ummtaalib

Cursing & Being Ungrateful to Husbands "Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that once Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) addressing a group of women said: “O Women! Give Sadqah (Charity) because I have seen you (females) more in Jahannum.” The women enquired: “O Rasulullah! What is the reason for this?” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “You curse in abundance and you are ungrateful to your husbands. Furthermore, despite the deficiency in your Aql (intelligence) and your Deen, I have not seen anyone more capable of making a moron of an intelligent man.” The women asked: “O Rasulullah! What is the deficiency of our Aql and our Deen?” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) replied: “What! Is the testimony of one woman not equal to the testimony of half a man? (In other words, the testimony of two women equals that of one man.)” Responding, the women said: “Yes, O Rasulullah.” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “This then is the deficiency of the intelligence of women.” Then Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Is it not that when a woman is in the state of haidh neither does she perform Salaat nor does she fast?” The women said: “Yes, O Rasulullah!.” Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) commented: “This is the deficiency of your Deen.” (Bukhaari and Muslim)

Warnings of Punishment for Women in The Qur'an & Hadith Many warnings are given in the Qur'an and Ahaadeeth regarding actions which lead to punishment. We shall try and collect them so that they serve as a reminder for the Muslimah

Hijaab in the Qur'an and Hadith The Qur'an [Al-Ahzaab 33:59] O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. [An-Noor 24:31] And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed. [Al-Ahzaab 33:53] O Ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you. But if ye are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse. Linger not for conversation. Lo! that would cause annoyance to the Prophet, and he would be shy of (asking) you (to go); but Allah is not shy of the truth. And when ye ask of them (the wives of the Prophet) anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not for you to cause annoyance to the messenger of Allah, nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him. Lo! that in Allah's sight would be an enormity. The Hadith Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith # 282 Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba (Radhiallaahu Ánha) "Aisha (Radhiallaahu Ánha) used to say: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces. Abu Dawud transmitted it in Kitab al-Hajj (no. 1833) It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, she said, “Riders would pass us when we accompanied the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) while we were in ihram. When they came by us, one of us would let down her jilbab from her head over her face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our faces”.

Sayyidul Istighfaar- The greatest method of Seeking Forgiveness اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ O Allah, You are my Rabb, there is none worthy of worship besides You. You have created me and I am Your servant, and I remain firm upon my promise and covenant with You to the best of my ability, I seek Your divine protection from the evil of my actions. I acknowledge Your favours and bounties upon me and I admit guilt for the sins I have perpetrated, thus forgive me, for certainly none can forgive sins besides You. عن شداد بن أوس رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: سيد الاستغفار أن تقول اللهم أنت ربي لا إله إلا أنت خلقتني وأنا عبدك وأنا على عهدك ووعدك ما استطعت أعوذ بك من شر ما صنعت أبوء لك بنعمتك علي وأبوء لك بذنبي فاغفر لي فإنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت قال: ومن قالها من النهار موقنا بها، فمات من يومه قبل أن يمسي فهو من أهل الجنة، ومن قالها من الليل وهو موقن بها فمات قبل أن يصبح فهو من أهل الجنة (بخاري رقم 6306) Hadhrat Shaddaad bin Aus (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasululllah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Sayyidul Istighfaar is that a person recite the following: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ The one who recites this duaa during the day with firm conviction (i.e. believing in it with sincerity and humility), and thereafter passes away during that day before the evening, such a person will be from the people of Paradise, and the one who recites it during the night with firm conviction, and thereafter passes away during that night before the morning, such a person will be from the people of Paradise. Ihyauddeen.co.za

Allah’s Anger Upon Us and It’s Remedy QUESTION: The Religious Scholars (Ulama) are requested to shed light upon the factors behind Muslim distress and suffering all over the world. Muslims are facing riots and massacres at many places – Why is this? ANSWER By Hadhrat Shaykh Mufti Abdur Raheem Lajpuri Saheb (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) There are several reasons for this sad state of affairs in the Ummah. Among the more prominent ones are the following: · Lack of true faith in Allah Ta’aalaa. · Increased disobedience towards Him. · Increasing timidity among us. · Love of the materialistic world (Hubb-e-Dunya wa Maal). · Open disobedience of the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). · Following our own innovated (bid’ah) practices and customs. · Neglecting the rights of Allah (Huqooq-Allah), and the rights of creation (Huqooq-ul-Ibad). · Our complete ingratitude towards the innumerable blessings showered upon us by our Benefactor, despite being totally unworthy of these blessings. · Disregard for the selfless advice given to us by our noble Ulama in relation to our religion. Almighty Allah sums up the reasons for our suffering in Surah 42, Aayeh 30 of the Holy Qur’an: “Whatever misfortune happens to you, it is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many of them He grants forgiveness…” A further elaboration on this point is found in Surah 30, Aayeh 41: “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of man have caused; that Allah may give them a taste of some of their deeds; in order that they turn back from evil.” SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF SINS Indulging in disobedience and committing sins anger Allah, but certain sins are such that, if committed, will invite a very swift and severe punishment. Among these types of sins are: · Unjust decision-making and the breaking of a pledge – these await the imposition of tyrannical rule. · Short-weighting and short-measuring by traders – await the punishment of famine, inflation and oppression. · Widespread betrayal of trust will cause the imposition of tyrant rulers. · Fearing death and inclining towards materialism (dunya) will result in timidity and fear among the faithful and, at the same time, the kuffaar forces will receive encouragement and strength. – Jazaa- ul-A’maal. The companion, Hadhrat Thawbaan (Radhiallahu Anhu) narrated that Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said: “A period will come when the non-believers will come closer by calling one another for annexing the nations of the believers just like how people call one another for eating food when it has been prepared.” Someone then asked as to whether the Muslims will be few in number then? Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have replied, “You will be large in numbers, but will like hay before a flood of water. Your enemies will not fear you because you will be so weak and timid.” One companion then asked the reason for this decline, and Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Life (and its luxuries) will become more dearer to you and you will dislike death, (and facing Allah)”. – Mishkat Shareef p.459. Chapter on Taghayyur-Un-Naas; Abu Dawood p.242. Creating fear in the hearts of the enemies, which is a blessing from Allah Ta’aalaa, can only be achieved through adopting the pious life prescribed by the Shariah, and by following the practical life of Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Regarding this last point, it is narrated in a Hadith (saying of Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) thus: “Whosoever emulates my way of life and adheres to my Sunnah, Allah will bless him with four favours: – The love of such a person will be instilled into the heart of virtuous people. – Sinners and disbelievers will fear such a person in their hearts. – His livelihood and good fortune will be increased for him. – Allah will strengthen him in religion.” Sharh Shariat-ul- Islam Sayyed Ali Zadah p.8. Allah Ta’aalaa has warned of dire punishment for those who do not order people to perform virtuous deeds and prevent them from committing evil and disobedient acts. He states in the Qur’an: “And fear oppression which cannot fall exclusively on those of you who do wrong, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.” Surah 8. Aayeh 25. This verse is explained in Tafseer-e-Ma’aariful-Qur’an as follows: Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (Radhiallahu Anhu) has said that Allah has ordered Muslims to prevent immorality and disobedience in their towns and villages. Furthermore, not preventing such actions, despite having the power to do so will definitely result in severe punishment on all, irrespective of whether they be pious people or immoral people. Imaam Baghawi has noted that in Shariah-Al-Sunnah and Ma’aalim appear narrations from Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masood (Radhiallahu Anhu) and Ayesha Siddiqah (Radhiallahu Anha) that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Allah does not send His punishment on all the people for the sins of a certain group of immoral persons when He sees the virtuous people preventing the wrong-doers from their activities. In case they do not prevent them, then Allah will certainly send and spread His punishment.”- Ma’aariful Qur’an Vol. 4. p. 212. The Sahaabi, Hadhrat Hudhaifah (Radhiallahu Anhu), has narrated that the Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “I swear by Allah, the One in whose hands my life is, continue to order and guide people towards virtuous deeds and prevent people from immoral acts and sins. Otherwise, Almighty Allah will surely send His severe punishment upon you. If you then turn to Allah and pray your prayers will not be accepted,” – Mishkaat Shareef, p.436. Chapter on Amr-Bil -Ma’roof DECLARATION OF WAR BY ALLAH UPON DEGRADATION AND INSULT OF PIOUS PEOPLE AND THE TRUTHFUL SCHOLARS OF ISLAM. The act of degrading and insulting the truthful scholars of Islam, the pious and the virtuous, immediately calls for the descent of the wrath of Allah. It is narrated in one of the Divine Hadith (Hadith-e-Qudsi) that Allah has warned the Ummah in the following manner: Whosoever tries to harm My friend (wali) will surely declare war upon Me. Allah certainly comes to the aid of such Allah-fearing persons immediately upon seeing them harassed or targeted for insult and ridicule. It is further reported that He becomes furious and declares war on those committing such heinous crimes against His authority, by insulting and harming His pious servants, and when there is any dealing where interest is charged upon money. May Allah protect us all from these! Aameen. Maulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (Rahmatullah Alayh) has narrated a Hadith-e-Qudsi from Tafseer-e-Mazhari, in which Allah says: “I will become angry upon the insulting and degrading of my pious slaves, like how a lion becomes furious when its cubs are harassed.” A Persian poet has described this in one of his couplets which mean: We have witnessed in this world of revenge that whosoever has teased and insulted the pious people; Allah has never put any people to hardship unless they have hurt the feelings of someone who had been fearing Him. Many cities and nations have perished due to their ill treatment of certain pious people. When asked about the cause of earthquakes Ayesha Siddiqah (Radhiallahu Anha) is reported to have said: “When adultery, drinking wine, singing, dancing and the use of various types of musical instruments become common and fashionable among the people, then the self-respect of Allah also comes into effect. If the people immediately rectify their mistakes, it stops. Otherwise, a vast area of people and grand buildings are raised to the ground and turned into heaps of mud.” – Fataawah Raheemiyah Vol.3, p.207. When we look at our lives, we are agreed that all these vices exist among us today. We know all too well how much importance we attach to the guidance of the Ulama, the weakness of our faith in Allah and in adhering to the teachings of Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Most of us have knowledge of religion but display our weak imaan in our lack of practice upon that knowledge. The attitude seems to be that the less we talk about our adherence to an Islamic way of life today, the better. Take Salaat as an example, the symbol of a Muslim and the bedrock of Islam. Despite it being obligatory five times a day, we find that the masjids are devoid of worshipers, and the state of our womenfolk in their homes is just as pitiable. In fact, the home has become a haven for many innovated practices and customs, immorality and non-practicing of purdah (hijab) by our women. One of the most damaging tools for Shaytaan is the Television and VCR, essential items in every living room. The fact that is it has become the main cause of widespread singing, dancing, music and adultery in society at large. We fail to recognize how dangerous these vices are in life, not to mention the consequences which we are storing up for ourselves, when we have to face Allah Ta’aalaa. The following saying of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is food for thought: “My followers will also face incidents of sinking in the ground, disfigurement and the raining of heavy stones from the heavens.” One of the companions asked when these incidents would manifest. To this Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied “When the evils of singing, dancing, music and drinking liquor will be common.” – Tirmidhi Shareef. Another Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) reports him as stating: “During the last days of my followers, people will become monkeys and pigs.” Those present inquired as to whether these people will not have faith in La-Ilaha-illalah, Muhammadur Rasulullah? The Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, “It is not so. They will become so because of their engagement in the profession of singing and music,” – Fatawaa Raheemiya Vol. 2. p.323. A recent Urdu poet has described the present prevailing conditions in society in the following way: The present conditions which we are facing today remind us of the foretelling of our Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). He has been reported as saying that people will not hesitate to usurp properties belonging to others; they will indulge in immoral acts and will feel no remorse or regret; quarrels and enmity will be common among close relatives, like brothers, sisters, parents and their wards; daughters will be born to mothers as their enemies and mistresses; the feeling and fear of the presence of Allah will become rare among the faithful; people in congregational prayer will forget what they are doing. The disobedience of Allah and the rejection of the Shariah will create a very dangerous situation calling for severe punishment, as has happened to past nations which transgressed. Allah has described these events in the Qur’an at various locations. One such verse is: “Each one of them We seized for their crime, against some of them We sent a violent tornado; some were caught in a blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some we drowned; it was not Allah who injured them; but they injured their own souls….” Surah 29 Aayeh 40 Allah explains to the believers how severe was His response to these crimes of spreading evil and challenging His Law. Those who seek His protection and mercy should become obedient servants and always submit to His orders. The following prayer is to be found in Darse-Qur’an: “0 Almighty Allah! despite having been shown a very clear path of living a successful life by Your Rasul (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) as desired by You, yet we have been committing the mistake of disobeying Your orders openly. 0 Allah! You certainly punished the people of former times for their rebellion against their Rasuls. Some were finished in floods while others perished in hurricanes; some had to face earthquakes and some were drowned and killed. 0 Great and Merciful Allah! You are the most Merciful and Beneficent. Those rebels were cruel to our souls. Their hard-heartedness made them cruel and thus they dared to rebel against your authority. 0 Merciful Allah! Bless us all with Your Mercy and make us learn the lessons from their most tragic termination, so that we can follow the right path shown to us by your Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Aameen!” – Darse-Quran Vol. 8. p.278. WHAT SHOULD MUSLIMS DO IN SUCH A SITUATION? Allah has said: “And never give up hope of Allah’s truly soothing mercy, no-one despairs of Allah’s soothing mercy except those who have no faith.” Surah12 A.87. In a further Aayeh Allah Ta’aalaa states: “So lose not heart and do not fall into despair, for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith.” Surah 3. Aayeh139. An Urdu poet has rightly depicted this in his couplet as under (the meaning of which is): “It is the same world all around us. Even the Almighty Allah is the same, the Most Merciful. If anything has changed it is ourselves. It is our indifferent attitude towards religious teachings which has stopped Allah’s aid reaching us.” It is indeed desired that we should seek guidance from the pious and the truthful scholars who are experts in these affairs, and then follow their advice. The following is a taste of some of this guidance, which is deserving of our immediate attention and practise: 1. TURN TO ALLAH The best cure for all ills and suffering today, is that we should turn to Allah and express our sincere regret and apology for our misdeeds. We should pledge to keep away from His disobedience in future, and begin to offer our Five daily Salaat (prayers) regularly. Men should attend the masjid punctually, and women should offer their Salaat in their homes as per the Shariah. Even children should be taught to cultivate a habit for Salaat. Allah has emphasized in the Qur’an as follows: “Oh ye who Believe! Seek help with Patient Perseverance and Prayer, for Allah is with those who observe patience.” Surah 2 Aayeh153. Hadhrat Mu’adh bin Jabal (Radhiallahu Anhu) narrates that he once heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) saying, “A person who does not go for Salaat after hearing the adhaan is committing a great wrong and is doing an act of blasphemy and hypocrisy.” The renowned saint Hadhrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Rahmatullah Alayh) has said: “You people have been totally negligent and careless about Allah Ta’aalaa. It is high time that you wake up and connect yourselves to the Mosques and the path of the righteous ones. Make sending Durood Shareef on Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) a regular habit and binding upon yourselves.” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has been reported as saying, “If Allah sends the fire from Hell (to punish the guilty), it will not touch those who are connected with the Masjids.” Therefore, the act of neglecting Salaat will disconnect you outright from your link with Allah, and such a person will be deprived of His Closeness and Mercy. As Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said that a servant is closest to his Creator whilst in the act of prostration (sajdah). – Al-Fatha-Al-Rabbani, p.2. 2. NEED FOR ISTIGHFAAR AND TAUBAH We must make a point to offer repentance for our sins and seek Allah’s forgiveness regularly. It is revealed in the Qur’an that: “But Allah was not going to send them a punishment whilst you were among them, and He was not going to send it while they sought forgiveness.” Surah 8. Aayeh 33. In the explanation to this aayeh it is said, “When the seeking of Allah’s forgiveness by the non-believers can ward off punishment, then the seeking of forgiveness by the faithful is definite to bring His mercy on all.” Hadhrat Abu Moosa Ash’ari (Radhiallahu Anhu) narrates Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) as saying, “Surely Allah has blessed my followers with two symbols of peace, firstly, myself and, secondly, the act of seeking forgiveness (Istighfaar), Remember! When I will no longer be in this mortal world, I will be leaving behind the act of seeking forgiveness. It will help you all to save yourselves from Allah’s punishment.” It is reported in another Hadith that, “Shaytaan has said to Allah, ‘I swear by Your honour that I will keep on misguiding your servants as along as they live,’ to which Allah responded, ‘I swear by my dignity that I will forgive them all as long as they continue to seek my pardon.'” In an explanation of the above Qur’anic verse, some of the Sahaaba were unable to undertake the migration to Medina and remained in Makkah. Through the barakat of their act of continuously seeking Allah’s forgiveness, no punishment descended even upon the disbelievers, despite their misdeeds. Through the act of pious people seeking forgiveness, even the sinners are saved from Allah’s wrath and punishment. 3. ENCOURAGE THE GIVING OF CHARITY Rich people must pay their Zakaat annually, as per the Shariah, in order to purify their wealth. In addition, regular voluntary alms (sadaqah) should be made to the poor to prevent the occurrence of hardships and misery. Wealth should be regarded as a gift and trust from Allah and for which one will be answerable. They should desist from spending upon prohibited items and should, instead, use their wealth to assist the needy or for the promotion of Allah’s religion. It is common to see Muslims indulging in wasteful and questionable expenditure. Such people Allah has clearly termed as the brothers of Shaytaan, in the Qur’an as follows: “Verily, spend-thrifts are the brothers of the evil ones.” Surah17. A.27 4. INCREASE THE TILAWAT OF THE QURAN We should make a habit of reciting the Qur’an and engage in the remembrance of Allah (Zikr), recitation of Durood upon Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and making abundant dua. Collective offering of dua for women and children may also be arranged in their homes. The prescribed recitation of the Aayaat-e-Kareemah may also be organised now and then. It is stated below: There is no God save Thee. Be Thou glorified! I have been a wrong doer. Surah 21. Aayeh 87. 5. STOP THE DISOBEDIENCE OF ALLAH We must try to stop people in our locality from indulging in disobedience of Allah. The instruments of music, singing and dancing must be removed from our homes, as these attract the wrath of Allah very quickly. The act of adultery and its means must be eradicated. Women should observe purdah (veil) from non-mahram males, and stop offering their services in schools, offices and businesses, as these lead to the spread of vice and immorality. Peace and tranquillity in the family and society are eroded through these activities and ultimately leads to the erosion of human values. A mere glance at the happenings in today’s society will confirm this state of affairs. If circumstances require womenfolk to earn a living, then they can take to teaching small children at home, do some handiwork or other petty trade from within the confines of their own homes. The intake of liquor and any type of drug and intoxicant must be avoided by all. We should all try to eradicate these vices from our society. Some vices are listed below and which we should avoid at all costs: Usurping the properties inherited by orphans; avoiding the sharing of inheritance with daughters; oppression; back-biting; not fulfilling a promise; telling lies and taking false oath; breaches of faith and treachery; desisting from fulfilling the rights due to Allah (such as performing Salaat, fasting during Ramadhaan, paying Zakaat and performing Haj); robbery; taking, giving and witnessing interest-based transactions; not advising people toward virtuous acts despite having the means to do so; making false allegations; behaving with arrogance and pride; engaging in gambling and various types of modern lotteries; bribery and corruption; insulting and degrading religious Scholars (Ulama); etc. 6. IMPLEMENT PROPER DEENI EDUCATION IN THE MAKAATIBS Children must be given proper education and training in religious knowledge. The principles of faith (Imaan), Divine duties (Faraaidh), Islamic manners and etiquette must be taught first. They should know how valuable this knowledge is, and the consequences of its neglect. Allah has ordered the believers: “O ye Believers! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire.” Surah66. Aayeh 6 Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has further warned, “Remember, everyone from among you is responsible and accountable for those who are subordinated to you.” Hence, it is vital that we make arrangements for the religious upbringing of our children in every village and town. 7. RECONCILE DISPUTES AND DIFFERENCES All types of disputes and differences should be stopped. Internal disputes are bound to cause serious damage to both religious and worldly interests. Allah states in the Qur’an: “And obey Allah and His apostle; and fall into no disputes, lest you lose heart and your power departs; and be patient and persevering, for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” Surah 8. Aayeh 46. In another aayeh He says: “And hold fast, all together, to the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves.” Surah 3. Aayeh102. 8. SEEK GUIDANCE ONLY FROM THE ULAMA. ESTABLISH LINKS WITH THEM We should seek guidance from the Ulama in all our dealings, and intend to follow their advice scrupulously. Never degrade or insult them. In Tirmidhi Shareef, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, “The Ulama are the heirs to the Ambiyaa.” Thus – like complying with the teachings of our prophets – it is equally obligatory upon the faithful to follow the instructions of the Ulama. The knowledge of the Shariah is the legacy of the prophets and the Ulama are its custodians, hence their instructions are to be treated as binding upon us. Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has said, “A religious Scholar (Alim) is superior to a worshiper, in the same way as myself to any ordinary people among you.” – Mishkaat Shareef. The renowned Scholar and Theologian, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Rahmatullah Alayh) said: “When you seek the guidance of the Ulama you must follow their advice, as you will be accountable for this before Allah. Remember! It is as you sought the advice of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and when it was given to you, you neglected it” – Al-Fath-Al-Rabbani. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has warned those who fail to keep contact with the Ulama and who do not bother to heed their advice. He said: “A period will soon be upon us when my followers will avoid the Ulama. Allah will then punish such people in three ways: · Barakat (blessing, abundance) will be taken away from their lives, making it difficult for people to make daily ends meet. · Cruel rulers will be thrust upon them. ·They will leave the world without Imaan in their hearts.” Allah save us all from such an end. Aameen! Hadhrat Ali (Radhiallahu Anhu) has reported Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) as having stated: “When my followers start hating the Ulama, turn towards (the construction of) huge buildings and prefer richness to piety when proposing marriage, Allah will punish them by four methods: · Drought and famine will become frequent. · Rulers will resort to oppression. · People having authority and power will indulge in treachery. · Enemies will attack continuously.” A glance at the world and the condition of the Ummah today leaves little doubt about whether these times are upon us. These conditions are only brought about by our own mistakes and misdeeds. There is no need to blame others! We must learn to respect the Ulama and treat their presence among us as a great gift from Allah. We should strive to seek their guidance and benefit from their company, and under no circumstances should we show them any disrespect. 9. CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF BROTHERHOOD Sincere efforts must be made to create the atmosphere of fraternity and the brotherhood of Islam, whereby the rights of all humans, irrespective of their affiliation is honoured. Always try to avoid any act which may lead to misunderstanding and dispute. We should keep ourselves away from quarrels. The true Islamic Character of tolerance and fortitude (sabr) should be developed. When faced with any mischief, we should affectionately try to desist from it. If the other party does not desist then do not run away, but protect yourselves with full vigour. The following principles must be remembered and followed when such situations arise: 1. Never harm old people (if they do not join the confrontations). 2. Never harm women (if they do not join the confrontation). 3. Never harm children. 4. Never show disrespect to the places of worship of other people. 5. Never attempt to cut off the noses and ears of people who confront you. 6. Never cut trees bearing fruit. 7. Never harm standing crops. 8. Do not burn any living animal. 9. Do not harm milking animals like cows, buffaloes, goats, etc. 10. MAKE THE WORLD AWARE OF THE BEAUTIFUL TEACHINGS OF ISLAM To make our fellow citizens aware of the teachings of our faith, make them understand the reality of Tawheed and Risalet; strive for them to be blessed with the beauty of Imaan and save them from the eternal punishment of Jahannam This is a right they have over us. The Prophethood of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was for all mankind, not only for Muslims. So let us consider this also. May Allah bless us all with His mercy, make us united, and strengthen our Imaan, and turn us to His Authority. May Allah save us from all types of evils and disputes. Aameen!

Do women have to attend the eid prayers? Question Umm Atiyah (ra) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (saw) commanded us to bring out on Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young women, hijab-observing adult women and the menstruating women. The menstruating women stayed out of actual Salaat but participated in good deeds and Duaa (supplication). I (Umm Atiyah) said to the Holy Prophet (saw): Oh! Messenger of Allah, one does not have an outer garment. He replied: Let her sister cover her with her garment." (muslim) Ash-Shawkaanee (radiyallaahu `anhu) said: "Note that the Prophet consistently performed this prayer on every Eid, never neglecting it. He commanded the people to go out for it; he even commanded the free women, the virgins, and the menstruating women to go out, instructing the latter to refrain from praying, in order for all of them to witness this good and the Muslims' supplications. He further commanded the woman who did not own a jilbaab (outer overall garment for women) to borrow her friend's (al-Bukhari) Can you please verify the above as some people say these hadiths are not true ? do women have to attend the eid prayers? is it wajib or depends on one's choice? in the arab world we see separate areas being assigned for women during eid prayers which we dont find in our countries, if such facility is available can a women go for eid prayers? Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh We confirm that these ahadeeth are recorded in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and thus authentic. Furthermore, this is not an isolated practice of the Sahaba (R.A). In fact during the era of Rasul Allah ( sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam ) women (excluding those who were menstruating) would attend the Salaats in the Masajid five times a day. * This was the general practice and was in fact needed, since Islam was in its initial stages and the women were needed to become accustomed to performing Salaats. * Moreover, the aspect of fitnah was far less than in our era. Therefore, although the need for the women to be accustomed to these Salaats still exists today and will remain till the day of Qiyaama; the element of fitna (evil and mischief) is more threatening today than ever before. Ponder over the fact that Ummul-Mo’mineen Sayyidatuna Ayesha (R.A) had began to discourage this practice not very long after the demise of Rasul Allah ( sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam ) based on the same element of fitna. Can we imagine what she would have said had she witnessed our era? * The scholars of Islam always considered this aspect of the fitna and therefore many of them ruled that women should not attend the Salaat, neither in masjid nor at the Eid Gaah (Musallah). After quoting the hadeeth in question, Imam Tirmidhi (R.A) has reported from Imaams (Abdullah ibn Mubarak (R.A) and Sufiyaan As Thawri (R.A)) that they considered it makrooh for the women to attend the Eid Salâah. Imam Tirmidhi (R.A) also made reference to the statement of Sayyidatuna Ayesha (R.A) that was quoted above. (Sunan Tirmidhi Vol.2 Pg.430 #539-40). * This is also the view of the Hânafi Scholars. (A’ini in Umdatur Qari Vol.3 Pg. 305; I’laau Sunan Vol. 8 Pg 107) * Even those scholars who allow the women to attend attach strict conditions, like: The women should not be scantly adorned. They should not have applied perfume etc. One cannot say for fact that on the day of Eid, no person would prefer to be shabbily dressed. On the contrary, people generally adorn their best attire on this day. So how can it be justified that the women be permitted to attend when the conditions of permission will certainly be flouted? * Another reason for which all the women were ordered to attend was so that the large numbers of the Muslims may become apparent, thereby attracting others towards Islam. More than being affected by ones inner spirits and enthusiasms, one needs to bear in mind the commands ofAllah and be conscious of not displeasing Him. There is no rational in trying to fulfill a Mustahab (liked) act by perpetuating several haraams and prohibitions. * Lastly, some people think that it is only the Asians who prohibit the above. Hereunder is a short list of the scholars of the past who also prevented the women from attending either the five Salaats in masajid or the Eid Salâah: Sayyidatuna Ayesha (R.A) (Sahih Al Bukhari ) Sayyiduna Abdullah b. Mas’ood (R.A) (Majma’uz Zawaahid) Sayyiduna Abdullah b. Umar (R.A) (Musannad ibn Abi Sheyba #5845) Sayyiduna Urwa b. Zubayr (R.A) (Musannad ibn Abi Sheyba #5846) Sayyiduna Qasim b. Mohammed b. Abi Bakr Faqih Al Madinah (R.A) (Musannad ibn Abi Sheyba #5847) Sayyiduna Ibraheem Nakh’ee (R.A) (Musannad ibn Abi Sheyba #5844, #5848) Imaam Abdullah b. Al-Mubarak (R.A) (Sunan Tirmidhi #539-40 Vol.2 Pg.420) Imaam Malik (R.A) (Umdatur Qari Vol.3 Pg. 305) Imaam Sufiyaan As Thawri (R.A) (Sunan Tirmidhi) Imam Abu Yusuf (R.A) student of Imaam Abu Hanifa (R.A) (Umdatur Qari Vol.3 Pg. 305) Now, ask yourself and question: How many of the above are Asians? And Allah knows best Wassalam Maulana Mohammed ibn Maulana Harooon Abasoomer Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah askimam.com

Q. Is it permissible to find out the gender of a baby before it is born? (Question published as received) A. There is no harm in finding out the gender of a baby before it is born provided no impermissible means are used to ascertain this. However, one should not have conviction on the results of medical tests. The final outcome should be left in the knowledge of Allah Ta’ala. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

What is Hijaab? It's literal meaning is to veil, to cover, or to screen The Hijaab: generally refers to clothing such as the veil (which covers the face) and the headscarf (which covers the hair and not the face), worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty. The Headscarf The Niqaab: face covering The Burqa: a long, loose garment covering the whole body from head to feet, worn in public by women in many Muslim countries. The face-veiling portion is usually a rectangular piece of semi-transparent cloth with its top edge attached to a portion of the head-scarf so that the veil hangs down covering the face and can be turned up if the woman wishes to reveal her face.

The Veil of the Muslim Woman Generalizations about Islam and Muslims are replete in today's media and the subject of the veil of the Muslim woman is no exception. Veiled Muslim women are frequently unfairly stigmatized. They are regarded on the one hand as oppressed, and on the other, as fanatics and fundamentalists. Inflammatory slogans and statements for banning the veil are commonplace in the media. Are Muslim women who wear the veil fanatics and fundamentalists? Is it only Islam which teaches women to cover? What do other religions say about it? Is wearing hijaab a sign of oppression, humiliation and discrimination? Or is it a sign of piety, modesty and honour? Are Muslim women forced to wear them? What do Muslim women themselves have to say? InshaAllah we will compile a series of posts with the answers...

Done and moved to the correct section...Allah ta'ala accept from all of us and make it all a means of correct understanding of Islam! Jazaakallaahu khayraa.

Brother Arslan, your post has been merged with the main topic...its moved here so please have a look and suggest any changes which may be needed or perhaps something has been overlooked. The two empty posts are so in case they are needed. InshaAllah once you check things it will be moved to the misconceptions section. Please post here any comments...they can be deleted afterward...Jazaakallaahu khayran for this, really appreciate it.

Your Kids and Halal/Haram Foods By: Habib Ullah As Muslims, we have several responsibilities on our families and neighbours, but we have a special obligation to our children. It is incumbent upon us to shield them from what s haram by educating them. The children in this day and age are presented with several wrongful and sinful acts, especially in this North American environment. One wrongful act that is constantly repeated to them is eating haram. As the father, mother, or guardian, we have an undeniable responsibility to our children. We are there to safeguard them and to prevent them from any harm that may ruin them. One of these difficult balancing acts is keeping them away from haram foods. Applying force and blocking their free will is not exactly the answer. Acting this way can ruin the children and result in them losing respect for their parents. The best way to guide them is to educate them; make them realize the penalties and punishments of eating haram. Before doing this, we must acquire knowledge and become examples for our children. Nowadays, consuming haram is thought to be normal. Many people believe in saying Bismillah before eating makes the food (meat) halal. Unfortunately, the Hadith below has been completely misunderstood. Narrated by ‘Aisha (R.A.): A group of people said to the Prophet (S.A.W.), “Some people bring us meat and we do not know whether they have mentioned Allah’s Name or not on slaughtering the animal.” He said, “Mention Allah’s Name on it and eat.” Those people had embraced Islam recently. (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 415) When children pick up this commonly misunderstood Hadith, it can effect them greatly, even to a point where they will argue and fight with their parents. Another aspect to keep in mind is that eating haram is a dangerous beginning for many sins, especially of the tongue, such as lying, backbiting, and foul language. When one commits a sin with his tongue, other sins naturally occur. When a person eats haram, his body runs on haram food, and therefore results in the person potentially indulging in wrongful acts. As the person starts eating haram, he becomes careless of other haram acts, slowly increasing the degree of his/her sins. As Muslims, we have to aid our religion and keep its priority right on top. To link the chain of Islam to our future generations, we must make our children and grandchildren understand the Deen of our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). They are the future leaders and role models of this Ummah. If we have no concern and love for this Deen, it could fall apart. It will be on us to answer to Allah on what efforts we made to educate our children about the Islamic values. If our children start consuming haram food in the future, we will be held responsible. We will be asked whether or not we educated our children about the importance of eating halal, and the dangers of eating haram. eat-halal.com

One Etiquette when Sitting by a Sick Person Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) taught the Ummah that at the time of visiting the sick one should shorten one’s stay. The reason for this is so that one does not become the means of bringing discomfort and inconvenience to the sick. Hence from this mubaarak teaching of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) we understand that we should be considerate about the condition of people and their feelings when interacting with them. عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال من السنة تخفيف الجلوس وقلة الصخب (مرقاة-باب عيادة المريض) It is reported that Hadhrat ibn Abbaas (Radhiallahu Anhu) said: “It is from the Sunnah to shorten one’s visit (by the sick) and to avoid making noise.” It is reported that once a group of people went to visit Hadhrat Sarri Saqti (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) in his final illness. They prolonged their stay by him. Hadhrat Sarri Saqti (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) was at that time suffering from stomach pains. They then intended to leave and asked Hadhrat Sarri Saqti (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) to make duaa for them. Hadhrat Sarri Saqti (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) made duaa: “O Allah, teach them the etiquettes of visiting the sick.” (Mirqaat) On one occasion, a person went to visit a sick patient and remained by him for a long time. The sick person then said: “We have been greatly inconvenienced by the large number of people coming to visit us.” The visitor asked: “Should I get up and close the door for you so that they don’t come in?” The sick person replied: “Yes, but close it from outside.” (I.e. you also remain outside as you are also causing inconvenience). (Mirqaat) Ihyaauddeen.co.za

It is not always so that a Man inherits twice as much as a Woman Although in most cases the male inherits a share that is twice that of a female, it is not always so. There are certain circumstances when they inherit equal shares, and in a few instances a female can inherit a larger share than that of the male. Allah has stated three types of shares for a woman's inheritance as follows: A woman will have an equal share as that of the man. A woman will have an equal share to that of the man, or a little less. A woman will have half the share of a man. "Women under the shade of Islam"

By Sadaf Farooqi Because of high expectations about the early marital relationship, borrowed from past life and also from films, couples end up feeling hurt. Life is not a bed of roses... How many times did you read or hear this adage whilst growing up? Whether you were the indomitable idealist lost in a fantastical world of romance, make-believe and fiction, or the cynical realist who flicked away all hearsay regarding someone’s blissful matrimony with a “we’ll-see” eye-roll and contemptuous snort, the fact is that, notwithstanding life in general, marital life is definitely not a bed of roses! It doesn’t take long for a married couple to realize, once the roses in the floral table centre-pieces at their walimah dinner have drooped and wilted, that married life is less about round-the-clock romance and more about being human, making mistakes, compassion, forgiveness, moving on from the past, adjustment, compromise, responsibility, Shari’ rights and persistent work. Expectations vs. Reality When many people get married, they are more often than not young and never married before. Whereas the innocence and naiveté adds to the giddiness of novel experiences, the lack of life experience and past interactions with people from the opposite gender also unfortunately fuel their level of expectations from their spouse, and make them enter their marriage with baggage carried over from witnessing their own parents’ marital relationship. “Delicious…almost as good as Mom’s!” Take the case of, for example, Adnan. A loving, stay-at-home mother who never had a job, was not educated beyond high school; never earned her own money, nor possessed much wealth. She could therefore not supervise her children’s homework or exam preparation beyond primary school level. Her kid always saw his father single-handedly take care of financial matters, never consulting his mother for any career-related discussions or professional advice. He grew up watching her mother keep house, cook, clean, sew and host dinners - and not much else. Now when he gets married, he might presume, against his better judgment that his wife intends to live exactly like his mother, which might make him attempt to replicate his own parents’ marriage with his wife. He might presume that his wife is inept to handle outside-the-home worldly matters, and is not street-smart; but rather, is predisposed and content to stay at home; aspires to cook at the level of master chef, and she may not be matured enough to be consulted for professional advice and major career decisions. He might start always comparing his wife, detrimentally to their marital relationship, with his mother or sisters, even going so far as to judge her novice cooking skills against his Mom’s polished, decades-old culinary expertise. How often has a wife gone out of her way to cook an elaborate dish only to have her husband undermine it because his “Mom” made it better? As a result, for the first few years of their marriage, his wife might struggle for him to accept her for who she is, particularly if she is highly educated, world-wise, well-read, professionally experienced, capable of handling money, and up-to-date with current affairs. She might get frustrated at being coerced to keep her focus only in the kitchen, when her interests spill over into many other areas. She might feel angry at being compared to someone else, and have all her skills and talents besides homemaking and cooking completely ignored. “But Daddy always used to……” Now let us look at the other side of the coin: when a wife carries her baggage of past life experiences and observation of her parent’s marriage into her marriage, in the form of high expectations. It is common for many wives to expect the same, if not a better lifestyle and standard of living, than that which they were accustomed to before marriage. Whether or not they were a pampered ‘Daddy’s Girl’, if they were always kept on a pedestal and showered with love and material gifts on demand, they might be in for an awakening after marriage. By naively falling into the trap of assuming that their husband will immediately love, trust and indulge them just like their parents used to, they might soon also suffer the consequences of “carry-over-syndrome”. Sometimes new brides’ expectations from their husbands are based entirely on their past relationship with their father, who might have consulted them in all major family decisions and valued their opinion as an individual with a head on their shoulders. Consequently, they will expect their husbands to do the same from day one, and when that doesn’t happen in the beginning, they might get hurt. The question that arises then would be; who is responsible for this pain? The person who did not come up to expectations, or the person who kept those expectations too high, made unfair comparisons, and expected perfection much too soon? Life is Rosy….. Now picture this scenario: Sameera got married thinking that her husband would have long, deep conversations with her over romantic dinners at restaurants. She expected that he’d dish out pocket money for her from day one, just like her father did with her mother, and consequently, that he would be earning enough to have that much money in the first place. She expected him to wear the kind of clothes she liked whilst at home, just the way her brother did, lounging around in branded tees and sweatpants. As it turned out, her husband did not dine at restaurants, and preferred having her cook everything at home. He was interested in little else but physical intimacy the first few weeks, and long conversations just caused delays. He wanted to relax and ‘be himself’ when at home, which translated to wearing a vest and worn-out PJ’s. He never gave her any money, but more than willingly bought her whatever she needed. He did not consult her about his career or professional work, as he wanted their time together to be more about her. Nevertheless, he was madly in love. There was nothing in the least wrong with Sameera’s marriage, nor was her husband lacking in any significant way, but because of her high expectations and preconceived notions about the early marital relationship, borrowed heavily not just from her past life experiences but also from films, glossy magazines and novels, she ended up feeling hurt and disappointed. She thus started to spiral into a downward eddy of ingratitude and anxiety, believing that her husband and her relationship with him was lacking in many ways, when for the most part, everything was fine. Relationships Need Time to Mature Both the spouses, in the above fictional scenario, were unintentional victims of the “carry-over-baggage” syndrome, if we can call it that. They carried their own past relationships with their parents, and their parent’s marital relationship with each other, over into their own marriage, instead of letting their relationship develop a new, purely on the basis of their unique personality traits, strengths and weaknesses as a couple. It can take years before the ups, downs, peaks and trials of married life unveil to each spouse the true positive and endearing qualities of the other. Every couple eventually falls in love, finds happiness and becomes each other’s best friend, but this necessitates for each one to stop comparing their spouse to their parent of the same gender, and learn to value them for who they were. Adnan’s son will then be able to realize that whilst his wife might not be able to expertly ‘cook up a storm’ in the kitchen, - yet - she can do many other things. She can drive a car, educate his children, give him career advice, build his resume online, check and respond to his work emails, draw up and adhere to monthly and annual household budget, and also save money for the family using the “envelope” system. Sameera will be able to realize that her husband is much caring and romantic than her father ever was, and let’s her have a lot of leeway in the way she chooses to run the household, bringing out the hidden administrator and interior designer in her. And that he looks just fine in PJ’s. Once she stops comparing him to her father, and he stops sizing her up against his mother, they will be able to not just appreciate each other for who they are as unique individuals, but will be also able to build their spousal relationship from scratch, free from clichéd expectations and childhood baggage carried over from the past. That was when they started to truly enjoy the recurring pleasant “you- also-have-this-amazing-quality?” surprises!

Reasons behind why a Man Inherits twice as much as a Woman

To Deprive Women of Inheritance is a Grave Sin The Importance of Giving Shares to Girls The Holy Qur'an demonstrates visible concern to ensure that girls are given their share when it mentions the share of girls as a basis for determining the share of boys. In other words, instead of saying - 'for two females there is a share equal to that of one male'- it has elected to say "for a male there is a share equal to that of two females". Those who do not give shares to sisters on the pretext that they have forgone their right are in error, because their sisters usually do not forgo their rights willingly. Done reluctantly, with the knowledge that they are not going to get anything anyway, they think, why create bad blood between brothers and sisters? Such an act of forgiving is not valid under Islamic law. Their claim remains due against brothers - and those who usurp inheritance are terrible sinners. In case minor girls hold shares in such inheritance, not giving them their shares is a sin committed twice by usurping the share of a legal heir and by devouring the property of an orphan. [Ma'ariful Qur'an]

Importance of the Mahr (dowry given to the wife) and its role in Inheritance Husbands are obligated to pay their wives the mahr (dowry). If the husband has died before giving the mahr, the obligation does not fall. The mahr will then be taken out of the estate left behind by the husband. It must be ascertained before the' distribution of inheritance that the mahr (dower) of the wife has been paid. If the deceased has not paid the mahr of his wife, this will be taken as debt, and will have to be paid first from the total property, like all other debts. The inheritance will be distributed only after that. It should be noted that the woman, after having received her mahr, shall go on to receive her fixed share in the inheritance as a competent inheritor. And in case, the property left by the deceased is not more than the value of dower, and nothing remains after it is paid, the entire property will be given to the woman against her debt of mahr very much like other debts and, as a result, no heir will receive any share from the inheritance thus used up. [Ma'ariful Qur'an] Since Mahr is treated like debt, the shari'ah makes sure that no heirs can get their share until it (the mahr) is given to the wife. Even if the mahr happens to exhaust the entire estate, so be it. The wife's right to the mahr will have to be fulfilled, even if it means the other heirs get nothing. Source

How Islam Protects the Inheritance of the Wife Some selfish husbands try deprive their wives of inheritance by giving them a divorce on their deathbed. These immature "men" may do this because of a grudge they are holding against their wife, or as an act of revenge. Little do most of these ignoramuses know, that Islam has established a ruling to protect the wife from such a stunt. In case a person divorces his wife and the divorce is revocable, and this person dies before the revocation of the divorce and the expiry of his wife's waiting period, then this woman will get a share in the inheritance, for the marriage is in force. If a person divorces his wife during his sickness culminating in his death, even though the divorce is irrevocable or pronounced thrice, and he died before the expiry of the waiting period, even then, this woman will get a share in the inheritance. And in order to make her inherit, the longer of the two waiting periods shall be taken as operative in the following manner: The waiting period following a divorce is three menstrual periods and the waiting period following the death of the husband is four (lunar) months and ten days. The waiting period out of the two which lasts longer shall be prescribed as the waiting period for the aforesaid woman so that the woman may get a share in the inheritance as far as possible. And if a person divorces his wife, irrevocably or by pronouncing it thrice, prior to any sickness culminating in his death and, a few days later he passes away during the period of his wife's waiting period, then, she will not get a share in the inheritance under this situation. However, if the divorce given was revocable, she will inherit. [Ma'ariful Qur'an] SubhaanAllah, is there any religion in the world that goes to such an extent to preserve the right of the wife? Notice that even in the case of an irrevocable divorce, as long as the husband dies within the waiting period, the wife will still get her inheritance. And on top of that, the fuqahaa have ruled that the longer of the two waiting periods shall be considered, so she has an even greater chance of getting her share. If this is not perfect justice, I dont know what is. Another slap on the face of the kuffaar and their idiotic claims. Note: The detailed rulings of this particular mas'alah can be found on page 434 of the English translation of Bahishti Zewar (2005 Edition). Source

Islam gives Women the right to Inherit!

Inheritance Laws for Women in other Religions In Judaism In Christianity In Hinduism Hindu and Zoroastrian inheritance systems

Inheritance in Pre-Islamic Arabia In order to truly appreciate the favours bestowed upon women by Islam, let us look at their before the advent of Islam. Arabs used to make unlimited bequest in favour of any person according to their own interest. The position of women was worse than that of the women of any other country. The women were not entitled to have the share of the property of their deceased husbands, fathers and other relatives. They regarded women as chattels. The Wife is a part of Inheritance The advent of Islam brought justice for everyone!

The Revival of Islam By Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera Zamzam Academy There is a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) related by a number of hadithscholars (including Imam Abu Dawud, and Imam Hakim in his Mustadrak) that is unanimously considered to be sahih, in which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) made a very special statement. This article will discuss this hadith. Given the times that we are experiencing, people need glad tidings. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, Abshiru (or bashshiru): “Give glad tidings.” The hadith, narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him), is as follows: “Allah will send (or appoint) for this umma at the end of every century someone who will revive their faith for them”. At the end of every century, from the time when the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) migrated from Makka to Madina Munawwara, every hundred years there has been at least one individual, if not more, who Allah has specially selected and appointed to be a reviver of the faith. What is the need for revival? We know that Allah has said in the Qur’an: “We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)” (15:9). This is speaking about the Qur’an in particular. However, when we are speaking about the Qur’an, we are speaking about the religion in general, as the Qur’an is the heart and the soul of our religion and it is preserved until today. Allah has taken this responsibility upon Himself. Regarding the difference between this umma (nation) and the nations and communities of the past prophets (may the peace of Allah be upon them all), a hadithof the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) tells us that the Banu Israel (Israelites) had prophets that came one after the other among them. There was the rasul, the special messenger, which was Musa (upon him be peace) who came with a Sacred Law. After him numerous prophets came that revived the Sacred Law and message that Prophet Musa (upon him be peace) came with, and that is the difference between a messenger (rasul) and a prophet (nabi). Although we use these terms interchangeably, a messenger is a special type of prophet that Allah selects and gives a new Sacred Law to, one that would abrogate the previous one. Prophet Ibrahim (upon him be peace) was a prophet and a messenger, as was Prophet Musa (upon him be peace). With Prophet Musa (upon him be peace) he had Yusha’ ibn Nun (upon him be peace) and Harun (upon him be peace) who were prophets to support and assist him. The Israelites had many prophets that would come one after the other to redirect them to the Shari’a. In this umma, there will be no more prophets, neither rasul nor nabi, as the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the seal of the prophets (upon them be peace). Therefore, the responsibility of the revival of the religion has been given to the scholars. The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) has communicated in many hadiths the virtue of the scholars and how they are to continue the message of the prophets (upon them be peace): “The ulama are the inheritors of the prophets” (Abu Dawud). The first thing that we need to understand is that Islam has a very enduring nature. Islam will never be stamped out: “Allah will perfect His Light, although the disbelievers dislike it” (Qur’an 61:8). Allah will continue His Light until the last day, after which this world will end. While it is a fact that Allah is preserving this faith, yet there is a need for revival, and this is why Allah selects certain individuals from the umma, especially towards the end of each century, who revive the religion. Reviving the religion concerns aspects of it that have become corrupt. This could be because people have begun to spread innovations: in beliefs, ideologies or philosophies that are alien to the core fundamentals, and the soul and spirit of Islam. Whether it is an attack from outside of Islam or within it, there are individuals or groups Allah selects, in each field and discipline of Islam, who take the religion and purify it. There is another hadithnarrated from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) where he says: “This sacred knowledge of the religion is going to be taken and carried from every preceding generation by a group of the subsequent generation. They will expel from it the alteration made by those going beyond bounds, false claims of the liars and the false interpretations of the ignorant ones” (Bayhaqi). From every preceding generation, a group will take knowledge and they will purify from it any misrepresentation of the religion. For example, someone may have come with a new claim about religion and corrupted a number of people; after all, ideas are prone to exaggeration. The whole reason that communism came about is because the core need of man was to have economic stability. In Russia, there was a massive gap between those who had and those who did not, and that is why one need among the many needs of humanity—of economic stability—was promoted as the main need of that time. Eventually that particular need became the dominant aspect around which everything else began to revolve and they formed an entire system around it. Similarly, let us say there is a time when we need to promote politics in Islam, which is just one of its many aspects. If somebody takes that and makes it the entire crux and spirit of Islam, and begins to say that even your salat (prayer) is part of your Islamic politics and it is a type of training in obedience to the leader, and starts to reinterpret all other acts of worship around a political vision, he will corrupt the entire religion. He has taken one aspect of religion, and made it the core of religion. Therefore, Allah sends people to deal with the consequences of such corruption and innovation. They undertake the work of revival. Who are the revivers? When we look into our history, we see numerous individuals, some of whom are not considered revivers of faith because they did not live and pass away at the turn of an Islamic century. They may have passed away during the middle of the century. We have a number of hadiths in this regard, that speak about the enduring nature of our religion and the powerful nature of its continuity. However, people will fall off the bandwagon. There will be people who consider themselves to be Muslims, but are on the edge, just clinging on to their faith. When something unfavourable happens to Muslims in the world or some Muslims decide to perpetrate certain crimes or acts of aggression, and the media hypes up these events, such people become very confused. They look at these events and think ‘if my religion was the truth, why is it becoming so blameworthy to be a Muslim today?’ Shaytan is always looking for ways to confuse us. The spirit of this religion will constantly remain firm, and there will always be true ones on the straight path until the day of judgement. The question is whether we are among them and will we remain firm. This is the fitnah—the challenge. A hadithstates that there will always be a group of people from this umma who will remain steadfast, upholding the religion of Allah. Those who try to forsake them will not harm them. The Arabic word used here is khidhlan (to forsake). Khidlan means to leave somebody alone, to stop supporting them and assisting them, basically, to side-line them. This happens often. We see this happening, day in day out, today. People are side lined because they call to the truth. However, the fortunate ones are those who are not concerned or harmed in the least by those who forsake them until the command of Allah comes to them, which is that they meet their death or the day of judgement comes upon them. They will remain holding onto the religion. It is irrelevant whether you and I forsake the religion of Allah because there will always be a group who will uphold it. The religion is important, but it is also independent and self-enduring, because it is the religion of Allah Most High. It is not in need of you and I. We need Allah more than He needs us. So religion will continue. The question is whether we will continue on it or not. Imam Suyuti passed away in 911 Hijri. It is said nowadays that Imam Mahdi’s time is imminent. There is no categorical information that tells us when he will appear. If we look into history, we have been in far worse times than we are in now, more deadly and detrimental scenarios than what we face today. Back in the early 9th Hijri, as Imam Suyuti says in his poem, people were saying that the Day of Judgment was very near. The 1000th year of Islam was nigh and people thought the world was going to end. There have been many downs and dips in our history, but Allah be praised, we have also had our heights and elevations. When we look at our history, it fills us with joy and courage, as it shows that Allah Most High is with this umma. There were many times that it felt as though this religion was coming to an end, but Allah uplifted it again. Let us look to the time of the Tartars, for instance, when they went into Herat. Herat was a bustling city, one of the main cities on one of the main caravan routes, and in those times, a place of great magnificence. When the Tartars had finished sweeping through Herat, only 27 or so people emerged from the ruins. We have carnage today but maybe nothing that can compare with what the umma has experienced in the past. We have deaths in large numbers, which we do not consider trivial, but we have fared worse. This should not make us despondent, nor should it make us question whether we are on the truth, or why the help of Allah does not appear to come to us. People asked these questions of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) and this angered him. He related to them stories of past nations who had their flesh torn from their bones, but it did not stop them from believing in Allah. This is all a part of life in this world. Allah did not promise us paradise in this world; Allah has promised us paradise in the hereafter. Allah Most High says: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient” (Qur’an 2:155). As has been mentioned before, many scholars such as Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Imam Suyuti and numerous others have written that there were great scholars who did many exceptional things, and at times, their achievements were greater than some of the mujaddidin (revivers). Imam Bukhari’s work, for instance, in the collection, verification and compilation of hadiths, has been an important and enduring work from his time to our time. As monumental as his work is, Imam Bukhari is not considered a reviver of the religion because he passed away in 256 Hijri, which is the middle of the century, and not towards the end of it, as the hadith is said to indicate. There is an agreement by consensus that the reviver of the first century was ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, and he is probably the greatest of the revivers. He was able to combine scholarship and rule. In his two years and five months as the caliph, he managed to achieve what many had not attained before him or after him. According to many great scholars, he is considered the first and greatest reviver. The reviver of the second century was Imam Shafi’i; he was born in 150 Hijri and passed away in 204 Hijri. Scholars have said that after the first few centuries it was very difficult to have only one reviver of the religion. A reviver is the one who is still alive at the turn of the century, the beginning of the new century. He becomes knowledgeable of both the internal and external sciences; he is in conformity with the Sunna of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), and he speaks out against the innovations and corruption in the religion. This is generally something that is recognised by the ‘ulema who notice and acknowledge certain traits and characteristics and come to the conclusion that a particular individual must be a reviver. It is difficult for a single person to possess characteristics to reform the many different corruptions that may occur in the religion in its different aspects: the political, the judicial, the Sunna, hadith, Qur’anic interpretation, spirituality and so on. This is why the ‘ulama entertain the idea that it doesn’t have to be one person who is the reviver at the end of each century. There may be a reviver for the science of hadith, one for Qur’anic studies, one in reformatory guidance and spirituality, and so on. There could be revivers in each of the different fields of the religion. Revivers throughout history From the revivers of the early centuries, we have mentioned ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz in the first century, but in individual disciplines such as the science of hadith for example, we have ibn Shihab al-Zuhri. Then, we have Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim ibn ‘Abdillah and Hasan al-Basri. We had the likes of ibn Sirin, the great muhaddith, mufassir and dream interpreter. We had Muhammad al-Baqir. In the second century, we had people like Yahya ibn Ma‘in along with Imam Shafi’i, as has been already mentioned. In the third generation, we had Imam Nasa’i, Qadi Abu ’l-Abbas ibn Surayj. In the fourth generation, we had Imam Hakim al-Nishapuri, a great hadithscholar who collected and compiled narrations that he felt were at the same level as those in Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim’s works which were not mentioned by them. There is Hafiz ‘Abd al-Ghani ibn Sa’id al-Misri and Abu Hamid al-Isfirayini, who were among the great Ash’ari scholars, along with Imam Baqillani Abu ’l-Hasan al-Ash’ari. In the fifth century, we had Imam Ghazali, who definitely deserves the position of a reviver, as agreed upon by many scholars. In the sixth century, there was Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. In the seventh century, many say it was the great ibn Daqiq al-‘Id. In the eighth century, another great Ash’ari theologian named Imam al-Bulqini and Zayn al-Din al-Iraqi, the great hadithscholar. In the ninth century, the reviver was Imam Suyuti, and in the tenth century, Imam Shihab al-Din al-Ramli. After the tenth century we also have Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, also aptly known as Mujaddid Alf Thani (Reviver of the Second Millennium) who emerged at the turn of the second Islamic millennium. The amount of work he did to deal with the corruption of the ruler of the time, who tried to mix the religion of Islam with Hinduism, is quite phenomenal. For this reason, he was considered a reviver of his time. In the eleventh century, there was also Ibrahim ibn al-Hasan al-Kurdi al-Qurani and Sayyid Murtada al-Husayni al-Zabidi who wrote a profound commentary on Imam Ghazali’s Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din. Some scholars say that if all the other books were destroyed, then this commentary would suffice for us. Some say Shah Waliyullah al-Dihlawi was among the revivers of the eleventh century, and the same for Imam al-Haddad and Mulla Ali al-Qari. In the twelfth century, we have Imam Saleh ibn Muhammad ibn Nuh al-Fulani. In more recent times in the thirteenth century, we have Imam al-Tahtawi, Shah ‘Abd al-Aziz al-Dihlawi and ‘Uthman bin Fudi (may Allah have mercy upon them all). For the recent century, we will leave it to the ‘ulama. And Allah knows best. How Allah (glorified and exalted be He) uses individuals for His work Imam Hasan al-Basri was a remnant of the Companions. He was not one of them, as he came after the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) departed from this world but he was among the generation that saw the sahaba, and he acted as a bridge between them and the people that came after them. He had lived at a time when the spirit of Islam was strong and people were enthusiastic about their faith, upholding the best of values and morals. Then, as he witnessed the sahaba leaving the world, he became aware of the decline of the umma and how the rulers of the time were corrupt, who in turn were being followed by the people in their corruption. He had benefited from the sahaba, so he would deliver heart-rending speeches, drawing people back to the true ways of Islam. It was through his powerful and emphatic speeches that Allah rekindled the spirit of Islam. Although he is not generally considered a reviver he was considered to be a saviour of the Islamic spirit. In the first century, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was appointed the caliph of the Muslims. In two years and five months, he had completely turned around the state of the umma. His efforts were so great that the entire umma, which by then spread all the way across the north of Africa, had become so affluent and successful that there was not a single person who was eligible to receive zakat. This was because of the distribution of wealth in a just manner that people had sufficient sustenance. The suffering that we have today is because the laws of Islam are not implemented, including the absence of proper zakat discharge and distribution. This is why others are progressing further than the Muslims. After ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz and Imam Shafi’i, came Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. During his time came a new and even greater trial. The texts of the Greeks, such as Aristotle, Plato and other philosophers started becoming available in translation in the Arabic language due to the translation movement by Harun al-Rashid and his son Ma’mun al-Rashid. Many Jewish and Christian Arabs were employed to translate Greek and Syriac works into the current Arabic language, and slowly these began to circulate in the Muslim lands. Those who could read and had scholarly interests began to take these philosophical works and decided that it would be appropriate to adopt some of the views and amalgamate them with the religion of Islam. Benefitting from such works on a very supplementary and auxiliary level, using them just in some subsidiary manner may have been acceptable, as some scholars did later on. Instead they decided to mix them with the religion of Islam, which caused it to become corrupt with foreign elements being introduced, thus changing its image. This became a very big issue when they could not reconcile between it and a hadith or Qur’anic verse. Whenever a perceived clash arose, they gave preference to their own understandings over the clear sacred text. They innovated many deviant ideas and beliefs; one of their biggest deviations being their belief that the Qur’an was a creation of Allah’s rather than His eternal uncreated word, contrary to the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna wa ’l-Jam’a. This issue became so widespread that ‘ulama who opposed their views were persecuted, and in many cases, killed in the inquisition. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was brought before the caliph of the time, Mu’tasim bi’ Llah to answer questions on certain aspects of his beliefs. He remained steadfast on the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna wa ’l-Jam’a. Though he was lashed, punished, tortured and imprisoned, he fought against these deviant beliefs and upheld the true beliefs. Allah used Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal to preserve the true beliefs of Islam in the face of deviation, and today we do not see people from this deviant group anymore. During the fifth century of Islam, a new fitna occurred. Several Hellenistic philosophers such as Alfarabi, ibn Sina (Avicenna) and later ibn Rushd (Averroes) held the idea that the Qur’an was revealed for people who lacked intellect, and that there were certain people that Allah had chosen who could grasp the realities of the world using only their intellect. They believed that people like Aristotle and Plato were at the same level of the prophets (may the peace of Allah be upon all the prophets) and that Allah had chosen to give them intellect rather than revelation. These philosophers felt that they could reconcile their ideas with the Qur’an and introduced the idea of double truths. They became so strong in their belief that there was no scholar to respond to them in a comprehensive way. Allah then sent the reviver of the fifth century, Imam Ghazali, who despite his busy life as the rector of the Nizamiyya College in Baghdad, read all the books of the philosophers over the course of two years in his free time, and wrote a book titled The Objective of the Philosophers. After this, he wrote another book in response to the philosophers titled The Incoherence of the Philosophers, refuting their ideas. Up until his time, there was no one who could respond to them. Nobody possessed the requisite knowledge and methodology, and so Imam Ghazali learned their ways and did so. The manner in which he responded to them was to be marvelled at. Whilst being cautious yet bold and at times sarcastic in his remarks, he was capable of making light work of their claims, often questioning what had possessed them to make such statements that he believed even children would not make. Mawlana Abu ’l-Hasan Ali Nadwi writes that for about a hundred years there was nobody who was able to respond to Ghazali’s refutation. This is said to have caused a heavy blow to Hellenistic philosophy, and according to some caused their decline. What is important for us is that Allah used Imam Ghazali to remove corruption in the religion of Islam during the 5th century and fulfilled His promise of the ever-enduring nature of Islam. Reviving Islam in the present day We have to realise that whether the Imam Mahdi comes in our time or not is not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to do something for our religion ourselves, which is to teach our children and to learn ourselves. Our responsibility is to hold fast to the religion of Allah Most High. When we go wrong, we correct ourselves and try to do better. We have to realise that there will be many difficulties. However, there could also be another glorious period of Islam before we even hear about Imam Mahdi’s appearance. The point is that we need to strengthen our own faith because that is our responsibility. On the day of judgement, we cannot go to Allah and give the excuse that we were awaiting the arrival of the Mahdi. Even if we have lost hope of becoming revivers of Islam ourselves, then we can at least hope that the revivers are from among our children, but we need to give them the right environment. We need to give them the correct upbringing at home. We have to build our communities to do that which attracts people to the religion of Islam out of the darkness. We are not a people that exist only in a contemporary period. We are products of a legacy that has existed for over 1400 years, we have had rises, and we have had falls, but just as history repeats itself, so will time repeat itself. Allah takes for the service of His faith many different people in many different ways. We pray that Allah Most High chooses us for His work and makes us a means of reviving the din of Islam. Transcribed by Usamah Muttakin Edited by Abdul Aziz & Adnan Ashraf

The woman who dropped out of Cambridge PhD to enter into polygamous marriage to Muslim businessman with two other wives 16 September 2014 Sam Creighton for Daily Mail Nabilah Phillips dropped out of Cambridge to marry Hasan Phillips She is one of three women married to the businessman and charity worker There are as many as 20,000 polygamous Muslim marriages in Britain New documentary, The Men with Many Wives, exposes rise in these unions Studying for a PhD in engineering at Cambridge, she might not seem like a prime candidate to enter into a polygamous marriage. But that is what Nabilah Phillips did, dropping out of university to become the second woman married to businessman Hasan Phillips who has since acquired a third wife. Yesterday it emerged that Mrs Phillips, from North London, is among thousands of Muslim women entering into such relationships which are illegal in the UK but allowed under sharia law which permits men to have four wives. new television documentary, The Men with Many Wives, exposes the rise in these unions – of which there are believed to be as many as 20,000 in Britain – and the dating agency, Muslim Marriage Event, responsible for setting many of them up. Copy link to paste in your me The couple were interviewed in this week's Radio Times Having already been through a divorce Mrs Phillips, 35, originally from Malaysia, signed up to a similar matrimony service specifically looking for a married man. She told the programme: ‘I was looking for someone who had been married or was already in a marriage. ‘I was married before and having gone through one divorce, you kind of know what you want in marriage, so I wanted someone who already knows how to be a husband. ‘I really enjoy being in a polygamous relationship. We are not stupid people who are forced into this type of relationship.’ Through the service she signed up to she met 32-year-old Mr Phillips – also divorced but re-married to City worker Sakinah, 33, – and decided to abandon her studies to become his second wife. The wives occasionally meet when Mr Phillips, who as well as being a businessman also works for a charity aiming to spread the word of Islam, organises family outings. Nabilah Phillips said: ‘If any problem happens between co-wives it’s usually his fault. Praising somebody too much. “Why don’t you be more like her, she’s this, she’s that”. If he didn’t say that, we would all be happy.’ She has two children with Mr Phillips, who has six in total, and helps to run his import-export business. But abandoning her high-flying academic career was not her only change after she married. She also began wearing the Muslim veil, the niqab. She told Radio Times: ‘I wanted to wear one before I got married – being married to Hasan has given me the opportunity to wear one and be steady at it. The only prejudice I have met so far has been from other Muslims.’ During filming Mr Phillips, who converted to Islam from Christianity when he was 16, marries a third woman, Somalia-born Anub, 41. He did not invite his other two wives to the small ceremony, held at the local mosque, saying: ‘I don’t think it would be right to invite them. Even though they are accepting of polygamy, you don’t want to really rub it in their faces, “Look, I’m getting married”, and expect them to be happy and have a party about it.’ Each wife lives in a separate house in London and Mr Phillips spends three nights in each home before moving on to the next.

Mirror, mirror on the wall By Sadaf Farooqi At times, we get so used to reciting Masnoon Du’as and Adhkaar (supplications and words of remembrance) in our day-to-day lives that we lose sight of their deep meanings and how relevant they are to our everyday thought processes and attitudes. For example, in our contemporary world of increasing mental diseases, personality disorders and psychological problems, psychiatrists, self-help gurus and life coaches help clients or patients to “think positively” and “develop a positive self-image”. Yet, this positive thinking was deeply-entrenched in the life, teachings and habits of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – if only we paused for a moment to reflect. Take just one Du’a. For example, the Du’a he would recite aloud when he looked at his reflection in the mirror. The translation is: “O Allah! The way you have beautified my physical form/body (‘khalqee’), thus beautify (also) my character (‘khuluqee’).” Another Hadith added in the end: “...and make my face forbidden for the Hell-Fire”. The starting words of this short and simple, yet profound, Du’a reflect positivism. When a person looks in the mirror, he or she sometimes does so with a critical eye (women in particular). What needs to be spruced up or fixed is analyzed in detail. The “defects” are loathed over and people turn into being ungrateful. “O Allah, the way you beautified my physical creation...” The believer follows the Sunnah. He or she calls out to Allah when looking into the mirror and acknowledges that Allah created the physical form in a beautiful manner. This is the first step towards positive thinking – a step that gives negative thoughts a kick in the teeth. Nowadays the more people look into the mirror, the more they complain about their looks – they criticize their height, anatomical proportions, their graying or balding hair, and complexion. However, this Du’a that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited is guidance for all believers to be grateful to Allah for their physical form. The next few words of the Du’a form the gist of the invocation: “So beautify my conduct.” The word Khulq means a person’s dealings with others, his character and his personality. After acknowledging the beauty or perfection of his physical appearance, instigating gratitude in the heart, a believer now turns to Allah in prayer and asks Him for what is much more important than superficial, outward physical looks, i.e. good conduct. Allah says about the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Qur’an: “And verily, you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him) are on an exalted (standard of) character.” (Qur’an, 68:4) His wife Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), when asked about the Khulq of Allah’s Messenger, stated, “His Khulq (character) was the Qur’an,” implying that his actions embodied the character that is in complete accordance with the commands of the Qur’an. In the looks-obsessed world of today, society finds it harder and harder to give importance to a person’s innate good traits and character. Plastic surgery, fitness training, fashionable looks and wellness, panoramic skin care regimens and products, and anti-ageing devices are the rage of the day. People try out new hair colors, liposuction, tummy tucks, weight loss measures, and plethora of physical fitness programs to keep themselves looking young and good-looking. What they overlook is the inside that really and truly matters. Relationships – how you deal with the less fortunate, being ethical in business dealings, and showing respect to the elderly – are all being ignored. Do we forgive or keep grudges? Do we do good to others even if they wrong us? The things – the Khulq – define a person. The last part of the Du’a – “…and forbid my face to the Hell Fire” – reminds the believer as he utters it while looking at his face in the mirror that indeed one of the torments of Hell is to have one’s face burned in it over and over again: “The Fire will burn their faces, and therein they will grin with displaced lips (disfigured).” (Qur’an, 23:104) “…And if they ask for help (relief, water), they will be granted water like boiling oil, that will scald their faces.” (Qur’an, 18:29) Therefore, while looking in the mirror and reciting this Du’a, the believer focuses on the real and eternal preservation and well-being of his face – bypassing the trivial wrinkles and effects of ageing in this world – by asking Allah to forbid it the Hell-Fire. In this way, a simple Du’a taught to us by the Prophet (peace be upon him), when analyzed, reveals how thoroughly positive and increase the Adhkaar of Islam are. They remind believers to appreciate the good they possess, instead of focusing on minor blemishes; to strive for greater blessings than the fleeting, superficial ones, and finally, to ask for the permanent success and salvation in the Hereafter, than for the elusive, temporary, and worldly physical perfection. That is why, a sincere believer hardly gives a second thought to his wrinkles and grey hair – he has loftier goals in mind, and mightier goals to aspire to! – SG Islaaminfo.com