Proper defense of Prophet Muhammad

http://salaf-us-saalih.com/2015/01/20/proper-defense-of-prophet-muhammad-in-light-of-recent-events/

Repost from UMLG: Ascription

Ascription

It is obligatory upon every Muslim to take his understanding of the religion from the Salaf. The Sharee'ah texts prove and establish this. This is not to the liking of the various sects, parties and groups who have innovated doctrines and methodologies as the basis of their activities. Whilst on the one hand they claim using the term "Salafi" is divisive, they are happy to accept and accommodate the various other labels such as Ikhwan, Tabligh, Tahrir, Naqshabandi, Chistee and all the various other ascriptions and labels, which ultimately go back to the views and opinions of one man. Whereas, the ascription to the Salaf is an ascription to thousands of the illustrious people of knowledge whose collective agreement cannot be upon error. Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan on Ascription to Salafiyyah and Saying 'I Am Salafi' and When It Becomes Necessary Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen: the Salafis Are Ahl Al-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah and Ahl Al-Athar Imaam Ibn Baz: When Being Truthful in the Claim, Labelling With 'Salafi' Is an Obligatory Commendation Ibn Mandhoor in Lisan al-Arab: The Meaning of the Word 'al-Salaf' Imaam Al-Sam'ani (d. 562H): The Use of the Term 'Al-Salafi' as an Ascription Ibn Taymiyyah: Obligatory to Accept Ascription to the Way of the Salaf Ibn Taymiyyah: From the Slogans of Ahl Al-Bid'ah Is to Abandon Ascription to the Way of the Salaf The Permanent Committee Explains Salafiyyah and Ascription to the Salaf The Usage of the Phrase (احيحص ايفلس) 'Salafiyyan Saheehan' in the 3rd Century Hijrah via Salafis.Com | Ascription.

Re Posted: Characteristics of Righteous Woman Pt.2

Characteristics of Righteous Woman Pt.2


Tolerates harm for the sake of the religion: The wife of Qays ibn Al-Khateem, who was named Hawwaa’, converted to Islam, but he used to try to avert her from Islam and annoy her while she was prostrating by pushing her and turning her over her head. While he was at Makkah (Mecca) before Hijrah, the Prophet, was told the news of the Ansaar (Helpers) and he was told about the wife of Qays and the harm that she had been subjected to. During the pilgrimage season, the Prophet, met him and said: “Your wife converted to Islam and you harm her and I would like you to stop doing this!” (Al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez As-Sahaabah by Ibn Hajar 8/11064) · Patient during times of afflictions: Silah ibn Ashyam participated in a battle along with his son. He said to his son, “O son! Go ahead and fight so that I seek the reward of Allaah for losing you!” His son fought until he was killed, then Silah fought and he was killed as well. Women gathered around his wife, Mu‘aathah, so she said, “If you have come to congratulate me, then you are welcome, but if you have come for any other reason, then return!” (Siyar A‘laam An-Nubalaa’ by Ath-Thahabi 3/498) · Keen on the interest of her children: Umm Sulaym believed in the Prophet, and her husband, Abu Anas, who had been away, returned and asked her: “Have you apostatized?” She said, “I have simply believed in this man!” She kept teaching their son, Anas how to profess the testimony of faith. Once, as she was telling him to testify that 'there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah!', his father admonished her, “Do not corrupt my son!” She said, “I am not corrupting him.” (At-Tabaqaat Al-Kubra by Ibn Sa‘d 8/425) · Respects her husband: The wife of Sa‘eed ibn Al-Musayyib said, “We used to speak to our husbands in the same manner in which you speak to your commanders!” (Hilyat Al-Awliyaa’ 5/168) · Endeavors to serve her husband: Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr said, “When Az-Zubayr married me, he had no property nor did he have any slave. I used to feed his horse with fodder and draw water and sew the bucket for drawing it, and prepare the dough, but I was good at baking bread. I used to carry date stones on my head from Zubayr's land which was two thirds a Farsakh (about two miles) from my house.” [Al-Bukhaari 4926] · Shares her husband’s feelings: Once, ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah shed tears and his wife shed tears as well, so he asked her, “Why do you shed tears?” She said, “I shed tears because you shed tears!” He said, “I know that I will pass by Hell (on the Siraat) and I did not know if I would survive it or not.” (Siyar A‘laam An-Nubalaa‘ by Ath-Thahabi 1/236) · Faithful to her husband after his death: Umm Ad-Dardaa’ said to her husband, Abu Ad-Dardaa’ : “You proposed to me in this life and my parents married me to you and I want you to be my husband in the Hereafter!” He told her, “Then, do not get married after my death!” Mu‘aawiyah proposed to her after the death of her husband, but she refused. (Al-Isaabah Fi Tamyeez As-Sahaabah by Ibn Hajar 8/74) · Diligent to learn knowledge of the Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation). Faatimah, the daughter of Shaykh ‘Alaa’ Ad-Deen As-Samarqandi was brought up well by her father and she was a knowledgeable jurist who memorized the book that her father wrote, Tuhfat Al-Fuqahaa’. Some kings knew about what she had done; so they proposed to her, but her father refused. After this, one of the students of her father, Al-Kaasaani came and wrote Badaa’i‘ As-Sanaa’i‘, which is an explanation of the book of his Shaykh the Tuhfah, and presented it to his Shaykh As-Samarqandi. His Shaykh was very happy with this book, married him to his daughter and made this book her dowry. Her husband would sometimes make a mistake and she would correct it for him. Fatwas were passed with her approval and her father’s. After her marriage, Fatwas would have her approval, as well as her father’s, and her husband’s approval. (Al-Fawaa’id Al-Bahiyyah by Al-Laknawi) · Seeks what is lawful and avoids what is prohibited: Maymoonah bint Al-Aqra‘ wanted to sell the spun yarn that she had made, so she gave to the spinner and told him, “When you sell it tell the buyer that it may not be tightly spun because I was fasting!” After that she went to the spinner and asked him to give her the spun yarn back as she was afraid that he might not tell people what she had told him. (A‘laam An-Nisaa’ by Ridha Kahaalah 5/138) · Calls to the way of Allaah The Almighty. Umm Shareek accepted Islam when she was in Makkah, then she started going to the women of the Quraysh secretly calling them to embrace Islam until the people of Makkah discovered what she was doing. Thus, they took her and told her that they would have punished her severely, if it were not for her family and kinfolk. They returned her to her people. (Sifat As-Safwah by Ibn Al-Jawzi 2/53)

Repost: Characteristics of Rigtheous Woman Part 1

Characteristics Of A Righteous Woman Pt.1

 Ziyaad ibn Abeeh the Umayyad statesman, asked those who were sitting with him, “Who leads the most blissful life?” They replied, “The Commander of the Believers does!” He said, “No. The man who leads the most blissful life is a Muslim man who is married to a Muslim woman and they have enough sustenance, and each of them is happy and satisfied with their partner! This man does not know us and we do not know him!” Who is this woman who was admired by the most eloquent and most shrewd man among the Arabs? She is the woman who is chaste and virtuous. A woman whose face is shining with purity, whose heart shines with the glory of obedience to Allaah The Almighty and whose outer appearance reflects dignity and arouses reverence. This is the woman who is faithful in dedicating her heart, emotions and thoughts to her husband. Some of the characteristics of such woman are: · She offers sound opinions and advice: Saffaanah bint Haatim At-Taa’i went to her brother after she met the Messenger of Allaah and started to tell her brother about Islam. Her brother asked her, “What do you think of this man?” She replied, “I think we should follow him!” [Al-Isaabah 8/108] · She sacrifices family and homeland for the sake of supporting the religion: Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah emigrated from Makkah (Mecca) to Madeenah for the sake of her religion while she was still a girl who had never been married. She left her father who was an evil man, comparable to a devil in human form. After that, her brothers pursued her, so she said to the Prophet, , “Would you let them take me back [in order to] turn me back from my religion, low as my endurance is and as weak as you know women are?’’ [Al-Bukhaari 4/3945] · Hastens to do good deeds: In the following story, the female companion gave an excellent practical example of this. The Prophet, had a guest and asked his wives if they had any food, but they all said that they only had water. Hence, the Prophet, asked his Companions: “Who can host this man?” One of the Ansaar (Helpers) said that he could do that and took the guest home. The man asked his wife to be generous with the guest of the Prophet, , but she told him that they had nothing except a little food for their children. The husband asked her to prepare the meal, light the lamp and let the children sleep if they asked for dinner. The wife prepared the meal, lit her lamp and made her children sleep. Then, she stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both she and her husband pretended to be eating before their guest, while in reality, they really went to bed hungry. In the morning, the Ansari man went to the Messenger of Allaah, who said: “Tonight, Allaah laughed or wondered at your action.” Allaah The Almighty revealed the verse (which means): {But give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.} [Quran 59:9] [Al-Bukhaari 3798] · Her chastity is beyond what minds can conceive: Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abu Sufyaan went to his wife, Maysoon bint Bahdal, accompanied by a castrated servant. On seeing the slave, [the unveiled] wife became very anxious and asked her husband disapprovingly,“Who is he?!” Her husband comforted her by saying, “Do not worry; he is just a castrated slave.” The righteous wife replied, “Still, he is a non-Mahram (marriageable man) to me; even castration does not allow for him what Allaah The Exalted has made prohibited.” She refused that the castrated slave would enter the house [while she was not wearing Hijaab (Islamic covering)]. [Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah by Ibn Katheer 148/8] · Honors the rites ordained by Allaah The Almighty: In the year sixty-five after Hijrah, Jameelah, the daughter of the governor of Mosul, performed Hajj and had four hundred camels and many Hawdajs to the extent that one could not know on which one she was staying. She emancipated five hundred slaves and gave fifty thousand dresses to charity. (Siyar A‘laam An-Nubalaa’ by Ath-Thahabi) · Does what is right without fearing criticism: ‘Eesa ibn ‘Allaam ‘Uthmaan said, “I was at Faatimah bint ‘Ali’s house both, and a man came praising her father. She took ash and threw it at his face.” [Tabaqaat ibn Sa‘ad 8/466] · Devout worshipper: Al-Haytham ibn Jammaaz said, “I was married to a woman who does not sleep at night [as she would be praying all the night]. I could not stay up late with her, but she would sprinkle water and nudge me with her foot while saying, ‘Are you not shy of Allaah? For how long would this snoring go on?’ (He said), By Allaah! I would be ashamed of myself considering what she did.” (Ta‘theem Qadr As-Salaah 2/ 835) · Abstinent regarding worldly temptations. Al-Waaqidi narrated that once it was the eve of `Eed and he had nothing, so he went to one of his friends who was a merchant and borrowed one thousand dinars sealed in a bag. When he returned home, one of his friends from Bani Haashim from the family of the Prophet, came to him and told him that he was in need. Al-Waaqidi went to his wife and told her about this. She asked, “What will you do?” He replied, “I will give him half the money in the bag!” She said, “This is nothing! One of the family of the Prophet, comes to you and you give him half the bag!” Therefore, Al-Waqidi gave him all the money. The merchant was a friend of this man and asked him to lend him money. The Haashimi man gave him the same bag, so he recognized it. When the ruler knew about their story, he rewarded every one of their men one thousand dinars and gave the woman four thousand dinars, and said,“She is the most generous one among you!” (Siyar A‘laam An-Nubalaa’ by Ath-Thahabi 9/467)

The Advice Sufyaan ath-Thawree [ The Filth of the People ]

 The Filth of the People

 Sufyaan ath-Thawree said to ‘Alee ibn al-Hasan, while advising him, ‎O my brother! You must take to acquiring that which is pure, and that which you yourself have earned, and beware of eating and dressing from the filth of the people [i.e. living from their charity and hand-outs]. Indeed the one who eats from the filth of the people is like a man who owns the upper story of a building, but not the lower story, so he is always afraid that the lower story will fall down causing his upper story to be demolished. And the one who eats from the filth of the people speaks from whims and desires, agreeing with the people, out of fear of being shunned by them. O my brother! If you were to receive anything from the people, you would hinder and prevent your tongue [i.e. from speaking the truth to them], and you would honor some people and treat others with contempt, despite the punishment that will befall you on the Day of Resurrection. For indeed the one who gives you something from his wealth, has indeed given you his filth. And the explanation of why this is his filth is that the wealth he gives purifies his actions from sins [i.e. and hence becomes filthy for us, just like water becomes dirty in the process of cleaning a garment]. And if you were to accept anything from the people, then if they were to call you to do evil, you would accede to their wishes. Indeed the one who eats from the filth of the people is like the man who has some partners, and he feels that he is bound to them, by an oath. My brother! Hunger and starvation, and engaging in few acts of worship, is better than eating one‎s fill via the filth of the people, and [hence being able to do] many acts of worship. And it has reached us that Allaah‎s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallama) said, ‎If one of you had taken some rope and then gathered some firewood [to sell it to the people], until his back became sore, then that would be better for you than being dependent upon his brother by asking for something or anticipating something.‎ [Related by al-Bukhaaree.] And it has reached us that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radiyallaahu ta’aalaa anhu) said, ‎Whoever among you works, then we commend him and whoever does not work, then we have doubts about him.‎ And he said, ‎O Reciters! Raise your heads! [i.e. Don'‎t go about with heads bent as if out of humility, for humility is of the heart.] Do not add humility to what is in the heart, while competing with one another for good deeds, and do not be dependent upon the people, for that way has become clear.‎ And Alee ibn Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu tacaalaa canhu) said, ‎Indeed the one who lives completely from the hands of the people, is like the one who plants a tree upon someone else‎s land.‎ So fear Allaah, my brother, being conscious of Him! For no one has acquired something from the people, except that he becomes despised and contemptible with the people, and the Believers are Allaah‎s witnesses on the earth. Be careful not to earn through evil ways and then spend that wealth in obeying Allaah, for indeed avoidance of it has been made an obligation and a duty by Allaah, and indeed He is Pure (Tayyib) and accepts only that which is pure (tayyib). Do you not see that a man who had a robe upon which some urine dropped, so he wanted to clean it‎but he washed it with some more urine?! Do you think that he has actually cleaned it? Of course not! Indeed dirt and filth cannot be purified except with that which is pure, and likewise the sin can only be wiped out with a good deed. And indeed Allaah is Pure and accepts only that which is pure, and indeed the Haraam is not accepted in any of the actions. Or can it be that someone commits a sin and then eradicates it with [another] sin?!‎ [Related by Aboo Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (8/71-72).]

 The Upper Hand is better then the Lower Hand

 The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, “The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient.” [Saheeh al Bukhaaree, Narrated Hakim bin Hizam 1346 ] Abu Huraira is reported to have heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) as saying: It is letter for one among you to bring a load of firewood on his back and give charity out of it (and satisfy his own need) and be independent of people, than that he should beg from people, whether they give him anything or refuse him. Verily the upper hand is better than the lower hand, and begin (charity) with your dependents. [Saheeh Muslim 2267]

Wahhabism does not antagonize Al-ul-Bayt It is the Manhaj of the Salaf

Wahhabism does not antagonize Al-ul-Bayt
It is the Manhaj of the Salaf

Q: Is it true that Wahhabism antagonizes Al-ul-Bayt (members of the Prophet's extended Muslim family) and criticizes the Prophet (peace be upon him)? What is the essence of this Da`wah (call)? Why is it fought?

A: Wahhabism is attributed to Shaykh Imam Muhammad Ibn `Abdul-Wahhab who died in 1206 A.H. (may Allah be merciful with him). He invited people to Allah (may He be Glorified) in Najd. He explained to people the essence of Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism) and Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). He invited people to worship Allah (may He be Glorified) alone and to abstain from worshipping the deceased whom they claimed to be Awliya' (pious people), Jinn, trees, and stones or sought their help, beseeched them, and made vows to them. He and the scholars who followed him explained to them that this is a form of major Shirk (associating others in worship with Allah). He (may Allah be merciful with him) started his call in the middle of the twelve Hijri century until his death in 1206 A.H. Imam Muhammad Ibn Sa`ud (may Allah be merciful with him) who is the grandfather of today's Royal Family of Al Sa`ud helped and supported him. He was also supported by all those who have knowledge of the guidance and the Truth with which Allah (may He be Exalted) sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). His call spread in Najd and the surrounding villages. He was supported by the scholars of the Sunnah in Najd, Hijaz, Yemen, Egypt, Levant (the region covering Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine), Iraq, India, and so on. He called people to worship Allah (may He be Exalted) according to what He has revealed to

( Part No : 9,Page No:231)

Muhammad (peace be upon him). He invited them to worship Allah alone, devote all acts of worship to Him, and fulfill the testimony of Faith (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). He also called them to refrain from the practices of those who worship the graves and the Awliya' such as beseeching, seeking help, offering sacrifices, and making vows to others than Allah (may He be Exalted). However, some people showed hostility to his call out of their ignorance of the guidance and the true religion which was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or due to following their whims. Shaykh Muhammad (may Allah be merciful with him) and his followers love Ahl-ul-Bayt who followed in his (peace be upon him) footsteps. They know their virtues and they draw closer to Allah (may He be Exalted) through loving them and asking Allah to forgive and bestow His mercy and pleasure upon them such as Al-`Abbas ibn `Abdul-Muttalib, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his sons, the fourth Rightly-Guided Caliphs `Aly Ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) and his sons; Al-Hasan, Al-Hussein, and Muhammad (may Allah be pleased with them), and the other members of Al-ul-Bayt who obeyed Allah and worshipped Him alone. The Wahhabis follow the Manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) from among the Sahabah (companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tabi`un (Followers, the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) in `Aqidah (creed), sayings, deeds and they hate whoever go against their Manhaj. This is the Truth which every Muslim should follow and call others to it. Allah (may He be Glorified) says, Indeed, in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day, and remembers Allâh much.

( Part No : 9,Page No:232)

Indeed, there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has appeared between us and you hostility and hatred forever until you believe in Allâh Alone.” Allah (may He be Exalted) also says, And the foremost to embrace Islâm of the Muhâjirûn (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansâr (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhâjirûn) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allâh is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then those who follow the latter." (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)In his Khutbah (sermon), the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say, "The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance brought by Muhammad. The most evil affairs are innovations; and every innovation is an error." (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith)He (peace be upon him) also said, You must follow my Sunnah and that of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Stick to them and hold fast to them. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is a Bid`ah (innovation in religion), and every Bid`ah is misguidance." There are many Hadith that stress this meaning.

Accordingly, the inquirer and others should know that the Wahhabis are the followers of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn `Abdul-Wahhab (may Allah be merciful with him) who supported and followed his call and invited people to it. They are not Mubtadi` (persons who introduce innovations in religion) and they neither show enmity towards Ahl-ul-Bayt

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nor criticize the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They are following the footsteps of the Salaf from the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and those who follow them in righteousness. Their love for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is genuine and is greater than their love for themselves, their parents, and all people, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "None of you believes until I am more beloved to them than their father, their children, and the entire human race."

It was also narrated that `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Messenger of Allah! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “No, `Umar, you will not have true faith until I am dearer to you than your own self. `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then said, “You are dearer to me than my own self.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Now, `Umar [you have true faith]." A believer should love the Prophet (peace be upon him) more than himself.

Following and adhering to his teachings and being aware of what contradicts them prove the sincere love to him. Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says, Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Those who were hostile to this call are either ignorant of its teachings or following their whims, sacrificing their Hereafter for the sake of worldly gains, and supporting falsehood against the Truth out of ignorance or due to following whims. They are like the Jews who showed hostility towards our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his message, which Allah (may He be Exalted) sent him with, out of envy, hatred, and following their whims. We ask Allah to grant us safety and well-being.

http://alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=1143&PageNo=1&BookID=14

Shaykh Bin Baz explains 73 sect....

Presented here is a excellent explanation of the famous hadeeth about the 73 sects of Islaam by His eminence Ash-Shaykh Bin Baz [rahimahullah] the late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia.
Q5: Does the statement of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) regarding divisions in his Ummah apply to the the creeds, sects, and denominations that exist today? Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. and this other Hadith: My Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects, all of them will be in the Fire except one sect? Guide us to the right answer! My Allah reward you !

A: Every denomination or newly invented sect created by people and contradicts Shari`ah (Islamic law) falls under this Hadith of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him): Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. and also under this Sahih Hadith (a Hadith that has been transmitted by people known for their uprightness and exactitude; free from eccentricity and blemish): "My Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects, all of them will be in the Fire except one sect." They asked: "Which one, O Messenger of Allah? He replied: "Al-Jama`ah (the true followers of the Prophet)."

In another narration, the Prophet's reply was: It is the one (sect) that follows what I and my Companions are upon now. Hence, whatever practice, deed, or act of worship people invent as a means of drawing nearer to Allah thinking that they will be rewarded while in fact it contradicts Shari`ah, it is considered a Bid`ah (rejected innovation in religion) that falls under this dispraise and censure stated by Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him).

Accordingly, it is the duty of all Muslims to weigh their words, deeds and acts of worship against the statements of Allah and His Messenger, what has been ordained by Allah, what is authentically reported from Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), what is in accordance with Shari`ah and what is stated in Allah's Book (the Qur'an). This leads to the acceptable truth! On the other hand, whatever act or manner of worship that conflicts with the Book of Allah or the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet), it is rejected and it falls under this Hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him): Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. .

All of this discussion refers to the acts of worship innovated by people as means of drawing nearer to Allah. However, new designs and modern inventions, such as weapons, vehicles, clothing, food, etc, are not what this Hadith refers to. The Hadith has to do with the acts of worship that people perform seeking to draw nearer to Allah. This is what is meant by the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement: Whoever does something that is not in accordance with our command, their deed is to be rejected. and: Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected.

This Hadith also involves such contracts that contradict the Shari`ah, for any contract that runs counter to the Shari`ah is considered null and void.

- Shaykh Ibn Baaz rahimahullah
http://www.alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=6&PageNo=1&BookID=8
Taken from www.Salafitalk.com
www.the72sects.blogspot.com / www.thisisislaam.blogspot.com

Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah, He will replace it for him with something better than it"

"Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah, He will replace it for him with something better than it" The teacher of our teachers,[1] the great scholar and historian, Shaikh Muhammad Raaghib At-Tabbaakh, rahimahullaah, mentioned the following story in his book "I'laam an-Nubalaa bi-Taareekh Halab ash-Shuhabaa" (7/231): "Shaikh Ibraaheem Al-Hilaalee Al-Halabee – a pious and noble scholar – traveled to Al-Azhar University in search of knowledge. While seeking knowledge, he became very poor and used to rely on charity. One time, several days passed by and he did not find anything to eat, so he became extremely hungry. So he came out of his room in Al-Azhar to ask for some scraps of food. He found an open door from which a pleasant smell of food was coming out of. So he entered the door and found himself in a kitchen with no one around. There he found some tempting food, so he grabbed a spoon and dipped it in, but when he lifted it to his mouth, he held himself back from eating it, since he realized that he had not been given permission to eat from it. So he left it and returned to his room in the dormitory of Al-Azhar, still hungry and starving. But no less than an hour passed by, when one of his teachers, accompanied by another man, came into his room. And his teacher said to him: 'This noble man came to me seeking a righteous student of knowledge to choose for marrying his daughter, and I have chosen you for him. So rise and come with us to his home where we can complete the marriage contract between you and his daughter and you can become part of his household.' So Shaikh Ibraaheem struggled to get to his feet, obeying the command of his teacher and went with them. And behold they took him to the very same house he had been to, and which he had entered and dipped the spoon into the food! So when he sat down, the girl's father married her to him and the food was brought out. It was the same food he had put the spoon into before and which he abandoned. But now he ate from it and said to himself: 'I withheld from eating it when I had no permission, but now Allaah has given me this food with permission.' Afterward, this righteous wife went back with him to Halab, after he had finished his studies. And she bore righteous children for him." So this is the fruit of patience and this is the result of having taqwaa, as Allaah says: "And whoever has Taqwaa of Allaah, He will make a way out for him (from hardship), and He will provide for Him from places He never imagined." [Surah At-Talaaq: 2-3] But as for those who are hasty – those who do not distinguish between the truth and falsehood, seeking after the transitory vanities of this worldly life – they will never experience anything but grief and sorrow in their hearts, for they will never attain the worldly life nor will they ever achieve Religion. This is because they forget – or perhaps neglect – the saying of Allaah: "Is not Allaah sufficient for His servant?" [Surah Az-Zumar: 36] As for those who are patient and firm and who have Taqwaa, they will gain ascendancy in this life and glory and honor with their Lord on the Day of Judgement. And Allaah says: "So give the glad tidings to the patient ones." [Surah Al-Baqarah: 155] And He says: "Verily, the patient ones will be given their reward without any reckoning." [Surah Az-Zumar: 10] Footnotes: [1] Translator's Note: He is referring to Imaam Al-Albaanee, who was a student of Shaikh Muhammad Raaghib At-Tabbaakh. Published: June 11, 2004 | Modified: June 11, 2004 Source: AUTHOR:     'Alee Hasan al-Halabee,  Al-Asaalah Magazine (Issue 31, pg. 60-61), , Al-Ibaanah.com     O Allaah! I ask You for guidance, piety, safety and well-being, and contentment and sufficiency."  (Allaahummaa innee as'alukal-hudaa wat-tuqaa wal-`afaafa wal-ghinaa).  [Related by Muslim, no 2721]

Wisdom

Wisdom of the Salaf

Three Laughs and Three Tears

It is reported form Abû Al-Dardâ – Allâh be pleased with him – that he said, “Three make me laugh, and three make me cry.

Those that make me laugh are a person who puts his hopes in this worldly life while death pursues him, a person who is heedless [of his Lord] while [his Lord] is not heedless of him, and a person who always laughs while he does not know whether he has pleased Allâh or angered Him.

What makes me cry is being separated from my beloved: Muhammad and his party (the Companions), the horrors of the time of death, and standing in front of Allâh ‘azza wa jall on the Day when the secrets will be revealed and I do not know will I then go to Paradise or Hell?”

Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq article 250.

Something to share in the Group insha allah

Prayer Schedules Important Rulings, Guidelines, and Cautions - PART ONE of TWO - Introduction In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful, the Ever Merciful, may He raise the rank of His last Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, and that of his family and companions, and may He grant them all an abundance of peace. This concise article covers some very important topics about prayer schedules ý the ruling on using them, the possibility of human error in them, the ruling on relying on them totally, rulings related to prayer performed based on a misjudgment of the prayer time, and the need to advise others about confirmed mistakes in prayer schedules. I have done my best to gather the statements of the best of the modern day scholars who spoke about the issue of prayer schedules specifically, the likes of Shaykh al-Albaanee, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, and others (may Allaah have Mercy on them).  I pray that Allaah blesses this work and causes it to reach some of his believing servants and benefit them, and that He overlooks some of the sins of its compiler because of it.  Verily, Allaah is Generous and Merciful.(1) I. The Legislated Times for the Five Daily Prayers The Muslims have never differed over the fact that the five daily prayers have specific times that have been legislated in the Sharee'ah.(2)   Allaah, the Almighty, has said, "Verily, prayers have been prescribed upon the believers at set times." The following is a listing of the times of the five daily prayers, with a brief reference to their relative proofs from the Book and the Sunnah:(3) Thuhr ("Noon") Prayer: It begins just after the sun's zenith (or "high noon"), as soon as it begins to decline, as the scholars have unanimously agreed.(4)   Its time extends until the entrance of 'Asr Prayer, according to the hadeeth, "The (time of) Thuhr is when the sun has begun to decline, until one's shadow is as long as his height, until the entrance of 'Asr time."(5) 'Asr (Afternoon) Prayer: As mentioned clearly in the previous hadeeth, the time of 'Asr Prayer begins at a mid-way point between Thuhr and Maghrib, when a person's shadow is as long as his height.(6)   The time of 'Asr extends until sunset.  The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, "Whoever has prayed one rak'ah (unit) of the 'Asr Prayer before sunset has caught the (time of) 'Asr."(7) Maghrib ("Sunset") Prayer: It begins after the sun has completely set, according to scholarly concensus.(8)   Its time extends until the entrance of 'Eshaa' Prayer.  The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, "And the time of Maghrib Prayer extends so long as there is some glow left on the (Western) horizon."(9)   This period of time is usually a little over an hour in most places. 'Eshaa' (Evening) Prayer: It begins after the last glow of the sun has left the Western horizon.  Its time extends until half of the night.  The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, "And the (time of) 'Eshaa' extends to half the night."(10) Fajr (Dawn) or Subh Prayer: It begins at the first light of the dawn of the sun, the first glow on the Eastern horizon where the sun will rise from.  This is understood from the Verse, "ýUntil the white thread (of the dawn) becomes distinguishable from the black thread."(11)  It extends until the sun begins to rise, according to the hadeeth, "And the (time of) Subh Prayer is from the first light of dawn until sunrise."(12)   This period of time is usually a little over an hour in most places. These are the times of the five daily prayers in Islaam, as Jibreel (peace be upon him) taught Muhammad (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace).  The times of the prayers are all based on the positions of the sun, in a way that makes it easy for the majority of the people on earth to know them without any difficulty whatsoever. As stated by the Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa: "The easy way that is in line with the fitrah (the natural state things are created upon) is to rely on the indications in nature (the positions of the sun) that have been indicated in the Islaamic Legislation to determine the times of the prayers."(13) II. The Need for Prayer Schedules and Their Benefits In light of what has preceded, what then could the need be for prayer schedules?  The following list shows a number of benefits achieved through the use of prayer schedules: Blind and visually impaired people can receive alerts based on them. Some people can not see the horizon clearly for Fajr and Maghrib, due to a view obstructed by buildings, mountains, or even air pollution. Some people work or live in places without access to a view of the sky, like underground floors of a large building, mines, or submarines. Some people live in excessively cloudy or smog-ridden cities, and can not often get a good view of the sun's positions. Travelers can have an idea about the times of the prayers before they go to a new location. Islaamic center organizers can plan congregational prayers and events around them, even when the events are many months away. III. The Permissibility of Using Prayer Schedules Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have Mercy on him) said, "ýAnd it is well known that people who live in well-lit (large, modern) cities can not determine the time of Fajr's entrance based on their own sightings (of the horizon).  Thus, it is upon them to be cautious and go by the athaan and by prayer schedules that determine the time of Fajr's entrance according to the hour and minuteý"(14) The Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa stated: "These prayer schedules are something that imaams (leaders of congregational prayers) and mu'ath-thins (those who call the athaan) can benefit from to be aware of the approximate times for the prayersý"(15) There is a need to elaborate on this general permissibility, as guidelines for the use of prayer schedules are very important. IV. Prayer Schedules are Mere Estimates Prayer schedules are only estimates, and they must not be taken as absolute. The Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa stated: "Determining prayer times based on astronomical calculations,(16)  while they are merely estimates, is not something easily accessible to everyone."(17) V. Prayer Schedules are Prone to Human Error Prayer schedules were not revealed by Allaah, rather, they are the results of human efforts.  So they are bound to have some errors in them.  Allaah has said, "Had it (the Qur'aan) been from other than Allaah, they would have found many discrepancies therein."(18) The Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa stated: "Schedules are a kind of ijtihaad (reasoned deductions), those who produce them are human beings who are erroneous sometimes and correct sometimesý"(19) VI. The Impermissibility of Following Prayer Schedules in Contradiction to Islaamically Legislated Times for the Prayers The previous fatwaa continues, "ýThose who produce them are human beings who are erroneous sometimes and correct sometimes.  Therefore, it is not befitting that we assign the exact times of the beginnings and endings of our prayers and fasts based on them, because their beginning and ending times have come in the Book and the Sunnah, and we must rely on what the Legislative evidences have indicated."(20)     The Permanent Committee also stated: "These prayer schedules are something that imaams (leaders of congregational prayers) and mu'ath-thins (those who call the athaan) can benefit from to be aware of the approximate times for the prayers.  However, we must not rely on them in an absolute way when fasting and breaking the fast, since Allaah has attached the ruling (of fasting) to the entrance of Fajr until the nightfall (the entrance of Maghrib)ý"(21) Prayer schedules are estimates that help us organize our time, however, we are not to abandon the Islaamically legislated way of determining the prayer times by the sun's positions.  Without keeping this in mind, one may rely solely on the schedule and actually offer a prayer before its time because of a mistake in the schedule or in its reading, and thus his prayer would be invalid. True story: About 12 years ago in America, I came to a masjid a few minutes before sunset.  A group of Muslims were preparing to leave, so I invited them to stay for Maghrib.  They informed me that they had already prayed!  So I walked outside with them and we looked at the sun just above the horizon.  It was the day after the time change caused by Daylight Savings Time in the spring.  So everyone put their clocks ahead by one hour, and apparently this was not reflected in the prayer schedule, so without paying attention to the sun's position, they prayed according to the schedule ý a prayer that was not acceptable since it was offered before its legislated time!(22) Another true story: Shaykh Al-Albaanee (may Allaah have Mercy on him) said: quote: And I have seen this myself many times from my home in Jabal Hamlaan in south-east Amman.  It allowed me to confirm what had been claimed by some devout advisors concerned for the Muslims' worship, that the athaan of Fajr in some of the Arab lands is called before the time of the true Fajr  by a period of between 20 and 30 minutes, even before the false Fajr!  And I had often heard the iqaamah of Fajr Prayer from some of the masjids being called along with the entrance of the true Fajr, meaning that they had called the athaan a half hour before its time.  This means that they had prayed the Sunnahs of Fajr before the entrance of Fajr's time, and they had occasionally hurried the actual Fajr prayer as well, in the month of Ramadhaan, as I heard over the radio station in Damascus while I was eating my suhoor (pre-dawn meal before fasting) last Ramadhaan (in the year 1406). This makes things difficult on the people, forcing them to stop eating before they have to, and it subjects their Fajr prayer to the danger of being unacceptable.  And the only reason for this is that the people have relied upon astronomical calculations and turned away from the legislated times of the prayers: "Eat and drink until the white thread becomes clear to you from the black thread of the dawn."  "Eat and drink until the red glow begins to spread."  This is a reminder, and the reminder benefits the believers. (23) *** Coming in Part 2 of this article in shaa' Allaah: VII. Ruling on Prayers Based on Mistaken Estimations of Prayer Times VIII. The Obligation of Warning Others of Erroneous Prayer Schedules Conclusion and Summary of How Prayer Schedules are to be Used Footnotes:   (1)Written by Moosaa Richardson (may Allaah forgive him) on the 20th of Thul-Hijjah, 1429.   (2)Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/8).   (3)Interesting Benefit: When discussing the times of the five prayers, the scholars customarily begin with Thuhr Prayer, since Jibreel began with it when he taught the Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), who also began with it when he taught his companions, who similarly began with it when they taught their students.   (4)Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/9).   (5)Saheeh Muslim (#612)   (6)Aboo Haneefah (may Allaah have Mercy on him) considered the time of 'Asr to begin some time considerably after this point, however, "He has opposed the narrations and the rest of the scholars, and thus his own students opposed him in this," as Ibn 'Abdil-Barr said.  Refer to al-Mughnee (2/14).   (7)Saheeh Muslim (#608)   (8)Refer to: al-Mughnee (2/24).   (9)Saheeh Muslim (#612)   (10)Saheeh Muslim (#612)   (11)A translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2:187)   (12)Saheeh Muslim (#612)   (13)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/141)   (14)Majmoo' Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwa'ah (15/286)   (15)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/140), the remainder of this quote is mentioned later in the article.   (16)It is important to note that not all prayer schedules are based on astronomical calculations.   (17)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/141)   (18)A translation of the meaning of Soorah an-Nisaa' [4:82]   (19)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/141), the important conclusion to these words follow in the next quote.   (20)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/141)   (21)Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (6/140-141)   (22)Later in this article we will discuss the rulings on prayers performed because of a mistake in reading the prayer schedule, in shaa' Allaah.   (23)The "true Fajr" is what was described earlier in the article as the time of Fajr.  The "false Fajr" is a thin light that appears from the same place a short time before that.   (24)Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (5/52) Moosaa ibn John Richardson Baaraka-Allaahu Feekum - wa sal-Allaahu wa-sallam 'alaa Nabiyyinaa Muhammad, was-Salaam 'alaykum wa-Rahmatullaahi wa-Barakaatuhu.

Radiant Pages From The (examples) of The Worship of The Scholars

Ibn Al Juwziee said:

Whoever does not read the stories of the Salaf and the path that they tread, he can never tread that path. It is befitting for a person to know and understand that the nature of an individual (character) is a thief. If a person leaves his nature with the people of his time, his nature will steal from theirs and he will become similar to them. But if he reads into the lives of the Salaf his nature will join theirs and he will learn from their character... .(Telblees Iblees)

The following are just a few examples from the past and present day scholars informing of their love of knowledge and their preference of it over relaxation.

First:

It was reported by Ibn al Qayyim in his book: "Rawdatul Muhibeen", I was informed by my Sheikh (Ibn Taymiyyah), he said: When I became sick the doctor said to me: Verily your research and Islamic lecturing increases your illness. I (Ibn Taymiyyah) replied: I can not stop, and I will debate you in your knowledge! If a person becomes happy and joyful doesn't this strengthen their soul or spirit, and as a result wards off illness? The doctor responded: Of course. So I (Ibn Taymiyyah) said: Verily my spirit is pleased with knowledge and it strengthens my nature and due to that I find relaxation. The doctor responded: This is something our knowledge doesn't apply to.

Second:

It was reported by Sheikh Muhammed bin Hadee to some of his visitors that he was told a story by Ahmed Al Hakimy, the brother of Sheikh Hafith Al Hakimy:

One year while Sheikh Hafith Al Hakimy was on Hajj or during Ramadan in Mecca, he was looking for the book titled: "Creation of The Servant's Action" by Imam Al Bukhari. While in Mecca he was informed that someone had arrived from India with a copy of the book and that he had given it to the library there in The Haram. Sheikh Hafith visited the library and requested to borrow the book under the condition that he would not leave the Haram and that he would return the book the following day after the rising of the sun. He took the book and requested for someone to bring him paper and a pen. He sat and made his own copy of the book. Then he continued to memorize the book until Fajr. After Fajr he rested for a short period of time and then woke up. Upon waking, he returned the original book to the library and said: Here is your original, and here is an extra copy (the copy he himself wrote) and the book is in my head (memorized).

May Allah grant Sheikh Hafith Al Hakimy ease in his grave and raise him with the righteous ameen.

It was also mentioned by Sheikh Ahmed An Najmee the following:

We (as young boys) were instructed by our teacher Sheikh Abdullah Al Qara'wee to memorize the Quran in preparation for the month of Ramadan. We would memorize during the day, and toward the end of the day we gathered to test one another in memorization. I (Ahmed An Najmee) memorized a hizb for that day. Surprisingly, Hafith Al Hakimy memorized a full Juz! We continued for a full month, and everyday Hafith would memorize a full Juz completing the entire Quran in one month!

Third:

It was reported by Sheikh Abdul Kareem Al Kudair:

I was informed by one of the widows of Sheikh Abdul Azeez bin Baz that one day he returned home from the hospital, and upon entering the house she noticed that he was very tired and exhausted. After falling to sleep, she changed his alarm clock from the normal set time for night prayer, to a later time. The Sheikh woke at his normal time without the clock and inquired why the clock did not work. His wife informed that she had changed the time in order for him to relax. He admonished her and said: Relaxation is in Paradise!

(Lecture titled:"Radiant Pages From The (examples) of The Worship of The Scholars")


Translated By Our Brother: Mustafa George

http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=11&Topic=6715

How the Salaf observed Ramadhan!!

A Message to Every Muslim on the Occasion of the blessed Month of Ramadan

How do we receive the blessed month of Ramadan? Allah the Almighty says, "O You who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you asit was prescribed for those before you that you may attain piety" [Qur'an 2:183]

My esteemed brothers and sisters:

Allah has distinguished Ramadan from other months with many merits and virtues which include:

*The bad breath from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.


*The angels ask forgiveness for those fasting until they break their fast.


*Allah beautifies His Paradise each day and says, "My righteous servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be sent to you.
"

*The devils are chained during the month.


*The doors of Paradise are opened while those of Hell are locked.


*The night, Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months occurs in this month. Whoever is deprived of the good of this night has indeed been deprived of goodness altogether.


*Those fasting receive forgiveness on the last night of Ramadan.


*Allah saves people from Hellfire during each night of Ramadan.




My esteemed brothers and sisters:

How then do we receive the month containing these merits and virtues? Is it by occupying ourselves with playfulness and spending our nights with non-beneficial things? Or do we feel burdened and panic at its arrival? We seek refuge with Allah from such attitudes. The righteous servants of Allah welcome it with repentance and true determination to reap its benefits and fully utilize its precious time. They ask Allah to help them perform their acts of worship in the best manner. I therefore present to you my dear brothers and sisters, the righteous deeds that are stressed during Ramadan.



1.
Fasting (Sawm)

The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied. He will receive ten-fold to seven-hundred-fold reward for a good deed. Allah the Glorious and Majestic has said 'but fasting is exceptional, for it is done for Me and I will give reward for it, since one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it and joy when he meets his Lord; and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim]. Undoubtedly, this great reward will not be for those who only abstain from food and drink, but as the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever does not abandon obscene speech and evil action, Allah does not need his refraining from eating and drinking." [Sahih Al-Bukhari].


The Prophet (pbuh) also said, "Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise is voice; rather if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.
"'
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Therefore when you fast, servant of Allah, let your hearing, sight, tongue and all your limbs fast, so that your fasting and non-fasting days are not the same.



2.
Praying Qiyam Al-Layl

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh.) said, "He who observes the fast of the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Also, Allah says, "And the servants of Allah most gracious are those who walk on the earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say (Peace); Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrating and standing"
[Qur'an; 63-64].


Thus, waking up in the night to pray qiyam al-layl i.e. performing prayer in the middle of the night, was a regular act of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Do not abandon qiyam al-layl, forthe Messenger of Allah (pbuh) never left it. If he was not well or he felt heavy, he prayed sitting.
"

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, used to pray at night what he wished, until it was in the middle of the night, when he would wake up his family to pray; then he would say to them "prayer.. prayer", and would recite this verse of the Qur'an, "Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance: We provide it for you.
But the fruit of the Hereafter is for righteousness"
[Qur'an 20:132].


Ibn Umar used to recite, "Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night, prostrating himself or standing (in adoration), who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord like one who does not?" [Qur'an 39:9]. He said that was referring to Uthman Ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). Ibn Abi Hatim said Ibn Umar said that it was due to the length of the prayer of the commander of the faithful, Uthman, at night and his recitation to the extent that he may have recited the entire Qur an in one rak'ah.


Alqamah Ibn Qays narrated, "I slept with Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) one night. He woke up in the early part of the night and began to pray. He recited with a recitation similar to that of the neighborhood imam with medium regular pace. Those around him could hear him and he continued until what remained of the night's darkness was equal to the time between the adhan (call) for maghrib prayer and the end of the maghrib prayer time, i.e. a short time before daybreak. He then performed witr prayer.


Furthermore, Al-Sa'ib Ibn Zayd narrated in a hadith that the reciter would recite (the Qur'an) with hundreds of verses such that we supported ourselves with staves due to the lengthiness of the prayer and did not leave until the time of fair (dawn prayer).


Caution: Brother Muslim, you have to complete the tarawih prayer with the imam in order to be reckoned as one of those who stood (the night) in prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever stays with his imam until he completes the prayer, will have the night written for him as one who performed qiyam al-layl, i.e. one who stood the night in prayer.
"
[Related by compilers of sunan books].



3.
Charity (Sadaqah)

The Prophet (pbuh) was the most generous of people, and he was most generous during Ramadan. He was more generous with good deeds than the blowing wind. The Messenger of Allah also said, "The best charity is one given during Ramadan." [At-Tirmidhi from Anas].


Zayd Ibn Aslam narrated from his father as saying, "I heard Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) say, 'The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to donate to charity, so I gave some of my wealth. Then I said, 'Today I will compete with Abu Bakr if I can ever do so.' Then I donated half of my wealth. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked me, 'What did you leave for your family?' He said, 'I said the same as what I gave out.' But Abu Bakr brought all of his wealth and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, 'What did you leave for your family?' He replied, 'I left them with Allah and His Messenger,' I said, 'I will never compete with you for anything again.


Talha Ibn Yahya Ibn Talha narrated, "My grandmother Sa'da bint Awf AI-Mariyah who was the wife of Talha Ibn Ubaydullah related to me, 'Talha came to me one day disconcerted. So I asked him, 'Why is it that I see you with a gloomy face? What is the matter with you? Is there anything that I can help you with?" He said, "No, you are a faithful Muslim wife." I said, Then what is the matter?" He said, "The wealth that I have has increased and that disturbs me." I said, "Don't worry, distribute it." She said, 'He divided it until not even a single diniam was left." Talha Ibn Yahya said: "I asked the custodian of Talha's property how much the amount was." He said, 'Four hundred thousand.
"'

Therefore dear brothers and sisters, charity during Ramadan has special significance, so hasten to give it out according to your means. Charity takes many forms.


a) Feeding the Needy
Allah the Almighty says, "And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (saying), 'We feed you for the sake of Allah Alone. No rewards do we desire from you, nor thanks. We only fear a Day of frowning and stress from the side of our Lord.' But Allah will deliver them from the evil of that day, and will spread over them brightness and a (blissful) joy. And because they were patient and constant, He will reward them with a garden (and garments of) silk" [Qur'an 76:8-12]. The Salaf used to ensure feeding others and they placed it before many acts of worship, and it is equally rewarded whether you feed a hungry person or a good Muslim brother of yours. Hence, poverty is not a condition for feeding a person.


The Messenger of Allah (')buh) said, "When a believer feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise. And when he quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will make him drink from the pure sealed wine of Paradise." [At-Tirmidhi with a good chain of narration].


Some of our pious predecessors said, "For me to invite ten of my friends and feed them with a meal that they like is better for me then freeing ten of the descendants of (Prophet) Isma'il." Many among the Salaf used to leave their food for breaking the fast for others. They included Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Dawud Al-Ta'i, Malik Ibn Dinar and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. Ibn Umar did not break his fast except with the orphans and the needy. Sometimes, if he learned that his family had turned back the orphans and the needy, he would not break the fast that night. Also among the Salaf were those who fed their brother Muslims while they still continued to fast. They also served them and attended to their well-being. Among them were Al-Hassan Al-Basri and Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak.


Abu Al-Sawar Al-'Adwi said, "Some men from Banu Adiy tribe used to pray in the mosque. None of them ever broke the fast alone with his food. If he found someone to share with, he ate with him, if not, he would take it to the mosque, so that others ate with him and he ate with others. Feeding other people is an act of worship which triggers many other acts of worship. Ties of love and brotherliness are strengthened between you and the person you feed and that may lead you to Paradise." The Prophet (pbuh) said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another." This deed will keep you close to righteous people and Allah will reward you as the food you provide helps them with their acts of obedience (to Allah).


b) Providing Food to Break the Fast
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward equal to that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [Related by Ahmad and Al-Nasai. Also verified by Al-Albani as sahih]. In a hadith narrated by Salman Al-Farisi, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever feeds a fasting person, will be recompensed with forgiveness of sins and salvation from Hell. He will receive the same reward as the fasting person without causing him any reduction (in his reward). (The Companions) said, 'Messenger of Allah, not all of us can find something to feed a fasting person.' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'Allah will give this reward to he who feeds a fasting person with a sip of milk or a piece of dates, or a sip of water. And Allah will make him who quenches the thirst of a fasting person to drink from my istern a drink that he will never feel thirsty until he enters Paradise (where there is no thirst).
"


4.
Intensifying the Recitation of the Qur'an

I will remind you dear brothers and sisters of two actions of the pious Salaf of this Ummah:

a) Undertaking Much Recitation of the Qur'an
The month of Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an. The Muslim must therefore recite the Qur'an a great deal. The Salaf used to pay particular attention to the Book of Allah, and angel Jibril used to study the Qur'an with the Prophet (pbuh) during Ramadan. Uthman Ibn Affan used to complete reciting the Qur'an once each day. Some of the Salaf also completed the Qur'an in their qiyam prayer every three nights. Others completed it every seven days, while some others completed it every ten nights. They used to recite the Qur'an during prayers and at other times. During Ramadan, Al-Shafi'i used to complete reciting the Qur'an sixty times, excluding prayer times. AI-Aswad used to complete reciting the Qur'an every two nights. Qatada regularly completed the Qur'an within seven nights, while during Ramadan, he completed it every three nights, but in the last ten days of Ramadan, he completed it every night. When Ramadan came, Al-Zuhri left studying the hadith and study circles with scholars and he concentrted on reciting the Qur'an from the book (i.e. not from memory).


Also, when Ramadan came, Sufyan Al-Thawri left all other acts of worship and concentrated on the Qur'an.


Ibn Rajab said that it was reported from the Prophet (pbuh) that the Qur'an may not be completed in less than three days by those who recite it constantly. As for the blessed times such as Ramadan, especially during the nights of expecting laylat al-Qadr or when in holy places such as Makkah for those not inhabiting it, it is recommended that the recitation of the Qur'an be increased in order to benefit from the blessings of the time and the place. This is the opinion of Ahmad, Ishaq and others among the distinguished scholars. As we indicated earlier, the actions of other scholars also support this view.


b) Weeping During the Recitation of the Qur'an
It was not reported from the Salaf that they chanted the Qur'an like poetry without pondering and understanding (its meanings); rather, they were moved by the Words of Allah, and they in turn changed the hearts of others with it. In a hadith in AI-Bukhari, Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, 'Recite (the Qur'an) to me.' Then I said, 'How can I recite to you when it was revealed to you?' The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'I like to hear it from someone else."' Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "I recited the Qur'an from Surah Al-Nisa' until I reached the verse that says, 'How will it be then, when We bring from every nation a witness and bring you to witness over all of them"' [Qur'an 4:41]. The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'That is enough.' I turned to the Prophet (pbuh) and found his eyes flooding with tears.
"'

Al-Bayhaqi related from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "When the verse of the Qur'an that says 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'an) and you laugh at it and weep not.' [Qur'an 53:59-60] was revealed, the Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the Prophet (pbuh) heard their weeping, he wept with them and his weeping made us weep. The Messenger of Allah said, "The person who weeps in humility to Allah will not enter Hell.
"

Ibn Umar read surah Al-Mutaffifin until he reached '...the Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds...' [Qur'an 83:6]. He wept to such an extent that he fell to the ground and could not move on to the next verses. Furthermore, Muzahim Ibn Zafar related, "Sufyan Al-Thawn lead us in maghrib prayer, and when he reached 'You (Alone) do we worship and You (Alone) do we ask for help' [Qur'an 1:5], he began to weep so that his recitation was disrupted. So he started from Alhamdulillah again.
"

It has been reported that Ibrahim Al-Ash'ath said, "One night, I heard Fudhayl Ibn Ayadh reciting this verse of the Qur'an, repeatedly as he wept, 'And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience, and We shall test your facts (whether true or false)' [Qur'an 47:31] But he kept on saying the words of Allah, 'And We shall test your facts', then he would say, 'And You will test our facts? If You test our facts, You will disgrace us and expose our secrets. Indeed ifYou do that, You will destroy us and punish us,' and he would continue crying.


c) Sitting in the Mosque Until Sunrise
"When the Prophet (pbuh) prayed fair prayer, he sat in his prayer place until sunrise." [Muslim].


At-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever prays fair in the congregation and remains seated, remembering Allah until sunrise, then performs two rak"at; it will be for him as the reward of complete...complete... complete Hajj and Umrah." [Sahih].
This is the reward promised for everyday, so how will it be for Ramadan?

Dear brothers and sisters, may Allah protect you, have a good sleep at night to assist you in getting this great reward. Also, emulate righteous people and train your soul to strive for the pleasure of Allah. Have high aspirations to reach the highest of the grades of Paradise.



6.
Observing I'tikaf

The Prophet (pbuh) used to observe I'tikaf during ten days of Ramadan. But in the year of his death, he stayed in I'tikaf for twenty days." [Sahih Al- Bukhari).

Thus, I'tikaf which means staying in the mosque continuously for a certain period of time, is an act of worship that embraces many acts of obedience to Allah, such as reciting the Qur'an, praying,remembering Allah, supplicating, etc.


The person who has not experienced it might think that is difficult to bear, but it is easy for whomever Allah makes it easy. Thus, whoever arms himself with good intentions and true determination, Allah helps him undertake the task with ease. I'tikaf is stressed more during the last ten days of Ramadan in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr. It is a permissible form of seclusion as the person observing it holds himself in seclusion out of obedience to Allah and His remembrance. He also cuts himself off from anything that would distract him from the observance of I'tikaf His heart is set on all deeds that draw him closer to Allah and the only desire he has is to do what pleases Allah.



7.
Performing Umrah During Ramadan

It has been established that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "An Umrah performed in Ramadan is equal in reward to Hajj." [Related by AlBukhari and Muslim). In another version the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The same (reward) as performing Hajj with me." So, congratulations to you my brother (who succeeds) in performing a pilgrimage with the Prophet (pbuh).



8.
Anticipating Laylat Al-Qadr

Allah the Almighty says, "We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months" [Qur'an 97:1-3].


The Prophet (pbuh) said, "He who observes laylat al-Qadr with sincere faith and hope for the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven." [Related by AI-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet (pbuh) used to look out for laylat al-Qadr and commanded his Companions also to look out for it. He used to wake up his family members during the last ten nights in the hope that they would succeed in meeting the blessed night (in worship).


It is related in Musnad Ahmad from Ubada that the Prophet (pbuh said, "Whoever stays awake in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, and succeeds in getting it, will have all of his sins both past and future forgiven." [An-Nasa'i reported a similar hadith, while Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said that its chain meets the conditions for authenticity].


It has been reported that some of our predecessors among the Companions and their successors took a complete bath and used perfume during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) in anticipation of laylat al-Qadr, which has been highly honored by Allah.


So those of you who have wasted their time with nothing beneficial, make up for what you have missed by observing the night of laylat al-Qadr, as it is reckoned from your age. Good deeds undertaken in this night are better than (the deeds of) a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its benefits has indeed been much deprived.



9.
Remembering Allah, Supplicating and Seeking Forgiveness

Dear brothers and sisters, the days and nights of Ramadan are distinguished times, so seize the opportunity by increasing your remembrance of Allah, and making supplications, especially during the chosen periods when they are more acceptable to Allah.
These include:

*When breaking the fast, since the fasting person's supplications are not rejected.


*The last third of the night, when our Lord descends and says, "Is there anyone asking that I may give;is there anyone seeking forgiveness that I may forgive?"

*Asking for forgiveness at dawn, as Allah says, "And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness" [Qur'an 51:18].


*Looking out for the chosen hour on Friday when supplications are answered. This hour is most likely to be the last hour of Friday (before sunset).




Finally, dear brothers and sisters, after this round in the garden of Paradise, under the shade of righteous deeds, I would like to draw your attention to an important issue. Do you know what that is? It is sincerity. Yes, sincerity. How so many are the people who fast but benefit nothing other than hunger and thirst from their fast. And how so many are the people who stay awake in worship but get nothing other than sleeplessness and fatigue. May Allah save you and me from that kind of outcome. Consequently, we find the Prophet (pbuh) stressing this matter when he said, "(Fasting) with full faith and hoping for a reward from Allah." The Salaf therefore used to do their righteous deeds secretly in fear of falling into showing off.


Hence, we find this great Tabi'i, i.e. from the generation succeeding the Companions of the Prophet, Ayyoub Al-Sakhtiyani, about whom Hamad Ibn Zayd said, "Sometimes, when studying hadith, Ayyoub would be so moved and he would turn (away) to blow his nose. Then he would say, 'How severe this cold is! Pretending to be having a cold to hide his weeping.
"

It has been reported that Muhammad Ibn Wasi' said, "I have known men among whom there is one whose head would be placed beside that of his wife on the same pillow, so that the part of the pillow under his cheek would become wet from tears without his wife noticing it. I have also known men, who while in the row for prayer, tears would pour down their cheeks and the one next to them would not notice it. Ayyoub AlSakhtiyani used to remain awake for the entire night (in worship) yet he would hide it. So when morning came, he raised his voice as if he had woken up that instant. Ibn Adiy related that Dawud Ibn Abi Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing about it. His occupation was embroidery, so he would take his lunch along with him (to work) but donate it to charity on the way. When he returned at night, he would brake his fast with the family and they did not know that he was fasting.
"

Sufyan Al-Thawri said, "The servant of Allah would do his deeds secretly, and the devil would persist in tempting him until he convinces him to do it openly. The devil would then continue to insist until the person wants to be thanked for the deed. So, it will be converted from a deed done openly to one done for showing off.
"



Amusement During Ramadan

Dear brothers and sisters, I think I have prolonged my admonition to you to seize this opportunity. I have taken some of your time, but let us look together at a very critical phenomenon that we all fall into, especially during Ramadan. It is the phenomenon of wasting time and spending it in ways other than obedience to Allah. This indeed means a lack of awareness and amounts to turning away from the Mercy and Bounty of Allah Who says, "But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise Him up blind on the Day of Judgment. He will say, 'My Lord, why have You raised me up blind while I had sight (before)?' Allah will say, 'Thus did you, when our signs came upon you, forget them; so will you be this day forgotten. And thus do we recompense him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the signs of his Lord. And the chastisement of the Hereafter is far more grievous and enduring" [Qur'an 20:124-127]. One feels so much pain in his heart and is so much dismayed to find Muslim youth filling the sidewalks and playgrounds during the most virtuous nights of Ramadan.


How so many are the sins and forbidden acts committed during the nights of Ramadan! Yes, the Muslim must be truly concerned about the manner in which Muslims spend their time. He must also be disturbed to find Muslim youth spending their time in ways that are not pleasing to Allah. But do not worry. The path to your happiness and that of your Muslim brothers is to call them to apply Islamic teachings (i.e. doing da 'wah) and to make supplications for them. Yes, da'wah to those Muslims who have become unaware of their Islamic duties, and guiding them to the Straight Path. Also, make supplications for them in their absence that Allah may accept it from you and that they do not become among those deprived of guidance.



And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface on the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves
[Surah Fatir: 45]