Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Hadith of the day
Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whosoever begins the day feeling family security and good health; and possessing provision for his day is as though he possesed the whole world.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: To have one-day food and to enjoy peace and health is indeed a great blessing. It may be said that one has the same satisfaction which one can have on getting the whole world. And if one lacks peace and health, the treasures of the whole world will be of no use because the heaps of wealth cannot provide peace of mind to one, nor can it make one enjoy sound health. The Hadith also implies an advice to man that instead of running after wealth, he should endeavour to seek patience and contentment which alone can guarantee him peace and satisfaction. Otherwise, he is likely to stake everything on the pursuit of this mirage.
Riyad-us-Saliheen (511)
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whosoever begins the day feeling family security and good health; and possessing provision for his day is as though he possesed the whole world.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: To have one-day food and to enjoy peace and health is indeed a great blessing. It may be said that one has the same satisfaction which one can have on getting the whole world. And if one lacks peace and health, the treasures of the whole world will be of no use because the heaps of wealth cannot provide peace of mind to one, nor can it make one enjoy sound health. The Hadith also implies an advice to man that instead of running after wealth, he should endeavour to seek patience and contentment which alone can guarantee him peace and satisfaction. Otherwise, he is likely to stake everything on the pursuit of this mirage.
Riyad-us-Saliheen (511)
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Hadith of the day
Also on the authority of Omar, who said :
One day while we were sitting with the messenger of Allah there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs,
he said: "O Muhammed, tell me about Islam".
The messenger of Allah said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so."
He said:"You have spoken rightly", and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.
He said: "Then tell me about eman.
"He said:"It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof."
He said:"You have spoken rightly".
He said: " Then tell me about ehsan."
He said: "It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you".
He said: "Then tell me about the Hour".
He said: "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner."
He said: "Then tell me about its signs."
He said: "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsman competing in constructing lofty buildings."
Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time.
Then he said: "O Omar, do you know who the questioner was?"
I said: "Allah and His messenger know best".
He said: "He was Jebreel (Gabriel), who came to you to teach you your religion."
Narrated by Muslim
One day while we were sitting with the messenger of Allah there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs,
he said: "O Muhammed, tell me about Islam".
The messenger of Allah said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so."
He said:"You have spoken rightly", and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.
He said: "Then tell me about eman.
"He said:"It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof."
He said:"You have spoken rightly".
He said: " Then tell me about ehsan."
He said: "It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you".
He said: "Then tell me about the Hour".
He said: "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner."
He said: "Then tell me about its signs."
He said: "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsman competing in constructing lofty buildings."
Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time.
Then he said: "O Omar, do you know who the questioner was?"
I said: "Allah and His messenger know best".
He said: "He was Jebreel (Gabriel), who came to you to teach you your religion."
Narrated by Muslim
Ramadan Kareem to all!
 |
| Qiblatain Mosque near Medina in Saudi Arabia |
In 2007 the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) came to a consensus in the method for determining the beginning of Lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal.
Based on this criteria
1st of Ramadan will be on Monday, August 1, 2011
1st of Shawwal (Eid Al-Fitr) will be on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
May Allah 
keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and prayers.
keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and prayers.For more detailed information, please visit: www.fiqhcouncil.org or www.moonsighting.com.
Ramadan Kareem to all!
Some mosques and communities may observe different criteria for determining the start of the lunar month. Please confirm with your local moon-sighting authorities to determine when to start Ramadan.
The Family in Ramadan
Lessons of Ramadan & Keeping the Family Together
The Quran and the Hadith teach us much about the virtues of the family, which, in today’s world with all that is happening around us, we too easily neglect. After all, who can cope with our fluctuating temperaments as we struggle to cope with certain daily issues that come to test us? Misunderstandings ensue when we get all too caught up with the need to provide, the need to learn, and the desire for better, causing us to fall from the grace of our loved ones. Without realizing it, family members become strangers to each other, slowly growing apart. The home becomes a hotel as we give up putting in effort and time to be together. Ramadan is the one time in the year when night becomes day and day becomes night, unsettling the dust and the cobwebs we have allowed to settle. As we go into a new year, let not the lessons of Ramadan fade too quickly from our hearts.Believe It or Not, Love Can Go a Long Way If We Show It!
In a strong family, the members love each other unconditionally. Feeling loved gives every member confidence and a higher sense of self-esteem, and this makes the family stronger as a unit. Shereen Khalil, clinical psychologist and former counselor at the AUC Student Counseling Center, explains that “Children need food to grow, but they need love to blossom. They need unconditional love. Do not tell your child, ‘If you eat your food I will love you’ or ‘I will not love you if you hit your brother.’ It is not true. You will love your child anyway. Your child needs to know that, so as not to feel threatened and scared of losing your love.”
It is also important to express love regularly. Khalil points out that children don’t automatically know how to express feelings; they learn by watching their parents. “Teach your children by being their example. They need to hear, see, feel, and know your love for them,” says Khalil, adding, “Parents need to express their love for each other in front of their children, too. A tap on the mother’s shoulder [by the father] or a welcome-home kiss can teach children a lot.”
Hoda Fares, 40, mother of Sarah, 21, Leila, 17, and Ahmed, 18 months, makes sure that the members of her family kiss and hug each other when the children come back from school or the parents come back from work. She finds this ritual extremely important because it’s a way of reassuring each other of how they feel. “It’s like saying ‘I love you’ every time we greet each other,” she explains.
Deal With Anger Positively
Ramadan is a good time to exercise self-control, especially while you are fasting. Remember that you are trying to set an example for your children. You are also trying to teach that Ramadan isn’t just about not eating. At times, you or other members of the family will get angry.
Learning how to deal with your anger positively helps avoid unnecessary conflicts where irreparable psychological damage can occur due to physical or verbal abuse. When you are angry, count from one to ten and then speak. Or remove yourself from the situation completely, cool down, and then come back and state how you feel.
Khalil explains, “Yelling at children is rarely effective. Children usually fail to understand when you yell, either out of fear, or simply because angry parents are not usually very skilled in using words. Often they are so angry that they can not choose age-appropriate words. They end up not making sense to the child. If you are angry about your child’s behavior, which will often happen, refrain from reacting. Tell your child that you are angry and cannot talk right now. Take time to calm down, think and then act. In this way you are making sure you are fair and reasonable.” She explains that by doing this, you are also teaching your child how to manage anger.
Spend Quality Time Together
Ramadan is a chance for families to spend more time together because all of the family members, who on normal days arrive home at different hours, will go home at the same time.
All members of the family need to spend time with each other, and even a small amount of time is beneficial when you make it enjoyable and meaningful. “It is not the amount of time you spend with your child that matters, it is the quality of time,” explains Khalil. “Spending no time at all with your child or an hour a month is, of course, not enough either,” she adds.
How do you make the most of your quality time? “Make sure you have fixed times to spend with your child so he or she can count on it. Do things you enjoy together. This varies with the age of your child, of course. Ask your child about his or her day at school and speak about yours,” Khalil advises.
Get Dad Involved
Children need both parents, not just their mothers. A father’s involvement is very important to give him the significance he deserves in his children’s lives. If a father works late and usually arrives home after his children are asleep, he can get involved at other times. For example, he can devote a day on the weekend to spending time with them. One of the best things about Ramadan is that the father comes home from work at a set time every day, which gives him the chance to spend time with his family during and after Iftar.
Keep in Touch With the Extended Family
Children benefit by keeping in touch with their extended family: aunts, uncles, cousins and particularly grandparents, who have so much love to give to their grandchildren. Enjoying that love gives children an even greater sense of self-esteem and security and helps the whole family develop into a stronger unit. One of the best times of the year for the extended family to meet is Ramadan when family members gather over Iftar several times during the month.
It’s never too early to start building a strong and close-knit family. You need to work on becoming close, because it doesn’t happen by chance!
Khalil concludes, “A family grows stronger and closer with acceptance of one another, respect of differences, open and accurate communication, assertive and non-aggressive expression of emotions, love, freedom and space to grow, trust, time and effort invested, and the will to make it work.”
Source: www.islamonline.net
Zakah al-Fitr
1. MEANING
Zakah al-Fitr is often referred to as Sadaqah al-Fitr. The word Fitr means the same as Iftar, breaking a fast and it comes from the same root word as Futoor which means breakfast. Thus, Islamically, Zakah al-Fitr is the name given to charity which is distributed at the end of the fast of Ramadan.
2. CLASSIFICATION
Sadaqah al-Fitr is a duty which is Wajib (compulsory) on every Muslim, whether male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do so.
The proof that this form of charity is compulsory can be found in the Sunnah whereby Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` of dried dates or one Saa` of barely. (Bukhari - Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579)
The head of the household may pay the required amount for the other members. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree said, "On behalf of our young and old, free men and slaves, we used to take out during Allah's Messenger's (p.b.u.h.) lifetime one Saa` of grain, cheese or raisins". (Muslim - English transl. vol. 2, p. 469, no. 2155)
3. SIGNIFICANCE
The significant role played by Zakah in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Sadaqah al-Fitr. However, in the case of Sadaqah al-Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity. Thus, Sadaqah al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not have.
4. PURPOSE
The main purpose of Zakah al-Fitr is to provide those who fasted with the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting. Zakah al-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with which they can celebrate the festival of breaking the fast (Eid al-Fitr) along with the rest of the Muslims.
Ibn Abbas reported, "The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadan) and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before Salah will have it accepted as Zakah, while he who gives it after the Salah has given Sadaqah." (Abu Dawood - Eng. transl. vol. 2, p. 421, no. 1605 - rated Sahih by Shaikh Naser Al-Albani)
Hence, the goal of Sadaqah al-Fitr is the spiritual development of the Believers. By making them give up some of their wealth, the believers are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion (sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the righteousness. But, since Islam does not neglect man's material need, part of the goal of Zakah al-Fitr is the economic well-being of the poorer members of society.
5. CONDITIONS
Zakah al-Fitr is only Wajib (compulsory) for a particular period of time. If one misses the time period without a good reason, he has sinned and can not make it up. This form of charity becomes obligatory from sunset on the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of Salah al-Eid (i.e. shortly after sunrise on the following day). However, it can be paid prior to the above mentioned period, as many of the Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) used to pay Sadaqah al-Fitr a couple days before the Eid.
Naafi reported that the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) companion Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) used to give it to those who would accept it and the people used to give it a day or two before the Eid. (al-Bukhari - Arabic/English, Vol. 2, p.339, no. 579)
Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) ordered that it (Zakah al-Fitr) be given before people go to make the Salah (al-Eid).
And Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said, "Whoever gives it before the Salah, will have it accepted as Zakah, while he who gives it after the Salah (will not, for it will only be considered as) ordinary charity." Therefore, one who forgets to pay this Zakah al-Fitr on time should do so as soon as possible even though it will not be counted as Zakah al-Fitr.
6. RATE
The amount of Zakah is the same for everyone regardless of their different income brackets. The minimum amount is one Saa` (two handfuls ) of food, grain or dried fruit for each member of the family. This calculation is based on Ibn Umar's report that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory and payable by a Saa` of dried dates or a Saa` of barley.
The Sahaabee, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree said, "In the Prophet's time, we used to give it (Zakah al-Fitr) as a Saa` of food, dried dates, barley, raisins or dried cheese." (al-Bukhari - Arabic/English vol. 2, p. 340, no. 582)
By: Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Source: islaam.com
Zakah al-Fitr is often referred to as Sadaqah al-Fitr. The word Fitr means the same as Iftar, breaking a fast and it comes from the same root word as Futoor which means breakfast. Thus, Islamically, Zakah al-Fitr is the name given to charity which is distributed at the end of the fast of Ramadan.
2. CLASSIFICATION
Sadaqah al-Fitr is a duty which is Wajib (compulsory) on every Muslim, whether male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do so.
The proof that this form of charity is compulsory can be found in the Sunnah whereby Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` of dried dates or one Saa` of barely. (Bukhari - Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579)
The head of the household may pay the required amount for the other members. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree said, "On behalf of our young and old, free men and slaves, we used to take out during Allah's Messenger's (p.b.u.h.) lifetime one Saa` of grain, cheese or raisins". (Muslim - English transl. vol. 2, p. 469, no. 2155)
3. SIGNIFICANCE
The significant role played by Zakah in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Sadaqah al-Fitr. However, in the case of Sadaqah al-Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity. Thus, Sadaqah al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not have.
4. PURPOSE
The main purpose of Zakah al-Fitr is to provide those who fasted with the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting. Zakah al-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with which they can celebrate the festival of breaking the fast (Eid al-Fitr) along with the rest of the Muslims.
Ibn Abbas reported, "The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadan) and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before Salah will have it accepted as Zakah, while he who gives it after the Salah has given Sadaqah." (Abu Dawood - Eng. transl. vol. 2, p. 421, no. 1605 - rated Sahih by Shaikh Naser Al-Albani)
Hence, the goal of Sadaqah al-Fitr is the spiritual development of the Believers. By making them give up some of their wealth, the believers are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion (sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the righteousness. But, since Islam does not neglect man's material need, part of the goal of Zakah al-Fitr is the economic well-being of the poorer members of society.
5. CONDITIONS
Zakah al-Fitr is only Wajib (compulsory) for a particular period of time. If one misses the time period without a good reason, he has sinned and can not make it up. This form of charity becomes obligatory from sunset on the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of Salah al-Eid (i.e. shortly after sunrise on the following day). However, it can be paid prior to the above mentioned period, as many of the Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) used to pay Sadaqah al-Fitr a couple days before the Eid.
Naafi reported that the Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) companion Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) used to give it to those who would accept it and the people used to give it a day or two before the Eid. (al-Bukhari - Arabic/English, Vol. 2, p.339, no. 579)
Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) ordered that it (Zakah al-Fitr) be given before people go to make the Salah (al-Eid).
And Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said, "Whoever gives it before the Salah, will have it accepted as Zakah, while he who gives it after the Salah (will not, for it will only be considered as) ordinary charity." Therefore, one who forgets to pay this Zakah al-Fitr on time should do so as soon as possible even though it will not be counted as Zakah al-Fitr.
6. RATE
The amount of Zakah is the same for everyone regardless of their different income brackets. The minimum amount is one Saa` (two handfuls ) of food, grain or dried fruit for each member of the family. This calculation is based on Ibn Umar's report that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made Zakah al-Fitr compulsory and payable by a Saa` of dried dates or a Saa` of barley.
The Sahaabee, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree said, "In the Prophet's time, we used to give it (Zakah al-Fitr) as a Saa` of food, dried dates, barley, raisins or dried cheese." (al-Bukhari - Arabic/English vol. 2, p. 340, no. 582)
By: Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Source: islaam.com
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Train Kids This Ramadan
Seven Strategies to Train Kids this Ramadan
The Prophet Muhammad "No father has given a greater gift to his children than good moral training." (Tirmidhi), peace and blessings of God be upon the Prophet.
The many aspects of Ramadan--fasting, prayers, moral values, charity, Quran, family, Eid-- provide a valuable opportunity to train kids. Whether they are your own kids or kids you teach, education or training isn't an automatic or easy process. Children don't bring empty minds and fill them with what we say. Training requires effort, energy and a few techniques to take off.
Here are some training tips and techniques to transform your children's minds and memories this Ramadan:
Let them get their Hands Dirty
"The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action."
Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer
Children learn by "doing". On average, students retain 75 percent of a lesson when they learn through hands-on activities compared to five percent through a lecture or 10 percent through reading (Brunmer, Jerome, "The Process of Learning").
If, for example, you want to teach your kids the concept of Zakat, get them to help you calculate your Zakat, decide where to send the money, and mail the envelopes. Action and implementation can occur while children learn, not necessarily after!
The Prophet used to take his daughter Fatima with him when he went for prayer at the Kabah in Makkah. Later, in Madinah, he would bring his grandchildren, Hassan and Husain, to the Masjid as toddlers before they knew how to pray.
A concept becomes real and important to children when they experience it rather than simply read about it. They'll remember how to do it years later when you may catch them telling their friends, "I've been calculating Zakat since I was a kid!"
Involve their Emotions
When children get emotionally involved in an activity, they rarely want to leave it. Video games and TV shows target children's emotions. As parents and educators, we can use the same technique for training.
Stories, songs, skits, crafts and games grab children's emotions. Once a child is interested and excited, she is more likely to stay attentive till the end and get the message you want to give. Just as we remember events in our lives that were emotionally significant, children remember concepts learned through activities that were "fun", "funny", "exciting" or "different".
Don't be afraid to stir some fun into your training—you don't have to lose any content. Write a song about Eid, create a Hadith treasure box, organize a Ramadan trivia night, or read a story about Ramadan in Madinah. If they enjoy it, the kids will come back for more!
Reveal the Purpose
We often hear students complain, "Why do we have to do this?" or "This math exercise is pointless". Unfortunately, we often hear responses like, "Because I'm telling you to," "Because you have to", or worse, "You'll get a new CD player if you finish the book".
Like us, if children don't see the purpose or importance of an action, they won't have the motivation to complete it. To avoid getting similar comments from your kids about prayer or fasting, make sure they understand the purpose. Before you begin any lesson, whether it's a story about the Companions of the Prophet or an Eid craft, explain exactly why you are the doing the activity and what benefits the children will gain from it.
Remind your children that they are doing acts of worship to please Allah, not you. Explain why we need to please Allah and how every action, including washing dishes or math homework, will help us achieve that goal. If children are praying only to please you, when you leave, their motivation and prayers will disappear.
If children are motivated to fast Ramadan or complete the Quran for a material incentive (like a CD player), they may never develop a love of Allah or an intrinsic desire to perform the action. They may, instead, learn to value material rewards and when the rewards disappear, the actions may disappear with them.
Help your children understand that, for Muslims, rewards don't necessarily come in this life. They may have to wait for the bigger and better rewards of the hereafter.
Highlight the Big Ideas
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school." Albert Einstein
Ask yourself how many equations or formulas you remember from your Grade 12 Math textbook. It may be five or two or none. Let's be honest - most of us retained very little of the details we learned.
Children will not retain all the Fiqh rulings of Zakat or Wudu or Salah and they won't need to! Make sure the little that they retain is exactly what you want them to remember. Focus on the big ideas, such as the awareness that Allah is watching us, that we get our rulings from the Quran and the Sunnah, that prayer is a means of self-purification, etc. Repeat these ideas every day in different ways. While your children instil these principles in their minds, show them how to learn the rest on their own, when they need it.
Help your kids learn "how to learn". Teach them where to find the Fiqh information they need or how to do research on a topic and who to ask for information. They will be better prepared if they master the basics and know how to get the specifics. Memorizing every ruling will be a waste of their time and yours.
Let them Lead!
Children often take responsibilities more seriously than adults. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed young adults like Ali, Anas and Usamah Ibn Zaid, young adults, for important assignments that sometimes required them to lead even older and more experienced Companions.
Give children leadership over important tasks and step out of the picture. Assign one child to wake up all his siblings for Suhoor. Let someone else be in charge of updating the Iftar time every evening. Allow the children to plan, budget and buy Eid gifts for all the relatives. Let them choose which task they want to "be in charge of".
Allow children to make mistakes and realize on their own what they should have done. Experience often trains better than instruction. Once a child goes out into the cold without a jacket, he'll remember, before you can remind him, to put on his jacket next time.
Train kids to be responsible for their own learning. If a child asks, "Does brushing teeth break my fast?" a simple "yes" or "no" may give her the answer, but won't provide any long-term training. Ask her instead, "Where can you look to find that answer? Let's do some research."
Begin the month of Ramadan by asking your children to do a research project on what breaks the fast and what does not. If they find the information themselves, they are likely to remember it and know exactly where to get it again next year.
"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change."
Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers
Get Excited!
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
W. B. Yeats
W. B. Yeats
Kids catch on to your enthusiasm. Show some excitement and passion about the topic you're teaching. Show your kids that you "can't wait" for Ramadan to begin. Be cheerful at prayer times. Decorate the house in anticipation of Eid.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught by example. His character and actions motivated people to love and emulate him. Be the example you want your kids to be. Make a genuine effort to love the activities you want your kids to love.
Combine Love with Learning
Abu Huraira reported that al-Aqra' b. Habis saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, kissing Hasan (his grandson). He said: I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them, whereupon Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: He who does not show mercy, no mercy would be shown to him. (Muslim)
Show children that you love them, regardless of how they perform. Allow each child to progress at his own pace. Saying, "look at your cousin Aminah—she's already finished the fifteenth juz", will only lower your child's self-esteem and discourage what she's already accomplishing.
Excessive competition and comparison can often result in helplessness and lack of motivation for children who learn in different ways or at a slower pace. Allow children to judge their own progress and compare themselves to their former level rather than that of others.
Make this Ramadan the beginning of a memorable and long-lasting training experience for you and your children!
By: Shehnaz Toorawa
Source: soundvision.com
Fasting Soothes the Stomach
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers as it curbs smoking which is recognized as a precipitating factor for the peptic ulcer. The whole gastro-intestinal system takes good rest for the first time in the whole year.
I feel pity for the stomach. I really feel pity for the stomach, intestines and in fact the whole gastro-intestinal system. And this is so because the whole year, we never let this system take rest.
Apart from the three main meals, every few minutes, we pour something in our stomach, be it snacks, drinks, fruits or other eatables. None of us ever thinks that the food which we had already sent in before is being digested by the stomach and right when it has reached halfway, we dump some more into it only to disrupt the digestive work previously completed. This of course makes the food stay a longer time in the stomach which may result in dyspepsia, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome etc.
In contrast, Ramadan is the only period in which our gastro-intestinal system takes good rest as the Muslims observe fasting for the whole month. Digestion is not just the name of churning movements of the stomach and the absorption by the intestines, but it is a huge integrated system involving the nervous system (example. vagus nerve) as well as hormone secreting glands.
So the whole gastro-intestinal system takes good rest for the first time in the whole year. As digestion begins in the mouth where the salivary glands secrete excessive saliva which carries hormones to act upon the food, the burden on the salivary glands and teeth is reduced in the month of Ramadan. The esophagus takes rest during fasting as there is no food to require its propelling movements which push the food to the stomach. Similarly, the stomach and the intestines also take good rest as after completing the digestion and absorption of food consumed at Sehri time, they have nothing to do till Iftar time. Even glands like pancreas and gall bladder which secrete hormones also reduce their secretions as there is no food to demand their hormones. Hence, there is substantial reduction in the gastrointestinal hormones like gastric juice, gastrain, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), motilin, vascoactive intestinal peptide (VIP),neurotension, enteroglucagon, neuropeptide Y, gallium etc. Lastly, the colon and the liver are also at ease during fasting. In short, Ramadan lifts the heavy burden and strain which we have put on our gastrointestinal system and gives it what can said to be a refreshing annual vacation of 30 days. Now coming to the diagnostic possibilities of Ramadan fasting, a good number of patients who consult physicians with abdominal pain, suffer from peptic ulcers. The peptic ulcer can be gastric or the duodenal type. The occurrence of abdominal pain in both gastric and duodenal ulcers is different in relation to the food intake. Duodenal ulcer pain, though variable usually occurs when the stomach is empty and the gastric ulcer creates pain after the food intake.
In normal days, the differentiation of the two entities is difficult to make as people eat frequently, but in Ramadan, an individual undergoes two stages. One during the fasting when his stomach is empty and the other after evening meal when the stomach is full. If the patient complains of abdominal pain while fasting, it will point to the possibility of duodenal ulcer and if the pain occurs after Iftar, then gastric ulcer will be the suspected diagnosis. The peptic ulcer pain is variable and it may not occur in some patients. Similarly, in most of the duodenal ulcer cases, as soon as mild pain starts, the patient eats something due to which the pain disappears and the disease remains undiagnosed. This undiagnosed ulcer may later surface with perforation of the ulcer and haematemesis (vomiting of blood) which has a high mortality. In Ramadan, while fasting, the duodenal ulcer pain is more likely to surface and as there is no provision to relieve the pain with food, the patient may be forced to consult a physician who with the help of endoscopy can easily clinch the diagnosis. While examining the abdomen of a patient who is already fasting, a physician can easily palpate the tenderness as well as feel the edema around the peptic ulcer region.
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers as it curbs smoking which is recognized as a precipitating factor for the peptic ulcer. It also has beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia and gastritis.
Last, but not the least, imagine a person who has fasted for more or less 14-15 hours and is now ready to break his fast. His taste buds have taken good rest, so at Iftar, the food is going to taste more pleasant and enjoyable than ever before. This is yet another bounty of Ramadan. Allah's Messenger Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) says: "There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord, then he will be pleased because of his fasting."
By: Dr Muhammad Karim Islamabadi
Source: www.islamicvoice.com
I feel pity for the stomach. I really feel pity for the stomach, intestines and in fact the whole gastro-intestinal system. And this is so because the whole year, we never let this system take rest.
Apart from the three main meals, every few minutes, we pour something in our stomach, be it snacks, drinks, fruits or other eatables. None of us ever thinks that the food which we had already sent in before is being digested by the stomach and right when it has reached halfway, we dump some more into it only to disrupt the digestive work previously completed. This of course makes the food stay a longer time in the stomach which may result in dyspepsia, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome etc.
In contrast, Ramadan is the only period in which our gastro-intestinal system takes good rest as the Muslims observe fasting for the whole month. Digestion is not just the name of churning movements of the stomach and the absorption by the intestines, but it is a huge integrated system involving the nervous system (example. vagus nerve) as well as hormone secreting glands.
So the whole gastro-intestinal system takes good rest for the first time in the whole year. As digestion begins in the mouth where the salivary glands secrete excessive saliva which carries hormones to act upon the food, the burden on the salivary glands and teeth is reduced in the month of Ramadan. The esophagus takes rest during fasting as there is no food to require its propelling movements which push the food to the stomach. Similarly, the stomach and the intestines also take good rest as after completing the digestion and absorption of food consumed at Sehri time, they have nothing to do till Iftar time. Even glands like pancreas and gall bladder which secrete hormones also reduce their secretions as there is no food to demand their hormones. Hence, there is substantial reduction in the gastrointestinal hormones like gastric juice, gastrain, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), motilin, vascoactive intestinal peptide (VIP),neurotension, enteroglucagon, neuropeptide Y, gallium etc. Lastly, the colon and the liver are also at ease during fasting. In short, Ramadan lifts the heavy burden and strain which we have put on our gastrointestinal system and gives it what can said to be a refreshing annual vacation of 30 days. Now coming to the diagnostic possibilities of Ramadan fasting, a good number of patients who consult physicians with abdominal pain, suffer from peptic ulcers. The peptic ulcer can be gastric or the duodenal type. The occurrence of abdominal pain in both gastric and duodenal ulcers is different in relation to the food intake. Duodenal ulcer pain, though variable usually occurs when the stomach is empty and the gastric ulcer creates pain after the food intake.
In normal days, the differentiation of the two entities is difficult to make as people eat frequently, but in Ramadan, an individual undergoes two stages. One during the fasting when his stomach is empty and the other after evening meal when the stomach is full. If the patient complains of abdominal pain while fasting, it will point to the possibility of duodenal ulcer and if the pain occurs after Iftar, then gastric ulcer will be the suspected diagnosis. The peptic ulcer pain is variable and it may not occur in some patients. Similarly, in most of the duodenal ulcer cases, as soon as mild pain starts, the patient eats something due to which the pain disappears and the disease remains undiagnosed. This undiagnosed ulcer may later surface with perforation of the ulcer and haematemesis (vomiting of blood) which has a high mortality. In Ramadan, while fasting, the duodenal ulcer pain is more likely to surface and as there is no provision to relieve the pain with food, the patient may be forced to consult a physician who with the help of endoscopy can easily clinch the diagnosis. While examining the abdomen of a patient who is already fasting, a physician can easily palpate the tenderness as well as feel the edema around the peptic ulcer region.
Ramadan fasting has a healing effect on peptic ulcers as it curbs smoking which is recognized as a precipitating factor for the peptic ulcer. It also has beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia and gastritis.
Last, but not the least, imagine a person who has fasted for more or less 14-15 hours and is now ready to break his fast. His taste buds have taken good rest, so at Iftar, the food is going to taste more pleasant and enjoyable than ever before. This is yet another bounty of Ramadan. Allah's Messenger Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) says: "There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord, then he will be pleased because of his fasting."
By: Dr Muhammad Karim Islamabadi
Source: www.islamicvoice.com
Doors of Paradise Open, Doors of Hell Closed
Arfajah said "We were with `Utbah Ibn Farqad while he was discussing Ramadan. A companion of the Prophet entered upon the scene. When `Utbah saw him, he became shy and stopped talking. The man (the companion) spoke about Ramadan, saying "I heard the Messenger of Allah say during Ramadan: 'The gates of Hell are closed, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the devils are in chains. An angel calls out : 'O you who intend to do good deeds, have glad tidings. O you who intend to do evil, refrain, until Ramadan is completed.''" (Ahmad and an-Nasa'i)
Fasting in Ramadan; a shield from Hell
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Jibreel (Gabriel) to Paradise, saying: 'Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants.' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he returned to Him and said: 'By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it.' So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: 'Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.'' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship. Then he returned to Him and said: 'By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it.' He said: 'Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants,' and he found that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: 'By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it.' So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts (or desires). Then He said: 'Return to it.' And he returned to it and said: 'By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.''' (at-Tirmithi and al-Hakim among others).
Therefore, when you know, O Dear Brother/Sister, that fasting subdues the desires and reduces their severity, and that it is these desires and lusts that lead to Hell Fire, then you will see how fasting comes between a fasting person and Hell Fire and you will rush to fast in Ramadan and after Ramadan in the best possible way.
The Holy Quran rather talks about the reward of fasting and there are verses which general meaning infers that those who obey Allah will be saved from Hell, and fasting is a form of obeying Allah. We will leave the verses that talk about the reward to the section related to Paradise. However, the Ahadith of our beloved Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) are clear in this regard:
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, said: "No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the Hell Fire seventy years further away from his face." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire" (Ahmad, Sahih)
`Uthman Ibn Abil-`Aas relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah places between him and the Fire a trench like that between heavens and the earth". (at-Tirmithi and at-Tabarani, Sahih)
Abu Huraira narrated that Allah's Messenger (p.b.u.h.) said : "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." (Bukhari)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "When it is the first night of Ramadan the evil devils are chained. The gates of Fire are locked- not a single gate is opened, and the gates of Paradise are opened- not a single gate is locked, and a caller calls out: 'O seeker of good come forward, and O seeker of evil withhold, and there are many whom Allah frees from the Fire - and that is every night. (at-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzaimah: Hasan)
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) climbed upon the mimbar (pulpit) and said: "Aameen (O Allah grant it), aameen, aameen". So it was said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you climbed upon the mimbar and said: 'aameen, aameen, aameen'? So he said: 'Jibraa'eel, `alaihi assalam, came to me and said, 'Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and does not have (his sins) forgiven and so enters Fire, then may Allah distance him, say aameen'. So I said 'aameen''". (Ibn Khuzaimah, Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi: Sahih)
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "In every day and every night, during the month of Ramadan, there are people to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and will be granted". (al-Bazzaar, Ahmad and Ibn Majah: Sahih)
In the famous Hadith of Mu`ath, I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and keep me away from Hell-Fire. He said: 'You have asked me about a major matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. You should fast in Ramadan.' Then he (the Prophet) said: 'Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield.'" (at-Tirmithi)
We pray to Allah to make for us this Ramadan a shield from Hell Fire.
Source: www.ramadan.ws
Fasting in Ramadan; a shield from Hell
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Jibreel (Gabriel) to Paradise, saying: 'Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants.' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he returned to Him and said: 'By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it.' So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: 'Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.'' The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: 'So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship. Then he returned to Him and said: 'By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it.' He said: 'Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants,' and he found that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: 'By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it.' So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts (or desires). Then He said: 'Return to it.' And he returned to it and said: 'By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.''' (at-Tirmithi and al-Hakim among others).
Therefore, when you know, O Dear Brother/Sister, that fasting subdues the desires and reduces their severity, and that it is these desires and lusts that lead to Hell Fire, then you will see how fasting comes between a fasting person and Hell Fire and you will rush to fast in Ramadan and after Ramadan in the best possible way.
The Holy Quran rather talks about the reward of fasting and there are verses which general meaning infers that those who obey Allah will be saved from Hell, and fasting is a form of obeying Allah. We will leave the verses that talk about the reward to the section related to Paradise. However, the Ahadith of our beloved Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) are clear in this regard:
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah, said: "No servant fasts on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the Hell Fire seventy years further away from his face." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire" (Ahmad, Sahih)
`Uthman Ibn Abil-`Aas relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah places between him and the Fire a trench like that between heavens and the earth". (at-Tirmithi and at-Tabarani, Sahih)
Abu Huraira narrated that Allah's Messenger (p.b.u.h.) said : "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." (Bukhari)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said : "When it is the first night of Ramadan the evil devils are chained. The gates of Fire are locked- not a single gate is opened, and the gates of Paradise are opened- not a single gate is locked, and a caller calls out: 'O seeker of good come forward, and O seeker of evil withhold, and there are many whom Allah frees from the Fire - and that is every night. (at-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzaimah: Hasan)
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) climbed upon the mimbar (pulpit) and said: "Aameen (O Allah grant it), aameen, aameen". So it was said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you climbed upon the mimbar and said: 'aameen, aameen, aameen'? So he said: 'Jibraa'eel, `alaihi assalam, came to me and said, 'Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and does not have (his sins) forgiven and so enters Fire, then may Allah distance him, say aameen'. So I said 'aameen''". (Ibn Khuzaimah, Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi: Sahih)
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "In every day and every night, during the month of Ramadan, there are people to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and will be granted". (al-Bazzaar, Ahmad and Ibn Majah: Sahih)
In the famous Hadith of Mu`ath, I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and keep me away from Hell-Fire. He said: 'You have asked me about a major matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. You should fast in Ramadan.' Then he (the Prophet) said: 'Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield.'" (at-Tirmithi)
We pray to Allah to make for us this Ramadan a shield from Hell Fire.
Source: www.ramadan.ws
The Hadith of the day
"Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration was for Allah and His messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated."
related by Bukhari and Muslim
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Major Sins
The major sins are those acts which have been forbidden by Allah in the Quran and by His Messenger (p.b.u.h.) in the Sunnah (practice of the Prophet), and which have been made clear by the actions of of the first righteous generation of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).
Allah Most High says in His Glorious Book:
"If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry." (al-Nisa 4:31)
Thus, by this verse, Allah Most High has guaranteed the Garden of Paradise to those who avoid the major sins. And Allah Most High also says:
"Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, and forgive when they are angry." (al-Shura 42:37) "Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness." (Al-Najm 53:32)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "The five (daily) prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided." It is therefore very important to determine exactly what the greatest vices, technically called "the major sins" (Kaba'ir), are, in order that Muslims should avoid them.
There is some difference of opinion among scholars in this regard. Some say these major sins are seven, and in support of their position they quote the tradition: "Avoid the seven noxious things"- and after having said this, the prophet (p.b.u.h.) mentioned them: "Associating anything with Allah, magic, killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: "Seventy is closer to their number than seven." and indeed that is correct. The above tradition does not limit the major sins to those mentioned in it. Rather, it points to the type of sins which fall into the category of "major." These include those crimes which call for a prescribed punishment (HADD; plural, HUDUD), such as theft, fornication or adultery (ZINA), and murder; those prohibited acts for which a warning of a severe punishment in the next world is given in the Quran or the tradition; and also those deeds which are cursed by our Prophet (p.b.u.h.). These are all major sins.
Of course, there is a gradation among them, since some are more serious than others. We see that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has included SHIRK (associating someone or something with Allah) among them, and from the text of the Quran we know that a person who commits SHIRK will not his sin be forgiven and will remain in Hell forever.
Allah Most High says:
"Surely, Allah does not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills." (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116)
1. Associating anything with Allah.
2. Murder.
3. Practicing magic.
4. Not praying.
5. Not paying Zakat.
6. Not fasting on a day of Ramadan without excuse.
7. Not performing Hajj while being able to do so.
8. Disrespect to parents.
9. Abandoning relatives.
10. Fornication and adultery.
11. Homosexuality (sodomy).
12. Interest (Riba).
13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan.
14. Lying about Allah and His Messenger.
15. Running away from the battlefield.
16. A leader's deceiving his people and being unjust to them.
17. Pride and arrogance.
18. Bearing false witness.
19. Drinking Khamr (wine).
20. Gambling.
21. Slandering chaste women.
22. Stealing from the spoils of war.
23. Stealing.
24. Highway robbery.
25. Taking false oath.
26. Oppression.
27. Illegal gain.
28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully.
29. Committing suicide.
30. Frequent lying.
31. Judging unjustly.
32. Giving and accepting bribes.
33. Woman's imitating man and man's imitating woman.
34. Being cuckold.
35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband.
36. Not protecting oneself from urine.
37. Showing-off.
38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world and concealing that knowledge.
39. Betrayal of trust.
40. Recounting favors.
41. Denying Allah's Decree.
42. Listening (to) people's private conversations.
43. Carrying tales.
44. Cursing.
45. Breaking contracts.
46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers.
47. A woman's bad conduct towards her husband.
48. Making statues and pictures.
49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort when an affliction befalls.
50. Treating others unjustly.
51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals.
52. Offending one's neighbors.
53. Offending and abusing Muslims.
54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude towards them.
55. Trailing one's garment in pride.
56. Men's wearing silk and gold.
57. A slave's running away from his master.
58. Slaughtering an animal which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allah.
59. To knowingly ascribe one's paternity to a father other than one's own.
60. Arguing and disputing violently.
61. Withholding excess water.
62. Giving short weight or measure.
63. Feeling secure from Allah's Plan.
64. Offending Allah's righteous friends.
65. Not praying in congregation but praying alone without an excuse.
66. Persistently missing Friday prayers without any excuse.
67. Usurping the rights of the heir through bequests.
68. Deceiving and plotting evil.
69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims.
70. Cursing or insulting any of the Companions of Allah's Messenger.
By: Muhammad Bin Uthman Adh-Dhahabi
Source: jannah.org
Allah Most High says in His Glorious Book:
"If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry." (al-Nisa 4:31)
Thus, by this verse, Allah Most High has guaranteed the Garden of Paradise to those who avoid the major sins. And Allah Most High also says:
"Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, and forgive when they are angry." (al-Shura 42:37) "Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness." (Al-Najm 53:32)
The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: "The five (daily) prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided." It is therefore very important to determine exactly what the greatest vices, technically called "the major sins" (Kaba'ir), are, in order that Muslims should avoid them.
There is some difference of opinion among scholars in this regard. Some say these major sins are seven, and in support of their position they quote the tradition: "Avoid the seven noxious things"- and after having said this, the prophet (p.b.u.h.) mentioned them: "Associating anything with Allah, magic, killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: "Seventy is closer to their number than seven." and indeed that is correct. The above tradition does not limit the major sins to those mentioned in it. Rather, it points to the type of sins which fall into the category of "major." These include those crimes which call for a prescribed punishment (HADD; plural, HUDUD), such as theft, fornication or adultery (ZINA), and murder; those prohibited acts for which a warning of a severe punishment in the next world is given in the Quran or the tradition; and also those deeds which are cursed by our Prophet (p.b.u.h.). These are all major sins.
Of course, there is a gradation among them, since some are more serious than others. We see that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has included SHIRK (associating someone or something with Allah) among them, and from the text of the Quran we know that a person who commits SHIRK will not his sin be forgiven and will remain in Hell forever.
Allah Most High says:
"Surely, Allah does not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills." (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116)
1. Associating anything with Allah.
2. Murder.
3. Practicing magic.
4. Not praying.
5. Not paying Zakat.
6. Not fasting on a day of Ramadan without excuse.
7. Not performing Hajj while being able to do so.
8. Disrespect to parents.
9. Abandoning relatives.
10. Fornication and adultery.
11. Homosexuality (sodomy).
12. Interest (Riba).
13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan.
14. Lying about Allah and His Messenger.
15. Running away from the battlefield.
16. A leader's deceiving his people and being unjust to them.
17. Pride and arrogance.
18. Bearing false witness.
19. Drinking Khamr (wine).
20. Gambling.
21. Slandering chaste women.
22. Stealing from the spoils of war.
23. Stealing.
24. Highway robbery.
25. Taking false oath.
26. Oppression.
27. Illegal gain.
28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully.
29. Committing suicide.
30. Frequent lying.
31. Judging unjustly.
32. Giving and accepting bribes.
33. Woman's imitating man and man's imitating woman.
34. Being cuckold.
35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband.
36. Not protecting oneself from urine.
37. Showing-off.
38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world and concealing that knowledge.
39. Betrayal of trust.
40. Recounting favors.
41. Denying Allah's Decree.
42. Listening (to) people's private conversations.
43. Carrying tales.
44. Cursing.
45. Breaking contracts.
46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers.
47. A woman's bad conduct towards her husband.
48. Making statues and pictures.
49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort when an affliction befalls.
50. Treating others unjustly.
51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals.
52. Offending one's neighbors.
53. Offending and abusing Muslims.
54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude towards them.
55. Trailing one's garment in pride.
56. Men's wearing silk and gold.
57. A slave's running away from his master.
58. Slaughtering an animal which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allah.
59. To knowingly ascribe one's paternity to a father other than one's own.
60. Arguing and disputing violently.
61. Withholding excess water.
62. Giving short weight or measure.
63. Feeling secure from Allah's Plan.
64. Offending Allah's righteous friends.
65. Not praying in congregation but praying alone without an excuse.
66. Persistently missing Friday prayers without any excuse.
67. Usurping the rights of the heir through bequests.
68. Deceiving and plotting evil.
69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims.
70. Cursing or insulting any of the Companions of Allah's Messenger.
By: Muhammad Bin Uthman Adh-Dhahabi
Source: jannah.org
Manners At Home
Spreading kindness in the home
Aishah (RA) said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'When Allah (SAW) wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.'" (Reported by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/71; Sahih al-Jami, 303)
According to another report:
"When Allah loves the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them." (Reported by Ibn Abi al-Dunya and others; Sahih al-Jami, 1704)
In other words, they start to be kind to one another. This is one of the means of attaining happiness in the home, for kindness is very beneficial between the spouses, and with the children, and it brings results that cannot be achieved through harshness, as the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:
"Allah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else." (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Birr wa'l-Sillah wa'l-Aadaab, 2592)
Helping one's wife with the housework
Many men think that housework is beneath them, and some of them think that it will undermine their status and position if they help their wives with this work. The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.), however, used to sew his own clothes, mend his own shoes and do whatever other workmen do in their homes. (Reported by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/121; Sahih al-Jami, 4927).
This was said by his wife Aishah (RA), when she was asked about what the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) used to do in his house; her response described what she herself had seen. According to another report, she said:
"He was like any other human being: he would clean his clothes, milk his ewe and serve himself." (Reported by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/256; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 671)
She (RA) was also asked about what the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) used to do in his house, and she said, "He used to serve his family, then when the time for prayer came, he would go out to pray." (Reported by al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 2/162).
If we were to do likewise nowadays, we would achieve three things:
* We would be following the example of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).
* We would be helping our wives.
* We would feel more humble, not arrogant.
Some men demand food instantly from their wives, when the pot is on the stove and the baby is screaming to be fed; they do not pick up the child or wait a little while for the food. Let these Hadith be a reminder and a lesson.
Being affectionate towards and joking with the members of the family
Showing affection towards one's wife and children is one of the things that leads to creating an atmosphere of happiness and friendliness in the home. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) advised Jabir (RA) to marry a virgin, saying:
"Why did you not marry a virgin, so you could play with her and she could play with you, and you could make her laugh and she could make you laugh?" (The Hadith is reported in a number of places in the Saheehayn, such as al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 9/121)
The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also said:
"Everything in which Allah's name is not mentioned is idleness and play, except for four things: a man playing with his wife." (Reported by al-Nasa’I in 'Ushrat al-Nisa', p. 87; Sahih al-Jami)
The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) used to treat his wife Aishah (RA) affectionately when doing ghusl with her, as she (RA) said:
"The Messenger of Allah and I used to do ghusl together from one vessel, and he would pretend to take all the water so that I would say, 'Leave some for me, leave some for me,'" - and both of them were in a state of janaabah (impurity). (Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi, 4/6).
The ways in which the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) showed affection towards young children are so famous, but still need mentioning. He often used to show his affection towards Hasan and Husain, as mentioned above. This is probably one of the reasons why the children used to rejoice when he came back from traveling; they would rush to welcome him, as reported in the Sahih Hadith:
"Whenever he came back from a journey, the children of his household would be taken out to meet him." He (p.b.u.h.) used to hug them close to him, as Abdullah Ibn Jafar (RA) said:
"Whenever the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) came back from a journey, we would be taken out to meet him. One day we met him, Hasan, Husain and I. He carried one of us in front of him, and another on his back, until we entered Madinah." (Sahih Muslim, 4/1885-2772; see the commentary in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 8/56).
Compare this with the situation in some miserable homes where there are no truthful jokes [i.e., jokes that do not involve lying], no affection and no mercy. Whoever thinks that kissing his children goes against the dignity of fatherhood should read the following Hadith:
From Abu Hurayrah (RA) who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) kissed al-Hasan Ibn Ali, and al-Aqra Ibn Haabis while al-Tamimi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra' said: 'I have ten children and I have never kissed any one of them.' The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) looked at him and said: 'The one who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.'"
Source: jannah.org
The Hadith of the day
"What I have forbidden to you, avoid; what I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. It was only their excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their prophets that destroyed those who were before you."
Related bu Bukhari and Muslim
Was Islam Spread By The Sword?
DR. ZAKIR NAIK
Monday, September 25, 2006
IT IS a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force.
The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.
1. Islam means peace. Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam', which means peace. It also means submitting one's will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one's will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).
2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.
3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O'Leary. The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O'Leary in the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8): "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."
4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years. Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.
5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians. Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.
6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India. The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.
7. Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?"
8. East Coast of Africa. Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, "Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?"
9. Thomas Carlyle. The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: "The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man's head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."
10. No compulsion in religion. With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur'an says in the following verse:
"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error" [Al-Qur'an 2:256]
11. Sword of the Intellect. It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur'an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125: "Invite (all) to the way of thy Lordwith wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious." [Al-Qur'an 16:125]
12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984. An article in Reader's Digest ‘Almanac', year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth' magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?
13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe. Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?
14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, "People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born".
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Oh Allaah, Help Me Reach Ramadan
 |
A Poem by
Firdaus Fathima (Umm Hashir)
Firdaus Fathima (Umm Hashir)
Oh Allaah, Help Me Reach Ramadan
Oh Allaah, extend my life so much, that I enter the month approaching me,
So that I can have my share of the blessings therein showered by Thee
For it is only Your will that does to a life bring an end
Or grant it time to live, to regret, to repent and make an amend
Oh Allaah, the month of blessings every year passes by your slaves
And by the end for few more days of it the heart craves
You know Your Creations better than anybody anywhere
Let not the coming Ramadan pass leaving me in despair
Oh Allaah, help me to draw closer to You, to make myself dearer to You,
Distance me from things You wouldn't want on THE DAY nearer to You
Help me to take the Quran, through my eyes into my heart
Help me to shed my sins and make a fresh start
Oh Allaah, give me good health therein, cause me to sleep very little
Be my strength oh Allaah, without You I am a soul very brittle
The night better than a thousand months You jeweled into Ramadan
The night which You had chosen to reveal the glorious Qur'an
Oh Allaah, help me in my efforts to seek that blessed night
Help me make Your Praises control my speech, hearing and sight
Oh Allaah, in Your showers of mercy and blessings I wish to get drenched
Through Your Guidance, Mercy and Grace I want my sins to be quenched
Oh Allaah, I beg You to answer me when in these words I call upon Thee
"Oh Allaah, You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me"!
Oh Allaah if You so wish and I come out of it living,
Make me sinless as a newborn child, Oh All-Forgiving!
Oh Allaah, help me to start life anew, pleasing You always help me survive
To wait and prepare for another Ramadan help me strive!
Oh Allaah, I can never thank you enough for the month of Ramadan
Nor for the gift of light and Guidance, Your word - the Qur'an!
The BOOK which contains all I need in this life Ya Allaah!
And the key to the treasures You have promised in Jannah!
Oh Allaah, help me to take it closer to my heart this Ramadan
And as long as I live, guide me and help me to LIVE Qur'an!
Oh Allaah, extend my life so much, that I enter the month approaching me,
So that I can have my share of the blessings therein showered by Thee
For it is only Your will that does to a life bring an end
Or grant it time to live, to regret, to repent and make an amend
Oh Allaah, the month of blessings every year passes by your slaves
And by the end for few more days of it the heart craves
You know Your Creations better than anybody anywhere
Let not the coming Ramadan pass leaving me in despair
Oh Allaah, help me to draw closer to You, to make myself dearer to You,
Distance me from things You wouldn't want on THE DAY nearer to You
Help me to take the Quran, through my eyes into my heart
Help me to shed my sins and make a fresh start
Oh Allaah, give me good health therein, cause me to sleep very little
Be my strength oh Allaah, without You I am a soul very brittle
The night better than a thousand months You jeweled into Ramadan
The night which You had chosen to reveal the glorious Qur'an
Oh Allaah, help me in my efforts to seek that blessed night
Help me make Your Praises control my speech, hearing and sight
Oh Allaah, in Your showers of mercy and blessings I wish to get drenched
Through Your Guidance, Mercy and Grace I want my sins to be quenched
Oh Allaah, I beg You to answer me when in these words I call upon Thee
"Oh Allaah, You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me"!
Oh Allaah if You so wish and I come out of it living,
Make me sinless as a newborn child, Oh All-Forgiving!
Oh Allaah, help me to start life anew, pleasing You always help me survive
To wait and prepare for another Ramadan help me strive!
Oh Allaah, I can never thank you enough for the month of Ramadan
Nor for the gift of light and Guidance, Your word - the Qur'an!
The BOOK which contains all I need in this life Ya Allaah!
And the key to the treasures You have promised in Jannah!
Oh Allaah, help me to take it closer to my heart this Ramadan
And as long as I live, guide me and help me to LIVE Qur'an!
(ameen)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Bid'ah/ Innovations in Religion !
Saima Rahman
Allah's Messenger (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said:"The best speech is that embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. The most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is an error." [Book 4 No.1885](Transmitted by Sahih Muslim)
Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected." (means not accepted and will be unbeneficial). [Vol 3:#861](Transmitted by Sahih Bukhari)
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade and warned us against when he said: "Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2600), Abu Dawood (3991), and Ibn Maajah (42); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' (2549).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected ." Narrated by Muslim (1817).
Allaah can only be worshipped in the ways that He has prescribed in His Book or on the lips of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Dhikr may be prescribed in principle, but people start to specify the way in it is to be done, or the place or time or number, that may bring it under the category of innovation.
This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (204) from 'Amr ibn Salamah who said: We were sitting at the door of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood before Fajr prayer, when he came out. We walked with him to the mosque, then Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari came to us and said: Has Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan come out to you yet? We said: No. So he sat with us until he came out, and when he came out we all stood up. Abu Moosa said to him: O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, just now I saw something in the mosque that I have never seen before, but I do not think it was anything but good. He said: What was it? He said: If you live, you will see it. He said: In the mosque I saw some people sitting in circles waiting for the prayer. In every circle there was a man, and in their hands they had pebbles. He would say: Say Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great) one hundred times, and they would say Allaahu akbar one hundred times. He would say: Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah) one hundred times, and they would say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times. He would say: Say Subhaan-Allaah (Glory be to Allaah) one hundred times, and they would say Subhaan-Allaah one hundred times. He said:
What did you say to them? He said: I did not say anything to them; I was waiting to see what you think and I waited for your command. He said: Why did you not tell them to count their bad deeds and guarantee to them that their good deeds would not be wasted? Then he moved on and we moved on with him until he came to one of those circles, and he stood over them and said:
What is this that I see you doing? They said: O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, these are stones with which we count the takbeers ('Allaahu akbar'), tahleel ('Laa ilaaha illa-Allaah') and tasbeeh ('Subhaan-Allaah'). He said:Count your bad deeds, for I guarantee to you that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O ummah of Muhammad! How quickly you have become doomed! His companions are still alive and his cloak has not worn out, and his vessel is not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you are either following a way that is more guided that the way of Muhammad or you are opening the door to misguidance. They said: By Allaah, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, we intended nothing but good. He said: How many of those who intended good did not achieve it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that some people would recite the Qur'aan and it would not go any further than their collarbones. By Allaah, I do not know, perhaps most of them are from among you. Then he turned away from them and 'Amr ibn Salamah said: I saw most of those circles on the side of the Khawaarij fighting us on the day of al-Nahrawaan.
Think about this attitude of Abu Moosa and 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood, and how they denounced this method which was not done by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions, although dhikr is basically prescribed, praiseworthy and encouraged.
Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Bid'ah (innovation) refers to something that is newly invented in matters of religion that appears similar to that which prescribed, by which people intend to go to extremes in worshipping Allaah.
This includes adhering to certain ways and manners of worship, such as reciting dhikr in unison, or taking the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as an Eid, and so on. It also includes doing certain acts of worship at certain times for which there is no basis in sharee'ah, such as always fasting on the fifteenth of Sha'baan (yawm al-nusf min Sha'baan) and spending that night in prayer .
Allah's Messenger (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said:"The best speech is that embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. The most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is an error." [Book 4 No.1885](Transmitted by Sahih Muslim)
Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected." (means not accepted and will be unbeneficial). [Vol 3:#861](Transmitted by Sahih Bukhari)
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade and warned us against when he said: "Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2600), Abu Dawood (3991), and Ibn Maajah (42); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' (2549).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected ." Narrated by Muslim (1817).
Allaah can only be worshipped in the ways that He has prescribed in His Book or on the lips of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Dhikr may be prescribed in principle, but people start to specify the way in it is to be done, or the place or time or number, that may bring it under the category of innovation.
This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (204) from 'Amr ibn Salamah who said: We were sitting at the door of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood before Fajr prayer, when he came out. We walked with him to the mosque, then Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari came to us and said: Has Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan come out to you yet? We said: No. So he sat with us until he came out, and when he came out we all stood up. Abu Moosa said to him: O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, just now I saw something in the mosque that I have never seen before, but I do not think it was anything but good. He said: What was it? He said: If you live, you will see it. He said: In the mosque I saw some people sitting in circles waiting for the prayer. In every circle there was a man, and in their hands they had pebbles. He would say: Say Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great) one hundred times, and they would say Allaahu akbar one hundred times. He would say: Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah) one hundred times, and they would say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times. He would say: Say Subhaan-Allaah (Glory be to Allaah) one hundred times, and they would say Subhaan-Allaah one hundred times. He said:
What did you say to them? He said: I did not say anything to them; I was waiting to see what you think and I waited for your command. He said: Why did you not tell them to count their bad deeds and guarantee to them that their good deeds would not be wasted? Then he moved on and we moved on with him until he came to one of those circles, and he stood over them and said:
What is this that I see you doing? They said: O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, these are stones with which we count the takbeers ('Allaahu akbar'), tahleel ('Laa ilaaha illa-Allaah') and tasbeeh ('Subhaan-Allaah'). He said:Count your bad deeds, for I guarantee to you that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O ummah of Muhammad! How quickly you have become doomed! His companions are still alive and his cloak has not worn out, and his vessel is not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you are either following a way that is more guided that the way of Muhammad or you are opening the door to misguidance. They said: By Allaah, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahmaan, we intended nothing but good. He said: How many of those who intended good did not achieve it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that some people would recite the Qur'aan and it would not go any further than their collarbones. By Allaah, I do not know, perhaps most of them are from among you. Then he turned away from them and 'Amr ibn Salamah said: I saw most of those circles on the side of the Khawaarij fighting us on the day of al-Nahrawaan.
Think about this attitude of Abu Moosa and 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood, and how they denounced this method which was not done by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his companions, although dhikr is basically prescribed, praiseworthy and encouraged.
Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Bid'ah (innovation) refers to something that is newly invented in matters of religion that appears similar to that which prescribed, by which people intend to go to extremes in worshipping Allaah.
This includes adhering to certain ways and manners of worship, such as reciting dhikr in unison, or taking the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as an Eid, and so on. It also includes doing certain acts of worship at certain times for which there is no basis in sharee'ah, such as always fasting on the fifteenth of Sha'baan (yawm al-nusf min Sha'baan) and spending that night in prayer .
The Hadith of the day
Abu Sufyan passed by Salman, Suhaib and Bilal and some other Companions (May Allah be pleased with them). They said to him: "Did not the swords of Allah exact their due from the foes of Allah?''
Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "Do you speak like this to the chief of the Quraish and their master?''
Then he went to the Prophet (PBUH) and related this to him. He (PBUH) said, "Abu Bakr, perhaps you have angered them. If so, you have angered your Rubb''.
Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) went back to them and said: "Brothers, did I offend you?''
They replied: "No. May Allah forgive you, brother".
[Muslim]. Commentary: This Hadith enjoins the Muslims to treat one another with affection and kindness and keep their hearts free from ill-feeling and malice. If someone inadvertently says to another anything that hurts the latter's feelings, he must immediately apologize to him.
Freedom of Expression and Islam
Islam grants human beings total intellectual freedom. Rather it would be truer to say that it was Islam which for the first time in human history brought about a revolution in freedom of thought. In all the ages of history prior to Islam, the system of despotism prevailed, and man was consequently denied freedom of thought. This was a matter of the utmost gravity for it is a fact that the secret of all human progress lies hidden in such freedom.
The first benefit of intellectual freedom is to enable man to achieve that high virtue which in Quran is called "fearing the unseen." That is, without any apparent compulsion or pressure from God, man, of his own free will, acknowledges God and leads his life in this world, going in fear of Him. In the absence of an atmosphere of total freedom, no one can undergo this spiritual experience—an indescribable spiritual pleasure—which is called in Quran, going in fear of the Lord. Without such freedom it is not possible to give credit to anyone for this highest of human virtues.
Man is a thinking creature. Of necessity he forms opinions. If curbs are placed on the independent expression of his views, the content of his thought may remain unchanged, but his ideas will never find expression in his speech and writings. Curbs of this nature, imposed by a community or a state, will ultimately produce a society of hypocrites. No sincere person can ever flourish in such a repressive atmosphere. It is only freedom of thought and expression which can save man from hypocrisy. Moreover, intellectual freedom is directly related to creativity. A society with freedom of thought will produce creative human beings: a society which places curbs on freedom of expression will necessarily witness intellectual stagnation; it will stop producing creative minds, and its development will come to a final standstill.
In matters of criticism or expression of differences, the right approach is for people to end unnecessary sensitivity to it instead of attempting to put an end to criticism and differences. This is the demand of Islam as well as of nature.
According to the Hadith it is a virtue on the part of believers: to accept the truth without any reservation when it is presented to them. That is to say, a believer is one who has the ability in the perfect sense of the word to accept the truth. Whenever truth is brought before him, whenever his faults are pointed out to him, no complex comes in the way of his accepting of the truth.
This quality is present to the maximum degree in one who is ready and waiting to accept the truth when it is brought before him. Eager for his own improvement, he accepts the truth with pleasure. This keenness for self-reform through acceptance of the truth is perfectly expressed in the words of ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab: "May God bless on one who sends me gifts of my own shortcomings."
It is a fact that acknowledgment of truth is worship, nay, it is the greatest form of worship. It is an act for which man has to make the greatest sacrifice. What makes it such a great sacrifice is that it involves the setting aside of one’s prestige.
It amounts to the sacrifice of one’s ego. But that is the occasion when man assures his entry into heaven.
When does one find the opportunity for this great form of worship and this great good fortune? This opportunity comes one’s way only when there is full freedom of expression. When one can criticize another with impunity. When such an atmosphere prevails in a society which permits the speaker to air his views freely and the listener may freely appreciate what is being said. Just as a mosque is the right place for the performance of prayer in congregation, similarly freedom of expression is the right atmosphere in which to foster the great virtues of expressing the truth and acceptance of the truth.
By: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Source: www.alrisala.org
The first benefit of intellectual freedom is to enable man to achieve that high virtue which in Quran is called "fearing the unseen." That is, without any apparent compulsion or pressure from God, man, of his own free will, acknowledges God and leads his life in this world, going in fear of Him. In the absence of an atmosphere of total freedom, no one can undergo this spiritual experience—an indescribable spiritual pleasure—which is called in Quran, going in fear of the Lord. Without such freedom it is not possible to give credit to anyone for this highest of human virtues.
Man is a thinking creature. Of necessity he forms opinions. If curbs are placed on the independent expression of his views, the content of his thought may remain unchanged, but his ideas will never find expression in his speech and writings. Curbs of this nature, imposed by a community or a state, will ultimately produce a society of hypocrites. No sincere person can ever flourish in such a repressive atmosphere. It is only freedom of thought and expression which can save man from hypocrisy. Moreover, intellectual freedom is directly related to creativity. A society with freedom of thought will produce creative human beings: a society which places curbs on freedom of expression will necessarily witness intellectual stagnation; it will stop producing creative minds, and its development will come to a final standstill.
In matters of criticism or expression of differences, the right approach is for people to end unnecessary sensitivity to it instead of attempting to put an end to criticism and differences. This is the demand of Islam as well as of nature.
According to the Hadith it is a virtue on the part of believers: to accept the truth without any reservation when it is presented to them. That is to say, a believer is one who has the ability in the perfect sense of the word to accept the truth. Whenever truth is brought before him, whenever his faults are pointed out to him, no complex comes in the way of his accepting of the truth.
This quality is present to the maximum degree in one who is ready and waiting to accept the truth when it is brought before him. Eager for his own improvement, he accepts the truth with pleasure. This keenness for self-reform through acceptance of the truth is perfectly expressed in the words of ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab: "May God bless on one who sends me gifts of my own shortcomings."
It is a fact that acknowledgment of truth is worship, nay, it is the greatest form of worship. It is an act for which man has to make the greatest sacrifice. What makes it such a great sacrifice is that it involves the setting aside of one’s prestige.
It amounts to the sacrifice of one’s ego. But that is the occasion when man assures his entry into heaven.
When does one find the opportunity for this great form of worship and this great good fortune? This opportunity comes one’s way only when there is full freedom of expression. When one can criticize another with impunity. When such an atmosphere prevails in a society which permits the speaker to air his views freely and the listener may freely appreciate what is being said. Just as a mosque is the right place for the performance of prayer in congregation, similarly freedom of expression is the right atmosphere in which to foster the great virtues of expressing the truth and acceptance of the truth.
By: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Source: www.alrisala.org
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Hadith of the day
Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
`Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) showed us a sheet and a thick lower garment and said to us Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was wearing them when he died.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: The incident reported in this Hadith abundantly proves that the Prophet (PBUH) was not only austere in the matter of food but also in clothes and other worldly goods. He was contented with a minimum of necessities of life.
Riyad-us-Saliheen (499)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Hadith of the day
I heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying three days before his death: "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah".
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith also tells us that one should always perform good deeds because no one knows the time of his death. At the time of death one must entertain hope for Allah's Pardon and Mercy which cannot be possible without good actions. Thus, this Hadith conveys the same meanings of the following Ayah:
"And die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims)". (3:102).
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
আপনার শিশু, আপনার ভবিষ্যৎ
আল্লাহ রাব্বুল আলামীন পবিত্র কোরআনে বলেছেন, "হে ঈমানদারগণ! তোমরা তোমাদের নিজেদেরকে এবং তোমাদের পরিবার-পরিজনকে জাহান্নামের আগুন থেকে রক্ষা কর।" হযরত আলী(আঃ) এ আয়াতের ব্যাখ্যায় বলেছেন, "নিজেকে, পরিবারকে ও সন্তান-সন্ততিকে উত্তম জ্ঞান শিক্ষা দাও এবং তাদেরকে প্রশিক্ষণ দাও-যাতে জাহান্নামের আগুন থেকে মুক্তি পেতে পারো।"সত্যি-সত্যিই বর্তমান বিশ্বের জ্ঞান-বিজ্ঞান এবং প্রশিক্ষণের জগতে যে বিষয়টি বেশ আলোচিত তা হলো মানব শিক্ষা ও প্রশিক্ষণ। মানব শিক্ষা ও প্রশিক্ষণের ক্ষেত্রে ইসলামের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গী হলো-ব্যক্তিত্বের যথাযথ বিকাশের মাধ্যমে ইনসানে কামেল বা পরিপূর্ণ মানুষে পরিণত করা। তাই জন্ম পরবর্তী সময়তো বটেই, এমনকি জন্মপূর্বকালেও ইসলাম বিভিন্নভাবে এই প্রশিক্ষণের ব্যবস্থা করেছে। জন্ম-পূর্ববর্তীকালের প্রশিক্ষণটি হলো একটি সুশৃঙ্খল পরিবার গড়ে তোলা। আর জন্ম-পরবর্তীকালে নবজাতকের প্রশিক্ষণের ব্যাপারেও ইসলাম দিয়েছে চমৎকার কালজয়ী দিক-নির্দেশনা। জন্ম পরবর্তী একটি সন্তানের জীবনকালকে পাঁচটি পর্যায়ে ভাগ করা যেতে পারে। যেমন শিশুকাল, কিশোরকাল, যৌবনকাল, মধ্যবয়স বা বয়োপ্রাপ্তকাল এবং বার্ধক্যকাল। আমরা এখানে প্রথম তিনটি পর্যায় নিয়ে আলোচনা করবো। রাসূলে কারীম(সাঃ) মানব সন্তানের বেড়ে ওঠার প্রাথমিক কালগুলোকে তিনটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পর্বে ভাগ করে বলেছেন, "সন্তান তার প্রথম সাত বছরে হলো সাইয়্যেদ বা মহোদয়, দ্বিতীয় সাত বছরে হলো আনুগত্যকারী বা আদেশ মান্যকারী আর তৃতীয় সাত বছরে হলো মন্ত্রী বা দায়িত্বশীল। কী সুন্দর উপমা দিয়ে, পরিভাষা দিয়ে রাসূল শিশুর বেড়ে ওঠার কাল এবং আচরণগত বৈশিষ্ট্যগুলোকে তুলে ধরেছেন। আমরা তাঁর এই পরিভাষাগুলোকে খানিকটা ব্যাখ্যা করে বলার চেষ্টা করবো।
একুশ বছর বয়স পর্যন্ত একটি সন্তানের বেড়ে ওঠার পর্বগুলোকে রাসূল (সাঃ) যেভাবে নির্দেশ করেছেন, তাকে শিশুকাল, কিশোরকাল এবং যৌবনকালের বৃত্তে ফেলা যেতে পারে। শিশুকালটিকে যদি আমরা কর্তৃত্বের অর্থে ধরে নিই, যেমনটি রাসূল বলেছেন, তাহলে তার অর্থ দাঁড়াবে, শিশু এ সময় যা খুশি তা-ই করবে। এ সাত বছর শিশু সম্পূর্ণ স্বাধীন। তার সকল কর্তৃত্ব মেনে নিতে হবে। এভাবেই শিশু সাত বছর কাটিয়ে দ্বিতীয় সাতে গিয়ে পড়বে। দ্বিতীয় সাত মানে হলো আনুগত্য বা আদেশ পালন করার পর্ব। অর্থাৎ এই পর্বে শিশুকে আর স্বাধীনভাবে কর্তৃত্ব করতে দেয়া যাবে না। বরং তাকেই বাবা-মা বা অন্যান্য মুরুব্বীদের কথা মেনে চলতে হবে। এই দ্বিতীয় সাত অর্থাৎ সাত বছর থেকে চৌদ্দ বছর পর্যন্ত সময়কাল যদি একটি শিশু যথাযথ নির্দেশনা মেনে বেড়ে ওঠে, তাহলে তৃতীয় সাত বছর অর্থাৎ চৌদ্দ থেকে একুশ বছর বয়সকাল পর্যন্ত শিশুটি হয়ে উঠতে পারে সংসার পরিচালনায় বাবা-মায়ের একজন যথার্থ সহযোগী। রাসূল(সাঃ)এর আরেকটি হাদীসে এ পর্ব তিনটিতে সন্তানদের প্রশিক্ষণ এবং বাবা-মায়ের করণীয় আরো পরিস্কারভাবে ফুটে উঠেছে। তিনি বলেছেন, তোমাদের সন্তানদেরকে সাত বছর পর্যন্ত খেলাধূলা করতে দাও, পরবর্তী সাত বছর তাদেরকে সংশোধনীমূলক শিক্ষা ও প্রশিক্ষণ দাও এবং পরবর্তী সাত বছর তাদেরকে তোমাদের পরামর্শদাতা ও সহযাত্রী কর। জীবনের প্রথম সাতটি বছরে একটি শিশুর অনুধাবনশক্তি কিংবা স্মৃতিশক্তি থাকে একেবারেই অপক্ক। তার শারীরিক অবস্থাও থাকে অত্যন্ত নাজুক পর্যায়ে। তাই এ সময়টায় বাবা-মায়ের উচিত সন্তানের প্রতি সদয় ও সহানুভূতিশীল আচরণ করা। তার চাহিদাগুলোকে সাধ্যমতো পূরণ করা এবং তাঁর জিজ্ঞাসাগুলোর ইতিবাচক জবাব দেয়া। শিশু তার প্রথম সাত বছর পর্যন্ত স্বাধীন। তাই স্বাধীনভাবে সে খেলাধূলা করবে, নাচানাচি-দৌড়াদৌড়ি করবে, আদেশের পর আদেশ দেবে-যা খুশি তাই করবে। এসবের মাধ্যমে তার মধ্যে ব্যক্তিত্ব গড়ে উঠবে। তাই তার ওপর এ সময় কোন নিষেধাজ্ঞা বা সীমাবদ্ধতা আরোপ করা অনুচিত। এমনকি তাকে এসময় কোন কিছু সম্পর্কে শিক্ষা দেওয়াও ঠিক নয়। শিশু তার বাবা-মা তথা পরিবারের সকল মুরব্বী, পাড়া-প্রতিবেশী, আশে-পাশের লোকজন এবং অন্যান্য শিশুদের প্রভাবেই বড়ো হয়ে উঠবে।
নিঃসন্দেহে, জীবনের প্রাথমিক পর্বের বছরগুলোই যে-কোন মানুষের জন্যে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ এবং প্রভাব সৃষ্টিকারী। কারণ এ সময়টাই মানুষের ব্যক্তিত্ব গড়ে ওঠার সময়। অতীতে মনে করা হতো যে, শৈশবে একটি শিশুর শারীরিক সুস্থতার প্রতিই কেবল মনযোগী হওয়া দরকার। এর বাইরে শিশুর আবেগ-অনুভূতি, সামাজিকতা, এবং তার মেধাকে প্রতিপালনের ক্ষেত্রে কোন গুরুত্বই দেয়া হতো না। তাদের চিন্তা ছিল এমন যে, শিশু যদি অন্ন, বস্ত্র, বাসস্থান, শিক্ষা ও চিকিৎসার ক্ষেত্রে টানাপোড়েনে না ভোগে, তাহলে তার শারীরিক, মানসিক এবং মেধার বিকাশ অন্যদের তুলনায় দ্রুত লাভ হবে। কিন্তু আধুনিককালে বাস্তব অভিজ্ঞতার আলোকে দেখা গেছে, শিশুর বেড়ে ওঠার সকল পর্যায়েই শুধুমাত্র শারীরিক বিকাশ নয় বরং তার আবেগ-অনুভূতি, বোধ-উপলদ্ধি, তার কল্পনা-স্মরণশক্তি এবং সেই সাথে শিশুর কথা বলার দক্ষতার ব্যাপারেও সচেতন দৃষ্টি রাখা অনিবার্য।
তাই শিশুর প্রতিপালনে বাবা-মায়ের সচেতনতা খুবই জরুরী। রাসূল(সাঃ) যে সূক্ষ্ম দিক-নির্দেশনা দিয়ে গেছেন, আমরা তা ধীরে ধীরে বিশ্লেষণ করে দেখার চেষ্টা করবো-শিশুর বেড়ে ওঠার পর্যায়গুলোতে তার যথার্থ যত্ম নিতে হবে কীভাবে। বলাবাহুল্য: রাসূলের নির্দেশনা যে অকাট্য, তাঁর পরিচর্যারীতি যে বিজ্ঞানোত্তীর্ণ, তা জ্ঞান ও প্রযুক্তিতে উন্নত আধুনিক এ বিশ্বের গবেষকরাও প্রমাণ করতে সম হয়েছেন। তাই আমরা রাসূলের নির্দেশনাকে সর্বাধিক প্রাধান্য দেবো।
মুসলিম সমাজে স্বামী-স্ত্রীর সম্পর্ক কেমন হওয়া উচিত
জীবনের স্রোতোধারার অনিবার্য সঙ্গী হলো মানবজাতি ৷ 'নর' এবং 'নারী' মানবজাতির এই জীবনধারাকে প্রবাহমান গতি দিয়েছে সেই সৃষ্টির আদি মানব আদমের যুগ থেকে ৷ বর্তমান বিশ্বের ৬১০ কোটি মানুষ যুগ-যুগান্তের ধারাবাহিক উত্তরাধিকার এখন ৷ মানুষ সম্পর্কে প্রসিদ্ধ একটি বক্তব্য প্রায় সবারই জানা, তাহলো-‘মানুষ হলো বিচার বুদ্ধি সম্পন্ন প্রাণী' ৷ সত্যিই এই বিচারবোধই মানুষকে অন্যান্য প্রাণী থেকে আলাদা করে তুলেছে ৷ সেজন্যে মানুষ অন্যান্য প্রাণীর মত জীবন যাপন না করে আল্লাহ প্রদত্ত বুদ্ধিমত্তা দিয়ে গড়ে তুলেছে একটি সুশৃঙ্খল সামাজিক ও পারিবারিক জীবন ৷ যুগে যুগে আল্লাহ প্রেরিত রাসূলগণই এই পরিবার গঠনের অনুপ্রেরণা জুগিয়েছেন ৷ সুশৃঙ্খল এই পারিবারিক কাঠামো থেকেই মানুষ পেয়েছে সভ্যতার আলো ৷ পরিবার কাঠামোর সাথে সভ্যতা যেন নিত্যসঙ্গী ৷ যেখানে পরিবার কাঠামো নেই, সেখানে সভ্যতা বলতে যা বোঝায়, তার সাথে অন্যান্য প্রাণীকূলের জীবনযাপন পদ্ধতির খুব বেশী পার্থক্য নেই ৷ নারী এবং পুরুষ উভয়ের সম্মিলিত প্রচেষ্টায় গড়ে ওঠে পরিবার ৷ এই 'সম্মিলিত' শব্দের মধ্যেই নিহিত রয়েছে নারী-পুরুষের পারস্পরিক অবদান এবং অধিকারের সূক্ষ্ম বিষয় ৷ প্রাগৈতিহাসিক কাল থেকেই নারী-পুরুষের অধিকার এবং পারস্পরিক সম্পর্কের ব্যাপারে বিভিন্ন ধর্ম ও আদর্শগত মতবাদ বিচিত্র দৃষ্টিভঙ্গী প্রকাশ করেছে ৷ সেসব দৃষ্টিভঙ্গী অনুযায়ী একমাত্র ইসলাম ব্যতীত অন্য সকল ধর্ম ও মতবাদই নারীকে কখনো ভোগ্যপণ্যে কিংবা কখনো পুরুষ দেবতার সেবাদাসীতে পরিণত করেছে ৷ সভ্যতার এই স্বর্ণযুগেও নারী-পুরুষের পারস্পরিক সম্পর্ক ও অধিকার নিয়ে এখনো চলছে বিচিত্র কৌণিক মতামত ৷পশ্চিমা সমাজে পরিবার কাঠামো ভেঙ্গে পড়ায় সেখানে বিবাহ-বহির্ভূত লিভিং টুগেদার বা নারী-পুরুষের একত্রবাস প্রথা চালু রয়েছে ৷ এছাড়া বিয়ের প্রচলন সেখানে যতটুকু অবশিষ্ট রয়েছে, তাতে স্বামী-স্ত্রীর পারস্পরিক অধিকার প্রশ্নে মতবিরোধের জের ধরে ডিভোর্সের মাত্রাই ব্যাপক ৷ যে সমাজে লিভ-টুগেদারের জন্যে বিয়েরই প্রয়োজন নেই, সে সমাজে ডিভোর্স বা তালাক প্রদানের মাত্রা যে কতো মামুলি ও ভয়াবহ, তা খুব সহজেই অনুমান করা যায় ৷ জ্ঞান-বিজ্ঞানে বা প্রযুক্তিগত উৎকর্ষের মানদন্ডে পশ্চিমা জগত আধুনিক সভ্যতার দাবীদার হলেও ক্ষয়িষ্ণু পরিবার কাঠামোর ফলে পাশ্চাত্য সভ্যতা বিশ্বব্যাপী অকল্যাণই বয়ে এনেছে ৷ তাদের ঐ কু-সংস্কৃতির ব্যাপক প্রভাবে মুসলিম জাতির মধ্যেও তা এখন সংক্রমিত হচ্ছে ৷ এরফলে পারিবারিক বিশৃঙ্খলা ব্যাপক বেড়ে গেছে ৷ অথচ পরিবারের প্রধান যে দুটি স্তম্ভ অর্থাৎ বাবা-মা বা স্বামী-স্ত্রী-তাদের মধ্যে যদি পারস্পরিক কর্তব্যবোধ স্পষ্টভাবে জাগ্রত থাকতো, তাহলে এই সমস্যা হয়তো দেখাই দিত না ৷ বহু শিক্ষিত পরিবারেও যথার্থ ইসলামী শিক্ষার অভাবে এ ধরণের সমস্যা বিরাজ করছে ৷ শিক্ষিত এইসব পরিবার তাদের পারস্পরিক অধিকার সম্পর্কে চিন্তা করে থাকে পাশ্চাত্যের মানদন্ডে, যেখানে নারী-পুরুষ স্বাধীনভাবে যাপন করছে পশুর মত জীবন ৷ তাই মুসলিম দম্পতিদের উচিৎ তাদের নিজস্ব ধর্মাদর্শ সম্পর্কে সচেতন হয়ে পারস্পরিক কর্তব্যবোধে উজ্জীবিত হওয়া এবং যথাযথভাবে তা মেনে চলা ৷ তাহলেই দেখা যাবে সংসার হয়ে উঠেছে শান্তির সোনালী নীড়।
একথা অস্বীকার করার কোন উপায় নেই যে, স্বামী-স্ত্রীর সুদৃঢ় বন্ধন এবং পারস্পরিক অধিকার প্রতিষ্ঠায় ইসলামই সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ আদর্শ স্থাপন করেছে ৷ ইসলাম পূর্বকালে নারীকে মানুষই মনে করা হতো না ৷ গ্রীকরা তাদেরকে মনে করতো শয়তানের চর ৷ জৈবিক চাহিদা মেটানোর প্রয়োজনেই তাদের ব্যবহার করা হতো ৷ রোমানদের অবস্থাও ছিল তাই ৷ সেখানে কন্যাসন্তানকে বিক্রি করা হতো ৷ জাহেলিয়াতের যুগে আরবে কন্যাসন্তানকে জ্যান্ত পুঁতে ফেলার ইতিহাস সর্বজনবিদিত ৷ পারস্য সভ্যতায়ও কন্যাসন্তানকে ভীষণরকম অকল্যাণকর বলে মনে করা হতো ৷ চীনের অবস্থা এতটাই ভয়াবহ ছিল যে, কোন পরিবারে কন্যাসন্তানের জন্ম হলে পাড়া-প্রতিবেশী, আত্মীয়-স্বজনরা দুঃখ ও সহানুভূতি জানাতো ৷ অর্থাৎ নারী ছিল একটা ভোগ্যপণ্য ৷ তাদের ব্যক্তিগত কোন মানবিক সত্ত্বাই স্বীকার হতো না ৷ আর হিন্দু ধর্মের অনুসারীরা মৃত ব্যক্তির সাথে তার স্ত্রীকেও জীবন্ত পুড়ে মারতো ৷ এরকম করুণ একটা ঘটনাকে তারা স্বামীর প্রতি স্ত্রীর ভালোবাসা ও ত্যাগের নিদর্শন বলে মনে করতো ৷ কী আশ্চর্য, বিধবাকে সম্পত্তির অধিকার না দিয়ে, দিয়েছিল চিতার আগুনে জীবন্ত পোড়াবার নির্দেশ ! এভাবে বিশ্বের বিভিন্ন প্রান্তে বিচিত্র উপায়ে নারীদের সত্ত্বাকে লাঞ্চিত করা হয়েছিল ৷ ইসলাম ধর্মের আবির্ভাবের ফলে নারী পেল তার মৌলিক মানবিক অধিকার । নবী করিম (সাঃ) ঘোষণা করেন, হে মুসলমানেরা! তোমাদের উপর তোমাদের স্ত্রীদের যেমন অধিকার রয়েছে, তেমনি তাদের উপরও তোমাদের অধিকার রয়েছে ৷" আল্লাহ রাববুল আলামীন বললেন, নারীরা তোমাদের পোষাক এবং পুরুষরাও নারীদের পোষাকস্বরূপ ৷ যুগান্তকারী এইসব ঘোষণার মাধ্যমে নারী ফিরে পেল তাদের অধিকার, ফিরে পেল মানুষ হিসাবে তাদের অস্তিত্ব, স্বস্তির নিঃশ্বাস ফেলে তারাও হয়ে উঠলো সভ্যতা সৃষ্টির প্রশংসিত স্রষ্টাদের গর্বিত অংশীদার ৷ কবি নজরুলের ভাষায়-
পৃথিবীর যা কিছু সুন্দর, চির কল্যাণকর
অর্ধেক তার করিয়াছে নারী, অর্ধেক তার নর
ইসলাম নারী এবং পুরুষকে তাদের পারস্পরিক অধিকার সম্পর্কে সচেতন করার পাশাপাশি পরিবারের শৃঙ্খলা বিধানের জন্যে সুস্পষ্ট নীতিমালা প্রণয়ন করে একটা আদর্শ সমাজ বিনির্মানকে সুনিশ্চিত করেছে ৷ পরিবারের মূল হলো স্বামী-স্ত্রী বা বাবা-মা৷ স্বামী-স্ত্রীর জীবনে শৃঙ্খলা ও নৈতিকতার অনুশীলন যদি না থাকে, তাহলে তাদের ভবিষ্যত প্রজন্মের জীবনেও তা আশা করা যায় না ৷ আর স্বামী-স্ত্রী এবং তাদের বংশধরের সামষ্টিক রূপই হলো সমাজ ৷ আর সমাজ কাঠামোর বৃহত্তর সংগঠনই রাষ্ট্র ৷ তাই বলা যায় একটা রাষ্ট্রের শৃঙ্খলা ও আদর্শের মূল ভিত্তিই হলো পরিবার ৷ ইসলাম তাই পরিবার তথা বাবা-মা এবং তাদের সন্তানদের মধ্যকার পারস্পরিক শৃঙ্খলা ও নৈতিকতা বিধানে স্বামী-স্ত্রীর মধ্যে একের প্রতি অপরের দায়িত্ব ও কর্তব্য পালন সম্পর্কে যথাযথ রূপরেখা দিয়ে দিয়েছে ৷ কারণ স্বামী-স্ত্রীর সুদৃঢ় বন্ধনই উত্তর প্রজন্মের নৈতিক শৃঙ্খলা বিধানের একমাত্র উপায় ৷ সমাজের প্রতি একটু সচেতন দৃষ্টি দিলে লক্ষ্য করা যাবে, যে পরিবারে স্বামী-স্ত্রীর মধ্যে দাম্পত্য কলহ রয়েছে, সে পরিবারে শান্তিতো নেই-ই বরং পরবর্তী প্রজন্মও বিশৃঙখল জীবন যাপনে অভ্যস্থ হয়ে পড়ে ৷ সামাজিক অনাচার, মাদকাশক্তিসহ মানবিক মূল্যবোধ বর্জিত কর্মকান্ডের মূলে রয়েছে এই পারিবারিক বিশৃঙ্খলা ৷ অথচ পরিবারে এ ধরনের বিশৃঙ্খলা সাধারণত খুবই ছোটখাট ঘটনাকে কেন্দ্র করেই দানা বেঁধে ওঠে ৷ ঘটনাগুলোর জন্য পারস্পরিক অহমবোধ, অশ্রদ্ধা, সম্মানহীনতা এবং নিজ নিজ কর্তব্যের ব্যাপারে ইসলামের বেধে দেয়া মানদন্ড সম্পর্কে সুস্পষ্ট ধারনা না থাকাই দায়ী ৷ আমাদের সমাজে এখনও অজ্ঞানতাবশত স্বামীদের অনেকেই মনে করেন যে, স্ত্রী হলেন তাদের দাসীর মতো ৷ স্ত্রীর কাজ হলো স্বামীর সকল আদেশ মেনে চলা ৷ খুব স্বাভাবিকভাবেই একজন স্ত্রী এ ধরনের স্বৈরাচারী স্বামীর কর্তৃত্ব মেনে নেয় না ৷ সেজন্যেই শুরু হয় দ্বন্দ্বের সূত্রপাত ৷ স্বামীরা তাদের স্ত্রীদের ওপর যেরকম অধিকার চর্চা করার চেষ্টা চালায়, স্ত্রীদেরও যে স্বামীর ওপর সেরকম আধিকার চর্চার সুযোগ রয়েছে এ কথাটা স্বামীরা ভুলে যান এবং পুরুষতান্ত্রীক স্বৈরাচারী শাসন কায়েম করেন ৷ সেজন্যে স্ত্রীর ওপর স্বামীর কর্তব্য এবং স্বামীর ওপর স্ত্রীর কর্তব্য সংক্রান্ত ইসলামী নীতিমালা নিয়ে আমরা ধারাবাহিকভাবে আলোচনা করার চেষ্টা করব ৷ প্রথমেই আমরা স্ত্রীর ওপর স্বামীর কী কী কর্তব্য রয়েছে সেগুলো তুলে ধরবো ৷ একজন পুরুষ ইসলামের এই নীতিমালার মানদন্ডে নিজেকে বিচার করবেন এবং পারিবারিক শৃঙ্খলা ও দাম্পত্য জীবনে সুখ-শান্তি প্রতিষ্ঠার চেষ্টা করবেন এটাই প্রত্যাশা ৷
Riyaa: Hidden Shirk
Linguistically Riyaa comes from the root "ra`aa" which means to see, to behold, to view. The derived word 'Riyaa' means "eye service, hypocrisy, dissimulation, and dissemblance."
From the Sharee`ah point of view, "to perform acts which are pleasing to Allah, with the intention of pleasing other than Allah". Thus Riyaa originates in the heart.
Mahmood ibn Labeed reported that the Allah's Messenger said, "The thing that I fear most for you is the minor Shirk; Riyaa" (Ahmad in his Musnad)
Aboo Sa`eed reported that the Messenger of Allah (saaw) came to us while we were talking about Dajjaal and said, "Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjaal? It is the hidden Shirk; A person stands to pray, and he beautifies his prayer because he seas the people looking at him." (Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 2, #3389)
Aboo Moosaa al-Ash`aree reported that Allah's Messenger delivered a sermon to them one day and said, "O People! Fear this Shirk (meaning Riyaa), for it is more inconspicuous than the crawling of an ant." (Authenticated in Sahih al Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no. 33)
The primary cause of Riyaa is a weakness in Eemaan. When a person does not have strong faith in Allah, he will prefer the admiration of people over the pleasure of Allah.
There are three symptoms that are indicative of Riyaa, and it is essential that a believer avoid all of them.
(1) The love of Praise---as mentioned in a Hadeeth of the first three people being thrown into the hellfire; the scholar (who taught for fame), the martyr (who fought for fame), and the person who gave his money in charity (so people would say he is generous). All three of these people desired the pleasure of people over the pleasure of Allah. The person who desires the praise of people must feel some pride in him, for he feels himself worthy of being praised. There is a danger, therefore, of him becoming arrogant and boastful.
Aboo Hurayrah quoted Allah's Messenger (saaw) as saying: "Allah, Most Great and Glorious said: Pride is My cloak, and greatness is My robe, so whoever competes with Me, with respect to either of them, I shall cast him into Hell" (Sahih Muslim, vol. 4 #6349, Sunan Aboo Dawood, vol. 3 #4079)
Aboo Hurayrah quoted Allah's Messenger (saaw) warning about a person's adoration of himself: "There are three distrustful things: desires that are followed, greediness that is obeyed, and a person's self-admiration and conceit; and this is the worst of the three."
Allah also warned against falling into the category of those Christians and Jews whom the Quran mentions:
"Do not assume that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done, think not that they are absolved from punishment, (but rather) for them is a painful torment." (Al-Imran: 188)
(2) Fear of Criticism
No one likes to be criticized. The dislike of criticism regarding religious practices may be divided into two categories:
a] The first category is that of a person who neglects a commandment of Allah in order to avoid the criticism of his peers. However, the true believers are described in the Quran as follows: "...They do not fear the criticism of those who criticize. And this is the blessing of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He wishes. Verily, Allah is Self-Sufficient, all Knowing. "(Al-Maa`idah: 54)
b] The second category is that of a person who obeys certain commandments of Islam, not for the sake of Allah, but because he fears people will look down on him and criticize him if he does not do it. For example, a man may make his formal prayers in the mosque because he does not want people to criticize him for praying at home, or to think that he is not praying at all.
(3) Greed for people's possessions
If a person covets what other people possess, whether it is rank, money or power, then he will wish them to envy him similarly. For example, if he is jealous of a position of a certain person in society, he will try by every possible means to attain the same position. Such desires lead people to spend their lives putting on a show for other people so that they will admire their rank, money, or power.
These three categories are implied in the following statement of the Prophet Muhammad (saaw). Aboo Moosaa related that a person came to the Prophet (saaw) and asked: "A person fights to defend his honor (i.e. to avoid criticism), another to prove his bravery (i.e. to be praised for it), and a third to show off (i.e. so that his position can be seen); of these three, which one fights in the way of Allah?” He (saaw) answered:
"Whoever fights to make the word of Allah prevalent [i.e. to bring honor to Islam, and to establish it in the land], he is the one who fights in the way of Allah" (Sahih al-Bukhari vol. 4 #65)
Some scholars advised:
"Remove the causes of Riyaa` from yourself by considering the opinion of people as important to you as animals and small children. Do not differentiate in your worship between the presence of people or their absence, or between their knowledge of your actions and their ignorance. Rather be conscious of the infinite knowledge of Allah alone."
The Ways to Avoid Riyaa
1. Increasing knowledge of Islam
2. Du`a
The prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa salam) taught the specific Du`a for Riyaa:
"Allahumma innaa na`oothu bika an-nushrika bika shay`an na`lamuhu, wa nastagfiruka limaa laa na`lamuh. [O Allah, we seek refuge in you from committing shirk knowingly, and ask your forgiveness for (the shirk that we may commit unknowingly"]
3. Reflecting upon Heaven and Hell
4. Hiding one's good deeds
5. Reflection upon one self’s shortcomings
6. Accompanying the Pious
7. Knowledge of Riyaa
By: Abu Ammar Yasir al-Qathi
Source: islamzine.com
From the Sharee`ah point of view, "to perform acts which are pleasing to Allah, with the intention of pleasing other than Allah". Thus Riyaa originates in the heart.
Mahmood ibn Labeed reported that the Allah's Messenger said, "The thing that I fear most for you is the minor Shirk; Riyaa" (Ahmad in his Musnad)
Aboo Sa`eed reported that the Messenger of Allah (saaw) came to us while we were talking about Dajjaal and said, "Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjaal? It is the hidden Shirk; A person stands to pray, and he beautifies his prayer because he seas the people looking at him." (Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 2, #3389)
Aboo Moosaa al-Ash`aree reported that Allah's Messenger delivered a sermon to them one day and said, "O People! Fear this Shirk (meaning Riyaa), for it is more inconspicuous than the crawling of an ant." (Authenticated in Sahih al Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no. 33)
The primary cause of Riyaa is a weakness in Eemaan. When a person does not have strong faith in Allah, he will prefer the admiration of people over the pleasure of Allah.
There are three symptoms that are indicative of Riyaa, and it is essential that a believer avoid all of them.
(1) The love of Praise---as mentioned in a Hadeeth of the first three people being thrown into the hellfire; the scholar (who taught for fame), the martyr (who fought for fame), and the person who gave his money in charity (so people would say he is generous). All three of these people desired the pleasure of people over the pleasure of Allah. The person who desires the praise of people must feel some pride in him, for he feels himself worthy of being praised. There is a danger, therefore, of him becoming arrogant and boastful.
Aboo Hurayrah quoted Allah's Messenger (saaw) as saying: "Allah, Most Great and Glorious said: Pride is My cloak, and greatness is My robe, so whoever competes with Me, with respect to either of them, I shall cast him into Hell" (Sahih Muslim, vol. 4 #6349, Sunan Aboo Dawood, vol. 3 #4079)
Aboo Hurayrah quoted Allah's Messenger (saaw) warning about a person's adoration of himself: "There are three distrustful things: desires that are followed, greediness that is obeyed, and a person's self-admiration and conceit; and this is the worst of the three."
Allah also warned against falling into the category of those Christians and Jews whom the Quran mentions:
"Do not assume that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done, think not that they are absolved from punishment, (but rather) for them is a painful torment." (Al-Imran: 188)
(2) Fear of Criticism
No one likes to be criticized. The dislike of criticism regarding religious practices may be divided into two categories:
a] The first category is that of a person who neglects a commandment of Allah in order to avoid the criticism of his peers. However, the true believers are described in the Quran as follows: "...They do not fear the criticism of those who criticize. And this is the blessing of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He wishes. Verily, Allah is Self-Sufficient, all Knowing. "(Al-Maa`idah: 54)
b] The second category is that of a person who obeys certain commandments of Islam, not for the sake of Allah, but because he fears people will look down on him and criticize him if he does not do it. For example, a man may make his formal prayers in the mosque because he does not want people to criticize him for praying at home, or to think that he is not praying at all.
(3) Greed for people's possessions
If a person covets what other people possess, whether it is rank, money or power, then he will wish them to envy him similarly. For example, if he is jealous of a position of a certain person in society, he will try by every possible means to attain the same position. Such desires lead people to spend their lives putting on a show for other people so that they will admire their rank, money, or power.
These three categories are implied in the following statement of the Prophet Muhammad (saaw). Aboo Moosaa related that a person came to the Prophet (saaw) and asked: "A person fights to defend his honor (i.e. to avoid criticism), another to prove his bravery (i.e. to be praised for it), and a third to show off (i.e. so that his position can be seen); of these three, which one fights in the way of Allah?” He (saaw) answered:
"Whoever fights to make the word of Allah prevalent [i.e. to bring honor to Islam, and to establish it in the land], he is the one who fights in the way of Allah" (Sahih al-Bukhari vol. 4 #65)
Some scholars advised:
"Remove the causes of Riyaa` from yourself by considering the opinion of people as important to you as animals and small children. Do not differentiate in your worship between the presence of people or their absence, or between their knowledge of your actions and their ignorance. Rather be conscious of the infinite knowledge of Allah alone."
The Ways to Avoid Riyaa
1. Increasing knowledge of Islam
2. Du`a
The prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa salam) taught the specific Du`a for Riyaa:
"Allahumma innaa na`oothu bika an-nushrika bika shay`an na`lamuhu, wa nastagfiruka limaa laa na`lamuh. [O Allah, we seek refuge in you from committing shirk knowingly, and ask your forgiveness for (the shirk that we may commit unknowingly"]
3. Reflecting upon Heaven and Hell
4. Hiding one's good deeds
5. Reflection upon one self’s shortcomings
6. Accompanying the Pious
7. Knowledge of Riyaa
By: Abu Ammar Yasir al-Qathi
Source: islamzine.com
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