ummtaalib

Part Fourteen Caution in Narrating Hadith There are many Ahaadith narrated from Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). However, whenever he narrated Ahaadith, he exercised a lot of caution, out of fear that he should not wrongfully attribute anything to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). The following incidents illustrate the deep caution that Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would exercise: Hazrat Saa’ib bin Yazid (rahimahullah) narrates that he travelled with Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) from Madinah Munawwarah to Makkah Mukarramah. Saa’ib (rahimahullah) further mentions, “I did not hear him narrate a single Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) during the journey (due to his caution in narrating Ahaadith from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)).” A few people once went to Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and asked him a question. However, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) did not answer them and said, “I fear that if I narrate one Hadith to you, you will make it into a hundred Ahaadith.” (Tabaqaat ibn Sa’d 3/106) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

awww, don't stress sis. As said above, try your best and rely on Allah ta'ala as effort is from us (With the tawfeeq from Allah ta'ala) and success is ultimately from Allah ta'ala. Allah ta'ala grant you ease and great results, aameen! (mind you we are supposed to remember death much...so I think exam is beneficial for you)

Four Elements (Al-‘Anāsir Al-Arba‘ah) By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh The human has been created by Allāh ta‘ālā from four elements, known in Arabic as ‘Al-Anāsir Al-Arba‘ah’. These are: 1. Water 2. Earth 3. Wind 4. Fire It is these four elements that are the subsistence of all living creatures. No evidence is required to prove their value in everyday living; despite much progress and advancement in scientific research and technology, man is still dependant on these raw elements. This in itself is a manifestation of the great power of Allāh ta‘ālā, and how very much dependant the creation is of its Almighty Creator. Unfortunately, we forget that it is Allāh ta‘ālā alone who has bestowed us with numerous favours and luxuries, and we become independent in the sense that our attention seldom turns towards how indebted we are to Allāh ta‘ālā, hence we abuse His favours and waste our lives in His disobedience. When the disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā becomes widespread, and a nation begins to show complacency and neglect in their relationship with their Creator, Allāh ta‘ālā uses a glimpse of His overwhelming Power and Might to shake His servants and warn them back to reality. The water they are accustomed to being so calm and serene in the seas and rivers, suddenly turns into a fierce flood or a destructive tsunami, the firm ground they walk and live on trembles and splits open, the cool breeze they eagerly anticipate takes the form of a turbulent hurricane, and the small innocuous fire they use to warm themselves with, spontaneously becomes a raging bush fire threatening whole communities and localities. When these four elements, through the will of Allāh, rebel against the very people they seemed so subservient towards a mere moment before, there is no power known to man that is able to counter them. The Qur’ān highlights the reason for such destruction, whilst narrating many incidents from previous nations: The word used in each of these verses is ‘zulm’, generally translated as oppression. The ‘Ulamā mention that zulm is of three types, the first associating partners with Allāh ta‘ālā, which is the gravest of oppression, the second, oppressing other creations of Allāh ta‘ālā, and the third oppressing oneself, by transgressing the limits set by Allāh ta‘ālā and disobeying him. All these categories come under the umbrella term of ‘zulm’. Safety from the punishment of Allāh ta‘ālā lies in saving oneself from all types of zulm (oppression), and adopting ‘adl (justice), like for like. It was this quality that was prominent in the lives of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, and as a result, Allāh ta‘ālā put these very four elements under their control. As for water, ‘Allāmah Ibn Kathīr rahimahullāh has written in his work ‘Al-Bidāyah wan Nihāyah’ that when Egypt was conquered at the hands of Sayyidunā ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Ās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, a delegation of Egyptians came forward and said, ‘O governor! This river Nile of ours has a custom without which it does not flow. When twelve nights of this month (a certain month according to their calendar) pass, we prise a young virgin girl from her parents, and we dress her up in the best of clothes and jewellery, and we sacrifice her by throwing her into the river.’ Sayyidunā ‘Amr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu replied, ‘This custom and its like have no place in Islam.’ Three months passed, and the river Nile, true to the words of the locals, would not flow. Consequently, Sayyidunā ‘Amr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu wrote to Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu in Al-Madīnah concerning the matter, who wrote back, saying, ‘You have indeed taken the correct step in this matter; I have attached a letter to this letter of mine, throw it into the river.’ The letter was addressed, ‘From the servant of Allāh, ‘Umar, Leader of the Believers, to the river Nile of Egypt, If you flow only at your own will and discretion, then we are not in need of you, and if you flow upon the order of Allāh the One and Almighty – and He is the One who causes you to flow – then I ask Allāh to make you flow.’ Sayyidunā ‘Amr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu threw the letter into the river, and by morning the Nile had begun to flow sixteen feet deep overnight… The earth - Once, during the reign of Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, there was an earthquake. The earth would continuously tremor, so Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu started praising Allāh ta‘ālā, and thereafter struck the ground once with a whip and said, ‘O the Earth! Be calm! Have I not ruled upon you justly?’ Immediately, the earthquake subsided. (Sīrate Khulafāe Rāshidīn radhiyallāhu ‘anhum) The wind - On another occasion, Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu dispatched and army and appointed over them a Companion named Sayyidunā Sāriyah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu. One Friday, whilst Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was delivering his sermon, he began to call out, ‘O Sāriyah, (take the refuge of) the mountain!’ thrice. When the messenger of Sayyidunā Sāriyah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu came to Al-Madīnah, Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu asked him for an account of the expedition, to which he replied, ‘O Amīrul Mu’minīn! We were facing defeat when suddenly we heard someone calling out, ‘O Sāriyah, (take the refuge of) the mountain!’ thrice, so we did as the caller said and Allāh defeated the enemy.’ And fire - Again during the reign of Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, a fire broke out at a place called Harrah. Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu instructed Sayyidunā Tamīm Ad-Dārī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu to stand up to (and extinguish) the fire, to which (out of humility) he said, ‘O Amīrul Mu’minīn! Who am I? What status do I have?’ Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu insisted until he stood up with him, and they walked to the fire. Sayyidunā Tamīm radhiyallāhu ‘anhu began gathering the fire with his bare hands until it retreated into the valleys, and he pursued it (until it retreated back into its source).’ We see from these four incidents how the four elements were controlled by the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, because they were all ‘‘Adūl’, just and righteous people, in every sense of the term. May Allāh make us follow in the footsteps of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, saving ourselves from all types of injustice and oppression, and may He protect us from all types of calamities and punishment, in this world as well as the hereafter. Āmīn. © Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 20 No. 4, Apr 2011)

Oh this sounds interesting but would take too long to read

Fear of Three Shortcomings Coming in the Ummah عن أبي مالك الأشعري أنه سمع النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول لا أخاف على أمتي إلا ثلاث خلال أن يكثر لهم من الدنيا فيتحاسدوا وأن يفتح لهم الكتاب يأخذه المؤمن يبتغي تأويله وما يعلم تأويله إلا الله والراسخون في العلم يقولون آمنا به كل من عند ربنا وما يذكر إلا أولو الألباب وأن يروا ذا علم فيضيعوه ولا يبالوا عليه رواه الطبراني في الكبير (الترغيب والترهيب 1/152) Hazrat Abu Maalik Ash’ari (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that he heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) say “I particularly fear three shortcomings in my Ummah. Firstly, due to the abundance of material wealth and possessions, jealousy for one another will spread among them. Secondly, they will begin to freely discuss the Holy Qur’aan (without referring to the Ulama and the learned), whereas many meanings in the Qur’aan are such that they cannot be understood by anyone except Allah Ta’ala. (In regard to such verses), the well-versed scholars of the Book say: “We fully believe in it, and that it has come from Allah Ta’ala.” (Thus how much more careful should the common people be.) Thirdly, the religious scholars will be neglected and ignored and people will not see the need to refer to them (people will adopt the approach of self-study in Deen and refer to the Qur’aan and Hadith directly).” Ihyaauddeen.co.za

House or Home? “Home is where the heart is” forms a well-known phrase which we often hear. However, we seldom hear a person say “house is where the heart is”. The reason is simple – the word ‘house’ generally refers to just the structure, be it of brick and concrete or stone and mud, while the word ‘home’ refers to the special place to which a person belongs and where he feels most comfortable, relaxed and ‘at home’. Let us now ask ourselves, “How many of us feel at home in our own houses?” Before we ‘jump the gun’ in our eagerness to answer, let us ponder over the following: Do we feel trapped in our homes, and feel like we just need to go out? Despite us having every luxury, amenity and comfort in our homes, is it inconceivable for us to spend a holiday at home? When we enter our homes, do we feel peace, tranquillity and happiness? Or are we overwhelmed by feelings of gloom, depression and frustration? If it feels as if our home is permanently permeated by the darkness of fighting, quarrelling and discontentment, then we need to look beyond Eskom for enlightenment. In this regard, we will find the ‘down-lighter of Dua’ and the ‘quarrel-breaking contentment-making current of the Quran Majeed indispensable and irreplaceable. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (Radhiyallahu anhu) says, “The house in which the Quraan Majeed is read, its household members increase, virtues and barakah multiply, angels come down upon them and the Shayaateen run far away from there, but the house in which the Quraan Majeed is not read, life there becomes difficult and empty of barakah, angels leave the house and the Shayaateen stay in it.” (It-haafus Saadatil Muttaqeen vol. 4, pg. 466) Naturally, the environment of a house filled with Shayaateen and void of angels will be one of misery and unhappiness. However, there is no need to despair, as we literally hold the flawless formula in our hands – The Quraan Majeed. We need to enliven our houses, transforming them into homes of happiness, by daily reciting some portion of the Quraan Majeed. Whether collectively or individually, every member of the home should be part of this effort to illuminate the home with the Noor of the Quraan Majeed. When recitation of the Quraan Majeed is replaced by reading posts on WhatsApp and Facebook, or reading novels and blogs, then the angels are forced to flee as the Shayaateen flock to the family’s home. Just as we repel mosquitoes with ‘Peaceful Sleep’, let us repel the Shayaateen with the Quraan Majeed to enjoy peace, not only in our sleep but also in our wakefulness, and in every other aspect of our lives. uswatulmuslimah.co.za

Hadith guidelines on tooth-picking Islam lays unparalleled emphasis on oral hygiene. In addition to using the miswak at salah times, the miswak is recommended on several other occasions too. See here. The Sunnah of Picking the Teeth Another form of oral hygiene in Islam is the encouragement to pick the teeth after meals. Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said: ‘How good is [the practice of] those in my ummah, who wash between the fingers and toes in wudu, [i.e, by doing khilal] and those who pick their teeth.’ (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 97 and Musnad Ahmad, vol.5 pg.416) Tooth-picking In the above and other Hadiths, we are thought to pick the teeth after meals. In addition to causing decay, leaving food unpicked from the teeth also creates an odour which offends others. (See: Faydul Qadir, hadith: 3672) The teeth are usually picked: a) with the tongue, b) with a finger, c) with an object like the toothpick/dental floss/waterpik etc. However, we are advised to not swallow the food particles that are picked with the fingers, toothpicks or other foreign objects. This is not binding [i.e, not haram], but is indeed advisable. See the Hadith below: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said: ‘…Whoever eats and removes the [left over] food from between his teeth with his finger [or any foreign object, like a toothpick] should spit it out. What he removes [from the teeth] with his tongue, he may swallow. Whoever abides by this does well, and who does not, will not be sinful.’ (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 36, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 337 and Sunan Darimi, Hadith: 689 and 2132) Imams Hakim and Dhahabi (rahimahumallah) have declared this Hadith authentic (sahih). (Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 4 pg. 137. Also see: Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al-Ihsan, Hadith: 1410) The reason for spitting what is removed with a foreign object is due to the possibility of it having blood on it. [The consumption of blood is unlawful]. (Badhlul Majhud, vol.1 pg.23) The above should be done with the intention of following the noble teachings of our Beloved Nabi (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam). Every sunnah is filled with immense barakah and benefits. Let’s abide by this, and add to the number of sunnats that we practice upon. almiftah

Part Thirteen Du‘aa before the Battle of Uhud Ishaaq bin Sa’d (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), narrates the following from his father: On the day of Uhud, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), “Why don’t you come so that we may make du‘aa together?” They thus secluded themselves in a corner and Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to make du‘aa. He said, “O Rabb! When the enemy meet us later, make me encounter one of the enemy who is extremely mighty and very determined, I will fight him and he will fight me. Then bless me to overpower him so that I may kill him and take his equipment as spoils of war.” Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said Ameen to this du‘aa. Thereafter, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “O Allah! Make me meet an enemy later who is extremely mighty and very determined, I will fight him and he will fight me. Then, he will seize me and cut off my nose and my ears. When I meet you on the Day of Qiyaamah, you will ask me, ‘O ‘Abdullah! For what cause were your ears and nose cut?’ I will reply, ‘They were cut for your sake and for the sake of your Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)!’ You will then reply, ‘You have spoken the truth.’” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned, “The du‘aa of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Jahsh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was better than my du‘aa. I saw him at the end of the day and found his nose and ears cut and threaded together.” (Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/70) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Book in Bengali defending the proofs for the Hanafi Salah and a reply to Salafi objections Shaykh Abdul Matin from Bangladesh wrote a work in the Bangla (Bengali) language to defend the evidences used by the Hanafi Madhhab in over 600 pages. The work has also cited the key evidences in the original Arabic language and answered the weak objections raised by the self proclaimed Salafi sect who are also spreading their anti-Hanafi half-baked claims and distortions in the name of following the Qur’an and Sunna in the Bengali language. For our Bangla speaking readers who visit this site and at the reqeuest of some from the Indian subcontinent which has millions of Bangla speakers the full work has been uploaded for free download below. Here are some videos of Shaykh Abdul Matin detailing authentic evidences for the Hanafi method of Salah and responding to the claimants to Salafiyya/Ahl-e-Hadith: HERE

Live for Deen as if you will Die Tomorrow Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned: It appears in a maxim: “Live your life for deen as if you will die tomorrow, and live your life for the world as if you will live forever.” What this actually means is that when it comes to matters of sharee‘ah, there should be no delay in discharging our duties. What needs to be done should be accomplished immediately, as though you feel that you will die tomorrow. Normally, when a person knows that he is about to die, he will make up for whatever is incomplete. So whatever outstanding duties to Allah Ta‘ala one has, monies owed to people etc. should be discharged without any delay. These are things for which we will be taken to task and questioned by Allah Ta‘ala. ‘Live your life for the world as if you will live forever’ does not mean that one should project his life for so many years and strive to accumulate wealth for that period of time. Rather, it means that there is no need to be concerned about fulfilling a material need immediately. You have plenty of time to fulfil it. If it is not completed today, it could always be completed tomorrow or the following day. It is not a major problem if the shop is opened two hours late. In essence, one should not be consumed by the love of the world. What is meant by being ‘consumed by the love of the world’? The answer is in the Quraan Majeed where Allah Ta‘ala says: کَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَة ﴿۲۰﴾ وَ تَذَرُونَ الْاٰخِرَۃَ “You give preference to the fleeting world and abandon the hereafter.” Deen and matters of the hereafter should always be given preference over worldly and material matters. Ihyaauddeen.co.za

The Best Day Imagine the greatness and virtue of a day which according to authentic Ahaadith is: The greatest of all days in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala. (Tirmizi #491) Aadam (Alayhis salaam) was created on that day, entered into Jannah on the same day and also came down to earth on that very day. (Tirmizi #491) It is blessed with such a moment that any Dua made therein is certainly accepted. (Tirmizi #491) A person who passes away on this day is saved from the punishment of the grave. (Tirmizi #1074) The day that encompasses all these virtues and such tremendous significance is the day of Jumu‘ah (Friday). It is due to this special significance that the day of Jumu‘ah is among the shi‘aar of Islam (distinguishing signs by which Islam or a Muslim is identified). To respect the shi‘aar of Islam is to respect Islam itself while disregarding the shi‘aar of Islam brings severe consequences in this world and the Hereafter. jamiat.org

Women and household work ! ?????????? To all of my believing sisters out there who feel “ being stuck at home “ with child rearing and cooking and cleaning day in and day out .... who feel their productivity and creativity is withering away , who feel there is a lot to do out there like going for hifz classes , attending lectures , volunteering for dawah activities and other ways by which they can gain Allah subhaanahu wa taala s pleasure .... Do you feel there is less opportunities at home for acquiring great rewards ? Then let me remind you of 2 great women of Paradise ... Khadijah and Fatimah , may Allah be pleased with them both ... Khadija , (R) was not a scholar of Hadith like , Aisha (R) ... she has not related a single Hadith, nor has she participated in any battle of Islam ... Then what are her achievements , of course being the first convert is the best of them .... which is obviously beyond our reach , but is it only that ? No ... her role as devoted wife and mother of seven children and a pillar of support for her husband in good times and bad , are also priceless achievements , her willingness to serve her husband at all times ... her toil and fatigue ... A Hadith states that once as she was coming with food and drink for the Prophet SAW when he was in Cave Hira, Angel Jibreel descended with the greeting of Salam from Allah for her and brought glad tidings of a house in Paradise built of Pearl where there will be no more noise or fatigue ! Fatimah Bint Muhammad (R) : Wasn’t it her struggles as a wife and homemaker which made her the leader of women In Paradise ? Or have we heard of extraordinary reports about her contributions to deen ? No .... It was her simple life , doing household chores taking care of husband and children and lots of hard work which had bruised her hands ... so much that when she asked for a maid , what did her beloved father say : Rather , my dear , recite 33 times each before sleeping SubhaanAllah , Alhamdulilah , Allahu Akbar , that will relieve you and lighten your burden .... Take home message ???? Muslim Women at home are doing a wonderful job , it’s enough to get us to Jannah if we are sincere to Allah and grateful to our husbands and fulfil our amaanah to the best each one can ! So next time you pick up the broom , do it with a smile and sincere dua : “ O Allah accept from me ! “

via @HaramainInfo صورة من تصويري للروضة المباركة وتظهر حدود الروضة كاملة مع معالم كالمحراب والمنبر والمكبرية والحجرة النبوية الروضة هي داخل السجاد الاخضرThe blessed Rawdhah and show the boundaries of the Rawdhah complete with features such as the mihrab,pulpit, megaphone and the Prophet's room. The Rawdhah is inside the green carpet.

Part Twelve Hazrat Humaid bin ‘Abdir Rahmaan Al-Himyari (rahimahullah) narrates the following from three children of Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), all of whom narrate it from their father, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu): Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) came to visit Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) when he was sick in Makkah Mukarramah (on the occasion of Hajjatul Wadaa’). After Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had entered, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) began to cry. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him, “Why are you crying?” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I fear that I will pass away in the land from which I had performed Hijrah, as Hazrat Sa’d bin Khawlah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had passed away.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then made the following du‘aa for Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thrice, “O Allah! Cure Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)!” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! I have abundant wealth, and only my daughter will inherit from me. Can I make a wasiyyat (bequest) for all my wealth (to be given in charity after my demise)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “No.” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then asked, “Can I bequest for two-thirds of my wealth (to be given in charity after my demise)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “No.” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then asked if he could bequest for half of his wealth to be given in charity after his demise, to which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied in the negative. Finally, Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) if he could bequest for one-third of his wealth to be given in charity after his demise. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “(You may bequest) one-third, and even one-third is a large amount. Indeed all the charity that you give from your wealth is charity, whatever you spend on your dependants is charity, whatever your wife uses from your wealth is charity, and for you to leave your family in comfort and prosperity is better than for you to leave them stretching their hands before people (begging due to poverty).” (Saheeh Muslim #1628) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Giving away children's old clothing Q: Is it permissible to give away your child,s clothes or other things that were bought with the intention of it being for that child or bought with money gifted to the child? As I had learnt that you can't give it away unless you seek permission from the child once his of age of you replace it with monetary value. A: If the clothing belongs to the child, it will not be permissible for the parents to give it away without compensating the child with it's monetary value. One easy solution in this situation is that at the time of purchasing things for the child, the parents should make the intention that the purchased items (which are equivalent in value or more than the old clothing) are in lieu of the child's old clothing which they had given away. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. وفي الخانية لابأس بتفضيل بعض الأولاد في المحبة لأنها عمل القلب وكذا في العطايا إن لم يقصد به الإضرار وإن قصده فسوى بينهم يعطي البنت كالإبن عند الثاني وعليه الفتوى ولو وهب في صحته كل المال للولد جاز وأثم وفيها لا يجوز أن يهب شيئا من مال طفله ولو بعوض لأنها تبرع ابتداء وفيها ويبيع القاضي ما وهب للصغير حتى لا يرجع الواهب في هبته.(الدر المختار 5/696) ( وبيع الأب مال صغير من نفسه جائز بمثل القيمة وبما يتغابن فيه ) وهو اليسير وإلا لا وهذا كله في المنقول أما في العقار فسيجيء.(الدر المختار 6/709) قال العلامة ابن عابدين رحمه الله:قوله: (وبيع الاب الخ) مثله: ما إذا باعه من أجنبي فثلاث صور في حكم واحد، وهي بيع الاب من نفسه أو من أجنبي، وبيع الوصي من أجنبي ط. قلت: وهذا لو الاب عدلا أو مستورا، فلو فاسدا ففي بيعه المنقول روايتان كما سيأتي والشراء كالبيع. وقال في جامع الفصولين: للاب شراء مال طفله لنفسه بيسير الغبن لا بفاحشة اه. وفيه: لو باع ماله من ولده لا يصير قابضا لولده بمجرد البيع، حتى لو هلك قبل التمكن من قبضه حقيقة هلك على الولد، ولو شرى مال ولده لنفسه لا يبرأ عن الثمن حتى ينصب القاضي وكيلا لولده يأخذ الثمن ثم يرده على الاب ويتم البيع بقوله: بعت من ولدي ولا يحتاج إلى قوله: قبلت، وكذا الشراء، ولو وصيا لم يجز في الوجهين ما لم يقل: قبلت، وجاز للاب لا لوكيله ولا للوصي بيع مال أحد الصغيرين من الآخر.ولو وكل الاب وكيلين بذلك جاز، وفي بيع القاضي ذلك خلاف، ولو وكل الاب رجلا ببيع ماله من طفله أو الشراء منه لم يجز إلا إذا كان الاب حاضرا، ولم يجز للقاضي بيع مال اليتيم من نفسه وعكسه، إذ الجواز من القاضي على وجه الحكم ولا يجوز حكمه لنفسه، بخلاف ما شراه من وصيه أو باعه من اليتيم وقبل وصيه فإنه يجوز لو وصيا من جهة هذا القاضي اه.مخلصا.(رد المحتار 6/709) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

How to create harmony in a marriage Question Is this narration authentic: عَنِ الثَّوْرِيِّ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَجِيلَةَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي قَدْ تَزَوَّجْتُ جَارِيَةً بِكْرًا، وَإِنِّي قَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ تَفْرِكَنِي، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: إِنَّ الْإِلْفَ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّ الْفَرْكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، لِيُكَرِّهَ إِلَيْهِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ، فَإِذَا أُدْخِلَتْ عَلَيْكَ فَمُرْهَا فَلْتُصَلِّ خَلْفَكَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، قَالَ الْأَعْمَشُ: فَذَكَرْتُهُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَقَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: وَقُلِ: اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِي أَهْلِي، وَبَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِيَّ، اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي مِنْهُمْ، وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنِّي، اللَّهُمَّ اجْمَعْ بَيْنَنَا مَا جَمَعْتَ إِلَى خَيْرٍ، وَفَرِّقْ بَيْنَنَا إِذَا فَرَّقْتَ إِلَى خَيْرٍ Answer Translation Abu Wail (rahimahullah) narrates that a man came to ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu’anhu) from Bajilah and said: ‘I am marrying a virgin girl, and I fear that she may dislike me, so ‘Abdullah mentioned: ‘Love is from Allah, and dislike is [caused] from Shaytan so he may make unattractive what Allah has made permissible for a person. When she enters, command her to perform two rak’ats behind you.’ A’mash (rahimahullah) said, I mentioned this to Ibrahim (Nakha’i), so he said, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud also said: ‘and say [in du’a after the salah]: O Allah grant me barakah in my family, and grant them barakah from me, O Allah grant me [sustenance, children etc] from them, and grant them the same from me, O Allah keep us together for as long as you do, with goodness, and when you separate us, let it be towards good [conditions that follow].’ Transliteration of this du’a: Allahumma barikli fi ahli, wa barik lahum fiyya. Allahummar zuqni minhum, war zuqhum minni. Allahummaj ma’ baynana ma jama’ta ila khayr, wa farriq baynana idha farraqta ila khayr. Authenticity This narration is recorded with several chains from Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu’anhu) and is classified as authentic. (Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, Hadith: 10460, 10461 and Al-Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 8993.Also see Majma’uz zawaid, vol. 4 pg. 292) Note: There is no harm in doing this even long into one’s marriage, and should not only be understood as a deed for the first meeting with one’s wife. And Allah Ta’ala Knows best, Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar hadithanswers

Importance of Observing Purdah Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned: Among the things that the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) enquired from Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was a woman’s relationship with her brother-in-law. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) replied that he (the brother-in-law) is death. We tend to restrict purdah to outside the home, but in the home we leave out these aspects. There is free mixing between cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law etc. We do not understand the harms and consequences that arise from this. The children need to be educated regarding the laws of purdah. If nobody speaks about these aspects now, then the consequences are serious. If it’s not in school then it will be through the media and internet that they will become enticed with all sorts of related evils. ihyaauddeen.co.za

Part Eleven Guarding Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam): Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates: After migrating to Madinah Munawwarah, on one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) could not fall asleep during the night (out of fear that the enemy would attack him). It was then that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If only there was a pious person to guard me tonight.” While we were in that condition, we heard the sound of weapons. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, “Who is there?” The person replied, “Sa’d bin Abi Waqqaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him, “What has brought you here?” Hazrat Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I feared for your life, O Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and so I have come to guard you.” Hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made du‘aa for him and thereafter fell asleep. (Sunan Tirmizi #3756, Fat-hul Baari 6/96) Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would be guarded (by the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum)) until the following verse of the Qur’aan Majeed was revealed: وَ اللّٰہُ یَعصِمُکَ مِنَ النَّاسِ ؕ And Allah Ta‘ala will protect you from the (harm of the) people When the above verse of the Qur’aan Majeed was revealed, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioned to the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), “O people! Depart, as Allah Ta‘ala has granted me His divine protection.” (Sunan Tirmizi #3046) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Section on Khushu’ from Ma’ariful Qur’an – a must read! Khushu’: The Humbleness of Heart Verse 45 (Surah Baqarah) speaks of the humble in heart. The “humbleness of heart” (Khushu‘), which the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith speak of, connotes a restfulness of heart and humility arising out of the awareness of Allah’s majesty and of one’s own insignificance in comparison to it. This quality, once acquired, shows its spiritual fruitfulness in making the obedience to Allah and submission to Him easy and pleasant for one; sometimes it reflects itself even in the bodily posture and appearance of the man who has acquired it, for such a man always behaves in a disciplined and polite manner, is modest and humble, and seems to be “broken-hearted”, that is to say, one who has lost all vanity and self-love. If a man does not bear genuine humility and fear of Allah in his heart, he does not, with all his external modesty and downcast looks, really possess the quality of Khushu’ (humbleness of heart). In fact, it is not proper even to show the signs of Khushu’ in one’s behavior deliberately. On seeing a young man sitting with his head bowed down, the rightly-guided Khalifah Sayyidna ‘Umar said: “Raise your head! Humbleness of heart is in the heart.” Ibrahim Nakha’i has said: “Humbleness of heart does not mean wearing rough clothes, eating coarse food and keeping the head bowed down. Humbleness of heart is to treat the high and the low alike in matters of truth, and to keep the heart free to devote itself entirely to Allah and to the performance of what Allah has made obligatory for you.” Similarly, Hasan of Basra has said : “The Caliph ‘Umar would speak loudly enough to be heard, whenever he spoke, would walk swiftly, whenever he walked, and would strike forcefully, whenever he struck a man. All the same, he undoubtedly was a man with a real humbleness of heart.” In short, wearing deliberately and by one’s own choice, the looks of a man who possesses the humbleness of heart is a kind of self-delusion and a ruse of Satan, and hence reprehensible. But if a man happens to manifest such signs without knowing it, he can be excused. (Qurtubi) Let us add that there is another word - Khudu’ - which is often used along with Khushu’, and which appears several times in the Holy Qur’an as well. The two words are almost synonymous. But the word Khushu’, according to its lexical root, refers to the lowering of the voice and of the glance when it is not artificial but arises out of a real modesty and fear of Allah – for example, the Holy Qur’an says: “Voices have been hushed” (20:108). On the other hand, the word “Khudu’” refers to the bodily posture which shows modesty and humility – for example, the Holy Qur’an says: “So their necks will stay humbled to it.” (26:4) We must also define as to what, in the eyes of the Shari’ah, the exact position and value of Khushu’ is with regard to Salah. The Holy Qur’an and the Hadith repeatedly stress its importance as in: “And perform the prayer for the sake of My remembrance.” (20:14) Obviously, forgetfulness is the opposite of remembrance and hence the man who becomes unmindful of Allah while offering Salah, is not fulfilling the obligation of remembering Allah. Another verse says: “Do not be among the unmindful.” (7:205) Similarly, the Holy Prophet has said: “The Salah simply means self-abasement and humility.” Says another hadith: “If his prayers do not restrain a man from immodesty and evil, he goes farther and farther away from Allah.” Salah offered unmindfully does not obviously restrain man from evil deeds, and consequently such a man goes farther and farther away from Allah. Having quoted these verses and ahadith in support of other arguments in his Ihya’ al-’Ulum, Imam al-Ghazali suggests that Khushu’ must then be a necessary condition forSalah, and that its acceptability must depend on it. He adds that, according to the blessed Companion, Mu’adh ibn Jabal and jurists as great as Sufyan al-Thawri and Hasan al-Basri, Salah offered without Khushu’ is not valid. On the other hand, the four great Imams of Islamic jurisprudence and most of the jurists do not hold Khushu’ to be a necessary condition for Salah. In spite of considering it to be the very essence of Salah, they say that the only condition necessary in this respect is that while saying Allahu Akbar at the beginning of the prayers one should turn with all one’s heart to Allah, and have the intention (niyyah) of offering the prayers only for the sake of Allah; if one does not attain Khushu’ in the rest of the prayers, one will not get any reward for that part of the prayers, but, from the point of view of Fiqh(jurisprudence), one will not be charged with having forsaken Salah, nor will one be liable to the punishment which is meted out to those who give up prescribed prayers without a valid excuse. Imam al-Ghazali has provided an explanation for this divergence of view. The Fuqaha(jurists), he points out, are not concerned with inner qualities and states of the heart (Ahwal), but only enunciate the exoteric regulations of the Shari’ah on the basis of the external actions of men’s physical organs – it does not lie within the jurisdiction of Fiqhto decide whether one will get a reward for a certain deed in the other world or not. Khushu’ being an inner state, they have not prescribed it as a necessary condition for the total duration of Salah, but have made the validity of the prayers depend on the lowest degree of Khushu’ - turning, as one begins the prayers, with one’s heart to Allah and having the intention of only worshipping Him. There is another explanation for not making Khushu’ a necessary condition for the total duration of the prayers. In certain other verses, the Holy Qur’an has clearly enunciated the principle which governs legislation in religious matters: nothing is made obligatory for men that should be beyond their endurance and power. Now, except for a few gifted individuals, men in general are incapable of maintaining Khushu’ for the total duration of the prayers; so, in order to avoid compelling men to a task they cannot accomplish, the Fuqaha’ have made Khushu’ a necessary condition only for the beginning of the prayers, and not for the whole duration. In concluding the discussion, Imam al-Ghazali remarks that in spite of the great importance of Khushu’ one can depend on the infinite mercy of Allah, and hope that the man who offers his prayers unmindful will not be counted among those who give up the prayers altogether, for he has tried to fulfil the obligation, has turned his heart away from everything to concentrate his attention on Allah even for a few moments, and has been mindful of Allah alone at least while forming his intention for the prayers. Offering one’s prayers in this half-hearted manner has, to say the least, the merit of keeping one’s name excluded from the list of those who habitually disobey Allah and forsake the prescribed prayers altogether. In short, this is a matter in which hope and fear both are involved there is the fear of having incurred punishment as well as the hope of being ultimately forgiven. So, one should try one’s best to get rid of one’s laziness and indifference. But it is the mercy of Allah alone which can help one to succeed in this effort.

Arsonist or Fire Fighter? This world is a coin. It has two faces. Both joined together but both different; often the opposite of one another. I am speaking about social media, the coin which on one side has convenience, communication and companionship and on the other, lies, ignorance and hatred. Both made possible by technology which like all technology is value neutral. What we forget is that technology is a knife, which in the hands of a surgeon, can save a life, while in the hands of Macbeth, took one. One of the plagues of our times is what is being called ‘Fake news’. News with a spin has been around for a long time. The days when journalists were the conscience of society, warriors for justice and the shield of the downtrodden, are long gone. Most journalists are today the willing slaves of their employers and news channels are really ad agencies creating sales spiel. Truthfulness, veracity, integrity and courage have all been sacrificed at the altar of TRP ratings or political leanings. Spin doctors rule the roost. Sales figures are the ultimate criterion for all decision making. Truth be damned. I am reminded of the story of a farmer named Donald who had a donkey which was old, stubborn and lazy. The man got so sick of that donkey that he decided to sell it. Sunday was the market day and so he took his donkey to the market to sell it. As Donald was standing there, a man came and asked him, ‘How much for this donkey?’ Donald replied, ‘One hundred dollars.’ ‘It looks like a fine donkey. Good, here’s the money. Let me have him.’ ‘Please wait a minute’, said Donald. ‘I am an honest man. I must tell you about this donkey before you take him home. He is old, stubborn and lazy. If you still want him, he is yours.’ The man looked at Donald and said, ‘There are very few people like you in the world, who have the integrity to speak the truth even at their own cost. I greatly appreciate your honesty and will always remember this meeting of ours. Let me see if I can find another donkey. I don’t think I can afford this one.’ This story repeated all day. At the end of the day, Donald had a host of pleasant memories of the good things people told him but he still had his donkey. Sadly, he started to wind his way home with his donkey on its lead. As he was about to leave the market area, a man came up to him and said, ‘Sir, I am an agent. I sell livestock. I have been watching you all day. I appreciate your honesty but please allow me to tell you that you, will never be able to sell that donkey. I suggest instead, that you allow me to sell the donkey and I will charge you a 10% commission. I am a professional and I have a very good track record. You can ask anyone about me.’ Donald was happy to hear this but said to the agent, ‘I am happy to accept your offer, but I have one condition. You must tell the people about this donkey. I don’t want anyone to buy this donkey under any false impression. It is old, lazy and stubborn and I want whoever buys it, to know this. If you are willing to accept this condition, then I am willing to accept your offer.’ The agent agreed to the condition and promised to pick the donkey up the following Sunday. Next Sunday the agent arrived early in the morning and led the donkey away to the market. A little later, Donald also decided to go to the market so that he could take the sale proceeds from his donkey and buy another one, because he needed a donkey for his work. As he arrived there, he saw the agent standing on a soap box, with many donkeys tethered behind him and a big crowd of people surrounding him. The man was auctioning the donkeys. Donald joined the crowd, standing at the back where he could get a place. ‘Ladies and gentlemen’, shouted the agent. ‘You saw those before you, buy some excellent donkeys. Many of you bid for them but couldn’t get them. But please don’t worry, I now have a donkey for you which excels them all. But before I open the bidding, please allow me to tell you something about this exceptional animal. He is so special that I hesitate even to call him an animal. He is the greatest donkey that I have ever known in my long years in this profession. He is a donkey with three very special qualities. The first quality is that he has a lot of life experience. He has seen life. He has seen its ups and downs, its joys and tragedies. He knows the morning mists and orange dusks, the turn of the seasons and the fall of rain. He has seen kings and kingdoms, rise and fall and through all this, he learned, he reflected and he accumulated wisdom. As I said, he has a lot of life experience. His second quality is that he has a mind of his own. He is a willing servant, not a slave. If you say, ‘Jump’, he won’t ask, ‘How high?’ He will ask, ‘Why?’ But once you convince him, nobody can jump higher than he can. What is the good of wisdom if you don’t use it? That is the motto of this donkey; If you have it, use it. He has it and he uses it. His third quality is that he knows the meaning of leisure. He knows that all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Believe me, this donkey is anything but dull. He is spontaneous, humorous and energetic. He knows the importance of relaxation, of meditation and of sleep. There is much that you can learn about your own lifestyle by being in the company of this donkey. For this reason, because we have a very special donkey, I propose we start the bidding at $200.’ Donald was delighted. ‘How fortunate I am’, said Donald to himself. ‘I need a donkey and here is one that seems so full of great things that I must have him.’ The bidding was rapidly going on. Donald joined the bidding and finally the donkey was sold to Donald for $400. When Donald went to pay the agent, and collect the donkey that he had bought, to his utter disgust, he saw that it was his own donkey that he had bought. He was livid. He said to the agent, ‘You deceived me. You didn’t speak the truth.’ The man replied, ‘But I did. I just said it differently. You said the donkey was old; I said that he was experienced. You said that he was stubborn; I said that he was wise and so needed to be convinced about the need to do your bidding. You said that the donkey was lazy; I said that he knew the value of leisure. How is that lying or cheating?’ Donald was stumped. Just as our audience is stumped, when our journalists today, spin their yarns and tell their tales in ways that make history vanish and mythology real. They make numbers jump through hoops to show economic growth where there is only ruin and despair. They conduct investigations without police, trials without judges and executions without the hangman, all in their media rooms or newsprint. They are artists and their canvas is the lives of people and nations. Their paint is the blood of innocents diluted with the tears of children who don’t even understand what is going on. They win Pulitzer Prizes for photographs of the starving, the dying and the dead. They make millions, are applauded and toasted, while the starving, starve and the dying, die. Change is not on the agenda. Only TRP ratings and paper sales. But I am not talking about this. I am talking about another kind of calamity that has befallen us, which is in the hands of everyone with a camera phone. The calamity of fake news. Videos are made and then attributed to others to convey a specific message. A message of hatred. Some of the videos are of real events but are attributed falsely; like the video of Pakistani boys rejoicing at the Pakistani team’s win in an India-Pakistan cricket match. This was spread on social media saying that it was Indian Muslims rejoicing at Pakistan’s win and so it proves that they are anti-national traitors. Or another of a young woman who was beaten bloody and then set on fire, claiming that she was a Hindu girl who had married a Muslim boy and was being punished for that. Actually, it was a scene from Guatemala where the girl was a member of a motorcycle gang which murdered a man and ran away. The girl got caught and was summarily executed by a mob, with police standing mute witness. Despicable as it is, it was not something that happened in India at all. But it was used to ignite Hindu Muslim hatred. There are many others to the extent that this has become an epidemic which like all epidemics takes its toll. The resultant hatred that has spread all over India is cause of real concern. It is therefore time to sit up and take note. What must be done to combat this epidemic of fake news? Here are the steps: 1. Never forward anything until you have verified its source and are certain about what it really is. 2. If you still can’t find out if the message or video is fact or fake, DON’T FORWARD IT. 3. Once you find out the truth, ask yourself why you want to forward it at all. What will happen because of your forwarding? What will happen if you don’t forward it? 4. Then take a conscious, responsible and informed decision to forward or delete. 5. Forwarding with the disclaimer, ‘Forwarded as received’, shows that at best you are highly irresponsible and at worst, a mischief maker. In both cases, not fit to associate with. So please think about this before blindly forwarding things. 6. If you get fake news and have the time to check its veracity, then please inform all you can that it is fake and what the real news is. Let the liars be exposed. Remember that fake news is a living media and your forwarding, is its oxygen. Stop forwarding and it dies. People who create or propagate fake news (and you may unwittingly be one of them) are like arsonists who go around setting fires. Remember that all fires burn and the result is always ash. It doesn’t matter who set the fire or why. Fire fighters are moral, sensible, responsible and put out fires. Ask yourself if you are an arsonist or a fire fighter. Mirza Yawar Baig Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

The Need to Seek Clarification for all Deeni Matters Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned: Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) is reported to have said that it is better to undergo temporary disgrace by asking a question than to remain ignorant. It is the system of Allah Ta‘ala that there will always be two classes of people; those who know and those who don’t know. It is the duty of those who do not know to ask and enquire. The benefit of asking is that one is clear and confident about what he is doing, while the consequence of not enquiring is that one will always be stormed with doubts and unclarity regarding certain aspects. We generally confine our queries and questions to matters that relate to our outer-selves, whereas deen applies to the inner-self as well. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) would enquire regarding aspects of ikhlaas etc. These are all related to the inner-self. They never felt shy to enquire about any matter. Ihyaauddeen.co.za

Cling to the feet of your mother, for Paradise lies there Haqqseeker Let us for a while turn the clock backwards to a point some 25 years back. Time: 2.15 am On an unpleasantly cold, mystifying night the moon is sheltered by the murky looming clouds. The night’s eerie silence is punctuated only by an occasional bark of a dog or by a cacophony caused by two cats fighting. Suddenly the oppressive regime of the night is sharply interrupted by a very shrill scream… And what happens next? A woman suddenly gets up from her deep slumber and throws her blanket aside… Please do not take this to be the beginning of a horror story or a thriller. This is the narration of a scene of reality that you would witness in every home where there are babies. The scream in this particular story is that of a baby boy and the woman who gets up instantly on hearing this scream is none other than his mother. Like all other infants this boy too has absolutely no sense of timing and neither is he bothered about the fact that his mother badly needs a good night’s sleep after a hard day’s work. The most amazing thing, however, is that the mother wakes up from her sleep at such an odd hour, nurses her baby and attends to all his needs, including changing his nappy, with all her heart and without even a sign of irritation. - - - And now, twenty five years later, let us witness what transpires between the same boy and his mother. Time: 10 pm It is a very pleasant cloudless night with the full moon radiating a soothing glow of light. The young man and his wife are in their bedroom. Both are engrossed in their Smartphones. Suddenly they hear the gentle voice of the husband’s mother. She is calling her son from her bedroom and her voice is reflecting pain. The man asks his wife to go and see why she is calling. The wife refuses to go. She says she is busy chatting with her friend in WhatsApp. The man stands up and proceeds towards his mother’s bedroom. Standing on the doorway, he says in an irritated voice, “Mom, what is wrong? Why are you calling me? You know that after a hard day’s work, this is the only time we get to relax.” “I am sorry I could not help calling you. I have an unbearable pain in my head and since your father is away, I was wondering if you or your wife could massage my head.” “But Mom, why don’t you take some painkillers?” says the man. “It’s okay, my love, don’t worry. Go back to your room. I will manage somehow,” says the mother. Narrated above is one of the scenes taking place in many homes, with slight variations here and there. It is a pity that the man in the above narration forgets that it is the same woman who, with the grace of Allah, has brought him to this world after suffering all kinds of pains and discomforts for more than nine long months; it is the same woman who used to wake up at odd hours just to attend to his needs and to see that he remained at ease, it is the same woman who fed him with her milk; it is the same woman for whom he meant the entire world so much so that she was prepared to suffer any kind of hardship just to see that her ‘bundle of joy’ was happy and comfortable. Allah, the most glorified, the most high, has placed a unique and a very strong magnetic bond between the mother and her baby. This is the relationship that, when felt to its deepest degree, causes the mother to feel that the baby is a part of her. This feeling is so strong that the mother feels complete when she is with her baby and incomplete when they are apart. The meaning of being a mother is virtually endless. A mother is a protector, a guide and very close friend for her child. A mother is a selfless, loving human who is ready to sacrifice many of their wants and needs for the wants and needs of their children. A mother works hard to make sure her child is equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to make it as a competent human being. Being a mother is perhaps the hardest, most rewarding job a woman will ever experience. In Islam motherhood has been given a very high status. Allah, the Most High, says in Noble Qur’an: “We enjoined man to treat his parents kindly. His mother bore him with hardship and delivered him with hardship and his bearing and weaning are in thirty months…” (Qur’an 46:15) The emphasis on obedience and kindness to parents is of such a high and prior degree that the Qur’an couples the sin of disobedience to parents to disobedience to Allah the Most High. It is, in fact, likened to shirk (associating partners with Allah), hence the Qur’an Majeed says in a number of places: “Do not commit shirk with Allah and be kind to parents…” After prohibiting shirk, the Qur’an prohibits disobedience to parents. A disobedient child lives under Divine curse. Between our two parents, our mother has obviously been accorded a much higher status as we can see in the following hadeeth: Abu Huraira reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, “Who is most deserving of my good company?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.” The man asked, “Then who?” The Prophet said “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The Prophet said, “Your father.” (Bukhārī, Muslim) The golden pages of Islamic history has a very inspiring example of a man called Owais Qarni who secured a very high position after serving his mother. ‘Usair Ibn ‘Amr relates that Umar Ibn Al-Khatab, Allah be pleased with him, whenever reinforcement came from Yemen, would ask them whether ‘Uwais Ibn Amer was among them. This continued until he met ‘Uwais Ibn Amer, Allah be pleased with him. He asked him are you ‘Uwais Ibn Amer?” When he answered “Yes,” Umar asked him, “Are you from the tribe of Murad from the clan of Qaran?” He answered “Yes.” Then he asked him, “Did you suffer from leprosy and you were cured of it except for the spot as large as a dirham (coin)?” He answered in the affirmative. Then he asked him “Do you have a mother (who is still living)?” He also answered in the affirmative. Then Umar said he had heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying, “A man called ‘Uwais Ibn Amer will come to you with reinforcements coming from Yemem. He is from Murad then from Qaran; he used to suffer from leprosy but he was cured of it except for a spot as large as a dirham; he is benevolent with his mother; [he is so close to Allah that] if he swears, Allah will fulfil his oath. If you can ask him to supplicate to Allah to forgive you, do.” Umar asked him to supplicate to Allah to forgive him, and ‘Uwais Ibn Amer did. (Gardens of the Virtuous complied by Al-Imam Al-Nawawi) As long as your mother is around, love her and serve her as much as you can. A time will come when your mother will have gone very far from you and you will never be able see her even for a moment. In conclusion here is a hadeeth that very appropriately illustrates the rightful status of a mother: Mu’awiyah ibn Jahima reported: Jahima came to the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “O Messenger of Allah, I intend to join the expedition and I seek your advice.” The Prophet said, “Do you have a mother?” He said yes. The Prophet said, “Stay with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet.” (Sunan al-Nasā’ī 3104) So revere your mother and cling to her feet, for Jannah lies there! Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

New York – I was raised in a culture (and a family) where drinking is normal and encouraged. It is simply what people do and never questioned. Drinking is also viewed as a measure of one’s courage and strength, a sort of drinking machismo. The more alcohol you can ingest and the better you are at “holding your liquor,” the braver you are. I quickly internalized this message and felt proud when, at the age of 19, I could drink more than my father without collapsing or getting ill. I would notice how much my father drank, made a mental note of it, and strive to have one more drink than he did, all while trying my best to ‘act normal.’ I began drinking when I was 16. I drank with my family in social occasions and with my friends when we went out. This was the norm in Mexico, where I grew up. Sixteen-year-olds go out to lounges to drink, dance and talk with their friends. Then they drive home because at that age, many kids have cars already. I didn’t but some of my friends did. There was nothing unusual about this; it was completely acceptable in that society. I graduated with the best GPA of my class and did not drink excessively until later. By the time I left home, at 18, and was in college, my drinking had increased. It was typical for most college students to drink a lot and I never saw it as problematic. I would visit my parents in Juarez every Sunday and drink with them, then drive across the border back to my apartment in El Paso, Texas. These are adjacent towns that form one continuous big city, merely divided by the international bridge, so driving back and forth between the two countries is simple, the way one would go from Queens to Manhattan, for example. I remember when I was 19, I showed up at home for my sister’s 15th birthday quite intoxicated, yet continued to drink wine with my parents. When my father noticed the entire bottle was gone, he got upset and told me I would not be drinking any more at the restaurant. Once there though, he was feeling loving and happy, so he hugged me, gave me a kiss and ordered me a Campari. In college, I drank frequently and greatly enjoyed it. I felt grown up, sophisticated and intellectual, especially when in bars with my professors and graduate student friends, who invariably drank less than I did. I used to drink tequila like it was water and felt proud of this, attributing my ‘ability’ to being Mexican. I remember my college graduation in this way: Thousands of students in their black caps and gowns smiling, laughing and looking elated to be finally done with school. But I felt sad to leave my university behind because I was so happy there, full of possibilities, freedom and knowledge. And surrounded by amazing professors, mentors and friends. I successfully held back the tears and acted like the others. At my graduation dinner, the most important guest for me was my psychology professor and advisor, with whom I had worked closely and gotten to know well since my second day in college. I felt honored he had chosen to attend my celebration among all the parties of his others graduating students. His wife was also there as were another professor I highly esteemed and a judge I had interned for in my last year of school. Of course my friends and family were also present. We were in a beautiful Italian bistro and Zayra, one of my best friends, sat next to me, and she didn’t drink alcohol. I decided this was lucky for me because nobody would notice if I drank for two people. The waiter kept refilling both our glasses and bringing more and more bottles of wine to the table. I drank Zayra’s wine glass and mine each time they were refilled. I drank bottles of wine that night and didn’t have any food. I was so young then and full of life and was generally known to have an extravagant character, so nobody paid attention to how much I actually drank or found it strange. I was too inebriated to drive and Zayra drove my red Dodge Ram to my apartment, where my parents also went in their own car for an “after party.” We had more drinks. I was conscious and remember the night relatively well and as a happy occasion. I describe these events to give a glimpse into what drinking was like for me growing up. It wasn’t a forbidden activity I did to be rebellious, or something my parents disapproved of, but the opposite. They viewed it as a pleasurable social activity. The years passed and I was living in New York as a Columbia law student. Every week there were several events with alcohol at the school. Some of them started at noon. If they were at noon, beer was served. If they were later, wine. If they were fancy, of which there was never a short supply given this is an Ivy League school and one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country, there were premium liquors and expensive wines. By then, I was in my early twenties and highly addicted to alcohol and the drinking lifestyle. I drank excessively throughout law school. It is to me a complete miracle that I managed to graduate with good grades, pass the bar exam on the first attempt, and get hired by a top Wall Street firm all while my brain was soaked in alcohol. I spent many of my law school days sick in bed from too much drink. I was depressed. I was expecting to love law school as I did college, but I did not like it at all. I found the people shallow and materialistic. I spent the majority of my time away from it, reading literature and exploring New York City, the museums, the opera, and of course, the bars and restaurants. I didn’t think much of my drinking because as of then, every person in my life drank and encouraged me to do the same. Lawyers have the highest rate of alcoholism of any profession and when a new attorney is admitted to the New York State Bar (no pun intended), we are required to sit for a 3 hour lecture at the courthouse to be warned about the perils of alcoholism, drug addiction and suicide. Apparently we are also on top of the list for suicides in the US. At this session, they told us there is a 24-hour hotline for lawyers who feel they want to end their lives or have lost control of their alcohol or drug consumption. The big New York law firms, which have frequent recruiting events at the top tier schools, supply unlimited alcohol to students, and later, to young associates. I went to so many parties in the best restaurants and bars in Manhattan that were hosted by these firms so we could ‘get to know’ the associates and partners and consider going to work for them. I remember long nights at Flute, drinking champagne with these lawyers, wine parties held at the firms’ offices, and tequila tastings at Centrico, an upscale Mexican restaurant in Tribeca that featured 500-dollar tequila bottles. I hated all of it: the pretension, the environment, and the law, but loved the alcohol. I remember my two best friends and I, two guys I had also gone to college with in Texas, going straight for the bar in these events and sneaking around the room to avoid having conversations with the lawyers, who all looked pretty miserable to us. If they came our way, we walked in the opposite direction. We drank and laughed and rarely talked to them. It seemed this was the life we were to aspire to. Once we became associates, absurdly expensive lunches and dinners at Chanterelle and Nobu were the norm and we were paid very well. At 26, I had two secretaries, was making $165,000 plus bonus and had an office overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. This was it. After all the waitressing, telephone operator, tutor, hotel clerk, and room service jobs I’d had in college, I was finally at the ‘ultimate’ job. I was doing well at my firm and was generally liked and respected. But I felt utterly miserable. I became obsessed with the idea that I was selling my time and intellect, and in general, my life, in exchange for a lot of money earned doing things I believed were wrong. And so, a year and a half after getting this impressive job, I quit. The partner I informed of my resignation was in shock. Nobody does this. He told me to take 3 months off, paid, and think about it. All I wanted was freedom. Three months meant more than 36,000 dollars. Still, I said no. I was sure I wanted out. I felt happy and free and as if my life force returned when I left. But the drinking habit stayed and became more and more destructive. I worked at many jobs since then, traveled the world, had good and bad relationships, but I could never control my drinking, no matter how hard I tried. I could drink huge amounts. My tolerance was high and many of my nights were spent out drinking. And many of my days wasted feeling sick and exhausted. The Unbearable Void I believe I drank because I had no higher purpose and no true belief in God. I felt a huge emptiness that I didn’t know how to fill. The material aspirations of others did not interest me much. I could not relate to them and accomplishing financial and career goals did not seem worthwhile enough to sell my time in exchange. I had relationships, which also failed to fill this void. I was not spiritual then. I believed in being a good person (to others) and in the general existence of a Creator; not much else. My life outlook was small and quite self-centered. I loved writing and literature but I could not write; my mind and energy were scattered and I didn’t see the point of anything. If the ultimate goal in life was a great job like the one I had gotten and left, I was simply not interested and now, now what? I had so much energy and didn’t know what to do with it. All my life I have been blessed with large amounts of emotional and physical energy, which, if misdirected or not channeled into creative or artistic outlets can get me into colossal types of troubles. My drinking was out of control and I felt anxious when I did not drink. I wanted to stop. I did therapy, twelve-step groups, read self-help and spiritual books constantly, but it all remained external to me, beautiful words that elevated me briefly, but did not produce any change. No matter how many I read, I always thought the next book I discovered would be “it,” the one that would cure me of my ailments. Years went by like this. Trying to quit drinking, but not managing to. I attempted to stop a number of times too large to remember. My mother, by then concerned about it, would warn me I would damage my liver, remind me that I had lost an uncle to cirrhosis –he was a brilliant and wonderful human being–, that my grandfather, another extremely intelligent man, and a writer, was also an alcoholic who died an alcoholic, and that I was ‘on time’ because I was young and still had my health. I wanted to. I really did. And I tried with all my might. But I could not stop. I didn’t know the reason for this until recently. I could not quit no matter how much I tried because very little is accomplished through will power alone. I vividly remember Dr. Sultan’s voice telling me these words, and I remember the café and the table I was sitting at while talking with him on the phone. We were discussing something else. At this time, the drinking demon had already left me. But I understood how it happened only then. What Dr. Sultan said exactly (I wrote it down) was this: “Prayer is our conversation with God, what you ask, He will give you. If you want expansion, or want purpose, you should ask God. Very little is accomplished with will power. Prophet Muhammad achieved so much success in his life through prayer.” This was a revelation to me. So this was why fighting with myself and attempting to control my behavior on my own had never worked. The idea of prayer, God, or anything to do with religion, was something I previously rejected because I viewed it as dogma and a series of man-made rules and restrictions meant to control and oppress people. I still view certain approaches to religion this way. However, the power of true spirituality is so enormous that there is no force like it on the planet. I have experienced this personally and it is not imaginary; it is very real. The divine energy that creates life, what we call God, is the only thing that can truly help us and heal us from any and all diseases. The fact that I am writing this is astonishing even to myself. Back to how my drinking was cured: It happened in a miraculous way. When I became Muslim, I began to pray, fasted in Ramadan, and all the usual. I felt better when I stopped drinking during Ramadan but then, I would go back to the bars right after Eid, usually with my North African Muslim friends. The deep and permanent change happened when I began to attend the Quran Discussions that Dr. Sultan leads. When I met him, he gave me the impression of being an authentic teacher who had personally experienced the transformative power of true spirituality and who lived by his teachings, which come from the wisdom in the Quran. He spoke in a logical way, was down to earth and an incredibly practical person, a scientist. I decided to trust him completely. When I had doubts on any subject about what would be the best thing for me to do, I trusted his judgment because I did not yet trust my own. (His advice and teachings always lead a student to develop self-trust and be able to think and decide for herself, never to obey anybody else, but trusting oneself takes time). I did every exercise Dr. Sultan recommended. I spent most of my free time reading, taking notes and making my own summaries of these teachings and of the suras of the Quran we were discussing. I surrounded myself with people who are interested in spiritual growth. I attended every single meeting Dr. Sultan had in Manhattan and in Long Island. I have never missed one in over eight months, thank God. This is not typical of me. I have trouble being consistent and have struggled with discipline all my life. This guidance, magical discipline and healing, are nothing but the Grace and Mercy of God. The Quran says of those who are lost that “when they find guidance they do not hold on to it” (7:146). I found guidance and, thanks to God’s Mercy, I’ve held on to it. I have met many Muslims who struggle with addiction, and feel so ashamed because drinking is ‘haram’ in Islam, so they do not seek help. I wanted to share this story because of that. Only love and acceptance can help a person heal. Shaming does the opposite. God, through active spiritual work, can heal us of all sorts of things and in the most magical of ways. And God is acceptance and unconditional love. I believe there is nothing positive, modern or sophisticated about drinking. There is deep wisdom in Islam deeming alcohol to be ‘haram’. But only if you understand why it is haram. It is haram because it is destructive, not because some sheikh demonizes the ‘Western’ way of life, or because the alcohol in and of itself is evil or because of an ‘archaic’ Islamic prohibition. Anybody who has struggled with addiction would agree that drinking is haram. It is a waste of life. It is a waste of all our precious talents and faculties. This is why it is haram. It is poison that we are ingesting. Some people can drink a glass of wine with dinner, and for them, wine is food; this is different. For others, alcohol is a dark, false solace that drains our life force away. There are endless worthwhile pursuits we can invest our time and energy in instead of this. As if by magic, I feel no desire to drink. It is not a struggle. I am not controlling myself in any way nor do I feel afraid of alcohol. I simply cannot understand how I lived as I once did. I value my time, my faculties, and my life enormously and it seems repulsive to throw them away in drinking as if they were garbage. Drowning in alcohol appears to me now an insult to myself and to God. How to explain that after all these years, the demon of alcohol addiction left me suddenly, one day, like magic? I can only explain it as a miracle from God, a strength that is not mine. It had nothing to do with discipline, will power or struggle. I prayed for guidance and healing and God sent them to me. The desire for alcohol simply vanished. Completely. I see this past life as if it belonged to somebody else, because it did and I am infinitely grateful. Source

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