ummtaalib

Qadha of the Aashura fast due to menses Q. Slmz. I would like to know if i got my menstruation while keeping the fast of Aashura do i now have to keep a qadhaa fast. (Question published as received) A. In principle, if a woman experiences Haidh (menses) during a fast, the fast will break and it will be compulsory upon her to make Qadha of it. Hence, the same ruling will apply to a woman who experienced Haidh whilst observing the fast of Aashura, i.e. she will have to make Qadha of that fast. (Badaai-us-Sanaai’ 2/94) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Breastfeeding the adopted child with milk produced through tablets Q: If a woman breastfeeds her adopted daughter through taking tablets to produce the milk, will the mahrams of the woman (father, brother, paternal uncles, maternal uncles) and the relatives of the woman's husband (father, brother, paternal uncles, maternal uncles) all become mahram to the adopted girl child? A: Only the woman's mahrams will be a mahram for th​e child. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. يثبت ( أبوة زوج مرضعة ) إذا كان ( لبنها منه له ) وإلا لا كما سيجيء ( فيحرم منه ) أي بسببه قال الشامي في رد المحتار : قوله ( وأبوة زوج مرضعة لبنها منه ) المراد به اللبن الذي نزل منها بسبب ولادتها من رجل زوج أو سيد فليس الزوج قيدا بل خرج مخرج الغالب بحر وأما إذا كان اللبن من زنى ففيه خلاف سيذكره الشارح ويأتي الكلام فيه قوله له أي للرضيع وهو متعلق بالأبوة ح أي لأنه مصدر معناه كونه أبا ط قوله ( كما سيجيء ) أي في قوله طلق ذات لبن ح قوله ( أي بسببه ) أشار إلى أن من بمعنى باء السببية ط (رد المحتار 3/ 213) رجل تزوج امرأة ولم تلد منه قط ثم نزل لها لبن فأرضعت صبيا كان الرضاع من المرأة دون زوجها حتى لا يحرم على الصبي أولاد هذا الرجل من غير هذه المرأة (الفتاوى الهندية 1/ 343) Answered by: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

How to Become the Beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Fulfilling the obligation one owes towards one's mother and wife Q: I am the only child of my mother, married with two kids alhamdulillah. But recently things are not going well for me. I'm not in a position to provide for my mother and wife at the same time and this is eating me up. I understand very well both have rights upon me but my earnings are very little! It's like choosing my wife over my mother. A: You have an obligation towards both your mother and your wife. Hence, you should fulfil both these obligations and spend upon them according to your financial means. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. قال الشامي : ... ثم أعلم أن ما ذكره المصنف من اشتراط اليسار في نفقة الأصول صرح به في كافي الحاكم والدرر النقاية والفتح والملتقى و الموهب والبحر والنهر وفي كافي الحاكم أيضا ولا يجبر المعسر على نفقة أحد إلا على نفقة الزوجة والولد اه ومثله في الاختيار ونحو في الهداية وفي الخانية لا يجب على الابن الفقير نفقة والده الفقير حكما إلا إن كان والده زمنا لا يقدر على العمل وللابن عيال فعليه أن يضمه إلى عياله وينفق على الكل وفي الذخيرة أنه ظاهر الرواية عن أصحابنا لأن طعام الأربعة إذا فرق على الخمسة لا يضرهم ضررا فاحشا بخلاف إدخال الواحد في طعام الواحد لتفاحش الضرر وفي البزازية إن رأى القاضي أنه يفضل من قوته شيء أجبره على النفقة من الفاضل على الفاضل على المختار وإن لم يفضل فلا شيء في الحكم لكن في ظاهر الرواية يؤمر ديانة بالإنفاق إن كان الابن وحده ولو له عيال أجبر على ضم أبيه معهم كيلا يضيع ولا يجبر على أن يعطيه شيئا على حدة اه والحاصل أنه يشترط في نفقة الأصول اليسار على الحلاف المار في تفسيره إلا إذا كان الأصل زمنا لا كسب له فلا يشترط سوى قدرة الولد على الكسب فإن كان لكسبه فضل أجبر على إنفاق الفاضل وإلا فلو كان الولد وحده أمر ديانة بضم الأصل إليه ولو له عيال يجبر في الحكم على ضمه إليهم ولا يخفي أن الأم بمنزلة الأب الزمن لأن الأنوثة بمجردها عجز وبه صرح في البدائع لكن صرح أيضا بأنه لا يشترط في نفقة الأصول يسار الولد بل قدرته على الكسب وعزاه في المجتبى إلى الخصاف وقد أكثرنا لك من النقل بخلافه لتعلم أنه غير المعتمد في المذهب (رد المحتار 3/ 621) فتاوى محمودية 20/ 161 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Nine Moving to Rabzah: Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) remained in Shaam until the era of Hazrat Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). During the rule of Hazrat Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), the governor over Shaam, wrote to Hazrat Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and mentioned that the people were complaining about Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) on account of the great degree of abstinence of the dunya which he possessed. Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had a natural aversion for wealth and would insist that those people who possessed extra wealth should give their extra wealth away in sadaqah. Hazrat Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) therefore summoned him from Shaam and asked him to stay in Rabzah. Rabzah is a place approximately three day’s journey from Madinah Munawwarah. (Usdul Ghaabah 1/344, Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/393, Mu’jamul Buldaan 3/24) The Prophecy of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) regarding Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) leaving Shaam: Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates the following: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was once reciting the following Aayah of the Qur’aan Majeed: وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّـهَ يَجعَل لَهُ مَخرَجًا﴿٢﴾ وَيَرزُقهُ مِن حَيثُ لا يَحتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّل عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَهُوَ حَسبُهُ And for those who fear Allah, He (always) prepares a way out (for him from his difficulty), and He provides for him from (sources) he could never imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah then He is sufficient for him. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) began to repeat this verse to me and continued to repeat it to me for some while until I began to feel drowsy. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter said to me, “O Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! What will you do when you are taken out of Madinah Munawwarah?” I replied, “I will leave happily and pleasantly (without causing any problems) and will proceed to live in the Haram of Makkah Mukarramah like one of its pigeons.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter asked, “What will you then do when you are taken out of Makkah Mukarramah?” I replied, “I will leave happily and pleasantly (without causing any problems) and proceed to Shaam, the blessed land.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) again asked, “What will you then do when you are taken out of Shaam?” I replied, “In that case, by the oath of that Being who deputed you with the truth, I will place my sword on my shoulder (i.e. I will fight with those who are taking me out)!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “Better than that is for you to listen and obey, even if it be an Abyssinian slave who is ruling over you.” (Majma‘uz Zawaa’id #9130) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

How to Become the Beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Imām Al-Bukhārī rahimahullāh narrates a hadīth qudsī: Allāh ta‘ālā says: “...My bondsman does not acquire my closeness through anything that is more beloved to me than that which I have made compulsory upon him... The performance of the farā’id is by far the greatest and most effective tool in achieving the closeness of Allāh ta‘ālā, as nothing can bring a person closer to Allāh ta‘ālā than the farā’id. farā’id encompass every obligation, be it from the DOs or the DON’Ts; just as it is fard to perform the five times salāh, it is fard to abstain from adultery, stealing etc. The struggle and effort in accomplishing the farā’id creates a special bond between the servant and his Master. Once this bond is created, the servant becomes consistent and steadfast in fulfilling his obligations. This results in his closeness and relationship becoming stronger and his love for Allāh ta‘ālā increases. As a result, the urge to progress further intensifies and the servant begins to enhance and add to his worship by way of nawāfil (optional deeds) and non-obligatory actions. This struggle and striving of his attracts the special attention of Allāh ta‘ālā and the servant now becomes the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā as the hadīth continues: “...and then my bondsman continues to acquire my closeness through nawāfil until I love him... What more can a servant desire? He is now the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā? Allāh ta‘ālā’s special attention is now directed towards him and he reaches such a level that Allāh ta‘ālā takes care of all his affairs. Allāh ta‘ālā protects him from all directions; he is safeguarded from going astray, he is protected from vice, he is protected from physical and mental calamities as the hadīth further states: “...And when I love him, I become his ears with which he hears, and his eyes with which he sees, and his hands with which he grasps, and his feet with which he walks. And if he asks from Me, I will surely grant it to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I surely grant it to him.” (Al-Bukhārī) Our pious predecessors, after striving, had acquired this status of becoming the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā. We find many incidents from their lives which testify to this fact: 1. Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā relates that Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu once proposed, “Take us to the province of our people.” Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā further narrates that we left towards our destination. Sayyidunā Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b radhiyallāhu ‘anhu and I were amongst those travelling behind the convoy. Along the journey, a cloud emerged which indicated rain. Sayyidunā Ubayy radhiyallāhu ‘anhu (seeing the predicament they would face) turned towards Allāh ta‘ālā and supplicated, “O Allāh! Save us from its troubles.” When we met up with the rest of the convoy who were soaked with rain, Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu enquired, “Did you not get caught up in the rainfall?” I replied, “Abul-Mundhir supplicated to Allāh that we are saved from its troubles, hence we are dry.” Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu complained, “Why did you not include us in your prayer?” (Mawsū‘at Ibn Abi Ad-Dunyā) 2. Sayyidunā Anas radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that we visited a very sick man from the Ansār. He passed away during our visit. After his soul had departed, we covered him. Turning towards his old mother at his bedside, one of us consoled her by encouraging her to have hope of reward upon this tribulation from Allāh ta‘ālā. She asked, with concern, “Has he passed away?” We said, “Yes.” She lifted her hands towards Allāh ta‘ālā beseeching, “O Allāh, you are aware that I adopted Islam and migrated towards your Prophet hoping that you will assist me during all circumstances; favourable and difficult; do not burden me with this difficulty today.” Sayyidunā Anas radhiyallāhu ‘anhu says that she uncovered his face and before long he was eating with us. (Mawsū‘at Ibn Abi Ad-Dunyā) 3. It is narrated that Abū Qilābah rahimahullāh was travelling for Hajj whilst fasting. During a scorching hot day he became extremely thirsty. Abū Qilābah rahimahullāh turned towards Allāh ta‘ālā and beseeched, “O Allāh! You are powerful enough to remove my thirst without me breaking my fast.” Immediately, a cloud shaded him and rained upon him until his clothes became wet, and his thirst vanished. He then got off his conveyance made a ditch in the ground and it filled with water from the rain. When his companions met up with him, they drank from the water but not a drop of rain had touched them. (Jāmi‘ul ‘Ulūm wal-Hikam) 4. It is stated about Ibrāhīm Ibn Adham rahimahullāh that once he set out on a journey by sea. During the journey the ship got caught in severe winds due to which destruction seemed imminent. Ibrāhīm rahimahullāh wrapped his head in his shawl and went to sleep. The people exclaimed, “Do you not see the great difficulty we are in?” He replied, “This is not difficulty.” “What is difficulty then?” they enquired. He stated, “The need towards people (i.e. to be dependant and in need of the creation).” He then turned towards Allāh ta‘ālā and prayed, “O Allāh! You have displayed your great power, show us you pardon.” The sea immediately calmed down as if it was a pot of oil (coming off the boil). (Sifat-us-Safwah) 5. ‘Abdullāh ibn Al-Mubārak rahimahullāh passed by a blind man who requested him to pray to Allāh ta‘ālā to restore his sight. The narrator states that ‘Abdullāh ibn Al-Mubārak rahimahullāh prayed to Allāh ta‘ālā and Allāh ta‘ālā restored the blind man’s sight in my presence. (Sifat-us-Safwah) 6. Abul-Husayn An-Nūrī rahimahullāh once entered a river. A thief came and stole his clothes which were on the bank. He remained in the water. It was not long before the thief returned with the clothes and placed them before Abul-Husayn, however his right hand had become paralysed. Abul-Husayn rahimahullāh turned to Allāh ta‘ālā and implored, “O My Lord! He has returned my clothes, You return (to him the strength of) his right hand.” Allāh ta‘ālā restored his right hand. (Al-Hilyah) Let us all hold fast to the farā’id and progress towards nawāfil, so we too become the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 5/6, May/June 2016)

Custody of the children and providing maintenance Q: In the case of divorce, which parent has the right of custody of the children and up to what age? If a certain parent has the right of custody then can that parent prevent the other parent from visiting the children? Similarly I would like to know, which parent has to provide maintenance for the children? If the children have wealth, can their wealth be used for the maintenance? What exactly does maintenance entail and will the expenses of the childrens education also fall under maintenance? A: In a case of separation or divorce, the custody of the children goes to the mother unless she remarries. If she remarries a non-mahram of the children, then she will lose the custody of the children. In the case of a boy, the mother has the right of custody till the age of seven and in the case of a girl, the mother has the right of custody till the age of nine. Thereafter the right of custody of the children moves over to the father. While the children are in the custody of the mother, the father will not be deprived of visiting his children. It is a Shar'ee obligation upon the father to provide maintenance for them. Maintenance entails fulfilling their basic requirements of food, clothing, shelter, etc. Similarly, ensuring that the children receive the correct upbringing and education is also the responsibility of the father. Hence, all the expenses will have to be borne by the father according to his financial status and position. No specific amount can be stipulated as the needs and requirements as well as the financial position of people varies. This ruling is in relation to the case where the children do not have wealth. If they possess wealth, then the law of Shari'ah is that the children's wealth should be used to fulfill their needs and requirements unless the father wishes to pay for these expenses from his own wealth. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. باب الحضانة ... ( تثبت للأم ) ( ولو ) كتابية أو مجوسية أو ( بعد الفرقة إلا أن تكون مرتدة ) فحتى تسلم لأنها تحبس ( أو فاجرة ) فجورا يضيع الولد به كزنا وغناء وسرقة ونياحة كما في البحر و النهر بحثا قال المصنف والذي يظهر العمل بإطلاقهم كما هو مذهب الشافعي أن الفاسقة بترك الصلاة لا حضانة لها وفي القنية الأم أحق بالولد ولو سيئة السيرة معروفة بالفجور ما لم يعقل ذلك ( أو غير مأمونة ) ( أو ) تكون ( أمة أو أم ولد أو مدبرة أو مكاتبة ولدت ذلك الولد قبل الكتابة ) لاشتغالهن بخدمة المولى لكن إن كان الولد رقيقا كن أحق به لأنه للمولى مجتبى ( أو متزوجة بغير محرم ) الصغير ( أو أبت أن تربيه مجانا و ) الحال أن ( الأب معسر والعمة تقبل ذلك ) أي تربيته مجانا ولا تمنعه عن الأم قيل للأم إما أن تمسكيه مجانا أو تدفعيه للعمة (الدر المختار 3/555) ( والحاضنة ) أما أو غيرها ( أحق به ) أي بالغلام حتى يستغني عن النساء وقدر بسبع وبه يفتى لأنه الغالب ولو اختلفا في سنه فإن أكل وشرب ولبس واستنجى وحده دفع إليه ولو جبرا وإلا لا ( والأم والجدة ) لأم أو لأب ( أحق بها ) بالصغيرة ( حتى تحيض ) أي تبلغ في ظاهر الرواية ولو اختلفا في حيضها فالقول للأم بحر بحثا وأقول ينبغي أن يحكم سنها ويعمل بالغالب وعند مالك حتى يحتلم الغلام وتتزوج الصغيرة ويدخل بها الزوج عيني ( وغيرهما أحق بها حتى تشتهي ) وقدر بتسع وبه يفتى (الدر المختار 3/ 566) قال الشامي : قوله ( وبه يفتى ) قال في البحر بعد نقل تصحيحه ولحاصل أن الفتوى على خلاف ظاهر الرواية ( رد المحتار 3/567) ( وتجب ) النفقة بأنواعها على الحر ( لطفله ) يعم الأنثى والجمع ( الفقير ) الحر قال الشامي : قوله ( من الطعام والكسوة والسكنى ولم أر من ذكر هنا أجرة الطبيب وثمن الأدوية وإنما ذكروا عدم الوجوب للزوجة نعم صرحوا بأن الأب إذا كان مريضا أو به زمانة يحتاج إلى الخدمة فعلى ابنه خادمه وكذلك الابن قوله ( لطفله ) هو الولد حين يسقط من بطن أمه إلى أن يحتلم ويقال جارية طفل وطفلة كذا في المغرب وقيل أول ما يولد صبي ثم طفل ح عن النهر قوله ( يعم الأنثى والجمع ) أي يطلق على الأنثى كما علمته وعلى الجمع كما في قوله تعالى أو الطفل الذين لم يظهروا فهو مما يستوى فيه المفرد والجمع كالجنب والفلك والإمام واجعلنا للمتقين إماما ولا ينافيه جمعه على أطفال أيضا كما جمع إمام على أئمة أيضا فافهم قوله ( الفقير ) أي إن لم يبلغ حد الكسب فإن بلغه كان للأب أو يؤجره أو بدفعه في حرفة ليكتسب وينفق عليه من كسبه لو كان ذكرا بخلاف الأنثى كما قدمه في الحضانة عن المؤيدية قال الخير الرملي لو استغنت الأنثى بنحو خياطة وغزل يجب أن تكون نفقتها في كسبها كما هو ظاهر ولا نقول تجب على الأب مع ذلك إلا إذا كان لا يكفيها فتجب على الأب كفايتها بدفع القدر المعجوز عنه ولم أره لأصحابنا ولا ينافيه قولهم بخلاف الأنثى لأن الممنوع إيجارها ولا يلزم منه عدم إلزامها بحرفة تعلمها ا هـ أي الممنوع إيجارها للخدمة ونحوها مما فيه تسليمها للمستأجر بدليل قولهم لأن المستأجر يخلو بها وذا لا يجوز في الشرع وعليه فله دفعها لامرأة تعلمها حرفة كتطريز وخياطة مثلا (رد المحتار 3/ 612) فتاوى محمودية 20/ 99 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Allaah’s Power - Allaah’s power evident in the coconut Through His power, Allaah has placed inside the coconut such water that one will not find in the ground that it grows from, nor in the tree on which it grows. It is by His power that He has placed this water inside, which can be used to treat so many illnesses.

Q. If a woman’s Haidh period is ten days and she first spotted blood at 2PM on the first day, then does her Haidh period end on the tenth day at 2PM or at Maghrib time? Does she count ten days by hours or by the Islamic day? A. A woman in Haidh (menstruation) will count her Haidh from the time she first notices it. She will count her days in 24 hour intervals from the exact time i.e. second, minute, hour that she spotted her Haidh. (Al-Fataawa-As-Siraajiyyah 49) Therefore, in the enquired situation, if her Haidh period is ten days and she first spotted her Haidh on the first day at 2PM, her Haidh period of ten days will end on the tenth day at 2PM and not at Maghrib time. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Understanding Taqlid – by Mufti Muhammad Sajaad This is the 2nd edition of a short work on what precisely is Taqlid (following of qualified scholarship of the most highest rank) as explained on the basis of statements from the major sources of Islamic law (Shari’a) as well as a number of legal edicts (fatawa) from a host of major scholars (Ulama). The work was compiled by Mufti Muhammad Sajaad, who mentioned the following pertinent statements prior to the contents of the actual work at hand: Almighty Allah says: ————————————————————————————————————————————————– “Whoever cuts himself off from the Messenger after the right path has become clear to him, and follows other than the way of the Believers, We shall let him have what he chooses, and We shall admit him to Jahannam, which is an evil place to return.” (4:115) ————————————————————————————————————————————————– “The consensus of the Muslims has been established upon the obligation (Wujub) of following one of the four Imams today.” Imam Ahmad al-Nafrawi (12th Century AH) in Al-Fawākih al- Dawāni ————————————————————————————————————————————————– The compiler stated in his forward: ————————————————————————————————————————————————– Whether a person should follow one of the four schools or not is an issue that has created much confusion amongst Muslims today. It is hoped this short treatise will serve to dispel much of the misinformation found about this issue and furnish the details for why the Four schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali) have such a central role in Sunni Islam. Some key additions have been made to this second edition of the book. Several clear statements establishing Ijma (consensus) of the Umma upon the taqlīd of the four Imams have been now included. Similarly, a word has been added about our responsibility in the UK as ambassadors of Islam. Another addition is the appraisal of some of the texts often cited to argue against taqlīd. Due to the importance of this subject, the booklet is being distributed freely and no copyright exists preventing those who wish to reprint it from doing so. May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala)accept this effort and reward all those who helped in any way in its production. Ameen. Muhammad Sajaad 17th Safar 1432 23/1/2011 Download link

Iddat for a woman in Nifaas Q. Muhtaram Mufti Saheb, A womans husband passed away while she was in the nifaas period after giving birth to his child. Is there iddat for her ? جزاكم الله خيرا (Question published as received) A. If a woman became widowed after she had given birth and whilst she was experiencing post-natal bleeding (Nifaas), she will observe the Iddah period of death which is four Months and ten days. The same ruling applies to a woman who became widowed whilst she was experiencing Haidh (menstruation) or Isthihaadha (irregular bleeding). On the other hand, if a woman became widowed whilst being pregnant, she will also observe the Iddah period. However, her Iddah period will terminate at the birth of the child and not at four Months and ten days. This is irrespective if she gave birth a few hours, days or Months after she became widowed. In other words, there is no time limit to her Iddah period apart from the birth of the child. (Tuhfatul Fuqahaa 2/243) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Question: Please inform me about the Nafl Salāh of the day ex. Ishrāq and Awwābīn etc. when they should be performed, and what should be recited in each prayer. Also, I have many Qadhā Salāh to make up. I have read some but have failed to maintain a routine of reading Qadhā Salāh every day. Is it better to make up the Qadhā prayers rather than performing the Nafl prayers? For example, during the Ishrāq period, instead of performing Nafl, is it permissible to perform a complete day of Qadhā instead? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Among the daily optional prayers are Salāt al-Tahajjud, Salāt al-Ishrāq, Salāt al-Dhuhā, and Salāt al-Awwābīn. The actual time for Tahajjud Salāh is after one wakes up from his/her sleep and the most virtuous time is towards the latter portion of the night. [1] However if one is not able to awaken for the performance of Tahajjud Salāh, then he/she should perform Nafl Salāh before sleeping. The time for Salāt al-Ishrāq extends from after sunrise (approximately 15 min. after sunrise) and ends before midday when the sun reaches its zenith. However, it is best to perform Salāt al-Ishrāq early when its time sets in. Similarly, the time for Salāt al-Dhuhā extends from after sunrise (approximately 15 min. after sunrise) and ends before midday when the sun reaches its zenith. [2] However, based on a narration of Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam, the best time to perform Salāt al-Dhuhā is after one-fourth of the day expires. In other words, the day stretches from sunrise to sunset. After dividing this period into four parts, the best time for Dhuhā would be after the first part terminates. The narration is as follows: صَلَاةُ الْأَوَّابِينَ حِينَ تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ (مسلم،ج 1، ص 515، دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت) The time for Salāt al-Dhuhā is when the young ones of the camels feel the heat of the sun (i.e. when it becomes very hot)” (Sahīh Muslim) Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam used to perform Salāt al-Ishrāq first, then would perform Salāt al-Dhuhā. This is substantiated by a Hadīth narrated by Imām Tirmidhī Rahimahullāh. The narration is as follows: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ [ص:494] إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ العَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَإِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَاهُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَاهُنَا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا (سنن الترمذي، ج 2، ص 137، الرسالة العالمية) Alī Radhiyallāhu Anhu says (regarding the daytime prayers of Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam): Rasūlullāh Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam used to perform two Raka’āt when the sun was at a distance from the Zenith (in the other direction) similar to its distance at Asr time (Salāt al-Ishrāq). And Nabī Sallallāhu Alaihi Wa Sallam performed four Raka’āt when the sun was at a distance from the zenith similar to its distance at Dhuhr time (Salāt al-Dhuhā). (Sunan al-Tirmidhī) The time for Salāt al-Awwābīn is after the performance of Maghrib Salāh. There is no specified portion of the Qurān that must be recited in these prayers. Any portion of the Qurān will suffice. With regards to your missed prayers, you have stated that you have failed to maintain a routine of reading them every day. An easy method would be to repeat one missed prayer after every Fardh and Wājib Salāh you perform. [3] Hence if three years of Salāh was missed then after three years all the missed prayers would be made up. As a general principle, it is preferred to make up missed prayers instead of engaging oneself in optional prayers. However, those prayers that have been specifically mentioned in Ahādīth (such as the emphasized Sunnahs and the optional prayers mentioned above) should not be missed even if one has to make up missed prayers. [4] If the above-mentioned method of making up missed prayers is adopted, then one will easily be able to perform missed prayers as well as these virtuous optional prayers. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. [1] قلت: قد صرح بذلك في الحلية، ثم قال فيها بعد كلام: ثم غير خاف أن صلاة الليل المحثوث عليها هي التهجد. وقد ذكر القاضي حسين من الشافعية أنه في الاصطلاح التطوع بعد النوم، وأيد بما في معجم الطبراني من حديث الحجاج بن عمرو – رضي الله عنه – قال «يحسب أحدكم إذا قام من الليل يصلي حتى يصبح أنه قد تهجد، إنما التهجد المرء يصلي الصلاة بعد رقدة» غير أن في سنده ابن لهيعة وفيه مقال، لكن الظاهر رجحان حديث الطبراني الأول لأنه تشريع قولي من الشارع – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بخلاف هذا، وبه ينتفي ما عن أحمد من قوله قيام الليل من المغرب إلى طلوع الفجر اهـ ملخصا. أقول: الظاهر أن حديث الطبراني الأول بيان لكون وقته بعد صلاة العشاء، حتى لو نام ثم تطوع قبلها لا يحصل السنة، فيكون حديث الطبراني الثاني مفسرا للأول، وهو أولى من إثبات التعارض والترجيح لأن فيه ترك العمل بأحدهما ولأنه يكون جاريا على الاصطلاح ولأنه المفهوم من إطلاق الآيات والأحاديث ولأن التهجد إزالة النوم بتكلف مثل: تأثم أي تحفظ عن الإثم؛ نعم صلاة الليل وقيام الليل أعم من التهجد، وبه يجاب عما أورد على قول الإمام أحمد هذا ما ظهر لي، والله أعلم ……… (قوله ولو جعله أثلاثا إلخ) أي لو أراد أن يقوم ثلثه وينام ثلثيه فالثلث الأوسط أفضل من طرفيه لأن الغفلة فيه أتم والعبادة فيه أثقل ولو أراد أن يقوم نصفه وينام نصفه فقيام نصفه الأخير أفضل لقلة المعاصي فيه غالبا وللحديث الصحيح «ينزل ربنا إلى سماء الدنيا في كل ليلة حين يبقى ثلث الليل الأخير، فيقول: من يدعوني فأستجيب له؟ من يسألني فأعطيه من يستغفرني فأغفر له» ومعنى ينزل ربنا ينزل أمره كما أوله به الخلف وبعض أكابر السلف، وتمامه في تحفة ابن حجر، وذكر أن الأفضل من الثلث الأوسط السدس الرابع والخامس للخبر المتفق عليه «أحب الصلاة إلى الله تعالى صلاة داود، كان ينام نصف الليل ويقوم ثلثه وينام سدسه» . اهـ. وبه جزم في الحلية. (رد المحتار، ج 2، ص 24-25، سعيد) فتاوي محمودية، ج 11، ص 309-310، مكتبه محموديه [2] (و) ندب (أربع فصاعدا في الضحى) على الصحيح من بعد الطلوع إلى الزوال ووقتها المختار بعد ربع النهار. (الدر المختار مع رد المحتار, ج 2, ص 22, سعيد) [3] Aap Ke Masaail Aur Un Ka Hal, Vol. 2, pages 412-414 [4] وأما النفل فقال في المضمرات: الاشتغال بقضاء الفوائت أولى وأهم من النوافل إلا سنن المفروضة وصلاة الضحى وصلاة التسبيح والصلاة التي رويت فيها الأخبار. اهـ. ط أي كتحية المسجد، والأربع قبل العصر والست بعد المغرب (رد المحتار، ج 2، ص 74، سعيد) idealwoman

Pearls of Wisdom: No.47 “Food for the Soul” SUBJECT: KINDNESS Allah, The Most Exalted, says: “And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives that would truly be from the things recommended by Allah” (Qur'an 42:43) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Allah is not kind to him who is not kind to people” (Hadith Bukhari & Muslim) Note: Kindness is indeed a great virtue and a distinctive feature of good character. It is trait that every noble soul possesses. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted or goes unnoticed in the sight of Allah Ta’ala. Kindness is a gift that everyone can afford to give and it has a ripple effect. It is the language which deaf can hear and blind can see. Be kind and kindness will be shown to you! www.eislam.co.za

Leader of the Women in Jannah and the position of Aisha (RA) Q. 1) Who will be the Leader of the Women of Jannah insha Allah? 2) Is A’ishah considered with the four greatest women (Maryam, Khadijah, Fatimah and Asiyah [ra])? Or does she hold a seperate position of excellence all on her own? A. According to authentic narrations, Fatimah (RA), the daughter of the Prophet (SAS) will be the leader of the women in Jannah. In this regard, it is narrated by Aisha (RA) that when the Prophet (SAS) told Fatima that he thinks that his time is coming close to an end, Fatima (RA) began to weep. Upon this, the Prophet (SAS) said to her, ‘O Fatima, are you not pleased that you will be the leader of the women in paradise’. (Bukhari, Muslim). In another tradition, Huzaifaa (RA) narrates that the Prophet (SAS) stated that he received the glad tidings from an angel that Fatima will be the leader of the women in Paradise, and Hasan and Husain will be the leaders of the youths in Paradise. (Tirmizi) With respect to Aisha (RA), she holds an honorable position of excellence on her own, even though she is not from the four greatest women like Maryam, Khadijah, Fatimah and Asiyah. With respect to her excellence, Qasim bin Muhammad narrates that Aisha (RA) said, ‘I have been given more virtues than the other wives on ten things’. It was asked, ‘What are they, O Mother of the believers’. She said, ‘The Prophet (SAS) did not marry any other virgin but me. He did not marry a woman whose parents were both Muhajreen (immigrants) except me. Allah revealed many verses (of the Quran) from the heavens regarding my innocence (in the case of the slander made against me). Jibraeel (AS) brought my portrayal from the heaven in silk and said to the Prophet (SAS), ‘marry her, she will be your wife’. He and I used to bathe from the same vessel, and he did not do that with any of his wives except me. The revelation would come to him while he was with me, and it did not come down when he was with any of his wives except me. Allah took his soul while he was against my chest. He died on the night when it was my turn, and he was buried in my room’. (Tabaqat Ibn Saad vol. 8 pg. 88). In another tradition, Aisha said, ‘I was given a few characteristics that no other woman was given’. (Tabaqat Ibn Saad Vol.8 pg. 88). From these and other narrations, one can see the lofty position that has been given to Aisha (RA). And Allah knows best. Mufti Waseem Khan Source

Exchanging gifts among friends on the day of Aashura Q: Is exchanging gifts among friends on the day of Aashura an established practice? A: It is Sunnah for one to spend on his family on the day of Aashura. Exchanging gifts among friends is not a Sunnah practice and hence should be discontinued. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد (بخاري رقم 2697) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Eight Honoring the Guests: ‘Isa bin ‘Umailah Al-Fazaari (rahimahullah) mentions that a certain person told him the following: I noticed that when Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would milk his goats, he would give his neighbors and guests to drink before he drank himself. One night, I saw him milk his goats to the point where absolutely nothing remained in their udders. After presenting the milk to his guests, he placed a small amount of dates before them. He thereafter apologized to them saying, “If we had anything better than this, we would have definitely brought it before you.” I thereafter observed that Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) himself did not eat a single morsel that night as he had presented all that he had to his guests. (Ibn Sa’d 4/178) Carrying the Flag at Hunayn: The renowned historian, Imaam Waaqidi (rahimahullah), has mentioned that Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) carried the flag of his tribe, the Ghifaar, during the Battle of Hunayn. (Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/384) Migration to Shaam: After the demise of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) migrated from Madinah Munawwarah to the land of Shaam. (Usdul Ghaabah 1/344) As Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was present in Shaam, he witnessed the conquest of Baytul Maqdis with Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/379) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) Q: I want to ask can we fast for the Isaal-e-sawaab of Imaam Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu)? Is there any benefit or special reward that Allah Ta'ala will grant us? A: The gruesome martyrdom of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) was undoubtedly among the most tragic and heart breaking events that occurred in the annals of history. However despite that, it should be borne in mind that the occasion of Aashura and its virtues are not associated with the martyrdom of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). Instead, Aashura had received its virtue and auspiciousness before the birth of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). There were many other personalities greater than Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) who were also martyred in the path of Allah Ta'ala, from the Ambiya (Alayhimus Salaam) and also from the Sahaaba (Radiyallahu Anhum), the likes of Hazrat Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Usmaan (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Ja'far (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Hamza (Radiyallahu Anhu) and many others. If one feels that he should be fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu), then he should first commence fasting for all those personalities who were greater than Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) and had sacrificed their lives for Deen before he commences fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). However, there is no day that has been earmarked in the Islamic calendar for one to mourn their death or for one to fast for them, etc. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس فيه فهو رد (صحيح البخاري رقم 2697) البدعة في المذهب ايراد قول لم يستن قائلها وفائلها فيه بصاحب الشريعة وأمثالها (المفردات ص36) قال الشامي : قوله ( قوله وهي اعتقاد الخ ) عزا هذا التعريف في هامش الخزائن إلى الحافظ ابن حجر في شرح النخبة ولا يخفى أن الاعتقاد يشمل ما كان معه عمل أو لا فإن من تدين بعمل لا بد أن يعتقده كمسح الشيعة على الرجلين وإنكارهم المسح على الخفين ونحو ذلك وحينئذ فيساوي تعريف الشمني لها بأنها ما أحدث على خلاف الحق المتلقى عن رسول الله من علم أو عمل أو حال بنوع شبهة واستحسان وجعل دينا قويما وصراطا مستقيما (رد المحتار 1/560) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Is it Permissible To Operate an Agency Business For Hajj al-Badl (Hajj by proxy)? Question: We were considering to open a service to perform Hajj al-Badl and charge a service fee for the Hajj in addition to the package costs. Is that permissible? In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The Answer: According to the Hanafi school of Fiqh, it is not permissible to charge a service fee for Hajj al-Badl (Hajj by proxy). It is not permissible to make such a service a business venture where the objective is profit[1]. The proxy is entitled to have his expenses covered for travel, accommodation and other necessities. However, he cannot pocket or profit from such an endeavour. The Fiqh (jurisprudence of the answer): The default position of the Hanafi school is that it is not permissible to hire or pay for worship to be performed. Employment and hiring (Ijarah) is a service to humans for which the service provider receives a fee in exchange. Whereas, worship is for Allah for which a worshipper gets reward in lieu of worship. Thus, worship cannot be compensated by monetary means as service is not delivered to humans; rather, one receives reward from Allah. In other words, a person who performs worship for others has not given any material benefit to that human, therefore, he cannot take a fee for such practices[2]. The above ruling should not be confused with certain necessary practices like ‘Imāmah for Salah, teaching etc. which can be compensated monetarily[3]. And Allah Ta’ālā Alone Knows Best Mufti Faraz Adam al-Mahmudi, www.darulfiqh.com

The following booklet is a short and precise discussion on the importance and significance of the Holy month of Muharram which is the first month in the Islamic calendar. It was compiled by a senior Hadith specialist of Indian origin by the name of Shaykh Fazlur Rahman Azmi who currently resides in South Africa. The work has also outlined the matters pertaining to the 10th day of Muharram known as Ashura and the days that fasting is significant. The work also serves to dispel some of the myths and superstitions that some people have introduced over time in the name of Islam. Download link darultahqiq

Step-by-Step Description of the Ritual Ablution Below is a simplified explanation of the method of performing the ritual ablution (wuḍūʿ) in the Ḥanafī madhhab, using brackets to demarcate its farḍ [f], wājib [w], sunnah , and mustaḥabb [m] elements. The explanation is part of a workbook I prepared for a short seminar entitled Perfecting Prayer that provided a step-by-step guide to wuḍūʿ and ṣalāt for young adults. The Ritual Ablution (Wuḍūʾ) Find a high, clean place [m] to perform wuḍūʾ that will minimize the possibility of used water splashing onto your body or clothes . Face the qiblah if possible [m]. Make an intention , verbally and in your heart [m], to perform a ritual ablution for the sake of Allah and to win His favor or to remove the state of ritual impurity and perform prayer. Recite: Bismillāhi ʾl-raḥmān al-raḥīm “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Mercy-Giving” . Wash both hands up to the wrists , starting with the right hand , thrice . Rub thoroughly to remove all dirt . (If wearing a ring, move the ring around so that the water reaches all of the skin underneath, even if the ring is loose.) Rinse your entire mouth thrice, ensuring that the water reaches the back of your mouth (except when fasting) . Between rinses, brush your teeth with a siwāk/miswāk (toothstick), gripping it in the right hand with the thumb and pinky finger under the siwāk and the middle three fingers above it . Start with the right side of your mouth and move to the left. Rinse the toothstick each time and squeeze the water out. (If a siwāk is not available, you may use your index finger or a piece of cloth or paper towel to clean the teeth and remove any residue/film.) Rinse your nose with water thrice, ensuring that the water reaches the cartilage area of the nose (except when fasting) . Use your right hand to place water into the nose and the left hand to squeeze the nose out [m]. Splash water gently onto your face [f] thrice such that water flows over the entire area between your ear lobes and the top of your forehead to the bottom of your chin. Rub your face with water well, making sure to wet the eyebrows and the area between the eyes and nose. (Do not splash so hard as to cause the used water to fall onto your clothing, nor onto others. Additionally, be careful not to splash water onto your surroundings, as it can cause inconvenience or even harm to others, reducing the reward of the ablution.) If you have a thick beard, pass your fingers through your beard (khilāl) to wet the hair covering the skin by placing your right hand underneath the beard upward such that the back of the hand is facing the neck and your palm is facing away from you. Wash each of your arms, including the elbows [f], beginning by washing the right arm thrice and then the left arm thrice . The arms should be washed downward from the fingers to the elbows so that the water flows off the elbows . Rub your arms while washing them . Perform khilāl of your fingers (intermingling the fingers of each hand) by placing the palm of one hand over the back of the other and then combing the fingers through one another . Wet your hands and wipe your entire head , ensuring that at least one-fourth is covered [f], starting from the front of your head and moving to the back with both hands [m]. Use the back of your fingers to wipe the back of your neck but do not wipe the throat . Then wipe your ears by using your index fingers for the inside of the ears and your thumbs for the outside . Wash each of your feet, including the ankles [f], beginning by washing with the right foot thrice and then the left foot thrice . Pour the water with your right hand and rub your feet with the left [m]. Pass the pinky finger of your left hand (khilāl) through your toes, starting from the right foot’s small toe and moving left to the left foot’s small toe so no portion of the feet remains dry. Perform all the above steps in the described order and without such a significant break or pause in the wuḍūʾ that the previous limb could dry before washing the next . Facing upwards, recite the testimony of faith [m]: Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu wa ash-hadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa raṣūluhu. “I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger.” Then say [m]: Allāhumma-jʿalnī mina ʾl-tawwābīn wa-jʿalnī mina ʾl-mutaṭahhirīn. “O Allah. Make me of the oft-repenting and make me of those who oft-purify themselves.” Drink some leftover water from the water container (or a small amount of water from a faucet) [m]. If the time is appropriate, offer two units of prayer (called taḥiyyat al-wuḍūʾ) as an expression of gratitude to Allah that He enabled you to perform wuḍūʾ [m]. Source

Exact commencement time of Iddah for a widow Q. Asalamwalaykum molana. My question is that if a women's husband passes away and he is burried 2 days later; does the iddat of the women begin the day of the death or the day of the burial? JazakAllah (Question published as received) A. Allah Ta'ala mentions the law of Iddah in the Quran: “For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (observe Iddah) for four months and ten days.” (Baqarah) Thus, the Iddah period of a wife begins immediately from the death of her husband and not from the time of his burial. (Shaami 3/506) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Keeping qadha fast on the day of Aashura Q: If one fasts on the ninth and tenth or tenth and eleventh of Muharram​ with the intention of qadha fast, will one receive the reward of the fast of Aashura? A: The fast will be valid. However, one will not obtain the reward and virtue of Aashura through keeping qadha fast. The reward and virtue of Aashura is for the one who observes nafl fasts on these days. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. ولو نوى فرضين كمكتوبة وجنازة فللمكتوبة ولو مكتوبتين فللوقتية ولو فائتتين فللأولى لو من أهل الترتيب وإلا لغا فليحفظ ولو فائتة ووقتية فللفائتة لو الوقت متسعا ولو فرضا ونفلا فللفرض ولو نافلتينكسنة فجر وتحية مسجد فعنهما ولو نافلة وجنازة فنافلة ولا تبطل بنية القطع ما لم يكبر بنية مغايرة ولو نوى في صلاته الصوم صح (الدر المختار 1/ 439) فتاوى دار العلوم ديوبند (عزيز الفتاوى) 1/389 أحسن الفتاوى 4/440 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Anytime Resolutions…5 Easy Tips! By Abu Muhammad Yusuf The Islamic New has recently begun and people generally ponder about on how to approach this New Islamic Year and their work, health and relationships etc. In reality we don’t need a New Year or special occasion to make a resolution for doing or achieving good. It can be done instantaneously! Common resolutions include cutting down on chocolate/weight, quit smoking, getting in shape, etc. A lot involves benefits to the health and/or improving lifestyle. Others include giving more to charity, being closer to family which boosts a personal level of satisfaction etc. But this we as Muslims should be doing regardless. What about us? Have we set a goal or targets for ourselves? If so, was it because it was a New Year? Did you have to wait for the New Year to set it? Is there something about you that you wish to improve? No human is perfect! As Muslims we should ideally and additionally be setting goals for not only our material well-being but more importantly for our spiritual self. That is not to say that we should not set goals for this material life, by all means go ahead but let us not forget the journey that lies ahead once our eyes close from this temporary abode. Yes set high goals both for our Spiritual and Material progress. The Holy Qur’an says: “Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire” (Quran:Al-Baqarah:201). Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Holy Quran; “…And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me..”(Quran 51:56) 5 Easy Tips To Get You Started… REACH FOR THE STARS! AIM HIGH: So indeed there is no harm in achieving good in both materially and spiritually. The most important is to note that all resolutions, hopes, ambitions and dreams etc are entirely dependent on Allah Ta’ala, The Most Wise, for their fulfillment. So making Dua (asking Allah Ta’ala) is the most essential ingredient for achievement. When making dua “reach for the stars” i.e. ask Allah Ta’ala for the best, in fact ask for everything good. Don’t leave out anything. Allah, The Most Wise, says: “Invoke Me, (and ask Allah for anything) I will respond to your (invocation/dua)…” (Quran: 40: 60) ELIMINATE TRANSGRESSIONS: Most businesses refuse to grant more credit to a bad debtor or nonpayer, likewise how can we expect Allah Ta’ala to grant us good if we continuously sin and transgress? To get the Help of Allah Ta’ala we need to remove sin from our lives. We are not perfect and as humans we often err. But the least we can do to show our sincerity to Allah Ta’ala is to intend to abandon ALL forms of sins from our lives. Allah is Ar-Rahman, the Most Compassionate, and Ar-Raheem, the Most Merciful. Allah Ta’ala reminds us of the greatness of His Forgiveness and Mercy so that no one w ould despair due to the amount of sins he or she may have committed. “O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an: 39:53) MAKE ISLAM THE BIGGER CIRCLE: Until now we may have made our material (worldly) desires the Bigger Circle in our life and Deen (Islam) the inner Smaller Circle that occupies a very small insignificant place in the Bigger Circle. Now resolve to make Deen(Islam) the Bigger Circle and make everything else fit into the Bigger Circle. If it does not conform to Deen, no matter what it may be, leave it out of the Bigger Circle! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "None of you can be a true Muslim, unless his desires are subject to the deen (religion) that I have brought." (Hadith). SET SPECIFIC GOALS: Leaving our intentions vague and general is not wise. Make specific intentions and set targets. Cover each aspect of your life which you would like to improve upon and set targets that are easily attainable. Don’t leave it open ended. He who fails to plan, plans to fail! BE EXTENSIVE AND SYSTEMATIC: Yes, let the list be extensive, realistic and systematic. Dedicate time with family to make these resolutions. Make your family part of it and set goals together. In addition, it helps to write down intentions and to regularly review those intentions in order to achieve those commitments. Finally the most important resolution is that My Creator Allah Ta’ala must be pleased with me. So whatever I desire, do, say, want, etc must be only to please my Lord! May Allah Ta’ala make this Islamic Year 1438 Hijrah the most spiritually rewarding year for the Ummah and may He grant ease and relief to those that are suffering and oppressed throughout the world.…Ameen www.eislam.co.za

Listening to Lectures with the Intention of Reforming Oneself Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: A person once wrote a letter to me wherein he requested that I teach and instruct him as to how he may reform his condition. In reply, I wrote to him and advised that he read twenty of my transcribed lectures and endeavour to inculcate and practice upon my teachings. I further advised him to write to me after carrying this out so that he may inform me of his condition and whether he finds any change in his life. After reading twenty of my transcribed lectures, he wrote to me saying, “I do not find any improvement and change in my life.” I replied to him saying, “You either read the lectures without the intention of reforming yourself, or the lectures which you read did not contain any advice pertaining to your self-reformation, or perhaps there are no deficiencies within you which require reformation.” After reading my reply, he admitted that although he read through the lectures, he did not do so with the intention of reforming himself. I therefore wrote to him saying, “This is the reason for you not finding any change and improvement in your life. Now I ask you to read these lectures again with the intention of Islaah (seeking self-reformation).” Alhamdulillah, after reading the lectures again with the correct intention, he wrote back to me informing me that he has derived immense benefit from the lectures and that he finds substantial change and improvement in his life. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 8/318)

Moulana Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) Lineage Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf ibn Muhammad Zakariyya Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) was a Sayyid; from the family of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). His lineage goes back to Musa Khazim ibn Ja’far As-Sadiq ibn Muhammad Al-Baqir ibn Ali Zaynul ‘Abidin ibn Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiyallahu ‘anhum). Moulana Muhammad Yusuf was called Al-Binnory because his grandfather stayed in the village of Binnor. Shaykh’s father was a pious ‘Alim who also wrote several books. Birth Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was born on Thursday, 6th Rabi’uth Thani in the year 1328-Hijri (1907 Gregorian) in the village of Muhabbatabad in the province of Peshawar, Pakistan. His family was known for piety, taqwa and knowledge. He grew up in Peshawar and also Kabul. Studies Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) started acquiring knowledge in the towns of Peshawar and Kabul, amongst his teachers were his father (Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya – rahimahullah), his uncle Moulana Fadhl Samdani Al-Binnory (rahimahullah), Moulana Abdullah ibn Khayr Al-Peshawary (rahimahullah), and others. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) desired to further his studies, so he undertook extensive travel to meet the ‘Ulama of India and benefit from them. For higher education, he joined Darul Uloom Deoband in the year 1345-Hijri (1927) for two years, learning Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, Usul of Hadith and Usul of Fiqh. Whilst in Deoband, he benefited from two senior ‘Ulama; ‘Allamah Shabir Ahmad Uthmani (rahimahullah) and ‘Allamah Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah). In 1347 (1929), Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah) joined Jami’atul Islamiyyah in the town of Dhabel and Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) accompanied him and completed his course in knowledge of Hadith at Dhabel with a distinction. After completing, Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) wrote a letter in Arabic to his Teacher, Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah), requesting to accompany him and be his attendant. Moulana Kashmiri was astonished with the eloquence of Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) and made him his attendant at his residence and during travel. Shaykhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Yusuf (rahimahullah) returned to Peshawar and occupied himself with lessons and teaching whilst also engaging in political matters for four years, after which he felt remorse for using these four years in politics instead of pursuing further knowledge. After his Shaykh, Moulana Kashmiri (rahimahullah) passed away, 1352-Hijri, he was chosen as a teacher in Jami’atul Islamiyyah in Dhabel and he progressed in the institution until he became the Shaykhul Hadith. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was part of ‘Al-Majlisul ‘ilmi’ at the Madrasah in Dhabel. This was a research faculty that produced several scholarly works. He was also elected as the Ameer of the Jami’atul ‘Ulama in Gujrat. Newtown, Karachi In the year, 1370-Hijri (1951), Moulana (rahimahullah) migrated to Pakistan on the insistence of Moulana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani (rahimahullah) and Shaykh Badri ‘Alam (rahimahullah), becoming the Shaykh of Tafsir in Darul Uloom Islamiyyah in Sindh. He occupied this post for three years. Thereafter Moulana travelled to Karachi and established the foundations of Madrassatul Arabiyyatul Islamiyyah in Newtown which is now world renowned. Several senior ‘Ulama of our country had the honour of studying under Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) at his madrasah in Karachi. His Academic Rank Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) took great effect form his Teacher; ‘Allamah Anwar Shah Al-Kashmiri (rahimahullah). He was accepted as his senior student, despite spending approximately just one year in the company of Shaykh Kashmiri. Shaykh Binnnori (rahimahullah) authored several books in Arabic and Urdu, the most famous being his unique Arabic commentary of a portion of Sunan Tirmidhi, entitled: Ma’arifus Sunan. He was extremely fluent in the Arabic language, a fact that was acknowledged by several Arab scholars too. He had established a research faculty (Darut Tasnif) at his Madrasah in Karachi, from which several other books were published by his senior students. Our Darul Hadith Research Centre in Durban, South Africa is a product of the Shaykh’s vision of research. Our Ameer, my Honourable Father, Moulana Haroon Abasoomar saheb (hafizhahullah) is a student of Shaykh Binnori. World Renowned Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) also had the opportunity to travel to several parts of the world, thereby meeting the ‘Ulama of these countries too. In so doing, he managed to attain ijazah in Hadith from several senior Hadith scholars in the Arab world. He also issued ijazah to many others in those countries. He had a special attachment to the Haramayn and travelled there frequently. In the latter part of his life, Shaykh would observe i’tikaf annually in Masjid Nabawi. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) visited our country, South Africa as well. While he was here, he visited the academic establishments, and also addressed the Tablighi Ijtima’ (gathering). Shaykh (rahimahullah) visited Egypt on several occasions. He maintained a close relationship with the ‘Ulama there as well. Namely; the Great Hanafi scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Zahid Al-Kawthari (rahimahullah) and the Rector of Al-Azhar at that time, Shaykh ‘Abdul Halim Mahmud (rahimahullah). When he would visit the Arab world, he had the habit of taking books written by the ‘Ulama of the Indo Pak subcontinent as gifts for the ‘Ulama there. In this manner he bridged the gap between the seniors of these schools. He was widely praised by ‘Ulama from around the world. In addition to the ‘Ulama of the Indo Pak Subcontinent, he was acknowledged by ‘Ulama from the Haramayn, Syria, Egypt and Turkey. He became known as ‘Muhaddithul ‘Asr’ (The Great Hadith Master of his era). His excellent qualities Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was known for his istighna (reticence), his tawakkul, his outstanding memory, his concern for establishing the Truth and defending it against the deviant groups. He is admired for his ability to combine all avenues of Spiritual Islam; He was a Sufi (ascetic), a Muhaddith, a Mufassir, a Faqih, a Muballigh (preacher), and a Musannif (author). He was also a pillar of steadfastness in promoting the Truth, fearing none besides Allah. He made untold sacrifices in tackling deviated sects, especially Qadianism. He also enjoyed the credit of introducing the Akabir (seniors) of Deoband to the Arab world. Demise Shaykh Binnory passed away on 17 October, 1977 (3 Dhul Qa’dah, 1397 A.H.) at the age of 71. He was buried in the precincts of the Madrasah in Binnory Town, Karachi. May Allah Ta’ala fill his grave with nur and bestow him the highest stages in Jannah. May He also enable us to follow in the footsteps of our seniors. al-miftah