The 'Sanctified Learning Zone' Sajid Ahmed Umar

Jihad by Night: Yahya Ibrahim

2011-08-03T17:47:00.000+03:00

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/2010/04/12/jihad-by-night-yahya-ibrahim/

“For twenty years I waged Jihad against myself. I struggled, all throughout to remain standing in prayer at night. For those twenty years I never tasted the sweetness of the night prayer. It was only after that that I found comfort and sweetness.”

These are the words of one of the greatest scholars of the early generation. Al-Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawri (161 H) is known as one of the Eight Ascetics of his age. He was, rahimahullah, ‘aabid – a worshipper.

Twenty years of Jihad by night. No sweetness was experienced by ath-Thawri (rahimahullah) for twenty years?

Nevertheless he kept the course with unwavering inspirational sabr. He struggled in fear, campaigned in love, and toiled in hope of Allah.

He would later comment that a sin he committed kept him from the night prayers for five months.

Tahajjud, from ha-ja-da meaning “vigilant by night” consumed in devotional prayer.

It is a reality that for many the thought of prayer, obligatory not voluntary, results in sluggishness of form and drowsiness in invocation.

We pray, but do we?

We call out, but do we?

We attempt remembrance, but do we?

Twenty years of Jihad – Jaahatu Nafsi the Imam said. Twenty years of difficulty and comfort, prosperity and adversity, happiness and sorrow, wealth and poverty, fear and security, births and deaths, love and animosity. Constancy in worship throughout all the conditions and experiences of life is unique.

Allah describes the animosity that a believer has for the comfort of their soft bedding. In Surat as-Sajdah (32:16-17):

تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا أُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاء بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Usually the verse is translated as

“Their sides Jafaa (forsake) their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah’s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.”

In fact the word Jafaa is much more contemptuous. Allah describes the physical being of a believer as despising their bed and the comfort it invites.

Ash-Shafi’ee (rahimahullah) would touch his bed and say, “May you be destroyed. You are ever so soft and inviting.”

Abu Hanifa (rahimahullah) was asked how often he recites the Quran in its entirety. He asks in response, “Do you mean during the day or by night? During the night, the questioner inquired. The Imam asked, “Do you mean while in Tahajjud or out of prayer?”

Subhan Allah!

Our audacity, at times, tempts us to feel content with our current level of devotion and ‘Ibadah. The internet becomes our dawa, the masjid our hangout, the brothers – da brothas. Our ‘Ibadah is weak but our talk is uninhibited. Our dreary lives, jobs, lack of jobs, idle free time and stress cause us to have grandiose self assessments and an over estimation of our true nearness to the Divine. The response within us reflectively is dismissive in its oversimplification.

“That was then, this is now. That is al-Imam Sufyan and I am merely Yahya.”

So we fail to change or improve. We look for quick fix solutions to problems in our life that are spiritual ailments that require a rejuvenation of Faith.

Once upon a time, ten years or more ago, I was as asleep in a hotel room thinking I was alone. Little did I know that my teacher Shaykh Mohammed Safwat Nooredeen (rahimahullah) arrived in the middle of the night to take possession of HIS room wherein I was asleep due to a scarcity of rooms in the hotel which was attached to a conference I was translating for. No one informed me that it wasn’t actually my room, and that they just put me in it knowing that I was his student and we’d make do whenever he finally arrived. There I was, snoring away.

At first I was scared hearing what sounded to me like soft huffs and puffs. I recited Ayatul Kursi. A soft whine and moan ensued. Someone or something was crying.

I sat up and looked around while fumbling for the lamp switch at the same time trying to grab my glasses; All the while reading Ayatul Kursi. Heart beat off the chart and I am ready to swing.

Prostrate in the corner of the room where the door is, out of my view was my Shaykh praying his night prayer. He arrived, ate an apple, made his ablution and did what came natural. He prayed and bowed. He stood and prostrated.

At first I thought that this was because of restlessness and inability to sleep due to the time change. But I knew his ‘Ibadah was solid, outwardly is what I am witness to, and inwardly Allah grants the reward.

I made wudu and joined him. He informed me in the morning of the words of ath-Thawri. He was so polite in his advice. Don’t snore away your night was the accusation. Even if you don’t relish the worship, remember ath-Thawri. Allah have mercy on our scholars and students.

Ath-Thawri also said, “I was barred from praying Tahajjud for 5 months on account of a sin I committed.”

Some said to Ibn Mas`ood, may Allah be pleased with him, “We are unable to perform the night prayer.” He responded simply, “Your sins are prohibiting you (from it).”

Allah orders the Messenger early on in the mission of conveying Islam to humanity:

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا أَوْ زِدْعَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا

“O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] the night, except for a little – half of it – or subtract from it a little or add to it, and recite the Quran with measured recitation.”[Quran 73: 1-4]

Half the night!? For real?

‘Aisha (radi Allahu anha) says, “Do not ever stop standing in prayer at night. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) never ceased praying it. When he (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was sick or weak, he prayed sitting.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

My aim is not to dazzle myself and you with verses and hadeeth extolling virtue upon those who stand in prayer at night. It is simply to ask, “Why is it so hard for me?”

So I write to you to remind myself.

I want to pray more than I do, more often than I do, in a more tranquil way than I do, for longer and humbler than I do.

I want us to be from those who sleep little at night but find energy and Baraka in their day. I want to greet the dawn each and every morning having made my Jihad by night. I want to find comfort and ease in that ‘Ibadahthat is the hallmark of righteousness.

إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ آخِذِينَ مَا آتَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ مُحْسِنِينَ كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

“Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.” [Quran 51: 15-18]

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاء اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ

“Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.”[Quran 39: 9]

I want my wife to hose me down with water, or maybe just a sprinkle as the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said.

Abu Hurayrah also reported that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “May Allah have mercy on a man who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes his wife to pray; and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes her husband to pray; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face.” [Abu Dawood and it is Sahih]

Al-Hasan al Basri (another of the Eight Ascetics) was asked: “We are unable to perform the night prayer so prescribe us a cure.” He said, “Do not disobey Him during the day and He will help you stand before Him during the night.”

Oh Allah! Help me to remember you, thank you, and be better in my worship.

Oh Allah! Help me to wake up in your worship and to be consistent in it.

Oh Allah! Allow us to worship you as you deserve to be worshipped.

Oh Allah! Grant us patience in your worship.

I ask you my brother and sister to ask Allah to help me and my family worship Allah when others are oblivious in slumber.

Tarawih Recitation: A message to all Imams

2011-08-03T17:46:00.000+03:00

Tarawih Recitation: A message to all Imams

By: Sheikh Haitham alHadaad

Imāms should respect the Qur’ān when leading the Tarāwīḥ Prayer

The greatest favour bestowed upon humanity is the revelation of the Qur’ān as it is the only way human beings can be in continuous touch with their Creator. People can easily measure their level of attachment to their Lord by measuring their level of attachment to the Qur’ān - recitation, study and contemplation of it. This divine writ was not revealed to be a book of hymns for aural enjoyment, but instead as a book of guidance, for Allāh says in the Qur’ān, “(This is) a Book (the Qur’ān) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember.”^[1] As the Qur’ān is the unique and inimitable speech of Allāh, reciting it is a tremendous act of worship. However, its reward and comprehensive benefit can only be achieved once we put into practice what we understand. In fact, not putting enough attention to understanding the Qur’ān is condemned as Allāh the Most High says, “Do they not then think deeply about the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon their hearts (from understanding it?)”^[2] Many early scholars also condemned those who read the Qur’ān without putting enough effort into understanding it, for example, it is narrated from Ibn Masʽūd that he said, “Do not scatter it (i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān) like the scattering of cheap dates, and do not ramble with it like the rambling of poetry. Stop at its marvels and stir your heart with it. None of you should let his concern be to reach the end of the chapter.”^[3]

The way many Imāms recite during the Tarāwīḥ prayer is inexcusable and should be condemned in the strongest of ways by the people of knowledge, and in fact, any individual who respects the words of God. These Imāms recite the Qur’ān as if they are competing with the allocated time in order to finish the set amount and be rid of a heavy burden placed on their shoulders. In listening to some of them it is extremely difficult to make out what they are saying, whilst simultaneously, they make constant mistakes. There are reports of some mosques completing both twenty rak‘ah (units) of the Tarāwīḥ prayer and a whole juz’ of the Qur’ān in thirty minutes. This means that each rak‘ah takes ninety seconds in which one page of the Qur’ān is recited! What justification can such Imāms (and consequently the committees of such mosques) possibly give?

I would like to pose the following question to individuals who legitimize such conduct and deem it acceptable: Imagine that you are standing before God and that He is looking at you while you are praying, do you think Allāh is happy seeing and hearing His words read in this manner without giving them their due rights in terms of recitation and contemplation? Furthermore, I wonder if any of these Imāms or committee members are bold enough to allege that the Prophet would endorse this kind of prayer.

This kind of recitation is exactly what has been condemned by many of the scholars of the early generation. In fact, of one the characteristics of the Khawārij, a deviant sect, the Prophet informed us of is that their recitation of the Qur’ān will not go beyond their throats, i.e., they only pay lip-service to it; we should be very concerned not to have this trait within us. It was reported that Abῑ Jamrah, a scholar of the second generation, informed Ibn ʽAbbās that he recited very quickly and read the Qur’ān in three days, Ibn ʽAbbās replied by saying. ‘That I recite al-Baqarah in a night and reflect on it and reciting it slowly is more beloved to me than to recite in the manner you mention.’

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allāh have mercy on him) summarised what the Muslim has to do in order to remedy the hardness of his heart with the Qur’ān. He said, ‘There is nothing more beneficial for the heart than reading the Qur’ān with contemplation and reflection. The Qur’ān encompasses all the levels of the travelers, the conditions of the workers, and stations of those possessing knowledge. It is the Qur’ān that generates love, desire, fear, hope, repentance, reliance, pleasure, entrustment, gratitude, patience and the rest of the different states that are life to the heart and perfection of it. Likewise, it repels all the rebuked characteristics and actions that cause the corruption and ruin of the heart. If people were to possess a realization of what the recitation of the Qur’ān with contemplation contains, they would devote themselves to it at the expense of everything else. When the person reads it with reflection and he comes across an āyah (verse) that he is in need of for curing his heart, he repeats it, even if he does so a hundred times or the whole night. Hence, to recite a single āyah of the Qur’ān with contemplation and reflection is better than reciting the Qur’ān to completion without any contemplation. It is also more beneficial for the heart and more conducive to attaining īmān (faith) and tasting the sweetness of the Qur’ān.’

The Prophet used to read in a very slow style and stop at verses that mention paradise or the hell fire. Once he repeated the verse where Allāh says ‘If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise’^[4] for the whole night.^[5] Muhammad Ibn al-Kaʽb al-Quraẓῑ (d. 120H) preferred to read Sūrah al-Zalzalah and al-Qāriʽah and repeat them a number of times over reading the whole Qur’ān in a very hasty way. Imām Abū Ḥanῑfah once kept repeating Sūrah al-Zalzalah for the whole night.

Many of our acts of worship (ʽibādāt) have lost their spirit and have been transformed into meaningless ritual images where the focus is on completing them irrespective of whether they leave an impact on our souls or not and if they were perfected or at least performed in a truly satisfactory manner. That is why our worship does not change us for the better; our commitment to the dīn (religion/way of life) of Allāh is very weak and our willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Allāh is even more so - our morals and manners are not improving. Many of us want to be rid of the Tarāwīḥ prayer, no matter how it is offered. Humility, tranquility and reflection are insignificant elements for such Muslims. This is the opposite of what Allāh wants from us; we have removed the very elements from our acts of worship that have been purposely placed there to better us and focus instead on quantity rather quality - for those of us who have any focus at all.

I believe it is time we should put a stop to this and mend our relationship with the Qur’ān as Allāh has commanded: “O mankind! There has come to you a good advice (i.e. the Qur’ān) from your Lord, and a healing for that (diseases of ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy and differences, etc.) in your breasts, - a guidance and a mercy for the believers.”

I call upon committee members and Imāms to seek the pleasure of Allah and not the pleasure of their congregation. I call upon Muslims to advice such Imāms and committee members who do not manifest enough respect to the Qur’ān and to consider appointing other Imāms who recite according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). We should also remember that completing twenty Rak’ah or even the whole Qur’an during Tarāwīḥ is not compulsory, yet listening to it attentively and reciting it with moderate speed is. If the Tarāwīḥ prayer has to be completed in a specific time, then the amount set to be recited should be reduced so that a better quality of worship is achieved.

I ask Allah to guide us all to follow His Book and the Sunnah of his Messenger and to pardon our shortcomings for He is the Oft-Forgiving Oft-Pardoning.

Notes: this article is a repost

Source: www.islam21c.com

[1]Sūrah Ṣād, 38:29

[2]Sūrah Muḥammad, 47:24

[3]Reported in various places such as Akhlāq Ḥamalah al-Qurʽān by al-Ājurrῑ and al-Baghawῑ in his Tafsῑr.

[4]Sūrah al-Mā’idah, 5:118

[5]Reported by Ibn Abī Shaybah and Aḥmad in his Musnad.

Little Explorers Islamic Children's Magazine

2011-03-13T10:42:00.001+03:00

Assalamualaikum all,

Proud to present to you:

http://www.littleexplorersmagazine.co.uk/index.php

Please indulge yourself and pass on.

Jazakallah.

Akh Sajid

Facts Regarding the Birth of the Prophet Muḥammad (ṣalallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)

2011-02-13T22:36:00.000+03:00

By Sheikh Aḥmad b. ‘Abdil ‘Azīz Al-Ḥamdān [1]

Translation and Footnotes by Ejaz Taj

The specifics regarding the birth of the final Messenger (ṣalallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) sent to mankind have been the subject of debate between the scholars of history and Sīrah [2] for centuries. This brief treatise will aim to present in a concise manner the various opinions regarding the year, month, day and time of his birth as well as the statements of scholars aimed at those who take the Prophet's day of birth as a day of celebration. It is brief and does not go into extensive detail in order to allow the reader to grasp the vast range of opinions held by various scholars on this issue. This in turn should allow the reader to ponder over the validity/invalidity of taking it as a day of celebration, bearing in mind how unspecified the matter at hand is.

I have also included a small amount of biographical information for a number of the scholars mentioned.

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

All praise is to Allāh, alone, and we send our peace and blessings upon the one (Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)) after whom no other prophet is sent.

The Year of the Prophet's Birth

Scholars have differed over the year of the Prophet's (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) birth, however the majority are of the opinion that it occurred during the Year of the Elephant [3] (570 CE), as made clear by the statements of Ibn ‘Abbās [4] (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhumā) and a number of other authentic statements. The scholars specialised in the biography of the Prophet have postulated a number of opinions regarding the exact day that his birth occurred in relation to this event. They are the following:

· Fifty days after the destruction of Abraha and his army, this being the position of as-Suhaylī al-Mālikī. [5]

· Fifty five days after [the destruction of Abraha and his army], as narrated by al-Ḥāfiẓ ad-Dimyātī ash-Shāfi’ī [6]

· After a month (thirty days), as narrated by Mughlatay al-Ḥanafī [7]

· After Forty days, as narrated by ibn Sayyid an-Nās ash-Shāfi’ī [8]

· Ten years before [the destruction of Abraha and his army], as narrated by Imām az-Zuhrī [9]

· A few other lesser known opinions ranging from fifty years before and other than this.

The Month of the Prophet's Birth

There also exist some disagreements concerning the month in which he (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) was born. The most widely accepted opinion is that it occurred in [the month of] Rabī’ al-Awwal. A number of other opinions have also been put forth, which include:

· The months of Ṣafar and Rabī’ al-Ākhar, as mentioned by Mughlatay al-Ḥanafī.

· The months of Rajab and Ramaḍān, as mentioned by both Mughlatay al-Ḥanafī and Ibn Sayyid an-Nās.

These are other weak opinions that contain little authentic evidence to back them up. The opinion of Ramaḍān [10] is based upon an (unverified) narration attributed to ibn ‘Umar (raḍiyallāhu anhu) as well as the statement of the famous scholar of lineage and genealogy az-Zubayr b. Bakkār [11]. This would however be in accordance with those who claimed that the mother of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) became pregnant during Ayyām at-Tashrīq, the 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Ḥijjah (again attributed to az-Zubayr) [12]. What is an even weaker opinion is that she gave birth during these Ayyām at-Tashrīq.

The Day of the Prophet's Birth

Perhaps the area which is most debated over is the exact day of [the Prophet's] (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) birth. The varying opinions are comprised primarily of the following:

· Those who simply state that it is unspecified.

· In the month of Rabī’ al-Awwal, but do not specify a date. Amongst those who held this opinion was al-Qastillānī in his book al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyya.

· It was on a Monday as stated in a ḥadīth recorded in the collection of Imām Muslim [13]. The vast majority are in agreement upon this alongside the dates they have postulated.

· The 2nd of Rabī’ al-Awwal, as stated by ibn ‘Abd al-Barr [14] and narrated by al-Wāqidī [15].

· The 7th of Rabī’ al-Awwal. A rejected position which ibn Dihyah al-Kalbī narrates from some of the Shī’ah.

· The 8th of Rabī’ al-Awwal. This is an extremely strong opinion as narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās (raḍiyallāhu anhumā) and the Follower Muḥammad b. Jubayr b. Mut’im. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barralso relates the acceptance and validation of this particular opinion by the historians. This was also the position held strongly by Muḥammad al-Khawārizmī and favoured byIbn Dihyah al-Kalbī [16] who stated “This is the date besides which none have been fully authenticated and upon which the majority of the historians have agreed upon.” Al-Qutb al-Qastillānī states, “The 8th of Rabī’ al-Awwal was the chosen opinion amongst the majority of Ahl al-Ḥadīth as well as the majority of those who were the most learned in the subject of history.” Al-Qudā’ī [17] stated that there is a consensus upon this date amongst those learned in date keeping, based on astronomical calculations.

· The 9th of Rabī’ al-Awwal. Amongst those who held this opinion was Pāsha al-Falakī al-Masrī [18] who wrote a thesis on the topic, aiming to expound upon it from a completely scientific perspective and taking into account astronomical events and measurements in order to come up with a calculated final result. The late ‘Alī At-Tantāwī [19] praised his work and was strongly in favour of this position.

· The 10th of Rabī’ al-Awwal. Amongst those who held this opinion were ash-Sha’bī [20] and Muḥammad al-Bāqir, as well as being authenticated by al-Ḥāfiẓ ad-Dimyāti ash-Shāfi’ī.

· The 12th of Rabī’ al-Awwal. Among those who held this opinion was Ibn Ishāq.

The Time of the Prophet's Birth

The scholars have also differed over the exact time of the birth of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). Some have stated that it was during the day, while others have stated it occurred in the early dawn. Others have stated it was during the night, as narrated by Al-Ḥākim on the authority of the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā'īshā (raḍiyallāhu anhā). Allāh of course knows best.

My beloved brother/sister, upon presentation of the vast range of opinions, how are we to understand the lack of importance the Companions placed upon documenting and marking the exact nature of the date of the Prophet's (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) birth?

The answer is simple and obvious. What this clearly indicates to us is that a Muslim is neither obligated to pay a huge amount of attention in seeking his (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) birthday, nor to care about when exactly it occurred. The only thing that is obligated of a Muslim is for him/her to see where they stand in terms of their love for the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam); how closely and how well they are able to follow the Sharī’ah that he was sent with; how sincere are they in striving to follow his Sunnah and in helping guide others to its divine precepts; and last but not least their commitment and dedication to espousing his noble character and virtues in their own daily lives and in their dealings with others.

So where are we, my dear brothers and sisters, in regards to what Allāh has obligated upon us and by what He has sent His Messenger, Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)? This is what every single Muslim should be concentrating on, examining their lives in order to evaluate its nature and how closely it resembles the character of the Messenger and in following the commandments He came with.

The Ruling on Celebrating the Birthday of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)

Should this event be truly celebrated? This is a question that arises every single year upon the advent of the Islamic month of Rabī’ al-Awwal. The almost self-evident counter question here would be, did the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) himself ever celebrate his birthday? Did his Companions (raḍiyallāhu anhum) ever celebrate it? Are there any reports of this Ummah’spious predecessors (the salaf) ever having celebrated it? The answer is an obvious and resounding no, thus providing a huge problem for those who wish to take this day as a day of celebration along with the two ‘Eids as legislated in the pure prophetic Sunnah.

We mention here some statements from a number of scholars regarding the celebration of themawlid (Prophet's birthday).

· ‘Umar b. ‘Ali as-Sikandari al-Mālikī, better known as al-Fākihānī states, “I know of no basis for this mawlid celebration from the Qur’ān and the Sunnah, nor have there been any transmitted reports from the scholars of this Ummah in regards to its celebration. These are the scholars, who serve as our examples and role models in the Religion. Rather this Mawlid is a bid’ah (innovation) that has been concocted by those devoid of any basis for it and who are upon falsehood and the followers of their desires. The evidence for this is that if we are to apply a ruling to this celebration, then it would have to fall under the category of being a wājib, mandūb, mubāh, makrūh or ḥarām. We know by consensus that it is not wājib; neither is it mandūb, which would make it recommended by the Sharī’ah yet not necessitate any blame upon the one who does not perform it. The mawlid is not something that has been legislated or permitted in theSharī’ah, nor did any of the Companions, the Followers, or the scholars versed in the Religion partake in it as far as I know. This will serve as my answer regarding this issue if I am indeed questioned concerning it in front of Allāh. It also cannot be mubāh, as it is impossible for an innovation in the religion to ever be in this category, by consensus of the Muslims. Thus the only two possible categories remaining for it are makrūh andḥarām.” [21]

· Ibn al-Ḥāj al-Mālikī states in his al-Madkhal concerning the mawlid, specifically in regards to when it is devoid of any evil actions which contradict the Sharī’ah (for those who claim it to be permissible if nothing forbidden or evil is carried out as part of the celebrations), “Even if none of the aforementioned evil or forbidden actions take place, it is still in and of itself a bid’ah (innovation) because of the same intent. This is because it is making an increase in the religion, and is also not from the conduct of the pious predecessors (salaf). It has not reached us that a single one of them ever celebrated it or intended to do so. Thus following in the footsteps of the salaf is paramount, rather it is obligatory.” [22]

· As-Sakhāwi ash-Shāfi’ī states, “The celebration of the mawlid has not reached us from any of the pious predecessors of the three blessed generations, rather it was only introduced a long time after them.” [23]

· Nasīr ad-Dīn al-Mubārak, better known as ibn at-Tabbākh, states, “This (the mawlid) is not from the Sunnah.” [24]

· Dhahīr ad-Dīn Ja’far at-Tizmanti says, “This action (of celebrating the mawlid) did not occur during the early times of the pious predecessors even out of their exaltation and love for him (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam); all of us together could not match even a single one of them in their love and exaltation of him (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). [25]

· Ibn Taymiyyah states, “The reason for some people taking the day of the birth of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) as a day of celebration was either due to an emulation of the Christians in their Christmas celebrations (marking the birth of ‘Īsā (‘alahyis salām)) or stemming from an innovated kind of over-glorification and exultation of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). It is an innovation because it was not something the salaf ever celebrated by carrying out what is necessary for it to be classified as a celebration, despite the fact that there was nothing stopping them from doing so. Thus, had this been something that was truly good, pure and the most correct thing to do then without a doubt it is the salaf who would have been more entitled to celebrate it than us. For indeed they were much stronger in their (true) love for the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) than we are and much more committed and dedicated to (doing) acts of goodness. Thus, the true and complete love and exultation of him (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) comes from following him, obeying him, and adhering to his instructions by reviving his Sunnah both outwardly and inwardly, by spreading the guidance with which he was sent, and by striving upon all of that with our hearts, hands, and tongues. Indeed, this was the way of the foremost among the earlier generations from the Muhājirīn and the Ansār and those who followed them, with excellence. [26]

· Imām Mālik b. Anas states, “Whoever from this Ummah innovates something (in this Religion) for which there is no proof from the preceding [generations], then he has declared that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) betrayed his trust in conveying the message, for Allāh states, ‘This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as the religion.’” [27] Thus what was not part of the religion previously cannot be part of the religion today.

These statements should suffice, however there are many other statements from a variety of scholars across the various Schools of Jurisprudence and from various mainstream Sunni theologies regarding the innovation of celebrating the mawlid. What we have presented here are only a few.

It is thus befitting that after presenting the facts of the ambiguities surrounding the exact date of birth, the fact that none from the companions or the salaf had ever established this practice, the statements of the scholars, and by usage of common sense, we leave you with one of the most powerful ḥadīths of the Prophet Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) in this regard:

‘Irbād b. Sariyāh (raḍiyallāhu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) admonished us, which caused our hearts to tremble, and our eyes to overflow with tears. So we said: “Messenger of Allāh it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so advise us.” He said:

“I advise you to fear Allāh; hear and obey even if the one in command is a slave. He who lives amongst you will witness many differences, so hold fast to my Sunnah, and the sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs, bite onto it with your molar teeth, and beware of newly invented matters for indeed all bid'ah is misguidance.” [28]

All praise belongs to Allāh.

References

[1] He is Aḥmad b. ‘Abdil ‘Azīz Al-Ḥamdān from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He graduated from the faculty of Sharī’ah from the prestigious Umm Al-Qurā University in the holy city of Makkah, obtaining a first class degree in Shar’īah specialising in Fiqh and its Usūl. He is currently the director of the Jeddah Da’wah Centre and concurrently holds a number of other positions within Islamic educational and charity organisations as well as serving as an imām and khatīb. To date he has authored over 50 books and short works. More information about him can be found herehttp://shamela.ws/index.php/author/1512

[2] The Arabic term meaning biography or historical account. Here it specifically refers to the biography of the life of the Prophet Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam).

[3] Note that the term “Year of the Elephant” is in reference to a specific event and is not to be confused with the Chinese convention for naming years after animals. There is no such custom in Islam and this naming is often based upon events which occurred within them for ease of reference. The original term ’Ām Al-Fīl is in reference to the story of the Abyssinian king Abraha who ventured forth from Yemen towards Makkah on a mission to destroy the Ka’bah travelling with an army of elephants, a formidable force at that time. They were defeated and destroyed by the Will of Allāh as mentioned in Surah number 115 in the Qur’ān aptly named Surah Al-Fīl (The Elephant).

[4] It is narrated from both Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Ḥākim that Ibn ‘Abbās (raḍiyallāhu anhhu) stated, “The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) was born in the ‘Ām Al-Fīl (Year of the Elephant)”

[5] He is the Andalusian Mālikī scholar, Abul Qāsim Abdur Raḥmān b. ‘Abdillāh b. Aḥmad as-Suhaylī. Born in 508 AH in Malaga, (modern day Spain) and died 518 AH in Marrakech, Morocco. He lost his eyesight at age 17 yet continued in his pursuit of knowledge to become a scholar ofḥadīth, sīrah, and Arabic grammar. Amongst his most well-known works is Ar-Rawd Al-Anf, an explanation of Ibn Hishām’s famous work on the sīrah of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam), from which the quoted opinions are taken.

[6] He is the Egyptian Shafi’ī scholar, ‘Abdul Mu’min b. Abi al-Hassan b. Sharaf b. al-Khidr b. Musa at-Tūnī Al-Ḥāfiẓ Sharaf ad-Dīn ad-Dimyāti. Born in North Eastern Egypt in 613 AH and died 705 AH. A faqīh, great muḥaddith and scholar of sīrah. Amongst those who heard ḥadīths from him were Imām an-Nawawī, Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Mizzi, Imām adh-Dhahabī, as well as many others. His opinions here are taken from his as-Sīrah an-Nabawiyyah.

[7] He is the Egyptian Hanafi muḥaddith, Mughlatay b. Qalīj b. ‘Abdillah al-Bakjary al-Masri al-Ḥanafī. Born in 689 AH and died in 762 AH. Although he was considered to be from the people of Egypt due to where he was raised, lived and studied, he was ethnically Turkish. He studied under some of the great scholars of ḥadīth and language of his time, authoring over a hundred books including a twenty volume explanation of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and an explanation of Ibn Majah’s ḥadīthcollection which went uncompleted. His opinions here are taken from his book on the Prophet'ssīrah titled, Al-Ishāratuilā Sīrati Sayyidinā Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) al-Muṣtafa.

[8] He is the Egyptian Shafi’ī scholar, Fatḥ ad-Dīn Abul Fatḥ Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-Ya’murī, better known as ibn Sayyid an-Nās. Born in 671 AH in Cairo and died 734 AH in Cairo. Originally of Spanish origin, his family hailed from Seville. He was a great scholar of the sciences of ḥadīth, fiqh, history, grammar, and was a poet. He travelled extensively throughout Egypt, Shām and the Hijāz for knowledge. Imām adh-Dhahabī says about him, “He had close to a thousand teachers.” Amongst those he studied most extensively with was Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. His opinions here are taken from his work on the sīrah, ’Uyun al-Athār fī Funūn al-Maghāzi wash-Shamāili was-Siyar.

[9] He is Muḥammad b. Muslim b. ‘Abdillah b. Shihāb az-Zuhri, the famous scholar and muhaddithfrom the Tābi’īn (Followers). He was born in 58 AH near the end of the caliphate of Mu’awiyah ibn Abī Sufyān (raḍiyallāhu anhu), the same year of the passing of the Mother of the Believers, Ā’īsha (raḍiyallahu anhā) and died 128 AH. He was from the tribe of Quraish, the same tribe as that of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). A great scholar of ḥadīth, whose knowledge became of great importance to later muhaddithīn. An Imām of the Sunnah about whom the Khalifah ‘Umar b. ‘Abdil ‘Azīz (rahimahullāh) said, “Upon you (is to take from) Ibn Shihāb, for you will find no-one more knowledgeable than him in the Prophetic Sunnah (in his time) than him.”

[10] Ibn Kathīr writes in al-Bidāyah wan-Nihāyah, “Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr narrates that az-Zubayr b. Bakkār said, and it is an extremely weak statement, ‘He (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) was born in Ramaḍān, his mother became pregnant with him in the Ayyām at-Tashrīq.’ He based this statement upon the well-known and established fact that the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) received his very first revelation, thus marking the beginning of his prophethood, in the month of Ramaḍān when he turned forty. By this reckoning this would also be his date of birth.” Ibn Kathīr made clear, this is an extremely weak opinion, one based upon analogy instead of any real evidence, and furthermore it is in opposition to the stronger, more widely held opinion regarding the month of his birth.

[11] He is az-Zubayr b. Bakkār b. ‘Abdillah al-Qurashi al-Makkī, a descendent of the Companion az-Zubayr b. Al-‘Awwām (raḍiyallāhu anhu). Born in 172 AH in Madinah and died in 256 AH in Makkah, spending extensive amounts of time seeking knowledge in Baghdad. He was a specialist in lineage, Arab genealogies, and Islamic poetry, and poetry of the pre-Islamic era. He authored a number of books on the genealogy of the Arabs including one specifically for the tribe of Quraysh and another on the ‘Aws and Khazraj tribes of Madinah. In terms of his reliability as a narrator ofḥadīth he is deemed trustworthy. A number of scholars narrated ḥadīth from him such as Ibn Mājah, Abu Hātim ar-Rāzi, and Ibn Abi ad-Dunya.

[12] Ayyām at-Tashrīq or The Days of Tashrīq occur within the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah; these are the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th of this blessed month.

[13] It was narrated from Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said: “On that day I was born, and on it the Revelation came to me.” (Muslim, 1162)

[14] He is Abu 'Umar, Yusuf b. 'Abdullah b. Muḥammad b. 'Abdul-Barr b. 'Asim an-Namari al-Qurtubi. Born in 368 AH, he was a celebrated and learned Imām and was the Sheikh-ul-lslam and Hafiẓ of Al-Maghrib (North West Africa). He was considered as the master of his time in memorization and accurate rendering of hadīth. He was also skilled in the science of genealogy and history. Ibn Hazm said regarding him, "I cannot speak about the knowledge of ḥadīth like 'Abdul-Barr, so how can I do better than him?" He has authored many books, the most famous of which isAl-Isti'āb. Ibn 'Abdul-Barr died in 463 AH at the age of 95.

[15] He is Abu ‘Abdillah Muḥammad b. ‘Umar b. Wāqid al-Aslami. Born in Madinah in 130 AH and passed away in Baghdad in 207 AH. He was chosen as a guide by the Caliph Harūn ar-Rashīd during his Hajj pilgrimage. Al-Wāqidī accompanied him back to Baghdad where he was appointed as a judge, serving in this position until he passed away. Although he memorised ḥadīths, he had been heavily criticised for his reliability in the field by such scholars as Imam adh-Dhahabi and ash-Shāfi’ī. Nonetheless his speciality was history, and a great historian he was, authoring a large number of works on the sīrah and conquests of the Muslims, amongst his most famous being Kitāb At-Tarīkh wal-Maghāzi. It was said that he even visited the sites of the battles in order to reflect a more accurate portrayal of events in the sīrah.

[16] He is ‘Umar b. al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Muḥammad Abu al-Khattab b. Dihya al-Kalbi. Born in 544 AH and died 633 AH of Andalusian origin. Az-Zaraklī' in, in his Al-A’lām, mentions him to be a historian and scholar of hadīth. He has a mixed reception amongst the scholars. He travelled for knowledge to Marrakech, Shām, Iraq, and Khurasān and then settled in Egypt. It was in 604 AH in Irbil (in Northern Iraq) where he met the ruler and also the first to introduce the innovation of themawlid, Muzaffar ad-Din b. Zain ad-Din. Muzaffar was very keen to celebrate the Prophet’s (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) birthday so in assistance to him Ibn Dihya wrote, At-Tanwīr fi Mawlid al-Sirāj al-Munīr, in support of this celebration and for which ‘incidentally’ he was also paid one thousand Dirhams. Regarding Ibn Dihyah, Ibn Kathīr mentions, “He used to defame the Muslims and disparage them. He would make additions and exaggerations in his reports. So the people gave up narrating traditions from him and falsified him. Kamil was favouring him. When his conduct was disclosed to him, he withdrew Dar-al-Ḥadith from him and disgraced him.” (Al-Bidāyah Wan-Nihāyah 13/144-146). Ibn Hajr al-Asqalānī similarly states, “He was a liar, who lied frequently, and a fabricator. He often slandered the scholars and the jurists of the past, used evil tongue, self-conceited, lacked insight in religious matters, and looked down upon the religion. This has been reported from al-Hafiẓ Diya.” (Lisān Al-Mīzān 4/295). His opinions here are mentioned from a purely academic perspective taken from the aforementioned work he wrote for Muzaffar ad-Din.

[17] He is the Egyptian Shafi’i scholar, Muhammad b. Salāmah b. Ja’far b. ‘Ali b. Hakmūn Abu ‘Abdillah al-Qudā’ī. His date of birth is not documented but he passed away in 454 AH in Egypt. Az-Zarakli mentions in his Al-A’lām that he was a scholar of exegesis and a historian. Amongst his works was a ten volume tafsīr of the Qur’an and various historical writings on the history of the prophets, the khulafā, and the ’Uyun Al-Ma’ārif wa Funūn Akhbār al-Khalā-if from which the quoted opinion taken.

[18] He is Mahmoud Ahmad Hamdi Al-Falaki, a celebrated Egyptian astronomer and geographer from the late 19^th century. Born in 1815 AD and died 1885. He studied in France and excelled in the sciences particularly in astronomy and geography, holding a number of important government posts and at one point was commissioned to create one of Egypt’s very first topographical maps. He authored a number of scientific works and used his knowledge of astronomy to try and scientifically deduce an exact date of the birth and death of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). He also postulated that the pyramids in Giza were built for astronomical purposes. His opinion quoted here is for academic purposes and is taken from his work, At-Taqwīm Al-‘Arabi Qabl al-Islam.

[19] Not to be confused with Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, the late and controversial ex-mufti of Egypt and of al-Azhar University. More can be read about Sheikh ‘Ali here http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=5&section=0&article=2908&d=22&m=6&y=2001&pix=islam.jpg&category=Islam

[20] He is the scholar from the Followers, ‘Aamir b. Sharāhīl b. ‘Abd Dhī Kibār ash-Sha’bī. Adh-Dhahabī says regarding him in Siyar A’lām an-Nubalā, that "he was from the Followers, and he provided an amazing example with his excellent ability to memorise ḥadīths. He was born, raised, and died in Kufa, Iraq. Born in 19 AH during the Caliphate of ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu) he studied and learned ḥadīths from more than fifty of the Companions including Sād b. Abī Waqqās, ‘Ā'īsha, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu anhum), as well as numerous Followers such as Alqamā. All of which adh-Dhahabi lists by name in his Siyar. His students were also numerous and included Imām Abu Hanīfah. Ash-Sha’bī held a position of great respect and honour in the sight of the scholars. Ibn ‘Uyaynah stated, “The scholars of the people are three: Ibn ‘Abbās in his time, Ash-Sha’bī in his time, and Sufyān ath-Thawrī in his time.” Abul Majliz said, “I have not seen anyone with a better understanding (of the religion) than Ash-Shabī; neither Sa’īd b. Musayyib, nor Tāwūs, nor ’Atā b. Abi Rabāh, nor Al-Hassan Al-Basrī, nor Ibn Sirīn, and I have seen them all.” Ibn Sirīn states, “I visited Kufa and found ash-Sha’bī teaching a lesson attended by a huge number of people (even though) the Companions were still numerous (at that time).”

[21] Al-Mawrid fi ‘Amal al-Mawlid p20-21

[22] Al-Madkhal 2/312

[23] Quoted by Sheikh Muhammad b. Yusuf As-Sālihi Ash-Shāmi in his book Subul al-Hudā war-Rashād fi Sīrati Khayril ‘Ibād 1/439

[24] See 23, 1/441

[25] See 23, 1/441

[26] Iqtidā as-Sirāt al-Mustaqīm p254-295

[27] Qur'ān, Al-Māidah 05:03

[28] Abū Dāwūd and At-Tirmidhī; the ḥadīth is authentic.

An Epic Journey - The Long Awaited Epic!

2011-01-18T19:44:00.001+03:00

Assalamu'alaikum Subscriber

Not so long ago I had my bags packed as I attempted to travel to you all and share with you lessons found in the Book of Allah Almighty in what was to be my historical debut course for AlKauthar...

History was made, but in an unexpected manner, as unfortunately or fortunately an ash cloud over the UK put a temporary hold to all proceedings, as my flight along with many others were cancelled.

The course that I was expected to meet you all at was called 'An Epic Journey - An In Depth Analysis of Surah Yusuf', which harbours the main lesson of explaining the importance of patience!

As I came to accept the fact that I will not be meeting you all, especially since you had all already booked your seats. I took console in the fact that our test was not as difficult as the test of those before us, and that maybe Allah Almighty was actually training ourselves to be patient before learning about the patience of those before as mentioned in the chapter. Ya'kub alayhi salam waited several years to be reunited with his son Yusuf alayhi salam and I could not help but wonder, 'would Allah grant us life to meet each other before the hereafter ?'.

Alhamdulillah after almost one year on, we have managed to re schedule the same course for the 5th & 6th of February in Manchester! And I write to you all from the bottom of my heart requesting you to give me another chance by booking your seat and allowing me the honour to stand in front of you, as you all kindly intended to do last April.

Inshallah the many lessons that can be taken away from such a course will not only be worthwhile but also allow me the opportunit to reconfirm my intention to go way beyond just the story of Yusuf as we discover many of the beautiful wisdoms and benefits that the Surah holds.

In addition, I have prepared over 100 pages of course notes for us to go over in one special weekend as we worship Allah Almighty together- so I humbly ask you all to take this opportunity and join me this February.

And for a visual introduction to the course, please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtNe1qjpKvs

Worshipping Allah Almighty with you all during the February weekend will truly be EPIC for me, and I pray Allah Almighty gathers us in Jannah in the same way He gathers us during the course.

I love you all for the sake of Allah.

Wa alaykum salaam

Sajid Ahmed Umar
Director of Islamic Development
Mercy Mission World

An Epic Journey - The Long Awaited Epic!
An In Depth Analysis Of Surah Yusuf
by Sheikh Sajid Ahmed Umar
Manchester: Sat 5th - Sun 6th February 2011

Dua for the affected!

2011-01-17T00:09:00.001+03:00

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa barakaatuh...

Allah Almighty says:

((Is not He (better than Your gods) who responds to the distressed one, when He calls him (Du'a), and who removes the evil, and makes You inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. is there any Ilâh (God) with Allâh? little is that You remember!)) (27:62)

Dear servant of Allah, and O' Child of Adam...

The greatest and most virtuous form of worship is Du’aa. It is a plea from the very heart of a believer directed towards Allah. It is a confession that emanates from the heart of a believer that he is weak and helpless, that he cannot achieve anything without the Allah’s help and aid.

Du’aa is the noblest act in the sight of Allah; this is recognised in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA) in which the Prophet said, “There is nothing that is nobler in the sight of Allah than Du’aa”.
(Related by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi)

This is due to the fact that Du’a is a means of showing ones poverty and incapability to Allah whilst acknowledging the power and capability of Allah (SAW).

Supplication is obeying Allah. as Allah Almighty states: ((and invoke Him Only making Your Religion sincere to Him)) (7:29)

O' Servants of Allah- The world has seen most recently the power of Allah Almighty in terms of floods in several countries and the eruption of earthquakes- and Allah Almighty is all Wise in all that He decrees. These recent events have affected the lives of thousands.

The question that needs to be addressed is: What is our situation in regards to the suffering of our brethren. Our we complacent given the financial standing and material well-being we enjoy? Do we feel safe from travesty?

As an Ummah which Allah Almighty has declared the best of all nations, it is incumbent upon one and all to stand up and take action. This action dictates personal reform without doubt, but also requires concern from us regarding the affected Ummah.

Our Prophet (SAW) said: ((The example of the believers is like the body, if part of it hurts the rest of it is summoned.)) (Ahmed).

With this, and from the bottom of my heart, I ask one and all to at least supplicate for our affected brothers and sisters. This supplication will not cost us anything and in fact will be a means of our salvation as well.

Ask Allah Almighty from the bottom of your hearts to ease the pain of loss experienced by our brother and sisters and to grant them all a 'BEAUTIFUL PATIENCE'.

This is the beauty of Islam, that from even far away, we are able to assist each other.

I love you for the sake of Allah.

And Allah knows best.

Wa alaykum Salaam wa rah matullahi wa barakaatuh.

Sajid Ahmed Umar

Description of Jannah according to Imam Ibnul-Qayyim Rahimahullah

2011-01-14T18:43:00.003+03:00

Ibn al-Qayyim said regards to the description of the Paradise and the delights that it contains:

"And if you ask about its ground and its soil, then it is of musk and saffron.

And if you ask about its roof, then it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.

And if you ask about its rocks, then they are pearls and jewels.

And if you ask about its buildings, then they are made of bricks of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its trees, then it does not contain a single tree except that its trunk is made of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its fruits, then they are softer than butter and sweeter than honey.

And if you ask about its leaves, then they are softer than the softest cloth.

And if you ask about its rivers, then there are rivers of milk who's taste does not change, and rivers of wine that is delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey that is pure, and rivers of water that is fresh.

And if you ask about their food, then it is fruits from whatever they will choose, and the meat of whatever birds they desire.

And if you ask about their drink, then it is Tasneem, ginger, and Kaafoor.

And if you ask about their drinking cups, then they are crystal-clear and made of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its shade, then a fast rider would ride in the shade of one of its trees for a hundred years and not escape it.

And if you ask about its vastness, then the lowest of its people would have within his kingdom and walls and palaces and gardens the distance that would be travelled in a thousand years.

And if you ask about its tents and encampments, then one tent is like a concealed pearl that is sixty miles long.

And if you ask about its towers, then they are rooms above rooms in buildings that have rivers running underneath them.

And if you ask about how far it reaches into the sky, then look at the shining star that is visible, as well as those that are far in the heavens that the eyesight cannot possibly reach.

And if you ask about the clothing of its inhabitants, then they are of silk and gold.

And if you ask about its beds, then its blankets are of the finest silk laid out in the highest of its levels.

And if you ask about the faces of its inhabitants and their beauty, then they are like the image of the Moon.

And if you ask about their age, then they are young ones of 33 years in the image of Adam, the father of humanity.

And if you ask about what they will be hearing, then it is the singing of their wives from among the Hoor al-'Ayn, and better than that are the voices of the Angels and the Prophets, and better than that is the Speech of the Lord of the Worlds.

And if you ask about their servants, then they are young boys of everlasting youth who resemble scattered pearls.

And if you ask about their brides and wives, then they are young and (matured) and have had the liquid of youth flow through their limbs; the Sun runs along the beauty of her face if she shows it, light shines from between her teeth if she smiles; if you meet her love, then say whatever you want regarding the joining of two lights; he sees his face in the roundness of her cheek as if he is looking into a polished mirror, and he sees the brightness from behind her muscles and bones; if she were to be unleashed upon the World, she would fill what is between the Heavens and the Earth with a beautiful wind, and the mouths of the creation would glorifiy, praise, and exclaim greatness, and everything between the East and the West would be adorned for her, and every eye would be shut from everthing but her, and the light of the Sun would be outshone just as the light of the Sun outshines the light of the stars, and everyone on the face of the Earth would believe in the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains and Protects all the exists.

And the covering on her head is better than the World and all that is in it, and she does not increase with age except in beauty; free from saliva, urine and other filthy things; her youth never fades, her clothing is never worn out, no garment can be created that matches her beauty, and no one who is with her can ever become bored; her attention is restricted to her husband, so she desires none but him, just as his attention is restricted to her so she is the sole object of his desire, and he is with her in utmost safety and security, as none has touched her before of either humans or Jinn.

And if you ask about the Day of Increase (in reward) and the visit of the all-Mighty, all-Wise, and the sight of His Face - free from any resemblance or likeness to anything - as you see the Sun in the middle of the day and the full Moon on a cloudless night, then listen on the day that the caller will call: 'O People of Paradise! Your Lord - Blessed and Exalted - requests you to visit Him, so come to visit Him!' So they will say: 'We hear and obey!'

Until, when they finally reach the wide valley where they will all meet - and none of them will turn down the request of the caller - the Lord - Blessed and Exalted - will order His Chair to be brought there. Then, pulpits of light will emerge, as well as pulpits of pearls, gemstone, gold, and silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk, and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them are given. When they are comfortable where they are sitting and are secure in their places, and the caller calls: 'O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allaah in which He wishes to reward you!' So they will say: 'And what is that reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and pushed us away from the Fire?'

And when they are like that, all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So, they raise their heads, and, behold: the Compeller - Exalted is He, and Holy are His Names - has come to them from above them and majestified them and said: 'O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you!' So, this greeting will not be responded to with anything better than: 'O Allaah! You are Peace, and from You is Peace! Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor!' So the Lord - Blessed and Exalted - will laugh to them and say: 'O People of Paradise! Where are those who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!'

So, they will all give the same response: 'We are pleased, so be pleased with us!' So, He will say: 'O People of Paradise! If I were not pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabitants of My Paradise! So, ask of Me!' So, they will all give the same response: 'Show us your Face so that we may look at it!' So, the Lord - Mighty and Majestic - will remove his covering and will majestify them and will cover them with His Light, which, if Allaah - the Exalted - had not Willed not to burn them, would have burned them.

And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except that his Lord - the Exalted - will speak to him and say: 'Do you remember the day that you did this and that?'and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in the Worldy life, so he will say: 'O Lord! Will you not forgive me?' So, He will say: 'Of course! You have not reached this position of yours (in Paradise) except by my forgiveness.'

So, how sweet is this speech to the ears, and how cooled are the righteous eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Afterlife...

{Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, l ooking at their Lord...} (al-Qiyaamah:22-3)

The lifestyles of the Ulama have to be distinguished from the awaam (general masses)

2011-01-14T11:05:00.000+03:00

Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (rahmatullahi alaih) once mentioned regarding Muslim 'leaders:
“Our lives have to be distinguished from the lives of the general public. Onlookers should be able to fully understand that these people (Ulamaa) are not seekers of the world, and wealth and riches are not their goal in life. Our work should be only for the sake of Allah Ta`ala as was the way of our (pious predecessors). As long as a marked difference does not appear in the akhlaaq of our Ulama fraternity and they do not instill within themselves the quality of serving others, they will not be able to influence others nor will they be respected. They will not be able to implant within the minds of others the respect and honour for Deen. The respect of the Ulamaa will never be created by reporting the size of the 'madrasahs' they run and the large number of students studying under them. Rather, the honour for Ulama is created by the way they portray themselves. When the general public notice that these Ulama consider it as taboo to lay their hands on that which they the general public will sacrifice their lives for (i.e. the material possessions etc.), nor do they show any concern for it, they will eventually say to themselves that we thought that riches were the ultimate in life but, in the eyes of the Ulama riches hold no weight.” (Tuhfat-ul-A’immah, p. 77)

The virtue of fasting ‘Ashoora’

2010-12-15T10:27:00.002+03:00

The virtue of fasting ‘Ashoora’

An answer by a Saudi Sheikh to an important question.

Q. I heard that fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ expiates for the past year, is this true?
Does it expiate for everything, even major sins? What is the reason for venerating this day?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

Fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ does expiate for the past year, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Fasting the day of ‘Arafah I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” Narrated by Muslim, 1162. This is by the bounty that Allah bestows upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole year. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to be very keen to make sure he fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ because of its great status. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so keen to make sure he fasted any day and preferring it over another except this day, the day of ‘Ashoora’, and this month – meaning Ramadan. Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1867.

What is meant by being keen to make sure he fasted it is so as to earn its reward.

Secondly:

With regard to the reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fasted on the day of ‘Ashoora’ and urged the people to do likewise is mentioned in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashoora’. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He said, “We have closer to Moosa than you.” So he fasted on this day and told the people to fast.

The words “this is a good day” – according to a version narrated by Muslim, “This is a great day when Allah saved Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”

The words “so Moosa fasted on this day” – Muslim added in his report: “In gratitude to Allah, so that is we fast on this day.”

According to another version narrated by al-Bukhari, “So we fast it out of respect for it.”

The words “and told the people to fast” – according to another version narrated by al-Bukhari, “He said to his companions, ‘You are closer to Moosa than them, so fast this day.”

Thirdly:

The expiation of sins that is achieved by fasting ‘Ashoora’ refers to minor sins; with regard to major sins, they need separate repentance.

Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah expiates for all minor sins, in other words this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins.

Then he said:

Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah is an expiation for two years, and the day of ‘Ashoora is an expiation for one year, and if a person’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven… Each of the things mentioned may bring expiation. If he does something that expiates for minor sins he will be expiated, and if there are no minor or major sins, it will be recorded for him as good deeds and he will rise in status thereby… If there is one or more major sins and no minor sins, we hope that it will reduce his major sins. Al-Majmoo’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, part 6.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The expiation of purification, prayer, and fasting Ramadan, ‘Arafah and ‘Ashoora’ applies to minor sins only. Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5.

The end of a year...

2010-12-10T00:09:00.000+03:00

Allah Almighty inspired the placement of the Hijri calender during the reign of Umar ibn alKhattaab- as our Islamic year has come to an end and our appointment with death is a year closer! The words of Allah Almighty stand highlighted:

((O You who believe! fear Allâh and keep Your duty to Him. and let Every person look to what He has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what You do.))

Last Days of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

2010-12-10T00:05:00.001+03:00

Zain-ud-din Abdur-Rahman relates that after completing 80 recitals of the Qur’aan, Ibn Taymiyyah started it all over again with him. However, when he reached the closing verses of Surah Al-Qamar – “Lo! The righteous will dwell among gardens and rivers firmly established in the favour of a Mighty King” – he expressed his desire to continue the recital further with Abdullah ibn Muhib and his brother Abdullah az-Zara’ee. These brothers were both pious and pure of heart, and their recital pleased Ibn Taymiyyah very much. He did not, however, complete this recital of the Qur’aan before the knell summoning him to heaven was sounded.

The Shaikh had been indisposed for a few days when the Governor of Damascus called upon him. At his request to pardon him for the inconvenience caused on his account, Ibn Taymiyyah replied: “I have already forgiven you and all those persons who have been hostile to me. They knew not that I was in the right. I bear no malice nor have I any grievance against the King for putting me in jail at the instance of the theologians. He did not do it of his own accord and is free from all responsibility in this regard. I have pardoned every man in this affair except those who are enemies of God and His Prophet.”

Ibn Taymiyyah was taken ill 22 days before his death. His health gradually deteriorated till the journey’s end drew near on the night of the 22nd of Dhul-Qa’da, 728 A.H., when he quit the world aged 67 years. “Everyone that is thereon will pass away there remained but the countenance of thy Lord of Might and Glory”. (ar-Rahman 55:26-27)

The crier of the Citadel Mosque announced Ibn Taymiyyah’s death from the minaret. In turn, this was repeated by the guards in the turrets and before long the news has spread like wildfire throughout the whole city. The gates of the fort were thrown open to allow wave after wave of teeming crowds to come and pay their last homage to their departed teacher. With tears brimming in their eyes, many of them kissed the forehead that frequently remained prostrated before the Lord.

The bier was brought to the Ummayad Mosque for the funeral service. The thronging crowd which was getting stronger every moment was so great that the soldiers has to force their way through, carrying the bier with great difficulty. With this vast multitude jostling and pushing to get near the bier many lost their shoes. At last the procession reached Suq al-Khalil where another funeral service was led by Ibn Taymiyyah’s younger brother Zain-ud-din Abdur-Rahman. After the service, Ibn Taymiyyah was laid to rest in Maqbarat-us-Sufiyah (1) by the side of his brother, Sharaf-ud-din Abdullah. It is estimated that some 60,000 to 100,000 persons of which at least 15,000 were women joined the funeral procession. (2)

In several Islamic countries lying to the south and east of Syria funeral services were held in absentia for Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Rajab, a chronicler who write Tabalaqat-ul-Hanabilah, says that funeral services were also held in several nearer and far-off lands like Yemen and China. “The funeral service of an expositor of the Qur’aan will now be held,” was the announcement made after Friday Prayuers in a far-off city according to travellers returning from China.

by Shaykh Sayyed Abu’l Hasan Ali an-Nadwi

from Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Life and Achievements

Published by UK Islamic Academy

Little Explorers Islamic Children's Magazine

2010-11-10T19:15:00.001+03:00

Little Explorers Magazine International

PO Box 1348, Bradford, BD5 5DN,UK

www.littleexplorersmagazine.co.uk

Little Explorers Islamic Children's Magazine

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh,

Dear parents of our Little Explorers,

Allah Almighty has blessed us with a religion whose cornerstone is `Iqra` (Read) and whose instrument is the pen. Allah says,

"Read! In the Name of Your Lord, who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot. Read! and Your Lord is the Most Generous, who has taught by the pen "(96:1-5)

Allah Almighty has set the goal of every parent to raise righteous and responsible Muslims. In fact, He has made all tasks in this noble venture an `Ibaadah` (act of worship). The most effective way of achieving this goal is through granting our children a true Islamic educational experience.

Many parents desire the attainment of this worthy aspiration, yet fall short in accomplishing it. This is due to, in most cases, an improper balance being struck between the emphasis placed in achieving tertiary educational success and the attainment of proficient Islamic founding and understanding due to the lack of suitable resources specialising in the development of young Muslim minds.

Mercy Mission recognises your dilemma and has thus produced a ground breaking concept that complements your role as a parent called 'Little Explorers. Little Explorers is a bi-monthly magazine that provides a new generation for learning which is appealing to your creative and ingenious child.

As an enthusiastic fan of this initiative I urge all of you to subscribe and get involved. Make sure you live the Little Explorers experience before hearing about it from others.

As an added incentive in achieving our vision of helping you to help others, we are pleased to announce a special Eid promotion for you take advantage of. You will not be disappointed Inshallah.

May Allah Almighty grant you and your children success in both worlds. Ameen.

Wasalaamu 'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh

Sajid Ahmed Umar

Director of Islamic Development

Mercy Mission World

** 15% off all subscriptions until Eid. **

Little Explorers Magazine wants to make Eid Special:

As Eid fast approaches us and we all search for our gifts and clothes and all the other things we need to make the day of Eid special for our little gems, we at Little Explorers want to add an extra spark to your Eid and offer you 15% off all subscriptions for a limited time only.

YES that's 15% discount on all subscriptions.

Little Explorers Magazine wants to make Eid Special:

Why not subscribe to the magazine as a Eid Gift Subscription. You will just be in time for the Hajj issue and bring smiles to many faces. All you have to do is subscribe online and we will inshallah send your gift direct to the people you have subscribed for and you also benefit from the discount.

What you said

Umm Imran Sumaiya: "Today I have received your beautiful magazine. Mashallah I'm impressed by the quality. My son is only two and a half years old and my daughter is 15 months but they enjoyed flipping through the magazine! I love the way you did the images mashallah! I hope you will have more articles and activities such as puzzles, colouring pages insha-Allah. Jazakallah khairan for your efforts! I am glad that I have subscribed alhamdulillah! May Allah swt reward you and the team behind this wonderful project, ameen."

Saraya Hussain: "Awww my little one got her magazine today after reading it for a little while she said "Umm I'm gonna smile at everyone today coz in my magazine it says even smilin is giving charity" Then she smiled at me the biggest smile she could!!!"

Nalini Naidoo: "I got it :) looks amazing, really informative, even for me! let alone my kids!"

Little Explorers Islamic Children's Magazine

2010-11-03T21:00:00.005+03:00

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh,

“Every one of you is a guardian and responsible for what is in his custody” (Bukharee 3/592)

Dear parents of our little explorers,

Allah Almighty has blessed us with a religion whose cornerstone is `Iqraa` (Read) and whose instrument is the pen. Allah says,

{{Read! In the Name of Your Lord, who has created (all that exists), has created man from a clot. Read! and Your Lord is the Most Generous, who has taught by the pen}} (96:1-5)

Many parents desire the attainment of this worthy aspiration, yet fall short in accomplishing it. This is due, in most cases, to an improper balance being struck between the emphasis placed in achieving tertiary educational success and the attainment of proficient Islamic founding and understanding due to the lack of suitable resources specialising in the development of young Muslim minds.

Mercy Mission recognises your dilemma and has thus produced a ground breaking concept that complements your role as a parent called ‘Little explorers’. Little explorers is a bi-monthly magazine that provides a new generation for learning which is appealing to your creative and ingenious child.

As an enthusiastic fan of this initiative I urge all of you to subscribe and get involved. Make sure you live the ‘Little explorers’ experience before hearing about it from others.

As an added incentive in achieving our vision of helping you to help others, we are pleased to announce a special Eid promotion for you take advantage of. You will not be disappointed Inshallah.

Subscribe NOW! http://www.littleexplorersmagazine.co.uk/

May Allah Almighty grant you and your children success in both worlds. Ameen.

Was salaamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu

Sajid Ahmed Umar (B.A (Hons) Shariah – Al Imam University, Riyadh K.S.A)

Director of Islamic Development – Mercy Mission World

Lecturer and Project Manager - Knowledge International University

Free Online Hajj Course with Knowledge International University

2010-10-21T09:00:00.005+03:00

جامعة المعرفة العالمية
Knowledge International University
Presents

A Comprehensive Explanation of ‘The Book of Hajj’ from Manhaj AsSaalikeen – Way of the Travelers.

The online course will be delivered by the esteemed Sheikh Dr. Saad bin Nassir ash-Shethry, founder of KIU and former member of the ‘Council of Senior Scholars’ Saudi Arabia.

The University is pleased to announce that this course will be made freely available to all participants. Furthermore, all registering students will be provided with translated course material and the opportunity to take an exam at the end of the course to help measure their level of understanding.

If you are a first time visitor and would like to register for this course, please click here to access the registration form.

All registered students who have not yet accessed the student portal, please proceed to do so now by using the username and password that was sent to you via email. Please use the login option located on the left. Alternatively, click here to be redirected to the portal. Once inside the portal please ensure to enrol yourself onto the course by selecting the enrol option.

About the Book

Manhaj asSaalikeen (The way of the traveller). A condensed fiqh treatise authored by the noble, respected sheikh, Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir asSa'diy, 1307AH- 1376AH (May Allah have mercy upon him).

About the Author

He is Abu Abd Allah, Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir ibn Abd Allah ibn Naasir ibn Hamd Aal Sa'diy, from the tribe of Bani Tameem. Sheikh asSa'diy was born on the 12th of Muharram 1307AH. Despite losing his parents at a young age; the sheikh experienced a noble upbringing, having memorised the Qur'aan before reaching the age of 12. He was blessed with the opportunity to seek knowledge under the most renowned scholars during his time, and later became a great scholar himself. From amongst his many students are, Sheikh Muhammed ibn Saalih alUthaimeen, Sheikh Abd Allah ibn Abdur-Rahmaan alBassaam and Sheikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Muhammed asSalmaan.

The esteemed sheikh (May Allah have mercy upon him) also authored several books dealing with the various Islamic sciences, including the famous book explaining the verses of the Qur'aan, called: 'Tayseer alKareem arRahmaan fee Tafseer kalaam alManaan', which he completed before the age of forty.

On the 23/6/1376AH the Ummah lost a great scholar with the passing of Sheikh asSa'diy in the city of 'Unayzah, Saudi Arabia. On that day crowds, of capacities never witnessed before in 'Unayzah, gathered for the funeral prayer that preceded his burial. (May Allah have mercy upon him).

About the Lecturer

The esteemed Sheikh, Dr. Sa'd ibn Naasir ash-Shithry. He is the founder of Knowledge International University, and former member of the 'Council of Senior Ulamaa'' Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Sa'd holds a doctorate in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence Methodology. He is also the author of several books explaining intricate topics found in the various Islamic Sciences, and has revised, authenticated, and explained a large number of texts. His presence and calibre in the field of Da'wah and Islamic education is experienced across the globe.

About the translator

Abu Abd Allah, Sajid Ahmed Umar. Graduate from the Faculty of Shariah, Imam Muhammed bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh.

Who this Course is for?

The course has been carefully developed to accommodate English speaking Muslim students of all levels. Any Muslim interested in enhancing their understanding of Hajj as found in the books of Fiqh is encouraged to join. This series is also for those who seek a rare opportunity to interact live with Sheikh Dr. Sa'd ash-Shethry, who is a renowned scholar, and a senior authority especially in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence.

How does it work?

The course will be provided through 4 online lecture sessions. All sessions will be in audio format and will be broadcast live over the Internet through a virtual classroom. Each session will be conducted in Arabic/English and will last approximately 60 minutes including time for questions and answers.

The virtual classroom is provided through Elluminate software and is freely available. The process to enter a classroom is easy and automated. A simple click on the hyperlink provided for each session will initiate the client software and redirect the participant to the classroom automatically.

Please review the Elluminate software pre-requisites at the bottom prior to joining a session.

Registration and Deadline

The registration process is simple and easy to follow. Please click here to access the registration form. Participants who submit their registration form before the deadline will receive an email with their student login credentials allowing them entry into the student portal.

Registration will remain open until the end of the lecture series. Please do register and encourage others to register also so that everyone may benefit from this series.

Exam Structure

All registered students will have the option to take an exam at the end of the course. The exam will consist of 15 questions covering the topics discussed in the lecture sessions as well as the course material.

The exam will be conducted online through the student portal.

Please do take the time to sit the exam. It has been prepared for your benefit.

Course Schedule

The course will be provided through 4 lecture sessions across 4 consecutive days starting from Thursday 28th October through to Sunday 31st October. The course will begin at 6:00PM Saudi time (4:00PM UK time) every day.

Date Time Session Title Session Link

28-10-2010 6:00PM-7:00PM Session One Session Link

29-10-2010 6:00PM-7:00PM Session Two Session Link

30-10-2010 6:00PM-7:00PM Session Three Session Link

31-10-2010 6:00PM-7:00PM Session Four Session Link

No email with username and password

If you have not yet received your username & password, please check your spam/junk folder to ensure the email has not been re-directed there. Otherwise if you wish to have the details re-sent to you please click here and provide your email address.

In the event you do not receive your login details before the start of the course, a link to the session will be provided at the top of this page.

Prerequisites for joining an Elluminate Live! session

To ensure the best experience with Elluminate Live!, you are recommended to pre-configure your computer prior to your session.

Ensure that:

Your computer satisfies the minimum system requirements

You are using the computer on which you will attend your Elluminate Live! session.

Your computer connected to the Internet and has a stable connection.

You have a microphone, speakers or headset to take full advantage of the audio capabilities during the session. .

You have reviewed the steps outlined on the Elluminate Support page.

If you would like to learn more about Elluminate Live!, you can access several resources on theElluminate Training page as well as the Technical Support Knowledge Base.

http://kiu.org/website

Pearl of Wisdom (2nd night Ramadaan 2010)

2010-08-18T16:33:00.001+03:00

Assalaamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh,

I pray this note finds you all to be in the best of health and highest of Islamic spirits.

Alhamdulillah, during the second night of Ramadaan our journey through Surah alBaqarah continued as we witnessed the magnanimity of our Shariah.

Soorah alBaqarah is a chapter of several virtues. Abu Hurairah reported our Prophet (SAW) to have said, "Do not make your houses graveyards. The devil flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqara is recited." [Muslim], It was also reported on the authority of Ibn Masud that our Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever recited the last two verses of Suratul Baqarah at night, they will be sufficient for him.” [Bukhari].

During the second evening, over and above being educated about our Islamic Belief, we learnt about our Qiblah, the rights of Allah, the rights of man, the method of living and the principles of social interaction. It also outlines laws pertaining to Salaah, Zakaah, Hajj, charity, social welfare, mutual consultation, marriage, divorce, Iddah (waiting period after a woman is divorced or widowed), bequests, commercial etiquettes, loans, capital punishment and penalties, and the nursing of our young, amongst the several other lessons present!

It comes as NO surprise that Umar (RA) spent years studying the chapter of alBaqarah paving his way towards becoming one of the most prolific governors the world has ever witnessed.

Before logging off I would like to turn your attention towards the importance of Salaah, from an abstract perspective, since the second Juz begins with verses dedicated to our Qiblah.

The importance of Salaah is a topic well known to us all, Alhamdulillah- thus the essence of the next few sentences will not detail that already widely understood.

I instead would like to draw your attention towards our physical activities during the observance of our Salaah. Those who think deeply will come to realise that our Salaah is an actual physical trainer of our ethics, character and conduct...Alhamdulillah.

A magnified look at our actions during Salaah would make manifest that our Salaah teaches us-

The importance of having a direction in life -as It is a condition for the acceptance of one's obligatory Salaah that it is observed whilst facing the Qiblah. A life without direction is recipe for disaster in both worlds, and Allah Almighty trains us five times a day to ensure successful navigation.
Unity- as offering the obligatory Salaah in congregation is an obligation upon all qualifying males. Further recognition of this is manifest in the Jumu'ah and Eid prayer. ‘The Prophet (SAW)said, "The salah in congregation is twenty – five times superior in degrees to the salah offered by a person alone." ‘[in some ahadith twenty – seven] (Bukhari)
Equality- as our beloved Prophet (SAW) always ensured the rows being straight without an iota of presidence being given to a 'royal' over a 'peasant'. Our Prophet (SAW) said: ‘keep straight, don’t be irregular for there would be disagreement in your hearts.’ [Muslim].
Closeness- Abd Allah bin Umar (RA) reported that our Prophet (SAW) said, ‘set the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, and do not leave openings for the devil. If anyone joins up a row, Allah will join him up, but if anyone beaks a row, Allah will cut him off.’ [Abu Dawood].
To be a good follower of successful leadership- During our Salaah behind the Imaam, we are obliged to act in accordance with his instruction. It is totally impermissible to act out ahead of the Imaam. This same rule applies to us in our daily lives today. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah’, none of us would then bend our backs [to start prostrating] until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went down into prostration, then we would go down into prostration after him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 690; Muslim, 474.
Uniformity and synchronisation- Our Salaah trains us daily how to be a successful team player, since we bow, prostrate and observe the salaah together in synch!
Not to speak over the voice of another- Those who deliberate will come to learn this from the way we say out aloud 'Ameen' during our Salaah. A believer patiently waits for the Imaam to complete his recitation of alFaatiha before reciting the Ameen.

This is a mere tip of the ice-burg, and one cannot help but say:

"Allahumma lakalHamd" - "All praise is due to Allah."

May Allah Almighty grant us the understanding.

And Allah knows best.

I love you all for the sake of Allah, and until my next post,

Was salamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

Abu Abd Allah, Sajid Umar.

1st night Taraweeh (alFaatiha and 1st Juz)

2010-08-17T17:32:00.003+03:00

Assalaamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh

To help us with our Qur'aanic journey, I would like to share when ever possible short pearls from some of our taraweeh prayers during this Ramadaan.

On the first evening, we started off with alFaatiha.

Alfaatiha for those who ponder, has the essence of the entire Qur'aan inbuilt within it.

We have the manifestation of all the categories of Tawheed present!

Tawheed arRuboobiyyah in the verse (Maaliki yawmid deen),

Tawheed alUloohiyya in the verse (Iyyaka na'budu waiyyakanastaeen),

and Tawheed alAsmaa' was Sifaat in the verse (arRahmaanir Raheem).

Allah Almighty also teaches us the importance of practising upon the knowledge we have! for in alFaatiha, we seek refuge in Allah from being amongst those that earned Allah's anger!

The Ulamaa explain to us that this verse actually references the Jews, for they had knowledge,but ceased to practice upon it.

We also learn in this chapter the importance of only worshipping Allah upon knowledge and insight, as, in alFaatiha, we seek refuge in Allah from being amongst the misguided!

The Ulamaa teach us that this portion references the Christians, for they worshipped Allah without any evidence to substantiate their ways.

May Allah Almighty save us all.

As a point of note, some of the salaf have written volumes based on just one verse from Soorah alFaatiha. This should make us understand how deep and comprehensive the verses of alQur'aan are, and how we will never cease to stop learning from any verse in Allah Almighty's book, despite our repetition of any particular verse.

With regards to Soorah alBaqarah;;;

There are no words or sentences that can do justice in summarising it!

It is enough for us to know that Umar (RA) spent 10 years studying alBaqarah!! Subhanallah.

However, with regards to the portion recited on the night; Allah teaches us about:

the types of people out there...

The believers! as in verses 3-5.
The disbelievers! as in verses 6-7
The hypocrites!!, as in verses 8-13.

the beginning of Adam (AS), and the reality of our enemy 'Shaitaan'.
how gracious Allah Almighty was to the Jews, and how stubborn and ungrateful they were.
Ibrahim (AS), his sincere worship, his building of the Ka'bah and the supplications he observed.
the reality of every message and every messenger that visited their nations.

May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to give due cognisance to the gracious lessons present in His book. Ameen.

Until my next post...I leave you with the following question:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Why did Allah Almighty dedicate so many more verses when discussing the hypocrites??

_________________________________________________________________________

I love you all for the sake of Allah.

Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wa barakaatuh.

Abu Abd Allah, Sajid Umar

Catch me Live on Radio Islam every Sunday evening in Ramadaan (2010)

2010-08-14T13:58:00.004+03:00

Assalamualaikum all,

Insha Allah I will be on Radio/Sattelitte Islam tomorrow (Sunday) and every Sunday in Ramadaan at 9.30 AM (South African time) (10.30 AM Makkah Time) live from Riyadh K.S.A.

We will be discussing 'The Prophet of Mercy' and you can listen into the broadcast via the internet.

For access to the website please copy and paste the following link to your web browser:

http://radioislam.orgza.info/a/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=69

I advise you select 'winamp' after clicking the 'NOW ON AIR' tab to hear the broadcast smoothly.

'Winamp' can be accessed by clicking the little 'yellow lightning bolt' in the list of audio players offered.

For those that have DStv; you may access the broadcast via your decoders 'audio bouquet'.

The programme will be open to listener participation, so please don't feel shy to call in with your valuable input.

May Allah Almighty assist us especially during this month of Qur'aan,worship and Mercy...Ameen.

Ensure O' servant of Allah that your worship is above par!

And Allah knows best.

Wa alaykum salaam.

Abu Abd Allah, Sajid Umar.

Tarawih Recitation: A Message to all Imams

2010-08-12T13:18:00.001+03:00

Shaykh Haitham al-Haddad, Islam21c

Imāms should respect the Qur’ān when leading the Tarāwīḥ Prayer

All praises be to Allah and may the blessings and salutation be upon his messenger Muhammad.

This divine writ was not revealed to be a book of hymns for aural enjoyment, but instead as a book of guidance, for Allāh says in the Qur’ān, “(This is) a Book (the Qur’ān) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember.”[1] As the Qur’ān is the unique and inimitable speech of Allāh, reciting it is a tremendous act of worship. However, its reward and comprehensive benefit can only be achieved once we put into practice what we understand. In fact, not putting enough attention to understanding the Qur’ān is condemned as Allāh the Most High says, “Do they not then think deeply about the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon their hearts (from understanding it?)”[2] Many early scholars also condemned those who read the Qur’ān without putting enough effort into understanding it, for example, it is narrated from Ibn Masʽūd that he said, “Do not scatter it (i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān) like the scattering of cheap dates, and do not ramble with it like the rambling of poetry. Stop at its marvels and stir your heart with it. None of you should let his concern be to reach the end of the chapter.”[3]

The Prophet used to read in a very slow style and stop at verses that mention paradise or the hell fire. Once he repeated the verse where Allāh says ‘If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise’[4] for the whole night.[5] Muhammad Ibn al-Kaʽb al-Quraẓῑ (d. 120H) preferred to read Sūrah al-Zalzalah and al-Qāriʽah and repeat them a number of times over reading the whole Qur’ān in a very hasty way. Imām Abū Ḥanῑfah once kept repeating Sūrah al-Zalzalah for the whole night.

Many of our acts of worship (ʽibādāt) have lost their spirit and have been transformed into meaningless ritual images where the focus is on completing them irrespective of whether they leave an impact on our souls or not and if they were perfected or at least performed in a truly satisfactory manner. That is why our worship does not change us for the better; our commitment to the dīn (religion/way of life) of Allāh is very weak and our willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Allāh is even more so – our morals and manners are not improving. Many of us want to be rid of the Tarāwīḥ prayer, no matter how it is offered. Humility, tranquility and reflection are insignificant elements for such Muslims. This is the opposite of what Allāh wants from us; we have removed the very elements from our acts of worship that have been purposely placed there to better us and focus instead on quantity rather quality – for those of us who have any focus at all.

I ask Allah to guide us all to follow His Book and the Sunnah of his Messenger and to pardon our shortcomings for He is the Oft-Forgiving Oft-Pardoning.

Notes:

Source: www.islam21c.com

[1]Sūrah Ṣād, 38:29
[2]Sūrah Muḥammad, 47:24
[3]Reported in various places such as Akhlāq Ḥamalah al-Qurʽān by al-Ājurrῑ and al-Baghawῑ in his Tafsῑr.
[4]Sūrah al-Mā’idah, 5:118
[5]Reported by Ibn Abī Shaybah and Aḥmad in his Musnad.

Free Online Summer Fiqh Course with Knowledge International University

2010-07-12T16:53:00.005+03:00

جامعة المعرفة العالمية
Knowledge International University
Presents

A Comprehensive explanation of the "Book of Worship" from Imam As-Sa'di's "Manhaj As-Saalikeen".

An excellent FREE and essential online course open to all.

The University is pleased to announce that this course will be made freely available to all participants. Furthermore, all registering students will be provided with translated course material and the opportunity to sit a series of examinations. Successful students will receive a KIU course certification. Registration is also free of charge.

Taught by the esteemed Sheikh, Dr Sa'ad Ash-Shithry, founder of the KIU and former member of Saudi Arabia's Council of Senior Scholars.
Translated live into English by brother Abu 'Abdillah, Sajid Ahmed 'Umar, graduate from the Faculty of Shari'ah, Imam Muhammad bin Sa'ud Islamic University, Riyadh

About the Book

Manhaj asSaalikeen (The way of the traveller). A condensed fiqh treatise authored by the noble, respected sheikh, Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir asSa'diy, 1307AH- 1376AH (May Allah have mercy upon him).

About the Author

He is Abu Abd Allah, Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir ibn Abd Allah ibn Naasir ibn Hamd Aal Sa'diy, from the tribe of Bani Tameem. Sheikh asSa'diy was born on the 12th of Muharram 1307AH. Despite losing his parents at a young age; the sheikh experienced a noble upbringing, having memorised the Qur'aan before reaching the age of 12. He was blessed with the opportunity to seek knowledge under the most renowned scholars during his time, and later became a great scholar himself. From amongst his many students are, Sheikh Muhammed ibn Saalih alUthaimeen, Sheikh Abd Allah ibn Abdur-Rahmaan alBassaam and Sheikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Muhammed asSalmaan.

The esteemed sheikh (May Allah have mercy upon him) also authored several books dealing with the various Islamic sciences, including the famous book explaining the verses of the Qur'aan, called: 'Tayseer alKareem arRahmaan fee Tafseer kalaam alManaan', which he completed before the age of forty.

On the 23/6/1376AH the Ummah lost a great scholar with the passing of Sheikh asSa'diy in the city of 'Unayzah, Saudi Arabia. On that day crowds, of capacities never witnessed before in 'Unayzah, gathered for the funeral prayer that preceded his burial. (May Allah have mercy upon him).

About the Lecturer

The esteemed Sheikh, Dr. Sa'd ibn Naasir ash-Shithry. He is the founder of Knowledge International University, and former member of the 'Council of Senior Ulamaa'' Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Sa'd holds a doctorate in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence Methodology. He is also the author of several books explaining intricate topics found in the various Islamic Sciences, and has revised, authenticated, and explained a large number of texts. His presence and calibre in the field of Da'wah and Islamic education is experienced across the globe.

About the Translator

Abu Abd Allah, Sajid Ahmed Umar. Graduate from the Faculty of Shariah, Imam Muhammed bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh.

Who this Course is for?

The course has been carefully developed to accommodate English speaking Muslim students of all levels. Any Muslim interested in enhancing their understanding of the Chapter of worship found in the books of Fiqh, which include- 'The book of Tahaarah (purity), book of Salaah, Book of Siyaam (Fasting), book of Zakaah and the book of Hajj is encouraged to join. This series is also for those who seek a rare opportunity to interact live with Sheikh Dr. Sa'd ash-Shethry, who is a renowned scholar, and a senior authority especially in the field of Islamic Jurisprudence.

Registration and Deadline

The registration process is simple and easy to follow. Please visit (www.kiu.org/website) to access the registration form. Participants who submit their registration form before the deadline will receive an email with their student login credentials allowing them entry into the student portal. Please be sure to check your spam/junk mail, in case our automated message is redirected upon arrival by your applet. The deadline for registering onto this course is Wednesday 21st of July, 2010.

Exam Structure and Certification

All registered students will have the option to take exam weekly consisting of 15 questions covering the sessions of that week. At the end of the course there will be a final exam covering the whole course.

The exams will be conducted online through the student portal.

Students who sit and successfully pass all the exams will receive a digital certificate signed by the University.

The required pass mark to receive the certificate is 60%

Course Schedule

The course will be provided through 12 lecture sessions across 4 weekends, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please review the timetable below. All scheduled times are stated in Riyadh time (GMT+3).

Current time in Saudi Arabia:
6:18:51 P.M.

Date Time Session Title

16-07-2010 5:00PM-6:30PM Session One
17-07-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Two
18-07-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Three

23-07-2010 5:00PM-6:30PM Session Four
24-07-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Five
25-07-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Six

30-07-2010 5:00PM-6:30PM Session Seven
31-07-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Eight
01-08-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Nine

06-08-2010 5:00PM-6:30PM Session Ten
07-08-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Eleven
07-08-2010 2:00PM-3:30PM Session Twelve

For more information and to register free for this online course, please visit:
http://www.kiu.org/website

PLEASE PASS ON THIS EMAIL

K.I.U did not invent on-line education, We just 'sanctified' it!

Sha’bân: The Neglected Month

2010-07-04T15:29:00.002+03:00

Since Sh'baan is only a few days away; I present to you all this informative piece by

Abu Eesa Niamatullah.

....................................................

One would agree that from the most unfortunate things possible is to be the rightful recipient of some good news – a present maybe, a gift of money, a bequest etc – but then one remains unaware of this fact, or doesn’t pay attention to all the phone calls informing him of such glad tidings.

So there’s your present waiting for you, and you’re not really aware to its full worth or value – no-one else is going to claim it on your behalf and if you knew its real significance, you’d never leave it to waste!

Yet the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told us, as narrated by al-Imâm al-Bayhaqî, that:

“Sha’bân is a month between Rajab and Ramadhân, much neglected by people. In it, the actions of all servants are raised to the Lord of the Worlds; I love that my actions are not presented except that I am fasting.”

Here is a man, the wisest and most eager of creation to obtain all possible good, who saw this blessed month of Sha’bân very differently to many of us. He, peace be upon him, would never leave it to waste, rather he would be seen fasting almost the entire month of Sha’bân, only ever surpassed by the fasting of the whole of Ramadhân.

So why exactly is that?

There are numerous authentic reports that detail how the majority of Sha’bân was spent by our beloved Prophet in a state of fasting; a state which heightens our God-consciousness, makes us aware of our desires and the need for their control, makes us aware of the problems and difficulties of so many poor people around the world when we feel those pangs of hunger. The fasting one becomes very mindful of their tongue and how they abuse by it, their eyes and how they deviate from purity, their hearts and how much filth enters it without wilful control.

All in all, there is nothing more conducive to sincerely worshipping our Master, the Lord of the Worlds than doing so whilst fasting.

But doesn’t that occur whenever someone is fasting? Why then the month of Sha’bân?

With Ramadhân just around the corner, where many of us really do ‘make it or break it’ for the rest of the year due to the quality of our ‘ibâdah (worship) in it, it becomes paramount to prepare properly for this once in a lifetime opportunity. After all, do you know whether you’ll ever be lucky enough to greet another one? Weren’t the Sahâbah (Companions) described by Ma’lâ bin Fadhl as those people who spent six months of the year asking Allâh to accept their ‘ibâdah of their previous Ramadhân and the next six months asking just to be allowed to reach the next one?

So often do many of us think we can just turn up to the show in Ramadhân, take a seat and watch the game, see the team win and go home happy at the end. What a huge mistake.

Spending thirty odd days of Ramadhân refraining from food and drink from morning to night isn’t the second pillar of Islam known as Siyâm. No – I think people might be getting a bit confused there don’t you? That’s just a hungry and thirsty person, someone who in reality, has just wasted his time.

Rather as the Prophet, peace be upon him, advised us, we need to avoid all the well-known slips of the tongue, eyes, heart and really just our desires in general in order to be one who fulfils the conditions of Ramadhân. We need to make sure that we adorn our fasting with all other possible extra good actions such as praying extra nawâfil (voluntary prayers), giving charity, re-establishing family ties, increasing our social and da’wah (presenting Islam to non-Muslims) work, displaying generosity to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, extra dhikr (remembrance), memorisation of the Qur’ân etc. Surely that is the whole point here – that we fast so as to be more aware of our actions and that they are presented to Allâh, the Most High, in their best possible light.

Only with such a high quality day of fasting can we really have hoped to achieve the desired consequence – that all our previous sins are forgiven and that we enter His Garden with His pleasure, if Allâh wills it.

But don’t think such a day is easy to come by. Rather it is the exception although it shouldn’t be like that. Hence the greatness of Sha’bân, that blessed opportunity to see whether we can make the mark, the mock exam before the impending finals, the last practice in front of the mirror before the key interview – although each practice is important itself, mistakes that are made here are blessed ones if they are learned from and not repeated at the key moment.

This has to be our aim in the remaining days of Sha’bân. Try and make it a real and sincere practice effort for Ramadhân which is only a few weeks away – keep a note of all your external and internal actions during the day whilst you refrain from food and drink and be horrified at the amount of rubbish we espouse from our bodies on a daily basis. It’s going to be a major wake-up call and all praise is due to Allâh for that – I would rather that I’m rudely awoken today than be found in a drunken stupor during Laylat’l-Qadr (the Night of Power) …

Don’t you want to take full advantage of Ramadhân when it comes? Don’t you want to profit whilst the doors of Heaven are thrown wide open, the doors of Hell are slammed shut and our greatest detractors of all, the devils, are firmly chained up? Which believer doesn’t welcome those open doors and which sinner of us doesn’t sigh with relief at the taming of the Fire – if but just for a small moment?

For as the poet said,

“Whoever is shown mercy in Ramadhân is marhûm (blessed, receiver of mercy), whoever prohibits for himself its good is mahrûm (devoid of blessing and good) and whoever doesn’t take provision and sustenance from it is malûm (has no-one to blame but himself).”

So at this ‘neglected time’, when the majority of our friends, family and community are not paying attention to what could be gained, where the environment is not conducive to steeling one’s resolve and focus on that which is good, where people are concentrating on ‘enjoying’ themselves as much as possible before the ‘hardships’ of Ramadhân – during this time, let us strive to perfect ourselves now and learn from our mistakes whilst we prepare for the ‘Big One’, so as to really achieve the objective behind fasting and indeed life itself – to become those who are constantly aware of Allâh (al-Muttaqûn). How on Earth can we possibly achieve this if we just dive into Ramadhân without a care in the world, not having conditioned our bodies, physically and spiritually in Sha’bân? How can we work on preserving our energy during Ramadhân, not simply to last till Sunset, but to pray all the extra sunnah available if we don’t try and test ourselves now? How will we know the looseness of our eyes if we don’t catch the eyes out now? How will we ever realise how much we gossip and backbite during Ramadhân when we don’t try refraining ourselves from the rafath (filth) and fisq (evil) during our fasts today?

Surely, the fact that we can perfect ourselves and reach the true goal during Ramadhân simply by exerting ourselves now during Sha’bân is a compelling argument for why the Companions observed that when they saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, fasting at this time, they thought he’d never eat again – may Allâh bless him, give him eternal peace and reward him with the very greatest of rewards!

Last, but certainly not least, for those who look for bargains and the like at such times (and who wouldn’t considering how miskeen to our Lord we all are!), there is another super jackpot moment in this blessed month. If all the obvious benefits were not enough, we also have a special night in which forgiveness is on a unique limited offer for the Believers.

In a much disputed hasan narration collected by ibn Hibbân, one of many other weak ahâdîth, it is reported that on the authority of Mu’âdh ibn Jabal, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

“Allâh looks to His creation on the middle night of Sha’bân and forgives all of His creation, except for the one who ascribes partners to Him and the one who holds malice against others.”

Which one of us isn’t in need of this special moment of forgiveness? Yes, Allâh, the Most High, descends in the last third of every night offering salvation to us but here is another special moment for us to profit from, not restricted by the length of the night and specifically chosen by Sayyidina Mustapha, peace be upon him, to strive for.

Let us use this night to beseech our Lord for His bounty and pardon, prioritising our good deeds. After all, this is a night of forgiveness so what else better to do but to seek it! But at the same time, let us not put our hopes into just this one night but use these many sanctified days ahead to do exactly that – get ahead.

Al-Imâm ibn al-Jawzi, may Allâh have mercy upon him, was once asked:

“Is it better for me to make tasbîh (glorification of Allah) or to make istighfâr (seek forgiveness)?” He replied, “The dirty robe is more in need of soap than perfume.”

Hasan, may Allâh be pleased with him, once said:

“Increase in making istighfâr for you’ll never know when His Mercy will next descend.”

Indeed. So let us be aware of these blessed times in our times of need – let us pay attention to that which is neglected and make our Sha’bân and Ramadhân our sources of salvation.

The Stranger Is Not...

2010-06-24T16:03:00.002+03:00

A deep founded poem by Imaam Zaynul 'Aabideen 'Alee bin Husayn bin 'Alee bin Abee Taalib, radhiyallaahu 'anhum ajma'een, called "Laysal Ghareeb" (The stranger is not), which I'd like to share:

1) The stranger is not the stranger to Yemen or Shaam

But the stranger is the stranger to the grave and the coffin

2) Verily the stranger has rights for his absence

Over the residents of the dwellings & homelands.

3) Don’t chase away the outlander in his state of unfamiliarity

For time is also chasing him with hardship & distress

4) My travels are far and my provisions will not suffice me

My strength has weakened and death is calling unto me.

5) I still have sins which I know not of

Allah knows of them; those made in secret & in manifest

6) How merciful has Allah been to me by giving me respite

And I have increased in sins but Allah has always shielded me

7) The hours of my days pass by without regret

No crying, no fear, no sadness

8) I am the one who closes the doors with fatigue

on disobedience, & The Eye of Allah watches over me...

9) O’ that which was written in a moment of heedlessness

O’ the sorrow which remains in my heart is burning me.

10) Leave me to bewail myself and weep

and pass the time in sadness and remembrance.

11) Leave off your Blaming of me O’ Ye who do so...

If you were but to know my situation you would have excused me...

12) Let me cry out tears that have no ending to them

for there will be no lesson that will set me free

13) It is As though I am with that family, laying...

Upon the mattress with their hands turning me over.

14) And they came to me with a doctor that he may cure me...

But of today I think not that medicine will benefit me..

15) My sufferings increased and death began to pull at me...

From every vein, without ease or comfort...

16) My soul was then removed from me with a gurgle...

And my saliva became bitter at that point...

17) They then shut my eyes and left me…

after a long moment of despair... they hurried to the purchase of the shroud

18) And he who was dearest to me got up in a hurry...

To summon the person who was to wash me...

19) He said: O’ my people we have attained a Washer who is skillful, clever, bright & intelligent...

20)So then one of the men came and removed my clothing...

He undressed me and denuded me…

21) They then placed me on top of a board

And the sound of water above me began to clean me

22)He poured the water on top of me and washed me...

Three times, before calling out to the people for the Shroud...

23) They shrouded me in a sleeveless garment...

And my provisions became the embalmment in which they embalmed me

24. They Bore me towards my journey Out of this World, Oh How Sorrowful!!

Will be this journey for which I have no provisions to take along with me.

25. Upon their shoulders, they carried me, Four…

Men, and behind me are those who come to bid me farewell

26.They set me before the mihraab then turned away from me

Behind the Imaam they went and he prayed on me then bade me farewell

27. They prayed over me a prayer consisting of neither Rukoo’ nor Sujood

Asking that Allah may have Mercy upon me.

28. They lowered me into my grave slowly

And one of them came forward to place me in the Lahd

29 He raised the garment from my face to gaze upon me

And the tears spilt from his eyes awashing me

30 Then he stood, honoring me, firm and resolute

And lined the bricks on my body then left me

31. And he said “Throw the dirt upon him and reap

The great rewards from Ar-Rahmaan, The Most Gracious”

32. In the darkness of the grave, no mother is there nor,

Is there an affectionate father, or a brother to comfort me

33. Alone… The only inhabitant of the Grave Oh how Sorrowful!!

Am I on parting the world bearing no Deeds to provision me.

34. And a sight which beheld my eye struck terror into me.

From a place of terror it came and startled me...”

35. Munkar and Nakeer, what shall I say to them?

The thought of them strikes terror into me, it causes me fear

36. And they made me to sit and put forth their questions

I have none other Than You now O Lord to deliver me!

37. So bestow upon me from your Mercy O Lord, How I hope in You!!

For verily I am fettered in my sins, I am confined by them

38. The relatives have divided my wealth amongst them after leaving me.

And my sins are now upon my back, burdening me

39. My wife has taken another husband in my place

And she has appointed him as overseer over my wealth and my home

40. She has made my children into servants to bid unto her needs

And my wealth has become to them a worthless means of enjoyment

41. So let not this World and its adornments deceive you.

And look at its (evil) effects in your family and homeland

42. And look at the one who collects the wealth of this Dunya in abundance

Will he depart from this world bearing other than the death shroud and embalmment?

43. Take from the dunya that which suffices you and be contented with that

Even if you were to have naught but good health

44. O ye who sow good, you will reap the fruit of your efforts.

O ye who sow evil you will find yourselves overcome with grief

45. O soul of mine, abstain from sinning and attain instead

Deeds which are Beautiful, for which Allah may be merciful towards me

46. O soul of mine, Woe upon you! Turn towards your lord in Repentance, and do that which is good

So that you will be recompensed after your death with that which is delightful

47. Lastly sending prayers upon the Chosen one, Our Sayyid (leader)

48. All praise is unto Allah, May he fill our days and nights with that which is Good, with forgiveness

With Ihsaan and Grace.

.................................................................

To listen the the Arabic audio of this poem,please click on the following link:

http://www.ryadussalihindownload.org/audioar/gharib.mp3

The meanings of these subtle lines truly jolts one's heart. May we all take heed!

Ameen.

Sajid Ahmed Umar