In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
From now on, we will try to upload weekly khutba online insha’Allaah. To start off, the last major khutbah of the year 2009 has been specially recorded into a series of video clips. The ones to be uploaded from next year may just be audio clips. Allaah knows best.
at-Taqwaa [01 of 06] - What is at-Taqwaa?
at-Taqwaa [02 of 06] - Wing of Fear; Wing of Hope
at-Taqwaa [03 of 06] - Secret Sins
at-Taqwaa [04 of 06] - The Story of the Great ‘Aabeed
at-Taqwaa [05 of 06] - Fear the World; Fear the Women
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
All praise be to Allaah.
The shaytaan - Sarkozy - in his recent attempts to ban the burqa’, has stated that,
“The burqa’ is not a religious sign. It is a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement… It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic.”
This shaytaan is telling us - the Muslims - what is and is not a part of the Deen of the Almighty Creator! May Allaah destroy his plans and plots, for Allaah is the best of plotters.
Sadly, alongside this shaytaan, there are many other shayateen who claim to be Muslims yet call for the same thing: ban of the Burqa’ from the streets of Britain. These hypocrites nowadays are not afraid to voice their opinions, and are poisoning the minds of the Muslims. Be cautious of them.
Muslim women - or Muslims in general - when asked questions about this issue either become too appologetic or they answer with something totally contrary to the essence of Islaam. If Allaah wills, the following should set an example of how to answer the haters of Islaam.
The following has been devised from the recent discussion of Shaykh Haitham al-Haddad (soon to be uploaded online insha’Allaah; keep an eye on this site), with additions by the author.
A Muslim must realise that when asked a question, the answer they give should concentrate on the “content” rather than how the audience may perceive it. We are here to please Allaah - the Creator -; not to satisfy those who oppose Him or anyone else.
Imaam Shakeel Begg (LKIC) - Advice to Muslims Concerning Niqaab and Hijaab:
All human beings have been created by a Creator – that Creator is Allaah azza wa jall. This Creator is all-Knowing and all-Wise. He knows what is better for us and what is not.
He created us for a noble purpose – to worship Him alone. The best and only manner of worshipping Him is the manner which He prescribed upon us. The Creator commanded us to do certain things, to allow us to live peacefully and in tranquillity in this life and in the next life.
On the Day of Resurrection He will question all of mankind about their affairs – who submitted themselves to Him, who fulfilled His Commandments and so on; may Allaah make our scales heavy with goodness on that Day.
He will do so because He has made this life as a test. There are those who will get below 40% and fail; others will cross that 40% boundary and pass and yet others will excel and go beyond 70% – may Allaah make us amongst those who excel in His worship.
The human life is divided into two parts; life before death and life after death. The ones who fulfil the purpose of creation will attain tranquillity and peace in this life and in the next. Without a doubt, the 60-70 years of this lifetime is nothing compared to the eternal life of the Hereafter.
The Muslim women who wear the Burqa’ – may Allaah shower His blessings upon them and grant them eternal happiness – they do so to fulfil the Commandment of their Creator. They submit to the Will of their Creator by obeying what He has prescribed for them. They know that fulfilling all that their Creator has prescribed upon them will lead them to the eternal Abode.
Whatever the all-Knowing, all-Wise, Creator legislates is better for all of humanity.
“… Allâh knows and you know not.” [Al Qur’aan – Surah al-Baqarah (002:232)]
To sum it up, Muslim women wear the Burqa’ because it is a Commandment from their Creator.
All Praise be to Allaah.
Do you want all women – east or west, Muslimah or kaafirah – to wear the Burqa’?
We want all human beings to follow all the guidelines set by the Creator; that is better for them, if only they knew.
Once a woman submits to the Will of her Creator, she will understand the purpose of life, and she will automatically wear the Burqa’ alongside fulfilling the other requirements of the one who submits themselves to their Creator.
Muslim women – may Allaah grant them the eternal Abode – when they convert from kufr (i.e. disbelief) into Islaam – the truth, the guidance for humanity – they start wearing the Burqa’, covering their faces and bodies, without anyone telling them to do so. This is because they have understood the purpose of life and what is required for each individual to fulfil that purpose for which they have been sent – to worship the Creator as He wills.
Once the woman wears the Burqa’, she gets her dignity. For a person to understand that, they must study Islaam and submit to the Will of their Creator.
To sum it up, according to a Muslim, all kuffaar (i.e. disbelievers) should submit to the Will of the Creator and then they will understand the purpose of life and what is required of them to fulfil that purpose.
Does the Qur’aan speak about Burqa’?
In the Qur’aan – the direct, undistorted Speech of Allaah – the Creator commands us to offer the Salaat (i.e. daily prayers). However He does not tell us how many times or how. He commands us to pay the Zakaat (i.e. charity), but He does not tell us about the exact amount to pay.
There are likewise many issues mentioned, but not discussed in detail in the Qur’aan. The Creator’s apostle – Muhammad (pbuh) - was sent for the purpose of explaining those matters and to set the example. This is why we pray five times a day, and pay 2.5% Zakaat every year. This is how we understand what the dress code for men and women are.
Other than that, the Creator has proclaimed in His Qur’aan:
“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their (Jalabeeb) cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al Qur’aan – Surah an-Ahzaab (033:059)]
Ibn Katheer (a fourteenth century scholar) (r) said about this particular Verse in his commentary of the Qur’aan, which is held highly by the Muslim population:
“Here Allaah tells His Messenger to command the believing women - especially his wives and daughters, because of their position of honor - to draw their Jilbaabs over their bodies, so that they will be distinct in their appearance from the women of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic era of ignorance) and from slave women. The Jilbaab is a Rida’, worn over the Khimaar. This was the view of Ibn Mas`ood, `Ubaydah, Qatadah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, `Ata’ Al-Khurasani and others (collection of companions of Muhammad (pbuh) and righteous scholars of the next generation). It is like the Izar used today (Ibn Katheer is speaking of his own time). Al-Jawhari said: “The Jilbaab is the outer wrapper. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbaas said that Allaah commanded the believing women, when they went out of their houses for some need, to cover their faces from above their heads with the Jilbaab, leaving only one eye showing. Muhammad bin Sirin said, “I asked `Ubaydah As-Salmani about the Ayah: {… to draw their Jalabeeb over their bodies…} He covered his face and head, with just his left eye showing.”
{That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed} means, if they do that, it will be known that they are free, and that they are not servants or whores.
{And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} means with regard to what happened previously during the days of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic era of ignorance), when they did not have any knowledge about this.
[Tafseer ibn Katheer]
The scholars give various explanations. Some scholars say that the Muslim woman should cover all of her body, her hands and face. Other scholars say that she should cover all of her body but she may uncover the face and hands. Many people try to use this as an excuse to rip the Muslim women off their rights. The scholars who allow for the uncovering of the faces and hands do not disapprove of covering the face; rather they encourage it as a better alternative.
If one takes the Qur’aan in a very literal way, then they will find it does not talk about a lot of things. If however one understands the Qur’aan in the way it should be understood, then it explains everything. All praise be to Allaah.
So to sum it up, the Qur’aan does talk about the Burqa’, and for a person to understand that they must look at the interpretations of the Verses of how the Muslims of the early generations understood and practiced it; even then it is clear about what is required from the aforementioned Verse. The person must first submit to the Will of their Creator and then they will understand the purpose of life and its requirements.
Is the Burqa’ obligatory?
This question is irrelevant. If we prove to you that it is obligatory, will you accept it and let us live our lives in peace?
The scholars have a consensus that the niqaab (face veil) is part of the Islaamic dress for Muslim women. Those scholars who say that the face may be uncovered recommend the women to wear the niqaab and none of the scholars say that “the niqaab is not obligatory”.
Does this mean that all disbelieving women are immodest?
The Burqa’ is raising the level of modesty of a woman.
The woman walking around in a mini-skirt is not the same as the woman who covers her legs. Likewise the one who covers her body such that her clothing is loose and not revealing, and covers her face is not the same as the former two. Each one is on a different level of modesty, with the latter being the most modest. The one who wears the niqaab should thus be praised for raising her level of modesty.
The one who gives £1000 in charity and the one who gives £100 are not the same. We would say that the former is more generous, likewise the one who wears niqaab is more modest.
As stressed earlier, the obligation is more important than modesty and Muslim women wear the Burqa’ primarily to fulfil the Commandment of their Creator.
The Qur’aan only speaks of modesty, shouldn’t simple modesty be enough?
The Creator in His undistorted, uncreated, Speech – the Qur’aan – mentioned the requirement of what the women should wear. The Creator mentions the Jilbaab (i.e. “cloak”) by word [in 033:059 – “jalabeeb”]. Moreover the companions of the Creator’s Apostle (pbuh) and the generation after them understood that to mean covering all of the body including the face.
The Qur’aan is not speaking about modesty only and it most certainly did not leave the definition of what modesty is to us. Qur’aan says that once the women adopt the Jilbaab modesty is achieved.
Why do men not cover their faces?
The Creator did not tell the men to cover their faces and thus the early generations of Muslims did not cover their faces as part of a religious obligation. This is why men do not cover their faces.
One must ask, is there a difference between the body of a man and the body of a woman? Any person with a little bit of intellect will reply with a yes. If one is still adamant then realise that on the beach where everyone in the civilized societies strip off and go for a swim, a man covers what is below his navel and above his knees, whereas a woman covers her chest as well alongside that. So there is a difference in their bodies.
The face of a man is not as attractive to a woman, as a face of a woman is attractive to a man. A man after being shown a photograph of a woman or a pretty woman may be “interested” in her, whereas a woman seeing a picture of a “pretty” man may not feel the same way as the other man was feeling towards the woman. Generally the desire of a woman is not provoked when she just sees a man’s face; instead she would be interested in the man’s characteristics first.
The Creator is all-Knowing and all-Wise and in His Wisdom of understanding the nature of men and the nature of women, He commanded the women to cover their faces and not the men.
If women’s desires are not provoked by looking at a man’s face, then why does the Qur’aan order them to lower their gazes as well?
True, but the Creator did not say that a woman is not allowed to look at the face of a man. He commanded her to lower her gaze not to see the man’s private parts, if such situation were to arise, or not to look when she may feel attracted towards that man.
Allaah, the Creator, knows that the face of the woman is attractive - as He created it - and the face of the man is not as attractive to a woman (compared to a man looking at a woman). Thus He commanded the women to cover their faces.
Are women forced to wear the Burqa’?
The word “force” is often used in this scenario in a negative manner – this is done to add oil to the flame.
If your son is hanging around with drug dealers around the corner, would you not “force” him to leave their company?
When a person is working for someone and the employer comes and tells the employee, “Do this task or leave”, and the employee is compelled to do that task, isn’t that “force”?
Aren’t people in this civilized country “forced” to park their cars in certain places, and “forced” to pay insurance on their vehicles?
Muslim women wear their Burqa’ and their parents, brothers, sisters, husbands tell them to wear their Islaamic dress, as Muslims are commanded to protect their families from the Hellfire – which results from disobedience to the Creator. Often times, non-practicing parents “force” their daughters not to wear the Burqa’, but the Muslim woman – may Allaah protect her – fulfils the Commandment of her Creator instead. All praise be to Allaah.
Isn’t a student “forced” to wear the uniform of their school? Likewise in Islaam there are uniforms for the worshippers of the Creator. The uniform for the Muslim women is the Burqa’.
Is the Burqa’ a security threat?
Muslims have been living in the UK for a long time. Muslims did not have any problems with national security resulting from a woman wearing a Burqa’. If there is a specific case, bring it on and it will be discussed.
If you tell the Muslim woman that she cannot wear her Burqa’ in your country, where you have welcomed her to come from another country to practice what you call “freedom”, then will she ever grow in respect for your land? Will she feel attached to this land, and appreciate this land?
Rather her children will grow up hating the system and the country because you ripped their mother off her rights and subjugated her to the double standards oppression of your regime.
Thus this banning will only be counter-productive and not produce the desired effect. All praise be to Allaah.
If you speak of cohesion between societies, then you can never achieve this by forcing a minority to not practice their way of life, provided that the practice does not harm the society in general.
Who does the Burqa’ harm?
The Niqaab is a barrier to communication.
So are the internet and the telephone. Ban them too and make everything face-to-face.
The Niqaab is a symbol of subjugation.
Who says? What is your evidence other than your own whims?
I believe having to wear revealing clothes is subjugation to the perverted society.
What is the criterion to judge “subjugation”?
In the Netherlands, red light district, you have naked women standing inside shop windows, just to draw the passer by in, just to please men. Isn’t this perverted sexual slavery or do you call it “freedom of choice”?
Women’s rights in the West are being violated, they are being dishonoured and ill-treated. This is not human rights and this is what you want to impose on the rest of the World!? We seek refuge with Allaah from this wickedness.
Amongst the women who migrate from the subcontinents and so on, often times they do not wear the Burqa’; whereas the Muslim academic woman, born in the West, brought up in Western society, educated in the Western universities, wears the Burqa’. Doesn’t that tell you something?
Get over your hatred of the Truth and submit to the Creator.
A final piece of advice…
Islaam is flourishing whether you like it or not. Islaam will take over every corner of the Earth. It is better that you learn to live with the Muslims now than at a time when Allaah will remove you from your position.
Western civilization is coming to an end. Is it because of Muslims? No.
You are doing it to yourselves. Your motives in this World are different than the motives of the Muslims in this World. You busy yourselves with the dollar and dime, and neglect family life, and the raising of children.
Statistically by 2050, there will be no single pure Danish person left in Denmark. Are Muslims the cause of that? No. You do not have enough children to carry on your blood and heritage. You have a problem with your fertility rate. It is your fault.
You have a distorted view towards the purpose of life; you do not like to get married and have children, then what else do you expect? Help yourselves.
Islaam is the fastest growing religion in the World, no matter what you do. Islaam is the truth; it fits in to human nature.
You try to follow a version of “Christian values” that you yourselves have distorted through time. Go back to the original Christianity and we Muslims will cheer you along. Since going back to the true way of Eesaa (Jesus) (pbuh) is nothing but Islaam – pure monotheism towards the God of Abraham (pbuh).
Do not blame the Muslims by claiming that we are taking over. It’s not our fault; it’s your fault.
Why is Islaam flourishing in secular countries? Simply because secularism is not fulfilling people’s needs.
The number of disbelieving women leaving their lives of ignorance and embracing Islaam is greater in number than the number of men! Is that our fault? Is it because Islaam doesn’t give “women’s rights”? Or is it because those women - may Allaah shower His blessings upon them - have realised the truth and are submitting themselves to their Creator?
Hatred of Islaam should not stop you from finding out about the reality.
The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth said:
“And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allâh, while he is being invited to Islâm? And Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers) folk.
They intend to put out the Light of Allâh (i.e. the religion of Islâm, this Qur’ân, and Prophet Muhammad SAW) with their mouths. But Allâh will complete His Light even though the disbelievers hate (it).”
[Al Qur'aan - Surah as-Saff (061:007-008)]
We encourage all the Muslim sisters to fulfill their obligation in their religion, and support your other sisters by raising your own level of modesty in their footsteps. May Allaah guide us all.
Anything that is good is solely from Allaah and anything that is bad is from me and shaytaan the accursed.
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reported, “Once, when I recited the verses of the Qur’aan, ‘O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth…’ [Al Qur’an - 002:168], in the presence of the Prophet (saw). Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas (ra) got up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! Ask Allaah to make me one whose supplication is heard.’ At this the Prophet (saw) said, ‘O Sa’d, consume lawful things and your supplications will be heard, and by Him in Whose hands is the soul of Muhammad, when a man puts into his stomach a morsel of what is forbidden his prayers are not accepted for forty days, and a servant of Allaah whose body is nourished by usury or by what is forbidden becomes more deserving of the Hell fire.”
[Al-Hafiz b. Marduwiyah]
Every day Muslims go through stressful times trying to find a means of earning that is decent, professional, yet Islaamically lawful. In a period of perpetual economic recession, especially in the IT industry, such as the one we are currently witnessing, it is indeed challenging to find such a combination. While many do land good and Halaal jobs, others resort to any sort of work or industry, often out of desperation or hopes of ‘quick and big cash’, that may not necessarily be pleasing to Allaah (swt), the source of all our Rizq (wealth, sustenance and blessings). It is important that we work hard and honestly to earn money, instead of sitting idle at home or stealing other’s money.
Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) once reminded us, “It is better that a person should a take a rope and bring bundles of wood on his back to sell so that Allaah may preserve his honour, than that he should beg from people.”
[Bukhari & Muslim]
Consumerism’s Promise - You will never be ‘Content’:
Audhubillaah !
However, while we strive hard to sustain ourselves with part time jobs, we need to also learn the ethics of ‘right’ and ‘pure’ earning and spending. How many a person strives with the sole purpose of earning bring to buy a new set of shoes, pair of trousers, or nail polish, every week! This is indeed the destructive outcome of our consumer teen culture.
Why is it crucial not to be corrupted by the greed of our materialistic society? The Prophet (saw) has told us, “Riches are sweet, and a source of blessing to those who acquire them (lawfully) by the way; but those who seek them out of greed are like people who eat but are never full (or satisfied).”
Therefore, this kind of greed to have ‘everything cool or every fad out there’ will never satisfy you, no matter how much of it you have. Ever wonder, why the music and film industry never loses money? The idea is to keep every young person in our society ‘hooked’ on the music, lyrics, and the ’stars’, that are strategically released to the public gradually, in stages, so that everyone keeps coming back for ‘more’.
Reality of ‘Entertainment’ and your Employment:
Prophet Muhammad (saw): “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 [ma'aazif] as lawful.” [Bukhari]
At the end of the day, a music or movie addict realizes how hollow and temporary this ‘entertainment’ is -something that destroys one’s soul by taking his or her mind and feelings to another realm of fantasy, only to realize that he or she is back to the same harsh realities of this life as soon as the tape is turned off!
The way we ‘kill our time’ in our leisure activities has a great influence on what type of job we would look for. If our priority in life is to serve our family, community and Islam, as well as improving our own relationship with Allaah (swt), then certainly we would look for a job or profession that accommodates all such commitments.
It helps to keep in mind the following portrayal of reality by our Prophet (saw): “Whoever sets this world as his goal, Allaah (swt) divides his affairs for him. He will place poverty between his eyes, and nothing will come to him from this world except what Allaah (swt) has written for him. Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, Allaah (swt) gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.”
[Ibn Majah & Ibn Hibban]
“It is not poverty which I fear”…
Is it any wonder that the beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) once commented, “It is not poverty which I fear for you, but that you might desire the world as others before you desired it, and it might destroy you, as it destroyed them.”
How do we suppress our desire or love for this world? We can certainly do so by spending less on ourselves and contributing as much as possible to those in need. Even a regular, nominal donation to your local Masjid, charity organization, youth group, Islaamic publication, or a poor person would greatly bless your limited income from employment as a student; it will also serve a profound reminder to cut the greed. Your regular contribution to others’ well-being will make you think, every time you are window shopping think, “Do I really need it? Or am I tempted to buy this shirt or game because my friend always talks about it? Five Reasons to avoid working for Riba (interest) based institutions:
1. Riba (interest) involves earning income without actually working to earn it;
2. Riba based companies involve taking advantage of the need or financial circumstances of the borrower of loan;
3. Taking Riba, or working for institutions that promote it, contribute to great injustice and devastation, as we have already witnessed, both at individual and global level, such as, bankruptcy, corporate scandals, economic recession, inability to repay loans, and staggering unemployment to name a few.
4. Daily toil has become a never-ending struggle to pay off interest on mortgages or business loans, and societies have become class-ridden structures in which huge wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.
5. It has been said, “Perhaps all this is a manifestation of the war threatened by Allaah to those who deal in Riba…”. The least harm that a job involving Riba does is to destroy the blessing (Barakah) of the money, even if a person’s income is great, The Prophet (saw) himself once said, ‘Even if Riba is much, it will end up being a small amount.’
[Al-Hakim]
Employment Search - Tips on keeping it Halal:
Next time you go out searching for employment, please make sure to accept a job that is pure and Halaal, and that it’s work-environment allows you to maintain your Islaamic identity, including time and space for 5 daily prayers, allowance to observe Hijaab or Islaamically modest clothing, and a minimum level of modesty (Haya) among the co-workers.
As a general rule contemporary scholars have advised staying away from:
1. Any form of activity deriving money from pornography, prostitution and indecency (such as theatres, movie stores, clubs….etc.), as Allaah (swt) reminds us: “And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fâhishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allâh forgives him).”
[Al Qur’an - Surah al-Israa' (017:032)]
2. Any form of drama or dance entertainment that is deliberate or suggestive.
3. Making statues of living creatures or photography that is sexually provocative, as the Prophet (saw) once said, “Allaah will punish anyone who makes figures (of living beings), until he breathes spirit into them, which he can never do.”
[Bukhari]
4. Manufacturing, trading, or serving intoxicants and drugs.
5. Working in a bar, off-licence, nightclub, dance hall, etc.
6. Being involved in armed forces fighting against other Muslims or killing innocent people.
7. Working in banks, stock exchanges, futures markets, insurance companies, and other usurious or Riba-based institutions.
How do I tell…
How do we tell what is Haraam (unlawful) or Halaal (lawful) type of work? A general principle is, “If anyone’s means of earning a living hurts another, or results in another’s loss or corruption, then it is Haraam. If it is fair and beneficial to others as well, then it is Halaal”.
Obviously, any business or job that involves dishonesty, bribery, gambling, cheating (do deceptive marketing strategies, ring a bell?), fraud, sexual degradation, or any other means of making a profit by exploiting others (such as lottery/raffle tickets), is forbidden to us Muslims. The best practice to ignore or leave any job opportunity that seems to fall in the grey area.
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised us, “Leave alone what puts you in doubt and turn toward what does not create any doubt.”
[Ahmad & Tirmidhi]
This is perhaps the most practical tool or tip to use in employment search.
The Road Ahead…
Before you give up all the hope of finding a good Halal job, after reading the list of warnings and restrictions, remember that there are literally innumerable sources of employment, including Muslim and non-Muslim owned businesses, that offer a decent, honourable, professional, and above all Halaal, environment. You may begin your job search with your local Muslim business directory!
You would never despair if you realized the truth of a statement taken from our Prophet’s (saw) collection of sayings, “If you give up something for the sake of Allaah, He will replace it with something (even) better.”
Let’s have the following words of Allaah (swt) etched in your heart,
“… And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him…”
[Al Qur'aan - Surah at-Talaaq (065:003)]
This Verse gives us enough of a boost to the confidence, faith, and optimism in the hearts of all the young Muslims striving to adopt a pure, Islaamic lifestyle and to benefit their society as responsible citizens.
The Prophet (saw) taught people to say: “(O) Allaah, make that which is permissible sufficient for me, so as to make me independent of that which is forbidden. And bestow upon me enough of Thy grace to make me independent of all besides Thee.” [Tirmidhi]
It is human nature to be forgetful, as the Arab poet said:
“He is only called man (insân) because of his forgetfulness (nasiyân), and it is only called the heart (al-qalb) because it changes so rapidly (yataqallib).”
In the past they said that the first one to forget (awwal nâsin) was the first man (awwal al-nâs), meaning Adam, peace be upon him. Forgetfulness is something that varies from person to person according to each individual’s nature; some may be more forgetful than others. Some of the things that may help to combat forgetfulness are the following:
1. Keeping away from sin, because the bad effects of sin result in a bad memory and the inability to retain knowledge. The darkness of sin cannot co-exist with the light of knowledge. The following words were attributed to al-Shâfi‘î, may Allâh have mercy on him:
“I complained to [my shaykh] Wakî’ about my bad memory, and he taught me that I should keep away from sin. He said that knowledge of Allâh is light, and the light of Allâh is not given to the sinner.”
Al-Khatîb reported in al-Jâmi‘ (2/387) that Yahya ibn Yahya said:
“A man asked Mâlik ibn Anas, ‘O Abu ‘Abd-Allâh! Is there anything that will improve my memory?’ He said, ‘If anything will improve it, it is giving up sin.’”
When a person commits a sin, it overwhelms him and this leads to anxiety and sorrow which keeps him busy thinking about what he has done. This dulls his senses and distracts him from many beneficial things, including seeking knowledge.
“…And remember your Lord when you forget…” [al-Kahf 18:24]
3. Not eating too much, because eating too much makes one sleep too much and become lazy, and it dulls the senses, besides exposing one to the risk of physical diseases. Most of the diseases which we see result from food and drink.
4. Some of the scholars have mentioned certain foods which increase the memory, such as drinking honey and eating raisins and chewing certain kinds of gum resin.
Imâm al-Zuhrî said:
“You should eat honey because it is good for the memory.”
He also said:
“Whoever wants to memorize hadîth should eat raisins.” (From al-Jâmi‘ by al-Khatîb, 2/394)
Ibrâhîm ibn [sth. omitted] said,
“You should chew resin gum, because it is Ways To Strengthen One’s Memory”
As they mentioned, too much acidic food is one of the causes of laziness and weak memory.5. Another thing that can help the memory and reduce forgetfulness is cupping (hijâmah) of the head, as is well known from experience. (For more information see Al-Tibb al-Nabawi by Ibn al-Qayyim).
All praise is due to Allaah and to Allaah alone. And may Allaah send peace and blessings upon His slave and the seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullaah.
To proceed,
Zinaa (illegal sexual intercourse) encompasses all the characteristics of evil: lack of religious commitment, loss of piety, loss of chivalry, lack of protective jealousy (gheerah). You will not find any adulterer who is pious, or keeps his promises, or speaks truthfully, or is a good friend, or has complete protective jealousy towards his family. Treachery, lying, betrayal, lack of modesty, lack of awareness that Allaah is always watching, lack of chivalry, loss of protective jealousy from the heart are just some of the effects and implications of zinaa. What follows is a list of effects of zinaa on the person that commits it:
Zinaa is such that the one who commits it earns the wrath of Allaah because His sacred limits are transgressed. If a man were to do such a thing to any king, he would meet the direst consequences.
Zinaa darkens the face, and the grimness and misert of face that are apparent to other people.
Zina leaves the heart in darkness and the extinguishes its light, which is what causes the extinguishing of light in the face and the darkening thereof.
Another effect of zinaa is the poverty that it leads to.
Zinaa results in the loss of respect towards the one who does it, and the lowering of his status in the eyes of his Lord and in the eyes of His slaves.
Another effect of zina is that is causes him to lose the best of attributes, namely chastity, goodness and righteousness, and it earns him their opposites, namely immorality, evildoing, adultery and betrayal.
Zinaa causes the do-er to lose the title of believer, as it was narrated in al-Saheehayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No adulterer is a believer at the moment when he is committing adultery.”
Another of the effects of zina is that it exposes one to the possibility of being one of the inhabitants of the oven (tannoor) in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw t adulterers and adulteresses.
Zinaa also takes away the goodness which Allaah described as the attribute of those who are chaste, and replaces it with the evil which Allaah described as the attribute of the adulterers, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Bad statements are for bad people (or bad women for bad men) and bad people for bad statements (or bad men for bad women). Good statements are for good people (or good women for good men) and good people for good statements (or good men for good women)” [al-Noor 24:26].
Zinaa forbids one from entering Paradise as Allaah has forbidden Paradise to every evil person, and He has made Paradise the abode of the good, and no one will enter it but those who are good. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a pious state (i.e. pure from all evil, and worshipping none but Allaah Alone) saying (to them): Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be on you) enter you Paradise, because of that (the good) which you used to do (in the world)” [al-Nahl 16:32]. “and its keepers will say: Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein” [al-Zumar 39:73]. So they will deserve the greeting of the angels and admission to Paradise because of their goodness. But the adulterers are among the most evil of creation, and Allaah has made Hell the abode of evil and its people. When the Day of Resurrection comes, the evil will be distinct from the good, and the evil will be piled up together, then it and its people will be thrown into Hell. No one who is good will enter Hell and no one who is evil will enter Paradise.
Another of the effects of zinaa is the sense of alienation which Allaah instills in the heart of the adulterer, and this is like the alienation that shows on his face. For the one who is chaste has sweetness in his face and contentment in his heart, and whoever sits with him feels at ease with him. But the adulterer has signs of alienation in his face and whoever sits with him will feel uneasy.
The one who commits zinaa loses respect, as his family, friends and others lose respect for him, and he becomes the most despicable thing in their sight; this is in contrast to the chaste person, who is blessed with dignity and sweetness.
Another of the effects of zinaa is that people will regard him as a traitor and no one will trust him with regard to his wife or child.
Zinaa causes foul odour to emanate from the one that commits it and thus be detected by everyone who has a sound heart; it will emanate from his mouth and body, and were it not for the fact that there are all the people have a similar odour, that smell would spread far and wide.
The zaani will feel uneasy and distressed, for adulterers are doing the opposite of what they are seeking. Whoever seeks the enjoyment and good things of life by means of that which Allaah has forbidden, Allaah will punish him by letting him get the opposite of that which he is trying to achieve. For that which is with Allaah can only be attained by obeying Him, and Allaah never makes disobedience towards Him the means of attaining anything good. If the immoral person only knew what delight, happiness, ease and good living there is in chastity, he would realize that the delights that he has missed out on are many times greater than those which he may have enjoyed, let alone the consequences in the Hereafter, when the chaste person will attain the reward of Allaah and will be honoured by Him.
Another of the effects of zinaa is that he has exposed himself to missing out on the delights of al-hoor al-‘iyn in the beautiful abodes of the Garden of Eden (Jannaat ‘Adan). Just as Allaah will punish those who wear silk in this world by depriving them of it on the Day of Resurrection, and He will punish those who drink wine in this world by depriving them of it on the Day of Resurrection. Similarly, those who enjoy forbidden images in this world will also be deprived of such in the Hereafter. Indeed, everything that a person gets in this world, if he indulges in it by permissible means, his share of it on the Day of Resurrection will be reduced to the extent that he indulged in it. And if he got it from haraam sources, he will lose out on it altogether on the Day of Resurrection.
Another of the effects of zinaa is that zinaa leads to cutting the ties of kinship, disobedience towards parents, haraam earnings, mistreating others, neglect of one’s wife and children, and it may even lead a person to shed blood unlawfully. He may seek help to commit zina by means of sihr (witchcraft) and shirk, and he may or not know that this sin inevitably includes other sins committed beforehand or alongside it, and that it leads to other kinds of sins that come after it. It is surrounded by a host of other sins that come before and after. It is the thing that is most likely to bring about evil in this world and the Hereafter, and the most likely to prevent good in this world and in the Hereafter. If a person falls into its traps and snares, it will be hard for sincere people to save him and for doctors to treat him; its prisoner cannot easily be ransomed, and its victim cannot be rescued. It also leads to the loss of blessings. If a person falls into this trap, let him bid farewell to the blessings of Allaah, for blessings may easily depart from a person and vanish. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That is so because Allaah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily, Allaah is All-Hearer, All?Knower” [al-Anfaal 8:53]. And Allaah says: “But when Allaah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector” [al-Ra’d 13:10]
These are just some of the harmful effects of this action. May Allaah safeguard and protect the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from falling intro the traps of zinaa, Aameen.
A week not to be missed inshAllah! On Wednesday, there will be a special line-up of speakers including Shaykh Haitham al-Haddad, Anas Takriti and Dr. Daud Abdullah, delivering the topics shown in the poster below. We strongly advise our brothers and sisters to attend and support us by inviting your non-muslim friends, colleagues and lecturers inshAllah.
One of the most important basic principles of our religion is that of al-walaa’ wa’l-baraa’, loyalty (walaa’) to Islam and its people, and diavowal (baraa’) of kufr and its people. One of the essential features of this disavowal of kufr and it’s people is that the Muslim should be distinct from the people of kufr, and he should feel proud of his religion and of being a Muslim, no matter how strong and advanced and civilized the kuffaar may be, and no matter how weak and backward and divided the Muslims may be. It is not permissible under any circumstances to take the strength of the kuffaar and the weakness of the Muslims as an excuse for imitating and resembling them, as some hypocrites and defeatist Muslims claim. The texts which forbid imitating the kuffaar do not make any distinction between whether Muslims are strong or weak, because the Muslim can be distinct in his religion and be proud of being Muslim even when he is in a weak position.
Allaah calls us to be proud of Islam, and considers this to be the best of speech and the best kind of pride, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who is better in speech than he who [says: “My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness),” and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: “I am one of the Muslims.” [Fussilat 41:33]
Because it is so important for the Muslim to be distinguished from the kaafir, the Muslim is commanded to pray to Allaah at least seventeen times each day to help him to avoid the path of the kaafireen and to guide him to the Straight Path:
“Guide us to the Straight Way. The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray” [al-Faatihah 1:6-7 – interpretation of the meaning].
There are very many texts in the Qur’aan and Sunnah which forbid us to imitate them, and which clearly state that they are misguided; whoever imitates them, imitates them in their misguidance. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings);
“Then We have put you (O Muhammad ??? ???? ???? ????) on a (plain) way of (Our) commandment [like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e. legal ways and laws of the Islâmic Monotheism)]. So follow you that (Islâmic Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not.” [al-Jaathiyah 46:18]
“Were you (O Muhammad ??? ???? ???? ????) to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which has come to you, then you will not have any Walî (protector) or Wâq (defender) against Allâh” [al-Ra’d 13:37]
No doubt imitating them is one of the greatest indications that a person has befriended them and loves them, and this contradicts the idea of diavowal [baraa’] of the kufr and its people. Allaah has forbidden the believers to take them as friends, and He has stated that taking them as friends causes a person to become one of them – Allaah forbid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely, he is one of them” [al-Maa’idah 5:51]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Imitation generates friendship and love, and regarding them as allies in the inside, just as loving them on the inside generates imitating them on the outside.”
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Libaas, 1204; Ahmad, 2/05. Shaykh al-Islam classed its isnaad as jayyid in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/042. See also al-Fataawaa, 25/133. Al-Haafiz provided corroborating evidence in al-Fath, with a mursal report whose isnaad is hasan (6/89). Al-Suyooti classed it as hasan, and al-Albaani classed it as saheeh in Jamee’ al-Saheeh, 5206).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “This hadeeth at the very least implies that it is haraam to imitate them, even if it is only in external appearance, and it implies that the one who imitatest hem is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely, he is one of them’ [al-Maa’idah 5:51].” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/732).
Among the ways of imitation and corruption is to take and celebrate the festivals of the non-Muslims as one’s own. The scholars have agreed that it is haraam to attend the festivals of the kuffaar and to imitate them in their festivals. This is the madhhab of the Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa’is and Hanbalis. (See al-Iqtidaa’, 2/425; Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/227-527; al-Tashabbuh al-Munhaa ‘anhu fi’l-Fiqh al-Islaami, 533). There is a great deal of evidence (daleel) for this, such as:
1) All of the evidence which states that it is forbidden to imitate them, some of which has been quoted above.
2) The concensus of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een that Muslims should not attend their festivals, The evidence of this consensus takes for forms:
The Jews, Christians and Magians (Zoroastrians) who lived in the Muslim lands and paid Jizyah were still observing their own festivals, so the motive for some Muslims to imitate them was present. No one among the early generations of Muslims would have refrained from joining them in any part of that, If there had not been something to stop them from doing so, such as it being either makrooh (disliked) or prohibited, many of them would have fallen into that, for if the action and the motive are present and there is nothing to stop them, people will undoubtedly do the thing. Al-muqtada? Therefore we understand that there was something stopping them from doing that, and what was stopping them was the religion of Islam. This is what was stopping them from going along with the kuffaar and this is the point that we are trying to make here. (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/454).
The conditions set out by ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), which the Sahaabah and all the fuqahaa’ after them agreed upon, that the Ahl al-Dhimmah (Jews and Christians living under the protection of Islamic rule in return for paying a poll tax) should not celebrate their festivals openly in the Muslim lands. If the Muslims have agreed that they should not celebrate their festivals openly, then how can it be OK for Muslims to celebrate them? Is it not worse for a Muslim to do this at all than for a kaafir to do it openly? (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/454).
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Do not learn the language of the Persians, and do not enter upon the mushrikeen in their churches on the day of their festival, for the Divine warth is descending upon them.” (Musannaf ‘Abd al-razzaaq, 9061; al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 9/432).
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “Whoever settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebratest heir Nawrooz and their Mahrajaan, and imitates them until he dies in that state, will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection.” (al-Sunan al-Kubra, 9/432; classed as saheeh by Ibn Taymiyah in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/754).
Shaykh al-Islam said: Here we see ‘Umar forbidding people to learn their language and to merely enter their chuch on the festivals, so what about actually doing some of the things they do, or doing some of the rituals of their religion? Is not doing the things they do more serious than speaking the same language? Or is not doing some of the things they do in the festival more serious than merely entering upon them on the occasion of their festival? If the Divine wrath comes upon them on the day of their festival because of what they do, then is not the one who joins them in all or part of that also exposed to the same punishment? (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/854)
And he commented on the words of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr – “will be gathered with them” by saying: This implies that this makes him a kaafir by his joining in what they do, or else it means that this is one of the major sins that doom a person to Hell, although the former is more apparent from the wording. (1/954).
Some Muslims may not be able to be present at the festivals of the kuffaar, but they do the same things as they do. This is also a part of the imitation which blameworthy and forbidden. Shaykh al-Islam said: “It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate them in any part of the things that are exclusively part of their festivals, whether it be food, dress, bathing, lighting fires or changing their habits with regard to daily living, acts of worship, etc. It is not permissible to give a feast or give gifts or sell items that will help them to do that for that purpose, or to allow children and others to do any of that, whether it is playing, wearing new clothes etc. in conclusion, they should not make that day special by adopting any of their rituals; for the Muslims, the day of the kaafirs’ festival should be like any other day.” Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 52/923).
Al-Dhahabi said: “If the Christians or the Jews have a fstival that is exxclusively theirs, the Muslims should not join them in that, just as they do not join them in their laws or their direction of prayer.” (tashabbuh al-Khasess bi Ahl al-Khmaees, in al-Hikmah magazine, issue 4, p. 391).
Ibn al-Turkmaani al-Hanafi mentioned some of the things that some Muslims did on the occasion of Christian festivals, such as spending more than usual and taking the family out, then he said: “Some of the Hanafi scholars said: whoever does any of the things mentioned here and does not repent, is a kaafir like them.”
One of the companions of Maalik said: “Whoever cuts up a watermelon on the day of Nawrooz, it is as if he sacrificed a pig.” (al-Lam’ fi’l-Hawaadith wa’l-Bida’, 1/492)
Moreover, one is even not permitted to give them gifts or helping them to celebrate their festvials by either selling or buying.
Abu Hafs al-Hanafi said: “Whoever gives an egg to a kaafir out of respect for that day has disbelieved in Allaah, may He be exalted.” (Fath al-Baari li Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani, 2/315).
Ibn al-Turkmaani said: “The Muslim is sinning if he sits with them or helps them to slaughter animals or cook food, or he lends them a riding-beast to take them to their celebrations or festivals.” (al-Lama’ fi’l-Hawaadith, 1/492)
Furthermore, with regards to congratulating them, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “As for congratulating them for the symbols of kufr that belong exclusively to them, this is haraam according to scholarly consensus, such as congratulating them for their festivals and fasts, and saying, ‘A blessed festival to you’ and the like. Even though the person who says this might not become a kaafir by saying this, it is still forbidden, and it is the same as congratulating them for prostrating to the cross. Indeed, it is an even greater sin with Allaah and is more hated by Him than congratulating them for drinking wine, killing people and committing adultery, and so on. Many of those who do not care about religion do this, and do not realize how abhorrent their actions are. Whoever congratulates a person for his sin, bid’ah (innovation) or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah. The pious scholars used to avoid congratulating the tyrants when they were appointed to official positions, or congratulating the ignorant when they were appointed as Qaadis, teachers or Muftis, because they sought to avoid the wrath and anger of Allaah .” (Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/144-244).
Congratulating the kuffaar on the occasion of their religious festivals is haraam as Ibn al-Qayyim stated, because this implies approval of their rituals and beliefs of kufr. Even if a person does not accept this kufr for himself, it is still haraam for a Muslim to approve of the rituals of kufr for someone else or to congratulate someone else for them, because Allaah does not approve of this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you; He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you” [al-Zumar 39:7]
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]
Therefore, the Muslim should beware of joining the non-Muslims on their festivals and celebrations. For indeed, from among the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) there will be people who who will be kept away from drinking from the Hawd (the Pond on the Day of Judgement) whilst those who adhered to the Straight Path will come and drink from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“I will precede you to the Cistern, and men from among you will be brought to me, and when I stretch forth my hand to them, they will be pulled away. I will say, ‘O Lord! My followers!’ and it will be said: ‘You do not know what they innovated after you were gone.’”
According to another report: “I will say: ‘May he be doomed, the one who changed (the religion) after I was gone.’”
May Allaah protect us from celebrating the festivals of the non-Muslims and safeguarding our eemaan from statements and actions from imitating their ways, customs and traditions, Aameen.
“My success and my guidance depend on Allah. Whenever we change something to good, whenever we do good, it is coming from Allah. The tawfeeq comes from Allah. The concept of tawfeeq is a little similar to the concept of barakah. I’l give you an example. You have a student who has exams in the month of Ramadan, two students that have exams in the month of Ramadan. One of them says ‘I have to study day and night for this exam so I’m going to leave taraweeh, I’m going to leave the masjid – I just cant do it. I mean this study of mine is ibaadah and I have to forget about everything else. I don’t have time for dhikr of Allah.’
So this person goes and studies day and night and these two students are engineering students for example. The other student wants to study, he wants to study very hard. But because he has so much love of Allah subhana wa ta`ala in his heart he wants to go to the masjid, he wants to attend the salah, he wants to pray taraweeh, he wants to be with the muslims, he wants to make dhikr. So his heart is leading him to that direction, so he’s going in that direction and he’s studying much much less than the other student. He’s squeezing in a few hours of the day but the rest of his time is going for ibaadah of Allah because it’s the blessed month of Ramadan. Both of them are studying a certain problem on materials on physics or anything on engineering, a subject that has problems. They’re both studying this problem in the same time. So this student who is keeping the orders of Allah and Allah wants to give him tawfeeq, he’s solving that problem and it takes him half an hour to solve. Then he’s done with the problem and he goes to the next one. The other student starts solving that problem and he gets stuck somewhere in the problem. Sometimes in a problem, in the middle of a problem there’s something you don’t turn your attention to and you get stuck and you spend hours not being able to get out of that loop. So that student got stuck in the problem and he’s going round in circles for hours and hours and the other one finishes the problem and he’s praying taraweeh in the masjid and he’s making dhikr of Allah and itikaaf that night.
Why? One of them had tawfeeq and the other one didn’t. Tawfeeq is from Allah. It’s not on how much you study or how much you work. It’s true, in general the more you work the more you get. That’s a general rule and it’s a sunnah of Allah subhana wa Ta`ala. But there is also something else and that is another rule which is the rule of tawfeeq. We need to understand that Allah has established laws in this world. The harder you work the more fruits you will get. There’s also another law you will get, that says if you have the tawfeeq of Allah subhana wa ta`ala then Allah will make things easy on you and these laws work together. But we have to understand both laws exist.”
Adapted from the Stories of the Prophet (`alayhumusalam) by Shaykh Anwar al-Awlaki.
Alhamdulillaah the meeting was successful and productive. May Allaah reward all those who attended for His sake and guide others to participate in the future.
According to `Abd al-Rahmaan bin Mahdee - Sufyaan: `Umar bin `Abd al-`Azeez said:
He who acts without knowledge causes more corruption than good, and he who does not consider his speech to be part of his actions sins repeatedly. Satisfaction is scarce, and the true believer should rely on patience. Allaah never bestowed a blessing upon one of His servants and then took it away from him, giving him patience in return for that which was taken away, except that the replacement was better than what was taken away from him.” Then he recited the following verse: “Surely the patient will be paid their wages in full without reckoning.” [39:10]
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![Prophet Muhammad (saw): "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 [ma'aazif] as lawful." [Bukhari]](http://cityisoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/muzik.bmp "muzik")
