Jerusalem home is contrary to international law and risks further escalation,” tweeted, Hans Docter, the Dutch ambassador to ‘Israel’. The Dutch ambassador added, “calls on the Israeli authorities to stop the eviction immediately.” Source The European Union: "[Israeli] evictions and demolitions are illegal under international law and significantly undermine the prospects for peace as well as fuel tensions on the ground."

Sheikh Jarrah resident under threat of forceful eviction willing to die The Salhia family threatens to create an explosion with gas tanks, destroying the house, if the Israeli forces expel them, Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem. Since the morning, Israeli forces have been blockading the area in an attempt to expel the Palestinian family who has lived there for generations. The family was originally expelled from Ein Karem village, Jerusalem, in 1948 in favor of Israeli settlers. Mahmoud Salhiya, the owner of the house which is under threat of forceful eviction by occupation forces in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in the occupied city of Jerusalem said, "We are originally from Ein Karim, we aren't going to be displaced again, we will not leave here, either we die or we live" Updates here

Innaa lillaahi wainnaa ilayhi raaji'oon! What next from the "crown prince"?

The Al-Naqab Desert ethnic cleansing Palestinian Al-Naqab desert is facing nowadays unprecedented ethnic cleansing attempts, massive arrests and repression campaigns by the IOF and the Jewish National Fund. What is Al-Naqab area? Quds News Network (@qudsnen) • Instagram photos and videos

Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) was a great Aalim and Wali of Allah Ta‘ala who lived in the sixth century of Islam. Allah Ta‘ala had blessed him with such great acceptance that many people reformed their lives at his hands. One salient quality that stood out in his life was the quality of truthfulness and honesty. Below is an incident that reflects this beautiful quality in his life which attracted the hearts of even the greatest sinners of his time: When Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) decided to tread the path of knowledge, he sought permission from his mother to travel to Baghdad where he would study under the leading Ulama of the time. His mother permitted him to leave and gave him forty dinars which she sewed into his kurta, beneath his armpit. At the time when she bid him farewell, she advised him to ensure that he always spoke the truth and never spoke lies. Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) took his mother’s advice to heart and promised her that he would always be truthful and would always conduct with honesty. Sheikh Abdul Qaadir (rahimahullah) thereafter joined a caravan of people traveling to Baghdad. During the journey, the caravan was waylaid by sixty robbers who looted the caravan, taking whatever wealth they found. Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) mentions, “While looting the caravan, one of the robbers came to me, and thinking that I did not have any money, he asked me, ‘O pauper! How much of money do you have with you?’ I remembered the advice of my mother and replied, ‘Forty dinars.’ He then asked me, ‘Where is the money?’ I replied, ‘It is sewn into my kurta beneath my armpit.’ The robber was not convinced and thought that I was joking and therefore left me. “After a few moments, another robber came to me and asked me the same question, to which I gave the same answer. This robber also thought that I was joking and thus left me. Later on, both robbers went to their leader and informed him of what had transpired and mentioned to him that upon enquiring, I told them that I have forty dinars with me, concealed in my kurta. The leader said to them, ‘Bring him to me.’ “When they brought me to their leader, he asked me, ‘O young lad! How much of wealth do you have with you?’ I replied, ‘I have forty dinars.’ He then asked me, ‘Where is the wealth?’ I replied, ‘It is sewn into my kurta under my armpit.’ He was quite surprised and asked me, ‘What made you speak the truth and confess that you possess this wealth? (In other words, had you not informed us of it, we would have never known of it.)’ I replied, ‘My mother advised me to always be truthful, and I promised her that I will always speak the truth and will never lie. Hence, I did not want to break the promise which I made to my mother by speaking lies when you asked me regarding the wealth.’ “Hearing this answer, the leader was extremely affected and began to weep. He exclaimed, ‘You refuse to break the promise which you made to your mother, whereas I have been breaking my promise to Allah Ta‘ala for so many years by waylaying caravans and committing sins!’” Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) explains, “The leader then repented at my hands and pledged to never return to the sin of robbery and theft. When the other robbers witnessed his repentance, they addressed their leader saying, ‘We made you our leader in crime and robbery and followed you. Now we will make you our leader in repentance and taubah and follow you in this as well.’ They thus repented and returned all the stolen wealth to the caravan.” In this way, through firmly holding onto the quality of truthfulness and honesty, Sheikh Abdul Qaadir (rahimahullah) became the means for all sixty robbers to repent and change their lives. (Bahjatul Asraar pg. 186 and Qalaa-idul Jawaahir pg. 9) In the Mubaarak Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has greatly emphasized the importance and virtue of truthfulness and honesty. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Hold firm to truthfulness (and honesty), for truthfulness leads one towards piety, and piety leads one towards Jannah. A person will continue to speak the truth and endeavor to always remain upon truthfulness (at all times), until he will be recorded as a siddeeq (extremely truthful person) by Allah Ta‘ala. Refrain from lies, as lies leads one towards sin, and sin leads one towards the fire of Jahannum. A person will continue to speak lies, and tries to remain upon this habit of speaking lies (at all times), until he will be recorded as a great liar by Allah Ta‘ala.” (Saheeh Muslim #2607) It should be borne in mind that truthfulness and honesty is not confined to speech. Rather, it applies to every dimension of one’s deeni and worldly life. When one is truthful, then he will fulfill every obligation and responsibility, whether it relates to his deeni or worldly life. In fact, truthfulness even surpasses the limits of merely fulfilling obligations and includes making an effort to show a higher degree of love and compassion to the creation, in the manner Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had taught the ummah to conduct. In essence, a true servant of Allah Ta‘ala is one who is loyal to Allah Ta‘ala at all times. He is constantly concerned about pleasing Allah Ta‘ala and taking care of His creation to the best of his ability, thereby exhibiting his loyalty to His Creator. The servant who brings these qualities in his life is honored and blessed with the rank of a siddeeq. The greatest of the Siddeeqeen was Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), whom Allah Ta‘ala had made the best example for the ummah to follow after the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam). His every word and action radiated this sublime quality to the highest level. In the upbringing of a child, it is extremely important for the parents to instill in the child the quality of being truthful at all times and being honest in his dealings. When this quality is deeply entrenched in the heart of the child, then throughout his life, no matter what situation he will be faced with, he will ensure that he fulfills the rights of Allah Ta‘ala as well as the rights which he owes to the creation. Furthermore, when this quality is enhanced in his life, then at every moment, he will be conscious about leading a pure life, internally and externally, and will be concerned about standing before Allah Ta‘ala and being held accountable for his actions on the Day of Qiyaamah. Therefore, every word that he will utter and every action that he will carry out will be in total harmony and conformity with the high levels of sidq (truthfulness). Hence, wherever he goes, he will be a beacon of light and a source of mercy for the entire creation. ihyaauddeen.co.za

How to Attain Khushuʿ 4: Soften Your Heart A sick, heedless and hard heart is one of the greatest reasons for the lack of khushūʿ in ṣalāh. When the heart is rectified, the actions are also rectified as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There is a lump of flesh in the body: when it is sound, the whole body is sound and when it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart” (Bukhārī). Those with hardened hearts are condemned by Allah (‘azza wa jall): “So is one whose heart Allah has opened up for Islam and he is upon a light from his Lord (like one whose heart rejects it)? Then woe to those whose hearts are too hard to remember Allah. They have clearly lost their way” (39:22). In another āyah, Allah (‘azza wa jall) warns His believers of the hardening of the heart: “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth” (57:16)? And in the next āyah, Allah (‘azza wa jall) says, “Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs so that perhaps you will understand” (57:17). Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) explains how this āyah indicates that Allah (‘azza wa jall) softens hardened hearts, guides those who are confused after they were astray, and alleviates hardships after they have become unbearable. Just as Allah brings the dead dry earth back to life by sending down abundant rain, He also guides the hardened hearts with the proofs and evidences of the Qur’ān. By inserting the light of īmān into these hearts, these hearts are softened after previously being blocked. Therefore, do not give up. Even if you have struggled your entire life with khushūʿ, have hope and beg Allah (‘azza wa jall) to soften your heart and make it receptive to īmān, the Qur’ān and every form of good. How to Soften a Hard Heart a) Frequently remember Allah with your tongue & heart Allah (‘azza wa jall) says, “Truly it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace” (13:28). Dhikr is one of the greatest means of protecting a heart from hardening. This is because excessive talking about other than Allah is one of its leading causes. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not talk too much without the remembrance of Allah. Truly, excessive talking without the remembrance of Allah hardens the heart; and the furthest of people from Allah is the hard-hearted person” (Tirmidhī). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “For everything there is a polish, and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah” (Bayhaqī). Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains that the heart rusts like copper and silver. Moreover, just as the heart can rust, it can also be polished through dhikr, to the extent that it can shine like a crystal mirror. Thus, when one neglects dhikr, the heart rusts, and when one remembers Allah, it shines. There are two things which cause a heart to rust: heedlessness (ghaflah) and sin. Conversely, the heart can be polished by two things: dhikr and istighfār (seeking forgiveness). b) Avoid laughing excessively Excessive laughing hardens the heart. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not laugh excessively as excessive laughter deadens the heart” (Tirmidhī). c) Remember death frequently The heart of one who is heedless of death and has excessive hope is dead. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures,” i.e. death (Tirmidhī). ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) said, “I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. A man from among the Anṣār came to him and greeted the Prophet. Then he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of the believers is best?’ He ﷺ said, ‘He who has the best character amongst them.’ He said, ‘Which of them is the smartest?’ He ﷺ said, ‘The one who remembers death the most and is best in preparing for it. Those are the smartest’” (Ibn Mājah). d) Visit the graveyards and reflect on the situation of its residents The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I used to forbid you from visiting the graves but (now) visit them, for it truly reminds you of the hereafter” (Tirmidhī). When ʿUthmān (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) would stop at a grave, he would cry until his beard was soaked (in tears). It was said to him, “Paradise and Hell-fire are mentioned, and you do not cry, yet you cry because of this?” So he said, “Indeed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Indeed the grave is the first stage of the hereafter. So, whoever is saved from it, then what comes after it is easier than it. And whoever is not saved from it, then what comes after it is worse than it.’” He said, “And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘I have not seen any sight except that the grave is more horrible than it’” (Ibn Mājah). e) Recite the Qur’ān Allah (‘azza wa jall) says, “We send down in the Qur’ān that which is a cure and mercy for the believers…” (17:82). Ibrāhīm al-Khawwāṣ (raḥimahullāh) said, “Five things cure the heart: reciting the Qur’ān with tadabbur (reflection), an empty stomach, the night prayer, humbly supplicating to Allah (‘azza wa jall) before dawn, and keeping the company of the righteous.” f) Feed the poor and stroke the head of the orphan A man once complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the hardness of his heart so the Messenger ﷺ said to him, “If you want to soften your heart then feed the poor and stroke the head of the orphan” (Aḥmad).

How to Attain Khushuʿ 3: Attain the Maʿrifah of Allah To attain khushūʿ, you have to push yourself to stop sinning by protecting your organs; in particular your eyes, tongue, and heart. Safeguard your eyes against looking at ḥarām, whether online or offline. Stop your tongue from backbiting, slandering, swearing, obscene language and saying hurtful things. Keep good company who will help you to protect yourself. Protect yourself from eating ḥarām food, including that which is earned from unlawful means. The īmān in your heart has a special nūr (light). The more nūr the heart has, the greater the nūr of your actions and words will be. Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains that there are some believers whose actions ascend up to Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā), and the nūr of their deeds is like the light of the sun. It shines brightly with the nūr from their hearts. The nūr will keep them steady on the ṣirāṭ (bridge over Hell-fire) and will guide them to Paradise. Of the various deeds, ṣalāh in particular is a ‘nūr’ as stated by the Prophet ﷺ (Muslim). Ṣalāh brings nūr in your heart; nūr in your face; nūr in your grave and nūr in the hereafter. Observe those who pray with complete khushū. You will notice that these people have abundant nūr on their faces. This is the same nūr which illuminates the heart and opens the doors of maʿrifah (knowledge) of Allah al- Nūr (The Ultimate Light). It is this nūr that also helps you to enjoy the sweetness of worship. Rust on Hearts This ‘nūr’ of the heart is extinguished through sins, especially the sins of the eyes. The sins block goodness and nūr from penetrating into the heart. This is why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, when the slave commits a sin, a black dot appears on his heart. When he desists, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he sins again, it increases until it covers his heart. And that is the rān (rust) which Allah mentioned: ‘No indeed! Rather what they have been doing has rusted their hearts (83:14)’” (Tirmidhī). Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) explains that the accumulation of rust on their hearts veils them from His maʿrifah (knowledge and deep awareness of Him), thereby, preventing them from becoming acquainted with Him. It hinders them from having vigilance (murāqabah) of Him (subḥānahū wa taʿālā), being mindful of Him and being aware of His presence in this world. The consequence of their hearts being veiled in this world is that they will be ‘veiled’ and blocked from seeing Him in the next. Hence why Allah says in the next āyah, “No indeed! They will surely be veiled on that Day from their Lord” (83:15). Sin after sin turns the heart into a sieve, preventing it from holding goodness. Unless you seek forgiveness and make sincere repentance, your heart will die. In this manner, praying ṣalāh with khushūʿ will become impossible, because a ‘dead’ heart cannot humble itself nor submit to its Master (ʿazza wa jall). Fighting your nafs and subjugating it is essential to attaining khushūʿ in ṣalāh. Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains that for a servant to remain present in his ṣalāh and to be occupied with his Lord, he must overcome his lust and desires. He asks, ‘How can a heart – which is overcome by lust, captivated by desires, and is a stronghold of shayṭān – be saved from whispers and distractions?’ Lowering the Gaze We should lower our gazes and stay away from looking at anything which incites lust, especially when we are browsing the internet. This includes being very selective of who we follow on social media. Likewise, we should lower our gazes when we are outside the home, walking in the streets and in the workplace. Al-Rabīʿ b. Khuthaym (raḥimahullāh) was so strict in keeping his gaze lowered that some people thought he was blind. For twenty years, he was a regular visitor to the house of ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu). Whenever the maidservant would see him, she would remark to Ibn Masʿūd, “Your blind friend has come,” and Ibn Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) would laugh at her remark. When Rabīʿ would knock on the door, the maidservant would go out and see him, head down and with his gaze lowered. When Ibn Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) would see Rabīʿ, he would say, quoting the Qur’ān, “‘And give good news to the humble.’ (22:34). If Muḥammad ﷺ had seen you, he would have loved you.” Three Benefits of Lowering the Gaze Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains the benefits of lowering the gaze: 1. Tasting the sweetness and joy of īmān. This sweetness is far greater than the sweetness of what you averted your gaze from, because when you give up something for the sake of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā), He replaces it with something far better. 2. The heart becomes illuminated, thereby increasing your insight (firāsah) as you are able to see through the light (nūr) of your heart what others cannot see. 3. It strengthens the heart, makes it steadfast, and makes one courageous.

Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was an illustrious Taabi‘ee and the founder of the Hanafi mazhab. He was born in the year 80 A.H. and passed away in the year 150 A.H. Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) would spend the majority of his time in the worship of Allah Ta‘ala and the service of the knowledge of Deen. However, he was also a cloth merchant. He would use the profits earned to support his household, students of Deen and other ‘Ulama who were engaged in the service of Deen. Being a personification of Deen and the sunnah, the piety of Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was also reflected in his business dealings and the manner in which he conducted his trade. Below are two incidents which highlight the Islamic values he displayed while conducting business: First incident: On one occasion, Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) sent a consignment of goods to his partner. Since the consignment included a cloth with a defect, he alerted his partner of the defect and instructed him to ensure that he revealed the defect to the customer before selling it. However, when the partner sold the cloth, he forgot to reveal the defect to the customer. Furthermore, he did not know the identity of the customer (so there was no way of contacting the customer and rectifying the mistake). When Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) learnt of what had transpired, he gave the entire income from the sale of the consignment, which was thirty thousand dirhams (silver coins), in charity. Furthermore, (since his partner had not displayed the desired level of caution,) Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) terminated the partnership. (Al-Khairaatul Hisaan pg. 44) Second Incident: A woman once came to Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah), looking to purchase a silken cloth. When he showed her a certain cloth, she said to him, “I am a weak woman, and it is amaanah, so please sell me this cloth for the amount that it cost you.” Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) immediately said to her, “Take it for four dirhams.” The woman could not believe that Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was prepared to sell her the silken cloth for such a low price, and thus exclaimed, “Do not joke with me, as I am an old woman!” Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) explained to her, “I purchased two cloths (together, for one price). I sold one of the two cloths for a price which covered the entire capital besides four dirhams. Hence, this cloth now remains with only four dirhams of the capital amount outstanding (i.e. I made so much of profit from selling the first cloth, that to cover my cost, I now only require four dirhams. Hence, the second cloth now only cost me four dirhams).” (Taareekhu Baghdaad vol. 15, pg. 494) Lessons: 1. Imam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was worried and concerned about honesty and transparency in business dealings, hence he did not want a defective item to be sold to a customer without him being made aware of the defect, as this is impermissible. Thus, when the defective item was sold without the customer being alerted to the defect, he gave the entire income in charity. Though it was not necessary for him to give this entire amount, he did so in order to secure the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. 2. When Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) saw that his partner did not display the desired level of concern and caution, he immediately terminated the partnership. He feared that to remain in partnership with such a person would be detrimental to his Deen. Hence, the concern for his Deen came first – before the concern for business and money. 3. When a Muslim conducts business and trade, his intention should not merely be to make money. Rather, together with making the intention to support his family with halaal livelihood, he should also intend to use his business to support and help people who are in need of assistance. In this manner, one’s business will become a means of earning reward from Allah Ta‘ala. Hence, when the old woman approached Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) for help, he immediately assisted her. Though it resulted in him losing out on abundant profit, he knew that the reward that Allah Ta‘ala would bestow him with would be worth far more. UswatulMuslimah

Greenwashing A brief explanation about Israel's method of Greenwashing. It's happening now before our eyes in Al-Naqab! The Occupation eitherdestroys nature, or exploits it. [Via @adnan_barq]