Sunday, October 12, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 23

1) The obligatory deed is more beloved to Allah than the nafil deed. Make up any missed days before fasting the six days of Shawwal. The hadeeth "Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is like fasting for a lifetime." implies that one should complete the obligatory fasts first. That will discharge one's duty and is also being on the safe side.

2) Be grateful and seek forgiveness: The servant is always either the recipient of a blessing from Allah, in which case he is in need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of a sin, in which case he is in need of repentance. (From Majmoo' al-Fatawaa).

3) A recompense the like thereof: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever calls people to right guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever calls people to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their burden in those who follow him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest." (Muslim)

4) If Allah has accepted a person's Ramadan, and he benefited from that spiritual training, and he continues to obey Allah, then he has joined the caravan of those who remain steadfast and respond to Allah. He says (interpr. of meaning) : "Verily those who say: 'Our Lord is Allah (Alone),' and they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying) : 'Fear not, nor grieve! but recieve the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!'" [Fussilat 41:30].

5) From the signs that a person's deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in obedience to Allah. Allah says (interp. of meaning) : "And remember when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor] ..... " [Ibrahim 14:7]. Arighteous deed followed by a righteous deed, a hasanah followed by hasanah.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 22

1) It is permissible for a person to send zakaat al-fitr to another country in the case of need, such as if he does not know any poor people in the place where he is. It is permissible to delegate a trustworthy person to buy it and give it on his behalf. The Sunnah is to give it as one is going to the Eid prayer. He can find out where the poor person's house is ahead of time so that he can give it to him at the right time.

2) Allah has honored us in Ramadan by chaining up the devils, opening the gates of Paradise, closing the gates of Hell, and multiplying the reward. Fasting will intercede for a person and protect him from Hell, and admit him to Paradise through the gate of al-Rayyan.

3) If a person fasts in one country then travels to another country where the people started to fast before or after him, he comes under the same ruling as them because of the hadeeth: "The fast is the day when you [plural] fast, and al-Fitr is the day when you break the fast." This is true even if it means that he fasts more than 30 days. However, if it is less than 29 days, he should make up the shortfall after Eid. (From Shaykh Ibn Baaz)

4) The Sunnahs of Eid include reciting takbeer, doing ghusl, wearing nice clothes, and eating an odd numbers of dates. Take the woman out with you, even those who are menstruating, wearing proper hijab, so that they may witness goodness and the du'a of the Muslims. One should go walking via one route and then return by another route. One should give generously of permissible things to one's children.

5) Eid al-Fitr is just one day, the first day of Shawwal, on which it is haraam to faast. The common belief that Eid al-Fitr lasts for three days is merely a custom that is known among the people. It has nothing to do with any shar'i rulings. As for the second and the third days of Shawwal, it is permissible to fast these days to make up a missed Ramadan fast or as a voluntary fast.

6) It is narrrated in a saheeh hadeeth: "Fasting the month of Ramadan is equivalent to fasting ten months, and fasting six days of Shawwal is equivalent to fasting two months, so that is fasting for a year" i.e. it is like the obligatory fast in reward. The intention for the six nafil days of Shawwal should be made the night before. One may fast them consecutively or seperately.