Bint e Aisha

Life is short The Angel of Death came to Nooh and said: O longest-lived of the Prophets, how did you find this world and its pleasures? He said: Like a man who entered a room with two doors, and he stood in the middle of the room for a brief moment, then he went out of the other door. ● [ibn Abi’d-Dunya’s az-Zuhd (358)]

Over the centuries, many Ulama have cautioned the Believers about the dangers of listening to music. Whilst many Muslims have listened, others have chosen to dismiss these warnings and advices. I intend to discuss the harms of music on the Believer’s body, heart, mind and soul, using reasoning from The Noble Quran and Science. For those brothers and sisters who are still listening to music, I urge you to read on and to take heed to what is being said. Firstly, we need to understand that Islam is a way of life. The Believer’s heart radiates the noor of Iman as he submits himself to the commands of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala is All Wise and All Knowing. He has sent us the Noble Quran and the Sunnah of our beloved Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam as guidelines for us to live by. It is through the wisdom of Allah Ta’ala that mankind has been either permitted to or forbidden from carrying out certain actions. Mankind has been blessed with a choice to either comply or digress from the orders of The Most Merciful; of which both paths carry consequences. Our knowledge is limited, therefore it would be best to follow the laws of Allah Ta’ala and the guidance of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, so that we may please Allah Ta’ala and attain Jannah. We begin by looking at music from an Islamic point of view. Cursed is that person who purchases the music, even if he does not listen to it. I urge the parents and caregivers in the homes to be strict with your subordinates and family members regarding music. Parents need to understand that through financing the haram of music in any form, they may be punished by the Almighty. Allah Ta’ala has said in the Noble Quran : “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talk (Lahw Al Hadeeth) to mislead from the path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment.” – Quran (31:6) Furthermore Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has forbade the listening to music as it corrupts the believer. Allah Ta’ala has also mentioned in the Noble Quran that his curse is upon those who deviate from Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam’s orders: “And let those beware who oppose the Messenger’s commandment, lest some fitnah should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.”- Quran (24:63) Music rusts the heart of the believer and in turn, breeds hypocrisy. Music is highly suggestive on both conscious and subconscious levels. An example is that of ballads (love songs), which trick the listener into believing that he cannot live without the object of his affection. Furthermore the songs portray the illusion that the desired individual is perfect and that life is not worth living without her affection. This creates kufr and shirk, as none is perfect but Allah Ta’ala. We have not been given permission by Allah Ta’ala to decide when our lives should end. Only upon evaluating the lyrics to many of these songs, do we realise the sins that we commit in listening to them. Science has also proven that music has detrimental effects upon the listener. It has been shown to alter the moods of the listeners. It bypasses the reasoning centre of the brain and evokes feelings in the individual. Tolerance to music develops over time, and the listener requires a longer duration of listening time or an increase in pace. The music acts as a tool serving the goals of Shaytaan, drawing people into sin and ultimately Jahannam. Ballads have been known to induce a state of relaxation, however this is short lived. Prolonged exposure to this may induce a sense of depression or melancholy. In the case of rock or pop, the increased pace, intensity, high volume and choice of lyrics have been associated with aggression, violence and even suicide. Music appeals to the carnal and base desires of human beings. Drugs, alcohol and illicit relationships are promoted, whilst honesty and religion are dismissed. This in turn leads to people acting upon impulse and without regard for consequences. It destroys the moral values of young men and women by destroying their modesty and chastity from a young age. Arguments have been put forward that music is beneficial. However, it has been compared to the likes of wine and gambling. In small doses, there is a temporary superficial benefit of calm, but the harms of music far outweigh the benefits. Music is addictive and detrimental., therefore it is forbidden. I believe that the underlying cause of the destruction of this generation is through its addiction to music. The western media portrays the lives of musicians and performers as being glamorous and substantial. But how many times have we seen in the media, that the performers adopt distasteful habits, are arrested, abuse others, end up in prison or experience degrading deaths? Others become the objects of great controversy and hatred by their once-so-called ‘fans’. Why? Because Allah Ta’ala has cursed those who choose to indulge in this sin. After dissecting the horrible truth about music dear brothers and sisters, I urge you to stop listening to this tool of Shaytaan. Make taubah. Recite excessive Istigfaar and adopt the Sunnah of our beloved Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Make a firm resolution to give up this abhorred habit. Giving up music IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE. It can be done. It has been done. Shaytaan has no hope in the mercy of Allah Ta’ala whereas, we as Muslims have hope in the Most Merciful. Replace the music with beautiful recordings of the glorious Quran Karim and taste these words with your soul. Feel the words of Quran on your lips and listen to it as you read out aloud. It shall surely stir your soul in a pleasant manner and leave you satisfied. *Jamiatul Ulama KZN*

It was said to the Tabi'ee Salmah bin Dinar "Why do we hate death" He said "Because you have built this world, and ruined the Aakhira. You hate to leave that which you have built to what you have ruined" ‏قيل للتابعي سلمة بن دينار : ما لنا نكره الموت ؟! قال: " لأنكم عمرتم الدنيا، وخربتم الآخرة، فأنتم تكرهون أن تنقلوا من العمران إلى الخراب " .

Bakr Abu Zayd: “Chastity and morality is a veil which is ripped apart because of free-mixing.” [Harraasat Al-Fadheelah, p. 56]

Imam al-Aajurry رحمه الله said: “He who wishes to reach the rank of the Ghuraba (the strangers), then let him be patient upon the alienation of his parents, his wife, his brethren, and his relatives...” [Kitaab al-Ghuraba]

Allaah says: "I am as My slave thinks of Me." [saheeh al-Bukhaari #7405] Shaykh ‘Abd ur-Rahmaan al-‘Ajlaan comments: “If he has good thoughts about Allaah, that he will be answered, then he will be answered bi’ithnillaah. But if he says ‘I don’t think I will be answered’ and the like, then he will be deprived of the answer – and refuge is sought in Allaah – because he did not have good thoughts of his Lord.” [source: Tafseer Surah Ghaafir, tape no. 3]

Ibn Hibbān رحمه الله said: ❝The worst type of delusion is when you expect jannah's fruits yet you are planting jahannam's seeds.❞ [Rawdatul-Uqālā, ph.283]

❝Everything declines after reaching perfection, therefore let no man be beguiled by the sweetness of a pleasant life.❞

❝It is Haram to hold negative assumptions about someone who is apparently honest and upright and it is Mustahabb to think well of Muslims (in general).❞ — Ibn Qa-id al-Hanbali ® [Hidayah al-Raghib]

"People are paying no attention to the best act of worship: Humility" (Ummulmomineen Aisha bint Abi Bakr RadhiAllahu anha)

"Always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them" Mufti Ismail Menk

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه said: "Whoever decorates himself by displaying to the people some characteristics that Allah knows are contrary to his real characteristics, will be disgraced and dishonoured by Allah." [Ad-Daaraqutnee, 4/207] Alot of us on social media should take special heed of this.

Seeking fame: Bishr ibn al-Haarith said: لا يَجِدُ حَلاوَةَ الآخِرَةِ رَجُلٌ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْرِفَهَ النَّاسُ "A man who loves to be known by the people will not taste the sweetness of the hereafter" Source: Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' May Allah سبحانه وتعالى grant us sincerity in our sayings and actions.

Knowledge & fear of Allâh : Abdullah ibn Masood رضي الله عنه : ليس العلم بكثرة الرواية و لكن العلم الخشية ”Indeed, knowledge is not to narrate a lot, rather knowledge is to fear Allah.’

Mujahid ibn Jabr (Rahimahullah) said: "The faqih is the one who fears Allah, even if his knowledge is little. And the jahil is the one who disobey Allah, even if his knowledge is plenty." [Al-Bidayatu wan-Nihaya 9/255]

Regarding knowledge, Mu`adh ibn Jabal (R.A) said: به توصل الأرحام ويعرف الحلال من الحرام "Through it blood-ties are restored and the halaal is distinguished from the haraam." Source: Hilyat al-Awliya

As they truly say: "Everyone wants happiness, no one wants pain. But you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."

IS ENGLISH KHUTBAH PERMISSIBLE? Salams Shaykh! I am from a university and they do their khutbah in English. I follow the Hanafi madhab and I enquired with the head of the Islamic society regarding the khutbah in English and he said that it is allowed in the Hanafi madhab as his teachers were Hanafis and they said it is allowed. Shaykh is this right or wrong and he also said where is the 'daleel' to say you can only do it in Arabic? Jazakallah ANSWER: The issue of offering the khutbah in English has become a very contentious one. In order to fully understand the matter, we suggest you read Mufti Taqi Usmani’s book ‘The Language of The Friday Khutbah’. We have extracted excerpts from his fatwa which you may read below. We edited and reworded certain areas of the fatwa for the sake of brevity. You will notice that Mufti Taqi Sahib has classed a non-Arabic Khutbah as Gumraahi, i.e. Deviance, straying away from the Deen. I would first like to write a few words from myself. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem English Khutbah is quickly becoming a trend in U.K. as well. Those who deliver the Jumu’ah Khutbah in English are thought to be moderate scholars, whilst those who deliver it in Arabic are taken as backwards. By Allah, such masaail have become a tragedy for the Muslim Ummah. Never has the Ummah been through so many tribulations. May Allah have mercy upon us and guide us towards the truth. The irony is that the English khateebs are extremely short-sighted and fail to understand that this is a deliberate attempt by those who oppose Islam to undermine and wipe out the Arabic language; and thereby annihilate the Islamic culture and heritage from its roots. It also seems an attempt to disconnect the general public from the real scholars. Any layman can stand on the pulpit and start with "Ladies and gentlemen......" As for Salah they can recite Surah Kawthar and surah Ikhlas, enough to fulfil the requirement. No need for a Mufti or a Shaykh, let alone a hafiz or a pious god fearing imam. Having travelled to certain parts of the world where Khutbah is delivered in English, I have noticed how far those communities have drifted away from the Deen. Alhmadulillah, wherever I have had to lead a Jumu’ah, I make a condition that I will first speak in English, and after the second Adhān there won't be a single word of English, just pure Arabic khutbah according to the Sunnah. It is amazing that some people tend to criticize Imam Abu Hanifa Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh and his Fiqh. However, when they have a personal interest, they claim to take his point of view. Why don’t they provide a Sahīh Hadith from Sahīh Bukhari or Sahīh Muslim to prove the legality of non-Arabic Khutbah? Furthermore, Imam Abu Hanifa Rahmatullāhi ‘Alayh never permitted Khutbah in a foreign language on a regular basis, rather his view was that if no one in the community knew Arabic, and the khutbah was delivered in a foreign language, the Jumu’ah prayer would be valid, though Makrooh Tahreemi. The other three imams (Malik, Shafiee, and Ahmed Rahmatullahi Alayhim) say that the Jumuah would not be valid. A community in which there is no Arabic speaker, should perform 4 rak'ats Zohr Salah and get someone to learn Arabic before the next Friday so he can give khutbah in Arabic in the following Jumuah. Nowadays, even the Arab Imams have begun to deliver the Khutbah in English. A friend of mine told me that in some Masaajid of the Middle East, the Imam delivers the khutbah in English, even though majority of the congregation are Arabs. In fact, we have heard that in the Haram of Makkah Mukarramah, they have installed translators on the first floor by the King Fahd gate. People have to wear some headphones while the Jumu’ah Khutbah is taking place so they can understand what the Imam is saying. This is totally against the spirit of the Jumu’ah Khutbah. We have been instructed to maintain our composure, remain silent and avoid excessive movements during the khutbah. It is better that we pay attention to the Khateeb, rather than put headphones on and take them off and talk during this procedure. One Hadith says that "If one was to say to the other "keep quiet" while the khutbah is taking place, his reward is wiped out." If we want people to understand the khutbah, we should encourage them to learn Arabic. After all many, (even non-Muslims), learn Arabic for worldly purposes like working in an Arab country. I hope and pray that the speakers who love to offer Khutbah in English come to their senses. The whole week is at their disposal for English speeches. They can give English lectures over the weekends. Why corrupt a form of worship which is set by Allah most high and His beloved Rasul Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam? Is there an element of name and fame in delivering the Khutbah in English? If that is the case, then this is Riyaa (ostentation), a minor Shirk which should be avoided. If some khateebs do want to give English lectures on Friday, they can do so before the Adhān, as is the custom in many Masaajid, and it has been practised throughout the history of Islam. One should not be hasty in labelling that as Bid’at, because speech before Adhān is not bid'at. Bid ‘at is something which is innovated after the best of generations, which has no basis in Qur’an, Sunnah & Salafe Saliheen, and the aim of which would be to corrupt the Deen. So It can never be claimed that delivering an English speech before the Adhān is a bid’ah, because lectures before Jumuah prevailed in the best of generations. Tameem Daari Radiallahu Anhu, used to deliver such speeches in Masjide Nabawi, during the time of Sayyiduna Umar Radiallahu Anhu, and that was with the permission of Sayyiduna Umar Radiallahu Anhu. Same is reported from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah Radiallahu Anhu. May Allah give us insight in to our Deen. May Allah bless with correct understanding of matters. May Allah protect the Ummah from all Fitnas. Ameen. ====== Now we put forward mufti Taqi saheb's research in to the matter. He writes: "It is one of the basic requirements of the Friday prayer that it should be preceded by a Khutbah (sermon) delivered by the Imam. It is Wajib (mandatory) for Muslims to attend the Khutbah from the very beginning. Being a part of the Jumu'ah prayer; it has some special rules and traits which distinguish it from the normal lectures given on other occasions. One of these special traits is, that like the prayer (Salah), it is delivered in Arabic. All the Muslims have been delivering the Khutbah of Friday in no language other than Arabic, even where the audience does not understand it's meaning. It was in the present century for the first time that the idea of delivering the Khutbah in other languages emerged in some Muslim societies where majority of the audience could not understand Arabic properly. The intention behind this change was that without letting the people understand its contents, the Khutbah can hardly be of a meaningful use for the general people who are addressed by it. Conversely, if Khutbah is delivered in a local language, a very useful message can be conveyed through it every Friday and it can serve as an effective medium for educating people in a wide area of Islamic teaching... Apparently, the argument seems to be very logical. That is why it has found currency in the countries far from the centres of deeper Islamic knowledge. But before we accept it on its face value, we should first examine it in light of the Holy Qur'an, the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, the practice of his companions, and the juristic views adopted by different schools of Islamic jurisprudence… But at the same time, we notice that while leaving a wide spectrum of education and preaching open to any language convenient for the purpose, Islam has specified some limited functions to be performed in Arabic only. For example, it is mandatory for every Muslim to perform his five times prayers (Salah) in Arabic. Likewise, Adhan is the call for attending the congregation of Salah. It is addressed to the local people. But it is made obligatory that it is pronounced in Arabic. Its translation into any other language is not acceptable. Similarly, while performing Hajj we are directed to read Talbiyah in Arabic. While greeting each other, we are obligated to say "Assalamu Alaykum" in the exact Arabic words. "Peace Upon You" an exact translation of Assalamu Alaykum" cannot fulfil the requirement of the recognised (masnoon) greeting. While commencing an important work it is desirable to say, "Bismillah al-Rahman, al-Rahim". These specific Arabic words may be translated into English or any other language easily understood by the speaker and the addressee but it will always be preferable to recite the original Arabic words… The emphasis on exact Arabic words in some such matters is not based on any bias in favour of the Arabic language, because Islam has always been proponent of inter-nationalism rather than nationalism. The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has himself eradicated the prides based on race, colour and language. He announced in his landmark sermon of his last Hajj that: "An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab". However, for being an internationally united Ummah, the Muslim should have some common features, especially in the ways of their worship. The modes of worship which require some oral recitations have, therefore, been prescribed in a manner that all recitations are carried out in one common language, regardless of the linguistic affiliation of the reciters. Arabic has been selected for this purpose, because it is the language in which the Qur'an was revealed and in which the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam addressed the humankind… Therefore, to resolve the issue of the language of Khutbah we will have to examine whether the Khutbah of Friday is a form of worship or it is an ordinary lecture meant only to educate people. The following points may help in knowing the correct position in this respect: 1. It is established by authentic resources that the Khutbah of Friday is a part of the prayer and stands for two Rakat of prayer. Sayyiduna Umar Radiyallahu Anhu the second caliph of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam says: ‘The Khutbah has been prescribed in lieu of two rakats. Whosoever fails to deliver Khutbah must pray four rakat.’ 2. The Holy Qur'an has named the Khutbah as Dhikr in the following verse: "O! Believers, when there is a call for Salah on Friday, rush for the Dhikr of Allah and leave trade". (al-Jumu'ah: 9) Here the word 'Dhikr' stands for the Khutbah, because after hearing the Adhan, the Salah (prayer) does not start immediately. What starts after Adhan is Khutbah. That is why the Holy Qur'an did not say, 'When there is a call for prayer, rush for the prayer", rather it has said, "When there is a call for prayer, rush for the Dhikr of Allah. This is sufficient to prove that the Holy Qur'an has used the word 'Dhikr' for the Khutbah. Dhikr means 'recitation of the name of Allah' as against 'Tadhkir' which means 'giving advice', 'to educate' or 'to admonish'. This is a clear indication from the Holy Qur'an that the basic purpose of Khutbah is Dhikr and not the Tadhkir and that it is a part of the worship rather than being a normal lecture. 3. At another place, the Holy Qur'an has referred to the Khutbah of Friday as "the recitation of the Holy Qur'an". The Holy verse says: "And when the Qur'an is recited before you, listen to it carefully and be silent, so that you receive mercy". (al-A’araf: 204) According to a large number of commentators the recitation of the Qur'an in this verse refers to the Khutbah delivered before the prayer of Jumuah. Here again the word of recitation is used for the Khutbah which indicates that it is very similar to the recitation of Qur'anic verses during performing prayers. In a number of authentic Ahadith also, the Khutbah of Friday has been referred to as Dhikr. For example in a Hadith reported by Imam al-Bukhari the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said: "Because when the Imam comes out (to deliver Khutbah) the angels gather to listen to the Dhikr". (Saheeh al-Bukhari v. 1, p. 121) In another narration, the same principle has been established in the following words: "Because when imam comes out (for Khutbah) the angels close their books (recording the noble deeds) and listen to the Dhikr (i.e. Khutbah)". (Sahih al-Bukhari V.1, p. 127) Based on this particular characteristic of the Khutbah of Friday it is admittedly subject to certain rules, such as being required to remain quiet for the duration of the khutbah. The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has emphasized on this principle in the following words: "If you speak during Khutbah on Friday, you commit absurdity." "Whoever says to his friend while Imam is delivering Khutbah on Friday 'keep quiet' commits absurdity." 4. The Khutbah has been held as a prerequisite for the Friday prayer. No Friday prayer is valid without a Khutbah. All the Muslim jurists are unanimous on this point. Had it been a normal lecture for the purpose of preaching, it would have nothing to do with the validity of the Jumuah prayer. 5. It is admitted by all that the Khutbah must be delivered after the commencement of the prescribed time of Jumu'ah prayer. If the Khutbah is delivered before the prescribed time it is not valid, even if the prayer is offered within the prescribed time. In this case, both the Khutbah and the prayer will have to be I repeated. (al-Bahr al-Ra'iq v. 2 p. 158) This strictness about the time of the Khutbah further confirms that it is a part of the Salah and is subject to the similar rules as rules provided for Salah. 6. If the Imam confines himself to the Hamd (praising Allah) and Salah (Durood) for the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and to reciting some verses from the Holy Qur'an, and making some Du'a (supplication) and does not utter a single word to preach or to educate people, the Khutbah is held to be valid and the Salah of Jumuah can be offered after that. Had the purpose been to educate people, it would have been the main ingredient of the Khutbah to say at least a few words for this purpose without which it should not have been a valid Khutbah. Sayyiduna Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) delivered his first Khutbah (after he assumed the charge of Khilafat) exactly in this fashion and did not say a single word for the purpose of preaching. Still his Khutbah was held as valid. It was in the presence of the Sahabah, but not one from them challenged the validity of such a Khutbah. This is again a clear proof of the fact that the basic purpose of the Khutbah is Dhikr and not Tadhkir. Being a part of the Jumu'ah prayer, it is a form of worship and not basically a method of preaching and education. All these points go a long way to prove that, unlike normal lectures or sermons, certain rules peculiar to Salah have been prescribed for the Khutbah of Jumu'ah. It is in this context that it has been held necessary that it should be delivered in Arabic only. Just as Salah cannot be performed in any language other than Arabic the Khutbah of Jumu'ah too, cannot be delivered in any other language. That is why the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam never tried to direct his companions to deliver the Khutbah in the local language where the audience could not understand Arabic. Even the audience of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam sometimes included non-Arabs, but he never tried to get his Khutbah translated by an interpreter like he did while he spoke to foreign delegations… After the demise of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam the noble companions conquered a vast area of the globe. Even in the days of Sayyiduna Umar Radiyallahu Anhu, the whole Persia and a major part of the Roman Empire was brought under the Muslim rule, and thousands of non-Arab people embraced Islam, so much so that the majority of the Muslims living in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Egypt were non-Arabs. These new converts were in desperate need of being educated in their own language, so that they may acquire proper knowledge of the basic Islamic rules and principles. It was not the age of printing, publishing and modern audio-visual instruments, therefore, the only source of acquiring knowledge was the personal contact. Still, the companions of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam never thought about delivering the Friday Khutbah in the local languages, nor did they ever arrange for an interpreter to get it translated simultaneously. One cannot argue that the Sahabah could not speak the local languages, because a large number of them, were either non-Arab by origin, like Salman al-Farisi, Suhayb al-Rumi, Bilal al-Habashi Radiyallahu Anhu or has, learnt the local languages, like Zayd bin Harithah Radiyallahu Anhu. It was universally accepted that, like the Salah and Adhan, the Khutbah of Friday must be delivered in Arabic, and it is not permissible to deliver it in any other language, even when the audience are not able to understand Arabic, because it is basically a form of Dhikr or worship, and not a source of education. If the audience understand Arabic, it can also serve a secondary purpose of educating them, but it is not the basic ingredient or the exclusive objective of Khutbah. THE RULINGS OF THE RECOGNIZED JURISTS: This position is unanimously held by all the four schools of the Islamic jurisprudence. Their specific rulings are reproduced below: Maliki School: The Maliki scholars are very specific in declaring this rule. Al-Dasuqi, the well-known Maliki jurist, writes: "And it is a condition for the validity of Jumu'ah that the Khutbah is delivered in Arabic, even though the people are non-Arabs and do not know the Arabic language. Therefore, if there is nobody who can deliver Khutbah in Arabic properly, the prayer of Jumu'ah is not obligatory on them (in which case they will offer the zuhr prayer)"… Shafi’i School: Similar principle has been accepted by the Shafii jurists also. Al-Ramli is one of the famous Shafii jurists of the later days who has been relied upon by the Muftis of Shafii School. He writes: "And it is a condition (for the validity of Khutbah) that it is delivered in Arabic. This is to follow the way of the Sahabah and their descendants. And to learn Arabic (for the purpose of delivering Khutbah) is Fard al-Kifayah, therefore, it is sufficient that at least one man learns it... But if no one learns it, all of them will be sinful and their Jumu'ah prayer will not be acceptable. Instead, they will have to perform Zuhr prayer......... Hanbali School: The Hanbali School is no different from the main stream of the Muslim scholars. They too are of the belief that the Khutbah must be delivered in Arabic. However, they say that if nobody is found who can deliver it in Arabic, then in that case only the Khutbah may be delivered in some other language. But so far as there is a single person who can speak Arabic, it is necessary that he delivers it in Arabic, even though the audience do not understand its meanings. Al-Buhooti, the renowned jurist of the Hanbali School, writes: "And the Khutbah is not valid if it is delivered in any language other than Arabic when somebody is able to deliver it in Arabic. It is like the recitation of the Holy Qur'an (in prayer) which cannot be done in a non-Arab language. However, the Khutbah in any other language is valid only if nobody can deliver it in Arabic. Nevertheless, the recitation of the Holy Qur'an (as a part of the Khutbah) is not valid except in Arabic. If somebody cannot recite in Arabic, it is obligatory on him to recite a Dhikr instead of a verse of the Holy Qur'an, like in Salah (the person who cannot recite the Qur'anic verses is required to make Dhikr)." Hanafi School: The Hanafi School of Islamic jurisprudence also agrees with the former three schools in the principle that the Friday Khutbah should be delivered in Arabic and it is not permissible to deliver it in any other language. However, there is a slight difference of opinion about some details of this principle. Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, the two pupils of Imam Abu Hanifah are of the view that a non-Arabic Khutbah is not acceptable in the sense that it cannot fulfil the requirement of Jumu'ah prayer, therefore, no Jumuah prayer can be offered after it. Rather, the Khutbah must be delivered again in Arabic without which the following Jumu'ah prayer will not be valid. However, if no one from the community is able to deliver an Arabic Khutbah, then only in that case a non-Arabic Khutbah may fulfil the requirement based on the doctrine of necessity. The view of Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, in this respect, is close to the views of Imam Shafii and Imam Ahmad bin Hambal. Imam Abu Hanifah, on the other hand, says that although it is Makrooh Tahreemi (impermissible) to deliver Khutbah in a non-Arab language yet if someone violates this principle and delivers it in any other language, then the requirement of Khutbah will be held as fulfilled and the Jumuah prayer offered after it, will be valid… Some people misunderstood the position of Imam Abu Hanifah in this matter from two different angels: Firstly, some writers claim that this view represents the earlier position of Imam Abu Hanifah and he had, later on, withdrawn from it and had concurred to the view of his two pupils. This statement is not correct… The second misconception with regard to the position of Imam Abu Hanifah in the issue of Khutbah is that some people have misinterpreted his view to say that a non-Arabic Khutbah is quite permissible according to Imam Abu Hanifah. This is again a wrong statement. Imam Abu Hanifah does not hold it quite permissible to deliver Khutbah in a non-Arabic language. He holds it "Makrooh Tahreeman", a term almost analogous to 'impermissible', which means that it is not allowed to deliver Khutbah in a language other than Arabic. However, if somebody commits this Makrooh (impermissible) act, his Khutbah will not be deemed as void, and the Jumu'ah prayer performed after it, will be valid. It must be noted here that all those who have allowed some exceptions to the general rule have done so only when a capable person to deliver Arabic Khutbah is not available. But no jurist has ever allowed such a concession to a situation where such a capable person is available but the audience do not understand Arabic. Conversely, each one of them has clearly mentioned that the rule will remain effective even when the audience do not understand the meaning of Khutbah… It should be remembered that all these juristic rulings were given at a time when Islam had spread all over the world, and the Muslim community was not confined to the Arabian Peninsula; rather Millions of the Muslims belonged to non-Arab countries who did not know Arabic. In the beginning of the Islamic history even Syria, Iraq, Egypt and other Northern countries of Africa were non-Arabs. Their residents did not know Arabic. Moreover, Iran, India, Turkey, China and all the Eastern Muslim countries are still non-Arabs and very few of their residents know Arabic. The need for their Islamic education was too obvious to be doubted… Still, their consistent practice throughout centuries was that the Khutbah of Jumu'ah was always delivered in Arabic. No one from the non-Arab audience has ever raised objection against it, nor did the leaders of the Muslims ever try to change its language. They knew that there are many other occasions to deliver lectures in the local language to educate people, but the Khutbah of Friday, like Salah, has some peculiar characteristics, which should not be disturbed... It is not correct to assume that the additional lecture (before adhaan) has no precedent in the earlier days of the Islamic history. In fact, it is reported by several authentic sources that Sayyiduna Umar Radiyallahu Anhu had permitted Sayyiduna Tamim al-Dari Radiyallahu Anhu to give a lecture sermon in the masjid before Sayyiduna Umar Radiyallahu Anhu comes out to deliver the Khutbah of Friday[1]. This practice of Sayyiduna Umar Radiyallahu Anhu reveals two points; firstly, that such an additional lecture is permissible, and secondly that this additional lecture is meant exclusively to educate people, while the formal Friday Khutbah has other elements, otherwise it was needless to have an additional lecture for education while both were in Arabic... It is sometimes argued that even if the Khutbah is delivered in a local language, it is always started by some Arabic words containing Hamd (praise to Allah swt) and Salah (prayer for Allah's blessing) for the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and at least one verse from the Holy Qur'an. This much is enough for fulfilling the necessary requirements of a valid Arabic Khutbah. After this necessary requirement, the rest of the Khutbah may be delivered in any language. But this argument overlooks the point that it is a Sunnah that the Arabic Khutbah is followed by the Jumu'ah prayer immediately without considerable gap between the two. Therefore, this practice, too, is not in harmony with the masnoon way of delivering a Khutbah. Our brothers who insist that the Friday Khutbah must be delivered in a local language are requested to consider the following points in the light of the foregoing discussion: 1. The consistent practice of the Ummah throughout centuries has been to deliver the Friday Khutbah in Arabic even in the non-Arab countries. Why should the contemporary Muslims deviate from the consistent practice? 2. Khutbah is a part of the Jumuah prayer, hence a mode of worship. The modes of worship are not open to our rational opinion. They have certain prescribed forms which must remain a permanent act and should never be changed through our rational arguments. Once this door is opened in one form of worship, there is no reason why other forms are not subjected to similar changes. The argument in favour of an Urdu or English Khutbah may open the door for an Urdu or English Adhan and Salah also on the same analogy. The ways of worship are meant for creating a sense of obedience and submission. A Muslim is supposed to perform these acts as an obedient slave of Allah, without questioning the rationality of these acts, otherwise throwing stones on the Jamarat of Mina or rushing across Safa and Marwah are all apparently irrational acts; but, being the slaves of Allah, we have to perform these acts as modes of worship. This is exactly what the word 'Ibadah' means. Any alteration in these ways on the basis of one's opinion is contrary to the very sense and philosophy of 'Ibadah' or worship. 3. All the recognised schools of Islamic jurisprudence are unanimous on the point that delivering Friday Khutbah in Arabic is obligatory. Most of the jurists have gone to the extent that in case the Khutbah is delivered in any other language, no Jumuah prayer offered after it is valid. Some others (like Imam Abu Hanifah) hold the non-Arabic Khutbah as valid in the sense that the Jumu'ah, prayers offered after it, is not void, yet at the same time they hold this practice to be impermissible, which means that the impermissibility of a non-Arabic Khutbah is a point of consensus between all the recognized schools of Islamic Fiqh… A deviation from such a consensus can hardly render a service to the Muslim community except to create differences and disputes between them. It may be seen that practically, this deviation has divided Muslims and their mosques into two groups. Even if it is accepted for the sake of argument that the non-Arabic Khutbah is permissible, it is at most permissible and not obligatory, and if a permissible act may cause disunity among the Muslims, the greater interest of the Muslim Ummah requires that it should be abandoned. [Extracts from Mufti Taqi’s Fatwa] It can be seen from the above fatwa that it is extremely important that we hold firmly to the way of our pious predecessors. May Allah Ta’ala reward Mufti Taqi Sahib for his fatwa and give us all the ability to be a unified ummah. Ameen. [1] Note: This narration may be found in al-Isābah Fi Tazkirat as-Sahabah. A similar narration can be found regarding the practice of Abu Hurayra (Radhiyallu ‘Anhu) in Mustadrak Hakim: 3/585. Allāmah Dhahabi has classed this Hadīth as authentic. Shaykh Abdul Raheem hafizahullah Facebook.com/ShkhAbdulRaheem www.Tafseer-Raheemi.com

If the local Masjid held a Tajweed 101 class, you'd be lucky to have 10 people show up. If they had a "Reopening the Doors of Ijtihad", a 1000 people would show up. Too many of us want to fix the Ummah. Not enough of us want to fix our "wa-laz-zwaalleen" #Priorities

Question: Are we accountable for the things which we do not know, for example if there is a fault in our prayer or an fiqh issue. Will we be accountable for these things. Answered by: Mufti Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf  Assalamu alaykum In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful It is necessary for every Muslim to acquire the knowledge of the essentials of his faith. For instance, it is necessary for a person to know the rulings for his everyday issues like purity, salat, etc. Thereafter, if a person earns sufficient wealth that makes him eligible to pay zakat or make the pilgrimage, then he is also required to learn the laws of zakat and haj. He needs to also learn the spiritual aspects of his din like how to make his actions exclusively for the sake of Allah. Besides this, it is also necessary for him to learn social conduct, i.e. how to interact properly with the creation of Allah. In other words, it is legally binding (fard) on all Muslims to possess sufficient knowledge to discharge their everyday duties, which means a thorough knowledge of the basics of prayer, wudhu, ghusl, what one can eat and what one cannot, etc. (‘Allama Ibn ‘Abidin’s supercommentary on al-Durr al-Mukhtar 1:29) The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every believing person” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Bayhaqi). This has been explained as the obligation of acquiring the knowledge of the essentials of ones faith. Beyond the basic essentials, it would only be necessary to learn the details of other related issues if they arise. However, it is a communal obligation to have access to experts in jurisprudence (a mufti or faqih) who can answer these questions when they arise. If a person has not acquired the basics essentials of his faith and is making mistakes in that regard, he is surely considered to be blameworthy. If a person, on the hand, tried to the best of his ability to learn the basic essentials of his din, then missed out on something, he may be excused by Allah. In any case, once a person discovers a mistake in what they were doing he may be able to correct it (in some cases) by redoing the action [qada] otherwise only repentance would be necessary. Even after learning the essentials of ones din (for instance at a din intensive or by a local teacher) a person must continue to refresh his knowledge by practicing upon it and studying further. Otherwise it is sometimes very easy to lose this knowledge. And Allah knows best. Wassalam Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Source: Zamzam Azademy

An advice by Hazrat Sayyid Maulana Talha Qasmi Sahab Naqshbandi (DB) The Following is the gist of the lecture which was delivered on the last day of ‘Itikaaf by Hazrat Sayyid Maulana Talha Qasmi Sahab Naqshbandi (DB): 1.Being consistent in performing the Salah with the congregation (Ja’maat). 2. To always be in the state of wudhu. 3.To be in contact with the the Shaykh(Spiritual mentor). 4.To be firm in following the everyday Sunnah. 5.To make a ma’mool (prescribed ibaadat) of the following: - Reciting the Durood Shareef(1 time), then reciting Surah Quraysh preceded by “A’udhu billahi …” and lastly reciting the Durood Shareef again(1 time). - Reciting “Allahumma ajirni min al-nar”(7 times) after Fajr and Maghreb. – Reciting “Bismillah illadhi la yadurru ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ard wa la fi’l-sama’ wa huwa al-samee’ ul-‘aleem”(3 times) after Fajr. – Reciting Surah Yaseen(1 time) on a daily basis after Fajr and making an intention(niyyah) of Isaale-e-Thawaab(Passing rewards) to the Naqshbandi Mashaikh. – To try reading the Manzil twice if not atleast once. – Recital of Surah Al-Waqi’ah once after the Maghreb. – Recital of Surah Al-Mulk once before going to bed if not after ‘isha salah. – To consider the work for Deen as our own and carrying it out with proper understanding (meaning to work for deen in the same way as we work for ourselves). – To not belittle or disdain any person and serve every human with due respect. – To have a good conduct (Husn-e-Sulook) with the Family members. While Explaining aspects of Deen, one must act with Softness, Love and Wisdom. – To strive for the riddance of Bad elements and Sins from one’s House. – To make our Character as the best form of Da’wah. – To happily accept and follow the rules laid by the Nation(Government). – Making Istikhaarah as our ma’mool. – To be firm in serving the Elders(Parents, Mashaikh etc) and to make it as a ma’mool. – To fast the Days of Ayyam al-Beed (The White Days) as well as Mondays and Thursdays. – The Salikeen has 10 daily Salaah; 5 Fard and 5 nawaafil which includes Ishraaq, Chasht, Awwabeen, Salatut Tasbeeh and Tahajjud. – On Fridays one must recite the Durood Shareef for atleast 300 times. – To accept one’s fault while finding good in others. May Allaah make it easy for us to practice upon what has been advised with khushu’ wa khuzu, Aameen! Source

Q&A: Can I keep the six fasts for Shawwal even if I have missed fasts to make up? By: Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf https://youtu.be/GBCpra8mO5s

Namaz ke Masail (With QnA Session) Mufti Ali Munir Sahab

|| Safety in Silence || —(Tie the Tongue Series  Part-4) The blessed speech of Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) is a miracle, with his every statement brimming with wisdom and meaning. From the treasure of hadīth, just one example of the profound speech of Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) is when he said, “He who is silent is safe.” (Sunan Tirmidhī #2501) If we ponder, we will realize that the majority of our quarrels, arguments, fall-outs with friends and problems in general were linked to the misuse of the tongue. Often, a statement is made in innocence and no harm is meant, yet the words are received badly, causing great offence and pain. We thus realize that ‘I did not mean to hurt’ is not enough. Rather, we should ask ourselves ‘did I mean not to hurt’? Some harms of the tongue have already been discussed and the essence to avoiding all these harms is one — tying the tongue. Hasan (radhiyallāhu ‘anhu) has mentioned that people would say, “The tongue of a wise person is behind his heart. When he intends to speak, he first turns to his heart. If the statement is to his benefit, he utters it, and if it is to his detriment, he abstains from saying it. On the contrary, the heart of a fool is on his tongue and hence he cannot consult his tongue before speaking. He thus utters whatever comes into his mind.” (Kitābus Samt wa Ādābil Lisān #424) The people of the past truly understood the importance of gaining control of the tongue and thus disciplined themselves until their tongues were subjugated. In this regard, Artāt bin Munzir (rahimahullāh) once recounted the incident of a man who controlled his tongue for forty years by keeping a stone in his mouth. The result of this exercise was that he was unable to eat, drink or speak without first removing the stone. Hence, he was unable to blurt out whatever crossed his mind on the spur of the moment. He would only remove the stone for the purpose of eating, drinking and when he needed to sleep. We can well imagine the safety from the harms of careless speech that this man enjoyed! (Kitābus Samt wa Ādābil Lisān #437) Every night, before retiring to bed, we should set aside a few minutes to engage in introspection. Let us ponder over our speech for the day and see if it has improved from the previous day. If we hurt any person, we should seek their forgiveness and make amends. The effort to restrain the tongue is an ongoing one that will only end when we are lowered into our graves. At no point in time can we become complacent and turn a blind eye, as the tongue is quick to strike. ‘Abdullāh bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallāhu ‘anhu) was once on the mountain of Safā, reciting the talbiyah, when he said: يَا لِسَانُ قُلْ خَيْرًا تَغْنَمْ ، أَوْ أَنْصِتْ تَسْلَمْ ، مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَنْدَمْ "O tongue! Speak that which is good and you will benefit, or remain silent and you will be safe. (Do this) before you regret." Hearing this, those present asked ‘Abdullāh bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallāhu ‘anhu), “Is this your statement or did you hear it (from someone else)?” He replied, “I heard Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) say, “Indeed most of the sins of the son of Ādam (‘alaihis salām) are due to his tongue.” (Kitābus Samt wa Ādābil Lisān #18) Source

Truth or Lie ?—(Tie the Tongue Series - Part 3) “LIAR!” — From all the accusations that could be leveled against a person, this is definitely among the worst. This word is not a mere accusation — it is a sword that slices through one’s integrity, honesty and truthfulness, leaving them no more. Once a person is branded a liar, people are reluctant to trust him and view him with suspicion. In short — he loses all honour and respect. Lying is a very dangerous habit as it has a ‘snowball’ effect. If a person makes a snowball and rolls it down a hill, then as the snowball progresses downward, it gathers more snow, growing in size, until it becomes too big to control. Similarly, when a person speaks a lie, he sparks off a chain reaction. In order to cover-up for the first lie, he will be forced to speak a second lie, and then a third, and so on, until he is eventually caught and the entire chain of lies is revealed. However, this evil trait has absolutely no place in Islām and the lives of Muslims. On one occasion, Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) was asked, “Can a believer be a coward?” Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) replied, “Yes.” Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) was next asked, “Can a believer be a miser?” Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) replied, “Yes.” Finally, Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) was asked, “Can a believer be a liar?” To this, Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) replied, “No.” (Muwatta Imām Mālik pg. 732) Throughout Islam and even before Nubuwwah (prophethood), Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) was renowned for his qualities of truthfulness and honesty. It was for this reason that many people chose to keep their valuable belongings with him in trust. The Sahābah (radhiyallāhu ‘anhum), being the ardent followers and companions of Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam), maintained the highest level of truthfulness in their lives, and thus Muslims were a people who were once known for their honesty and truthfulness. Truthfulness, in every facet of our lives (be it speech, actions or even our thinking), is something to strive for and is a quality that leads a person to Jannah. Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alaihī wasallam) mentioned, “Indeed truthfulness leads to piety, and piety leads to Jannah. And a person continues to be truthful until he is recorded as a ‘Siddīq’.” (Sahīh Bukhārī #6094) The quality of truthfulness is one that is even cherished and prized by the disbelievers. Hence, when a Muslim is dishonest and deceitful, whether in the business place before an associate or at home before the domestic worker, he tarnishes the entire image of Islam. The disbelievers, instead of labeling the individual a liar, will often say, “Muslims” are dishonest people. May Allāh Ta‘ala assist us all in the endeavor to acquire truthfulness, in all facets of our lives, to the highest level — Āmīn. Source