15 EASY Things to do in ramadan

15 Easy Good deeds to do throughout Ramadan! (feel free to print and distribute to family members!).

1. Sitting after Fajr remembering Allah until sunrise:
“Whoever prays fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays 2 rakats of salat has a complete reward of (Nafil) Hajj and Umrah. (The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) repeated the word ‘complete’ 3 times for emphasis) [Tirmidhi]

2. A house in Jannah for praying 12 Sunnah each day: 
“Allah will build house in Jannah for whoever is diligent in obsering 12 sunnah rakat (as follows) 4 rakat before and 2 after Dhur, 2 after the Maghrib, 2 after Ishaa, and 2 before Fajr.” [Tirmidhi]

3. Attending lectures in the Masjid. 
“Whoever goes to the mosque not desiring except to learn or teach what is good has the reward of a pilgrim who completed his Hajj”[Tabarani]...men only.

4. Visiting a sick Muslim.
“There is no Muslim who visits a sick muslim early in the morning but 70 thousand angles send blessings upon him until evening comes, and if he visits him in the evening, 70 thousand angles send blessings upon him until morning comes, and he will have a garden in paradise.” [Tirmidhi]

5. Providing food for breaking the fast.
“Whoever provides food for breaking of the fast for a fasting person receives the reward of the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced in any way.” [Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah]

6. Standing in prayer on Laylatul Qadr. 
“Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months.” [Quran 97:3] 
So it is, superior to approx 83 years of worship! Subhaanallah most do not even live for that long!

7. Millions of Good deeds remembering Allah whilst shopping:
“Whoever enters a market and says:
‘Laa ilaha illallah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu yuhyi wa yumeetu wa huwa hayyun laa yamoot, bi yadihil khair, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shayin qadeer’

[There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise, He causes life and feath and He is the Living and does not die. In His Hand is all the good, and He is over all things competent] … Allah will write for him/her a million good deeds and erase a million bad deeds and raise him a million levels.” [Tirmidhi]

8. That Which Shall Have no Equal on the Day of Resurrection:
Abu Huraira (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:”
Whoever says one hundred times in a day:
“La ilaha illal-lah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu-l-mulk wa lahu-l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shai’in qadir,”

{”None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, the Alone Who has no partners, to Him belongs Dominion and to Him belong all the Praises, and He has power over all things (i.e. Omnipotent)”,}

he will get the same reward as given for manumitting ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his accounts, and one hundred sins will be deducted from his accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield for him from Satan on that day till night, and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he.” [Bukhari,Book #75, Hadith #412]

9. Asking Allah to forgive ALL Muslims. 
“Whoever seeks forgiveness for beleiving men and believing woman, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man and believing woman.” [Tabarani]

That is a reward for EVERY believer we make dua for. Since it is Ramadan then we get 70 good deeds for every believer we make dua for. So for simple dua taking a few seconds will give us BILLIONS of good deeds! Subhaanallah!
10. Forgiveness like the foam of the sea:
- Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: ‘Whoever says: Subhanallah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allah)
100 times, morning and evening, his sins will be erased even if they are like the foam on the sea.” [Bukhari]

- Jaa’bir (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
“For the person who recites: SUB-HAN’ALLAH HIL AZEEM WA BI-HAM’DIHI, (Pure and perfect is Allah in his glory and praise) –
A date palm will be planted for him in Paradise” [Tirmidhi]

11. Thousand Good deeds in 2 Minutes
If a person says “Subhanallah” (glory be to Allah) 100 times, a thousand good deeds are recorded for him and a thousand bad deeds are wiped away. [Muslim]

12. Being pleased on the Day of Resurrection:
Allah has promised that anyone who says this three times every morning or evening will be pleased on the Day of Resurrection:
“رَضِيتُ باللهِ رَبَّاً، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِيناً، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَى اللهُ عَلِيهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَبِيَّاً”.
Radheetu billaahi Rabban, wa bil-’Islaami deenan, wa bi-Muhammadin (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallama) Nabiyyan.
I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as my Prophet. [Fortress of the Muslim] 

13. Reciting three phrases heavy on the scales:
Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith reported: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) came out from my apartment in the morning as I was busy in performing the dawn prayer. He came back in the forenoon and found me sitting there and said,”Are you still in the same position as I left you.” I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “I recited four phrases three times after I had left you. If these are to be weighed against all you have recited since morning, these will be heavier. These are: 
Subhan-Allah wa bihamdihi, ‘adada khalqihi, wa rida-a nafsihi, wa zinatah ‘arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi
{Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with His praise, as many times as the number of His creatures, in accordance with His Good Pleasure, equal to the ink that may be used in recording the words (for His Praise).” [Muslim]

14. A Rare treasure of Paradise:
Abu Dharr (RA) narrated that Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Should I not tell you of one treasure of the unlimited treasures of Paradise?” I replied spontaneously “Oh Rasulallah that would be an honour indeed!” Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) said: “That rare treasure is: LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH.”
(“The strength to do good and to refrain from evil comes from the grace and mercy of Allah!”) [Ibn Majah]

15. Beautiful Supplication for Forgiveness: 
Shaddad bin Aus (RA) narrates that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
“The best supplication for seeking forgiveness (Syed-ul-Istighfar) is to say:
`Allahumma Anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa Anta, khalaqtani wa ana `abduka, wa ana `ala `ahdika wa wa`dika mastata`tu, a`udhu bika min sharri ma sana`tu, abu‘u laka bini`matika `alayya, wa abu‘u bidhanbi faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta.
(O Allah! You are my Rubb. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon).’
He who supplicates in these terms during the day with firm belief in it and dies on the same day (before the evening), he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah; and if anyone supplicates in these terms during the night with firm belief in it and dies before the morning, he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah.” [Al-Bukhari].

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Ramadhan in History

By Dr. 'Abdullaah Hakim Quick
Originally published in The Message, Canada, January 1997

All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Qur'an,"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa)."(2:185). And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah, forever.

O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that,

"Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything." (65:2)

Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bad. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky.

Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, passed through approximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah.

In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadan.

On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. It was led by Abu Sufyan himself, and estimated at 50,000 dinars. They were met, instead, by a well-equipped army of the nobility of Quraish, intent on putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to one and appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith with a burning desire to protect the Prophet and meet their Lord through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadan, that would never be forgotten.

In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the most protected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan.

By Ramadan of 8 A.H., the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the north. Muhammad, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Ka`bah of nakedness and abomination. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam set out with an army having more armed men than al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved toward Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.

Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam. It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events.

Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them that victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but also Tariq and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700 years.

In the year 582 A.H., Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, after battling with the Crusaders for years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.

In the seventh century A.H. the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything that lay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins". In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H., Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction. Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the surviving Muslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan (call to prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected to the same fate, Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin Qutz, who united the Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on 25th of Ramadan, 658 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the civilized world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.

This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.

Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption and tempting materialism. Surely we are in need or believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we are in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.

May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe, send blessings and peace to him forever.

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The Home and Women

While men are the physically stronger sex, the woman's biological make-up has made her excel as the homemaker. She alone can be impregnated, carry and deliver the child, and then suckle the baby. Her gentle, caring and self-sacrificing temperament is best suited to bringing up children and looking after the home. To say that she should also earn a living is an unacceptable injustice and implies that everything she does for her home and children is worthless and needs to be supplemented by an outside cover. A woman already has to play in society a great and noble role as mother of a new generation, a role for which no man can claim the honors. It is because of her supreme role as mother that she is entitled to three times the devotion given to the father from the children. 

The roles of men and women in the Qur�aan are dealt as: 

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend from their means. Therefore, the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard." (V. 4:34) 

This Divine injunction describes the man as Qawwam (maintainer) and the woman as Qanitah (obedient) and Hafizatun lil-Ghaib (preserver of the secret). The Verse gives two reasons as to why men are described as maintainers. Firstly, because "Allah has made the one of them to excel the other," which means that He has excelled men to be physically stronger and more inclined to have a career outside the home. The history of mankind has always shown that men, from the most primitive to the most technologically minded, have assumed the role of providing food, maintaining law and order in the community, waging war against enemies, and going on expeditions in search of new lands, adventure, food and even hidden treasure. The women have primarily stayed at home to provide a stable environment for the children. 

The second reason is that "they spend from their means." It is the man's duty to provide financially for his family, and it is also the man who is required to give a dower to his wife at the time of their marriage. In the castle of his home, the husband is the ruler and the wife is his pillar of support. As in any establishment, there can only be one ruler; a car with two drivers, a country with two kings or an army with two generals would all be in utter chaos and disarray. The husband has thus been put in charge of his home, but this is a responsibility and not a privilege. 

Both Sexes have Rights over each other: 

The different roles of the sexes means that never is one sex burdened with all the duties while the other enjoys all the privileges. Instead they both have individual duties and privileges. The Qur'aan says in this regard: 

"And they (women) have rights similar over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (V. 2:228)

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The Importance of Congregational Prayers

SALAH  THE PILLAR OF ISLAM

We all know that salâh is a pillar of Islam and on the Day of Judgement the account for the prayers will have to be rendered first. But what is said regarding the performance of salâh at home as opposed to performing it at the mosque with the congregation?

The Divine instruction is, “And bow your head with those who bow (in worship)”

(Surah Baqarah 43)

The message in this verse is crystal clear, that perform the salâh with congregation. Prayer surpasses the love of the lone man’s prayer by twenty-seven ranks in excellence. (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim).

PROPHET'S STATEMENT

The Holy Prophet  has also stated: “It better to join another person and pray than to pray alone and it is more superior in the company of two men and the bigger the congregation the more liked it is by Allah.”
(Abu Dawûd)

The Holy Prophet  says in another tradition: “He who attended the congregation for Isha prayer, he received the reward of half the nights worship and he who attended both Isha and Fajr prayer with the congregation he received the reward of the whole nights worship.”
(Tirmidhi)

IMPORTANCE OF SALAH

The Prophet , himself never omitted even a single congregational prayer. Even in his sickness, it was strenuous for him to walk; nonetheless, with the aid of two of his companions he came (while his auspicious feet were dragging on the ground) to the mosque and prayed with the congregation.

Once the Holy Prophet  was constrained to say: “I intend to tell the Muazzin (person who calls the Azaan) to call out the takbir and ask someone to lead the prayer and I myself set the house of that person on fire who did not attended the congregational prayer.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

The merciful Prophet  proposes a punishment for those who do not attend the congregational prayer at the mosque, even though they perform them at home. One should ponder and be warned as regards to those who do not attend the congregational prayer at the mosque.

THE POWER OF SALAH

Shah Waliullah Muhaddith of Dehli says: “By establishing this divine purpose is nothing but that Allah’s superiority may be established and no other faith on the surface of the earth may be superior to the Islamic faith. But this can be conceived only when it may be the Ummah regular practice that the elite as well as the common run of the city folk as well as the villagers and the young as well as the old assemble daily for that worship which is the greatest sign of the faith and the most famous among all the devotions.”

EFFECT OF SALAH

An eminent American Sociologist and Physiologist, Mr Denison has written in his book ‘Emotion as the basis of civilization’, “Historians have wondered at the phenomenal success of Islam in conquering the world and have attributed it to the unity and solidity Islam has engaged among its adherents, but no historian he says could solve the riddle as to how this came to pass.”

Mr Denison says that he has no the least doubt that a great and very effective means of this is the congregational prayer.

SALAH'S BENEFITS

We can deduce from this, that if the Muslim masses were performing prayers with the congregation regularly we would not be in the sorry state that we find ourselves in today.

We should try and pray all our five times Salâh with the congregation in the mosque, and if possible we should try to be as close to the Imâm as possible, because the first row is superior to the second and thereafter.

The Holy Prophet  states in the Hadith: “If you were to know the reward in performing the prayer in the first row, you would fight amongst yourselves to stand in the first row.”

Hence, we can see why it is necessary that we perform the five times daily prayers with the congregation in the mosque.

May Allah give us all the ability to perform our prayers with the congregation in the mosque.

Source: Inter-Islam.org

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Can We Write “SAW” or “PBUH” When we Mention the Prophet and Messenger of Allah?

In the Name of Allaah, may the Salaah and Salaam of Allaah be upon His Final Messenger, to proceed:

Muslims are obliged to send Allaah’s Salaah [2] and Salaam [3] upon Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) when his name is mentioned. Allaah has commanded us [4]:

( Verily Allaah and His Angels send salaah on the Prophet. O you who believe! Invoke salaah upon him, as well as a complete salaam! )

And the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“For each time someone invokes salaah upon me, Allaah writes for him ten good rewards because of it.” [5]

And the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) had described the one who does not sendsalaah upon him when he is mentioned as “the stingiest of people.” [6] And he exclaimed “Aameen!” to Jibreel’s supplication, “May Allaah repel the one who hears mention of you and does not invoke any salaah upon you!” [7]

So here is the issue that needs to be clarified: Many people use the abbreviation“SAW,” “SAWS,” or “PBUH” to fulfill this obligation in their writing. Is this something that fulfills the obligation of sending the salaah and salaam on the Messenger? Let us look now to some of the statements of the scholars regarding this practice.

The Committee of Major Scholars in Saudi Arabia headed by ‘Abdul-’Azeez ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn Baaz issued the following verdict when asked about the validity of abbreviating thesalaah on the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam): “The Sunnah is to write the entire phrase “sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam,” since it is a kind of supplication, and supplication is worship, (in one’s writing) just as it is in one’s speech. So to abbreviate it using the letter SAAD or the word SAAD-LAAM-’AYN-MEEM is not a supplication nor is it worship, whether it occurs in speech or writing. For this reason, this abbreviation was not used by the the first three generations, those that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) testified to their goodness.” [8]

“SAAD” and “SAAD-LAAM-’AYN-MEEM” are often used in some Arabic books. The English equivalents of these abbreviations would be: SAW, SAWS, SAAWS, PBUH, and the likes.

Al-Fayrooz-Abaadee said, “It is not appropriate to use symbols or abbreviations to refer to salaah and salaam, as some of the lazy ones do, as well as some ignorant people and even some students of knowledge – they write ‘SAAD-LAAM-’AYN-MEEM’ instead of writing ‘sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam.’” [9]

Ahmad Shaakir said, “It is the absurd tradition of some of the later generations that they abbreviate the writing of ‘sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam.’” [10]

Wasee Allaah ‘Abbaas said, “It is not permissible to abbreviate the salaams in general in one’s writing, just as it is not permissible to abbreviate the salaah and salaam on the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam). It is also not permissible to abbreviate either of these in one’s speech.” [11]

And Allaah knows best. May the most perfect and complete salaah and salaam be upon our beloved Messenger, and upon his noble family and companions.

FOOTNOTES

[1] written by Moosaa Richardson

[2] Sending salaah on the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) means that one invokes Allaah to praise him and mention his high status to the angels. See Jalaa’ Al-Afhaam(p.253) of Ibn Al-Qayyim, Fat-hul-Baaree (11/179-197) of Ibn Hajr, or Ibn Katheer’s tafseerto verse 33:56.

[3] salaam: security

[4] The meaning of Soorah Al-Ahzaab (33):56

[5] An authentic hadeeth collected by Ibn Hib-baan in his Saheeh (#906, 3/187) on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). Al-Albaanee declared it to besaheeh in Silsilatul-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah (#3359, 7/1080).

[6] From a hasan hadeeth collected by Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in As-Salaah ‘Alan-Nabee (p.30-31) on the authority of Aboo Tharr (may Allaah be pleased with him). Hamdee As-Salafee called it hasan in his checking of the book.

[7] From an authentic hadeeth collected by At-Tabaraanee in Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer on the authority of Jaabir ibn Samurah (may Allaah be pleased with him). Al-Albaanee authenticated it in his checking of Al-Munthiree’s At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (#1677, 2/298).

[8] Fatwaawee Al-Lajnatid-Daa’imah #18770 (12/208-209)

[9] From his book As-Salaatu wal-Bashar, as quoted in Mu’jam Al-Manaahee Al-Laf-thiyyah (p.351)

[10] the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (#5088, 9/105)

[11] From a handwritten answer provided by the shaykh, file no. AAWA004, dated 1423/6/24

 REFERENCES

 As’ilah Amreekiyyah Ajaaba ‘Anhaa Shuyookh Makkah, file no. AAWA004 (not published yet).

 As-Salaah ‘Alan-Nabee (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) of Ibn Abee Ad-Dunyaa, checking by Hamdee As-Salafee, Daar Al-Ma’moon lit-Turaath in Damascus, first printing, 1415.

 Fadhlus-Salaati ‘alan-Nabee (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) of Ismaa’eel ibn Ishaaq Al-Qhaadee Al-Maalikee, with checking and comments by Al-Albaanee, Al-Maktabatul-Islaamiyyah in Beirut, third printing, 1397.

 Fataawaa Al-Lajnatid-Daa’imah lil-Buhooth wal-Iftaa’, Daar Al-Balansiyyah in Riyadh, second printing, 1421.

 Fat-hul-Baaree of Ibn Hajr, with checking by Bin Baaz, Daar Al-Hadeeth in Cairo, first printing, 1419.

 Jalaa’ Al-Afhaam fee Fadhlis-Salaati was-Salaami ‘alaa Muhammadin Khayril-Anaamof Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jowziyyah, with checking and comments by Mash-hoor Hasan Salmaan, Daar Ibn Al-Jowzee in Dammam, second printing, 1420.

 Mu’jam Al-Manaahee Al-Lafthiyyah, Daar Al-’Aasimah in Riyadh, second printing, 1417.

 Musnad al-Imaam Ahmad, Mu’assastur-Risaalah in Beirut, first printing, 1415.

 Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (2/288-303: The Chapter of Sending Salaah on the Prophet) of Al-Albaanee, Maktabatul-Ma’aarif in Ar-Riyaadh, first printing, 1421.

 Saheeh Ibn Hib-baan bi Tarteeb Ibn Bulbaan, Mu’as-sasatur-Risaalah, third printing, 1418.

 Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah of Al-Albaanee, Maktabatul-Ma’aarif in Ar-Riyaadh, first (complete) printing, 1422.

 Tafseer Al-Qur’aan Al-’Atheem (the verse 33:56) of Ibn Katheer, Daar Taybah in Ar-Riyaadh, first printing of the second edition, 1422.

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Victims of Backbiting – Take Comfort in the Wisdom of the Salaf

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, may His Salaah and Salaam be upon His last Messenger to all of mankind, to proceed…

It has been narrated that one of the great imaams of the early Salaf, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee [d.198] (may Allaah have Mercy on him), said:

لولا أني أكره أن يعصى الله لتمنيت أن لا يبقى أحد في المصر إلا اغتابني!  أي شيء أهنأ من حسنة يجدها الرجل في صحيفته لم يعمل بها؟

“If I did not hate that Allaah be disobeyed, I would have wished that there was no one left in the whole city except that he has backbitten me!  What is more rewarding than a man finding a good deed (written) in his book for something he did not even do?!”

Source: Siyar A’laam An-Nubalaa’ (9/195-196), Risaalah printing

ELABORATION

“If I did not hate that Allaah be disobeyed…”

Meaning that backbiting is haraam, and to wish that the Muslims would backbite would be wishing that Allaah be disobeyed.  However, to stress the benefit of being backbitten, he goes on to say:

“…I would have wished that there was no one left in the whole city except that he has backbitten me!”

When someone is backbitten or slandered, naturally he feels disturbed and upset, and even a sense of loss.  So people need someone to point out that there is a great amount of good in being the focus of people’s backbiting.  This advice of Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee seems to be from the idea of mutually advising each other to have patience, as mentioned in Soorah Al-’Asr.

Apparently, this was in response to him hearing that some people were talking about him, or possibly someone was complaining to him about having been backbitten, and Allaah knows best.  He says that if it was permissible to wish for others to fall into disobedience, he would have wished that they all would backbite him, and then he clarifies the reason for saying this:

“…What is more rewarding than a man finding a good deed (written) in his book for something he did not even do?!”

Since the one who backbites someone (in other than the permissible, sometimes obligatory, forms of backbiting) forwards to that person his good deeds or will be made to be accountable for bad deeds of his victim, as mentioned in the hadeeth of Al-Bukhaaree:

“The bankrupt one from my nation will come on the Day of Judgement with deeds of prayer, fasting, zakaah, but he has insulted this one, maligned that one, taken the money of this one, spilled the blood of that one, or hit another one.  So some of his good deeds will be given to this one and that one.  If no good deeds remain, then it will be judged that their bad deeds be taken and cast upon him, then he will be cast into the Fire.”

And we ask Allaah for protection.

So then his statement, “…a good deed (written) in his book for something he did not even do,” seems to be referring to what is mentioned in the hadeeth that the one who is maligned will be given some of the good deeds of the one who maligned him.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

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Three Points about Joking

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

Let us be reminded that while light-hearted, honest joking from time to time is permissible, there are indeed dangers in joking that many of us may not think about and therefore fall into, so let us be warned about them:

1) JOKES INVOLVING LIES

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) warned us severely against using lies in our joking, with his statement:

ويل للذي يحدث بالحديث ليضحك به القوم فيكذب، ويل له، ويل له
“Woe to the one who lies to make people laugh, WOE TO HIM, WOE TO HIM!”

This is an authenitc hadeeth found in Sunan Abee Daawood (#4990), At-Tirmithee (#2315), and others.  At-Tirmithee called the hadeeth hasan, and Al-Albaanee agreed.

Someone may say, “Well, its obvious this joke is full of lies, but I’m not the one who made it up, I’m just passing it on.”

The reply: The hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) that Imaam Muslim brings in the introduction to his Saheeh could apply here:

كفى بالمرء كذبًا أن يحدث بكل ما سمع
“It is sufficient for a man to be considered a liar when he relays everything he hears.”

Lies in general are impermissible, in joking or outside of joking.  There are three exceptions to the general prohibition of lying in Islaam:

• Between spouses
• To correct a broken relationship
• In established military operations (jihad) under a Muslim government

Even in these three cases it must only be used to bring about a benefit.

The point is that none of the scholars exempted joking as a permissible form of lying.

2) EXCESSIVE JOKING

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

لا تكثروا الضحك، فإن كثرة الضحك تميت القلب
“Don’t laugh too much! For verily, excessive laughter kills the heart!”

This is an authentic hadeeth found in Sunan Ibn Maajah (#4193).  Refer to Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (#506).

And he (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) also said:

والله لو تعلمون ما أعلم لضحكتم قليلا ولبكيتم كثيرا
“I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, if you saw what I have seen, you would laugh a little, and cry a lot.” [Al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]

So the Muslim who recognizes his priorities in life does not get caught up in excessive joking, for example, joke books or comedy programs on TV or radio, since these things will only weaken his heart, keep it away from Allaah’s remembrance, or even kill it, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.

3) INSULTING PEOPLE IN JEST (Satire, Sarcasm, Roasting, etc.)

The disbelievers have a custom of intentionally insulting a person to honor him (?!), they call it a “roast.” They gather the best comedians together to humiliate their “honoree” on his 50th birthday, or his retirement party, or other big occasion. And from their customs as well is to jokingly insult a friend, out of love or respect (?!), as you may have seen.

They might say, “This is my friend, Fulaan, the fat pig,” and they all laugh, or, “My wife, the old ball and chain…” or other derogatory terms that are actually words of insult in their origin. They only spark hatred and do not achieve any goodness, so the Muslim must be the furthest away from this kind of action. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

سباب المسلم فسوق، وقتاله كفر
“Insulting a Muslim is fusooq (sinful disobedience), and fighting him is kufr(ingratitude, a lesser kind of disbelief).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]

Or perhaps they may say these things without that person’s presence, then it is even worse. It falls into eating your brother’s dead flesh, the dreadful sin of backbiting.

And if someone said: “But it is understood by everyone to be good, honest fun…!”

The reply: Let us be reminded of Allaah’s Verse:

الخبيثات للخبيثين والخبيثون للخبيثات والطيبات للطيبين والطيبون للطيبات
( And bad things (filthy women, bad words, etc.) are for bad people, and bad people are for bad things.  Good things (upright women, kind words, etc.) are for good people, and good people are for good things. ) [Al-Qur'aan 24:26]

And the speech of His noble Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت
“Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day must speak with goodness or remain silent.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]

With these brief and simple points, let an honest Muslim open his heart to a beautiful reminder about how his Religion gives him personal honor and upright character, raising him above the silly and shameful behavior of the disbelievers.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

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