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Longing for our True Abode Introduction بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم نحمده ونصلي ونسلّم على رسوله الكريم In the early 1900s, a cholera pandemic broke out in India and spread to many countries across the globe. The pandemic began in 1899 and only abated in the year 1929. Historical records place the number of fatalities at 800 000 in India alone with more than half a million deaths reported in the years 1918 and 1919. The bewilderment, fear and panic that gripped the masses at the time cannot be described in words. We may well imagine the state of mind at the time when medical facilities were rudimentary, living conditions were abject, every home was visited either by sickness, death or despair and hundreds of Janaaza Salaah were performed after every Salaah. During this period, Allamah Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) began a series of discourses aimed at bringing calm to the minds of the terrified local populace. These discourses centred around the life of the hereafter and the joys and delights it holds for the believer which are only attainable upon death. The focus was on rekindling the desire and longing for our Final Destination and True Abode. This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew. (Quran 29:64) The effect of these discourses was profound. The dark clouds of morbidity and gloom dissipated, and sparkling rays of serenity and tranquillity fell on the faces of his captive audience. Such was the impact of these discourses that many were those who began to long for death to meet their Creator and take delight in the rich reward promised to the believers in the hereafter. Hassaan bin Aswad (RA) stated, “Death is the bridge that unites the lover with his beloved.” (Irshadus Saari) Shortly thereafter, Allamah Thanwi (RA) decided to pen the subject matter of his discourses for the benefit of the greater public. He titled this work, “Shawqe Watan” (Trans.: Longing for the Abode) as the true abode and home is without doubt the hereafter and it is therefore only fitting that its desire be in the heart of every believer. While the fatality risk of the present Covid-19 outbreak is significantly lower than the decimating effect of the plagues of the past, I felt it, nonetheless, important that the content of this book reach the Muslim Ummah who may be experiencing a similar type of mental anguish and crisis. In order to facilitate this, I have condensed the subject matter of the book and separated its contents in a collection of articles. In acknowledgment to the original source, I have used the title of the original work (albeit translated in English) as the name of this collection. I beg of Allah, the All-Mighty, to accept this humble endeavour solely for His Pleasure and use it to bring hope, comfort and solace to troubled and despondent hearts. Say: “Never will anything afflict us except what Allah has decreed for us, He is our protector.” And on Allah let the Believers put their trust. (Quran 9:51) Mufti Moosa Salie Jamiatul Ulama KZN 27 March 2020

Dealing with Coronavirus A booklet compiled by Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullaah) Islamic Da'wah Academy (Leicester UK) Whilst the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about a sense of fear and panic amongst many, a true believer will have complete faith in his Creator and firmly believe that everything is from Allāh S and that He is All-Wise, hence in whatever He does lies goodness for us. Through this belief, one will find solace and peace in regards to the current situation. Read more... dealing_with_the_coronavirus

Use of alcohol based hand sanitizers & disinfectants Q. Is it permissible to use Alcohol based Hand Sanitizers and to disinfect the Masjid with Alcohol based Disinfectants? A. Generally, the hand sanitizers and disinfectants available today in the market that are described as alcohol-based, contain ethanol/ethyl alcohol. Ethanol Alcohol is a synthetic/artificial based Alcohol. It is not alcohol that is prohibited in Shariah. Therefore, it is permissible to use hand sanitizers or disinfectants that contain ethanol alcohol to sanitize the hand and to disinfect the Masjid. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Jazaakillah Bint e Aisha for all the valuable information

What to do at the time of Natural Catastrophes

Coronavirus Advice

Seven advices from Shaykh Muhammad Saleem (hafidhahullah) from Qur'an and Hadith (Click on image to enlarge)

Guest Post by Hosai Mojaddidi The notion that adults, and in particular, parents and caregivers, are to be unequivocally trusted is something that most young children naively believe, unless or until that trust is broken. Typically, this involves some form of neglect or act of abuse, be it verbal, emotional, or physical or a combination of all three. Examples of such abuse may include humiliating a child in public, repeatedly ridiculing them or calling them cruel names, withholding love and affection from them, violent unprovoked outbursts, slapping, punching, etc. When a child is deliberately hurt by a parent, whether it’s ongoing abuse or an isolated traumatic incident, it can be especially difficult to overcome for the child, even years after the abuse is over. How can one determine if they have truly moved on from their traumatic past? Is “forgiving” your parents enough? The Cycle of Abuse Most people hold true that the purest form of love is between a parent and child and that somehow by simply becoming a parent one learns to love “unconditionally.” So naturally we expect that parents instinctively should love their children and treat them accordingly. The unfortunate truth is that many parents are not only abusive but are very capable of doing great harm to their children. In fact, a simple survey of the headline news on any given day will yield countless examples of seemingly “normal” parents who hurt, abandon, and in the most tragic cases even murder their own children. More than 8 out of 10 abused children are abused by their own parents. Every 6 hours in America a child dies in the US due to abuse or neglect.In 2005, more than 3.5 million children were reported as victims of child abuse or neglect. So while a person may know and understand on a rational level that their parents are human and flawed and capable of making mistakes, it can still be very difficult to disconnect from the negative memories and move past the feelings of betrayal. Such a person may grapple regularly with anger, resentment, passive-aggressiveness, hostility, apathy, or even hatred towards their abusive parent(s). At any given point, one can feel the full spectrum of these emotions or they may have learned to suppress their emotions and feel nothing at all. This is partly because of the destructive effect the abuse has on a child’s emotional development and self-esteem, which can carry well into adulthood if unresolved: “Children of abuse do not develop healthy self-esteem. They often blame themselves for the arguments and the violence. They may also believe that it is their own failing that they receive little love. Violence also creates low self-worth: For example, if a parent does not realize what happens to the child who witnesses or receives the abuse, the child may believe that, “My feeling (of fear or pain) are ignored, and my needs (for peace and comforting) are not being met…I must not be important. Fighting parents cannot attend to the child’s emotional needs. Often, the ups and downs of abusive homes are ignored: the child feels anxiety and agitation as the tension builds up; the child feels fear and helplessness during the battering; and then the child feels guilt and shame afterward. Without intervention, these feelings are never resolved.” – “Understanding Domestic Violence,” by Barbara Correy, M.A Some people carry on for years not realizing that they are still plagued with feelings of inadequacy, self-blame, and low self-esteem because of the abuse they experienced as a child. These feelings may manifest themselves in different ways, for example, how you perform in school or at work, how you allow your partners to speak to you or treat you, or how you feel about your own abilities and accomplishments. So even if you never confronted your parents or sought some type of treatment, you may falsely think you are “past” the abuse because of how long ago it occurred or because you deliberately suppress your memories, but the residual effects of it are actually with you every day. If one or more of your parents abused you as a child and you are now an adult, consider the following to know if you are truly over the abuse: 1) Do you feel any anxiety talking/interacting with your abusive parent(s)? 2) Do you try hard to impress them by sharing your accomplishments and goals? 3) Do you take their criticisms to heart more than you do other people in your life? 4) Do you constantly feel like nothing you ever do is good enough for them? 5) Do you feel a greater sense of value when they show you affection or approval? Forgiving & Moving Forward In Islam, we are constantly reminded throughout the Qur’an and in the hadith literature, that it is better to forgive those who wrong you than to have rancor towards them or cut them off. This is even more the case for parents, where children are told to be humble towards them and never even utter a single word of frustration to them: “Pardon them and overlook – Allah loves those who do good.” (Qur’an 5:13) “Those who control their anger and are forgiving towards people; Allah loves the good.” (Qur’an, 3: 134) “Your Lord hath decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (Qur’an 17:23) To “forgive” one’s parents is therefore something anyone can do if they feel compelled enough to try; it can be as simple as telling them you forgive them or supplicating to God and asking for their pardon. The more difficult process is learning how to move forward from the abuse and become whole again. This isn’t as much about your relationship with your parents as it is about you. It’s about learning how to break away from the effects that the abuse had on your own self-image. This requires a deep level of introspection and a certain degree of faith and spiritual practice. And it’s important to note, that depending on your past experience with abuse, simply praying and offering forgiveness may not be sufficient. Yes, it’s important to put our faith in God and supplicate for relief from our tribulations, but we must also remember that He’s given us tools, such as science and medicine to learn and benefit from as well. Additionally, every person copes with trauma differently, so there isn’t a single approach to the healing process. Victims who’ve suffered through severe violence or sexual abuse, for example, typically need to do much more longterm work with the help of a mental health professional to overcome their trauma. Even so they may or may not ever reach the point of forgiving their parents; that decision is solely theirs.Violent/Sexual Abuse Cases In the Muslim community, oftentimes because of family pressure or culture, many victims of sexual abuse or domestic violence never report the abuse or if they do share it with someone they are pressured to keep it to themselves and “get over” what happened to them. A parent, sibling, friend or even the imam at a masjid may not know how to properly console the victim and defers to telling them to “forgive and forget,” or “let it go for the sake of Allah.” In this way, the victim may experience a form of revictimization, where they are once again silenced and their trauma dismissed and forgotten. Victims of severe abuse cases such as these need to be given a voice no matter how long ago the abuse occurred; they need to feel empowered and reassured that they have nothing to be ashamed of and they are not at fault. It is best to seek the help of a mental health professional who has experience helping victims of domestic violence and abuse. Others, even if they have the best of intentions and want to help, may end up causing more harm than benefit. mentalhealthfor muslims

10 Islamic Guidelines on Pandemics and Epidemics by Mufti Faraz Adam 1. Quarantine The Prophet encouraged quarantine:“Do not put a sick one (animal) with a healthy one (animal)” (Sahih al-Bukhari) “If you hear that a plague has hit a land, do not go to it; if it breaks out in a land where you are present, do not leave” (Bukhari) 2. Hygiene & Disinfecting The Prophetic practice which Muslims are recommended to follow are full of hygienic practices: a. Washing hands upon awakening b. Performing ablution and washing five times a day for prayers. c. Washing before/after eating d. covering mouth when sneezing 3. Impermissibility to consume rodents, reptiles, insects and other potential carriers of disease According to the Hanafi school, it is not permissible to consume rodents, reptiles, insects and other such creatures as they are from the Khaba’ith (filthy creatures) 4. Permissibility to cull infected creatures It is permissible to cull infected creatures and animals to stop the spread of the outbreak. 5. Not sharing essential and hygiene items Ibn Hajar advises against sharing items that are commonly used during an outbreak to prevent the spread of the outbreak. (Fath al-Bari) 6. Burying deceased immediately Islam encourages immediate burial. One of the wisdoms of this is to contain any disease in the carrier from being passed on. 7. Researching for potential vaccines The Prophet told us:“There is a remedy for every malady, and when the remedy is applied to the disease it is cured with the permission of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.” (Sahih Muslim) 8. Correct belief We believe in what the Prophet told us:“Diseases are not intrinsically contagious.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) One only becomes infected by the permission of Allah. However, all precaution is encouraged due to knowing that Allah permits transfer through contact and His practice is to transfer through contacting infected people generally. 9. Cure is from Allah One’s belief and focus should solely be on Allah as the Prophet Ibrahim taught us:“It is He has created me, and it is He Who guides me; And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (Qur’an 26:78-82) 10. Constant dua Make constant due to Allah for protection from this pandemic, as He alone is the ultimate saviour and refuge. Jamiatul Ulama

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Scrupulosity in Islam Dr. Nafisa Sekandari “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” – Arabian Proverb Wikipedia defines scrupulosity as a psychological disorder “characterized by pathological guilt about moral or religious issues. It is personally distressing, objectively dysfunctional, and often accompanied by significant impairment in social functioning”. Religious practice and devotion are not necessarily the cause of scrupulosity. Scrupulosity is considered a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD can occur in different forms. There are a variety of different types of obsessions and compulsions. The nature of intensity of these symptoms may vary over time. In some cases, aggressive, sexual and religious obsessions can occur together in the same individual. The obsessions in OCD are the recurrent thoughts or impulses that make an individual anxious (such as the fear of germs in public places making one sick). Despite an individual’s efforts to control and suppress the obsessive thoughts, the obsessions persist. The thoughts often feel intrusive and disturbing despite the individual’s awareness of the thoughts being produced in their own mind. Obsessions can include fear of harming someone, becoming contaminated, and/or doing something embarrassing. Compulsions, however, are repetitive behaviors or mental acts the person feels driven to perform. These acts are often with ritualistic rigidity aimed to prevent the anxiety connected with the obsessions. These actions may include the urge to wash, count, check, or repeat phrases to oneself. OCD appears to be a biologically based disorder with severe psychological consequences. According to the OCD foundation about 1 in 100 adults – or between 2 to 3 million adults in the United States have OCD. The OCD foundation also estimates at least 1 in 200 – or 500,000 – kids and teens that have OCD in the United States. OCD statistics is assumed that up to 2.5 percent of the world population is affected obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some compulsive symptoms are detected in approximately eight percent of population. People suffering from OCD also end up suffering from depression, a lack of self-esteem and self confidence, very weak willpower, relationship problems, and social withdrawal. How Scrupulosity differs from devout faith and practice According to the hadith “Abu Huraira (may God be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The religion of Islam is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigour, it will overpower him. So, follow a middle course (in worship); if you can’t do this, do something near to it and give glad tidings and seek help (of Allah) in the morning and at dusk and some part of the night” [al Bukhari]. Scrupulosity is when the individual is overpowered by their devotion and practice of their faith. The scrupulous individual will focus excessively on a few specific rules and rituals while neglecting other aspects of the religion. It often involves mistakenly thinking that innocent or unavoidable things are sin and so feeling needlessly guilty. When scrupulosity turns to obsessive thoughts, it can generate upsetting, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts or images about God, or exalting the devil. Just as some people with OCD feel compelled to keep checking locks or washing their hands, others might feel compelled to obsess over blasphemous thoughts that they hate or to keep doubting their salvation. Due to the doubting nature of scrupulosity, it has been also been called “pathological doubt”. OCD sufferers will take a simple act of locking a door, switching off the oven, or seeking Allah’s forgiveness, and then worry abnormally over whether they did it correctly. They feel driven to keep seeking assurance far beyond what is rational. Scrupulosity is considered a hidden disease due to the fact that it can fill people with such false guilt that many are unlikely to admit to it, while others have no idea that they have an unhealthy sense of guilt and so suppose there is nothing wrong with them. In Islam, such unwanted thoughts are called wasawis (plural of waswasah), which are whispered into the minds and hearts of people by Shaitan (Satan). These wasawis play a significant role in many mental disorders that involve anxiety and cognitive distortions. Although wasawis can affect individuals regardless of age, sex, faith, or creed, the nature, content, severity, and influence of these thoughts varies in individuals. For some, they only cause mild anxiety and worry, while others are more severely affected to the point of becoming spiritually, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and socially paralyzed. Recurring thoughts about catching germs, being unclean, and questioning one’s faith appear to be the most common form of OCD amongst Muslim men and women but those suffering from scrupulosity, the unwanted thoughts tend to be more debilitating. In the process of wasawis, Shaitan doesn’t care about the thoughts and doubts he sets buzzing around in our heads. Shaitan knows we will not be judged for the thoughts he has implanted in our heads because they are his thoughts, not ours. It is an impossible task to stop unwanted thoughts from coming in our minds. While we are busy battling unwanted thoughts from our mind, Shaitan accomplishes his goal of distracting us from the essential teachings of Islam. The goal of every Muslim should be to strengthen our faith and connection to Allah and not waste time avoiding certain thoughts or feelings. Shaitan will try and distract us from his real schemes and instead focuses our attention on past sins instead of present forgiveness. Shaitan will also try and trick us into becoming so preoccupied with needlessly worrying about dishonoring God with words that we do not even mean, that we don’t notice that we are dishonoring God by not believing the extent of His love and forgiveness, even towards those of us who feel certain we are the worst sinners ever to walk this planet. No matter how terrible the words or images that invade our mind are, we are not “sinning”. Shaitan will also try and entice us to fear Quranic verses that apply only to people who until their dying day stubbornly refuse to repent from their deliberate sin/backsliding and refuse to seek forgiveness. Shaitan’s hope is that we become so alarmed by the few words in the verses that do not apply to us that we lose sight of the enormous number of joyous verses that do apply – those promising salvation to everyone who repents and believes in Allah and His messenger. Shaitan’s dirty trick is to put despicable thoughts in our mind and then blame us or Allah for it. Allah isn’t fooled into blaming us for Shaitan’s trickery and we shouldn’t be fooled either. Just like we can’t stop Shaitan from being Shaitan, we can’t stop thoughts of temptation from popping into our thoughts. All we can do is stop ourselves from being deceived by the thoughts. All in all, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder. It is fear/anxiety that keeps us hounded by doubts, guilt feelings or unwanted thoughts that keep repeating in our minds. It is the very nature of deceiving spirits to foster and exploit fear for their evil purposes, and their highest goal is to fool us into losing faith in our religion. Treatment of Scrupulosity Like other forms of OCD, scrupulosity responds to medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). About 60%–80% of patients show some degree of response to treatment. The neurotransmitter serotonin appears to be involved in the pathology of OCD. Medications that boost the level of serotonin in the brain such as SSRI’s (e.g. clomipramine, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, and citalopram) are the most effective in treating OCD. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) has been successfully used for the treatment of OCD. ERP focuses on the fact that compulsions provide only a temporary reduction of the anxiety produced by obsessions. The only way to experience more permanent relief is to habituate (get used to) the anxiety caused by the obsession, without performing the compulsion. The key factor of ERP is habituation. While this type of therapy typically causes some short-term anxiety, this facilitates long-term reduction in obsessive and compulsive symptoms. Facing the negative, unwanted thoughts will create anxiety. It is highly unpleasant, but they must disregard their fears in order to benefit from treatment. Facing their anxiety is an unavoidably unpleasant experience, but they must continually force themselves to stay close to God, even though their fears of rejection and divine displeasure are immense. As the person with scrupulosity begins to face his/her fears, he/she may experience a temporary increase in anxiety but with continued support and medication, the anxiety will decrease and symptoms will improve When overwhelmed by unwanted thoughts: Keep in mind, first and foremost, Allah (swt) has prescribed a balanced approach to Islam and reassured us His mercy and forgiveness are ever so near. So if fear, anxiety, or condemnation comes upon us, it is not from God. It is simply a dirty trick of Shaitan trying to get us to take our eyes off the infinite saving power of Allah (swt). When unwanted thoughts or fears hit, do your best not to let the attack distress you. Let it wash over you, keeping as calm and unconcerned as you can. The thoughts or images won’t hurt you, and God does not accuse you. Allah (swt) knows best, even better than you do, that these thoughts are not yours. Temptation usually takes the form of thoughts being satanically placed on our minds, and temptation is not sin. When you reach the point where you don’t react to the unwanted thoughts of doubt, oppressive guilt feelings, and spiritually repulsive thoughts, the attacks themselves will lessen. Psychological fact: Anxiety is a driving force behind Obsessive Compulsive Disorder so if you are not anxious about the thoughts, you’ll notice a significant reduction in the attacks. Spiritual fact: When Shaitan is thoroughly convinced that he can no longer use such things as unwanted thoughts to annoy you, or undermine your faith, he will eventually begin to tire of that approach and only try it now and again, just to check that you have not reverted to being concerned by such attacks. We give pleasure and power to Shaitan when we fall into his trap of supposing that his plan is to get us to think or feel wrong things. Shaitan’s main goal is to get us distracted so he can ambush us. Shaitan’s evil scheme is not to entice us to think or feel anti-God things but to fool us into denying the saving power of Allah (swt) by us forgetting Allah’s power to continually forgive every person who repents and puts faith in him. Daily Exercises: When unwanted thoughts creep in your mind, catch them and write them down. Right below the thought, challenge the thought by asking if that is a true thought. Is it 100% true about you? Below that write down, “it’s just a thought”. Practice daily affirmations such as “I’m doing the best that I can”, “My thoughts are just thoughts and only have power over me if I give them power and I choose not to empower these unwanted thoughts”, “I put my trust and faith in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness”. The affirmations might not feel true for you but repeating them daily will help you replace the negative thoughts with the positive affirmations, thereby lessening the power of the negative unwanted thoughts. Practice deep breathing exercises and repeat to yourself “I am safe and with Allah’s blessings, Shaitan can’t hurt me”. Actively get involved in a deeply engrossing activity that you enjoy such as exercising (yoga, running, biking, etc.) or playing a board game where you are not focused on the negative thoughts. Force yourself to smile. This simple act will automatically make you feel happier and relax. Your mind is incapable of having a good and bad thought at the same time. When you smile, you force your mind to focus on the positive rather than the negative. Work with a mental health professional to address the symptoms of scrupulosity. Past traumas (like sexual/physical abuse) and unsavory conduct and lifestyles of the past that may be responsible for severe guilt leading to OCD, must be dealt with in therapy with a trained mental health professional. Overall, relaxation, daily practice, education, medication, and cognitive behavior therapy can be combined to treat OCD and Scrupulosity. Coordination Between Islamic Leaders and Mental Health Professionals It is often useful for mental health practioners and religious leaders to work together in raising awareness and educating the community about Scrupulosity. The religious leader can help the community members distinguish legitimate concerns about faith and guilt from stereotyped religious obsessions. If an individual is compulsively repeating a ritual until it is perfect, the Imams may need to give individuals special permission to perform a ritual in a less than perfect manner. This can lead to freedom from excessive guilt and stereotyped religious obsessions. Ultimately, the individual is freed to experience a richer life in his or her family and faith community. mentalhealthformuslims

Wa'alaykumus salam warahmatullah sister Fatimah Welcome to the forum. The following is quoted from the question/answer above (towards the end) - I've underlined the important part Therefore it is not inserted inside the private part. I hope this is of help insha-allah

Angels playing with the beard Q. Is the following narration correct to quote? It is reported that Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam saw a man with a little hair/beard (on his chin) and he smiled. The man then stood up to shave his beard/little hair (feeling ashamed of having little hair on his chin) …Then Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam informed him that he saw angels playing with his beard. In another report Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that the reason I smiled was because I saw an angel assigned to guard every hair. (Question published as received) A. There is no basis found to the above narration in any of the books of Ahadith. Hence, it is not suitable to quote or narrate without a valid basis or source. The angels of Allah have been assigned by Allah to protect human beings as a whole without any mention of being assigned specifically to protect the hair/beard on the chin of a person. Allah Ta’ala says: "For every one (among you), there are angels rotating with one another, in front of him and behind him, who guards him under the command of Allah." (Surah Ra’d, Verse 11) Ibn Katheer writes, there are four angels at night and four angels during the day. Two angels record the deeds, one angel on the right records the good deeds and one angel on the left records the bad deeds. The two other angels guard and protect a person, one angel protects one from the front and one angel protects one from the back. So, there are four angels by day and four angels by night, rotating with one another. (4/437) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

What a reminder!

Q. Is there any belief in Islam that after a person passes away, a person’s soul moves into another form, like a form of an animal, bird or insect and roams around one’s house, family and friends looking over them? A. The belief in resurrection and life after death is one of the fundamental and core beliefs of Islam. The belief of reincarnation i.e. believing that one’s soul moves into another living form or body after exiting one’s body in an endless cycle contradicts this fundamental and core belief of Islam. The belief of reincarnation exists most commonly amongst the Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs and also has roots in Greek philosophy. None of these has any basis in Islam. As Muslims, we believe that once the soul exits the body, it enters an intermediary state between this world and the hereafter (Barzakh) and remains there until the time of resurrection. When resurrection takes place, the soul is placed in a new body to face Judgement in the court of Allah Ta’ala. The soul does not move into another living form or body in this world after death and neither does it roam around one’s house, family or friends. If a Muslim believes in reincarnation and negates the fundament belief of resurrection and life after death, such a belief takes one out of the fold of Islam. (Ar-Rooh – Ibnul Jawzi 1/114 - Fataawa Darul Uloom 12/215) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Love & Unity By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Importance of Unity The strength of any group or nation lies in unity. If they unite, they will be capable of facing challenges with ease. Our beloved Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has greatly emphasized unity and strove to unite the Ummah throughout his blessed life. Once during a journey, whilst Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was in his tent, he heard the cries of two Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā, one calling out to the Muhājirīn and the other to the Ansār; each one was looking for help against the other. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam fearing disunity amongst the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, immediately got up and quickly reached the place of argument and said, “What is this call of the period of ignorance? Leave it aside, because it is filthy.” (Al-Bukhārī) During the period of ignorance, the people were divided on the basis of tribes, and they would support each other only on that basis; who was right and who was wrong did not matter to them. After the advent of Islām they had all become brothers through the Grace of Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā says: Love Leads to Unity For unity to come into existence, love is necessary. Where there is love there will be unity and where there is hatred there will be disunity. This is why Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam encouraged all those things that create love and discouraged everything that leads to animosity and hatred. A few examples are: Six Steps to Creating Love In order to create love between ourselves, we need to do the following: 1) Follow the whole Dīn of Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā says in the Glorious Qur’ān: Loving others and not having hatred for them is part of ‘good deeds’ too. So when people carry out good deeds, they will entertain love for people and as a result people will love them too. 2) Adorn ourselves with good character and from them a very important one is humbleness. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: In order for a person to become elevated, others must have love and respect for him. Moreover, a person with humbleness will respect and love people and will surely be immune from hatred. 3) Help each other remaining within the boundaries of Dīn. Allāh ta‘ālā states: It is human nature that when someone confers a favour upon us, we experience a feeling of love and admiration for them in our hearts. 4) Become abstinent and do not desire what Allāh ta‘ālā has given to others. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: 5) Exchange gifts. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: 6) Spread salām. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: Unity is something we must strive for at all levels, from our personal lives in terms of family and friends; on a local community level such as within our masājid, workplace etc; and on a national and international level with brothers and sisters throughout the world. Let us try our best to carry out the above mentioned six points and Allāh ta‘ālā will enlighten our hearts with love for each other inshā’allāh. Once this happens, unity will automatically follow. May Allāh ta‘ālā safeguard us all from disunity and everything that leads to disunity and grant us all the ability to inculcate love for one another so that we can remain united. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 27 No. 2, February 2018)

Bleeding for more than ten days Q: 1. If a woman's menses exceeds ten days, then should she perform salaah? 2. What will the ruling be in the case where a woman bleeds for more than the days of her usual pattern of menses, but the blood then stops before ten days? 3. If she bleeds for more than ten days, can she have relations with her husband? A: 1,2. It should be borne in mind that the minimum period of haidh is three days and the maximum period is ten days. If a woman has a set pattern e.g. seven days, and the blood continued for more than ten days, then she will regard seven days as her haidh and the remaining days as istihaazah. Hence, she will have to make qadha for all the salaah which she missed after seven days as these days are the days of istihaazah. However, if the blood continued for more than the days of her set pattern, but stopped within ten days, then she will regard the entire period as haidh and her haidh pattern will change (e.g. a woman's haidh pattern for the previous month was seven days, but the following month, she bled for nine days, the entire nine days will be regarded as her haidh and her haidh pattern will change to nine days). 3. After the ten days pass, a woman will be able to ascertain that the bleeding over her haidh pattern is istihaazah. Hence, the laws of istihaazah will apply to her. A woman in the state of istihaazah will be treated as a woman in the state of purity. Thus, she will make wudhu and perform her salaah as normal. It will be permissible for her to touch and recite the Qur'an Shareef. Similarly, it will be permissible for her to have relations with her husband. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. أقل الحيض ثلاثة أيام وثلاث ليال في ظاهر الرواية هكذا في التبيين وأكثره عشرة أيام ولياليها كذا في الخلاصة (الفتاوى الهندية 1/36) وإن جاوز العشرة ففي المبتدأة حيضها عشرة أيام وفي المعتادة معروفتها في الحيض حيض والطهر طهر هكذا في السراج الوهاج (الفتاوى الهندية 1/37) لو رأت الدم بعد أكثر الحيض والنفاس في أقل مدة الطهر فما رأت بعد الأكثر إن كانت مبتدأة وبعد العادة إن كانت معتادة استحاضة (الفتاوى الهندية 1/37) (ودم الاستحاضة) كالرعاف الدائم لا يمنع الصلاة ولا الصوم ولا الوطء كذا في الهداية (الفتاوى الهندية 1/38) فإن رأت بين طهرين تامين دما لا على عادتها بالزيادة أو النقصان أو بالتقدم والتأخر أو بهما معا انتقلت العادة إلى أيام دمها حقيقيا كان الدم أو حكميا هذا إذا لم يجاوز العشرة فإن جاوزها فمعروفتها حيض وما رأت على غيرها استحاضة فلا تنتقل العادة هكذا في محيط السرخسي (الفتاوى الهندية 1/39) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

The Hadiths Cited by the Early Hanafi Fuqaha 12 Jan, 2020 Some people have the misunderstanding that the early Hanafī scholars whose books are in wide use today, like Shams al-A’immah al-Sarakhsī (d. 490 H), Malik al-‘Ulamā’ al-Kāsānī (d. 587 H) and Burhān al-Dīn al-Marghīnānī (d. 593), were unacquainted with hadīth. They base this on the absence of many hadīths quoted in their works in the available hadīth collections or their apparent weakness. These early scholars, however, took hadīths not only from the well-known collections, but also from the works of the earlier Hanafī ‘ulamā’, many of which have not reached us today. The narrations are found in these earlier works generally with their full chains of transmission. Hence, one may not dismiss the hadīths mentioned in al-Hidāyah, al-Mabsūt, al-Badā‘i’ etc. as baseless or forged merely on the grounds that they are not found in the available collections of hadīth. ‘Allāmah ‘Abd al-Rashīd al-Nu‘mānī (d. 1420 H) writes: That which our Fuqahā’ – may Allāh have mercy on them – cited of hadīths and narrations in their works without describing a sanad or a source, as al-Sarakhsī (d. 490 H) does in al-Mabsūt, al-Kāsānī (d. 587) in al-Badā’i‘ and al-Marghīnānī (d. 593 H) in al-Hidāyah, these are hadīths and narrations which they found in the books of our early Imāms like al-Imām al-A‘zam (d. 150) and his two students [Abū Yūsuf and Muhammad], Ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181 H), al-Hasan al-Lu‘lu’ī (d. 204 H), Ibn Shujā‘ al-Thaljī (d. 267 H), ‘Īsā ibn Abān (d. 221), al-Khassāf (d. 261 H), al-Tahāwī (d. 321 H), al-Karkhī (d. 340 H) and al-Jassās (d. 370 H) – may Allāh (Exalted is He) have mercy on them. Then those who sourced al-Hidāyah, al-Khulāsah and so on appeared, and they searched for these narrations in the records [of hadīths] compiled after [the year] 200 by the scholars of hadīth, and when they did not find [them] in them, they assessed them to be ‘strange’. Some hold a bad opinion about these Imāms of the Fuqahā’, and attribute to them little knowledge of hadīth, and far-removed are they from that! How many a suspended hadīth (ta‘līq) there is of al-Bukhārī in his Sahīh on which the like of Ibn Hajar said: ‘I did not find it’, so will that which is suspected of our Hanafī masters be suspected of al-Bukhārī?! Rather, al-Sarakhsī, al-Kāsānī and al-Marghīnānī relied in this subject on their Imāms who are recognised for [their] retention (hifz), trustworthiness (thiqah) and reliability (amānah), just as al-Baghawī relied in his Masābīh on the authors of the well-known collections. The Hāfiz of his time, Qāsim ibn Qutlūbughā (802 – 879 H), said: “The early ones from our [Hanafī] scholars – may Allāh have mercy on them – would dictate juristic rulings and their evidences from the prophetic hadīths with their chains, like Abū Yūsuf in Kitāb al-Kharāj and al-Amālī; Muhammad in Kitāb al-Asl and al-Siyar; and likewise al-Tahāwī, al-Khassāf, [al-Jassās] al-Rāzī, al-Karkhī except in the Mukhtasars. Then those who depended on the books of the early ones came and cited the hadīths in books without clarifying the chain or the source.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p. 9) Had we wished, we would have cited many examples for you from the examples of these hadīths which those that sourced them assessed them to be ‘strange,’ while they are found in the book al-Āthār, for example, but space does not allow it.” (Al-Imām Ibn Mājah wa Kitābuhu l-Sunan, pp. 73-4) The hadīth master and faqīh, ‘Allāmah Qāsim ibn Qutlūbughā, compiled Munyat al-Alma‘ī as an index of hadīths which al-Zayla‘ī and/or Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī could not locate in their respective works on sourcing the hadīths of al-Hidāyah, but which upon further inspection have been found to have a source. Here are a few examples: The author of al-Hidāyah quoted the hadīth, “When the sun deviates [from its midpoint], then offer the Jumu‘ah prayer with the people.” Hāfiz al-Zayla‘ī said: “Strange”, meaning he could not locate it. Hāfiz Qāsim ibn Qutlūbughā replied: “Rather, Ibn Sa‘d narrated it in al-Tabaqāt from the hadīth of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p 31) The author of al-Hidāyah quoted the hadīth, “When you see anything of these horrors, take recourse to Allāh with supplication.” Hāfiz al-Zayla‘ī said: “Strange with this wording.” ‘Allāmah Qāsim replied: “Muhammad ibn al-Hasan narrated it in al-Asl from the mursal of al-Hasan [al-Basrī].” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p 32) The author of al-Hidāyah quoted the hadīth, “There is no marriage except with witnesses.” Hāfiz al-Zayla‘ī said: “Strange,” and Hāfiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Aqalānī said: “I have not seen it with this wording.” ‘Allāmah Qāsim replied: “Muhammad ibn al-Hasan mentioned it as what reached him, and al-Khatīb narrated it from the hadīth of ‘Alī.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p 40, 60) The author of al-Hidāyah mentions that Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyib narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) ordered the freeing of umm al-walads (female slaves who bore their masters’ children) and that they are not to be sold. Hāfiz Ibn Hajar said: “I did not find it.” ‘Allāmah Qāsim replied: “Muhammad ibn al-Hasan narrated it in al-Asl.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p 61) It is mentioned in al-Hidāyah that ‘Alī (may Allāh be pleased with him) gave the decree that if a woman besides one’s wife is brought to him and he is informed that this woman is his wife and he has intercourse with her, then there is no punishment on him but he must give her dowry. Hāfiz Ibn Hajar said: “I did not find it.” ‘Allāmah Qāsim replied: “‘Abd al-Razzāq [al-San‘ānī] narrated it.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p. 61) Amongst the reasons why some of the later muhaddithūn were unable to locate a hadīth is that the Fuqahā’ would at times narrate a (non-verbal) hadīth according to its implication and purport, and not in the exact words used by the narrator, as a result of which the muhaddithūn would mention that they could not locate it, although it is an established hadīth. One example is the statement of the author of al-Hidāyah: “The Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) forbade tormenting animals.” Hāfiz Ibn Hajar said: “I did not find it.” ‘Allāmah Qāsim said in response: “The faqīh often mentions a hadīth according to [its] meaning, and al-Bukhārī narrated that the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) forbade restraining animals.” (Munyat al-Alma‘ī, p. 61) It should be noted that the hadīths which al-Zayla‘ī and Ibn Hajar could not locate are a relatively small number. Most of the hadīths mentioned by the author of al-Hidāyah, which number in the hundreds, have been sourced in Nasb al-Rāyah and al-Dirāyah to primary hadīth references. Describing the rank of the author of al-Hidāyah in hadīth, Mawlānā Nu‘mānī wrote in a private letter to his student, Muftī ‘Abdul Mālik of Bangladesh: It is to be noticed that al-Laknawī counted the author of al-Hidāyah from the group that are strangers to the knowledge of hadīth, and that is incorrect. How [can this be so] when the author of al-Hidāyah compiled a list of his teachers [in hadīth] from which al-Qurashī quoted in al-Jawāhir al-Mudiyyah in many places, and I quoted them in the footnotes of al-Dirāsāt…There are many beneficial points in the biographies of the teachers of the author of al-Hidāyah in al-Jawāhir. There is the chain of the author of al-Hidāyah and a mention of his reading of the two Sahīhs, Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī, Sharh Ma‘ānī al-Āthār of al-Tahāwī, the Masānīd of al-Khassāf and other [hadīth collections] to his teachers. It is established that the author of al-Hidāyah only transmitted from the books of his predecessors from the muhaddithūn of the Hanafī Fuqahā’ as is clear from reading Munyat al-Alma‘ī. In al-Hidāyah there are hadīths from al-Asl of Imām Muhammad, and his Kitāb al-Āthār, and other books of the Imāms. [Some of] these books were not under the range of al-Zayla‘ī’s and Ibn Hajar’s reading.” (Al-Madkhal ilā ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth al-Sharīf, Markaz al-Da‘wat al-Islāmiyyah, p. 103) He wrote to him in a further letter explaining that this rule only applies to the early Hanafī Fuqahā’ and not the later ones: That which I mentioned regarding the author of al-Hidāyah only applies to him and other early Fuqahā’ who drew evidence from hadīths, like al-Sarakhsī and al-Kāsānī. The narrations they cite are not without basis. That which does not have a source from what they cite is from the category of some suspended narrations (ta‘līqāt) of Imām al-Bukhārī and some hadīths which Imām al-Tirmidhī alluded to with his statement, ‘And in the chapter is…’ which we do not find with a connected chain in the books of hadīths in circulation amongst us. This is only because many of the books of the early ones have been lost. That which I have said only applies to the early Fuqahā’ because only they quote from the books of their Imāms, and that becomes clear from reading Munyat al-Alma‘ī. I do not say this about the later ones.” (Al-Madkhal ilā ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth al-Sharīf, p. 104) Explaining ‘Allāmah Nu‘mānī’s statement that this rule should not be extended beyond the case under question, Muftī ‘Abd al-Mālik writes: The intent of our teacher – may Allāh (Exalted is He) have mercy on him – is two things: First, that a definite assessment of negation will not be made of that which is not found from their narrations because the great scholars who negated them [like Hāfiz al-Zayla‘ī and Hāfiz Ibn Hajar] were not free from rejoinders, so what about other than them? Second, these Fuqahā’ will not be accused of ignorance of hadīth or of laxity in quoting it, due only to some of what they cited not being found, because of the possibility of their existence in the books of the earlier ones which have not reached us… The Shaykh – may Allāh (Exalted is He) have mercy on him – does not intend to authenticate the suspended hadīths common in books of various sciences and disciplines of which no source for them is found due only to the aforementioned possibility, because that is not meant nor are they authentic. In the words of our teacher, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwāmah in a similar context: “We do not affirm anything except with knowledge. And we are cautious in negating.” (Al-Madkhal ilā ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth al-Sharīf, p. 104) Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūtī said: The hadīth which al-Rāfi‘ī cited, we did not find a sanad for it. Nor is it found in the books of hadīth available now. The late Huffāz say of the like of this, “It has no basis.” The scrupulous [of them] suffice with their statement, “We did not find it,” which is better. It has reached me that Hāfiz Ibn Hajar was asked about these hadīths which our Imāms and the Hanafī Imāms cite in Fiqh [works] drawing evidence from them and are not known in the books of hadīth, so he answered: “Many of the books of hadīth, or most of them, have been lost in the eastern lands due to civil wars. Perhaps those hadīths were transmitted in them and they have not reached us.” (Quoted in Al-Madkhal ilā ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth al-Sharīf, p. 93) Finally, Muftī ‘Abd al-Mālik mentions the following important point: It should be known that the presence of some weak hadīths or hadīths that do not have a basis in some books of Fiqh does not depreciate the value of that Fiqh, because the weakness of these specific evidences which some of the later Fuqahā’ cite does not necessitate the weakness of the rulings for which the evidences were cited, because there may be other strong evidences in which there is no weakness or defect. This is the reality which those of the people of knowledge know who have acquaintance with the books of the Imām of the madhhab and the books of his students and those below them from the luminaries of the madhhab who combined between the sciences of transmission and comprehension. This issue was explained adequately by our teacher, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwāmah, in his book which is deserving of being written in gold: Athar al-Hadīth al-Sharīf fi Khtilāf al-A’immat al-Fuqahā’ (pp. 141-51). Were it not for the lengthiness of his discussion I would have quoted it in its entirety due to its richness and value.” (Al-Madkhal ilā ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth al-Sharīf, p. 104-5) Darul Tahqiq Compiled by Mufti Zameelur Rahman

Haidh pattern changing to ten days Q: A woman's haidh normally lasts for 7 days. However, last month, her haidh was for 10 days. 1. If she stopped bleeding after 7 days this month, is it permissible for her to have relations with her husband؟ 2. During haidh, what part of the wife's body can the husband take enjoyment from ? A: 1. Since her haidh pattern changed to ten days, she should refrain from having relations with her husband for the entire duration of ten days. 2. During haidh, it is permissible for the husband to take enjoyment from the wife's body from above the navel and below the knee. At the time of intimacy, the area between the navel till the knee (including the knee) must be covered. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. والعادة تثبت بمرة واحدة في الحيض والنفاس دما أو طهرا إن كانا صحيحين (ذخر المتأهلين صـ 25) لو انقطع دمها دون عادتها يكره قربانها وإن اغتسلت حتى تمضي عادتها وعليها أن تصلي وتصوم للاحتياط هكذا في التبيين (الفتاوى الهندية 1/39) وأما الحائض والنفساء فحكمهما مثل حكم الجنب إلا إنه لا يجب عليهما الصلاة حتى لا يجب القضاء عليهما بعد الطهارة ولا يباح لزوجهما قربانهما (تحفة الفقهاء 1/32) (وقربان ما تحت الإزار) أي ويمنع الحيض قربان زوجها ما تحت إزارها لقوله تعالى ولا تقربوهن حتى يطهرن وتحرم المباشرة ما بين السرة والركبة عند أبي حنيفة وأبي يوسف (تبيين الحقائق 1/57) ويحرم وطؤها ويكفر مستحله ويستمتع بها ما فوق الإزار (الاختيار 1/28) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Why fathers are neglected in old age A must read for all fathers! (and mothers too!) In the lifetime of most Nigerian families (but is now universally applicable), there are 3 dispensations of power: 1) The first 25 years in the life of the family (father, mother, children) where power indisputably rests with the father. 2) After the kids have grown and started working and the power shifts to the mother. 3) When the kids move out of the family house or start their own families and the power moves to the children. The 1st dispensation Total dominance of the father. He is the lion of the tribe of his house. The boss. During this dispensation, the father rules with an iron fist. He barks orders & determines what does or does not happen. The father often metes out corporal punishment to the recalcitrant children. They grow to fear him more than they love him. The father is the provider for the family & everyone is aware of that fact with all resultant consequences. The 2nd dispensation The children have finished school and have started working. Power now shifts to the mother. When the children start earning their own money, for some reason, it’s their mothers they decide to look after. They are closer to her. While the father was in charge, he was busy with the business of providing. He didn’t have much time to be a friend to the children. They spent more time with their mum and invariably grew closer to her. They also see their mum as co-victims of the father’s tyranny. The mother takes centre stage at this point. She is the first to know what’s happening with the children & she has advantage. Should any of the daughters give birth, she is the one that goes for babysitting and the children spoil her with gifts. At this stage, the father is wishing for some bond with the children like they have with their mother but that boat has sailed. Because the mother doesn’t rely much on the father for her needs at this stage, she is less likely to tolerate his lordship. The 3rd & last dispensation Power has shifted to the children. They are self-sufficient, live on their own & have own families. More often than not, whenever there is a quarrel between father & mother, the children side the mother. Years of joint-victimhood at play. Children have been known to come to the house to warn their father not to ‘disturb’ their mother. Woe to the father if his finances are precarious at this stage. This causes most men to fall ill & develop different complications. By this time the forces are arrayed against you. Stroke, hypertension, high-blood pressure. The man has a large family but no relationship with them in later life. A deeply troubling thought. Lesson: Moral, dear men, while the power lies with us, let us wield it with posterity in mind. It won’t be with us forever. 1) With the way you are treating your wife now, how will she treat you when power shifts to her? 2) What relationship do you have with your family? Loving dad or despotic, tyrannical provider? 3) Remember, the children always side with their mother. Aim to do enough to at least get a fair hearing in future moments of family strife. 4) Invest wisely for the future so that you won’t have to beg to be taken care of if despite your best efforts, you find yourself alone. Advice to children: It is not good to abandon your father who denied himself to get you prepared for life & who sacrificially sowed to make you who you are. Honour both your parents and take good care of them in their old age. That is how you too will sow into your future. Don’t let neglecting your father (or mother) be a curse on you into your future. Advice to mothers: Don’t incite your children against their father. Parenthood is not easy despite its joys. May Allah Ta’ala help each and every one of us and grant us the correct understanding. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following: The actual meaning of zikr is for a person to fulfil the command of Allah Ta‘ala that relates to him in every given situation. Allah Ta‘ala commands us in the Qur’aan Majeed saying: یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تُلْهِکُمْ اَمْوَالُکُمْ وَلَاۤ اَوْلَادُکُمْ عَنْ ذِکْرِ اللّٰه O you who believe! Do not let your wealth or children turn you away from the remembrance (command) of Allah Ta‘ala. (Surah Munaafiqoon v. 9) Hence, while one is at home interacting with his family and children, or while one is engaged in trade and commerce, if he ensures that he remains obedient to Allah Ta‘ala and does not break His commands while fulfilling these worldly needs, then even though he is engaged in these occupations, he will be regarded as a person engaged in the remembrance of Allah Ta‘ala. (Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 57) Ihyauddeen.co.za

Emotional Intelligence in work of Deen A major problem in our communities is that though we have moral intelligence i.e. understanding the right and the wrong, the Halaal and the Haraam, etc. however we are not good at communicating it to others in the emotional intelligent way which is crucial in teaching, counselling and communicating with others. The living Miracle of his Personality Finally, the personality of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam was such that every person felt he/she was the most beloved to him. ‘Amr ibn Al-‘As reported, I said, “Which person is most beloved to you?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said, “Aisha.” I said, “I mean among men.” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Her father.” I said, “Then who?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Umar ibn al-Khattab,” and he mentioned some other men. [Bukhari] He felt such love from the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam he thought he would be high on the list. In our case too, we all feel a deep, personal connection to him especially more so when we study Seerah. To everyone he is “My Nabi” regardless of where we are in the world and regardless of the different colour, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Even to the sinful he is “My Nabi”! This is the living miracle of his personality.

Part 3 – Empathy This is the ability to understand the emotions of others. Just as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam brought revolution to this world in terms of Tawheed, justice, etc. he also brought revolution in empathy, showing care and concern to other people and even to animals. Empathy with family members He was deeply aware of the feelings of his family members. He once said to his wife A’ishah RA, “Indeed, I can tell when you are angry or pleased with me.” A’ishah RA said, “How do you know that, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Verily, when you are pleased, you say: Yes, by the Lord of Muhammad! But when we you are upset, you say: No, by the Lord of Abraham!” I said, “Yes, I do not leave out anything but your name.” [Bukhari] He was aware his wife was upset with him and this comes from the deep level of connection he had with others. When we are deeply connected with someone, just by their expression or the way they look, walk, talk we will know that they are feeling sad or upset. Empathy for Newcomers to a Gathering Making space in gathering for the newcomer is from the teachings of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. Just by shifting slightly even if there is space acknowledges the new comer and makes him/her feel welcome and connected. In this day and age when people are more connected to phones and internet, many have no emotional connection with anyone and most cannot express themselves. People often need just a kind word to make their day and this is especially so for young people. Showing love to children shows care and concern without which they stop talking to us and find others to talk to and when asked about it they say they tried to express their feelings but when there was no response, they stopped talking. Often, they cannot express themselves but they are calling out by being cranky or in other ways however their call is ignored. We should listen to them and even if they cannot talk to you, hug them. Empathy for the Youth Someone mentioned regarding a young man that he did not pray Tahajjud Salaah (as everyone prayed Tahajjud Salaah in those days). How did the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam react? He said what a good young man he was if only he prayed Tahajjud. So he appreciated and praised the young man first and then gave constructive feedback in a light way which would make a person want to do something. Praising children makes them feel appreciated and encourages them to want to do more Showing love to Children When the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam showed love to children, it was very revolutionary at that time as people did not express love for children. People found it strange that the he hugged and kissed the children of the Sahabah RA. Once Aqra bin Habis saw the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam kiss his grandson and said, “I have ten children; I have never kissed any of them.” Thereupon, the Prophet said, “He who shows no mercy, will receive no mercy.” [Muslim] Expression of Grief Until recent times, in many cultures, men did not cry however in Islam it is ok to show/express emotion by crying. When Zainab’s RA son was dying, she called for her father, the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. The child was lifted up to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam while his breath was disturbed in his chest. On seeing this his eyes streamed with tears. Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah said “O Messenger of Allah! What is this?” He (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam replied, “It is compassion which Allah has placed in the hearts of His slaves, Allah is compassionate only to those among His slaves who are compassionate (to others)” [Bukhari] Empathy with Animals The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam was also sensitive to the feelings of animals who could not express themselves. If the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam saw any animal over-burdened or ill-fed he would pull up alongside the owner and say, “Fear God in your treatment of animals.” [Abu Dawood]

Part 2 – Self-management What is meant by self-management is how we react to emotions as sometimes our emotions get the best of us and we react before we can think about the situation and we later regret it (referred to as emotional hijacking). EI people do not make rash decisions. They pause before saying or doing anything realising that emotions can be temporary and the harm caused by haste can be permanent. What is the Islamic perspective? In a Hadith the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Composure (being unhurried) is from Allah and haste is from Shaytaan” [Tirmidhi] Anger-management The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “The judge should not issue a ruling between two people while he is angry.” [Bukhari] Anger is necessary to fight any wrong however it has to be applied with justice and righteousness. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) said anger is allowed at certain times, for certain reasons and in certain ways. Therefore, there are conditions attached. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam felt anger too and he felt grief, sadness, etc. but it was how he managed it, channelling it to a positive way and he also taught others how to channel their emotions to a positive way. This can be seen in many incidents of his life. His wife Safiyyah bint Huyayy RA, who was from a Jewish background, told him how the other wives teasing her about her Jewish origin made her feel sad. He said, ‘You should tell them, ‘How could you be better than me when my husband is Muhammad, my father is Haaroon (Aaron) and my uncle is Moosa (Moses)?’” [Tirmithi] Some Sahaba RA who were amongst those most severely tortured for accepting Islam, once emotionally complained to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, “Would you seek help for us? Would you pray to Allah for us?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam responded by affirming their emotions. He understood what they were going through and channelled their emotions to a positive way of thinking. He said, “Among the nations before you a believing man would be put in a ditch that was dug for him, and a saw would be put over his head and he would be cut into two pieces; yet that torture would not make him give up his religion. His body would be combed with iron combs that would remove his flesh from the bones and nerves, yet that would not make him abandon his religion. By Allah, this religion will prevail in a way that a traveller from Sana, Yemen to Hadramaut, Yemen will fear none but Allah, and a sheep will not fear the attack of a wolf, but you people are hasty!” [Bukhari] In this way the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam taught others how to manage their feelings.

Part 1 – Self-awareness Since the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam was guided by Wahy (Revelation) his self-awareness came from Allah ta’ala. He was made aware of his personality through verses of the Qur’an. In Surah Aali ‘Imraan (Verse 159) Allah ta’ala says, فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ So because (of) Mercy from Allah you dealt gently with them. And if you had been rude (and) harsh (at) heart, surely they (would have) dispersed from around you. Then pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. Then when you have decided, then put trust on Allah. Indeed, Allah loves the ones who put trust (in Him) This verse was in relation to the Battle of Uhud where some of the Muslims had disappointed the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam when they left the post despite instructions not to do so. Though the Sahabah RA had caused him grief the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam did not adopt a harsh attitude towards them. He did not rebuke or reproach them for their misdemeanor. A person’s true character shows in rough and stressful times when they are hurt by others or when someone they depend on, lets them down, however the noble character and personality of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam shines through and this is the sign of a true leader who, when people go through a rough and down time, brings them back up again. Example of his Self-awareness and Self-management It is mentioned in Hadith how, when he was angry, his face changed colour however he did not react angrily in word or act as the following incident shows. After the Battle of Hunayn the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam distributed the spoils of war first giving to those whose hearts were to be won i.e. some of the Quraysh who had only recently accepted Islam, as a conciliatory gesture. Abu Sufyan and his two sons Yazid and Mu’awiya were given 100 camels. Safwan was at his side while he rode through the valley of Ji’rranah and sensing Safwan’s wonder at the vast riches the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam offered him an entire pasture of camels, sheep and goats. He responded by acknowledging his goodness and accepted Islam. This was not meant as a means of buying loyalty or to convert people but was meant to strengthen them. He wanted their hearts to soften towards Islam and hearts did soften. They realised the magnanimity of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam and that he cared about them, and their hearts were won over. Others however noticed their smaller shares and a person mentioned that justice had not been done. This was reported to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam and upon hearing this remark the colour of his face changed red and he then said, “Who would do justice, if Allah and His Messenger do not do justice?” He further said, “May Allah have mercy upon Musa; he was tormented more than this, but he showed patience. Analysis Upon hearing the remark, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam felt anger (as indicated by the colour of his face changing) however he did not react upon his emotions. He first spoke about the justice of Allah and His Messenger and then he gave his own response which was a reflection on a past incident and a reminder to himself to remain patient. The many Hadith regarding anger and its management are examples of self-awareness and self-management which he taught others. Self-awareness in Du’a In the Masnoon Du’a there is self-awareness. A beautiful example in the life of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam is the Du’a he made after the incident of Ta’if which occurred when he was extremely vulnerable after ‘Aami Huzn (Year of grief) during which he lost both his external support with the death of Abu Taalib, and his personal support with the death of his beloved wife and supporter from the beginning, Khadeejah RA. During this time of vulnerability, he decided to visit Ta’if to give Da’wah which teaches us to motivate ourselves when demotivated by circumstances. He was ridiculed, stoned and chased out of town which must have been a very humiliating and painful experience. He took refuge in an orchard; exhausted and rejected, he collapsed in the orchard and made a broken hearted Du’a to Allah ta’ala; اللهم إليك أشكو ضعف قوتي وقلة حيلتي وهواني على الناس ياأرحم الراحمين أنت أرحم الراحمين أنت رب المستضعفين وأنت ربي إلى من تكلني إلى عدو يتجهمني أم الى عدو ملكته امرى إن لم يكن بك غضب علي فلا أبالي ولكن عافيتك هي أوسع لي أعوذ بنور وجهك الذي أضاءت له السموات و الأرض وأشرقت له الظلمات وصلح عليه أمر الدنيا والأخره أن ينزل بي غضبك أو يحل علي سخطك لك العتبى حتى ترضى ولاحول ولاقوة إلابك To You, my Lord, I complain of my weakness, lack of support and the humiliation I am made to receive. Most Compassionate and Merciful! You are the Lord of the weak, and you are my Lord. To whom do You leave me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy You have given power over me? As long as you are not displeased with me, I do not care what I face. I would, however, be much happier with Your mercy. I seek refuge in the light of Your face by which all darkness is dispelled and both this life and the life to come are put in their right course against incurring your wrath or being the subject of your anger. To You I submit, until I earn Your pleasure. Everything is powerless without your support. In this situation of being rejected, with no human resources and no value in the eyes of the people, in total humility and realizing his weakness, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam articulated his feelings in a Du’a, complaining to Allah ta’ala but at the same time hopeful. Self-awareness in Shukr, Sabr, Tawakkul To express Shukr (Gratitude) after eating and drinking from the blessings of Allah ta’ala, upon awakening after a restful night, upon relieving one’s self, etc. is self-awareness and an expression of internal feelings. To have Sabr (Patience) and not be overwhelmed during difficulty is another example of self-awareness and self-management. Sabr is an oft mentioned subject in the Qur’an and Hadith. To have Tawakkul (Reliance on Allah ta’ala) and turn to Allah ta’ala asking for protection i.e. reciting the Du’a when leaving home and other such Du’a, is realising one’s dependence on Allah ta’ala for protection.

Emotional Intelligence of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam From a talk by Ustadhah S. Ahmed Zaynab Academy Online 17 November 2019 Definition of EI (Emotional Intelligence) Emotional Intelligence is the ability to be self-aware of one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others (empathy) while being able to control and manage one’s own emotions. EI has three components: · Self-awareness · Self-management When one is aware of, understands and acknowledge one’s emotions, then one can manage them better. We need to know what we are feeling and why we are feeling this way in order to figure out the best way to react. · Empathy Empathy is the ability to be aware of the emotions of others and understand from their perspective. By mastering all three components one can enhance one’s personal and professional life. History of EI Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer coined the term ‘Emotional Intelligence’ in 1990. Later Daniel Goleman wrote a book called, “Emotional Intelligence.” He said that it was not cognitive intelligence that guaranteed business success but emotional intelligence. According to him, one key benefit is that “emotional intelligence can help people make better decisions.” This increased effectiveness is invaluable for business, essential for education, and transformational for personal life. He described emotionally intelligent people as those with four characteristics: They were good at understanding their own emotions (self-awareness) They were good at managing their emotions (self-management) They were empathetic to the emotional drives of other people (social awareness) They were good at handling other people’s emotions (social skills) (History of EI is not from the talk) Emotional Intelligence in the Light of the Sunnah As Muslims we should look at EI in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah of our Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam and in terms of the success of the Aakhirah. Self-awareness for us is not just being aware of our emotions and managing them, but also includes our intentions. When we study the Seerah and Hadith we see that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam was an extremely emotionally intelligent person. There are lessons for us in becoming emotionally intelligent people in the way he understood his own emotions, acknowledged and managed them and the way he interacted with everyone around him, teaching them to be emotionally intelligent people. When overcome with grief or in stressful situations we are not even aware of what we are feeling and often end up blaming others. Therefore cognition/realisation of feelings is very important in combatting negative feelings and channelling them to positive ones