Friday, January 29, 2016

Removing the Doubts: Increasing the area of washing during Wudhoo’

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Introduction:

This is a short clarification of the Ahaadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه regarding the statement: “whoever can increase the area of his radiance while making Wudhoo’ (ablution) should do so.” The clarification is from the statements of the scholars including Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Baaz, Ibn al-`Uthaymeen and al-Albaanee رحمهم الله. Their statements have been summarized, paraphrased and arranged in points for short reading and better understanding.


The Ahaadeeth:

The first narration: 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Bid`ah: the foundation of Kufr

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

BID`AH is the foundation of Kufr and its habitat (where it thrives); like how (following) the legislated SUNNAH is the manifestation of Imaan and a booster of Imaan – for Imaan increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.

[Majmoo` al-Fataawa of Ibn Taymiyyah (10/565)]

Monday, January 25, 2016

Making Dhikr: The Sunnah way VS. the Sufee way

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In the Sunnah, it is prescribed to add a prefix or suffix to the name, “Allaah”, while making Dhikr (Allaah’s remembrance). Example: if one were to merely say "Muhammad", it does not give us any information on what is being discussed. But when one says: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah”, here the sentence is complete and is full of meaning.

So similarly one says:

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Removing the Doubts: Hate the sin and not the sinner!

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

One misconception which some people like to spread is:

“We should hate the sin (i.e. the action) and not the sinner (i.e. the one who does it).”
“We should hate the evil and not the evildoer.”
“We should hate the crime and not the criminal.”

Firstly, those who say the above have no evidence to support their claim. Moreover, if the above was true, then its opposite should also be true: 

Friday, January 15, 2016

The things a person should never give up

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Among the things a person should never voluntarily give up are:
1) his water for ablution (Wudhu).
2) his place in the first row.

۝۝۝

1) Water for ablution:
If two people are on a journey and only one person has water for ablution; then the one who has water should perform ablution and his companion should do Tayammum.

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:
Giving precedence to others over yourself in those things which are obligatory is not allowed. Example: in regards to Tayammum, if a person only has enough water for himself with which to perform ablution and there is another person with him who needs water (for ablution as well), he is not to give the water to the other person, the other person should do Tayammum. Because this is giving precedence to others over yourself in those things which are obligatory, and giving such precedence to others over yourself is Haraam.
[Sharh al-Mumti` (5/100 and 15/40) and Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (3/416-417)]

۞۞۞

2) The place in the first row:
Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhaan (call for prayer) and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots, and if they knew the reward of the Dhuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of `Ishaa' and Fajr prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl.
[Saheehain]

۩ But unfortunately, people stand in rows with gaps in between them so much so that they can accommodate a few more people in the rows. Each person wants to have his own personal space, Ajeeb! Whereas the Companions used to stand shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot! And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had instructed his Companions to form rows like the angels – by first completing the first row and filling the gaps in the rows [as mentioned n Saheeh Muslim].

۝۝۝

As for the sister, then for them the last rows are the best, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.
[Saheeh Muslim]

Monday, January 4, 2016

Some Ahaadeeth on avoiding obscene words and foul language

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

HADEETH #1
It is something which Allaah تعالى does not like:

In Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah it is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to `Aaishah رضي الله عنها:

Allaah does not like obscene words or committing of obscenity.

[Saheeh Muslim (5387), Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah (574), and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (691). Also in al-Adab al-Mufrad (487) from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah]

۝۝۝

HADEETH #2
It is something which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never said/did:

And in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree it is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to `Aaishah رضي الله عنها:

Have you ever seen me speaking bad or dirty language?

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6032)]

۝۝۝

HADEETH #3
It is something which a true Believer avoids:

In Musnad of Imaam Ahmad it is reported from Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

A true believer does not taunt or curse or abuse or talk vulgarly.

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (3839) and Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1977), Adab al-Mufrad (312, 332) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (320) and also graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh Muqbil in Saheeh al-Musnad (836, 853)]

۝۝۝

HADEETH #4
It is sign of hypocrisy:

In Saheehain it is reported from `Abdullaah bin `Amr رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1) Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.

2) Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

3) Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.

4) Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (34, 3178) and Saheeh Muslim (111)]

۝۝۝

HADEETH #5
Some of the categories of the inhabitants of Hell:

On the authority of `Iyaadh bin Himaar رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

The inmates of Hell are five:

1) The weak who lack power to (avoid evil). The (carefree) who pursue (everything irrespective of the fact that it is good or evil) and who do not have any care for their family or for their wealth.

2) And those dishonest, whose greed cannot be concealed even in the case of minor things.

3) Those who betray you morning and evening, in regard to your family and your property.

4) The miser and the liar.

5) And those who are in the habit of abusing people and using obscene and foul language.


[Saheeh Muslim (6853)]

Sunday, January 3, 2016

The similitude of the living and the dead

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`aree (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said:

The similitude of one who remembers his Rabb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6407) and the wordings are his and Saheeh Muslim (779)]

۝۝۝

Ibn al-Jawzee said:
The dead is not the one whose soul has left from the sides (of his body), rather the dead is the one who does not understand the rights of his Lord (upon him).
[التذكرة في الوعظ 1/18]