ummtaalib

Du‘ā – A Great Gift By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh As believers, we all have a deep yearning to attach ourselves to our Merciful and Gracious Creator. Even the sinful aspire to do something that will please their Master and bring them closer to Him. Out of His sheer Grace and Mercy, Allāh ta‘ālā has created many ways for us to acquire this closeness. One of these is du‘ā. Du‘ā holds special significance among the many important and spiritually uplifting forms of worship we have been bestowed with. It is an act extremely liked by Allāh ta‘ālā as it represents the height of humbleness and submission to the Creator. It is for this reason it has been termed the ‘essence of ‘ibādah’ and even simply ‘‘ibādah’. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states: Du‘ā is so important that Allāh ta‘ālā becomes displeased when His bondsman neglects it. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states: Du‘ā is the essence of ‘ibādah. (At-Tirmidhī) Du‘ā is ‘ibādah. (At-Tirmidhī) Allāh becomes angry with the person who does not ask from Him. (At-Tirmidhī) By making du‘ā, we create a special connection with Allāh ta‘ālā whereby love for Him increases, faith in Him strengthens and the doors of boundless mercy are opened for us. If we do not ask from our Creator, we will never be able to create that special relationship. Take the example of two people, one who is poor and needy and the other who is wealthy and eager to find opportunities to assist the needy. If the poor man were never to ask the rich man for assistance, he would never develop any relationship with him. However, by asking for assistance, a degree of recognition is created. If, at every time of need, he asked the rich person for help, and the rich person gave, then this would surely create love for the rich man in the poor man’s heart. Similarly, witnessing the helplessness and neediness of the poor man, mercy would increase in the heart of the rich man, and he would regard this needy person instrumental in gaining the Pleasure of the Creator. He would advise the poor man not to be hesitant in asking him for help whenever the need arises. Soon the relationship would become such that the rich man would not wait for the poor man to ask, but would bestow his generosity upon him even before that. This is just an example of how mere mortals would behave; the Mercy and Grace of Allāh ta‘ālā are beyond imagination! Remember, du‘ā is the weapon of the believer. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: Verily, du‘ā is beneficial against that (affliction) which has descended as well as that which has not [yet] descended; so hold fast, O bondsmen of Allāh, to du‘ā. (At-Tirmidhī) So we should always remain steadfast with du‘ā. Holding fast to the following points will inshā’allāh help in this regard: 1. We need to create a habit of asking Allāh ta‘ālā for all our needs in every situation. Whether a matter is big or small, difficult or easy, we should turn to Allāh ta‘ālā. Our attitude should be that even in circumstances where we are fully confident of success, du‘ā is still our first step. Even for trivial everyday needs we need to adopt the habit of turning to Allāh ta‘ālā. Our first recourse should be du‘ā and thereafter asbāb (means). Unfortunately, our approach is to turn to asbāb first and then to du‘ā, or more precisely, when the asbāb do not deliver the desired result we turn to du‘ā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has advised us that even if the strap of a sandal breaks, we should ask Allāh ta‘ālā first before going about getting it repaired. (At-Tirmidhī) 2. Make it a practice to say a short du‘ā after every good deed, whether you are in need or not. In reality we are always in need, but sometimes we get the impression that we have no needs. Our circumstances all look favourable; we are healthy, we have sufficient finances, we have security, our children are obedient, etc. The question is: Can we be sure that these circumstances will remain same? We also need to think a little deeper: is my death on Īmān guaranteed? What about the stages of the grave? How will I fare on the Day of Resurrection? In reality, we are always in need and so should always adopt the habit of making du‘ā, even for a short while, after every good deed. If we are short of time, then there are some very concise yet comprehensive supplications which we can make at such moments, e.g. 3. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has taught us many beautiful supplications for various occasions that are amazing in their precision, conciseness, depth of meaning and appropriateness to the occasion. Contemplating their meanings increases one’s faith and love for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. This is such a great favour of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam upon us that we can never repay even if we were to spend our entire lives sending salutations upon him. Prior to my recent operation, I thought it opportune to request my akābir (elders) to make du‘ā for me. Amongst those who are especially affectionate to me is my respected Shaykh, Hadrat Mawlānā Qamaruz-zamān sāhib hafizahullāh. During our conversation, only moments before the operation, Hadrat advised me to recite one of the supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that Hadrat Shāh Wasīyullāh sāhib rahimahullāh used to frequently read. O Allāh, I ask You for a pure life and a peaceful death and a return that is neither disgraceful nor dishonourable. Although, this supplication is of a general nature and not stipulated for this particular situation, however, whilst pondering over the meaning of this du‘ā, I felt as if it was especially devised for the very situation I was in. All supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam are priceless gems, if only we were to value them. We should learn them and make them part of our daily lives. This will also help us maintain the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā throughout the day. 4. There are also many supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that are not specific to any occasion. Our mashāyikh have gone to great lengths to compile these in book form so that we can benefit from them. We should make it a practice to read these compilations so that we can reap their benefits in both worlds. Two famous compilations are Al-Hizb Al-A‘zam and Munājāt-e-Maqbūl. It is best if we can read both daily, otherwise at least one. If this is also difficult then at the least the abridged version of Al-Hizb Al-A‘zam should be read. Similarly, Allāh ta‘ālā granted me the tawfīq to compile those supplications in which Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam sought refuge from certain things. This compilation, called Al-Mu‘awwadhāt, will also bring great benefit if included in one’s daily practices. Istighfār is also a form du‘ā. I was also granted the tawfīq to compile the phrases of istighfār from the Qur’ān in a small booklet, and this will also be of great benefit as part of one’s daily practices. Let us hold fast to du‘ā. It is a priceless gift and powerful tool granted to us by Allāh ta‘ālā and we should recognise it as such. We should not regard the great gift of du‘ā as a burdensome ritual carried out without any real interest or understanding of its importance. © Riyādul Jannah (Volume 23 Issue 11 – November 2014)

The Birmingham Qur’an fragments: Are they really that old?! 10 Feb, 2016 In July 2015, when a PhD researcher looked more closely at some fragments inside a more recent copy of the Holy Book (Qur’an), it was decided to carry out a radiocarbon dating test. The tests were carried out by the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. These tests provide a range of dates. Hence, they showed that the parchment (sheep or goat skin) was from the period between 568 and 645 CE. Based on these results, researchers concluded that the manuscript was among the earliest written textual evidence of the Islamic Holy Book known to survive. These pages of the Qur’an had remained unrecognised in the Birmingham University Library for almost a century. The manuscript is part of the University’s Mingana Collection of more than 3,000 Middle Eastern documents gathered in the 1920s by Alphonse Mingana, a Chaldean priest born near Mosul in modern-day Iraq. He was sponsored to take collecting trips to the Middle East by Edward Cadbury, who was part of the chocolate-making dynasty. These four pages of the Qur’an, in early Arabic script, sparked fierce debate among scholars. The assertion that the document, kept at Birmingham University, is part of one of the world’s oldest copies of the Qur’an is strongly disputed by many scholars in the field of codicology and palaeography, who point out that the science of carbon dating is contradicted by other evidence. Among these scholars is Qasim al-Samarrai, Professor Emeritus of Palaeography and Codicology (Leiden – Holland), who, in relation to this subject says: “The fragments of the Qur’an folios that were found at Birmingham are not at all what they are claimed to be. They in fact belong to the end of the 2nd and the beginning of the 3rd century AH (after Hijrah), if not later. All the features in them: the script, dotting, using golden and red ink as well as the separation of verses (Ayat) and chapters (Suwar)…etc., indicate that they might have been written on parchments older than the script. Therefore, they are not as early as is thought. Surprisingly enough, Berlin and Tubingen claim the same with their own fragments.” Furthermore, Professor Al-Samarrai highlights five important facts in this respect: 1) Fact one: We possess no dated Qur’an copy belonging to the first three centuries of Hijrah. 2) Fact two: We possess almost 250 thousand – if not more – fragments and various leaves of the Qur’an, written on either parchments or papyrus, scattered all over the world, but not a single one bears a date. Thus, from this platform, I strongly challenge any scholar, working with the Qur’an palaeography, and in particular those “revisionists”, to produce one dated folio belonging to the span of time that lies between the year 40 AH (660 CE) and 300 AH (912 CE). 3) Fact three: C14 test is doubtful due to the pollution in the sphere and the craft of manufacturing parchments in the East. 4) Fact four: The text of the Qur’an depended from the beginning of the revelation on memory, not writing; as one orientalist says: “The transmission of the Qur’an after the death of Muhammad was essentially static, rather than organic. There was a single text, and nothing significant, not even allegedly abrogated material could be taken out nor could anything be put in.” Or, as one of the contemporary revisionists likes to put it: ‘’The Qur’an was revealed in actual language, not in scriptural form. The script available at the time of revelation was highly defective(sic), so that it constituted not more than an aid for those who knew the text by heart already… being well aware that the oral tradition is the more important and valid one.’’ The oral tradition of the Qur’an is a phenomenon very unique to Islam, in memorising the whole Book (Qur’an); though we know that some Buddhist monks recite some of their holy text in their sermons. There were, and still are, many millions of people who have memorised the Qur’an, and millions of these have learnt the Qur’an via a direct transmission, starting from the Prophet himself. They are enumerated with the chain of transmitters (isnads) in the reciters’ (qurra’) biographical sources; published or unpublished. It is, therefore, difficult to believe that, in some parts of the world, long religious texts are still memorised and transmitted from generation to generation, as it is in Islam. 5) Fact five: In spite of all the information we gleaned from many sources at our disposal in connection with Uthmans’ copies, no copy belonging to Uthman time ever survived; though many existing copies have been attributed falsely to him or to any individual contemporary with him. Professional background of Professor Qasim al-Samarrai: 1958: BA (Hon) in Arabic Literature and History from the Faculty of Education, University of Baghdad. 1965: PhD in comparative mysticism (Ascension in Mystical Writings) from the University of Cambridge, UK under the supervision of Prof A.J. Arbery. At the same time, he held the post of lecturer at the Department of Oriental Studies, Cambridge University, UK. 1966 – 1969: Assistant professor at the Faculty of Shari’ah and at the Faculty of Arts – Department of Philosophy of the University of Baghdad, as well as at al-Mustansiriyya University in Baghdad. 1970 – 1976: Held the post of lecturer of Arabic literature and Islamic History at the Department of Arabic & Islamic Studies of the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. 1977 – 1980: Affiliated Professor to the Department of Islamic Studies, the Faculty of Theology of the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. 1980 – 1981: Held the post of Professor of Islamic Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Qâr Yunus, Banghâzi, Libya. 1981 – 1983: Held the post of Professor of Islamic Civilisation and Islamic Education in the Faculty of Arabic Studies and at the Research Centre, both of the University of Muhammad bin Saud in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 1983 – 1986: Held the post of Professor of Arabic & Islamic Palaeography and Codicology in the Department of Libraries & Information at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Muhammed bin Saud in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 1987- 2003: Affiliated Professor to the Department of Studies of Comparative Religions, the Faculty of Theology of the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. Professor Al-Samarrai has published more than 60 books, the last of which is a critical edition of Al-Badr al-Safir by Al-Udfawi, in 3 vols. (together with Tariq Tatami); published by Al-Rabita al-Muhammadiyya lil-‘Ulama’, Rabat 2015. He has supervised a few MA and PhD dissertations in Palaeography and Codicology in the Department of Libraries & Information at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Muhammed bin Saud in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also, he has participated extensively in national and international congresses, as well as many training courses on handling and cataloguing Islamic Manuscripts, organised by Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation (such as the courses held in Istanbul, London, Kuala Lampur, Cairo, Casablanca and Rabat), as well as in Jum’a al- Majid Center in Dubai, King Faisal Centre for Islamic Studies in Riyadh, the King Fahd National Library in Riyadh, the Department of Libraries of King Saud University in Riyadh and King Abdul Aziz Library in Riyadh. To see the images of the Birmingham Qur’an fragment and the public viewing of it held in October 2015 click – HERE Source

Stepfather a Mahram to his stepdaughters? Q. I was divorced and I remarried. I have one son from my second wife. My second wife has two daughters from her previous marriage. One is 18 and the other is 22. Am I a Mahram to my second wife’s two daughters? A. Yes, you are a Mahram (non-stranger) to your stepdaughters. This ruling is conditional on the stepfather consummating his marriage with the mother of his stepchildren. If the marriage was not consummated, then he will not be a Mahram to his stepdaughters as per the Law of the Quran. Allah Ta’ala states:“Prohibited (in marriage) for you are…your step-daughters from women with whom you have had intercourse. If you have not had intercourse with them, there is no sin on you (your step-daughters would not be prohibited for you). [surah Nisa 4/24] And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Since when has sunnah become such that it requires a model? Since when has libaasut taqwa (clothing of piety) become such that it is now a label on ones clothing? How time has evolved, that the sunnah libaas was once a way to recognise the believers. But now it has become such that can be adorned by anyone . Every time I hear or read the narration when hijab/niqab was made compulsory, sahabiya didn't delay but immediately covered themselves with sheets. My heart aches with love and admiration for them . But today, 1437 years later this so called ruling of niqab/hijaab has become a fashion statement. When I dress with my jilbaab, it is as if it's something so foreign. That I am asked why do you wear this? And suddenly slim fit cloaks aren't slim fit anymore. There was a time when men who wore a simple kurta with a simple turban etc was admired. But today even the dress of men has become fashionable. Beard was once a sign of the strength of a believing man, men who were companions of the Messenger ﷺ, now muslim men only wear it because it is a fashion. But what can one do besides pray and hope that soon sunnah will be a statement on its own and not a fashion statement. May Allah grant us all guidance and sincerity in our actions. Aameen.

On which finger should a women wear a ring Q: In Shari'ah, is there any specific finger for a female to wear a ring? A: Women can wear a ring on any finger. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. باب الخاتم للنساء وكان على عائشة خواتيم ذهب - عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما شهدت العيد مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فصلى قبل الخطبة قال أبو عبد الله وزاد ابن وهب عن ابن جريج فأتى النساء فجعلن يلقين الفتخ والخواتيم في ثوب بلال (صحيح البخاري رقم 5880) وعن علي رضي الله عنه قال نهاني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن أتختم في إصبعي هذه أو هذه قال فأومأ إلى الوسطى والتي تليها . رواه مسلم ( إلى الوسطى والتي تليها ) أي المسبحة ولم يثبت في الإبهام والبنصر رواية عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الصحابة والتابعين فيثبت ندبه في الخنصر وإليه جنح الشافعية والحنفية ذكره ميرك وظاهر القياس أن لبسه في الإبهام والبنصر منهي بالنسبة إلى الرجال دون النساء وقال النووي يكره للرجل جعل الخاتم في الوسطى والتي تليها كراهة تنزيه وأما المرأة فلها التختم في الأصابع كلها رواه مسلم (مرقاة 8/ 186) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Having the Conviction that there is no one for me but Allah Ta’ala Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned: ‘Allamah ‘Ataa Iskandari (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) says that this must be the constant feature and mindset of a believer that he is always in need of Allah Ta‘ala. Can there be anyone you need more than Allah Ta‘ala? Sometimes at a crucial moment everyone leaves you. When you are at your advanced age and you need the help and moral support of your children, they all desert you. What life teaches us is that at some point or the other, everybody will desert us, if not during our lives, then at the time of our death. So your mindset should be that Allah Ta‘ala will never desert you at any moment; He will take care of you at all times. This is the essence of du‘aa. When a person makes duaa, then he should turn his heart away from everybody but Allah Ta’ala and he should have the conviction that there is no one for me but Allah Ta’ala. Ihyaauddeen.co.za

Questioning in the Grave Question When is a deceased person who has to undergo a post-mortem examination questioned by the angels of the grave? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The questioning in the grave is from the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā’ah. Imam al-Ṭaḥāwī raḥimahullah states in his renowned work on Islamic Doctrine titled al-‘Aqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah: “We believe in the punishment in the grave for those who deserve it, and in the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir about one’s Lord, one’s religion and one’s prophet, as has come down in the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in reports from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.” The Prophet ﷺ described the nature of the interrogation in the grave in a lengthy report narrated by Sayyiduna al-Barā’ raḍhiallahu anhu. He narrates: “We went out with the Prophet ﷺ for the funeral of a man from among the Ansar. We came to the grave and when (the deceased) was placed in the grave, the Prophet ﷺ sat down and we sat around him, as if there were birds on our head. In his hand he had a stick with which he was scratching the ground. Then he raised his head and said, “Seek refuge with Allah from the torment of the grave”, two or three times. Then he said, “When the believing slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven angels with white faces like the sun, and they sit around him as far as the eye can see. They bring with them shrouds from Paradise and perfumes from Paradise. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, ‘O good soul, come forth to forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure.’ Then it comes out easily like a drop of water from the mouth of a water skin. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant before they take it and put it in that shroud with that perfume, and there comes from it a fragrance like the finest musk on the face of the earth. Then they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is this good soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him by the best names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is opened, and (the soul) is welcomed and accompanied to the next heaven by those who are closest to Allah, until they reach the seventh heaven. Then Allah says: ‘Record the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon in the seventh heaven, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring them forth once again.’ So his soul is returned to his body and there come to him two angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says, ‘Allah.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘My religion is Islam.’ They say, ‘Who is this man who was sent among you?’ He says, ‘He is the Prophet ﷺ.’ They say, ‘What did you do?’ He says, ‘I read the Book of Allah and I believed in it.’ Then a voice calls out from heaven, ‘My slave has spoken the truth, so prepare for him a bed from Paradise and clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a gate to Paradise.’ Then there comes to him some of its fragrance, and his grave is made wide, as far as he can see. Then there comes to him a man with a handsome face and handsome clothes, and a good fragrance, who says, ‘Receive the glad tidings that will bring you joy this day.’ He says, ‘Who are you? Your face is a face which brings glad tidings.’ He says, ‘I am your righteous deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, hasten the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth.’ But when the disbelieving slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven angels with black faces, bringing sackcloth, and they sit around him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, ‘O evil soul, come forth to the wrath of Allah and His anger.’ Then his soul disperses inside his body, then comes out cutting the veins and nerves, like a skewer passing through wet wool. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant before they take it and put it in that sackcloth, and there comes from it a stench like the foulest stench of a dead body on the face of the earth. Then they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is this evil soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him by the worst names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is not opened.” Then the Prophet ﷺ recited (interpretation of the meaning): “For them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle” He said: “Then Allah says, ‘Record the book of My slave in Sijjeen in the lowest earth, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring them forth once again.’ So his soul is cast down.” Then the Prophet ﷺ recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place” He said: “Then his soul is returned to his body, and there come to him two angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ Then a voice calls out from heaven, ‘Prepare for him a bed from Hell and clothe him from Hell, and open for him a gate to Hell.’ Then there comes to him some of its heat and hot winds, and his grave is constricted and compresses him until his ribs interlock. Then there comes to him a man with an ugly face and ugly clothes, and a foul stench, who says, ‘Receive the bad news, this is the day that you were promised.’ He says, ‘Who are you? Your face is a face which forebodes evil.’ He says, ‘I am your evil deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, do not let the Hour come, do not let the Hour come.’” (Musnad Aḥmad) By default, all humans will be questioned in the grave regardless if they passed away as Muslims or not. However, the questioning of a Muslim in the grave will be to honour him and manifest his Imān, whereas, the questioning of those who died without Imān will be to disgrace them and manifest their Kufr. Based on different narrations, the Ahl al-Sunnah have enumerated those who will not be questioned in the grave. They involve the Prophets, the martyrs, those who died in a plague, those who die from a stomach illness, those who pass away on Jumu`ah, those who recite Surah al-Mulk every night and the students of knowledge. Conversely, children will be questioned in the grave but an angel will dictate the answers to the children. With respect to when the questioning occurs, the famous Ḥanafī jurist Imām Muḥammad al-Bazzāzī raḥimahullah states his renowned Fatwa work ‘al-Fatāwā al-Bazzāziyyah’: “The questioning will take place wherever the deceased permanently settles, to the extent, if a person is devoured by a predator, the questioning takes place in the stomach of the predator. Thus, if a person is preserved in a coffin/box for a number days in order to be transferred to another location, he will not be questioned until he is buried.” Imām al-Ṭaḥṭāwī raḥimahullah further adds: “The questioning in the grave takes place in the final physical worldly abode for the corpse.” In another place he writes: “The most common opinion on when the questioning takes place is when the deceased is finally buried…Questioning is assured even if it occurs in the stomach of a predator or on the seabed (in the event of somebody drowning)” Mullā `Alī al-Qārī raḥimahullah answers a common objection as to why the ‘Aḥādīth only mention questioning in the physical grave in a graveyard; He states that the graves have been specified in the ‘Aḥādith as because they are the customary place where a person ends up. He further argues that the word ‘Qabr’ translated commonly as the grave/pit in a graveyard need not refer to the actual pit, rather, a person’s Qabr is his final physical abode in the world wherever it may be. Therefore, it is clear from the above that a person is not questioned until their body reaches its final and permanent physical abode in the world, wherever that maybe. Thus, a person who has to undergo a post-mortem will not be questioned until their body is buried in the ground even if that takes a number of weeks. And Allah Ta’ālā Alone Knows Best Mufti Faraz Adam al-Mahmudi, www.darulfiqh.com

Making Abundant Duaa at the Time of Ease and Comfort عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من سره أن يستجيب الله له عند الشدائد والكرب فليكثر الدعاء في الرخاء (ترمذي رقم 3382) Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever wishes that Allah Ta’ala answers his duaas during times of difficulty and hardship, should make abundant duaa at times of ease and comfort.” Ihyaauddeen.co.za

Valentines of Heartbreak & Lies! Every February, the media goes into overdrive promoting love and affection in the form of Valentines. Valentines, like other events that are hyped up by the media, are money-making tools, clever marketing that manipulates your emotions to get into your wallet. Yet with all this supposed romance in the air, statistics show that instead of Valentines being the day of love, there are more break-ups and divorces at this time in the western world than at any other time of the year. The media thrives on peddling fantasy as reality and if we buy into their hype, we feel quite bitter when these fantasies do not materialise. For the many whose Valentine’s fantasy are not realized or who do not receive a valentines, this period can be one of the most depressing times in the year. This does not affect adults only, kids in school are more affected due to their relatively fragile emotions. We need to take a hard look at our lives and see the direction that we are heading into and the challenges that face our children. Take notice of your own feelings and special notice of your children on the 14th of February and gauge the affect this day has in our lives. It is impossible to embrace a un-Islamic lifestyle and not be affected by its highs and lows. If we truly wish happiness in our lives, then it will only come when we put Allah and His Rasool Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam first and choose Islam as our way of life. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Valentine's Day Is Haraam...love Itself Is Not Haraam http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8zGg8De54-w Ink Of Scholars: "The way Shaykh talks about love of Allah, no Valentines Day is comparable. With the 14th approaching people are being encouraged towards haraam, however love in itself is not Haraam by nature. It's like a knife, it can be used for cutting fruit or killing people, it depends how it is being used. Allah has given us marriage to fulfil our desires in a permissible way, as for love for Allah it transcends mortality and lust. Those who are fortunate enough to experience it will tell you of its ecstasy, yet for us listening to the Shaykh will Insha Allah inspire us to also traverse that path to him. So let us take this time to reflect and plan our journey to our beloved Allah." .htmlhttp://www.muftisays.com/forums/sharing-portal/3720/islam-valentines-day-.html

What’s Wrong with Valentine’s § Originally a Pagan ritual which then evolved into a Christian practice. § Clever marketing to fleece you of your money by emotional manipulation. § Opens doors to fornication and adultery. § Introduced to children from primary school (even preschool) thus encouraging immoral behaviour in the child’s developing years. For these reasons and for the protection of our Islamic identity it is imperative that we shun this evil. When what appears to be harmless fun, later becomes the loss of chastity, unwanted pregnancies, abortions and at times marriage to non-Muslims, then it will be too late to lament and wring our hands in sorrow. At times, one day spent in pleasing the devil often leads to years of heartbreak, misery and grief. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all from every avenue that leads to Zina. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

Repeating an aayat of sajdah whilst travelling in a car Q: If a person reads a sajdah aayat many times whilst travelling in a car, does he have to make one sajdah-e-tilawaat or many? A: If the car is stationary and he repeats the same aayah of sajdah, he will only have to make one sajdah. However, if the car was moving and he repeats the same aayah of sajdah, then he will have to make sajdah according to the number of times he had recited the aayah of sajdah. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. والمجلس واحد وإن طال أو أكل لقمة أو شرب شربة أو قام أو مشى خطوة أو خطوتين أو انتقل من زاوية البيت أو المسجد إلى زاوية إلا إذا كانت الدار كبيرة كدار السلطان وإن انتقل في المسجد الجامع من زاوية إلى زاوية لا يتكرر الوجوب وإن انتقل فيه من دار إلى دار ففي كل موضع يصح الاقتداء يجعل كمكان واحد وسير السفينة لا يقطع المجلس بخلاف سير الدابة إذا لم يكن راكبها في الصلاة كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان وإن اشتغل بالتسبيح أو التهليل أو القراءة لا ينقطع حكم المجلس ولو قرأها ثم ركب على الدابة ثم نزل قبل السير لم ينقطع أيضا ولو قرأها فسجد ثم قرأ القرآن بعد ذلك طويلا ثم أعاد تلك السجدة لا تجب عليه أخرى ولو قرأها في مكان ثم قام فركب الدابة ثم قرأها مرة أخرى قبل أن تسير فعليه سجدة واحدة يسجدها على الأرض ولو سارت ثم تلاها يلزمه سجدتان وكذا إذا قرأها راكبا ثم نزل قبل أن تسير فقرأها فعليه سجدة واحدة يسجدها على الأرض كذا في الجوهرة النيرة واعتبر تبدل المجلس دون الإعراض حتى لو قال لا أقرأ ثانيا ثم قرأ في مجلسه كفته سجدة ويتكرر في تسدية الثوب والدياسة وكرب الأرض هكذا في الكافي وفي الانتقال من غصن إلى غصن في أصح الأقوال هكذا في المضمرات ولو قرأها وهو ماش يلزمه بكل قراءة سجدة (الفتاوى الهندية 1/ 134) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Reformation – The Basis of Allah Ta’ala’s Mercy Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: How can the advice of a spiritual mentor benefit the one who has no interest or desire to change his life? The people who paid the most attention to the reformation of the people were the Ambiyaa’ (‘alaihimus salaam). However, despite receiving the attention and advice of the Nabi, those who had no desire to change remained unaffected. The basis for Allah Ta‘ala blessing a person is the level of desire and thirst within the person to change and reform his ways. Without this desire, absolutely nothing can be achieved. This is the system of Allah Ta‘ala. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 7/272) Ihyaauddeen.co.za

Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Two Du‘aa for the Guidance of Quraish: Hazrat ‘Urwah bin Zubair (rahimahullah) narrates that a woman of the Banu Najjaar clan (radhiyallahu ‘anha) said, “My house was one of the highest houses around the Musjid (i.e. Musjidun Nabawi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Hadhrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would call out the azaan of Fajr from the top of my house. He would arrive at the time of Sehri and sit on the roof, looking at the horizon and waiting for the time of Fajr to set in. When he would see the time set in, he would stretch (due to sitting for a long time, waiting to see the time of Fajr set in) and make the following du‘aa: ‘O Allah, I praise You (for allowing me to call out the azaan) and I seek Your assistance and beseech You to guide the Quraish (i.e. the family of Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) who had not yet embraced Islam) to Islam so that they may uphold and establish Your Deen (in the world).’” The woman further said, “He would then call out the azaan. I take a qasm by the name of Allah Ta‘ala, I cannot remember him leaving out this du‘aa for even a single day (i.e. his du‘aa for the Quraish before calling out the azaan).” (Abu Dawood #519) Footsteps in Jannah: Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) once asked Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) at the time of fajr salaah, “O Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)! After embracing Islam, which action do you hope will greatly benefit you from the actions you carry out? Verily I heard your footsteps before me in Jannah (in a dream) last night.” Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “The action I carry out, which I hope will greatly benefit me, is that whenever I make wudhu, at any time of the day or night, I perform salaah after making wudhu (I perform the salaah of Tahiyyatul Wudhu).” (Muslim #2458) The honor awarded to Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) on account of this action (tahiyyatul wudhu) was the honor of walking before Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in Jannah, as a khaadim (servant) walks in front of his master in order to serve him. Mu’aakhaat (the Bond of Brotherhood) The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) who made hijrah (migrated) from Makkah Mukarramah to Madinah Munawwarah would be paired with the Sahaabah of the Ansaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). The Sahaabah of the Ansaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) would then assist and aid the Sahaabah of the Muhaajireen (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) with whom they had been paired. This special bond shared by these Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) was known as “Mu’aakhaat” (the bond of brotherhood). There are three views regarding who Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)’s partner of Mu’aakhaat was after migrating to Madinah Munawwarah. ‘Allaamah Qurtubi (rahimahullah) has mentioned two views. The first is that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had been paired with ‘Ubaidah bin Haarith bin Muttalib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the second is that he was paired with Abu Ruwaihah Al-Khath‘ami (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Istee‘aab 1/258) Haafiz ibnul Hajar ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah) has mentioned that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had been paired with Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarraah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Isaabah 1/455) First of the Abyssinians to Accept Islam Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Those who preceded (in Islam) are four; I was the first from the Arabs through which Islam became known, Hazrat Salmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has preceded the Persians in embracing Islam, Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has preceded the Abyssinians in embracing Islam and Hazrat Suhaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has preceded the Romans in embracing Islam.” (Siyar A‘laam Nubalaa’ 3/217) Bearing the Spear on the Day of Eid The King of Abyssinia (Najaashi (rahimahullah)) once sent three spears to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as a gift. When Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) received the spears, he gave one to Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), one to Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and kept the one which remained. On the occasions of Eid, Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would walk before Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), bearing this spear, until they reached the Eid-Gah. On arriving at the Eid-Gah, Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would insert the spear into the ground before Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would then perform the Eid salaah with the spear as his sutrah. (Siyar A‘laam Nubalaa’ 3/221) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Madrasah: An Asset for Us All By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Islamic Da'wah Academy The UK’s Muslim community is no different from other communities in that they too desire peace, security and harmony in our country. When appropriate measures are put in place to achieve this they also welcome them, so that people of all communities can live together in peace and harmony without fear and suspicion. A recent Government initiative calls for the regulation of all supplementary schools that offer intensive courses, which is likely to significantly impact Muslim supplementary schools known as madāris (plural of madrasah). A natural reaction is to consider whether the proposed measures are justified. Any violence in the name of religion and the advocacy of such actions, is something which no doubt needs to be tackled. Any individual institute where activities threatening the security and social cohesion of our country are taking place should be held accountable. However, in the absence of clear evidence a wholesale attempt to accuse the madāris of being the issue and to propose remedies to address a perceived systemic problem, has the potential to lead to adverse outcomes. It may marginalise the very community the Government is seeking to engage. Therefore, it is imperative that the institution of madrasah in the UK is properly understood on the basis of evidence and facts, and not hearsay, suspicion or by adopting sweeping generalisations. Many fellow citizens will have heard the term ‘madrasah’ for the first time in their lives in the context of the Prime Minister’s recent speech, and so regrettably may have formed a negative impression of this core institution of the Muslim community. The truth is that the madrasah in the UK is not an alarming new trend, but is as old as the Muslim community itself. It has been a strong positive influence on the moral, educational and social development of young British Muslims for decades, long before the modern phenomenon of extremism became an issue. If madāris were breeding grounds of hate and intolerance, surely the negative outcomes would have manifested in our society a long time ago. On the contrary, the authentic religious education and sound guidance of the madrasah have always helped young Muslims to understand their peace loving religion and so reject every type of hate and extremism. Furthermore, the key Prophetic teachings of sidq (truth) and amānah (trust) form the basis of how Muslims must interact with others, and this teaching takes on even greater significance in a religious setting like the management of madāris. Where there is sidq there will surely be transparency, and where there is amānah, the law of the land will definitely be respected. Therefore, it is difficult to envisage madāris violating the law or being anything but transparent. The benefits madāris bring to Muslims and the wider society cannot be overemphasised. They are a priceless treasure worth preserving, not a threat that needs curtailing. Below is an extract from a previous article entitled The Legacy of the Madrasah (Dec 2006), in which I attempted to highlight some of the ways in which the madrasah is a blessing for us all: The madrasah is not an insignificant institute. The flame of Īmān (faith) is first kindled in the madrasah. The light of Īmān first permeates the heart of a Muslim child in this environment. It teaches our young children moral values. It is in the madrasah where we learned that to lie is a very great evil and that we should always speak the truth. It warned us against the use of bad language and that stealing, cheating and oppressing people are wrong. The madrasah taught us not to be a thorn in the side of our parents and to care for the elderly, orphans and widows. It was in the madrasah that we learned that we should be kind to our neighbours, be they Muslim or non-Muslim. The madrasah even taught us things that we do as adults without paying attention to them, like the simple yet rewarding act of removing an obstacle from a path. The good morals and character we take credit for as adults were acquired through the madrasah. All the teachings we are familiar with and today practice in our lives spring from there. By taking stock of every good deed we are performing and every evil that we detest and avoid, we will be witnessing the legacy of the period of our lives between the age of four or five up to thirteen or fourteen: the years spent in the madrasah. Madāris Benefit the Nation The madrasah not only brings our children benefits in relation to the hereafter, it also provides them goodness in this world. Parents too, receive worldly gain: a child that spent its time well at madrasah will become a means of comfort and joy for its parents. The madrasah is a boon for the country as well because it produces good citizens, regardless of whether it operates in an Islamic country or a secular state. At madrasah, children are taught to respect the rights of all people and are warned against involvement in drugs, alcohol, theft, vandalism and all types of antisocial behaviour. It contributes towards a socially cohesive society and is a great blessing for humanity as a whole. Prophet Muhammad sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam came into this world as a mercy and all his teachings are full of mercy. What is taught in the madrasah is what the Prophet Muhammad s taught. His life, his character, his dealings – they all form the basis of what our children learn. Every child who attends a madrasah becomes familiar with these Prophetic teachings and is equipped to go on to embody them and serve humanity and work for its betterment. During these times it is even more important that madāris are safeguarded and this precious institution is not lost due to misunderstanding or negligence. I also wish to draw the attention of madāris towards some beneficial suggestions: 1. Focus on the maqsad (objective) of the establishment of the madrasah, which is ta‘līm (religious education) and tarbiyah (spiritual and religious nurturing / character building). Every institute should endeavour to continually improve standards to the best of their ability. Careful consideration should be given to both, the content of the syllabus and wholehearted effort on tarbiyah. 2. Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements and that no regulation is overlooked. Negligence in this regard will not only make the institute accountable to the law, but will also render the institute as acting contrary to the very teachings it seeks to impart. 3. Liaise, interact, engage and share ideas and good practices with other madāris to benefit from each other. If a meeting forum for madāris is set up in every area, it would bring many benefits such as: Madāris will be able to compliment and support each other; The Principals and Head-teachers understand the purpose, goal and the function of the madrasah more than anyone else and are sentimentally attached to the madrasah. Therefore, a forum will strengthen their efforts and striving for the safeguarding and promotion of these institutions; and The authorities will also benefit as they will get direct exposure to those running the madāris, which will help to bridge gaps. Those running madāris will be able to directly explain their concerns and desires without third parties getting involved, resulting in more transparency and better understanding. In future these forums can create a national network and as a result every madrasah will be able to benefit and enhance itself on all levels of ta‘līm, tarbiyah and general standards of quality and practice Inshā’allāh. May Allāh ta‘ālā safeguard the institution of the madrasah and bless it with continued acceptance, as a means of cultivating young Muslims into becoming assets for their parents, communities and our country. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 1, Jan 2016)

Is applying mehndi sunnah for women Q: Is it sunnah for women to wear mehndi? On both skin and nails? A: Yes it is sunnah. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن عائشة رضى الله عنها قالت أومت امرأة من وراء ستر بيدها كتاب إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقبض النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يده فقال ما أدرى أيد رجل أم يد امرأة قالت بل امرأة قال لو كنت امرأة لغيرت أظفارك يعنى بالحناء (سنن أبي داود رقم 4168) يستحب للرجل خضاب شعره ولحيته ولو في غير حرب في الأصح والأصح أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام لم يفعله ويكره بالسواد وقيل لا مجمع الفتاوى والكل من منح المصنف قال الشامي : قوله ( خضاب شعره ولحيته ) لا يديه ورجليه فإنه مكروه للتشبه بالنساء (رد المحتار 6/ 422) ولا ينبغي أن يخضب يدي الصبي الذكر ورجله إلا عند الحاجة ويجوز ذلك للنساء كذا في الينابيع (الفتاوى الهندية 5/ 359) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Muraqabah Meditation, An Ultimate Cure for Depression An incident by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi (May Almighty Allah elevate him) in his book “Sukoon ki Talaash / Searching for Serenity” In 1985 this humble servant had the opportunity to deliver a lecture to the cream of erudite people in Washington. Amongst these talented people were qualified medical doctors and professors. The lecture was followed by Muraqabah (meditation) and Du’aa (supplication). After the Du’aa a man accompanied by a few other men approached me. The companions introduced him to me saying that, he is from amongst the top twenty significant doctors of the country. It was such a pleasure to find out that Allah had granted a Muslim such an honour. After a brief introduction, he asked me about the exercise I had carried out after the lecture. When I told him it was meditation, he asked me where I had learnt it from. I told him that I learnt it from my elders. “Did you learn it in Europe or Asia?” He asked curiously. “Asia, of course! This has been a tried and tested practice of our elders” I replied. He thought for a while and then said, “Verily Islam is the true religion!” He then explained: “Due to the increase in the number of people totally dependent on sleeping pills for peace of mind and a good night’s sleep, the government experienced a great predicament. Either the production of these pills had to be increased immensely to meet the requirement of the people or else a way had to be found so that people could do without them. Hence the government summoned the top heart specialists from all around the country for a meeting and I was amongst them. In this meeting we were assigned to research on the causes of depression. It was hard to understand why in a country where individuals had freedom to do everything in life, there were so many people who were dejected and miserable. This was a nation who ate, drank and slept when, where and how they liked. Furthermore, the government issued orders to all medical and scientific departments that our group was working under the governments command and therefore we should be given access to all libraries, information and research files. We began our research and investigations. We experimented on people who were content and satisfied and on people who were depressed and miserable. The experiment was done using a brain scan saving the results on the computer. Through the aid of the computer and after delving into the depths of the matter within a space of three months we figured that a certain area of the brain is linked to ‘contentment’ and a certain area is connected to ‘sorrow’. The computer had encircled a cell showing the area that when charged causes feelings of depression and sorrow. When this cell is not charged or stimulated, one experiences feelings of tranquillity and peace. Once this research was completed, we thought of testing it again before handing in our report to the government. Hence, we summoned a group of depressed people and put them on the machine. By means of the computerised machine we slowly reduced the charge on the affected cell until it was thoroughly uncharged. After this experiment, the depressed individuals came out of their miserable mood and seemed happy and serene. Similarly, we conducted the test on a group of happy people by charging this cell. As was expected, these people experienced feelings of anger and irritation. We finally breathed a sigh of relief and handed our results to the government who congratulated us on a job half done. They disputed that such a major portion of the population could not be placed on the machine and so an alternate method of eliminating the charge from the affected cell needs to be found in order to meet the requisite of a troubled nation. We again convened meetings to discuss the issue. After considerable deliberation, the group came to the conclusion that if a depressed person gets a peaceful sleep of approximately four hours, he will then feel refreshed. We once again conducted the experiment with a depressed person putting him on the machine before sleeping and again after two hours of sleep. We discovered that after sleeping, the intensity of the affected cell reduced to a great extent leaving the person light and refreshed as a result. In other words the mind offloads the tension when one is asleep. We then realised that if the charge disintegrates so swiftly by sleeping, then why not find an alternative that will equally expire the charge. We made a decision to offload the mind of a depressed person by asking him to close his eyes, relax and shut out the outside world from his mind. Within 15 – 30 minutes the charge disintegrated rapidly. We conducted several kinds of similar exercises and notified the government of our successful results. Subsequently the government established meditation centres all across the country for the benefit of the public. People now go to the meditation centres straight after work to offload the tension of the day and go home with calm and composed minds.” After saying all of this, the doctor commented: “I asked you where you had learnt this technique because whatever research is made here only reaches the east after a significant number of years….” I took this opportunity to explain to the doctor: “ “This muraqabah / meditation (that we do) is in effect the remembrance of Allah. It is not a result of our own efforts and research but the blessings of the Name of Allah. It is clearly stated in the Holy Qur`aan: “Wathkur Rabbaka Fi Nafsika Remember your Lord within yourself…”” Upon hearing this he remarked, “Without a shred of doubt, I admit once again that Islam is the true religion. What modern day science discovered after years of thorough research had already been ascertained by Islam over 1400 years ago regarding the remembrance of Allah within oneself and this form of meditation being a source of peace and serenity.” Almighty Allah says: “Alaa bi dhikrillahi Tat’ma’innul Quloob” “Indeed in the remembrance of Allah do the hearts find contentment!” Source

Reward and sin for intentions Question Correct me if my understanding is wrong or clarify if I am right in both scenarios. If someone performs a good with the intention of doing to impress others, and not for Allah then he/she has committed minor shirk, and the deed is rejected? If someone performs a good for the sake of Allah, but after a while slips by showing off and showing off then they will be sinful, but their good will not be void because it was done before-hand and with the right intention? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Your understanding is correct. This is understood from the following Hadith: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: قَالَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا أَشْرَكَ فِيْهِ مَعِيْ غَيْرِيْ تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ “I am the One Who is most free from partners. He who does a thing for the sake of someone else beside Me, I discard him and his partnering with me” The good deed will be salvaged if he makes tawbah and istighfar for showing off. If one does a good deed sincerely and later on shows off and he does not make tawbah for his insincerity, there is a fear if him losing his efforts. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Maaz Chati Student Darul Iftaa Blackburn, England, UK Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. askimam

On which finger should a male wear his ring Q: In Shariah, is there any specific finger for a male to wear his silver ring? A: If a male wears a silver ring, he should wear it on the small finger of the right or left hand and it should not exceed one mithqaal (4.374 grams). And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن ابن بريدة عن أبيه قال جاء رجل إلى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم وعليه خاتم من حديد فقال ما لي أرى عليك حلية أهل النار ثم جاءه وعليه خاتم من صفر فقال ما لي أجد منك ريح الأصنام ثم أتاه وعليه خاتم من ذهب فقال ارم عنك حلية أهل الجنة قال من أي شيء اتخذه قال من ورق ولا تتمه مثقالا (جامع الترمذي رقم 1785) وفي الكوكب الدري : قوله ( من أي شيء اتخذه ) إلا أن جميع ذلك يجوز للنسوة ويجوز للرجل لبس تلك الخواتيم إذا فضضها قوله ( في هذه وهذه ) هذا ليس إجازة للبسه في الباقية بل التختم إنما هو في الخنصر لا غير (الكوكب الدري 2/ 452) ( ولا يتختم ) إلا بالفضة لحصول الاستغناء بها فيحرم ( بغيرها كحجر ) الخ ( الدر المختار 6/ 359) ويجعله لبطن كفه في يده اليسرى وقيل اليمنى إلا أنه من شعار الروافض فيجب التحرز عنه قهستاني وغيره قال الشامي : قوله ( ويجعله ) أي الفص لبطن كفه بخلاف النسوان لأنه تزين في حقهن هداية قوله ( في يده اليسرى ) وينبغي أن يكون في خنصرها دون سائر أصابعه ودون اليمنى ذخيرة قوله ( فيجب التحرز عنه ) عبارة القهستاني عن المحيط جاز أن يجعله في اليمنى إلا أنه شعار الروافض اه ونحوه في الذخيرة تأمل (رد المحتار 6/ 361) أوزان شرعية ص11 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Age of Maturity (Buloogh) Q. Salaah is compulsory on a person from the time of maturity. But how does one determine maturity? A. The maturity (Buloogh) of a male is determined by him experiencing a wet dream (Ihtilaam) or ejaculation (Inzaal). The maturity (Buloogh) of a female is determined by her experiencing a wet dream (Ihtilaam) or menstruation (Haidh). If a male or female does not experience the signs of maturity (Buloogh) stated above, they would automatically be classified as mature (Baaligh) at the age of fifteen lunar years (approximately 14.7 solar years). (Shaami 6/153) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa onfirmation:Mufti Ebrahim Desai Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Performing Ghusal on Friday Q: I wanted to ask regarding a woman having a bath on Friday but not attending the Jumuah Salaah. As far as I know the Friday bath is mustahab for those attending Jumuah Salaah only, but it's commonly thought that women who pray at home should still have a bath on Fridays as it is regarded as a Sunnah. Is this true? Please could you let me know the exact ruling for women. A: It is sunnah for women to also take a bath on a Friday. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال من فطرة الإسلام الغسل يوم الجمعة والاستنان وأخذ الشارب وإعفاء اللحى فإن المجوس تعفي شواربها وتحفي لحاها فخالفوهم فحفوا شواربكم واعفوا لحاكم (موارد الظمآن إلى زوائد ابن حبان رقم 560) عن عائشة رضي الله عنها أنها حدثته أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يغتسل من أربع من الجنابة ويوم الجمعة ومن الحجامة ومن غسل الميت (سنن أبي داود رقم 348) وسن لصلاة جمعة ( و ) لصلاة ( عيد ) هو الصحيح كما في غرر الأذكار وغيره وفي الخانية لو اغتسل بعد صلاة الجمعة لا يعتبر إجماعا ويكفي غسل واحد لعيد وجمعة اجتمعا مع جنابة كما لفرضي جنابة وحيض قال الشامي : قوله ( هو الصحيح ) أي كونه للصلاة هو الصحيح وهو ظاهر الرواية ابن كمال وهو قول أبي يوسف وقال الحسن بن زياد إنه لليوم ونسب إلى محمد والخلاف المذكور جار في غسل العيد أيضا كما في القهستاني عن التحفة وأثر الخلاف فيمن لا جمعة عليه لو اغتسل وفيمن أحدث بعد الغسل وصلى بالوضوء نال الفضل عند الحسن لا عند الثاني قال في الكافي وكذا فيمن اغتسل قبل الفجر وصلى به ينال عند الثاني لا عند الحسن لأنه اشترط إيقاعه فيه إظهارا لشرفة ومزيد اختصاصه عن غيره كما في النهر قيل وفيمن اغتسل قبل الغروب واستظهر في البحر ما ذكره الشارح عن الخانية من أنه لا يعتبر إجماعا لأن سبب مشروعيته دفع حصول الأذى من الرائحة عند الاجتماع والحسن وإن قال هو لليوم لكن بشرط تقدمه على الصلاة ولا يضر تخلل الحدث بينه وبين الغسل عنده وعند أبي يوسف يضر اه ولسيدي عبد الغني النابلسي هنا بحث نفيس ذكره في شرح هداية ابن العماد حاصله أنهم صرحوا بأن هذه الاغتسالات الأربعة للنظافة لا للطهارة مع أنه لو تخلل الحدث تزداد النظافة بالوضوء ثانيا ولئن كانت للطهارة أيضا فهي حاصلة بالوضوء ثانيا مع بقاء النظافة فالأولى عندي الإجزاء وإن تخلل الحدث لأن مقتضى الأحاديث الواردة في ذلك طلب حصول النظافة فقط اه أقول ويؤيده طلب التبكير للصلاة وهو في الساعة الأولى أفضل وهي إلى طلوع الشمس فربما يعسر مع ذلك بقاء الوضوء إلى وقت الصلاة ولا سيما في أطول الأيام وإعادة الغسل أعسر وما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج وربما أداه ذلك إلى أن يصلي حاقنا وهو حرام ويؤيده أيضا ما في المعراج لو اغتسل يوم الخميس أو ليلة الجمعة استن بالسنة لحصول المقصود وهو قطع الرائحة (رد المحتار 1/ 169) Answered by: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part One Name: Bilaal bin Rabaah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) Mother’s Name: Hamaamah (Isaabah 1/455) Steadfastness on Islam: Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had been born from the slaves of the Banu Jumah tribe. When the heat would peak at midday, Umayyah bin Khalaf would take him out of Makkah Mukarramah to the scorching sands of the desert and make him lie on his back on the burning sand. He would then have a huge boulder placed on the chest of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and would declare, “He will remain (in punishment) like this until he either dies or renounces his belief in Muhammed (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).” Even in that tortured state, Hazrat Bilal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would continue to say “Ahad! Ahad!” (“One! One!” – referring to his belief in the oneness of Allah Ta‘ala). (Isaabah 1/456) Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)’s desire for Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to be freed: Hazrat Sa‘eed bin Musayyib (rahimahullah), while mentioning Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), once said, “The desire to practice Islam was extremely great in the heart of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He would be subjected to continuous torture and persecution at the hands of the disbelievers. Whenever the disbelievers would try to force him to renounce Islam, he would staunchly refuse and declare “Allah! Allah!” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then met Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and expressed his desire saying, “If only we had some wealth by which we would be able to purchase (and free) Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)!” Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) therefore went to Hazrat ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and asked him to purchase Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) for him. Accordingly, Hazrat ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) approached the owner of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), who was a woman, and said, “Would you like to sell me this slave of yours before you lose all the good that you can currently derive from him?” The woman was surprised and exclaimed, “What will you do with him?” after which she went on to complain about him saying, “There is no good in him! He is like this and like that!” Hazrat ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) eventually purchased Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) from her and sent him to Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Usdul Ghaabah 1/237) Eagerness of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to purchase and free Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu): Hazrat Qays (rahimahullah) mentions that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had purchased Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) for five ooqiyah of gold while he was buried and trapped under a boulder. The disbelievers were so frustrated at how staunch Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was on Islam that they mentioned to Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “We would have sold him to you even if you insisted on paying only one ooqiyah.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I would have purchased him even if you demanded one hundred ooqiyah!” (Siyar A‘laam Nubalaa’ 3/219) Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)’s wish to share in the reward of freeing Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu): After Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) purchased Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), he came to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and informed him of the purchase. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) if he would make him a partner in the ownership of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) through allowing him to purchase a share in him. (Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) desired to share in the ownership of Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) so that he would also have a share in the reward when they freed him). Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), however, replied that he had already freed Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Siyar A‘laam Nubalaa’ 3/219) Amount paid to purchase Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu): Different amounts have been narrated regarding the price Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) paid for Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Ibnul Atheer (rahimahullah) has mentioned five ooqiyah, seven ooqiyah and nine ooqiyah. (Usdul Ghaabah 1/237) ‘Allaamah Zahabi (rahimahullah) has quoted a narration of Sha‘bee (rahimahullah) which mentions that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had paid forty ooqiyah. (Siyar A‘laam Nubalaa’ 3/219) Haafiz ibn Hajar ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah) has mentioned that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had paid for Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) with his own black slave. (Isaabah 1/456) Killing Umayyah bin Khalaf: Umayyah bin Khalaf was one of the chief people responsible for torturing Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Allah Ta‘ala made it such that Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) himself killed him in the Battle of Badr.(Usdul Ghaabah 1/237) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Extended Warranty Q: Is it permissible to purchase an extended warranty at the time of purchasing the item (in such a manner that the fee for the warranty will be regarded to be part of the purchase price of the item)? A: If you are charged a separate amount for purchasing the extended warranty, then this is regarded as a separate transaction and will not be permissible. For further details refer to http://muftionline.co.za/node/12328 And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿المائدة: ٩٠﴾ عن أبى هريرة أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن بيع الغرر (أبو داود #3378) ( إن شرط لمال ) في المسابقة ( من جانب واحد وحرم لو شرط ) فيها ( من الجانبين ) لأنه يصير قمارا قال الشامي في رد المحتار: قوله ( من الجانبين ) بأن يقول إن سبق فرسك فلك علي كذا وإن سبق فرسي فلي عليك كذا زيلعي وكذا إن قال إن سبق إبلك أو سهمك إلخ تاترخانية قوله ( لأنه يصير قمارا ) لأن القمار من القمر الذي يزداد تارة وينقص أخرى وسمي القمار قمارا لأن كل واحد من المقامرين ممن يجوز أن يذهب ماله إلى صاحبه ويجوز أن يستفيد مال صاحبه وهو حرام بالنص ولا كذلك إذا شرط من جانب واحد لأن الزيادة والنقصان لا تمكن فيهما بل في أحدهما تمكن الزيادة وفي الآخر الانتقاص فقط فلا تكون مقامرة لأنها مفاعلة منه (رد المحتار 6/403) فإن الغرر هو الخطر الذي استوى فيه طرف الوجود والعدم بمنزلة الشك (بدائع الصنائع 5/ 163) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Delaying in discharging zakaat Q: Is it necessary for one to spend all zakaat money before the following year's zakaat becomes waajib? A: One should not delay in discharging one's zakaat. After calculating the zakaat on the zakaat date, one should begin discharging the zakaat. Before the following years zakaat date, all the zakaat should be discharged. If one delays in discharging the zakaat until after the following year's zakaat becomes compulsory, then one will be sinful. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. ( وافتراضها عمري ) أي على التراخي وصححه الباقاني وغيره ( وقيل فوري ) أي واجب على الفور ( وعليه الفتوى ) كما في شرح الوهبانية ( فيأثم بتأخيرها ) بلا عذر قال الشامي : قوله ( وافتراضها عمري ) قال في البدائع وعليه عامة المشايخ ففي أي وقت أدى يكون مؤديا للواجب ويتعين ذلك الوقت للوجوب وإذا لم يؤد إلى آخر عمره يتضيق عليه الوجوب حتى لو لم يؤد حتى مات يأثم واستدل الجصاص له بمن عليه الزكاة إذا هلك نصابه بعد تمام الحول والتمكن من الأداء أنه لا يضمن ولو كانت على الفور يضمن كمن أخر صوم شهر رمضان عن وقته فإن عليه القضاء قوله ( وصححه الباقاني وغيره ) نقل تصحيحه في التاترخانية أيضا قوله ( أي واجب على الفور ) هذا ساقط من بعض النسخ وفيه ركاكة لأنه يؤول إلى قولنا افتراضها واجب على الفور مع أنها فريضة محكمة بالدلائل القطعية وقد يقال إن قوله افتراضها على تقدير مضاف أي افتراض أدائها وهو من إضافة الصفة إلى موصوفها فيصير المعنى أداؤها المفترض واجب على الفور أي أن أصل الأداء فرض وكونه على الفور واجب وهذا ما حققه في فتح القدير من أن المختار في الأصول أن مطلق الأمر لا يقتضي الفور ولا التراخي بل مجرد الطلب فيجوز للمكلف كل منهما لكن الأمر هنا معه قرينة الفور الخ ما يأتي قوله ( فيأثم بتأخيرها الخ ) ظاهره الإثم بالتأخير ولو قل كيوم أو يومين لأنهم فسروا الفور بأول أوقات الإمكان وقد يقال المراد أن لا يؤخر إلى العام القابل لما في البدائع عن المنتقى بالنون إذا لم يؤد حتى مضى حولان فقد أساء وأثم اه فتأمل (رد المحتار 2/ 271) فتاوى محمودية 14/ 149 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)