Old Ladies

A young man shopping in a supermarket noticed a little old lady following
him around. If he stopped, she stopped. Furthermore she kept staring at him.

She finally overtook him at the checkout, And she turned to him and said, "I
hope I haven't made you feel ill at ease; it's just that you look so much
like my late son."

He answered, "That's okay."

"I know it's silly, but if you'd call out "Good bye, Mom" as I leave the
store, It would make me feel so happy.

She then went through the checkout, And as she was on her way out of the
store, The man called out, "Goodbye, Mom."

The little old lady waved, and smiled back at him.

Pleased that he had brought a little sunshine Into someone's day, he went to
pay for his Groceries.

"That comes to $121.85," said the clerk.

"How come so much ... I only bought 5 items..

The clerk replied, "Yeah, but your Mother said
You'd be paying for her things, too

Don't trust Old Ladies!!! *

We've all heard about men having guts or brains.

But do you really know the difference between them?

Well, in an effort to keep you informed:

GUTS - is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, meeting your wife
with a broom in her hand, and you saying, "Are you still cleaning,
or are you flying somewhere?"

BRAINS - is coming home late after a night out with the guys,
smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, you patting your
wife and saying, "Hey, you are next."

'Medically' speaking, there is no difference in the outcomes !!!

The Red Neck Letter

Dear Billy joe Bob...

I'm writting this slow because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your Pa read in the newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 minutes of your home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so they wouldn't have to change their address.

This place is really nice. I even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well, though, Last week I put a load of clothes in and pulled the chain, we haven't seen it since.

The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time for three days and the second time for fourdays.

About that coat you wanted me to send; your Uncle Bubba said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.

Bubba locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out.

Your sister had a baby this morning,but I haven't found out what it is yet so I don't know if you are an aunt or uncle. The baby looks just like your brother.
Uncle Bobby Ray fell into a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull him out but he fought them off and drowned. We had him cremated; he burned for three days.

Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pickup truck. Butch was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. Your other two friends were in the back, they drowned because they couldn't get the tailgate down.

Your Favorite Aunt



PS: I included a Picture of our new swimming pool with Uncle Bubba in it!

I hope you like it.

My World

FAKE HOLY ZAM ZAM WATER WARNING 2007 (BBC NEWS)

A campaign warning people of the health risks of fake holy water appears to be working, health officials have said.



Environmental health officers carried out on-the-spot inspections at about 50 stores to ensure fraudulent Zam Zam water was not being sold.


They said the water was known to contain high levels of nitrates and arsenic, was not being sold.

Westminster City Council said no fake Zam Zam was found during the operation ahead of Ramadan.

The stores inspected were in Edgware Road, Queensway, Lancaster Gate and Hyde Park.

Council officer James Armitage said: "We're delighted that our public health message on fake Zam Zam appears to be getting through.

"But there's no room for complacency and we would urge people to continue to be vigilant, especially during Ramadan."


Sacred well


The water is advertised as coming from the sacred well of Zam Zam in Mecca, the most holy city in Islam, and demand increases during Ramadan.


The warning does not cover genuine Zam Zam, which is sourced from the Well of Zam Zam, located within the Masjid al Haram in Mecca.

Councillor Audrey Lewis was concerned Muslims may be exploited into buying counterfeit Zam Zam during the holy month of Ramadan.


She said: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia forbids the commercial export of genuine Zam Zam, so we have no idea of the true source of the water which ends up on the streets of the UK.


"But what we can say with certainty is that any bottles of Zam Zam on sale in the UK could be unsafe and would urge people not to be tempted to drink them, and report any sightings to the authorities.

"It is both immoral and unacceptable to put people's health at risk in this way, particularly during Ramadan, and we are calling on the community to help us stamp out such exploitation."

Probably the most politically incorrect joke of the year

Two Middle Eastern mothers are sitting in a cafe chatting over a plate of tabouli and a pint of goat's milk.
The older of the mothers pulls an envelope out of her bag and starts flipping through photos.

And they start reminiscing... 'This is my oldest son Mohammed. He would be 24 years old now.'
'Yes, I remember him as a baby' says the other mother cheerfully.
'He's a martyr now though' mum confides.
'Oh, so sad dear' says the other.

'And this is my second son Kalid. He would be 21'
'Oh, I remember him,' says the other happily, 'he had such curly hair when he was born'.
'He's a martyr too' says mum quietly.
'Oh, gracious me...' says the other'.

'And this is my third son. My baby. My beautiful Ahmed. He would be 18, she whispers.'
'Yes' says the friend enthusiastically, 'I remember when he first started school'
'He's a martyr also,' says mum, with tears in her eyes.

After a pause and a deep sigh, the second Muslim mother looks wistfully at the photographs and says...







'They blow up so fast, don't they?'

Drugs have two names:

In Pharmacology, all drugs have two names, a trade name and generic name. For example, the trade name of Tylenol also has a generic name of Acetaminophen. Aleve is also called Naproxen. Amoxil is also called Amoxicillin and Advil is also called Ibuprofen.


The FDA has been looking for a generic name for Viagra. After careful consideration by a team of


government experts, it recently announced that it has settled on the generic name of Mycoxafloppin. Also considered were Mycoxafailin, Mydixadrupin, Mydixarizin, Dixafix, and of course, Ibepokin.


Pfizer Corp announced today that Viagra will soon be available in liquid form, and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally pour himself a stiff one. Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives new meaning to the names of 'cocktails', 'highballs' and just a good old-fashioned 'stiff drink'. Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name of:


'MOUNT & DO'.


Thought for the day: There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely NO recollection of what to do with them.

Thabit ibn Qays

Thabit ibn Qays (ra - may Allah be pleased with him) was a chieftain of the Khazraj (a tribe from Madinah) and therefore a man of considerable influence in Yathrib (now known as Madinah). He was known for the sharpness of his mind and the power of his oratory. It was because of this that he became the khatib or the spokesman and orator of the Prophet (saw - may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) and Islam.

He became a Muslim at the hands of Musab ibn Umayr (ra) whose cool and persuasive logic and the sweetness and beauty of his Quran recital proved irresistible.

When the Prophet (saw) arrived in Madinah after the historic Hijrah (emigration), Thabit and a great gathering of horsemen gave him a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Thabit acted as their spokesman and delivered a speech in the presence of the Prophet and his companion, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ra). He began by giving praise to God Almighty and invoking peace and blessings on His Prophet and ended up by saying:

"We give our pledge to you, O Messenger of God (saw), that we would protect you from all that we protect ourselves, our children and our wives. What would then be our reward for this?"

The speech was reminiscent of words spoken at the second Pledge of Aqabah and the Prophet's (saw) reply as then was the same: "Al-Jannah - Paradise!"

When the Yathribites heard the word "al-Jannah" their faces beamed with happiness and excitement and their response was: "We are pleased, O Messenger of God! We are pleased, O Messenger of God (saw)."

From that day on the Prophet, peace be on him, made Thabit ibn Qays (ra) his Khatib, just as Hassan ibn Thabit (ra) was his poet. When delegations of Arabs came to him to show off their brilliance in verse and the strength of their oratory skills which the Arabs took great pride in, the Prophet (saw) would call upon Thabit ibn Qays (ra) to challenge their orators and Hassan ibn Thabit (ra) to vaunt his verses before their poets.

In the Year of the Delegations, the ninth after the Hijrah, tribes from all over the Arabian peninsula came to Madinah to pay homage to the Prophet (saw), either to announce their acceptance of Islam or to pay jizyah in return for the protection of the Muslim state. One of these was a delegation from the tribe of Tamim who said to the Prophet (saw):

"We have come to show our prowess to you. Do give permission to our Shaif and our Khatib to speak." The Prophet, peace be on him, smiled and said: "I permit your Khatib. Let him speak."

Their orator, Utarid ibn Hajib, got up and held forth on the greatness and achievements of their tribe and when he was finished the Prophet (saw) summoned Thabit ibn Qays (ra) and said: "Stand and reply to him." Thabit (ra) arose and said:

"Praise be to God Whose creation is the entire heavens and the earth wherein His will has been made manifest. His Throne is the extent of His knowledge and there is nothing which does not exist through His grace.

"Through His power He has made us leaders and from the best of His creation He has chosen a Messenger who is the most honorable of men in lineage, the most reliable and true in speech and the most excellent in deeds. He has revealed to him a book and chosen him as a leader of His creation. Among all creation, he is a blessing of God.

"He summoned people to have faith in Him. The Emigrants from among his people and his relations who are the most honorable people in esteem and the best in deeds believed in him. Then, we the Ansar (Helpers) were the first people to respond (to his call for support). So we are the Helpers of God and the ministers of His Messenger."

Thabit (ra) was a believer with a profound faith in God. His consciousness and fear of God was true and strong. He was especially sensitive and cautious of saying or doing anything that would incur the wrath of God Almighty. One day the Prophet (saw) saw him looking not just sad but dejected and afraid. His shoulders were haunched and he was actually cringing from fear.

"What's wrong with you, O Abu Muhammad?" asked the Prophet (saw). "I fear that I might be destroyed, O Messenger of God (saw)," he said. "And why?" asked the Prophet (saw). "God Almighty," he said, "has prohibited us from desiring to be praised for what we did not do but I find myself liking praise. He has prohibited us from being proud and I find myself tending towards vanity." This was the time when the verse of the Quran was revealed: "Indeed, God does not love any arrogant boaster."

The Prophet, peace be on him, then tried to calm his anxieties and allay his fears and eventually said to him: "O Thabit (ra), aren't you pleased to live as someone who is praised, and to die as a martyr and to enter Paradise?"

Thabit's (ra) face beamed with happiness and joy as he said: "Certainly, O Messenger of God (saw)." "Indeed, that shall be yours," replied the noble Prophet (saw).

There was another occasion when Thabit (ra) became sad and crest-fallen, when the words of the Quran were revealed:

"O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet and neither speak loudly to him as you would speak loudly to one another, lest all your deeds come to naught without your perceiving it."

On hearing these words, Qays (ra) kept away from the meetings and gatherings of the Prophet (saw) in spite of his great love for him and his hitherto constant presence in his company. He stayed in his house almost without ever leaving it except for the performance of the obligatory Salat (prayer). The Prophet (saw) missed his presence and evidently asked for information about him. A man from the Ansar volunteered and went to Thabit's (ra) house. He found Thabit (ra) sitting in his house, sad and dejected, with his head bowed low.

"What's the matter with you?" asked the man. "It's bad," replied Thabit (ra). "You know that I am a man with a loud voice and that my voice is far louder than that of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. And you know what has been revealed in the Quran. The only result for me is that my deeds will come to naught and I will be among the people who go to the fire of hell."

The man returned to the Prophet (saw) and told him what he had seen and heard and the Prophet (saw) instructed him to return to Thabit (ra) and say: "You are not among the people who will go to the fire of hell but you will be among the people of Paradise."

Such was the tremendously good news with which Thabit ibn Qays (ra) was blessed. The incidents showed how alive and sensitive he was to the Prophet (saw) and the commands of Islam and his readiness to observe the letter and the spirit of its laws. He subjected himself to the most stringent self-criticism. His was a God-fearing and penitent heart which trembled and shook through the fear of God.

The Ruling Upon The One Who Rejects HADITH

As- Suyootee said, “Whoever rejects that the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) - whether it is related to speech or action - on account of the well known conditions in the Usool (sciences related to this subject), is considered a proof, has disbelieved, and has left the fold of Islaam, and he will be raised alongside the Jews and Christians, or alongside whomever Allah wills amongst the sects of disbelievers.” [Miftaah ul-Jannah Fil-Ihtijaaj Bis-Sunnah p.14]

It is stated in al-Muheet that if a religious scholar is speaking points of knowledge or is relating authentic Hadith i.e., Hadith that are proven and not fake, and someone laughed at it saying that “all this is nothing”, whereby the purpose is to reject it, he will become an infidel. Because it is a contradiction of Allah’s statement: “But honour, power and glory belong to Allah and to His messenger and the believers.” and “While the word of Allah that became the uppermost” [Fatawa al-Muheet]

Muhammad bin Nasr al-Marwazi said concerning the wiping of the khuffs, “Whoever rejected that, then rejection of all of what we have mentioned from the Sunan is binding upon him, and also other than that from what we have not mentioned. And this constitutes exiting from the main body of the people of Islaam”. [As-Sunnah, p.104].

And al-Aajurree said, “The ruling concerning all of the obligatory duties that Allah has made incumbent in His Book is not known except by way of the Sunan of Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam). This is the saying of the Scholars of the Muslims, and whoever says other than this has left the fold of Islaam and entered into the religion of the (apostate) heretics.” [Ash-Sharee’ah 1/412].

Ibn Hazm said, “If a man was to say, ‘We do not take except what we find in the Qur’aan’, then he would be a Kaafir (disbeliever) by unanimous agreement of the Muslims.................” [Al-Ihkaam Fee Usool il-Ahkaam 2/80].

And Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Muhammad (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) was sent to the two worlds, the men amongst them and the jinn amongst them. Whoever believes that it is permissible for anyone to exit from his Sharee’ah and from his obedience, then he is a kaafir...................”. [al-Wasiyyat ul-Kubraa Dimn Majmoo’at ar-Rasaa’il al-Kubraa 1/315].

Ibn Daqeeq al-Eid commented upon the revilement of some of the deviants of the hadeeth of the fly, “Indeed this (hadeeth) and its likes, from what which has come the authentic hadeeths, if the one who speaks against them intends to nullify them, after having belief that the Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) did speak with them, then is an open kaafir (disbeliever). And if he intends to nullify their ascription to the Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) on account of a reason that returns back to the text of the hadeeth, then he is not a kaafir, though he is one who falsifies the authenticity of the hadeeth.” [Sharh ul-Ilmaam 2/177-178].


Al- Mu’allimee said, “The one who rejects the obligation of acting upon the hadeeth in absolute terms (i.e. in principle), the proof is to be established upon him, and if he persists, then he is a kaafir (disbeliever). And the rejecter of the obligation to act upon some of the ahaadeeth, then if he has an excuse amongst the well-known excuses amongst the people of knowledge and what approximates to them, then he is excused. But otherwise, he is disobedient to Allah and His Messenger, and the disobedient one is a sinner, a faasiq.” [Anwaar ul-Kaashifah p.81-82].

And the Allaamah, ‘Abdul-Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said: “What Rasheed Khalifah has expressed of rejection of the Sunnah, by claiming the lack of need and dependency upon it is kufr and apostasy from Islaam. This is because whoever rejects the Sunnah has in fact rejected the Book, and whoever rejects them both or just one of them is a kaafir by unanimous concensus, and it is not permissible to interact with him and his likes. Rather, it is obligatory to boycott him and to warn against his fitnah and to explain his kufr and misguidance at ever opportunity until he repents to Allah from all of that, with an openly proclaimed repentance, in the various newspapers (and otherwise) – due to the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: “Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful” (Baqarah 2:159-160).” [Majmoo’ Fataawaa Wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah 2/403].

And he also said, “It is known to all the people of knowledge that the Sunnah is the second foundation of the foundations of Islam and that its position in Islaam is that it comes after the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. Hence, it is a foundation that is depended upon after the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, by the unanimous consensus of the people of knowledge, without exception. And it is also an independent proof and authority over all of the Ummah. Whoever denied or rejected it, or claimed that it is permissible to turn away from it and to suffice with the Qur’aan only, then he has gone far astray, and he has disbelieved with the major kufr and has apostatised from Islaam with this saying of his. For by this saying and by this belief he has belied Allah and His Messenger, and has rejected what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, and he has rejected a mighty foundation that Allah has made it obligatory to refer back to, depend upon, and take from. And he has also rejected the unanimous consensus of the people of knowledge that is binding upon him and has denied it.

And a new band has emerged, and this saying has not ceased to be repeated at one time or another, and this new band has been labelled “al-Qur’aaniyyah” (Quranites) and they have claimed that they are the people of the Qur’aan and that they seek proof in the Qur’aan only and that the Sunnah is not to be sought for proof (as an authority), since it was written a long time after the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) and that a person can forget and make mistakes, and that mistakes and errors can also creep into books – and other such deviations, mocking deceptions, and corrupt viewpoints. And they claimed that by all of this they are actually safeguarding their religion by not taking from anything but the Qur’aan alone. And they have indeed strayed far from the path, and they belied and disbelieved on account of all of this with the major kufr, that is open and clear. For indeed, Allah the Mighty and Majestic ordered with obedience to the Messenger (alaihis- salaatu was-salaam) and with Ittibaa’ (following) of what he came with, and He also called his speech “wahiy” (revelation), as occurs in His, the Most High’s, saying: “By the star when it goes down, (or vanishes). Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired.” (Najm 53:1-4).

And if His Messenger was not to be followed or obeyed then there would have been no benefit or worth in His commands and prohibitions. And he (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) ordered that his Sunnah be conveyed, and hence, when he gave a sermon he ordered that his Sunnah be conveyed and transmitted. And this shows that his Sunnah is obligatory to be followed and that obeying him is obligatory upon the whole Ummah and whoever reflects upon the Mighty Qur’aan will find this abundantly clear. [Majmoo’ Fataawaa Wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah 9/176-178].

And the respected Shaikh, Abdul-Azeez bin Baaz made takfeer of the main spokesman of their sect, Ghulaam Ahmad Perweiz, and this is one of his comments in the Hajj Magazine, “At- Tadaamun al-Islaamee” which actually published the verdict that was sought by Shaikh Muhammad Yoosuf al-Banaori concerning the Sharee’ah judgement upon Ghulaam Ahmad Perweiz, and who also presented about twenty examples of what Perweiz had spoken or written. So Ibn Baaz (rahmatullaahi alaihi) said, “Everyone from those possessing knowledge and insight who reflects upon the abovementioned examples knows with certain knowledge which does not carry any doubt from any angle whatsoever that the one who is satisfied with them and believes them and who calls to them is a kaafir with the major kufr, an apostate from Islaam. ..................” [Majmoo’ Fataawaa Wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah 3/268-270, and then the Shaikh refuted him with verses of the Qur’aan, and ahaadeeth. And he ended his words by saying, “The kufr of Perweiz is known most clearly and evidently to the common Muslims, let alone the Scholars, hence, there is no need to provide ample evidences for it.”

Proofs of its Preservation (Hadith)

Proofs that Allah preserved the sunnah are both textual and logical. The textual argument is based on the following verse “Of a surety, We certainly reveal the reminder, and We certainly are its definite guardians” (15:9). It can’t be stated that the word “reminder” in this verse is only referring to the Quran. It is either referring to the Quran and hadith or only the hadith. It is not possible that it is referring to only the Quran. This is true because it is inconceivable that only the wording of the Quran would be preserved. Preserving the Quran must imply both preserving both its wording and meaning. The meaning of the Quran is captured in the hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him, that is, its meaning cannot be had without the hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him.




The logical argument runs as follows: According to Islamic belief, the Quran is Allah’s final revelation and the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is Allah’s final messenger. Allah orders Muslims to follow the sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him. If Allah did not preserve the sunnah, the true sunnah would have been lost and Allah would be ordering Muslims to follow something that they could not possibly follow. This would not be consistent with what is known of the mercy, wisdom, and justice of Allah. Therefore, logically speaking, Allah must have preserved the hadith. These arguments do not mean that Allah did not use some earthly means to preserve the Quran and the hadith. Allah, through humans, used many means by which He preserved the sunnah. Some of these aspects are unique to the Muslim nation. This is a great blessing and bounty from Allah for which every Muslim should be sincerely grateful to Allah and to those individuals who sacrificed their time and wealth in order to preserve the teachings of the Prophet peace be upon him.



The Prophet peace be upon him and His Position According to the Quran




a) Expounder of the Quran: The Prophet peace be upon him is the expounder of the Quran appointed by Allah. Allah mentions this in the Quran “We have revealed unto you the Remembrance that you may explain to mankind that which has been revealed for them” ( 16: 44 ). For example the Quran tells us to pray, but the details for the method of praying are not prescribed in the Quran. It was the Prophet’s task to demonstrate the forms of prayer.


b) Legislator: Allah says about the Prophet peace be upon him in Chapter 7 verse 157 “He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul…”


c) Model behavior for the Muslim Society: Allah says in chapter 33 verse 21 “Indeed a noble model you have in Allah’s Messenger...” If we consider the Prophet peace be upon him as the model for the community, then Muslims have to follow his example in every way. Allah did not leave this open to debate and ordered complete obedience to the Prophet peace be upon him. For this reason the Muslim community accepted the authority of the Prophet peace be upon him from the very day his mission began.



Teaching of Ahadith by the Prophet peace be upon him




The methods used by the prophet peace be upon him to teach his sunnah or ahadith can be put in three categories:


1) Teaching of the sunnah in verbal form: the Prophet peace be upon him was the teacher of his sunnah, he would often times repeat important statements three times to make it easier for his companions to understand and memorize. New comers were often times to be accommodated by Medinites (people of Medina ), not only for accommodations, but also for education in the Quran and Hadith.

2) Teaching the sunnah in writing; All letters sent by the Prophet peace be upon him to kings, chieftains, and Muslim governors can be included in his sunnah. Some of those letters were very lengthy and contained legal matters concerning zakah, taxation, forms of worship etc. The Prophet peace be upon him had at least 45 scribes who wrote for him at one time or another.

3) Teaching of the sunnah by practical demonstration: The Prophet peace be upon him taught the method of ablution, prayer, hajj etc all by practical demonstration. He gave practical lessons in excellence with clear instructions to follow his practice. He further said “Learn from the rituals of hajj” Many times he would tell questioners to stay with him and learn by observing his practice.



Measures taken by the Prophet peace be upon him for the Diffusion of Sunnah




1) Establishment of schools: The Prophet peace be upon him established a school in Mecca soon after he became a Prophet. Schools were also established by the Prophet peace be upon him in Medina soon after his arrival. His general policy was to send teachers to areas outside of Medina .

2) His Directions about Diffusion of Knowledge: The Prophet peace be upon him said “Pass on knowledge from me even if it is only one verse” He also said something similar during his farewell pilgrimage “Those who are present should convey the message to those who are absent” It was a common practice of the companions to tell absentees about the Prophets deeds and sayings.

3) Creation of incentive for teachers and students: The Prophet peace be upon him mentioned great rewards for teachers and students.

a) Reward for students: The Prophet peace be upon him said: “If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge Allah will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise, and the angels spread their wings from good pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, and all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the depths of the water ask forgiveness for him”

b) Rewards for teachers: In this regard the Prophet peace be upon him mentioned that after death all deeds come to and end except three, one of them being knowledge that people still reap benefit from.



How the Sunnah was Received by the Companions



People always try to watch and remember the sayings and deeds of their loved ones. In regards to Mohammad peace be upon him, we can say for sure that he was the most beloved person on earth in his community. Some companions like Zayd said they would rather die, than have the Prophet peace be upon him even pricked with a thorn. Abu Sufyan a one time enemy of Islam said “I have never seen a man who was so loved by his companions as Mohammad was”. Thus the Prophet peace be upon him was the most beloved in his community. The community’s involvement in worldly pursuits was minimal and this made the opportunity for learning greater. The Arabs were known to have had excellent memories and used remember many verses of their tribal poets by heart.



Companions Learning of Ahadith



The Companions used three methods of learning



a) Learning by memorizing: They used to listen to every word of the prophet peace be upon him with utmost care. If he went away for any reason they would recollect what they had learned. Anas ibn Malik, the servant of the Prophet peace be upon him said “We sat with the Prophet peace be upon him, maybe sixty persons in number and the Prophet peace be upon him taught them ahadith. Later on when he went out for any necessity, we used to memorize it among us, when we departed it was as if cultivated in our hearts” Those who were absent also used learn from those who were present. Some of them even came to agreement among themselves to attend the gatherings of the Prophet peace be upon him in shifts, as we find in the case of Umar.

b) Learning ahadith through writing: The companions learned the ahadith by recording it in writing as well. There were a good number of companions who recorded the ahadith of the Prophet peace be upon him.

c) Learning ahadith by practice: The companions put into practice everything they learned by writing or memory. Knowledge in Islam is for practice and not just for the sake of knowledge. This is why it took Umar eight years to memorize the second chapter of the Quran

This is a sketch of how the ahadith of the Prophet peace be upon him was learned by the companions. After his death the method was almost the same except that he was no longer among them.



Recollection of ahadith in the Period of the Companions



Recollection of ahadith was carried in the time of the companions as it was during the life of the Prophet peace be upon him. Abu Huraira used to divide his night into three portions; one third for sleep, one third for prayer, and one third for the recollection of ahadith. Umar and Abu Musa al Ashari used to memorize ahadith through the night until the morning. They companions used to memorize in groups and individually.

Recording of Hadith in the life of the Prophet peace be upon him and the Companions





Certain companions wrote down ahadith in the life of the Prophet peace be upon him and in some cases he dictated it to them. There numbers are smaller than that of the later scholars. Not all companions narrated the same number of ahadith. Some had transmitted more than a thousand while others transmitted only one or two. Abu Hurairah transmitted the most ahadith and it was reported that he had books in his possession and at least nine of his students wrote ahadith from him. Others who transmitted large number of ahadith and had others collect them in written form are: Anas ibn Mailk, Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Amr, Umar ibn al Khattab, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abu Musa al Ashari and others.



Some Misunderstanding about Recording of Ahadith





The Hadith Against Writing Down the Ahadith: There is only one authentic hadith about this matter which says “Do not write down from me anything except the Quran and whoever has written anything from me other than the Quran should erase it.” According to Bukhari and others it is the statement of the narrator Abu Said himself and it is erroneously attributed to the Prophet peace be upon him. Others say it means that nothing should be written on the same sheet as the Quran so the two don’t get mixed up. It should be remembered that this command was given in the early days of Islam and the Prophet peace be upon him wanted all attention to be paid to the Quran and its preservation, and later on there was no danger of neglecting the Quran, thus the previous order was abrogated and writing ahadith was permitted. The Prophet peace be upon him himself sent hundreds of letters containing formulae for forms and rituals of worship.



Chain System





Every Hadith consists of two parts; the first portion is the chain of narrators while the second protion is the actual statement of the Prophet peace be upon him. The chain system was used to some extent in transmitting pre-Islamic poetry, but it was in the hadith literature that its importance culminated. It was also in hadith literature when the system was used to its full and in some cases to extravagant limits. Since hadith was the store where we get the sunnah it was natural to deal with the isnad with utmost care. Thus with the introduction of the chains, a unique science came into existence for the evaluation of chain and text of ahadith. At the end of the first century the science of the chain system was fully developed.

The Proliferation of Chains



It is a common phenomenon of the chain system that as we go further in time the number of transmitters increases. Sometimes a hadith transmitted by one companion acquires ten students in the next generation, in the class of successors, and these ten students have in some cases twenty or thirty students from different countries. For example Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet peace be upon him said when anyone amongst you wakes up from sleep, he must not put his hand in a utensil until he washed it three times, for he doesn’t know where his hand was during sleep. At least thirteen students of Abu Huraira transmitted this hadith from him. 8 out of 13 were from Medina , 1 from Kufah, 2 from Basrah, 1 from Yemen , 1 from Syria . There are sixteen scholars who transmitted this hadith from the students of Abu Huraira. 6 out of the 16 were from Medina, 4 from Basrah, 2 from Kufah, 1 from Makkah, 1 from Yemen , 1 from Khurasan, 1 from Syria


Further down the chain the number of narrators increase and localities spread even further into different provinces. The flourishing of chains and diffusion of ahadith in this way made it easy to check the faults of scholars or any forgery that was committed. This proves the early existence of the chain system and shows how impossible it would have been to fabricate chains of transmission on this large a scale. The scholars used rigorous methods to examine chains of transmission, eliminating all ahadith passed by unreliable sources. Given centuries of this kind of activity we are logically justified in accepting the whole chain system and methodology of hadith scholars as accurate and valid.



Forgery and Errors in Transmitting Ahadith





The Prophet peace be upon him said “If anyone tells a lie about me intentionally, let him be sure of his place in hell fire.” This hadith and others had a tremendous effect on the companions and most of them refrained from imparting hadith in case of doubtful memory. Early scholars played their roles with due caution in transmitting or copying ahadith. As is known to all scholars, even the most sincere person may commit a mistake. Since the sunnah is an everlasting example for the Muslim community, the community couldn’t afford to let ahadith be polluted or diluted in any way. Therefore it was necessary to use criticism with full force.




Beginning of Criticism





Criticism of hadith began during the life of the Prophet peace be upon him. At that time it meant nothing more than going to the prophet peace be upon him and verifying something he was reported to have said. With the death of the Prophet peace be upon him it was the duty of the Muslim individuals, community, and state to be very careful in ascribing statements to the Prophet peace be upon him, and they had to scrutinize them carefully. The first Caliph Abu Bakr was a pioneer in the field, next came Umar and Ali. To err is human and with the spread of hadith in different regions of the Islamic world, the possibility of mistakes arose. Consequently the necessity for criticism became apparent.


During the time of trials of the assassination of Uthman the first fabrication of hadith began. During this stage the general trend of learning ahadith became stricter and schools of criticism began to appear. There were two prominent schools of that time, the school of Medina and the school of Iraq . The scholars of both schools belonged to the first century of Hijra and after this period of criticism of hadith entered a new phase. From the second century to a few centuries later it was a general requirement for the student of hadith to make extensive journeys in search of knowledge of hadith. Since the early scholars mostly learned from scholars in their area their criticism was confined to the same locality. When people began learning ahadith from hundreds of scholars their criticisms were not confined to one locality.

Methodology of Criticism




As far as it concerns the criticism of the text there were several methods that can all be brought under the broad heading of comparison. This method was by gathering all the related material and comparing them carefully with each other. Ayyub al Sakhtiyani said “If you wish to know the mistakes of your teacher, then you ought to sit down with others as well.” This method was practiced in many ways; the following are some of them:




1) Comparison between the hadith of different students of one scholar: By this method one discovered the mistakes of almost every student and was able to differentiate between the mistakes made by the teacher and the mistakes made by the students. This also gave one the ability to grade the different students and determine their accuracy.

2) Comparison between the statements of a single scholar at different times: Once Aisha told her nephew Urwah to go to Abdullah ibn Amr and ask him about the hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him. Abdullah mentioned a hadith that states that knowledge will be taken away from the earth. Aisha was discontented and sent Urwah a year later and when he returned to Aisha he told her Abdullah narrated the same hadith and didn’t add or subtract anything to it upon which she said he must be correct.

3) Comparison between oral recitation and written documents: In case two scholars have a difference about a hadith the one written in the texts will be accepted because books are more accurate in the eyes of scholars.

4) Comparison between hadith with related verses of the Quran: we find this method was used by Umar in rejecting the hadith of Fatima bint Qais concerning maintenance money for divorced women. This method was also applied by Aisha in several cases.



Beginning of Criticism





Criticism of hadith began during the life of the Prophet peace be upon him. At that time it meant nothing more than going to the prophet peace be upon him and verifying something he was reported to have said. With the death of the Prophet peace be upon him it was the duty of the Muslim individuals, community, and state to be very careful in ascribing statements to the Prophet peace be upon him, and they had to scrutinize them carefully. The first Caliph Abu Bakr was a pioneer in the field, next came Umar and Ali. To err is human and with the spread of hadith in different regions of the Islamic world, the possibility of mistakes arose. Consequently the necessity for criticism became apparent.


During the time of trials of the assassination of Uthman the first fabrication of hadith began. During this stage the general trend of learning ahadith became stricter and schools of criticism began to appear. There were two prominent schools of that time, the school of Medina and the school of Iraq . The scholars of both schools belonged to the first century of Hijra and after this period of criticism of hadith entered a new phase. From the second century to a few centuries later it was a general requirement for the student of hadith to make extensive journeys in search of knowledge of hadith. Since the early scholars mostly learned from scholars in their area their criticism was confined to the same locality. When people began learning ahadith from hundreds of scholars their criticisms were not confined to one locality.



Methodology of Criticism





As far as it concerns the criticism of the text there were several methods that can all be brought under the broad heading of comparison. This method was by gathering all the related material and comparing them carefully with each other. Ayyub al Sakhtiyani said “If you wish to know the mistakes of your teacher, then you ought to sit down with others as well.” This method was practiced in many ways; the following are some of them:




1) Comparison between the hadith of different students of one scholar: By this method one discovered the mistakes of almost every student and was able to differentiate between the mistakes made by the teacher and the mistakes made by the students. This also gave one the ability to grade the different students and determine their accuracy.

2) Comparison between the statements of a single scholar at different times: Once Aisha told her nephew Urwah to go to Abdullah ibn Amr and ask him about the hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him. Abdullah mentioned a hadith that states that knowledge will be taken away from the earth. Aisha was discontented and sent Urwah a year later and when he returned to Aisha he told her Abdullah narrated the same hadith and didn’t add or subtract anything to it upon which she said he must be correct.

3) Comparison between oral recitation and written documents: In case two scholars have a difference about a hadith the one written in the texts will be accepted because books are more accurate in the eyes of scholars.

4) Comparison between hadith with related verses of the Quran: we find this method was used by Umar in rejecting the hadith of Fatima bint Qais concerning maintenance money for divorced women. This method was also applied by Aisha in several cases.



Beginning of Criticism





Criticism of hadith began during the life of the Prophet peace be upon him. At that time it meant nothing more than going to the prophet peace be upon him and verifying something he was reported to have said. With the death of the Prophet peace be upon him it was the duty of the Muslim individuals, community, and state to be very careful in ascribing statements to the Prophet peace be upon him, and they had to scrutinize them carefully. The first Caliph Abu Bakr was a pioneer in the field, next came Umar and Ali. To err is human and with the spread of hadith in different regions of the Islamic world, the possibility of mistakes arose. Consequently the necessity for criticism became apparent.


During the time of trials of the assassination of Uthman the first fabrication of hadith began. During this stage the general trend of learning ahadith became stricter and schools of criticism began to appear. There were two prominent schools of that time, the school of Medina and the school of Iraq . The scholars of both schools belonged to the first century of Hijra and after this period of criticism of hadith entered a new phase. From the second century to a few centuries later it was a general requirement for the student of hadith to make extensive journeys in search of knowledge of hadith. Since the early scholars mostly learned from scholars in their area their criticism was confined to the same locality. When people began learning ahadith from hundreds of scholars their criticisms were not confined to one locality.



Methodology of Criticism





As far as it concerns the criticism of the text there were several methods that can all be brought under the broad heading of comparison. This method was by gathering all the related material and comparing them carefully with each other. Ayyub al Sakhtiyani said “If you wish to know the mistakes of your teacher, then you ought to sit down with others as well.” This method was practiced in many ways; the following are some of them:




1) Comparison between the hadith of different students of one scholar: By this method one discovered the mistakes of almost every student and was able to differentiate between the mistakes made by the teacher and the mistakes made by the students. This also gave one the ability to grade the different students and determine their accuracy.

2) Comparison between the statements of a single scholar at different times: Once Aisha told her nephew Urwah to go to Abdullah ibn Amr and ask him about the hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him. Abdullah mentioned a hadith that states that knowledge will be taken away from the earth. Aisha was discontented and sent Urwah a year later and when he returned to Aisha he told her Abdullah narrated the same hadith and didn’t add or subtract anything to it upon which she said he must be correct.

3) Comparison between oral recitation and written documents: In case two scholars have a difference about a hadith the one written in the texts will be accepted because books are more accurate in the eyes of scholars.

4) Comparison between hadith with related verses of the Quran: we find this method was used by Umar in rejecting the hadith of Fatima bint Qais concerning maintenance money for divorced women. This method was also applied by Aisha in several cases.




Grading of Scholars and its impact on Grading of Ahadith



Scholars of hadith didn’t consider it sufficient for the transmitter to have high literary achievements, no matter how accurate the scholar might be, besides this he must be righteous in conduct. Ibn Mubarak a second century scholar put personal character in this way: a person must pray in congregation, must be known for not telling lies, doesn’t commit major sins, and doesn’t suffer from mental disqualification. A man may be a great scholar, but if his morals are doubtful a hadith narrated by him is not acceptable. In the opinion of hadith scholars, all scholars with the exception of the companions, whose character is testified by Allah and His Prophet, need this testimony of character if their word is to be accepted.



It’s obvious that in most cases one must depend on contemporary authorities to find out the persons personal character which can sometimes be influenced by enmity or favor. Therefore the scholars of hadith laid down certain rules. When both moral character and high literary accuracy are combined in a person he was called trustworthy. If a scholar was charged with indecency in his character, material transmitted by him was not accepted no matter how big a scholar he might have been.



For example a man who committed many mistakes in transmitting the hadith was called weak. If he narrated a hadith alone and no other scholar could verify his narration, then the hadith can’t be accepted, for it is suspected of having a mistake in its transmission. However if another scholar though himself a weak narrator in his literary achievement, transmitted a hadith which agrees in the meaning and the sense of the early hadith then it would be accepted, though it would be placed in a very low grade, just like a student passing with a ‘D’ grade.



Authenticity of Hadith



To be a source or authority of Islamic law, a hadith must be from the categories of sahih (authentic) or hasan (good). In order for a hadith to be authentic or good it must meet the following criteria:


1) The chain of narration must be unbroken. In other words, each source must have received the hadith directly from the one whose authority he is relating it all the way back to the Prophet peace be upon him. If there is any missing authority, the chain would be considered broken and unacceptable.

2) Every narrator in the chain must be of acceptable righteousness and character; in other words, each narrator must be morally fit. Impious people are not accepted, for their impiety is a sign that they don’t fear Allah and, hence, they can’t be trusted to take extreme care in narrating the statements of the Prophet peace be upon him. If just one narrator in the chain does not meet these criteria the hadith will have to be rejected.

3) Moral characteristics are not sufficient. Each narrator must be proficient and exact when it comes to narrating hadith. If a person is known to make lots of mistakes when narrating hadith either from his memory or from his writing, his hadith will not be acceptable.

4) Both the chain and the text of the hadith must be such that they don’t contradict what has been narrated through stronger means.

5) Upon inspection of the different ways a hadith is narrated, it must be the case that no mistake or defect is spotted in either the chain or the text of the hadith


If any of these conditions are not met, the hadith will be rejected as weak or very weak depending on the magnitude of the weakness. Hadith which are graded weak or very weak are not considered authorities in Islamic law.

40 Ahadith Concerning Masjid Al-Aqsa 1

Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He (Allah) is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (17:1)
Introduction
Of all the symbols of Islam, the most neglected in our time is Masjid Al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem. The Ummah for various reasons, from political compromise to appeasement, has ignored not only the virtues but also the plight of this Holy site.
It is with the intention to rekindle the love, affection and devotion of Muslims to Masjid Al-Aqsa that we present these Ahadith. Since the Prophet (saw) showed such great concern and inculcated into the Companions (ra - may Allah be pleased with them all), the need to liberate Masjid Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem. I hope that we can adorn the teachings of our noble Prophet (saw) and take the urgent practical steps required to safeguard Masjid Al-Aqsa.
Masjid Al-Aqsa is no ordinary Masjid; it forms the basis of our history and it is the cornerstone of mankind's foundation. The noble Prophet (saw) dedicated a great deal of his life in nurturing the Companions to appreciate the excellent qualities of Masjid Al-Aqsa and prepared them to embark on an expedition to liberate Jerusalem which at the time was in the hands of the mighty Roman empire.
Some of the reasons why Masjid Al-Aqsa should form an important aspect of a believer's dedication, where many pious individuals have given their wealth and lives, include the fact that Masjid Al-Aqsa is:

the first Qiblah of the Muslims
the station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the miraculous journey of Mohammed saw)
the second house of Allah built on earth
the place where hundreds of Messengers of Allah are buried
the place where many companions are buried
a place where miracles were shown by Allah's will
a place which Allah Himself calls a 'blessed place'
referred to directly and indirectly, 70 times in the Holy Quran
the place where Angels have descended with Allah's message
the only place on earth where all the Messengers of Allah prayed at the same time led by the Mohammed (saw)
the only Masjid mentioned by name in the Holy Quran a part from the Ka'bah
It is for the above mentioned reasons and many more that we need to understand our responsibilities regarding safeguarding Masjid Al-Aqsa which is in great danger of being demolished by extremist jews.

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Second House of Allah on Earth
1, Abu Dharr (ra) reported that he asked the Prophet (saw), "O Messenger of Allah, which Masjid was built first on earth"? The Prophet (saw) replied, "The Sacred Masjid of Makkah". Abu Dharr (ra) again asked, "Which was next"? The Prophet (saw) said, "Masjid Al-Aqsa". Abu Dharr (ra) further asked, "How long was the period between the building of the two Masjids"? The Prophet (saw) said, "Forty years". Apart from these, offer your prayer anywhere when it is time to pray, although excellence is in praying in these Masjids". (Bukhari)

The Importance of Visiting Masjid Al-Aqsa
2, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "You should not undertake a special journey to visit any place other than the following three Masjids with the expectations of getting greater reward: the Sacred Masjid of Makkah (Ka'bah), this Masjid of mine (the Prophet's Masjid in Madinah), and Masjid Al-Aqsa (of Jerusalem)". In another narration the words are, "For three Masjids a special journey may be undertaken: The Sacred Masjid (Ka'bah), my Masjid and Masjid of Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa). (Muslim, Bukhari, Abu Dawud)

Greater Virtue of praying in Masjid Al-Aqsa
3, Abu Darda (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "A prayed in Makkah (Ka'bah) is worth 1000,000 times (reward), a prayer in my Masjid (Madinah) is worth 1,000 times and a prayer in Al-Aqsa Sanctuary is worth 500 times more reward than anywhere else". (Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Suyuti)

4, Anas Ibn Malik (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, " The prayer of a person in his house is a single prayer; his prayer in the Masjid of his people has the reward of 27 prayers; his prayer in the Masjid in which the Friday prayer is observed has the reward of 500; his prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa (i.e. Al-Aqsa Sanctuary) has a reward of 5,000 prayers; his prayer in my Masjid (the Prophet's Masjid in Madinah) has a reward of 50,000 prayers, and the prayer in the Sacred Masjid (Ka'bah) has the reward of 100,000 prayers". (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

The Importance of Donating to Masjid Al-Aqsa
5, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) relates, I asked the Prophet (saw), "Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)." The Apostle of Allah (saw) said, " Go and pray there. If you cannot visit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in the lamps". (Bukhari)

6, Maymunah Bint Sa'd (ra) relates that she asked the Prophet (saw), "O Messenger of Allah, inform us about Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)". He said, "Visit it for prayer ". She further asked, "If one of us cannot visit it, what should we do"? He said, "If you cannot go for prayer then send some oil to be used for its lamps, will be as if he has prayed in it". (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

The Virtues of Wearing Ihram From Masjid Al-Aqsa
7, Umm Salamah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "If anyone puts on Ihram for Hajj or Umrah from Masjid Al-Aqsa and then proceeds to the Sacred Masjid (Ka'bah), their past and future sins will be forgiven, or they will be entered into Paradise". (Abu Dawud)

The Blessed Land of Masjid Al-Aqsa
8, Zaid Ibn Thabit (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "How blessed is Al-Sham"! The Companions (ra) asked, "Why is that"? The Messenger (saw) replied, "I see the Angels of Allah spreading their wings over Al-Sham". Ibn Abbas (ra) added, "And the Prophets lived therein. There is not a single inch in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) where a Prophet has not prayed or an Angel not stood". (Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

9, The Prophet Mohammed (saw) said, "Allah has blessed what lies between Al-'Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly Holy". (Kanz Al-Umal)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The First Qiblah (direction of prayer)
10, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) narrates, "We prayed along with the Prophet (saw) facing Al-Quds (Jerusalem) for 16 or 17 months. Then Allah ordered him saw) to turn his face towards the Ka'bah (in Makkah). (Bukhari)

11, Al-Bara (ra) added, "Before we changed our direction towards the Ka'bah in prayer, some Muslims had died or had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (regarding their prayers). Allah then revealed: And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. the prayers of those Muslims facing Bayt Al-Maqdis were valid) {2:143} (Bukhari)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj
12, Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, "On the night journey Allah's Apostle (saw) was taken on a night journey (Al-Isra and Al-Miraj), two cups, one containing wine and the other containing milk were presented to him (saw) at Al-Quds (Jerusalem). He looked at them and took the cup of milk. Angel Gabriel said, "Praise be to Allah, who guided you to Al-Fitrah (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your Ummah would have gone astray". (Bukhari)

13, Regarding the statement of Allah in the Holy Quran, "And We granted the vision (ascension to the Heavens) which we made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people". (17:60) Ibn Abbas (ra) said, "The sights which Allah's Apostle was shown on the Night journey where he was taken to Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed tree (mentioned) in the Quran is the tree of Zaqqum. (Bukhari)

14, Jabir Ibn Abdullah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "When the people of Quraysh did not believe me (i.e. the story of his Miraculous Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it". (Bukhari)

15, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "I saw on the night of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the Night Journey) a white column resembling a pearl which the Angels were carrying . I asked them, "What are you carrying"? They said, "The Column of the Book, we have been ordered to place it in Al-Sham. Later in my sleep, I saw the Column of the Book being taken away from under my headrest. I began to fear lest Allah the Almighty had abandoned the people of the earth. My eyes followed the Column of the Book. It was a brilliant light in front of me. Then I saw it was placed in A;-Sham. (Tabarani)

16, Anas (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "I was brought the Buraq, a tall white beast, bigger than a donkey, smaller than a mule. It could place his hooves at the farthest boundary of his gaze. I mounted it until I arrived at Bayt Al-Maqdis. I tied it at the ring where the Prophets tied it before (i.e. Buraq Wall or the Western Wall). I entered Masjid Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and prayed 2 rak'ah there..." (Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Place for Major Events
17, Mujamma Ibn Al-Harith (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, "Ibn Maryam (Jesus) will kill Al-Dajjal (the Anti-Christ) at the door of Ludd (a town in Palestine)". (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

18, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding Al-Dajjal: "He will stay in the land forty days; he will enter every place on earth except the Ka'bah, the Prophet's Masjid, Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and Mount Sinai". (Ahmad)

19, Nahik Ibn Suraym Al-Sakuni (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "You will fight the pagans until the remnant of you fights on the river of Jordan, you to the east of it (present day Jordan) and they to the west of it (occupied Palestine)". (Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani)

20, Maymunah Bint Sa'd (ra) reports that she asked the Prophet (saw), "O Messenger of Allah, give us a pronouncement about Al-Quds (Jerusalem)". The Prophet (saw) replied, "It is the land where they will be raised (Al-Hashr) and gathered (Al-Mahshar)". (Ahmad, Tabarani)

21, Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "The Flourishing state of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) (under the non-Muslims) will be taken when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the Great War comes, the outbreak of the Great War will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when Al-Dajjal (Anti-Christ) comes forth". He (the Prophet) struck his thigh with his hand and said, "This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting (meaning Muadh Ibn Jabal). (Abu Dawud)

22, Awf Ibn Malik (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "The rest of the world will be destroyed forty years before Al-Sham is". (Ibn Asakir)

23, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding the inhabitants of the blessed land, "They and their wives, children and slaves (male and female) are in ribat (guardians, literally a fort) in the cause of Allah". (Tabarani)

24, Al-Nawwas Ibn Saman Alkalbi (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, "If Al-Dajjal comes forth while I am amongst you then I shall dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes after I am not with you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take to protecting every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surah Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial". We asked, "How long will he remain on earth"? He (saw) replied, "Forty days, one like a year (1 day will be equivalent to 1 year), one like a month, one like a week and the rest of his days like yours"? We asked, "Will one day's prayer suffice us in the day which will be like a year"? He replied, "No, you must estimate of its extent. Then Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Virgin Mary) will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch Al-Dajjal up at the gates of Ludd and kill him". (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The place of Mujahideen
25, Umamah Al-Bahili (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "A group of my Ummah will remain on truth, they will vanquish their enemy and those who disagree with them will not be able to harm them until Allah commands". "Where are these people"? The Companions (ra) asked. The Prophet (saw) said, "In and around Al-Quds (Jerusalem). (Ahmad)

26, Muawiyah Ibn Sufyan (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "There is a group among my followers who will continue to be openly on the truth. No one who opposes them can harm them until the coming of the Hour". The Companions (ra) asked, "Where will they be"? The Messenger of Allah said, "They will be in and around Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem)". (Ahmad)

27, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "A group of my Ummah will not cease to fight at the gates of Damascus and at the gates of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its surroundings. The betrayal or desertion of whoever deserts them will not harm them in the least. They will remain victorious, standing for the truth, until the Final Hour rises". (Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Best Place of Residence
28, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, There will be migration upon migration. The best of the inhabitants of earth will reside where Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) migrated (Jerusalem)". (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Desired Site of Musa (Moses)
29, Abu Hurayrah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "The Angel of death was sent to Musa. When he came to Musa, Musa punched him on the eye. The Angel returned to Allah and said, "You sent me to a servant who does not want to die". Allah ordered the Angel, 'Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life'. Musa asked, "O Lord! What will happen after that"? Allah replied, 'Then death'. Musa decided, let it be now'. Musa then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land (near Masjid Al-Aqsa) so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone's throw form it". Abu Hurayrah (ra) added, the Prophet (saw) then said, "If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road". (Bukhari)

Liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsa Prophesied
30, Awf Ibn Malik relates, "I went to the Prophet (saw) during the battle of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, 'Awf, Count six signs, between now and the approach of the Hour (Qiyamah/Doomsday): my death, the conquest of Al-Quds (Jerusalem); a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep; the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given 100 hundred Dinars (Arabian currency), he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape; and then a truce between you and Banu Asfar (i.e. Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers". (Bukhari)

31, Shadad Ibn Aws (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "l-Sham will be conquered and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) will be conquered and you or your sons will be Imams there, if Allah will". (Tabarani)

The Preference of Masjid Al-Aqsa
32, Once the Prophet (saw) advised Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) to join the army in al-Sham, over any other. However, the Prophet (saw), noticing Ibn Hawwala's indifference said, "Do you know what Allah says about Al-Sham? Allah said, 'Al-Sham you are the quintessence of My lands (safwati min biladi) and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants'". (Tabarani)

33, Abdullah Ibn Amr (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) repeated the following statement three times: "When the dissension takes place belief shall be in Al-Sham". One version of hadith states, "safety will be in Al-Sham". (Tabarani)

34, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "At some point you will be (split into) standing armies: one army in Al-Sham, on in Yemen and one in Iraq". Abdullah Ibn Hawala asked he Prophet (saw), "Choose for me, Messenger of Allah in case I live to see that day". The Prophet (Saw) replied, "You must go to Al-Sham, for it is the chosen land of Allah in all His earth. He protects, by sending them there, the chosen ones among His servants. If you do not wish to go there, then go to Yemen. Allah has given me guarantee concerning Al-Sham and its people. (Abu Dawud, Ahmad)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Site of the Future Caliphate
35, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala Al-Azdi (ra) reported, the Prophet (saw) put his hand on my head and said, "Ibn Hawwala if you see that the Caliphate has taken abode in the Holy Land then the earthquakes and tribulations and great events are at hand. The last Hour on that day will be closer to people than my hand is to your head". (Ahmad, Abu Dawud)

36, Yunus Ibn Maysarah (r) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "This matter (the Caliphate) will be after me in Madinah, then Al-Sham, then Al-Jazira, then Iraq, then in Madinah, then in AL-quds (Jerusalem). If it is in Al-Quds, its home country is there, and if any people expel it, it will not return there forever". (Ibn Asakir)

37, Al-Numan Ibn Bashir (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "Prophethood will last with you for as long as Allah wants it. Then Allah will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be the Rightly Guided Caliphs according to the method of Prophethood and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes it. Then there will be a voracious kingdom and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes. Then there will be Khilafah (Caliphate) according to the method of Prophethood. Thereafter the Prophet (saw) fell silent". (Ahmad)

38, Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Abi Umayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, "There will be an oath of allegiance according to guidance in Al-Quds (Jerusalem)". (Bukhari, Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - The Place Where Allah's Revelation Descended
39, Abu Umama (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, "Prophethood descended upon me in three places: Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham. Once it is brought out from any of them, it shall never return to it". (Abu Dawud) In another narration it states, "The Quran was revealed in three places - Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham". (Tabarani) Ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Islam, said, "Al-Sham here means Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). (Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa - Mentioned By Name In The Holy Quran
40, Aishah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) used to recite Surah Al-Isra every night in his prayer:
Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (17:1)

Why are women not allowed in the mosque?

Answer:



1. There is not a single verse in the Qur’an, which prohibits ladies from entering mosques. There is not a single authen­tic Hadith which I am aware of which states that the Prophet (pbuh) prevented or forbade women from going to mosques.



There is only one Hadith, which perhaps could have been misunderstood to mean that women should not go to the mosque. That Hadith is as follows:



Abdullah Bin Mas’ud reported the Prophet (pbuh) as saying: It is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house. [Sunan Abu Dawood Vol.1 Chapter 204 Hadith No.570]



If you base your conclusion only on this single Hadith, then you may wrongly conclude that it is not advisable or preferable for women to go to the mosque. However, your conclusion cannot be based only on one Hadith neglecting or ignoring all the other Ahadith. The context of the Hadith is also very important.



The Prophet (pbuh) said that if a person prays in the mosque he gets 27 times more blessings (Sawab). Some women argued that they had infants at home and other household work and therefore could not go to the mosque. Thus, the men would have a greater advantage than women for receiving such blessings. It is then that the Prophet (pbuh) said the above Hadith.



Hence, the conclusion is that in situations where women have infants and household work, which too is an important duty that cannot be neglected, women would not be deprived of the sawaab (blessings) if they pray in their own homes.



2. There are several Ahadith which prove that both men and women used to go to the mosques during the life of the prophet (pbuh):



(i) The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from going to the mosque of Allah.’ [Sahih Muslim Vol.1 Chapter 177 Hadith No.886]



(ii) And husbands were specifically told by him, “If the wife of any one of you asks permission (to go to the mosque) do not forbid her.” (Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book of Salaah, Chapter 80, Hadith No. 832)



(iii) From the time the Prophet (pbuh) entered Madinah, after Hijra, till his demise, he never prevented women from entering the mosque.



(iv) During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), women not only went to the mosques for prayer but also for religious education and liter­ary discussions as the mosque was the centre of community. Several Ahadith tell us that the Prophet (pbuh) addressed people in the mosque, and the audience consisted of both Muslim men and women. Women many a times asked questions to the Prophet (pbuh) in the mosque.



(v) During the Prophet’s (pbuh) time, mosques had separate entrances for ladies. Women filled the mosques from behind while men had sepa­rate entrances and filled the mosques from the front. In between the two sections were children.



(vi) It is reported by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (Pbuh) said: “The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones are the last. The best rows for women are the last ones, and the worst ones for them are the first.” [Sahih Muslim Vol.1 Chapter 175 Hadith No.881)



3. Islam permits women to pray in mosques. Ladies should have separate and equal facilities. Islam does not permit the inter­mingling of sexes. Otherwise, there will be a similar scene in mosques like other places of worship where some people even come for ‘bird-watching’ and eve teasing.



4. In recent times, women are not allowed in mosques in a few countries especially in India and its neighbouring countries. Otherwise, in most of the other countries, women are allowed in mosques. Women are allowed in mosques in Saudi Arabia, in U.A.E; in Egypt, in U.S.A; in the U.K and in Singapore. Women are also allowed in the sacred mosques, Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah and in Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madinah.



Allahamdulillah, the trend is now changing in India. We have several mosques in India and a few in Mumbai in which women come to pray in mosques (masaajid).

ISLAM AND HEALTH

Today, all universities teach that the practice of medicine consists of two parts: The first is hygiene, keeping the body healthy, and the second is therapeutics, treatment of diseases. The first of the two has precedence. It is the primary task of medicine to protect people against diseases and to keep them healthy. Even if a sick person is cured, he may still remain invalid and defective. And now to the point: hygiene, medicine’s first task is vouchsafed by Islam. In the second part of the book Mawahib-ul-ladunniyya, it has been proven that the Qur’an alkarim promotes both aspects of medicine as expressed in some verses.



Our prophet Muhammad (sall-Allahu ’alaihi wa sallam) had established close relations with the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. They used to correspond with and send envoys to each other. On one occasion, Heraclius sent him many presents. One of the presents was a medical doctor. When the doctor arrived he came to our Prophet and said “Sir! His Majesty has sent me to you as a servant. I shall treat those that are ill free of charge.” Hadrat Muhammad (sall-Allahu ’alaihi wa sallam) accepted his services. As ordered, the doctor was given a house. Everyday, they brought delicious food and drink for him. Days and months passed. No Muslims came to see him. Consequently, the doctor, feeling ashamed, requested permission to leave, saying: “Sir! I came here to serve you. Up to now no sick person has come to me. I have been sitting idly eating and drinking comfortably. And now I’d like to go back home.” Our Prophet (sall-Allahu ’alaihi wa sallam) responded: “It is up to you. If you would like to stay longer, it is the Muslims’ primary duty to serve and show honour to their guests. However, if you would like to leave now, have a good journey! But you must know that, even if you were to stay here for years, no Muslim would come to see you. It is because my Companions do not become ill. The Islamic religion has shown the way to good health. My Companions pay great attention to cleanliness. They do not eat anything unless they are hungry, and they stop eating before becoming fully sated.”



With the words above, we do not mean to say that a Muslim never becomes ill. However, a Muslim who pays attention to his health and cleanliness remains healthy for a long time. He hardly becomes ill. Death is a fact of life. It cannot be avoided. Everyone will die as a result of some illness. Yet, being able to keep one’s body healthy until the time of death is possible only by paying attention to Islam’s commandments on cleanliness.

THOSE WHO CAUSE LOSS OF ISLAMIC BLESSINGS

Those who cause loss of Islamic blessings are of two groups:



In the first group are disbelievers who divulge their disbelief and hostility. They strive to demolish Islam by using all their armed forces, their means of propaganda, and political tricks. Muslims know them and struggle to be superior to them.



The second group of disbelievers refer to themselves as Muslims, pretend to be Muslims, introduce themselves as religious men and try to turn Islam into a shape conformable to their opinions, pleasures and sexual desires. They want to make up a new religion under the name of Islam. They try to prove their words correct through tricks and lies, and deceive Muslims with their fluent expressions. Yet, although most Muslims recognize these enemies from some of their statements and activities intended to destroy Islam, because they are very well organized, some of their sayings have become current and widespread among Muslims. The Islamic faith has been gradually degenerating and turning into the shape planned by these disbelievers.



Also, some others say, “In order that we may survive in the present century, we should be westernized ourselves altogether.” This statement has two connotations. Firstly, it means learning and adopting what the Europeans have invented in science, art, in the mediums of improvement and progress, and to strive to utilize them, as Islam commands.



As a matter of fact, a hadith (a saying of the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam)) of Rasul-i akram (the Prophet) states: “Hikmat (that is science and art) is the lost property of the Muslims. Let him take it wherever he finds it!” Yet, this is not following the Europeans; it is finding and acquiring knowledge and science even from them and striving to be superior to them. The second type of westernization involves abandoning the righteous and sacred ways of our ancestors; accepting all the traditions, customs, immoralities, and obscenities of the West; and also accepting their irreligiousness and idolatry, and thus convert mosques into churches or museums of ancient art, which is the most dismal stupidity of all.



Calling Islam an “oriental religion,” a “backward religion” and the Qur’an “laws of the desert” while at the same time referring to idolatry and the mixing of music with worship as “western, modern, and civilized religion” is in fact an act of abandoning Islam, turning to Christianity, and worshipping with musical instruments.

DUTIES TOWARD CHILDREN

Our Prophet ‘sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam’ said, “All of you are like shepherds of flocks. As a shepherd protects his flock, so you should protect those under your command from Hell! You should teach them Islam! If you don’t, you will be held responsible.” And once he said, “Many Muslim children will go to the Hell named Wayl because of their fathers, for their fathers, being seized by the ambition of earning money and making merry and running after worldly affairs only, did not teach their children Islam and the Qur’an al-karim. I am far removed from such fathers. And they are away from me. Those who do not teach their children their religion will go to Hell.” And once he said, “Those who teach their children the Qur’an al-karim or who send them to teachers of the Qur’an al-karim for each letter of the Qur’an al-karim they will be given rewards as if they visited the Kaaba ten times, and on the Day of Resurrection a crown of sovereignty will be put on their head. All people will see it and admire it.” And once he said, “Teach your children how to perform salat (ritual prayer). When they are seven years old, command them to perform salat. When they are ten years old, beat them if they do not perform it and have them perform it.” And once he said, “When a Muslim’s child worships, his father will receive as much reward as he gets. When a person teaches his child to sin and whenever this child commits sins, his father also will be recorded sinful to the same extent.”



Ibni Abidin says at the end of the section on the makruh (act, thing improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet ‘alaihi ‘s-salam) actions in namaz, “If a person has his child do the things that are haram (an action, word or thought prohibited by Allahu ta’ala) for himself to do, he has committed a haram (act, thing improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet ‘alaihi ‘s-salam). A person who has his son wears silk clothes or ornaments him with gold or who has his children drink alcohol or lets them urinate in the direction of qibla, or causes them to stretch their legs in the direction of qibla will be sinful.”

CREATION WITH MEANS

Allahu ta’ala creates everything with means. If Allahu ta’ala had willed, He could have created everything without means, burning without fire, nourish us without us eating and make us fly without an airplane and hear from a long distance without a radio. But He did men the favor of creating everything through some intermediaries. He willed to create certain things through certain intermediaries. He did His works under intermediaries. He concealed His Power behind intermediaries. He who wants Him to create something holds on to its means and thus obtains it.



If Allahu ta’ala did not create His works through intermediaries, no one would need anybody else; everybody would ask everything directly from Allahu ta’ala and would have recourse to nothing; there would not be social relations between people such as the superior and the subordinate, foreman and workman, pupil and teacher and so forth, and thus this world and the next would be in disorder and there would not be any difference between the beautiful and the loathsome, good and evil, the obedient and the disobedient.



If Allahu ta’ala had willed, He would have created His Custom in some other way and He would have created everything according to it. For example, if He had willed, He would put disbelievers, those who are addicted to pleasures in the world, those who hurt others and the deceitful into Paradise, and He would put the faithful, worshippers and the benevolent into Hell. But ayats (verses of al-Qur’an al-karim)and hadiths (saying of the Prophet ‘alaihi ‘s-salam) show that He did not will so.



He is the One who creates all optional or voluntary and involuntary actions and movements of human beings. He created ikhtiyar (option) and irada (will) in born slaves for His creating their optional, voluntary actions, and made this option and will a means for creating their actions. When man wants to do something, Allahu ta’ala creates this action if He wills, too. If man does not want or will and if Allahu ta’ala does not will, either, He does not create. Allahu ta’ala creates upon not only man’s wish; He creates if He wills, too.

MAKRUH THINGS WHEN NOT PERFORMING NAMAZ (DAILY PRAYER)

1- It is tahrimi makruh [1] to turn your front or back towards the qibla [2] when emptying the bowels or urinating in a restroom or any other place. It is not makruh [1] if you forget or if there is the danger that you may dirty your clothes or if there is some other danger.

2- It is tanzihi makruh [3] to turn your front or back towards the qibla when cleaning yourself after relieving nature, or to urinate or empty the bowels towards the sun or the moon.

3- To make a small child relieve itself by holding it towards one of these directions is makruh for the adult who holds it. Likewise, to have a small child do something that is haram [4] for adults is haram for the adult who has the child do it. For example, a person who makes a boy wear silk clothes or ornaments it with jewels or makes it drink alcohol commits a haram by doing so.

4- It is tahrimi makruh to stretch your legs or only one leg towards the qibla without a good excuse. Yet it is not makruh to do so with an excuse or by mistake.

5- Also it is makruh to stretch your legs toward a Qur’an Al-Kareem or other Islamic books. It is not makruh if they are on a higher level. It is written in the fifth chapter of Hindiyya: “It is permissible and even advisable to keep the Qur’an in your house only for blessings and abundance, even if it is without ever reading it. It is makruh to write in Arabic a disbeliever’s name and insult it, for Islamic letters have to be respected.”.


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GLOSSARY

[1] makruh: (act, thing) improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam); makruh tahrima: prohibited with much stress.

[2] qibla: direction towards the Ka’ba. The direction turned towards during worshipping (in Islam, toward the Ka’ba).

[3] makruh-tanzihi: makruh of a lesser degree.

[4] haram: an action, word or thought prohibited by Allahu ta’ala.

IMPORTANCE OF SENDING PROPHETS

If a person who does not know what dreams are is told, “When man’s consciousness is suspended and thoughts and senses are gone like that of a dead person, he sees unknown things that are beyond mind’s grasp,” he will deny it. He will even attempt to prove that such a thing is impossible, saying, “Man perceives his surroundings with his sense organs. With these organs suspended, especially when they do not function at all, he will perceive nothing.” He will reason rather coarsely. As sense organs cannot comprehend things that are known by wisdom, likewise, wisdom cannot perceive things that are known with the power of prophethood.



Those who doubt the existence of the power of prophethood doubt its possibility or, if its possibility is accepted, its occurrence. Its existence or occurrence shows that it is possible. And its existence is demonstrated by Prophets’ giving information beyond the intellect’s ability. This information, which cannot be acquired through the intellect, calculation or experimentation, was acquired only from Allahu ta’ala’s ilham (inspiration placed upon the heart by Allahu ta’ala or His angels, that is, through the power of prophethood). The power of prophethood has also other peculiarities. Since dreams, which resemble one of its peculiarities, exist in men, we have given it as an example. Its other peculiarities are revealed through dhawq (tasting, sensitivity) to those who strive in a path of Tasawwuf. The peculiarity we have given must suffice as a proof to make one believe in prophethood. Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali, too, wrote this peculiarity as a proof for believing in prophethood in his book Al-munqidh min ad-dalal.



According to ancient Greek philosophers, it is useful to believe in prophethood. They said, “To believe in prophethood helps wisdom. Meditating over the existence, power and knowledge of Allah is similar to this. Also, many useful things beyond the intellect’s ability are learned from Prophets. Examples of this are the Rising Day, teachings pertaining to the next world, revelation of what things are good and what others are bad, and knowing whether some foods and medicines are harmful or not.”

TAHARAT FROM HADAS

There are two kinds of taharat from hadas:

1- Performance of an ablution by a person who does not have an ablution.

2- Performance of a ghusl by a person who does not have a ghusl.

Wudu means ablution; tawaddi means to perform an ablution; ghasl means to wash something; ightisal means to perform a ghusl ablution, and ghusl means the ablution of ghusl (in Arabic). He who does not have an ablution is called muhdis. He who does not have a ghusl ablution is called junub.

It is written in the book Halabi-yi saghir: “There are fards, sunnats, adabs, and forbidden things in an abdast (ablution, wodoo’). If a person performs namaz (salat, daily prayer) without an ablution though he does not have a good excuse for doing so and though he knows that he does not have an ablution, he becomes a disbeliever. He who loses his ablution while performing namaz, performs the salam (Assalam-u alaikum wa rahmat-ullah) to one side right away and stops his namaz. Re-making an ablution before the prescribed time period is over, he begins the namaz again.” In Maliki madhhab [1], his namaz will not be nullified and he will become owner of an excuse in that moment.


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GLOSSARY

[1] madhhab: all of what a profound ‘alim of (especially) Fiqh (usually one of the four-Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali) or iman (one of the two, namely Ash-ari, Maturidi) communicated.

FARDS OF ABLUTION

There are four fards (obligatory commandments of Allahu ta’ala) of ablution in the Hanafi Madhhab [1]: To wash the face once; to wash the two arms together with the elbows once; to apply masah on one-fourth of the head, that is, to rub a wet hand softly on it; to wash the feet, together with the ankle-bones on both sides once. [According to the Shafi’i and Maliki madhhabs niyyat (intention) and tartib (order) are fard. In Shafi’i one should intend while washing the face. The ablution will not become sahih (religiously lawful; valid) if one intends before the water touches the face.] It is fard to wash the beard on the face and chin. Washing the hanging part of the beard is fard in three madhhabs.





SUSTENANCE COMES FROM THE SKY



Allahu ta’ala sends the sustenance from the sky.

This is communicated clearly in ayats (verses of Qur’an Al-Kareem) and hadiths (saying of prophet alaihissalam). Today scientists have begun to realise this fact. In rainy weather, owing to lightning, the nitrogen gas in the air chemically combines with oxygen gas, forming a colourless gas called nitrogen monoxide. This gas cannot remain stable in the air. Combining with oxygen again, it turns into nitrogen dioxide. And this gas, which is orange-colored and suffocating, combines with the moisture of the air and turns into nitric acid. On the other hand, the hydrogen gas, which has become free from the air’s moisture as a result of its disintegration with the effect of lightning, combines with the air’s nitrogen and turns into amonia gas, which, combining with the nitric acid, which has also been formed meanwhile and with the carbon dioxide gas, which already exists in the air, makes the salts called amonium nitrate and amonium carbonate. These two salts, soluble like the salts of all other alcaline metals, descend on the earth with rain. The earth turns these substances into calcium nitrate and gives them to plants. Plants change these salts into albumens (proteins). Proteins pass into grazing animals and men from plants. Men take them from plants and from animals that eat grass. These substances are the building stones of men and animals. Dry proteins contain 14% nitrogen gas. Now, it has been calculated today that by means of rains more than four hundred million tons of the air’s nitrogen falls on the earth and turns into food each year. The amount that falls on seas is certainly much more than this. We can understand through science today that the sustenance descends from the sky in this manner. It must be descending in many other ways. Maybe in the future, science will be able to discover some of them.


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GLOSSARY

[1] madhhab: all of what a profound ‘alim of (especially) Fiqh (usually one of the four-Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali) or iman (one of the two, namely Ash-ari, Maturidi) communicated.

Remembering Bosnia

I was not a muslim when the Yugoslav “civil” war erupted in 1992 (having accepted Islam in 1999) , however events in the past few days that I have been made aware of (which I will get onto at the end of this article ) have forced me to re-examine both the circumstances and events of that war, together with the great debt that myself and others owe to those brave individuals who from all over the world went to defend Islam. Indeed, there are many lessons, as with any history, to be learnt about the present through evaluating the past. I also realise that many reading this will be too young to even recall the war ( it being some 17 years ago ), so forgive me for recapping.

Yugoslavia was an ex-communist state, however the various provinces within that state consisted of a number of ethnic peoples whom had a deep history between each other. Marshall Tito, the communist leader, spent a good time of his tenure in power managing these rivalries within the state. When communism fell around the world, so too did Yugoslavia disintegrate, with Slovenia and Croatia gaining independence. When Bosnia-Herzogovina intended to do the same, they were attacked by an alliance of the Serbians (ex Yugoslavia ) and Croatians. This was already planned in the Karadordevo Agreement between Croatia and Serbia in March 1991, in that Milosevic(Serbia) and Tudman (Croatia) were to carve up Bosnia-Herzogovina between themselves.

When war eventually did break out, the western powers were directly complicit in the massacre of muslims that followed. The United Nations, led by the Security Council, stated that it was illegal to sell arms to any side (Resolution 713). This is despite the fact that it was a war of aggression led by the Serbs, who were arming their own ethnic population within the Bosnian border to the east ( led by Radavan Karadzic), and the Croatians also had no problems with arms, being able to smuggle them along the coast. All of these factors meant that this arms embargo inhibited only the muslims and they were the ones to pay the price.

First there was the issue of mass rape implemented by the Serbs, in which all women, ranging in age between 10 and 90, were held in purpose-built camps and attacked / assaulted repeatedly. In a War Crimes tribunal in 2000, it was revealed that one witness “couldn't remember how many times she was assaulted during eight months of torture, gang rape and enslavement.”Another was assaulted by a Serb soldier armed with a hunting knife. He threatened to slash her skin in the shape of a crucifix if the Muslim woman refused to have sex. These attacks took place in Stadiums, Sports Halls, Barracks and other places.

Then there was the killing / ethnic cleansing. Villages were shelled mercilessly, especially if it was known there were more muslim civilians than serbs. 1.5 Muslims were displaced, forced to leave their homes, with the men of fighting age either shot or taking to labour camps, the women sent to rape camps and the others forced to leave their village for the mountains.

The above is only a snapshot, and of course the United Nations, the Western Powers, and others sat back and watched, showing no interest in the conflict, no doubt because they were confident that the muslim population would be eliminated. It was into this background that muslims began to help, congregating from all over the world into the muslim international brigades within bosnia. Brothers from as far afield as Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and even some from the United States and England.

These were not the only foreign fighters. Russians, Greeks and other representatives from the Eastern Orthodox church participated in the Serb Army, whilst in Croatia neo-nazis, right-wingers and other odditites joined Croatian irregulars.

It was the muslim volunteers who provided the biggest boost to forces though, with aid being received as well as expertise and tactics being imparted to the Bosnians, and with Allahs(swt) help the muslims were eventually victorious in 1995, winning battle after battle. In fact, the muslims were so successful that the western powers began to fear that an Islamic state would arise on their doorstep. Suddenly mandates were signed, agreements were made and the war was brought to a halt within weeks. One of the first conditions of the treaty (the Dayton accords ) was that all foreign muslim fighters should leave. Thankfully the Bosnian government had awarded these brave few who gave up their whole lives to help a country only for the reason that they were muslims citizenship and the plans of the United States had failed.

However, time fades the memories of people and the shaitan is capable of many tricks. Joining the European Union and receiving western money has become important to the Bosnian government now, and this means that pressure has been applied for 8 years against the Bosnian government to expel these “arab bosnians”. When twenty years ago they welcomed them with open arms, now they are viewed as obstacles and parasites upon the state. The government, forgetting the memories of the rape camps, the genocide, now are only concerned with the Euro and Dollar.

There are no many heartbreaking tales of these Arab Bosniaks. Several are being held in immigration centres, having been stripped of their citizenship, and are now facing imminent deportation to torture in Syria, Egypt and Tunisia.

Indeed, the muslims owe these brothers a debt, and it is our obligation to help them as they helped the muslims in those dark Bosnian days. Please inshallah do not forget them in your dua’, and if anyone wants information on how to help these brothers or more details then please contact me . You can also visit the Bosnian website :-

http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://peticija.com.ba/index.php


Umar Abdullah, 30th May 2009