ummtaalib

Munajaat-e-Maqbool with Urdu Translation Munajat-e-Maqbool.pdf

Alhamdulillaah!! Allah ta'ala accept your good intention girls. MashaAllah! Hope you all are stating your reasons. They must know why people are leaving.

Istikhārah - Its Method and Some Misconceptions by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh www.shaykh.org/ Istikhārah means to turn to Allāh ta'ālā and seek goodness from Him. This is because Allāh ta'ālā knows what we do not know. As Allāh ta'ālā is fully aware of the end result and consequence of every matter and we merely speculate, we should ask Allāh ta'ālā to guide us towards goodness in our endeavours or tasks that we are about to embark on. It should be understood that istikhārah is simply a du'ā like any other du'ā. However, it has more chance of acceptance in the Court of Allāh ta'ālā as it has been specifically taught by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam to his Ummah. It is a prayer offered to Allāh ta'ālā before embarking on a particular course of action or choosing from a number of options, asking Him to guide us towards goodness and the correct and better choice, and to save us from that course of action or choice if goodness lies elsewhere. A point of great importance in istikhārah is to free one's mind of all thoughts and inclinations before performing it. What would you expect from a person's istikhārah when he has already resolved to do something! Method The method of istikhārah is to perform two rak'āt at any time of the day, other than the times when nafl salāh is forbidden. It is preferable to recite Sūrah Al-Kāfirūn in the first rak'ah and Sūrah Al-Ikhlās in the second. Thereafter one should praise Allāh ta'ālā, send salāh upon the Prophet sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam and then recite the following du'ā O Allāh! I seek goodness from You, through Your Knowledge, and I seek strength through Your Power and ask for Your great Bounty, for You are able to do things while I am not, and You know while I do not; and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allāh, if You know that this matter [name your matter] is good for me, in respect to my Dīn, my worldly life and the consequence of my affairs, then decree it for me and make it easy for me, and then grant me barakah in it. And if You know that this matter [name your matter] is bad for me in respect to my Dīn, my worldly life and the consequence of my affairs, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good, wherever it may be, and make me be pleased with it. (Al-Bukhārī) If after the initial istikhārah you remain unsure about something, then perform istikhārah for 3, 5, or 7 days. Inshā'allāh within seven days the heart will feel at ease. There is also another method of istikhārah in the form of a short du'ā. If a decision needs to be taken and there is no opportunity to perform two rak'āt and do istikhārah in the aforementioned way, the following du'ā should be recited: O Allāh, grant me goodness, and choose for me. (At-Tirmidhī) As mentioned earlier, istikhārah is a du'ā and Allāh ta'ālā will accept it and grant you goodness, as long as there are no factors that prevent its acceptance. Obstacles to Allāh ta'ālā accepting prayers include disobedience to Allāh ta'ālā, harām earnings, and praying without the conviction that Allāh ta'ālā will definitely accept the prayer. If there are such obstacles present in one's life, he should do tawbah in earnest, and then make istikhārah. Results of Istikhārah If, as a result of doing istikhārah, a person feels positive, he should proceed accordingly. If his du'ā has been accepted, he will acquire goodness and success. However, many people feel positive after istikhārah and proceed accordingly, but do not see success. This can be explained by the following: 1. In the du'ā of istikhārah, a person first asks Allāh ta'ālā for goodness in one's Dīn which is the main objective of a believer, and thereafter he asks for the goodness of the world. Therefore, if after istikhārah one finds apparent worldly loss, but his Dīn remains safe, one should believe that through the barakah of istikhārah Allāh ta'ālā has granted him a minute loss of this world and saved him from a greater loss of the Hereafter. 2. Many times, the du'ā as a result of istikhārah is accepted and Allāh ta'ālā grants him goodness, but that goodness takes two forms: one form is that the choice he has made is one hundred percent good, without an iota of harm in it; the other is that he is guided towards the better of two possible outcomes. To understand this, take the example of a person who purchased a house as a result of a positive feeling after istikhārah. After six months, a new neighbour moved in next door and started harassing him. This person needs to understand in this situation that it is through the barakah of istikhārah that he has been saved from a bigger calamity, i.e. if he had chosen another house, the neighbour there would have harassed him even more. 3. Sometimes, a person feels positive after istikhārah despite his du'ā not being accepted due to the aforementioned obstacles. In this case the positive feeling he was experiencing in his heart was not from Allāh ta'ālā. It was either a condition that existed before the istikhārah or it was a feeling from Shaytān. Sometimes a young man is deeply in love with a girl and after doing istikhārah he feels very comfortable. What can be expected from such an istikhārah? Are his positive feelings a result of the istikhārah or was that condition present before? Some Misconceptions There are a number of common misconceptions about the sunnah practice of istikhārah: 1. One of the main points of confusion is the assumption that if, as a result of doing istikhārah, a positive feeling about a particular course of action results, then it is a guarantee from Allāh ta'ālā that it will be one hundred percent successful. People incorrectly believe that istikhārah is Divine Revelation. If after istikhārah a person of knowledge and experience was to advise an alternative, their opinion is discarded by saying, 'I have performed istikhārah and now there can be no change.' As a consequence, people proceed according to their feelings (e.g. they choose a marriage partner) and then, if some time later things do not work out, they begin to have doubts and negative thoughts about the sayings of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam regarding istikhārah. May Allāh ta'ālā protect us all from such a condition. 2. Likewise, people only do istikhārah nowadays when they are unsure about something. They perceive it to be a remedy for confusion; a way to request Allāh ta'ālā to fix something for them. Istikhārah should not be limited to occasions when a person has doubts about doing something, or when a person is indecisive about something! Istikhārah is to be performed for all mubāh actions, even if you are 100 % sure about the course of action. For example, you may want to enrol your child in a particular school and have no doubts about it being the right one; even then you should perform two rak'āt and read the du'ā of istikhārah so that you are granted goodness and saved from a wrong decision. 3. Nowadays, istikhārah is more or less confined to finding a marriage partner. 4. Many believe it is necessary to perform istikhārah during the night before going to sleep, and compulsory not to talk to anyone after performing the two rak'āt of istikhārah. 5. Similarly, some believe it to be totally necessary to sleep on the right hand side facing the qiblah. 6. Many expect and desire to see a dream in which one is clearly told that this is the path for you. Seeing a dream guiding towards a particular choice is not necessary in istikhārah. One needs to pay attention to the inclination of the heart whether one sees a dream or not. In all circumstances, the decisive factor is the inclination of one's heart. 7. Another common misconception is to ask others to perform istikhārah on one's behalf. Many feel that we are sinful, so what good will our istikhārah do? Thus they search for a pious god-fearing person and ask him to perform istikhārah for them. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam did not state any condition that a sinful person cannot perform istikhārah, and moreover, leaving sin and repenting is not an act of difficulty. One should leave sin, repent and perform istikhārah himself. This practice of asking others to perform istikhārah is not in accordance to the sunnah. Yes, when making istikhārah for a marriage partner, it is permissible for the parents of the boy/girl to perform istikhārah. This is because this is a need of the parents too, as it is their responsibility to marry their children into suitable families. Finally, with istikhārah, istishārah (consultation) is very important too. One should, before, during, and after performing istikhārah, seek consultation from those well-wishers who are learned and experienced in the relevant matter. The Prophet sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam said, "The one who does istikhārah will not be unsuccessful, and the one who consults will not see regret." (At-Tabrānī)

Istikhara Du'a (Click on picture to enlarge) WAY TO PERFORM ISTIKHARA: First pray Two Cycles (raka') of ritual Prayer (nafil). After finishing prayer recite this (supplication/dua') above. TRANSLATION: "O Allah! I seek goodness from Your Knowledge and with Your Power (and Might) I seek strength, and I ask from You Your Great Blessings, because You have the Power and I do not have the power. You Know everything and I do not know, and You have knowledge of the unseen. Oh Allah! If in Your Knowledge this action ------------------------------------------------ (which I intend to do) is better for my religion and faith, for my life and end [death], for here [in this world] and the hereafter then make it destined for me and make it easy for me and then add blessings [baraka'] in it, for me. O Allah! In Your Knowledge if this action is bad for me, bad for my religion and faith, for my life and end [death], for here [in this world] and the hereafter then turn it away from me and turn me away from it and whatever is better for me, ordain [destine] that for me and then make me satisfied with it."

Question One of my aunties says that she can find a suitable date for some important task to be done through istikhara. For example, she said that she will find a suitable date for her daughter's nikah and will not do nikah on any other date. 1. I would like to know if such detailed information can be determined by istikhara? 2. Is it right in the light of Islam to try finding about future in this manner? 3. If someone does it, what should we tell them? I also know that she is in contact with some 'aalim', not 'aamil', who also lets her know such things about future. Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh The word Istikharah literally means “to seek good”. Through Istikhara, a person seeks the assistance and blessings of Allah Ta’ala regarding some upcoming matter. Since Allah Ta’ala is the knower of the unseen and the scribe of destiny, we implore Him to decree that which is best for us whether it seems pleasing to us or not. Istikharah is not a medium of foreseeing future events, acquiring knowledge of the unseen or determining detailed information of upcoming events. When a person is planning to undertake some work in the near future and he is unsure about its outcome, whether it will be favorable or not, he should perform Istikharah. By doing so, one will find peace of heart and contentment in the end result of that affair. By performing Istikharah, a person will know that there will definitely be goodness in whatever Allah decreed to take place despite it not being according to his wishes and desires. It is possible that at times, a person will feel a strong inclination or see a dream to carry out a certain act after performing Istikharah. However, this is not a general or necessary outcome and neither is it the main objective of Istikharah. If a person doesn’t experience such states, he shouldn’t feel as if the Istikharah wasn’t proper or that it is not working. After performing Istikharah, a person should have full conviction that whatever course of action he chooses to take, Allah Ta’ala will destine the best for him in that; whether his intention comes to fruition or not. Istikharah is a great bounty from the side of Allah Ta’ala. If a person implements it in his decision-making process, he will free himself from undue anxiety and depression. Furthermore, he will create a strong conviction in his heart that everything is in the control of Allah Ta’ala and that there will always be good, whether hidden or apparent, in the outcome. As previously mentioned, performing Istikharah will not unveil unforeseen events or information. Performing Istikharah, in the correct method and understanding, is praiseworthy in Islam. If someone has the incorrect understanding of Istikharah, you should educate him/her and present the proper understanding of it to them. And Allah knows best Wassalam Ml. Yusuf bin Yaqub, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

The Reality of Istikhaara PREFACE All praises are due to Allah, the Creator, Nourisher and Sustainer of both the worlds. Through Allah’s infinite mercy on mankind. He selected Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) as a mentor and filled his heart with love and affection towards His creation. May Allah’s choicest blessings and salutations be showered on His beloved Rasul (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), who undertook great pains in fulfilling the task of conveying His message, and may Allah shower His blessings on the noble companions of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) whose hearts inherited the pain and burn for the guidance of humanity that was instilled in the heart of their beloved Master, the Leader of both the worlds. INTRODUCTION Whosoever adopts the way of life brought by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) to mankind, he will find that even his life in this world will become one of pleasure, tranquility, contentment, peace and freedom from all worries. Due to the fact that this way of life that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) brought was meant for the whole of mankind, Allah made it very easy and simple to follow. CONFUSION AND PERPLEXITY Among the many difficulties that man undergoes is ‘confusion’ and ‘perplexity’. Almost everyday in his life, man is faced with the task of making a decision between two or more choices. Generally the decisions are not major but occasionally they do become quite serious. Even in these circumstances, our beloved mentor, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) taught us what to do, and clearly outlined the solution. This solution is called Istikharah. THE IMPORTANCE OF ISTIKHARAH Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “And it is very possible that you dislike something whereas it is good for you; and (similarly) it is very possible that you like something whereas it is bad for you”. (Baqarah 16) From the above ayah, we learn that man has limited knowledge and deficient intellect. Therefore, many a times, he may desire something, which may prove harmful to him, and on the other hand, he may dislike something, while it is good for him. The sole possessor of perfect knowledge, and the only knower of the unseen is Allah, the Creator of man and the Controller of the system of the entire universe. Therefore if man desires good, he can only find it in the hands of Allah. According to one Hadith: “It is from the good fortune of man that he makes Istikharah (seeks good) from Allah, and it is from his misfortune that he discards Istikharah.” ‘Allamah Aini (RA) writes: “Man should never overlook any matter due to its insignificance and discard Istikharah. How many matters are regarded as insignificant and Istikharah is not made for them, due to which great harm is suffered when carrying them out or abandoning them. It is for this reason that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said: “(Every) one of you should ask his need from his sustainer to the extent that he should ask Him for salt, and for a shoelace when it breaks.” “Allamah Ibnul Qayyim (RA) has written: “The person who makes Istikharah (seek good) from his Creator and makes ‘mashwarah’ (consults) the creation never regrets, since Allah said to (His Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)): “Consult them in matters. Thus, when You make a decision, place your trust in Allah”. Shaikh Tahir bin Husain bin Abdullah bin Tahir wrote in a letter to his son after he had become an amir or governor: “Whenever any matter of importance comes upon you, seek assistance in it by making Istikharah to Allah and fearing him”. He also advised him thus: “and perform Istikharah abundantly in all your matters”. (Al-Istikharah by M.T. Hakeem) A GREAT BENEFIT OF ISTIKHARAH Hadrat Shah Waliyyullah (RA) writes: “From amongst the greatest benefits of Istikharah is that man becomes detached from his carnal desires, his animalistic characteristics become subject to his angelic nature and he hands himself over to Allah. When he does this, he reaches the stages of the angels whose quality is that they await the command of Allah. When Allah’s command is received, they exert themselves through divine motivation and not carnal motivation. I believe that excessive Istikharah is a proven tonic for the inculcation of angelic qualities.” A MISCONCEPTION But alas, today, Istikharah has become as equally difficult as making a decision. People hesitate so much to perform this great act of worship, that only at the last alternative, when no other way can be perceived, they would turn to some innovated act that has no basis in the Hadith, such as the taking of a good omen by opening the Qur’an and counting lines and letters, etc.; or asking someone else to perform Istikharah on their behalf. Shaikh Nuruddin Itr says: As far as the common practice today which people aspire to uphold, that Istikharah will only be correct if it is carried out by certain persons, and that a dream is necessary, this is extremism and obstanance, and is not the command of Allah nor His Rasul (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). This all stems from such constraint among the Muslims that does not behove of them. This led them to abandoning one great Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), thus they deprived themselves of the merits of this great Sunnah and it’s blessings, and from blemishing it’s purity. Similarly Hadrat Moulana Shah Hakim Muhammad Akhtar (RA) states in his book “Sunnats” on page 49, that “asking another person to make Istikharah on one’s behalf is not substantiated from any Hadith. To make mashwarah’ (consult) with someone else is Sunnah.’ Sometimes Istikharah becomes a means of greater confusion. A person who does not generally see dreams, nor perceives an inclination towards or away from the object of his Istikharah, now finds himself in a greater predicament. As for the person who does see a dream, he is put through the inconvenience of finding someone to interpret it for him. And if he saw a clear dream, or received an interpretation indicating to one particular option, and thereafter was not able to overcome the obstacles obstructing his path to achieving his aim, this person is left in sheer perplexity. THE REALITY OF ISTIKHARAH Moulana Badr-e-”alam Mirthi (RA), the former Shaikhul Hadith of the famous Darul Ulum of Dabhel, India, writes in his footnotes of the popular commentary of Bukhari – Faidul Bari, by Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri (RA) regarding the reality of Istikharah. He states: “… in other words, it is sometimes misunderstood from the statements of ‘Ulama that it is promised in the Hadith of Istikharah that the heart of a person who performs Istikharah will incline towards one option, whereas many a time the person who performs Istikharah does not perceive such an inclination. In that case, what, then, will be the meaning of the Hadith. This was an ambiguity for which I could find no explanation.” Moulana continues: “Until one day, whilst sitting in the presence of the great ‘Mufassir’, ‘Muhaddith and Allamah of his era, Moulana Shabbir Ahmed Uthmani (RA). I noticed oceans of knowledge gushing forth from him to the “Ulama who were sitting in his noble company. This was his practice after every Jumu’ah. On that day, he was discussing this very mas’alah (matter) and elaborated on it in much detail. It was here that I quenched my thirst, and found a remedy for my malady, and a healing for my heart… He explained that the Hadith of Istikharah does not contain anything pertaining to the inclination or satisfaction of the heart. Had it been such, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) would have taught us, in the du’a, to ask Allah to incline the heart towards the most appropriate decision, whereas the Hadith does not say that. The du’a only contains this much, that Allah He should protect him from harm, and He should determine a good fate for him, whatever it may be. And the words (of the du’a): “wa srif anniy” “and turn me away from it” refers to the situation when the heart desires and inclines towards it. (This means that when the heart is desirous to go ahead with the matter regarding which Istikharah is being made, then Allah should turn the heart away from it by removing this desire and inclination from the heart). And the words: “fas rif anniy” “And turn it away from me” is when that inclination is not found, (then Allah should save him from being forced into it.) Therefore ‘protection’ and ‘predestination’, both are the doings of the Almighty, as He alone does as He wills. As far as the slave of Allah is concerned, his responsibility is to make du’a, and then proceed in the direction of his choice, as that will be best for him. This means that he will be granted the ‘towfiq’ (ability) for the best only, and only the best will be made easy for him. Thus Istikharah is an ‘amal’ (act) that helps to determine the best for a person. “In essence, once the ‘Mustakhir’ (i.e. the person who performs the ‘amal’ of ‘Istikharah’) submits himself before Allah, hands his matter over to Allah, asks Him for strength, becomes satisfied with His choice, and begs Him for protection from evil and harm, and to grant him good, Allah accepts it from him, destines good for him, protects him from harm and keeps him in His care. After that, whatever direction he takes, will be for his betterment, even though his heart may be disinclined to it.” Allamah Murtada Zabidi RA states in his famous commentary on “Ihya Ulum: “Shaikhul Akbar (i-e.’ Allamah ibnul’ Arabi) stated: “… And he should recite the narrated du’a after making salam. This should be done before every important task he wishes to carry out or fulfil. He should then proceed with his task. Hence, if there is good for him in it, Allah will ease the way for him until it is accomplished, and its result will be praiseworthy. However, if the means were not available, and he was unable to accomplish his goal, he should realize that Allah had preferred this for him, and thus should not complain about it, as the outcome, whether it was that he accomplished his pursuit or not, will soon turn out to be praiseworthy.” Hadrat Muhaddith Fadlullah Jilani (RA) says in his commentary on “Al Adabul Mufrad” of Imam Bukhari (RA): “Shaikh Zamlakani RA said: “When a person performs the two raka’at of Istikharah, he should then carry out whatever occurs to him, whether his heart is contented with it or not.” He also said: “The Hadith (of Istikharah) does not contain any limitation regarding the complacency and contentment of the heart.” Shaikh Jilani also says regarding this complacency of the heart: “This happens by the grace of Allah, and is not necessary, nor does it always occur. Similarly, Salatul Istikharah is mustahabb, even if he has already made a firm decision before performing the Salah, as has already been mentioned that Istikharah is not a means of discovering the ‘ghaib’(unseen), but rather is a humble supplication unto the Knower of the unseen, the Most Powerful, to bestow the best.” Source

The Lovers of Allah & the Dunya Shaykh Yunus Patel (Raheemahullah) In India, one will find certain people who play the flute to charm snakes. …The snake ‘drowns’ in the sweetness of that sound. In this manner, the snake is caught. These snake catchers have learnt the art of catching snakes and they have learnt the skill of removing the poison of the snake. Thereafter, they ‘play’ with that python and cobra – since it is under their control. What one learns from this is that one has to first learn the art of charming snakes; then the biggest snake too will be under one’s control. This world is akin to a snake – a very dangerous one. The Ahlullah are such people who have mastered the art of controlling the snake of ‘Dunya’ . They take out its ‘poison’ from the heart (Hubbud Dunya), and thereafter make use of it. By keeping the company of these Ahlullah, we too will learn how to remove the poisonous effects of the world and how to make use of the world, without giving our hearts to it. Otherwise we will become victim to its fatal poison.

Love of the World Rumi’s Analogy Mawlana Rumi ra describes “love for the world” in the following way. A ship needs water to float on. It will remain on the surface of the water as long as the water does not enter the ship. Once water enters the ship, it will sink. Similarly man is the ship and the world is the water. Just as the ship needs water to keep afloat, man needs the world to live. As long as the world remains outside and does not enter the heart, man will reach his destination. If the love of the world enters the heart, then like the ship which allows water to enter, it will sink.

Worldly Pleasures Imagine someone saying to you, “This fruit is very sweet. However the sweetness remains for 15 minutes only and thereafter a bitter taste will remain for a long time while this other fruit is extremely bitter to the taste for the first 15 minutes and thereafter changes to a very sweet taste which will remain forever.” Then at gunpoint you are forced to choose and eat one of the fruits. Which fruit will you choose? Even the most foolish person will choose the bitter tasting fruit since the initial bitter taste will be followed by a sweetness which will last forever. A person immersed in the pleasures of the world without worrying about the consequences of the Hereafter is like the foolish person who chooses the initially sweet tasting fruit but which will leave a bitter taste for a long time. Love for the Dunya A great house without a toilet is useless making the toilet an absolute necessity. However one does not love it. Similarly, the dunya is a necessity, one must not have love for it. (From the lectures of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat)

Chasing your Shadow Al-Hafidh Abul-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله said, "This life is like your shadow; if you turn your back to it and walk away from it, it will continue following you. But if you try to chase it and catch it, it will always run away from you. For this, Allaah, Exalted is He, Commanded this worldly life to serve those who serve Him, and to enslave those who serve it." [seeds of Admonishment and Reform] muftisays.com

Forgetfulness the people of the dunya Imaam al-Ghazzaali رحمه الله writes, "Know that in their forgetfulness the people of the dunya are like a group of people sailing upon a ship. When they come to an island, and disembark to relieve themselves, the captain warns them against returning late, and instructs them to remain only so long as is necessary, lest he raise the anchor and set sail without them. Heeding this, some of them hurry back quickly, and hence find themselves able to sit in the best and most spacious parts of the ship. The others, however, behave in different ways. Some become entranced by gazing at the island's flowers and rippling streams, and its gems and precious metals, and the suddenly come to, and hasten back to the ship, and although they find spaces which are inferior to those occupied by those who preceded them, they are still safe. Others are so preoccupied by the flowers that they cannot bring themselves to leave them, so they pick and carry as many as they can. When they reach the ship they find only narrow, uncomfortable places, and are made still less comfortable by the fact that they cannot bring themselves to throw out what they have brought with them, although the flowers fade and dry soon enough. When the wind gets up, they are forced to throw their dry flowers overboard, and escape just with their own lives. Others, however, have penetrated the jungles and forgotten the captain's advice, so that when they hear his final call to depart, they rush back only to find that the ship has sailed without them, and they remain marooned with what they had collected, until they all perish. Still others are so obsessed with gathering good things that they are deaf even to the captain's cry. Of these, some are eaten by wild beasts, or are poisoned by snakes, while others wander aimlessly until they die of hunger. This class resembles the people who live for the world, who are preoccupied with its mortal pleasures, and live in heedlessness of their future. How repulsive is the man who claims to be intelligent and full of insight, and yet is deluded by gems, silver and gold, and by flowers and fruits, nothing of which will accompany him to his destination!" [selections from Fath al-Bari] muftisays.com

What to do with ‘Hearsay’? The other side of the story A woman once brought a claim against another woman before Qadi Shurayh (rahimahullah). After some time, she began to cry bitterly. Those who were present were convinced that the woman was wronged. Qadi Shurayh replied: “Indeed even the brothers of Yusuf (‘alaihis salam) cried by their father.” i.e, Despite their sobbing, they were still guilty. (Kitabul Adhkiya, pg.63) Moral Therefore, no matter how convincing one side of the story seems, one is still duty bound to hear the other side before drawing a conclusion. The act of passing judgement on mere assumption is quite common and certainly very destructive. The consequences are also far reaching, long lasting and in some cases: regretful. This is the message in the verse: “O you who believe! If a sinful person brings a report to you, then verify its authenticity before you harm a people unknowingly and then become remorseful over what you did” One is often face with these kind of situations where one is made to hear one side of the story only. Due to the fatal consequences of this, the Shari’ah cautions us to remain calm, and to verify that piece of information. Haste generally leads to bitterness and remorse. Carefully read the words of the above verse again: …then verify its authenticity before you harm a people unknowingly and then become remorseful over what you did There are several kinds of such situations, like hearing one side of the story regarding one’s spouse, business partner or colleague. It could even be a general piece of information which has no direct link to any particular individual. Many of the emails, sms’, broadcast messages and social media posts that are freely shared fall under this category. Many of these messages sometimes contain false information or baseless claims about Islam. Such misinformation causes unnecessary confusion. The correct procedure in all of the above is to avoid what does not concern us and to avoid implicating somebody on mere hearsay! Failing in this will result in back-biting, gossip, unnecessary ill feelings and spitefulness etc. Innocent people become victims of ‘information oppression.’ One should avoid being an instigator, or even succumbing to instigation. Most importantly, if it doesn’t concern you, ignore it. Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said: “Shunning what doesn’t concern a person is a sign of the beauty of his faith.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, hadith: 2317-2318) Think before you… Before sharing such hearsay, one should think to himself: what would’ve been my response if that misinformation was concerning me or my close family? Ponder over the drastic effect of the touch of a button, where hundreds of people may be misinformed. How will we make up for this? One will be the cause for all of those with whom he shared that ‘wrong/unverified information’ getting involved in gossip, backbiting and many other sins… Even if that allegation was true, it could lead to backbiting and carrying of tales, both of which are haram. What to do? Faqih Abul Layth Samarqandi (rahimahullah) has offered the following beautiful suggestions: “If anyone brings a bad report to you concerning somebody else, do the following 6 things: Don’t believe him, for those who carry tales are usually liars. Stop him from relaying such allegations. You are duty bound to stop the wrong. (Nahy ‘anil munkar) Detest this act from the depth of your heart. Don’t entertain evil thoughts about the third person (the one against whom the allegations were made) Don’t probe in the matter. Don’t share that information with others. (Tambihul Ghafilin, pg.131) Avoiding the above Islamic guidelines on hearsay, has led to too many unsavoury endings… May Allah Ta’ala guide us all. Ameen. al-miftah

Question and Answer: Q. what is the ruling reguarding offering food to visitors during the first 3 days after the funeral?nb,some visitors are from out of town and some from the area,that have come to read Quran.is it permissable to offer them food or even a drink (Query published as received) A. The practice of providing meals at the funeral home for those who attend the funeral is permissible on condition that the expenses are not born by the estate of the deceased nor is any heir or relative coerced into providing the meals. If someone willingly takes the responsibility of providing meals without any coercion for those attending the funeral, there will be no sin in this. The actual Sunnah is to provide meals for the bereaved family and not the other way around as practiced today. In many instances, it has been discovered that money from the estate of the deceased had been utilized to feed those attending the funeral without the consent of all heirs. This is Haraam and constitutes usurpation of the wealth of the heirs. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

Wearing Perfume for Your Husband It is reported that ‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb came out one Eid. Passing by a group of women, he could smell the scent of perfume from one of them. He asked, “Who is the one wearing this scent? By Allāh, if I knew who she was, I would do such-and-such (punish her). A women is only to wear perfume for her husband, and if she goes out, she wears her older (scruffier) clothes or the older clothes of her servant.” And so it was rumored amongst the women that the woman [who was wearing perfume in public] got up from that gathering having soiled herself (out of fear). Ibn Abī Shaybah, Al-Musannaf article 6387.

Istikhara & Salatul Haajah

Amr-bil-Maroof By Khalid Baig It is the most common activity in all social settings. Sometimes it is explicit: we argue for or against something. At others it is implicit: we show interest or lack of interest. More often than we realize we are engaged in persuading others or are being persuaded by them about big and small things in life. It is a very powerful force also. That is why marketers yearn for word of mouth publicity and powerful media machines long for becoming the talk of the town. Concerned with good as it is, Islam gives this tremendous social force a purpose. It must be used for promoting good, truth and justice and checking evil and injustice. That is the essence of amr-bil-maroof-wa-nahi-anil-munkar. And Qur'an declares it as the defining mission for this ummah: "You are the best community that has been raised for mankind. You enjoin good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah." [Aal-e-Imran, 3:110]. At another place Qur'an declares promoting good as an attribute of believers and promoting evil as an attribute of hypocrites: "The believers, men and women, are protectors of each other: they enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil."[Tauba, 9:71] On the other hand, "The hypocrites, both men and women, proceed one from another. They enjoin the wrong and forbid the right..."[Tauba, 9:67] The implications are clear. It is not that a believer will never commit a mistake or be involved in evil. Only that he will never insist on it, justify it, or promote it. He may fail to do some required good. But he will never be a force opposing it. In the Islamic society sin is a private weakness, not a public cause. It is for this reason that repentance for a public sin must also be made in public while we must repent privately for our private sins. A public sin may have encouraged others to do the same. A public repentance will counter that. Still in this life there will always be tendencies to deviate from the Straight Path. And in the institution of amr-bil-maroof, the Community of Believers has a built-in self- correcting mechanism. Consider cruise control in an automobile. Once turned on, it keeps monitoring the car speed and pulling it towards the set point. It does not mean absence of tendency to deviate from the desired speed, only an effective mechanism for monitoring and countering it. What cruise control does for car speed, amr-bil-maroof does for the direction of the society. This mechanism works at two levels. At one level it is the responsibility of every member of the society. When we see a wrong we should correct it. A very famous hadith declares it as an issue of faith. "Whoever amongst you sees an evil should change it with his hand. If he is unable to do that then with his tongue. If he is unable to do that, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of Iman." [Muslim] So if a person does not even feel bad about an evil, he has no faith whatsoever. Similarly we are encouraged to promote good. One hadith promises that a person who persuades another one to do some good deed will get the same reward as the person he persuaded. At this level the responsibility of every member of the society is for his or her own sphere of influence: family, friends, colleagues, neighbors. When taken together these spheres would encompass the entire society. At a higher level this is a specialized task. A full time job for a qualified group to always monitor the direction of the society and fight deviations at a collective level. "Let there arise out of you a group inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. They are the ones to attain success."[Aal-e-Imran, 3:104] This is the responsibility of the experts, the scholars, those qualified to lead the entire community. Can we imagine what the ummah would look like had we followed this one teaching seriously? For today we seem to be doing exactly the opposite. There are Muslim women who have been pressured out of observing hijab by friends and relatives. Men and women have been enticed into riba transactions. All innovations (bid'at) and false social practices continue under social pressures. Bribery, backbiting, corruption, indecency, and dishonesty flourish under social approval. It is frightening to see how our real life matches the description given for the hypocrites. For we are warned that if we persuade others to commit a wrong we'll add to our burden of sins by the same amount. It is one thing to commit a wrong out of weakness. It is totally different to advocate the wrong and willingly multiply our burden of sins. At the collective level also, especially in the Muslim communities in the West, one can see a tendency to avoid raising voice against prevalent and accepted ills. It is far easier to give a pep talk about the virtues of Islam at the Friday Khutbah. At other places one may even hear advocacy of wrong in the name of ijtehad. Of course for today's secular world amr-bil-maroof is an alien concept. This world is driven by interests not principles. It professes belief in some moral values -- like freedom-- to be interpreted in the light of perceived interests. Thus defense of a person's obscene attacks on Islam becomes a virtue. Yet it finds nothing wrong in curbing the freedom of those who may challenge its ideas, whether in Algeria or Egypt, in Kashmir or Palestine, because that threatens its interests. No one should be surprised at such contradictions when interests override relative moral values. Yet we see a growing attitude in the Muslims in the West under the influence of this slogan of freedom. It effectively says: "This is my life, leave me alone." But we must remember that the Islamic society is the only society with a declared mission of promoting good and forbidding evil. Its definition of good and evil is not subject to the whims and desires of every generation or the perceived interests of a nation-state either. They are permanent concepts as defined in its unalterable sources: Qur'an and Sunnah. In a world of moral relativism these permanent values are the hope for the whole mankind. To keep these alive in the society we need the institution of amr-bil-maroof.

By Saliha Nakito When I returned to Islam, the religion of our inborn nature, a fierce debate raged about girls observing the hijab at schools in France. (Hijab means veil, not scarf. Hijab literally means screen, curtain, partition and concealment. As a verb, it means to conceal oneself or hide from the view. In Islamic Shari’ah, the word means to cover, conceal or hide oneself from the view of ghair-mahram.) It still does. The majority, it seemed, thought that wearing the head-scarf was contrary to the principle that public schools supported by the State should be neutral with regard to religion. Even as a non-Muslim, I could not understand why there was such a fuss over such a small thing as a scarf on a Muslim student’s head. Muslims contributed a proportionate amount of tax to the state funds. In my opinion, schools could respect religious beliefs and practices of students as long as they did not disrupt the school routine, nor pose a threat to discipline. However, the French faced, apparently, increasing unemployment and they felt insecure about the immigration of Arab workers. The sight of the hijab in their towns and schools aggravated such insecurity. More and more young people in Arab countries were (and are) wearing the hijab, despite the expectations of many Arabs and non-Arabs alike that it would disappear as Western secularism took root in Arab societies. Such a revival of Islamic practices is often regarded as an attempt by Muslims to restore their pride and identity; both undermined by colonialism. In Japan, it may be seen and understood as conservative traditionalism, or the result of anti-Western feeling, something which the Japanese themselves experienced following the first contact with Western culture during the Meiji era; they too reacted against a non-traditional lifestyle and Western dress. There is a tendency for people to be conservative in their ways and to react against anything new and unfamiliar without taking the time to see if it is good or bad. The feeling still persists amongst non-Muslims that Muslim women wear the hijab simply because they are slaves to tradition, so much so that it is seen as a symbol of oppression. Women’s liberation and independence is, so they believe, impossible unless they first remove the hijab. Such naivete is shared by “Muslims” with little or no knowledge of Islam. Being so used to secularism and religious eclecticism, pick and mix, they are unable to comprehend that Islam is universal and eternal. This apart, women all over the world, non-Arabs are embracing Islam and wearing the hijab as a religious requirement, not a misdirected sense of “tradition”. I am but one example of such women. My hijab is not a part of my racial or traditional identity; it has no social or political significance; it is, purely and simply, my religious identity. For non-Muslims, the hijab not only covers a woman’s hair, but also hides something, leaving than no access. They are being excluded from something which they have taken for granted in secular society. I have worn the hijab since embracing Islam in Paris. The exact form of the hijab varies according to the country one is in, or the degree of the individual’s religious awareness. In France, I wore a simple scarf which matched my dress and perched lightly on my head so that it was almost fashionable! Now, in Saudi Arabia, I wear an all-covering black cape; not even my eyes are visible. Thus, I have experienced the hijab from its simplest to its most complete form. What does the hijab mean to me? Although there have been many books and articles about the hijab, they always tend to be written from an outsider’s point of view; I hope this will allow me to explain what I can observe from the inside, so to speak. When I decided to declare my Islam, I did not think whether I could pray five times a day or wear the hijab. Maybe I was scared that if I had given it serious thought I would have reached a negative conclusion, and that would affect my decision to become a Muslim. Until I visited the main mosque in Paris I had nothing to do with Islam; neither the prayers nor the hijab were familiar to me. In fact, both were unimaginable but my desire to be a Muslim was too strong (Alhamdulillah) for me to be overly concerned with what awaited me on the “other side” of my conversion. The benefits of observing hijab became clear to me following a lecture at the mosque when I kept my scarf on even after leaving the building. The lecture had filled me with such a previously unknown spiritual satisfaction that I simply did not want to remove it. Because of the cold weather, I did not attract too much attention but I did feel different, somehow purified and protected; I felt as if I was in Allah’s I company. As a foreigner in Paris, I sometimes felt uneasy about being stared at by men. In my hijab all I went unnoticed, protected from impolite stares. My hijab made me happy; it was both a sign of my obedience to Allah I and a manifestation of my faith. I did not need to utter beliefs, the hijab stated them clearly for all to see, especially fellow Muslims, and thus it helped to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood in Islam. Wearing the hijab soon became spontaneous, albeit purely voluntary. No human being could force me to wear it; if they had, perhaps I would have rebelled and rejected it. However, the first Islamic book I read used very moderate language in this respect, saying that “Allah recommends it (the hijab) strongly” and since Islam (as the word itself indicates) means we are to obey Allah’s I will; I accomplished my Islamic duties willingly and without difficulty, Alhamdulillah. The hijab reminds people who see it that Allah I exist, and it serves as a constant reminder to me that I should conduct myself as a Muslim. Just as police officers are more professionally aware while in uniform, so I had a stronger sense of being a Muslim wearing my hijab. Two weeks after my return to Islam, I went back to Japan for a family wedding and took the decision not to return to my studies in France; French literature had lost its appeal and the desire to study Arabic had replaced it. As a new Muslim with very little knowledge of Islam it was a big test for me to live in a small town in Japan completely isolated from Muslims. However, this isolation intensified my Islamic consciousness, and I knew that I was not alone as Allah I was with me. I had to abandon many of my clothes and with some help from a friend who knew dress-making, I made some trousers; similar to Pakistani dress. I was not bothered by the strange looks the people gave me! After six months in Japan, my desire to study Arabic grew so much that I decided to go to Cairo, where I knew someone. None of my host family there spoke English (or Japanese) and the lady who took my hand to lead me into the house was covered from head to toe in black. Even her face was covered; although this is now familiar to me here in Riyadh. I remember being surprised at the time, recalling an incident in France when I had seen such dress and thought, “there is a woman enslaved by Arabic tradition, unaware of real Islam,” (which I believed, taught that covering the face was not a necessity but an ethnic tradition). I wanted to tell the lady in Cairo that she was exaggerating her dress, that it was unnatural and abnormal. Instead, I was told that my self-made dress was not suitable to go out in, something I disagreed with since I understood that it satisfied the requirements for a Muslimah. So I bought some cloth and made a long dress, called khimar, which covered the loins and the arms completely. I was even ready to cover my face, something most of the sisters with whom I became acquainted did. They were, though, a small minority in Cairo. Generally-speaking, young Egyptians, more or less fully Westernized, kept their distance from women wearing khimar and called them “the sisters”. Men treated us with respect and special politeness. Women wearing a khimar shared a sisterhood which lived up to the Prophet’s (Sallallahu`alaihi wasallam) saying that “a Muslim gives his salaam to the person he crosses in the street, whether he knows him or not”. The sisters were, it is probably true to say, more conscious of their faith than those who wear scarves for the sake of custom, rather than for the sake of Allah I. Before becoming a Muslimah, my preference was for active pants-style clothes, not the more feminine skirt, but the long dress I wore in Cairo pleased me; I felt elegant and more relaxed. In the Western sense, black is a favorite color for evening wear as it accentuates the beauty of the wearer. My new sisters were truly beautiful in their black khimar, and a light akin to saintliness shone from their faces. Indeed, they are not unlike Roman Catholic nuns, something I noticed particularly when I had occasion to visit Paris soon after arriving in Saudi Arabia. I was in the same Metro carriage as a nun and I smiled at our similarity of dress. Hers was the symbol of her devotion to God, as is that of a Muslimah. I often wonder why people say nothing about the veil of the Catholic nun but criticize vehemently the veil of a Muslimah, regarding it as a symbol of “terrorism” and “oppression”. I did not mind abandoning colorful clothes in favor of black; in fact, I had always had a sense of longing for the religious lifestyle of a nun even before becoming a Muslimah! Nevertheless, I balked at the suggestion that I should wear my khimar back in Japan. I was angry at the sister’s lack of understanding: Islam commands us to cover our bodies, and as long as this is done, one may dress as desired. Every society has its own fashions and such long black clothes in Japan could make people think I am crazy, and reject Islam even before I could explain its teachings. Our argument revolved around this aspect. After another six months in Cairo, however, I was so accustomed to my long dress that I started to think that I would wear it on my return to Japan. My concession was that I had some dresses made in light colors, and some white khimars, in the belief that they would be less shocking in Japan than the black variety. I was right. The Japanese reacted rather well to my white khimars, and they seemed to be able to guess that I was of a religious persuasion. I heard one girl telling her friend that I was a Buddhist nun; how similar a Muslimah, a buddhist nun and a Christian nun are! Once, on a train, the elderly man next to me asked why I was dressed in such unusual fashion. When I explained that I was a Muslimah and that Islam commands women to cover their bodies so as not to trouble men who are weak and unable to resist temptation, he seemed impressed. When he left the train he thanked me and said that he would have liked more time to speak to me about Islam. In this instance, the hijab prompted a discussion on Islam with a Japanese man who would not normally be accustomed to talking about religion. As in Cairo, the hijab acted as a means of identification between Muslims; I found myself on the way to a study circle wondering if I was on the right route when I saw a group of sisters wearing the hijab. We greeted each other with salaam and went on to the meeting together. My father was worried when I went out in long sleeves and a head-cover even in the hottest weather, but I found that my hijab protected me from the sun. Indeed, it was I who also felt uneasy looking at my younger sister’s legs while she wore short pants. I have often been embarrassed, even before declaring Islam, by the sight of a woman’s bosoms and hips clearly outlined by tight, thin clothing. I felt as if l was seeing something secret. If such a sight embarrasses me, one of the same sexes it is not difficult to imagine the effect on men. In Islam, men and women are commanded to dress modestly and not be naked in public, even in all male or all female situations. It is clear that what is acceptable to be bared in society varies according to societal or individual understanding. For example, in Japan fifty years ago it was considered vulgar to swim in a swimming suit but now bikinis are the norm. But in Islam we have no such problems; Allah I has defined what may and may not be hared, and we follow. The way people walk around half naked (or almost so), excreting or making love in public, robs them of the sense of shame and reduces them to the status of animals. In Japan, women only wear makeup when they go out and have little regard for how they look at home. In Islam, a wife will try to look beautiful for her husband and her husband will try to look good for his wife. There is modesty even between husband and wife and this embellishes the relationship. Muslims are accused of being over-sensitive about the human body but the degree of sexual harassment which occurs these days justifies modest dress. Just as a short skirt can send the signal that the wearer is available to men, so the hijab signals, loud and clear: “I am forbidden for you”. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu`alaihi wasallam)once asked his daughter Fatima radhiallahu anhaa, “What is the best for a woman?” And she replied: “Not to see men and not to be seen by them”. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu`alaihi wasallam) was pleased and said: “You are truly my daughter”. This shows that it is preferable for a woman to stay at home and avoid contact with male strangers as much as possible. Observing the hijab, when one goes outside, has the same effect. Having married, I left Japan for Saudi Arabia, where it is customary for the women to cover their face outdoors. I was impatient to try the niqab (face cover), and curious to know how it felt. Of course, non-Muslim women generally wear a black cloak, rather non-chalantly thrown over their shoulders but do not cover their faces. Non-Saudi Muslim women also often keep their faces uncovered. Once accustomed to, the niqab is certainly not inconvenient. In fact, I felt like the owner of a secret masterpiece, a treasure which you can neither know about, nor see. Whereas non-Muslims may think they are life imitating caricatures when they see Muslim couples walk in the streets, the oppressed, and the oppressor, the possessed, and the possessor, the reality is that the women feel like queens being led by servants. My first niqab left my eyes uncovered. But in winter I wore a fine eye covering as well. All the feelings of un-ease when a man’s eyes met mine disappeared; as with sun glasses, the visual intrusion of strangers was prevented. It is an error of judgment to think that a Muslim woman covers herself because she is a private possession of her husband. In fact, she preserves her dignity and refuses to be possessed by strangers. It is non-Muslim and “liberated” Muslim women who are to be pitied for displaying their private self for all to see. Observing the hijab from outside, it is impossible to see what it hides. The gap, between being outside and looking in, and being inside and looking out, explains in part the void in the understanding of Islam. An outsider may see Islam as restricting Muslims. Inside, however, there is peace, freedom, and joy, which those who experience it have never known before. Practicing Muslims, whether those born in Muslim families or those returned to Islam, choose Islam rather than the illusory freedom of secular life. If it oppresses women, why are so many well-educated young women in Europe, America, Japan, Australia, indeed all over the world, abandoning “liberty” and “independence” and embracing Islam? A person blinded by prejudice may not see it, but a woman in hijab is as brightly beautiful as an angel, full of self-confidence, serenity, and dignity. No signs of oppression scar her face. “For indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts within the bosoms, that grow blind,” says the Qur’an (Al-Hajj 22:46). How else can we explain the great gap in understanding between us and such people? islameasy.org (published with permissions from Al-Madinah magazine, Vol 04 Issue 04)

Nahi Anil Munkar and Amar Bil Maroof in Tablighi Jamaat with hikmat The difference between ' Amr Bil Maroof Wa'Nahy Anil Munkar' & 'Dawah-e-Tabligh' People enquired of Maulana Muhammad Makki if there is any difference between 'Amr Bil Maruf Wa'Nahy Anil Munkar' and Tabligh (Dawah). Which one of the three are the current activities of the Tablighi Jamaat adhering to? In answer to this question, Maulana replied:- For Amr Bil Maroof (Enjoining Good) there is a need for Salahiyyat (Competence) and for Nahy Anil Munkar there is a need within the Ummah for Istidaad (Willingness and inclination). Until and unless the attributes of Salahiyyat and Istidaad are not developed, a great multitude of this Ummah will mock and belittle the divine laws of Shariah the moment the mission of Amr Bil Maruf Wa'Nahy Anil Munkar is implemented and the Fatawas (religious verdicts) of permissible and impermissible are passed. And naturally, if a person commits a sin whilst considering it to be a sin, it won't be as great an offence as it would be in the case of mocking and belittling the most seemingly trivial law of Shariah. The gravity of such an offence can be gauged from the fact that ridiculing the most seemingly insignificant law of shariah render's one as a disbeliever. Hence, if Amr Bil Maroof Wa'Nahy Anil Munkar are propagated without the Salahiyyat and Istidaad of the Ummah, there is a fear of the Ummah landing itself in Kufr as a consequence to the mocking and belittling of the laws of Shariah. Similarly, Tabligh is the name awarded to the propagation of Islam. Today our own condition is such that we lack the attributes of Salaah and Falaah ( piety and spiritual prosperity) without which Tabligh is not possible. When non-muslims witness the deeds and words of this Ummah, they find them to be in total conflict with the teachings of Shariah. How can our Shariah have an impact on others when the Ummah itself is devoid of the laws of Islam. Hence prior to Tabligh amongst non-muslims, the Ummah is compelled to develop the attributes of Salaah and Falaah to a degree of excellence. The current efforts amongst the Ummah itself with the label of Tabligh are all being implemented to promote activities of Dawah. And this activity in turn will lead to the Salahiyyat of Amr Bil Maroof and the Istidaad of Nahy Anil Munkar. Owing to this Dawah mission (Tablighi Jamaat) an awareness and a spirit of Deen (faith) will be created in the Ummah and this is the activity which in turn will bring about piety and spiritual prosperity. As a consequence to piety and spiritual prosperity, Tabligh will advance steadily whilst complying with the principles and rules of conduct. So, in brief, the medium of Dawah (Tabligh) is employed today to engender the attributes of salahiyyat and Istidaad and to develop an awarenes and quest together with piety and spiritual prosperity without which the activities of Amr Bil Maroof and Nahy Anil Munkar cannot be instituted. Hence our current endeavour is a Dawah. " The endeavour of Tabligh is an endeavour of Dawah and Ijaabah (invitation and compliance).

Question Assalam O Alaikum Firstly If in a muslim society Allahs orders are disobeyed and haram things are made halal. In a muslim country Sharab is there interest is allowed officially and sex stations are there. Then as a true believer is this not our responsibility to stop these things and stop it with power?. I don’t know why Ulemas do not recommend this. These acts are against teachings of Quran Isn’t it kufr. Secondly If the ruler of a country is Illegal i.e, he has taken the leadership by force and all the above mentioned facts are also present and happening under his leadership and the Islamic situation is going worst with the passing time. Then what a true believer should do? Because the leadership is Ilegal he should oppose it and fight against it or he should sit down putting his one hand on the other….. Please give the answers in the light of Quran and Ahadith. I think on my knowledge it is allowed to fight against the traitors of Allah and to fight against these Fahashees. In hadees it is there to fight for Kalima , for superemacy of Allahs deen. In Quran it is there that …..Inil Hukmu Ila Lilah…. There is no order but of Allah…. Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh There are three aspects to your query 1) Nahi Anil Munkar 2) Muslim country 3) Responsibility of the Ulama At the outset, you should understand that it is the duty of every believer to carry out Nahi anil Munkar (stop others from evil). This is not the responsibility of a few individuals but the entire Ummah of our Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Allah states “You (Ummah of Muhammed) are the best of nations taken out for the benefit of mankind, you command with good and forbid from evil” (Surah Al-Imran Verse 10). Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “Whoever sees any evil he should stop it with his hands and if he cannot stop it with his hands he should stop it (evil) with his tongue and if not with his tongue he should do so with his heart” (Sahih Muslim Page 80). A person will be required to carry out Nahi anil Munkar according to his capacity and authority. For example a Qaadhi (judge) may do Nahi anil Munkar with force. A layman may carry out Nahi anil Munkar verbally by encouraging a person to refrain from Haraam. In some instances one cannot do Nahi Anil Munkar physically nor verbally, in this instance one should ponder over ways in trying to correct the wrong. It is therefore incorrect to state that Nahi anil Munkar can only be done with force or power. Secondly, since we do not live in Islamic countries, we may only adopt the second two options of Nahi anil Munkar as explained in the Hadith quoted above. At most we may encourage a person doing wrong to stop and refrain from evil. However, we cannot physically compel him to stop. It is the system of Allah that whoever endeavours to do Nahi anil Munkar to be with abuse and criticism. Every Nabi of Allah was persecuted for this very reason. However, one should not become despondent and remain steadfast. It is not a requirement for Nahi anil Munkar that the leadership must be involved. As individuals whatever is within your control you should and thereafter leave the result to Allah. Allah states “Allah does not burden you with that which is beyond you”. Thirdly, you state that you do not know why the Ulama do not recommend this? It is of vital importance that you maintain Adab and respect for every Alim. It is seriously dangerous to pick out on Ulama and criticize them. They are the custodians of the Shariah and the heirs of Ambiyaa. It is irrelevant whether your point is correct or not. The mere fact that he has carried the knowledge of Prophet hood in his bosom, he/they have to be respected and revered. If you have some concerns you must raise in a very respectable and humble way and not make sweeping comments about their work. Nevertheless, your claim of the Ulama not recommending Nahi anil Munkar is completely erroneous. It seems that you do not have much contact with the true Ulama who have made their life ambition Amr Bil Maroof and Nahi anil Munkar. There are multitudes of Ulama who have stood up to this responsibility and have managed with the permission of Allah to correct many wrongs of the society and country. One example is that of the Tabligh Jamaat. Their objective is to go from person to person to encourage the people to do good and refrain from evil. These Fahaashies will only mend their habits if they are encouraged constantly with wisdom and diplomacy. We observe that the trend nowadays is to set up huge seminars and conferences on how to change or reform the society. Statistics prove that very little is achieved from these gatherings. One will only be successful if he implements and adopts the methodology of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in trying to reform the society and/or country. And Allah knows best Wassalam Muhammed Zakariyya Desai, Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah askimam

Commanding the Good When I Don’t Do it? Answered by Shaykh Abu Usamah Question: The issue of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. There are certain things I do which can be deemed as Islamic and other things which can be deemed as haram. I am of the opinion therefore, that I can only really advice people on issues which I know I am doing good in, therefore I only advice people in certain things in terms of prayer, and establishing prayer or not drinking or zina. But there are other things which I almost feel hypocritical in talking about and when I try and give advice they look at me like I am in no position to do so. But that being said, if I have not yet perfected certain social issues like talking to women, listening to music (or at least so called haram music) am I even in the position to do so? many people would look at me and quite simply say ‘who’s he to give me advice’? Answer: al-Salam alaykum 1. The same question was asked by a Sahabi to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) who replied that he should continue commanding the good and forbidding the evil even though he doesn’t practise it himself. There are 2 issues here: i. the responsibility of doing the good / refraining from the evil ii. the responsibility of commanding the good and forbidding the evil Neglecting the first does not excuse one from the second. Rather it is hoped that fulfilling the second responsibility will cause the person to fulfill the first. Walaikum assalam, Abu Usama Qibla.com

Guiding One’s Family Towards the Good: Advice & Tips SeekersGuidance Answered by Sidi Abdullah Anik Misra Question: I am an American-Muslim and have been Muslim all my life. My practice of Islam has been up and down throughout the years. My offences have been not acquriing Islamic knowledge, not praying, breaking fast, not dressing modestly etc. Since college I have been trying to improve my Islam by listening to scholars, watching less tv, praying consistently and making up fasts, etc. But unfortunately my family has not grown with me. My dad loves music, my sister don’t cover properly my niece watches tv and wants to be an actress an singer. I feel like I am doing the bare minumum to improve my Islam and am no where near perfect but what about my family? What can I do for them? And how can I correct them when I did many of the same things myself in recent history or still slip on these things myself? Answer: Wa alaikum as salaam, Thank you for your question. One of the most beautiful things to hear about is a Muslim who, through the confusions and tests of life, slightly goes off track, then realizes her mistake and is guided back to Allah Most High. It is indeed a great mercy from Allah Most High because He could have left us to spiral downward had He wanted; instead though, He wrapped us in His divine concern, lifted us up, and mended our broken souls. This shows us that He is lovingly watching over us even while we are heedless, and He is ready to forgive us, if only we sincerely return to Him. It is true that you should advise your family to the best, and your concern is commendable. However, the conditions to enjoining good and forbidding evil as a duty are: 1. that one has sound knowledge of what they are exhorting to, 2. that your advice will not cause a greater harm, such as a person becoming stubborn and spurning the religion altogether and 3. that you feel reasonably sure they will heed your advice at that time. This requires a lot of wisdom and patience as well, since people do not like to be “preached” to. [bajuri, Sharh Jawhara] Remember to be gradual and gentle with your family members, as you said you were just doing the same thing some time ago. The same way you would not like harsh or pushy advice, don’t be the one to do it. It’s ok that you’re still struggling; your advice will then go to help you and them- but only when they are ready to hear it. Tread carefully but surely, for you walk on people’s feelings; even the most disobedient of Muslims is a person of Paradise insha Allah and thus worthy of immense respect. Try to encourage the hearts towards Allah Most High first and give people hope to establish a relationship with Him. This bond, then prayer, will wean them [and us all!] off of their bad habits. When they are ready to cut things out of their lives, it will become apparent, perhaps without your even saying anything further. Judge and take account of yourself according to the standards of the Sacred Law, but look to others with the greater reality in mind- that they are simply playing out what Allah has destined for them, till and if He chooses to guide them back to Him. Perhaps Allah Most High has in store for them such a returning and repentance, that they become the most pleasing of people to Him. And make dua’ for them. Addressing my own self first, Wasallam, Abdullah Anik Misra Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

The Criteria of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Seekersguidance.org Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan Question: When should one be vague to avoid disputes (when one disagrees with the other person, but doesn’t say something negative in response) versus not supporting or even correcting incorrect Islamic beliefs. How does one know to choose one over the other? Answer: Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah, I pray this finds you in the best of health states. This returns to the issue of enjoining the good and forbidding evil, which is a communal obligation (fard kifaya) and an essential duty in Islam. Based on the criteria outlined below, if the conditions of enjoining the good and forbidding evil are met, one must do so. Otherwise, one can be vague so as to avoid disputation of no benefit. The Obligation and Importance Allah Most High states, “And let there be amongst you a group inviting to virtue, commanding the good and forbidding evil—those indeed are the successful ones” (3:104). And our Master Hudhayfa (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you must certainly command the good and forbid evil, or else a punishment from Him would soon be sent upon you, after which you would call upon Him yet your supplication (dua) would not be answered.” [Tirmidhi] Other narrations state that the punishment for abandoning this obligation is sweeping and general, afflicting both the righteous and the corrupt. Ibn Allan comments that the punishment can manifest as “the tyranny of leaders, the dominion of enemies, and other forms of tribulation.” [Dalil al-Falihin Sharh Riyad al-Salihin] Ya Latif – how unfortunately accurate for our times! And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) swore by Allah when conveying this, and said that supplication itself is unanswered until the community returns to enjoining the good. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also described that when the people of knowledge in previous communities stopped condemning the evils of their societies and kept on socializing with evildoers despite the wrongs, Allah turned the hearts of the community against one another and cursed them upon the tongue of their prophets (peace and blessings be upon them). [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi] And to get annoyed when corrected is itself a major sin. Our Master Ibn Masud (Allah be pleased with him) said, “Verily among the greatest of sins in the sight of Allah is for a person to be told, ‘Fear Allah,’ to which he responds, ‘Mind your own business!’” [sunan Nasa'i] Conditions of Incumbency While it is a communal obligation, commanding the good and forbidding evil is incumbent only if the following conditions are met: (1) Sound knowledge and understanding of the issue one is exhorting to. Scholars mention that anyone who takes up this obligation must know the different schools of thought on the issue at hand, such that his enjoining and forbidding only takes place with evils that are evil by scholarly consensus. This relates to clear matters that are generally known by the Muslims. With respect to matters on which there is scholarly disagreement, although they cannot be forbidden per se, one can still offer counsel and advice (nasiha), which is often needed as certain positions are not appropriate or applicable in all circumstances. (2) Gentleness and wisdom in one’s enjoining or forbidding. The sunna is to exhort in a manner that is general and discreet, so as to protect the feelings of the other party as much as possible. My teacher, for example, told me that if I am ever in a situation where someone else falls into backbiting, I should simply say, “Allah has prohibited us from backbiting.” If, however, one crosses the limits or is excessive in their condemnation, the good they perform is less than their own evil. (3) Clemency and steadfastness in the face of any difficulty one may encounter. (4) That one feels reasonably sure that the other party will take heed and listen. That is, a condition of incumbency is that benefit is likely or expected. This condition (reasonable surety of benefit) is the opinion of Imam Bajuri, Imam Qarafi, Imam Haskafi, Allama Ibn Abidin and others. Otherwise if one does not think they will listen, enjoining the good is recommended if there is a chance of benefit yet one is unsure. If benefit is unlikely, enjoining the good is permissible yet possibly disliked. And if one is certain that there would be no benefit, enjoining the good could be impermissible, as it might entail frivolous and useless speech and might worsen the situation (see condition 5 below). The upshot is that one must consider the likely benefit of one’s exhortation, and if benefit is unlikely, then silence might prove more beneficial. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say the good or remain silent.” [bukhari and Muslim] If one does not enjoin the good or forbid evil, then one must try to change the subject so as to end the unlawful talk; if this is not possible, one must get up and leave. (5) That one’s advice not lead to greater harm or worsen the situation, such as leading to more sin, more unlawful talk, or the other party’s outright disdain for the religion. In such cases it would be better — or at times obligatory — to remain silent, so as to choose the less harmful of two matters. Of course, one must still hate the wrong in one’s heart. (6) Sound intention, which is to desire nothing except that the word of Allah Most High reign supreme. This is essential and often neglected, as many people exhort others in religious matters for the sake of their own egos or out of animosity towards the other party. One’s motivation to correct others should also be out of sincere love and care for one’s brethren. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that the basis of the entire religion is sincere and genuine concern for others (al-Din al-nasiha), and he also said, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [bukhari, Muslim] In fact, in his renowned hadith collection Riyad al-Salihin, Imam Nawawi placed the chapter on “Enjoining the Good and Forbidding Evil” immediately after the chapter on “Sincere and Genuine Concern”. As Imam Nahlawi states, “To conclude, there is a major catastrophe that one must be careful to avoid, namely: for the person of knowledge, when enjoining something, to perceive his own dignity due to his knowledge, and the other’s lowliness due to their ignorance. If this is one’s motivation, then this evil is itself much more vile than the evil he is forbidding. Truly, no one is safe from the plotting of Satan except one to whom Allah shows his own faults, and whose insight Allah opens by the light of true guidance.” [Nahlawi, Durar Mubaha; Khadimi, Nabulsi/Birgivi, Shuruh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya; Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid Sharh Jawharat al-Tawhid; Ibn Abidin/Haskafi, Radd al-Muhtar ala Durr al-Mukhtar] And Allah knows best. wassalam Faraz A. Khan Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani