Tag: Q n A

Praise be to Allah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed she did desire him, and he would have inclined
to her desire, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord”

[Yoosuf 12:24]
Her desire was to commit
sin, but as for Yoosuf (peace be upon him), if he had not see the evidence
of his Lord, he would have inclined to her desire – because of human nature
– but he did not, because of the evidence mentioned. 

Because he hadseen seen the evidence of his Lord, he did not
incline to her desire. 

Abu Haatim said: I used to recite ghareeb al-Qur’aan
to Abu ‘Ubaydah, and when I reached the verse (interpretation of the
meaning): “And indeed she did desire him, and he would have inclined to
her desire” [Yoosuf 12:24], Abu ‘Ubayd said: This is to be understood as
meaning that he saw the proof of his Lord, and so he did not incline to her
desire. 

Al-Qurtubi, al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, 9/165. 

Al-Shanqeeti said in Adwa’ al-Bayaan (3/58): 

This may be answered from two angles: 

1 – That what is meant by saying “Yoosuf would have inclined
to her desire” is that a thought crossed his mind, but the influence of
taqwa (piety) deflected that thought. One of them said: this is the natural
inclination and the instinctive desire that is restrained by taqwa. There is
no sin in that because this is something that is instilled in man and is not
under his control. It says in the hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to divide his time equally among his
wives and treat them fairly, then he would say: “O Allaah, this is how I
divide that over which I have control, so do not take me to task for that
which is beyond my control” – meaning the inclination of the heart. [Abu
Dawood, al-Sunan, hadeeth no. 2134. 
This is like the fasting
person’s inclination towards cold water and food, while at the same time his
taqwa prevents him from drinking or eating whilst he is fasting. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Whoever thinks of an evil action but does not do it, one hasanah will
be recorded for him.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, no.
6491; Muslim, no. 207] 

2 – Yoosuf (peace be upon him) did not think of doing
anything at all, because he was prevented  from doing so because of the
proof of his Lord. This view which was favoured by Abu Hasaan and others is
more correct according to the rules of the Arabic language. 

Then he started to quote the evidence to support the view he
favoured. Based on the above, the meaning of the verse – and Allaah knows
best – is that if Yoosuf (peace be upon him) had not seen the proof of his
Lord, he would have inclined towards her desire, but because he had seen the
proof of his Lord he did not incline towards her desire and did not think of
it at all. Similarly, just thinking of something without doing it is not
regarded as a sin. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and
peace upon his noble Prophet.

Praise be to Allah.You should note that one of the ways in which Allah deals with His chosen slaves is to test them according to the level of their faith, to show who is sincere and who is not. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Alif-Laam-Meem.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.]
2. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested.
3. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test)” [Al-‘Ankaboot 29:1-3]
Those who are most severely tested are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best, as it says in the saheeh hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 
If you study the seerah (biography) of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), you will see that he went through severe tests; he was even accused of being a liar, a sorcerer and a madman; garbage and filth were thrown on his back; he was expelled from Makkah; and his feet bled in al-Taa’if. This was the situation of all the Prophets who were rejected before him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 
Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allah have mercy on him) suffered the same as other sincere scholars and daa’iyahs, but in the end the message of truth that he brought prevailed. How could it be otherwise? How could the light of truth be extinguished? Think about this man and how Allah helped him to sow the seeds of Tawheed throughout the Arabian Peninsula and put an end to all kinds of shirk. If this indicates anything, it indicates that he was sincere in his call and made sacrifices for that cause as far as we can tell, and of course his efforts were supported and helped by Allah. 
But the enemies of this call have spared no effort to make false accusations concerning it. They claimed – falsely – that the Shaykh claimed to be a prophet, and that he did not respect the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) properly, and that he condemned all the ummah as kaafirs… and other fabrications and lies that were told about him. Anyone who examines these claims will realize for sure that they are all lies and fabrications. The books of the Shaykh which are widely circulated bear the greatest witness to that, and his followers who answered his call never mentioned anything to that effect. If the matter were as they claim, his followers would have conveyed the same ideas, otherwise they would have been disloyal to him. If you want to know more details about this and to clarify the matter, you should read the book Da’aawa al-Manaawi’een li Da’wah al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab by Dr ‘Abd al-‘Azeez al-‘Abd al-Lateef, which will answer all your questions, if Allah wills. 
With regard to calling his followers Wahhaabis, this is just another in a long series of fabrications made up by the enemies of his call, to divert people away from the call of truth and to place a barrier between his call and the people so that the call will not reach them. If you study the story of how al-Tufayl ibn ‘Amr al-Dawsi (may Allah be pleased with him) became Muslim, you will see the parallels with what happened in the case of Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab. 
Ibn Hishaam narrated in his Seerah (1/394) that al-Tufayl set out towards Makkah, but Quraysh intercepted him at the gates of the city and warned him against listening to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They made him think that he was a sorcerer who could cause division between man and wife… they kept on at him until he took some cotton and put it in his ears. Then when he saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he thought to himself that he would take out the cotton and listen to him, and if what he said was true then he would accept it from him, and if he what he said was false and abhorrent, he would reject it. When he listened to him, all he could do was become Muslim on the spot. 
Yes, he became Muslim after putting cotton in his ears. Those who oppose the call of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab fabricated lies the same way Quraysh did. Quraysh understood full well that the call of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had the power to reach people’s hearts and minds, so they exaggerated in their lies about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in an attempt to stop the truth reaching people. Similarly we see that those who speak against Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab and his followers repeat the same lies that were told against the original call. 
You should – if you follow the truth – not pay any attention to these lies and fabrications. You should look for the truth of the matter by reading the books of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab, for his books are the greatest proof that these people are lying, praise be to Allah. 
There is another subtle point that should be noted, which is that the Shaykh’s name was Muhammad, the attributive of which is Muhammadi. The word Wahhabi is the attributive derived from al-Wahhaab (the Bestower), who is Allah, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower [al-Wahhaab]” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:8]
As al-Zajjaaj said in Ishtiqaaq Asma’-Allah, p. 126, al-Wahhaab “is the One Who gives a great deal. This form (fa’’aal) in Arabic is indicative of something that is done to a great extent. Allah is al-Wahhaab (the Bestower) Who gives to His slaves one after another.” 
Undoubtedly the path of al-Wahhaab is the path of truth in which there is no crookedness or fabrication, and His party is the one that will prevail. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“And whosoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as Protectors, then the party of Allah will be the victorious” [Al-Maa’idah 5:56] 
“They are the party of Allah. Verily, it is the party of Allah that will be the successful” [Al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
Long ago they accused al-Shaafa’i of being a Raafidi (Shi’ah) and he refuted them by saying:
“If being a Raafidi means loving the family of Muhammad, then let the two races (of mankind and the jinn) bear witness that I am a Raafidi.” 
We refute the claims of those who accuse us of being Wahhabis by quoting the words of Shaykh Mullah ‘Imraan who was a Shi’i but Allah guided him to the Sunnah. He said: 
“If the follower of Ahmad [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)] is a Wahhaabi, then I affirm that I am a Wahhaabi 
I reject the association of any other with Allah, for I have no Lord except the Unique, the Bestower (al-Wahhaab) 
Those who were called by the Prophet accused him of being a sorcerer and a liar.” 
(See: Manhaaj al-Firqat al-Naajiyah by Shaykh Muhammad Jameel Zayno, p. 142-143. 
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.What is Al-Masjid al-Aqsa?
Al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem) was the first of the two qiblahs (prayer direction), and is one of the three mosques to which people may travel for the purpose of worship. 
Who built al-Masjid al-Aqsa?
And it was said that Al-Aqsa Mosque was built by Sulayman (peace be upon him), as stated in Sunan al-Nasai (693) and classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Nasai. 
It was said that Al-Aqsa Mosque  existed before Sulayman (peace be upon him) and that Sulayman rebuilt it; this is based on the evidence narrated in al-Sahihayn from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was built on earth first?’ He said, ‘Al-Masjid al-Haram [in Makkah].’ I said, ‘Then which?’ He said, ‘Al-Masjid al-Aqsa.’ I said, ‘How much time was there between them?’ He said, ‘Forty years. So wherever you are when the time for prayer comes, pray, for that is the best thing to do.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3366; Muslim, 520)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was taken on the Night Journey (Isra) to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), where he led the Prophets in prayer in this blessed mosque. 
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]
Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” [al-Isra 17:1]
Who built the Dome of the Rock?
The Dome of the Rock was built by the caliph ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 72 AH. 
It says in al-Mawsu’ah al-Filastiniyyah (4/203): 
“The name al-Masjid al-Aqsa was historically applied to the entire sanctuary (al-Haram al-Sharif) and the buildings in it, the most important of which is the Dome of the Rock which was built by ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 72 AH/691 CE, which is regarded as one of the greatest Islamic historical buildings. But today the name is applied to the great mosque which is situated in the southern part of the sanctuary plateau.” 
It also says in al-Mawsu’ah (3/23): 
“The Dome of the Rock is situated in the middle of the plateau of al-Masjid al-Aqsa, which is in the southeastern part of the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem). It is a spacious rectangular plateau which measures 480 meters from north to south, and 300 meters from east to west. This plateau occupies approximately one-fifth of the area of the Old City of Jerusalem.” 
Difference between al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock 
The mosque which is the place of prayer is not the Dome of the Rock, but because pictures of the Dome are so widespread, many Muslims think when they see it that this is the mosque. This is not in fact the case. The Mosque is situated in the southern portion of the plateau, and the Dome is built on the raised rock that is situated in the middle of the plateau. 
We have already seen above that the name of the mosque was historically applied to the whole plateau. 
This is supported by the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) in Majmu’at al-Rasail al-Kubra, 2/61: 
“Al-Masjid al-Aqsa is the name for the whole of the place of worship built by Sulayman (peace be upon him). Some people started to give the name of al-Aqsa to the prayer-place which was built by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab in front of it. Praying in this prayer-place which ‘Umar built for the Muslims is better than praying in the rest of the mosque, because when ‘Umar conquered Jerusalem there was a huge garbage dump on the rock, since the Christians wanted to show their scorn for the place towards which the Jews used to pray. So ‘Umar issued orders that the filth be removed and he said to Ka’b: ‘Where do you think we should build a place of prayer for the Muslims?’ He said, ‘Behind the rock.’ He said, ‘O you son of a Jewish woman! Are you influenced by your Jewish ideas! Rather I will build it in front of it.’
Hence when the imams of this ummah entered the mosque, they would go and pray in the prayer-place that was built by ‘Umar. With regard to the Rock, neither ‘Umar nor any of the Sahabah prayed there, and there was no dome over it during the time of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. It was open to the sky during the caliphate of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Mu’awiyah, Yazid and Marwan… The scholars among the Sahabah and those who followed them in truth did not venerate the rock because it was an abrogated qiblah… rather it was venerated by the Jews and some of the Christians.” 
‘Umar denounced Ka’b al-Ahbar and called him the son of a Jewish woman because Ka’b had been a Jewish scholar and rabbi, so when he suggested to ‘Umar that he should build the mosque behind the rock, that was out of respect for the rock so that the Muslims would face it when praying, and veneration of the rock was part of the religion of the Jews, not the religion of the Muslims. 
The Muslims’ fondness for the picture of the Dome may be because of the beauty of this building, but this does not excuse them from the resulting mistake of not distinguishing between the Mosque and the buildings that surround it. 
This may be one of the plots and tricks of the Jews, because of their veneration for the rock and their facing it in prayer. Or it may be in order to give importance to the Rock so that they can fulfil their desire to build the so-called Temple of Solomon on the ruins of al-Masjid al-Aqsa. This is by making the Muslims think that al-Masjid al-Aqsa is the Dome of the Rock, so that if the Jews start to destroy al-Masjid al-Aqsa and the Muslims denounce them for that, they will tell them, “Al-Masjid al-Aqsa is fine,” and will show them a picture of the Dome of the Rock. Thus they will achieve their aims and be safe from the Muslims’ criticism. 
We ask Allah to restore the Muslims’ power and glory, and to cleanse al-Masjid al-Aqsa of the criminals, “for Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.” (Surah Yusuf 12:21)
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.In fact people differed concerning that. It
was said that he is buried in Syria, or in Iraq, and Allaah knows best what is true. With regard to his head, they also differed concerning that;
it was said that it is buried in Syria, or in Iraq, or in Egypt. The correct view is that the site in Egypt is not his grave, rather that is a
mistake and the head of al-Husayn is not there. A number of scholars have written essays on that and explained that there is no evidence for the
head of al-Husayn being in Egypt. The most likely to be correct is the view that it is in Syria, because it was taken to Yazeed ibn Mu’aawiyah who
was in Syria. There is no basis for the view that it was taken to Egypt. Either it was kept in Syria or it was returned to his body in Iraq. 
Whatever the case, the people do not need to
know where it is buried or where it is. Rather what is prescribed is to pray for forgiveness and mercy for him, may Allaah forgive him and be
pleased with him, for he was killed unlawfully. So we should pray for forgiveness and mercy for him, and hope for much good for him. He and his
brother al-Hasan will be the leaders of the youth of Paradise, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said. May Allaah be
pleased with them. 
If a person’s grave is known, there is
nothing wrong with saying salaams to him and making du’aa’ for him, as other graves may be visited, without going to extremes in that or
worshipping them. It is not permissible to ask the dead to intercede, because nothing can be asked of the dead; rather we should make du’aa’ for
them and pray for mercy for them if they were Muslims, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Visit the
graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.” 
If a person visits the graves of al-Husayn or
al-Hasan or any other Muslim to make du’aa’ for them and pray for mercy and forgiveness for them, as he would do at the grave of any other Muslim,
this is Sunnah. But visiting graves to pray to their occupants or seek their help or ask them to intercede – this is a reprehensible action, and
indeed it is major shirk. It is not permissible to build mosques or domes etc over graves, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.” (Saheeh –
agreed upon). And because it was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade plastering over graves, sitting on them and erecting structures over them.” So t is not permissible to
plaster over graves, perfume them, place screens around them or erect structures over them; all of that is forbidden and these are means that lead
to shirk. And we should not pray at graves because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who came before you
used to take the graves of their Prophets and righteous people as places of worship; do not take graves as places of worship, for I forbid you to
do that.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh from Jundub ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Bajali (may Allaah be pleased with him). 
This hadeeth indicates that it is not
permissible to pray at graves or to take them as mosques; and because that is a means that leads to shirk and worshipping someone other than
Allaah by calling upon them (the occupants of the graves), seeking their help, making vows to them, and touching the graves to seek their
blessings. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against that. Rather graves should be visited in the manner
prescribed in sharee’ah only, to give salaams to them and make du’aa’ for them and pray for mercy for them, but without travelling specifically
for that purpose. 
And Allaah is the Source of strength and the
Guide to the straight path.

Praise be to Allah.
The book Nahj al-Balaaghah is one of the books that
are attributed to Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be
pleased with him), but it contains many things concerning which those who
claim to be Muslims have disputed. Following the great scientific principle
which was followed by the imams of Islam in obedience to the shar’i command
to verify reports, we have no choice but to refer to the scholars and
specialists to check on the veracity of the things that are attributed to
‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), because what is narrated from the
Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) has an effect on sharee’ah,
especially in the case of someone like Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allaah
be pleased with him), concerning whom some people have exaggerated or fallen
short, but Allaah guided the Ahl al-Sunnah to follow a middle course. 

By referring to the words of the scholars concerning this
book and comparing its contents with what has been proven with saheeh
isnaads from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), it becomes clear that
there is material in this book that contradicts what was proven from him
(may Allaah be pleased with him). So we should look at what some of these
great scholars have said: 

Imaam al-Dhahabi (may Allaah be pleased with him) said in his
biography of al-Murtada ‘Ali ibn Husayn ibn Moosa al-Moosawi (d. 436 AH): I
said, he was the compiler of the book Nahj al-Balaaghah which is attributed
to Imam ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), but the reports contained
therein have are no isnaads. Some of it is false and some of it is true, but
it contains some frabricated reports of things that the Imam would never
have said. But who is the fair-minded man who would look at it in an
objective manner?! It was said that it was compiled by his brother Shareef
al-Radiy. It includes slander against the companions of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); we seek refuge with
Allaah from knowledge that is of no benefit.

Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, 17/589 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: “Most of the khutab (sermons) that the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah
includes in his book are lies against ‘Ali. ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with
him) is too noble and too worthy to have uttered such words. But these
people fabricated lies and thought that they were praise, but they are
neither truth nor praise. Whoever says that the words of ‘Ali or any other
human being are above the words of any other created being is mistaken, for
the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
are above his words, and both of them are created beings. Moreover the
correct meanings that are to be found in the words of ‘Ali are to be found
in the words of others, but the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah and his
ilk took many of the things that people say and made them the words of ‘Ali.
There are some words narrated from ‘Ali that he did say, and some of them
are true words that would have been befitting for him to say, but in fact
they are the words of others. Hence in Kalaam al-Bayaan wa’l-Tabyeen
by al-Haafiz and in other books there are words narrated from people other
than ‘Ali and the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah attributed them to
‘Ali. If these sermons which were transmitted in Nahj al-Balaaghah
were really spoken by ‘Ali, they would have been found in other books that
existed before this book was written, and they would have been narrated from
‘Ali with isnaads and otherwise. It is known from those who are well versed
in the study of narrations that many of them (these sermons) – indeed most
of them – were unknown before this, therefore it may be concluded that they
are fabrications. So the narrator should state in which book they are
mentioned, who narrated it from ‘Ali, and what its isnaad is. Otherwise,
anybody could say something and claim that it was said by ‘Ali. Those who
are well-versed in the knowledge of the hadeeth scholars and of reports and
isnaads and are able to tell what is sound and what is not sound would know
that these people who transmitted reports from ‘Ali are the least likely
people to know about reports and be able to distinguish the sound from the
unsound.

Manhaaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah,
8/55. 

Other scholars who pointed out the lies in this book was
al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi, in al-Jaami’ li Akhlaaq al-Raawi wa Adaab
al-Saami’, 2.161; al-Qaadi Ibn Khalkaan; al-Safadi, and others. The
things that have been said against it may be summarized in the following
points: 

1.There are seven generations of
narrators between ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) and the author of
this book, and he did not mention any name whatsoever. Hence we cannot
accept his words without an isnaad.

2.If these narrators are
mentioned, it is essential to research about them and find out whether they
are trustworthy.

3.The fact that most of these
sermons did not exist before this book was written indicates that they were
fabricated.

4.Al-Murtada – the author of the
book – was not one of the scholars of reports, rather he was one of those
whose religious commitment and competence were debatable.

5.The slander that it contains
against the leading Sahaabah is sufficient to count it as false.

6.The insults and slander that it
contains are not the characteristics of the believers, let alone their
leaders such as ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him).

7.It contains contradictions and
clumsy expressions from which it may be known for certain that it was not
produced by one who was prominent in eloquence and fluency.

8.The fact that the Raafidah
accept it and are certain that it is as true as the Qur’aan, despite all
these objections, indicates that they do not pay attention to verifying
sources and ensuring that they are sound with regard to the matters of their
religion.

 Based on the above, it is clear that this book cannot be
attributed to ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), therefore nothing in it
can be used as evidence in matters of sharee’ah, no matter what the issue
is. But whoever reads it in order to find out what it contains of eloquence,
the ruling is the same as that on all other books on Arabic language,
without attributing its contents to Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allaah be
pleased with him).

 See Kutub hadhdhara minha al-‘Ulama’, 2/250

Praise be to Allah.
The clear text of the Qur’an indicates that everyone who was
on earth drowned in the flood, and no humans or animals were saved except
those whom Nooh took with him on board the ark. 

Allah, may He be exalted, said (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And We saved him and those with him in
the laden ship.

Then We drowned the rest (disbelievers)
thereafter”

[ash-Shu‘ara’ 26:119-120].

“(So it was) till
then there came Our Command and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains
from the earth). We said: ‘Embark therein, of each kind two (male and
female), and your family, except him against whom the Word has already gone
forth, and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.’”

[Hood 11:40]. 

“They denied him,
but We delivered him, and those with him in the ship, and We made them
generations replacing one after another, while We drowned those who belied
Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). Then see
what was the end of those who were warned”

[Yoonus 10:73]. 

The Qur’anic text also indicates that the earth was only
populated after that by the descendants of Nooh (peace be upon him). As for
the believers who were saved with him in the ark, none of their descendants
were left. So all the people on earth now are descended from Nooh (peace be
upon him). 

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And indeed Nooh
(Noah) invoked Us, and We are the Best of those who answer (the request).

And We rescued him and his family from
the great distress (i.e. drowning),

And, his progeny, them We made the
survivors (i.e. Shem, Ham and Japheth).

And left for him (a goodly remembrance)
among generations to come in later times.

Salamun (peace) be upon Nooh (Noah)
(from Us) among the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!”

Verily, thus We reward the Muhsinoon
(good-doers)

Verily, he (Nooh (Noah) ) was one of
Our believing slaves.

Then We drowned the other (disbelievers
and polytheists, etc.)”

[as-Saaffaat 37:75-82]. 

‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas: There was no
one left except the progeny of Nooh (peace be upon him). 

Qataadah said concerning the words “And,
his progeny, them We made the survivors”:
All people are among the progeny of Nooh (peace be upon him). 

Tafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeem by
Ibn Katheer, 7/22 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

The scholars differed concerning the number of people who
were with him on board the Ark. 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with
him): There were eighty men, accompanied by their wives. It was narrated
from Ka‘b al-Ahbaar that there were seventy-two people. It was also said
that there were ten people. 

A number of the commentators said: The water rose until it
was fifteen cubits above the top of the highest mountain on earth. This is
the view of the People of the Book. It was also suggested that it was eighty
cubits, and that it covered the length and breadth of the earth, plains,
rugged terrain, mountains, desolate regions and sandy deserts, and there was
no one left of those who had been living on earth at all, neither young nor
old. 

Imam Maalik said, narrating from Zayd ibn Aslam: The
population at that time filled the plains and mountains… 

Allah did not give any of those believers who were with him
children or descendants, apart from Nooh (peace be upon him). Allah, may He
be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And,
his progeny, them We made the survivors”
[as-Saaffaat 37:77]. So everyone on the face of the earth today, of all
races, are the sons of Adam who are descended from the three sons of Nooh,
namely Saam, Haam and Yaafith (Shem, Ham and Japeth). End quote. 

Al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah,
1/111-114 

Al-‘Allaamah at-Taahir ibn ‘Ashoor (may Allah have mercy on
him) said: The fact that the phrase “them
We made the survivors” begins with the
pronoun is to indicate exclusivity. In other words: There was no one left of
mankind except those whom Allah saved with Nooh in the ark, of his
offspring, then those who were descended from them. There was no one left of
the sons of Adam apart from the progeny of Nooh. So all nations are among
the progeny of the three sons of Nooh. The apparent meaning of this is that
those who believed with Nooh apart from his sons did not have any offspring.
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: When Nooh came out of the ark, the men and women who were
with him died, except for his sons and his wives. Thus we may respond to the
apparent contradiction between this verse and the verse in Soorat Hood (“We
said: ‘Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family,
except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who
believe. And none believed with him, except a few.’”
[Hood 11:40]). This is based on the idea that the
flood covered the entire earth and destroyed all humans except those whom
Nooh carried on board the Ark. End quote. 

At-Tahreer wa’t-Tanweer, 23/47 

With regard to the words of Allah, may He be exalted,
(interpretation of the meaning):

“ ‘O offspring of those whom We carried
(in the ship) with Nooh (Noah)! Verily, he was a grateful slave’”

[al-Isra’ 17:3]

And

“Those were they unto whom Allah
bestowed His Grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of
those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nooh (Noah), and of the offspring
of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Israel and from among those whom We guided and
chose. When the Verses of the Most Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto
them, they fell down prostrating and weeping”

[Maryam 19:58],

These words do not indicate that the offspring of the
believers whom Nooh (peace be upon him) carried with him survived; rather
what is meant is the sons of Nooh (peace be upon him) whose progeny
survived, not the other believers.

Al-‘Allaamah al-Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on
him) said: The verse  “‘O
offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nooh (Noah)! Verily,
he was a grateful slave’”[al-Isra’ 17:3]
states that none of the offspring of those who were carried on the ark with
Nooh survived, apart from the offspring of Nooh, as it says in the verse: “And,
his progeny, them We made the survivors”
[as-Saaffaat 37:77]. End quote.

Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 3/13

And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
The apparent meaning of the Holy Qur’an indicates that Allah’s trial of His Prophet Ayyoob (peace be upon him) was not by way of punishment for a sin or act of disobedience; rather it was for reasons known to Him, may He be glorified and exalted. Perhaps one of those reasons is that it was in order to raise him to high status by virtue of his patience, so that he might attain thereby a lofty status on the Day of Judgement.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, praises him for his patience, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Truly! We found him patient. How excellent (a) slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)” [Saad 38:44]. This is the context of praise and commendation, and raising in status, which is different from the context of rebuke that is mentioned in the story of Yoonus (peace be upon him), where Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then a (big) fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame.
Had he not been of them who glorify Allah,
He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection.
But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick”
[as-Saaffaat 37:142-145]. 
Secondly: 
In the Prophet’s Sunnah there is a report which indicates that Ayyoob (peace be upon him) was innocent of any sin that could have been a cause for the sickness that befell him. 
It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“Verily Ayyoob, the Prophet of Allah, suffered his trials for eighteen years, when he was shunned by relatives and strangers alike, except for two of his brothers who were among the closest of his brothers. They used to come to him in the morning and in the evening. One of them said to his companion: Do you know, by Allah, that Ayyoob must have committed a sin that no one else ever committed? His companion said: Why is that? He said: For eighteen years, Allah has not shown mercy to him or granted him relief. 
When they went to him in the evening, the man could not keep from telling him about that. Ayyoob said: I do not know what he is talking about, but Allah knows that I passed by two men who were arguing, and they mentioned Allah, I would go back to my house and offer expiation on their behalf, because I did not want Allah to be mentioned except in a proper manner… 
Narrated by Abu Ya‘la in al-Musnad, 6/299; Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, 7/159; al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, 2/635 
This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan. Al-Haakim said: (It is saheeh) according to the conditions of al-Bukhaari and Muslim, although they did not narrate it. This was also stated by adh-Dhahabi in at-Talkhees. In Fath al-Baari, 6/421, Ibn Hajar described it as being the soundest report on this topic. It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah, no 17. Some of the scholars thought it was flawed. See: Ahaadeeth Mu‘allah Zaahiruha as-Sihhah, p. 54. See also: al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah, 1/254-259 
Thirdly: 
The scholars stated that the wisdom behind the trials of the Prophets is to raise them in status and enhance their image and reputation. 
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tests His slaves with good times and bad, hardship and ease. He may test them thereby to raise them in status and enhance their image and reputation, and multiply the reward for their good deeds, as He did with the Prophets and Messengers (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) and the righteous among His slaves. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The most sorely tested of people are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2398. So if any of the righteous slaves of Allah is tested with sickness and the like, this is akin to the tests of the Prophets and Messengers, and serves to raise one in status and increase the reward, so let him be an example to others of patience and seeking reward with Allah.
End quote from Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 4/370-371 
On our website we have previously discussed in detail the various reasons behind the trials of the Prophets, and we have quoted the explanation of this issue given by al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim. Please see fatwa no. 72265
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.
It is not fair for anyone who wants to examine the causes of
any nation’s decline to focus only on some outward aspects of its decline
that everyone can see, because achieving cultural advancement is a huge
process in which innumerable interrelated factors play a role; these factors
are accumulated throughout the years and penetrate deeply in all aspects of
life, which leads to raising the level of communities little by little.
Humans can hardly feel this progress because it is like the light of dawn;
it keeps coming out until its light spreads over the horizon. 

The Holy Qur’an tells us some of the aspects of material
advancement that were – and still are – a means of trials and tests, of
which no one understands the great wisdom behind it and the great impact it
has on historical dynamics except Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. 

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation
of the meaning):

“On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of
Allah Islamic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said):
“You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your
pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed with a torment of
humiliation, because you were arrogant in the land without a right, and
because you used to rebel and disobey (Allah)”

[al-Ahqaaf 46:20]

“Do they not travel in the land, and see what was the end
of those before them? They were superior to them in strength, and they
tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans)
have done, and there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs.
Surely, Allah wronged them not, but they used to wrong themselves.

Then evil was the end of those who did evil, because they
belied the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
Messengers, etc.) of Allah and made mock of them.”

[ar-Room 30:9-10]. 

Al-‘Allaamah Muhammad Rasheed Rida (may Allah have mercy on
him) said:

The first Muslims’ belief in the Oneness of Allah (Tawheed),
their knowledge of Him, their love for Him and their reliance on Him are
what purified their souls, honed their ambitions and gave them a sense of
pride and power; that enabled them to establish truth and justice, and
motivated them to conquer lands, rule nations, ransom them from spiritual
and intellectual slavery to soothsayers, rabbis, monks and clergy, liberate
them from the injustice and tyranny of kings, establish the foundations of
civilisation, and revive and develop different branches of science and
technology. They were able to achieve all of that in an unprecedented manner
that no other nation on earth had ever achieved or even come close. Gustave
le Bon, the famous sociologist, said: Mastery of different branches of
science and technology was not possible for any rising nation in less than
three generations: the first generation clings to the past; the second
generation started the process of freeing themselves from blind following;
and the third generation is the generation of independence and hard work.
(He said that this applies to all nations) except the Arabs; they are the
only ones who were able to lay the foundation of science and technology in
the first generation. 

I say: The cause of that was the teachings of the Qur’an,
which taught them to be independent in thinking and to avoid blind
imitation. It taught them to be prepared to lead mankind in spiritual and
worldly matters alike. But all of that disappeared for subsequent
generations, after the demise of the Islamic caliphate and after Arabic
civilisation ceased to flourish, when power shifted to the non-Arabs who had
nothing of Islam except superficial traditions and were not strongly
connected to the guidance of the Qur’an.

Tafseer al-Manaar, 11/173 

We cannot ignore the impact of conspiracies, both internal
and external, against our ummah throughout the ages, which led to its
enemies getting ahead of it in material matters. But our thought and the
thought of our ummah is far above feelings of defeatism, relying on others
in order to achieve revival, and feeling overwhelmed in the face of great
responsibility, the responsibility of being in a leading position in
relation to other nations. As for our enemies among the Israelites, they
excelled at making the most of every opportunity and they strove hard in
engineering events that had a global impact. They strove persistently for
decades until they achieved what they wanted and reached a position of power
in our times. But that has nothing to do with the verse (interpretation of
the meaning): “O Children of Israel! Remember My
Favour which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you to the Alameen
(mankind and jinns)” [al-Baqarah 2:47], because
this verse speaks of previous blessings that Allah had granted to the
Children of Israel throughout history, and is meant to remind them of that.
Among these blessings are what is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, where Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when Moosa (Moses) said to his people: ‘O my people!
Remember the Favour of Allah to you, when He made Prophets among you, made
you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the Alameen
(mankind and jinns, in the past)’” [al-Maa’idah 5:20]. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Here Allah, may He be exalted, reminds them of previous
blessings that He bestowed upon their fathers and forebears, and the favour
He bestowed upon them by sending the Messengers from among them, revealing
the Books to them and favouring them above all other nations at that time.
End quote.

Tafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeem,
1/255 

However, we regard our current situation with optimism that
motivates us to advance further and succeed by striving harder to use all
possible means, both spiritual and worldly. The foundation of that is the
righteous individual who always remembers that Allah, may He be glorified
and exalted, is watching him in all situations. Such individuals are a
constructive factor in the reform of communities and families; they do not
wait for the revival to be presented to them on a golden platter or hope
that programs will be set up for them to achieve that. Rather they hasten to
take the initiative and strive hard to do all that is good and beneficial,
putting their trust in Allah in the hope that He will bless their deeds, no
matter how small, and reward those who do good for their good deeds. Allah,
may He be exalted, knows who is trying to spread mischief and who is
striving to do good, and the followers of His Messengers will prevail and be
victorious if they take the measures that lead to victory and advancement.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“Indeed, they planned their plot, and their plot was with
Allah, though their plot was a great (one, still) it would never be able to
remove the mountains (real mountains or the Islamic law) from their places
(as it is of no importance).

So think not that Allah will fail to keep His Promise to
His Messengers. Certainly, Allah is All-Mighty, – All-Able of Retribution”

[Ibraaheem 14:46-47]. 

And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.The month of Safar is one of the twelve months of the Hijri calendar ; it is the month that comes after Muharram . Some of them say that it was so called because Makkah was emptied of its inhabitants [the verb used in Arabic to describe this comes from the same root as the name of the month Safar], when they travelled during this month. 
It was also suggested that they called it Safar because they used to fight other tribes during this month, and they would leave whoever they met with zero (sifr) goods (i.e., they would plunder his goods, leaving him with nothing).) Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzoor (vol. 4, p. 462-463)
We will discuss this month under the following points:
What was narrated concerning it from the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah.
What was narrated in Islamic teaching that is contrary to what the people of the Jaahiliyyah believed.
Innovations and false beliefs concerning this month that are found among some followers of Islam.
What happened during this month of battles and important events in the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
What has been narrated of false hadiths about Safar.
What was narrated concerning the month of Safar from the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah
The Arabs had two grave objectionable practices with regard to the month of Safar: 

They used to tamper with it, bringing it forward and putting it back from its place in the calendar
They regarded it as unlucky

With regard to tampering with the month of Safar, it is well-known that Allah, may He be exalted, created the year and the number of its months as twelve months, four of which Allah, may He be exalted, made sacred, during which it was prohibited to fight, out of respect for the sanctity of the month. These months are: Dhu’l-Qa‘dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab . 
The confirmation of that in the book of Allah is the verse in which He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein” [at-Tawbah 9:36]. 
The mushrikeen were aware of that, but they used to postpone them or bring them forward, according to their whims and desires. As part of that, they used to put the month of Safar in the place of Muharram!
They believed that ‘umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the worst of evils. There follow some scholarly comments on that: 

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They used to think that ‘umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the worst evils on earth. They would make Muharram Safar and say: They would say: when the backs of the camels have healed and the tracks of the pilgrims have become erased and Safar is over, ‘Umrah becomes permissible for those who want to do ‘Umrah. (Narrated by al-Bukhari (1489) and Muslim (1240))
Ibn al-‘Arabi said: 

“Manner of postponing sacred months: 
There are three views concerning the manner in which the sacred months were postponed:
1- It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that Junadah ibn ‘Awf ibn Umayyah al-Kinani used to attend the Hajj season every year and call out: Verily Abu Thumama is never rejected or refuted. Verily Safar last year was not sacred; we make it sacred one year and not sacred the next year. And they were with Hawazin, Ghatafan and Banu Sulaym (regarding this matter). 
According to another version, he used to say: We will bring Muharram forward and delay Safar. Then the next year he would say: We will regard Safar as sacred and delay Muharram. That is what delaying the sacred month means.
2- Adding to the sacred months. Qatadah said: Some of the misguided people decided to add Safar to the sacred months, so their spokesman would stand up during the Hajj season and say: Your gods have decided that Muharram is to be regarded as sacred this year. So they would regard it as sacred that year. Then the following year he would stand up and say: Your gods have decided to regard Safar as sacred. So they would regard it as sacred that year, and would say: There are two Safars. 
Ibn Wahb and Ibn Qasim narrated something similar from Malik, who said: The people of the Jahiliyyah used to regard them as two Safars. Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no Safar.” That is how Ashhab narrated it from him. 
3- Changing the time of Hajj. Mujaahid said, with a different isnaad: “The postponement (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief” [at-Tawbah 9:37]. He said: They used to do Hajj in Dhu’l-Hijjah for two years, then they would do Hajj in Muharram for two years, then they would do Hajj in Safar for two years. They would do Hajj in each month for two years, until the Hajj of Abu Bakr, which was in Dhu’l-Qa‘dah, then the Hajj of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said in his Farewell Sermon, according to the saheeh hadith: “Time has returned to its original order as it was on the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth.” Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas and others. 
He said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O people, listen to my words, for I do not know whether I will meet you again after this day of mine in this place. O people, verily your blood and your wealth are sacred, until the Day you meet your Lord, as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this land of yours. Verily you will meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds. I have conveyed the message. Whoever has a trust, let him render it back to the one who entrusted it to him. All riba is abolished, but you may keep your capital, so that you will not wrong others and you will not be wronged. Allah has decreed that there should be no riba, and the riba of ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib is all abolished. Verily every blood feud of the Jaahiliyyah is abolished, and the first of your blood feuds that I abolish is the blood feud of Ibn Rabee‘ah ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. He was breastfed among Banu Layth and killed by Hudhayl. This is the first step in abolishing the blood feuds of the Jahiliyyah. 
“To proceed: O people, verily the Shaytan has despaired of ever being worshipped in your land, but if he is obeyed in other matters, that you think of as insignificant of your misdeeds, he will be content. So beware, O people, lest he undermine your religious commitment. ‘The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief: thereby the disbelievers are led astray, for they make it lawful one year and forbid it another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah’ [at-Tawbah 9:37]. Time has returned to its original order as it was on the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. Verily the number of months with Allah is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, and Rajab of Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha‘ban.” Then he quoted the rest of the hadith. (Ahkam al-Quran (2/503-504))
With regard to regarding the month of Safar as unlucky , that was well known among the people of the Jahiliyyah and continued among some followers of Islam. 
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No ‘adwa [transmission of infectious disease without the permission of Allah], no tiyarah [superstitious belief in bird omens], no haamah [refers to a Jahili Arab tradition described variously as: a worm that infests the grave of a murder victim until he is avenged; an owl; or the bones of a dead person turned into a bird that could fly], and no Safar [the month of Safar was regarded as unlucky in the Jahiliyyah]. But flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (5387) and Muslim (2220) 
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“Several explanations were given for the word “Safar” [in this hadith]: 
1. that it was the well-known month of Safar, which the Arabs regarded as unlucky;
2. that it was an internal disease affecting camels, that may be transmitted from one camel to another, and it was mentioned after ‘adwa [contagion or transmission of infectious disease] by way of mentioning a specific type of contagion after mentioning something general;
3. that it referred to the month of Safar, but what was meant was postponing the sacred months, by which the disbelievers were led astray. Hence they would delay regarding the month of Muharram as sacred, and defer it until Safar, regarding it as not sacred one year, and regarding it as sacred the following year.
What is most likely to be the case is that what is meant here is the month of Safar, as they used to regard it as unlucky during the Jahiliyyah. 
But time and months have no impact on people or on the decrees of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Therefore time in Safar is like time in any other month, when good or bad may be decreed. 
Some people, if they finish some work on, say, the twenty fifth of Safar, will give the date by saying “It was completed on the twenty fifth of the good month of Safar.” This comes under the heading of fighting bid‘ah with bid‘ah. Safar is neither a good month nor a bad month. Therefore some of the early generation would denounce a person who said, upon hearing the call of the owl [which was regarded as inauspicious during the Jahiliyyah], “It is good, in sha Allah,” by stating that it should not be described as either good or bad; rather it calls like any other bird. 
The fact that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that these four things have no impact indicates that it is obligatory to put one’s trust in Allah alone and to be steadfast, and not to feel weak when faced with these things. 
If the Muslim pays attention to such superstitious matters, it must be one of two scenarios: 
1. Either he responds to these superstitions by going ahead with his plans or refraining (according to superstition), in which case he has connected his deeds to something that has no reality or substance,
2. or he does not respond, by going ahead with his plans and not paying any attention (to the superstitious matter), but there remains in his mind some kind of worry and distress. Even though this is not as bad as the first case, he should not pay any attention at all to these matters, and he should put his truth solely in Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.
Denying that these four matters do not have any impact does not mean denying that they exist – because they do in fact exist; rather it is denying that they have any influence, because the only one with influence is Allah. Whatever is a real cause is a valid and sound cause, and whatever is an imaginary cause is a false cause, and we deny that it has any influence in and of itself.” (Majmoo‘ Fatawa ash-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/113-115)
What was narrated in Islamic teaching that is contrary to what the people of the Jaahiliyyah believed
This was referred to in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah in as-Saheehayn, where it says that the belief of the people of the Jaahiliyyah concerning Safar was blameworthy, because it is one of the months of Allah and has no will of its own: rather it is subject to the will of Allah.
Innovations and false beliefs concerning this month that are found among some followers of Islam
1. The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
Some of the scholars in our country claim that in the religion of Islam there is a naafil (supererogatory) prayer to be offered on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, at the time of Duha prayer; it is four rak‘ahs with one tasleem, and in each rak‘ah one should recite the Opening of the Book (i.e., Surah al-Faatihah), Surah al-Kawthar seventeen times, Surah al-Ikhlas fifty times, and al-Mu’awwidhatayn [the last two surahs of the Quran] one time each, and that is to be done in each rak‘ah, then the tasleem is to be said [at the end]. After saying the tasleem, one should start to recite “And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not” [Yoosuf 12:21] three hundred and sixty times, and Jawhar al-Kamal three times, and conclude by saying “Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him! And peace be on the Messengers! And all the praise and thanks be to Allah, Lord of the ‘Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” [as-Saffat 37:180-182]. 
Then one should give some bread in charity to the poor. This verse is chosen to ward off calamities that may occur on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar. 
They say that every year, three hundred and twenty thousand calamities befall people, and all of that happens on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar. So that day is the most difficult of all the days of the year, but whoever offers this prayer in the manner described, Allah will protect him by His kindness from all calamities that come down on that day. Is this the case? 
The scholars of the Committee replied: 
With regard to this supererogatory prayer mentioned in the question, we do not know of any basis for it in the Quran or Sunnah. In our view it is not proven that any one of the early generations of this ummah or the righteous among its later generations did this supererogatory prayer. Rather it is a reprehensible innovation (bid‘ah).
It is proven from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “Whoever does a deed that is not part of this matter of ours, it will be rejected.” And he said: “Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it, it will be rejected.” 
Whoever attributes this prayer and the other things mentioned with it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or to any of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) has uttered a grave lie, and he will have from Allah what he deserves of the punishment of those who tell lies. (Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daimah, 2/354) 
2. Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abd as-Salam ash-Shuqayri said:
The ignorant have the custom of writing the verses of salaam, such as “Salamun (peace) be upon Nooh (Noah) (from Us) among the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” [as-Saffat 37:79] and so on, on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, then they put them in vessels and drink (water that has been poured on them), and seek barakah (blessing) thereby, and exchange them as gifts, because they believe that this will remove evil. This is a corrupt belief and is blameworthy superstition and an abhorrent innovation; everyone who sees it must denounce the one who does it. (As-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada‘at, pp. 111, 112) 
What happened during this month of battles and important events in the life of the Prophet 
There were many such events, of which we will mention a few: 
1. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Then he himself led the campaign of al-Abwa’, which is also known as Waddan. This was the first campaign that he led himself. It took place in Safar, twelve months after his migration (to Madinah). His banner, which was white, was carried by Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. He left Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah in charge of Madinah during his absence, and he set out with the Muhajireen only to intercept a caravan belonging to Quraysh, and did not engage in any fighting.
During this campaign, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made a peace deal with Makhshi ibn ‘Amr ad-Damri, who was the leader of Banu Damrah at that time, agreeing that he would not attack Banu Damrah, and they would not attack him, and that they would not join others against him or help any enemy against him, and a document to that effect was written between him and them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was absent for fifteen days.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/164-165) 
2. He [Ibn al-Qayyim] also said:
“In Safar 3 AH, some people came to him from (the tribes of) ‘Adal and al-Qarah and said that some of them had already accepted Islam, and they asked him to send with them someone to teach them the religion and teach them Qur’an. So he sent six people with them – according to the report of Ibn Ishaaq; al-Bukhari said that they were ten. He appointed as their leader Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghinawi, and among them was Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy. They went with them, but when they were in ar-Rajee‘ – which was a watering place belonging to Hudhayl in a district of al-Hijaz – they betrayed them and sought the help of Hudhayl against them, who came and surrounded them, and killed most of them, but they took Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy and Zayd ibn ad-Dathinah captive. They brought them to Makkah and sold them there; they had killed some of the leaders of Makkah on the day of Badr.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/244) 
3. And he [Ibn al-Qayyim] said:
“During this same month, namely Safar 4 AH, there occurred the battle of Bi’r Ma‘oonah. To sum up:
Abu Bara’ ‘Aamir ibn Maalik, who was known as Mala‘ib al-Asinnah [the Player with the Spears] came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. He called him to Islam but he did not become Muslim, yet he was not far from it. He said: O Messenger of Allah, if you were to send some of your companions to the people of Najd to invite them to your religion, I hope that they would respond to them. He said to him: “I fear that the people of Najd may kill them.” Abu Bara said: I will be their protector. So he sent forty men with him, according to the report of Ibn Ishaaq. In as-Saheeh it says that they were seventy; the report in as-Saheeh is the correct report. He appointed as their leader al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr, one of Banu Saa‘idah, who was known as “The Quick to Seek Death”. They were among the best of the Muslims, the most virtuous of them, their leaders, those who had knowledge of the Qur’an. They travelled until they halted in Bi’r Ma‘oonah, which is between the land of Banu ‘Aamir and the harrah of Banu Sulaym. They halted there, then they sent Haram ibn Milhan, the brother of Umm Sulaym, with the letter of the Messenger of Allah to the enemy of Allah ‘Amir ibn at-Tufayl. He did not even look at it, and he ordered a man to stab him with a spear in his back. When Haram ibn Milhan was stabbed and saw the blood, he said: I have attained a victory, by the Lord of the Ka‘bah! Then the enemy of Allah tried to mobilise Banu ‘Amir to fight the others, but they did not respond to him because of the protection of Abu Bara. Then he mobilised Banu Sulaym and [the tribes of] ‘Usayyah, Ri‘l and Dhakwan responded. They came and surrounded the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, and they fought until they were all killed, except Ka‘b ibn Zayd ibn an-Najjar. He was wounded and was picked up from among the slain, and lived until he was killed on the Day of al-Khandaq. ‘Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damri and al-Mundhir ibn ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir were with the camels of the Muslims out at pasture, and they saw the birds flying over the location of the battle. Al-Mundhir ibn ‘Uqbah came and fought the polytheists until he was killed with his companions, and ‘Amr ibn Umayyah ad-Damri was taken captive, but when he told them that he was from Mudar, ‘Amir cur off his forelock and released him on behalf of his mother, who had taken an oath to release a slave. ‘Amr ibn Umayyah headed back [to Madinah] and when he came to al-Qarqarah at the beginning of Qanat [a place name], he stopped in the shade of a tree, and two men from Banu Kilab came and stopped with him. When they fell asleep, ‘Amr killed them, thinking that he had taken revenge on them for the killing of his Companions, but they had a covenant with the Messenger of Allah of which he was not aware. When he came and told the Messenger of Allah about what he had done, he said: “You have killed two men whose diyah (blood money) I must pay.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/246-248) 
4. Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“His going out to Khaybar occurred at the end of Muharram and not at the beginning, and its conquest could only have taken place in Safar.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/339-340) 
5. And he [Ibn al-Qayyim] said:
“Chapter on the expedition of Qatbah ibn ‘Amir ibn Hadeedah to Khath‘am 
This happened in Safar 9 AH. Ibn Sa‘d said: They said: The Messenger of Allah sent Qatbah ibn ‘Amir with twenty men to a tribe of Khath‘am in the region of Tabalah, and ordered him to launch a raid. They set out on ten camels, taking it in turns to ride them. They caught a man and questioned him, and he refused to talk, but then he cried out to the tribe, to warn them, so they struck his neck. Then they waited until the tribe had gone to sleep, then they launched the raid on them and the fighting grew fierce, until there were many wounded on both sides, and Qutbah ibn ‘Amir killed whoever he killed,  and they brought the camels, women and sheep to Madinah. According to the story, the tribe gathered together and pursued them, but Allah, may He be exalted, sent a great flood against them that came between them and the Muslims. The Muslim drove off the camels, sheep and captives as they were looking on, but they could not cross [the flood waters] to reach them, until they disappeared from sight.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/514) 
6. And he [Ibn al-Qayyim] said:
“The delegation of ‘Udhrah came to the Messenger of Allah in Safar 9 AH, with twelve men, among whom was Jamrah ibn an-Nu‘maan. The Messenger of Allah said: Who are the people? Their spokesman said: We are not strangers to you; we are Banu ‘Udhrah, the brother of Qusayy through his mother. We are the people who supported Qusayy and removed Khuza’ah and Banu Bakr from the valley of Makkah, and we have ties of kinship. The Messenger of Allah said: “Welcome to you; I know you very well.” They became Muslim, and the Messenger of Allah gave them the glad tidings of the conquest of Greater Syria and the flight of Heraclius to a fortified place in his own land. The Messenger of Allah forbade them to ask questions of soothsayers and offer sacrifices (that they used to offer during the Jahiliyyah), and he told them that they did not have to offer anything but the udhiyah. They stayed for several days in the house of Ramlah, then they left.” (Zad al-Ma’ad, 3/657) 
What has been narrated of false hadiths about Safar
Ibn al-Qayyim said: 
“Section on hadiths that mention dates in the future 
Where the hadith mentions certain dates, such as saying “In such and such a year, such and such will happen; or, in such and such a month, such and such will happen.”
Or as when the arch liar said: “If the moon is eclipsed in Muharram, prices will rise, there will be fighting and people in authority will be distracted, and if it is eclipsed in Safar, such and such will happen.”
And the liar went on to say something about all the months.
All such hadiths are false and fabricated. (Al-Manaar al-Muneef, p. 64)
And Allah knows best

Praise be to Allah.In the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, you will find the truest, most beautiful and most trustworthy of stories, because it is the word of Allah, may He be exalted, which illuminated the world with its lessons and rulings. Reading the stories of the Messengers and Prophets in the verses of the Qur’aan is one of the greatest ways of bringing benefits and good to the Muslim, let alone the immense reward that is attained by the one who ponders the Book of Allah, may He be exalted. Hence we advise you to be keen to pursue this way of goodness, for the Muslim can never do without the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, no matter what other books he reads.
With regard to the books of the scholars about the stories of the Prophets, the best of them – as it appears to us – are the following:
1.
Qasas al-Anbiya’ (Stories of the Prophets) by al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 774 AH). This is perhaps the best of the books of the early scholars on this topic, as it is distinguished by compiling all of the verses having to do with the story of each Prophet in one place, and making connections between them by commenting on them and quoting hadeeths and reports that have to do with them. It is an encyclopaedic and well organised book that discusses the lives of the Prophets, although it quotes rather too many reports that are not proven and some reports from Jewish sources (Israa’eeliyyaat). However for the most part he points out the origin of these reports, and he states that he only quotes for the purpose of studying them and highlighting their status. So we recommend you to read this book and study it. The one who wants to study these stories with the best annotation should read the book al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah (Dar Hajar edn., published under the supervision of Dr. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Muhsin at-Turki), because Qasas al-Anbiya’ is taken from the first chapters of al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah.
2.
al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah min Akhbaar wa Qasas al-Anbiya’ (The saheeh hadeeths that speak of the lives and stories of the Prophets) was compiled and their isnaads evaluated by Ibraaheem Muhammad al-‘Ali (publ. by Dar al-Qalam in Damascus and Dar ash-Shaamiyyah in Beirut, 276 pages). It is a very useful book that is distinguished by the fact that it includes many hadeeths that speak of the stories of the Messengers and Prophets, and the material is organised with comments in a manner that complements these stories. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) put a great deal of effort into selecting saheeh and hasan hadeeths and reports, and avoiding weak and fabricated material. This may be the best contemporary book on this topic.
3.
Qasas al-Anbiya’ by al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa‘di (d. 1376 AH). This is a short book that is taken from his book Tayseer al-Lateef al-Mannaan fi Khilaasat Tafseer al-Qur’an, in which he recounts the stories of the Prophets as they were narrated in the Holy Qur’aan, in sequence, and he follows each story with a brief discussion of what we learn from it.
And Allah knows best.