Etiquettes of visiting (and making) graves - Collection of Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Graveyards are places where our near and dear ones who took their Heavenly flights earlier are buried. In our extreme love for them and wanting their graves do not get obliterated due to weather hazards and rains, many of us cement the graves. Some even go much beyond and even erect structures and domes, elaborate marble structures, virtually indistinguishable from those of typical Christian graves.

Visiting graves is encouraged in Islam to remind individuals of death and the hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad said, "Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter" Yet due to love for those buried in the graves, many a Muslim forget the Islamic teachings about making and visiting graves. In fact many Muslim graves are more reflective of the wealth of the family rather than an act in humility. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in many a Hadith has strictly prohibited erection of structures, arranging festivities and making graves of saints as sanctuaries for people whose business thrive because of the graves.

In order to provide a clear direction of maintaining and visiting graves, herein under we share some of the Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to educate Muslims about the code of conduct with respect to visiting (and making) graves:

Plastering of graves:

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade the building of structures over graves. He emphasized that graves should not be plastered or used as places of worship to avoid falling into practices that could lead to idolatry.. This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book 12 The Book Of Prayer - Funerals / Chapter Janaze Ke Ehkaam O Masail as Hadith number # 2245as under: [Reference 2]

Jabir said: Allah's Messenger ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) forbade that the graves should be plastered or they be used as sitting places (for the people), or a building should be built over them.

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ عَنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُجَصَّصَ الْقَبْرُ وَأَنْ يُقْعَدَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْ يُبْنَى عَلَيْهِ 

Making graves a place of festivity:

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 11  The Rites of Hajj (Kitab Al-Manasik Wa'l-Hajj) / كتاب  المناسك / Chapter # 666 Visiting Graves / باب زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ

as Hadith number # 2042, quoted herein under: [ Reference 1]

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not make your houses graves, and do not make my grave a place of festivity. But invoke blessings on me, for your blessings reach me wherever you may be.

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، قَرَأْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ تَجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ قُبُورًا وَلاَ تَجْعَلُوا قَبْرِي عِيدًا وَصَلُّوا عَلَىَّ فَإِنَّ صَلاَتَكُمْ تَبْلُغُنِي حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Making graves as places of worship:

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ expressed his disapproval of Jews and Christians building places of worship at the graves of their prophets. He intended to warn Muslims against such practices.

This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 23 Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz) /  كتاب الجنائز / Chapter 61:  What is disliked of establishing places of worship (mosques) over the graves / باب مَا يُكْرَهُ مِنِ اتِّخَاذِ الْمَسَاجِدِ عَلَى الْقُبُورِ ) as Hadith 1330, given herein under: [Reference 3]

Narrated by`Urwa:

Aisha said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) in his fatal illness said, 'Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places for praying."' Aisha added, "Had it not been for that, the grave of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) would have been made prominent but I am afraid it might be taken (as a) place for praying.

Arabic Text: حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ شَيْبَانَ، عَنْ هِلاَلٍ ـ هُوَ الْوَزَّانُ ـ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ ‏ "‏ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى، اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ مَسْجِدًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَلَوْلاَ ذَلِكَ لأَبْرَزُوا قَبْرَهُ غَيْرَ أَنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يُتَّخَذَ مَسْجِدًا‏.‏ 

Sitting and loitering between the graves:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the importance of treating graves with respect. He instructed his followers not to sit or walk over graves, reflecting a deep respect for the deceased. 

This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book 12 The Book Of Prayer - Funerals / Chapter Janaze Ke Ehkaam O Masail as Hadith number # 2250 as under: [Reference 4]

Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported Allah's messenger ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) as saying: Do not sit on the graves and do not pray facing towards them.

Arabic Text:

و حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ السَّعْدِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ وَاثِلَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مَرْثَدٍ الْغَنَوِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تَجْلِسُوا عَلَى الْقُبُورِ وَلَا تُصَلُّوا إِلَيْهَا

Weeping by the graves:

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged visiting graves as a means of reflection and learning patience, and not a place for weeping and wailing specially by women.

This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 23 Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz) /  كتاب الجنائز / Chapter 31:  Visiting the graves / باب زِيَارَةِ الْقُبُورِ ) as Hadith 1283, given herein under: [Reference 5]

Narrated by Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave. He told her to fear Allah and be patient. She said to him, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine." And she did not recognize him. Then she was informed that he was the Prophet (ﷺ) . so she went to the house of the Prophet (ﷺ) and there she did not find any guard. Then she said to him, "I did not recognize you." He said, "Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِامْرَأَةٍ تَبْكِي عِنْدَ قَبْرٍ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اتَّقِي اللَّهَ وَاصْبِرِي ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَتْ إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي، فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَبْ بِمُصِيبَتِي، وَلَمْ تَعْرِفْهُ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لَهَا إِنَّهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ فَأَتَتْ باب النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ تَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ بَوَّابِينَ فَقَالَتْ لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّمَا الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الصَّدْمَةِ الأُولَى ‏"‏‏.‏

These are some of the many Hadiths about the code of conduct of visiting and making graves. and if we sincerely review each of the Hadith, we will find ourselves at tangent to the teachings and hadiths of  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Let us demonstrate practical manifestation of above quoted Hadiths and make our lives simpler as required by tenets of Islam and let us not visit graves and construct structures over them as means of show off.

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for more Hadiths on the General Subjects, and Etiquettes taught by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo: BBC | Sources of Hadiths: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Three important advices of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Qur'an is full of divine guidance for the mankind and the basic message that is conveyed is that of peace and looking after the others, besides being constantly in communication with Allah through As Salat, the prayers. Therefore, it has been the endeavour of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to continue to encourage his companions to abide by the guidance that Qur'an provides us. 

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Medinah, upon his reception he spelt out three advices to people of Medinah who had by then had no direction interaction with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and teachings of Qur'an. These three advices are very important in understanding the basic concept of Islam of spreading peace and feeding the poor, besides worshipping Allah in later part of the night, called Tahajjud.

These advices are mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (37 -  Chapters on the description of the Day of Judgement, Ar-Riqaq, and Al-Wara' / كتاب صفة القيامة والرقائق والورع عن رسول الله صلى الله / Chapter # 42 The Hadith: "Spread the Salam" / باب  ) as Hadith number # 2485:

'Abdullah bin Salam said:

"When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) arrived- meaning in Al-Madinah – the people came out to meet him. It was said that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) had arrived, so I went among the people to get a look at him. When I gazed upon the face of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), I knew that this face was not the face of a liar. The first thing that he spoke about was that he said: 'O you people! Spread the Salam, feed(others), and perform Salat while the people are sleeping; you will enter Paradise with (the greeting of) Salam.'” (Sahih)

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ الأَعْرَابِيِّ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلاَمٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ انْجَفَلَ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ وَقِيلَ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجِئْتُ فِي النَّاسِ لأَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا اسْتَبَنْتُ وَجْهَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ وَجْهَهُ لَيْسَ بِوَجْهِ كَذَّابٍ وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ شَيْءٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ أَنْ قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ وَأَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ وَصَلُّوا وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلاَمٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.

The first and foremost thing that a Muslim should do when meeting anyone, even the non Muslims, to greet with Salam (peace). This is generally done by uttering of he Muslim form of greeting in Arabic. The usual usage of "Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh (‏اَلسَلامُ عَلَيْكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اَللهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ‎" - meaning Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you. This is a wholesome Dua / prayer to wish someone with peace and also for blessings and mercy of Allah. This wholesome greeting is far better than using the usual greeting worldwide of saying Good Morning (afternoon or evening).

This greeting is often answered by saying waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh would translate to “May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be Upon You Also. By uttering just the Islamic greetings, we spread the message of peace to everyone we come across. Remember, you will enter Paradise with (the greeting of) Salam

The second advice is to feed others, specially the poor and the needy. This is a great blessing that one can extend to others who cannot afford even one time decent meal. 

The third advice is to perform Salat while the people are sleeping, that is the Salat of Tahajjud. the later part of the night is the most peaceful time from the entire day when all else are asleep and a believer finds time to communicate to his Creator in utter silence of the night. He is in no hurry and can take his time to open his heart to his Lord and say whatever he wants his Creator to listen to. And Allah does listens to His servants for He is As-Sami (السميع) - The Hearer of invocation.

* Read more about Tahajjad from links given in our reference pages:

• Reference Page: As Salt - Prayers
• Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺabout As Salat - Prayers    

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for more Hadiths on the General Subjects.

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The best Jihad is Jihad al Nafs - the war against one's desires (Understanding Islam)

Whenever the word Jihad is mentioned, ripples are created in the minds of the non-Muslims for they always understand Jihad as a Muslim holy war to suppress and kill the non Muslims. They are so obsessed with this word that in their writings or even in films, this word is invariably used to downplay Islam and the Muslims. Such feelings and misunderstanding occur when one has not studied Islam and thus have preconceived ideas about Islam or ideas intentionally fed to them to create misunderstanding and hatred about Islam.

In order to clarify the word Jihad, its various levels and why Jihad is necessary for the Muslims, we are making an endeavour to clear the dust from this notoriously used word by the non Muslims, yet a scared and well meaning word for the Muslims.

Jihad (Arabic: جِهَاد, romanized: jihād [dʒiˈhaːd]) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any exertion of effort to make personal and social life conform with guidance of Allah, such as internal struggle against one's evil inclinations, proselytizing, or efforts toward the betterment of the Muslim community (Ummah), though in non-Muslim societies the term is most often associated with armed conflict. [1]

Having understood the literal meaning of the word Jihad, let us now understand how the Jihad in Islam is categorized from greater to lesser Jihad. Ibn Hazm, an 11th century Muslim scholar, lists four kinds of jihad fi sabilillah ("الجهاد في سبيل الله" - struggle in the cause of Allah):

• Jihad of the heart (jihad bil qalb/ nafs) is concerned with combatting the devil and in the attempt to escape his persuasion to evil. This type of Jihad was regarded[citation needed] as the greater jihad (al-jihad al-akbar).
• Jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan) (also Jihad by the word, jihad al-qalam) is concerned with speaking the truth and spreading the word of Islam with one's tongue.
• Jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad) refers to choosing to do what is right and to combat injustice and what is wrong with action.
• Jihad by the sword (jihad bis saif) refers to qital fi sabilillah (armed fighting in the way of God, or holy war), the most common usage by Salafi Muslims and offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood.

And those who think that Jihad bis saif (the Jihad by the word) is the dominating thought with which Muslims are always obsessed with, ranks the last among the four types of Jihad agreed upon by most of the Muslim scholars.

Since Jihad al Nafs (Jihad of the heart) ranks first in the categorization of Jihad, let us devote ourselves through this post to know why. Let us first understand what is Nafs and why it dominates our actions all along our lives, good or bad:

Nafs (نَفْس) is an Arabic word occurring in the Quran, literally meaning "self", and has been translated as "psyche", "ego" or "soul". The term is cognate with the Hebrew word nephesh, נֶפֶשׁ. In the Quran, the word nafs is used in both the individualistic (verse 2:48) and collective sense (verse 4:1), indicating that although humanity is united in possessing the positive qualities of a nafs, they are individually responsible for exercising the agencies of the "free will" that it provides them. Nafs in its unrefined state is "the ego", and is considered to be the lowest dimension of a person's inward existence—his animal and satanic nature. [2]

Herein under, let us share references from Qur'an and Hadith to know the importance of Jihad al Nafs:

The Quran teaches that "the one who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his nafs from the passions; indeed, paradise will be his refuge." (79:40–41)

The  Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) is attributed to have said:  "The struggler is the one who strives against his soul/self in obedience to God, the Mighty and Majestic." [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah] 

Thus, Jihad al-nafs is the struggle against evil ideas, desires and of lust, anger, and insatiable imagination, placing all of them under the dictates of reason and faith in obedience to God's commands, and finally, purging all satanic ideas and influences from one’s soul. [4]

This struggle is considered as the major struggle (al-jihad al-akbar) as it is much more difficult than fighting in the battlefield, for in the struggle against the self, one has to constantly battle enemies that are hosted inside his own existence.

On a occasion when the soldiers of Islam returned from the battle, Prophet (P.B.U.H) said to his companions, “We have come back from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.” They said, “Is there any greater jihad than jihad against the kuffar?” he said, “Yes, jihad al-nafs (jihad against the self).”

The explanation above leads us to the catch point between the difference between the Jihad bis saif (the Jihad by the word) and the Jihad al Nafs (Jihad of the heart): The normally understood Jihad bis Saif lasts only a campaign, few days to few weeks or even longer but it comes to an end one day and soldiers come home, though many perish in the path of Allah, never to return. But Jihad al Nafs (Jihad of the heart) is a struggle or a battle that continues to be fought from the day one regains the ability to differentiate between good and evil till he dies - that is it is a lifelong struggle that never ends.

Right from an early stage of man's life, he is pitched between two camps: The camp and soldiers of evil or Satan, and the camp of goodness and morality. Both camps continue to exert pressure on the heart and mind of a man and whoever dominates the evil camp wins the battle. But the battles do not end and continue throughout one's life, for the evil is never at rest. The Satan, as he promised Allah when he was being kicked out of the Paradise for enticing Adam and Eve and misleading them to violate the Divine commandment of not going near the forbidden tree, that he would do his best to mislead the man on earth and take him away from path of Allah. Herein under is the conversation between the Satan and Allah as mentioned in Surah 15. Al-Hijr:

39. [Iblis (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all.

40. "Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them."

41. (Allah) said: "This is the Way which will lead straight to Me."

42. "Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghawin (Mushrikun and those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.).

43. "And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all.

* For detailed explanation and commentary over the the above said dialogue, please refer to  the Exegesis of Surah Al Hijr

That is why they say: one must certainly do battle with the ego and break it, as is referred to in the hadith: "Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your flanks."

To wage a war against one one's nafs is not easy for the social media is infested with evil material and no matter how hard one tries to stay away from such enticements, one is liable to fall or tumble. And when it happens, one must immediately stand on his feet, repent earnestly and seek forgiveness of Allah, for if one fails to stand, then he will continue to fall into the depts. of evil and his nafs will become so hardened that it will no longer listen to the calls of his conscious.

To wage the war against ones' nafs, one must guard one's eyes for feasting on the impermissible, his eyes from listening to vain speech, his limbs for sitting in the company one must have never sat in the first place, and also guard against one's own heart / nafs for every time you allowed what was impure to enter it.

We would like you to watch the video below by eminent Muslim preacher Shariffa Carlo Al Andalusia  to clarify any doubt you may still have about Jihad al Nafs:

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Strict prohibition of looking at `awrah (عورة) of others - Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Modesty and privacy are much too often mentioned in Qur'an and many a hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and it is emphasised  to preserves one's awrah (عورة) from one another, for nakedness leads to lewdness.

In Arabic, the words awrah besides meaning defectiveness, imperfection, blemish, weakness, pudendum flaw, defect and fault also mean genitalia, loins, private parts. The word is used in the Quran to denote "privacy", "vulnerability" and "nakedness." 

Most of modern Islamic scholars agree that the 'awrah of a man is the area between the navel and the knees, and the 'awrah of a woman is the entire body except the face, hand; exposing the 'awrah of the body is against Islamic law. It would be worthwhile to notice that unlike men, the `awrah of a woman is almost her entire body for it is more tempting that of man. 

 

The Quran addresses the concept of awrah several times including guidelines on how one should dress and behave to avoid exposing one's body to others. In Surah An-Nur (24:30-31) of Qur'an the preservation and protection of one's awrah has been explicitly mentioned as under:

• For men: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do."
• For women: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap a portion of their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed."

The dress code of Islam pinches a lot for the non Muslims which they claim to be against the liberty of human beings, specially women who want to roam free. Unfortunately, many a LIBERAL Muslims, specially women, are averse to the Islamic dress code and blatantly reuse to adhere to Islamic dress code.  We need to weigh the pros and cons of our rejection of Islamic dress code for an easy and carefree life in this world can become a bane in the life of the hereafter. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too has forbade men and women to expose their bodies either openly or by wearing dresses that expose their nakedness. One such Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book 3 The Book of Menstruation - كتاب  الحيض / Chapter 17 The prohibition of looking at `awrah / باب حْرِيمِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْعَوْرَاتِ ‏ / as Hadith number # 338a as under:

'Abd al-Rahman, the son of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reported from his father:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: A man should not see the private parts of another man, and a woman should not see the private parts of another woman, and a man should not lie with another man under one covering, and a woman should not lie with another woman under one covering.

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَنْظُرُ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَلاَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى عَوْرَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَلاَ يُفْضِي الرَّجُلُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ وَلاَ تُفْضِي الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

In another Hadith, Aisha, revered wife Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been quoted as saying: "Asma bint Abi Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wearing thin clothes. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned his attention from her. He said: 'O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not proper that anything should be seen of her except this and this.' He pointed to his face and hands."

A hadith mentioned in Jami` at-Tirmidhi says: Narrated Ibn Mas’ud: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “A woman is to be concealed, for when she goes out, the devil seeks to tempt her.”

A hadith mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood: Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin: "I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while Maymunah was with him. Then Ibn Umm Maktum came. This happened after the command regarding the veil had been prescribed for us. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Observe the veil from him.' We asked: 'Messenger of Allah! Is he not blind? He can neither see us nor recognize us.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Are both of you blind? Do you not see him?'"

Hadith mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah, narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are two types of people of Hell that I have not yet seen: men with whips like the tails of oxen, with which they beat people, and women who are clothed yet naked, walking with an enticing gait, with their heads looking like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise, nor will they smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance." 

The above quoted Hadith is specially applicable to geys and lesbians. In Islam, any sexual relation except that a husband and wife is strictly prohibited.

Remember dear sisters and brothers, exposing one's body or wearing revealing clothes can be very tempting and evil makes it more pronounced to lure in men and women into lewdness. Here women are specially to be cautioned for they are generally in the habit of of showing off their bodies or wearing such clothes that reveal their body contours that invariably attract attention of the men, or even women to their bodies. Thus not only they commit a sin, but their action also tempts others to sin by gazing on their bodies with lust.

Other than husband and wife, no one else is to look at the awrah of others. Let us then adhere strictly to the dress code Islam has prescribed for men and woman and let no adult men or women lie under one sheet for such actions can become evil oriented, nor look at the nakedness of one another.

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Warning and Cautions for more Hadiths on the subject

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith | Resource Reference: Wikipedia |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Is the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) coming true in the present times?

Prophecy is a declaration of something to come; a foretelling; a prediction; especially an inspired foretelling. Many prophecies have been made by revered prophets and messengers of Allah, which later came true. This does not mean that the prophets were "seeing or imaging" things that were to happen in the future. The prophecies are based on "what has been shown or prompted" by Allah to His selected prophets to forewarn the happening of an event or a time that will come in some point in time in the future so that people are not caught unaware (if something bad is to happen) and are cautioned to avoid consequences of their acts that may land them in a calamity. Likewise, good times have also been promised by Allah and conveyed to the people through prophetic prophecies. 

There are many a prophecy attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.  some of which we have shared in our earlier posts. And one of them is being shared today as mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 74 Drinks /  كتاب الأشربة / Chapter 6:  The one who regards an alcoholic drink lawful to drink, and calls it by another name / باب مَا جَاءَ فِيمَنْ يَسْتَحِلُّ الْخَمْرَ وَيُسَمِّيهِ بِغَيْرِ اسْمِهِ ) as Hadith 5590, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying:

"From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection."

Arabic Text:

وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَطِيَّةُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْكِلاَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ غَنْمٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَامِرٍ ـ أَوْ أَبُو مَالِكٍ ـ الأَشْعَرِيُّ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَذَبَنِي سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ، وَلَيَنْزِلَنَّ أَقْوَامٌ إِلَى جَنْبِ عَلَمٍ يَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَارِحَةٍ لَهُمْ، يَأْتِيهِمْ ـ يَعْنِي الْفَقِيرَ ـ لِحَاجَةٍ فَيَقُولُوا ارْجِعْ إِلَيْنَا غَدًا‏.‏ فَيُبَيِّتُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَضَعُ الْعَلَمَ، وَيَمْسَخُ آخَرِينَ قِرَدَةً وَخَنَازِيرَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Now just ponder over every word being said more fourteen hundred years ago and then look around. And it is appalling to note that whatever Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned is already here and plaguing the lives of the Muslims. 

It is saddened to see while the reverted Muslims have altogether left a life full of lewdness and transgression, the born Muslims have started to get involved in the illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful, exactly as predicted by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Even some of the Arab countries which have thus forth restricted such activities, have now opened doors to all such evil activities and are allowing free access to alcohol, night clubs, wearing revealing dresses by the Muslim women with complete disregard to Muslim dress code. Men too are indulging in illegal sex and seen wearing silk clothes and openly seen drinking and engaging in activities entirely tangent to teachings of Islam.

This all is due to moving away from Qur'an, Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and ignorance to the history wherein wrath of Allah befell on people who disobeyed Him and His messengers and prophets. Remember what is said in Qur'an:

وَمَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌۭ وَلَعِبٌۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٦٤

And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew. (Surah 29. an Kabut: 64)

We have lost much time, yet there is still time to repent and reshape our lives according to tenets of Islam before it is too late to turn back, for one never knows how much more one has to live. Remember the Divine Warning: Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection.

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  a 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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Warning and Cautions for more Hadiths on the subject

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

What will be the Fate of those who help rulers in their wrongdoing (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

The world is full of deceit and wrongdoings in every walk of our lives. Although such heinous act effect everyone of us, yet their impact on individuals is not as pronounced, but when such acts permeate in the mindset of rulers and their followers not only follow lies of their rulers and the demagogues, and deceits blindly which help these worldly demagogues a nod in their wrongdoings. We have abundant of such rulers / demagogues today around us and large crowd following them

Reinhard Luthin defined demagogue as "a politician skilled in oratory, flattery and invective; evasive in discussing vital issues; promising everything to everybody; appealing to the passions rather than the reason of the public; and arousing racial, religious, and class prejudices—a man whose lust for power without recourse to principle leads him to seek to become a master of the masses.

This has been the dilemma of mankind since time immemorial and continues even today and perhaps will continue to be so till the world comes to an end. While the unjust rulers will be shown the doors of hell, their blind followers who knew that the rulers they are supporting are not only liars and unjust but also usurpers of rights of everyone.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had strictly warned such people who back the tyrants and cautioned them the deprivation of their presence at the Cistern - the Pond of Abundance (حَوْضُ ٱلْكَوْثَرِ). 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan an Nasa'i /  Book 39 The Book of al-Bay'ah / باب  البيعة) / Chapter 35: Mentioning The Warning To Those Who Help The Leader To Do Wrong. / باب ذِكْرِ الْوَعِيدِ لِمَنْ أَعَانَ أَمِيرًا عَلَى الظُّلْمِ ‏‏ / as Hadith number # 4207 under:

It was narrated that Kab bin Ujrah said:

"The Messenger of Allah came out to us, and there were nine of us. He said; 'After me there will be rulers, whoever believes in their lies and helps them in their wrongdoing is not of me, and I am not of him, and he will not come to me at the Cistern. Whoever does not believe their lies and does not help them in their wrongdoing, he is of me, and I am of hi, and he will come to me at the Cistern."'

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Arabic Text:

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الْعَدَوِيِّ، عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ تِسْعَةٌ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّهُ سَتَكُونُ بَعْدِي أُمَرَاءُ مَنْ صَدَّقَهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَأَعَانَهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ وَلَيْسَ بِوَارِدٍ عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَلَمْ يُعِنْهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَهُوَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُ وَهُوَ وَارِدٌ عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ 

It is but strange that despite many such warnings both in Qur'an and Hadiths, Muslims too continue to follow the tyrants, liars and the unjust rulers. When it comes to caste one's vote, we see people being sold for a few bucks and supporting their supported candidates despite knowing their bad character, ill reputation, and habit of turning away from their promises. Such acts are tantamount to being part of the evil machination of the people they are supporting and will be asked to explain the why on the Day of Judgement. And on that day, they will have no answer but shame of selling away the trust for their petty gains.

Beware of the lies, my sisters and brothers in Islam which is being unleashed everyday on the social and print media and fall out of ranks of such people before we too become the supporters of the liars for which we will be held equally responsible.

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Warning and Cautions for more Hadiths on the subject

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith | Pond of Abundance |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Which wedding feast is the worst food (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

The Hadith being shared today may sound awkward to many, for marriages are occasions of joy and happiness. Then how come Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that the worst food is the wedding feast - a east on which colossal amount is spent to entertain the large number of guest attending the wedding. How could then be a the wedding feat be the worst food?

To know the answer, read the Hadith as quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book 16 The Book of Marriage - كتاب النكاح / Chapter 16 The command to accept invitations / باب الأَمْرِ بِإِجَابَةِ الدَّاعِي إِلَى دَعْوَةٍ ‏ ‏‏ / as Hadith number # 1432a as under:

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) used to say:

The worst kind of food is the wedding feast to which the rich are invited and the poor are ignored. He who does not come to the feast, he in fact disobeys Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ بِئْسَ الطَّعَامُ طَعَامُ الْوَلِيمَةِ يُدْعَى إِلَيْهِ الأَغْنِيَاءُ وَيُتْرَكُ الْمَسَاكِينُ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْتِ الدَّعْوَةَ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ‏.

That is we often or in fact generally ignore the poor relatives or poor of the area when hosting the wedding feast. And then a large quantity of unconsumed food is thrown away in the garbage, which is not only sheer wastage of food which in itself is a sin, it deprives the poor of a hearty meal had they been invited too. Or if the poor cannot be invited, then arrangements be made to pack the left over food and given out to the poor.

The second portion of the Hadith is about the etiquette of declining an invitation or having agreed to attend a marriage and then not turning up is something the revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ disliked, for he never used to decline an invitation which is extended as an honour of someone being considered worthy of part of one's happy occasion. A said, he who does not come to the feast, he in fact disobeys Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).

Let us not forget to adhere to this very meaningful Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and practice it with the spirit as so intended.

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. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for more Hadiths on the General Subjects.

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. 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.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More