ummtaalib

ANY DUA TO AVOID DISPUTES WITH MY HUSBAND? Question: Assalamualaikum Is there good easy Duaa/wazeefa to prevent fights? And ease of mind of my husband as well as to move forward from repeated thoughts? In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. You have referred to three issues, a. Dua to prevent fights b. Ease of mind c. Move forward from repeated thoughts Fights are the consequence of one not expressing restraint and controlling one’s anger. In order, to prevent fights one should learn how to exercise restraint and control one’s anger. Dua alone is not sufficient to control one’s anger. If there is a raging fire, one needs to put off the fire. One cannot sit back and simply make dua without the aid of water or fire extinguisher. In fact, when there is fear of fire, arrangement is made for a water hose or fire extinguisher within one’s reach. Likewise, one needs to equip oneself with the necessary skills to overcome and combat anger. This requires spiritual and internal training by oneself or through a spiritual guide. A Sahabi requested Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam for advice. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, لَا تَغْضَبْ . He repeated this advice three times. If one does not exercise restraint and control ones anger, he will be forced to tolerate more than the discomfort of anger later. We advise you to inculcate skills of containing your anger. This would be achieved by a spiritual guide. Also make dua to Allah for tolerance. رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [2:250] The following marriage recipe of 10 points will be useful. 1. Fear Allah: It was the noble practice of Nabi (SAW) to conscientise the spouses about the fear for Allah before performing a Nikah by reciting the verses (Nisa v14, Ahzab v69, Aali-Imraan v101) from the Qur’aan. All the verses are common in the message of Taqwa (fear of Allah). The spouses will be first committed to Allah before being committed to their partner. There can be no doubt in the success of a marriage governed by the fear of Allah. 2. Never be angry at the same time: Anger is the root cause for all marital disputes. One Sahabi came to Rasulullah (SAW) and sought some advice. Rasulullah (SAW) replied, control your anger. The same advice was rendered three times. (Mishkaat pg.433; HM Saeed) 3. If one has to win an argument, let it be the other: Nabi (SAW) said: “Whoever discards an argument despite being correct shall earn a palace in the centre of Jannah. (Ibid pg.412) 4. Never shout at each other unless the house is on fire: Luqman (AS) while offering advice to his son said:” and lower your voice for verily the most disliked voice is that of a donkey”. (Surah Luqman v19) 5. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly: Rasulullah (SAW) said, ‘A Mu’ min is a mirror for a Mu’min.’ (Abu Dawood vol.2 pg.325; Imdadiyah) Advise with dignity and silently. 6. Never bring up mistakes of the past: Nabi (SAW) said: “Whoever conceals the faults of others, Allah shall conceal his faults on the day of Qiyaamah.” (Mishkaat pg.429; HM Saeed) 7. Neglect the whole world rather than your marriage partner: Nabi (SAW) confirmed the advice of Salman to Abu-Darda [RA] for neglecting his wife. “Verily there is a right of your wife over you.” (Nasai Hadith2391) 8. Never sleep with an argument unsettled: Abu Bakr [RA] resolved his dispute with his wife over-feeding the guests before going to bed. (Bukhari Hadith 602) 9. At least, once everyday, express your gratitude to your partner: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘Whoever does not show gratitude to the people has not shown gratitude to Allah.’ (Abu Dawud pg.662; Karachi) 10. When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it and ask for forgiveness: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘All the sons of Aadam commit error, and the best of those who err are those who seek forgiveness.’ (Tirmidhi Hadith 2499) And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Huzaifah Deedat Student Darul Iftaa Lusaka, Zambia Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Introduction: Unfortunately there is no shortage of criticism of Islamic laws and even more unfortunate is that many Muslims get carried away by the tide of doubts raised by media propaganda. We who (Alhamdulillah) believe in Allah ta'ala and in His qualities of being the Most Merciful and the Most Wise, know that His decrees are filled with mercy, wisdom and reason whether people can perceive them or not. We are not bound to understand and comprehend every order and decree of Allah ta'ala; we are merely bound to submit our will to the will of Allah ta'ala. Regarding the wisdom behind the commands of Allah ta'ala see the explanation by Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahimahullah) HERE We will insha-allah compile information and articles regarding the concept of capital punishment in Islam: the wisdom and objective behind it the stringent conditions which need to be met before it can be implemented, the concept of averting it if at all possible and finally capital punishment in the Bible and in non-Muslim countries Table of Contents 1. When is Capital Punishment Permissible in Islam? 2. Wisdom behind Capital Punishment 3. Imam should try to avert the legal punishment 4. Capital Punishment for Adultery 5. Capital Punishment for Apostasy 6. Capital Punishment for Murder 7. Capital Punishment in the Old Testament 8. Conceal your Sin 9. Allah loves to forgive 10. Sources and Acknowledgments 11. Further reading

Qur’anic Methodology Levels of understanding Qur’ān To recite Qur’ān without knowing its meaning. Since Qur’ān is kalāmUllah, they will get the nūr through recitation even if they don’t understand it. To know the translation. They understand the vocabulary and know what the Arabic words mean. To have a deep understanding. They know the context in which the surahs were revealed, their connection, relevance, and interpretations over time etc. To have the feelings of Qur’ān. On top of their deep understanding, they also have an emotional connection with it. There are some people who do not understand Qur’ān but they keep crying while reciting it. While there are also some people who know the meanings but they cannot feel it. For example, we all know the meaning of Surah al-Fātiḥah, but how many of us truly feel it during salah? Allah (swt) says that it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you [Q. 2,216]. We can use our mind to come up with different interpretation for this. But Imām Ghazālī (rah) writes that sometimes a person commits a sin and he dislikes the sin so much that he repents and becomes even closer to Allah (swt). How can the average man get guidance through Qur’ān? There are many people in ummah who are illiterate. Then some people can understand it only on the surface-level. The question here is that there are so many people who do not academically study Qur’ān so how then can guidance be provided to the average man? Our scholars have divided Qur’ān in different topics such as taqwā, haya, sila reḥmī, etc. Different relevant verses are collected on a topic and they are explained in simple terms so people can get the gist of it. In Christian communities they sometimes have a bible-reading group. People form a circle – then the average man is asked to read and give meanings to words of bible. So these people explain whatever they can understand from their own minds. None of these people are scholars, they do not even know the original language of the bible. When Muslims use this approach, the problem is that they have no knowledge or amal. And they have a very high chance of failing in doing the right tafsīr. For Islamic scholarship a person should have mastered several different subjects before getting into tafsīr or translation of Qur’ān. Ḥadrat Shāh WalīUllah Dehelvī (rah) was a big scholar of subcontinent. Ḥadīth sciences have reached us through him. He states that there are three levels for understanding Qur’ān . Level of the general public – to know the core teachings for example the basics of beliefs Level of the scholars – they have an academic approach towards Qur’ān and they will understand it on a scholarly level Level of the Awliyā – their understanding is such that they feel the feeling of every word in Qur’ān Difference between Makkī and Madnī Surahs The ones before hijrah are Makkī and after hijrah are Madnī. There are certain differences in Makkī and Madnī: The style of explaining words is different. Makkī Surahs are smaller and have more rhyme and they appear clipped – in parts. The audience is different. Makkī is by and large mukhātib (addressing) to kuffār. In Madnī the audience are Muslims. Subject matter is different. Makkī has more ayahs about Day of Judgement, Jannah and Jahannum. They also talk about the historical incidents of previous nations at length. Madnī ayahs are more about aḥkām (laws) like ṭalāq, and ikhlāqiyat e.g. do not raise your voice in front of Rusūl Allah (sws) [Q. 49,2]. Sources of understanding Qur’ān To understand Qur’ān through Qur’ān. For example Surah al-Fātiḥah says guide us on the path whom You have blessed [Q. 1,7], while another ayah explains that these blessed people are siddiqeen, shuhuda, saliheen… [Q. 4,69] To understand Qur’ān through Sunnah. Rusūl Allah (sws) was asked to recite the ayahs and then to explain them as well. This is waḥī-ghayr matlū (from tilāwah; waḥī that is not recited, that did not become a part of Qur’ān). It means they were not the exact words of Allah (swt) but the meanings were from Allah (swt) and Rusūl Allah (sws) would state it in his own words. This is ḥadīth. In addition to ḥadīth (verbal) the actions, forbidding of actions or permissibility of actions by Rusūl Allah (sws) all fall in sunnah category. This is also used to understand Qur’ān. To understand Qur’ān through Aqwāl (quotes) of Ṣahāba (ra). All Ṣahāba (ra) received the knowledge of Islam on a kāmil (perfect/complete) level through Rusūl Allah (sws). Some of them were more involved in administrative tasks (like Ḥadrat Umar (ra)) while some were more involved in learning and transmission of knowledge (like Ḥadrat Abū Huraira (ra)), but they all had the complete guidance. To understand Qur’ān through history. Scholars will verify the sources of history. Not every history will be considered valid. Scholars do not derive rulings from this method but they can use history to explain certain stories or incidents. Also, these historical facts are not necessary for guidance of people, but just to develop their understanding of a particular time period. Q. If an ayah was revealed regarding some kafir or munafiq, will that apply to us today in this day and age? Every ayah of the Qur’ān has a general meaning, even though it might be specifically related to a certain person or a historical event. It will not just be for that specific time – Qur’ān is not time-bound. It will have a generic meaning and it will be applicable even in this day and age. Knowledge based approach: To have an in-depth knowledge of Qur’ān, ḥadīth and related sciences and coming to a conclusion on the basis of that deep knowledge. Pull quote journalism: To have a pre-conceived notion and then to look for ayahs or ḥadīth to support that point of view. Muḥkamāt: Certain ayahs of Qur’ān are clear to understand. There is no room for any other meaning. Muḥkamāt means something that has a clear meaning. Qur’ān says that in it are muḥkamāt (verses with precise meanings) — they are the foundation of the book — and others mutashābihāt (unspecific) [Q. 3,7] Mutashābihāt: It does not mean doubt. It means that it can hold different meanings and each meaning will be closely associated to one another and you would not know which meaning is the intended one on the surface-level. For example: Allah (swt) is istawa (over) the Throne [Q. 32,4]. We do not know what this means because we cannot fully grasp the greatness of Allah (swt). Some say it means Allah’s qudrat is over the Throne, etc. But at the end they do say that only Allah (swt) knows best the real meaning behind this verse. But the person who has a khot (fault) in their hearts will go after such ayahs. They might say that Allah (swt) has a physicality like the creation. While what they should have said was: Amanna bih (we believe in this). Why has Allah (swt) told us of these mutashābihāt? Qur’ān is Umm al-Kitāb. It has mostly muḥkamāt that holds guidance for us. Sifat (attribute) of īmān requires it to be bil ghayb (on blind faith). In Qur’ān at times Allah (swt) will point towards this sifat and what we have to say is that whatever it is, we believe in it. Deviant people will try to interpret it from their intellect. Because they think our intellect has the ability to understand everything. One of the reasons people leave Islam is because such interpretations confuses them. This problem is becoming more common now. A woman once went to a cafe in Lahore and saw a group of children discussing how to tell their parents that they had become atheists. One philosophical assumption is that intellectually we are progressing and the human mind has reached the epitome of rationality in the evolutionary timeline and now there is nothing that we cannot understand intellectually. While Islamic understanding is that we have a rūh and our rūh also has a heart and that heart also has an intellect. Recent research also shows that our heart communicates with our brain that significantly effects how we perceive and react to the world. Tafsīr has different types: Some ayahs are very obvious to understand. People who know Arabic language can understand them just by reading. Some ayahs cannot be understood just by reading, but to know their meaning is necessary for everyone. Some ayahs hold meanings that are not necessary for everyone to know and only scholars would need to know them. Some ayahs hold meanings only known to Allah (swt). Such as ayat–i–mutashābihāt. The beginning of tafsīr sciences When Qur’ān was revealed, Rusūl Allah (sws) would tell Ṣahāba (ra) its meaning, then Ṣahāba (ra) would memorize those ayahs and apply them in their lives. Some ayahs would be revealed in response to particular situations. Qur’ān was explained in detail to Ṣahāba (ra). If a person has a good command on Arabic language, they can understand Qur’ān to a certain extent, but there is also a part that cannot be understood just with language. This is something said by Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) who was himself a great scholar. For example, to set limit for fasting, Allah (swt) said that you should eat and drink at night until you can differentiate between the white and black threads [Q. 2:187]. A Ṣahābī (ra) literally took two threads, one black and the other white, and waited till he could tell the difference between the two. When he told Rusūl Allah (sws) about this, he (sws) replied that by black and white thread the night sky and the light on the sky was meant. Reasons of Prophethood To recite Qur’ān To purify people (Ṣahāba (ra)) and the teachings of this purification would be taught generation after generation To explain the Qur’ān To teach wisdom through ḥadīth Rusūl Allah (sws) told us the meanings and explanations of Qur’ān. Scope of Tafsīr Q. Why do we need contemporary tafsīr if the meanings and explanation was given by Rusūl Allah (sws)? All the Ṣahāba (ra) had the knowledge of Qur’ān but some of them had more knowledge, because some spent more time with Rusūl Allah (sws) or dedicated their lives to ʾilm. Ḥadrat Ibn Masood (ra) said that there is no ayah of Qur’ān that anyone knows more than I do. If I would know of anyone who knew something that I did not, I would go and get that knowledge from them. Why did he say that, isn’t that ujub? Because when Rusūl Allah (sws) left, a lot of people entered Islam. Now people could have doubted that since Rusūl Allah (sws) has left, perhaps the knowledge has also left. Ṣahāba (ra) made this claim to let people know that we have preserved the knowledge so do not have doubt that the guidance has left us. Scholars are the inheritors of Rusūl Allah (sws). It means that guidance and knowledge is still here. And scholars did not just get the knowledge, but also the feelings/kaifiyāt. Personal Interpretation Rusūl Allah (sws) made duʾā for Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) that O Allah give him understanding of deen and teach him interpretation of Qur’ān. This opens the door to interpretation. The meaning of this duʾā is that interpretation is there. But it also does not mean everyone can now interpret. There are two extremes. No Interpretation Some say there should be no tafsīr, because even if you do it you are still wrong. Mere Personal Opinion (IMO) The other extreme is the Qur’ān reading-group where lay people interpret knowledge. Even people with surfacy knowledge should not be doing this, let alone people who do not even understand Arabic. Ye jo “apka khyal” hai na this is swimming in dangerous waters. Some people do convert after just reading the translation. But to interpret Qur’ān one needs to have a lot of knowledge. In personal opinion then we have things like I’m always connected to Allah (swt) so I do not need salah, etc. Interpretation strictly on basis of opinion is forbidden. [ref?] They will end up ruining their own beliefs and that of others. Well Founded Knowledge (WFK) This is the in-depth knowledge of Qur’ānic sciences on the basis of which interpretation is done. History and Development of Tafsīr Khulfā-i-Rāshidūn At the time of Ṣahāba (ra) there were some writings, but most of the preservation was done through memorization (Arabs had a very sharp memory). The Qur’ān that had been written was compiled after the passing away of Rusūl Allah (sws). Tabiʾīn Tabiʾīn were teaching Taba-Tabiʾīn. They were also compiling tafsīr work. Some great scholars from the time of Ṣahāba (ra) had some great students. These Taba-Tabiʾīn started writing down the teachings of their teachers. There’s a sequence of sources that takes precedence in Qur’ānic sciences: For WFK, first and foremost Qur’ān Then its explanation through Rusūl Allah (sws) himself The explanation of Ṣahāba (ra) Sayings of Tabiʾīn Sayings of Taba-Tabiʾīn The tafsīr and aqwāl of pious predecessors Then on that scholars can build up their interpretation. They cannot say out of the blue that all these people have said this, but in my opinion this is what it means (as opposed to the accepted interpretation). This is what happens in scientific community as well. The greatest of scientists admit that they are standing on the shoulders of giants. Historical groups Ṣahāba (ra) had traveled to spread out the knowledge and therefore different groups were formed in different regions. Makkan Group: Ḥadrat Ibn Abbās (ra) and his students — ʾAtā Ibn Abi Razā and Ikramah (rah), etc. Madian Group: Ḥadrat Ubay Ibn ka’ab (ra) and his students Abū Āliya and Zaid Ibn Aslam (rah), etc. Kufī Group: Ḥadrat Ḥasan Basrī (rah), etc. We are never taught these things in our Islamic studies which is why students have a lot of doubts in their minds later on. Naqlī ulūm: To quote the aqwāl of Ṣahāba (ra), Tabiʾīn (rah) etc. Aqlī ulūm: To interpret on the basis of WFK. Not everyone can do it. According to one source you need to know 300 different ulūm before even qualifying for getting into this; in depth knowledge Arabic language, qirat, Qur’ān related knowledge — like knowledge of nasikh and mansūkh, in depth knowledge of fiqh, and those ayahs which ʿulamā have an ijmāʿ on, seerah, etc., etc. Tafsīr is an amānah and demands a high level of responsibility from the scholar. Source

Detailed Rules of Backbiting Answered by Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Ghazali I want to know what exactly constitutes ‘gheebat’ or gossiping in Islam… I mean if someone’s actions directly affect you and you discuss the problem with others is that gheebat? secondly, can you tell me for instance, if I advise somebody and explain by referring to some one’s past conduct, is that gheebat? I would be obliged, because I fear I do discuss people most of the time, one way or the other. Answer: Backbiting from “Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasideen” (being Ibn Qudamah’s abridgement of Ibn al-Jawzi’s summary of al-Ghazzali’s “Ihya’ `Ulum al-Deen“) NOTE: This text is copyrighted. Permission is granted to include it on web sites, and to make hard copies for the SOLE PURPOSE of da`wah (propagation) or educational efforts. Due acknowledgement should be given. (c) Suheil Laher “O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicions are a sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it, [so similarly, avoid backbiting]. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Qur’an, [49:12] “And do not follow that of which you do not have knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – [you] will be asked about all of those.” Qur’an, [17:36] “He does not utter a [single] word, except that there is, with him, [an angel] ready and waiting [to record it].” Qur’an, [50:18] Imam Nawawi says “It is obligatory for every sane adult to guard his tongue against talking, except when it contains a clear benefit. If talking and remaining silent are of equal benefit, it is sunnah to abstain, for permissible talking might lead to something undesirable or forbidden, as in fact is very often the case, and nothing matches safety.” On the authority of Abu Hurayrah : “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say [something] good, or he should keep silent.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah] Nawawi says, “This hadith is quite explicit that it is imperative to not talk unless the speech is good, which is that wherein there is some benefit. If a person is in doubt as to whether there will be any benefit, then he should remain silent.” On the authority of Sahl ibn Sa`d : “Whoever guarantees for me what is between his two jaws and what is between his two legs, I guarantee Heaven for him.” [Bukhari, Muslim] On the authority of `Uqbah ibn `Amir : I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! What is salvation?” He said, “Hold your tongue, let your house contain you, and weep over your sins.” [Bukhari, Muslim] Mu`adh ibn Jabal said, “Are we even going to be held accountable for what we say?!” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “May your mother be bereaved of you! Is there anything which drags people into the Fire on their faces other than the harvest of their tongues?!” [Tirmidhi (hasan sahih)] On the authority of Abu Bakrah, from the Farewell Pilgrimage: “Indeed, your blood, property and honor are sacred to [one another], like the sanctity of this day of yours in this city of yours.” [Bukhari, Muslim] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah : “All of a Muslim is prohibited to another Muslim : his blood, his honor and his property.” [Muslim] “O assembly of those who have believed with their tongues, but into whose hearts faith has not yet reached! Do not backbite the Muslims, nor seek out their secrets! For, whoever seeks out the faults of his brother, Allah will seek out his secrets. And, whoever has his secrets sought out by Allah, Allah will disgrace him, even [if he hides] in the depths of his house. [Abu Dawud in al-Adab, 4/271, #4880] “Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is more serious than adultery. A man may commit adultery, and drink [wine], and then repent, and Allah will forgive him. But, the backbiter will not be forgiven by Allah until his [backbited] companion forgives him.” [Suyuti, Al-Jami` as-Saghir, 1/174, #2919, from Ibn Abid-Dunya, and Abush-Shaykh, Al-Tawbikh.] Meaning of ghibah It has been defined precisely by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as, “Your mentioning your brother with something about him that he dislikes [being spoken about].” Someone asked, “How about if my brother contains that [characteristic which I am mentioning]?” He replied, “If he possesses that which you mention, then you have [indeed] backbited him. And, if he does not contain that which you say, then you have slandered him.” [Muslim in al-Birr, 4/2001, #70; Ahmad in Al-Musnad, 2/230,384] Body. Lineage. Character. Clothing. Ghibah in the guise of religiousity “Praise be to Allah who has saved us from such evil.” “We ask Allah for protection.” “That poor fellow! Allah has afflicted him with a great calamity. May Allah forgive him and us.” Listening to Ghibah Someone who listens to backbiting is a partner to it. He is not absolved of the sin of listening unless he remonstrates verbally, or in his heart if he is afraid. If he is able to start talking about something else, or to change the subject of the conversation, then it is imperative for him to do so. “And, when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it.” [Qur’an, 28:55] “[Successful are] those who shun vain talk.” [Qur’an, al-Mu’minun: 3] “Whoever is present while a Muslim is humiliated before him, and is able to assist him [and yet does not], Allah will humiliate him before [all of] creation.” [Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/487; Suyuti in Al-Jami` As-Saghir, 2/510, #8375] “Whoever protects a believer from a hypocrite, Allah will send to him an angel to protect him from the Fire of Hell on the Day of Arising. [Abu Dawud in al-Adab, 4/272, #4883] “Whoever averts [an attack] from the honor of his brother, Allah will avert the fire from his face on the Day of Arising.” [Tirmidhi (hasan)] Causes of ghibah Thirst for revenge. Backbiting one’s brother and obtaining gratification from his anger. Peer pressure. Desire to fit in with and be accepted by one’s companions. Desire to exalt one’s self by degrading another. In the same way, one may become jealous when another is praised, and therefore seek to disparage him. Jest and play. A desire to make others laugh. Some people even make a living out of this. Cure for ghibah Realize that it exposes you to the displeasure of Allah, the Exalted. Remind yourself that your good deeds will go to the person whom you are backbiting, and his sins will be borne by you. Ponder over your own faults, and occupy yourself with correcting them. Feel ashamed to discuss the faults of others when you yourself have so many faults. If you are rally free from fault, then occupy yourself with thanking Allah for His favor. Just as you would dislike someone else backbiting you, out yourself in the place of the one whom you are inclined to backbite. “Indeed, truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Heaven. And, a man [continues to] tell the truth, until he is recorded before Allah as a truthful one. And, indeed, lying leads to evil, and evil leads to Hell. And, a man [continues to] lie until he is recorded before Allah as a liar. [Bukhari, Muslim] “Insulting a Muslim is impiety, and killing him is [a form of] unbelief.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Tabarani, Daraqutni.] Ghibah of the heart To think the worst of Muslims. You may not think badly of a Muslim unless you have definite knowledge of his having done something evil, and there is no possible excuse or justification for him. You should try to make 70 excuses for your brother, and if you cannot find an excuse for him, look for some flaw in your perception. If someone informs you of something bad about someone else, it is obligatory upon you to investigate the matter. Is there some enmity between the informer and the one he is telling you about? You are obliged to think the best of your Muslim brother/sister. Thwart Satan by making du`a for the person. Do not spy on your brother, under the pretext of trying to find out the truth. If it does turn out that he has done something wrong, then advise him in secret. Cases in which ghibah is permissible Injustice. One who has suffered injustice is entitled to mention the one who has committed injustice to someone who is capable of restoring his rights to him, such as a legitimate Muslim ruler or judge. Seeking help to change an evil, or to reform the wrongdoer. If the intention in telling the ghibah is not to change the wrong, then it is forbidden to relate it. Asking for a fatwa. A person may say, ‘My father/brother/wife has done such-and-such to me. What can I do about it? On the authority of `A’ishah : Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, said to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “Abu Sufyan is a miserly man, and he is not giving me what would suffice me and my child, unless I take from him without his knowing.” He said, “Take what suffices you and your child according to common usage.” [Bukhari, Muslim] However, it is more precautionary to avoid mention of names, for example by asking instead, “What is the verdict regarding a person who has done such-and-such?” Warning, such as warning a prospective buyer that the merchant is a swindler, or warning a student that his prospective teacher is an innovator or a deviant. Also, revealing the faults of weak narrators and forgers of hadith, and giving someone a candid appraisal of a person whom the former is thinking of marrying. On the authority of Fatimah bint Qays : she said, “I came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and told him, “Abu Jahm and Mu`awiyah have [both] proposed to me.” He said, “As for Mu`awiyah, he is a poor man with no money, and as for Abu Jahm, his stick never leaves his shoulder.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Malik] If someone is commonly known by a nickname, although if there is some alternative way to refer to him, it is preferable. Someone who sins openly, and has no qualms about his sins being mentioned. However, it is not permissible to mention any of his secret sins. “There can be no backbiting of one who casts off the mantle of modesty.” [Suyuti, Al-Jami` As-Saghir, 2/519, from Bayhaqi.] Expiation for ghibah The backbiter has committed two infringements; one upon the limits of Allah, and this must be expiated by repentance and regret. The second is on the rights of his brothers/sisters. If news of the backbiting has reached the person, the backbiter must apologize to him/her, and express regret at having said it. “Whoever has wronged his brother, in the way of property or honor, let him go to him and repair it, before it is taken [from him on a day] when he has no dirhams or dinars, such thatif he has any good deeds, some of the good deeds will be taken and given to [the wronged one], otherwise [if he has no good deeds], some of the other’s evil deeds will be taken and cast upon him.” [Bukhari, Al-Mazalim, 5/121, #2449. Ahmad, Al-Musnad, 2/435] If the person has not learned that he has been backbited, then the backbiter need not tell him, but he should ask Allah to forgive him. “The expiation with regard to one who has been backbited is that forgiveness be asked for him.” [Suyuti, Al-Jami` As-Saghir, 2/390, #6259] Mujahid said : the expiation for eating the flesh of your brother is that you praise him and pray for good for him, and similar is the case if he has died. On Backbiting non-Muslims In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Who sent His messenger with the Guidance and the religion of truth, in order that He might make it prevail over all religions, though the pagans may be averse. Blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, who was sent to perfect the noble traits of character. To proceed : May Allah guide you to felicity! You have asked about the permissibility of a Muslim’s backbiting a non-Muslim. A possible source of confusion here is that the Qur’anic verse prohibiting backbiting is addressed to the believers, and says, in translation, ‘O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed, some suspicions are a sin. And do not spy, nor backbite one another.’ [Qur’an, 49:12] Hence, one may mistakenly conclude that backbiting non-Muslims is permissible. However, one should beware of relying on first impressions, and especially in matters related to the Sacred Law, one should refrain from pronouncing one’s own, unlearned opinion on a matter based on one’s own impressions. The Qur’anic and hadith texts prohibiting speaking without knowledge, and censuring those who pronounce verdicts (fatwa) rashly, are numerous, and we will not mention them here. The verdict here requires consideration of the evidence and texts in their totality, for only such can yield a full picture of the situation. Firstly, the fact that the address is made to the Muslims, rather than to mankind in general, is understandable when one takes into consideration that the unbelievers, although also subject to all of Allah’s commands, and technically obligated to follow them, (as evidenced by the clear texts of the Qur’an, and backed by the consensus of Muslim scholars) are first and foremost called upon to believe. This is because rectitude of doctrine is a prerequisite for the acceptability of a good deed, and without belief in Allah and all His Messengers, deeds are rendered worthless, like floating dust or scattered ashes, not earning their doer any reward in the Hereafter. It is only by accepting the message of Allah, and all his Prophets, that one can ‘validate’ one’s good deeds so as to earn reward for them in the Hereafter. This includes those who followed the message of a previous Prophet, and they shall receive a double reward upon embracing the Final Message. `Those to whom We gave the book before it, they believe in it. And, when it is recited to them, they say, ‘We believe in it. Indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, we were, [even] before it, Muslims’. They will be given their reward twofold, because they persevered.’ [Qur’an, 28:52-54] Furthermore, there are some orders and prohibitions (or all, according to the epistemology of the Ash`aris) whose goodness or baseness can be known only through scriptural communication, such that an unbeliever would not be likely to obey them without first embracing faith. That the address is made to the believers does not rule out its applicability to unbelievers; i.e. the command, `Do not backbite one another,’ does not, logically, imply a permission to backbite others. For example, Allah says, (translated), ‘O you who believe! Devour not your wealth amongst yourselves by falsehood, except if it be by trade, by mutual consent amongst yourselves.’ [Qur’an, 4:29] This verse does not give permission to consume the wealth of the Dhimmis (non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state). It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Does any of you, while reclining on his couch, imagine that Allah has prohibited only that which is to be found in this Qur’an? By Allah, I have preached, commanded and prohibited various matters as numerous as that which is found in the Qur’an, or more numerous. Allah has not permitted you to enter the houses of the people of the Book without permission, nor to beat their women, nor to eat their fruits when they give you that [tax] which is imposed on them.’ [Narrated by Abu Dawud] And it is reported in another narration that he (peace and blessings be upon him and his Household) said: ‘Indeed, whoever wrongs a person of the contract (i.e. a Jew or a Christian), or deprecates him, or imposes upon him [something] beyond his capability, or takes anything from him without his consent, I shall be his adversary on the Day of Arising.’ [Narrated by Abu Dawud; al-Mundhiri said : it contains unknown narrators.] This latter hadith is explicit regarding the prohibition of deprecating a Dhimmi, but its isnad contains weakness, and so it cannot be used as a proof. However, the evidences to follow establish the prohibition of backbiting, and in their light, the above hadith can serve as supporting evidence. The human being should realize that all his/her words are witnessed by Allah, and recorded by the angelic scribes. ‘He does not utter a [single] word, except that there is, with him, [an angel] watching and waiting [to record it].’ [Qur’an, 50:18] Imam al-Nawawi says, ‘It is obligatory for every sane adult to guard his tongue against talking, except when it contains a clear benefit. If talking and remaining silent are of equal benefit, it is sunnah to abstain, for permissible talking might lead to something undesirable or forbidden, as in fact is very often the case, and nothing matches safety.’ Allah does not love the loud utterance of harsh/hurtful words, except by one who has been wronged. And Allah is Seeing, Hearing.’ [Qur’an, 4:148] The Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace), has said, ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say something good, or should remain silent.’ [Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah] Al-Nawawi says, ‘This hadith is quite explicit that it is imperative to not talk unless the speech is good, which is that wherein there is some benefit. If a person is in doubt as to whether there will be any benefit, then he should remain silent.’ And, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) said, ‘Treat people with good character.’ [Narrated by Tirmidhi, who said it is a good hadith; Nawawi quoted it in his ‘Forty Hadith.’] The Muslim is not insulting, nor cursing, nor obscene, nor shameless. [Riyad al-Salihin] From the above Qur’anic and hadith texts, it becomes clear that a Muslim should only speak if there is some benefit in his words, and in particular, it does not become him to engage in harsh or hurtful speech. This forms a basis for not engaging in backbiting, even if it be against a non-Muslim. If we consider the underlying reasons and implications of this, our idea is reinforced. The motive for backbiting is often anger and a thirst for revenge, whereas the believer is supposed to control his anger. Or, it may be intended to degrade the one being backbited and to thereby exalt oneself, which tends to indicate a feeling of arrogance, and arrogance is prohibited by clear scriptural texts. Furthermore, the enmity and other such bad consequences of backbiting are detrimental to society and its smooth functioning. In general, a Muslim is supposed to deal well with people, except if there is some justifying misconduct from the opposite party. ‘Allah does not prohibit you from being kind and equitable to those who have not fought you on account of your religion, nor driven you from your homes. And Allah loves those who are equitable.’ [Qur’an, 60:8] Al-Haskafi, the Hanafi jurist, says in “al-Durr al-Mukhtar,” about the dhimmi, “Backbiting him is prohibited, just like [backbiting a Muslim].” Ibn `Abidin remarks in his marginal annotations “Hashiyat Radd al-Muhtar,” And, it has been said : Backbiting a dhimmi is more severe [than backbiting a Muslim].” All this having been said, it should be pointed out that although backbiting in general is prohibited, there are certain circumstances which make it permissible. At this point, it is useful to distinguish between two types of misdemeanors and sins of unbelievers : deeds which they do openly and shamelessly, because they maintain that they are permissible according to their religion, or because they have little modesty or concern for public opinion. Mentioning such misdeeds of an unbeliever is not considered backbiting, just as in the case of a sinful Muslim who sins in public with impunity. evil deeds which they do covertly and in hiding, due to their admitting their evil nature. It is not permissible to backbite them regarding these. Backbiting a non-Muslim is also permissible in the other cases where backbiting a Muslim is justified, viz. To redress an injustice, to seek help to change an evil, asking for a fatwa, accepted nicknames, and warning people against evil. We conclude with the following hadith, which mentions the punishment for backbiting people (without distinguishing between believers and unbelievers; it therefore serves as support for the verdict we have mentioned). Abu Dawud has reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘When I was taken up to heaven (i.e. during the Mi`raj) I passed by people who had nails of copper with which they were scratching their faces and their breasts. I said, ‘Who are these [people], O Gabriel?’ He replied: ‘They are those who consumed the flesh of people [i.e. backbite them] and aspersed their honor.’ And Allah, the Exalted knows best. Source

Faqihul Ummah: Backbiting Summary of Letter: باسمه تعالى Respected Mufti Saheb السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته . . . I have acquired an extremely evil habit of backbiting. I also quickly start thinking ill of others. Kindly help me to overcome this malady. Summary of Reply: باسمه تعالى Respected Brother/Sister السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته A person generally indulges in backbiting others and thinks ill of them because he regards them as an opposition. However, in the process he transfers all his good deeds to the one who he thought ill of or who he had made gheebat of. Consider what utter foolishness this is? The one whom one is angry with, one transfers one’s good deeds to the very person by backbiting him. Does one give such a person (whom one is annoyed with) one’s wealth and material belongings? Never. Then how is one suddenly prepared to give away one’s good deeds to him on the day of Qiyamah and become destitute? Ponder over this deeply and repeatedly until it firmly settles into the recesses of the heart. May Allah Ta’ala grant you and I the ability to practice. (Maktoobaat - vol.1, pg.137)

WORSE THAN ZINAA The extent to which the Shariah detests the extremely abhorrent crime of zina is evident from the punishment that has been stipulated for it. An unmarried person found guilty of this crime will be given eighty lashes. A married person will be stoned to death. Aside from the Shar’i punishment, every straight thinking person abhors this evil totally. If the person guilty of this evil is exposed, he becomes disgraced in society. The parents of such a person, who has been exposed, will not have the courage to face society. Yes. Zina is a terrible deed. Everybody rightly regards it as such. However, there is something worse than zina. It is worse than that evil which is punishable with eighty lashes or stoning to death. It has been declared to be worse by none other than Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Yet, despite the fact that it is worse than zina, it goes on all the time. The whole family engages in it together. It is a favourite past time for many. It continues even in the Musjid. It does not even stop in Ramadhaan. People indulge in it even while sitting directly in front of the Ka’ba Shareef. The camps of Mina and the plains of Arafaat are also not free of it . . . The list goes on and on. What, then, is this terrible sin, this ghastly deed, this disgusting evil which is worse than the most despicable crime of zina? Yet it takes place almost everywhere. It is simply the wretched act of . . . GHEEBAT (backbiting). Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: “Gheebat is worse than zina” (Mishkaat). But do we regard it as such? Do we carry the same abhorrence in our hearts for gheebat as we have for zina? Does the husband stop his wife in her tracks when she indulges in the act that is worse than zina, and vice versa? Rarely does this happen. The Qur’an denounces the sin of gheebat in extremely strong terms. Allah Ta’ala asks: “Does any one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother?” Gheebat is thus akin to eating the flesh of a dead person. WHY WORSE ? Why is gheebat worse than zina? The person guilty of adultery realizes he is committing a grave sin. He even feels ashamed. Thus such a person would often quickly make sincere tawba and gain the forgiveness of Allah Ta’ala. But the one involved in gheebat feels that he is doing nothing wrong. He therefore does not even repent. In the meantime he has passed on his precious good deeds to the one he has spoken ill of. Also, gheebat is a means of creating mischief. Those who were not involved in any way in an incident or who have nothing to do with it listen to the sordid details with relish. They in turn pass it on to others until entire families and communities are engulfed in its flames. The end-result is severe fitna. Allah Ta’ala declares: “And fitna is worse than murder.” Thus the gravity of the crime of gheebat is apparent. Therefore STOP this evil. STOP passing your good deeds to those you dislike. STOP making your pet past time the discussion of the ills of your boss, employee, colleague, rival, partner, mother-in-law/daughter-in-law/other-in-laws, or any body else. Use the time to ponder over one’s own sins and weaknesses. This will be of benefit to one. Just simply put a fullstop to backbiting. You may not always be in the position to stop others. But you definitely can . . . STOP YOURSELF . . . from backbiting or listening to it. Source

WHAT IS GHEEBAT? In the Hadith Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: “Backbiting is to mention something of your fellow Muslim brother what he would dislike (that such a thing is being mentioned about him.” Somebody asked: “And what if it is true?” Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied: “If it is true you have indulged in gheebat. If it is a lie, you are guilty of slandering him” (Mishkaat). Thus the common retort to justify one’s backbiting such as “what I am saying is true!” will not negate the sin of gheebat. In fact this is gheebat in its totality.

Part Twelve Hijrah to Madinah Munawwarah: Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and his respected family, Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), eventually returned to Makkah Mukarramah from Abyssinia. They thereafter performed Hijrah to Madinah Munawwarah. When Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) arrived in Madinah Munawwarah with his respected family, he was hosted by Hazrat Aws bin Thaabit (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), the brother of Hazrat Hassaan bin Thaabit (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Usdul Ghaabah 3/216) Absence from the Battle of Badr: Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was not present for the Battle of Badr. The reason is that his respected wife, Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), who was the blessed daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), became extremely ill and was on the verge of passing away. Hence, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) instructed Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to remain with her in Madinah Munawwarah in order to attend to her. Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) eventually passed away on the same day in which the news arrived that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the Muslims were victorious in the battle against the disbelievers. On account of his deep desire to participate in the battle, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) allotted him a share of the booty and also promised him that he would enjoy the reward of those who had participated. Hence, he was equal to those who fought in the battle. (Usdul Ghaabah 3/216, Ibn Sa’d 3/41) In this regard, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) narrates, “The only reason for Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) not participating in the Battle of Badr was that he was married to the blessed daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and she was ill (at the time of the battle). Hence, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, ‘Indeed you will have the reward of one who participated in Badr as well as the booty.’” (Saheeh Bukhaari #3130)

Fatimah bintu Nasr ibn Al 'Attar Al Baghdadiyyah Question There is a narration about the modesty of a pious woman who had such haya, that she never left her house except on three occasions (Her birth, when she got married and her janazah) I am unsure about her name, if it was Fatimah Al Baghdadiyyah or another person What is the source of this report and the identity of the righteous woman? Answer This was indeed Fatimah bintu Nasr ibn Al 'Attar Al Baghdadiyyah. She was known to be extremely pious. 'Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) writes, 'Her brother said: 'She only left the house thrice in her entire lifetime' (Tarikhul Islam, vol. 23 pg. 526, Al Bidayah Wan Nihayah, vol. 14 pg. 284/285) And Allah Ta'ala Knows best. Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers.com

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Imam Baqy Ibn Makhlad (rahimahullah); A True Student Imam Baqy ibn Makhlad al Andulusy (rahimahullah) was born in Spain and he passed away there as well. He was born in the year 201 A.H. and passed away in 276 A.H. At the age of 20 he traveled to Baghdad on foot for the sole purpose of meeting Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahullah) He relates: “When I drew near to Baghdad, I heard of the sanction on Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) and that he was banned from having any lessons. I became extremely saddened by this. After reaching Baghdad I went to the Masjid in search of some gathering of learning. I was shown a huge gathering wherein someone was authenticating people. He was mentioning the categories of the various narrators of Hadith. Upon enquiry I was told that this was Imam Yahya ibn Ma’in (rahimahullah) I then saw a gap near him and went closer and asked: “O Abu Zakariyya ! May Allah have mercy on you, I am a traveler and very far away from home. I wish to ask you a question so please do not refuse me”. He said to me: “Go ahead”. I enquired from him about a few of people that I had met from the As-habul Hadith (seekers of Hadith). Some of them he authorised and some he unauthorised… Then I said to him: “Can I seek your authorisation of Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal?” He looked at me astonished and said: “Can a person like me be asked about Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahullah)?! Verily that is the leader of all the Muslims and the best and most exalted of them”. I then went out in search of the house of Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah). I tapped on the door. When he came out he saw a man who he did not recognize. I said to him: “O Abu Abdillah! I am a man who is far away from his home and this is my first time in this town. I am a student of Hadith and I have undertaken this journey specially to benefit from you”. He said to me: “Come to the passage so nobody sees you”. He then asked me: “Where are you from?” I replied: “From the far West” he asked: “From Africa?” I replied: “Further than that. I have to cross the sea to go to Africa, I am from Spain”. He said: “Your country is very far off . Nothing is more beloved to me than to assist a person like you but I have been afflicted with the sanctions that you my have heard of ” I said: “Of course, I heard of it whilst I was near Baghdad, but O Abu Abdillah! This is the first time I have come here. Nobody knows me so if you permit I will come every day in the clothes of a beggar and call out at the door like they normally call out. Then you could come to this passage and if you narrate to me only one Hadith a day it would be sufficient for me”. He replied: “Yes on condition that you do not go to any other gathering or halaqah (gathering) of the As-habul hadith”. I said: “As you wish “. So I use to take a stick in my hand, wrap a cloth on my head, put my paper and ink in my sleeve and come to his door and call out like the beggars would call out. Then he would come to the passage and narrate to me two or three Hadiths and sometimes even more. In this manner I collected approximately 300 Hadiths. I did this till the end of the sanctions and till Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) regained his status in the eyes of the people. Whenever I would attend his gathering later on, he would keep me close to him and he would say to the As-habul Hadith: “This person is fit to be called a student of Hadith”. Then he would narrate to them my experience with him”. Imam Abul Walid Al-Faradhy (rahimahullah) says: “Imam Baqy ibn Makhlad (rahimahullah) use to say: “Verily I know a man (referring to himself) who days use to pass by during his student-hood and he would not have food to eat except cabbage leaves that would be thrown away as garbage.” He once said to his students: “Are you’ll seeking ‘ilm (knowledge), is this the way to seek ‘ilm?!! Only when one of you does not have anything to do does he think of seeking knowledge! verily I know a man (referring to himself) who days use to pass by during his student days and he would not have anything to eat but the cabbage leaves that people use to throw on the streets! And certainly I know a man who sold his pants many a times to buy pages for writing!!! Extracted from the book: صفحات من صبر العلماء على شدائد العلم والتحصيل “Incidents of the sacrifices of the ‘Ulama in their quest for knowledge” By Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (rahimahullah) Lessons to be acquired from the incident of this “genuine student of Din”: The manner in which he plotted to benefit from the vast knowledge of Imam Ahnad (rahimahullah) despite those very delicate circumstances. His long sojourn of hundreds of miles from Spain to Baghdad for this purpose. His tolerance of extreme poverty in the path of acquiring knowledge. Let us try and emulate these great ‘Ulama to some extent in their manner of seeking knowledge. It is said that Imam Baqy ibn Makhlad (rahimahullah) had compiled a very large and comprehensive work on Hadith but unfortunately its whereabouts are unknown today. May Allah Ta’ala make it easy to locate this magnificent piece of work of Imam Baqy ibn Makhlad (rahimahullah) (amin) al-miftah

HOW CAN I BRING MY SIBLINGS ONTO DEEN? Question: I have a question regarding practice of Deen. My siblings have stopped praying salaah and deeni activities for two years. Both of them are Haafiz. It might be that because of all the expectations and judgements that the Muslim community has put on them. No matter what they do no one seems to be happy with them. If my brothers didn’t go to the masjid my dad wouldn’t talk to them for days. I know that my parents were only ever trying to help and nurture us, but sometimes things did get too extreme. I'm scared that if we pressure them too much it will only drive them further away from Deen. Please help me. Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Sister-in-Islam, We take note of the contents of your email. It is encouraging to note your passion for Deen and your desire to help your siblings become better Muslims. Make Allāh Ta`ālā help you fulfill this endeavor. Ameen. Rasulullah Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam has stated in a Hadith, الشَّبَابَ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ Translation: Adolescence is a branch of insanity.1 Masha-Allah, you realize the importance of helping your brothers overcome the challenges they are currently facing and Insha-Allah your effort will not go in vain. Be confident that by the Will of Allah you will be able to help them. A person in his youth faces many challenges from biological to financial, from family to social. The different feelings tend to cloud their rationale and they end up making serious mistakes. If they are not carefully handled, the mistakes could develop into perpetual habits and thus aggravating the problem. It is the responsibility of seniors to bring balance in their lives and use diplomacy and wisdom in doing so. What you state regarding your siblings is a typical conduct of a youth. We advise you to adopt the following ways: · Speak to them with a soft tone, respect and dignity. They may feel they deserve to be talked to with respect and not be scolded at every time. · Keep a very friendly and positive attitude towards them and hopefully this will soften their hearts towards you and they will be more willing to listen to you. Allow them to confide in you and share their sentiments with you; · It may be that your siblings feel lonely, deserted and abandoned. Spend quality time with them and bond with them. · Encourage them with wisdom and remind them that the doors of mercy are always open and true happiness lies in the Akhirah. · You seem to have a very good relationship with your parents. Try to contribute to a change in your parent’s mindset. Consider the following advice narrated by Faqeehul Ummah Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Saheb Gangohi Rahimahullah of Hazrat Moulana Maseehullah Khan Saheb Rahimahullah, Nowadays parents should behave towards their children as children. Father should act as a son; not with the awe and fear of yesteryear. He should deal with love, tenderness and affection…. ‘Son it is time for the meals.... son it is time for bed, etc. These are all request; as if one brother is talking to another; for the era of dictating and commanding are over (Ashraf’s Blessings, Page 369) · While you may witness them demonstrating unsuitable behaviour and reacting unjustifiably, console them and show your sisterly love and affection to them. Try to diagnose the cause of their behaviour. · Spend family time together for example, have meals together and have common and light hearted conversations. · Also go out as a family and spend quality time. · Most important of all, family members should show love and affection to each other. · Turn to Allah and make Dua for love and muhabbat in the family. Request your parents to do the same as well. Through patience and perseverance, your siblings will come around and learn to establish a strong connection with Allah Ta'ālā. Insha Allāh. Keep hope in Allah and your efforts will be appreciated by Allah. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Huzaifah Deedat Student Darul Iftaa Lusaka, Zambia Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. ___________________ مسند الشهاب القضاعي- مؤسسة الرسالة (1/ 100) 1 أَخْبَرَنَا الْقَاضِي أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ الْكَرِيمِ بْنُ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ الْمُقَدَّمُ ذِكْرُهُ فِي الْجُزْءِ الْأَوَّلِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الْخُطْبَةِ الطَّوِيلَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا «الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ» ، وَمَا ذَكَرَ مَعَهُ اعتلال القلوب للخرائطي- نزار مصطفى الباز (1/ 103) حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ غَالِبٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْمَدَنِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْجُهَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ حِبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ المقاصد الحسنة (ص: 401)- دار الكتاب العربي حَدِيث: الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ حِبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ، أبو نُعيم في الحلية عن عبد الرحمن بن عابس، وابن لال عن ابن مسعود، والديلمي عن عبد اللَّه بن عامر في حديث طويل، والتيمي في ترغيبه عن زيد بن خالد، كلهم مرفوعا به، وحبالة بالكسر هو ما يصاد به من أي شيء كان، وجمعه حبائل، والرواية به أكثر أي مصائده، ولا ينافيه ما روينا عن سفيان الثوري من قوله: يا معشر الشباب عليكم بقيام الليل، فإنما الخير في الشباب، لكونه محلا للقوة، والنشاط غالبا، ومن شواهد الحديث: عجب ربك من شاب ليست له صبوة، وسيأتي الجامع الصغير وزيادته (ص: 7171، بترقيم الشاملة آليا) الخرائطي فِي اعتلال الْقُلُوب) عَن زيد بن خالد الجهني.( الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الجُنُونِ وَالنِّسَاءُ حُبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ

Sayyiduna Muaawiya Radhiyallahu Anhu STATUS AND PERSONALITY The Sahabah Kirām are those eminent people concerning whom Almighty Allah has declared his eternal satisfaction and blessings in the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, anyone who challenges the honour and status of these great souls has indeed challenged the decree of Almighty Allah. 1. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "Do not revile my companions. By (Allah) in Whose Hand my soul is! If any one of you spends gold (piled up) like (mount) 'Uhud it will not equal to a pint of their charity, nor its half." (Muslim) 2. Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Umar Radhiyallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "When you see anybody reviling and cursing my companions, you must say, 'May Allah's curse be upon your mischief and malice'." (Tirmidhi) 3. Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal Radhiyallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallamsaid, "Fear Allah in every matter concerning my Companions. Do not make them the targets (of your criticism) after me. Whoever loves them, loves them out of love for me, and whoever hates them, hates them out of hatred for me. Whoever harms them has indeed harmed me and whoever harms me has harmed Allah; and whoever harms Allah, it is imminent that Allah will seize him." (Tirmidhi) Whilst the collective sacrifices and favours of the Sahābah upon the Ummah are innumerable, some individuals from this shining galaxy excelled in their services to the Deen of Allah and especially to the Ummah more than others. Amongst these champions of Islam was Amir Muāwiyyah Ibn Abi Sufyan Radhiyallahu Anhu, whose status and prestige in the blessed court of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam was such that he was amongst those elite companions to whom the magnanimous task of preserving the divine revelation of the Qur’an in written form was entrusted. GLAD TIDINGS FROM THE BLESSED LIPS OF RASŪLULLAH SALLALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM The love and affection which the beloved Rasūl of Allah had for him may be gauged from the following supplications and incidents: Once Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam supplicated, “O Allah! Make Muāwiyyah a means of guidance, make him one who is on guidance and bless people with guidance through him.” (Tirmidhi) On another occasion Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam sat on his camel and asked Hadhrat Muāwiyyah Radhiyallahu Anhu to sit behind him. After a while Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam remarked: Muāwiyyah! Which part of your body is touching with mine?” He answered: “O Rasulullah! My bosom.” Thereupon, Rasūlullah i supplicated: “O Allah! Bless him with great knowledge.” (al-Tārikh al-Islām of Imam al-Dhahabi) Once our beloved Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam made the following Dua: “O Allah! Endow Muāwiyyah with special knowledge of the Qur’an and save him from any afflictions.” (Ibn Hibbān) His sister, Ummul Mu’mineen, Ummi Habibah was the beloved wife of Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam. Once Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam came home and found that Muāwiyyah Radhiyallahu Anhu was visiting his sister. Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam asked her if she loved him, she replied that he is her brother and surely she loves him. It was on this occasion that Muāwiyyah Radhiyallahu Anhu received the following glad tidings, when the Nabi of Allah said, “Allah and his Rasūllove Muāwiyyah as well.” (al-Tabrāni) CONCLUSION Sayyiduna Muāwiyyah Radhiyallahu Anhu was a Sahābi (companion) of great stature and benevolence. Sadly, Muāwiyyah Radhiyallahu Anhu is one such individual from amongst the Sahābah whose great personality, distinguished qualities and astounding credentials have not only been ignored but arduous efforts took place in concealing his accomplishments. Most of the allegations for which he has been unjustifiably been blamed of take their roots in the difference of opinion that arose between Muāwiyyah and Ali Radhiyallahu Anhuma. We have to realize that on both sides were imminent sahabah al-Kirām, all of whom were driven by the sincere belief of the veracity of their respective causes. The preposterous accusations levelled at him have actually been promoted by antagonist Shias and baseless historical records. Unfortunately, many a time our own Muslim brethren fall prey to these cynical propagandas and in turn join the accursed group of people who vilify the chosen companions of Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam. May Almighty Allah protect us all. After the battle of Siffīn, Ali Radhiyallahu anhu said: “O people do not disregard the leadership of Muāwiyyah, for verily, if you lose him it would be as tragic as losing the limbs of your bodies.” (al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah) Qādhi Ayādhhas quoted in his al-Shifā: If we claim to revere and honour Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam, we must also respect his Sahaabah. As Muslims, it is compulsory on us to appreciate the fact that we owe them, to follow them and to ask for forgiveness on their behalf. No doubt, they had their differences but we have no right to comment on them. We must beware of the stories forges by Shias, innovators and biased historians, whose mischievous motive is to slander the sahabah al-Kirām. We must always speak of their virtues and hold our tongues from uttering any possible comment that might insult their status. May Almighty Allah protect the Ummah from the enemies of Rasūlullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam and his companions and may Allah Ta’ala bless us with sincere love for them. Ameen PREPARED BY: DARUL ULOOM ZAKARIYYA

Part Eleven The First Muslim to Perform Hijrah with his Family (continued): When Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) intended performing Hijrah to Abyssinia, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “Take Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) with you. I feel that each of you will support and encourage the other to persevere.” After a while from the time of their departure, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked Hazrat Asmaa (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the respected daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), to enquire regarding them. After enquiring, she found Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with her respected father, Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). She said, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! I received information that Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is presently travelling in the direction of the sea in the condition that his respected family, Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) is seated on a saddled donkey.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) became pleased and said, “O Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! They are the first people in the world to perform Hijrah in the path of Allah Ta‘ala after the two Ambiyaa, Nabi Lut (‘alaihis salaam) and Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam), performed Hijrah.” (Mustadrak Haakim #6849)

The Tragedy and Massacre of Ghouta Ghouta has been honoured as “the great homeland” and “one of the best towns” by the Messenger ﷺ. Don’t let its cries go unheard. Sayyiduna Abu Dardaa Radhiyallahu Anhu reports, “I heard the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam say, “The day of the great massacre [malhamatal kubra] (day of great number of deaths) is in the camp of the Muslims. In a land which is called al ghouta. Within it is a city which is said of it Damascus. The great homeland of the Muslims.” [Hakim] “The headquarters of the Muslims on will be in Ghouta on the day of al-malhama (the massacre), besides the city of Damascus is among the best towns of Ash Sham (Syria).” [Abu Dawud] A Medic's Testimony: The horrifying reality of working in Syria's Eastern Ghouta 3 APRIL 2018 • 4:44PM I don't know whether writing this is a good idea. I’m not sure whether anything I say will ever be heard – and even if my words do reach the outside world, I have no reason to believe that anything will change. But I will share my story anyway, for it is the story of every man, woman and child who once lived in this land. I was born in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, into a family who has lived here for generations. My father owns a grocery shop, which he inherited from his father before him. Family here is everything. Seven years ago, I wouldn’t have believed that one day people would die of hunger in Ghouta - Syria’s green-belt which enjoys endless sun and the richest soil in the region. People used to say that ‘nobody starves in Damascus, while the sun is shining on its gardens’. These memories are a distant reality now, a tempting dream. When the unrest erupted, I can confidently say that nobody knew where this road was going to lead, or the scale of terror that would be unleashed. At the beginning, almost every aspect of normal life ground to a halt. But this didn’t last long - we found ways to carry on living, to adapt. When schools closed, students continued learning in basements, and when hospitals were bombed, doctors performed surgery in their own homes. Everyone had a purpose, and I soon found mine – I started working in a hospital as a student doctor. It was in the emergency room (ER) that I first witnessed the cost of this war. I have seen the effect of every type of weapon on the human body, from bullets and bombs, to chemical attacks. Some days I saw a sniper’s casualties arrive one by one, and other days whole neighbourhoods or families arrived together. Sometimes there would be dozens of injured patients bleeding on the floor, waiting for us to help them. We would run between them, trying to save several at once, always trying to assess who has a chance of survival, who we should help first. When children were brought into the ER, this is where the sorrow becomes limitless. A child would be brought to hospital, small and clinging to a life that he has barely started living. He has already lost family members, even though he hasn’t yet learnt to say their names. He has lost a house he will not remember. He doesn’t understand why he’s there, why the pain is not going away, why his mother is not beside him. I’ve seen children like this every day. I remember them all, and I know them by name. There was Nour who had both of his legs amputated, and would stare at where his legs should have been, and cry. There was Abdul, who lost an arm at just eighteen months old. These are the cases that break me. I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve seen mothers crying for their lost babies, fathers collapsing at their child’s cold feet, children refusing to let go of their lifeless sibling’s hand, and people who died in anonymity with nobody to mourn them in their final moments. And yet children’s resilience and strength has always left me speechless. Children as young as seven would ask to leave the hospital after being treated, so that they can find food for their families – they would be worried that their siblings would go hungry without them. The siege began in 2013. At the time, we didn’t understand what that meant. We could not yet imagine that we would become prisoners in our own homes, or that food and water would become scarce, whilst disease became rife. A new Stone Age was forced upon us. Soon, everyone was starving, terrified and exhausted. People would farm what was left of their land and wait hungrily for the harvest season – only for the fields to be scorched by planes just before they could harvest it. We’ve seen days when the only food available to eat was the grass we used to feed our cows. Many didn’t even have that. We’ve had to endure unrelenting attacks including bombs in populated areas, the destruction of our schools and hospitals, and a devastating chemical attack that killed hundreds. Our children have been forced to abandon their childhoods. Many carry the burden of trying to make a living for their families, or having to beg on the street to bring home a piece of bread. It is a common sight to see children rummaging through rubbish, looking for something to eat. They think it’s normal to spend their lives dodging bombs, losing their homes and loved ones, or being scared and hungry. Some have gone their entire lives without going for a picnic with their family, or playing in a park. On the rare occasions that fresh fruit and biscuits reached the markets, it wasn’t a treat, but a painful reminder of everything we have lost. Our children who knew nothing but life under siege didn’t know how to peel a banana, or what chocolate tastes like. The war has changed everyone and everything in Eastern Ghouta. Things we thought we could never live without proved to be unimportant, and all our priorities have changed. Now, the first priority is to survive, and the second is to stay sane. The first is out of our control, and the second is a game of chance. But in our darkest days, we support each other. Whenever someone falls, many hands reach down to help them stand up again. In Eastern Ghouta, we have all been pushed to our limits. Everyone has lost something, or someone. And yet, everyone still clings to a precious thread of hope, as we know it is the only reason to take another breath. So we have looked after this hope the way we used to look after our olive trees – it is our last and most valuable currency. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Listening Attentively A Requisite for ‘Ilm and Hidāyah By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh The great muhaddith and faqīh, Sufyān Ibn ‘Uyaynah rahimahullāh states: The first step towards acquiring ‘ilm is istimā‘ i.e. listening attentively, then to understand, then to memorise/remember, then to act upon it and propagate. The importance of listening with full attention is the first step and an essential requisite for success in acquiring ‘ilm, which is the prerequisite to acting according to the Wishes of the Creator. It is for this reason Allāh ta‘ālā used the word istimā‘ (listening with intent) instead of sam‘ (merely to listen with or without intention), followed by the word insāt (to become silent), when stating the adab of listening to the Qur’ān in the following verse: When the Qur’ān is recited, listen to it attentively and be silent, so that you may be showered with mercy. (7:204) Allāh ta‘ālā has promised to bestow His Mercy upon those who listen attentively, which will manifest in the form of the ability to abstain from wrong and engage in good deeds. Allāh ta‘ālā states: ..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). (39:18) The importance of istimā‘ can be further understood by how Allāh ta‘ālā addressed Mūsā ‘alayhis salām when sending revelation to him. Allāh ta‘ālā states: I have chosen you (for prophethood), so listen attentively to what is revealed. (20:13) The commentators of the Qur’ān have mentioned that when Mūsā ‘alayhis salām was commanded that he should listen attentively to what is revealed to him, he stood on a rock, leaning against another, placed his right hand over his left, dropped his chin on his chest and stood listening attentively. From the above it is clear how important it is to listen attentively when seeking knowledge or listening to a discourse: only those people will genuinely benefit who listen attentively with sound understanding. How to Listen Attentively The pious predecessors have defined the term istimā‘ in detail. Wahb Ibn Munabbih rahimahullāh further explains the essence of istimā‘ by stating that it comprises of the following: a. Keeping the body motionless. A person should not engage any part of his body in anything whilst listening. He should become motionless. Fidgeting, playing around with clothes and other such actions dilute the concentration one needs when listening to religious discourses and lessons. The Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, when in the company of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, would sit so still that they were described with the phrase, “as if birds were sitting on their heads.” If a bird was to sit on a person and he desired that it does not fly away, he will need to be extremely still. This was the condition of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum whilst sitting in the company of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and listening to him. b. Lowering the gaze. In essence, lowering the gaze means that one should not be distracted by anything and be totally focused towards the lesson being imparted. Hence, a person needs to abstain from looking here and there. Focussing in a manner which will prevent one from being distracted is essential to listening attentively. This can be achieved by either looking down or at the speaker. Furthermore, it portrays interest to the speaker which will further enhance the quality of delivery. c. Attention of the ears. During the discourse or lesson, a person should lend his ears only to the speaker. d. Attention of the mind. Whilst listening, the mind should also be alert and attentive. Being preoccupied or thinking about other things will be a hindrance in giving the required attention. It is for this reason students are advised to disengage from all such activities and devices which occupy the mind. e. Firm intention to act. If a person does not intend to act upon the knowledge being imparted, his attention will not always be completely focused. Having a firm intention to practice will motivate a person to focus on everything being said. When a person adopts such a manner of listening then he will fulfil the requisites of istimā‘ and gain the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā will in return, grant him the correct understanding of knowledge and enlighten his heart with a special Nūr. Consequently, he will become from those who have been guided and granted a deep level of understanding, i.e. wisdom, as stated in the verse of the Glorious Qur’ān: ..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). [39:18] May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to implement the act of listening attentively so that we may acquire true benefit from religious discourses and lessons. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 9, September 2016)

Q. Assalamu alaykum I would like to know the ruling on a woman sitting to read salaah in the latter stages of her pregnancy? Is it allowed? (Question published as received) A. In general, a pregnant woman is not exempt from standing and performing Salaah. However, if a pregnant woman experiences severe difficulty in making Qiyaam (standing) and/or Ruku and Sajdah, then she may sit and perform Salaah, irrespective if this occurs during the early or latter stages of pregnancy. (Tahtaawi Ala Maraaqil Falaah 1/400/1) 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)

Question and Answer: Q. As is common knowledge there are many ahadith with regard to importance and the obligation of keeping family ties in Islam. Does this also apply with regard to all in-laws such as keeping family ties with father in law , mother in law, brother in law, sister in law, son in law, daughter in law etc. Are the keeping of such ties obligatory on a Muslim and/or If such ties are broken will it earn the displeasure of Allah Rabbul Aalameen. And does it apply to the one who breaks such ties or to all parties concerned. Also this does not create a good environment and makes it difficult for the family member that is married to maintain good family ties. Also what does keeping family ties actually entail. Understandably the relationship is not the same as a blood relationship. Merely greeting for the sake of doing so when meeting by chance or at a function for the sake of pretense in public and avoiding the inlaws as far as possible. Does that mean the ties are broken or maintained. Jazaak Allah Khair, Your Brother in Islam. (Question shortened and published) A. The obligation of maintaining family ties does not extend to one’s in-laws. It rather refers to one’s own family. Nonetheless, a good relationship with one’s in-laws is still important as it impacts on the husband’s relationship with his wife and his children. If the relationship with the in-laws sours then the marriage will not be left unscathed. In most relations in life, a level of patience and tolerance is required. Life is not hiccup-free. When considering the issues you have with your in-laws and how to deal with them, reverse the situation in your mind and imagine your wife in your position having to deal with the same issues with your family. The manner in which you think it appropriate for her to deal with your family is the manner in which you should deal with your in-laws (Do note that a man's sister-in-law is not his Mahram, hence purdah should be maintained between them.) At the end of the day, we all are human which, by default, means that we are flawed. Hence, it is to be expected that someone would say or do something inappropriate or behave in an unbecoming manner. When Allah Ta'ala speaks of the righteous, He says, “Those who give (in charity) in times of both ease and hardship, those who suppress their anger and forgive others; and Allah loves those who do good.” (Surah 3, Verse 134) In this verse, there is a subtle indication that we will be faced with situations that anger and infuriate us, that try our patience and that we will have to deal with people who will offend us. For only if this happens will we be able to gain the virtue of suppressing our anger and forgiving others. We should also consider that our in-laws have given their daughter and their sister to be under our care, to be of assistance to us, to be our partners and faithful companions and to be the mothers of our children. They will be the grandparents, uncles and aunts of our children who will love and care for them. If we cannot have patience with our in-laws and forgive their mistakes, then who will have patience with and who will we forgive? Yes, there are times when the situation becomes really intolerable and to associate with our in-laws only results in misery. In such situations, a cooling of relations is in order and a superficial relationship of merely greeting and exchanging pleasantries when necessary is acceptable. But this is generally not the case. We must ask ourselves, how much have we implemented patience and forgiveness in our relationships with them? Unfortunately, there are many people who are quick to anger and slow to forgive. Yet, the Sunnah of our beloved master, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam was that he was slow to anger and quick to forgive; a practice that everyone of us, husbands, wives and in-laws, should strive to inculcate in our lives. If we do this, then we will undoubtedly save many marriages from the problems and heartache that they currently face. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Moosa Salie Confirmation: Mufti Ismaeel Bassa (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

Advice to daughter in law

Advice to Mother in law

Ibn Majah, ad-Daraqutnee and others. It was also related by Malik in al-Muwatta This Hadith of our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلّم tells us we should not be the cause of any harm and nor should it be reciprocated. It is not just physically harming people but includes every form of harm. Wasiyyah (will) – if a person has some money and he wants to give it to someone who is no related to him. He is allowed but he must not exceed the limits (one third). If he exceeds the limits, he will cause harm to the immediate inheritors. Marriage and relationship between husband and wife. As stated in Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 231 – someone divorces his wife and then he reconciles with her, but his intention in reconciliation is so that he can cause her harm. · Traveling or being away from the family for a long time and without a good reason – this can cause harm to the wife and family. Breastfeeding – in the case of divorce, the husband tries to take the baby away from the mother and not allow her to feed him. This is prohibited. [See Surah Al-Baqarah : Ayah 233] Selling and trading – when someone is in great need of something, the seller (who knows this) sells him at a very high price – this is not allowed. Someone who wants to buy is not good at bargaining, and because of this the seller sells at a very high price, more than it is worth. Burning rubbish on your property on a windy day. This will cause harm to your neighbours. It may cause harm to the environment and the people in the neighbouring countries. This kind of harm should be brought to an end. Building a high building, as mentioned above. Building a high building where it will obstruct air, sunlight, and moonlight, is not allowed because it will cause harm. Digging a well that will cause damage to the well of one’s neighbour. If one needs to dig a well, he should position it a little further away from his neighbour’s. Behaving on one’s property in a way that will harm his neighbours. Causing bad smell to spread from one’s property to his neighbours.

Part Ten The First Muslim to Perform Hijrah with his Family: Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had left for Abyssinia, performing Hijrah with his respected wife, Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the blessed daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). News of their condition was delayed, and hence Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) became concerned and would come out of Makkah Mukarramah, seeking information in their regard. Eventually, a woman came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and gave him information regarding them. On this occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) remarked, “Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is the first person to perform Hijrah in the path of Allah Ta‘ala with his family after Nabi Lut (‘alaihis salaam).” (Majma’uz Zawaa’id #14498) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Rules of Salaah for a Musaafir (traveller) Q. As -Salaam-Hu-Allaikum Can u please explain to me how do I perform my salaat when I'm travelling and when I get to a destination and stay there less than 15days,Jazakallah . KIND REGARDS (Question published as received) A. A person who intends to travel a distance of 78 kilometres or 48 miles or more (from the boundaries of one’s city/town) is categorized as a Musaafir (traveller). If a Musaafir (traveller) intends to remain at a destination for less than fifteen days, he will also be categorized as a Musaafir (traveller). However, if a Musaafir (traveller) intends to remain at a destination for fifteen days or more, he will only be categorized as a Musaafir (traveller) during his journey. Once he reaches his destination, he will not be categorized as a Musaafir (traveller). As such, if you intend to travel a distance of 78 kilometres or 48 miles or more and stay at a destination for less than fifteen days, you will be categorized as a Musaafir (traveller) during your journey and once you reach your destination. A Musaafir (traveller) will make Qasr i.e. perform two Rakaats of Fardh Salaah instead of a four Rakaats Fardh Salaah. Qasr will be made in the Fardh Salaahs of Zuhr, Asr and Esha Salaahs. There is no Qasr in the Fardh Salaahs of Fajr and Maghrib Salaahs. Similarly, there is no Qasr in Witr, Sunnah and Nafl Salaahs. The Sunnah and Nafl Salaahs should be performed if a person is not in a hurry whilst travelling. (Nurul Idaah 99-102) 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)

The Effects of Company Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned Among the most disastrous elements in this path of sulook is company. It is so detrimental that it can take one to the lowest of the low. Company and association is not restricted to just friends and people. It also refers to the things that we read or hear. Many a times a person’s mind is covered with doubts or his thoughts are scattered after reading an article, or listening to a programme or after seeing a picture. These should not be treated as insignificant. In fact, when it happens for the first time, then such articles etc. should be discarded. Some say that it isn’t a ‘train smash’. Yes, it’s not a train smash, it’s a ‘brain smash’, for this person is now perpetually troubled by these doubts and confounding thoughts. ihyauddeen.co.za