ummtaalib

Wa'alaykumus salaam Brother Abu Hafsat, I believe Muraqabah in sufi terminology is "meditation". May I ask if your post is from Ibn Qayyim's book?

بئرالبُصّة Well of Bussah This well belonged to Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (R.A.) said that the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) had once asked him if he had water to wash. He said he gave the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) a bucket of the well’s water with which he used to wash his head. (Picture scanned from Nufoosh Paai Mustafaa)

<QUESTION> Are tampons permissible to use before marriage? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, Menstrual blood is considered impure (najis), thus it is important that a woman makes sure her body and cloths remain free from impurities, as purity (taharah) is part of faith. Even in the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), women used various means in keeping themselves clean from the blood of menstruation. In the modern era, the usage of tampons is one of the means in controlling the flow of blood to the cloths or body. A tampon is a (usually disposable) plug that a woman inserts into her vagina during her menstrual period to absorb the flow of blood. In industrial countries, some women choose not to use tampons, due to health and/or environmental concerns. Several alternate ways of absorbing menstrual fluids are available. Women in developing countries are less likely to have these choices (including tampons) available. Some women may choose not to use tampons because they fear damaging their hymen, regarded as a proof of virginity. In some cultures, the use of tampons by virgins is discouraged because of this. As far as the Islamic perspective on using tampons for married and unmarried women is concerned, in principle it is considered to be disliked (makruh), for it is something that is inserted in the internal part of a woman’s vagina. The renowned Hanafi jurist (faqih), Allama Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) mentions the following points in his commentary on Imam al-Barkawi’s treatise on the fiqh of menstruation, Manhal al-waridin min bihar al-faydh ala Zukhr al-muta’ahilin fi masa’il al-haydh: 1) Placing cotton (kursuf) (or anything that absorbs blood) on the opening of the vagina is recommended (mustahab), 2) Virgin women should place this at the time of menstrual periods and non-virgin women at all times, for non-virgins have discharge on a regular basis, so they should be precautions and have cotton placed there at all times, 3) It is a Sunnah for a woman to apply scent to the cotton or pad, so that the odour of the blood is removed, 4) It is offensive (makruh) to have this cotton (kursuf) inserted fully in the internal part of the vagina, because it resembles masturbation. (See: Majmu’a Rasa’il Ibn Abidin, 1/84-85) Furthermore, two points are worth noting here: Firstly, some experts are of the opinion that tampons have been shown to have a connection to toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare but sometimes fatal disease caused by bacterial infection. Hence, if that is the case, it would not be permitted for women, married or otherwise, to use tampons. Allah Most High says: “And make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction.” (Surah al-Baqarah, V: 195) Based on the above verse of the Qur’an and many other evidences found in the Qur’an and Sunnah, it is prohibited for one to cause harm to one’s self or another person. Hence, if it is proven that using tampons cause harm to the woman, it would not be permitted for her to use them. This can be determined by enquiring from an expert. Secondly, some people consider using tampons impermissible for unmarried and virgin women because they fear that the woman may not remain a virgin, which they believe to be a defect in the woman. This, according to the Islamic understanding, is incorrect. The hymen of a woman may be broken in many ways: Injury, accident, playing sports, riding a bicycle, penetration of any sort such as a medical examination, use of tampons, or a douche. Thus, Islam commands the husband not to suspect any wrongdoing on behalf of his spouse if he were to see her not being a virgin. A woman must not be looked down upon because of having lost her virginity. In fact, the jurists (fuqaha) state that a woman whose hymen is broken due to other than having actual sex is Islamically considered to be a virgin. Imam al-Mawsili (Allah have mercy on him) states: “If a woman lost her virginity due to jumping, injury, becoming old or (strong) menstrual periods, then she will be considered a virgin.” (al-Ikhtiyar li ta’lil al-Mukhtar, 3/116) Therefore, purely based on the fact that a woman may not remain a virgin, it would not be unlawful for a virgin woman to use tampons. In some cultures, women are greatly looked down upon or even harmed and oppressed by the husband if she lost her virginity. This is totally unIslamic and a major sin, from which we must abstain. We must also educate members of our communities that it is wrong and sinful to suspect any wrongdoing on behalf of the woman, for Islam orders us to always have good opinion about others. In fact, even if a woman lost her virginity through unlawful sexual intercourse and then repented, it would not be permitted to think low of her. After all, what guarantee is there that the man is a virgin? Having said that, it may be better for unmarried women to avoid using tampons due to the negative implications it can bring about upon marriage. However, it cannot be considered unlawful purely based on this reason. In conclusion, married and unmarried women should avoid using tampons, for firstly, it is something that is inserted internally, and secondly, using a tampon may be harmful to one’s health or at the least unhygienic, and thirdly, for unmarried women, using tampons and breaking of the hymen may (though unfortunate) cause problems after marriage. This is when it is not proven that tampons cause severe harm to the woman. However, as mentioned above, if it is proven that using tampons is harmful to the woman’s health, it would not be permitted to use them. And Allah knows best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK darulifta.com

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question: I was wondering about doubts while fasting. I rinsed my mouth for ablution (wudu) but thereafter had doubts whether I had swallowed water or not. I understand that for matters of purification (tahara), doubts are ignored, is this the case with worship (ibadat). Answer: Walaikum assalam, When in such a situation, find out what is the right thing to do, and simply do it. Do not think about the problem or worry about it. Rather, think and thank: think about the blessings of Allah for you, and thank Him for them with your tongue and heart. This is a means of making Shaytan leave you, and despair of making you despair. Exercise Caution It is important to calmly find out: a. what all the relevant related rulings are; b. ask as many specific questions as you have to (don t make assumptions!); c. then figure out what you were doing wrong, if anything, and what the consequences are. Don’t Have Baseless Misgivings It is essential that one not have baseless misgivings (waswasa). This usually occurs from unawareness of the sunna, as operationalized by the fuqaha, or by lack of intelligence (in one’s behavior). As such, we should take the proper means, as described above, and not go beyond them. Our legal responsibility (taklif) is within the limits of reason: Allah Most High has informed us, “Allah does not burden souls with more than they can manage.” Principles Related to Certainty & Doubt Once you have taken the reasonable means, the default assumption is that you are now free error. Then, we return to the important fiqh principle: “Certainty is not lifted by a doubt.” [ibn Nujaym, al-Ashbah wa’l Nadha’ir; Majallat al-Ahkam al-`Adiliyya] This means that if one is certain about something, such as the validity of our worship, with this being the basic assumption for all human actions, then we will keep assuming it valid until certain that it was not. Mere possibilities and even likelihoods do not change this. The important fiqh principles related to this matter include: 1. Certainty is not lifted by doubt; 2. Certainty is only lifted by another certainty; 3. The default assumption about a matter is akin to certainty; 4. The default assumption about all matters is validity and soundness; 5. Mere doubts and suppositions are of no legal consequence. Ibn Abidin points out that following one s misgivings (waswasa), whether about the validity of one s works or about how hard we imagine the legal prescriptions of the Shariah to be, is highly blameworthy in the Shariah: it is from the Shaytan, and Allah Most High has commanded us to refuse his enticing. As such, until you are certain that any of your prayer was invalid, you do not have any prayers to make up. One should, however, take the steps described above in exercising caution. This deen is mercy. The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) is mercy. It is a means of mercy, success, and felicity. When one does not find this, one must be doing something wrong. “Ask the people of remembrance when you know not”, Allah tells us in the Qur’an. This is an important final point: when in doubt, one should not make up legal rulings. Rather, one should seek reliable knowledge, either from a reliable book one is able to understand or from persons of sound traditional learning. May Allah grant us success in doing that which He loves. Wassalam, Faraz Rabbani Source

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam Question: Wudu has become a huge burden upon me, most times taking about 45 minutes. I keep trying different techniques and this has been going on for over 6 months i think, though it seems extremely difficult. Please advise. Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah. Washing is that which is normally considered washing, such that: were someone to look at you at that moment in time, they would say that you are ‘washing’ your face/arms/feet. It is not a condition that one use a single handful of water. However, normally if one takes a handful (using both hands) of water and pours it onto one’s face and rubs, one is considered to have washed one’s face. Ensure that you gently rub your whole face. Repeat this thrice. Then move on. Remember to begin one’s ablution (wudu) with: the ta`awwudh (`Audhu billahi min al-shaitan al-rajim), and [ii] the basmala (Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim). Thereafter, ignore all doubts and misgivings concerning that which ‘may’ have not been washed, even if they are strong doubts. Realize that they are from the devil. Instead, busy yourself with making dhikr and supplicating during the ablution (wudu) If you continue to struggle, go to the mosque and watch how other Muslims perform the ablution (wudu) and copy them. Don’t let such misgivings ruin your worship, and take over your life. And Allah alone gives success. Wassalam, Tabraze Azam Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani seekersguidance

ACTS BY WHICH A PERSON CAN GAIN THE REWARD OF MARTYRDOM 1. عن يعلى بن شداد عن أم حرام عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال (المائد بن في البحر الذي يصيبه القئ له أجر شهيد والغرق له أجر شهيدين) The one that gets dizzy in the ocean and vomits attains the reward of martyrdom, and the one who drowns into the ocean also gains the reward of two martyrs. 2. وفي الحديث: " مَن مات يوم الجمعة كتب الله له أجر شهيد، ووُقي فتنة القبر Allah Ta'ala writes the reward of martyrdom for the person that passes away on the day of Jumuah and he is protected from the trials of the grave. 3.وعن الشعبي قال قال عمر رحمه الله : من قرأ القرآن فأعربه كان له عند الله أجر شهيد. Whoever recites the Quraan Sharif and pronounces the I’raab gains the reward of martyrdom by Allah Ta'ala. 4. أخرج الحاكم عن سعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : " هل أدلكم على اسم الله الأعظم ؟ دعاء يونس لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين فأيما مسلم دعا ربه به في مرضه أربعين مرة فمات في مرضه ذلك أعطي أجر شهيد وإن برأ برأ مغفورا له " Hadrat Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas R.A narrates that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Should I not indicate or direct you towards the name of Allah Ta'ala that is most greatest? Yunus A.S supplicated before Allah Ta'ala (with the following words), لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين Whichever Muslim supplicates unto his Rabb with it forty times during his illness and then dies in that illness will gain the reward of a martyr. If he is cured, then he will be cured in a manner that he is forgiven (by Allah Ta'ala). 5.وأخرج الحاكم وصححه عن أنس " أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : من سأل الله القتل في سبيل الله صادقا ثم مات أعطاه الله أجر شهيد Whosoever sincerely seeks martyrdom in the path of Allah Ta'ala then dies, Allah Ta'ala will grant him the reward of a martyr 6. من قاتل فواق ناقة فقد وجبت له الجنة ومن سأل الله القتل من نفسه صادقا ثم مات أو قتل فإن له أجر شهيد ومن جرح جرحا في سبيل الله أو نكب نكبة فإنها تجيء يوم القيامة كأغزر ما كانت لونها لون الزعفران وريحها ريح المسك ومن جرح في سبيل الله فإن عليه طابع الشهداء " Whoever fought in the path of Allah Fuwaqa Naqatin (i.e. for the duration that it takes one to change from one udder of the camel to the other whilst milking the camel) Jannat becomes obligatory upon such a person. Whoever seeks martyrdom sincerely then dies or is killed then verily he will attain the rewards of martyrdom. Whoever is wounded in the path of Allah Ta'ala or is afflicted with a calamity then it will come on the day of Qiyaamah in its severest form, the colour of which will be the colour of saffron, and the fragrance of which will be of musk, and whoever is wounded in the path of Allah Ta'ala then upon such a person is the seal of the martyrs. 7. وفى الحديث « من حافظ منكم على الصلوات الخمس حيث كان واين ما كان جاز الصراط يوم القيامة كالبرق اللامع فى اول زمرة السابقين وجاء يوم القيامة ووجهه كالقمر ليلة البدر وكان له كل يوم وليلة حافظ عليهن اجر شهيد » Whosoever safeguards his five daily Salaah from amongst you wherever he may be, he will cross the bridge of Siraat on the day of Qiyaamah like brilliant lightning in the first group of the forerunners (in Islam), and he will come on the day of Qiyaamah in such a condition that his face will be like the full moon on a fully lit night and for every day and night that he protects his Salaah he will receive the reward of martyrdom. وفى الحديث « الفار من الطاعون كالفار من الزخف والصابر فيه له اجر شهيد » 8. The one that flees from a plague is like the one that flees from the army and the one that remains steadfast in a plague receives the reward of a martyr. 9. وَمَنْ عَفَا عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ ، وَكَظَمَ غَيْظَهُ أَعْطَاهُ الله أَجْرَ شَهِيدٍ Whosoever forgives his Muslim brother and swallows his anger, Allah Ta'ala will grant him the reward of a martyr. 1.0 عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ , رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُمَا ، قَالَ : أَرَاهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى الله عَلَيه وسَلَّم ، قَالَ : لِلْمَرْأَةِ فِي حَمْلِهَا إِلَى وَضْعِهَا إِلَى فِصَالِهَا مِنَ الأَجْرِ ، كَالْمُتَشَحِّطِ فِي سَبِيلِ الله ، فَإِنْ هَلَكَتْ فِيهَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ ، فَلَهَا أَجْرُ شَهِيدِ. A woman attains reward from pregnancy until childbirth and until she weans off her child equivalent to the reward of a person away from home in the path of Allah, If she loses her life between these stages (of pregnancy, childbirth and weaning) then she attains the reward of martyrdom. 11. من رد عادية ماء أو عادية نار فله أجر شهيد (1) 8701 - من ردته الطيرة عن حاجته فقد أشرك- المتمسك بسنتي عند فساد أمتي له أجر شهيد Whoever resists a misfortune of water or fire attains the reward of a martyr. Whoever is turned away from his need due to a bad omen has ascribed partners unto Allah Ta'ala. The one who grips firmly unto my Sunnah at the time of corruption of my Ummat attains the reward of martyrdom. 12. الْغَرِيقُ شَهِيدٌ وَالحَرِيقُ شَهِيدٌ وَالْغَرِيبُ شَهِيدٌ وَالمَلْدُوغُ شَهِيدٌ وَالمَبْطُونُ شَهِيدٌ وَمَنْ يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْبَيْتُ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَمَنْ يَقَعُ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْبَيْتِ فَتَنْدَقُّ رِجْلُهُ أَوْ عُنُقُهُ فَيَمُوتُ فَهُوَ شَهِيد وَمَن تَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّخْرَةُ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَالْغَيْرَى عَلَى زَوْجَهَا كَالمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ الله فَلَهَا أَجْرُ شَهِيدٍ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ مَالِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ نَفْسِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ أَخِيهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ دُونَ جَارِهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ وَالآمِرُ بَالمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهِي عَنِ المُنْكَرِ شَهِيدٌ ) ) ( ابن عساكر ) عن علي The person that drowns is a martyr. The one that is burnt to death is a martyr. The person that dies in a foreign land is a martyr. The one that is bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion is a martyr. The one that dies due to a stomach ailment is a martyr. The one upon whom a house falls is a martyr. Whoever falls from the top of a house and his leg or neck is broken and he dies is a martyr. The one upon whom a rock falls is a martyr. The woman that has self-honour upon her husband is like one that goes out in the path of Allah and acquires the reward of martyrdom. The one who loses his life whilst trying to protect his wealth is a martyr. The one who loses his life whilst trying to protect his life is a martyr. The one who loses his life whilst trying to protect his brother is a martyr. The one who loses his life whilst trying to protect his neighbour is a martyr. The one that commands good and prohibits from evil is a martyr. 13. حدثنا محمد بن موسى الإصطخري ثنا الحسن بن كثير حدثتني نضرة بنت جهضم بن عبد الله بن أبي الطفيل القيسية عن أبيها عن يحيى بن أبي كثير عن ابي سلمة بن عبد الرحمن عن عائشة قالت قلت يا رسول الله ليس الشهيد إلا من قتل في سبيل الله فقال يا عائشة إن شهداء أمتي إذا لقليل من قال في يوم خمسة وعشرين مرة اللهم بارك في الموت وفيما بعد الموت ثم مات على فراشه أعطاه الله أجر شهيد Hadrat Aisha i says, I said O messenger of Allah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, “A martyr is only one that was killed in the path of Allah.” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “O Aisha, in that case the martyrs of my ummat will be very few.” Whoever recites, اللهم بارك لى في الموت وفيما بعد الموت Twenty five times a day and then passes away upon his bed Allah Ta'ala will grant him the reward of a martyr. 14. إن الله كتب الغيرة على النساء والجهاد على الرجال فمن صبر منهن إيمانًا واحتسابًا كان لها مثل أجر شهيد (الطبرانى عن ابن مسعود) Verily Allah Ta'ala has prescribed self-honour upon the women and Jihaad upon the men. Whosoever exercises patience from amongst them (i.e. the women) with Imaan and having hope of reward then for such a person is the reward of a martyr. 15. الحاج فى ضمان الله مقبلاً مدبرًا فإن أصابه فى سفره تعب أو نصب غفر الله له بذلك سيئاته وكان له بكل قدم يرفعه ألف درجة فى الجنة وبكل قطرة تصيبه من مطر أجر شهيد (الديلمى عن أبى أمامة) A person that undertakes the journey of Haj is in the protection of Allah Ta'ala whilst proceeding to (Makkah Mukarrama) and whilst returning. If he is afflicted with tiredness or fatigue, Allah Ta'ala will forgive his sins (due to him enduring such conditions), and with every step that he takes Allah c will elevate him by one thousand ranks in Jannat, and for every drop of rain that afflicts him is the reward of martyrdom. 16. - من جلب طعاما إلى مصر من أمصار المسلمين كان له أجر شهيد (الديلمى عن ابن مسعود) Whoever brings food to any of the Muslim towns will attain the reward of martyrdom 17. من صلى الضحى وصام ثلاثة أيام من الشهر ولم يترك الوتر فى سفر ولا حضر كتب له أجر شهيد (الطبرانى عن ابن عمر) Whoever performs Salaatud-Duhaa and fast three days every month and does not miss out the Witr Salaah whilst being a resident (at home) or whilst travelling the reward of a martyr will be recorded for him. ومن مات غريبا مات شهيدا (الرافعى عن ابن مسعود) 18. 19. قال رسول الله من مشى إلى الخير حافيا فكأنما مشى إلى أرض الجنة تستغفر له الملائكة وتسبح له أعضاؤه فإن حدث له في ذلك حدث كان له أجر شهيد Whoever walks towards acts of virtue welcoming (such acts) then it is as though he has walked towards the land of Jannah for whom the angels seek forgiveness and his limbs recite Tasbeeh on his behalf. If a mishap or calamity afflicts him whilst undertaking such a journey then such a person attains the reward of martyrdom. 20. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « من لم يدرك الغزو معي فليغز في البحر ، فغزو يوم في البحر خير من مائة في البر ، وإن أجر شهيد في البحر كأجر شهيدين في البر ، وإن أفضل الشهداء عند الله أصحاب الأكف » ، قيل : وما أصحاب الأكف ؟ قال : « قوم تتكافأ عليهم مراكبهم في سبيل الله » Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “Whoever was unable to go out in Jihaad with me should set out in Jihaad by sea as going out in Jihaad for a day in the ocean is better than a hundred days of Jihaad on land, and the reward of a martyr at sea is like the reward of two martyrs on land, and verily the most virtuous martyrs in the court of Allah c are Ashaab-e-Akaf. It was asked, “What is Ashaab-e-Akaf?” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Such a nation whose conveyances capsize over them in the path of Allah.” 21. وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم من مات يوم الجمعة أو ليلة الجمعة كتب الله له أجر شهيد ووقي فتنة القبر A person that passes away on the day of Jumuah or the eve of Jumuah, Allah Ta'ala writes for him the reward of martyrdom and he is protected from the trials of the grave. Source

Question I want to know the difference between ‘hadith and qiyas’ Answer Islamic jurisprudence is based on 4 fundamental principles. Quran Hadith Ijma’a (consensus) Qiyaas (Analogy) One should remember that not every ruling can be found in the Quran and hadith. Quran and hadith are the roots of sharia. Everyday a new Mas’alah arises which is not found in the Quran and hadith. The method of deriving these new Masa’ail is known as Qiyaas. Qiyaas has its rules which are strictly followed. Qiyaas is used for those situations in which there are no rulings found in first 3 principles. So the ruling derived from the first three is then fitted onto the current situation. Qiyaas is there to bring into open some ruling which has its roots in the Quraan/Hadith. Inshallah a Bayan on Qiyas will be coming on the hanafi fiqh channel soon. http://www.youtube.com/user/hanafifiqh Source

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam Question: Assalamualaikum, I never understood the nature of Hadith Qudsi and how it was different from the “regular” hadiths. Also, the “regular” hadiths are ‘traditions’ and narrations of the Prophet (peace be upon him) doing, saying, and instructing us to do many things. How did the Prophet (peace be upon him) receive this information from Allah relative to Qur’anic revelation and the Hadith Qudsi? Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I hope you are in the best of health and spirits, insha’Allah. A Sacred Narration (al-Hadith al-Qudsi) is a narration (hadith) which, from the perspective of its meaning, is from Allah, the Exalted, and from the perspective of its wording, from the Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace). [Jurjani, al-Ta`rifat] The Difference between the Regular Narrations (Hadith) and the Sacred Narrations (al-Hadith al-Qudsi) The Sacred Narration (al-Hadith al-Qudsi) is attributed to Allah, Most High, and related from Him. The Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace) would receive the meaning from Allah, by way of inspiration or dream, and then he (Allah bless him and give him peace) would inform his community of this in his own words. This is contrary to the remaining narrations (hadith) as the Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace) would not attribute them to His Lord, nor relate them from Him. The Difference between the Sacred Narrations (al-Hadith al-Qudsi) and the Qur’an There are many differences between the Qur’an and the Sacred Narration (al-Hadith al-Qudsi). Of the most notable of them are the facts that the Qur’an is miraculous in its wording and was revealed by the intermediary of the Angel Gabriel. A Sacred Narration (al-Hadith al-Qudsi), on the other hand, has neither of these qualities. Other unique qualities which the Qur’an, alone, possesses are: [1] The mass transmission (mutawatir) in all of its words and letters; [2] The impermissibility of touching the Qur’an for the one in a state of minor ritual impurity (and reciting it for the one in a state of major ritual impurity); [3] The requirement, and specification, of its recital in the prayer; [4] It is called the Qur’an; [5] It is an act of worship to recite the Qur’an and one is rewarded for each letter; The Qur’an’s words, and meanings, are from Allah through manifest revelation; contrary to the narrations (hadith). [`Ayni, `Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari; Siraj al-Din, Sharh al-Mandhuma al-Bayquniyya; al-Sayyid Muhammad bin `Alawi, al-Manhal al-Latif fi Usul al-Hadith al-Sharif] This is something of what can be said about the difference between the Sacred Narration (al-Hadith al-Qudsi) and the Qur’an. And Allah knows best. Wassalam, Tabraze Azam Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani seekersguidance

In a mother's womb, were two babies, engaged in conversation. The one asked the other: "Do you believe in life after delivery?" The other replied: "Of course! There has to be something after delivery. It may be that we are here to prepare ourselves for what will follow later." "Nonsense!" says the other. "There is no life after delivery! What would that life be?" "Well, I can’t say exactly, but there will probably be more light there, than here. And we will probably walk with our legs, use our hands, eat with our mouths…." The first baby says: "That is absurd! Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? How ridiculous you are! …The umbilical cord supplies nutrition. Life after delivery is to be excluded." The other baby responded: "I think there is something beyond this world of the womb, and maybe it is different than what is here." The first replies: "No one has ever come back from there! Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery, there is nothing but darkness and anxiety and it takes us nowhere. Nowhere at all!" "Well, whatever is to be, will be," says the other, "but certainly we will see our mother and she will take care of us." "Mother???" …Do you believe in mother? Where is she now?" The baby responds: "She is all around us. It is in her that we live. Without her, there would not be this world of ours." "I don't see her, so it's only logical that she doesn't exist!" To which the other replied, "Sometimes when you are silent, you can hear her, you can perceive her. I believe there is mother – loving and caring. And I believe there is a reality after delivery and we are here to prepare ourselves for that reality." GemsofGuidance

Admin Edit: Comment removed Respected Brother Abu Hafsat, Assalaamu 'alaykum. The reason for the edit is that at islamicteachings.org we are extremely careful about the sources of the interpretations / explanations of Qur'an and Hadith.

Brother Abu Hafsat, assalaamu 'alaykum Jazaakallah for posting however please read the pinned topics in this section. It is of utmost importance that the translations/commentary of Qur'nic verses are sourced i.e. which translation or commentary it is from. Until then your post cannot be approved. Jazakallah

<QUESTION> Could you please explain the difference between Ahad and Mutawatir Hadith? In particular, could you specify how many narrations make a Hadith Mutawatir? Also, are Ahad hadith taken into Aqidah or only Mutawatir? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, A Hadith Mutawatir (continuous) is that which is related by whole groups of individuals from whole group of individuals, in multiple contiguous channels of transmission leading back to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace), such as that the sheer number of separate channels at each stage of transmission is too many for it to be possible for all to have conspired to fabricate the Hadith. As such, a Hadith is classified as Mutawatir only when it fulfils the following conditions: 1) It is reported by such a large number of narrators that under normal circumstances it would be impossible for them to conspire a lie. 2) Such a number exists throughout the chain of narration, i.e. from the beginning to the end. 3) The reporters must base their report on sense perception, i.e. on something that is heard or seen. 4) That the narration necessitates certain knowledge for the listener. (Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Sharh Nukhba al-Fikr, P.21). Example of a Mutawatir Hadith is: “Whoever lies about me deliberately must prepare himself for a place in the fire of Hell” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih muslim). Imam an-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) states that this narration has been narrated from approximately 200 Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) (Introduction to Sahih Muslim). The Ahad or solitary Hadith (also known as Khabar al-Wahid) is the Hadith which fails to fulfil the requirement of Mutawatir. Ahad Hadith may be sound (sahih), good (hasan) or weak (Da’eef). It is a Hadith which does not impart positive knowledge on its own unless it is supported by extraneous or circumstantial evidence. According to the majority of the four Sunni schools, acting upon Ahad is obligatory even if Ahad fails to engender positive knowledge provided certain conditions are met. As far as establishing matters of Aqidah is concerned, the majority of the scholars are of the view that Ahad may not be relied upon as the basis of belief (aqidah), for matters of belief must be founded in certainty. Therefore, issues that revolve between belief (iman) and disbelief (kufr) can not be proven by Ahad narrations (See: Fawatih al-Rahmut, 2/136). However, this refers to beliefs on which the actual Iman is dependent. As for Ahad narrations pertaining to subsidiary matters which are not essential to belief such as intercession (shafa’ah), etc..., these must be accepted and believed. Anyone who denies them is a sinner (fasiq) but not a Kafir, as he denies something which is not decisively proven (Abu Zahra, Usul al-Fiqh, P.85). None of the previous scholars rejected any belief that was not established by Hadith Mutawatir. In fact, the great Hadith expert, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him) states in his monumental commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari that, Ahad narrations are a source of evidence when the Ummah accepts it and acts upon it. It then has the power to become firm belief (Fath al-Bari, V.13, P.234). Many beliefs have been established by Ahad narrations, yet they have not been rejected by the great scholars of this Ummah. Beliefs such as the intercession (shafa’ah) of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace), descriptions of the angels, Jinn, Jannah, Jahannam, and much more. In conclusion, matters of Aqidah can and have been proven by Ahad narrations and accepted by the majority of the Ummah. Yes, those integrals of Aqidah on which an individual’s Iman depends can not be established by Ahad narrations. As a result, denying beliefs that are proven by Ahad will not constitute Kufr, rather a sin. And Allah Knows Best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem A Qur'aan teacher always advised her students to live by this Ayah: وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ "And I hurried towards You, O my Lord, so that You be pleased." [Ta Ha 20: 84] She told them, "This Ayah is what moves me. When I hear the Adhaan and I'm in occupied and in the middle of something, I remind myself of this Ayah and so I get up to pray." "When my alarm goes off at 2 a.m. and I want to go back to sleep, I remember: "And I hurried towards You, O my Lord, so that You be pleased." Her husband had the following arrangement with her: On his way home from work he would call her so that she gets the food hot and ready, that he can come home and eat & rest. One day he asked her to make Mahshi (stuffed grape leaves) – which is very time consuming. You wrap many of them and put the pot of them on the stove to cook. She had just three more to wrap before she could put them on the stove to cook. But the Adhaan commenced... So she left the three remaining grape-leaves (which would have taken her 5 minutes) and she went to pray. Her husband kept calling& calling her phone but there was no answer. He came home and found her in Sujood and that the food was not ready. He saw that there were only three grape-leaves left. He was upset and said, "You could have just finished them and put the pot to cook, then pray!" No response. He went to her to discover she had died in her Sujood! SubhaanAllaah, had she waited like any of us to "finish whats in her hand" she would have died in the kitchen! But a person dies upon what they lived on and they are resurrected on what they died on. Gems of Guidance

A Christian complains about prohibition of Muslims celebrating or congratulating people at Christmas Why do you condemn the celebration of the what Christians think is birth of the son of God (Allah)? We should be teaching respect for other peoples and religions. Yet with such condemnation and calling it falsehood, it makes it difficult for rational, honest, and respectful persons to communicate. Praise be to the One God, who begets not, nor is begotten. You seem to have misinterpreted the condemnation of celebration of Christmas as a matter of disrespect for Christians. In reality, it is out of respect for Allah and Jesus and the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them. It is an integral part of our faith to reject celebrations that have not been prescribed and/or that have a basis in falsehood, as inevitably they lead to misguidance and alterations in faith, as has happened with Christianity. There is nothing "radical" or "fringe" about this. It is our basic right to protect our faith and practice from distortion and falsehood. Surely no one has a right to condemn us for this. Do you think Encyclopedia Britannica is rational and honest? Please read what they have to say about Christmas: Excerpts quoted directly from www.britannica.com : The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Cristes maesse, "Christ's Mass." : ( There is no certain tradition of the date of Christ's birth. Christian chronographers of the 3rd century believed that the creation of the world took place at the spring equinox, then reckoned as March 25; hence the new creation in the incarnation (i.e., the conception) and death of Christ must therefore have occurred on the same day, with his birth following nine months later at the winter solstice, December 25). ... According to a Roman almanac, the Christian festival of Christmas was celebrated in Rome by AD 336... ( The reason why Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25 remains uncertain, but most probably the reason is that early Christians wished the date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the "birthday of the unconquered sun" ) (natalis solis invicti); this festival celebrated the winter solstice, when the days again begin to lengthen and the sun begins to climb higher in the sky. The traditional customs connected with Christmas have accordingly developed from several sources as a result of the coincidence of the celebration of the birth of Christ with the pagan agricultural and solar observances at midwinter. In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchange of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year (January 1), houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/idxref/0/0,5716,266282... and Celtic Yule rites when the Teutonic tribes penetrated into Gaul, Britain, and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, and gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian. Since the European Middle Ages, evergreens, as symbols of survival, have been associated with Christmas... [end quote] So as any rational person can see, there is no sound basis for Christmas, nor did Jesus (peace be upon him) or his true followers celebrate Christmas or ask anyone to celebrate Christmas, nor was there any record of anyone calling themselves Christians celebrating Christmas until several hundred years after Jesus. So were the companions of Jesus more righteously guided in not celebrating Christmas or are the people of today? So if you want to respect Jesus, peace be upon him, as Muslims do, don't celebrate some fabricated event that was chosen to coincide with pagan festivals and copy pagan customs. Do you honestly think God, or even Jesus himself, would approve or condemn such a thing? If you say approve, then obviously you are not interested in the truth. We ask Allaah, the One, Singular God, with no partners or sons, the God of all creation and mankind, to guide us all to the path of guidance and sincerity.

Aslaam Alaikum I have some questions relating to the same topic. I firstly like to apologise about the length of the question. Please reply. 1) I am suffering from very bad waswasa of divorce thoughts lately, which come to me without my will or intention. Because i am suffering from waswasa everything i say becomes a real struggle of the mind. If i say something to anyone or read quran or a book, something in my head makes me believe that i am saying these things to my wife. For example i might be getting angry towards my brother but something in my mind makes me believe that i am saying these words to my wife. Or if I have a book or papers or clothes in my hand and something in my head makes me feel that there is a metaphor on there and makes me feel there is intention. What do I do? please tell me how to solve this problem of unintentional thoughts? Everytime I talk or write, something makes me feel that there is intention, but in reality I have no intention. I am struggling. BECAUSE OF THIS CONDITION I FEEL THERE IS A LACK OF SELF CONTROL IN ME AND I AM SCARED THAT BECAUSE OF THIS I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL MY INTENTIONS AND MY THOUGHTS, WHAT DO I DO? 2) At one point I was at my in-laws and I was standing by the door waiting for my wife. My sister in law asked me if I was going, it was just a general/normal question. At first I didn't reply because of these thoughts, because they make me feel that I am aiming it towards my wife, but really I have no intention. So she asked me again and I said 'yes/yeah'. At that moment something in my head made me feel that I am saying 'yes/yeah' to divorce. But really I have no intention and I don't intend to. I would like to know what the ruling would be IF there was intention in saying of 'yes/yeah' to a normal general question as explained, would that count? 3)If someone writes just their signature with intention (in their mind) on plain paper or a business contract or a document or a general printed paper sitting on a table with possible metaphors printed on, would that count? No verbal speech is spoken or anything written by them self or given except the writing of the signature 4) If someone is holding in their hand a bottle of drink Or a receipt or money Or a book Or some clothes Or a general paper for normal use and there might be some possible metaphors already printed on these and then all of a sudden that person gives these to the wife with intention without speaking or saying anything OR has intention whilst holding these, OR puts on a already printed poster with metaphors already written with intention in mind(does not say anything or write ), would that count? Or whilst holding these they look at the metaphors that are already printed on these and have intention in their mind and give these to the wife without speaking, would that count? 5)If someone clicks on a metaphor or the actual statement on the computer using a mouse or clicks on a link which then brings up metaphors or clicks on an actual statement or a link using the mouse on the computer with intention, would that count? No metaphor or statement is written themselves. 6)If someone points to the door or uses other hand actions with intention and dont speak , would that count? 7) If someone say 'friends' or mentions a name or says parent with intention would that count? 8) If someone writes a metaphor without intention. After a moment due to confusion I thought there was intention when I wrote it, but after some thinking I realised there wasn't. So I think I verbally said to myself ' there was no intention at the time of writing the metaphor but the intention came AFTER a short while of writing this word'. And then after some more thinking I then said to myself ' there was no intention at all''. Could you tell me if this would count if I did say this? Also I would like to know If there was no intention at the time of writing the metaphor, but the intention came after 1-2 seconds, would that count? Please note that there was no intention when the metaphor was written. 9) Also I would like to know, if a person WRITES e-mail to find out the ruling and on the e-mail its written that they said or wrote a metaphor with intention, but in reality they didn't say it or write it with intention or the metaphor was never spoken, would that count just because they wrote in the email that they said it or wrote it with intention, when really there was no intention at the time of saying or writing or it was not spoken ? 10) If someone is in doubt and confused about saying a statment or a metaphor to his wife and says 'I said the statement.....etc' and then after some thinking he says I didn't say it and it was all doubt and confusion, would that count just because he said that he said it? 11) If someone says Withdraw/s or return or returned, or (Turja'oon which means returned, would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 12) If someone says Waladaaleen in Surah Fatiha and the intention is on the 'went' word (those who went astray ), would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 13) If someone says location or a name of a place, would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 14) If someone says old or out of date/d, would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 15) If someone says that's enough or 'off, would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 16) If someone says Liberation would that count? 17) If someone says 'To move briskly or spiritedly' , to it, would that count? Nothing else is uttered. 18) If someone asks that have you any child and that person says 'not yet' with intention, would that count? Do metaphors need to be said directly to the person or indirectly? If I have confused you please ask me.Please forgive me if this is in length and strange. 19) If a person asks another person to write a word that is a possible metaphor with the intention in the MIND but does not say the intention to the person and only asks to write the word, can that happen? 20)If someone say an address or the first line for an address, would that count? Please reply. Jazakalla Answer Bismillah Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance) 1) It appears that you are suffering from a medical condition that affects the balance of your thought and mind. We advise that you consult a Doctor/Physicians and once he diagnoses your illness, you should make two people your witness that you are suffering from this illness and you have no intention of divorcing your wife. Curing Wasawis (pl. of Waswasa): Waswasa is from the Shaitan one should treat it with contempt and pay no attention to such thoughts and do not bother. If one gives a little attention to such thoughts, the Shaytan feels honoured. It has achieved its purpose of diverting one’s mind in wrong. One should never give into that. Simply treat such thoughts with contempt and ignore them. "We sent down in the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe." (17:82) Recite ‘Laa hawla walaa Quwwata Illaa Billaah’ abundantly. Recite Istighfaar as much as possible. Recite Ta’awudh (A’oodhu Billaah). Recite La Ilaha IllAllahu Muhammadur Rasulullah. Recite Muawwazatain (Surah Naas and Falaq), Surah Fatiha and Ayatul Kursi. 2) Talaq will not count. Because the question asked was not related in the context of divorce. 3, 7) Talaq will not take place. Because the mentioned metaphors are not intended to mean divorce. 4, 5) Talaq will not take effect. Because the Talaq must initiate from the husband either in verbal or written. 6) Talaq will not count. However, if one utters divorce saying like this, and uses gestures with fingers i.e. thumb, shahadah and middle fingers, then three divorce will take effect. (see more: Al Hidayah). If a person is dumb, his Talaq will be with gestures. (Al Hidayah) 8) If one has written a metaphor which is intended for divorce and made the intention aswell, Talaq will take effect. Thus, Talaq takes affect when it is clearly uttered or written and allusively uttered or written with the intention made at the same time. (Al Hidayah) 9) Talaaq will not take place. This is because, no thought of your wife or divorcing her was occuring in your mind rather you was just inquiring a Mas'alah with regards to Talaq. 10) If you are in doubt, Talaq will not take place. "Al Yaqeen La Yazulu Bish Shak" (Certainty is not invalidated by doubt) (Al Ashbah Wan Nazair Pg. 60) Dispute between husband and wife with Talaq:http://www.muftisays.com/qa/question/3851/is-this-divorce-valid-or-not.html 11) the word 'withdraw' and 'return', if intention was made then Talaq will take effect. 12) Talaq will not count. Because, the word 'Wa Ladhwaleen' (those who went astray) does not intend to mean divorce. The remaining questions has already been answered, please view this links: http://www.muftisays.com/qa/question/4120/single-words-of-divorce.html And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best. -------------------------------------- Moulana Qamruz Zaman London, UK muftisays.com

Cleanliness and Waswasah after Relieving Oneself – 3 Questions Question: During the day I sometimes feel that small drops (usually one or two drops have come out from my private parts for no reason at all. I just wanted to know that do I have to change my underwear before I pray namaz if the drops are less than a coin. Also if I am out and about and want to pray namaz, what do I need to do/how shall I clean myself/underwear in order for my namaz to be correct/counted if such drops occur? If you are in the toilet and by accident the toilet water splashes onto your body, do you become napaak and need ghusl? If no what do you need to do to clean your body from the splashes that have gone on your body and how do you clean yourself? Also how can you avoid situations like this? When you do istibraa (by walking, coughing) and you sprinkle water on your underwater to get rid of doubts what if drops come out and you don’t know due to the sprinkled water, does your namaz count? Jazakallah. May Allah reward you, your family and teachers abundantly. Answer: In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. Clean yourself thoroughly, then do not fall into the trap of waswasah – tie a tissue around your private part, so anything that comes out can be absorbed by the tissue – you are a young man, your bladder is still healthy, it is in old age that it starts to leak. So don’t worry too much about the drops. Sometimes we feel that something has come out but when we check, nothing is there. Also, urine is najaasat-e-ghaleeza, but one 50p coin measure is pardoned. Therefore, if you have to pray in the underwear, your salah will still be valid. (However, this does not mean that wuzu will not break by a 50p coin measure of najaasat dropping out. Even if a drop does coe out after wuzu, that wuzu will break.) Once najaasat has fallen in the toilet basin the water has become napaak. Therefore, the splashes are napaak. Whatever the splashes touch becomes napaak. However, you don’t need to have a full ghusl, you only need to wash those parts which have become napaak – to avoid this put some tissue in the basin before istinja. Better still, use an Asian toilet as there will be less possibilities of splashes in there. Water should never be sprinkled during the istibraa otherwise the najaasat will spread. Sprinkling water is only to get rid of any waswasah, whispering of the Shaytaan. It is permissible for such a person and he should do this after istibraa, and after wuzu. Source

The Deception of Shaytaan ~ Moulana Naeem Motala Saheb DB “he beguiles man … he deceives man … he misleads man …" Shaytaan is insidious by nature! Wicked and cruel! This slinking prompter casts insinuations into mans heart and retreats … He is an open enemy that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala repeatedly cautions us about in the Qur’aan! In his sinister plots to mislead he promised Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala : ”Because You have put me [shaytaan] in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Surah Al-A’raf ~ 7:16 ~ ~ ~ Then I [shaytaan] will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].” Surah Al-A’raf ~ 7:17 In the battle between Shaytaan and Mankind, there are 4 directions in which Shaytaan assaults man > “from before them” He brings doubts in man’s mind and makes him believe that Aakhirat and Resurrection is something very far fetched! “from behind them” Dunya is behind man … He tries to seduce and lure man with the beauty and the glamour of this world! “from the right” ie : from the side of Hasanaat (good deeds) … He prompts man into procrastinating or discarding performing good deeds “from the left” ie : the side of sins & vice …He prompts man to continue persisting in evils and to enjoy the ‘so called’ pleasure derived from sins ~ ~ ~ Although he has been given respite till Qiyamah … It is mentioned in a Hadith that Allah says : “Oh Shaytaan! As long as man has life in his body, I will never shut the doors of Taubah for him “ … SubhaanAllah! … If for some reason we slip, we should remind ourselves of the Kindness and Mercy of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala … Allah says: ‘Fasta’iz billaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem‘ … (Seek refuge in Allah! ) When a person is going through these whisperings of Shaytaan then one should read ~ ‘Aoozu billaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem‘ … One is urged in the Hadith when one becomes overwhelmed by the whisperings of Shaytaan, to read ~ ‘Aamantu billaahi warusulih’ … Download Complete Lecture Here veiledgems

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas Radiyallahu-Anhu narrated: A man came to Rasulullah Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam and said: O Apostle of Allah! One of us has thoughts of such a nature that he would rather be reduced to charcoal than speak about them. Rasulullah Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam said: Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great. Praise be to Allah Who has reduced the guile (deceit) of the devil to just evil promptings. ~ Sunan Abu Dawud (Hadith # 5114) … DOWNLOAD EXPLANATION HERE People go through different types of spiritual problems, but many are plagued by the whisperings of Shaytaan. Various strange, distasteful thoughts come to a persons mind, sometimes even in his Salaah, or whilst reading Quraan or Zikr… A person feels miserable when these disturbing and terrible thoughts enters his mind. These thoughts are not deliberate, but they are cast by Shaytaan and begin to irritate the person. One feels despondent….he feels overwhelmed….he fears that he may lose his Imaan because of these stray whisperings. One is shaken! The simple solution to the problem is to totally IGNORE such thoughts! Do not become affected by such whisperings of Shaytaan. Do not entertain such thoughts. Just ignore them! Don’t let them bother you. You have NOT lost your Imaan. Shaytaan wishes to make us feel miserable and hence casts silly thoughts in our minds. He is our enemy. He desires our failure, but cannot go beyond just casting insinuations … he is absolutely weak compared to the Power of Allah, The Most Great! veiledgems

Question Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I started practicing Islam three years ago. I started to pray five times, fasting, and last year I decided to wear hijab. I suffered of waswasah (whispers of Satan), I had a lot of evil thoughts about Allah but I could control them and they disappeared. So everything was going Ok. I decided to study Arabic at university (in Italy); because of university sometimes I used to miss my prayers, so after a while I felt guilty, and then I decided to do more dhikr. One day, while studying Arabic literature about the Qur'an and how it could have been invented, I felt like I believed it so I asked Allah to forgive me and I gave it up and started reading Qur'an.. While reading the passage where Allah describes Kafirs(non believers) in surah al Baqarah, I felt like that and I started crying asking Allah's forgiveness, but then a voice in my mind told me that now I am a kafir so I started to feel hopeless, I blamed myself a lot, then I remembered maybe it could be shaytan so I tried to relax; it didn't work. I started to question Allah a lot. I had a lot of doubts in my mind. It was scary and I felt really hopeless, and suddenly I felt like I believed not in Allah anymore. Now my doubts have almost disappeared; I continue praying but still have this feeling as I can't believe in Allah anymore, but anyway I fear hell a lot, every day I suffer from anxiety, I feel like Allah has abandoned me (I hope I am wrong).. I can't get close to him anymore. The more I try to convince myself I am a Muslim the more I am confused. Sometimes I know I believe with my brain but my heart seems dead. My question is how can I get rid of this confusion? It seems like shaytan has won. And you cannot imagine how sad and depressed I am. I wonder if I am still a Muslim or not and in the meantime I don't want to be a kafir, but any way I am confused. And I fear hell.I wonder if it was a trial for me or if Allah doesn't want to guide me anymore? How can I get free from guilt and from this tremendous confusion? Answered by Abd. Lateef Krauss Abdullah is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Science Study’s Community Education and Youth Studies Laboratory, Universiti Putra Malaysia Thank you for writing us. When you are confronted with doubts regarding knowledge issues, you cannot merely wish them to go away. You have to ask Allah to guide you to the truth of the matter, and then (tie your camel) by going out and taking those questions you have to a scholar to get clarity about them. As a Muslim your heart is attracted to truth, and thus you need to seek it, especially when issues like this arise where you have been presented with certain arguments about the Qur'an that you don't have the answers for. The only way you will achieve peace on this matter is by resolving the questions in your mind via knowledge. Thus I encourage you to seek out a Muslim scholar (a real one) that can answer your questions one by one in relation to what you read in that article. Shaytan is preying on the doubts that have crept into your heart from your reading of that Arabic literature questioning the authenticity of the Qur'an; however, you never had those questions answered and this doubt is lingering in your heart. Merely reading the Qur'an or doing zikr will not provide the remedy you need until you are able to have your questions answered with true knowledge. You will not feel at peace until you return to a state of complete surrender to the truth of Islam, and that requires having conviction of it as the truth through knowledge. So my advice to you is to contact a scholar, sit with him/her, and have all your questions about the Qur'an that were raised by this piece you read answered. Knowledge is priceless in this deen and absolutely essential to our iman.

Answered by Sidi Faraz A. Khan Question: I know it is haram to say kufr things with your mouth, but what if you only say it in your heart/mind? Is this haram? I am not talking about waswas but i mean if someone intentionally makes a kufr/shirk statement in their mind only (for example if they swear at Allah) but they do not verbalize it. What is the ruling for this? Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah, I pray this finds you in the best of health and faith. Bad Thoughts versus Kufr Bad thoughts alone do not render a person outside of Islam. Many times people get bad thoughts of kufr/shirk, which is not sinful and by no means entails disbelief, as the person doesn’t actually hold those thoughts to be true. However, the devil will play tricks on the person and make him think that perhaps he willingly and intentionally held those thoughts, which he did not. Imam Tahawi states in his primer of creed, “A servant is not considered to have left his faith except by denying that which originally caused him to enter it.” i.e., his very belief in Allah’s oneness, or the resulting faith in all that is necessarily known of the religion. [Maydani, Sharh al-Tahawiyya] And again, thoughts of such denial do not entail kufr; rather, kufr results only when the thoughts are accepted in the heart as true and transformed willingly into concrete beliefs. To do so—Allah forbid—is not only haram, but also renders one outside of Islam. This holds whether one holds the belief only in one’s mind/heart, or actually expresses it verbally. The only difference between the two is that when done verbally, the Islamic court classically would convict one of apostasy, as opposed to if one kept it internal. In such a case, one would need to make tawba and renew one’s shahada, and seek the means to increase one’s iman. Having said that, it is highly unlikely that a Muslim, especially if concerned about his/her religion, would leave Islam. Even Muslims who openly sin and trangress hold dearly to iman in their hearts, let alone those who practice. The real problem, then, is usually baseless misgivings. Dealing with the Devil and His Whisperings One must be vigilant and not give in to baseless misgivings (waswasa). The devil is a trickster, and deceit is his profession. He has been in business for as long as humans have existed. He is cunning and crafty, and he works very hard to achieve his goals. He has many tactics, at the top of the list being baseless misgivings and creating doubts in our minds and hearts. He wants us to become confused, obsessed, and compulsive to the extent that it destroys us. He knows our psychological makeup very, very well. Take the means to ward off the devil, as taught by our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). These include the following: (a) Seek refuge in Allah Most High, by saying, A’udhu bi Llahi min ash-shaytani r-rajim [bukhari, Muslim]; and recite Ayat al-Kursi, as well as the last three surahs (Ikhlas, Falaq, Nas) [Tabarani, Mu'jam Kabir]. (b) Be consistent in remembrance of Allah (dhikr). Dhikr is a powerful fortress that blocks out the devil’s whisperings, which are in reality of no power or consequence. As Ibn Ata’illah states, “If the devil is not heedless of you, then do not you be heedless of the One in Whose Hand is your forelock.” Allah is in full control. Allah created the devil to spur us forward in our journey to Him Most High. © Find good company—people who make much remembrance of Allah, and who remind you to do the like. (d) Learn sacred knowledge under righteous scholars so you know the reality of the Sacred Law and its limits. Implement what you learn. The more sound knowledge one has of the religion, the more empowered one is to deal with baseless misgivings. (e) Seek Allah’s help in this situation. Express your need and weakness to Him, and be hopeful of His gifts. As Ibn Ata’illah says, “Nothing pleads more for you than real distress; nor is anything quicker in bringing divine gifts than lowliness and impoverishment.” (f) Turn to Allah with hope, gratitude, contentment, and love. Let Allah take care of it. Relax and give no weight whatsoever to the devil’s whisperings. The most frustrating thing for Shaytan is that we ignore his insinuations, and focus on Allah and His remembrance. Shaytan hates when we are full of hope and reliance in Allah. He hates when we are grateful and sincere. He hates when we give no weight to him, but rather turn to Allah with love. (g) Rejoice in Allah’s mercy. Our Beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Verily the religion is ease, and no one shall make the religion hard except that it will destroy him. So be balanced, do your best, and rejoice! And seek help in the morning, the early evening, and something of the night.” [sahih Bukhari] Relax, and as our Prophet taught, rejoice. Allah is not trying to take you out of your faith. He loves that you draw closer to Him. Take the means outlined above and then, trust in Allah. And Allah alone gives success. wassalam Faraz Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani Source

Answered by Sidi Wasim Shiliwala Question: I read the other day on a fellow Islamic teacher’s Twitter, as a type of saying, that the way a person reacts to a test and trial from Allah determines whether or not it is a punishment or a blessing in disguise. I wonder this about my waswasa. For years I would get doubts as to whether or not I was really praying to Allah or shaytan, astaghfirullah. I think to myself, “has Allah been punishing me all these years”? Shaykh Faraz’s advice has always been that we must simple ignore the waswasa. I then start thinking did Allah want me to start taking medication for my problems instead of overcoming them on my own ( they once offered it to me during counseling)? Following your advice, I finally saw myself overcoming the waswasa only to be drawn back by my doubts again. Please advise me. Answer: As-salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, Jazakum Allahu Khairan for this question. Satanic whispering (waswasa) is a serious subject, so I’ll deal with that first before answering your general question: Ignore Waswasa at All Costs Before discussing the concept you mentioned, I first want to reiterate Shaykh Faraz’s advice of ignoring Satanic whispers (waswasa). Regardless of one’s spiritual state, they are never helpful, and should never be indulged. In order to improve our relationship with Allah, we must sever all bad thoughts and influences, and waswasa is chief among these. Shaytan wants you to falter back into a state of worry and anxiety, because he knows that this will make your path to Allah that much more difficult. Allah warns us in the Qur’an that Shaytan is “a clear enemy” (2:168), and Shaytan has himself sworn his enmity of mankind, saying: “I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path / Then I will assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and left…” (7:16-17). Since he will attack us from all sides, the only way to overcome his ploy is to ignore him altogether and to focus on Allah. As Allah says, “Verily he [shaytan] has no power over those who believe and rely upon their Lord” (16:99). For guidance on how to effectively do this, please refer to the advice that Shaykh Faraz Rabbani gave you, and also read some of the answers related to waswasa here on SeekersGuidance. Dealing with Trials As for the saying you heard about one’s reaction to a trial, the main benefit from it is that it encourages patience and contentment during times of difficulty. If one is patient and steadfast through a trial, that indicates that the trial was for the purpose of removing sins; if one isn’t patient, then that indicates that the trial was a punishment. The chief element is patience, as Allah guarantees us that He is with the patient (2:153) However, that statement should not make one worry or despair about their past trials. When it comes to our individual cases, we can never be sure as to why a certain difficulty fell upon us, as only Allah knows the reality of His actions. After all, what we see as trials may not even be trials, as Allah may have given them to us in place of a worse fate. As Allah tells us in the Qur’an, “It may be that you dislike a thing and it is good for you, and that you may like a thing and it is bad for you; Allah knows but you do not know” (2:216). Because Allah the Exalted is in complete knowledge and control of all things, we cannot assume knowledge of His actions and purposes. Similarly, we also shouldn’t assume that we failed the trial, but rather we thank Allah for easing our burden, seek His forgiveness for any sins we committed, and have high hopes that we did our best and will do better next time. Never should we despair, for despair is itself sinful. Allah has both commanded and reassured us in the Qur’an: “Oh My servants who have transgressed against themselves [in sin], do not despair of the mercy of Allah! Verily, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful” (39:53). After trials pass, we should be relieved that they passed. Under no circumstances should we actively wish for difficulties to occur or return, nor should we do anything to facilitate their return. The Prophet (peace be upon him) once met a man who became deathly sick because he asked to be punished in this world for his sins. The Prophet (peace be upon him) strongly discouraged him from doing this, and told him that he should have asked for the best in this world, the best in the hereafter, and salvation from the hellfire. [sahih Muslim] This hadith teaches us that we should never seek punishment, but that we should always seek mercy and forgiveness. Rather than hope for trials, we should take advantage of our times of ease to increase in our praise and worship of Allah. Above all, we must keep in mind that life itself is a test from Allah, and that we must strive to be the best Muslims we can be in all situations. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “How wondrous is the affair of the believer! … If something good happens to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.” [sahih Muslim] Rather than question the circumstances and wisdom behind your cure, remember that it came from Allah, and be thankful for it! While a believer may reflect on how they could have handled a trial better, they should always rejoice from the lifting of that trial, as it is a tremendous mercy from Allah. Medication and Relying on Allah As for whether or not you should continue taking medication, that is a decision that is best left between you and your doctor. Just as we go to religious scholars for advice on our religion, we go to doctors for advice on our physical and mental health. In all cases, we follow the advice of the experts. Consultation in serious matters is an emphasized sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him); A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that she “never saw anyone consult his companions more than the Prophet (peace be upon him).” [Musnad Ahmad] If your doctor insists that you take a particular medication, then there is absolutely no problem in taking it. Rather than being punished for anything, you will be rewarded for taking the means to better health. Remember that taking the means is an essential part of this religion, and is a confirmed sunnah of all the Prophets. Someone once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about whether relying on Allah means that he should or shouldn’t tie his camel down (so it won’t wander off), and the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded: “Tie it and rely upon Allah.” [sunan al-Tirmidhi] The same applies to medicine: if you are sick, you ask for Allah’s help and seek a doctor’s advice; after all, if you get better after taking medicine, then that medicine is merely the means by which Allah cured you. By following the advice of those experts around you, you managed to overcome waswasa – this result is from Allah, so accept this gift from Him and thank Him for easing your difficulty. Stop Dwelling and Continue Your Spiritual Journey Above all, remember that what’s in the past is in the past, and that our duty as Muslims is to repent for any past mistakes and then work towards improving ourselves. Rather than stress over waswasa or past anxieties, I would advise you to continue working on increasing your acts of worship, religious knowledge, and dhikr of Allah. Don’t focus on your actions, but focus on Allah the Exalted, and how much he has given to you. Be happy and thankful, and invest your time in praising Allah for his favors upon you and sending salawat on the Prophet (peace be upon him). And when difficulties come – and as long as we are living in this world, we will find difficulties – realize that they are from Allah, and don’t dwell upon why they’re there, but on how you can get past them with excellence. Be ever grateful, because passing such trials with patience and thankfulness will increase your rank with Allah. And regardless of what happens in your life, be ever mindful that, as Allah tells us, “Verily we belong to Allah, and verily to Him we are returning” (2:156). May Allah continue to aid you and put ease in your life, and increase us all in faith and good works. Baarak Allahu Fikum, -Wasim Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani seekersguidance

Question No matter how much i read on this issue and no matter how many questions and answers i read related to ghusl and baseless misgivings i still cant have a ghusl within 5 minutes, it actually takes me 45 minutes for a ghusl and my quickest is 30 minutes. What I need is a detailed explanation of what to do from the moment i step in the shower, because when i go for a ghusl i keep washing the same parts of my body several times and i take time with my limbs for example i wash each side of my arms and legs separately (3 times each), please could you explain to me exactly how ghusl should be done in detail. I have a similar problem with my wudhu but its not as bad with wudhu. I sometimes feel that if i dont do my ghusl properly then i will still be in a state of impurity and this also causes me to waste a lot of time. Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate assalamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh A detailed explanation isn't really necessary. Ghusl is simple: make an intention and then wash everything. The key point to remember is that you are not required to have certainty that you have washed everything. The fuqaha explicitly state that as long as you think that "most likely I washed everything," you have fulfilled your obligation before Allah Most High, even if, in actual fact, you missed a tiny portion of your body. The question you should be asking when making wudu and ghusl is not "am I really certain that I completely washing that part?" but "did I most likely completely wash that part?" If the answer to the latter question is "yes", then you should simply ignore your doubts and get out of the shower. And Allah Most High knows best. Hamza. Source

Question dear scholar salam walakam wr wb , i hope you are well at the darul ifta. my problem is that in my prayers i see visions of people in my salah ( thier faces) this affects my heart as I have this heavy feeling where my heart is and i cant feel allah in my heart when praying rather it makes me think that im worshipping this vision rather than concentrating on worshipping allah , hence my prayer is very disturbed. this problem intensifies during rhamadhan and this is also accompanied with a tightnes around my head and i cant think of anything else except concentrate on this vision and fighting saying i believe in allah and dismissing it. now from time to time i feel this tighntess lift from me and then i feel fine and i can feel khushoo in my salah and iman but sumtimes its so bad that i have to stop the prayer and start again and im worrired about comitting shirk . when i was younger in my 15 or i once or twice unrinated in bath could this have any bearing on it . could you please advise me as to how to proceed in this problem and if you know anyone by the grace of allah who is experinced in dealing with this problem jazakallah khair Answer The problem you are facing in your prayer is a classic example of waswasa. (Satanatic insinuation) The best way to address this problem, in the short term is not to think about it at all, the more you think about it the more it will escalate. In the long term, you could try the following method to help you concentrate on your salah. My noble teachers taught me this method. You should sit for about 10 minutes everyday, close your eyes and think that Allah (SWA) is watching you and his blessings and rahmat is descending to your heart. Inshallah, by the will of Allah (SWA), this vision that you are seeing will go away. This problem could have arisen from you urinating in the bath, as it is mentioned in a hadith that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasalam has prohibited us to urinate in the bath as the illness of wasasa arises from this. (Tirmizi p.12 v.1) However you should try and forget about what happened in the past and act upon the solutions which I have mentioned above. Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham.

Question I am a Muslim male aged 25 years. My problem is that while performing my wudu (ablution), I sometimes wash my face more than 3 times (4 to 5 times). I do the same thing when i wash my hands and feet, rinse my mouth and clean my nose. The reason I do this is that I feel all the abovementioned parts in my wudu are not properly wet and cleaned if I clean them 3 times and therefore clean them more than 3 times. Please tell me whether such a wudu would be proper and whether the salat (namaz) performed after doing such a wudu would be properly performed? Please answer this question in your earliest convenience. Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Abu Abdullah said: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam had made clear that it is obligatory (while performing) ablution to was the body-parts once. And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam also did perform the ablution by washing (these) parts twice and thrice, but he never washed them more than three times. (Bukhari, vol.1, pg. 135) The learned scholars disliked exceeding the limits set by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam while performing ablution. As for the doubts that cross your mind regarding Wudhu, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has taught us a Du'aa that we should constantly make, 'O Allah! I seek protection from Walahaan.' (Mishkaat pg.47; Qadeemi). Walahaan is the name of the devil that causes these doubts to cross our minds during wudu. And Allah knows best Wassalam A Female Iftaa Student Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah Source Reference: (Radd-ul-Mukhtaar, vol.1, pg. 239 ; Bukhari, vol.1, pg. 135 ; Badai-us-Sanaai, vo.1. pg.113)

QUESTION I have an extreme condition of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). I had an argument with my wife, and the next day while I was taking a bath, the previous day’s argument scene came into my mind. I started imagining the scene (like a flash back), and whilst imagining, I uttered the words ‘Talaq’ 3 times. When I say uttered, I mean my lips moved but I did not hear myself clearly. It was more like murmuring, and the voice was so low that I could not hear myself and neither anyone next to me would be able to hear what I was saying. However, I was in the bath with the water tap running. Please could you let me know if this has any implications on my marriage? Also, please advice what I can do to treat this condition, as I get a lot of waswasa (misgivings)? ANSWER In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, To begin with, it should always be remembered that merely thinking about divorce or having baseless misgivings (waswasa) about it does not Islamically constitute a divorce, as long as one does not actually issue a divorce verbally or in writing. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, ‘Indeed, Allah has overlooked for my Umma the misgivings/thoughts that occur in their hearts, as long as they do not act upon it, or speak about it.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim) If during such thoughts, even if one was to utter or murmur words of divorce in such a soft, low, or indistinct way that, under normal circumstances [i.e. when there is no external cause for not being able to hear], it is not possible for the speaker to hear himself, then that too does not constitute divorce. It is stated in Maraqi al-Falah: If one thinks about divorce in the heart, and the tongue [also] moves, [but] without making an utterance that can be heard, then divorce does not occur, even if letters were correctly formed.’ (Maraqi al-Falah with Hashiya al-Tahtawi, P: 219) Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his renowned Al-Durr al-Mukhtar: ‘The main integral (rukn) of divorce is the specific statement (lafdh makhsus).’ (See: Radd al-Muhtar ala ‘l-Durr 3/230) He also states: ‘The minimal of ‘loud/audible (jahr)’ utterance is that others are able to hear the speaker, and the minimal of ‘soft/inaudible (makhafat)’ utterance is that the speaker is able to hear himself… As such, if one utters divorce… but is unable to hear himself, the divorce does not count, according to the sounder opinion.’ (See: Radd al-Muhtar ala ‘l-Durr 1/534-535) Hence, in order for a divorce to be considered effective, it needs to be uttered or pronounced in such a manner that, in normal circumstances, one would be able to hear himself. Simply forming the letters with lip and tongue movement, without producing any actual sound, is of no consequence. (See: Fatawa Mahmudiyya 12/249) Indeed, if one is absolutely certain (yaqin) of hearing himself, or if there was some external cause that prevented hearing, one is sure that without such cause, one would have heard one’s self, then it will constitute divorce. The basic principle (qa’ida fiqhiyya), that all people prone to misgivings should keep in mind, states: ‘Certainty is not lifted by a doubt.’ (Ibn Nujaym, Al-Ashbah wa ‘l Nadhair) As such, the certainty of marriage (nikah) is not lifted by mere doubts or misgivings. It is only lifted by certainty of divorce. I pray Allah Most High cures you from your condition and reward you for the difficulties you are facing, Ameen. It would be worthwhile visiting a qualified psychiatric and getting some professional medical help, Insha Allah. And Allah knows best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK