Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Dealing with a Child who Gets Angry Quickly

What is Anger ?
Anger is a natural emotion. Its natures way of telling us that something in our lives has gone haywire. Anger occurs as a defensive response to a perceived attack or threat to our well-being.

In addition to psychological changes, like any emotion, anger is accompanied by physiological changes.

When you get angry your adrenaline flows, your heart rate increases, and your blood pressure escalates. The phrase, “I am so mad my blood is boiling” isnt that far from true when you fly into a rage!

Domestic abuse, road rage, workplace violence, divorce, and addictions are a few of the external examples of the results of poor anger management.

Moreover, anger can lead to physical problems when not properly managed.

Long-term anger has been linked to chronic headaches, sleep disorders, digestive problems, high blood pressure, and even heart attack.

The Sequence of Anger

Anger is usually “triggered” by an occurrence, like stubbing your toe on an inanimate object or by something that someone says.

Next, you think something like “what did I do to deserve that”. However, at this point, emotion takes over your mind and the “pain” of the situation leads you to believe the answer to your question is “Nothing. I didnt deserve that at all!”

Feelings of hurt and betrayal further try to override logic and you’re ready to act on your anger by either suppressing it or expressing it.

Means of dealing with anger include the following :

·        Seeking refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan.

·        Keeping quiet.

·        Calming down; if you are standing, you should sit down; if you are sitting, you should lie down.

·        Remembering the reward for restraining anger, as it says in the saheeh hadeeth: “Do not get angry and Paradise will be yours.”

·        Understanding the high status of one who controls himself, as it says in the saheeh hadeeth: “Whoever restrains his anger, Allaah will cover his faults. Whoever controls his fury – even if he is able to show it – Allaah will fill his heart with hope on the Day of Resurrection.” (Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 906).

·        Learning what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) teachings concerning anger.

·        Knowing that controlling anger is one of the signs of piety, as it says in the hadeeth quoted above.

·        Paying attention when reminded, controlling oneself and following advice.

·        Knowing the bad effects of anger.

·        Thinking about how one is affected at the moment of anger.

·        Praying that Allaah will remove this resentment from ones heart.

There follows a lovely story which will help you to deal with the child whose problem you mention:

There was a boy who was always losing his temper. His father gave him a bag full of nails and said to him, “My son, I want you to hammer a nail into our garden fence every time you need to direct your anger against something and you lose your temper.”

So the son started to follow his fathers advice. On the first day he hammered in 37 nails, but getting the nails into the fence was not easy, so he started trying to control himself when he got angry.

As the days went by, he was hammering in less nails, and within weeks he was able to control himself and was able to refrain from getting angry and from hammering nails. He came to his father and told him what he had achieved. His father was happy with his efforts and said to him: “But now, my son, you have to take out a nail for every day that you do not get angry.”

The son started to take out the nails for each day that he did not get angry, until there were no nails left in the fence.

He came to his father and told him what he had achieved. His father took him to the fence and said, “My son, you have done well, but look at these holes in the fence. This fence will never be the same again.” Then he added: “When you say things in a state of anger, they leave marks like these holes on the hearts of others. You can stab a person and withdraw the knife but it doesnt matter how many times you say ‘I’m sorry,’ because the wound will remain.

Islam Q&A

Right to Muslim in Prisons

Bismillaah, wal-hamdulilaah, was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa rasoolillaah,
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu
The Prophet Muhammad [s] said: “No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help”.
The Prophet [s] said: “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and free the prisoner.” And he [s] said: “It is upon the Muslim faithful to free their prisoners and to pay their ransom.”
And they give food, in spite of their love for it, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive (saying): “We feed you seeking Allah’s Face only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.” (76:8-9)
Imaam An-Nawawi said:
If the enemy captures a Muslim or two, then is it equivalent to invading a Muslim land? There are two opinions on this. The first opinion is no, because the troubling of one Muslim soldier is insignificant. The more correct and other opinion of the two is yes, because the sanctity of a single Muslim is greater than the sanctity of an entire state. Therefore, if the Islamic State is close to the location where the prisoner was captured, then it should release the prisoner and exact a fine from those who have captured him. (Kitaab ur-Rawdah, 10/216)

Imaam Al-Qurtubi said:
Our scholars have said that ransoming the prisoners with money is waajib (obligatory) , even if one dirham does not remain in the Islamic Treasury. Ibn Khuwaiz Mindaad has confirmed the existence of verses of the Qur’aan that indicate the obligation of releasing the prisoners. It has also been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (SAW) that he ransomed the prisoners and ordered others to do so as well. This has also been course taken by the Muslims and their consensus that it is incumbent to free the prisoners by taking money from the Islamic Treasury, and if that is not possible, then it becomes compulsory as a collective duty (fard kifaayah): if one person executes it, the sin is lifted from the shoulders of the rest of the Muslims.

Imaam Ibn Juzai Al-Maaliki said:
It is necessary to rescue the Muslim prisoners from the hands of the disbelievers by fighting them. If the Muslims are unable to do so, then it becomes compulsory upon them to pay the ransom money. It is incumbent on a rich person to ransom himself and on the Imaam (leader), to pay the ransom money for the poor people, from the Islamic Treasury. If they still fall short, then it becomes compulsory to take from the wealth of all the Muslims, even if it finishes their wealth.

(Kitaab Qawaaneen Al-Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyyah, Page 172)
Imaam Al-‘Izz bin Abdus-Salaam said:
Rescuing the Muslim prisoners from the hands of the disbelievers is one of the best means of coming close to Allah. Some of the scholars have said: “If even one Muslim is captured, it becomes compulsory upon us to persevere in fighting the disbelieving enemy until we either free the Muslim captives or destroy the disbelieving enemy. Therefore, what do you say if they capture a large number of Muslims?!” (Kitaab Ahkaam Al-Jihaad wa-Fadaa’ilih, Page 97)

Imaam Ibn Al-‘Arabi said:
Unless the prisoners are from the weak and oppressed, then the State should be steadfast in their cause. To help them with our bodies is waajib (obligatory) and no one should remain behind until they all leave to rescue them or spend all of their wealth to rescue them. This was said by Imaam Maalik and all of the scholars. Verily, to Allah we belong and to Him we must return, if we leave our brothers in the hands of the enemy and they have wealth, weapons, number, strength and authority. (Kitaab Ahkaam Al-Qur’aan, 2/440)

Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami said:

If the enemy captures a single Muslim, it becomes waajib (obligatory) on every one who has the ability, to rush to their rescue (even without seeking anyone’s permission). It is apparent that it is compulsory on everyone, similar to the situation where the enemy invades our land. Moreover, saving our brothers is of a higher priority, as the sanctity of a Muslim is greater (than the sanctity of a State). (Tuhfat Al-Muhtaaj, 9/237)

Imaam Abu Bakr Al-Jassaas said:

The ransoming of Muslim prisoners is one of the obligatory deeds that has been established upon us. Al-Hajjaaj bin Artaah narrated about this ruling from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) wrote a letter to the Muhaajireen and Ansaar, to detain the enemy prisoners in their stronghold, ransom their prisoners for something befitting and for peacemaking amongst the Muslims. Mansoor narrated from Shaqeeq bin Salamah from Abu Moosaa Al-Ash’ari that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Feed the hungry, spread the greeting (salaam), visit the sick and free the prisoner.”
These two serve as evidences for freeing the prisoners because the word, ‘Al-‘Aani’ in Arabic refers to the prisoner. ‘Imraan bin Husain and Salamah bin Al-Akwa’ narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) ransomed pagans for Muslim prisoners.
(Ahkaam Al-Qur’aan, 1/58)

Imaam Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani said:
The saying of Imaam Al-Bukhaari, ‘The Chapter on Freeing Prisoners’, refers to freeing them from the hands of the enemy by money or by other means. The word ‘Al-Fakaak’, where the faa’ (Arabic letter) from the word has a fatha (it is also permissible for it to take a kasrah), means to free. This word is mentioned in two hadeeths. The first one is the hadeeth of Abu Moosaa: “Free the prisoner.” Ibn Battaal said that freeing the prisoners is compulsory on a collective duty (fard kifaayah). This opinion is also held by the majority of the scholars.

(Fath Al-Baari, 6/167)
Imam Malik said: “It is obligatory on the people to redeem prisoners with their money. There is no contention on this point”.
Al-Qurtubi said: “Our scholars have said that ransoming the prisoners with money is waajib (obligatory) , even if one dirham does not remain in the Islamic Treasury.”

The Role of the Mosque in Islam

1. A place for prayers for all

The mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the main place for the believers to meet for collective prayers five times a day. This is, sadly, the one and only role that the mosque is playing now. However, there is still a major difference, which is that the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was opened for everybody, men and women, old and young, Arab and non-Arab. For evidence, refer to numerous hadiths narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, for example, under the chapters referring to mosques. There are currently shortcomings in mosques in this area in the following senses:
a. Women are generally not allowed in the majority of mosques in the Muslim world and their prayer area, if it exists, is usually less nice, to say the least, than the men’s area. The Prophet’s mosque was different. There was only one area for everybody to pray. Women prayed behind men in their own lines, and the rationale was clear: Islam avoids that men and women have close physical contact while praying to God. Praying around the Ka`bah is an exception to this rule for the obvious reason of space limits. Banning women from mosques happened a couple of decades after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) despite the protest of some Companions who narrated the hadith: “Do not prevent the maids of Allah from visiting the houses of Allah (the mosques).”

b. We see, especially in the West nowadays, mosques for Arabs and, in the same vicinity, mosques for Indians, mosques for Turks, and yet others for Africans, etc. All of this is non-Islamic. The Prophet’s Companions were from all sorts of backgrounds and all walks of life, and they all prayed together.

c. We also see some people banning small children from entering the mosque, which is also contrary to the tradition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

2. A place for socialization

The praying community used to connect in the mosque. And it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask about any Companions (male or female) whom he missed from the mosque for a day or two to help them if they needed help or visit them if they were sick.

3. A place for da`wah (calling to Islam)

There are several authentic hadiths that demonstrate that the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the normal place for those who would like to ask about Islam to come and ask. Non-Muslims were not banned or discouraged from the mosque as we, sadly, see today.

4. A place for celebration

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised the Companions to “announce the wedding ceremonies, hold them in mosques, and make them known by beating the drums,” and the mosque is the place for all that. `Eid day was also a celebration day when the “Ethiopians used to play with their spears in the mosque,” as the Prophet’s wife `A’ishah narrated. She also reported that she watched them while standing beside the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque.

5. A place for meetings and deliberation

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to gather his Companions in the mosque to discuss serious matters (like wars, treaties, famines, etc) and come up with decisions about them. The mosque was also the mustering place for the soldiers of the Islamic army, from which they started their march for wars and to which they returned when they came back.

6. A place for medical care

Before the Islamic civilization developed hospitals a couple of centuries later, the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a place for care of the wounded in wars and similar crises.

7. A place for education

The illiterate used to learn how to read and write in the mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Muslims developed their whole Islamic civilization based on the education they got in mosques.

The only activity that was forbidden in the mosque—in addition to the forbidden immoral acts—was buying and selling and related things. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it a point that mosques are not to be used for material gains. Otherwise, there is much evidence that the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was simply a “community place” that was full of all sorts of activities.

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate “May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You”

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

What to do on Eid Day

The Sunnahs that the Muslim should observe on the day of Eid are as follows:

1 – Doing ghusl before going out to the prayer.

It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth in al-Muwatta and elsewhere that Abd-Allaah ibn Umar used to do ghusl on the day of al-Fitr before going out to the prayer-place in the morning. Al-Muwatta 428.

Al- Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said that the Muslims were unanimously agreed that it is mustahabb to do ghusl for Eid prayer.

The reason why it is mustahabb is the same reason as that for doing ghusl before Jumuah and other public gatherings. Rather on Eid the reason is even stronger.

2 – Eating after the prayer on Eid al-Adha:

But on Eid al-Adha it is mustahabb not to eat anything until one comes back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has offered a sacrifice. If he is not going to offer a sacrifice there is nothing wrong with eating before the prayer.

3 – Takbeer on the day of Eid

This is one of the greatest Sunnahs on the day of Eid because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

It was narrated that al-Waleed ibn Muslim said: I asked al-Awzaai and Maalik ibn Anas about saying Takbeer out loud on the two Eids. They said, Yes, Abd-Allaah ibn Umar used to say it out loud on the day of al-Fitr until the imam came out (to lead the prayers).

Al-Daaraqutni and others narrated that on the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, Ibn Umar would strive hard in reciting takbeer until he came to the prayer place, then he would recite takbeer until the imam came out.

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated with a saheeh isnaad that al-Zuhri said: The people used to recite Takbeer on Eid when they came out of their houses until they came to the prayer place, and until the imam came out. When the imam came out they fell silent, and when he said takbeer they said takbeer. See Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/121

Saying takbeer when coming out of ones house to the prayer place and until the imam came out was something that was well known among the salaf (early generations) . This has been narrated by a number of scholars such as Ibn Abi Shaybah, ‘Abd a l-Razzaaq and al-Firyaabi in Ahkaam al-Eidayn from a group of the salaf. For example, Naafi ibn Jubayr used to recite takbeer and was astonished that the people did not do so, and he said, “Why do you not recite takbeer?”

Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri (may Allaah have mercy on him) used to say, “The people used to recite takbeer from the time they came out of their houses until the imam came in.”

The time for takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night before Eid until the imam enters to lead the Eid prayer.

In the case of Eid al-Adha, the takbeer begins on the first day of Dhul-Hijjah and lasts until sunset on the last of the days of tashreeq.

Description of the takbeer:

It was narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used to recite takbeer during the days of tashreeq:

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar,

laa ilaaha ill-Allaah,

wa Allaahu akbar,

Allaah akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd

(Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most great, Allaah is most great, and to Allaah be praise).

It was also narrated elsewhere by Ibn Abi Shaybah with the same isnaad, but with the phrase “Allaahu akbar” repeated three times.

Al-Mahaamili narrated with a saheeh isnaad also from Ibn Masood: “Allaahu akbaru kabeera, Allaahu akbaru kabeera, Allaahu akbar wa ajallu, Allaahu akbar wa Lillaah il-hamd

(Allaah is Most Great indeed, Allaah is Most Great indeed, Allaah is most Great and Glorified, Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise).” See al-Irwa’, 3/126.

4 – Offering congratulations

The etiquette of Eid also includes the congratulations and good wishes exchanged by people, no matter what the wording, such as saying to one another

Taqabbala Allaah minna wa minkum

(May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you” or “Eid mubaarak” and other permissible expressions of congratulations.

It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another, “May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you.” Ibn Hajar said, its isnaad is hasan. Al-Fath, 2/446.

Offering congratulations was something that was well known among the Sahaabah, and scholars such as Imam Ahmad and others allowed it. There is evidence which suggests that it is prescribed to offer congratulations and good wishes on special occasions, and that the Sahaabah congratulated one another when good things happened, such as when Allaah accepted the repentance of a man, they went and congratulated him for that, and so on.

Undoubtedly these congratulations are among the noble characteristics among the Muslims.

5 – Adorning oneself on the occasion of Eid.

It was narrated that Abd-Allaah ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that Umar took a brocade cloak that was for sale in the market and brought it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, buy this and adorn yourself with it for Eid and for receiving the delegations.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him, “Rather this is the dress of one who has no share (of piety or of reward in the Hereafter)…” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 948.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) agreed with Umar on the idea of adorning oneself for Eid, but he denounced him for choosing this cloak because it was made of silk.

It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a cloak which he would wear on the two Eids and on Fridays. Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, 1756,

Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad that Ibn Umar used to wear his best clothes on Eid.

So a man should wear the best clothes that he has when going out for Eid.

With regard to women, they should avoid adorning themselves when they go out for Eid, because they are forbidden to show off their adornments to non-mahram men. It is also haraam for a woman who wants to go out to put on perfume or to expose men to temptation, because they are only going out for the purpose of worship.

6 – Going to the prayer by one route and returning by another.

It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to vary his route. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 986.

It was said that the reason for that was so that the two routes would testify for him on the Day of Resurrection, for the earth will speak on the Day of Resurrection and say what was done on it, both good and bad.

What NOT to do on Eid Day

1. To shave the beards especially for Eid. The Prophet [pbuh] has ordered us not to shave our beards; so it is a shame that, on this great day of demonstrating our differences in ceremonies to those of the Mushriks, that some Muslim shaves his beard so that he looks “clean” like the Mushriks.

2. To imitate the Mushriks in their practices and dress, and to shake hands with women. The Prophet [pbuh] said: “It is better that a man is hit with needle on his head than to touch a woman who is not lawful for him.” [Silsilat al-Ahadeeth as-Sahiha]

3. To listen to music on Eid. The Prophet [pbuh] said: “There will be some in my nation who will regard adultery, men dressing in silk, drinking intoxicants (al-Khamr), and musical instruments to be lawful.” [Bukhaari, Abu Dawood and Bayhaqee]

4. For women not to wear Hijaab. To do so is to celebrate Eid while committing a major sin.

5. To visit the graveyard especially on Eid. It is permitted to visit the graveyard all year long so we should not make a special case out of it on Eid.

6. To waste money and being extravagant with food instead of giving them to the poor.

http://www.masjidib rahim.org/ articles/ worship/eid_ celebrations. htm

Thoughts at the Brink of the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah
By Dr. `Adel Bana`ima
Adel Bin Ahmed Bana`ima is a lecturer at the University of Umm Al-Qura and the editor-in-chief of Jusoor magazine.

These ten days are among Allah’s graces granted to His servants as Allah created in the souls of the believers the longing to see the Holy Mosque in Makkah and no one can see it every year, He obligated Hajj on those who have the ability to perform it only once in their lifetime and He made the ten days a mutual occasion for both those who travel to Hajj and those who stay at home. Therefore, whoever is unable to perform Hajj one year, can do in those ten days what is even better than jihad – which is in turn better then Hajj – from their own home.

The Aggregation of Virtues

Among the virtues of the ten are days is the following:

1- That Almighty Allah swore upon them when He says (By the Dawn and ten nights.) (Al-Fajr 89:1-2) and the majority of interpreters of the Qur`an say that it refers to the ten days of the Dhul-Hijjah.

2- That they are part of the forty days of solitude which Almighty Allah appointed for Prophet Moses (peace and blessings be upon him), (And when We did appoint for Moses thirty nights (of solitude), and added to them ten) (Al-A`raf 7: 142)

3- That they are the end of the months of Hajj: Shawwal, Dhul-Qi`dah , and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Almighty Allah says, (The pilgrimage is (in) the well-known months) (Al-Baqarah 2: 197)

4- That they are among the well-known days in which Almighty Allah ordained the worship of remembrance and thankfulness for His grace of sending cattle, (And proclaim unto mankind the pilgrimage. They will come unto thee on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every deep ravine. That they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention the name of Allah on appointed days over the beast of cattle that He has bestowed upon them) (Al-Hajj 22: 27-28) and the majority of interpreters say that the known days are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

5- That they include the two days of `Arafah (the ninth of Dhul Hijjah) and An-Nahr (the day of slaughtering sacrificial animals) that are among the greatest days in Islam. According to this hadith: “The best days to Allah are the day of An-Nahr then the day of An-Nafr (the 11th day of Dhul-Hijjah)” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

6- That the five pillars of Islam do not occur together except in those days. Ibn Hajar says: “Apparently the reason for the supremacy of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is that they gather all the major forms of worship, i.e. prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage; this is something that does not occur during any other days.”

Hasten to Perform Hajj

If the ten days are so highly ranked, then it is a duty to reap their benefits with diligence and ardent efforts.

When these ten days came, Ibn Abbas used to exert unprecedented efforts that he was barely able to exert and he used to say: “Do not blow out the lanterns in the ten days because of liking worship.” .

The best act of worship in these ten days is performing pilgrimage to the Holy Mosque in Makkah. This is a form of worship from which people emerge pure, clear and free from sins just like the day they were born.

It is a most hideous thing for a person who has not performed Hajj to plan spending these days in anything other than Hajj while they have the ability to. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever wants to perform Hajj, let them hasten to do so, as they may fall ill, lose their riding animal and the need may arise” (Authenticated by Al-Albani) Also, he said (peace and blessings be upon him): “Hasten to Hajj because none of you knows what may arise,” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

Sa`id Ibn Al-Masayyib narrated that `Umar said: “I was on the point of sending men to these countries to see who has wealth and has not performed Hajj to make them pay the jizyah. They are not Muslims! They are not Muslims!” According to Al-Bayhaqy there is another narration where jizyah `Umar said: “Let him die Jewish or Christian (`Umar said that three times) the man who dies without performing Hajj despite having the financial ability and the unobstructed way.”

Therefore, we should be most careful in avoiding delay with unacceptable excuses.

Hasten to Good Deeds

Then there are other types of worship that are preferable to increase in these days like:

1- Remembrance of Almighty Allah as in the hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad: “There are no days greater to Allah nor more loved to do good deeds in them than in these ten days, so say the tahlil and takbir and tahmid a lot in them.”

Tahlil is saying la ilaha illa Allah, i.e. None has the right to be worshiped except Allah; Takbir is saying Allahu Akbar, i.e Allah is the greatest; Tahmid is saying al-hamdu lillah, i.e. All praise be to Allah.

It is preferable in these days to do muqayyad or restricted takbir (After obligatory Prayers) and mutlaq or unrestricted takbir (performed every where at any time). So men can say the unrestricted takbir aloud since the first day of Dhul-Hijjah in the alleys, the streets, and the markets. They can also make restricted takbir following the Prayers starting from the day of `Arafah for those who are not performing Hajj. As for those who are performing Hajj, they say the takbir from the day of Al-Nahr to the end of At-Tashriq (the three days after the day of An-Nahr) days.

Abu Hurairah and `Abdullah ibn `Umar used to go to the market in the ten days and do takbir and people would join them, and they would go for no reason but this.

2- Fasting: Abu Dawud narrated from some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to fast the nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of `Ashura, three days every month, the first Monday of the month and on Thursdays. He used to encourage the fast of the day of `Arafah saying (peace and blessings be upon him): “Fasting the day of `Arafah I seek from Allah to make it expiate the sins of the year before and the year after” (Ibn Majah)

3- Night Prayer: This prayer falls within the established acts of worship in these blessed days. Sa`id Ibn Jubair used to exert utmost efforts in these days that he could barely keep up.

4- Blood Sacrifice: This refers to the animals that are slaughtered on the days of nahr to seek closeness to Almighty Allah. It is a sunnah or a tradition established in every religion. Almighty Allah says: (To every people did We appoint rites (of sacrifice), that they might celebrate the name of Allah over the sustenance He gave them from animals (fit for food),) (Al-Hajj 22:34). It is also a confirmed sunnah and so it is reprehensible for someone who is financially able to perform it, to leave it because Almighty Allah linked it to Prayer in the verse: (Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice.) ( Al-Kawthar 108:2). Also, slaughter is better than giving its worth in money as charity. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed two graceful, horned sheep, one on behalf of his household and another for those who did not sacrifice anything among his nation. Moreover, it is up to people to sacrifice on behalf of whoever they want; whether alive or dead.

It is a condition that the sacrificed animal be from cattle (camels, cows, sheep, and goats), to be in the permissible age in Shari`ah (five years for camels, two years for cows, one year for goats, and six months for sheep), to be safe from preventing defects (like being one-eyed or lame), and to be slaughtered after the `Eid prayer. This is according to the hadith: “Whoever slaughters -the animal- before prayer should slaughter another in its stead” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

One sheep is sufficient for a person and his family and whoever that person wants on condition that the owner is one and the partnership is rewarded. Partnership in possession does not apply for sheep and there must be one owner only. However, camels and cows can be divided among up to seven persons.

Surely, slaughtering the sacrificed animal is better than giving its worth in money and even more as charity because the slaughter and bloodshed is intended in itself and is an act of worship associated with Prayer.

The prophetic tradition for those who sacrifice is to divide the slaughtered animal into three parts: to eat one third, give one third as charity, and to give one third as gifts.

It is prohibited for those who wish to make a sacrifice to cut any of their hair, nails, or skin from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. The evidence is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If the ten days start, and one of you wants to make a sacrifice, they should not take anything from their hair or skin.” (Ibn Majah). The reason for this is to resemble those in ihram who are performing Hajj.

The apparent meaning is that prohibition concerns the person who will sacrifice. In this way, if the head of a family is sacrificing on behalf of his family, it is only prohibited for him to do any of the above, but the rest of the family are not prohibited to cut any of their hair or nails because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it conditional for the person who will sacrifice. Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sacrificed on behalf of his household and it was never reported that he prevented them from cutting their hair or nails.

Rancour

Ghill is a malady of the heart that is closely related to rancour, extreme anger, and malice. It comes from the same Arabic root from which the word aghlal originates, which is used in the Quran to mean yokes around the neck (Quran 36:8), as if to say that rancour dwells in a heart bound to rancour and treachery. Rancour is pungent emotion that is rooted in being extremely angry at a person to the point that one wishes harm to come to him. But the ultimate victim of rancour is its carrier.

Imam Mawlud says that if a person feels rancour toward a particular person, he should show that person goodwill. By nature, people are naturally inclined to love those who do good to them. And if one shows a person good, feelings of rancour will fall to the wayside.

If a person has rancour toward another believer, God shall not forgive that person until he forgives his brother, for rancour is a serious affliction that festers in one’s heart and blocks good things from coming to one.

Compiled From:
“Purification of The Heart” – Hamza Yusuf, pp.122, 123

Rejoice! All of you who Fasted!

by Asma bint Shameem

Rejoice, O believers!

All of you who fasted with faith and sincerity this month of Ramadhaan, I have good news for you!

Rejoice….. for I am about to tell you a beautiful, beautiful hadeeth from our beloved Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam).

A hadeeth that will be….

the coolness of your eyes…..the delight of your heart…… and the solace for your soul.

And what is this beautiful hadeeth, you say?

Imam Ahmad reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) that the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said: “My nation was given five specific things during the month of Ramadhaan which no nation before us was given. The breath of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah then the smell of musk, the Angels ask for the forgiveness of the fasting one until they eat, Allah beautifies Heaven every day and says, “My righteous servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be sent to you”, the Devils are chained so that they are not able to do what they would normally do otherwise, and they are forgiven in the last night, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, are you referring to Laylatul-Qadr? , He replied, ‘No, but indeed the reward follows the good deed, once the deed is performed.’”

Subhaan Allaah waAllaahu Akbar!

Look at the Mercy and Generosity of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Taala.

He gave us, yes us, five things He never gave to any other nation before us.

And what are those five things?

1) Breath sweeter than musk

You know the smell that comes from your mouth that you try so hard to brush away and sometimes feel embarrassed about, well that very breath is dearer to Allah than musk itself.

That is because it is the result of worship and obedience of Allah. You stayed away from food and drink and that caused your body to produce that smell.

Whatever is a result of obedience and worship, it is beloved to Allaah and He will reward you for it with something much better and higher and everlasting.

Do you not see the shaheed who is killed in the way of Allah? He will come on the Day of Judgment with blood that is red, but its smell will be the smell of musk.

And during Hajj Allah says so proudly to his Angels, “Look at my slaves who have come to me disheveled and dusty.” (Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Habban in his Saheeh).

This disheveled appearance is beloved to Allah in this situation because it is a sign of obedience to Him.

So be glad and know that your breath is beloved to your Rabb. And He will reward you for it with something much better.

2) Angels ask for your forgiveness until you break your fast.

Just imagine! Angels!! Making dua for you!!

Angels…that are beloved to Allaah!

Angels….that are noble slaves to Allah!

“They do not disobey Allah in what they are commanded, and they do what they are ordered.” (at-Tahreem: 6)

And they are most deserving for their duaa to be answered for the people who fast.

Subhaan Allaah! What more could one ask for?!

3) Heaven is beautified for you.

Whenever we expect an important guest, we prepare the house for them because we want to honor them…

because we want to please them and make them comfortable. So imagine, if Allaah, Rabbul Aalameen, prepares His Jannah for you, because He wants to honor you and please you and make you comfortable.

And that is not just one day….but it is beautified every day.

And Allaah Subhaanahu wa Taala says about you:

“My righteous servants are about to be spared suffering and harm, then they will be sent to you.”

The Ulama tell us that this suffering refers to whatever suffering and hardship a believer goes through in this life. And that includes bearing patiently in the month of Ramadhaan, your hunger and thirst, holding back from harming your fellow Muslim with your tongue and hand, staying away from the disobedience of Allaah and staying firm upon His Commands.

So be glad….a beautiful abode awaits you if you obey your Lord.

4) The Devils are locked up.

This is from Allahs help for the believer. See how much Allaah loves the believer! He, Subhaanahu wa Taala, chains the major Shayaateen up so that they are not able to mislead the believer as much or keep him away from the obedience of his Lord.

And that explains why it is easier for you to do good this month, and easier to wake up for Fajr and easy to stand for Taraweeh, and do all those other good deeds that Allaah enables you to do. And it is easier to stay away from evil in this month more than in any other month.

What a mercy and blessing from Allaah!

5) Allaah will forgive you.

Allah forgives the ummah of Muhammad (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) in the last night of this month. If you did what was required of you in this blessed month….if you fasted and prayed, and observed the boundaries set by Allaah, staying away from haraam and obeying Allaah to the best of your ability, then Allah will reward you when you complete the deed and forgive you your sins.

For indeed the good deed is rewarded at the completion of the deed.

Allaah says:

“Is there any reward for good other than good?” (Surah ar-Rahmaan:60)

Is there a better reward than this that anyone could ask for?

So rejoice and celebrate and thank Allaah. Be grateful for all the blessings He gave you and realize how easy He made for you to achieve Jannah. Just by fasting for His sake, only for a short while, from sunrise to sunset and that only for a month.

Subhaan Allaah wa Alhamdulillaah! Such little effort on our part and such great reward!

And continue this effort throughout the year. Use this training that you had during the month of Ramadhaan to do good, to pray on time and stand for tahajjud, to give charity and keep up the ties of kinship.

Keep up the recitation of the Quraan and do your best to stay away from haraam. And you will find with your lord, a reward that no eye has seen and no heart can imagine.

“Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?” (Surah ar-Rahmaan:51)

Sudan Iftar Introduces Islam

By Ismail Khushkusk, Islam OnLine Correspondent
The iftar dinners serve as an opportunity for non-Arabic speaking Muslims to get together and learn more about Islam.

KHARTOUM – Ramadan iftar dinners are presenting an opportunity for many foreign students and workers in Sudan to learn more about Ramadan and Islam.

“There was a need for such an effort because many Asian and African workers have come to Sudan in recent years,” Muhammad Osman, the secretary general of Welcome to Islam, an Islamic educational group, told IslamOnlin.net.

“Many started to ask questions about Islam so we wanted to fill this need.”

One activity Welcome to Islam has initiated is its annual iftar where members of various expatriate communities are invited to share the fast-breaking meal together.

“We have guests from India, Nigeria and other countries,” Osman explains.

Sudan has been witnessing an economic boom for the last eight years due to oil exports and foreign direct investment.

An influx of workers and experts has accompanied this boom coming from various world countries.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between during the day.

At sunset Muslims break their fast at iftar dinners, usually with family and friends.

“I liked how people got together and co-cooperated,” says Muthunnijam Parabagran, a Sri Lankan who works for a coffee company in Khartoum.

He attended Welcome to Islam’s iftar dinner at the invitation of a friend and was impressed with the communal feeling.

Know Islam

Welcome to Islam has also benefited from the experience of many former Sudanese expatriates who lived in the West in its educational and dialogue efforts.

“We have people like Shaykh Muhammad Nur, the former president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) who has been very helpful,” asserts Osman, the organization’s secretary general.

“The individuals we helped were very happy and grateful to find this organization that helped them learn more.”

Shamsuddin Bolatito, a student from Nigeria, was invited to Welcome to Islam’s iftar dinners for the second time.

A practicing Muslim himself, he believes the iftar dinners serve as an opportunity for non-Arabic speaking Muslims to get together and learn more about Islam.

“I have friends from Nigeria and Kenya who came to Sudan to study,” he explains.

“Many now come to Welcome to Islam’s activities to learn more.”

Bolatito, who volunteers with Welcome to Islam, contends that the organization niche lies in its use of English to promote educational programs about Islam.

Among the group’s other educational activities is helping organize a weekly Friday sermon in English at a local mosque for non-Arabic speakers.

“The individuals we helped were very happy and grateful to find this organization that helped them learn more,” says Osman, its secretary general.

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Venue: Morcaz Dawah of International University of Africa

By Muneeb Baig

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient Holy Land…..”, so began the letter written by El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbaz, formerly Malcolm X, on his Hajj trip in 1964. He continued, “…There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white. America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem…”

Malcolm X’s life had been a series of changes. He was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925. After his father’s violent murder in 1931, Malcolm’s family was left poor and destitute. They were forced to accept support from the state Welfare people, who kept their pressure on them, especially on Malcolm’s mother, until she suffered a complete breakdown and was institutionalized. The family was torn apart, with children placed in separate households.

Malcolm attended school until the eighth grade. A white teacher’s remark concerning his desire to become a lawyer (“A lawyer – that’s no realistic goal for a nigger.”) hurt him deeply and he became disillusioned with school.

Malcolm left Lansing and moved to live with his half-sister, Ella, in Boston. There he began to explore the streets and quickly caught on the slang and ways of the street. After getting a job on the train, he visited Harlem and became enchanted. He moved there in 1942, at the age of seventeen.

Malcolm became a hustler, dope peddler, and gambler and was nicknamed “Detroit Red.” After becoming involved in a fight with another hustler, he escaped to New York, where he became involved in armed robbery. He was addicted to drugs, which he used as an escape from the worries and strains of the street. In February 1946, he was caught and charged with burglary and sentenced to ten years in prison.

Prison changed Malcolm greatly. He started to reform. A fellow inmate called “Bimbi” made a positive impression on Malcolm and urged him to take prison correspondence courses and use the library. Malcolm, who had lost all of his eighth-grade education on the streets, began to study seriously and his grammar and penmanship improved. He also started to learn Latin.

In 1948, Malcolm’s siblings introduced him to the Nation of Islam and urged him to accept its teachings. Though at first hostile to religion, Malcolm became more interested when his brother Reginald sent a letter saying, “Malcolm, don’t eat any more pork, and don’t smoke cigarettes. I’ll show you how to get out of prison.” Malcolm was interested and gave abstinence a try. His actions made him feel proud, especially when he startled his fellow convicts with his refusal to eat pork.

Malcolm began to learn the teachings of the Nation of Islam. Original man was black, who built great empires and civilizations, while the “devil white man”, was created by a mad scientist, called Mr. Yacub, and had pillaged, murdered, and exploited every race of man not white. This white man had “whitened” history and brainwashed the black man so much so that he did not know his own name, language, culture, religion, or ancestry. Christianity was the white man’s religion, used to subjugate the blacks by promising them heaven after death, while enjoying his heaven right here on earth.

According to the Nation of Islam, a man named Wallace D. Fard had appeared on Earth and was “God in person.” He appointed Elijah Muhammad as his messenger to the “lost-found Nation of Islam here in this wilderness of North America.”

Malcolm was fascinated. He began to read history and read about the horrors that the white race perpetrated on members of other races all over the world throughout history and how this race has always been haughty and proud.

After his release from prison, Malcolm became an active member of the Nation of Islam. He would go out on the streets, “fishing” for more converts. His efforts and dedication pleased Elijah Muhammad and he was appointed minister of Temple Seven in New York City in June 1954.

Publicity came slowly at first and then rapidly increased. In 1957, a police brutality event and its reaction brought the Nation of Islam to the headlines. Then in 1959, the Nation was catapulted to mainstream news. The television program “The Hate that Hate Produced” was aired, producing sudden interest in the Nation of Islam. Newspapers began to run series of stories on the Nation. Magazines increased their coverage. Radio and television people soon began to request Malcolm X to defend the Nation of Islam in panel discussions and debates. Malcolm X’s publicity increased. But, publicity caused jealousy and by 1961, Malcolm began to hear negative remarks from members of the Nation of Islam regarding him.

Rumors concerning Elijah’s extreme immorality surfaced. Elijah and his family considered Malcolm as a man dangerous to Elijah’s authority and began to plot to get rid of him.

On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Malcolm commented on it as a case of “chickens coming home to roost.” He was immediately silenced and isolated for ninety days. The machinery for eliminating him was set into place. The event was made to look like Malcolm had rebelled. He started receiving death threats.

Malcolm, though shocked at his expulsion from an organization that he had worked so hard and long to build and strengthen and whose leader he nearly worshiped, kept his determination to continue the struggle for the black man.

In 1964, Malcolm, along with other brothers who broke with the Nation of Islam, founded Muslim Mosque Inc. He decided that this organization was to open to all blacks, regardless of faith. On April 13, 1964, Malcolm left for Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah under the name of Malik El-Shabazz. It was at the Hajj when Malcolm was to undergo another radical change.

Until now, Malcolm could be considered a black racist. He attacked whites based on the color of their skin and stated that their race was the devil race, which could never do any good. Now, at the greatest religious gathering on the face of this Earth, he realized that color does not determine character, but deeds do.

He experienced great hospitality and brotherhood in the Holy Land from people of all colors, races, and nationalities. The idea that white man is the devil began to fade as he saw the color-blindness that Islam brought to society. His ideas changed as he saw that the cure to racism was neither white-supremacy nor black-supremacy, but Islam, which united people of all origins under the belief in the Oneness of God and made them cease to measure each other based on the color of the skin.

He himself stated, “I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.”

Malcolm saw that the solution to the racial problem in America lay in the mutual cooperation of both sincere whites and blacks in educating and eliminating racism from their peoples. He called for blacks to reevaluate themselves, to get rid of the “Negro” image, to consider themselves not as Americans but as Africans in America, and to unite in removing the vices rampant in their communities as well as take control of the economies in their communities so the white man does not continue to get rich off the poor black man.

He was against passive nonviolence, saying that it accomplished nothing and was a method of delaying the solution. He did not advocate violence, but said that active self defense was necessary for blacks to attain human rights in America.

Malcolm was faced with many enemies. The Nation of Islam made no secret of its animosity towards him, whom they considered an apostate. White supremacists who were threatened by his calls for awakening in the black communities also kept their pressure on him. By the end of 1964, he realized that his end was close. He considered every day “another borrowed day.”

In January 1965, harassment was reaching its peak. Members of the Nation of Islam kept following Malcolm wherever he went, trying to find an opportunity to kill him. In the early morning of February 14, his house was firebombed. Though his family escaped bodily harm, the home was severely damaged.

The next weekend, on February 21, at the age of 39, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was gunned down as he began to speak at the Audobon Ballroom. He was buried in Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale on February 27, 1965. For millions of people around the world, both black and white, he was a hero who had fought for the rights of his people and was martyred in the process.

From AlBalagh.net