Showing posts with label islamic advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label islamic advice. Show all posts

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Jawal Zad SMS 28

1) There are saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the virtues of reciting Soorat al- Kahaf. These include: "Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahaf on the night of Jumu'ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka'bah)." Also: "Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahaf on the day of Jumu'ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next." [Both are classed as Saheeh by Al-Albaani]. Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar said: "In some reports it says "the day of Jumu'ah" and in some reports it says "the night of Jumu'ah" . They may be reconciled by saying that what is meant is the day which includes the night and vice versa." Thus the recommended time extends from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Friday.

2) Undoubtedly the Prophets differ in status and are at varying levels. The best are the five Messengers of strong will (Uloo'l-'Azm), and the best of those is the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon him). With regard to the Saheeh ahaadeeth, "Do not prefer me over Yoonus ibn Mattaa" and "By the One Who chose Mosa over all of creation" , these all indicate the immense humility of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when speaking of his brothers the Messengers. But he is undoubtedly the best of them all, for he led them in prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) on the night of the Israa'. He will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and he is the only one among all the Messengers who will be granted the power of intercession on that Day.

3) It was narrated that 'A'ishah (RA) said: A group of Jews entered upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and they said: Al-saam'alaykum (death be upon you). 'A'ishah said: I understood it and said: Rather may death be upon you, and curses. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "O 'A'ishah, Allah has enjoined kindness in all things." She said: Did you not hear what they said? He said: "I said: And also upon you." (Al-Bukhari, Muslim). Al Nawawi said: This reflects the greatness of his character and his forbearance. It encourages us to be kind, patient and forbearing, to be gentle with people, so long as there is no need for harshness. Al-Shawkani said: This hadeeth shows that it is mustahab (enjoined) for the people of virtue to ignore the folly of the wrongdoers, so long as that will not lead to spread of corruption.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Jawal Zad SMS 27

1) It was narrated from Abu Mas'ood that the Prophet(peace be upon him) said: "Whoever recites the last two verses of Soorat al- Baqarah at night, they will suffice him." (Al-Bukhaari, Muslim) Ibn Al-Qayyim said in al-Waabil al- Sayyib (132): They will suffice him against any evil that may harm him.

2) There can be no doubt that laughing too much affects the Muslim's heart, distracting one from thinking deeply and feeling fear of Allah. The Messenger (peace be upon him) warned us about the danger it poses: "Do not laugh too much, for laughing deadens the heart." (Narrate by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

3) Regarding trials: Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kafir. Allah says: "Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (unseen)." [Aal Imran 3:179]

4) Based on the hadith in Bukhari and Muslim: On the night when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken up into heaven (the MMi'raj), Allah initially enjoined fifty prayers to be performed night and day. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) kept asking his Lord to reduce it until it became five prayers to be offered night and day. But Allah decreed that whoever prays the five prayers will still receive the reward of fifty prayers.

5) Allah is close to His slaves. He sees where they are and He knows their situation. He hears what they say and responds to their du'aa'. Nothing about them is hidden from Him, as He says (interp. of meaning): "Truly, nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heavens" [Aal Imran 3:5] Allah alone is the One Who has created us and Who provides for us; in His hand is the dominion and He is Able to do all things.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Jawal Zad SMS 25

1) The connection between zina (adultery) and poverty: Poverty is of two types: poverty of hand and poverty of heart. Zina may take away and erase the blessing of wealth, because it is ingratitude for the blessing and using it to disobey the One who granted the blessing. Then the person is tested with poverty of heart because of his weakness of faith. So his heart starts to seek that which it does not have and he is not given patience to bear it, and this is an ongoing punishment. (From Sharh al-Shihaab)

2) The believer should not allow his tongue to become accustomed to cursing and swearing: "The believer is not one who slanders, curses or utters foul or obscene speech." (al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani) Whoever indulges in a lot of something will make it a habit.

3) Extravagance means overstepping the mark in spending money. Waste means spending it inappropriately, which is worse then extravagence. Hence Allah says: "Verily, the spendthrifts are brothjers of the Shayaateen (devils). And the Shaytaan (Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord." [al-Isra' 17:26-7 - intrpr. of meaning]

4) Looking at haraam pictures leads to nothing but loss, pain and sorrow. The poet spoke the truth when he said: "When you give free rein to your eyes, this will cause great pain to your heart. You will see what you cannot have, and you will feel frustration because you do not have some of what you see." All that is gained is the anger of Allah, wasting time and money, and tormenting oneself.

5) The envier harms himself in three ways: 1) He earns sin because hasad is haraam; 2) It is bad etiquette before Allah, because what hasad really means is hating Allah's blessing His slaves, and objecting to what Allah does; 3) He suffers because of worry and distress.

6) Hasad (destructive envy) is of varying degrees: 1) When a person wants a blessing to be taken away from his Muslim brother, even if it does not come to himself. Rather he does not like Allah to bless anyone else; 2) Where he wants the blessing to be taken away from someone else because he wants it, in the hope that he will get it; 3) Where he wishes he had the same blessing as someone else, without wanting it to be taken from the other person. This is permissible and is not called hasad, rather it is called ghibtah.

7) Keep it secret. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A conversation in a gathering is a trust." If a person is entrusted to a conversation on the basis that it is a secret, then it is not permissible for him to spread it. Similarly, if spreading it will resulth in harm tp his Muslim brother, it is not permitted. "There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm." And if spreading it will result in scandal for a sinning Muslim brother whose sin has been concealed by Allah, it is not permissible to spread it.

8) Harmless lies? 'Abd-Allah ibn Mas'ood said: Lying is not appropriate whether in earnest or in jest. Recite if you wish: "O you who believe! Fear Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds)." [al-Tawbah 9:119 - intrpr. of meaning] Then he said: Do you find any concession allowing that to anyone?

9) What crosses the mind .... : If someone thinks a thought of zina, stealing, consuming intoxicants and so on, but he does not do anything, then he is forgiven for that and he does not incur sin thereby. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah has forgiven my ummah for what crosses their minds, so long as they do not speak of it or act upon it."

10) The one who sells an item in which there is a fault must point out its faults, whether he is selling it to a Muslim or not, otherwise he will be decieving and sinning. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The two parties to a transaction have the option (of cancelling it) until they part. If they are honest and disclose any defects, their transaction will be blessed, but if they lie and conceal defects the blessing will be erased." (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Jawal Zad SMS 24

1) Do it now! The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hasten to do good deedsbefore there come tribulations like pieces of a dark night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a kaafir by the evening; or he will be a believer in the evening and a kaafir by morning, selling his religious commitment for worldly gain." (Muslim)

2) If the shaytaan comes to you in the prayer and says, "You are showing off (so cut your prayer short)" then make your prayer lengthy. If he says, "You have broken wudoo" say, "You are lying". If he says to you that the dead can hear you and benefit you or harm you, tell him, "You are lying."

3) What more could yoiu want?: A man said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "I heard your dua' last night and what reached me of it was that you said: 'O Allah, forgive me my sins, make my house spacious, and bless me in what you provide for me." He said: "Do you think that there is anything left out?" (Al-Tirmidhi; classed as hasan by al-Albaani)

4) There are five essential conditions for repentance: sincerity, regret for what one has done, giving it up immediately, determination not to repeat it in the future, and repenting during the time when repentance will be accepted. When is that? Before a person dies or before the sun rises in the west. "And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: 'Now I repent....'" [al-Nisa' 4:18 - interpr. of meaning]

5) Worship at times of hardship and tribulation has a special flavor and a special reward. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Worshiping at times of tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me." (Muslim) Al-Nawawi said: The reason why worship at such times is of such great virtue is that people become negligent about worship and are distracted from it, and no one focuses on worship except a few.

6) It is better not to do tasbeeh with the masbahah, but it is not bid'ah. There is a basis for it, which is that some of the Sahabah did tasbeeh with pebbles. But the Messenger (peace be upon him) taught that tasbeeh with the finger is better, as he said: "Count with the fingertips, for they will be made to speak." Using the masbahah is not haram or bid'ah, but it is better not to do it, because the one who does tasbeeh with the masbahah has shunned something better. (From Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen)

7) Allah's Knowledge: He is Omniscient and knows what has happened, what is happening, and what is yet to come. Allah knows the believers and the disbelievers: what they will do and what their fate will be in the Hereafter. He has written all of that in al-Lawh al-majfooz (the Preserved tablet): "And all things We have recorded in a Book." [al-Naba' 78:29 - intrpr. of meaning]

8) Choosing a good name is a right that the child has over his father. It refers to the person, and it is an adornment and a symbol of the one who is named. He will be called by it in this world and in the Hereafter. People get an impression of the person from his name.

9) Guidance is in the hand of Allah. If He willed, He could guide all of mankind. In His Wisdom, Allah created us with the ability to choose, and He sent down guidance and the Criterion. "Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his own self, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and i (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you." [al-An'aam 6:104 - interpr. of meaning]

10) Charity on behalf of the deceased: A man said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): " My mother has passed away and if she could have spoken, she would have given something in charity. Will she recieve a reward if I give something on her behalf?" He said, "Yes." (al-Bukahri)

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Jawal Zad Hajj

1) The gathering of Hajj is the invitation of the Lord of the Worlds. Muslims meet there on a footing of equality. "And proclaim to mankind the Hajj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj), that they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade)." [al-Hajj 22:27-8-interpr. of meaning].

2) Dhul-Hijjah The prohibition on cutting the hair and nails applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, whether or not he (or she) delegates someone else to do the actual deed. The person who is delegated does not have to adhere to this prohibition. Also, it appears to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children, unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right.

3) Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah. Allah has preferred these days over all the other days of the year. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." (al-Bukhari)

4) O you who are seeking out the Sacred House: "When you leave your house, heading for the Sacred House, for every step your mount takes, Allah decrees one good deed (hasanah) for you and erases one bad deed." (a hasan hadeeth). As for your standing in 'Arafah, Allah descends to the nearest heaven and boasts to the angels about the pilgrims: "These are my slaves, they come to me dishelved and dusty from every deep and distant highway. They are hoping for my mercy and fear My punishment, and they never saw Me. Imagine if they did see Me? If you had sins like the sands of 'Aalij [a place with a lot of sand], or as many as there are days in the life of the world, or as many as the drops of water coming from the sky; Allah will wash those sins off of you. As for when you throw the pebbles, the reward is saved up for you; and when you shave your head, you will have a hasanah, for every hair that falls; and you make tawaf around the House, you will come out [free] of your sins like the day your mother gave birth to you." (hasan)

5) Before leaving for Hajj: repent to Allah for your sins and untangle yourself from disobedience; fulfill your promises and return trusts; leave enough money for your family, and if you plan to leave them an udhiyah (sacrifice), make good on it; leave what has been preoccupying you so you can focus on the rites of Hajj; learn the rulings of Hajj by reading books and brochures, and by listening to lectures and tapes; get the phone numbers for scholars and fatwa services; and set some money aside for emergencies and for charity.

6) For those who intend to make Hajj and offer the sacrifice (the hadiy): if you wish to offer a sacrifice (udhiyah) in your home country as well, do not remove or trim anything from your hair or nails starting from the first of Dhul-Hijjah. The exception is for those who are performing Hajj Tamattu': They must remove something from their hair to complete their 'Umrah. For those who are sacrificing the hadiy only, they can remove what they wish from their hair and nails until they enter ihram for Hajj.

7) The one who performs Hajj on behalf of another must have performed Hajj for himself first. A man may be a proxy for a woman and vice versa. The proxy may accept money for doing the Hajj even if it is more than he spends. He must return the extra money if that was a condition of the arrangement. Whoever desires the money only will not find any reward with Allah. Whoever does it to see the Sacred places and to help his brother by being his proxy, then it is hoped he will have a reward like the one for whom he performed Hajj.

8) Hajj is a manifestation of being a slave of Allah and one's thankfulness for His blessings. It teaches surrendering to Allah, submission to Him, and hastening to Him. Hajj opens the door to hope, the hope of returning from it like the day one was born, free of sin. It also teaches one to leave forbidden things and to get used to being organised.

9) Hajj and other righteous deeds are a means of expiation for sins if a person does them as prescribed in sharee'ah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "From one Umrah to the next is an expiation foe whatever (sins) came between them, and for an accepted Hajj there is no reward but Paradise." (al-Bukhari, Muslim)

10) The Hajj is a common gathering with a single purpose. The people are equal. They wear one type of clothing, their actions are as one, and their call is one: "Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa 'l-ni--mata laka wa'l-mulk, laa shareeka lak (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Hare I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.)"

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, September 18, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 18

1) Sahoor is a blessing, even if it is only a sip of water. The best food of sahoor is dates. It can only be called sahoor if it occurs in the second part of the night. Eating sahoor involves being different from the People of the Book, and it helps one to worship Allah by fasting and getting up for Fajr prayer. It is Sunnah to delay Sahoor.

2) There is nothing wrong with smelling pleasant fragrances when one is fasting, but one should not inhale incense deeply. Beware of things that may kindle one's desires and spoil the fast, such as speaking, looking repeatedly, or touching. Remember the hadeeth qudsi which praises the fasting person: "He gives up his desire (and according to one version: his wife) for My sake."

3) Having a blood sample taken, if it is a small amount that does not weaken the body, does not break the fast, but if it is a large amount that does cause weakness, then it breaks the fast as cupping does. Based on this, donating blood breaks the fast so it should only be done if it is necessary and that day should be made up.

4) When breaking the fast, the fasting person experiences joy for several reasons: what was forbidden of food and drink has now become permissible, he was able to do an act of worship and complete the day, he breaks the fast with things that Allah has permitted, and he follows the Sunnah by hastening to break the fast, and he is granted a prayer to be answered when he breaks the fast.

5) Allah has honoured 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. If someone were to ask why sins occur during Ramadan when the devils are chained? The answer is that it is the maarids (most of evil jinn) that are chained up, not every devil. And it was said that the chains weaken their movements but do not prevent their whispering (waswaas). If we add to that the devils among mankind, and the self which is inclined towards evil, then we will know the reason why sins happen in Ramadan, although evil is still less at this time.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 17

1) Medical Injections that do not provide nourishment, such as penicillin, insulin, anaesthetics, inoculations and dyes for diagnostic imaging, whether they are intramuscular or intravenous, endoscopy and the like, suppositories and pessaries none of these break the fast.

2) Having teeth filled, extracted or cleaned, using the siwak without added flavours, brushing the teeth with toothpaste, gargling with medicine, using a puffer that is placed in the mouth, and tasting food if necessary, none of these break the fast so long as nothing passes the throat.

3) Kidney dialysis, in which the blood is removed and cleaned then returned to the body with some nutritional substances, breaks the fast. [Fatwa al-Lajnah al-Da'imah (190/10)]. the days when one has dialysis have to be made up. Be patient if you suffer from this complaint, and if you are healthy then give praise to Allah for well being.

4) One of the wonders of fasting is that Allah says, "It is for Me." Allah has singled out it for Him because no one can see it but Him, so it is a sacret between you and Him. Only He knows what the reward for it is, and there is no other act of worship like it. It is patience which brings reward beyond measure, so congratulations to the men and women who fast.

5) The mosques must be kept free of the smell of garlic, onions, sweat, cigarettes and every foul smell, lest it offend the angels and the worshippers. It is permissible for the one who is praying next to someone whose smell he cannot stand to interrupt his prayer and move to another spot, but he should strive to be polite and offer advice in a kind manner.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 16

1) It is allowed for the person who missed his Isha' prayer in congregation to join the Imam in taraweeh with the intention of Isha' prayer.

2) If a person has prayed the taraweeh and witr with the Imam but still wants to pray more raka'hs at tahajjud time then it is permissible for him to pray two by two raka'hs without repeating the witr.

3) It is permissible for a person to break his fast if the disk of the sun has disappeared completely from the horizon even if he didn't hear the adhaan.

4) It is permissible to read the opening dua' in the first raka'h of every prayer in taraweeh and tahajjud (night prayer). [Ibn Uthaymeen]

5) The non-menstrual blood (Istihaada) does not affect a womans fast. [Ibn Baaz]

6) An ointment that moisturizes, softens, or soothes the skin and medication plasters for skin do not break the fast. [The Standing Committee]

7) The reward is for concentration and length of prayer and not for the lesser and quicker prayer.

8) We ask Allah to guide more people to pray in the Mosque. Prayer is better than sleep and taraweeh is better than watching serials.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 15

71) The intention (niyyah) for Ramadan fasts is made at night, before the dawn comes. The Prophet (peace be upon him): "Whoever does not intend to fast from the night before, there is no fast for him." (al-Nisaa'i; classed as hasan by al-Albani) Whoever does not resolve to do so, his fast is not valid. The correct intention is when a person resolves in his heart that he is going to fast tomorrow. It is not prescribed for him to utter it out loud.

72) The "day of doubt": when people are not sure whether it is the last day of Sha'ban or the first of Ramadan because of cloudy weather or another reason. Fasting on this day is haraam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Fast when you see the new moon abd break your fast when you see the new moon, and if you are not sure then complete Sha'ban as thirty days." (al-Bukhari)

73) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Do not preempt Ramadan by one or two days, except for those who have the habit of fasting regularly, in which case they may fast." (al-Bukhari). A person may also fast if he is bound by a vow or has to make up an obligatory fast. Fasting at the end of Sha'ban is prohibited to maintain a distinction between the obligatory and voluntary fasts.

74) Zakaah must be paid immediately when one full hijri year has passed since the nisaab [minimum threshold] is acquired. If a person pays it in advance in Ramadaan before the year has passed (to take advantage of the virtue of the month), there is nothing wrong with that. But after the year has passed it is not permissible to delay it until Ramadaan. Zakaah on agricultural crops must be paid on the day of harvesting.

75) One of the conditions of zakaah is having the proper intention at the time of paying it. It is not acceptable to decide that what one has previously given (with the intention of sadaqah) is now zakaah.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 14

66) Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "People's deeds are shown [to Allah] twice each week, on Monday and Thursday, and every believing slave is forgiven except a person between whom there is a dispute, and it is said, "Leave these two untill they reconcile." (From Muslim)

67) Imitation of the Kufaar that is permissible means doing something that is not originally taken from them, but they do it too. It is permissible only when the following conditions are met: 1) The resemblance should not be to any of their traditions or rituals by which they are distinguished. 2) That it should not be part of their religion. 3) That it should not be anything that Islam refers specifically to. If there is a specific reference in Islam, either approving or disapproving of it, then we must follow what our religion says about it. 4) The resemblance should not lead to going against any of the commands of shareea'ah. 5) That it should not involve celebrating any of their festivals. 6) The resemblance should be only according to what is needed, and no more.

68) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I have been given the Qur'aan and something like it with it." The phrase "something like it with it" refers to the Sunnah. (Saheeh hadeeth). Allah commanded us to refer to these two constitutional references,when He said (interpr. of meaning): ".....if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger....." [al-Nisa' 4:59]. The Qur'an is the primary source of legislation, then the Sunnah. And Allah knows best.

69) There is no suggestion that at the end of an old year or the beginning of a new year the records of deeds are closed and deeds are shown to Allah. Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said concerning commemorating the end of the year: "There is no basis for that, and singling out the end of the year for specific acts of worship such as fasting is a reprehensible innovation (bid'ah)." End quote.

70) Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The angels of the night and the day come to you in succession, and they meet at Fajr prayer and at Asr prayer, then those who stayed among you ascend and their Lord asks them, although He knows best about them, "How did you leave My slaves?" and they say, "We left them when they were praying and we came to them when they were praying."" (From Bukhari, Muslim)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 13

61) Abu Hurayrah said: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Jibreel came to me and said: "I came to you yesterday and nothing prevented me from entering except that there was a statue by your door, and there was a curtain in your house with images on it, and there was a dog in the house. So tell someone to cut the head off the statue by your door, so it will look like a tree; tell someone to cut up the curtain and make it into floor-cushions that will be stepped on; and tell someone to put the dog outside."" So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did that. (Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad) The hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or images." (Agreed upon)

62) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When one of you prays facing something that is screening him from the people, and someone wants to pass in front of him, let him push back, and if he insists then let him fight him, for he is no more than a devil." (Agreed upon) What is meant by the phrase "let him fight him" is let him push him back forcefully.

63) Even if a child passes in front of you in the prayer you must stop him, because of the general meaning of the evidence. If the child passes frequently and stopping him will distract the worshipper, then he should let him be. From Fath al-Baari: Ibn Battaal and others narrated that there was ascholarly consensus that it is not permissible for a person to move away from his spot in order to push (another person) away, or to move a great deal in doing so, because that has a greater effect on the prayer than his passing in front.

64) In prayer, it is better to recite Quran from memory rather than from a Mushaf, to prevent physical distractions such as holding the Mushaf, putting it down, turning its pages, looking at the letters, etc. By doing so he will miss out on putting his right hand over his left hand on his chest while standing during the prayer, or spreading out his arms during rukoo and sujood, if he puts the Mushaf under his arm. Shaykh ibn 'Uthaymeen, al-Fataawa al-Islamiyyah, 8/4.

65) Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood up before us and told us five things. He said: "Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not sleep and it is not befitting that He should sleep. He lowers the Balance and raises it; the deeds of the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night...." (From Muslim)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 12

56) Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "There is no Muslim who visits a (sick) Muslim early in the morning but seventy thousand angels send blessings upon him until evening comes, and if he visits him in the evening, seventy thousands angels send blessings upon him until morning comes, and he will have a garden in Paradise." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

57) A sin that is committed in secret is lighter in sanctity than one committed openly. Via Abu Hurairah the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that all of my Ummah is pardoned except for the mujahiroon (those who do things openly). Among [those] are people who do a deed during the night which Allah has hidden (from the eyes of others), then they go during the day and tell others that yesterday they did so and so. Whereas their Lord had concealed their wrongs overnight, they awake disclosing what their Lord had hidden. Bukhari and Muslim.

58) Participating in the holidays of the nonbelievers and congratulating them on them is part of imitating them and taking allegiance to them. Ibn ul-Qayyim said: it is haram by unanimous agreement; and if it is not considered kufr (disbelief) then it is at the very least forbidden and considered the same as one who congratulates one for prostrating to the cross.

59) Allah created the angels from light. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you." (From Muslim) The angels are by nature obedient to Allah: "[they i.e., angels] disobey not, [from executing] the Commands they recieve from Allah, but do that which they are commanded" [al-Tahreem 66:6- interpr. of meaning]

60) Angels are created in such a way that they do not eat or drink. Their food is glorification of Allah (tasbeeh) and saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allah (tahleel), as Allah tells us concerning them (interpr. of meaning): "They [i.e the angels] glorify His Praises night and day, [and] they never slacken [to do so]" [al-Anbiyaa' 21:20]

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 10

46) Anyone who studies the creation of Allah will see some of the signs of His greatness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, describing the Kursiy (Footstool) and Throne: "The seven heavens, in comparison to the Footstool, are like a ring lying in the wilderness, and the superiority of the Throne to the Footstool is like the superiority of the wilderness to that ring." (Classed as saheeh by al-Albani)

47) This world should not be the main concern of the Muslim. Worry about his provision should not find any room in his heart or mind. Anas said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever is mainly concerened about the Hereafter, Allah will make him feel independent of others and will make him focused and content, and his wordly affairs will fall into place. But whoever is concerned with this world, Allah will make him feel in constant need of others and will make him distracted and unfocused, and he will get nothing of this world except what is decreed for him." (Classed as saheeh by al-Albani.)

48) Prayer is the greatest pillar of Islam after the Shahadatayn, and it is not wavied for anyone so long as he is of sound mind. Whoever can pray standing must do that, otherwise he should pray sitting or on his side, or by making gestures, according to what he is able to do, and Allah does not burden any soul beyond its scope. That is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting, and if you cannot, then on your side." (Bukhari)

49) In prayer it is better to recite Qur'an from memory, because if a person recites from the Mushaf, he will be doing repeated actions such as holding the Mushaf, putting it down, and turning its pages. By doing so he will miss out on putting his right hand over his left hand on his chest when standing, or spreading out his arms during rukoo ans sujood. Some people carry the Mushaf to the imam's recitation in the prayer. This is something which should not be done.

50) If one is reciting Qur'an in situations other than in prayer, then reading from the Mushaf is better, because it is more accurate and helps one to remember better. But if reciting from memory is easier and helps one to concentrate more and have better presence of mind (khushoo'), then one should recite from memory.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 9

41) Based on the hadith in Bukhari and Muslim: On the night when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken up into the heaven (the Mi'raj), Allah initially enjoined fifty prayers to be performed night and day. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) kept asking his Lord to reduce it untill it became five prayers to be offered night and day. But Allah decreed that whoever prays the five prayers will still recieve the reward of fifty prayers.

42) Abu Umamah said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursiy immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death." (This is how it was narrated by al-Nasa'i, and its chain of narration meets the conditions of al-Bukhari.)

43) A marriage contract must be done in the presence of the woman's wali (guardian) and with his consent. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is no marriage without a wali." And he (peace be upon him) said: "Any woman who gets married without the permission of her wali, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid."

44) When Allah forbids people to commit sin, He also supplies them with means to help them give up the sin if they fall into it. Among these means are:
1) Strengthening one's faith in Allah and one's fear of Him. 2) Knowing that Allah is always watching and that everything that you do is being recoeded. 3) Comparing the fleeting pleasure of sin (which quickly fades) with both the punishment of the sinner and the reward of the one who refrains from sin. 4) Keeping away from the things that help one to sin, such as haram looks, bad company, and going to sinful places. 5) Striving to keep company with righteous people.

45) With regard to the Shaytan sharing in a person's food and drink, Jabir ibn Abd-Allah said that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: "When a man enters his house and remembers Allah [i.e.,says Bismillah] when he enters and when he eats, the Shaytan says, "You have no place to stay and no dinner." If he enters and does not remember Allah when entering, the Shaytan says, "You have found a place to stay." If he does not remember Allah when he eats,[the Shaytan] says, "You have found a place to stay and dinner."

Monday, July 14, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 8

36) Islamic nasheeds (words with a tune) as outlined by Shaykh ibn Uthaimeen:
1) If the nasheed is accompanied by the duff (a certain type of drum), then it is haram, because the duff is only permissible in a specific situation. It is more forbidden if it is accompanied by music or other types of drums.
2) If it is performed in the manner of immoral songs then it is not permissible, for it may lead to listening to haram kinds of songs.
3) If these nasheeds are sung in a way that provoke desire, or such that a person may enjoy listening to the melody of the sound regardless of the content, then this is also not permissible. Rather than listening to a nasheed, it is better to listen Qur'an, or a lesson by a scholar.

37) The wise person wants to eat to live, not live to eat. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The descendents of Adam fill no worse vessel, than their stomach. A simple few morsels are sufficient to sustain him." (Al-Tirmidhi, hassan saheeh hadith.)

38) More means of reaching Pradise: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and the inside can be seen from the outside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the poor, who are gentle in speech, who fast regularly and who pray at night when people are asleep." (Al-Albani classified as hassan).

39) It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever attends a funeral until he offers the (funeral) prayer will have one qirat (of reward) and whoever attends until the burial is done will have two qirats." it was said: "What are the two qirats?" He said: "Like two great mountains."

40) Abd-Allah ibn Umar only broke his fast with orphans and poor people. Consider a moving scene: arich man serving workers and needy people at the time of Maghrib adhan in a tent set up for iftar at one of the mosque.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 6

26) Regarding trials: Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kafir. "Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)." [ Interpretation of the meaning, Aal Imraan 3:179 ]

27) From the benefits of memorizing the Qur'an: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, "O Lord, I deprived him of food and desires during the day, so let me intercede for him." The Qur'an will say, "O Lord I deprived him of his sleep at night, so let me intercede for him." Then they will both intercede for him." (Classed as saheeh by al-Albani.)

28) True peace of mind: make a lot of du'a, call upon Allah, and seek to draw close to Him by different kinds of worship such as praying, giving charity, fasting and so on. Ask Allah to take away what is in your heart of sorrow and to grant you relief. "Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah-Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." [interpretation of meaning- al-Ra'd 13:28]

29) Regarding intention: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Four people are making the most of this world: a man to whom Allah gives wealth and knowledge, so he fears his lord with regard to the way in which he disposes of his wealth, and he uses it to uphold ties of kinship and he realizes that Allah has rights over it. This man occupies the highest status. And a man to whom Allah has given knowledge but did not give him wealth, so he is sincere in his intention when he says, "If I had wealth I would have done the same as so and so is doing." So he will be rewarded according to his intention and the reward of both of them is the same..." [Classed as saheeh by al-Albani]

30) A man may attain by his intention the reward of one who actually does the deed, if he is prevented from acting by some excuse. From Anas ibn Malik: the Messener of Allah (peace be upon him) came back from the campaign to Tabook and when he drew close to Madeenah he said: " In Madeenah there are people who, whenever you traveled any distance or crossed any valley, were with you." They said: O Messenger of Allah, even though they are in Madeenah? He said: "Even though they are in Madeenah, because they were kept there by excuses."

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 5

21) The Prophet ( peace be upon him ) said : " Allah has relieved the traveler of the obligation of fasting and half of the prayer, and He has relieved the pregnant woman and nursing mother of the obligation of fasting." ( classed as saheeh by al-Albani ). If a Pregnant woman fears that fasting may harm her or her baby then she may break her fast, and she has to make up the days that she did not fast. But if she does not fear harm for her or her baby, then she has to fast, because Allah says : " So whoever of you sights ( the cresent of ) the month ( of Ramadan i.e is present at his home ), he must observe Sawm ( fast ) that month." [ al-Baqarah 2:185 ] In most cases fasting is difficult for pregnant women, especially in the final months, and fasting may affect the pregnancy. She should refer to a trustworthy doctor for advice. And Allah knows best.

22) Our Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him ) is the best of the Prophets and the best of creation. But in addition, he ( peace be upon him ) is no more than a human being, so it is not permissible to call upon him or seek his help instead of Allah. Allah says : " Say ( O Muhammad ) : " I am only a man like you. It has been revealed unto me that your God is One God ( i.e. Allah ). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord " [ al- Kahf 18:110 ]

23) Ibn Abbas said : " The Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him ) was the most generous of people [ in doing good ], and he was most generous of all in Ramadan when Jibreel met with him, and he used to meet him every night in Ramadan and teach him the Qur'an. The Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him ) was more generous in doing good than a wind ( That carries generous bounties )."

24) Fasting on the 'day of doubt' ( the thirtieth of Sha'ban if the new moon cannot be seen because of clouds, etc. ) is not allowed. The Prophet ( peace be upon him ) said : " Do not anticipate Ramadan by fasting one or two days before it begins, but if a man habitually fasts, then let him fast." If a person has the habit of fasting alternate days, or Mondays, etc., and it happens to coincide with this day, then it is permissible for him to fast. If he does not have a reason, then it is haram for him on this day.

25) " Two hungry wolves do not do more damage to a flock of sheep than a man's eagerness for wealth and status do to his religious commitment." Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. The Prophet likened the harm to a Muslim's religious commitment caused by greed for wealth & status to the damage caused by two hungry wolves who enter the sheep pen ans attack the flock, because the one who is greedy for wealth & status wastes his time and may commit haram actions in his efforts, then when he achieves his goal he may not do what is then required of him.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 4

16) The Prophet ( peace be upon him ) said that : " There is a chapter in the Qur'an of 30 verses that intercedes for its reader until he is forgiven ( Tabarak alladhi bi-yadihi il-mulk ) . [ Abu Dawood, saheeh ]. I.e. Surat Al-Mulk. Ibn Masood said that whoever recites it every night, will be protected from the torment of the grave, and during the time of the Prophet ( peace be upon him ) we used to name it The Preventer ( protector ) . [ hassan ]

17) Some people think that exchanging engagement rings has an effect on their future relationship as spouses. This custom goes against sharee'ah. In principle there is nothing wrong with rings. However, there is no basis for this attachment to the rings in sharee'ah, and this custom also imitates the non-Muslims, which the Prohet ( peace be upon him ) warned us against. In addition, it is not permissible for the man to put ring on his fiancée's hand himself, because she has not yet become his wife.

18) Persist in doing good deeds. A'ishah said : The Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him ) said : " O people, you should do whatever good deeds you can, for Allah does not get tired [of giving reward ] until you get tired. And the most beloved of good deeds to Allah is that in which a person persists, even if it is little. If the family of Muhammad ( peace be upon him ) started to do something, they would persist in it. "

19) The Prophet ( peace be upon him ) used to review the Qur'an with Jibreel every Ramadan. Abu Hurayrah said: " Jibreel used to review the Qur'an with the Prophet ( peace be upon him ) once every year, and he reviewed it with him twice in the year in which he passed away. " The fasting person should read Qur'an a great deal during Ramadan and to strive to complete it. If he does not complete it then he is not sinning, but he has missed out a great deal of reward.

20) The Prophet ( peace be upon him ) used to tell his Companions the good news of the onset of Ramadan. Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him ) said : " There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month. Allah has made it obligatory on you to fst [ this month ]. During it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are locked, and the devils are chained up. In it there is a night that is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is deprived indeed."

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Jawal Zad SMS 3

11) Children should be instructed to fast at the age of seven if they are able to. The child will be rewarded for fasting, and the parents will be rewarded for guiding him to do good. Al-Rubay' bint Mu'awwidh said, speaking about Ramadan : " We used to make our children fast, and we would make them a toy made out of wool. If any one of them started to cry for food, we would give them that toy to play with until it was time to break the fast. " True compassion for children includes helping them get used to fasting.

12) Fasting is an obligation on every adult who is able to fast, is sane, and is not traveling. Women who do not have menstruation or post-natal bleeding to prevent them are obliged to fast. A person is deemed to have reached adulthood when he or she has reached puberty or attained fifteen years of age. ( A female is obliged to fast when she has started her menstruation, even if she has not yet reached the age of ten. )


13) Abdullah Al-Antaki said to his companions : It is but 4 things [ to be concerned with ] : your eye, tongue, heart, and desire. So warn your eye not to look at anything forbidden; warn your tongue not to speak anything that Allah knows is not true to your heart; warn your heart not to harbor despite or ill-will towards another Muslim; & warn your desires not to long for anything evil. ( Al-Baihaqi in Al-Zuhd ul-Kabeer )

14) Based on an authentic hadeeth related by Tirmidhi, most scholars say that one should not fast during the second half of Sha'ban except for one who has the habit of fasting regularly ( e.g. Mondays and Thursdays ), or has fasting to make up from last Ramadan, or is continuing after fasting the first half of Sha'ban, which is sunnah and Allah knows best.

15) Regarding loans, the Prophet ( peace be upon him ) said :" Whoever takes people's wealth intending to pay it off, Allah will help him to pay it off, but whoever takes it intending to use it up ( without repaying ), Allah will destroy him. "