ummtaalib

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah () said, "Verily, Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious will say on the Day of Resurrection: 'O son of Adam, I was ill but you did not visit Me.' He would say: 'O my Rubb, how could I visit you and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' Thereupon He would say: 'Did you not know that such and such a slave of Mine was ill but you did not visit him? Did you not realize that if you had visited him (you would have known that I was aware of your visit to him, for which I would reward you) you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked food from you but you did not feed Me.' He would submit: 'My Rubb, how could I feed You and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' He would say: 'Did you not know that such and such a slave of Mine asked you for food but you did not feed him? Did you not realize that if you had fed him, you would certainly have found (its reward) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked water from you but you did not give it to Me.' He would say: 'My Rubb, how could I give You (water) and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' Thereupon He would say: 'Such and such a slave of Mine asked you for water to drink but you did not give it to him. Did you not realize that if you had given him to drink you would have found (its reward) with Me?"' [Muslim].

Islam The choice of Thinking Women by Ismail Adam Patel A book for "Thinking Women" Part of the FORWARD There is no doubt that the issue of the status of woman in Islam is among the most abused and most worn out propaganda tool in the hands of the Islamaphobe lobby worldwide. Their barrage of abuse against Islam on this score has resulted in great confusion in the minds of people, including unfortunately, some Muslims. The unreasonable and sometimes paranoiac extent to which they have stooped to hype up public opinion against Islamic Hijab, a symbol of modesty and dignity in Muslim female garb, can be understood from the caption of a photograph in one weekly journal of International circulation which carries the photograph of a Muslim woman donning a veil as 'The veiled threat of Islam!. In a climate where such hostility exists against the viewpoint of Islam on the status of woman, it is of absolute necessity that the distortions and confusion created by the Western media be rectified in a clear, sober, captivating and intellectual fashion. Another essential element is to present the facts in a manner that is understood and appreciated even by unbiased non-Muslims seeking the truth. At least this would repair some of the damage done to the good name of Islam by those hell-bent on vilifying it by any means INTRODUCTION It has been through Allah's Mercies and Blessings that I have been able to complete this book, which I began in Sha'ban 1414 AH (February 1994). I am a Muslim, a fact which I must make clear to the reader from the outset, for this is a book with an objective, to clarify what is arguably the most frequently discussed aspect of my faith: the position of women in Islam. In doing so, I wish to take this matter beyond the usual defense of Islam and seek a positive understanding of why women are embracing Islam in increasing numbers. I will also examine the role of feminism in today's world. For far too long, Muslims have had to put up with the criticism, based on ignorance, that their faith is "irrational in the modem age". Islam, and Muslim women in particular, continue to be subjected to ridicule and mockery throughout the Western world. In all of this the media play a key role in orchestrating misinformation, slander and downright lie about Islam. Despite the almost superhuman efforts to break the spirit of Islam in Muslims, this faith remains the fastest growing religion in the world. In Europe and North America the progress of Islam is well documented in census reports. Moreover, it is reported that out of every ten "new" Muslims, seven are women. Speculation abounds as to why individuals - especially women - accept Islam when they have been bombarded, courtesy of the Western media, with inaccurate and demeaning "information" about the faith. The simple fact remains that when the light of truth shines into the soul, the mind and heart are opened and every aspect of the human being submits to the Creator of the Universe. This transformation suppresses materialistic, worldly desires, and brings about serenity, contentment, and inner peace. Continue Reading

Allah, The Most Exalted says: "Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners)". (Qur’aan- 3:190, 191) The Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "A wise man is the one who calls himself to account (and refrains from doing evil deeds) and does noble deeds to benefit him after death; and the foolish person is the one who subdues himself to his temptations and desires and seeks from Allah the fulfilment of his vain desires". (Hadith: Tirmidhi)

A Beautiful Success Story This story shows what a difference a pious woman can make to her husband’s life and what sacrifices she is capable of. A Sister found out her husband was having an illicit relationship and they had even had a child. Though grief and pain filled her heart, her piety came to her aid (and more importantly, to her husband’s aid). She immediately said to her husband that he should marry this woman. This he did, and he had three more children with her. The beautiful and absolutely amazing thing is that the second wife did not have any Deeni knowledge and it was the first wife who took it upon herself to teach her and her children! May Allah subhaanhu wata’ala reward her in both worlds.

Barhi Ammi, Choti Ammi! This is the story of a woman who did not have any children and who herself suggested that her husband perform a second Nikah. Despite opposition from relatives and the community her husband married again and they all live together on one property with a small apartment designated to the second wife. Children were born to the second wife however they are closer to their “Barhi Ammi” (older mum) and their own mum is “Choti Ammi” (younger mum). The most inspiring part of this story is that when there is a wedding to attend or for an outing, the older wife always urges her husband to take the younger wife and on occasions of sadness she herself will accompany her husband and when any of the children or the husband brings a gift to the second wife she urges them to give it to “Barhi Ammi”! They have ended up as best friends and harmony prevails in the household despite people trying to stir up their situation.

Hand Yourself over The fashions and trends of the day are always changing. The creation of Allah Ta’ala never changes. Human beings are not changed to look like birds, and flowers are not changed to look like leaves. The trends and fashions of the world are man-made and therefore deficient. Hence those who follow the ever changing western way of life are found to be always dissatisfied, without direction and focus. They will always be out-of-date and trying to keep up with the fast, ever-changing material world. We need to simply hand over ourselves to the perfection of Islam.

Question: Respected Mufti Sab, For many days I have a confusion in my mind regarding tarahwi. I have been trying to ask the same question from different moulvies near my home but could'nt find the satisfactory answer. The question is I want to know about the history of tarawhi. Some people say that Hazrat Umer (R.A.) started it. The question is that when HAZRAT MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) HAS completed the teachings of Islam and nothing could be added or subtracted from ISLAM then why is it so. Answer: Bismillah Al-Jawab Billahi At-Taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance) The History Of Tarawih. Tarawih During The Era Of Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): Narrated 'Urwa: That he was informed by 'Aisha, "Allah's Apostle went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the Masjid and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the Masjid was full with a large number of people. Allah's Apostle came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually). " (Bukhari, Book 32, 3:229) "It is narrated that one night during Ramadan Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) performed Salaat al-Tarawih in the masjid. A group of Sahaabah joined him during his salaah. The following night the same happened as the previous night except that the number of followers had increased considerably. Hence on the third (or fourth) night Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not come out to the Masjid to perform Salaat Al-Tarawih with the people. The following morning he said to them: "Indeed I had seen your eagerness (to perform the Tarawih behind me), but for the fear that this Salaah will be made Fardh (compulsory) upon you during Ramadan, I did not come out to join you in the Tarawih". (Muslim, Hadith no.761) Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) prayed 20 Rakat, narrated by Ibne Abbas: that during the month of Ramadan, Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) performed 20 Rakat and thereafter, performed the Witr Salat (prayer). (Baihaqi and Musannaf Ibne Abi ShaibahBA) Hafiz Ibne Hajar states this Hadith in his book, (Al Mataalibul Aaliyah Vol.1 Pg.146). NOTE: The narrator of this Hadith as you know is Abdullah Ibne Abbas (RA), he was very close to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) the reason being that he use to stay over at his auntie’s (Ummul Mumineen Maymoona (RA)) house, this is where Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) use to spend more time of doing Ibadaat (worshipping). This is the reason why Ibn Abbas has mentioned the number of Rakats which is 20, where he saw the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) praying 20 Rakat. Although some scholars have declared this Hadith to be Daeef on its own, it does not mean that it should be whole heartedly rejected; since Daeef does not mean Maudu (fabricated). The Hadith related from Ibn Abbas (RA) is supported by many other narrations coming from great Companions like Uthman, Ali, Ibn Mas'ood...(Allah be pleased with them all), as well as their successors (Tabi'in). Besides, some of the scholars of Hadith have even declared some weak Ahadith to be Sahih, if it has a firm basis. "Shafi'i also recognises a weak Hadith as authentic (Sahih) if it is found to be accepted by the whole Ummah (see al-Sakhawi: Fath al-Mugith). According to the later scholars of the Hanafi school like Ibn al-Humam, a Hadith will be declared Sahih, if it is supported by the practise of the Ummah (see Abdal Rashid Nu'mani: Ma tamusu ilaihe al-Haja, pg. 18). Among traditionalists, Tirmidhi often remarks, after quoting a less authentic Hadith: 'It is being practised by the people of learning (Ahl al-Ilm).' Suyuti deduces: 'It indicates that the Hadith is supported by the sayings of the people of learning. More than one scholar has said that a Hadith is declared Sahih if supported by the sayings of the people of learning, even if it lacks a proper Isnad (Suyuti: al-Ta'aqubat, folio 20)." As stated above, the great research scholar (Muhaqqiq) Hafiz Kamal ibn al-Humam (d. 861/1457; Rahimahullah) had actually said: "One of the factors from which the authenticity of a Hadith is known is that the learned (Ulama) may conform to it, which is a proof of its being sound (vide: Fath al-Qadir, vol. 3, pg. 349). Let us now see what a number of Imams of sacred law have said about the aforementioned narration from Ibn Abbas (RA). (a) Imam Ahmad al-Tahtawi has said in Sharh Durr al-Mukhtar (VOL.1 PG.466): "On the authority of Ibn Abbas' statement, 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh has been estblished from the Holy Prophet's (peace be upon him) practice." (b) Shaykh Abdal Haqq al-Dehlawi has been quoted by the author of Fatawa Rahimiyya (VOL.1 PG.280) as follows: "Shaykh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith of Delhi writes in his book, Fath-e-Sirr-ul-Mannan: 'The obvious thing is that, according to the holy Companion's, the Holy Nabi's (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) saying 20 Rak'ahs had been established, as is mentioned in Ibn Abbas' tradition, and for this reason Hazrat Umar (RA) adopted 20 Rak'ahs...' He also quoted Shaykh Abdal Haqq as saying from his book: Ma Sabata Minas Sunnah (PG.223), 'According to our belief, the Taraweeh consists of 20 Rak'ahs, for Bayhaqi has reported with sound authority that the holy Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to perform 20 Rak'ahs during Umar's time; moreover, this practice continued during Hazrat Uthman and Hazrat Ali's (may Allah be pleased with them) periods also.'" Tarawih During The Era Of The Rightly Guided Sahaba (RA): The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) died and the affair relative to the Tarawih Salaah remained thus (i.e. it is recommended and it can be prayed in congregation). This is because the fear for it to become compulsory was removed after His (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) death. During the Khilafah of Abu Bakr (RA) Tarawih with Jamaat was not in vogue. The rightly guided Caliph Umar Ibnul khattab (RA) revived this Sunnah of having the prayer of 20 rakat Tarawih with congregation in every night of Ramadan and the completion of the entire Quraan began only during the khilaafat of hazrat Umar (RA). All the Sahaabah present had agreed upon this practice. From then onwards including the Khilafah of both Hazrat Uthmaan and Hazrat Ali (RA) upto this day the Muslim Ummah (at large) has followed this practice. 20 Rakats Tarawih is also performed in both the Masjids of Makkah and Madinah upto the present time. However, it is tragic that in recent times a group of people have conflicted with the consensus of the Sahaabah (RA) and the rest of the Ummah with regards to the number of Rakaats in Tarawih Salaah. Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." Ibn Shihab (a sub-narrator) said, "Allah's Apostle died and the people continued observing that (i.e. Nawafil offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as it was during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of 'Umar's Caliphate." 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Abdul Qari said, "I went out in the company of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different groups. A man praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, 'Umar said, 'In my opinion I would better collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (Reciter) (i.e. let them pray in congregation!)'. So, he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka'b. Then on another night I went again in his company and the people were praying behind their reciter. On that, 'Umar remarked, 'What an excellent Bid'a (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.' He meant the prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night." (Bukhari, Book 32, 3:227) Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari said, "I went out with Umar ibn Al Khattab in Ramadan to the Masjid and the people there were spread out in groups. Some men were praying by themselves, whilst others were praying in small groups. Umar said, 'By Allah! It would be better in my opinion if these people gathered behind one reciter.' So he gathered them behind Ubayy ibn Ka'ab. Then I went out with him another night and the people were praying behind their Qur'an reciter. Umar said, 'How excellent this new way is, but what you miss while you are asleep is better than what you watch in prayer.' He meant the end of the night, and people used to watch the beginning of the night in prayer." (Muwwatta Imam Malik, Book 6, NO.6.2.3:) *Why did Umar (R.A.) call this method of performing Taraweeh Bid’ah (innovation)? Allamah Aini (R.A.) explains in umdatul Qaree (vol.11 pg.126) - “He (Umar R.A.) only called it Bid’ah because Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not prescribe this method for them, nor was it existent in the era of Abu Bakar (R.A.). He (Umar R.A.) encouraged this method by saying Na’am (how excellent/wonderful) to indicate upon its virtue and so that this title (of being Bid’ah) does not prevent from practicing upon it.” Allamah Kirmaani (R.A.) thereafter quotes Allamah Khattabi (R.A.): “He (Umar R.A.) only called it Bid’ah because Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not prescribe it and nor was it (existent) in the era of Abu Bakr (R.A.). He (Umar R.A.) encouraged it (Taraweeh behind one Imaam) by him saying Ni’ma (how wonderful) to indicate upon its virtue and so that this term (Bid’ah) does not prevent from practicing upon it. And the standing of Ramadhaan is in actual fact Sunnat, not Bid’at because of the following saying of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): “Follow those two after me. Abu Bakr and Umar (R.A.). Yahya related to me from Malik that Yazid ibn Ruman said, "The people used to watch the night in prayer during Ramadan for twenty-three rakats in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab.” (Muwatta Imam Malik, Book 6, NO. 6.2.5:) In this hadith 20 Rakats was Tarawih prayer and the 3 Rakats was Witr prayer. Al-Hasan reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab gathered the people (in Tarawih prayer) behind Ubayy ibn Ka'b who would perform 20 Rakats with them. (ABU DAWUD, vol.1 pg.202) It is reported by Saib Ibne Yazeed, that the people used to perform 20 Rakat of Tarawih in the month of Ramadan during the era of Umar. (Baihaqi As Sunanul Kubra Vol.1 Pg.496- Declared authentic by Nawawi, Iraqi and Suyuti). And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best. -------------------------------------- Moulana Qamruz Zaman London, UK Source

Question: As Salaamu Aleykum mufti saab, I wanted to ask where does the tradition of praying 8 rakat tarawih come from and is it permissible for us to pray 8 rakats only? JazakAllahu Khayran for your time Answer: Bismillah Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance) Is Tarawih 8 Or 20? For the past fourteen hundred years, the Ummah has been performing twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh without a question. However “a sect” now claims that Taraweeh is ONLY eight Rakaats, which implies that for fourteen hundred years the Ummah had deviated from the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and had performed twenty Rakaats without any Shari proof. First, it should be said that the Hadith reported from Sayyidah Aisha (RA) about 11 Rak'ahs is not at all to do with Taraweeh, according to the majority of scholars, but in fact concerns the number of Rak'ahs of Tahajjud prayer! The Hadith is as follows:- Narrated abu salama bin abdur rahman (RA): I asked Aisha (RA) about the prayer of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) during the month of Ramadan. She said, “ALLAH’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) never exceeded 11 Rakats in Ramadan nor in the other months; he used to offer 4 rakats – do not ask me about their beauty and lentgh, then 4 Rakats, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then 3 Rakat.” Aisha further said , “I said, ‘O Allah’s messenger! Do you sleep before offering Witr salat?’ he replied, ‘O Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake!’ (Bukhari, book of Tahajjud prayer, chapter: the Salat (prayer) of the prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) at night in Ramadan and in other months. 2:248) The commentator of al-Sahih al-Bukhari and the erudite traditionist, Shaykh Shamsud-Din al-Kermani (d. 786 AH; RH) said: 'In the Hadith (above), the Tahajjud prayer is meant. Abu Salama's question and Hadrat Aisha's answer concerned the Tahajjud.' He adds further: 'If the Tahajjud prayer is not meant, then this tradition will be at variance with the tradition that states that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) led twenty Rak'ahs each for two nights, and in the case of such clash the tradition of twenty Rakah's which is affirmative (Muthbit) shall have precedence because according to the principles of Hadith, the affirmative takes precedence over the negative (Naafi)" (vide: Al-Kawakib ud-Durari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 9, pg 155-156). We say, does this not mean that people who perform 8 Rak'ahs of Taraweeh, should pray 20 Rak'ahs instead? Since according to the principles of Hadith, "The affirmative takes precedence over the negative in certain cases." A great fact that should also be noted is that the Imam's of Hadith have placed the Hadith from Sayyidah Aisha (RA) under the section of Tahajjud prayers, which indicates their belief that the Hadith applies to Tahajjud only. The Imam al-Muhaddithin al-Bukhari has placed the Hadith from Sayyidah Aisha under at least two sections of his Sahih, first under the section of '21: The Tahajjud Prayer at Night' (see Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 2, chapter 15, no. 248, English ed'n) and then under the section of '32: The Book of Taraweeh Prayers' (see Sahih al-Bukhari, 3/230, pg. 128 English ed'n). This means that al-Imam Bukhari believed that the prayer mentioned by Aisha was that of Tahajjud only, and since the Tahajjud prayer is performed also in Ramadan, then Imam Bukhari also quoted the same Hadith under 'The book of Taraweeh prayers', but Allah knows best. Imam Muslim has also placed the Hadith from Aisha under the Tahajjud prayer section (see Sahih Muslim 1/1607, pg. 356, English ed'n). Also Imam Malik has placed Sayyidah Aisha's Hadith under the Book of Tahajjud (see Al-Muwatta, Book 7, section 7.2, no. 9, pg. 5, English ed'n). Al-Imam Abi Dawud has also placed the same Hadith under the chapter 'On the number of Rak'ahs of the prayer at night (Tahajjud)' (see Abi Dawud 1/1336, pg. 351, English version). Even Imam's Tirmidhi and Nisai (Allah's mercy be upon them) placed Aisha's Hadith under the Tahajjud section (see Tirmidhi, vol. 1, pg. 58 and Nisai, vol. 1, pg. 154). Ibne Hajar states that in Bukhari the chapter of Tahajjud, Witr, and Nawafil prayers are mentioned separately, so this indicates that Imam Bukhari did not place Tahajjud, Witr and optional prayer into one chapter, but into different, separate chapters. (FATHUL BARI VOL.2 PG.478) This proves that Tahajjud and Tarawih prayers are separate prayers, if however, the Tahajjud and Tarawih prayer was the same-as some people (Salafis) say, why didn’t Imam Bukhari mention Tarawih and Tahajjud prayer into one chapter or book? Removal of a doubt If someone makes a claim that there is no distinction between Tahajjud and Taraweeh. For 11 months it is called Tahajjud and in Ramadhaan it is called Taraweeh. In response to this we would question: What is the proof for this claim? And when there are numerous distinctions existing, then how is it possible to regard both as one? Differences between Tahajjud and Taraweeh 1. Tahajjud was ordained by means of express quranic verse: “Stand up at night except a little.” Taraweeh being a Sunnah was established through the hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “I have made its standing Sunnat upon for you.” 2. Everyone agrees that the number of Rakaats of Tahajjud have been transmitted by Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), the maximum being 13 including Witr and the minimum being 7 including Witr. However no specific number has been transmitted from Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) regarding Taraweeh as clearly stated by Allamah ibne Taymiah. Therefore the Aimma-e-Mujtahideen differ in the number. Some say 20 and some say 36, even more. 3. Tahajjud was ordained in Makkah whilst Taraweeh was prescribed in Madina. 4. It is mentioned in the realiable books of the Hambali Mazhab, Muqna: “Taraweeh is 20 Rakaats which a person performs in Ramadhaan in Jamaat. He will read Witr after it in Jamaat. However if he reads Tahajjud then he will make Witr after it.” 5. Tahajjud is generally performed after sleeping while Taraweeh is performed after Esha. From the above we learn that Taraweeh and Tahajjud are separate Salaahs. The Hadith Of Aisha (RA) Dosen't proove The Tarawih Prayer: This Hadith apparently indicates that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) performed eight Rakaats and three Rakaats Witr, In other Ahadith it is stated that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prayed more than 8 and less than 8 Rakats, i.e. The same narrator Aisha (RA) clearly states that prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prayed 13 Rakats. (Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 241) Abu Salama asked Aisha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) she said, "He observed 13 Raka'ahs (in the night prayer). He observed 8 Raka'ahs and would then observe (three Rak'ahs of) Witr and then observe two Raka'ahs sitting (Nafl prayer), and when he wanted to bow he stood up and then bowed down, and then he observed two Raka'ahs in between the Azan and Iqama of the dawn prayer (i.e. Fajr)." (Sahih Muslim 1/1603, pg. 357). Ibn Abbas narrates: The prayer of the Prophet used to be of thirteen Rakat, i.e. of the night prayer. (Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 239) Masruq narrates: I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven Rakat besides the two Rakat of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). " (Bukhar, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 240) Now we can see clearly from these traditions that it contradicts with the proof and evidence (The Hadith Aisha RA)) of the Ghair Muqallids (those who do not follow a Madhab (one of the school of thought)) . Note: In the following paragraphs we will be analyzing the Hadith of Aisha (RA), so make sure you refer to it. 1) This hadith (the hadith of A’isha) also mentions the word, ‘“ALLAH’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) never exceeded 11 Rakats in Ramadan nor in the other months" this clearly indicates that this was with reference to Tahajjud because the Tahajjud prayer was compulsory on Rasulullah (the messenger of Allah) everyday, Allah (Ta'ala) Say’s,“stand (to pray all) night, except a little-half of it, or a little less than that, or a little more…”(73:4) However, the Hadith of A’isha doesn’t refer to Taraweeh Salaat but refers to Tahajjud. 2) This hadith states, that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prayed this Salat by himself, and the Witr prayer also. This is very clear in the text (Hadith). -Ghair Muqallids say it is prayed with congregation and the witr prayer also. 3) This hadith states, that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prayed this prayer at home. (When Aisha further said, “I said, O Allah’s messenger! Do you sleep before offering the Witr prayer?” he replied, ‘O Aisha my eyes sleep but my heart remains awake!”) This is clear that Aisha (RA) is mentioning it at home. -Ghair Muqallids say that it is prayed in the Masjid. 4) This hadith states, that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) after praying this prayer he went to sleep, and then got up to pray his Witr prayer. (Like the hadith mentioned above, ‘O Aisha my eyes sleep but my heart remains awake!”) In the noble quran, Allah (Ta'ala) says, “verily, the rising by night is very hard most potent………….” (73:6) In this verse we can see clearly that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was ordered to rise (from sleep) for Tahajjud prayer and he also use to pray Witr prayer, as this was the practice of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). In another Hadith the narrator Aisha (RA) was asked about the night prayer of Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) she replied, ‘he used to sleep during the first part of the night (after praying I'sha ), and get up in its last part to offer prayer (Tahajjud prayer with Witr prayer), and then return to his bed.’ (Bukhari, book of Tahajjud, chapter: Sleeping in the first part of the night and getting up in its last part. 2:247) -Ghair Muqallids say, that the witr prayer is immediately prayed after tarawih Salat (Prayer). 5) This hadith states, that Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) prayed this Salat with 4 Rakats. like the hadith mentioned, (“he used to offer 4 rakats……….”) -Ghair Muqallids say, that this prayer is prayed with 2 Rakats . (Ghair Maqallideen Imam Bukhari Ki A'dalat Main Pg. 147-149) The belief of the Ghair Muqallids on 8 Rakat Taraweeh contradicts in every direction with the Hadith of A’isha (RA), which they hold evident and using their utmost effort to prove that the Tarawih prayer of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was 8. However, this proof is useless and baseless. From this we also learn that according to some people themselves it is not compulsory to practice upon this Hadith nor is going against this Hadith opposing the Sunnah. In such a situation to use this Hadith as a proof against anyone else or to prove any claim is gross injustice and against the dictates of piety. There are some who say that if anyone performs more than 11 Rak'ahs of Taraweeh, then he or she is basically committing a Bid'ah (a very bad innovation)! We seek refuge in Allah from such a disgusting statement! Since this tantamountally means that the foremost Imams of the saved sect (al-Firqat an-Najiyyah) of Ahl-al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah have been committing a gross innovation (Allah forbid). Such a person seems to be implying that the venerable Sahaba kiram (RA), the four great Mujtahid Imams (RH), as well as the foremost scholars of Hadith and Fiqh of the last 1400 years have 'innovated' the practise of 20 Rak'ahs of Taraweeh, if considered in the light of penetrative elaboration, implicitly and covertly! Laa Hawla wa Laa Quwwata Illaa Billaah il-Aliyy il-Azeem! And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best. -------------------------------------- Moulana Qamruz Zaman London, UK Source

Taraweeh: 8 or 20 Shaykh Riyadhul Haqq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtAy5FhpTFU

Maulana Rumi RA, narrated that Sultan Mahmood once summoned his sixtyfive ministers and ordered them to crush the most valuable gemstone in his treasury. They all declined on the grounds that they could not bring themselves to destroy the most valuable and celebrated piece of gemstone in the treasury. He then ordered Ayaaz, his closest vizier, to destroy the same gemstone. Ayaaz obeyed and soon the unique gemstone lay crushed into a thousand fragments. The ministers on seeing this expressed shock and anger at Ayaaz for breaking the most priceless gemstone. The Sultan also responded: O Ayaaz, you are indeed audacious and ungrateful! Answer these ministers now and tell them why you broke the gemstone. Ayaaz turned to the ministers and said: Which is more important, The royal decree or the gemstone? From this incident Maulana Rumi RA is advising us that if our heart breaks in obeying the command of Allah Ta'ala then let it break. But the order and command of Allah Ta'ala should not break. These desires of lust that lurk in our hearts can be likened to the gemstones that appear very beautiful and pleasing to look at. Nevertheless, we should boldly crush them and uphold the commands of Allah Ta'ala Who has ordered us to control our gazes. We should not look at beautiful women or handsome young lads, regardless of the compulsion that drives us to look at them. In front of the Divine Command of Allah Ta'ala, the heart has no value. Source

Question If men will be rewarded with a certain number of chaste partners in Jannah, then what will women be rewarded with? Hanafi Fiqh > Askimam.org Answer While a man will get many Hurs in jannah, a women would be made the queen of Jannah. Her beauty will far outshine the beauty of the hurs. Umme Salamah R.A narrates that she said to Rasûlullah SAW “O Rasûlullah, are the women of this world superior or the hûrs?” He replied, “The women of this world will have superiority over the hûrs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining.” Umme Salamah R.A then asked, “O Rasûlullah, what is the reason for this?” He answered, “Because they performed salâh, fasted, and worshipped [Allah]. Allah will put light on their faces and silk on their bodies. [The human women] will be fair in complexion and will wear green clothing and yellow jewelry. Their incense-burners will be made of pearls and their combs will be of gold. They will say, ‘We are the women who will stay forever and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never undergo difficulty. We are the women who will stay and we will never leave. Listen, we are happy women and we will never become sad. Glad tidings to those men for whom we are and who are for us.’” (Tabrânî) Muhammed ibn Ka’b Al-Qurazi t narrates from a person of the Ansâr (people of Madînah) that Rasûlullah SAW said, “I take the oath of that Being who sent me with the truth, you are not more acquainted with your wives and houses than the people of Jannat. A person of Jannat will come to 72 wives which Allah specially created in Jannat (hûrs) and 2 human wives. The human wives will have virtue over the [hûrs] because they worshipped Allah in the world.(Targheeb Vol.4 Pg.534) This will be the high position of the women of the world in Jannah. If a women had more than one husband, she will choose which one of them to stay with, and she will choose the one with the best character. As for those women who never married or their husband were mushriks, they will be allowed to marry whichever worldly man, they so wish, in Jannah. Thus every man in Jannah will have 2 wives from the world. If we have full conviction in Allah’s promise that he will fulfil our every desire in Jannah, then instead of worrying about what they will get in jannah, the women should concentrate their endeavours on pleasing Allah and thus getting to Jannah. As for pleasing us in Jannah, That is Allah responsibility, so he will do His and we should do ours. The greatest pleasure in Jannah for men and women will be the very pleasure of Allah. Everything else will be secondary. and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ebrahim Desai FURTHER QUESTION: In question #8002 you have said.. 1. According to a narration of Tabrani, the wife will be the leader of all the Hoors of the husband in Jannah. (Majmauz-zawaaid vol.10 pg.417). Can you show this full hadith with reference please? Jazak Allah Khair.. Answer Umm-e-Salma (Radhiallaahu Anha) mentions that she asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the Aayat. "There will be hoorun-een" (56:22). Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "They will be women with wide eyes having a sharp contrast between the white of the cornea and the black of the iris. They will be fair complexioned and their limbs will be free of hair like the wings of a bird." Umm-e-Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu) then asked for an explanation of the verse, "They will be like concealed pearls" (56:23) to which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) explained that their purity would be like that of a pearl still inside the oyster, untouched by human hands." She then asked for an explanation of the verse, "They will be good and fair" (55:70) to which Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied, "Their character will be good and their faces will be fair." She then asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the verse, "It will be as if they are preserved eggs." Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Their softness and delicacy would be like that of the skin you see inside the egg under the shell." She then asked Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to explain the verses, "We made them virgins, loving and equal in age." (56:36, 37). Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) explained, "They will be those women who left this world old, grey-haired and parch-skinned. Allah will recreate them after this old-age and will make them loving virgins who would be very passionate towards their husband who in turn would be madly in love with them. They would all be of the same age." She then asked, "O Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), are the women of this world superior or the hurs?" He replied, "The women of this world will have superiority over the hurs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining." Umm-e-Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu) then asked, "O Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), what is the reason for this?" He answered, "Because they performed Salaat, fasted and worshipped Allah. Allah will put light on their faces and silk on their bodies. (the human women) will be fair in complexion and will wear green clothing and yellow jewellery. Their incense-burners will be made of pearls and their combs will be of gold. They will say, 'We are the women who will stay forever and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never undergo difficulty. We are the women who will stay and we will never leave. Listen, we are happy women and we will never become sad. Glad tidings to those men for whom we are and who are for us." She then asked, "A women of this world married two, three or four husband in this world, then dies and enters Jannah with them, who will be her husband?" Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) answered, "O Umm-e-Salma (Radhiallaahu Anhu), she will be allowed to choose between them, so she will choose the one with the best character. She will say to Allah, "O Allah, this husband displayed the best character to me in the world, so marry him to me." Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) further added, "O Umm-e-Salma, good character has gained (for him) the excellence of this world and the hereafter." [narrated by Tabrani vol.23 pg.367; ibn Kathir in his Tafseer under verse22 Surah56] and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Mufti Taqi (Damat Barakutuhum) states in his discourses Men and Women are two different sexes. A great hue and cry is being raised now-a-days that women should also work side by side with men. In the zeal of their ceaseless propaganda, they have failed to reflect that if men and women were created for doing the same kind of work why was it necessary to create them with different physical characteristics and bodily constitutions. Who can deny the fact that men and women have different bodily systems, habits, sentiments, susceptibilities and mental trends. Allah has created each sex with different constitutions. To declare that there is no difference between men and women is self-deception and revolt against nature, because it is disbelieving our eyes and our senses. The difference between the physical constitution and sentimental trends of each cannot be effaced by artificial means, i.e., by putting on the same dress, having the same hair-style. The fact remains that the difference between men and women is too palpable to be denied and too real and true to be ignored. The means to put a question to Allah are His Prophets. As already pointed out it is the Creator Himself who can tell for what purpose He created men and women and one can approach the creator for an answer through His Prophets, the last of them being Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace). Two branches of Human life It appears, without any shadow of doubt, from the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that human life stands divided into two branches, viz., the indoor affairs and the outdoor affairs. Each branch is complimentary to the other. It is not possible to lead a balanced and moderate life without taking into account, and meeting the requirements of both the branches of life. It is equally important and necessary to plan and procure the indoor as well as the outdoor demands of life. Man's life can be stabilized and regulated with the help of these two branches. If one branch is ignored or preferred to the other, life will get shattered, disorganized and unbalanced. Distribution of duties between men and women Allah has distributed the duties between two sexes in such a way that men have been made responsible for outdoor duties, e.g. earning livelihood and looking after political and social affairs and women have been made responsible for all indoor duties. If an intelligent survey is made of the natural peculiarities of man's creation it will have to be admitted that there can be no better arrangement of the distribution of duties between men and women. None can deny that in physical constitution man is stronger than woman. Outdoor work demands more strength and endurance which has been bestowed upon man. Outdoor duties demanding physical and muscular strength can be discharged efficiently only by man power and not by woman power. As regards indoor duties which are easier and which require less physical strength have been rightly entrusted to women. A woman should take charge of household duties The Qur'anic verse which was quoted in the beginning contains a divine command addressed direct to the sacred wives of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and indirectly to the entire community of Muslim women. The command is: “O wives of the Prophet, stay in your houses.” This does not mean to say that women should not go out of their houses, except in emergent conditions. The verse points out to a basic truth to the effect that women should stay in their houses and look after all indoor household affairs... The child needs its mother's care and affection. Allah has created women to take over the duties of bringing up and training the children on the right lines and putting them on the right trend of thought. That is why Allah has put in the heart of the mother more love for the child than in that of the father, although the child belongs to both, when the child feels some discomfort he will at once call its mother and not its. father, wherever she may be. because the child knows well that it is its mother who can remove its discomfort. The child is brought up in the shadow of this affectionate relation. It is not possible for a father to breed and bring up his child without the assistance of the mother. Actual experiment will support this statement. Nowadays people submit their children to nurseries for their upbringing. Remember that no nursery can provide the child with a mother's care and affection. The child does not stand in need of an institution like a poultry farm, but instead, the child needs the mother's care and love to ensure the provision of this care, love and affection, it is imperative that the mother should take charge of the management of the household. If a women is not doing this, she is rebelling against nature. The result of this rebellion against nature is the same which is before our eyes today. The basis of great achievements is the "Home" Allah has said in His Book, the Qur'an, fourteen centuries ago: “Stay in your houses.” The "Home" alone is your world, your Hereafter and your life. O Women! Do not think that as man is doing great deeds outdoors, you too can do the same by going outdoors. You should think that the "home" is the foundation of all great deeds. If you breed and bring up your children in the right way sow the seeds of Iman (faith) in their hearts and generate Taqwa in them, then this achievement of yours will be much greater than the so-called great deeds done by man by going outdoors, because you have brought up and trained a child on the path of Deen. The anti-propaganda and blind following of the West have begun to eradicate gradually the care of the women in our society for the religious training of their children. In such a situation those women who confined within their homes also sometimes begin to think that the people are right in saying that they have been confined within the four walls of their houses and those women who have gone out of these four walls are perhaps more advanced and progressive than they themselves. At any rate, bear in mind that the services which these 'confined' women are rendering within the bounds of their houses have no substitute and those valuable services cannot be rendered by going outdoors to work in market places and shops. Contentment and comfort lie in Purdah. Women should never think that the Purdah is a source of inconvenience to them. To be under Purdah is a part of women's nature. The very meaning of the word 'Aurat’ which is the Arabic equivalent of the word women is something which requires to be kept concealed. This is women's nature and if nature is distorted, then there is no remedy for its reform. The contentment and comfort to be received in living within Purdah cannot be received from a life without Purdah in which women are exposed to public gaze. The protection of the Purdah system is therefore, an essential part of modesty and chastity.

By Haafidha Rayhaanah Omar (Fee Qalbee blog) It has been said that everything has a beloved & that the month of Ramadan has a beloved, too: The Glorious Qur’an. For the duration of this month, Muslims worldwide honour Ramadan’s beloved and aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’an. In this article you’ll learn how you too can work towards achieving this noble goal, insha’Allah. STEP 1: ESTABLISHING AN INTENTION Our beloved Messenger of Allah(peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) taught us – through his words & actions – the importance of one’s intent or purpose. Establishing one’s intention is an effective catalyst for implementation. Once your intention has been established, remember to renew it often. Whilst reciting and even upon completion of the Qur’an, recall your intention and renew it, thus ensuring that it is constantly purified & you are seeking His Divine Acceptance, inshaAllah. STEP 2: DON’T BE OVERWHELMED For some, as much as they aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’an during Ramadan, they are overwhelmed by the number of pages or the length of some Surahs. Remove ‘I can’t’ from your vocabulary and eliminate negative thinking, for the believer puts their trust in Allah, matched by striving with their actions. Remind yourself that you are (if Allah wills) fully capable of achieving your Qur’anic aspirations, whether it be completing Qur’an 1 or 5 times. This second point is key. Put your heart into this accomplishment & reap the rewards throughout, inshaAllah. STEP 3: PLAN AHEAD Prior to commencing with your recitation it’s important to plan around your routine and block out time for your Qur’an goal e.g. your work hours, rest hours & any other commitments which you may have. Structure a realistic plan of how to complete the recitation of Qur’an within the month by dividing each Juz per day. Draw up this personal plan, review it constantly, and put it into action! As you put your plan to paper, consider past Ramadan’s and ask yourself if there have been instances where you were unable to complete Qur’anic recitation. Reflect over why and how this occurred. Is there a different mechanism that you could put into place? How could you enhance your daily Qur’an routine if these distractions were dealt with? Take the first opportunity that comes, to begin your Qur’anic quest. So when the moon is sighted & the announcement has been made for the 1st Salaatul-Taraweeh, begin in earnest, with Surah Al-Fatiha, Surah Al-Baqarah etc. STEP 4: UNDERSTAND THE QUR’AN Read the translation of the Juz you will be reciting daily. Having a basic knowledge of the theme, topic, message & meaning of what you are reciting makes the recitation of the Qur’an an incredibly uplifting experience that you do not want to miss out on! STEP 5: FIND QUR’AN BUDDIES AND COMPETE IN GOOD Develop close bonds with brothers/sisters who are known for their attachment to the Qur’an. They’ll be your spiritual friends. Engage a Qur’an Buddy in your noble Qur’an productivity goals. Request that they remind you to fulfil your goals and spiritual aspirations so they can help you in times of slacking. In life, we compete with many materialistic goals and race one another, but what about following the footsteps of the best of generations that had come before us in a competition this Ramadan? In striving and competing with our friends and colleagues towards our noble goals, in a good-natured way, we can motivate ourselves to finish our Qur’an goal. One of the common aspects which deter a Muslim from completing this task is excessive communication. Often, many of us spend too much unnecessary time surfing the net, chatting, texting, etc… . Reduce this even by a third and you will see, feel and witness the blessings in your time, inshaAllah. STEP 6: SEIZE THE MOMENT A deeply inspiring story in ‘lessons from the waiting room’ – where a mother; who has taken her unwell child to the hospital; waits for the doctor to see to her child. She notices a young Muslim who uses his time in the waiting room, in a most effective & spiritually rewarding way, reciting from a pocket-sized Quran. Lesson to be taken here: Invest in a pocket-sized Qur’an and make it your best friend this Ramadan. Seize every opportunity and moment to be with Allah (glorified and exalted be He) through your recitation. One of the best times at which to recite Qur’an, is after Suhoor(pre- dawn meal). Having partaken from the Sunnah meal, and within an hour or two still to go before work or school, this is the ideal jump start to your day. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) asked Allah (glorified and exalted be He) to bless our Ummah in the early hours, and you will also be more likely to memorise ayahs at this time. Research shows that morning study creates better performance in students so don’t miss the morning recitation! Time Tip: Salah Followed by Qur’an. Consider the following option that has worked well for numerous people in past Ramadan’s. Try reciting 6 – 8 pages of Qur’an (depending on the Mus-haf(copy of the Qur’an) that you are using) after each of your 5 daily salah. Add Qiyaamul-Layl (late night salah) as a 6th addition, and you will reach the end of Ramadan, having completed your Qur’an recitation with ease & perhaps, even before the last 5 days of Ramadan so long as you remain committed. Time Tip: Recite before going to sleep. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says: “Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence and more suitable for words” (Qur’an73:6). Reciting during the day is also beneficial, however the night time recitation is easier as well during Ramadan as there are less distractions and noise. STEP 7: REMAIN STEADFAST AND CONSISTENT The key to any success is consistency. Once you’ve mapped your plan, stick to it. Remind yourself of the greatness of this month, of the opportunities that it provides for your spiritual growth and your relationship with the Qur’an. Don’t be willing to compromise it in this month. STEP 8: MAKE DUA’A TO ALLAH (GLORIFIED AND EXALTED BE HE) Nothing can be achieved without the aid and guidance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). When making your intention to complete your recitation or memorisation of Qur’an, supplicate to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) to ease this noble pathway and to crown your efforts with success, inshaAllah. These are the 8 ways I wanted to share with you on starting and completing your journey through recitation of the Qur’an this Ramadan. Indeed, Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says in Surah Al-Baqarah: “This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah.’’ In the hours of the days and nights of this sacred month, may the Qur’an be your companion of light and guidance, resonating through your words, actions and life mission. May your relationship with the Qur’an be strengthened, enriched & enlivened with the profound wisdom and divine message from Allah (glorified and exalted be He).

Q. How we should treat to Nowruz holyday? In Russia a lot of muslims celebrate this day because people believe that it is an Islamic holiday. A. The holiday of Nowruz originated from the Persian fire worshippers and Zoroastrians and has no significance in Islam. It is not permissible to pay any type of religious significance to the Nowruz Holiday or to celebrate on this occasion. Allamah Zayla’ee (Rahimahulla) states in Tabyinul Haqa’iq with regards to Nowruz: It is Makrooh (severely disliked) to fast on the day of Nowruz and Mahrajan for it leads to paying respect to days that we have been prohibited from paying respect towards. (Tabyinul Haqa’iq, Vol: 1, Pg: 332) The above text makes it clear that the Fuqahaa prohibited paying any religious significance to the day of Nowruz. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

The body of a deceased person totally submits and surrenders itself to those who are washing it. They move the body to the left, to the right, they tilt it, they pour water over it but there is no resistance or complaint from the body with regards to being moved or the temperature of the water. Thus the body is thoroughly washed and ready to be lowered into the grave. In the same way when a person submits and surrenders his/her heart to Allah Ta’ala, which may have turned dead due to sin and desire, then with the grace and mercy of Allah Ta’ala his/her heart will be spiritually cleansed and ready to be presented in the court of Allah Ta’ala. uswatulmuslimah.co.za

Maria al-Qibtiyya Maria al-Qibtiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) is said to have married the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and certainly everyone gave her the same title of respect as the Prophet's wives, 'Umm al Muminin' 'Mother of the Believers'. Maria was born in upper Egypt of a Coptic father and Greek mother and moved to the court of the Muqawqis when she was still very young. She arrived in Medina to join the Prophet's household just after the Prophet returned from the treaty with Quraish which was contracted at al-Hudaybiyya. Maria gave birth to a healthy son in 9 AH, the same year that his daughter Zaynab died, and the Prophet named his new son Ibrahim, after the ancestor of both the Jews and the Christians, the Prophet from whom all the Prophets who came after him were descended. Unfortunately, when he was only eighteen months old, Ibrahim became seriously ill and died. Even though he knew that his small son would go to the Garden, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) could not help shedding some tears. When some of his Companions asked him why he was weeping, he replied, "It is my humanness." As Ibrahim's body was being buried, the sun was eclipsed and it grew dark and gloomy. Some people thought this was connected with Ibrahim's death, but the Prophet soon clarified this. "The sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs," he said, "they are not eclipsed because of anyone's birth or death. When you see these signs, make haste to remember Allah in prayer." Although the kafirun used to mock the Prophet Muhammad because he had no sons, and say that he was 'cut off' , Allah made it clear in the following surah that the station of the Prophet Muhammad was far above that of any other man; In the name of Allah, The Merciful, the Compassionate: Surely We have given you AL Khawthar, so pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Surely he who mocks you is the one cut off. (Quran 108:1-3) Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets, and Allah has knowledge of all things. (Quran 33:40) Maria was honored and respected by the Prophet and his family and Companions. She spent three years of her life with the Prophet, until his death, and died five years later in 16 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her) For the last five years of her life, she remained a recluse and almost never went out except to visit the grave of the Prophet or her son's grave. After her death, Umar ibn al Khattab led the prayer over her and she was buried in al Baqi.

Maymuna Maymuna bint al-Harith, (may Allah be pleased with her), married the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was thirty six years old. Maymuna's sister, Umm al-Fadl Lubaba, was the mother of Abdullah ibn Abbas, the son of one of the uncles of the Prophet and the one of the wisest of his Companions. Umm al-Fadl was one of the earliest Companions of the Prophet. Once Abu Lahab, the enemy of Allah and the Messenger of Allah, entered the house of his brother, al-Abbas, and proceeded to attack Abbas client, Abu Rafi, because he had embraced Islam. Abu Lahab knocked him to the ground and knelt on him, continuing to beat him. Umm al Fadl grabbed a post that was there and cracked it across Abu Lahab's head, saying, "Will you victimize him because his master is absent?" He treated in shame and died a week later. Zaynab bint Khuzayma, Umm al Muminin, was also her half-sister. Her other sisters included Asma bint Umays, the wife of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, who later married Abu Bakr, and Salma bint Umays, the wife of Hamza, the "Lion of Allah". Her full sisters were Lubaba, Asma and Izza. Maymuna was thus one of the 'Ahlul- Bayt' , 'the people of the House', not only by virtue of being a wife of the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) but also because she was related to him. Zayd bin Arqam related that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "I implore you by Allah! The People of my House!" three times. Zayd was asked who were the People of the House, and he said, "The family of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the family of Jafar ibn Abi Talib, the family Aqil ibn Abi Talib, and the family of Al Abbas ibn Abdal Muttalib." Maymuna or Barra as she was then called, yearned to marry the Prophet. She went to her sister, Umm al Fadl to talk to her about that and she, in turn, spoke to her husband, al-Abbas. Al-Abbas immediately went to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with Maymuna's offer of marriage to him and her proposal was accepted. When the good news reached her, she was on a camel, and she immediately got off the camel and said, "The camel and what is on it is for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." They were married in the month of Shawwal in 7 AH just after the Muslims of Medina were permitted to visit Mecca under the terms of the treaty of Hudaybiyya to perform umra. Allah Almighty sent the following ayat about this: Any believing woman who dedicates herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her, that is only for thee and not for the believers. (Quran 33:50) The Prophet gave her the name, Maymuna, meaning "blessed", and Maymuna lived with the Prophet for just over three years, until his death. She was obviously very good natured and got on well with everyone, and no quarrel or disagreement with any of the Prophet's other wives has been related about her. 'A'isha said about her, "Among us, she had the most fear of Allah and did the most to maintain ties of kinship." It was in her room that the Prophet first began to feel the effects of what became his final illness and asked the permission of his wives to stay in A'isha's room while it lasted. After the Prophet's death, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Maymuna continued to live in Medina for another forty years, dying at the age of eighty, in 51 AH, (may Allah be pleased with her), being the last of the Prophet's wives to die. She asked to be buried where had married the Prophet at Saraf and her request was carried out. It is related that at the funeral of Maymuna, Ibn Abbas said, "This is the wife of Allah's Messenger, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so when you lift her bier, do not shake her or disturb her, but be gentle." It is also related by Ibn Abbas that he once stayed the night as a guest of Maymuna, who was his aunt, and the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) They slept on their blanket lengthways and he slept at the end, crossways. After they had all slept for awhile, the Prophet rose in the middle of the night to pray the tahajjud prayer, and Ibn Abbas joined him. They both did wudu, and he prayed eleven rakats with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then they both went back to sleep again until dawn. Bilal called the adhan, and the Prophet did another two short rakats, before going into the mosque to lead the Dawn Prayer. Ibn Abbas said that one of the dua'ahs that the Prophet made during this night was : "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light on my sight, light behind me, light in front of me, light on my right, light on my left, light above me and light below me; place light in my sinew, in my flesh, in my blood, in my hair and in my skin; place light in my soul and make light abundant for me; make me light and grant me light." It is commonly agreed that it was after the Prophet had married Maymuna, giving him now nine wives (A'isha, Sawda, Hafsa, Umm Salama, Zainab bint Jahsh, Juwayriyya, Umm Habiba, Safiyya and Maymuna), that the following ayat was revealed: It is not lawful for you (O Muhammad, to marry more) women after this, nor to exchange them for other wives, even though their beauty is pleasing to you, except those whom your right hand possesses (as maid servants); and Allah is always watching over everything. (Quran 33:52) After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not marry again. When however, the Christian ruler, or Muqawqis, of Egypt, sent him two Christian slave girls 0 who were sisters as a gift (in response to the Prophet's letter inviting him to embrace Islam), along with a fine robe and some medicine the Prophet, accepted one of the slave girls, Maria, into his household; he gave her sister Serene, to a man whom he wished to honor, namely Hassan ibn Thabit; he accepted the robe; and he returned the medicine with the message, "My Sunna is my medicine!" This occurred in 7 AH, when the Prophet wassixty years old and Maria was twenty years old. inkofscholars

wa'alaykumus salaam sis, bro CH has posted the Arabic for the quotes in English in the OP

Holidays! Will My Child Survive? “Holidays,” in the life of a child, simply means, “Freedom.” The child is no longer restricted by school and madrasah hours. Thus the child feels absolved of all forms of responsibility. This “freedom” makes the child very vulnerable to the attacks of nafs (the desire) and shaytaan (the devil). However our beautiful deen of Islam comes to our rescue. We are reminded of our daily duties as a Muslim. Our salaah, quraan, zikr and du’aa are the forts for our protection. Every parent’s concern is, “Will my child survive this holiday, in an environment of sin and temptation?” The answer depends on our sincerity and to the extent we turn to Allah Ta’ala. When parent’s try their level best to safeguard their child from the challenges of the time, then Allah Ta’ala will make the arrangement for the protection of the child, even in apparently impossible situations. We need to turn to Allah Ta’ala ourselves and also make our children do the same. For far too long we have looked at the problem and remained despondent. It is time that we adopt the solutions and progress as a family. When the light is switched on, instantly the layers of darkness will disappear. When the light of good actions enters our lives, then the darknesses of sin will leave our lives. It is not possible for the night and the day to coexist at one time and place. Therefore, let us start with at least the following aspects immediately and see the immediate benefits. 1. Ensure that all members of the family regularly perform their five daily salaah. Boys who are seven years of age should accompany the father to the musjid. 2. Everyone must start their day after fajr salaah with the recitation of surah yaseen. Besides this some portion of the quraan majeed must be recited daily. 3. Daily ta’leem of the fazaa-il kitaabs should take place in the home, even if just for 10 minutes. 4. Encourage the children to recite 100 times istighfaar and durood shareef. Also keep advising one’s children with love and affection to refrain from all sinful activities. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all. uswatulmuslimah.co.za

When a child does something wrong, the punishment needs to be meted out in such a way that the child develops an aversion to the misdeed and not to the person meting out the punishment. As adults we value our self-respect and we dislike being embarrassed before others. The child as well, likes to preserve his self-dignity and respect. When we punish the child, we have injured his pride. He realises his wrong and abstains from it. However, if his pride is injured repeatedly and he realizes that he has lost his respect before others, he tends to become shameless and it now becomes difficult to stop his evil habit. At times the child feels that the one punishing him has no mercy and love for him, so why should he display manners and obedience. Thus in such circumstances, punishment is more detrimental and harmful to the child. uswatulmuslimah

My favorite lil spot is the little area on my prayer rug where i place my face and hands before Allah and i can say anything i want to Him I can ask Him for anything And even if it's just a whisper He can hear the screams inside And even if it's just one tear He know there's an ocean deep inside It is my time with Allah when no one can interfere It is my time alone with my Creator and when the rest of the world disappears It doesn't matter how many times i do this a day... I still feel as if it's the last time i could do it that day I want Him to know how much i love Him How much i need Him How much i want to please Him Be with Him And how much i want to be better for Him All it takes is a few minutes on my lil prayer rug to feel close to Allah All it takes is a quick reminder that one day I'll be in front of Allah For me to humble myself before Him and ask Him for forgiveness Ask for guidance and for His sweetness For i can do all things with Him on my side I can overcome all the heartbreak and pain that's inside Just as long as Allah hears my cry And carries me through this life It is on that lil space where my face and hands land on my prayer rug that i feel most at ease It is that lil space that fills me most with peace Where i can just hand it all over to Allah and trust in Him to get me through Where i can cry and cry and know Allah will take care of me when i don't know what to do When i prostrate before Allah it's just me and Him Just my heart talking sincerely to Him No one else knows what i'm saying or what i'm feeling; just Him It is my place to get away from this world even for just a few minutes and turn towards my Creator My Sustainer My Everything....My Rabb, and know that if i just whisper He can hear and see all that's inside And everytime i ask and cry, He takes a lil piece of my heart and mends it back together inside. It's that lil space that gives me all these things My favorite spot is that lil space on my prayer rug where i place my hands and face It is in that lil space...where it's just me and Allah...in my lil space unknown author

Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The pious offspring who casts a single look of affection at his parents receives a reward from Allah equal to the reward of an accepted Hajj.” The people enquired: “O Prophet of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), if someone casts a hundred such glances of love and affection at his parents, what then?” The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Yes, indeed, even if one does so a hundred times a day, he will get a hundred fold reward. Allah is far greater than you imagine and is completely free from petty narrow mindedness.” (Sahih Muslim) Love your parents and consider this act as a privilege and a source of reward in the eternal world. How much parents love their children, how much they happily sacrifice for them, and how much they want their child to be more privileged than they are, can only be understood when a person becomes a parent themself. Nobody likes to see others get ahead of him/her in this world except parents, who love to see their children better off than them in every way and for this they willingly sacrifice whatever they have. Allah Ta'ala is the only one who really knows what is inside a parent’s heart. In order to help us to acknowledge and be grateful for their love Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) gives us mountains of reward from Himself for loving our parents. Truly, no-one is as appreciative as Allah Ta'ala of the love that parents shower on their children. Should a person look at his/her parents lovingly even a hundred times a day, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will give them the reward of a hundred accepted Hajjs. There is no scarcity with Him. He needs to set no quotas on how much reward a person may earn in a day. It is humans who are petty and stingy towards each other. islaaminfo.co.za

Q. Please comment about the use of clothing with eyes (moorath) for children or adults during the day or night? Are there any Hadith indicating that such clothing should not be worn by Muslims and what are the dangers of doing so or how are we depriving ourselves and children by wearing such garments? A. Images of animate objects printed or embroided on clothing are not permissible. The prohibition of such images have been explicitly mentioned in the Hadith. Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (Radiyallahu Anhu) reports that the Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "The Malaaikah (angels of mercy) do not enter a house wherein there are pictures (of animate objects)". (Sahih Muslim, Hadith #: 5485) Unfortunately, such clothing has become increasingly common in Muslim homes especially in children's and infant's clothing. Parents should exercize caution and keep in mind the above mentioned Hadith when purchasing clothing for children. It should not be such that the home is deprived of the blessings of the Mala'ikah due to negligence of this aspect of Shari'ah. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

The Ideal Woman The ideal woman is the balance in society. She is the pivot of humanity. Her uprightness and soundness causes the society to be upright and sound. She is a treasure for the husband, a fortune for the children, a jewel for the parents and a blessing for humanity. Great men have been nurtured in the lap of such women. As the famous saying states, “Behind every successful man there is a woman.”

Allah, The Most Exalted says: "Verily, those who say: 'Our Lord is (only) Allah,' and thereafter stand firm and straight (on the Islamic Faith of Monotheism), on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. Such shall be the dwellers of Jannah, abiding therein (forever), - a reward for what they used to do." (Qur’aan - 46:13, 14) The Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Follow the Right Path of Faith strictly, and be steadfast; and keep in mind that none of you can achieve salvation through his (good) actions." Someone asked, "Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?" He (pbuh) said, "Not even me, unless Allah grants me His Mercy and Grace". (Hadith: Muslim) EISLAM