ummtaalib

Sunnat method of eating! Sheikh Abdu of Al-Azhar university in Egypt had visited India. He visited Darul Uloom Deoband as well, and had meals with Hadrat Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri Rahimahullah. He told Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri Rahimahullah, “Why don’t you also eat with the fork and spoon (as the Egyptians generally eat).” Moulana immediately stretched out his hand with his four fingers stretched out and said, “I am eating with a fork!” (As a fork has got 4 throngs, my hand has also got 4 throngs!) He then said, “my fork is better than your fork in 4 ways:” 1.My fork can feel the temperature of the food whilst your fork cannot. 2. My fork can bend and catch hold of the food easily, whilst your fork cannot. I notice how you suffer to get hold of your food. 3. If my fork hits against my teeth or gums I do not feel any real pain, whilst your fork causes you great pain. 4. My fork excretes a fluid after eating which helps with digestion, whilst your fork is unable to do so. Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb Daamat Barakaatuhum has added three more points to the above, 1.My fork is made by Allah Ta’ala whilst your fork is man-made. If it is made in China, it will most probably break during the course of the first meal. 2. I personally wash my fork before meals (which is sunnat), whilst your fork is washed by somebody else if it is washed. 3. The greatest benefit of all is that my fork is sunnat, whilst your fork is the way of the enemies of Islam, the way of shaytaan.

Q: Can my husband add female cousins on his facebook account? And can he kiss his female cousins or shake hands with them? A. Strict Hijaab has to be observed between those males and females who can marry each other. This includes cousins. It will be HARAAM to have contact with them via facebook. Kissing them and shaking their hand is also completely Haraam. Moulana Yusuf Laher Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai http://www.askmufti.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=459:interacting-with-female-cousins-&catid=72:miscellaneous&Itemid=82

<QUESTION> What is the Islamic verdict on contraception and birth control in general? Is it only permissible at times of need? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, First of all, it should be known that, one of the main aims of marriage in Islam is procreation. Islam encourages its followers to reproduce in large numbers in order to increase the size of the Ummah of our Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace). Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: “So now hold intercourse with your wives and seek (the children) what Allah has ordained for you.” ( Surah al-Baqarah, V: 187) In a Hadith recorded by Imam Abu Dawud, Imam an-Nasa'i and others, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Marry women who are loving and reproduce in abundance, for I shall outnumber the other nations by you.” It is clear from the above, that Shariah encourages its followers to abstain from practicing birth control, especially, when it is given a formal, organized and general approach. Therefore, one should refrain from practicing contraception unless necessary. As far as the Shar’i ruling is concerned, there are two categories of birth control and the ruling of each is different. The ruling of each category is as follows: 1) Permanent Irreversible Contraception This type of contraception is carried out when the couple decide never to have a baby. It is done with a sterilization operation carried out either on the man (Vasectomy) or the woman (Tubectomy) and renders the couple incapable of ever having children. The ruling with regards to this is that, it is unlawful (Haram) to carry out such operations. There are many Narrations of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and clear texts of the Fuqaha (Jurists) which determine this. The Companion, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) said: “We use engage in Jihad in the company of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and our wives did not accompany us. We said: O Prophet of Allah! Shall we not castrate ourselves? He forbade us from doing so.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) The great Hanafi Jurist, Allama Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) says: “Castration of humans is Haram.” (Radd al-Muhtar). Imam al-Ayni (Allah have mercy on him) says: “Castration (and sterilization, m) is prohibited with the consensus of all the scholars.” (Umdat al-Qari) However, in cases of extreme necessity, Irreversible contraception will become permissible. For example, a woman’s life is in danger or repeated pregnancies gravely damage her health, etc. This however, should be advised by a Muslim qualified doctor. 2) Temporary Reversible Contraception There are many methods by which reversible contraception can be performed. Coitus interruptus (Withdrawal method), the pill, using of the condom, i.u.d, spermicidal, just to mention a few. The ruling on reversible contraception is that, it is somewhat disliked (makruh tanzihan) if practiced without any reason. If there is a genuine reason, then it will be totally permissible with the permission of the wife. Some of the reasons (for the permissibility of reversible contraception), which the Fuqaha mention, are: a) Physical state of the woman, b) Weakness and illness, c) The couple are on a distant journey, d) The couple’s relations are unstable and divorce is likely, e) Spacing out children in order to give them adequate care and attention, If contraception is practiced due to a reason contrary to the teachings of Shariah, then it will not be permissible. Some of these reasons are: a) Fear of poverty and not being able to provide, b) For the fashion of keeping small families and imitating the Kuffar, c) Being ashamed of having a girl, There are many narrations from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) which signify the permissibility of reversible contraception, but at the same time indicate it to be undesirable. Sayyiduna Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) says: “We used to practice Coitus interruptus (Withdrawal method) while the Qur’an was being revealed. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) knew of this and did not prohibit us.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim ) This has more or less been mentioned by the scholars in their books. (See Imam Nawawi in his commentary of Sahih Muslim, Mulla Ali al-Qari in al-Mirqat, Ibn Abidin in his Radd al-Muhtar and others. For more details, please refer to my book on this subject titled Birth Control and Abortion (Revised Edition), available from the Darul Iftaa, Leicester, UK. And Allah Knows Best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

A student who has not made any effort and who everyone knows will fail the exams is not prevented from sitting the exams as this will give him the perfect excuse to claim injustice. His failure will be proof enough. So it is when we are tested with trials and tribulations. A declaration of faith by a Believer is a proclamation of being an ‘Aashiq (a lover of Allah subhaanahu wata’ala) and it is the dastoor (the way) of this world that the beloved will test the lover. Allah subhaanahu wata’ala knows the state of our hearts so He tests the Believers to differentiate the liars and the truthful ones. Without these tests the liars and the hypocrites will claim injustice on the Day of Judgement when they’re consigned to the Fire. Those who fail these tests will wail and moan and ask “Why me?” On the other hand the true lovers will say “But this is what Allah subhaanahu wata’al and His Rasool sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam promised. We expected to be tested. We are yours O our Lord,” They will accept without question the decree of the Beloved with an increase in their love and strengthening of their faith. They will remain firm despite the trials and tribulations coming their way, like the tender crop swaying in the direction of the blowing winds. If the winds come from one direction they will bend one way and then stand up straight only to be bent in another direction with the blowing winds. A tall standing tree on the other hand will not be affected by the winds. It will remain standing straight, seemingly indestructible until a gale force wind comes along and removes it from its root and it is thrown aside, useless and destroyed. Narrated Kab may Allah be pleased with him: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said, "The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant, which the wind bends it sometimes and some other time it makes it straight. And the example of a hypocrite is that of a pine tree which keeps straight till once it is uprooted suddenly. Chapter of Patients, Bukhari Shareef Volume 7, Book 70, Number 546: Therefore when struck by pain and grief, loss of wealth or loved ones, remain steadfast and ask for ease and ‘aafiyat (safety) and know that you are among the Believers, the true lovers of Allah subhaanahu wata’ala. “’Aashiq, maashuq par i’itiraaz nahi kartaa” (A lover does not question/doubt the beloved) From the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafizahullah)

By Aisha Stacey What is it about the word polygamy? Just uttering it raises eyebrows, elicitssnide remarks, or prompts crude jokes. Since the 19th century, whenthe concepts of orientalism and colonialism came to dominate Western thought, combining the words polygamy and Islam has conjured up visions of swarthy Arabmen surrounded by sexual playthings. More recently, the word polygamy has cometo represent patriarchs in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints,having sexual relations with underage girls. While both images certainly make sensational media exposés, they could not be further from the truth. The reality of polygamy is that it is a marriage arrangement that can benefit some people, in some situations. It is not a practice confined to Middle Eastern or Muslim countries, in fact it is found world wide, and ranges across cultures and religions. Polygamy existed in ancient times and continued to flourish unremarkably for thousands of years. In the 21st century polygamy, and its myriad of implications and complications is undergoing a resurgence of sorts, albeit aided by media attention. Popular United States reality programs such as the wildly successful Oprah Show and the Discovery Network’s TLC channel have focused attention of polygamy in North America where polygamy hits the headlines repeatedly. In South Africa the fourth post apartheid president, Jacob Zuma, is a polygamist with three wives. Throughout the world, the opponents of polygamy speak about the exploitation and abuse of women and describe polygamy as a backward and medieval practice. This however is not what we hear from modern women currently in polygamous relationships. These women speak about freedom of choice, freedom of religion and the bonds of sisterhood between wives. Polygamy is not about one man dominating and abusing several women. It is about adult men and women choosing a form of marriage that suits their needs, desires, and aspirations. Islam did not introduce polygamy to the world; it did however place restrictions and conditions on this unique marriage arrangement, in order to assure that abuses did not occur. However, before we go any further and discuss the connection between Islam and polygamy it may be useful to define the term polygamy. Polygamy means having more than one spouse at a time. It comes from two Greek words, polys, meaning many, and gamos, meaning marriage. In reality there are three forms of polygamy, polygyny, where one man is married to several wives, polyandry where one woman has several husbands, and a third form, where several husbands are married to several wives. Throughout the world, all forms exist to varying degrees in various cultures. However, in Islam only one form of polygamy is permitted – polygyny. It is incorrect to presume that Christian and Jewish religions have always been opposed to polygamy. Polygyny was practiced, to varying degrees throughout the history of the three monotheistic religions- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Torah and the Bible do not condemn the practice of polygyny rather some of the most esteemed and respected Prophets and Kings practiced polygyny, including Abraham, David,Jacob, and Solomon. However while there is no condemnation, there are also no restrictions on the practice of polygyny. All three monotheistic religions have been accused of misogyny and certainly, some stories and traditions tend confirm this, especially when women are referred to as property and polygyny is practised without restriction or regulation. Islam however, places limitations on the number of wives a man may take and enforces laws that reconcile marriage with gender equality. The inequalities that exist between Muslim men and women are based on cultural aberrations and are not sanctified by Islamic law. Women are described in Quran as being equal to men, and the tenants of Islam enshrine the rights and responsibilities of each member of the human race. Differences between the genders are celebrated. One life or one sex is not worth more than the other is. Islam builds on the respect, tolerance, and morality inherent in the original teachings of Judaism and Christianity and reveals itself as a code of life` for all people in all places and at all times. Polygyny is permitted in Islam and it in no way diminishes the rights or the equality of women. Islam took an already well-established practice, polygyny, and instituted regulations that prevented chaos and abuse from entering the family structure. A well-balanced functioning family, where the rights of all members are respected and upheld, is the cornerstone of Islam. A moral and ethical community stems from this family structure and it is based on realistic notions of gender equality. Polygyny is just one way consenting adult men and women can contribute to a well-rounded society free from immorality and degradation, and it is permitted under certain well-documented circumstances. Polygyny is not a fixed dogma inherent in Islam, nor is it obligatory in any way. Quran has given permission for a man to take a maximum of four wives and each successive wife enjoys the same rights and privileges as the first. Women are not forced into plural marriages without their consent. Women practising Islam have certain inalienable rights given to them by God Himself and some specifically pertain to marriage. Marrying into a polygynous family does not negate or change any of those rights. Nor are women’s rights changed or challenged if a previous monogamous marriage becomes polygynous. Marriage in Islam is a partnership between human beings seeking to please God by working towards a moral, stable life. Men and women are free to choose or reject their partners as they see fit, and Islam takes into account the vagaries of human nature. Women in Islam have rights only dreamt about by women in the West even 100 years ago. Muslim women pioneered pre-nuptial agreements, and took part in politics and scholarship when women from the Western world were unable to read and write. Polygyny upholds women’s rights and is a valid marriage arrangement that inherently accepts gender equality. Yet the word polygamy (including its variation polygyny) creates an atmosphere of fear. What is it about polygamy that we fear the most? Is it that polygyny takes into account the true nature of men and women? Alternatively, is it perhaps that the majority of those who practice polygyny lead moral upstanding lives? What is it about this modern society that allows and even sanctions bad behaviour? Men and women pass into and out of relationships with little thought of each other or the resulting children. The sanctity of marriage is passed over in favour of serial monogamy and de facto relationships. Men are encouraged to take mistresses and girlfriends but a man who wants to take more than one legal wife, in order to assume responsibility for her and their children, is condemned and branded a sex fiend or wastrel. Even in the Muslim world, men and women who choose to practice polygyny are sometimes condemned. However, the absurdity of such notions is becoming increasingly clear. Polygamy is slowly winding its way back into popular culture. Even television series such as HBO’s Big Love and the Egyptian drama, The Family of Hajj Metwalli, are beginning to portray polygyny as a valid lifestyle. The word polygamy forces us to confront issues concerned with basic human nature. People and communities around the world, Muslim and non Muslim alike, are investigating polygamous alternatives. They are looking at a marriage option with a long and valid history and wondering what it has to offer citizens of the 21st century.

Fikr (contemplation) is the lamp of the heart. In its absence, the heart will be without light. Minus fikr, the heart resembles a dark room in which there is no lamp. One does not know what lurks in that dark room in which nothing is visible. Similarly, without contemplation the reality and true nature of an object will not be fathomed. When man contemplates, the inner nature and reality of things will be revealed to him. He will see with open eyes (i.e. his spiritual eyes) the realities of Truth, Falsehood, the perishable nature of the world and the everlasting nature of the Hereafter. The Glory, Splendour, Power and Wrath of Allah, as well as Him being the True Benefactor will become vivid realities. Man will also become aware of his own hidden defects, the schemes and deceptions of his nafs and that the world is the abode of futility and deception. Ikmalush Shiyam

Different paths, same destination A car is made up of various parts like the steering wheel, tyres, brakes, etc. Now, when a driver starts driving the car and the steering wheel thinks, "What need is there for the four dirty wheels when it is I who am in the hands of the driver?" ittle does the steering wheel realise that in reality the car will not even move without the wheels and actually each part compliments the other which is necessary for the car to run smoothly. Similar is the case where the various forms of serving the Deen of Islam compliment each other. Some are busy with Tableegh and Da’wah work while others are busy with teaching. Some are responsible for masaajid while others are working in other fields, each one complementing the other. No one knows who is accepted in the court of Allah subhaanhu wata’ala. We should continue our own effort with sincerity and have the utmost respect for each and every person busy in their efforts of serving the Deen in the field of their choice. (Taken from the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat, hafizahullah) Another analogy was given by another well known Shaykh who said that it is similar to a group of four people carrying the janaazah (carrying the deceased in a funeral). If two more people joined in no one is going to refuse them as it actually lessens the burden and if two more joined, all the better. Similarly, every effort in the service of Deen must be welcomed and supported. The efforts of each group compliments the others..... What insight these chosen friends of Allah subhaanahu wata'ala have! How much love and concern they have for the Ummah! If only we could listen with the ears of our hearts and emulate them in every way!

Empty the Heart for Allah If a dish already contains something, then to put something else in, the dish needs to be emptied. Similarly if the heart contains love for that which is ghayrullaah then the heart needs to be emptied of it before the love of Allah subhaanahu wata'ala will enter

(Recite three times) It has been narrated by Hazrat Imraan bin Husain (radhiallaho anho) that Rasulullah (sallellaho alaihe wasallam) had taught his father this dua: اَللّٰهُمَّ اَلْهِمْنِىْ رُشْدِىْ وَاَعِذْنِىْ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِىْ “Oh Allah, inspire me with guidance and protect me from the evil of myself.” (Tirmizi vol.2 pg.186)

Hafsah Hafsah was the daughter of ‘Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) who was born in Makkah five years before the Nubuwwat. She was first married to Hadhrat Khunais bin Huzaifah (Radhiyallaho anho), who was one of the very early Muslims. He first emigrated to Abyssinia and then to Madinah He participated in Badr, and was fatally wounded in Badr (or in Uhud) and died of the wound in the year l or 2 A. H. Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) had also emigrated to Madinah with her husband. When her husband died, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) went to Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) and said: “I want to give Hafsah in marraige to you.” Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) kept quiet and said nothing. Meanwhile Ruqayyah (Radhiyallaho anha) the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and the wife of Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho) died. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anha) went to Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho) and offered Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha’s) hand to him. He declined by saying, “I have no mind to marry for the present.” Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) complained of this to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam). The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said: “I tell you of a husband for Hafsah better than Usman and of a wife for Usman better than Hafsah.” He then took Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) as (next wife, and gave his own daughter Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anha) in marriage to Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho). Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) later said to Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho): “When you offered Hafsah’s hand to me, I kept quiet as the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) had expressed to me his intention of marrying her. I could neither accept your offer nor disclose the Prophet Mohammad’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) secret to you. I, therefore, kept quiet. If the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) had changed his mind, I would have gladly married her.” Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) says: “Abu Bakr’s silence over the offer was in fact more shocking to me than ‘Usman’s rejection.” Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) was a very pious woman, and very much devoted to Salaat. She would often fast during the day and spend the night in prayers. Once the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) , for some reason, was displeased with Hafsah and even pronounced the first divorce to her. Hadhrat Umar (Radhlyallaho anho) was naturally very much shocked over this. Jibraeel Alayhis came to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and said: Allah wants you to take Hafsah back, as she is fasting often and spending her nights in Salaat, and also Allah wants it for Hadhrat Umar’s (Radhiyallaho anho) sake. The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) therefore took her back. Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) died in Jamadil oola, 45 AH, at the age of 63. Haqqislam

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In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate All praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the most noble of the Prophets and Messengers The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free-time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.” (Hakim) Youth before old age One of the things that most people take for granted is their youth. When people are young, they are full of energy and are capable of doing so many things for the sake of Allah Ta'ala, but often we see that this energy is wasted in one way or another. When people lose their youth, they inevitably find it harder to do those deeds and acts of worship that they found somewhat easier to do at a younger age. With old age, people find it harder to keep fard (obligatory) fasts, they may not be able perform wudhu properly or to pray properly, and they may not have the energy to recite the Qur’an very often. It is common to hear young people claim that they will start ‘practising’ Islam when they get older. We should always be mindful of the fact that ‘older’ may never come round for us. We have no guarantee that we will even be alive tomorrow, let alone be alive to see our pensions, or our grandchildren. And even if we are blessed with a long life, how can we be sure that we have the health – physical and mental – to practise Islam? On top of all this, we should remember that people do not just magically become ‘good’ overnight; often, we find that bad habits are hard to shift – what if we can’t get rid of our bad habits when we get old? Health before sickness As with our youth, we often take for granted our health. We are advised to take advantage of our good health before we are overcome with illness or disability. What we often don’t realise is that our health is a blessing from Allah Ta'ala. When we are in good health, we take it for granted and don’t always appreciate what we have. It is only when we fall ill that we realise what a great thing we had and how we let it go to waste by not doing as much ‘ibadah (worship) as we know we could – and should – have done. Wealth before poverty Wealth is another blessing granted to us by Allah. Wealth in this context does not necessarily mean that we have large amounts of savings, or the fact that we can afford a huge house, a top-of-the-range car and a state-of-the-art media system. The simpler things such as a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs and food in our fridges make us amongst the world’s wealthiest people – a fact that we, more often than not, seem to overlook, particularly when we see people that have a lot more worldly possessions than we do. There are millions of people in the world today that don’t even have a drop of clean water to drink, and they don’t know where their next meal will be coming from. These are the people that we need to be helping with our wealth. Even a small donation can go a long way. We should give as much as we can in the way of Allah, and we are assured of the rewards for doing so by Allah: ‘The likeness of those who spend their money for Allah’s sake, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn), it grows seven ears, every single ear has a hundred grains, and Allah multiplies (increases the reward) for whom He wills, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All Knower’. (Al-Baqarah: 261) Free time before preoccupation Islam always encourages us to make the most of our time, and to spend as much of it as possible in the way of Allah. We should utilise the time we have available to do as much good as we can, because before we know it, this time will have passed. As mentioned above, we should use the time we have in our youth to do as much in the way of Allah as possible, because as time passes, as well as having to contend with old age and all that entails, we will inevitably have a lot more things to worry about, like jobs, homes and families – things that most of us at this present moment aren’t necessarily worried about. If we think that finding the time to practise Islam is difficult now, what will we do when life really starts to pick up pace? There is nothing wrong with getting married and having a family, but we should appreciate the relative freedom that we have now, and spend as much of it as we can on good deeds. The concept of time is so important in Islam that Allah swears by it in the Qur’an: ‘By Time. Verily Man is in loss, except such as have faith and do good deeds, and in the mutual teaching of truth, of patience and constancy.’ (Surah Al-‘Asr) In line with the above aayaat (verses), we have to discipline ourselves by giving value to the importance of time. We should be prompt in doing good deeds, which will increase our faith and subsequently enable us to gain Allah’s pleasure and mercy. Life before death The last thing that we have been advised to take advantage of is our life before our death. Every night when we go to sleep, we enter a state where our soul leaves us. When we wake up, it is only because Allah has blessed us by returning our souls and granting us the opportunity to worship Him for at least one more day. Upon waking up in the morning, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to say (and we are also encouraged to do the same): ‘Praise be to Allah who gave me life after death, and to Him is the final return.’ (Bukhari) Often we do not fully appreciate how great a blessing it is to be given another chance. We become relaxed about death, and we don’t fully comprehend or appreciate that at some point – and only Allah Ta'ala knows when – our life will be taken away from us for good, leaving no second chance, no opportunity to make up for the wrongs we have done, and no turning back time. We must not forget what a mercy life is. We should savour every moment and use it to our best advantage. This means pleasing Allah in order to achieve our ultimate goal – Jannah. I’ll end with a final hadith that I feel sums up the importance of all these issues: ‘A man shall be asked concerning five things on the Day of Resurrection: concerning his life, how he spent it; concerning his youth, how he grew old; concerning his wealth, how he acquired it and how he spent it; and what he did with the knowledge he had.’ (Tirmidhi) I pray that Allah Ta'ala grant us the tawfiq to make the most of all that He has blessed us with, and that He accepts all our efforts Insha’Allah. www.islaaminfo.co.za

Imam Bukhari Masjid located in Uzbekistan, which was formerly part of the Soviet Union's communist regime. By Hadhrat Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db) Extracted from The Treasure of this World and the Hereafter In 1987, Qari Abdul Basit was visiting America, the same Qari Abdul Basit whose cassettes of the Holy Quran have become famous. Someone asked him once if he had seen a miracle of the Holy Quran, to which Qari Abdul Basit said, “Just one miracle? I can relate thousands which I have seen with my own eyes.” The man asked him to relate some, so Qari Abdul Basit started talking. Qari Abdul Basit related an event from the time of Jamal Abdul Nasser, who was once the president of Egypt. Communism was at its height, and once while on tour of the Soviet Union, Nasser was pressured heavily to become a communist and thus spread the doctrine in his country. He was promised that the Soviet Union would make Egypt a technological giant if only Nasser would renounce Islam and introduce Communism as the state religion. Abdul Nasser politely refused and thus ended this particular tour. He reached home but was restless that he had not defended Islam as sufficiently as he should have because he was not knowledgeable enough. Abdul Nasser was invited to the Soviet Union again after a few years, and so this time he requested Qari Abdul Basit to come to Moscow with him. Abdul Basit was surprised because he had never imagined that he would ever be required in the Soviet Union, a land whose government and people refused to acknowledge Allah. On this occasion Jamal Abdul Nasser courageously introduced Qari Abdul Basit to the Soviet heads of state, telling them that he would recite the Holy Quran, the Book of Islam. Qari Abdul Basit closed his eyes and started reciting Surah Ta Ha, the same part of the Holy Quran that had made one of the worst enemies of Islam, Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab, bow to Islam. Qari Abdul Basit opened his eyes and looked up after reciting two rukus, and he saw the miracle of the Holy Quran in front of his eyes. Four to five heads of the Communist Party were in tears. Jamal Abdul Nasser smiled and asked, “Why are you crying?” to which one of them replied, “We don’t know. We haven’t understood a word but there is something in this Quran that has melted our hearts and compelled us to cry. We don’t know what has done this.” Qari Abdul Basit said that this was an amazing miracle that he saw in front of him. These were people who did not know the Glorious Quran; did not accept the Glorious Quran, and who could not understand the Glorious Quran, yet Allah was affecting their hearts through the recital of the Glorious Quran. Hadhrat Imam Ghulam Habib (ra) used to say that no one makes routes for rivers; rivers make their own routes and ways. The Holy Quran is such a Book that winds its own route of mercy through to the hearts of people, which is why the unbelievers of Makkah and Madinah accepted Islam upon hearing it. This is why the unbelievers used to confer among themselves and advise each other to shout and make noise whenever the Holy Quran would be read, so that they would not be affected. However, the Holy Quran was sent to win over hearts, and Allah accepts those who live their lives by it. We should try and read the Holy Quran often and act according to its instructions so that Allah makes us successful both in this world and the Hereafter. Our righteous predecessors received blessings because of their closeness to the Holy Quran. This was the Message that shook Arabia, and wherever the Sahabah turned with this Book, the world was compelled to bow. Those camel and sheepherders who refused to bow to Caesar of Rome became people who changed the destiny of the world. How? They used to act upon the Holy Quran, unlike people who don’t act upon it now. They were true lovers of this Glorious Quran, reading softly or loudly, sometimes crying. This Book has been sent to enlighten hearts, and if even today people read it with love, Allah will shower blessings upon them. This is a Book of guidance, sent to bring mankind out of darkness and into light. The lovers of the Glorious Quran receive the honor of both this world and the next, like the heights that Allah had awarded the Sahabah. Courtesy: Tassawwuf .org

Question Asalaamualaikum My husband wants me to wear Asian clothes as I am wearing English clothes. Although I wear jubba and niqaab outside. He doesnt like me wearing English clothes. What do I do? Also my parents buy me clothes and my huaband is against it because he doesnt again like English clothing and also my parents getting clothes for me. Jazakullah AnswerWalaikumussalam w w A Muslim should always wear modest clothing which maintains one’s Haya. Even if it is just inside the house, one should wear modest clothing. Modest clothing means, that the clothes should cover one’s Satr, and should not reveal the shape or form of the body. Since your husband does not like you wearing English cloths, you should listen to your husband and respect his wish. At the end of the day, you dress nicely to please your husband not everybody else. The Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “If a woman prays her five daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadhan, guards her chastity and listens to her husband, it will be said to her: ‘Enter Paradise from whichever gate you wish.’” (Ibn Hibban) And Allah is All Knowing (Ismail K1/13) http://www.tafseer-raheemi.com/q789-respecting-husbands-wish-in-clothing/

A question regaeding Taqdeer Question Is it correct to say Allah SWT has destined our good and bad deeds for us in accordance with his knowledge because he knew what we would choose? Answer Firstly, one should bear in mind that the Mas’ala of Taqdeer (Fate) is not a Mas’ala that one should indulge into and try to understand through logic. Imam Zurqani R.A quotes Ibnul Sam’aani in his Sharh of Muwatta. قَالَ ابْنُ السَّمْعَانِيِّ: سَبِيلُ مَعْرِفَةِ هَذَا الْبَابِ التَّوْقِيفُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ دُونَ مَحْضِ الْقِيَاسِ وَالْعَقْلِ، فَمَنْ عَدَلَ عَنِ التَّوْقِيفِ ضَلَّ وَتَاهَ فِي بِحَارِ الْحَيْرَةِ وَلَمْ يَبْلُغْ شِفَاءً وَلَا يَطْمَئِنُّ بِهِ الْقَلْبُ ; لِأَنَّ الْقَدَرَ سِرٌّ منْ أَسْرَارِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اخْتُصَّ بِهِ الْخَبِيرُ الْعَلِيمُ وَضَرَبَ دُونَهُ الْأَسْتَارَ، وَحَجَبَهُ عَنْ عُقُولِ الْخَلْقِ وَمَعَارِفِهِمْ لِمَا عَلِمَهُ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ، فَلَمْ يَعْلَمْهُ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَلَا مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ، وَقِيلَ: الْقَدَرُ يَنْكَشِفُ لَهُمْ إِذَا دَخَلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يَنْكَشِفُ قَبْلَ دُخُولِهَا. (شرح الزرقاني 4/382) He says, “The path to understand the concept of Taqdeer is to use Quran and Sunnah and not to use ones intellect and ration. Whosoever moves away from the Quran and Sunnah in this matter has gone astray and is wandering in the oceans of confusion. He will never reach a conclusion and his heart will never be content. Because Taqdeer is a secret from the secrets of Allah Ta’ala which He has kept to Himself and has placed a curtain over it. He has hidden it from the understanding of his creation, because of some wisdom which only He knows. No Prophet or Angel has been let on this secret. Some Ulema have said that the secret of Taqdeer will be uncovered when the believers enter Jannah. The Sahabah were once engaged in a conversation regarding Taqdeer. When the Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam heard it, his face became red with anger, and he forbid them from talking about Taqdeer. To understand, this much is enough that whatever action a human does, he does not do it because Allah forced him to do it. Rather he was going to do it, and Allah knew that this was what he will be doing out of his own choice and will. Besides that, whenever these thoughts come to you, recite Laa hawla wa Laa Quwwata Illa Billah, and think about something else. Shaytan places these thoughts in ones mind to stop him from doing Amal. And Allah is All Knowing http://www.tafseer-raheemi.com/q796-a-question-regading-taqdeer/

Please Note: where it says "Foster" in the chart, it means someone who has been breast fed by the same lady i.e Foster Brother (i.e. a male who was breast fed by the same lady as one was) Charts taken from: http://abdullah-alislam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/mahram-chart-men-women.html

Please Note: where it says "Foster" in the chart, it means someone who has been breast fed by the same lady i.e Foster Brother (i.e. a male who was breast fed by the same lady as one was)

Mahram & Ghayr Mahram relations Composed by Maulana Sultan, UK Introduction Allah Ta’aala has given us a religion called Islam. Not just as a religion, but also as a complete way of life. A system of life which tackles and provides solutions for every immoral aspect of life and sets boundaries so that mankind does not exceed nor fall below the levels required to live a healthy, balanced and pure life and above all, a life in obedience to Allah. One of the aspects of life covered in Islam is the interacting of males and females. As mentioned above, this aspect of life also has boundaries set in place. With certain things in life, there must be boundaries so that we can know the extent of what we can and cannot do since we are not wild and reckless but rather, civilised people. Also so that we know how far we can go in a matter before problems occur. Definition & Of Mahram & Ghayr Mahram With regards to the interacting of males and females, the males are classed into two groups. ‘Mahrams’ and ‘Ghayr Mahrams’ ‘Mahrams’: This category refers to all those males whom a woman cannot marry at anytime in her life whatsoever. In other word a male who is forbidden permanently, forever (i.e. one’s father, brother or son etc). ‘Ghayr Mahrams’: This category refers to all those males whom a woman is permitted to marry (e.g. a cousin or just a random Muslim male) or a male whom it is forbidden to marry at that moment in time but may become permissible to marry in the future due to a change in circumstances. In other word a male who is temporarily forbidden (e.g. a Muslim female who is already married is temporarily forbidden to marry another Muslim male as long as she is married. But once she divorces her current husband and passes her ‘Iddah’ (waiting period after divorce), she may now marry another Muslim male and he is no longer forbidden for her). Importance Of Mahram & Ghayr Mahram Often, in Islamic law, the above categories are required to establish certain Islamic rules. This is why one will find that the above categories are sometimes conditions, requirements or the basis of several Islamic laws. Example 1: Regards the Islamic topic on marriage, the above categories i.e. being a ‘Mahram’ or ‘Ghayr Mahram’ define who a person can and cannot marry. Example 2: Likewise regards the Islamic topic on ‘Hijaab’ and whom a woman must cover herself a certain amount in front of, again will be determined by whether the male is a ‘Mahram’ or not. Example 3: Also, with regards to the permissibility of women travelling more than the distance of a ‘Shar’ee safar’ (Islamic journey approximately 48 miles from one’s city’s border) depends on whether she can find a ‘Mahram’ to accompany her or not. If found then her travelling that distance or more is permissible otherwise not. Example 4: Similarly one of the main conditions, which make ‘Hajj’ compulsory for a woman, is the presence of a ‘Mahram’ with her throughout her journey. Again, if she does not find a ‘Mahram’ to accompany her during her journey to do ‘Hajj’, then she is not permitted to go do ‘Hajj’ nor is it compulsory upon her until she finds a ‘Mahram’ that can accompany her. As it is obvious from the above examples, the knowledge of the term ‘Mahram’ and ‘Ghayr Mahram’ are very important, as they are the conditions or the basis of several Islamic rules as shown above, hence all the more reason to know and understand who is a ‘Mahram’ and who is not. Overall Purpose of Mahram & Ghayr Mahram As mentioned above, the terms ‘Mahram’ and ‘Ghayr Mahram’ play an important role within Islam under different Islamic topics but regardless of this its purposes within these different topics are similar. In other words the purposes of this separation of ‘Mahrams’ and ‘Ghayr Mahrams’ whether it be during matters of ‘Hijaab’, an Islamic journey, marriage or even ‘Hajj’, are similar. There are many purposes and wisdom behind this separation, a few of which will be mentioned. Firstly, one of the main purposes of this separation is to safeguard people from immoral acts that occur because of unnecessary interacting and intermingling of certain males and females. Allah the All-knowing, the Most wise, knows the causes of corruption and shameless acts and helps people safeguard themselves from these by setting rules in place. Society struggles to deal with corruption, immoral acts and problems such as arguments, affairs, trust between husband and wife, attacks on women and so on. Whereas Islam tackles these problems from their root i.e. unnecessary interacting and intermingling of certain males and females, which without doubt is the cause of many problems in society. For example, many arguments are caused through unnecessary interacting and intermingling of certain males and females. Likewise affairs occur due to unnecessary interacting and intermingling of certain males and females. Also, often a lack of trust between husband and wife is created because of things that happen during unnecessary interacting and intermingling of certain males and females. Then later on, a lack of trust leads to arguments. Similarly, attacks that are carried out on women are mostly brought about through unnecessary interacting and intermingling with males. People constantly search themselves for a way or system that they think will solve these problems and fail to follow the system given by Allah that actually deals with these problems since he is All-knowing, Most wise. Another purpose and wisdom behind separating ‘Mahrams’ and ‘Ghayr Mahrams’ is that it protects the honour and chastity of women. Through unnecessary interacting or intermingling of women and men, if a woman falls prey to corruption and commits a shameless act, then this will be the cause of her losing her real honour and chastity. In this modern day and age, society wishes to grant women freedom, honour and rank but fail to realise that real honour is not achieved by granting women freedom but rather by protecting them from the corruption and shameless acts of life, which Islam does, if followed. Even women themselves have fallen for this false idea of honour and try to fight for more freedom and rights, thinking that this will give them honour and rank. Islam is often criticized for its degrading and lack of honour of women, but as shown above, this could not be any further from the truth. Women want honour and rank and it is what Allah wants for them also but their idea of how to achieve it is different from that of Allah’s. If women wish for honour and rank, then remember that honour lies in the obedience of the laws of Allah, who himself is the one who gives honour. “…and you (Allah) grant honour to whom you will and you disgrace whom you will.” (Surah: 3 Al-Imraan, Verse: 26) Lastly, another wisdom behind this separation is that it serves as a boundary to maintain a balanced and pure society and religious life, which in turn will help a person focus on his or her sole purpose in life i.e. the obedience and worship of Allah. Wherever the unnecessary interacting and intermingling of genders is found, then one will clearly see that without doubt, this is something that diverts a person’s attention from the purpose of life and the fulfilment of one’s Islamic duties as well as from the remembrance of Allah. Hence, by creating these restrictions, Allah aims to help us focus on the reality of life and bring this to our attention. Once a person understands this then these restrictions no longer seem like restrictions but rather a mercy from Allah. Will One Then Not Take Heed? Allah the All-knowing, the Most wise, out of his mercy has given us these laws to follow only for our benefit and success and so that we do not stray from the straight path and fall into corruption as people before us have done. Should we then not be truly grateful? If so, then we should show our gratitude through our actions by obeying Allah. Whether we take heed and become obedient to him by following the laws set by him or not, Allah will not be affected the slightest. He does not need nor depend on our obedience nor does he benefit from it. The only ones who will benefit will be ourselves with success in this world and the hereafter…if only we knew. “Indeed, this is no less than a reminder to mankind, for whomsoever wishes to walk straight.” (Surah: 81 At-Takweer, Verse: 27-28) Who is more merciful to mankind than one who continues to help those who are obedient to him as well as those who are disobedient to him but gains nothing from it? List Of Mahrams & Ghayr Mahrams From a male’s perspective: Mahrams: [Women he is permanently forbidden to marry Mahrams and with whom Islamic restrictions do not apply are]: Father’s wives Mothers and above (i.e. grandmothers, great grandmothers etc, maternal or paternal) Daughters and below (i.e. granddaughters, great granddaughters etc) Sisters (regardless of whether it be one’s real sister, sister with whom your mothers are the same but fathers different or whether it be a sister with whom your fathers are the same but mothers different) Aunts (i.e. one’s mother’s/father’s sister, again regardless of whether it be their real sister, sister with whom their mothers are the same but fathers different or whether it be their sister with whom their fathers are the same but mothers different) Nieces (i.e. daughters of brother/sister regardless of whether they be one’s real brother/sister, brother/sister with whom your mothers are the same but fathers different or brother/sister with whom your fathers are the same but mothers different) Foster Mother (i.e. lady by whom one was breast fed before the age of two) Foster Sister (i.e. a female who was breast fed by the same lady as one was) Mother-in-law and above (i.e. grandmother-in-law, great grandmother-in-law etc, maternal or paternal) Daughter of wife from another marriage (with the condition that both husband and wife have been alone together) Daughter-in-law and below (i.e. son’s wife, grandson’s wife etc) Wife (not forbidden in marriage but is an exception therefore no restrictions apply with one’s wife) Ghayr Mahrams: [From a male’s perspective, women he is permitted to marry or who are temporarily forbidden and with whom Islamic restrictions apply are]: These include all those not listed above (The list above and below is a summary of Surah: 4 An-Nisaa, Verse: 22-23 & Surah: 24 An-Noor, Verse: 31) Please note that regards to one’s foster mother, there is a narration of the Prophet, which mentions that whoever is made forbidden through genealogical relation is forbidden through fosterage. In simple terms, one’s foster mother is like one’s mother and her children become one’s foster brothers and sisters and her father becomes one’s foster grandfather and similarly all those types of people normally forbidden are also forbidden in fosterage (i.e. foster father/mother, foster brother/sister, foster uncle/aunt, foster daughter/son etc) Please note there are a few more detailed rules regards the above and below but have not been mentioned in an attempt to keep this article simple. Where detail has been given, then it is in order to answer common and important queries. From a female’s perspective: Men she is permanently forbidden to marry are the opposite of the above since if marriage is forbidden, then it is forbidden both ways i.e. if a female is forbidden for a certain man then that man is forbidden for her also. You can never say that a certain female is forbidden for me but I am not forbidden for her! Also, those with whom Islamic restrictions do not apply are: Mahrams (i.e. forbidden to marry permanently forever at anytime): Step father (with the condition that both step father and one’s mother have been alone together) Fathers and above (i.e. grandfathers, great grandfathers etc, maternal or paternal) Sons and below (i.e. grandsons, great grandsons etc) Brothers (regardless of whether it be one’s real brother, brother with whom your mothers are the same but fathers different or whether it be a brother with whom your fathers are the same but mothers different) Uncles (i.e. one’s mother’s/father’s brother, again regardless of whether it be their real brother, brother with whom their mothers are the same but fathers different or whether it be their brother with whom their fathers are the same but mothers different) Nephews (i.e. sons of brother/sister regardless of whether they be one’s real brother/sister, brother/sister with whom your mothers are the same but fathers different or brother/sister with whom your fathers are the same but mothers different Foster son (i.e. a boy who a lady has breast fed before the age of two) Foster Brother (i.e. a male who was breast fed by the same lady as one was) Father-in-law and above (i.e. grandfather-in-law, great grandfather-in-law etc, maternal or paternal) Husband’s sons Son-in-law and below (i.e. daughter’s husband, granddaughter’s husband etc Husband (not forbidden in marriage but as an exception is classified as a ‘Mahram’ and therefore no restrictions apply with one’s husband) From a female’s perspective, men she is permitted to marry or who are temporarily forbidden and are those with whom Islamic restrictions apply Ghayr Mahrams (i.e. permitted to marry or temporarily forbidden): These include all those not listed above. [Note: Temporarily forbidden in marraige are- -All the married women. -Combining in marriage at the same time a woman with her sister or her paternal aunt or her maternal aunt or the maternal aunt of her father or the maternal aunt of her mother, or the paternal aunt of her father, or the paternal aunt of her mother is forbidden.] http://theislamicreality.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/mahram-ghayr-mahram-relations.html

Belief in Taqdeer is a principle article of the Islamic faith. This is often a misunderstood concept giving rise to many unanswered questions such as: a) If destiny has already decreed the final abode of a person then to what avail are his deeds or his supplications to Allah? b) Many narrations refer to certain actions as a cause of increase in ones wealth, lifespan and also a means of averting calamities. For example Thawban reports that the Messenger of Allah said, “Verily a man is deprived of a provision (that was written for him) because of a sin that he commits; only supplication changes destiny; and only righteousness can increase the life span.” (Nasai, Ibn Majah) How may this be when everything has been preordained through destiny? I shall attempt to explain the concept of Taqdeer in a simple and categorical manner. Firstly, the purpose of mankind’s creation is that we worship Allah the Almighty and we show obedience to Him. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an, “I created the Jinn and humankind only that they might worship me.” (51:56) Secondly, this world serves as a test of our obedience towards our creator and so that He may reward us in the next world accordingly. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an, “Verily we created man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: so we gave him (the gifts), of hearing and sight. We showed him the way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).” (76:2-3) Thirdly, the notion that this world is a test warrants that the subjects being tested possess free-will or else there would be no meaning to such a test. With the above in mind the concept of destiny may further be explained by understanding destiny to be Allah’s knowledge of how the individual is going to use his free-will rather than a pre-decided factor being enforced upon him without giving him a fair chance. Consider the following example: An appointment is arranged between two individuals. The first arrives before time and waits for the second; he then comments that the second will arrive late as always. He bases his prediction on previous experience and the lax nature of the second individual. This statement does not restrict or bound the latter’s ability to attend on time in any way, it is merely an assertion. Similarly, when Allah the Almighty informs us, through his infinite knowledge, of his knowledge of our precise actions and our consequent abode it should not be perceived to be a compelling decision against our free will, but rather only his knowledge of our decisions. To summarise, every individual has been given free-will and should use it to work towards attaining the pleasure of Allah and that Allah has full knowledge of the individual’s actions; past, present and future. With regards to the second misconception, the possibility of increase in ones wealth, lifespan and aversion of calamities despite destiny being pre-ordained, Allah says, “Allah blots out what he wills and conforms (what he wills): and with Him is the mother of the book (i.e. book of conclusive records).” ( 13:39) Commenting on the above verse Mujahid said, “During Laylatul-Qadr (night of the Decrees), Allah decided what provisions and disasters will occur in the next year. He then brings forward or back (or blots out) whatever He wills.” (Ibn Katheer) Scholars derive from the above that destiny is of two types: a) Muallaq (revocable): This destiny is written on ‘The Preserved Tablet’ (al Lawh al Mahfoodh), and is subject to change and alteration through the omission or commission of certain deeds. For example: the lifespan of a person is originally 50 years, but may increase to 60 years if he performs the ritual of Hajj, or a certain calamity is to befall him unless he averts it by spending in charity. This is the destiny refereed to in the aforementioned narration. b) Mubram (irrevocable): This destiny denotes the eternal knowledge of Allah. It encompasses the final result of the Muallaq destiny i.e. our choice of actions, their consequences and every precise detail of our lives. This definite knowledge of Allah is not subject to change or alter even slightly and is exclusive to Allah only. In the light of the above the following may be derived: Our supplications do change destiny and are of much avail. Good deeds are a source of increase in ones sustenance, and avert calamities. Sins result in a decrease in ones sustenance, and invite calamities http://www.inter-islam.org/faith/taqdeer.htm

Question: Is it permissible to buy gifts for kids because its Christmas? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. As Muslims, we are sensitive to our belief of pure tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah Taʿālā). This requires us to also completely disassociate ourselves from all practices related to Christianity. Christmas is celebrated by Christians. Exchanging gifts during Christmas is an expression of reverence for Christmas and Christianity. As Muslims it is prohibited for us to revere Christians or any other religion besides Islām. In fact there is a strong fear of kufr in doing so.[1] As a Muslim parent, it is equally important to preserve your Īmān as well as the Īmān of your children. Inculcate in them the importance of tawḥīd and aversion from kufr and its related practices. This attitude will keep them firm on Īmān and hate kufr. If children are accustomed to receiving gifts from their parents on Christmas day, they would grow up finding it difficult to understand the gravity of imitating non-Muslims. Such an attitude will be detrimental to their Īmān as the practice of imitating Christianity borders on kufr. It is not permissible for you to offer gifts to your children during Christmas.[2] And Allah Ta’ālā Knows Best, Checked and Approved by Mufti Ebrahim Desai. http://idealwoman.org/2012/giving-gifts-on-christmas-day/

Q: I continuously get a discharge (from yellow to white) after haidh. What must I do if I feel the discharge during Salaah? Should a break the Salaah and renew my wuduh? How much liquid has to be discharged in order for the wuduh to be broken? What is the minimum time that one can be considered a ma’zurah? A: Every discharge, regardless of the amount, when it comes out invalidates the wudhu. A person will become a ma’zoor if the entire namaaz time passes in such a condition that he is unable to perform the Salaah with the uzr (i.e. the factor which breaks wudhu) (e.g. the coming out of discharge) not being found. ( وينقضه خروج ) كل خارج ( نجس ) بالفتح ويكسر ( منه ) أي من المتوضىء الحي معتادا أو لا من السبيلين أو لا ( إلى ما يطهر ) بالبناء للمفعول أي يلحقه حكم التطهير (الدر المختار 1/134) الباب الثالث في شروط الصلاة وهي عندنا سبعة الطهارة من الأحداث … الخ (الفتاوى الهندية 1/58) والمستحاضة ومن به سلس البول والرعاف الدائم والجرح الذي لا يرقأ يتوضئون لوقت كل صلاة فيصلون بذلك الوضوء في الوقت ما شاءوا من الفرائض والنوافل وقال الشافعي رحمه الله تتوضأ المستحاضة لكل مكتوبة لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام المستحاضة تتوضأ لكل صلاة ولأن اعتبار طهارتها ضرورة أداء المكتوبة فلا تبقى بعد الفراغ منها(الهداية 1/67) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach) http://islamqa.org/hanafi/muftionline/46005

by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullahi alayh) The main reason for being unable to solve the many problems the Muslim community is facing presently is that we are misdirecting our energies by ‘watering leaves’, when in actual fact, the ‘root’ is in dire need of water. …We are not getting to the root of the problem, since we are too pre-occupied in watering the leaves of our problems. Take the example of Zina (adultery and fornication) which is the scourge of our society : The consequences are illegitimate children, abortions and various physical and deathly diseases. It is common knowledge that many physical ailments today point to immoral, unrestrained behaviour as the cause. Having moved away from the nasihah (advice) of Qur`aan Shareef and Sunnah, and drawing from the manner in which the non-Muslims try to remedy their problems, many will suggest that a home be built for illegitimate and abandoned children, that more awareness be instilled in the youth on Aids and other transmitted diseases, and more programmes be held, encouraging the youth and others to take more precaution. As we all know, drugs are another major problem amongst our youth. Our attention to remedying the situation is the building of rehabilitation centres. Whilst these efforts offer some benefit, these are, in reality, short term measures and are not solutions to the problems. …Because we have adopted the Western way of thinking, we consider these the solutions. The root cause is the heart. Change the condition of the heart and automatically sins will be given up. If the spiritual heart is in good condition, the actions will be good. If the heart is not in good condition, the actions will be bad. The person will suffer due to his own evil and mischief, and others will also suffer as a result. The supreme qualities of the heart are Imaan and Taqwa, and this is what is lacking in most people. Shariah has laid tremendous emphasis on the purification of the heart. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) lived amongst a people who were immersed in sins, including sins such as adultery, liquor and gambling. His approach and method in eradicating those major problems in that society was creating the love of Allah Ta’ala, the khauf (fear) of Qiyaamah and accountability, and the awareness that Allah Ta’ala is watching every deed: A person can hide and conceal his sins from people but there is Someone who is always watching from above. Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur`aan Shareef : “Verily your Lord is Ever – Watchful (over them).” [surah Al-Fajr 89 : 14] “…And He is with you wheresoever you may be. And Allah sees well all that you do.” [surah Hadeed 57 : 4 ] In this manner, so many problems are solved in one capsule – The capsule of the Love and Fear of Allah Ta’ala. This is the real solution : Change the condition of the heart. Make the heart conscious of Allah Ta’ala. Awaken the spiritual heart. Otherwise funds are being terribly burdened on various projects which are only short term measures and not the solution. The purpose of the Qur`aan Shareef is to learn it, understand it and practice upon its teachings. It is the Qur`aan Shareef that works on the heart : If the person keeps before him the 4 witnesses which will either testify in his favour or against him on the Day of Qiyaamah, he will definitely opt for abstinence from sins. These 4 witnesses are: I. The Earth : “On that Day will she (the earth) declare her tidings.” [surah Zilzaal 99 :4] II. The Angels, Kiramaan Kaatibeen, who take note of all our actions : “But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you; Kind and honourable, writing down (your deeds). They know (and understand) all that you do.” [surah Infitaar 82 : 10 / 11 / 12] III. One’s Book of Deeds : “And the Book (of Deeds) will be placed (before you); And you will see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein ; They will say : ‘Ah! Woe to us! What a book is this ! It leaves out nothing. Small or great, but takes account thereof!’ They will find all that they did, placed before them : And not one will your Lord treat with injustice.” [surah Kahf 18 : 49] IV. One’s Body : “That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did.” [surah Yaaseen 36 :65] If the root of Imaan, which is in the heart, is watered, then the tree of Imaan will bear the fruit of obedience. The above is the solution to all our problems.

“If this world were to be filled with thorns, the hearts of the lovers of Allah will still be flowery gardens”.... Rumi

very beneficial!

Q. When talaaq is given whilst in the state of menstration, how long is the iddat period and in normal situations how long would one have to sit indoors. (Query published as received) A. Talaaq during menstruation is valid and effective. The Iddah of Talaaq for a female who is menstruating is three complete menstrual cycles. If Talaaq was issued during menstruation, the period in which the wife received the Talaaq will not be counted. She has to count three complete menstrual cycles thereafter. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians