Why Should I Wear the Hijaab?

Why Should I Wear the Hijaab?

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"PIVOTAL QUOTE"

Dear Muslim sister! Come towards the gates of Paradise with us! Fulfill your duties towards Allaah, put on your adornment - put on your hijaab, and race towards Jannah (Paradise) by doing all good actions.

This is a good question and there is a beautiful answer! Allaah has commanded us with every action that is good for us and prohibited us from performing every action that is bad for us. Allaah orders the Muslim woman to wear the hijaab when she steps out of the security of her home or when in the presence of strange men. So to wear the hijaab is a source of great good for you – the Muslim woman - for many reasons. Among them:

1. You please Allaah. You are obeying the commands of your Lord when you wear the hijaab and you can expect great rewards in return.

2. It is Allaah’s protection of your natural beauty. You are too precious to be "on display" for each man to see.

3. It is Allaah’s preservation of your chastity.

4. Allaah purifies your heart and mind through the hijaab.

5. Allaah beautifies your inner and outer countenance with hijaab. Outwardly your hijaab reflects innocence, purity, modesty, shyness, serenity, contentment and obedience to your Lord. Inwardly you cultivate the same.

6. Allaah defines your femininity through the hijaab. You are a woman who respects her womanhood. Allaah wants you to be respected by others, and for you to respect yourself.

7. Allaah raises your dignity through the hijaab. When a strange man looks at you, he respects you because he sees that you respect yourself.

8. Allaah protects your honour 100% through your hijaab. Men do not gaze at you in a sensual way, they do not approach you in a sensual way, and neither do they speak to you in a sensual way. Rather, a man holds you in high esteem and that is just by one glance at you!

9. Allaah gives you nobility through the hijaab. You are noble not degraded because you covered not naked.

10. Allaah demonstrates your equality as a Muslim woman through the hijaab. Your Lord bestows upon you equal worth as your male counterpart, and gives you a host of beautiful rights and liberties. You express your acceptance of these unique rights by putting on the hijaab.

11. Allaah defines your role as a Muslim woman through the hijaab. You are a someone with important duties. You are a reflection of a woman of action not idle pursuits. You display your sense of direction and purpose through your hijaab. You are someone that people take seriously.

12. Allaah expresses your independence through the hijaab. You are stating clearly that you are an obedient servant of the Greatest Master. You will obey no one else and follow no other way. You are not a slave to any man, nor a slave to any nation. You are free and independent from all man-made systems.

13. Allaah gives you the freedom of movement and expression through the hijaab. You are able to move about and communicate without fear of harassment. Your hijaab gives you a unique confidence.

14. Allaah wants others to treat you – a Muslim woman - with kindness. And the hijaab brings about the best treatment of men towards you.

15. Allaah wants your beauty to be preserved and saved for just one man to enjoy – your husband.

16. Allaah helps you to enjoy a successful marriage through wearing hijaab. Because you reserve your beauty for one man alone, your husband’s love for you increases, he cherishes you more, he respects you more and he honours you more. So your hijaab contributes to a successful and lasting marriage relationship.

17. Allaah brings about peace and stability in the society through the hijaab! Yes this is true! Men do not cause corruption by forming illegal relationships because you - the Muslim woman - calm their passions. When a man looks at you, he feels at ease, not tempted to fornicate…

So a Muslim woman in hijaab is dignified, not dishonoured, noble, not degraded, liberated, not subjugated, purified, not sullied, independent, not a slave, protected, not exposed, respected, not laughed at, confident, not insecure, obedient, not a sinner, a guarded pearl, not a prostitute…

Dear Muslim sister! Come towards the gates of Paradise with us! Fulfill your duties towards Allaah, put on your adornment - put on your hijaab, and race towards Jannah (Paradise) by doing all good actions. You should agree by now that wearing hijaab is extremely beneficial – it must be - because Allaah only commands what is good…

…and believe me dear sister, it is good to obey the commands of your Lord…

"Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow wherein they will dwell for ever; Allaah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him; this is (in store) for whoever fears his Lord." [Sooratul-Bayyinah 98:8]

Living to Die or Dying to Live!

Living to Die or Dying to Live!

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy
Al-Istiqaamah News Letter
Dhul-Hijjah 1416H / May 1996CE	Issue No.1

"Death is a harsh and fearful reality faced by everyone who lives. No one has the power to avoid it, nor does anyone around a dying person have the ability to prevent it. It is something that happens every moment and is something encountered by the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. They are all the same in that they have no plan, nor any means of escaping it, no means of intercession, no way to prevent it, nor to delay it." 1 Allâh - the Most High - says:   "Say: Indeed, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to Allâh, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. And He will then tell you what you used to do." [Sûrah al-Jumu'ah 62:8]. "Every soul shall taste death. And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us will you be returned." [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ 21:34-35]. Indeed it is death: "which causes fear in the souls, and with it one's actions are sealed, and what comes after is even more fearful and fear-inducing. For is there a place one can flee to in order to escape from the constrictions suffered in the grave? What will our reply be when we are questioned in the grave? Indeed, not a single one of us knows where we will end up. Will it be Paradise whose width is like the heavens and the earth, or shall it be the Fire whose fuel is of men and stones?" 2 Ibrâhîm ibn Adham (d.160H) - rahimahullâh - said, when he was asked about the verse: "Call upon Me and I will respond to you." [Sûrah Ghâfir 40:60] They said: We call upon Allâh, but He does nor respond to us. So he said: "You know Allâh; yet you do not obey Him. You recite the Qur'ân; yet you do not act according to it. You know Shaytân; yet you continue agreeing with him. You claim to love Allâh's Messenger 'alayhis-salâm; yet you abandon his Sunnah (guidance and way). You claim to love Paradise, yet you do not work for it. You claim to fear the Fire; yet you do not stop sinning. You say, Indeed death is true; yet you have not prepared for it. You busy yourselves with the faults of others; yet you do not look at your own faults. You eat the sustenance that Allâh provides for you; yet you are not grateful to Him. And you bury your dead; yet you have not heeded its lesson." 3 So this - O noble reader - is the reality which must be firmly established in one's heart; the reality that life in this world is limited and has an appointed end, and that this end will surely come ... "The righteous will die; And the wicked will die. The warriors who fight jihâd will die; And those who sit at home will die. Those who busy themselves with correct beliefs will die; And those who treat people as their slaves will die. The brave who reject injustice will die; And the cowards who seek to cling to this vile life will die. The people of lofty-goals and ambitions will die; And the wretched who live for cheap enjoyment will die." 4 "Every soul shall taste death." [Âl-'Imrân 3:185]. "So keep in mind the point of death, and of one's passing on to the next life, and the number of sins that one has committed and the small amount of good that one has done. Think of the good that you would earnestly like to do at that time - then bring that forward and do it today. And think of all those things which you would desire to clear yourself of- then clear yourself from them now."5 1. Al-Mawt (p.9) of Shaykh 'Alî Hasan al-Halabî. 2. As-Salât wa Atharahu fî Ziyâdatil-Îmân (p.10) of Shaykh Husayn al-Awâishah. 3. Al-Hâfidh Ibn Rajab related it in al-Khushû' fis-Salâh (p.62). 4. Al-Mawt (p.10). 5. Al-Mawt (p.16).

Aspects of Increasing Iman

Aspects of Increasing Iman

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah
Kitab al-Iman
© 1999 Iman Publishing House

Increasing the Iman which Allah commands us to have, and which is a trait of His believing worshipers, can be achieved through different means. The first aspect in increasing Iman is through practicing ijmaal, total, observance and tafseel, detailed, observance of Allah's commands, for it is the obligation of all mankind to believe in Allah and His Messenger, and of every community to commit itself to all that the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) has ordered. It is well known that what was obligatory at first differs from what was required after the revelation of the whole Qur'an. Hence, unlike one who does not know about Islam, he who knows the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and their meanings is obliged to have a detailed Iman. That is, if a man, inwardly as well as outwardly, believed in Allah and the Messenger (pbuh) and died before he knew the laws of religion, he would die as a believer. His obligation and what he did are different from the Iman of the one who knew the Islaimic laws and who believed in them and worked to fulfill them. The Iman of such a person is more complete, in accordance with the obligatory and the actual deeds. Indeed, of what he performed in accordance with the obligation is of a more complete Iman and what he did is also considered more complete.

Allah says: "… This day I have perfected your religion for you …" (5:3). In this verse, the word "religion" refers to the legislation of commanded and forbidden actions, but does not mean that everybody is obliged to do what the whole community is ordered to do. It is recorded both in Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet (pbuh) described women as diminished in intellect and religion. This diminution in intellect made the witness of two women equal in that of one man; the diminution in her religion is due to the fact that she does not pray and fast when she is menstruating. Indeed, this diminution is not a diminution of what she is commanded to do and so she will not be punished because of it. However, if someone is commanded to pray and fast and does so, his religion is complete compared to the one of diminished religion.

The second aspect [of increasing one's Iman] is the total and detailed acts of people. To illustrate this, let us compare the Iman of the following three men. The first absolutely believed in what the Messenger (pbuh) came with and asked for, but was neither concerned about what the Messenger (pbuh) commanded and prohibited nor sought the required knowledge of religion so as to act accordingly. The second sought and obtained this knowledge and acted on it. The third man acquired knowledge, became well acquainted with it, and believed in it but did not act accordingly. These three men shared the same obligation, but the one who looked for detailed knowledge and acted on it had a more complete Iman than the one who knew and believed but did not practice his knowledge. Likewise, he who believed in the message, confessed his sins, and feared punishment was a better believer than the one who did not seek to understand what he was asked to do, and did not fear punishment; on the contrary, he later was negligent and careless, although [overtly as well as covertly] he believed in Muhammad (pbuh) as the Messenger of Allah.

Accordingly, the more the heart knows, believes in, and practices [what Allah and His Messenger have ordered], the more a person's Iman increases even if that person has a general adherence and general verbal confession.

Similarly, if someone knows Allah's Names as well as their meanings and believes in them, his Iman is more perfect than that of someone who does not know but believes in them generally, or someone who knows only some of them. Hence, the more one knows Allah's Names, Attributes, and Verses, the more perfect his Iman.

The third aspect is that knowledge and assent are differentiated among people. That is, some people have stronger, more enduring Iman and assent than others whose Iman is subject to doubt. Indeed, this is something experienced by each one of us. For example, people differ in the way they see the new moon, hear the same sound, smell the same smell, and taste the same food. So it is with the heart's knowledge and assent. People differ widely in their belief in the meanings of Allah's Names and His Words.

The fourth aspect is that the assent which requires the work of the heart is more complete than that which does not. So, knowledge which is accompanied by works is better than that which is not. Suppose that two men knew that Allah, the Messenger (pbuh), Paradise, and Hell are true. The knowledge of the first man obliged him to love and fear Allah, wish for Paradise, and avoid Hell. However, the knowledge of the second man did not lead him to do so. Thus, we can say that the knowledge of the first is more complete than that of the second. For the strength of the result signals the strength of the cause, and all these matters stem from knowledge. So knowledge of the "beloved" requires one to seek him; and knowledge of the "frightened" requires one to flee from him. However, absence of the required results signals the weakness of the cause or prerequisite. That is why the Prophet (pbuh) said: "One who is informed [indirectly] of something is not like the one who sees it for himself." To illustrate this, when Allah told Moses that his community worshiped the calf, he did not throw the al-Alwah, Tablets; but when he himself saw them practicing that, he did. This is not because Moses doubted Allah's words but because the man who is told something, although he does not report the news of the teller, does not perceive the situation in the same way he does if he sees it for himself. Since his mind is occupied with something else, other than what the informer said, he still believes him. Certainly seeing something will give one a clearer understanding of the situation and this assent is better than the other.

The fifth aspect is that works of the heart, such as love for Allah and His Messenger and fear and expectations from Allah, are part of Iman, as proven by the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the pious ancestors. And people differ widely in their performance of these works.

The sixth aspect is that overt works, as well as covert works, are part of Iman; and people also vary widely with respect to these works.

The seventh aspect is the importance of holding Allah in remembrance and not being inattentive, since the latter opposes perfection of knowledge and acceptance. 'Umar Ibn Habib, one of the Companions, said: "If we thank and praise Allah, our Iman increases. However, if we neglect and forget Him, our Iman decreases." And Mu'adh Ibn Jabal used to say to his companions: "Let us sit still for an hour so as to strengthen our belief." Allah says: "… Nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires…" (18:28); and "And remind for indeed, reminding profits the believers" (51:55); and "The admonition will be received by those who fear [Allah]: But it will be avoided by those most unfortunate ones" (87:10-11). Hence, it is evident that the more a man remembers what he already knows, and practices his knowledge, he will come to understand something he has never known, such as Allah's Names and Verses. This is supported by the following tradition: "Whoever practices what he knows, Allah will provide him with understanding of what he did not know." This is a matter that every believer will realize by himself.

It was recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "The one who holds Allah in remembrance as compared to one who does not, is like a living man as compared to one who has died." Allah says: "And when they hear His Verses rehearsed, find their belief strengthened." (8:2). That is, hearing of Allah's Verses increases their knowledge with what they did not know, it encourages their practice of the new knowledge, and it reminds them of things they have forgotten. Allah says: "Soon will We show them Our Signs in the [furthest] regions [of the earth], and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur'dn] is the Truth…" (41:53). That is, the Qur'an is the truth. Allah also says: "…Is it not enough that your Lord does witness all things?" (41:53). So in the Qur'an Allah is witness to what He reported. Consequently, believers believed in this and then He showed them His Signs in the furthest regions of the earth and in themselves, all of which confirms what the Qur'an says. Therefore, these Signs indicate that the Qur'an is the Truth.

 

Allah says: "Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it? And the earth, We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth [in pairs] to be observed and commemorated by every devotee turning [to Allah]" (50:6-8). So the created signs should be observed and commemorated in order to prevent one from blindness and inattention. To illustrate, a man recites a Surah (e.g., al-Fatihah) many times; and each time he recites it, he gains new knowledge, which in turn increases his acceptance and Iman as if the Surah was revealed at that moment. Thus, he believes in these meanings and his knowledge and work increases. This is to be realized by everyone who reads the Qur'an attentively, in contrast with the one who reads it absentmindedly. Thus, whenever one does what he is commanded to do, he becomes aware of these commands and, as a result, he affirms his belief. Consequently, at that moment his affirmation in his heart establishes what he was unaware of even when he is truthful.

The eighth aspect is that man may deny or disbelieve things, for he does not know that the Messenger (pbuh) has spoken and ordered them. And if one knew that, he would neither deny nor disbelieve. For his heart strongly affirms that he [the Prophet] told and commanded only the truth. It may happen that when one hears a verse or a hadith or thinks about it or someone interprets its meaning for him or it becomes clear to him what is forbidden, then he will enter a state of new affirmation and new belief. This increases his Iman since before this stage he is not considered as an unbeliever but simply as ignorant. This happens in the case of many believers who ignorantly think that an affirmation or a deed is not required for Iman but when they know the truth, they believe. Many people, including those who are conscious about religious matters, may have, in their hearts, many detailed matters that may contradict what the Messenger brought forward. Yet, they do not know that they are contradictory matters and, when they become aware of this, they reverse their opinions. Thus, anyone who introduces an innovation or a saying [to the religion of Islam] or performs a wrong act, and he is a believer in the Messenger or is aware of what the Messenger said and believes in them and does not reverse his beliefs, he is considered ignorant but not an unbeliever. It follows then that every innovator with good intentions of following what the Messenger brought forward is of this category. Thus, he who has knowledge of what the Messenger brought forward and acts accordingly, is better than he who commits an error concerning this, and anyone who becomes aware of the truth after realizing his own error and acts on it, he will be in a more preferable position than before.

Kaa'bah: The House of Allaah

KAA'BAH: THE HOUSE OF ALLAAH

http://allaahuakbar.net

Kaa'bah: It's Size and History! 
The small, cubed building known as the Ka'abah may not rival skyscrapers in height or mansions in width, but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched. The Ka'abah is the building towards which Muslims face five times a day, everyday, in prayer. This has been the case since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over 1400 years ago.

The Size of the Kaa'bah: 

• The current height of the Kaa'bah is 39 feet, 6 inches and total size comes to 627 square feet.
• The inside room of the Kaa'bah is 13X9 meters
• The Kaa'bah’s walls are one meter wide. The floor inside is 2.2 meters higher than the place where people perform Tawaaf.
• The ceiling and roof are two levels made out of wood. They were reconstructed with teak which is capped with stainless steel.
• The walls are all made of stone. The stones inside are unpolished, while the ones outside are polished.

This small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). No other building has had this honor. Yet, not very much is known about the details of this small but significant building.

Did you know the Kaa'bah was reconstructed as recently as close to four years ago?

Did you know that the Kaa'bah has been subjected to danger by natural disasters like flooding, as well as human attacks?

If you didn’t keep reading. You’ll find some rarely heard of information discussed below and discover facts about the Kaa'bah many are unaware of.

The other names of the Kaa'bah Literally, Kaa'bah in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word Kaa'bah may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube. Some of these other names include:

Bait ul Ateeq-which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken

Bayt ul Haram-the honorable house

The Kaa'bah has been reconstructed up to 12 times Scholars and historians say that the Kaa'bah has been reconstructed between five to 12 times. The very first construction of the Kaa'bah was done by Prophet Adam. Allah says in the Qur'ân that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah. After this, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail rebuilt the Kaa'bah. The measurements of the Kaa'bah's Ibrahimic foundation are as follows:

• the eastern wall was 48 feet and 6 inches
• the Hateem side wall was 33 feet
• the side between the black stone and the Yemeni corner was 30 feet
• the Western side was 46.5 feet

Following this, there were several constructions before the Prophet Muhammad’s time. Reconstruction of Kaa'bah by Quraish Prophet Muhammad participated in one of its reconstructions before he became a Prophet. After a flash flood, the Kaa'bah was damaged and its walls cracked. It needed rebuilding. This responsibility was divided among the Quraish’s four tribes. Prophet Muhammad helped with this reconstruction. Once the walls were erected, it was time to place the Black Stone, (theHajar ul Aswad) on the eastern wall of the Kaa'bah. Arguments erupted about who would have the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. A fight was about to break out over the issue, when Abu Umayyah, Makkah’s oldest man, proposed that the first man to enter the gate of the mosque the following morning would decide the matter. That man was the Prophet. The Makkans were ecstatic. "This is the trustworthy one (Al-Ameen)," they shouted in a chorus. "This is Muhammad". He came to them and they asked him to decide on the matter. He agreed. Prophet Muhammad proposed a solution that all agreed to-putting the Black Stone on a cloak, the elders of each of the clans held on to one edge of the cloak and carried the stone to its place. The Prophet then picked up the stone and placed it on the wall of the Kaa'bah. Since the tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of the Kaa'bah as built by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the first time the Kaa'bah acquired the cubical shape it has now unlike the rectangle shape which it had earlier. 

The portion of the Kaa'bah left out is called Hateem now. Construction After the Prophet’s Time-Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr The Syrian army destroyed the Kaa'bah in Muharram 64 (Hijri date) and before the next Hajj Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, reconstructed the Kaa'bah from the ground up.

Ibn az-Zubayr wanted to make the Kaa'bah how the Prophet Muhammad wanted it, on the foundation of the Prophet Ibrahim. Ibn az-Zubayr said, "I heard Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) say, 'The Prophet said: "If your people had not quite recently abandoned the Ignorance (Unbelief), and if I had sufficient provisions to rebuild it [the Kaa'bah], I would have added five cubits to it from the Hijr. Also, I would make two doors; one for people to enter therein and the other to exit." (Bukhaaree).

Ibn az-Zubayr said, "Today, I can afford to do it and I do not fear the people. Ibn az-Zubayr built the Kaa'bah on Prophet Ibrahim’s foundation. He put the roof on three pillars with the wood of Aoud (a perfumed wood with aroma which is traditionally burned to get a good smell out of it in Arabia).In his construction he put two doors, one facing the east the other facing the west, as the Prophet wanted but did not do in his lifetime. He rebuilt the Kaa'bah on the Prophet Ibrahim’s foundation, which meant that the Hateem area was included. The Hateem is the area adjacent to the Kaa'bah enclosed by a low semi-circular wall.

Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr also made the following additions and modifications:

• put a small window close to the roof of the Kaa'bah to allow for light.
• moved the door of the Kaa'bah to ground level and added a second door to the Kaa'bah.
• added nine cubits to the height of the Kaa'bah, making it twenty cubits high.
• its walls were two cubits wide.
• reduced the pillars inside the House to three instead of six as were earlier built by Quraish.

For reconstruction, ibn az-Zubayr put up four pillars around Kaa'bah and hung cloth over them until the building was completed. People began to do Tawaf around these pillars at all times, so Tawaf of the Kaa'bah was never abandoned,even during reconstruction.

During Abdul Malik bin Marwan’s time  
In 74 Hijri (or 693 according to the Gregorian calendar), Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the known tyrant of that time, with the approval of Umayyad KHALIFAH Abdul Malik bin Marwan, demolished what Ibn az-Zubayr had added to it from the older foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, restore its old structure as the Quraish had it. Some of the changes he made were the following:

-he rebuilt it in the smaller shape which is found today
-took out the Hateem
-walled up the western door (whose signs are still visible today) and left the rest as it was pulled down the wall in the Hateem area.
-removed the wooden ladder Ibn az-Zubayr had put inside the Kaa'bah.
-reduced the door's height by five cubits

When Abdul Malik bin Marwan came for Umra and heard the Hadith that it was wish of Prophet for the Kaa'bah to be constructed the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had built it, he regretted his actions.

Imam Malik's advice to the KHALIFAH Harun al Rasheed Abbasi Khalifa Harun al Rasheed wanted to rebuild the Kaa'bah the way the Prophet Muhammad wanted and the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr built it. But when he consulted Imam Malik, the Imam asked the KHALIFAH to change his mind because constant demolition and rebuilding is not respectful and would become a toy in the hands of kings. Each one would want to demolish and rebuild the Kaa'bah. Based on this advice, Harun al Rasheed did not reconstruct the Kaa'bah. The structure remained in the same construction for 966 years, with minor repairs here and there.

Reconstruction during Sultan Murad Khan’s time
In the year 1039 Hijri, because of heavy rain, flood and hail, two of the Kaa'bah's walls fell down. The flood during which this occurred took place on the 19th of Shaban 1039 Hijri which continued constantly, so the water in the Kaa'bah became almost close to half of its walls, about 10 feet from the ground level. On Thursday the 20th of Shaban 1039 Hijri, the eastern and western walls fell down. When flood receded on Friday the 21st of Shaban, the cleanup started. Again, a curtain, the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr established on 4 pillars, was put up, and the reconstruction started on the 26th of Ramadan. The rest of the walls except for the one near the Black Stone, were demolished. By the 2nd of Zul-Hijjah 1040 the construction was taking place under the guidance of Sultan Murad Khan, the Ottoman Khalifa. From the point of the Black stone and below, the current construction is the same as that done by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr. The construction which was done under the auspices of Murad Khan was exactly the one done at the time of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan which is the way the Quraysh had built it before Prophethood.On Rajab 28-1377, One historian counted the total stones of the Kaa'bah and they were 1,614. These stones are of different shapes. But the stones which are inside the outer wall which is visible are not counted in there.

Reconstruction of the Kaa'bah In 1996
A major reconstruction of the Kaa'bah took place between May 1996 and October 1996. This was after a period of about 400 years (since Sultan Murad Khan’s time). During this reconstruction the only original thing left from the Kaa'bah are the stones. All other material has been replaced including the ceiling and the roof and its wood.

What is inside the Kaa'bah?

• there are two pillars inside (others report 3 pillars)
• there is a table on the side to put items like perfume
• there are two lantern-type lamps hanging from the ceiling
• the space can accommodate about 50 people
• there are no electric lights inside
• the walls and floors are of marble
• there are no windows inside
• there is only one door
• the upper inside walls of the Kaa'bah were covered with some kind of curtain with the Kalimah written on it

A Fly or a Mountain

‘Abdullah b. Mas’ûd – Allah be pleased with him – said:

The believer sees his sins as if he is sitting at the foot of a mountain fearing that it might fall on him, while the sinner (fâjir) sees his sins as a fly that lands on his nose, he just waves it away.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh, The Book of Supplications, Chapter on Tawbah.

Ibn Hajr quotes in his commentary, Fath Al-Bârî:

Ibn Abî Jumrah said, “The reason for this [fear] is that the heart of a believer is illuminated; so when he sees from himself something that goes against what he illuminates his heart with, it is very distressing to him. The wisdom behind giving the example of a mountain is that a person might find some way to escape from other dangers, but if a mountain falls on a person he does not survive. In short, the believer is dominated by fear (of Allah) due to the strength of îmân he has; he does not therefore feel falsely secure about being punished because of his sins. This is the way of the Muslim: he always fears and checks on himself, his good deeds are little to him and he fears even the small bad deeds he has done.”

It’s just a small sin

Bilâl b. Sa’d – Allah have mercy on him – said:

Do not think about how small the sin is, but think about who you have just disobeyed.

Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq Vol.1 p150.

Tahiyyatul-Masjid during the Times when Prayer is Forbidden

Tahiyyatul-Masjid during the Times when Prayer is Forbidden

Question: There is much talk about Tahiyyatul-Masjid: Some say that it should not be done during the times when it is reported that prayer is forbidden, such as at the times of sunrise and sunset. Others say that it is permissible since the reasons for it are not restricted by any time and that it should be done even if half the sun had set. I request a detailed explanation of this.

Answer: There is some disagreement amongst the scholars in this matter, but the correct view is that Tahiyyatul-Masjid is lawful at all times, even after Fajr and after Asr based upon the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam): If any of you enters the mosque, he should not sit until he has prayed two Rakahs. [1] Also, it is a prayer that there is a reason to perform, like Salat At-Tawaf [2] and Salat Al-Khusuf, [3] and the correct view in all of these is that they should be performed at all of the times when prayer is (normally) prohibited, just like making up for an obligatory prayer which one has missed, based upon the words of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) regarding Salat At-Tawaf: O people of (the tribe of) Abdi Manaf! Do not prevent anyone from performing Tawaf of this House and praying anytime of the night or day that he wishes. [4] And he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, regarding Salat Al-Kusuf: Verily the sun and the moon are two Signs among the Signs of Allaah, they are not eclipsed for the death or the birth of any man, so if you see them, pray and supplicate, until what you are suffering is removed. [5] And he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Whoever slept through a prayer or forgot it, must make up for it as soon as he remembers it, and there is no expiation for it except this,. [6] All of these Hadiths extend to include the times when prayer is prohibited and other times. This saying is the preferred view of Shaikh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah and his student, the great scholar, Ibn Al-Qayyim - may Allaahs mercy be on both of them. And Allaah is the Granter of success. [1] Al-Bukhari no. 1163 and Muslim no. 714 [2] Salat At-Tawaf: A two rakah prayer following circumambulation of the Kabah during Hajj and Umrah. [3] Salat Al-Khusuf: Prayer of the lunar or solar eclipse. [4] Abu Dawud no. 1894, At-Tirmithi no. 868 and Ahmad 4:81 [5] Al-Bukhari no. 1040 and Muslim no. 901 [6] Al-Bukhari no. 597 and Muslim no. 684

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz

Fatawa Islamiyah Vol. 2 Page 286

The Merits of Abu Bakr

The Merits of Abu Bakr (radhi allahu anhu)

From As-Sunnah Bimonthly Islamic Newsletter

Meaning- Sahabee (plural: Sahabah) Anyone who saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), while in the state of Imaan and breathe his last while in the state of Muslim is known as a Sahabee (radiallahu anhu) - the Companion of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) .

The Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) clearly mention the lofty position of the Sahabah - The first ones to accept Islam and to believe in the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). They were the ones, who accepted enmity against their tribes and families and endured their tyranny and oppression, left their homelands and migrated to Madinah, all for the sake of practicing and spreading the religion of Allah. They fought along with the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), against the Kuffar, with their wealth and lives. They are the ones, whom Allah chose to place the responsibility of preserving the religion of Islam for the coming generations and it is through them that the Religion is preserved; they are the Best of generation, as Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "The best of my nation is my generation then those who follow them and then those who follow them.” [Saheeh Bukharee]

Allah, the All-Wise and Knowledgeable extolled their virtues in His Book saying: “Rather, the Prophet and those who believe with him fought with their property and their lives for these are all good things, they are the successful ones and Allah has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein forever and that is the great success” [ (9): 88-89]

They are the best example for us after our noble Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) symbolized them as a protection for the Muslim Ummah. And Allah, the Exalted has praised those who follow them in faith, He described them saying:

“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and Ansar and all those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allah is well pleased with them and they are pleased with Him and Allah has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein forever and that is the great success.” [Soorah at-Tawbah (9): 100]

Abi Burda reports from his father: “… He (Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) raised his head toward the heavens and said: "The stars are the protection for the sky - when the stars have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to the sky. I am the protection for my Companions (radiallahu anhu) - when I have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to my companions. My Companions are the protection for this Ummah - when they have gone, that which has been forewarned will come to this Ummah." [Saheeh Muslim]

So, the only protection for this Ummah is to stick to the way of the Companions, the first generation - the best generation. We will now focus specifically on the status and the virtues of the best of this best generation, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq - the first Khalifa, the most beloved person to Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam):

Narrated Amr bin Al-Aas (radiallahu anhu): “The Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) deputed me to lead the army of Dat as-Salasil. I came to him and said: “Who is the most beloved person to you?' He said: “Aa'isha” I asked “Amongst men?” He said: “Her father (Abu Bakr)...” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee v.5, no.14]

Abu Bakr As-Siddique was the closest of the Companions in relationship to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) reports: “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) came out during his illness from which he died, his head bound with a cloth. He sat on the minbar, thanked Allah, praised Him and said: “There is no one among the people who has been more generous to me with his life and his property than Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhaafa (radiallahu anhu) and if I was to take a bosom friend, I would take Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. But, the friendship of Islam is better. Block off every door in this Masjid except the door of Abu Bakr” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee]

He (radiallahu anhu) was the first person to accept Islam amongst men. He was always present for the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and was the quickest to come to his defense and to affirm and believe everything, which came from the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). Narrated Urwa ibn Az-Zubair: 'I asked Amr ibn Al-Aas (radiallahu anhu): What was the most severe thing the mushrikeen ever did to Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)? He answered: “Once, when the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) was praying in the court of the Kaaba, Uqba ibn Abi Mu'eet came and put a piece of cloth around his neck and began choking him severely. Abu Bakr came along grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away from the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) saying: “Do you kill a man just for saying my Lord is Allah?” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]

Abu Ya'la (radiallahu anhu) also narrates that Anas ibn Malik said: “They beat the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) one day until he lost consciousness. Abu Bakr stood and began calling out: 'Woe to you! Do you kill a man just for saying my Lord is Allah? The people asked one another: “Who is this?” And they said: “That is Ibn Abi Quhaafa the madman” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Hasan)]

Being the closest Companion to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), Abu Bakr was also the most knowledgeable in both belief and understanding the teachings of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), as we see in the following:

Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (radiallahu anhu): “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) sat on the pulpit and said: “Allah has given one of his slave, the choice of receiving the splendor and luxury of the worldly life (whatever he likes) or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Him (Allah). So he has chosen that good which is with Allah.” On that Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) wept and said: “Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you. We became astonished at this.” The people said: “Look at this old man! Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) talks about the slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendor of this worldly life or good which is with Him, while he says, “Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you.” But it was Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) who had been given the option, and Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) knew it better than us.” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee v.5, no.244]

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), himself informed us in his traditions that Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was not a person of pride. Ibn Umar narrates: “Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Whoever drags his clothing on the ground in pride will not be looked at by Allah on Qiyamah." Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) said: One side of my garment always drags on the ground unless I constantly tend to it. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to him: “You do not do that out of pride.” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee]

He (radiallahu anhu) was named ‘As-Siddeeq’ - ‘'the true verifier’, because he hastened to believe the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). He was named so after the Prophet's journey to Jerusalem, when the Qura'ish refused to believe Prophet Muhammad's (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) journey to Jerusalem within a night, Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) when he heard of it, he said: “I have always believed in his words about heavenly revelation; how can I disbelieve him in a secondary worldly matter.”

Narrated Anas ibn Malik (radiallahu anhu): “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) was on Mount Uhud with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman when the mountain trembled. He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Stay still, Uhud for upon you are a Prophet, a siddique and two martyrs.” [Saheeh Bukharee]

Abu Bakr was one of those mentioned in the Qur'aan who “responded to Allah and His Messenger after being injured”. From Saheeh Al-Bukharee: “Aisha reports regarding Allah's statement: “Those who responded to Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) after they had been afflicted with injury - to those who did good and feared Allah among them is a great reward.” [Soorah Aal Imraan (3): 172]

She said: "...Az-Zubair and Abu Bakr - after the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) was injured at Uhud and the mushrikeen backed off, but it was feared they would return - the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Who will go after them?" Seven men responded to that and among them were Abu Bakr and Az-Zubair." [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

In addition to telling us that Abu Bakr was the closest person in this world to himself, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) bore witness to many of the virtues of Abu Bakr and informed him and us that he is among the people of Paradise.

Once Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) offered the morning prayer and then faced the people and said: “While a man was driving a cow, he rode over it and beat it. The cow said: “We have not been created for this, but we have been created to plough.” On that the people said astonishingly: “Glorified be Allah! A cow speaks!” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “I believe this, and Abu Bakr and Umar too, believe it, although neither of them was present there.” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) added: “While a person was amongst his sheep, a wolf, attacked and took one of the sheep. The man chased the wolf till he rescued it (sheep) from the wolf, whereupon the wolf said: “You have rescued it (the sheep) from me; but who will guard it on the day of the wild beasts when there will be no shepherd to guard them except me?” The people said surprisingly, “Glorified be Allah! A wolf speaks!” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “But I believe this, Abu Bakr and Umar too, believe this. Although neither of them was present there.” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee v.4, no.677]

Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "...Whoever is among the people of prayer will be called (to paradise) from the door of prayer. Whoever is among the people of jihad will be called from the door of jihad. Whoever is among the people of sadaqa will be called from the door of sadaqa. Whoever is among the people of fasting is called from the door of fasting and the door of Ar-Rayaan." Abu Bakr said "...Is anyone called from all of those doors, O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)?" He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Yes, and I hope that you will be among them, Abu Bakr” [Saheeh Bukhari]

Once Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) asked: “Who began this day fasting?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Who participated in a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did” Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Who fed a needy person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Who visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did” Then, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “These things cannot all meet in a single person but that they will enter Paradise.” [Saheeh Muslim]

Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was the quickest of the Companions to rush to any good deed. Umar ibn Khattab said: “Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) ordered us to give sadaqa. It happened to coincide with some wealth I had just acquired and I said to myself: If I will every surpass Abu Bakr, this is the day I will surpass him. And so I came to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) with half of my wealth and he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to me: "What have you left for your family?" I said: The same amount. Then, Abu Bakr came with all of his wealth. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to him: "What have you left for your family?" He said: “ I have left them Allah and His Messenger.” I said: I will never surpass you in anything.” [Abu Dawood (a hassan hadith)]

Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was the best person after the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). The Companions were well aware of who were the first few Companions in closeness to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and the Rightly-Guided Khalifas were chosen on that basis.

Ibn Umar (radiallahu anhu) reports: “We used to discuss the best of the people during the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and we saw the best as Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu), then Umar, then Uthman ibn Affaan (radiallahu anhu)” [Saheeh Al-Bukharee]

Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiallahu anhu) was also very much aware of this and bore witness to it as we see in this narration from his son, which is found in Saheeh Al-Bukharee also: “I said to my father: ‘Who is the best of the people after Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)?’ He said: “Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu)”. I said: “And then who?” He said: “And then Umar ibn Al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu).” I was afraid that he would say Uthman (radiallahu anhu) next, so I said: “And then you?” To which he answered: “I am nothing but a man among the Muslims.”

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) made no "official" appointment of a successor, but left plenty of signs that Abu Bakr was to succeed him as his Khalifa. A woman came to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and he ordered her to come back later. When she said: “What if I come don't find you? (Indicating his death).” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "If you don't find me, then go to Abu Bakr.” [Saheeh Bukharee]

Aisha (radiallahu anha) narrates: “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said to me in his final illness: "Call Abu Bakr and his brother so I can write an official document for I fear that some desirous one may follow his desires and say: I am more appropriate. And Allah and the believers reject all but Abu Bakr." [Saheeh Muslim]

Once, when the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) was very ill, he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Get another to lead the prayer." The people found Umar ibn Khattab (radiallahu anhu) and Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) was not yet there and they told him to lead the prayer. When the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) heard Umar's voice leading the prayer, he said: "And where is Abu Bakr? Allah and the Muslims reject this. Allah and the Muslims reject this.” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) then sent for Abu Bakr and he led the people in prayer after Umar had already led them in that same prayer. [Abu Dawood (hassan)]

Jundub (radiallahu anhu) narrates: “I heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) five days before his death saying: "I declare my innocence before Allah that I should have any bosom friend among you for Allah Most High has taken me as His friend just as He took Ibrahim as His friend. If I were to take any bosom friend from my nation I would take Abu Bakr.” [Saheeh Muslim]

So, this is the high status of Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radiallahu anhu), we are obliged to respect him and the rest of the Companions of Prophet and refrain from criticizing them in any way, Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "Do not slander my Companions, for if one of you were to spend an amount of gold equivalent to the size of Mount 'Uhud, you would not even come halfway up to their level.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaari]

Choosing The Desired Wife

Choosing The Desired Wife
By: Ibrahim Abu Khalid

http://www.quraan.com/

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Merciful, the Hearer of supplications, and peace and blessings upon our beloved and humble prophet Muhammad,and upon his family and companions.

When marriage is spoken of during these "modern" times, Muslims become horrified, conjuring images of an arranged marriage, trying to find that "perfect" companion, how much of a financial burden it will become, and so on. The reality is that Islam came to solve these problems, not exacerbate them, yet unfortunately we have integrated our local traditions and customs with Islam so that marriage has become a major concern for a man rather than a delightful experience.

When living in a free, perverted and corrupt Western society, the Muslim male youth finds many temptations and tests, as a result of mixing with females, which he must face and overcome. He must constantly resist these temptations, which are thrown at him in the streets, on the media, and at work. And so the wisdom of the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) echoes on, when he said: "O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains the eyes from casting (evil glances), and preserves one from immorality..."

When seriously considering marriage, you must pose the question to yourself as to just what kind of wife you want, what her qualities should be in order to establish an Islamic and peaceful household, and how you will know who she is.

As Muslims, we believe that Allah wants the best for us, and that His Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) illustrated this through his own life. So note that by following the advise of our own Creator, and that of His beloved servant, we can only be successful.

WHO TO MARRY

Islam is clear on the kind of wife you should be seeking. The Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) said: "A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, her status, her beauty, and her religion; so try to get one who is religious, may you be blessed." This specifically defines just what kind of a companion we are seeking, for if we marry her for anything other than her religious piety, our marriage is bound to fall into misery.

True, beauty and charm is hard to resist, yet beauty does not last forever and does not guarantee you her obedience and religiousness. Financial status is dynamic, and so is worldly status, yet religion strongly establishes a household, and it may be that through your intention of marrying her for her religion, the rest is given to you anyway. In another hadith, the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) said: "The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman." Imagine! Nothing in this world is as valuable as a pious woman! This point has been stressed many times by Rasulallah (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam), who himself, when asked what three things he loved the most, mentioned a pious woman. Once the following ayah was revealed: "They who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of a painful doom. On that day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of Jahannam, and their foreheads and flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said to them): 'Here is what you hoarded for yourselves, now taste of what you used to hoard' "[al-Taubah: 34-35]. Umar (RadiAllaahu anhu) has been quoted to say that, when this ayah was revealed, he approached the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam), submitting that the ayah weighed heavily on the minds of the Sahaba. Rasulallah (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) replied that the best thing to be treasured is the devoted wife who causes pleasure when seen, obeys orders instantly and takes full care of herself and her husbands property when he is away. Abu Bakr once asked Rasulallah (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) what was the best thing to be treasured, and he (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) replied: "the tongue in remembrance of Allah, the heart filled with thanks to Allah, and a pious wife who helps in virtuous deeds". Look at how valuable such a woman is in the sight of Allah! How can a man live unhappily with such a person.

QUALITIES OF THE PIOUS WOMAN

Alright, you say, you've convinced me, but what actually makes her a pious woman? The answer is simple: Allah himself has described those qualities most loved by Him in the Qur'an, and in the ahadith there are numerous accounts of the virtuous attributes of a pious woman.

The following are some ayahs on the attributes of the wife you should be seeking, so note those fine and appreciative qualities. The following are some ayahs on the attributes of the wife you should be seeking, so note those fine and appreciative qualities. "And women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity"[s.24;v.26]

"Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husbands) absence what Allah would have them guard"[s.4;v.34]

"It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you, who submit (Muslims), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for faith) and fast..."[s.66;v.5].

And then, in surah Ahzab, is a full list of those qualities loved by Allah, qualities which by the way should be evident in both males and females. So, my dear brother, choose her for the following attributes:

A Muslim woman

A believing woman

A devout woman

A true woman

A woman who is patient and constant

A woman who humbles herself

A woman who gives charity

A woman who fasts and denies herself

A woman who guards her chastity

A woman who engages much in Allah's praise.

Among the four known perfect women was Maryam. She was loved by Allah because of her religious qualities: "O Maryam! Worship your Lord: prostrate yourself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down"[s.3;v.43]. Another was the wife of Pharaoh: "And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh: behold she said: 'O my Lord, build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden' "[s.66;v.11].

The Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) loved his wives because of their religious qualities. Aisha once related the fine qualities of Zainab: "(Zainab) was the one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of Allah's Messenger (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam), and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zainab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more closer to Allah, the Exalted, than her." Ahh, you think, but you'll never find such a woman! Well, if that was true, Allah would not have described her in the first place, and furthermore those qualities were emanating from the women described above. Islam deals with reality, not fiction. Sure, the perfect woman doesn't exist, yet "if you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good"[s.4;v.19]. Remember also that you are not perfect either.

KNOWING WHO SHE IS

To find that pious woman, there are two steps to be taken, and that first one relies on your personal observation. In surah Nisaa, Allah asks the believing women that they should "lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments," and also that they "should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments"[s.24;v.31]. If you notice a woman acting modestly, being not too obvious through her actions (by lowering her voice when around men), one who attempts to hide her attractions (which includes her external beauty as well as her internal charms), then you know she has some of those precious qualities. When you see a woman unashamedly flirting, unconcerned about her revealing clothes, and freely converses with males- keep far, far away. I'm sure when you get married you want your wife to devote her love to you, not to twenty other "just good friends".

Through simple observation, you can get a glimpse of her nature; for example, the way she stands when conversing, how she maintains eye-contact, her clothes, where she spends her time etc. Look for her strong points, and don't stress on her weak ones.

Yet, after all this, we still have to come to the most important topic. You can look all you want at her, set a private investigator to track her movements, read her diaries (all of which I consider extreme and un-Islamic), yet, my dear brother, no-one knows her heart and intentions, no-one knows whether she will turn sour or more religious, or whether you are suitable for each other, except for Allah.

TRUST IN ALLAH

We are choosing our wife for her permanent values; namely her religious devotions, moral integrity, character etc. But believe me, if we try ourselves to combine a marriage, we are almost sure to fail, because we have no knowledge.

Allah loves a servant when he puts his trust in Him. When we do so, it is illustrating how we rely upon Him for help, and proving our sincerity to Him, establishing that we recognize His infinite knowledge and wisdom.

Islam is likened to being as a house, and in my estimation nothing cements that house together as well as putting our trust in Allah.

It is related on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah that the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) used to teach his companions to seek, through a special du'a (known as an istikharah), the guidance of Allah in all matters which affected them. Rasulallah (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) said: "When you are confused about what you should do in a certain situation, then pray two rak'at of nafl salaat and read the following du'a (du'a of istikharah)."

I am surprised at the criticisms thrown at this du'a, and of its negligence. We are humans, powerless in this sphere of life, knowledgeable only enough to survive. So why shouldn't we turn to Allah and seek His perfect help whenever we require it? Allah responds to the call of His servant when he asks for guidance, and we are after all seeking to do something in order to please Him.

Many wrong notions exist concerning istikharah. Many Muslims will pray, read the du'a, and run to bed expecting to see a dream showing them their future wife, what her favourite colour is, and some other weird fantasy. That is not the purpose of this salaat.

The results of an istikharah can take many forms. Basically, you go by your feelings, whether you now feel more favorable or not. Also, you may notice events have changed, either for or against you. Finally, as a wonderful gift from Allah, you may be blessed with a dream. Note that you must follow the results of an istikharah, because not doing so is tantamount to rejecting Allah's guidance once you've asked for it. Also, you should firstly clear your mind, not have your mind already decided, and then afterwards follow the results willingly.

The Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) once sent Zainab a proposal of marriage. She refused to accept the proposal straight away, expressing her intention to refer the matter to Allah: "I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord." Allah, the Responsive, answered her plea for help and revealed an ayah approving of the marriage. We may seem shocked at her refusal to accept a proposal from what is the best husband any woman can have, yet she was just recognizing that it is Allah who knows how successful such a marriage will be, and as a sign of appreciation, that reply is now preserved in our Holy Book: al Qur'an.

The Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) once said to Aisha: "I saw you in a dream for three nights when an angel brought you to me in a silk cloth  and he said: 'Here is your wife', and when I removed (the cloth) from your face, lo, it was yourself, so I said: 'if this is from Allah, let Him carry it out' ". 

Marriage is a serious step, and requires the right attitude. If marriage completes half our faith, shouldn't that half be the best half? A woman married for the wrong reasons can only weaken the Muslim household. Consider that she will be your life-long companion, the bearer of your children. Don't marry her for her worldly wealth, but for her wealth in Islamic wisdom and knowledge. Her status in this life is but illusionary, so choose her for her status in the sight of Allah. Beauty is but superficial, but the beauty of Iman is transcendent. 
When asking Allah for a wife, call upon Him by His beautiful names, as He has commanded us: "For Allah are certain and dignified names: therefore call upon Him by them"[s.7;v.189]. Ask for a companion who is devout, pious, patient and so on. Be among those who say: "Our Lord, may our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes and make us leaders of the righteous"[al-Furqan,74].

I cannot provide a better conclusion than saying that you must put your trust in Allah. You must have trust in His concern for us, and His ability to help us. Allah says: "Put your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who put their trust in Him"[s.3;v.159]. 

May Allah help us in our sincere efforts in following His commandments and the way of His beloved servant, and provide us with wives whom He loves. "When my servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to my call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way"[al-Baqarah,v.186].

The Door of Tawfeeq has been closed on the people because of six things

Ibn ul Qayyim Al Jawziyah (Rahimahullah) mentioned in his monumental book
“Fawaa'id ul Fawaa'id” on the authority of Shaqeeq Ibn Ibrahim (Rahimahullah),


who said:The door of Tawfeeq (i.e. success) has been closed on the people because of six things:

The First: Because they (i.e. the people) busy themselves with the Ni'mah (i.e. blessing) bestowed upon them and
forget about the gratitude they should express to Allah, the One who bestowed the favor on them.

The Second: Because they have an ardent desire for knowledge however, they abandon acting upon it.

The Third:  Because they hasten to commit sin but delay repentance for the sin.

The Fourth: Because they are deceived by the companionship of the righteous but fail to emulate their actions.

The Fifth: Because the life of this world is behind them but they are insistent on chasing after it.

The Sixth:  Because the hereafter is in front of them but they turn away from it.

The source of all of this stems from a lack of Raja'a (i.e. hope in Allah's mercy) and Khowf (i.e. fear of Allah's
punishment and the fact that He may not accept any of your deeds). And the origin of this stems from a weakness in
Yaqeen (i.e. certainty). And the origin of this stems from a weakness in Baseerah (i.e. sound legislative knowledge).
And the origin of this stems from humiliation and ignobility and exchanging that which is superior for that which is
mediocre.

If the individual was noble and ambitious he would not settle for mediocre. The source of every good is by the Tawfeeq
(i.e. success) of Allah as well as by His will, the nobility of the soul, its magnanimity and exaltedness. Subsequently, the
source of every evil is the villainousness of the soul, its ignobility and lowliness, as Allah says:

قد أفلح من زكاها وقد خاب من دساها...
“Indeed he will be successful who purifies his soul and he who corrupts his own soul will fail…”

Meaning, the one who exalts his soul, multiplies it's good and nurtures it upon obedience to Allah, will be successful.
However, the one who disgraces his soul and humiliates it by exposing it to sin and disobedience to Allah will utterly
lose. Thus the noble souls are not satisfied except with the finer things in life, those things that reap the most
praiseworthy outcome. On the other hand, the ignoble souls loiter around the lowliest affairs just as the fly that only
lands on feces.

Hence the noble and superior soul is not satisfied with oppression, fornication/adultery, stealing or betrayal due to the
fact that he considers himself more dignified to commit such acts. However, the ignoble soul is the total opposite. And
every soul will incline towards what is in conformity with it’s desire(s) and what it deems suitable. This is consistent with
the statement of Allah:

قل كل يعمل على شاكلته
“Every soul shall act according to what it inclines towards…”

Meaning, every soul will act upon what is in conformity with it's desires. The soul will act upon what it deems suitable
and appropriate for it. Thus, every soul will proceed upon the path that is natural for it. So the Fajir (i.e. criminal) soul
will act according to what is natural for it, of welcoming the blessing(s) of Allah with sin while turning away from Al
Mun'im (i.e. The Giver of all bounty and blessing). Yet the believer acts according to what is natural for him, of gratitude
to Allah, the One who grants His bounty to whomsoever He wills. Also loving Him, praising Him, showing affection to
Him and being modest before Him, while the slave is conscious of the fact that Allah is evaluating his every movement,
coupled with magnification and glorification of Him.

courtesy of Rawdah.org

The Character of the Caller to Islaam

The Character of the Caller to Islaam

Question: What should be the qualities of one who invites to Allaah?

Answer: He should be diligent in seeking knowledge, and struggle in being aware of the Shari’ah proofs. He should expend all of his energies in calling the people to singling out Allaah in worship, following His Shari’ah, abiding by His orders and prohibitions, with his entire self, struggling to bring about the judgements of the Shari’ah until he reaches the rank of those who invite to Allaah Almighty in his speech, actions, conduct, and character. Indeed with Allaah is the facilitation to do what is right.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz

Fatawa Islamiyah Vol.8, p.46, DARUSSALAM

Islam is the Religion of all Prophets

Islam is the Religion of all Prophets

The Ayah 163 from Surat Al-An'am:  

[وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ]

(and I am the first of the Muslims.) means, from this Ummah, according to Qatadah. This is a sound meaning, because all Prophets before our Prophet were calling to Islam, which commands worshipping Allah alone without partners. Allah said in another Ayah,

[وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ]

(And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying): "None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.'') [21:25] Allah informed us that Nuh said to his people,

[فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِّنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ]

(But if you turn away, then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is o­nly from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.) [10:72] Allah said,

[وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَهِيمَ إِلاَّ مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَـهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - وَوَصَّى بِهَآ إِبْرَهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَـبَنِىَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ]

(And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except him who deludes himself Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, "Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!'' He said, "I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the all that exists.'' And this was enjoined by Ibrahim upon his sons and by Ya`qub (saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.")[2:130-132]. Yusuf, peace be upon him, said,

[رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِى مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ الاٌّحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّ فِى الدُّنُيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِالصَّـلِحِينَ ]

(My Lord! You have indeed bestowed o­n me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams -- the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.) [12:101] Musa said,

[وَقَالَ مُوسَى يقَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءامَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنْتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ - فَقَالُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ - وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْكَـفِرِينَ ]

(And Musa said: "O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims." They said: "In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are wrongdoers. And save us by your mercy from the disbelieving folk'') [10:84-86] Allah said,

[إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ]

(Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [did also].) [5:44], and,

[وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ ]

(And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyun (the disciples) [of `Isa] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.") [5:111] Therefore, Allah states that He sent all His Messengers with the religion of Islam, although their respective laws differed from each other, and some of them abrogated others. Later o­n, the Law sent with Muhammad abrogated all previous laws and nothing will ever abrogate it, forever. Certainly, Muhammad's Law will always be apparent and its flags raised high, until the Day of Resurrection. The Prophet said, 

«نَحْنُ مَعَاشِرُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ أَوْلَادُ عَلَّاتٍ دِينُنَا وَاحِد»

(We, the Prophets, are half brothers, but our religion is o­ne.) Half brothers, mentioned in the Hadith, refers to the brothers to o­ne father, but different mothers. Therefore, the religion, representing the o­ne father, is o­ne; worshipping Allah alone without partners, even though the laws which are like the different mothers in this parable, are different. Allah the Most High knows best. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Ali said that when the Messenger of Allah used to start the prayer with Takbir [saying, "Allahu Akbar'' (Allah is the Great)] he would then supplicate,

«وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين»

(I have directed my face towards He Who has created the heavens and earth, Hanifan and I am not among the Mushrikin. Certainly, my prayer, sacrifice, living and dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds.)

«اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْك»

(O Allah! You are the King, there is no deity worthy of worship except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have committed wrong against myself and admitted to my error, so forgive me all my sins. Verily, You, o­nly You forgive the sins. (O Allah!) Direct me to the best conduct, for none except You directs to the best conduct. Divert me from the worst conduct, for o­nly You divert from the worst conduct. Glorified and Exalted You are. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.) This Hadith, which was also recorded by Muslim in the Sahih, continues and mentions the Prophet's supplication in his bowing, prostrating and final sitting positions.

 

 

Source: Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Surat al-An'aam 

The Seed of Blessing

Habbatul Barakah (Black Seed) - The Seed of Blessing

Habbatul Barakah (Black Seed) "The Seed Of Blessing" By CalgaryIslam.com Editoral Staff

Narrated Abu Hurairah (Radhiallaahu 'anhu): I heard Allah’s Messenger (Sal-Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) saying, “There is healing in black seed for all diseases except death.” [Meaning of Sahih al-Bukhaaree, Book of Medicine, Hadeeth No. 5688]

Black Seed is also known as Black Cummin, Black Caraway & many other names. It's botanical name is Nigella sativa.

Published Scientific Reports confirm that Black Seed has an astounding array of health benefits:

Increases immune function.
~ U.S. Patents Sections, Antiviral Agents Bulletin #5,482,711

Black seed stimulates bone marrow and immune cells and raises the interferon production, protects normal cells against cell destroying effects of viruses, destroys tumor cells and raises the number of anti-bodies producing B cells.
~ Cancer Immuno-biology Laboratory ,South Carolina

Black seed contains valuable unsaturated fatty acids, for example Linoleic and Gammalinolen acids get into the organism. By that it possible to reach a synthesis of important immune regulating substances derived as from Prostaglandin E1. Linoleic acid stabilizes the cell membranes and Prostaglandin has the effect of inhibiting inflammation. By that the immune reactions are stopped which cause the illnesses and which otherwise could be the start of many chronic illnesses like acne and hayfever right up to cancer.
~ Dr. Peter Schleicher Immunologist, Munich, Germany

Black seed proves to have an ant histamine, ant-oxidant, anti-biotic, anti-mycotic and broncho-dilating effect.
~ Study of Black seed oil o­n humans, American Scientists

Black seed is truly a remarkable herb that has been used for over 3000 years. It contains over 100 valuable components. It is a significant source of essential fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates and other vitamins and minerals. " The seeds are also rich in sterols, especially beta-sitosterol, which is known to have anticarcinogenic activity".
~ Dr. Michael Tierra L.AC. O.M.D

Black seed tests prove to be genuine universal remedy.
~ Pharmaceutical newspaper, Wissenschaftlicher Text

Black seed is a valuable source of protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, C and niacin as well as minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, selenium, magnesium and zinc.
~ Phytochemicals of Nigella sativa seeds. Food Chemistry

What is Black Seed?

Black Seed is a traditional herb that has been in use for thousands of years by people living in the Middle East and some parts of Asia and Africa to promote health and fight disease. It is also known the “Blessed Seed”.

What are the essential properties of Black Seed?

Black Seed herb contains over 100 components, many of which still remain to be discovered. It is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids and contains about 35% oil, 21% protein, and 38% carbohydrates. More than 50% of the oil are essential fatty acids. It’s linoleic acid and gamma linolenic acid content help form Prostaglandin E1, which helps the body to inhibit infections, balances the immune system, and regulates allergic reactions. Gamma-linolenic acid also helps stabilize the cell membrane. Black Seed also contains about .5-1.5% volatile oils including Nigellone and thymochinon which are responsible for Black Seed’s anti-histamine, anti-oxidant, anti-infective, and broncho-dialating effect.

What are some of the traditional uses of Black Seed?

Traditionally, Black Seed has been used for a variety of conditions and treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal complaints, kidney & liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and to improve general health. Its can be topically used for eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, inflammation, and scalp massage.

What scientific research has there been o­n Black Seed?

Since 1959, there have been over 200 studies at international universities and articles published in various journals showing remarkable results supporting some of its traditional uses. In 1960, Egyptian researchers confirmed that Nigellone was responsible for Black Seeds broncho-dialating effect. Recently scientists in Europe have confirmed the anti-bacterial and anti-mycotic effects of black seed oil. Scientists at the Cancer and Immuno-Biological Laboratory have found that Black Seed stimulates bone marrow and immune cells and raises the interferon production, protects normal cells against cell destroying effects of viruses, destroys tumor cells and raises the number of anti-bodies producing B cells.

What about the effects of Black Seed and Prostaglandin E1 o­n the Immune System?

Through the formation of Protaglandin E1, the complete immune system is harmonized and the body’s over-reactive allergic reactions are stabilized. By also inhibiting infection, the immune system is able to prevent and control chronic illnesses. Healthy cells are protected from the damaging effects of viruses, inhibiting tumors. As a result Interferon cell protein is formed, inhibiting growth of damaging micro-organisms.

Recently independent clinical studies published in the Archives of Aids also established some astonishing effects of Black Seed o­n the defense system by improving the ratio between helper T-cells and suppressor T-cells by a significant amount while also enhancing the natural killer cell activity.

What are some of the other Effects of Black Seed?

Black Seed helps support metabolism, digestion, and lowers blood sugars levels. It has been useful in the treatment of diabetes melitus. In digestive matters, Black Seed helps to stimulate bile and promote regularity, improve digestion, and has been used to fight worms and parasites of the intestinal tract.

What are the overall benefits of Black Seed?

Black Seed is a excellent herb with many benefits, especially when it comes to maintaining a strong and healthy immune system. It is also very useful to individuals suffering from asthma and respiratory complaints, weakened or over-stimulated Immune system, kidney or liver problems, digestive and stomach problems, arthritis and circulatory complaints, allergies and hay fever, and acne. Black Seed is a safe and excellent herb that can be used by anyone. It has no known side effects and has a long history of use for several thousand years.

What is more effective, Black Seed herb or oil?

Both are effective in their own standards. However, Black Seed oil is more concentrated than the herb itself, but many people prefer using the herb to the oil. Caution should be taken when using black seed oil due the fact that many oil products are imported and may be adulterated or mixed with other oils. Some oils coming from the Middle East are extracted with heat and hexane, a petrolium by-product. Always use a product that is labeled as 100%, cold-pressed, solvent free, and packed and sealed by machine.

Recommended Book:
Healing With The Medicine of The Prophet