Thursday, August 25, 2016

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #107

The Book of Etiquette of traveling (Part 1)

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Chapter: Preference of traveling on Thursdays and preference of traveling in the early morning.

Ka`b Ibn Maalik رضي الله عنه reported: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم set out on Thursday for the Ghazwa (expedition) of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out on a journey on Thursdays.
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2950)]

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

The duty of men to live with their wives honorably and with kindness

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ ﴿٣﴾ أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ ﴿٤﴾ لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٥﴾ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٦﴾

{Woe to Al-Mutaffifeen * Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, * And when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. * Think they not that they will be resurrected (for reckoning), * On a Great Day, * The Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the `Aalameen?} [Surah al-Mutaffifeen (83): 1-6]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:
This similitude which Allaah تعالى mentioned in this Aayah, regarding giving full measure and full weight, is mentioned by way of example. Based on this, anything which resembles it can be related to it. Anyone who demands that his rights be paid in full while he himself does not pay the rights which are due upon him is included in this Aayah.

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #106

Chapter: Spending on your family and those under your care

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Narrated Sa`d bin Abi Waqqaas رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allaah’s sake even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife’s mouth.
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (56, 1295, 4409, 5668, 6373, 6733) and Saheeh Muslim (3991)]

And in another narration he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: And what you spend as charity from your property is Sadaqah and your spending on your family is also Sadaqah, and what your wife eats from your property is also Sadaqah.
[Saheeh Muslim (3997)]

Abu Hurairah reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying: Of the Dinaar you spend in Allaah’s way (Jihaad), or to set free a slave, or as a Sadaqah given to a needy, or to support your family, the one yielding the greatest reward is that which you spent on your family. [Saheeh Muslim (2181)]

Monday, August 15, 2016

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #105

Fulfilling an obligation is better than doing many optional deeds:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Many times we see people preoccupied with optional deeds while ignoring the obligatory ones, example:
1) Eager to feed the poor while ignoring the obligatory Salaah (prayers).
2) Being cheerful with their friends but not with their wives and children.
3) Being generous with old people while ignoring their own parents.
4) Eager to help the strangers but not their own brothers.
5) Standing up for the (optional) night prayers but missing on the Fajr with the congregation.

***

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Fulfilling an obligation is far more superior to doing optional deeds, because of the saying Allaah تعالى in the Hadeeth al-Qudsee:

Ruling on adding “Sayyiduna Muhammad” while sending Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Firstly:
No doubt that the best - of all the creations, and the Khaleel of the Lord of the worlds, the one who has been allotted the “Praised Position” (al-Maqaam al-Mahmoud) and the Cistern (al-Haudh), the Prophet of Mercy, and the Messenger of guidance, the one with the great moral character, the honored, the generous, the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, our master, our beloved and our intercessor - is Muhammad Ibn `Abdullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying: I shall be pre-eminent amongst the descendants of Aadam on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted (by Allaah). [Saheeh Muslim (5655) and others]

Monday, August 8, 2016

Tafseer: {When My slaves ask you about Me}

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ﴾

{And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2):186]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله commented:

﴿إذا دعان﴾
{when he calls upon Me}, meaning: if he is truthful in his supplication to Me, i.e. he is aware that he is in need of Allaah, and that only Allaah alone is capable of answering his supplication (and fulfilling his need), and that he purifies his supplication by (sincerely) invoking Allaah alone, and that his heart is not relying on anyone else.


﴿فليستجيبوا لي وليؤمنوا بي لعلهم يرشدون﴾
{So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided}, meaning: turning back to Allaah عز وجل and obedience to Him are the means of achieving righteousness. Moreover, obedience to Allaah must be accompanied with Imaan (Faith) because Allaah linked them together. So, whoever worships Allaah تعالى while his Imaan is weak, i.e. he is either uncertain – and Allaah’s refuge is sought - or he is doubtful, then this will not benefit him; or he is in complete denial, like how the Munaafiq (hypocrites) did: they used to worship Allaah عز وجل outwardly, while they had no Imaan, so their worship did not benefit them.

[Tafseer of Surah al-Baqarah by Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen]


Thursday, August 4, 2016

Major Kufr (which expels a person from Islaam) are of 5 types

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1) Kufr al-Takdheeb: This implies disbelieving the Divine Truth or denying of anyone of the six articles of Faith.

Allaah says:

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَافِرِينَ

{Then, who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allaah, and denies the truth [this Qur’aan, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Tawheed, the Resurrection and the reward or punishment according to good or evil deeds] when it comes to him! Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers?} [Surah al-Zumar (39): 32]

***

2) Kufr al-Ibaa’ wat-Takabbur ma`at-Tasdeeq: This implies rejection and pride to submit to Allaah’s Commandments after conviction of their truth.

Allaah says:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ

{And (remember) when We (Allaah) said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Aadam.” And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused (Abaa) and was proud (was-Takbara) and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 34]

***

3) Kufr ash-Shak wal-Dhan: This implies doubting or lacking of conviction in the six articles of Faith.

Allaah says:

وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا * قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا * لَّـٰكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّـهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا

{And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish. * “And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him.” * His companion said to him, during the talk with him: “Do you DISBELIEVE in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Aadam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? * “But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allaah, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord.} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 35-38]

***

4) Kufr al-I`raadh: This implies turning away from the truth knowingly or deviating from the obvious signs which Allaah has revealed.

Allaah says:

مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ

{We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with truth, and for an appointed term. But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned.} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 3]

***

5) Kufr al-Nifaaq: This implies hypocritical disbelief.

Allaah says:

إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّـهِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ * اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ * ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ

{When the hypocrites come to you (O Muhammad), they say: “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allaah.” Allaah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allaah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed. They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allaah. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed, so they understand not.} [Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63): 1-3]


[Taken from the appendix of Summarized Saheeh al-Bukhaaree translated by Taqee-uddeen al-Hilaalee and Mohammad Mohsin Khan, Darussalam Publication]

Kaafir: Their ruling in this World and in the Hereafter

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

A Person is either a Mu’min (Believer) or a Kaafir (the one having no Imaan), and there is no in between as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

{He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allaah is All-Seer of what you do.} [Surah al-Taghaabun (64):2]

Any person who does not accept Islaam as his religion, or opposes, it is a Kaafir - irrespective of if he is a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, or a Magian.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #104

It is prohibited for men to wear pure red clothes

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Al-Baraa’ ibn `Aazib رضي الله عنه narrated: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was of a modest height. I saw him wearing a red Hullah* (mantle or cloak), and I did not see anything better than him.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3551, 5848) and Saheeh Muslim (5770)]

*Note: Hullah is a suit of two Yemeni garments which are woven with red and black stripes, or red and green stripes. It is described as red because of the apparent red stripes in it.


Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The most preferred choice of color, in clothes, is white but if a person wears some other color then there is nothing wrong with that - except for the red color because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibited the red color, i.e. if it is made entirely of red color. But if it is red and it contains white, then there is nothing wrong with that. This is what the author (Imaam al-Nawawee) mentioned (in his book, Riyaadh al-Saaliheen) that “the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was of a modest height and that he was wearing a red Hullah (mantle or cloak)…”

The red Hullah doesn’t mean that it was entirely made of red color, but it means that the most obvious color in it is red – like how one says: “the red Shimaagh” (the head scarf), whereas it is not entirely made up of red, but rather, it has a lot of white in it as well (i.e. it is woven or stitched with red and white threads); but it is still referred to as red because the points and the patterns are made with red (colored threads). Similarly, the red Hullah, meaning: the most obvious color in it is red. But as for men wearing clothes made purely in red, in which there is no white color, such clothes have been prohibited by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (4/270-271)]


Note: The Ahaadeeth which forbid wearing plain red:

1. Al-Baraa’ ibn `Aazib رضي الله عنه said: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade us to use red Mayaathir (saddlecloths or mattresses) and Qasiy (garments with woven stripes of silk).” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5838, 5863)]


2. Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما said: “I was forbidden (to wear) red garments and gold rings, and to recite the Qur’aan in Rukoo`.” [Sunan al-Nasaa’i, (5266) and Shaikh al-Albaanee said: “its Isnaad is Saheeh”]

3. Ibn Hajr reported in al-Fath al-Baaree that whenever `Umar رضي الله عنه saw someone wearing clothes dyed red with safflower, he would pull him side and say: “Leave this for the women.” [al-Fath al-Baaree (10/305)]

Some of the names of Surah al-Faatihah:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1. al-Faatihat-ul-Kitaab (الفاتحة الكتاب): meaning: the opening chapter of the Book and it is the first Surah of the Qur’aan.

2. Al-Sab` al-Mathaanee (السبع المثاني): meaning: the seven repeatedly recited Aayaat. [Surah al-Hijr (15): 87] As it is recited repeatedly in every Rak`ah (unit) of the Salaah.

3. Umm al-Quraan (أم القرآن) and Umm al-Kitaab (أم الكتاب): meaning: Mother of the Qur’aan and Mother of the Book. “Umm al-Shayy” (mother of a thing) means: The foundation or the origin of a thing to which it returns. [Example: the proverb in English: "Necessity is the mother of invention"]. The whole of the Qur’aan, in its meaning, returns to what is implied in this Surah.

4. Al-Salaah (الصلاة): meaning: the Prayer. As has been mentioned in the Hadeeth Qudsee that Allaah تعالى said: {I have divided the Salaah into two halves between Me and My slave} [Saheeh Muslim]. The Salaah hear meaning Surah al-Faatihah.

5. Al-Kaafiyah (الكافية): meaning: The sufficient.

6. Al-Ruqyah (الرقية): meaning: Incantation (treatment for poison and evil eye etc.). In the narration in which it is mentioned that the chief of a tribe was stung by a scorpion and the Companion treated him by reciting Surah al-Faatihah and took sheep as payment for doing the Ruqyah. When the Prophet was informed about it, he said: How did he come to know that it (Al-Faatihah) is Ruqyah (i.e. could be used for treatment)? [Saheehain]


[Abridged from the Sharh of Shaikh al-Fawzaan of the book: بعض فوائد سورة الفاتحة]