ummtaalib

Wet hand do not contract impurity from impure garments unless the hand comes into direct contact with Najaasat. Question My clothes was napaak (ritually impure). I touched my clothes and my body was sweaty. I then touched another object and think that the sweat passed onto that object. Before I could clean that object, somebody else touched this object. And they touched this object with sweathy/wet hands becuase they came out of the bathroom. How far does the najis (impurity) go. The clothes, my hands, and the object are now cleaned, but that person is going everywhere touching things, washing his hands, etc. Is the najaasat continuing? Answer Your hands did not become Naapaak, nor the object that you touched afterwards. The other person’s hands also did not become Naapaak. There is no need to delve into matters of cleanliness and impurity with a fine-tooth comb. Shari’ah has made it easy. A moist or sweaty hand does not contract impurity from impure garments unless the hand comes into direct contact with Najaasat. Mufti Siraj Desai Askmufti.co.za Source

A Decision cannot be based on Doubt / Suspicion

Visibility of traces of filth

Istishab al-wasf Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless Misgivings (waswasa)

Many people suffer from doubts regarding purity which makes it very difficult and opens doors to the whisperings of Shaytaan. Once the problem is recognised and correct guidance is sought from qualified scholars and thereafter acted upon, Inshaa-allah the doubts can be overcome. Here under we will try to compile information which we pray becomes beneficial to sufferers of doubts regarding purity . Post 2. Istishab al-wasf & Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless Misgivings (waswasa) Post 3. Visibility of traces of filth Post 4. A Decision cannot be based on doubt Post 5. Wet hand do not contract impurity from impure garments unless the hand comes into direct contact with Najaasat. Post 6. Dried Impurity Post 7. Touching Impurity & Wudhu Post 8. Purifying clothes Post 9. Purifying Items Post 10. Wash only that part which is oiled with impurity Post 11. Stepping in a Puddle Post 12. Religion is Easy. Do not make it difficult

Friends By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh It is very important for every Muslim to make sure that his choice of friends and the company he keeps is correct. It has been proven through experience that the habits and behaviour of friends and associates slowly enter into an individual. Without realising, a person begins to adopt the style and behaviour of his friends. We are all witnesses to this fact. Sadly, I can recall many incidents where those who were pious, religious and good in character lost all of their good qualities because they kept bad company and associated with an inappropriate circle of friends. I have also seen others who were drowning in sins and evil, who underwent a complete revolution in their lives after adopting the company of a pious person of high moral standards. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam advised, A person is on the way of his friend. Therefore he should think very carefully whom he is making a friend. (At-Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, Ahmad) Sincere Friends We need friends who are sincere, genuine and, true in their friendship. Those who care for our well-being from every aspect are true friends. Those who have concern not only for the needs of this temporary life but also for the requirements of our everlasting life are our real friends. Allāh is Sufficient for Love There is only one Supreme Being Who is worthy of 'true' love and friendship and this is Allāh ta‘ālā. For love and friendship, He alone is enough. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam commented, If I were to take a khalīl (intimate friend) other than my Lord, I would have taken Abū Bakr. (Al-Bukhārī) Here, despite such close ties and such a strong bond of friendship with Sayyidunā Abū Bakr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam explains that the highest level of intimacy is reserved only for Allāh ta‘ālā. However, when one becomes engrossed in Divine love and then in the light of this love, one befriends and loves somebody, then inshā’allāh this form of friendship will prove beneficial in both worlds. This is an extract from the booklet ‘Friendship & our Young Generation’ published by the Islāmic Da'wah Academy

A Few Lessons on Adab (Respect) It is a famous statement of the ‘Ulama: Those who succeeded did so through their adab (respect) and those who failed did so because of the lack of respect” (Adabul ikhtilaf fi masailil ‘lmi wad din, pg.192) قال الإمام الزرنوجي رحمه الله ما وصل من وصل إلا بالحرمة، وما سقط من سقط إلا بترك الحرمة (Ta’limul Muta’allim of Imam Zarnuji (rahimahullah), pg.46, ibid) Here are a few examples of those who succeeded: Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) said: ما مددت رجلي نحو دار أستاذي حماد بن أبي سليمان إجلالاً له، وكان بين داره وداري سبع سكك “I never stretched my leg in the direction of the house of my teacher, Hammad ibn Abi Sulaiman, although I was seven blocks away from his house” (‘Uqudul Jumman; Adabul Ikhtilaf fi masailil ‘ilmi wad din, pg. 172 and Ma’alim irshadiyyah, pg.172) Imam Shafi’i (rahimahullah) says: “When I arrived in Madinah, I saw the reverence and awe that Imam Malik (rahimahullah) commanded. This increased my respect for him to an extent that at times while in his presence I would turn the page as gently as possible out of fear that I may disturb him” (ibid) The student of Imam Shafi’i; Imam Rabi’ ibn Sulaiman (rahimahumallah) says: “By Allah! I had such respect for Imam Shafi’i that I never had the courage to even drink water in his presence.” (ibid) This reminds me of a narration in Sahih Muslim (Hadith:317) in which Sayyiduna ‘Amr ibn ‘As (radiyallahu ‘anhu) states: “I never stared at the face of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) out of awe for him, and therefore cannot describe him fully” The Ripple effect My Esteemed Teacher, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him) writes: “Those who sit in the company of the ‘Ulama will definitely learn to respect them” “One who never acquired knowledge from the ‘Ulama, and didn’t spend abundant time with them, and hasn’t learnt how to respect them, how could he understand the value of the ‘Ulama?! For such a person to speak or write against the ‘Ulama in a disrespectful manner is not surprising..” (Adabul ikhtilaf, pg.172 and Ma’alim irshadiyyah, pg.172) It is therefore imperative for us stick to the company of dignified people, or else we risk losing our own respect. Respect for their associates Imam Zarnuji (rahimahullah) writes: “Part of respect for one’s teacher is to show respect to the teacher’s children and other associates. The author of Al-Hidayah (A higher book of Hanafi fiqh) mentioned that one of the ‘Ulama of Bukhara was seated in the masjid while delivering a lesson. During the lesson he kept standing for short intervals. When he was asked about this he replied: “My Teachers’ son is playing with other kids on the road and he sometimes runs past the door of the Masjid, so I stand for him out of respect for my teacher!” (Ta’limul Muta’allim; see Ma’alim Irshadiyyah of Shaykh ‘Awwamah, pg. 232 and Husn Adab of Moulana Habibur Rahman Al-A’zami) A Recent Lesson The following incident is among the first lessons of adab that I learnt from my Respected Teacher, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah allow me to continue benefiting from him): “I (Shaykh ‘Awwamah) once visited the late Mufti Mahmudul Hasan Al Gangohi (rahimahullah) when he was visiting Madinah Munawwarah. As the time of Magrib salah got closer, someone asked Mufti Mahmud (rahimahullah) if he needed to perform wudu before the salah. Mufti sahib (rahimahullah) replied: كيف أجالس هذا العالم وأنا على غير وضوء؟ How could I sit in the company of this ‘Alim without already being in the state of wudu?! After relating this, Shaykh (may Allah protect him) expressed his humility saying: “I don’t deserve this but look at the respect of this senior ‘Alim.” Note It was a common habit of my Honourable Teacher to personally visit the senior ‘Ulama whenever he learnt of their arrival in Madinah Munawwarah. Despite him being a senior himself… Even the Animals have respect Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him) writes: “You may be surprised to hear that even Animals have respect for seniors.” Shaykh then cited the verse of the Quran which mentions the address of the ant in the era of Nabi Sulayman (‘alaihis salam): “Let not Sulayman and his army trample you unknowingly” (Surah Naml, verse: 18) He says: “due to the respect of the ant, it sought an excuse for the army by saying that if they do trample you it will be unintentional!” (Adabul ikhtilaf, pg.193) Contempt to those who were disrespectful Once Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahullah) angrily reprimanded a reliable scholar for his disrespect to Imam ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Mahdi (rahimahullah) with the words: مالك ويلك ولذكر الأئمة “What is the matter with you?! Woe on to you for saying (such disrespectful things) about the Imams!” (Adabul ikhtilaf, pg.155) Ibn ‘Asakir (rahimahullah) once heard one of his teachers being disrespectful towards the scholars of the past. He said to his teacher: إنما نحترمك ما احترمت الأئمة “I will only respect you as long as you maintain respect for the Imams!” (Adabul ikhtilaf, pg.155) When Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) heard derogatory statements from his teacher, Muhammad ibn Yahya Zhuhli (rahimahullah) concerning his other teacher; Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah), He (Imam Muslim) immediately got up and left the gathering. He later returned to Imam Zhuhli all the narrations that he had acquired from him. (Hadyus sari, pg.685) We will follow respect, wherever it takes us…. Are we equal? Some people use the following slogan to legitamise their disrespect with the earlier scholars: هم رجال ونحن رجال “We are men like them” This is a sign of extreme ignorance. A slight look at history and the biographies of the pious predecessors will easily show that there is no comparison between us and them whatsoever. The great Historian, biographer and Muhaddith; ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) writes: “There is no senior Muhaddith in my era (the 700s A.H.) that can match the knowledge of those in the earlier times” (Tazkiratul Huffaz, pg.628) He also writes in the biography of Imam Al Ismai’ily (rahimahullah): “I was astounded at the memory of this imam, and I have concluded that the latter day scholars have no hope of catching up with the earlier ones (the Mutaqaddimun) (Tazkiratul Huffaz, pg.948) Al-Muhaddith Al-‘Alai (rahimahullah) has also said: “none after them could match them or even come close!” (Fathul Mugheeth, vol.2 pg.102) Conclusion The above are a few drops from an ocean full of lessons on this topic. Respect seems so distant in our era; an era full of unpleasant surprises! Moreover, it is somehow much easier for people to be disrespectful online, since they find themselves in an uncontrolled environment. Do not fall into this hole, it’s bottomless!! Let’s all take lesson from what has been discussed above . May Allah Ta’ala guide us too. Amin. al-miftah

Whirlwind of Life It is human nature to look for stability in life. We want stable respectable grades, a stable reliable job, a stable upper-class house and a stable branded car. We also want stable youthful looks. And what about stable relationships? Yes please. It’s funny though that we look for stability living on a planet that is literally hanging in mid-vacuum; holding on to the sun by a mere theoretical concept known as the gravitational pull – no strings attached. And as is the way of nature, it always wins. Despite our momentous efforts, we do end up not having stability in life. Our careers go into spiral. Sometimes we are rich, sometimes not-so-rich. Once upon a time we are dazzling with beauty, fast-forward a couple of decades and we are old and wrinkly. Life and death are themselves unstable. Kids come and change our lives, while loved ones bid us farewells. Sometimes we want a certain thing but, no matter what we do, we can’t seem to get it. And at times we do everything in our power to avoid a certain thing, and end up with exactly that. Life is unstable. It is not always how we plot and plan. It is a journey into the unknown; who knows what will happen next? And yet it is this unknowingness of life – this thrill of the suspense that the next chapter holds – which makes it all the more exciting and worth living. Do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come? –Maulana Rumi (rah) A Zaynab Academy Online Student Lahore.

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Pearls of Wisdom: No.48 “Food for the Soul” SUBJECT: SHAITAAN(SATAN): “Our open enemy!” Allah, The Most Exalted, says: “O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you.” (Quran: 2:208) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: “Shaitaan places his throne upon water; then sends detachments (for creating dissension); one of them comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between him and his father or between him and his mother or his brothers. Then he (Shaitan) says: you did nothing. They will be made up with one another. Another one comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between him and his wife. The Shaitan goes near him and says: ‘You have done well. And He then embraces him and says: You are so and so.” (Hadith Muslim) Note: Shaitaan’s master plan is to distract us from obedience to Allah Ta’ala. Shaitaan’s attacks comes in various forms from leading one disbelief, committing shirk (associating partners to Allah), introducing innovations in Islam and committing sins. Allah the Most Exalted has however granted us various means of protection f rom the evil of Shaitaan in the form of du’as (prayers) of protection and seeking His refuge from Shaitaan. Don’t ever feel despondent on being led astray by Shaitaan as he would hope you would give up and fail. If you have been deceived then repent and return to Allah Ta’ala.The next time he reminds you of your past, remind him of your future! www.eislam.co.za

Assalaamu 'alaykum warahmatullah Welcome to the forum. Inshaa-allaah following Q/A will be of help...

Dear sister, Assalaamu 'alaykum warahmatullah I have read your post (but have not approved it so your questions remain private) and yes the PM system has been disabled so PM is not available. Meraa urdu itnaa achchaa nahin hein lekin inshaa-allah tumhar sawaal ke jawaabaat ek ek karke dena koshish karungi I will email you later inshaa-allah so your questions remain private.

Wa'alaykumus salaam warhamatullaah Sister! Welcome to the forum! You may ask here if related to women's issues and inshaa-allaah we will try our best to provide answers. Do you mean in English like this...aap ko sawaal puchna hein? Or do you mean the text will be in Urdu?

How My Aunt’s Refusal to Remove Her Hijab Saved My Family’s Lives by Marwa Atik In 1979 my grandfather made the decision to leave his home in Syria and start a new life the U.S. The plan was that my grandfather would come to California first and then my grandmother would follow along with their 7 children. Their American Airlines Flight #191 reservations included a stop in New York then a connection in Chicago before finally arriving in California. They landed in New York first. All immigrants first had to apply for a green card before their next destination. My aunt Hala had recently put on the hijab. When it came time for her photo, they asked my aunt to remove her hijab and she said NO. They consistently informed her that she would not be able to move to America or go to their next flight until she took this photo but she was steadfast and insisted on her rights. By now my grandmother became impatient, having flown half-way across the globe and having spent close to their life savings on these tickets, she did not want to miss the next flight out to California. My grandmother pleaded and told her to remove it and to do what the immigration officers told her to do, but my aunt continued to refuse. They called her into the back and she told them It doesn’t matter how many people you call in, I will not remove my hijab for this photo. After the officers called their supervisors and three brutal hours later, they finally released my aunt and allowed her to keep her hijab on for the photo. However, by then it was too late, the entire family had missed their connecting flight and they had to purchase new plane tickets and stay overnight in New York. Furious and upset, my grandmother lectured my aunt the whole flight to California. By the time they finally arrived to LAX California, my grandfather greeted them with the biggest hug and was in tears. He kept repeating “Hamdulilah (praise be to God) you’re alive! Hamdulilah you’re alive!” And they were like, well yeah why wouldn’t we be?? He said, “The original flight you were supposed to get on crashed, and all 271 passengers died.” crash This photo was captured immediately after American Airlines Flight 191 crashed. They were all in shock and overwhelmed; everyone was brought to tears. Below is my aunt’s passport photo. This photo is a symbol of my aunt’s bravery and love for her hijab that saved my families life. We would have never started the first generation in America, if it wasn’t for her sticking up for what she believed in. hijab passport photo This story is an important reminder for me that everything in life is written and one should always be principled and stick to their beliefs no matter the situation you’re put in. Allah was testing her belief and if what you believe in is right, then Allah will never forget about you. ❤️ Stories like this make me fall in love with the hijab all over again. Her hijab saved her life and in turn my family’s lives. It’s a reminder that your hijab is like a relationship, you have to always remind yourself of the strengths and nourish it to keep the love for it alive. If you forget its importance, then you forget yourself. With all the islamophobia going around, I just wanted to remind people the importance of staying strong in your deen, no matter what anyone thinks or says. ilmfeed.com/how-my-aunts-refusal-to-remove-her-hijab-save...

What is Islam in 5 minutes

Duaa when Experiencing Fear at Night If one experiences fear at night, he should recite the following duaa: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِن شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الأرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَفِتَنِ النَّهَارِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ طَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمن I seek protection in the complete words of Allah Ta’ala, which neither a pious person nor a sinner can surpass; from the evil of what descends from the sky and what ascends in it, and from the evil of what He created in the earth and what comes out of it, and from the evil of the trials of the night and the trials of the day, and from the evil of those creations that come out during the night and day, except for those who come with good, O the Most Merciful. عن خالد بن الوليد أنه شكا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فقال : إني أجد فزعا في الليل فقال : ألا أعلمك كلمات علمنيهن جبريل عليه السلام وزعم أن عفريتا من الجن يكيدني فقال : أعوذ بكلمات الله التامات التي لا يجاوزهن بر ولا فاجر من شر ما ينزل من السماء وما يعرج فيها ومن شر ما ذرأ في الأرض وما يخرج منها ومن شر فتن الليل وفتن النهار ومن شر طوارق الليل والنهار إلا طارقا يطرق بخير يا رحمن. رواه الطبراني وفيه المسيب بن واضح وقد وثقه غير واحد وضعفه جماعة وكذلك الحسن بن علي المعمري وبقية رجاله رجال الصحيح. (مجمع الزوائد رقم 17066) Hadhrat Khaalid bin Waleed (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that on one occasion he complained to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) that he was experiencing fear during the night. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Should I not teach you a duaa which Hadhrat Jibraaeel (Alayhis Salaam) had taught me to recite, at the time he informed me that an evil Jinn was planning to harm me.” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) then recited the following Duaa أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِن شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الأرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَفِتَنِ النَّهَارِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ طَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمن ihyauddeen.co.za

(Taken in October 2016 by visitors to Palestine - click on picture to enlarge)

Allāh ta‘ālā - The True Cause and Effect By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh I was recently invited to impart the final lecture of the most authentic book after the Qur’ān, Sahīh-ul-Bukhārī, at a Madrasah in Réunion Island. After reaching Paris on Tuesday 12th July 2016, the onward flight to our destination was cancelled due to some technical fault. As the fault could not be repaired in time we were rescheduled to fly the next day. However, this later flight would not have allowed us to reach Réunion in time for the gathering; hence I aborted my travel and returned to the UK, as my principle objective for travelling was no longer achievable. Life brings many unexpected incidents and a person faced with such situations should reflect upon and benefit from any lesson that can be learnt. Therefore, I thought it opportune to share with my readers some pertinent lessons which came to mind, so that we can use them to relate to the many instances and events that take place around us and in our lives. Allāh ta‘ālā states: Say: ‘O Allāh, O Lord of the Kingdom, You give kingdom to whom You will, and take kingdom away from whom You will; and You bestow honour on whom You will, and bring disgrace to whom You will. In Your Hand lies the betterment (of everyone). You are surely powerful over everything. You make the night enter into the day, and make the day enter into the night; and You bring the living out from the dead, and bring the dead out from the living, and You give to whom You will beyond measure.’ (3:26-27) The above verses were revealed to Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam at a time when the Muslims were in an extremely dreadful and poor situation. It was the occasion of the Battle of Al-Ahzāb. On the apparent, from every side, failure and disgrace was dawning upon the Muslims. The Muslims were poverty stricken to the extent that stones had to be tied to stomachs to remain upright. The enemies with strength and vigour and a determination to crush the Muslims were merely a stone’s throw away. The Muslims were less in number with hypocrites amongst their midst. Allāh ta‘ālā captures the scene in the following verses: O you who believe, remember Allāh’s favour to you, when the forces (of the disbelievers) came upon you, and We sent upon them a wind, and the forces (of angels) you did not see. Allāh is watchful of whatever you do. (Recall) when they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes were distracted, and the hearts reached the throats, and you were thinking about Allāh all sorts of thoughts. At that occasion, the believers were put to a trial and were shaken with a violent convulsion. (33:9-11) During this extremely troublesome period, whilst digging the trenches as a defence from the enemies, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was shown a vision of the palaces of Persia, Rome and Yemen and was given glad tidings of the liberation of their empires and treasures coming to the feet of Muslims. The hypocrites made this a point of fun and amusement, upon which Allāh ta‘ālā revealed: Say: ‘O Allāh, O Lord of the Kingdom, You give kingdom to whom You will, and take kingdom away from whom You will; and You bestow honour on whom You will...’ There is no ambiguity in the message of these verses. It clearly explains that Allāh ta‘ālā is the ultimate being who decides the fate of everyone. As humans we can only endeavour to achieve leadership, honour and respect but the results are only in Allāh ta‘ālā’s hands. A person should never find himself confident and feel ‘in control’ of his situation, as Allāh ta‘ālā can turnaround situations within minutes and seconds; a king today can become a pauper tomorrow, the rich can become beggars, the honoured can become disgraced, the free can become enslaved and vice versa. There are many examples before us of rulers that were toppled, only to be replaced by the formerly disgraced, who took the thrones and seats of power. Allāh ta‘ālā substantiates this point further by demonstrating His complete power and control over things in this world and bringing to our attention His power in creating something which is seemingly contradictory and incompatible: You make the night enter into the day, and make the day enter into the night… Night and day are conflicting phenomena. Yet Allāh ta‘ālā has the power to change one into the other; as the summer months roll over into winter, the night begins to enter the day and when summer begins to approach, the days begin taking over the night. There is no being who can stop or change this phenomenon. Further Allāh ta‘ālā states: ...and You bring the living out from the dead… He is the being who has the power of creating a live creation from dead matter and create dead matter from a live creation. This has been explained by the mufassirūn by the fact that He is the being who creates a living chicken from an apparent dead egg and creates a living, flourishing tree from an inert and apparent dead seed. An egg seems lifeless to us and similarly, the seed does not show any signs of apparent life. Yet what comes forth from both is paradoxically alive and flourishing. Further Allāh ta‘ālā states: ...and bring the dead out from the living… The live chicken lays a seemingly dead egg demonstrating the power of Allāh ta‘ālā in bringing out a dead item from a live creature, and similarly the green, blossoming trees and vibrant fields of crops give a harvest of apparent dead seeds. Such phenomena demonstrate the complete control and power of Allāh ta‘ālā over bringing a change to any situation. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, Allāh ta‘ālā creates a ‘live’ believing child in a non-believing i.e. spiritually dead, household where there is no sign of belief, and a non-believing child is given birth by believing parents. A household of piety breeds a disobedient child and disobedient parents find their child reaching the peaks of piety and wilāyah, i.e. the friendship of Allāh ta‘ālā. Further Allāh ta‘ālā states: ...and You give to whom You will beyond measure... When Allāh ta‘ālā has the absolute power over everything and He holds the key to all goodness, then who can question His decision to grant someone goodness and deprive another and who can object to Him making a pauper into a king and vice versa. All in all, it is only Allāh ta‘ālā who has complete power to grant good and cause harm, to honour and disgrace, to grant wealth and make someone destitute. Rather, Allāh ta‘ālā can grant goodness in situations of harm and can grant honour and respect in the climate of disgrace and can favour someone with wealth despite all the odds. Therefore, it is imperative that we take heed from these verses of the Glorious Qur’ān and practise on the following lessons they give us: 1. Instil this belief deep in our hearts that it is only Allāh ta‘ālā who holds the power to grant someone good and to deprive, and without His will no one can face any harm or be safe. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated in a hadīth addressing Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu: ...And if all of mankind were to gather to cause you harm they will not be able to do so except that which Allāh has allotted for you and if they gather to give you goodness, they will not succeed except that which Allāh has allotted for you... (At-Tirmidhī) 2. We should believe and have total reliance on Allāh ta‘ālā that He can change any situation as He is the only being who can make the impossible possible. We only need to reflect on the fact that it was He who made a path way for Sayyidunā Mūsā ‘alayhis salām in the sea, who prevented the knife from slitting the throat of Sayyidunā Ismā‘īl ‘alayhis salām, created a camel from a rock for Sayyidunā Sālih ‘alayhis salām, caused the moon to split in two for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Therefore, even in the most adverse situation, we should never think that it is the end of the world for He is All-Powerful; He can awaken the one who is in a coma, He can make the disabled walk, He can cause the blind to see and He can bring the dead back to life – He has every ability to cause what He desires. 3. Never become despondent in any situation and give up beseeching Him. Continually turn to Him and beseech Him with this belief that He will surely shower His Mercy. Allāh ta‘ālā states: Only the disbelievers become despondent in the Mercy of Allāh... (12:87) Allāh ta‘ālā is ever ready to accept our prayers: ...Call Me, I will respond to you... (40:60) When My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near. I respond to the call of one when he prays to Me... (2:186) One should reflect on the incidents of the Prophets ‘alayhimus salām and take lesson that they never gave up beseeching Allāh ta‘ālā and always hoped for acceptance. Let us look at a few examples: a. Sayyidunā Mūsā ‘alayhis salām, having become despondent in Fir‘awn, turned to Allāh ta‘ālā; Allāh ta‘ālā accepted the prayer of Sayyidunā Mūsā ‘alayhis salām after forty years but never did Sayyidunā Mūsā ‘alayhis salām become despondent even for a moment. For forty years he called Allāh ta‘ālā with full conviction. Allāh ta‘ālā finally said, “...The prayer of the two of you (Mūsā ‘alayhis salām and Hārūn ‘alayhis salām) has been granted...” (10:89) b. Sayyidunā Ayyūb ‘alayhis salām was afflicted with such an illness that everyone had left him yet he did not give up hope and continued calling Allāh ta‘ālā. Sayyidunā Ayyūb ‘alayhis salām said, “...Here I am, afflicted by pain and You are the Most Merciful of all the merciful.” (21:83) Allāh ta‘ālā accepted his prayer and said, “So, We answered his prayer and removed whatever pain he had...” (21:84) c. Sayyidunā Yūnus ‘alayhis salām called out to Allāh ta‘ālā in the midst of three darknesses; the night, the sea and the stomach of the fish; yet he did not lose hope in Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā states, “...Then, he called (Us) in depths of darkness saying, ‘There is no god but You. Pure are You. Indeed I was among the wrongdoers.’” (21:87) When he did not lose hope and continually beseeched Allāh ta‘ālā with hope, faith and conviction Allāh ta‘ālā responded. Allāh ta‘ālā says, “So We responded to him and rescued him from the distress...” (21:88) 4. Never become complacent or independent from Allāh ta‘ālā when in comfortable situations for He can change any situation in seconds. Always fear Allāh ta‘ālā and never think that the situation will remain favourable forever and that no one can remove this goodness from me. Rather remain humble that whatever goodness there is in my life, it is due to the sheer Grace of Allāh ta‘ālā. 5. Be content with every situation, for Allāh ta‘ālā is All-Wise and every situation is good for us. During adverse circumstances, be patient and if the situation is favourable, then be grateful. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated: How astonishing is the condition of a believer; every condition of his is good, and this is only for a believer. If he receives khayr (goodness) then he is grateful and this is good for him. If he is afflicted with hardship, then he is patient and this is good for him. (At-Tabrānī) May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us all the tawfīq and understanding. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 7, July 2016)

Leader or Follower? "A Dhaakir (spiritually healthy) heart will always be able to overpower the nafs; a ghaafil (neglectful) heart will ever remain a follower, with the nafs as its imam." (Pearls of Wisdom: Riyaadhul Jannah)

Atheistic Thoughts (Long Q&A, but you must read it until the end) Question I am a Muslim who is leaning day by day towards atheistic views because I have doubts. Can you clarify them for me? let’s start. I have heard Allah does not place a burden on a soul more than it can bear. So what about the people who commit suicide? 2. Allah loves us like 70 mothers. So why would he then put people in Hell? I for one recall asking my mother, “if I cut your hands and feet and starve you… torture you in every way I can and then you are given a choice to put me in Heaven or Hell… she said I would rather die than put you in Hell… so I asked her is there any case in which you will put me into Hell? she said no….. so I asked her a second question if you have the power to put me into heaven for eternity which is absolutely great compared to the life of this world would you choose to put me into trials and tribulations in this mortal world…. so she said even if a thorn pricks you i can’t stand that….. see where I am getting with this….. so your so called Allah the most merciful of those who show mercy. How does He do that when we can’t starve him, torture him, we can’t affect him in any way yet he chooses to enjoy people’s torture. Now I don’t want you to prove that Allah is 70 times more merciful than a mother…. but if you prove that he is 1/70 times merciful that would be enough. Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. We make duaa Allah keep you firm on Imaan and that Allah grant you sharhe sadr (satisfaction of the heart) in understanding Imaan. However, this also requires one to be sincere and honest. We have to use the divine given abilities correctly to understand Allah and Imaan. It is true that Allah never burdens a person more than he can bear. This is clear from the following verse: لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا Translation:”Allah does not place on a soul responsibility (duty) except what is within its capability.” [Al-baqarah: 286] The cause of suicide is then not about the burden being more. It is about managing the burden. The burden is within ones capacity. However, the person does not manage the burden correctly and commits suicide. It is his negligence by not using the various resources of treating himself that he has committed suicide. He is totally responsible for the act. He was not burdened with something he could not bear. If you do say so, then what criteria do you have to determine that? How would you justify that the person was over burdened rather than not managing his burden? There are innumerable examples of people with suicidal tendencies that have been treated with counselling and medication. If they would not have resorted to treatment and if their condition deteriorated to the point of suicide, that is their negligence. The second issue raised by you is why a person would be thrown into Hell despite Allah being All Loving. The answer to this is very simple. One of the many attributes of Allah Almighty is Ar-Rahman; The Most Merciful. And the manifestation of this attribute is Jannah (Paradise). On the other hand, Allah is also Shadeedul-Eqaab – شديد العقاب (severe in punishment) and the manifestation of this attribute is Hell. A person will go to hell because Allah is severe in punishment, not because Allah is Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful). The question to ask is why is Allah severe in punishment? Consider this angle. Allah rewards an obedient person with Jannah. If an obedient person is also put in hell without any cause of the Mercy of Allah, would it be fair? The obedient and disobedient are equal? How would one justify the quality of Allah being Al-Aadil (The Most Just)? May Allah guide you and remove your doubts. Aameen. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Safwaan Ibn Ml Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim Student Darul Iftaa Limbe, Malawi Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. Addition from Shaykh Abdur Raheem (Hafizahullah):A mother is kind to her children but even mothers get angry at them when they see the need for it. A child comes home after a football game. He is covered in mud from head to toe. The mother gets angry, scolds him, tells him to stand at the doorway and then she takes his shoes off. She carries him to the bathroom, she is screaming and shouting whilst taking off the dirty clothes and washing him. If he doesn’t listen to her, she might even give him a gentle slap on the back. This does not mean that the motherly love has deserted her. When the child is clean and washed, she will apply some powder to make him smell nice, hug him and kiss him. In addition, have you never heard of mothers telling authorities about their rebellious youngsters? They hand them over to the police to put them in jail in order that they rectify themselves and stay away from harm in future. Allah will only put some people in Jahannam in order to cleanse them from the effects of their own wrongdoings. As soon as they are cleansed from the effects of their sins, He will give them new bodies, fresh skin and admit them into Jannah. As for the kuffar and the mushriks, they will be like a rebellious teenager who is always pestering his parents and running away from home. He goes his own way, he falls into wrong company, becomes a drug addict and a habitual burglar. The police are chasing him all the time, knocking on his parents’ door to look for him. The parents get so fed up that they disown him. They don’t allow him to come back home because they’ve tried everything but to no avail. Similar to this is the case of shirk. Allah tried His best to Give them the message. He warned them against rebellion and arrogance. However, when nothing worked Allah also disowned them. Even though Allah was their Creator, they failed to accept His authority by testifying to His Oneness. What was Allah supposed to do? Once Rasulullah sallAllahu alayhi wassallam saw this lady running around frantically in search of her missing child. He asked the sahaba “If this woman was to find her child, do you think that she will throw him in a fire?” They replied “No, As long as she is able to protect him” He said “Well! Allah is more merciful to his slaves than this woman is to her child” In another instance, he was asked a similar question. He began to shake and he started crying profusely. Then he said “Verily Allah will not put in Jahannam expect the rebellious, the oft rebelling, who refused to utter “There is no god but God” (Ibn majah) In another Hadith he says “Allah will ask a mushrik on the day of judgement “Son of Adam! If you possessed the whole world today, would you give it in ransom to free yourself from punishment? He will reply “Yes of course” Allah will say “Well! I required from you something which was much more easier, while you were still in the loins of Adam; that you do not commit shirk, however you refused to do anything but shirk” (saheeh Bukhari) So punishing in the fire does not take away the mercy from Allah. That is His dealing with makhlooq by way of Adl (equality). They wanted kufr & shirk so He gave it to them. If He were to deprive them of what they wanted, that would be injustice. He remains as merciful as He was and He will remain that way forever. As Allah says, “Allah did not wrong them, but rather they used to wrong themselves.” Elsewhere, He says, “What will Allah get by punishing you, if only you were grateful and you believed. Allah is most Appreciative, All Knowing.” As for the sufferings, how did you determine that it’s a punishment? Why couldn’t you think of it as a test of character? That would make things a lot easier to understand. Also, If there was no hunger and thirst, we would not be able to comprehend the value of food and drink. If there was no sickness, we would not realise the value of good health. There is some wisdom behind everything in the universe. We should trust the All Knowing, All Powerful, Wise One. When you have belief in Allah, the suffering becomes light, in fact you feel pleasure in the pain by thinking if this is what Allah wants for me, then I’m happy with what He decides. This generates an amazing contentment in the heart. And from where did you pick these words ‘your so called Allah’ I fear you might have already committed kufr. Also your assumption that ‘He enjoys people’s torture’ is also a form of blasphemy. He doesn’t torture people nor does he like to do so. Most of the difficulties are brought upon themselves by the people. Who made all the bombs and WMDS? Disobedience is by choice not by divine force. Moreover, it is our disobedience which brings about difficulties. It’s like if you touch fire you will get burnt. It’s impossible to not feel the heat in spite of touching the fire. So sins attract difficulties. If the difficulty comes in this dunya, then that’s easier, however if it is left for the Akhirah, then the Adhaab of Jahannam will be much more severe, and it will be nothing but our disobedience taking another form. The traits of pride, arrogance, haughtiness, stinginess, oppression, jealousy, backbiting, slandering, fornication, drinking, gambling, murder and all crimes whether major or minor – these will turn into the fire, snakes and scorpions of Jahannam. Allah knew that we would do these things and wanted to cleanse us so He revealed books, sent messengers and guides to show us the simple and correct way to live. He has appointed angels who talk to us, inspire us, protect us and stay with us. Otherwise the Satans would chop us into pieces. They wouldn’t let us live in peace. Then Allah forgives and forgives and forgives. He invites those who are running away from Him. Allah is Ready to receive them with open arms. He runs towards the one who walks to Him. He is extremely happy with the repentant slaves. Then He has kept special moments like Ramadhaan, Hajj, Fridays, etc wherein His mercy showers upon the hearts like a heavy rainfall. We can feel that mercy in our hearts during these blessed times. Then He will take reckoning on the day of judgement with extreme kindness. The due rights will be of two types; Rights of the Almighty and rights of the creation. With regards to the second ones, He will give us a chance to settle them out, but on that day, even our mothers, fathers, siblings, wives and children will run away from us and refuse to offer any help. With regards to His own rights, Allah will show the most highest standard of mercy and forgiveness like no other. So you need to think deeply and stop copying some objections whispered into your mind by the Satans amongst the jinn and the ones amongst the human kind. May Allah guide us all, give us His true love and allow us to recognise Him and to make ourselves worthy of absorbing His mercy into our hearts. May Allah be pleased with us. Ameen. Source

Male Circumcision : The Ultimate Hygiene in Personal Health There exists absolutely no need to debate the validity of the Islamic practice of male circumcision. However, a small group of anti-circumcision activists maintain that the foreskin protects certain glands on the tip of the private part. They maintain that it’s also a type of a protective cover against infections and abrasion, and so it should be left as natured intended it to be. For Muslims, if something has been prescribed for us, we submit, whether science agrees with it or not. Divine wisdom is more superior to scientific findings as science itself is a very limited and subjective science. Just it is perfectly natural and expected to clip one’s nails and trim one’s hair for hygienic purposes, so circumcision falls into the same category. Narrated Sayyadina Abu Huraira (RA) that our most noble Prophet Muhammmad (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Five things are in accordance with Al Fitra (i.e. the tradition of prophets, natural disposition): to be circumcised, to shave the pelvic region, to pull out the hair of the armpits, to cut short the moustaches, and to clip the nails.’ (Al-Bukhari Volume 8: Book 74: Hadith 312) It is therefore evident that circumcision was a tradition that all the Prophets of Allah followed. In another hadith related by Imam al-Bukhari reads: “The practices related to Fitrah (the pure nature) are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails and removing the hair of the armpits.” In fact, these are general hygienic practices that humans have discovered by instinct to be good for them, with or without organized religion. Normally, our children are circumcised during infancy, but the order to circumsize came to Sayyadina Ebrahim (AS) at a very late age. Imagine how painful it may have been for him at that stage, but he willingly did it. Narrated Sayyadina Abu Huraira (RA) that Allah’s Apostle (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Abraham did his circumcision with an adze at the age of eighty.” (Al-Bukhari, hadith 575) Allah ordered the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to follow the religion of Sayyadina Ibraheem (‘Alaihis Salaam). Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “Then We inspired you: ‘Follow the religion of Ibraheem, the upright in Faith’.” [16:123] And an important part of the religion of Ibrahim is circumcision. This is why circumcision is considered as Sunnat al-Ibrahimi (The Sunnah of Prophet Ibraheem). According to the Islamic tradition there is no fixed age for Muslim circumcision therefore it varies depending on family, region and country. The Hadith indicate that the our noble Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam)’s grandsons, Hassan and Hussaiyn (peace be upon them) were circumcised on the seventh day after their birth. The noble daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam), Fatima (peace be upon them) herself is quoted talking about her sons’ circumcision on the seventh day after their birth in various traditions. Therefore, commonly, the preferred age considered is the seventh day after birth and can be as late as puberty. In fact, the medical profession has encouraged medical circumcisions in the first week after birth to reduce complications. Coming to the benefits of circumcision, let us go through the following facts: Infection or inflammation of the foreskin affects about 10% – 14% of uncircumcised boys. Urinary tract infections occur in about 1 in 100 uncircumcised boys in the first year of life, and 1 in 1,000 in circumcised boys. There is also an increased risk of inflammation and infections of the foreskin and glands in uncircumcised males. Circumcision brings down the chances of catching genital ulcerative diseases. Penile cancer is a risk for uncircumcised men. One male in 100,000 gets this malignancy and it is invariably an uncircumcised male. AKaiser Permanente HMO study found that uncircumcised infants are 10 times more likely to get kidney infections and urinary tract infections, especially in their first year of life. Most importantly, the biggest health benefit conferred by circumcision is that it helps bring down the chances of contracting the dreaded HIV virus. Not only this, circumcised males carrying the AIDS virus are less likely to transmit it to their female partners. In conclusion, circumcision, throughout history, has been thought to provide a measure of protection against infections of the foreskin. The surgical removal of the skin surrounding the head of the private part (penis) makes it easier to keep it clean because urine, semen and other biological substances cannot get trapped there. It is also a preventive measure against infection and diseases, because without circumcision excrements may collect under the foreskin which may lead to fatal diseases such as cancer. In Islam, we need to be in a state of purity all the time in order to perform our prayers. With invisible impurities trapped beneath the skin, this may prove a huge inconvenience. Source

The mystery of Dhaeef Hadeeth Mystery of Dhaeef Hadeeth !! A beautiful explanation by our Hazrat, shaykhul Hadith mawlana Yusuf Motala Saheb damat barakatuhum. “Many people get very charged up and excited at the mention of many ahadeeth and just cannot resist labelling anything they do not know or agree with as “DHAEEF”, meaning “WEAK”, without even knowing and understanding what the term means and implies especially if it is a narration from “Fazaile Aamal” written by Shaikhul-Hadeeth Molana Zakariyyah Kandhalvi rahimahullah. Firstly: The literal meaning of hadeeth is a “statement”. Any statement is literally a “hadeeth”. In Islamic literacy , hadeeth is implied to be a statement by or regarding Rasoolullah sallallaho alaihe wasallam. But in the Quran it also says هل اتك حديث موسى .. “Did the hadeeth of Musa (alaihissalaam) reach you?” It also says هل اتك حديث ضيف ابراهيم المكرمين “Did the hadeeth of the honourable guests of Ibraheem (alaihissalaam) reach you?” This is why in books of haddeth , there are statements or sayings of Rasoolullah sallallaho alaihe wasallam , of sahaabah , of tabi’eens and even people after them. Secondly. The term saheeh or dhaeef is used to describe the status of the chain of narration and not just the text. Hence in many cases although the chain by which a hadeeth has been narrated is weak but the subject contained therein is sound and supported by other narrations or even Quran. The hadeeth انما بعثت معلما “I have been sent as a teacher”, has been classified as dhaeef but the message contained therein is supported by the Quran where Allah says about the prophet sallallaho alaihe wasallam , ويعلمكم ما لم تكونوا تعلمون . “He teaches you what you did not know”. So the prophet sallallaho alaihe wasallam was obviously a teacher as well. Thirdly-Whether a hadeeth and a narration is saheeh(authentic) or dhaeef (weak) is not an absolute and divine classification but rather the opinion of a muhaddith regarding a particular narration as there is not and cannot be a single narration about which Allah or his beloved prophet have stated that this is saheeh or dhaeef.Hence there are many narrations which are classified as saheeh by one scholars but dhaeef or weak by another. Fourthly- if a hadeeth is unacceptable and ought to be rejected because it is weak and in Fazaaile Aamal and the author Shaikhul-Hadeeth Molana Zakariyya is criticised for including it in his book , then virtually every other book of hadeeth apart of Bukhari and Muslim will need to be done away with as well, because Sheikh Zakariyyah did NOT make up those narrations but rather just quoted them from other original books of hadeeth compiled over a thousand years ago by great Muhadditheen, like Imam Tirmidhi , Abu Dawood , Ibn Majah etc. They were all considered to be amongst the greatest Muhadditheen ever in the ummah. So if they thought it permissible and necessary to present dhaeef narrations in their compilations then why have people a thousand years down the line got problems. So rejecting dhaeef hadeeth merely because they are dhaeef is NOT the way of the pious ancestors -salaf saliheen but against the practice of the salaf-saliheen , as long as they do not contradict the Quran and other saheeh narrations ,and even then sometimes there is a reasonable explanation or interpretation to justify their inclusion in a book to support or prove a point and doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be rejected and ignored altogether. Athough, preference is given to Quran and then saheeh hadeeth in all matters but many scholars have also stated that, “A dhaeef hadeeth is still better than no hadeeth” and better than the opinion of someone. This was also the stand of Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahumullah. Source

True patience It’s long but pls try to read this excellent reminder to the end إِنْ شاءَ الله There are some types of grief that weigh on the heart, that if they were to be felt by a mountain, that mountain would crumble to the ground… When Prophet Muhammad (saw) lost his beloved son Ibrahim, he held his small body in his arms and said “The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us.” Then he turned his face towards the mountain before him and said, “O mountain! If you were as sorrowful as I am, you would certainly crumble into pieces! But we say what Allah has ordered us: (we are the servants of Allah and we will return to Him; we thank Allah, the Creator of the Universe).” The human heart is just a small, fragile piece of flesh – but with patience, it is able to carry the kind of pain that would cause a mountain to disintegrate. Patience only comes with great struggle and difficulty. It is like trying to grasp and hold onto a strong and fast-swimming fish with your bare hands. You may succeed for a moment or two, but if you are not vigilant, it will escape from grip just as quickly as it came. And how desperate is our need for patience. Patience doesn’t mean to just ‘wait out’ the pain. It doesn’t mean burying your head in the sand until the storm has ended and you can be sure to safely re-emerge into life. And patience isn’t peaceful – at least not at first. True patience is like stepping onto shards of glass and muffling your screams. As you sit and remove the pieces from your skin, tears stinging at your eyes from the pain, you smile and do not say a word. Patience is like being lit on fire from within, a fire that feels as though it will consume you. And yet you keep walking forward calmly, extending your hand to take cool drinks from those who offer them in order to quell the flame. Patience is like treading water in violent seas after your boat has capsized – you are exhausted, but if you stop trying for a moment, you will drown. “Say, ‘O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account’” (39:10). Part of Allah’s Mercy is that some of the believers who have been tried greatly in this world and who have remained patient will meet Him without any sins in their records at all. Patience isn’t to not feel, or to be unaffected by pain or loss. It isn’t so, and it has never been. It is to feel as though you are going to be crushed by the grief, it is to feel as though your body will be consumed by the fire of pain, it is to feel that you will drown in your sorrow. And yet you wake up in the morning and do what needs to be done to take care of yourself and your family. You pray, you work, you live…and you don’t say except that which pleases Allah. Praise and thanks belong to Allah. To Him we belong and to Him we shall return. There is no power or might except that of Allah. Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs for us. We have placed our trust in Allah. Patience will extinguish the fire, lift the weighty burden, and lead you to dry land. Not because you have been exceptionally good or are intrinsically worthy of being healed. Rather, it is because Allah (swt) has promised: With difficulty, there is ease. And Allah (swt) never breaks this promise to those who honour the covenant. Tafseer-Raheemi