ummtaalib

Exchanging gifts among friends on the day of Aashura Q: Is exchanging gifts among friends on the day of Aashura an established practice? A: It is Sunnah for one to spend on his family on the day of Aashura. Exchanging gifts among friends is not a Sunnah practice and hence should be discontinued. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد (بخاري رقم 2697) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) – Part Eight Honoring the Guests: ‘Isa bin ‘Umailah Al-Fazaari (rahimahullah) mentions that a certain person told him the following: I noticed that when Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would milk his goats, he would give his neighbors and guests to drink before he drank himself. One night, I saw him milk his goats to the point where absolutely nothing remained in their udders. After presenting the milk to his guests, he placed a small amount of dates before them. He thereafter apologized to them saying, “If we had anything better than this, we would have definitely brought it before you.” I thereafter observed that Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) himself did not eat a single morsel that night as he had presented all that he had to his guests. (Ibn Sa’d 4/178) Carrying the Flag at Hunayn: The renowned historian, Imaam Waaqidi (rahimahullah), has mentioned that Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) carried the flag of his tribe, the Ghifaar, during the Battle of Hunayn. (Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/384) Migration to Shaam: After the demise of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) migrated from Madinah Munawwarah to the land of Shaam. (Usdul Ghaabah 1/344) As Hazrat Abu Zar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was present in Shaam, he witnessed the conquest of Baytul Maqdis with Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). (Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 3/379) Source: Whatisislam.co.za

Fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) Q: I want to ask can we fast for the Isaal-e-sawaab of Imaam Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu)? Is there any benefit or special reward that Allah Ta'ala will grant us? A: The gruesome martyrdom of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) was undoubtedly among the most tragic and heart breaking events that occurred in the annals of history. However despite that, it should be borne in mind that the occasion of Aashura and its virtues are not associated with the martyrdom of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). Instead, Aashura had received its virtue and auspiciousness before the birth of Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). There were many other personalities greater than Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) who were also martyred in the path of Allah Ta'ala, from the Ambiya (Alayhimus Salaam) and also from the Sahaaba (Radiyallahu Anhum), the likes of Hazrat Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Usmaan (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Ja'far (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Hamza (Radiyallahu Anhu) and many others. If one feels that he should be fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu), then he should first commence fasting for all those personalities who were greater than Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu) and had sacrificed their lives for Deen before he commences fasting for Hazrat Husain (Radiyallahu Anhu). However, there is no day that has been earmarked in the Islamic calendar for one to mourn their death or for one to fast for them, etc. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس فيه فهو رد (صحيح البخاري رقم 2697) البدعة في المذهب ايراد قول لم يستن قائلها وفائلها فيه بصاحب الشريعة وأمثالها (المفردات ص36) قال الشامي : قوله ( قوله وهي اعتقاد الخ ) عزا هذا التعريف في هامش الخزائن إلى الحافظ ابن حجر في شرح النخبة ولا يخفى أن الاعتقاد يشمل ما كان معه عمل أو لا فإن من تدين بعمل لا بد أن يعتقده كمسح الشيعة على الرجلين وإنكارهم المسح على الخفين ونحو ذلك وحينئذ فيساوي تعريف الشمني لها بأنها ما أحدث على خلاف الحق المتلقى عن رسول الله من علم أو عمل أو حال بنوع شبهة واستحسان وجعل دينا قويما وصراطا مستقيما (رد المحتار 1/560) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Is it Permissible To Operate an Agency Business For Hajj al-Badl (Hajj by proxy)? Question: We were considering to open a service to perform Hajj al-Badl and charge a service fee for the Hajj in addition to the package costs. Is that permissible? In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. The Answer: According to the Hanafi school of Fiqh, it is not permissible to charge a service fee for Hajj al-Badl (Hajj by proxy). It is not permissible to make such a service a business venture where the objective is profit[1]. The proxy is entitled to have his expenses covered for travel, accommodation and other necessities. However, he cannot pocket or profit from such an endeavour. The Fiqh (jurisprudence of the answer): The default position of the Hanafi school is that it is not permissible to hire or pay for worship to be performed. Employment and hiring (Ijarah) is a service to humans for which the service provider receives a fee in exchange. Whereas, worship is for Allah for which a worshipper gets reward in lieu of worship. Thus, worship cannot be compensated by monetary means as service is not delivered to humans; rather, one receives reward from Allah. In other words, a person who performs worship for others has not given any material benefit to that human, therefore, he cannot take a fee for such practices[2]. The above ruling should not be confused with certain necessary practices like ‘Imāmah for Salah, teaching etc. which can be compensated monetarily[3]. And Allah Ta’ālā Alone Knows Best Mufti Faraz Adam al-Mahmudi, www.darulfiqh.com

The following booklet is a short and precise discussion on the importance and significance of the Holy month of Muharram which is the first month in the Islamic calendar. It was compiled by a senior Hadith specialist of Indian origin by the name of Shaykh Fazlur Rahman Azmi who currently resides in South Africa. The work has also outlined the matters pertaining to the 10th day of Muharram known as Ashura and the days that fasting is significant. The work also serves to dispel some of the myths and superstitions that some people have introduced over time in the name of Islam. Download link darultahqiq

Step-by-Step Description of the Ritual Ablution Below is a simplified explanation of the method of performing the ritual ablution (wuḍūʿ) in the Ḥanafī madhhab, using brackets to demarcate its farḍ [f], wājib [w], sunnah , and mustaḥabb [m] elements. The explanation is part of a workbook I prepared for a short seminar entitled Perfecting Prayer that provided a step-by-step guide to wuḍūʿ and ṣalāt for young adults. The Ritual Ablution (Wuḍūʾ) Find a high, clean place [m] to perform wuḍūʾ that will minimize the possibility of used water splashing onto your body or clothes . Face the qiblah if possible [m]. Make an intention , verbally and in your heart [m], to perform a ritual ablution for the sake of Allah and to win His favor or to remove the state of ritual impurity and perform prayer. Recite: Bismillāhi ʾl-raḥmān al-raḥīm “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Mercy-Giving” . Wash both hands up to the wrists , starting with the right hand , thrice . Rub thoroughly to remove all dirt . (If wearing a ring, move the ring around so that the water reaches all of the skin underneath, even if the ring is loose.) Rinse your entire mouth thrice, ensuring that the water reaches the back of your mouth (except when fasting) . Between rinses, brush your teeth with a siwāk/miswāk (toothstick), gripping it in the right hand with the thumb and pinky finger under the siwāk and the middle three fingers above it . Start with the right side of your mouth and move to the left. Rinse the toothstick each time and squeeze the water out. (If a siwāk is not available, you may use your index finger or a piece of cloth or paper towel to clean the teeth and remove any residue/film.) Rinse your nose with water thrice, ensuring that the water reaches the cartilage area of the nose (except when fasting) . Use your right hand to place water into the nose and the left hand to squeeze the nose out [m]. Splash water gently onto your face [f] thrice such that water flows over the entire area between your ear lobes and the top of your forehead to the bottom of your chin. Rub your face with water well, making sure to wet the eyebrows and the area between the eyes and nose. (Do not splash so hard as to cause the used water to fall onto your clothing, nor onto others. Additionally, be careful not to splash water onto your surroundings, as it can cause inconvenience or even harm to others, reducing the reward of the ablution.) If you have a thick beard, pass your fingers through your beard (khilāl) to wet the hair covering the skin by placing your right hand underneath the beard upward such that the back of the hand is facing the neck and your palm is facing away from you. Wash each of your arms, including the elbows [f], beginning by washing the right arm thrice and then the left arm thrice . The arms should be washed downward from the fingers to the elbows so that the water flows off the elbows . Rub your arms while washing them . Perform khilāl of your fingers (intermingling the fingers of each hand) by placing the palm of one hand over the back of the other and then combing the fingers through one another . Wet your hands and wipe your entire head , ensuring that at least one-fourth is covered [f], starting from the front of your head and moving to the back with both hands [m]. Use the back of your fingers to wipe the back of your neck but do not wipe the throat . Then wipe your ears by using your index fingers for the inside of the ears and your thumbs for the outside . Wash each of your feet, including the ankles [f], beginning by washing with the right foot thrice and then the left foot thrice . Pour the water with your right hand and rub your feet with the left [m]. Pass the pinky finger of your left hand (khilāl) through your toes, starting from the right foot’s small toe and moving left to the left foot’s small toe so no portion of the feet remains dry. Perform all the above steps in the described order and without such a significant break or pause in the wuḍūʾ that the previous limb could dry before washing the next . Facing upwards, recite the testimony of faith [m]: Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu wa ash-hadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa raṣūluhu. “I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger.” Then say [m]: Allāhumma-jʿalnī mina ʾl-tawwābīn wa-jʿalnī mina ʾl-mutaṭahhirīn. “O Allah. Make me of the oft-repenting and make me of those who oft-purify themselves.” Drink some leftover water from the water container (or a small amount of water from a faucet) [m]. If the time is appropriate, offer two units of prayer (called taḥiyyat al-wuḍūʾ) as an expression of gratitude to Allah that He enabled you to perform wuḍūʾ [m]. Source

Exact commencement time of Iddah for a widow Q. Asalamwalaykum molana. My question is that if a women's husband passes away and he is burried 2 days later; does the iddat of the women begin the day of the death or the day of the burial? JazakAllah (Question published as received) A. Allah Ta'ala mentions the law of Iddah in the Quran: “For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (observe Iddah) for four months and ten days.” (Baqarah) Thus, the Iddah period of a wife begins immediately from the death of her husband and not from the time of his burial. (Shaami 3/506) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Keeping qadha fast on the day of Aashura Q: If one fasts on the ninth and tenth or tenth and eleventh of Muharram​ with the intention of qadha fast, will one receive the reward of the fast of Aashura? A: The fast will be valid. However, one will not obtain the reward and virtue of Aashura through keeping qadha fast. The reward and virtue of Aashura is for the one who observes nafl fasts on these days. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. ولو نوى فرضين كمكتوبة وجنازة فللمكتوبة ولو مكتوبتين فللوقتية ولو فائتتين فللأولى لو من أهل الترتيب وإلا لغا فليحفظ ولو فائتة ووقتية فللفائتة لو الوقت متسعا ولو فرضا ونفلا فللفرض ولو نافلتينكسنة فجر وتحية مسجد فعنهما ولو نافلة وجنازة فنافلة ولا تبطل بنية القطع ما لم يكبر بنية مغايرة ولو نوى في صلاته الصوم صح (الدر المختار 1/ 439) فتاوى دار العلوم ديوبند (عزيز الفتاوى) 1/389 أحسن الفتاوى 4/440 Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Anytime Resolutions…5 Easy Tips! By Abu Muhammad Yusuf The Islamic New has recently begun and people generally ponder about on how to approach this New Islamic Year and their work, health and relationships etc. In reality we don’t need a New Year or special occasion to make a resolution for doing or achieving good. It can be done instantaneously! Common resolutions include cutting down on chocolate/weight, quit smoking, getting in shape, etc. A lot involves benefits to the health and/or improving lifestyle. Others include giving more to charity, being closer to family which boosts a personal level of satisfaction etc. But this we as Muslims should be doing regardless. What about us? Have we set a goal or targets for ourselves? If so, was it because it was a New Year? Did you have to wait for the New Year to set it? Is there something about you that you wish to improve? No human is perfect! As Muslims we should ideally and additionally be setting goals for not only our material well-being but more importantly for our spiritual self. That is not to say that we should not set goals for this material life, by all means go ahead but let us not forget the journey that lies ahead once our eyes close from this temporary abode. Yes set high goals both for our Spiritual and Material progress. The Holy Qur’an says: “Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire” (Quran:Al-Baqarah:201). Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Holy Quran; “…And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me..”(Quran 51:56) 5 Easy Tips To Get You Started… REACH FOR THE STARS! AIM HIGH: So indeed there is no harm in achieving good in both materially and spiritually. The most important is to note that all resolutions, hopes, ambitions and dreams etc are entirely dependent on Allah Ta’ala, The Most Wise, for their fulfillment. So making Dua (asking Allah Ta’ala) is the most essential ingredient for achievement. When making dua “reach for the stars” i.e. ask Allah Ta’ala for the best, in fact ask for everything good. Don’t leave out anything. Allah, The Most Wise, says: “Invoke Me, (and ask Allah for anything) I will respond to your (invocation/dua)…” (Quran: 40: 60) ELIMINATE TRANSGRESSIONS: Most businesses refuse to grant more credit to a bad debtor or nonpayer, likewise how can we expect Allah Ta’ala to grant us good if we continuously sin and transgress? To get the Help of Allah Ta’ala we need to remove sin from our lives. We are not perfect and as humans we often err. But the least we can do to show our sincerity to Allah Ta’ala is to intend to abandon ALL forms of sins from our lives. Allah is Ar-Rahman, the Most Compassionate, and Ar-Raheem, the Most Merciful. Allah Ta’ala reminds us of the greatness of His Forgiveness and Mercy so that no one w ould despair due to the amount of sins he or she may have committed. “O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an: 39:53) MAKE ISLAM THE BIGGER CIRCLE: Until now we may have made our material (worldly) desires the Bigger Circle in our life and Deen (Islam) the inner Smaller Circle that occupies a very small insignificant place in the Bigger Circle. Now resolve to make Deen(Islam) the Bigger Circle and make everything else fit into the Bigger Circle. If it does not conform to Deen, no matter what it may be, leave it out of the Bigger Circle! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "None of you can be a true Muslim, unless his desires are subject to the deen (religion) that I have brought." (Hadith). SET SPECIFIC GOALS: Leaving our intentions vague and general is not wise. Make specific intentions and set targets. Cover each aspect of your life which you would like to improve upon and set targets that are easily attainable. Don’t leave it open ended. He who fails to plan, plans to fail! BE EXTENSIVE AND SYSTEMATIC: Yes, let the list be extensive, realistic and systematic. Dedicate time with family to make these resolutions. Make your family part of it and set goals together. In addition, it helps to write down intentions and to regularly review those intentions in order to achieve those commitments. Finally the most important resolution is that My Creator Allah Ta’ala must be pleased with me. So whatever I desire, do, say, want, etc must be only to please my Lord! May Allah Ta’ala make this Islamic Year 1438 Hijrah the most spiritually rewarding year for the Ummah and may He grant ease and relief to those that are suffering and oppressed throughout the world.…Ameen www.eislam.co.za

Listening to Lectures with the Intention of Reforming Oneself Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: A person once wrote a letter to me wherein he requested that I teach and instruct him as to how he may reform his condition. In reply, I wrote to him and advised that he read twenty of my transcribed lectures and endeavour to inculcate and practice upon my teachings. I further advised him to write to me after carrying this out so that he may inform me of his condition and whether he finds any change in his life. After reading twenty of my transcribed lectures, he wrote to me saying, “I do not find any improvement and change in my life.” I replied to him saying, “You either read the lectures without the intention of reforming yourself, or the lectures which you read did not contain any advice pertaining to your self-reformation, or perhaps there are no deficiencies within you which require reformation.” After reading my reply, he admitted that although he read through the lectures, he did not do so with the intention of reforming himself. I therefore wrote to him saying, “This is the reason for you not finding any change and improvement in your life. Now I ask you to read these lectures again with the intention of Islaah (seeking self-reformation).” Alhamdulillah, after reading the lectures again with the correct intention, he wrote back to me informing me that he has derived immense benefit from the lectures and that he finds substantial change and improvement in his life. (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 8/318)

Moulana Muhammad Yusuf Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) Lineage Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf ibn Muhammad Zakariyya Al-Binnory (rahimahullah) was a Sayyid; from the family of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). His lineage goes back to Musa Khazim ibn Ja’far As-Sadiq ibn Muhammad Al-Baqir ibn Ali Zaynul ‘Abidin ibn Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiyallahu ‘anhum). Moulana Muhammad Yusuf was called Al-Binnory because his grandfather stayed in the village of Binnor. Shaykh’s father was a pious ‘Alim who also wrote several books. Birth Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was born on Thursday, 6th Rabi’uth Thani in the year 1328-Hijri (1907 Gregorian) in the village of Muhabbatabad in the province of Peshawar, Pakistan. His family was known for piety, taqwa and knowledge. He grew up in Peshawar and also Kabul. Studies Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) started acquiring knowledge in the towns of Peshawar and Kabul, amongst his teachers were his father (Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya – rahimahullah), his uncle Moulana Fadhl Samdani Al-Binnory (rahimahullah), Moulana Abdullah ibn Khayr Al-Peshawary (rahimahullah), and others. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) desired to further his studies, so he undertook extensive travel to meet the ‘Ulama of India and benefit from them. For higher education, he joined Darul Uloom Deoband in the year 1345-Hijri (1927) for two years, learning Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, Usul of Hadith and Usul of Fiqh. Whilst in Deoband, he benefited from two senior ‘Ulama; ‘Allamah Shabir Ahmad Uthmani (rahimahullah) and ‘Allamah Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah). In 1347 (1929), Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah) joined Jami’atul Islamiyyah in the town of Dhabel and Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) accompanied him and completed his course in knowledge of Hadith at Dhabel with a distinction. After completing, Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) wrote a letter in Arabic to his Teacher, Moulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah), requesting to accompany him and be his attendant. Moulana Kashmiri was astonished with the eloquence of Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) and made him his attendant at his residence and during travel. Shaykhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Yusuf (rahimahullah) returned to Peshawar and occupied himself with lessons and teaching whilst also engaging in political matters for four years, after which he felt remorse for using these four years in politics instead of pursuing further knowledge. After his Shaykh, Moulana Kashmiri (rahimahullah) passed away, 1352-Hijri, he was chosen as a teacher in Jami’atul Islamiyyah in Dhabel and he progressed in the institution until he became the Shaykhul Hadith. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was part of ‘Al-Majlisul ‘ilmi’ at the Madrasah in Dhabel. This was a research faculty that produced several scholarly works. He was also elected as the Ameer of the Jami’atul ‘Ulama in Gujrat. Newtown, Karachi In the year, 1370-Hijri (1951), Moulana (rahimahullah) migrated to Pakistan on the insistence of Moulana Shabir Ahmad Uthmani (rahimahullah) and Shaykh Badri ‘Alam (rahimahullah), becoming the Shaykh of Tafsir in Darul Uloom Islamiyyah in Sindh. He occupied this post for three years. Thereafter Moulana travelled to Karachi and established the foundations of Madrassatul Arabiyyatul Islamiyyah in Newtown which is now world renowned. Several senior ‘Ulama of our country had the honour of studying under Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) at his madrasah in Karachi. His Academic Rank Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) took great effect form his Teacher; ‘Allamah Anwar Shah Al-Kashmiri (rahimahullah). He was accepted as his senior student, despite spending approximately just one year in the company of Shaykh Kashmiri. Shaykh Binnnori (rahimahullah) authored several books in Arabic and Urdu, the most famous being his unique Arabic commentary of a portion of Sunan Tirmidhi, entitled: Ma’arifus Sunan. He was extremely fluent in the Arabic language, a fact that was acknowledged by several Arab scholars too. He had established a research faculty (Darut Tasnif) at his Madrasah in Karachi, from which several other books were published by his senior students. Our Darul Hadith Research Centre in Durban, South Africa is a product of the Shaykh’s vision of research. Our Ameer, my Honourable Father, Moulana Haroon Abasoomar saheb (hafizhahullah) is a student of Shaykh Binnori. World Renowned Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) also had the opportunity to travel to several parts of the world, thereby meeting the ‘Ulama of these countries too. In so doing, he managed to attain ijazah in Hadith from several senior Hadith scholars in the Arab world. He also issued ijazah to many others in those countries. He had a special attachment to the Haramayn and travelled there frequently. In the latter part of his life, Shaykh would observe i’tikaf annually in Masjid Nabawi. Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) visited our country, South Africa as well. While he was here, he visited the academic establishments, and also addressed the Tablighi Ijtima’ (gathering). Shaykh (rahimahullah) visited Egypt on several occasions. He maintained a close relationship with the ‘Ulama there as well. Namely; the Great Hanafi scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Zahid Al-Kawthari (rahimahullah) and the Rector of Al-Azhar at that time, Shaykh ‘Abdul Halim Mahmud (rahimahullah). When he would visit the Arab world, he had the habit of taking books written by the ‘Ulama of the Indo Pak subcontinent as gifts for the ‘Ulama there. In this manner he bridged the gap between the seniors of these schools. He was widely praised by ‘Ulama from around the world. In addition to the ‘Ulama of the Indo Pak Subcontinent, he was acknowledged by ‘Ulama from the Haramayn, Syria, Egypt and Turkey. He became known as ‘Muhaddithul ‘Asr’ (The Great Hadith Master of his era). His excellent qualities Shaykh Binnory (rahimahullah) was known for his istighna (reticence), his tawakkul, his outstanding memory, his concern for establishing the Truth and defending it against the deviant groups. He is admired for his ability to combine all avenues of Spiritual Islam; He was a Sufi (ascetic), a Muhaddith, a Mufassir, a Faqih, a Muballigh (preacher), and a Musannif (author). He was also a pillar of steadfastness in promoting the Truth, fearing none besides Allah. He made untold sacrifices in tackling deviated sects, especially Qadianism. He also enjoyed the credit of introducing the Akabir (seniors) of Deoband to the Arab world. Demise Shaykh Binnory passed away on 17 October, 1977 (3 Dhul Qa’dah, 1397 A.H.) at the age of 71. He was buried in the precincts of the Madrasah in Binnory Town, Karachi. May Allah Ta’ala fill his grave with nur and bestow him the highest stages in Jannah. May He also enable us to follow in the footsteps of our seniors. al-miftah

Aasiyaa bint Mazaahim, the wife of Pharaoh وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ And Allah citeth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh when she said: My Lord! Build for me a home with thee in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from evildoing folk [Quran 66:11] The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said: “The men who attain perfection are many, but there are no woman who have attained perfection apart from Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh and Maryam bint ‘Imraan, and the superiority of ‘Aa’ishah over all other women is like the superiority of thareed over all other foods.” [bukhaari and Muslim]

How To Respond When Someone Says: “I Love You For The Sake Of Allah” <QUESTION> How do you respond when someone says to you that they love you for the sake of Allah (uhibbuka fi-Allah)? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, The great Hadith scholar and jurist of this Umma, Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) has dedicated a whole chapter to the topic of loving others for the sake of Allah in his work Riyadh al-Salihin titled: “The virtues of loving for the sake of Allah and its encouragement, and a man who loves another, informing him that he loves him, and what to say to him when he informs him.” The Imam then quotes numerous Qur’anic verses and Hadiths regarding the virtues of loving others for the sake of Allah, its benefits and rewards, and some etiquette. In summary, there are three issues here: 1) Virtues and benefits of loving for the sake of Allah, 2) Informing the person one loves that one loves them for the sake of Allah, and 3) How to respond when informed of this love? 1) Virtues and benefits of loving for the sake of Allah Sayyiduna Anas (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Anyone who possesses three attributes will experience the sweetness of faith (iman): that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than anything else; that he loves someone for the sake of Allah alone; and that he hates the idea of reverting to disbelief, after Allah has released him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into fire.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) Loving for the sake of Allah means one loves an individual simply because of the connection he holds with Allah; either because he worships Allah and is doing something to further the deen of Allah, or, even more praiseworthy, merely because he is from the creation of Allah. There is no worldly motive behind this love such as a favour done by him, and is not subject to any fluctuation. As such, it is not increased by the character and kindness of the one loved and not decreased by his shortcomings. (Ibn Allan, Dalil al-Falihin 2/240) 2) Informing the person that one loves them for the sake of Allah Abu Karima al-Miqdad ibn Ma’dikarib (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When a man loves his brother, he should inform him that he loves him.” (Sunan Abi Dawud no: 5124 and Sunan Tirmidhi no: 2393) As such, it is a Prophetic recommendation to inform the person one loves for the Sake of Allah of this love, since this will increase their mutual love and strengthen the bond of brotherhood. It is also good to disclose that this love is for Allah’s sake alone, and not because of any worldly gain or motive. 3) How to respond when being informed of this love? Sayyiduna Anas (Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man was sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and another man passed by him. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, I love this man.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to him, “Have you informed him?” He said, “No.” He said, “Inform him,” so he caught up with him and said, “I love you for the sake of Allah.” He said, “May the One for whom you love me [Allah] love you.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1522) In light of this practice of the Companion (Allah be pleased with him), if one is informed by someone that they love one for the sake of Allah (uhibbuka fi-Allah), one should respond by saying, “ahabbakalladhi ahbabtani lahu,” meaning may Allah Most high, for the sake of Whom you have love for me, love you. It is a way of reciprocating them for their love and making Dua for them, Insha Allah. And Allah knows best Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Message from Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafizahullah) at the Annual Youth Conference at IDA (2nd October 2016) Make a U-TURN Repent! Resolve! Not "I will" but "I have" I have repented & I have resolved to become a complete/perfect Believer

Experiencing Fear, Uneasiness or Sleeplessness at Night If one experiences fear, uneasiness or sleeplessness at night, he should recite the following duaa: بِسمِ اللهِ أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِن غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِه وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِن همَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِين وَأَن يَحْضُرُون In the name of Allah Ta’ala. I seek protection through the complete words of Allah Ta’ala from His anger, His punishment, the evil of His servants, the whispers of the Shayateen and of their presence. عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده قال كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يعلمنا كلمات نقولهن عند النوم من الفزع بسم الله أعوذ بكلمات الله التامات من غضبه وعقابه وشر عباده ومن همزات الشياطين وأن يحضرون قال فكان عبد الله بن عمرو يعلمها من بلغ من ولده أن يقولها عند نومه ومن كان منهم صغيرا لا يعقل أن يحفظها كتبها له فعلقها في عنقه (مسند احمد رقم 6696) Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports: “Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) taught us to recite the following duaa when we become frightened while sleeping (due to seeing a bad dream). أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِن غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِه وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِن همَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِين وَأَن يَحْضُرُون Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiyallahu Anhu) used to teach his children to recite this duaa at the time of retiring to bed. From his children, those who were minors and were unable to learn the duaa, he used to write it on a page and tie it to their necks. ihyauddeen.co.za

Seeing impurity on one's undergarments Q: Recently I performed two Salaahs at a jamaat khana. However the next day I realised my underwear was soiled. What should I do? A: You should regard your underwear as napaak from the time you noticed the impurity, unless you have got sound evidence to the contrary. And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best. ( ويحكم بنجاستها ) مغلظة ( من وقت الوقوع إن علم وإلا فمذ يوم وليلة إن لم ينتفخ ولم يتفسخ ) وهذا ( في حق الوضوء ) والغسل وما عجن به فيطعم للكلاب وقيل يباع من شافعي أما في حق غيره كغسل ثوب فيحكم بنجاسته في الحال وهذا لو تطهر عن حدث أو غسل عن خبث وإلا لم يلزم شيء إجماعا جوهرة ( ومذ ثلاثة أيام ) بلياليها ( إن انتفخ أو تفسخ ) استحسانا وقالا من وقت العلم فلا يلزمهم شيء قبله قيل وبه يفتى (الدر المختار 1/ 218-219) قال الشامي : ( قوله قبله ) أي قبل العلم بالنجاسة ( قوله قيل وبه يفتى ) قائله صاحب الجوهرة وقال العلامة قاسم في تصحيح القدوري قال في فتاوى العتابي قولهما هو المختار (رد المحتار 1/ 219) Answered by: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

“Islam needs you to become its ambassador by being a good Muslim and, through your character and conduct, help correct the misunderstandings that exist about Islam. Become a shining example for all, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.” Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Hazrat Tippu Sultan Shaheed Rahmatullah-Alaiy Part A Maulana Anzar Shah Qasmi LISTEN HERE... (URDU)

From "Muslim Inventions" Iron-cased and metal-cylinder rocket artillery: The first iron-cased and metal-cylinder rocket artillery were developed by Tipu Sultan, a Muslim ruler of the South Indian Kingdom of Mysore, and his father Hyder Ali, in the 1780s. He successfully used these metal-cylinder rockets against the larger forces of the British East India Company during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. The Mysore rockets of this period were much more advanced than what the British had seen, chiefly because of the use of iron tubes for holding the propellant; this enabled higher thrust and longer range for the missile (up to 2 km range). After Tipu's eventual defeat in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and the capture of the Mysore iron rockets, they were influential in British rocket development, inspiring the Congreve rocket, which was soon put into use in the Napoleonic Wars. According to Stephen Oliver Fought and John F. Guilmartin, Jr. in Encyclopedia Britannica (2008): "Hyder Ali, prince of Mysore, developed war rockets with an important change: the use of metal cylinders to contain the combustion powder. Although the hammered soft iron he used was crude, the bursting strength of the container of black powder was much higher than the earlier paper construction. Thus a greater internal pressure was possible, with a resultant greater thrust of the propulsive jet. The rocket body was lashed with leather thongs to a long bamboo stick. Range was perhaps up to three-quarters of a mile (more than a kilometre). Although individually these rockets were not accurate, dispersion error became less important when large numbers were fired rapidly in mass attacks. They were particularly effective against cavalry and were hurled into the air, after lighting, or skimmed along the hard dry ground. Hyder Ali's son, Tippu Sultan, continued to develop and expand the use of rocket weapons, reportedly increasing the number of rocket troops from 1,200 to a corps of 5,000. In battles at Seringapatam in 1792 and 1799 these rockets were used with considerable effect against the British." Tippu Sultan wrote a military manual on his rocket artillery, the Fathul Mujahidin.

An essay in imperial villain-making William Dalrymple By the end of the 90s, the hardliners calling for regime change in the east found that they had a powerful ally in government. This new president was not prepared to wait to be attacked: he was a new sort of conservative, aggressive in foreign policy, bitterly anti-French, and intent on turning his country into the unrivalled global power. It was best, he believed, simply to remove any hostile Muslim regime that presumed to resist the west. There was no doubt who would be the first to be targeted: a Muslim dictator whose family had usurped power in a military coup. According to British sources, this chief of state was an "intolerant bigot", a "furious fanatic" with a "rooted and inveterate hatred of Europeans", who had "perpetually on his tongue the projects of jihad". He was also deemed to be "oppressive and unjust ... [a] sanguinary tyrant, [and a] perfidious negotiator". It was, in short, time to take out Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The president of the board of control, Henry Dundas, the minister who oversaw the East India Company, had just the man for the job. Richard Wellesley was sent out to India in 1798 as governor general with specific instructions to effect regime change in Mysore and replace Tipu with a western-backed puppet. First, however, Wellesley and Dundas had to justify to the British public a policy whose outcome had long been decided in private. Wellesley therefore began a campaign of vilification against Tipu, portraying him as an aggressive Muslim monster who divided his time between oppressing his subjects and planning to drive the British into the sea. This essay in imperial villain-making opened the way for a lucrative conquest and the installation of a more pliable regime that would, in the words of Wellesley, allow the British to give the impression they were handing the country back to its rightful owners while in reality maintaining firm control. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a politician in search of a war is not over-scrupulous with matters of fact. Until recently, the British propaganda offensive against Tipu has determined the way that we - and many Indians - remember him. But, as with more recent dossiers produced to justify pre-emptive military action against mineral-rich Muslim states, the evidence reveals far more about the desires of the attacker than it does about the reality of the attacked. Recent work by scholars has succeeded in reconstructing a very different Tipu to the one-dimensional fanatic invented by Wellesley. Tipu, it is now clear, was one of the most innovative and far-sighted rulers of the pre-colonial period. He tried to warn other Indian rulers of the dangers of an increasingly arrogant and aggressive west. "Know you not the custom of the English?" he wrote in vain to the nizam of Hyderabad in 1796. "Wherever they fix their talons they contrive little by little to work themselves into the whole management of affairs." What really worried the British was less that Tipu was a Muslim fanatic, something strange and alien, but that he was frighteningly familiar: a modernising technocrat who used the weapons of the west against their inventors. Indeed, in many ways, he beat them at their own game: the Mysore sepoy's flintlocks - as the examples for sale in an auction of Tipu memorabilia at Sotheby's tomorrow demonstrate - were based on the latest French designs, and were much superior to the company's old matchlocks. Tipu also tried to import industrial technology through French engineers, and experimented with harnessing water-power to drive his machinery. He sent envoys to southern China to bring back silkworm eggs and established sericulture in Mysore - an innovation that still enriches the region today. More remarkably, he created what amounted to a state trading company with its own ships and factories dotted across the Gulf. British propaganda might portray Tipu as a savage barbarian, but he was something of a connoisseur, with a library of about 2,000 volumes in several languages. Moreover, contrary to the propaganda of the British, Tipu - far from being some sort of fundamentalist - continued the Indo-Islamic tradition of syncretism. He certainly destroyed temples in Hindu states that he conquered in war, but temples lying within his domains were viewed as protected state property and generously supported with lands and gifts of money and even padshah lingams - a unique case of a Muslim sultan facilitating the Shaivite phallus veneration. When the great Sringeri temple was destroyed by a Maratha raiding party, Tipu sent funds for its rebuilding. "People who have sinned against such a holy place," wrote a solicitous Tipu, "are sure soon to suffer the consequences of their misdeeds." Tipu knew what he was risking when he took on the British, but he said, "I would rather live a day as a tiger than a lifetime as a sheep." As the objects in tomorrow's sale show, the culture of innovation Tipu fostered in Mysore stands record to a man very different from that imagined by the Islamophobic propaganda of the British - and the startling inaccuracy of Wellesley's "dodgy dossier" of 1799. The fanatical bigot and savage was in fact an intellectual. The whole episode is a sobering reminder of the degree to which old-style imperialism has made a comeback under Bush and Blair. There is nothing new about the neocons. Not only are westerners again playing their old game of installing puppet regimes, propped up by western garrisons, for their own political and economic ends but, more alarmingly, the intellectual attitudes that buttressed and sustained such imperial adventures remain intact. Despite over 25 years of assault by Edward Said and his followers, old-style Orientalism is alive and kicking, its prejudices intact, with columnists such as Mark Steyn and Andrew Sullivan in the role of the new Mills and Macaulays. Through their pens - blissfully unencumbered by any knowledge of the Muslim world - the old colonial idea of the Islamic ruler as the decadent, destructive, degenerate Oriental despot lives on and, as before, it is effortlessly projected on a credulous public by western warmongers in order to justify their own imperial projects. Dundas and Wellesley were certainly more intelligent and articulate than Bush or Rumsfeld, but they were no less cynical in their aims, nor less ruthless in the means they employed to effect them. William Dalrymple is the author of White Mughals theguardian

Fatah Tipu Ali Sultan (RA) was born on a Saturday 20th Dhul Hijjah 1163 A.H. (10th November 1750) in a village 33 km north of Bangalore. His father was Haydar Ali and his mother, Fatima Begum, (better known as ‘Fakhrun Nisaa’) was from the Quraysh. Between the age of five and nineteen, he memorised the Qur'aan and mastered the sciences of Deen as well as military training. He displayed great valour as a soldier and became known as Fatah Ali Khan Bahaadur. When the enemy launched an attack in the year 1767 A.D., Tipu Sultan (RA) faced them with an army of seven thousand and captured the impregnable fortress of Mangalore. The sacrifices of Haydar Ali Khan and Tipu Sultan (RA) can never be forgotten in the fight for freedom in which Tipu Sultan (RA) eventually gave his blood and was martyred on the 4th of May 1799 A.D. Tipu Sultan (RA) was a true patriot to his land and a king who treated all subjects equally. Together with ensuring that the Muslims obeyed the laws of the Shari'ah, he allowed people of other faiths to practice freely. He was a pious and modest man who was particular about fasting and Salaah, especially the Tahajjud Salaah. He was an authority in Deeni knowledge and he himself wrote many books. He established a university called Jaami’ul Umoor which taught both Deeni and secular sciences. He also instructed scholars to establish Madrasahs in the Masaajid to teach children. When opening the Jaami Masjid in Mysore, he announced in the crowd of eminent scholars, “Only that person should open the Masjid who has never missed a single Fardh Salaah.” When no one stepped forward, Tipu Sultan (RA) himself went forward to lead the Salaah, saying, “By the grace of Allaah, I have never once missed a Fardh Salaah.” It is tragic that the sterling attributes of a just and pious king such as Tipu Sultan (RA) are concealed and historians depict him in a negative light. When Tipu Sultan (RA) was about to fight his last battle, his secretary Habibullaah said, “Sir! It is time that you should have mercy on yourself and that your princes should become orphans.” To this Tipu Sultan (RA) replied, “I have already decided that my family and I should be sacrificed for the Deen of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).” When the enemy gained entry into the fortress through the betrayal of Mir Saadiq, Abdul Ghaffaar the faithful general of Tipu Sultan (RA) was martyred. Tipu Sultan (RA) was about to eat a morsel of food when he heard the news. He then said, “Our days are also numbered.” He then jumped into the thick of the battle and fought for a long while. When the fortress fell to the enemy, his deceitful slave Rajah Khan bade him to surrender himself. In anger he replied, “A single day in the life of a lion is better than a thousand days in the life of a jackal.” Despite several bullet wounds, he continued fighting until the evening but eventually fell to a hail of bullets from every direction when a traitor gave his position away to an enemy officer. When he fell, one of the enemy soldiers tried to snatch his jewel-encrusted sword from him. Despite the bullet to his chest, he fought the soldier off and managed to dispatch him to Jahannam. A bullet in his head finally killed him and he drank from the goblet of martyrdom on the 4th of May 1799 A.D. He was given a royal funeral the following day and buried by the side of his father Haydar Ali. Madrasah in Just 5 Minutes Mufti A.H.Elias-May Allaah protect him

Pen Is In The Hands Of Enemy

How the Hanafi Madhhab spread through the Muslim lands (Click on picture to enlarge) Shaykh Abdal Hayy al-Lucknawi (d. 1886 CE) mentioned the following anecdote from the 10th century scholar known as Shaykh Mahmūd b. Sulaymān al-Kafawī (d. 990 AH/1582 CE) as quoted from his Aʿlām al-Akhyār: The knowledge of our eponym, Abū Hanīfa, was transmitted through his disciples to a vast number of countries. In fact, the school’s jurists are dispersed throughout a vast number of cities. For example, our colleagues from among the early Hanafīs (ashābunā al-mutaqaddimūn) were dispersed in Iraq, mashāyikh Balkh, mashāyikh Khurasān, mashāyikh Samarqand, mashāyikh Bukhāra, and other mashāyikh from Isbahān, Shirāz, Tūs, Zinjān, Hamadān, Istarabād, Bastām, Marghinān, Farghānā, Damaghān, and other provinces within the lands beyond the Oxus River (sic) such as Khurasān, Azarbayjān, Khwārazm, Ghazna, Karmān. Also, the school was spread in the lands of the Hind, and different provinces in Arab and non-Arab lands. All of these scholars spread the knowledge of Abū Hanīfa by dictating to students, memorization, and writing in the madhhab. Those Hanafīs were engaging in learning fiqh, ijtihad (legal reasoning), spreading the benefits of their knowledge, and writing. This system of transmitting knowledge remained this way over years and centuries. Then, God destined the coming of Chingis Khan (d. 1227) who chose war and murdered people, destroyed knowledge and countries. His children followed him on the same path. This resulted in the immigration of Hanafī jurists and their families, who survived this injustice, to Damascus, Aleppo, Egypt, and Anatolia. This led to the flourishing of Hanafī knowledge in these provinces. (al-Nāfiʿ al-Kabīr li Man Yutaliʿ al-Jāmiʿ al-Saghīr (Beirut: ʿĀlam al-Kutub, 1986),8. Quoted in We’re Not in Kufa Anymore: The Construction of Late Hanafism in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire, 16th – 19th Centuries CE, p. 25 by Dr. Samy Ayoub) darultahqiq

Serving food to the deceased's family prior to burial Q. My father passed away and his family and friends travelled from across the country to attend his funeral. Before the funeral, there was confusion regarding feeding his family and friends attending the funeral. Some people were saying that we cannot feed family and friends at that time. Kindly advise? A. There is no prohibition in feeding people before the burial of the deceased. In fact, other people are advised to prepare and send food for the deceased family during their time of bereaving the demise of the deceased. Consider the following: It is reported that when Ja’far (Radiallahu Anhu) was killed, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam went to His family and said: “The family of Ja’far are pre-occupied (in mourning) their deceased, so prepare food for them.” (Ibn Majah) Note: This does not mean that a feast should be provided. It is simply a form of consideration for the deceased family to ease their burden during a time of grief and sadness. It should be noted that it is impermissible to utilise funds from the deceased’s estate, without the consent of the surviving heirs, to prepare food as this wealth now belongs to the heirs of the deceased. By doing so, one would be usurping the rights of the heirs. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)