Tuesday 12 March 2024
What is your Do List and Fix List for Ramadan and afterwards
Ramadan: Whose fasting will not be accepted by Allah (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
Monday 19 February 2024
How to talk to Allah
Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, “We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger during a battle. Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,’ raising our voices. The Prophet came by us and said: “O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don’t raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer. The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal. O `Abdullah bin Qais (Abu Musa’s name) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no power or strength except from Allah).” This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The supplication of the servant is granted in case he does not supplicate for sin or for severing the ties of blood, or he does not become impatient. It was said: Allah’s Messenger, what does:” If he does not grow impatient” imply? He said: That he should say like this: I supplicated and I supplicated but I did not find it being responded. and thus he becomes frustrated and abandons supplication. (Muslim :: Book 35 : Hadith 6595)
Saturday 10 February 2024
Understanding Divorce in Islam
It is stated in Surah 30 Ar Rum, verse 21: And one of His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find comfort in them. And He has placed between you compassion and mercy. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.
It is reported from Ibn-Umar that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “In the sight of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), the worst of all halal (lawful) acts is talaq (divorce).”
The Qur'an promotes reconciliation, through negotiated settlements between the spouses themselves or the use of arbitrators from their families. However, when “mutual good treatment” is not possible, there should be an amicable parting. Thus, the Qur'an treats divorce as something permitted but not laudable.
"If you divorce women, and they reach their appointed term, hold them back in amity or let them go in amity. Do not hold them back out of malice, to be vindictive. Whoever does this does himself injustice." (Surah 2. al Baqarah:231)
The Quran also sets waiting periods to discourage hasty divorces.[6] For a menstruating woman, the waiting (Iddah) period before the divorce is finalized, as three monthly periods.[9] For non-menstruating women, including post-menopause women and pre-menarche girls, the waiting period is three months.[10] This is to give the husband time to reconsider his decision.[6] Moreover, a man who vows not to have sexual intercourse with his wife, which would lead to automatic divorce, is allowed a four-month period to break his oath.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Thursday 25 January 2024
Incredible explanation of 5th verse of Surah 1. Al Fatiha (The Opener)
Renowned Muslim scholar and exegete Yusuf Ali while interpreting this verse notes: On realizing in our souls God's love and care, His grace and mercy, and His power and justice (as Ruler of the Day of Judgment), the immediate result is that we bend in the act of worship, and see both our shortcomings and His all-sufficient power. The emphatic form means that not only do we reach the position of worshipping God and asking for His help, but we worship Him alone and ask for His aid only. For there is none other than He worthy of our devotion and able to help us. The plural "we" indicates that we associate ourselves with all who seek God, thus strengthening ourselves and strengthening them in a fellowship of faith.
You may also like to read an exhaustive explanation of the 5th verse by one of the most revered and expert exegete Ibn Kathir from Tafseer / Exegesis of the surah already posted.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Thursday 18 January 2024
Who are the blessed FORERUNNERS "السّٰبِقُوۡنَۚ" mentioned in Qur’an
Sabiqoon (the Foremost) implies the people who excelled others in virtue and love of the truth and in good works and responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger before others. They were also in the forefront in their response to the call for Jihad, for expending their wealth for the sake of the needy and for public services, or for inviting others to virtue and truth, in short, for spreading the good and wiping out evil and making sacrifices and exerting themselves whenever there was need for it. On this very basis, in the Hereafter too, they will be placed in the forefront.
Thus, mankind, so to say, will be ranged in Allah's Court like this: On the right hand, there will be the righteous, on the left the wicked, and in the forefront (nearest in Divine Presence) the Sabiqin (the Foremost in Faith and good deeds). According to a Hadith reported by ,Hadrat `A'ishah the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) asked the people: "Do you know who, on the Day of Resurrection, will he the first to be accommodated under the Divine Shade ?" The people said Allah and His Messenger only had the best knowledge. Thereupon the Holy Prophet replied: "Those who were such that when the Truth was presented before them, they accepted it forthwith; when a right was asked of them, they discharged it gracefully; and their decision in respect of others was the same as in respect of their own selves." (Musnad Ahmad).
- To provide a scholarly explanation of the verse and the blessed people known as Sabiqoon,
- And secondly to explain that the language of Khutbah of Jumu'ah does not necessarily be Arabic, as as been the viewpoint of scholars in some of the non Arabic Muslim countries, for unless the audiance listening to the khutbah understand what is being said, there is not point in listening to the khutbah. In this connection, please refer to our earliest post: What should be the language of Khutbah in Jumu'ah Congregational prayer
Monday 15 January 2024
What should be the language of Khutbah in Jumu'ah Congregational prayer (Scholars of Islam answer)
The Friday sermon (khutbah), like all Islamic rituals, has a purpose. It aims to remind the Muslims of their responsibilities, enjoin good and warn against evil. That is it has an educational vale for what is being said in the Khutbah actually aims at educating the Muslims to know their religion better and thus they could implement it easily during their practical life.
For this purpose the Khutbah should be in the language of the people to whom it is delivered, otherwise it will be a mere formality and fail to achieve its purpose.
The Khutbah was delivered by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to apprise, and remind, the Muslims of their responsibilities, to enjoin good and warn against evil. This was the reason that the Friday was chosen to offer the otherwise Dhur (noon) prayer in the form a congregation so that all able bodied and healthy Muslims could get to gather at one place. Since Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to be otherwise busy in receiving people all through the week, the Friday congregation was the best time for him to deliver a sermon mainly intended to explain the commandments of Allah contained in the verses of Qur'an. The Prophet ﷺ used to deliver words of exhortation, instruction, or command at gatherings for worship in the mosque, which consisted of the courtyard of his house in Medina.
Since at that time, the language of Arabs was Arabic, obviously the Khutbah by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too was delivered in Arabic.
Now the question arises, should Jumu'ah khutbah only be Arabic, or it can be given in the local language of Muslims on non Arabic speaking countries?
The view of the Maalikis and it is the well-known view of the Hanbalis, is that it is essential that the Khutbah to be in Arabic for the one who is able to do that, even if the listeners do not know Arabic. (See: al-Fawaakih al-Diwaani (1/306) and Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (2/34).)
The second view point is that it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to do that, unless none of the listeners know Arabic, in which case he should give the khutbah in their language. This is the correct view according to the Shaafa’is, and it is the view of some of the Hanbalis. (See: al-Majmoo’ by al-Nawawi (4/522).)
However, the simple answer is that it is mustahabb for the khutbah to be in Arabic but it is not essential, and the imam may deliver the khutbah in his own language instead of Arabic. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and some of the Shaafa’is. (See: Radd al-Muhtaar (1/543) and al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (19/180).)
Comparing the the three view points stated above, the third view seems logical, and for this reason this interpretation is favoured by a number of contemporary scholars, because there is no clear evidence to say that the khutbah must be in Arabic, and because the purpose of the khutbah is to exhort, benefit and teach, which can only be done by using the language of the people present.
The Late Sheikh Jad Al-Haqq Ali Jad Al-Haqq, the former Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, states:
The Hanifi school of fiqh (jurisprudence) state that it is permissible to deliver the khutbah in a language other than Arabic whether the audience are Arabs or not.
I see that since the aim of the Friday sermon is to admonish people, then the opinion of Abu Hanifah should take priority. It goes more with the nature and aim of the congregation.
If one likes to follow the opinion of the majority of the jurists, another alternative can be suggested. The imam can give the two parts of the Friday khutbah, followed by a translation for each in the language of the audience.
To sum up, let us read the statement of the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League:
The fairest opinion is that using Arabic when giving the khutbah on Friday and at Eid in countries where it is not spoken is not a condition of it being valid, but it is better to say the preliminaries of the khutbah and any Qur’aanic verses quoted in Arabic, so as to get non-Arabs used to hearing Arabic and the Qur’aan, which will make it easier to learn it and read the Qur’aan in the language in which it was revealed. Then the khateeb can follow that with exhortation in their language which they understand. (Qiraaraat al-Majma’ al-Fiqhi (p. 99) (fifth session, fifth statement). )
Now you may watch a video in which eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem on the subject of language of the khutbah:
The post is written from education point of view to know how scholars think / recommend and what is being practiced. We must know what is correct or close to logic, for sitting in the masjid and listening to the Khutbah without understanding a word of it is useless and uneducated. The substance of the post doe not in any manner meant to undermine the views of followers of different schools of thought. It is also not intended to to set into motion a debate about who is right or otherwise.
The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.
Tuesday 30 May 2023
How to be Grateful
People who are ungrateful tend to be characterized by an excessive sense of self-importance, arrogance, vanity, and an unquenchable need for admiration and approval. Narcissists reject the ties that bind people into relationships of reciprocity. They expect special favors and feel no need to pay back or pay forward.
Tuesday 2 May 2023
Lift yourself by sincere repentance if you fall
“Then they both ate of that tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance.” (Quran 20:121-122)
(3:133) And hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing.
So, we must always repent and ask forgiveness when we sin or do something against the Divine commandments, and must not delay in doing so for Devil within may prompt us to delay it for better times and may lure us into more sinful activities.
* Please read more on forgiveness/Repentance in our post on Selected Verses from Qur'an.