A fresh new year, a fresh new look! Go through, and you'll definitely benefit!
Share it with your friends and family, young and old.
Share it with your friends and family, young and old.
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Introduction:
A new year has come, so reflect:
Days pass, and years pass. It happens with us all that years back, we made firm decisions assuming them to be a hundred ten percent correct, but today we laugh or at-times cry at those decisions.
Many people married in delusion of absolute love and have now broken up. So many examples which tell that people regret decisions that they made earlier, not to forget the recent video of Bush "regretting" his attack on Afghanistan.
Coming to the main point, what it makes me realise is that Allah has perfect knowledge, he has complete ability to come with a perfect system that continues to be legit today as much as it was a million years ago. An example of this is the solar system which stands in no need for reformation. And only a cracknut would suggest that.
And another good example is the Qur'an and the guidance that our beloved messenger came with which is perfect without any such 'change of mind' or contradiction. And so is this religion Islam, it is legit today as much as it was over a thousand years ago. This religion should be *revived*, not reformed. No one called for reformation (muhdasah) or innovation (bid'ah) into this except that it is misguidance from the clear straight path, and it will become a reason for destruction of their hereafter, and also misleading others.
The solution to the problems we are in, and the way forward would be to humble oneself and sincerely seek to revive our connection with Allah by learning the religion upon that which is authentic and can be verified rather than the blind following of parents or local community.
"And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." (Taha 20:114)
Surely by the virtue of knowledge do paupers become kings; for whoever travels a path in search of it, Allah has promised to make easy his/her path to Jannah.
Muharram is first month of the Islamic Hijri calender, undoubtedly one of the most significant months. But with significance comes alot of controversy. The aim of this publish is to not only to explain the acts of worship connected to this month, but also to clarify few misconceptions.
May Allah bless our days to come with understanding, guidance, faith and submission. Ameen.
- The Editorial Team
The Month of Muharram and its status in Islam.
Days pass, and years pass. It happens with us all that years back, we made firm decisions assuming them to be a hundred ten percent correct, but today we laugh or at-times cry at those decisions.
Many people married in delusion of absolute love and have now broken up. So many examples which tell that people regret decisions that they made earlier, not to forget the recent video of Bush "regretting" his attack on Afghanistan.
Coming to the main point, what it makes me realise is that Allah has perfect knowledge, he has complete ability to come with a perfect system that continues to be legit today as much as it was a million years ago. An example of this is the solar system which stands in no need for reformation. And only a cracknut would suggest that.
And another good example is the Qur'an and the guidance that our beloved messenger came with which is perfect without any such 'change of mind' or contradiction. And so is this religion Islam, it is legit today as much as it was over a thousand years ago. This religion should be *revived*, not reformed. No one called for reformation (muhdasah) or innovation (bid'ah) into this except that it is misguidance from the clear straight path, and it will become a reason for destruction of their hereafter, and also misleading others.
The solution to the problems we are in, and the way forward would be to humble oneself and sincerely seek to revive our connection with Allah by learning the religion upon that which is authentic and can be verified rather than the blind following of parents or local community.
"And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." (Taha 20:114)
Surely by the virtue of knowledge do paupers become kings; for whoever travels a path in search of it, Allah has promised to make easy his/her path to Jannah.
Muharram is first month of the Islamic Hijri calender, undoubtedly one of the most significant months. But with significance comes alot of controversy. The aim of this publish is to not only to explain the acts of worship connected to this month, but also to clarify few misconceptions.
May Allah bless our days to come with understanding, guidance, faith and submission. Ameen.
- The Editorial Team
The Month of Muharram and its status in Islam.
Muharram is so - called because it is a sacred month and to confirm its sanctity Allah said: " ... so wrong not yourselves therein … " [9:36] meaning sin in these months is worse than in other months. It was reported that Ibn 'Abbas said that these four were singled out and made sacred, as sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.
This is why the Messenger of Allah said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah's month of Muharram.” [Saheeh Muslim]
At the same time we must remember that keeping away from sins is more necessary than to merely increase in voluntary deeds. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Who will take these statements from me, so that he may act upon them, or teach one who will act upon them?" So Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'I shall O Messenger of Allah!' So he took my hand and enumerated five (things), he said: "Be on guard against the unlawful and you shall be the most worshiping among the people, be satisfied with what Allah has allotted for you and you shall be the richest of the people, be kind to your neighbor and you shall be a believer, love for the people what you love for yourself and you shall be a Muslim. And do not laugh too much, for indeed increased laughter kills the heart." [Tirmidhi, graded Hasan by Al-Albani]
- Prophet's kind and gentle method of teaching others.
- Staying away from sins is obligatory, and increasing in voluntary deeds is not!
- Be happy with what you have in matters of dunya, and look at those below you. This will give you true contentment and richness.
- Islam ain't just ibaadah, etiquette and manners matter a lot!
- People watch comedy shows so much that they begin to laugh remembering some joke even when they're being reminded of Allah.
Fasting of 'Ashooraa may expiate major sins as well:
This is why the Messenger of Allah said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah's month of Muharram.” [Saheeh Muslim]
At the same time we must remember that keeping away from sins is more necessary than to merely increase in voluntary deeds. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Who will take these statements from me, so that he may act upon them, or teach one who will act upon them?" So Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'I shall O Messenger of Allah!' So he took my hand and enumerated five (things), he said: "Be on guard against the unlawful and you shall be the most worshiping among the people, be satisfied with what Allah has allotted for you and you shall be the richest of the people, be kind to your neighbor and you shall be a believer, love for the people what you love for yourself and you shall be a Muslim. And do not laugh too much, for indeed increased laughter kills the heart." [Tirmidhi, graded Hasan by Al-Albani]
- Prophet's kind and gentle method of teaching others.
- Staying away from sins is obligatory, and increasing in voluntary deeds is not!
- Be happy with what you have in matters of dunya, and look at those below you. This will give you true contentment and richness.
- Islam ain't just ibaadah, etiquette and manners matter a lot!
- People watch comedy shows so much that they begin to laugh remembering some joke even when they're being reminded of Allah.
Fasting of 'Ashooraa may expiate major sins as well:
Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari (radiyallahu anhu) narrated: The prophet (ﷺ) was aasked about fasting on the day of Ashura (the 10th of the month of Muharram). He replied, “Fasting on the day of Ashura is an expiation for the preceding year.” (Related by Muslim)
Subhanallah! How much has Allah favored us, that a man can get his sins of a whole year expiated by fasting just a day!
But there is an issue: Will the major sins committed by this man be forgiven, or not?
Few scholars stated that major sins like zina (adultery), theft, etc., will not be forgiven due to other good deeds, until man seeks forgiveness for them. It means that the sins forgiven are the minor sins like if he abused, or spoke rudely to someone, etc. These minor sins will be forgiven, and this is as well a big favor! No doubt about it.
But it is mentioned in a hadith that the beloved messenger (ﷺ) asked: "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?" They replied, "No soiling would left on him." He (ﷺ) said: "That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them." (Agreed upon)
Based on this, are major sins included in this, or just the minor ones?
Scholars have differed on this. But if a man commits a major sin, forgets about it and thus could not seek forgiveness nor repent for it, then if he keeps doing good deeds, and as some proofs suggest and Imam Ibn Taymiyyah as well had the same opinion, that his major sins will be forgiven as well.
But if a man remembers it yet does not seeks forgiveness for it, then it won't be forgiven.
This needs attention, as Allah said:
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget (our previous minor or major sins) or fall into error." (2:286)
- Shaikh Wasiullah Abbas (Sharh Bulugh Al Maram 089)
Benefits of Da'wah of Musa (عليه السلام):
Subhanallah! How much has Allah favored us, that a man can get his sins of a whole year expiated by fasting just a day!
But there is an issue: Will the major sins committed by this man be forgiven, or not?
Few scholars stated that major sins like zina (adultery), theft, etc., will not be forgiven due to other good deeds, until man seeks forgiveness for them. It means that the sins forgiven are the minor sins like if he abused, or spoke rudely to someone, etc. These minor sins will be forgiven, and this is as well a big favor! No doubt about it.
But it is mentioned in a hadith that the beloved messenger (ﷺ) asked: "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?" They replied, "No soiling would left on him." He (ﷺ) said: "That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them." (Agreed upon)
Based on this, are major sins included in this, or just the minor ones?
Scholars have differed on this. But if a man commits a major sin, forgets about it and thus could not seek forgiveness nor repent for it, then if he keeps doing good deeds, and as some proofs suggest and Imam Ibn Taymiyyah as well had the same opinion, that his major sins will be forgiven as well.
But if a man remembers it yet does not seeks forgiveness for it, then it won't be forgiven.
This needs attention, as Allah said:
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget (our previous minor or major sins) or fall into error." (2:286)
- Shaikh Wasiullah Abbas (Sharh Bulugh Al Maram 089)
Benefits of Da'wah of Musa (عليه السلام):
1. Learn to be extremely *very lenient* in showing them proofs. This is well known to us from the story of Musa. Don't force them to accept at your very first victory, but show them more and more proofs, and give them time. [Taha 20:44]
2. Learn techniques of *removing arrogance* like come up with heart softners and reminder of how he was born (from a sperm), how he will die, etc. As it was reminded: "From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time." [Taha 20:55]
3. Study before you meet them. Allah taught Musa how miracles work before he send him to Fir'awn [Taha 20:17-24]. So you as well need learn, unless you begin to follow them instead of guiding them! An important reminder is that they are not philosophers, and their terms vary. They use terms like 'nothing', but 'nothing' does not mean the nothing as is generally understood by us. You may successfully make fun of them by asking them: How we came from nothing? People around may laugh, but you will become a bigger fool in their eyes.
4. Once you're prepared well and have done your study under experts, *don't worry or be frightened.* As Allah said: "Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see." [Taha 20:46]
5. If they come with something you do not know, then *accepting that you do not know is better.* As Musa said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets." [Taha 20:52]
6. *Don't generalize* all Atheists under one umbrella. They all have different reasons and stories how they became Atheists. Hear from them first, and then respond in accordance to what is required. This is why when they said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw", He said, "Rather, you throw." [Taha 20: 65-66]
7. Allah knew that Fir'wan would not accept the message, yet he told Musa to take it cool. A da'ee should never be judgmental, or else it becomes a great cause of demotivation. Remember that Fir'awn was a well known arrogant gansta yet Allah gave him some hope saying: "And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or *fear* [ Allah ]." [Taha 20:44]
8. These people are not aware of the reality and need your help! Not always that the student should approach the teacher. At-times of need, the teacher should go to the student. Allah commanded Musa and Haroon (alayhimus-salaam): 'Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.' [Taha 20:43] Will you sacrifice some from your precious time for Da'wah?
9. Get ready for tests and trials: Prepare for the more difficult times. Perhaps people may leave you, but Allah will never. If he can split the sea for Musa, then he can do more for you! [Baqarah 2:50]
Uniqueness of the Companions
The scholars defined ‘companion’ to be someone who met the prophet as a believer and died on Islam. It included those stayed for long or short period, whether narrated from him or not, whether fought with him or not, anyone who saw him even if he did not sit with him, and the one who did not see him like a blind person.
It is not rare to find a great man in an specific era, but it is rare to find an era with thousands many great men, such were the companions of the messenger of Allah. For ex:
Buraidah (radiyallahu anha) was a woman who went to the messenger (ﷺ) and said, “O messenger of Allah, I have committed Zina, and I have become impregnated due to it. So implement the legal punishment set by Allah on me.”
She knew that the prophet (ﷺ) said: “..And whoever commits any of those sins and receives the legal punishment in this world for that sin, then that punishment will be expiation for that sin.” (Saheeh Al Bukhari)
They believed sincerely that the punishment of this world is much easier for us in comparison of the horrific punishments of qiyamah and grave. Thus, an ordinary woman comes readily accepting the hadd (legal punishment).
Thus, those try to mock the companions, or use some false historical narrations and make claims against them deserve to be held severely by Allah.
There are such people who consider the companions to be disbelievers. Our advice to them is to not to do this. Because it entails rejection of not only Qur'an, but it will also disconnect this religion from its very root. If we begin to accuse them, then not only Hadith, but Qur'an's preservation also becomes questionable.
They are the ones who have memorized the Qur'an. Abu Bakr collected them. Then, Uthman combined them as a book and distributed it all over so that it be copied and memorized. But if we accuse them by calling them disbelievers or that they apostatized from this deen, as few people say, then these people want the deen to be separated from its roots.
Hadith Nawawi 41: Hadith of Hope
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: "يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إِنَّكَ مَا دَعَوْتنِي وَرَجَوْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْك وَلَا أُبَالِي، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! لَوْ بَلَغَتْ ذُنُوبُك عَنَانَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرْتنِي غَفَرْتُ لَك، يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ! إنَّك لَوْ أتَيْتنِي بِقُرَابِ الْأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتنِي لَا تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لَأَتَيْتُك بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً" .
رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم:3540]، وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’ ” It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a hasan hadeeth.
- Allah is incomparable, unlike humans who forgive other once or twice but become stone hearted due to repeated mistakes.
- Allah is always ready to forgive as long as we are ready to take steps: Stop committing the sin,
- One must turn to Allah: Dua is such an amazing form of worship that not only gets pleased by him, brings him close to himself, and answers the dua of the individual. But those who out of arrogance and pride do not raise their hands before Allah, he humiliates them and will throw them all the way to Jahannam on the day of judgement.
- Allah wants us to be certain of dua being answered. The benefits of dua are many: At times, he answers what was asked. At times, he postpones or remove the calamity that was about to come. And at other times, he saves the things asked to give it on the day of Judgement.
- Repeatedly turning towards Allah is what a true believer does, unlike many who ask once and twice and then become upset claiming it is not yet answered.
- Fulfill the conditions: For repentance to be answered, one must keep himself away from things which stop from it being answered like shirk, consuming haram wealth and food, etc. Allah is pure and does not accepts anything but pure.
- Dua is not something done only at times of need, rather its benefits are so many that we should always turn to him in dua.
- Hope should be balanced with fear: Forgiveness requires that the slave turns his Lord in fear and guilt. Just like how a bird cannot fly without its two wings, a believer cannot reach Allah without balance in the two.
- Quantity does not matter: Don't worry about the number of sins you committed or its filthiness, but humble yourself before Allah and turn to him for he is ar-Rahmān (the excessively forgiving one).
- Don't postpone: Allah is motivating the believers as the time is certainly limited and death comes abruptly all of a sudden. If time is over, the time for seeking forgiveness ends!
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