ummtaalib

Question What is the procedure of moving/settling into a newly bought house? Are there any duas/suras/prayers to read when entering or moving into a new house? Answer Respected Brother-in-Islam Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu We have not been able to locate any specific Du’aa or Surah to be recited upon this occasion. One should, however, ask Allah Ta’ala for Barkat (blessings), mercy and a good outcome. The following Du’aas could be recited, 1. ‘Allaahumma Ahsin aaqibatanaa fil umoori kullihaa wa ajirnaa min khizyiddunya wa adhaabil aakhira’ (Oh Allah, grant us a good outcome in all our matters and save us from worldly disgrace and punishment in the hereafter). (Hisnul Haseen pg.469; Darul Ishaat) 2. Allaahumma innee as-aluka min fadhlika wa rahmatika fa innahuu la yamliku haa illaa anta One should also be sure to say ‘Salaam’ whenever entering the home as this will be a source of blessings for himseld and the members of his household. Together with this, he should recite the Masnoon Du’aas for entering a home as follows: Allaahumma innee as-aluka kharal mawlaj wa khairal makhraj. Bismillaahi walajnaa wa bismillaahi kharajnaa wa alallaahi rabbinaa tawakkalnaa It is advisable also that Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and Salaat take place regularly to ensure that divine blessings remain in the home and the lives of its occupants. It is our humble suggestions that a few Ahaadith from Fadhaail-e-Aamaal of Shaykh Zakariyya be read daily as Ahaadith create special Noor (light) in the home. and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ebrahim Desai FATWA DEPT. Source

Thread of Tawbah Tawbah is that special thread which stitches together the relationship between Allāh ta‘ālā and His servant after it is torn by sin

The Importance of Duaa The hadeeth speaks of du‘aa being the essence of ‘ibaadat. In fact, one hadeeth states that du‘aa itself is ‘ibaadat. Apart from the various forms of ‘ibaadat that we do, we still need a way to secure the favours of Allah Ta‘ala. So this is through du‘aa. Allah Ta‘ala teaches us the manner of du‘aa via the incident of Zakariyya (‘alaihis salaam). The first aspect is that it was “nidaa-an khafiyya” – he was not shouting out to Allah Ta‘ala and demanding from Him, rather it was silent with humility. The second aspect is that he expressed his weakness and inability – “My bones have become feeble and my hair has turned white.” We also need to show our weakness to Allah Ta‘ala, that we are always in need of Him. The third aspect is that we build our hope in Allah Ta‘ala – “I have never been turned down by You, O my Rabb.” Du‘aas are always answered, they are never rejected. It is just that some du‘aas take time to materialise. It is like different seeds that you plant. Some may take one year to bear fruit and some may take ten to fifteen years. One should therefore go on begging from Allah Ta‘ala. And Allah Ta‘ala loves the tears of His servants. Therefore, at times there is a delay in the du‘aas being answered. Source: Al-Haadi

Shattering the Glass Vessels of the Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم

12 Secrets You Should Know About Shisha The information about the effects of Shisha in the body had been written and read by many. But people want to read more about this sensational Shisha. At present, people won’t believe a thing without facts on it. So one would like to know the important details about what about Shisha that makes people so intrigue and what sets it apart from cigarette. Facts about the inside story why Shisha had the particular effects in the body and why Shisha users want more of it, making them smoke more and more everyday. Does Shisha contain more harmful substance than cigarette smoking? Are there similarities and differences between the Shisha waterpipe and cigarette as to the modality of the harmful substances it can deliver to the body of the user? Questions like these need answers. This is a point where you ought to know more about Shisha. Here are important secret facts that you need to know. 1. Same effects with cigarette. Smoking Shisha and breathing second hand smoke from waterpipes can be presumed to have similar effects as exposure to cigarette smoke. The belief of some that Shisha is harmless only leads to their own destruction. Shisha is as dangerous as cigarette smoking. 2. Shisha contains more carbon monoxide. Shisha contains carbon monoxide (CO) in amounts equal to or greater than that from cigarettes. CO replaces oxygen on red blood cells, making it harder for the body to deliver oxygen to vital organs which can later lead to organ damage. 3. Shisha smoking has cancer causing substance. Smoking Shisha contains significant amounts of nicotine, levels of costic compounds such as tar, carbon monoxide (car exhaust), heavy metals like cobalt, and lead; and a host of cancer causing chemicals. 4. Prone to Addiction. Shisha smoking produces similar increased blood nicotine levels and heart rate as cigarette use. The inhaled substances trigger chemical reactions in nerve endings, this release dopamine; which is associated with the feeling of pleasure. This seems to play an important role in nicotine addiction. A Shisha smoker is still smoking tobacco and the nicotine in it causes dependence after using it for several times. 5. Charcoal in Shisha increased the risk of diseases. Unlike cigarettes, Shisha smoke may also contain charcoal or wood cinder combustion products from the heat source used to burn the tobacco, increasing the cancer-causing agents in the smoke. Apart from the harmful effect of the chemical, the end product produced by the charcoal only intensifies the damage it can cause to the body. 6. Damaged different body organs. Shisha smoke is associated with increased risk of disease including cancer, heart disease, lung disease and many other deadly ailments. It might not be noticeable now but the harmful chemicals are already slowly damaging certain parts of the body of a Shisha user. 7. Shisha delivers more smoke in the body. Of concern, smokers of water pipes may be exposed to even more smoke than cigarette smokers because water pipe smoking sessions last from 20-80 minutes during which a smoker may inhale as much smoke as that from 100 or more cigarettes. This only magnified and multiplied the effects of smoking Shisha. 8. Known by many names. So be informed to be familiar, Shisha are one name for waterpipes, which is a method of smoking tobacco. Other names include: hookah, boory, goza, narghile, nargile, arghile, and hubble bubble. 9. Shisha has a flavoured tobacco. The most common form of tobacco smoked in a water pipe is called Maassel, which is sweetened and flavored in such flavors as apple, mint, cappuccino, etc. 10. More rampant in some counties. Shisha water pipes are most common in areas of China, India, Pakistan, and the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as well as United States. Also to be noted, that Shisha outlet had been showing up like mushroom in different parts of the globe today. 11. Shisha has adverse effects during pregnancy. Pregnant women smoking a Shisha are putting their unborn child at great risk for low birth weight and other birthing problems. 12. Shisha can spread infectious diseases. Other health risk includes the spread of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, herpes, and hepatitis. Viral infections can be transmitted through the sharing of the same mouthpiece; a common custom in many cultures. In conclusion, the available evidence suggests that smoking Shisha waterpipes and being exposed to second-hand smoke from water pipes are associated with a high degree of health risk, including cancer risk. There is a widespread misperception that Shisha smoking is safe. In general, people know little about its health effects and believe that it is less harmful than cigarette smoking. Another common misperception among Shisha users is that they will not suffer any adverse consequences if they smoke occasionally rather than daily like most cigarette smokers. Yet even occasional users could be harmed because they probably inhale lot of smoke full of toxic substances during smoking sessions that typically last for 45 minutes to over an hour both directly and through secondhand smoke. Knowing this facts will aide you now of why Shisha could have this big impact in your health and well being. Source

Daughter, Sister, Wife & Mother of Prophets? Message sent to me: Question: Who is the only woman whose father, husband, brother and son were Nabīs? Answer: Layyā bint Ya‘qūb – her father was Ya‘qūb عليه السلام ; her husband was Ayyūb عليه السلام ; her brother was Yūsuf عليه السلام ; and her son was Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام . My comment: At the outset, it should be mentioned that there are many unheard of narrations circulating through the blessings of ash-Shaykh Email, al-Allāmah Blackberry and al-Mufti Facebook etc. The scholars are under no obligation to verify each of these circulations. The onus is upon the circulator to prove the authenticity of what he distributes. عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال… البينة على المدعي Rasūlullāh صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The burden of proof rests upon he who makes the claim.” [al-Bayhaqī] That being said, my instinct tells me that the Layyā “narration” is but an attempt to provide a female equivalent to the Ḥadīth mentioning Yūsuf عليه السلام as being Nabī, son of Nabī, son of Nabī, son of Nabī. Daughter of Ya‘qub عليه السلام Despite the story of Yūsuf عليه السلام being the single most detailed continuous story narrated in the Qurān, the only names mentioned in it are that of his and that of his father. This is because the Qurān is a book of guidance and does not detail dates, names, places etc. as the Hebrew scripture does. However, it is permitted to refer to the Hebrew books for such details – where they make sense and do not contradict anything established by Islām – for Rasūlullāh صلى الله عليه وسلم said: عن عبد الله بن عمرو: “بلغوا عني ولو آية، وحدثوا عن بني إسرائيل ولا حرج، ومن كذب علي متعمداً، فليتبوأ مقعده من النار Convey from me even if it be an Āyah. Narrate from the Children of Isrāīl and there is no harm in it. But he who intentionally lies against me should prepare his resting place in the Fire.” [al-Bukhārī] According to Genesis, “Leah” or Layyā was a wife of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام who bore him his only daughter, Dīnah. This already debunks the fictitious Layyā, supposed daughter of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام . Genesis further describes her being raped by an idol-worshipper. The Hebrew sources describe her only child, variously a boy or a girl, as the product of that rape. Even if a boy, it would be impossible for Dīnah/Layyā to be a mother of a Nabī, since the Qurān describes Prophets as pure of lineage. Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام could not be the product of rape. Sister of Yusuf عليه السلام Firstly Yusuf عليه السلام did not have a full sister. He was the son of Rachel (Rāḥil) whilst Dīnah was the daughter of Leah (Layyā). That aside, Dīnah has been discussed above. Mother of Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام is mentioned twice in the Qurān. Although suggestions have been made, he is not clearly identified with any figure in the Bible with absolute certainty. If we accept the suggested names, we also accept that none of them are grandchildren of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام. If we avoid the suggested names and restrict our discussion to Islāmic sources, then neither the Qurān nor Ḥadīth mention his mother. I cannot check every Tafsīr, but neither Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī nor al-Qurṭubī mention his mother. Surely being the grandson of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام would have merited a mention? Furthermore, the narration which the Books of Tafsīr quote from Ibn ‘Abbās , describing how Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام attained his position, makes it abundantly clear that this was generations after Ya‘qūb عليه السلام when there was a large population descended from him and a kingdom had been established. In other words, he was born after Mūsā عليه السلام and was no son of any daughter of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام : عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، قال: “إن نبياً من أنبياء بني إسرائيل، آتاه الله الملك والنبوة، ثم أوحى الله إليه أني أريد قبض روحك، فاعرض ملكك على بني إسرائيل، فمن تكفل لك أنه يصلي بالليل حتى يصبح، ويصوم بالنهار فلا يفطر، ويقضي بين الناس فلا يغضب، فادفع ملكك إليه، فقام ذلك النبي في بني إسرائيل وأخبرهم بذلك، فقام شاب، Allāh granted a Nabī from amongst the Prophets of Banū Isrāīl kingship and prophethood. Allāh revealed to him, “I intend to seize your soul. So present your kingdom to Banū Isrāī. He who guarantees (kifl) you that he will offer Ṣalāh until the morning; and fasts during the day without breaking it; and will judge amongst the people without becoming angry; then give him the kingdom.” The Nabī stood amongst Banū Isrāīl and informed them of that. A young man stood….. Wife of Ayub السلام عليه The Mufassirūn have written extensively about the wife and children of Ayūb عليه السلام . They describe Allāh’s gifts to the Nabī who had succeeded in the tests put upon him. This included the loyal wife and restoration of his deceased children and additional offspring as well. They debate whether the children were resurrected or are to be restored in the Ākhirah. Again, neither Ibn Kathīr, al-Baghawī nor al-Qurṭubī mention his wife being the daughter of Ya‘qūb عليه السلام , which would have been a pertinent point in listing Allāh’s favours in regards his family. Even the Bible does not mention her name. In all the discussion on the offspring, none mentions Ẓul Kiflعليه السلام as being amongst them. This would have been a most glaring omission in the light of the Qurān describing other prophets (Yūsuf, Yaḥyā and ‘Īsā) as gifts to the virtuous (Ya‘qūb, Zakarīyā and Maryam). How then does the Qurān and commentators maintain silence on Ẓul Kifl عليه السلام being the supposed son of Ayūb عليه السلام ? Although not a unanimous view, the possibility of Ayūb عليه السلام being European and not Asian, makes the above parentage of an Asian Nabī even more farfetched. Conclusion In conclusion, the Ummah should be far more careful of what they narrate as fact. In regards the above, I believe the balance of facts point to it being a fiction. Kindi's Blog

The House of Khadijah Prayer area for women over the House of Khadijah مصلى للنساء فوق بيت السيدة خديجة www.makkahnewspaper.com/makkahNews/images/March.2015/21.3... شهد الموقع التاريخي لبيت أم المؤمنين السيدة خديجة بنت خويلد رضي الله عنها، تطورا لافتا بعد أن تم قبل أيام إدخاله كاملا ضمن مساحة مصلى خصص للنساء وأحيط بسور منخفض من الرخام الأبيض في الساحة الشرقية للمسجد الحرام. http://www.makkahnewspaper.com/makka...l#.VQ1uaI4Yu6V Google translation: Witnessed the historic site of the house of the mother of believers Khadija girl Khuwailed God bless her, sophisticated pointing days after it has been fully inserted within the chapel space devoted to women and contoured low wall of white marble arena in East Grand Mosque before. Excavation of the site of the House of Khadijah in 1989 Larger pic:http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam...ge-gallery.jpg Larger pic: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ke5uBa894V...ah+%281%29.jpg taken from muftisays.com

Various Forms of Tawassul and Istighatha and their Rulings <QUESTION> I wanted to know the Islamic position on seeking intermediaries to Allah, and on seeking help from the dead and calling onto them. Some say it is allowed, and others say it is major shirk. Can you please explain in detail? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, You have asked about two different issues; and, as such, both will be treated separately. The first relates to supplicating Allah using an intermediary (known as Tawassul), and the second relates to calling upon and seek the help of other than Allah (known as Istighatha and Isti’ana). Supplicating Allah through Intermediaries (Tawassul) A detailed answer on this issue was previously posted (on our website). Nevertheless, here is a summary of what was outlined in that answer: There are three ways of supplicating Allah through a means or intermediary: 1) Seeking intermediary through one’s actions (tawassul bi ‘l-a’mal) This refers to using one’s good deeds and righteous acts as an intermediary when supplicating Allah Most High. For example, one says, “O Allah, please fulfil my need in consideration of such-and-such good deed I carried out on that particular day.” This type of Tawassul is permitted, and even recommended, according to all major classical Imams – with no disagreement on its permissibility. The proof for its permissibility is the famous incident described by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) of three people from a nation before us who were blocked in a Cave. Each one of them beseeched Allah by naming a righteous deed, and then said, “O Allah, if I did this seeking only your pleasure, then relieve us [from this distress].” Consequently, Allah made the rock to move away and they all came out of the cave. (Bukhari and Muslim) 2) Seeking intermediary through living persons (tawassul bi ‘l-ahya) This refers to using a living person as an intermediary when supplicating Allah Most High, due to his righteousness and closeness to Allah. For example, one says, “O Allah, please fulfil my need in consideration of such-and-such pious slave of yours and your love for him.” This type of Tawassul is also permitted according to all major classical Imams and jurists, with no disagreement on its permissibility. The proof for its permissibility, amongst others, is that which is related by Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that the Companion Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) sought rain from Allah at the time of drought through the intermediary of the uncle of the Prophet, al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (Allah be pleased with him). (Sahih al-Bukhari) 3) Seeking intermediary through deceased persons (tawassul bi ‘l-amwat) This refers to using a person who has passed away – such as a Prophet or saint – as an intermediary when supplicating Allah Most High, due to his righteousness and closeness to Allah. For example, one says, “O Allah, please fulfil my need in consideration of your Prophet whom you love” or “O Allah, I ask you through your Prophet.” This form of Tawassul is permitted according to the vast majority of classical Imams (salaf) and jurists (fuqaha) including the four Sunni Schools of Islamic law. Only Imam Ibn Taymiya and those who followed him object to it, saying that it negates the concept of Tawhid. Among the many proofs of its permissibility is the Hadith of Uthman ibn Hunayf (Allah be pleased with him) in which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) advised a man complaining of blindness to offer two Rak’ats prayer and then supplicate saying, “O Allah, I ask you and turn to you through my Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy...” (Tirmidhi) The same Uthman ibn Hunayf, after the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him), advised a person who visited him repeatedly, concerning something he needed, to do the same. (Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir of Tabarani and classed as authentic (sahih) by al-Bayhaqi, Mundhiri, al-Haythami and others). Moreover, if the second form of Tawassul (through living persons) is permitted, then the third form (through deceased persons) should also be allowed, since in both cases one supplicates Allah and not the individual. It is not through a physical body or through life or death; rather, through the positive meaning attached to the person in both life and death. In reality, both the second and third forms can simply be considered as manifestations of the first form, i.e. seeking intermediary through one’s actions. This is because when one uses Tawassul in supplication, one merely highlights the lofty position of the person before Allah and one’s love for him, i.e. saying, “O Allah, this certain Prophet of yours is very close to you. I do not possess any good deeds, but I have love for the pious. Pardon me and forgive my sins due to this love I have with this pious servant of yours”. As such, the thing being presented before Allah is the ‘love’ and ‘connection’ with the Prophet, which in reality is a righteous deed. Before ending this section, it is important to note that one’s supplication (dua’) is not in need of Tawassul. To believe that Dua’ is not accepted, or the chances of its acceptance are less, should Tawassul not be carried out, is an erroneous understanding. One may never use an intermediary in supplication, and by doing so, would have not done anything wrong. And Allah knows best. Calling Upon and Seeking the Help of other than Allah (Istighatha and Isti’ana bi ‘l-ghayr) There are various ways of calling upon and seeking the help of other than Allah: 1) Calling upon others in imaginary terms This is when a poet – for example – addresses a Prophet, saint or even inanimate objects in imaginary and figurative terms, merely to express love and desire. Such poetry has been related from a number of Imams and great scholars of Islam in which they address the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), pious individuals, the city of Madina, birds, mountains, and so on and so forth. This type of calling out is, in of itself, permitted because the intention is not to call upon the addressee and the belief is not that they are directly hearing; rather, it is done out of mere longing and love. However, in an atmosphere where such words may be misconstrued or lead to incorrect beliefs, they should be avoided. (Fatawa Usmani by Mufti Taqi Usmani 1/58-5) 2) Seeking help from one another in worldly matters This refers to asking help from a living person in matters ordinarily in his control or in apparent causes (al-asbab al-zahira). For example, seeking help from a medical doctor for treatment, taking medicine, or asking an engineer to fix one’s vehicle. This obviously is permitted and does not require any proof, provided one holds the one whose help is being sought merely as a means, and Allah alone as the true effecter. 3) Requesting living persons for Dua’ This refers to requesting a living person such as a scholar, pious individual, parent, friend or traveller to supplicate on one’s behalf, with the understanding that the chances of his Dua’ being accepted are great because of his rank, location or situation. This also is without doubt permitted. The proof for its permissibility is the Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said to Sayyiduna Umar (Allah be pleased with him) when the latter was departing for Umra, “O my brother, do not forget us in your supplications.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi) 4) Requesting deceased persons for Dua’ This is done in two ways: a) Going to the grave of a Prophet or pious individual and requesting him to supplicate on one’s behalf. For example, one says, “Oh such-and-such person, pray for me that Allah Most High fulfils my work.” The ruling concerning this returns to the issue of whether the dead are able to hear in their graves. There is a ‘legitimate’ difference of opinion between the Companions and classical scholars on this issue, with many – such as Imams Ibn Abd al-Barr, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Ibn Qutayba and Ibn Kathir (Allah have mercy on them) – affirming the hearing (sima’) of the dead, and this is also the position of the Companion Abdullah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him). Among the proofs supporting this position is the Hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily when the servant is put in his grave, and his companions turn away from him, he hears the noise of their sandals.” (Sahih Muslim) Secondly, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) addressed the disbelievers from the dead of Badr saying, “We have found true what our Lord promised us, did you find true what your Lord promised you?” Umar (Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Messenger of Allah! You are speaking to bodies that have no souls?” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied, “You do not hear better [than them] to what I say to them, except that they are unable to reply.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Thirdly, the great exegete (mufassir) Imam Ibn Kathir (Allah have mercy on him), under the commentary of Surah al-Rum (3:438), relates a Hadith from Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr, who authenticated it, from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that, “None passes by the grave of his Muslim brother that he knew in the world and greets him except Allah restores his soul to him and he returns the greeting to him.”(Tafsir Ibn Kathir) On the other hand, the position of Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) and a group of scholars is that the dead do not hear, using as proof the statement of Allah Most High, “Truly you cannot cause the dead to listen.” (Qur’an 27:80) As such, in accordance with the position that the dead can hear in their graves, it would be permitted to request the deceased for Dua’ and intercession at his grave. Conversely, in accordance with the position that the dead are unable to hear in their graves, it would not be permitted. Since, this is a matter of genuine scholarly difference, no one position should be considered as absolute and decisive. It is possible that Allah Most High makes the dead in the grave hear a speech out of His Infinite Power, and Allah knows best. b) Requesting a Prophet or deceased saint from a distance (and not at his grave) to supplicate on one’s behalf. For example, whilst sitting at home, one says, “O Prophet, please pray for me that Allah forgives my sins.” Since, there are no such examples in Hadith literature or from the practice of the Companions and early Muslims, this is best avoided. Most scholars consider it to be impermissible, given that there is no ‘clear’ evidence suggesting that one’s request will be heard or conveyed to the deceased person. Indeed, the Hadith mentions that salutations (salawat) recited upon the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) are conveyed to him [by the angels], but there is no mention of Dua’ requests being conveyed to him. Indeed, it is ‘possible’ that Allah Most High conveys the message to the deceased, but since there are no proofs or examples, it is best to refrain – especially in the case of deceased persons besides the Prophet such as saints and the righteous. 5) Calling upon and seeking help from deceased persons in worldly matters through Allah’s granting This means asking help from a deceased person in matters ordinarily in the control of living persons or in apparent causes (al-asbab al-zahira). For example, asking a deceased person for money or asking him to help fix one’s vehicle – believing that he is merely a means and not independent of Allah, and that only Allah helps in absolute terms and without Him no one can help. 6) Calling upon and seeking help in matters of the unseen through Allah’s granting This refers to asking a deceased (or living) person such as a Prophet or saint for help in matters of the unseen (al-umur al-ghaybiyya) which are not ordinarily in the control of humans. For example; asking for good weather, children, prosperity or help in times of distress such as saying “O Messenger of Allah, help me (Ya Rasul Allah Madad)” or addressing the person in the grave and saying “Assist me in my trial” or “O Saint, grant me children” – believing that the one whose help is being sought is merely a means and not independent of Allah, and that only Allah helps in absolute terms and without Him no one can help. Although some scholars may allow these two types of Istighatha (5 and 6) subject to one having a sound belief that it is only Allah who helps in absolute terms, the opinion of many other scholars including most of my teachers (and the position which I hold to be correct) is that such type of Istighatha is an ‘expression’ of Shirk and hence prohibited even if done with a sound belief. Seeking help in a matter not ordinarily in the control of the one whose help is being sought may create a doubt that he is independent in that action, because there is no immediate external reason from Allah’s design in His creation. Since it is a practical expression of Shirk, means to Shirk and resembles the Shirk of the Polytheists (mushrikun), it is forbidden. It is in order to block the means to ‘clear’ Shirk, especially in our times, given the widespread nature of ignorance and corrupt beliefs within the masses. However, the perpetrator of such Istighatha will not be guilty of actual Shirk and disbelief (kufr), rather a sinful act. One must be careful in deeming other Muslims as polytheists (mushrikun) or out of the fold of Islam, especially when the person in question may be a scholar and generally has sound beliefs. 7) Calling upon and seeking help from deceased (or living) persons in absolute terms This refers to asking a Prophet or saint directly for help, believing that Allah Most High has delegated some of his powers to him in a particular area, after which he has become independent in those powers, and can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, gives to whoever he wants and withholds from whoever he wants, without needing permission from Allah in each and every moment of executing those powers (like the King’s delegation of powers to his viceroy and other officials). For example, asking a saint to grant children with the belief that he has been given complete control of this area by Allah Most High. Istighatha with this type of belief is clear and major Shirk, and takes one out of the fold of Islam, because one is assuming that the deceased shares a certain characteristic of Allah Most High. This was the type of Shirk committed by the idolaters and polytheists of Makka, and severely condemned by Allah Most High. Unlike worldly kings, Allah does not have such subservient rulers working under Him who, after having received powers from Allah, become independent themselves. The worldly kings require such deputies because of their weaknesses, whilst Allah Almighty has no such need. All matters are in His hands, and nothing is in the hand of another in an independent fashion. Allah Most High says, “Whatever you worship, other than Him, are nothing but names you have coined, you and your fathers. Allah has sent down no authority for them. Sovereignty belongs to none but Allah. He has ordained that you shall not worship anyone but Him. This is the only right path. But most of the people do not know” (Qur’an 12: 40) And, “Say, Who is the One in whose hand lies the kingdom of everything and who gives protection, and no protection can be given against him, if you have knowledge?” (Qur’an 23: 88) It is in this independent fashion we have been taught to seek only Allah’s help in Surat al-Fatiha, “You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help.” (Qur’an 1: 5). The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “When you ask, ask [only] Allah; and when you seek help, seek help [only] from Allah.” (Bukhari) This is even more serious when the one whose help is being sought is regarded as omnipotent (qadir al-mutlaq), i.e. he has absolute, permanent and intrinsic powers in which he is not always dependent on the Will of Allah, and that this power was not given to him by Allah. Such a belief was not even held by the disbelievers and idolaters of Makka about their objects of worship. And Allah knows best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

inshaAllah will complete this week..

Page 13: second paragraph of "Fifth Cause": 10th line: "Only then will we get....." add will?? Page 14: Last 2 lines before "The Solution" Either add a full stop after "tolerance" or add "so we must also follow his...." Page 15: paragraph after the verse Sura Ali-Imraan: 1st line "The propagation of this very truth...." add this

Page 10: clear Page 11: blue part, end of hazrat Abu Bakr RA's words: spelling of Tafseer is incorrect end of 1st line of Imama Nawawi RA's words: the W of "Words" is capital letter...needs to small letter Page 12: 1st line of 4th paragraph (after the verse): 5th word should be "refers" last paragraph:second-last line. full stop after (SWT)

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Shaikh Dr (Maulana) Husain Abdul Sattar (HA)Husain Abdul Sattar (HA) on Wuqoof e Qalbi (Vigilance of the Heart):

Shaikh Zulfiqar Naqshbandi (HA) on Wuqoof e Qalbi (Vigilance of the Heart): Question 2: What exactly is Wuquf-e-Qalbi and should one’s heart resound with the Name of Allah subhanahu wa'tala or not? No, one’s heart does not have to repeat the Name of Allah subhanahu wa'tala but one should be conscious toward Allah subhanahu wa'tala and His Omniscience. For example, two brothers leave the house in the morning; Brother A to his office and Brother B for an important court date in which he is the defendant. Despite carrying on with his work load at the office, Brother A will be preoccupied with thoughts of his brother and the process and outcome of the court case. He checks his mail in the morning, interacts with whoever he needs to in the office, but his thoughts are elsewhere. When the two brothers meet at the end of the day, Brother A says that Brother B was in his heart and mind all day. In exactly the same way, the believer takes care of his worldly duties throughout the day but his heart and mind remain connected with Allah subhanahu wa'tala. The lover thinks of his beloved not just one time during the day, but hundreds of times during the day. In the same way, the believer will be preoccupied with thoughts of Allah subhanahu wa'tala if love for Allah subhanahu wa'tala enters the heart. Focusing the heart and mind upon Allah subhanahu wa'tala throughout the day is called Wuquf-e-Qalbi.

Benefits of Wuqoof e Qalbi (Vigilance of the Heart): 1 It will improve our Salah because if a person comes on the Musallah to pray Salah and says his Takbir-e-tehrima (Allahu akbar) and if all day he was forgetful of Allah (SWT) then just by doing this, he has to do 100% of the work. But if, throughout the day, he remembered Allah (SWT) – if he remembered Allah (SWT) 20% of the day, then he has to do 80% of the work, if he remembered Allah (SWT) 50% of the time, now he has to do only 50% of the work and if he remembered Allah (SWT) all day long then now when he comes for his Salah, its very easy for him to concentrate in Salah or it will be very easy for him to focus in Muraqabah; its very easy for him to detach himself from the dunya and reflect on Allah (SWT) because while he was in the dunya, he kept himself attached to Allah (SWT) by way of wuqoof-e-qalbi. 2 It gives you a (real) perspective on the dunya because once you detach yourself from the dunya; once you disengage yourself from the dunya, the reality of the dunya will open up in front of you – when you sit and you do wuqoof-e-qalbi in a gathering; when you remember Allah (SWT) in a gathering then the nature of that gathering will be opened up in front of you. E.g. A person who stop watching T.V. and leaves T.V. for 10 years, then when he walks into a house and sees people watching T.V., the scene looks so strange to him. He looks at these people; he looks at these pictures on the screen and thinks what are these people doing watching this screen. But, that person who regularly watches T.V., it seems like something normal to him. Why? Because the reality of that act; the reality of the ghaflat and heedlessness of the act is unveiled infront of that person who remembers Allah swt. So, the more you remember Allah (SWT), the reality of your dunya will be exposed to you and then you will be able to detach yourself from the dunya. Unless you attach yourself to Allah (SWT), you wont be able to detach yourself from the dunya. 3 It becomes very difficult to sin because normally when a person sins, he sins in a state of forgetfulness. If you ask any young man who committed a sin, that at the moment when you were sinning , were you remembering Allah (SWT) ? He’d say at that time I wasn’t remembering Allah (SWT), I even forgot that I was even a Muslim! I had no recollection of Allah (SWT); I even forgot Rasoolullah (saw); I even forgot that I am someone who has read the Kalima. I was so absorbed/intoxicated/lost/drunken in my sin. But, a person who remembers Allah (SWT) throughout the day, when he is in a state of remembrance, it is very difficult to commit a sin because at that time you are attached to Allah (SWT); how can you be attached to Allah (SWT) and commit a sin at the same time? Either you’ll have to break that attachment or you’ll have to break off that sin. So, those of us who want to leave our sins, an easy way to do that is to do wuqoof-e-qalbi; is to increase in pausing your heart in the perpetual remembrance of Allah (SWT).

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ [29:69] سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ [37:180-182] Wuqoof-e-Qalbi means to remember Allah all the time. This word, “Wuqoof” comes from the word “waqf” which means “To Pause”. So, Wuqoof-e-Qalbi means to pause your heart; to maintain your heart; to still-stop your heart on the remembrance of Allah swt – to not let your heart deviate; to not let your heart go astray into the thoughts of ghairullah (anyone other than Allah swt) but to pause your heart on the remembrance of Allah swt. Allah (SWT) has Given us this ability that if we want to, we can keep something in our heart at all times – we can keep a thought running in our background at all times, for example: 1 If someone’s wife tells him to go get vegetables from the market, and he goes to the market but on the way he finds a friend so he stops on the way and starts talking with his friend – but all the time he remembers that my original purpose to get out of the house was to get the vegetables. He won’t forget that he has to get the vegetables, when he leaves his friend he will go get the vegetables. This shows that Allah swt ability to do two things at once – on one hand he was talking to his friend and inside his heart he was thinking that he has to get the vegetables. 2 Just like that when a student has any exam coming up -whether its a madressa exam or college exam – when the exam is one week away, that student is in an examination-mode! Every second of the day he knows that his exam is coming up; that his examination is looming on top of him – he might be stopping to eat something; drink something; he might be driving on the way to the library – but every second he knows that I have this exam coming up. So, this means that a person has this ability to process something at the background. Just like in a computer, you have windows. Windows is the operating system, it is always running at the background no matter what programs you put over it windows never stops functioning its always there in the background – just like that a true believer in his heart always remembers Allah swt. No matter what he is doing, he has a cord attached from his heart to Allah swt This is why our Mashaikh say that that moment in which a person forgets Allah swt it is as if he is a kaafir! Because if you open up his heart – its empty and if you open up the heart of a kaafir, its also empty(of the remembrance of Allah swt). So, the only difference between us and a kaafir is of the remembrance of Allah swt. Now, how to do this Wuqoof-e-Qalbi? How can we practically focus our heart on Allah swt? To do Wuqoof-e-Qalbi means that you focus your attention on your heart and then you focus your heart on Allah (SWT). So, the first thing is that you have to be aware that you have this heart inside of you, untill you know the importance of the heart, you will even forget that you have a heart inside of you. So many ayahs of Qur’an-e-Karim and Ahadith instill the importance of our heart, so if you know that you have this valuable precious thing inside of you then you should focus your attention on your heart through out the day and then focus your heart on Allah (SWT). And, the way to do this is to think about Allah (SWT) at all times. This Dhikr-e-Kaseer; this 24-hour Dhikr, it just means to think about Allah swt; to remember Allah swt at all times. Anything that comes in front of you through out the day, anything that you do – you have to make it a means of remembering Allah (SWT) E.g. If you’re doing something with your family, then while you are with your family look at them and view them as a blessing of Allah swt and immediately that will lead you to remember Allah swt Everything that you do you have to seek a means of making it a way for you to think about Allah swt. We are exactly the opposite. - If we sit in the Masjid, we find some means to think about the Dunya; if we are standing in Salah, some way our Nafs finds something to think about the world; If we are reading our Qur’an, our Nafs finds someway to make us think about the world. So, just like the Dunya is so overpowering on us that we are always thinking about it – Wuqoof-e-Qalbi means that you have to make Allah swt overpowering in your life. You have to bring Allah (SWT) back into your life. You have to reconcile that distant Lord. You have to stay away from those things that keep you from Allah swt – so through out the day, each and every thing that comes in front of you, you should use it as a means to think about Allah swt. One of the things that the Mashaikh prescribe to assist you in this is that for everything you do, you must form a Niyyah; an intention. For E.g. 1 You should memorize all the Sunnah duas for each and every action – the Duas before eating; the Duas after eating, the Dua before entering the Masjid; the Dua before leaving the Masjid, the Duas before sleeping 2 In addition to that, before performing any action you should make a Niyyah in your heart. Link every action you do to Allah (SWT) For e.g. When you recite the dua before eating – Bismillahi wa ‘ala barakatillah. At the same time, link that act of eating to Allah swt, and make this intention that, ‘O Allah swt! I’m eating this food with the intention that I will get enough strength from this food; I will get enough nourishment from this food so that i can use this strength and nourishment in Your ibadah; in Your worship; in Your Dhikr; in Your remembrance. So, each and everything you do, while you recite the Sunnah Dua that is affiliated with that action, you can alongside make a niyyah that somehow joins that action to Allah swt. 3 When you sleep and recite the Sunnah dua before sleeping, “Allahumma bismika amootu wa ahya”; at the same time make a niyyat, link that act of sleeping back to Allah (SWT). Say that, ‘O my Allah (SWT) ! I lay myself down to sleep, so that I may get enough rest from sleeping so that I may rise fresh in Your ibadat, so that I may rise for Tahajjud; so that I can remember you at these special times. So, each and everything in your life, whether it is a worldly thing or a religious thing – you should make an intention for it and link that intention back to Allah swt. And this will be a test for you that anything that you cannot make an intention; anything in your life that you cannot link to Allah (SWT) – know that it has some level of sin; that thing has some level of ghaflah; that thing is somehow keeping you away from Allah (SWT). Because through the best of your ability, you cannot link it to Allah (SWT), it means that that thing is clearly a ghairullah; that thing is other than Allah (SWT) ; that thing will make you distant from Allah (SWT) ; that thing will distract you from Allah (SWT). So, each and every thing in your life, you have to link it to Allah (SWT). Another way to do Wuqoof-e-qalbi: Think your heart is saying Allah Allah Allah Another way of doing Wuqoof-e-qalbi is to actually think that your heart is saying Allah Allah Allah. This is when you have free moments of time, for example: - Many of us, when we sit on a bus, we have no books with us; we have nothing to do! we just sit for one hour on that bus. So, normally what a person does is that he processes different thoughts – he starts thinking about different things or sometimes he just goes blank; he just goes empty, he doesn’t think about anything for one hour – he wedges out (What we call in English slang) Why? We should make use of that time – spend that time in wuqoof-e-qalbi; maybe it is too awkward in front of the people sitting in the bus to actually do Muraqaba(silent remembrance and reflection of the heart) but at least while sitting there just think about Allah swt - Think anyway you can about Allah swt- the doors of Ijtihaad are open to you in wuqoof-e-qalbi. You can make better intentions than the one I gave you – you can link each and every action in better and better ways each and every day with Allah swt. You can find newer ways to think of Allah swt, for example: Just look up at the sky, its vastness, and think ‘O my Lord! You are even vaster than this!’ Look up at the stars and think, O Allah swt! Forgive me for my sins which maybe greater than the stars You can look at the stars and think, O Allah swt! I praise You as much as there are stars in the sky You can look at the sand and beaches and think, O Allah swt! I love You more than there are grains of sand in the beaches Just like a lover thinks about his beloved at all times; a true believer thinks about his Beloved Allah swt at all times! Just find new and new ways to remember Allah (SWT); just like when a young man falls in worldly love with a strange women, he thinks about her at all times in strange ways – he is thinking about her everyday; he never tires of thinking about her. Just like that, a true believer is in love with Allah (SWT) وَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ [surah Baqarah; 2:165] That know that the characteristics of believers is that they are crazy mad about their Lord! – they adore Allah (SWT); they are in love with Allah (SWT)! What is the requirement of love? that you think about your beloved at all times. Use your own creativity; use your own ingenuity; think carefully – try and try to think about Allah (SWT) in more and more different ways; to remember Allah (SWT) in more and more different ways. This is all that it means by Wuqoof-e-qalbi – think about Allah (SWT) at any moment that you can and make sure you don’t forget Allah (SWT) at any moment in time! Why? because Allah (SWT)’s Wujood/His Presence is so Great and on top of that He Gives us His Proximity; His Qurb; His Ma’yyiyat; His Closeness to us! How can we forget Allah swt? How undeserving will we be? How deceitful will we be? وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ [39:67] it means that they did not truly fulfill the rights of Allah (SWT) as they were supposed to. So, one meaning is this that (it befits Him that) you should’ve been thinking about Him at all times!

Shaykh Dr (Mufti) Kamaldduin Ahmed (HA) on Wuqoof e Qalbi (Vigilance of the Heart): http://m1.islamicspirituality.org/2011/07/On-Wuqoof-e-Qalb-Vigilance-of-the-Heart.mp3

Wuqoof e Qalbi (Vigilance of the Heart): Band sheeshon ke pare dekh.. Dariche ke udhar.. Sabz pedon pe.. ghani shaakhon pe.., Phoolon pe.. vahaan, Kaise chupchaap barasta hai musalsal pani.. Kitni aawaazein hain..,Ye log hain.., Ye baatein hain.., Magar zehan ke peeche.. kisi aur hi sateh pe kahin.. Jaise chupchaap barasta hai tasavvur tera.... Look through the closed glass.. across the window.. Over the lush green trees.. on thick branches.. flowers..over there How silently it showers.. on and on.. So much noise.. These people.. Their talk.. But in the back drop of mind.. somewhere.. on a different level altogather.. showers silently your thoughts… Identification with one's mind,which causes thought to become compulsive,not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction.but we do not realize it, because almost every body is suffering from it.so it is considered normal. The incessant mental noise prevents us from finding the true realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.It also creates a false "mind made self" that casts a shadow of fear and suffering. Thinking has become a disease.Disease happens when things get out of balance.For example, there is nothing wrong with the cells dividing and multiplying in the body,but when this process continues in disregard of the total organism,cells proliferate and we have cancer. The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly.Used wrongly,however,it becomes very destructive.To put it more accurately,it is not so much that we use our mind wrongly - we usually do not use it at all.It uses us. This is the disease.The instrument has taken us over.The mind uses us,We have falsely identified ourselves with it,so we don,t even know we are its slaves,almost as if we are possessed with out knowing it,and we take the possessing entity to be ourselves. When someone goes to the doctor and says "i hear a voice in my head" he or she would be most likely send to a psychiatrist.The fact is,that in a very similar way,virtually everyone hears a voice or several voices,in their head all the time,the involuntary thought process continues in our minds non stop. The voices comments,speculates,judges,compares,complains,like s,dislikes and so on..., some times associated with visual images (mental movies). Is it harmful ? Yes.This the biggest obstacle between us and the realization Of Allah (SWT).unless we learn how to control our thoughts,we can't learn to turn our mind to our creator. How impossible this demand seems to have "Perfect "concentration in salah for five minutes while our mind is used to free thinking for the rest of the day and night.How many of our "Sins" are just related to our uncontrolled thought process. We look at opposite sex because we cannot control our mind, we hate because our emotions (an interplay between mind and body) takes over,We indulge in false delusions of grandiosity because our mind plays it that way for us. If one calculates, very few of us has the real chance of a physical sin, most of our sins are imaginary. Sufia,may Allah bless them,after realizing this problem,developed many methods for the control of mind. One such method is Wuqoof e Qalbi. The basic idea behind Wuqoof e Qalbi is this: Qalb occupies the same significance in our body as "ARSH" in Alam e Akbar, so when one concentrates on his/her Qalb,fuyuzat from Arsh,starts pouring on Qalb. even if one has not intended it,this gradually brings the "monkey mind" under control. "Try to focus your mind on your Qalb,gradually empty your mind from all thoughts, and remain in this state for as long as you comfortably can.The success is in regularity and not on the length of time spend". So the single most vital step on our journey to peace of mind is this: Learn to create a gape in the uncontrolled flow of thinking process,every time you create a gape in the stream of thought,the light of your consciousness grow stronger.

Page 8: Hadith before "The Root Cause": 3rd line "Whey" change to "When" and in the last line: "and when the" should "and when they" Page 9: Paragraph of Imam Ghazali ra 5th line: "inactivates" remove the "s" maybe? or is there such a word as inactivation? second paragraph from the bottom: 2nd line coma after "responsibility"

Al Ruqyah Al Shariah Full by Sheikh Abdel Rahman Al-Sudais

Al Ruqyah Al Shariah Full by Sheikh Mishary Rashid Al-Afasy

Jazaakillaahu khayran for making this beautiful compilation availalbe here....love it! DIL MERA HOJAAYE EK MAIDAAN HOE TOO HI TOO HO TOO HI TOO HO TOO HI TOO May my heart be an open field, and in it, there be, Only Thee O Allah, only Thee O Allah, only Thee

Page 6: line 6 of last paragraph "reflect on His unlimited..." add "on" Page 7: First word of the page: "brining" ??? havent come across this word before 2nd line: after "Allah (SWT)," there is a coma, yet the next word has a capital letter. I think a full stop is better there Paragraph after the first verse of that page: i think there should be a coma after "fulfilled" Paragraph after the 3rd verse on that page: 2nd line should be a full stop after "nations)" Next sentence begins with capital letter: It is because..... 3rd line in the same para: add "who" will fulfill..... 4th line in the same para: add full stop after "here". It is stated...... in the 1st line of the verse after the above line: Essa should Esaa ?? Checked this verse in Qur'an made Easy as the second line read didnt read right.... in that line, after "Essa, son of Maryam" there should be a full stop and then begin, "That was because..... Hadith at the end of the page: end of 4th line: "the" should be "then" 5th line: "He confounded the heart of some with those of some..." not sure what to make of "with those of some" basically i dont understand it so it could be that the words are ok but i dont understand 6th line: Essa should be Esaa

Putting the Qur'an on the floor In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. Answer Imam Qurtubi (RA) has written that it is against the respect and the status of the Holy Quran to place it on ones lap when reading it or to put it on the floor. Therefore, we can deduce that it is highly disrespectful to place the Holy Quran on the floor. Only Allah Knows Best Source

Feet below that level in respect of the Qur'an? Q. If there is a Quran in a room, should one keep their feet below that level in respect of the Quran? Or is it just prohibited to keep ones feet from facing it? A. Yes, the feet should be kept below the level of the Qur’aan as to raise them above that level is disrespectful to the Qur’aan. Why don’t you keep the Qur’aan on a higher place instead? and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Muhammad Kadwa FATWA DEPT. CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Part of Q/A here:Source