ummtaalib

The Rights of Women Shaykh Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar (Rahemahullah) READ HERE

"These days, I am a proud wearer of hijab. You can call it a scarf. My scarf does not tie my hands behind my back, and it is not a tool of oppression. It doesn't prevent thoughts from entering my head and leaving my mouth." Theresa Corbin

Following are beneficial excerpts taken from a discussion on Feminism HERE

The Muslimah - Islam Liberated Women 1400 Years Ago! || Women In Islam

Muhammad (saws) What a year was 570 AD A person was born, a prophet to be Muhammed (saws) that was his name People were misguided and that’s when he came He would go on to leave all the idols behind He is an example to the whole of mankind Rabbi al Awwal, in it was a day He came to this world to show us the way He was born in Mecca , the holiest place A life full of challenges he was to face Abdullah, his father, had by then passed away Leaving Amina, his mother, in her arms he lay Haalima Sadia took over his care Until he was six, our prophet was there His mother then died, he was left all alone Abdul Muttalib, his grand-dad then made him his own When our prophet was nine, his grandfather died Abu Talib, his uncle, became his new guide In his 20′s,a merchant Muhammed (saws) became by trade Al-Amin,(the trustworthy) became his grade Khadija(ra)aged 40, became his bride He was 25, with her by his side To the poor, she gave away all her wealth A dedicated wife in sickness and health 360 idols in the Kaaba, there were at that time Our prophet realised that this was a crime He would go to mount Hira, leaving behind his wife Reflecting and wondering about the meaning of life Whilst thinking there in the midst of the night He heard a loud voice which filled him with fright It was the angel Jibrail(as) who asked him to read Our prophet couldn’t and didn’t take heed The angel embraced him and then asked him later Read, Read in the name of the Creator Who created man from a drop of blood Our prophet was shocked, but his wife understood Our prophet rushed to the path straight ahead He heard a voice from the heavens which said Muhammed(saws) truly you are the messenger of God Muhammed (saws) was scared and thought this quite odd ‘Praise be to God’ his wife said instead ”I know you’ve been chosen as God’s messenger’ she said And thus Khadija (ra) became the first woman of islam And over the next 23 years came the revelation, the Quran He preached to all people, every creed, every race Yet so many hardships he had to face There were fears for his life, then the hijrah took place He entered Medina, by the Almighty’s grace He was greeted by the Ansaris who were not like the others they treated the muhajirs like their very own brothers Then came the battles, fought face to face Then the conquest of Mecca, Muhammed (saws)’s birthplace An Nasr was revealed, it’s message was clear Muhammed (saws) knew that his time was near Everyone gathered to hear his last speech little did they know how far Allah’s message would reach Muhammed (saws) gave us the miracle, the Quran And now a 1/4 of the world follow Islam He is our role-model, the best of mankind And has left the Quran and his Sunnah behind Read the Quran as much as you can The words of Allah(swt) for the guidance of man And follow our prophet’s sunnah, when eating and dressing And send him salutations and many a blessing He came to mankind to show us the way And Insha-Allah, we’ll meet him, we’ll meet him one day Source

Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Environment Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say anything about saving our planet? Did he promote any ideas or practices relevant to the world's growing concern about the future of the earth and its resources? Today, with the increasing awareness of the dangers facing our planet and the great interest in green ideas, a reflection on the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this area proves helpful and relevant. What is distinctive about the Prophet's approach to environmental issues is the connection he established between green practices and the Hereafter reward, which represents for Muslims an incentive greater than any worldly gain or reward and, as a result, prompts a greater care for the earth and more effort to conserve its resources. 10 Teachings of Prophet Muhammad on Environment Plant a tree even if it is your last deed: 1. “If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.” Planting trees is a renewable source of hasanat: 2. "If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him." (Bukhari) Conserve resources even when used for rituals: 3. The Prophet asked Sa'd`d, "Why is this wastage?" Sa'd replied "Is there wastage in Wudhu (ablution) also?" The Prophet said, "Yes, even if you are at a flowing river." (Ahmad) Keeping environment clean is important: 4. The Prophet warned, "Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: Relieving yourselves in shaded places (that people utilise) In a walkway or In a watering place." 5. "Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (sadaqah)." NO for over-consumption! Consider recycling and fixing before buying new items: 6. Asked about what the Prophet (SAW) used to do in his house, the Prophet's wife, A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), said that he used to repair his shoes, sow his clothes and used to do all such household works done by an average person. 7. "The believer is not he who eats his fill while his neighbour is hungry." Animals should be cared for: 8. "Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, Allah will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgment." The listeners asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is a just cause?" He replied, That he will kill it to eat, not simply to chop off its head and then throw it away. (An-Nasa'i) 9. "A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile, he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is suffering from thirst as I did." So, he went down the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his mouth and watered the dog. Allah appreciated him for that deed and forgave him." The Companions said, "O Allah's Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?" He replied: "There is a reward for serving any living being." (Bukhari) 10. "A woman entered the (Hell) Fire because of a cat which she had tied, neither giving it food nor setting it free to eat from the vermin of the earth." (Bukhari) Kitaabun.com

Pearls of Wisdom: No.42 “Food for the Soul” SUBJECT: LOVE OF ALLAH Allah, The Most Exalted, says: “And those who believe are strongest in love of Allah…” (Qur’an 2:165) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reported that Allah Ta’ala said: “If My servant likes to meet Me, I like to meet him; and if he dislikes to meet Me, I dislike to meet him.”(Hadith – Bukhari) Note: It is incumbent on every believer to love our Creator who has indeed done so much for us. The Love of Allah Ta’ala is like a light, without it you are in an ocean of darkness. Life is a journey from ALLAH to ALLAH. If you really Love Allah and you are experiencing difficulty and wandering where is He, just remember that the Teacher is usually quiet during the test! Love of ALLAH leads to endless hope whereas not loving Him will lead to a hopeless end. www.eislam.co.za

The Feminist Movement and the Muslim Woman Maryam Jameelah THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT AND THE MUSLIM WOMAN by Maryam Jameelah.pdf

Ḥadīth regarding al-Ḥajar ‘l-Aswad The black stone (al-Ḥajar ‘l-Aswad) has many virtues, one of them is the ability to clear your sins (by Allāh’s leave) when you kiss or touch it, Imām al-Tirmidhī has related in his Jāmi‘ (877): حدثنا قتيبة حدثنا جرير عن عطاء بن السائب عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نزل الحجر الأسود من الجنة وهو أشد بياضا من اللبن فسودته خطايا بني آدم قال وفي الباب عن عبد الله بن عمرو وأبي هريرة قال أبو عيسى حديث ابن عباس حديث حسن صحيح (Imām al-Tirmidhī says) Qutaybah related to us, who said Jarīr narrated to us from ‘Atā’ ibn al-Sā’ib from Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr from Ibn ‘Abbās who said: Rasūlullāh ﷺ said: “The black stone descended from paradise and was (originally) whiter than milk while the sins of the sons of Ādam turned it black.” Imām al-Tirmidhī comments: “There is another ḥadīth from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr and Abū Hurayrah concerning this chapter, and the ḥadīth of Ibn ‘Abbās is a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth.” Mullā ‘Alī al-Qārī comments on the words “sons of Ādam turned it black” to mean: أي صارت ذنوب بني آدم الذين يمسحون الحجر سيا لسواده Meaning: “The sins of the sons of Ādam made it turn black due to touching the (black) stone.” Mirqāt ‘l-Mafātīḥ (9/45) Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī points out in his Fatḥ ‘l-Bārī sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ ‘l-Bukhārī (3/462): ومنها حديث ابن عباس مرفوعا : نزل الحجر الأسود من الجنة وهو أشد بياضا من اللبن ، فسودته خطايا بني آدم . أخرجه الترمذي وصححه ، وفيه عطاء بن السائب وهو صدوق لكنه اختلط ، وجرير ممن سمع منه بعد اختلاطه ، لكن له طريق أخرى في صحيح ابن خزيمة فيقوى بها ، وقد رواه النسائي من طريق حماد بن سلمة ، عن عطاء مختصرا ، ولفظه الحجر الأسود من الجنة وحماد ممن سمع من عطاء قبل الاختلاط ، “From those narrations is the ḥadīth of Ibn ‘Abbās marfū‘an (raised back to the Prophet): ‘The black stone descended from paradise and was (originally) whiter than milk while the sins of the sons of Ādam turned it black.’ Imām al-Tirmidhī narrated it and authenticated it. In it [the isnād] is ‘Aṭā’ ibn ‘l-Sā’ib, he is trustworthy but he suffered from ikhthilāṭ [mixing up narrations in the latter stage of his life], and Jarīr was from those who heard from him after his ikhthilāṭ [meaning there is weakness]. However, there is another route for this as narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah [2557] that gives it strength. Whilst al-Nasā’ī [3801] narrated a shorter version from Ḥammād ibn Salamah from ‘Aṭā’ with the wording (only) being: ‘The black stone descended from paradise.’ Ḥammād was from those who heard ‘Aṭā’ before he (‘Aṭā’) suffered from ikhthilāṭ [meaning the narrations of Ḥammād from ‘Aṭā’ are sound].” It is worth noting that the words of the narration in Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī: “The black stone was (originally) whiter than milk while the sins of the sons of Ādam turned it black”, without the wording that it ‘descended from heaven’, has also been narrated via Ḥammād from ‘Aṭā’ as mentioned in the Mu‘jam ‘l-Kabīr of al-Ṭabarānī (1215) with the wording being ‘whiter than ice’ instead of ‘milk’: حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُوسَى ، ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ السَّيْلَحِينِيُّ ، ثنا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” كَانَ الْحَجَرُ الأَسْوَدُ أَشَدَّ بَيَاضًا مِنَ الثَّلْجِ حَتَّى سَوَّدَتْهُ خَطَايَا بَنِي آدَمَ “ Imām Ḍiyā’ ‘l-Dīn al-Maqdisī incorporated this ḥadīth in his book: al-Aḥādīth ‘l-Mukhtārah (3614) where he strived to compile only authentic narrations. Some objectors to this virtue utilise a narration in Ṣaḥīḥ ‘l-Bukhārī (1520) from ‘Umar ibn ‘l-Khaṭṭāb that he came close to al-Ḥajar ‘l-Aswad and kissed it, and that he then said: إني أعلم أنك حجر لا تضر ولا تنفع ولولا أني رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقبلك ما قبلتك “No doubt, I know that you are [only] a stone, you cannot cause harm nor can you benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet ﷺ kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” Commenting on this narration Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar says in short: قوله : ( لا تضر ولا تنفع ) أي إلا بإذن الله “‘Umar’s saying ‘you cannot cause harm nor can you benefit’, meaning: ‘except by the leave of Allāh.” (Ibid). Meaning that whatever Alāh ﷻ wills, He can do. And Allāh ﷻ knows best. —————— Compiled by Abu Humayd Source

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Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Seven Kindness to Neighbors: ‘Isa bin ‘Umailah (rahimahullah) narrates from a person who had seen Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) that whenever Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would milk his goats, he would first give his neighbors and guests the milk to drink and would only himself drink thereafter. (Siyar A‘laam min Nubalaa’ 3/399) The Seven Instructions of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam): Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates the following: My beloved friend, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), instructed me to do the following seven things: 1. To love the poor and remain close to them. 2. To look at those who are lower than me (in possessing the wealth of the world) and not to look at those who are higher than me. 3. He instructed me to join family ties, even if they have turned their backs on me. 4. He instructed me to never ask anyone for anything. 5. He instructed me to speak the truth, even though it may be bitter. 6. He instructed me to not allow any person’s rebuke to prevent me from fulfilling the order of Allah Ta‘ala. 7. He instructed me to recite لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله in abundance as these words are from beneath the treasure of the throne (of Allah Ta‘ala). (Majma‘uz Zawaa’id #17907) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

ADOPTION OF A CHILD IN ISLAM Q: “In the secular legal system, adoption of a child by couples is lawful as we all know. Please elucidate the position of Shariah in this regard. How far such an adoption is permissible in Islam, and if so, what are the rights and obligations of the parties involved in such a situation?” A: Adoption of a child has no legal effect in Shariah. One can adopt a child for his emotional and psychological satisfaction. He can treat him as his own son in the matters of love, affection and general behavior. Adoption of a child to provide shelter to him is a virtuous deed which carries much reward in the Hereafter. But so far as the legal aspects are concerned, adoption has no consequence. The child should not be attributed except to the natural father, and not to the one who has adopted him. Even in the matter of hijab adoption has no effect whatsoever. If a male child is adopted by a woman, she will observe hijab from him after he reaches the age of puberty, unless she is related to him in a prohibited degree. An adopted child can marry a daughter of his adoptive parents, because she is not his real sister. In short, adoption does not create a new legal relationship which did not exist before. All these rules are inferred from the principle laid down by the Holy Qur’an in this respect. The people in jahiliyyah used to treat an adopted child as the real one in all respects. The Holy Qur’an condemned this practice and the following verses were revealed: وما جعل أدعیاءکم أبناءکم ذ لکم قولکم بافواھکم واللہ یقو ل الحق وھو یھدی السبیل ادعوھم لا باءھم ھو أقسط عنداللہ “And Allah did not make your adopted children your sons. That is only your words coming out from your tongues. And Allah says the truth and He guides you to the right path. Call them with reference to their (real) fathers. It is more just in the sight of Allah.” (Surah 33:V4) However, it should be remembered that although an adopted child cannot inherit from his adoptive father, but it is permissible, rather advisable, for him that he, in his lifetime, makes a will in favour of his adopted son. Through such a will he can bequeath upto one third of his property to his adopted child who cannot otherwise share his inheritance.[1] [1] Such a bequest to a non-heir is known as WASIYAH and must not exceed one-thirds of the estate after payment of debts. Mufti Taqi Uthmani

Why Am I Here? | Understanding the Purpose of Life By Hadhrat Moulana AbdulHamid Is`haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum) If a person takes admission into a Darul Uloom, his objective is to study and complete the course. If he is sincere, his prime object is to study. However, he will have to also fulfil the necessities of life – such as eating, drinking, sleeping, doing his laundry and so forth. All these are not the purpose of his time in the Darul Uloom, but they will have to be done to fulfil the main purpose. Of course, if the person does not attend the classes and does not work towards completing the course, then even if the food and the facilities are the best, the objective will not be fulfilled. …A person is traveling from Johannesburg to Durban because he has to attend a funeral – which will be taking place at a certain time. The objective is to reach Durban to attend the Janaza Salaah. However, enroute, the person will stop for Salaah, to eat, to fill up petrol, etc. Despite these stops, he keeps in mind that he has to reach Durban in time. He is traveling with a purpose in mind and to fulfil that purpose. Similarly, we have come into this world and there is a great purpose to life. …Do we ask ourselves: Why am I here? What am I here for? …A person has passed thirty, forty, fifty years and perhaps even more, of his life, but has no idea as to what his purpose is and makes no attempt to even find out. …If a person has a GPS, but he does not enter in his destination, he will drive around without direction, without purpose. His petrol gets finished and he fills more petrol; his tyre pressure is less and he fills it up. Why? ...Whilst there should be a purpose, he is driving along with no destination in mind. So our purpose, here, in this world needs to be identified and defined. We did not come into the world on our accord. We did not request to come here. Furthermore, whoever comes into this world, cannot leave on his own accord. If a person wants to stay longer or he wants to leave early, he cannot. It will only be when Allah Ta’ala decrees. Many people try to commit suicide but do not succeed. Maut (death) only comes on its appointed time. …In Islam, suicide is Haraam (forbidden) because we do not own this body. Allah Ta’ala is the Owner. We are the creation of Allah Ta’ala and belong to Allah Ta’ala. The decision of life and death is from Allah Ta’ala. It is not for any person to decide for himself. When our coming into this world is not in our control, and our going is not in our control, then this proves that our purpose is also not for us to define. He who has sent us and He who is going to call us back has defined our purpose. To understand this better, let us take an example: We employ someone to work for us, and from amongst his duties, he has to wash the cars once a week. From our side, we provide the water, buckets, soap, sponges, polish, tyre cleaners and whatever else is required for the car – for the outside and inside cleaning. The instruction is that the cars are to be washed and cleaned. Instead of following through with the instruction, the employee brings his own car and he washes, cleans and polishes it, using all the material we had provided. We are paying him to wash our cars and we are giving him all that will be required to wash our cars, in our time and on our property. However, he leaves our cars aside and his car is given a full car wash. Will anyone accept that … and put up with that? Nobody will. Allah Ta’ala has clearly outlined and defined why He has created us: “I did not create the jinn and the human beings except for the purpose that they should worship Me.” [surah Az-Zaariyaat 51 : 56] The Mufassireen (Commentators of the Qur`aan Sharief) have explained that this Ayat (verse) directs towards the Ma’rifat (recognition) of Allah Ta’ala. By way of explanation, the word, “Li’yabudoon” is translated as “Li’yarifoon” (to recognize). If there is Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala, then there will be the worship of Allah Ta’ala and the fulfilment of the purpose of our creation. Likewise, the natural outcome of the recognition of Allah Ta’ala is the love of Allah Ta’ala. The more a person recognizes Allah Ta’ala, the more he will have love for Allah Ta’ala. With love, follows obedience. When a person loves, then he is obedient to the one he loves. Practically, this becomes evident in the worship Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala has put us here, on His earth, for His Ibaadat (worship), for His work and He is supplying every single thing to us – everything that is required to fulfil the purpose of our time here in the world, and Allah Ta'ala also rewards generously if we have to work in the direction of earning His Pleasure. ...The sun, moon, stars, sky, wind, rain and everything operates for our benefit. We are given shelter, clothing, food, drink… we are given our sight, hearing, speech, intellect and so much else …so that we may achieve our purpose in this world. But we fail to do so. One Shukr that we should learn to make is: O Allah, You see to every necessity of mine – known and unknown. You fulfil my needs as well as my wants. You have given me eyes to go about doing my work with ease, You have given me the great gift of hearing, the use of my limbs – the ability to walk and do the activities of life, the function of my organs and unlimited favours… At times, the Shukr is on individual bounties and at other times on a general note – for all bounties, as we find in the Masnoon Dua, which we read morning and evening, after Fajr and after Maghrib: “O Allah, whatever favour of Yours falls upon me or upon any of Your creation, it is solely from You. You have no partner. For You is all praise and for You is all thanks.” Rasulullâh Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said that the one who reads the above in the morning (and evening) fulfils his responsibility of thanking Allah Ta’ala for the favours of the day (or night).[1] So Allah Ta’ala has defined a purpose for us and all Allah Ta’ala wants is one thing: That we please Him. We need to refresh this intention, revise it and be conscious of it: I am here for the recognition of Allah Ta’ala; for His Love and His Worship. This is the instruction of Allah Ta’ala, to us. Unfortunately, the majority of us are passing life, living to satisfy and gratify the nafs – with indulgence in sins, entertainment and other futile activities. We won’t tolerate a worker washing his car in our time and utilising the material we provide; yet Allah Ta’ala is tolerating us for so long – giving us opportunity upon opportunity to make sincere Taubah; to come to our senses. Allah Ta’ala is giving us chances. He does not dismiss us or fire us. …He sometimes gives us a little taste of our sins, but even in this, is His Mercy and Kindness – so that we turn to Allah Ta’ala. “Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return (to righteousness).” [surah Ar-Rum 30 : 41] …If you displease your wife, she does not want to cook. She refuses to listen to anything. She wants to go away to her mother’s house. She takes the children with her or she leaves all five / six children with you and she goes alone. Then you are sitting with problems because you displeased her. This is just the outcome of displeasing another human being. We displease Allah Ta’ala day in and day out. Our problems are because we have displeased Allah Ta’ala. The complaints are unending in respect to the problems and hardships people are experiencing … but the root cause is that we have not fulfilled our purpose and not playing our roles and fulfilling our duties as the servants of Allah Ta’ala. Fortunate is that person who has the realisation and the understanding of his goal and he works towards pleasing Allah Ta’ala. Atheists believe there is no God…. They adopt an attitude of independence. However, were they to reflect on just their existence, then any intelligent person will come to the realisation that there must be a purpose. Our life in this world cannot be without reason. We all know that the eyes have a purpose, the ears have a purpose, the tongue has a purpose, the heart has a purpose, the limbs have a purpose, the brain has a purpose …even the nails have a purpose – then what about the human being himself? When everything that is part of his composition and structure has a purpose, then what about him? There must be a purpose. Allah Ta’ala says: "Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?" [surah Al-Mu’minoon 23 : 115] In a shop, there are many departments. Someone is delegated to do the buying, someone is doing the dispatching, someone else is doing the accounts – and like that, different people are assigned different work. …But we know, that for the business to be operational, functioning and running smoothly, there is someone co-ordinating the running of the business and the efficiency of work. …If this is the case for one shop, then most certainly there is someone behind the system of the entire universe and the co-ordination of the heavens and earth, the sun and the moon, the day and the night. Allah Ta’ala is in full control and fully in charge, at all times. Despite these realities and all the beautiful signs of Allah Ta’ala, we find that the human being is easily swayed and taken away from the purpose of his creation. If we have to consider: Muslims are just over one billion. The vast majority of people in the world are non-Muslims. Most of the people have made their purpose the worldly life – living their lives according to their desires and ambitions, acquiring an education, earning money and earning more money, acquiring the commodities of Dunya, getting married, having children, saving money for their retirement and old age …and finally dying. They consider that death is the end. But this is not the end. The time of death is the beginning and commencement of everything. There is a definite and real purpose behind our lives in this world and we have to be aware of this. Sadly, even the majority of Muslims have lost their direction and forgotten their purpose. We have become the slaves of nafs, slaves of fashion, slaves of the west and the east, Hollywood and Bollywood. May Allah Ta’ala take us out of this slavery and make us His true, sincere slaves. Just satisfying our ego all the time is slavery of the nafs. Higher and greater than our pleasure is the pleasure Allah Ta’ala. This is what we have to seek. We are all returning to Allah Ta’ala. Introspect; reflect: What effort has been made to fulfil the purpose of our lives? What preparations have been made for our journey back to Allah Ta’ala? May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding, the Taufeeq of Amal and fulfilling our purpose in this world. [1] Ibn Hibbaan Source

Importance of Learning By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh We must ingrain two concepts into our minds. Firstly, to continuously acquire knowledge and, secondly, to practice what we learn. Any deed performed without correct knowledge is not fruitful. Take the case of Takbīr Tahrīmah at the beginning of Salāh. A person says ‘Allāhu Akbar’ and raises his hands and another merely raises his hands. Both have exerted the same effort, both have left their homes to come to the masjid in the cold, both have performed wudū, both stood in the rows, performed rukū’ and sajdah, and spent half an hour of their time but the Salāh of one is complete and acceptable whereas that of the other is not. One had correct, authentic knowledge, that Takbīr Tahrīmah is compulsory and Salāh is not complete without it, and the other did not. On the theme of Takbīr Tahrīmah, it is astonishing to find how many worshippers do not possess proper knowledge regarding this. Perhaps after reflection, we may come to the conclusion that we ourselves are also offering Salāh without saying Takbīr Tahrīmah! Without realising it many people fall into the habit of merely lifting their hands without ‘saying’ the Takbīr. Another mistake committed by many is the omission of Qirā’ah in their Salāh. They read the Qur’ān in their minds. This is not Qirā’ah. In Arabic, Qirā’ah does not refer to reading within the mind, but involves movement of the lips and tongue to such an extent that one should hear his own voice and practically sense what he is saying. Thus ‘Qirā’ah’ is not to be performed in the way we read a newspaper, in our minds only. In such cases the absence of knowledge leads to a deficient and invalid Salāh. Therefore two things are required, acquisition of authentic knowledge and bringing this knowledge into practice. Only then will vitality come into our deeds. This is an extract from the booklet ‘Learning abou Islām - A Pressing Need of Our Times’ published by the Islāmic Da'wah Academy.

Zikr – the Soul of all Ibaadaat Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned: We all have been created for the ‘ibaadat of Allah Ta‘ala. However, There are different types and levels of ‘ibaadat. Some are direct, such as salaah, tilaawat, and zikr, while others are indirect and ultimately become ‘ibaadat, like eating and wudhu. The soul and rooh of all ‘ibaadat is the zikr (awareness and remembrance) of Allah Ta‘ala. This brings life to the ‘ibaadat and enhances its value. ‘Ibaadat without zikr is like a dead corpse.

The 5th madhab? By Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Full lecture at Zamzam Academy

Life is about choices! Life is about choices…Some we are proud of while others we may regret. We are human and not perfect and how often we make decisions we desperately wis h could be undone? To overcome, learn and move forward requires Allah Ta’alas help and lots of courage. There was a husband who woke up early in the morning and found his wife praying for him. He stared at her. For the past few months, they have been arguing. During the past days, she hasn't been cooking for him. But this morning he got a shock. He found breakfast already set at the table. He ate. He went back to the bedroom, to prepare for a shower. "Assalamualaykum. Have a blessed day" she said as she entered the bedroom and he left for the bathroom. After his shower, all dressed up for work; he found his wife at the kitchen, eating breakfast in peace. She was looking at some funny messages on her phone and giggling. He looked at her then walked out the door. The last look he had of her before he left was of her at peace. That last look disturbed him. This is not how she should be. This is not how she has been. He has been hurting her, she has recently found out that he has been flirting with other women; he has cheated once and used money meant for their family on other women. She should be angry. Her peaceful demeanor disturbed him. Evening came. He went home and met his peaceful wife again. She was cooking and laughing with their children. She had come from work two hours ago. The dinner was enjoyable. Good food, she having warm conversations with the children. He as the father felt left out. His wife and children seemed to be having fun despite him hurting them. After dinner, she cleared the table, then played and prayed with the children and put them to bed. He approached her. "Are you OK?" he asked her. "I am more than OK. I am blessed "She answered. "Are you not mad at me? After all that I am doing and have done wrong?" he asked. She placed the washed plate in the rack then looked at him and said, "I asked myself, what is the most important relationship in my life? The one I have with you or the one with Allah Ta’ala? And I realized it is the one with Allah Ta’ala. I live for Allah Ta’ala, not for you. Marrying you was a blessing but it is not all there is in life. Allah Ta’ala has blessed me with life an d I will not waste it crying because of the hurt you cause me to feel" She picked up a dirty glass and began washing it. "I realized I had given you too much power... Yes, you are my husband, the closest human being in my life and the human being I love the most; but you are not my Creator. You have failed me but Allah Ta’ala never fails me. I will not let you ruin my joy, my peace and my progress. You may break our marriage if you want to, but I will hold on to Alla h Ta’ala. and as I hold on to Allah Ta’ala, I will be full of joy despite what you do" She said rinsing the glass. She looked at him and continued, "When you hurt me and disrespected me, I realized I was acting out like a woman who has no connection with her Creator. I got mad and hurled insults, I wanted to revenge and I allowed you to ruin me day after day. My performance at work went down, I talked less to our children, I became bitter to the children, I felt sorry for myself, I developed ulcers and then I realiz ed, I have Allah Ta’ala, I shouldn't act like someone with no relationship with his Creator. Why should I be hopeless yet Allah Ta’ala is with me? I had focused so much on you that I forgot about Allah Ta’ala. When you found me, I had Allah Ta’ala. We got married and I let everything be about you because I wanted to make our marriage work. Our marriage became the idol I worship instead of the blessing I have in Allah Ta’ala. Our marriage is falling apart because of you but my relationship with Allah Ta’ala is still intact" She scrubbed the pot. "You have chosen to abandon our marriage but that doesn't mean my whole world has collapsed. I will still continue being a good mother to our children. They will never say the problems between mom and dad, made mom a monster. You do as you please with other women, I will raise our children." She looked at him and told him, "Do I hate you? No, it will be a lie to say I hate you. You are the man I married, the one I vowed to, the one I love" Tears fell down her cheeks. She wiped them. "I can't just cancel all the years we have been together. The Quran and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asks us to love our enemies. If I am able to love my enemies, surely I can still love you despite all you have done. I am angry and disappointed, but I have taken my power back. I live for Allah Ta’ala, who has exceedingly blessed me, and do not live for you and the pain you cause" She wiped her wet hands, took the apron from her body and told him, "In my peace, I am planning on where the children and I will move to. Since you have chosen to have an affair, you have shown clearly that you don't need us. So we will not make your life uncomfortable by forcing you to live with us. You need to be able to bring the woman you are cheating with to your own house and establish a clean rel ationship. I am working on something. I came into this house in peace and I will leave in peace. You will not kill my smile and destroy my dreams" She walked to the bedroom and minutes later he followed her to the bedroom. He found her peacefully asleep. He nudged her. He woke her up and said, "Please don't go, don't move out. I will hurt you no more, I will cheat no more. I am not OK. I want the peace you have. I want to be the kind of partner and husband you are as a wife." In good faith she believed his regret and accepted his apology. Since that day, he has been a reformed man. No more affairs, no more hurting her, no flirting with other women, or endless fights. She didn't move out. She and the children stayed. He regretted, repented and submitted to Allah Ta’ala and learned how to be a good husband. Love is powerful enough to humble the proudest. Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. At the same time make a concerted effort never to repeat them in the future. Make a habit of forgiving, repenting and regretting. The more you let go the higher you will rise. Happiness eludes those who do not appreciate what they already have! And finally…. “Put Allah Ta’ala first and you will never be last” www.eislam.co.za

Q: When does ghusl become obligatory for women? Many scholars such as Sheik Saleh Al-Munajjid say that ghusl becomes obligatory for women when they discharge semen from their private part. They base their views on the hadith: Hence it was narrated from Umm Salamah the Mother of the Believers that she said: “Umm Sulaym the wife of Abu Talhah came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, verily Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. Is it necessary for a woman to take a bath (ghusl) after she has a wet dream?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Yes, if she notices a discharge.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Ghusl, 373; Muslim, al-Hayd, 471). But it is a scientific fact that women do not discharge semen, only men do. I am confused over this. A: It has been scientifically proven that many women experience an orgasm or ejaculation when they reach a climax during sexual intercouse. An orgasm is the release or discharge of a liquid that sometimes squirts out with force. This is what is referred to as "semen" although in science this is not actually semen. In modern, scientific terminology semen is what a man discharges. Apparently there is no scientific or technical name for the discharge a woman experiences when she ejaculates or has an orgasm. For this reason in the hadith you quoted, the Messenger of Allah (alayhis-salaam) did not use the word MANI (semen) but he said: MAA, which means liquid. In other words, a female should make ghusl if she experiences a liquid discharge while sleeping. The same will apply when she has sexual intercourse with the husband or she masturbates (although masturbating is haraam). In Shariah the difference in the semen of man and the liquid of a woman is that the former is thick and whitish, while the latter is thin (almost transparent) and slightly yellowish. In any case, if a woman experiences sexual pleasure followed by ejaculation, it is compulsory on her to bath. And Allah knows best Mufti Siraj Desai Source

Removing unwanted hair before Ghusl (Bath) This is another baseless practice regarding menstruation. Many families regard it necessary to remove unwanted hair before the fardh ghusl can be performed after menstruation ends. Due to this belief ghusl would be delayed until there is enough time to do all this and thereafter ghusl would be performed which leads to many Salaat becoming Qadhaa.

Istikharah in the Light of the Sunnah Source This book, by my dear friend Shaykh Abu Usamah clarifies many complications people have in understanding the reality of Istikharah. When it was first published, it proved extremely beneficial to every reader, even the learned ones. This is the third edition. It’s a book I feel closely attached to and with whose every detail I agree. May Allah continue to use it as a means of spreading pure authentic knowledge. Ameen. Download here

Will Hajj be compulsory if a Woman does not have a Mahram Q: If a woman has the means to perform Hajj but does not have a mahram to accompany her, will Hajj be compulsory upon her? A: It will not be compulsory upon her to go for Hajj. She should perform her Hajj when she has a mahram. However it is necessary for her to make a bequest that if she passes away without performing Hajj then Hajj-e-badl should be done on her behalf from one-third of her wealth. (فرض)… (مرة)… (على الفور)… ( على مسلم )… ( حر مكلف ) عالم بفرضيته… ( و ) مع ( زوج أو محرم ) ولو عبدا أو ذميا أو برضاع ( بالغ ) قيد لهما كما في النهر بحثا ( عاقل والمراهق كبالغ ) جوهرة ( غير مجوسي ولا فاسق ) لعدم حفظهما ( مع ) وجوب النفقة لمحرمها ( عليها ) لأن محبوس ( عليها ) لامرأة حرة ولو عجوزا في سفر وهل يلزمها التزوج؟ قولان… ( وقت خروج أهل بلدها ) وكذا سائر الشروط ( الدر المختار 2/455-465) قال العلامة الشامي: قوله ( ومع زوج أو محرم ) هذا وقوله ومع عدم عدة عليها شرطان مختصان بالمرأة فلذا قال لا مرأة وما قبلهما من الشروط مشترك والمحرم من لا يجوز له مناكحتها على التأبيد بقرابة أو رضاع أو صهرية كما في التحفة. قوله ( قولان ) هما مبنيان على أن وجود الزوج أو المحرم شرط وجوب أم شرط وجوب أداء والذي اختاره في الفتح أنه مع الصحة وأمن الطريق شرط وجوب الأداء فيجب الإيصاء إن منع المرض وخوف الطريق أو لم يوجد زوج ولا محرم ويجب عليها التزوج عند فقد المحرم وعلى الأول لا يجب شيء من ذلك كما في البحر ح وفي النهر وصحح الأول في البدائع ورجح الثاني في النهاية تبعا لقاضيخان واختاره في الفتح اه قلت لكن جزم في الباب بأنه لا يجب عليها التزوج مع أنه مشى على جعل المحرم أو الزوج شرط أداء ورجح هذا في الجوهرة وابن أمير حاج في المناسك كما قاله المصنف في منحه قال ووجهه أنه لا يحصل غرضها بالتزوج لأن الزوج له أن يمتنع من الخروج معها بعد أن يملكها ولا تقدر على الخلاص منه وربما لا يوافقها فتتضرر منه بخلاف المحرم فإنه إن وافقها أنفقت عليه وإن امتنع أمسكت نفقتها وتركت الحج اه فافهم ( رد المحتار 2/465) (فتاوى رحيميه 8/53) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Is it permissible to pay Zakat in installments? Question: Is it permissible to pay Zakat in installments? In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The Answer: The payment of Zakat is binding on one’s Zakat anniversary. To delay paying Zakat without a reasonable and genuine excuse is blameworthy. If it is genuinely difficult to pay Zakat in lump sum, one may pay Zakat in advance for the following year in instalments. For example, one can start paying Zakat monthly from Shawwal 1437AH for the Zakat payment due in Ramadhan 1438AH. A person usually has an idea of how much Zakat they pay yearly, they can use that amount as a proxy and divide that amount across the months and pay Zakat in monthly installments. When one’s Zakat anniversary arrives, one should check whether the paid amount offsets the total amount due. If there is a shortfall, one must make up difference. However, some contemporary senior Muftis like Mufti Mahmudul Hasan rahimahullah, Mufti Khalid Saifullah, Mufti Radha al-Haqq and Mufti Salman Mansurpuri have permitted paying in installments in arrears if one cannot pay in lump sum on the Zakat anniversary. The inability to pay the total Zakat due is a genuine reason to delay paying the full amount and thus, one may pay in installments for the previous Zakat anniversary in arrears. Mufti Mahmudul Hasan rahimahullah adds that one should clear off the outstanding Zakat balance before the passing of a lunar year. Paying Zakat in advance is accepted in the Hanafi school and considered sinless, whereas, paying in arrears although legally valid, has a potential of blame if there is no reasonable excuse for the delay. Thus, paying in advance when difficult to pay in lump sum would be ideal, however, one also has the option and discretion of paying in arrears as stated by the Muftis above. And Allah Ta’ālā Alone Knows Best Mufti Faraz Adam al-Mahmudi, www.darulfiqh.com

'Aisha's RA lost necklace and the Blessing of Tayammum << and if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from the Gha'it (toilet), or from Lamastum (touching) women, but you do not find water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth, rubbing your face and hands. Truly, Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving. >> Qur'an 4:43 Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah said, "We set out with Allah's Messenger on one of his journeys until we reached Al-Bayda' or Dhat-ul-Jaysh, where a necklace of mine was broken (and lost). Allah's Messenger stayed there to search for it, and so did the people along with him. There was no water source or any water with them at that place, so the people went to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and said, `Don't you see what `A'ishah has done! She has made Allah's Messenger and the people stay where there is no source of water and they have no water with them.' Abu Bakr came while Allah's Messenger was sleeping with his head on my thigh. He said to me, `You have detained Allah's Messenger and the people where there is no source of water and they have no water with them.' So he admonished me and said what Allah wished him to say and hit me on my flank with his hand. Nothing prevented me from moving (because of pain) but the position of Allah's Messenger on my thigh. Allah's Messenger got up when dawn broke and there was no water. So Allah revealed the verses of Tayammum, and they all performed Tayammum. Usayd bin Hudayr said, `O the family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first blessing of yours.' Then the camel on which I was riding was moved from its place and the necklace was found beneath it.'' Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this Hadith. Source Description of Taymmum

Hazrat Abu Zar Ghifaari (radhiyallahu 'anhu) - Part Six Hijrah (Migrating to Madinah Munawwarah): Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) migrated to Madinah Munawwarah after the battles of Badr and Uhud were fought. In some narrations, it is mentioned that he migrated after the battle of Khandaq. (Isaabah 7/107, Usdul Ghaabah 1/343, ibn Sa‘d 4/170, Istee‘aab 1/321) Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) testifies to the truthfulness of Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu): Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, “The sky has not shaded and the earth has not carried a person more truthful than Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).” Note: While this hadith shows that Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had attained the highest level of truthfulness, it does not negate other Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), such as the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen, also having the highest level of truthfulness. (Tirmizi #3801) Source: What is Islam