The Contrast between the deeds of the Sahaabah and the deeds of the people

The Contrast between the deeds of the Sahaabah and the deeds of the people at the end of time

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Praise be to Allaah.  

In order to understand this issue we must note that there are two types of reward, the reward for knowledge and the reward for accompanying the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Some later members of the ummah may do deeds that are greater in reward than similar actions on the part of some of the Sahaabah because they will have no one to support and help them, and because they will be subject to a great deal of temptation, but they will not have the reward of having accompanied the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and met him.

 Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said: 

The hadeeth “The righteous among them will have the reward of fifty of you” does not mean that people other than the Sahaabah are superior to the Sahaabah, because simply having more reward does not prove that one is superior. 

Moreover, the difference in reward is with regard to the same type of deed. But the superiority attained by one who saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cannot be matched by anyone. 

This is how we may interpret the ahaadeeth quoted above. 

Fath al-Baari, 7/7 

Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah – may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

They – meaning the later members of the ummah – may have good deeds equivalent to those of fifty men among the Sahaabah, of the deeds that they did at that time. That is because the Sahaabah had help and support in that, whereas those who come later may not have help and support. But the fact that the reward will be multiplied for them in cases where it is not multiplied for the Sahaabah does not mean that they are better than the Sahaabah or that their virtue is any greater than that of the Sahaabah. What the Sahaabah achieved in terms of faith, jihad and fighting the people of this earth by supporting the Messenger, believing what he said and obeying his teachings before his call spread, his word prevailed, the number of his supporters increased and the proof of his Prophethood became widely known, indeed when the believers were so few in number and the disbelievers and hypocrites were so many, and the believers spent their wealth for the sake of Allaah, seeking His pleasure in that situation, is something that no one can achieve the like of any more. As it says in al-Saheehayn, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not curse the Sahaabah, for by the One in Whose hand is my soul, if any one of you spent the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold, he would not attain the level of any one of them, or even come half way.” 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 13/65, 66 

Moreover, there is no virtuous deed that those who come later can do, but those who came before did something similar in a more perfect fashion. 

With regard to the words “They will have the reward of fifty of you because you have supporters who help you to do good and they will not have any supporters who will help them to do good,” this is correct in a case where a deed done by a single person among those who come later are like the deed done by a group of people among those who came before, so he will have the reward of fifty. But you should not imagine that one of those who come later will do deeds like those of some of the major Sahaabah such as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, for there will never again be a Prophet like Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with whom people may do deeds like those that were done with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

With regard to the words, “My ummah is like the rain, I do not know whether the first of it is better or the last of it,” although this hadeeth is not very sound, what it means is that among those who come later there will be those who are similar to those who came before, and they will be so close that the one who tries to compare them will not know which is better, even though one of them is in fact better. 

This is glad tidings for those who come later, that among them will be those who are close to those who came before them, as it says in another hadeeth: “The best of my ummah are the first and the last, and between them there will be some crookedness. Would that I could see my brethren.” They said, “Are we not your brethren?” He said, “You are my companions.” This shows that precedence was given to the Sahaabah, because they alone are his companions, which is a higher status than merely being brothers.” 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/370, 371 

It is worth pointing out that there is no basis for the phrase used in the question, “the best of generations is my generation”, although it is often used in the books of Ahl al-Sunnah. Moreover, there is a mistake with regard to its meaning. If this is what he said, then he would have said after it, “then the one that follows it.” But the wording of the hadeeth is “then those who follow them.” The wording of the saheeh hadeeth is: “The best of mankind is my generation” and “The best of my ummah is my generation.” 

And Allaah knows best.

Mercy

Mercy is of two (2) Types:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:

“Mercy (الرحمة) is of two types: Mercy which is one of the attributes of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى like all the other attributes which are to be affirmed for Allaah تعالى without Tahreef (changing the meaning), and without Ta`teel (rejecting), and without Takayyif (describing them), and without Tamtheel (likening them to the creation).

And the second type: Mercy which is created, Allaah تعالى has sent down only one part of this mercy, by which the creation are merciful to each other. And He تعالى has kept with Him the remaining ninety-nine parts of mercy, by which He تعالى will treat His servants on the Day of Ressurection.” [1]

Source:

 الفوائد الجلية من دروس الشيخ ابن باز العلمية (ص 12)

[1] The Shaikh is referring to some of the following Ahaadeeth:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلمsaying: “Verily Allaah created Mercy. The day He created it, He made it into one hundred parts. He withheld with Him ninety-nine parts, and sent its one part to all His creatures. Had the non-believer known of all the Mercy which is in the Hands of Allaah, he would not lose hope of entering Paradise, and had the believer known of all the punishment which is present with Allaah, he would not consider himself safe from the Hell-Fire.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6469)]

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying: “There are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allaah and He has sent down out of these one part of mercy upon the jinn and human beings and the insects and it is because of this (one part) that they love one another, show kindness to one another and even the beast treats its young one with affection, and Allaah has reserved ninety nine parts of mercy with which He would treat His servants on the Day of Resurrection.” [Saheeh Muslim (6631)]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: I heard Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلمsaying: “Allaah divided Mercy into one-hundred parts and He kept its ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down its one part on the earth, and because of that, it’s one single part, His creations are Merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoofs away from its baby animal, lest it should trample on it.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6000) and Saheeh Muslim (6629)]

al-Nafs: Definition, its' different states, Du`aa

al-Nafs: Definition, its' different states, Du`aa

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Allaah عز وجل says:

﴿وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا * فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا * قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا * وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا﴾

{7. And by Nafs (Aadam or a person or a soul, etc.), and Him Who perfected him in proportion;

8. Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him;

9. Indeed he succeeds who purifies his own self (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allaah ordered).

10. And indeed he fails who corrupts his own self (i.e. disobeys Allaah by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds).}

[Surah al-Shams (91): 7-10]

 Definition:

A human being consists of two parts:

1) “al-Badan” (Physical body). The other Arabic words for a body are, “al-Jism” and “al-Jasad”. “al-Jism” is used while referring to a body that has a soul in it, whereas “al-Jasad” is used for a body that has no soul in it.

In the Hadeeth about the martyrs, when Allaah will ask them if they need anything more in Jannah, the martyrs will reply, saying: “O Lord, we would like for You to put back our souls into our Ajsaad (bodies) so that we might fight for Your sake once again.” [Saheeh Muslim and others]

In addition, in the Qur’aan, the statue of the calf, which the Banee Israa’eel made out of their ornaments, is also described as “Jasad”.

2) “al-Rooh” (soul). And when the soul is in the human body, it is also referred to as: “al-Nafs” (self).

Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, رحمه الله said:

❝”al-Rooh” (the soul) which manages the body and which departs from it with death, is the soul which is breathed into it (while it was in its mother’s womb); and it is also (called as) “al-Nafs” (the self) which departs from it with death.

In the Hadeeth, in which it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ slept through the time of the prayer, he ﷺ said: “Allaah captured your (Arwaah) souls (i.e. made you sleep) when He willed, and returned them (to your bodies) when He willed.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (595, 7471)]

And Bilaal excused himself, saying: “Messenger of Allaah! The One who took your (Nafs) self was the One who took my (Nafs) self.” [Saheeh Muslim]❞

 [Majmoo` Fataawa (9/289)]

Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, رحمه الله also said:

❝The word: “al-Nafs” (self), is used to express the “self” which chases its desires or which is incited by the desires, in contrast to the word: “al-Rooh” (soul), for it is not used to express as such.❞

 [Majmoo` Fataawa (9/294)]

 The three states of “al-Nafs”:

Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, رحمه الله said:

❝The “Nafs” are of three types:

 1) Al-Nafs al-Ammaarah bi al-Soo’ (the self which dictates evil):

﴿إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي﴾

{Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills)} [Surah Yusuf (12): 53]

It is the Nafs, which overpowers one to follow its desires by committing sins and acts of disobedience.

 2) Al-Nafs al-Lawwaamah (struggling moral self or self-reproaching soul):

﴿وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ﴾

{And I swear by the self-reproaching Nafs} [Surah al-Qiyaamah (75):2]

It is the Nafs, which falls into sins and repents (to Allaah). Through it, one commits sins and does good deeds, but when it commits sins, it repents and turns back (to Allaah for forgiveness). It is called as “al-Lawwaamah” because it reproaches own self for committing sins, and it is also called as such because it lingers between good and evil (and it does not stay in one state, it keeps swaying between this and that).

Shaikh al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, رحمه الله said:

❝This Aayah refers to the Nafs (self) of the human being. And it was said that the human self can be self-reproaching or it may not be self-reproaching – but this is not the case. Rather, every human self will be self-reproaching, for there is no human being except that it will regret and be remorseful – either in this world or in the Hereafter (i.e. a righteous person will regret why he did not do more good deeds, and a wicked person will regret why he did evil deeds).❞  [Majmoo` Fataawa (4/264)]

 3) Al-Nafs al-Mutma-innah (satisfied or composed self):

﴿يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ * ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً * فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي * وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي﴾

{27. [To the righteous it will be said]: “O reassured soul!

28. Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him!

29. Enter you, then, among My honored slaves,

30. And enter you My Paradise!”}

[Surah al-Fajr (89): 27-30]

It is the Nafs, which loves to do good deeds and acts of obedience, and wants (to do more), and it hates evil deeds and acts of disobedience, and abhors doing it. All this becomes part of its inborn pattern of behavior, natural habit, and instinct.

So these (three) are the states and descriptions of the same being, otherwise, every person has only one self (but in a different state), and this is a matter which a person can feel within himself.❞

 [Majmoo` Fataawa (9/294)]

 Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

❝Al-Nafs (self) sometimes can be the one which dictates evil (Ammaarah), and sometimes self-reproaching (Lawwaamah), and sometimes satisfied or composed (Mutma-innah). Rather, in one day or in one hour it can be in this state and that state.❞

 [Ighaathah al-Lahfaan (1/78)]

 The Du`aa

1) In Khutbatul-Haajah, the Prophet ﷺ used to supplicate saying:

وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا، وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا

“And WE seek refuge with Allaah from the evils of our souls, and the mischief of our deeds.”

[From the Ahaadeeth of Ibn Mas`ood and Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهم as reported in Sunan Abu Dawood (2118), Sunan Ibn Maajah (1892, 1893), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (1105), and Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1404, 3277, 3278). And graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

2) From part of the Du`aa which the Prophet ﷺ used to supplicate:

اللهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا

“O Allaah! Grant my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, as You are the Best to purify it. You are its Guardian and its Protector.”

[Saheeh Muslim and others]

There are other similar Du`aas in the 4 Sunans and al-Adab al-Mufrad.

Definition: The Two Black Things

Definition: The Two Black Things

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Question: What are the two black things, and why are they named as such, even though water is colorless?

Answer: The two black things are: dates and water, as mentioned in the Hadeeth reported in the Saheehain.

Narrated `Urwah: `Aaishah رضي الله عنها said to me: ❝O my nephew! We used to see the crescent, and then the crescent and then the crescent in this way we saw three crescents in two months and no fire (for cooking) used to be made in the houses of Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ.❞ I said: “O my aunt! Then what use to sustain you?” `Aaishah said: ❝The two black things: dates and water.❞ [Saheehain]

Abu `Ubaid al-Qaasim Ibn Salaam said:

The statement of `Aaishah رضي الله عنها: “The two black things”, refers to the blackness of the dates especially, excluding the water. But both of them have been described with the description of one of them. This is usually how the `Arabs do this when they mentioned two things when they were paired together; like two men who were very close friends and who were inseparable, or two brothers, or other things, all of them would be named or described with the one who was the most famous (or well-known) of the two. This is why the people used to say: “The Sunnah al-`Umarayn (the two `Umars) while referring to Abu Bakr and `Umar.”

[Ghareeb al-Hadeeth of al-Qaasim Ibn Salaam (4/318)]

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Ibn al-Atheer said:

The two black things are the dates and water. The dates are black, especially the dates from al-Madeenah, and the water has been joined with it and described with its description because of its succession (i.e. water is always mentioned after the dates). The `Arabs do this regarding two things when they accompany each other, so they are named (or described) together with the name of one of them which is more famous; like al-Qamarayn (the two moons, while describing the sun and the moon) and al-`Umarayn (the two `Umars, in regards to Abu Bakr and `Umar).

[al-Nihaayah fee Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (2/419)]

۝۞۞۞۩۞۞۞۝

Other examples from the Ahaadeeth are: “Adhaanaan” (the two Adhaans, in referring to the Adhaan and Iqaamah), and “al-`Asrayn” (the two `Asrs in referring to the `Asr and Fajr prayers) [see Sunan Abu Dawood (428) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee].

Narrated `Abdullaah bin Mughaffal رضي الله عنه: The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝There is a prayer between the two Adhaans (Adhan and Iqaamah), there is a prayer between the two Adhaans.❞ And then while saying it the third time he ﷺadded: ❝For the one who wants to (pray).❞

[Saheehain]

۝۞۞۞۩۞۞۞۝

Ibn Khuzaimah mentioned in his Saheeh:

The Adhaan and the Iqaamah are called as: “Adhaanaan” (the two Adhaans). Did you not hear the saying of the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ: ❝There is a prayer between the two Adhaans❞? By this, he ﷺ meant: between every Adhaan and Iqaamah.

And Allaah عز وجل said:

﴿وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ﴾

{And for one's parents, to each one of them is a sixth} [Surah al-Nisaa (4): 11]

And He عز وجل also said:

﴿ وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ﴾

{and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third} [Surah al-Nisaa (4): 11]

In this Aayah, it is referring to the parents – i.e. father and mother, but Allaah described them with the description of the father (Abawayn).

And from the same type is the description of `Aaishah رضي الله عنه when she described the dates and the water as: “the two black things”. The blackness is especially regarding the description of the dates while excluding the water. But `Aaishah referred to both of them as: “the two black things” when she paired them together.

And from the same type is when they say: “The Sunnah of the two `Umars”, with this they intend to mean Abu Bakr and `Umar, and not as some imagined from their own that it refers to `Umar Ibn al-Khattaab and `Umar Ibn `Abdul-`Azeez.

[Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah under Hadeeth (1773)]

۝۞۞۞۩۞۞۞۝

Badr al-Deen al-`Ainee said:

The two black things are the dates and the water, and this is from the angle of giving preference (to one over the other), even though the water is clear and pure, having no any color. Similarly, al-Abawayn (the two fathers), referring to the parents (father and mother); and al-Qamarayn (the two moons), referring to the sun and the moon; and al-Ahmarayn (the two red things), referring to the meat and the drink, and some say it refers to the gold and saffron; al-Abyadhayn (the two white things), referring to water and milk; al-Asmarayn (the two brown things), referring to water and salt. Similarly, they say al-`Umarayn (the two `Umars), referring to Abu Bakr and `Umar رضي الله عنهما. The name al-`Umarayn has been given precedence because it is easy (lighter to pronounce). But the ones who say that al-`Umarayn refers to `Umar Ibn al-Khattaab and `Umar Ibn `Abdul-`Azeez, then they are furthest from the truth.

[Umdatul-Qaaree Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (21/33)]

TAZKIYAH

The "Tazkiyah": Where have we gone wrong?

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

DEFINITION:

The word Tazkiyah is the verb of: "Zakkaa, Yuzakkee", meaning: Purification.

TYPES:

In the Qur'aan, Allaah تعالى mentioned two types (or ideas) regarding Tazkiyah: 

1) Praiseworthy 

2) Disparaged

1) PRAISEWORTHY:

The Praiseworthy Tazkiyah is where a person works on purifying his self (Tazkiyatun-Nafs - self-purification).

As Allaah تعالى says:

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ

{(For the Believers will be) `Adn Paradise (everlasting Gardens), under which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever: such is the reward of those who purify themselves.}

 [Surah Taha (20): 76]

This Purification is done in several ways:

A ) Purification of the self by doing good deeds (Tawheed, Salaah and all that which Allaah has ordained); and Purification (freeing oneself) from acts of evil (Shirk, Bid`ah, Disobedience, and everything which Allaah تعالى has forbidden).

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّـهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

{O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitaan. And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitaan, then, verily he commands al-Fahshaa' [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.)], and al-Munkar [Kufr, Shirk, and other evil deeds]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allaah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allaah purifies (guides to Islaam) whom He wills, and Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.}

Surah al-Noor (24): 21]

B ) Purification through Tarbiyah and Ta`leem (training and education), i.e. by learning and teaching the Ahkaam of the Deen:

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ

{Similarly (to complete My Blessings on you) We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad) of your own, reciting to you Our Aayaat and sanctifying you, and teaching you the Book (the Qur'aan) and the Hikmah (the Sunnah), and teaching you that which you used not to know.} 

Surah al-Baqarah (2): 151]

C ) Purification of wealth. Since the Fitnah of this Ummah is wealth, then the purity of wealth (from hoarding) and the Nafs (from niggardliness) is through paying Zakaah and Sadaqah.

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

{Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allaah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allaah is All-Hearer, All-Knower} 

[Surah al-Tawbah (9): 103]

2) DISPARAGED:

This is when a person claims purity/sanctity for himself. As Allaah تعالى said:

فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ

{So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best who fears Allaah and keep his duty to Him} 

[Surah al-Najm (53): 32]

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم ۚ بَلِ اللَّـهُ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

{Have you not seen those (the People of the Book) who claim sanctity for themselves. Nay - but Allaah sanctifies whom He pleases, and they will not be dealt with injustice even equal to the extent of a Fateela (a scalish thread in the long slit of a date-stone).} 

[Surah al-Nisaa (4): 49]

PURPOSE:

The aim of Tazkiyah is the moral development through which one tries to be firm in one's faith and leaves bad manners behind, and to attain success and happiness in both the worlds. It is a continuous process of Purification to maintain spiritual health. As the body needs physical maintenance, so does the soul need spiritual maintenance.

The Nafs needs to be purified from Shirk, Bid`ah, Riya (showing-off), telling lies, greediness, malice, jealousy and envy, pride etc.

WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING:

The ultimate purpose of Tazkiyah is for seeking Allaah's pleasure through self-purification. But now, the main purpose of Tazkiyah has become to seek commendations from scholars, and acceptance of the peers. The scholars give Tazkiyah to individuals based on their outer display of character. One might be truthful in the eyes of a scholar, but with Allaah he might be a liar.

And example from the Sunnah, as reported in the Saheehain: a person fought bravely in a battle and the people praised him. When this was informed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he said that that man is from the people of the Fire. And when the people investigated the matter, they came to know that he got wounded in the battle and because he could not bear the pain, he committed suicide and hence in the Fire.

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3062, 4203, 6606) and Saheeh Muslim (205)]

 How many have degrees from the Universities but perhaps the ones without a degree has better understanding of the Deen than them.

 Time and again we have seen many receiving Tazkiyah (commendation) and high praises from the scholars, only to be criticized by the same scholars later on.

 How many receive Ijaazah (permission) to transmit narrations from a scholar who game him the Ijaazah, yet he might be the most ignorant of people.

As Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Haadee had said: "One may sit with a scholar and read to him a few Ahaadeeth and receive Ijaazah from him, yet he won't be able to distinguish one Hadeeth from the other, and can't even pronounce the words properly."

➤ CONCLUSION:

Concentrate on fixing your relation with Allaah and Allaah will fix the relation between you and the people. But if you will try to please the people, you will never be successful and end up wasting your time and effort. And when we seek to please the people while displeasing Allaah, Allaah will be abandon him and people will still not be pleased with. And this is what is happening around us.

Mu`aawiyah رضي الله عنه wrote a letter to `Aaishah, that: "Write a letter to advise me , and do not overburden me (with a long piece of advice)." So `Aaishah رضي الله عنها wrote to Mu`aawiyah, saying: “Assalaamu `Alaik. To proceed… I heard the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allaah while the people are displeased; then Allaah will protect him from the troubles caused by the people. And whosoever seeks the pleasure of the people while displeasing Allaah; then Allaah will leave his matter for the people (i.e. Allaah will not protect him from the harms of the people)” Wassalaamu Alaik.”

 [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2414) and graded as "Saheeh" by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

اللهم إنا نسألك العفو والعافيه والمعافاة الدائمة في الدين والدنيا والآخرة

Reading from the Mus-haf during an obligatory prayer

Reading from the Mus-haf during an obligatory prayer

What is the ruling on an imam who reads from the Mus-haf when leading prayers in congregation?.

Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with reading Qur’aan from the Mus-haf during a naafil prayer, such as qiyaam al-layl.

But in the case of obligatory prayers, it is makrooh to do that, because in most cases there is no need for it. But if there is a need, then there is nothing wrong with reading from the Mus-haf in that case.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni, 1/335:

Ahmad said: There is nothing wrong will leading the people in praying qiyaam whilst looking at the Mus-haf. It was said to him: What about obligatory prayers? He said: I have not heard anything concerning that.

Al-Qaadi said: It is makrooh in obligatory prayers, but there is nothing wrong with it in voluntary prayers if one has not memorized (Qur’aan), but if one has memorized Qur’aan then it is also makrooh. He said: Ahmad was asked about leading the prayers whilst reading from the Mus-haf in Ramadaan. He said: If that is necessary (it may be done)… and it was narrated from Ibn Haamid that it is equally permissible in both naafil and obligatory prayers.

The evidence for it being permissible is the report narrated by Abu Bakr al-Athram and Ibn Abi Dawood with their isnaads from ‘Aa’ishah, according to which she would be led in prayer by a slave of hers who read from the Mus-haf.

Al-Zuhri was asked about a man who read from the Mus-haf in Ramadaan. He said: The best ones among us used to read from the Mus-hafs…

Reading from the Mus-haf has been permitted because of the need to listen to the Qur’aan and recite it in night prayers (qiyaam).

The ruling on it being makrooh applies only to those who have memorized Qur’aan, because they will be needlessly distracted from proper focus in prayer (khushoo’) by that, and from looking at the place of prostration. And it is makrooh in obligatory prayers in general, because usually there is no need for it.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo’ (4/27):

If a person reads Qur’aan from the Mus-haf, this does not invalidate his prayer, whether he has memorized the Qur’aan or not; in fact that is obligatory if he has not memorized al-Faatihah.

What we have mentioned, that reading from the Mus-haf does not invalidate the prayer, is our view and the view of Maalik, Abu Yoosuf, Muhammad and Ahmad.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible for the imam to read from the Mus-haf during the five daily prayers, especially Fajr when lengthy reading is required and there is the fear of making mistakes or forgetting?

He replied:

That is permissible if there is a need for it, just as it is permissible to read from the Mus-haf in Taraweeh for one who has not memorized the Qur’aan. Dhakwaan, the freed slave of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) used to lead her in prayer in Ramadaan, reading from the Mus-haf, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh in a mu’allaq majzoom report.

It is Sunnah to recite at length in Fajr prayer, so if the imam has not memorized al-Mufassal or anything else from the rest of the Qur’aan, it is permissible for him to recite from the Mus-haf. But it is prescribed for him to strive to memorize the Qur’aan, or at least to memorize al-Mufassal, so that he will not need to read from the Mus-haf.

Al-Mufassal refers to the portion of the Qur’aan that starts with Soorat Qaf, up to the end of the Qur’aan. Whoever strives to memorize, Allaah will make it easy for him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty)”

[al-Talaaq 65:2]

“And We have indeed made the Qur’aan easy to understand and remember; then is there any one who will remember (or receive admonition)?”

[al-Qamar 54:17]

And Allaah is the Source

Rewarding good with good even if the person is a Kaafir

Rewarding good with good even if the person is a Kaafir

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله said:

Book of One-fifth of Booty to the Cause of Allaah (Khumus): Chapter: The free emancipation of the captives by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم without taking out the Khumus from the booty

Narrated Jubair bin Mut`im رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم talked about war prisoners of Badr saying: “Had al-Mut`im bin `Adee been alive and interceded with me for these mean people, I would have freed them for his sake.” ^[1]

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3193, 4024)]

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:

[1] And in this (Hadeeth), there is encouragement for repaying/rewarding those who do good things and those who (enjoin) good. For al-Mut`im died upon the religion of his people, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was under his shelter when he returned back to Makkah from al-Taaif. So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم thanked him for his kind act.

Reference:

الحلل الإبريزية من التعليقات البازية على صحيح البخاري

From Raheeq al-Makhtoom:

When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a short distance from Makkah, he صلى الله عليه وسلم retired to Hiraa’ Cave. Whence he صلى الله عليه وسلم dispatched a man from Khuza`ah tribe to Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq seeking his protection. The latter answered that he was Quraish’s ally and in no position to offer protection. He صلى الله عليه وسلم dispatched the messenger to Suhail bin `Amr, but to no avail, either. Al-Mut`im bin `Adee, a notable in Makkah, however, volunteered to respond to the Prophet’s appeal for shelter. He asked his people to prepare themselves fully armed and then asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to enter into the town and directly into the Holy Sanctuary. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم observed a two-Rak`ah prayer and left for his house guarded by theheavily-armed vigilant `Adee’s.

It has been reported that later Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islaam, asked al-Mut`im if his behavior suggested protection or conversion, the latter replied it was merely protection. Abu Jahl was relieved and said that he would give Muhammad protection for his sake.

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم never forgot al-Mut`im’s favor. At the conclusion of the battle of Badr, he declared publicly that if al-Mut`im had been still alive and asked for the release of the Quraishite captives, he would not deny him his request.

--end of quote