A Concise Legacy

A Concise Legacy

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen

Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine , Issue No.5 - Ramadân 1417H / January 1997

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Indeed all praise is for Allaah. We praise Him, we seek His help and we seek forgiveness from Him. And we seek refuge in Allaah from the evils within our own souls and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allaah guide, then none can misguide him; and whomsoever Allaah leaves to stray, then none can guide him aright. Indeed it is Allaah who sent His Messenger Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth, and he conveyed this Message, fulfilled his trust, fought Jihaad as it should be fought, and he did not die except that he left his Ummah (nation) upon a clear path, its night is like its day, and no one deviates from it except that he is destroyed. And may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon His Messenger Muhammad, and upon his Family, his Companions, and those who follow them in goodness. Then to proceed:

So on this night, Sunday the 27th of Rabee'ul-Awwal 1417H - which corresponds to the 10th of August 1996CE - I am pleased to have this opportunity to say a few words to you. I hope that Allaah would bless them and that He would also bless our brothers in England; who have traveled from various places in order to here these few words on the telephone, for which they will receive - with the help of Allaah - that promise which has been mentioned by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam when he said: "Whosoever treads a path to seek knowledge, then Allaah would make easy for him a path to Paradise."1 So I ask from my brothers to accept these wasaayah (legacies and sincere advices) which I hope would be of benefit to them:-

THE FIRST LEGACY
So I advise you to have the taqwaa of Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - both in private and public. And taqwaa means that a person should stand firm upon the obedience of Allaah, doing what Allaah ordered him to do, and abandoning what He prohibited him from, starting with establishing the Salaah (Prayer) in their fixed and stated times, and in congregation, for those who are obliged to do so. Along with the five daily Prayers, you should also pray the rawaatib (stressed and recommended Prayers) which are connected to the five daily Prayers - and they are four rak'ahs before the Dhuhr Prayer and two after it. Two rak'ahs after the Maghrib Prayer. Two rak'ahs after the 'Ishaa Prayer. And two rak'ahs before the Fajr Prayer. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There is no Muslim who Prays twelve optional rak'ahs from the non-obligatory Prayer every day, except that Allaah will build for him a house in Paradise."2 Likewise, you should pay the Zakaah; which is an obligatory amount taken from your wealth and given to the poor and the needy. Allaah - the Most High - said to his Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:

"Take charity from their wealth in order to purify them and to sanctify them by it." [Soorah a-Tawbah 9:103].

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to Mu'aadh ibn Jabal, when he was sending him to Yemen: "And inform them that Allaah has obligated upon them to give charity from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to the poor."3

Likewise, one should fast in the month of Ramadaan, because Allaah has prescribed it for this Ummah, and one should make the Hajj (Pilgramage) and the 'Umrah (Lesser Pilgramage) for whosoever has the ability to do so. These are the pillars of Islaam, after the first pillar which is the Shahaadatain (the two testimonies); to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and to testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.

THE SECOND LEGACY
I advise my brothers that they should unify their ranks, and that they should be like a single body seeking to establish the Religion of Allaah, as Allaah - the Most High - said:

"Allaah has prescribed for you the same Religion which He prescribed to Noah, and that which We revealed to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and that which We prescribed to Ibraaheem, Moses and Jesus 'alayhimus-salaam, saying: That you should establish the Religion by doing that which you were commanded with, and that you should not make any divisions in it." [Soorah ash-Shooraa 42:13].

Thus it becomes very clear that what is required from us - as it was required from the Prophets who were foremost in resolve - is to establish the Religion and not to make any divisions therein. So our Lord - the Mighty and Majestic - ordered us to establish the Religion and not to make any divisions in it. O my brothers! Unite your ranks, and do not differ, since Allaah - the Most High - said:

"And do not dispute with each other, unless you loose courage and your power departs, but be patient. For indeed Allaah is with those who are patient." [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:46].

Do not label each other as being deviant, nor label each other as being sinners. If you see in any of your brothers that which is objectionable, then go to them and debate with them about this, until your word is unified, and thus cause the Ummah to remain united. None of you should try to slander his brother, since this will cause a great deal of enmity and hatred. Likewise, none of you should declare his Muslim brother to be a disbeliever, innovator or a sinner - since this is not from the nature of a Muslim.

THE THIRD LEGACY
I also advise you - O brothers - to do those actions which will be the cause of love and affection to develop between you. Many people do not truly understand the Religion of Islaam. Indeed many people think that the Religion of Islaam includes certain bad traits - even though Islaam in reality objects to them - because some Muslims portray a false image of Islaam. Rather, the Religion of Islaam is a Religion of truthfulness, righteousness and justice. It is a Religion which calls for reconciling people. It is also a Religion which wages war against all bad actions and characteristics; such as lying, cheating, deception and transgressing upon others. Allaah - the Most High - said:

"Indeed Allaah enjoins upon you justice, kindness and the giving of good to relatives and near ones, and He prohibits you from all shameful and evil deeds, oppression and transgression. He admonishes you, in order that you may take heed and be reminded. And fulfil the Covenant of Allaah when you have made it, and do not break your oaths after you have confirmed them, and indeed you have appointed Allaah as your Guarantor. Indeed Allaah knows all what you do." [Soorah an-Nahl 16:90-91].

O my brothers, da'wah (calling to Islaam) is to be done by your actions, as you are commanded to do it with your speech However, da'wah through actions will be more effective than da'wah which is merely done with speech. So I say again, that those who practice Islaam in a wrong manner, they will create a false understanding of Islaam in people's view. Allaah - the Most High - has said about those who invite to what is correct, but do not practice themselves:

"O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do. It is most hateful to Allaah that you say that which you do not do." [Soorah as-Saff 61:2-3].

THE FOURTH LEGACY
I advise you all to safeguard your time and to occupy yourselves in that which is beneficial. You should know that time is more precious than wealth, as Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - said:

"Until when death comes to him, he says: O my Lord! Give me respite so that I may then do righteous actions." [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:333].

Time is such that when it departs it does not return, whereas wealth, when it departs, then it is possible to replace it. So time is of the utmost importance. This is why I advise you to safeguard your time, and to occupy yourselves in that which benefits. Keep away from qeela wa qaal (gossiping) - that so and so said such and such about this and that person - because the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said in an authentic narration: "Indeed Allaah hates qeela wa qaal (gossip mongering), asking too many questions, and wasting one's wealth."4 Unfortunately, many of the youths - after returning to the correct path, and uniting their hearts and unifying their word - have become disunited and fragmented into many factions, and this is due to the whisperings of Shaytaan amongst them and the disuniting of their word. So I advise the brothers to utilize your time in beneficial matters, and to keep away from qeela wa qaal. Indeed, time is like a sword; either you strike it, or it will strike you!

THE FIFTH LEGACY
Call to Allaah with mildness, forbearance, and intending to rectify matters - not with harshness, nor intending to cause divisions. This is because Allaah - the Most Perfect - said to His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:

"Call mankind to the way prescribed by your Lord, with wisdom, and admonish them with the examples and warnings that Allaah has provided in His Book, and argue with them in a way that is better." [Soorah an-Nahl 16:125].

"By the mercy of Allaah you behaved with gentleness towards them. Had you been severe or harsh-hearted they would have left you and departed. So pass over their faults, and ask Allaah to forgive them, and consult them in the affairs." [Soorah Aali-'Imraan 3:159].

Thus, it is obligatory for the Believer to follow the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam in this, and to be mild and forbearing in calling to Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - since it is authentically established from the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam that he said: "Indeed Allaah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He gives due to gentleness that which He does not give due to harshness."5

THE SIXTH LEGACY
Striving hard in acquiring knowledge, since that is the reason why you have left your cities and homes, and have left your family and friends. So it is upon you all to strive hard in gaining knowledge, and to study deeply - not merely to take an exam, rather it is for the knowledge itself. So strive hard in seeking knowledge. Finally, I ask Allaah that He enables us to utilize our time in a beneficial way, according to what Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - has made us responsible for.

---

1. Related by Muslim (no.1888), Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
2. Related by Muslim (no.728), from Ummu Habeebah radiallaahu 'anhaa.
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.7372) and Muslim (no.19).
4. Related by Muslim (no.1715), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
5. Saheeh: Related by Ibn Maajah (no.3688), from Abu Hurayrah. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami' (no.1771).

Suffering from the Whispering of Shaytan

Suffering from the whispering of Shaytan

Fatawa Arkanul Islam
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Uthaymeen (Rahimallah) Pgs. 55-60

Question:

There is a man who suffers from the whisperings of Shaytan. He whispers things to him that are great sins, concerning Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful and he is very much afraid of this; what is the advice of your eminence?

Answer:

Regarding what has been mentioned concerning the problem of the questioner, which is that he fears the result of it, I say to him: Rejoice at the good news that there will be no result from it except a good result. This is the whispering by which Shaytan assails the believers in order to upset the sound belief in their hearts and to cause them sprirtual and mental agitation and disturb the serenity of their faith, indeed the serenity of their lives, if they are believers.

He is not the 1st among the people of faith to be confronted by this situation, nor is he the last, for it will continue as long as there is a believer in the world; and this same situation confronted the Sahabahs (radiallahu anhum), for it was reported o­n the authority of Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) that he said:

"Some people from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah came to the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) and said to him, 'Verily we perceive in our minds that which every o­ne of us considers too grave to express'.

He (alayhi salatul wasalam) said: "Do you really perceive it?

"They said: "Yes". Upon this he (alayhi salatul wasalam) remarked:"That is true faith." *

* [(It was reported by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter of Explanation of the (evil) whispering regarding Faith (132)]

In the Two Sahihs , it is also narrated from Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) that the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"Satan may come to anyone of you and say: 'Who created such and such? Who created such and such?' until he says, 'Who created your Lord?' So, when he inspires such a question, o­ne should seek refuge w/Allah and give up such thoughts." *

* (Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Beginning of Creation, in the Chapter: The description of Iblis and his Legions (3276) and it was reported by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter o­n the Description of the (evil) Whispering regarding Faith (134).

It is reported o­n the authority of Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) that a man came to the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) and said: "Oh, Messenger of Allah! o­ne of us has thoughts of such a nature that he would rather be reduced to charcoal than speak about them." The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:"All praise and thanks be to Allah who has reduced his matter (shaytan's guile) to (evil) whispering." *

*(It was reported by Abu Dawud in the Book of Good Manners, in the Chapter: Regarding the response to (evil) Whispering (5112) and by Imam Ahmed in Al-Musnad (1:340)

Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rahimallah) said in the Book of Faith:
"The believer is put to trial by the whispering of Satan, the whispering of kufr which causes him distress, as the Companions (radiallahu anhum) said: "Oh Messenger of Allah! o­ne of us has thoughts within himself of such a nature that he would rather fall down from the heaven than speak of them." The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"That is true faith"

And in another narration: "he considers it too grave to express." He (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"All praise and thanks are Allah's who has reduced his (shaytan) intrigue to (evil) whispering)"

That is, the occurence of his whispering along with this great hatred for it and repelling it from the heart is a part of true faith, like the warrior in Allah's Cause who met the enemy and fought him until he overcame him, for that is a great Jihad up to his words.

This why the seekers of knowledge and worship are assailed by whispering and uncertainty which do not afflict another, b/c he (the other) does not follow the Law of Allah and His way; rather, he follows his own desires, heedless of the rememberance of his Lord and this is the goal of Shaytan, as opposed to those who turn towards their Lord with knowledge and (acts of ) worship, for he is their enemy and he seeks to prevent them from (worshipping) Allah, the Most High.

So, I say to this questioner: o­nce it is clear to you that this whispering is from Shaytan, then you must struggle and stand against it, know that it will never harm you as long as you undertake the necessary struggle, reject it and cease thinking about it. The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"Allah has forgiven what is whispered in the hearts of my followers, unless they put it into action or utter it." *

*(Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Manumission, in the Chapter: Error and Forgetfulness in Manumission and Divorce (2528) and by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter: Allah has forgiven what is whispered in heart (127)

And if it is said to you:

Do you believe what is whispered to you? And do you think it is the truth? And is it possible to describe Allah, the Most Glorified by it? You would say: It is not for us to speak of this; Glorified are You (Oh Allah), this is a great lie! You would reject it with your heart and by your words; and of the people, you would flee further than any of them from it. Then it is, o­nly whispering and perils displayed to your heart, and a window to polythesim from Shaytan, who courses throughout the human body as blood courses through it, in order to destroy and obscure your deen for you.

This is why you find that Shaytan does not place doubt or rejection about trivial things in your heart, so you hear for example, of the existence of large and important cities filled w/residents and buildings in the east and west and yet doubt their existence never o­nce crossed your mind, nor regarding their faults, such as that their buildings are destroyed or are unfit for habitation or that there are no occupants in them and so o­n. There is no goal for Shaytan in making man kind doubt such things. But Shaytan's important great goal is destroying the faith of the believer, so he strives by his horse, and o­n o­n foot, to extinguish the light of knowledge and guidance in o­ne's heart and to cause him to fall into the darkness of doubt and uncertainty.

The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) explained the beneficial medicine which contains a cure for this:

"Then let him seek refuge with Allah and cease doing it."

If a person ceases doing that and continues to worship Allah, seeking & desiring that which is with Allah, it will stop troubling him, by Allah's Power. So, avoid all suppositions which pass through your heart o­n this subject and worship Allah, supplicate to Him and glorfiy Him, and if you heard anyone describing Him with what was whispered to him, you would kill him if you could. Therefore, what is whispered is not a fact; rather it is simply thoughts and whisperings which have no basis. Like in the case of someone wearing a clean garment which he has just washed and then he is assailed by thoughts that maybe it is impure, and maybe it is not permissble to pray in it, but he should pay no heed to this.

And my advice may be summarized as follows:

1. Seek protection with Allah and completely stop these suppositions as the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) ordered us to do.

2. Mention Allah, the Most High and restrain yourself from this whisperings.

3. Wholehearted dedication to worship and acting in accordance with the Command of Allah and seeking His Pleasure, for when you give worship your undivided attention with earnestness and striving, you will forget about occupying yourself with this whispering, Inshallah.

4. Seeking refuge with Allah much and asking Him to protect you from this thing.And I ask Allah, the Most High for protection for you and safety from every evil and every destable thing.

The Three Essential Ingredients for Eeman

Love Fear and Hope

The Three Essential Ingredients for Eeman

http://ahya.org/ From ad-Dawah illaah Magazine

One of the most beautiful things about the concept of worship in Islaam is the truly unique way in which it incorporates the feeling of love, fear and hope within the hearts of the worshipers of Allah. Understanding how to combine these three qualities into the worship (ibaadah) of Allah is one of the most essential things that every Muslim must grasp, not least because every sect which has drifted from the Straight Path has strayed in the aspect of worship. The deviation of the other religions in this regard is clear for all to see: “God is love! Jesus is love!” say the Christians, denying the fact that Allah should be feared too. As for the Jews, their hearts were filled only with hope; hope that the Fire will never touch them, since they were the “Promised People”.

In Islaam however, no worship is complete without the presence of all three qualities: love of Allah, hope in His Mercy and fear of His Punishment. Contemplate the opening Soorah of the Qur'aan - Soorah al-Faatihah - and you will see this for yourself.

Aayah 1: “All praise [and thanks] is for Allah, Rabb of all the worlds.”

In this opening aayah (verse) of the Qur'aan, we have LOVE of Allah and every time we recite this aayah we are testifying to our love for Allah. How is that you ask?

It is because in the aayah, we are acknowledging that Allah is our Rabb and the Rabb of all the worlds. Rabb is usually translated as ‘the Lord’, but this translation does not do justification to this name of Allah and all the meanings this name carries. In reality, Rabb means that Allah is the Creator of everything; He sustains and nourishes everything; He gives life and Death; anything good that we have is from Him; everything is dependent on Him and nothing can happen unless He wills it. Furthermore, for the Muslims He - the Rabb - in the One who has guided us to the Truth and given us good morals and manners.

Thus when we testify that Allah is our Rabb, then we are acknowledging that He is the One who has given us so many blessings - so many that if we try to enumerate His blessings, we would be unable to do so. So how could we not but LOVE Him?

After all, we all love those who show kindness towards us or present us with gifts. And therefore the Messenger of Allah (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) encouraged the exchange of gifts between Muslims because it helps to strengthen ties and develop love for one another. He (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, “Give gifts to one another, you will come to love one another.”[1]

So imagine the LOVE we should have for our Rabb who has given us everything: nice families, shelter, security, food, health and above all the Guidance of Islaam and the Sunnah. We should be overwhelming in our love for Him. That is why we praise Him and thank Him and say, “All praise (and thanks) is for Allah, Rabbil-‘aalameen.”

Aayah 2: The Rahmaan (Merciful) and the Raheem (Mercy-Giving).”

In the first aayah of Soorah al-Faatihah, Allah mentioned He was the Rabb. In this aayah two more of His beautiful names are mentioned: ar-Rahmaan and ar-Raheem. Ar-Rahmaan means that He is the Most Merciful. Ar-Raheem means that He is the Giver of Mercy, in other words His actions are full of Mercy and He shows Mercy to His creation.[2]

When we mention these two names of Allah, then we have HOPE. Since He is the One who is full of Mercy, and we hope He will forgive our mistakes and shortcomings. We should never loose hope, because Allah says in the Qur'aan, “O My slaves, who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, Verily Allah forgives all sins (except sins). Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful” [39: 53]

The need to have FEAR in our worship is shown by the next aayah of Soorah al-Faatihah.

Aayah 3: “King/Master of the Day of Judgment.”

When we recite this aayah, we remind ourselves of the Day of Judgment - that awful Day, when all of humanity shall stand before Allah … naked, uncircumcised and barefooted. People will appear drunk though they are not. On that Day, every person will stand before Allah and account for his sins, knowing that not even the smallest action which he did is hidden from Allah: “So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom shall see it.” [Soorah 99 : 7-8]

So when we recite this third aayah of Soorah al-Faatihah, we remind ourselves of this Judgement and accountability and that should bring about in us a sense of fear - that maybe our evil actions will be too great and we will be responsible for them - May Allah protect us from such a fate. Then the next verse goes on to say: “You alone we worship.” i.e. we single out Allah for our worship. And how do we worship Him? With LOVE, HOPE and FEAR. And in order to achieve these qualities, we need Allah’s assistance, so we say then, “We seek Your Aid.”

Striking the Balance

After understanding the need to have love, hope and fear in our worship, the next question that naturally arises is that, in what proportion should these qualities be present in our worship? Again we turn to the Qur'aan for the answer.

“Call upon Him with Fear and Hope.” [ Soorah (7): 56]

“Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in Fear and Hope.” [(32): 16]

So both fear and hope should be present in our hearts in equal proportions. Anas reported that the Prophet (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) entered upon a young boy who was dying. The Prophet (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) asked, “How are you?” The boy replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I am in between hoping in Allah and fearing for my sins.” The Prophet (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, “The like of these two qualities do not unite in the heart of a servant except that Allah gives him what he hopes for and protects him from what he feared.”[3]

Therefore whenever we do a good action, we should hope that it has been accepted by Allah, but at the same time we should also have fear that maybe it isn’t enough or that the good deed has not been worthy of acceptance. Likewise when we sin, we should have hope that Allah will accept our repentance and forgive us, but we should also fear that we may be accountable for it.

This balance should be reflected in our Dawah (which of course is also worship). So when we invite others to the Truth, we should not give them the impression that ‘they have nothing to worry about’, nor do we suggest that ‘they are doomed forever’. Rather we couple warnings with encouragement. We inform them of the horrors of the Fire and tell them about the bliss of Paradise. Just as we find Allah telling us in the Qur'aan: “Verily your Lord is Quick in Punishment and verily He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Giver of Mercy.” [(7): 167]

And the scholars of Islaam say, “He who worships Allah with hope only is a murji’ee. He who worships Him in fear only is a Harooree [Khaarijee]. And He who worships Allah in love only is a Zindeeq [eg. the Soofis, the Christians, etc]. But he who worships Allah in fear, love and hope is a Muwahhid Mu’min [a believer upon Tawheed].”[4]

The Murji’a were a sect that emerged within the first century of Islaam. The people of this sect (i.e. the murji’ees) believe that sins do not affect faith i.e. no matter what sins a person commits, his eeman (faith) is complete and perfect. They worship Allah only with hope because they believe that as long as one believed and testified to Islaam, they would enter Paradise regardless of their actions.

Unfortunately, all too often nowadays we find a similar attitude amongst many Muslims today, which is why we find that so often we try to advice someone to turn to the Deen and abandon sin, they just point to their hearts and say, “Allah knows what is in my heart”, or “Allah forgives”, or something else like that.

As for the Khawaarij, they worshiped Allah in fear only because they held that anyone who commits major sins was a disbeliever and would therefore dwell in Hellfire forever. This of course is gross extremism and straying from the correct path. The Prophet (salla-allahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “There were two men of Banoo Israa’eel who strove equally. One of then committed sins and the other strove hard in worship. And the one who strove in worship to see the other in sin and kept saying to him: “Desist.” So one day he found him committing a sin and so said to him: “Desist” So he replied, “Leave me by my Lord, have you been sent as a watcher over me?”. He said, “By Allah, Allah will not forgive you, nor will Allah admit you to Paradise”. Then their souls were taken and they came together before the Lord of the Worlds. So Allah said to the one who strove in worship: “Did you have Knowledge of Me, or did you have any power in what is in my Hands?” And He said to the sinner: “Go and enter Paradise through My Mercy.” And He said to the other: “Take him to the fire.” Aboo Hurairah said: “By Him in whose Hand is my soul! He spoke a word which destroyed this world and the hereafter for him.”[5]

Therefore we should never say of anyone that he or she is a ‘lost cause’ or ‘doomed’ or the like for this is a great sin. However, we fear for those who commit major sins because they have been threatened with punishment in the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth. However it is up to Allah whether He chooses to punish them or whether He will forgive them.

The Zindeeqs - or the heretics - are groups, such as many of the Soofis who have become like the Christians and reduced the religion to just ‘love’ and so all their talk and their mystical practices are centered around developing more ‘love’.

It is thus clear how imbalances in any of the three qualities of worship can lead to major deviation and straying to the True Guidance. It is therefore important for every Muslim to combine all three of them in his heart properly. As was mentioned before, the fear and hope should be in equal proportions[6], but as for love then that should be uppermost. As Fudayl ibn-‘Iyaad - rahimahullah - (d.187H) said, “The love is better than the fear. The fear checks us from sinning, and the love makes us do what is prescribed with an open heart.”[7]

May Allah grant us what we hope for and protect us from what we fear. And may the Blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammed, upon his family, his Companions and upon all those who follow Guidance until the Last Day.

 

[1] Collected by Imaam Bukhari in al-Adabul-Mufrad and declared hasan by al-Albaanee in al-Irwaa (1601)

[2] As explained by Ibnul-Qayyim (d.751H) in Badaa’I ul-Fawaa’id.

[3] Collected in Sunan at-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah and authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani in Ahkam al-Janaa’iz (no.2)

[4] Quoted by Ibn Rajjab in al-Takhweef minan-Naar.

[5] Collected in Sunan Abu Dawood (english trans. vol.3, p.1365, no.4883). See Saheehul-Jaami (4455) by Sheikh al-Albani.

[6] This was the opinion of most of the Salaf. Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyyaad said that, when one is healthy and well, then fear should predominate, but when terminally ill then hpoe should predominate - so that one should strive to do good when well and not despair of Allah’s Mercy when terminally ill. [Al-Takhweef minan-Naar]

[7] Reported in Al-Takhweef minan-Naar of Ibn Rajab. Note that some scholars hold that the fear is better than love, and Allah knows best.

From ad-Dawah illaah Magazine

The Great Enslavement

The Great Enslavement

By Shaykh Sulaymaan as-Sulaymee

Source: Al-Istiqaamah, Issue No.7

Without doubt, we all hate the slavery and subjugation that we see on the earth today; meaning the subjugation of some men over others, by which some enslave others; humiliating them, and trampling over them. This is indeed hated. However, the enslavement that we wish to talk about is different to this. It is as Rib'ee ibn 'Aamir radiallaahu 'anhu said: "Allaah has sent us to deliver whomsoever chooses, from the 'uboodiyyah (enslavement, worship and servitude) of men to the 'uboodiyyah of Allaah, And from the narrowness of this world, to the vastness of this world and the Hereafter. And from the tyranny and oppression of (false) religions, to the justice of Islaam." 2

The 'uboodiyyah (enslavement, servitude and worship) mentioned here is the 'uboodiyyah to Allaah, which makes a person the noblest of all creatures upon the earth. One of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) said in a couplet:

"What has made me noble and precious;
Is that You, O Allaah, have mode me enter into Your submission.
And have made me one of the followers of;
Your Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam."

This 'uboodiyyah - this submission, worship and enslavement is what Allaah refers to in His Book:

"I have not created Jinn and Mankind, except that they should worship Me." [Soorah adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56].

In another Verse Allaah - the Most Perfect - says:

"O mankind! Worship your Lord who has created you from a single person." [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:1].

But how do we define this 'uboodiyyah? This worship or 'uboodiyyah is: All that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, whether it is an action of the heart, the tongue or the limbs. We, however, will specifically discuss the 'uboodiyyah of the heart.

[Enslavement of the Heart]
Allaah - the Most High - has placed in everyone that He has created, a heart which must be filled; either with 'uboodiyyah (worship, submission and enslavement) to Allaah, or 'uboodiyyah to other than Allaah. Every single heart has feelings, desires and inclinations. The question is: will those feelings, desires and inclinations be directed to and for Allaah alone, or will they be directed to other than Allaah! Only the former counts as being the true 'uboodiyyah of the heart to Allaah. The 'uboodiyyah of the heart to things other than Allaah are many. Sometimes the heart is enslaved by, and worships money, sometimes it is enslaved by, and worships power and position, sometimes it is enslaved by, and worships women; or other similar things that people desire and covet so much. However, whatever they covet can either lessen their 'uboodiyyah of Allaah, or completely nullify it!

[Being a Slave to Wealth]
Someone may ask: What is the proof that some people become slaves to money, or other similar things, and worship it? The proof is in the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam where he said: "Woe be to the'abd (slave and worshipper) of the dirham, woe be to the 'abd of the deenaar (dirham ond deenaar: equivilant to the Pound and the pence) ..."3 Someone may ask: How does this enslavement to money manifest itself, and what is its nature! It is when the heart becomes so in love with money, that it covers up, or suppresses the love for Allaah, This love can reach such an extent that a person desires to attain this wealth by any means possible - neither caring whether the wealth comes to him through halaal (lawful) means; in obedience to Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, or means that are haraam (unlawful and forbidden) in the Religion.

So understand by reflection, that every single heart in all created things has feelings, desires and inclinations. It has the desire to love, to gain good and beneficial things for itself, it can feel fear and terror, and it can also surrender and become submissive. Thus, when its feelings, desires and inclinations are all directed to and for Allaah, then it is a heart that truly worships, submits and surrenders to Allaah alone. Therefore, it has khawf (fear) of only Allaah; it has rajaa (hope) in Allaah's Mercy; it has mahabbah (love) for Allaah and whatever Allaah loves; and it has istislaam (submits and surrenders) to only Allaah. However, when these feelings, desires and inclinations are directed to other than Allaah, then it is a heart that is enslaved and worships that object which has captured and enslaved it.

The forbiddance of the heart submitting to other than Allaah should not be misunderstood to mean that Muslims must forsake the world and dealing with it. Rather, the true position of a Muslim is that which was with the Sahaabah (Companions) radiallaahu 'anhum. They held the wealth in their hands, yet none of it was in their hearts. [About this, Shaykhul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) - rahimahullaah - said: "The position of wealth should be regarded like that of the toilet, in that there is need for it, but it has no place in the heart, and it is resorted to when needed."4] The point being made is that we are not trying to call the people to the opinion of some of the Soofees, who believe that it is forbidden for a Muslim to possess wealth and take part in worldly transactions. Rather, it is obligatory for the Muslims to be the richest of people so that they may use this wealth as a means to worship Allaah - the One free from all imperfections - and to help people.

Another form of submitting and being enslaved to other than Allaah is when people submit and enslave their hearts to power and leadership. They are prepared for humiliation to take hold of them, and to abandon their scruples, in order to gain votes during elections; or other such similar situations. They are prepared to submit themselves to people - doing whatever is necessary for them to do - in order to win other people's favour, and thus gain that vote or position. Thus, this is another form of submitting and enslaving one's heart to other than Allaah.

[The Greatness of Tawheed]
As opposed to all this, the true and pure 'uboodiyyah to Allaah; the true submission and enslavement of one's heart to Allaah; is the same as when we say: Tawheed (to sincerely and purely single-out Allaah alone for worship). When the person has this degree of 'uboodiyyah, he worships Allaah alone; fears Allaah alone; loves Allaah and for Allaah alone; and all his inclinations and desires are directed to Allaah. For this reason Tawheed is the greatest action that a person can perform, and the most beneficial action that a person can possess for himself on the Day of Judgement.

This is why the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever witnesses that none has the right to be worshiped except Allaah, with ikhlaas (purely and sincerely) from his heart, will enter Paradise."5 The meaning of this is that the person who actualised Tawheed in his life, and does what this Tawheed requires of him. Likewise, based upon this, we understand that any act of worship, or any good action or nice manner ism - if it is not accompanied by this Tawheed - will not be accepted by Allaah on the Day of judgement, no matter how great and valuable that action apparently seems. And what shows you the greatness of this 'uboodiyyah (submission and enslavement) and Tawheed (pure worship) of Allaah in the heart, is the following incident:

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There was a man who used to greatly sin. So when death approached him, he said to his sons: When I die, burn me and then crush my remains and then scatter the remains into the air. For by Allaah! If Allaah has power over me, then He will punish me in a manner that He has never punished anyone else. So when he died, then sons did what they were asked to do. So Allaah ordered the earth saying. Gather what you have of his remains. So it did. And behold, there he was standing. So Allaah asked him: What made you do what you did? The man said, Due to fear of You, 0 my Lord. So Allaah forgave him because of this."6

This shows us the greatness of khashyah (fear), since this fear that he had was one of the meanings that are part of, and included in, the meaning of 'uboodiyyah to Allaah.

This is why all actions - even if they were to fill the heavens and the earth - will not be accepted by Allaah unless these actions have sprouted from a person having pure 'uboodiyyah (submission, worship and servitude) to Allaah, worshipping Allaah alone, and not associating any partner along with Him in this worship (i.e. not committing Shirk). Allaah - the One free from all imperfections - says:

"Allaah does not forgive that partners should be set-up with Him, but He forgives anything lesser than that to whomsoever He Wills. Whoever set-up partners with Allaah (commits Shirk) has indeed committed the most grievous sin." [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:48].

"And We came forth to what they brought from their actions and We made it scattered dust."

That which shows us the greatness of Tawheed also, is this second incident:

There was a jewish boy who used to serve the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and had become ill. So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam went to visit him and sat by his head and said: "Accept Islaam." The boy looked at his father who was with him. So his father said to him: Obey Abul-Qaasim (i.e. the Prophet) sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. So he accepted Islaam. As the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was leaving, he said: "All praise is for Allaah who saved this boy from the Fire."7 Meaning, that although this person had no good deeds, yet because of him saying this statement of Tawheed - purely and sincerely from his heart - it was enough to save him from the Hellfire and cause him to enter Paradise.

[The Fruits of Tawheed]
So as this Tawheed strengthens in the heart, becoming stronger, firmer and more well-rooted, then as a result, one's deeds will likewise multiply and his worship of Allaah will

become greater and much more firmer. Since, if a person realises with ikhlaas (sincerity) and yaqeen (certainty) in his heart that Allaah - the Most High - is the One who has created him, then he knows that he should only worship Allaah - the One free from all imperfections. Thus, as this realisation becomes firmer in the heart, then good deeds become more apparent and multiply in number.

So reflect upon Allaah's great Wisdom in that when He created Hellfire, He created it with different levels and degrees. The highest level being the one having the least punishment and torment in it - which is for those people who had Tawheed, yet along with this, had many sins that they did not repent from. Thus, though they will be punished at this level, until they are purified from their sins, but because of this Tawheed and 'uboodiyyah to Allaah alone in their hearts, they will eventually be saved from the Hellfire and admitted into Paradise. This level of Hellfire will then have no inhabitants left in it. This shows the greatness and virtue of Tawheed and the worship of Allaah alone, due to which they will eventually be rescued from the Hellfire, not being eternally condemned in it.

---

"Allaah has sent us to deliver whomsoever chooses, from the 'uboodiyyah (enslavement, worship and servitude) of men to the 'uboodiyyah of Allaah; from the narrowness of this world, to the vastness of this world and the Hereafter; and from the tyranny and oppression of (false) religions, to the justice of Islaam."

---

[Laying the Foundations]
What also shows the importance of Tawheed, is the life and example of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. It can be divided into two stages: The first stage is when he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was in Makkah. The second stage was in Madeenah. So in Makkaah his message was only to teach one thing; and that was the worship of Allaah alone without any partners; which is the matter of Tawheed or 'uboodiyyah to Allaah alone. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did not call the people to leave any other sin, nor to do any other good deed. During this period he only called them to single out Allaah alone with worship, since this is the foundation upon which all else is built. Thus, we must understand that once a person's heart is truly filled with the 'uboodiyyah (love, humility, submission and enslavement) to Allaah alone, he will then begin to fulfill all the obligations which Allaah has placed upon him, to the best of his ability. This is borne out by the following statement:

'Aaishah radiallaahu 'anhoo said:
"The first part (of the Qur'aan) to be revealed was a Soorah (chapter) from the mufassal (shorter chapters) in which Paradise and Hell were mentioned. Then, when the people entered into Islaam, came the revelation regarding the halaal (lawful) and haraam (unlawful). Had the first revelation been: Do not drink khamr (wine and other intoxicants). They would have said: We shall never give up drinking khamr. Had the first revelation been: Do not commit zinaa (adultery and fornication), they would have said: We shall never give up committing zinaa."8

So this is the foundation, about which - if a person agrees he will then desire and agree to abandon all sins and acts of disobedience. Indeed, it was only after Tawheed, the worship of Allaah alone; and the willingness to submit and surrender to Allaah was understood by the Companions - radiallaahu 'anhum - and it had settled in the depths of their hearts, that Allaah began to order them with the various commands and prohibitions. It was then that the command was revealed to establish Salaah (Prayer); pay the Zakaah; fast in the month of Ramadaan; then afterwards the command to make Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah); and so on, until all the commands which Allaah - the Most High - wanted to order and prohibit the people with were given, step by step, one by one ...

So this call to the 'uboodiyyah of Allaah and to single Him out alone for love, obedience and worship, is the common message of all the Prophets and Messengers 'alayhimus-salaam. Every single Prophet and Messenger came to his people saying:

"O my people, worship Allaah alone, making all your worship purely for Him, since there is none besides Him having the right to be worshiped by you." [Soorah al-A'raaf 7:56].

This was the message of the Prophet Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, 'Eesaa ibn Maryam 'alayhimus-salaam; and the khaatim (final and last) of the Prophets, Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. They all came with this same message.

---

1. From a talk delivered by the noble Shaykh at the Jamiyyatul-Qur'aan was-Sunnah Conference (1994 /U.S.A.), slightly edited.
2. Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah (7/40) of Ibn Katheer.
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.6435), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
4. Wasiyyatus-Sughraa (p.55) of Ibn Taymiyyah.
5. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/236) from Mu'aadh radiallaahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.2355).
6. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.348 I), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
7. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.1356), from Anas radiallaahu 'anhu.
8. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.4993), from Yoosuf ibn Maahak.

The Ruling on a Woman's Slaughter

The Ruling on a Woman's Slaughter

Question: Is it permissible for a woman to slaughter an animal? And is it permissible to eat from it?

Answer: It is permissible for a woman to slaughter an animal, the same as a man, as has been confirmed by the Sunnah from the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam. It is permissible to eat from the animal she has slaughtered, if she is a Muslim or one of the People of the Scripture and the animal was slaughtered according to the Islamic Law, even if a man was available to do it for her. It is not a condition for the permissibility of her sacrificial animal that there be no man present.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz

Fatawa Islamiyah, Darussalam, vol 6, page 315

Which is the Greater Sin, Fornication or Abandoning the Prayer?

Which is the greater sin, fornication or abandoning the prayer?

Question: Allaah has forbidden us from commiting illegal sexual intercourse just as He has prohibited us from abandoning the prayer, so which of the two sins is greater than the other?

Answer: Abandoning the prayer is the greatest sin over the one who commits illegal sexual intercourse. That is because abandoning the prayer is Kufr Akbar (major disbelief) that expels one from Islaam. As for the one who commits adultery, then this is considered from the major sins that does not make one a disbeliever unless that individual says it is permissible to do this act, but the legislated punishment is obligatory (to be established upon him) when the matter is raised to the Muslim ruler.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz Shaykh `Abdullah bin Ghudayaan Shaykh `Abdur-Razzaaq al-`Afeefee

Fataawa al-Lajnatud Da'imah: Volume 6, Page 5, Number 10618

Khadeejah

From 'ad-Da'wah ilallaah'

She was the first wife of the Prophet and the first heart to be affected and to accept his call to Islâm. She was Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid. When she reached adolescence, she came to be known as Taahira (righteous, virtuous) due to her noble and sublime character. (Al-Isaabah of Ibn Hajr (8/60))

She was married but soon both her father and husband died, leaving her in charge of the trade. Khadeejah became a business woman in her own right, know and respected throughout the Qur'aysh (The noblest tribe in Makkah; they were the keepers of the Ka'bah and the tribe that Khadeejah & the Prophet came from) for her noble character, wealth and good manners.

She heard the Prophet's fair dealings and how he was acclaimed to be al-Ameen (the trustworthy) amongst the people, and so she asked if he could accompany her merchandise to its various destinations - he agreed.

At the age of twenty-five, the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam accepted the proposal of Khadeejah, his distant cousin, who was fifteen years his senior. They had six children: two sons, Qaasim and 'Abdullaah, both of whom died in infancy, and four daughters, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, and Faatimah.

Fifteen years later, what do we find Khadeejah saying when the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam came to her with his heart trembling after receiving the first Revelation? He informed her of the happening and said to her "O Khadeejah what has happened to me? I fear for myself?" She replied: "It can't be. Be happy. I swear by Allâh that he will never humiliate you. By Allaah, you join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people's burdens, you help the destitute, you entertain guests and you help the vicissitudes which affect the people." (Reported by 'Aa'ishah & collected by Muslim (eng. Trans vol.1 pp.96-8 no.301). Imaam an-Nawaawee, who wrote the commentary on Saheeh Muslim said that the scholars have explained Khadeejah's statement by saying that she knew that Allâh would never allow one who had been given such a generous character and noble manners by Him, to be affected by madness, since good manners is itself such a blessing from Allaah)

Look at her conviction in what the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said. Pause for a moment and note her weighty words. She didn't doubt him, nor show the slightest hesitation towards the words he uttered. In fact she was his greatest source of comfort, the first to provide security for him and be sincere to him. He attested to the messengership of her husband and was the first to believe in him, and who could have known him better? After all, she had been married to him for fifteen years. She was convinced that it could only be one of such eloquent character who could be worthy of revelation from Allâh and thus hers was the first heart to be moved, and to accept Islâm.

However, her loyalty and assistance didn't culminize there. By accepting and supporting his call to the worship of Allâh alone, Khadeejah, a woman highly esteemed among the Qur'aysh, was now denouncing their way of life, and the Qur'aysh were a proud and affluent people; and Makkah was at the heart of trading and the home of the idols - much revered by the Qur'aysh. They were not going to stand back and allow a man to now come and preach a way of life alien to theirs, rejecting their beliefs and everything they stood for. And remember when Islâm was first cultivated, the Muslims were small in number, and, in such a trying period, Khadeejah remained alongside the Messenger of Allâh in support whenever the Qur'aysh disclaimed him or contracted hostility towards him. She assisted him in preaching the words of Allâh and hence witnessed the division between the people of faith (eemaan) and those of disbelief (kufr).

This continued until her death on the eleventh of Ramadaan in the tenth year of the Prophethood - at the age of sixty-four. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam would think of Khadeejah often. Open up any book written on the life of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and you will not fail to find Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid mentioned and evidences pertaining to her excellence. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Sufficient for you, from the women of the worlds are, Maryam bint Ibraaheem [the mother of Eesaa], Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, Faatimah bint Muhammad [sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam] and 'Aasiyah, the wife of Fir'awn [Pharoah]." (Saheeh - Reported by Anas in Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee & others. Declared authentic by al-Albaanee in his Tarteeb Saheeh ul-Jaami' (no.18). The "sufficiency" mentioned here means 'sufficient regarding obedience to Allaah' (Shaykh Alee Hasan al-Halabee))

Further proof of the Prophet's inherent love for Khadeejah can be seen in 'Aa'ishah's statement: "I was not so jealous of any of the Prophet's wives as I was of Khadeejah. I never saw her, but he frequently mentioned her and he would often kill a sheep, cut it in pieces and send them round among Khadeejah's friends. I often said to him: 'It seems as if Khadeejah was the only woman in the world!' And he replied: ' She was indeed a fine woman and I had children from her." (Collected by al-Bukhaaree (eng. Trans. Vol.5 p.104 no.166) & Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol.4 p.1297 no.5972))

So we have the perfect role models, and it is only through reading about them, that we can truly love them and love to be like them, and understand why they are happy occupants of al-Jannah. And Jibreel, 'alayhis-Salaam, came with the good news from Allaah, saying to the Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "When she [Khadeejah] comes, give her a greeting from her Lord and me, and give her the good news that in Jannah she will have a house of brilliant pearls, in which there will be no clamor or toil." (Reported by Abu Hurayrah & collected by al-Bukhaaree (vol.5 pp.104-5 no.168) & Muslim (vol.4 p.1297 no.5967))

May Allâh be pleased with her and grant us all ability to be like her.

Aameen.