quran

Tag: Q n A

  • Q n A : Books that speak about the rulings on marriage, women, and ways of making the marriage successful


    Q
    Books that speak about the rulings on marriage, women, and ways of making the marriage successful

    A

    Praise be to Allah.The Islamic texts encourage marriage and state that it is the way of the Prophets and Messengers. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), and made for them wives and offspring” [ar-Ra‘d 13:38]
    “And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Salihoon (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)” [an-Noor 24:32]. 
    As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
    “If they” that is, married people or those who want to get married “be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty”. So you should not let what you imagine – that if he gets married, he will become poor because of having too many dependents – prevent you from getting married. 
    This offers encouragement to get married, and is a divine promise to the one who gets married that he will become independent of means after having been poor. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures’ needs that is, He is very kind and bestows much bounty
    “All-Knowing” – He knows who deserves His grace and bounty in both religious and worldly terms, or in one of them, and who does not deserve that. So He gives to all in accordance with His knowledge and wisdom.
    End quote.
    Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan (p. 567) 
    With regard to books that speak of the virtues of marriage, the rulings thereon and ways of making marriage successful, there are many such books, including the following:
    Tuhfat al-‘Aroos by Mahmoud Mahdi al-Islambooli. This is a very useful book in which the author speaks of proposals and the rulings thereon, the essential parts and conditions of the marriage contract, the rights and duties of both spouses, and rulings on intimacy.
    [Translator’s note: This book is available in English under the title: The Bride’s Boon]
    Az-Zawaaj fi Zill al-Islam by Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ‘Abd al-Khaaliq, in which the author discusses the rulings on marriage in Islam, how to choose a life partner, rulings and conditions of the marriage proposal, impediments and outcomes of the marriage contract , ways to guarantee family stability, and ways of dealing with disputes between the spouses; then he speaks of the end of the marriage, either through death or separation during life by means of talaaq, khula‘ or annulment of the marriage.
    Az-Zawaaj al-Islami as-Sa‘eed by Mahmoud al-Masri Abu ‘Ammaar
    [Translator’s note: other books available in English include the following:
    A Gift for a Muslim Bride by Muhammad Haneef Abdul Majeed
    Secrets to a Successful Marriage by Afshan Khan
    Traversing the Highs and Lows of Muslim Marriage by Sadaf Farooq]
    With regard to books that speak about rulings having to do with Muslim women, there are also many such books. By way of example we may mention Jaami‘ Ahkaam an-Nisa’ by Shaykh Mustafa al-‘Adawi and Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, compiled by Ashfraf ‘Abd al-Maqsood
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : Wife refusing to fulfil her duties towards her husband because he is not spending on her


    Q
    Wife refusing to fulfil her duties towards her husband because he is not spending on her

    A

    Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
    It is obligatory for a man to spend on his wife, and your father did spend on her when he was able to, for twenty years, as you explained in your question.
    According to Islamic teachings, your father is still regarded as spending on your mother, because spending on her has nothing to do with the issue of where he is getting the money from that he spends on her.
    The other issue is that the sons’ spending on their mother is to be regarded as being like the father spending on her, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “You and your wealth belong to your father.” Ahmad (6902); classed as sahih by al-Albani in al-Irwa’ (1625).
    And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best food that you eat is what you earn by your own hands, and your children are part of your earnings.” At-Tirmidhi (1358); classed as sahih by al-Albani.
    Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The father is obliged to spend on his wife, if her children cannot take care of her. But if her children are covering her expenses and they have been covering all her needs, then that is sufficient, because the children are his children too, and his rights over them are great. The Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “You and your wealth belong to your father.” So if they are covering their mother’s needs and spending on her, that is sufficient, praise be to Allah.
    But if they are not covering her needs, and she is asking for maintenance, she has a choice: if she wishes, she may be patient, or if she wishes, she may say: Divorce me. She may ask for divorce if she cannot be patient, otherwise she should be patient. If her children spend on her and cover her needs, praise be to Allah, and there is no blame on the husband… If his children spend on her, then she has no right to complain or ask her husband to spend on her, because his children’s spending on her is like his spending on her. If they spend on her what is sufficient for her needs, praise be to Allah. If they do not spend on her and he does not spend on her either, then she may ask for divorce. (From the shaykh’s website.)
    Based on that, so long as you and your brother are spending on her and covering her needs, she has no right after that to ask for more maintenance from your father, and he is entitled to all his rights over her in full.
    Once this is established, then it becomes clear that your mother’s refusing intimacy on the grounds that the father is not spending on her is not permissible, and as a result she is regarded as defiantly disobedient and is sinning.
    She must fear Allah, for this is a grievous sin. It is soundly narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is stated in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses to come, the angels will curse her until morning.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (3065).
    According to another hadith, “There is no man who calls his wife to his bed and she refuses, but the One Who is in heaven will be angry with her, until he is pleased with her.” Narrated by Muslim (1436).
    Secondly:
    From your question, it seems that your father was not falling short with regard to your mother’s rights or your rights when he was able to spend on you. When his circumstances changed and he was no longer able to spend, your mother forgot his kindness. This is ingratitude towards the husband concerning which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned the woman who does that of Hell. According to the hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I was shown Hell, and I saw that most of its inhabitants are women who are ungrateful (yakfurna).” It was said: Do they disbelieve (yakfurna) in Allah? He said: “They are ungrateful (yakfurna) to their husbands and are ungrateful for kind treatment. If you show kindness to one of them for a lifetime, then she sees something from you, she says: I have never seen anything good from you.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (29).
    Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This refers to the husband. Allah enjoined His Messenger to show gratitude for blessings. It says in the hadith: “He does not thank Allah who does not thank people.” Gratitude for the kindness of the husband comes under the heading of gratitude for the blessings of Allah, because every favour the husband does to his family is a blessing from Allah that He caused to come at his hands.”(Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari by Ibn Battal (1/89).
    What the hadith means is that they are denying kind treatment… This indicates that the one who denies the kindness of the one who was kind to him is blameworthy. Al-Karmani said: That is, you [women] deny the kind treatment of the husband and think little of whatever he gives you. We may understand from the warning of hellfire for being ungrateful and cursing a great deal that these are major sins. See: Sharh Ibn Majah by as-Suyuti, et al. (p. 289).
    Hence it is important to advise your mother regarding this matter, and tell her that showing kindness to her husband is one of the means of a woman attaining the pleasure of Allah, and is one of the means of her attaining happiness in this world and the hereafter.
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : She refuses to get married for fear that her husband might force her to work


    Q
    She refuses to get married for fear that her husband might force her to work

    A

    Praise be to Allah.We are very happy to see among the youth of our ummah people with enlightened minds and pure hearts, both young men and young women, who are able to cast off the chains and fetters of division and differences, and return to the purity of Islam as Allah revealed it to Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That is an immense and incomparable blessing, because the people became divided after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) into sects and parties, each of them adhering to the call of their shaykhs and imams, until Islam became like a stranger among these groups and sects, despite the fact that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do” [al-An‘aam 6:159]. 
    We congratulate you and commend your way of thinking and focusing on the most important questions in life, those that have to do with religious commitment and beliefs, and what a person should believe in and adhere to with regard to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. 
    This path begins with the first step, which you have taken on the basis of what Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has blessed you with of a mind that is able to ponder and reflect, far removed from all previous intellectual and social influences. Hence you read the Holy Qur’an far removed from sectarian distortions and interpretations that detract from the clarity of the text and deprive the reader of its benefits. So you ponder the word of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, that He sent down to guide mankind and enlighten humanity, and you will inevitably find therein guidance and enlightenment for yourself too, in clear and straightforward words in most of its verses and chapters. So you read therein the words of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (interpretation of the meaning):
    “And this is a blessed Book (the Qur’an) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allah (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e. saved from the torment of Hell)” [al-An‘aam 6:155]
    “(This is the) Book (the Quran) sent down unto you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), so let not your heart be troubled about it, that you warn thereby, and a reminder unto the believers.
    (Say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) to these idolaters (pagan Arabs) of your folk:) Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah), and follow not any Awliya (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate partners in worship with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember” [al-A‘raaf 7:2-3]. 
    As guidance is connected to following the Holy Qur’an and following Allah’s noble Messenger Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then what guidance could you find after that in the opinions and views of human beings? What happiness could we seek other than in the noble Book and the Prophet’s Sunnah? 
    Why would we introduce intermediaries between us and these two lights? Do we not have minds with which to think? Has Allah may He be glorified and exalted, not created for us hearts with which to distinguish between truth and falsehood? So why do we persist in imitating that with which we may have grown up of sectarian notions or esoteric factions? 
    Where do we find these factions in the Book of Allah, and where do we find them in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? 
    Do you think that we will enter Hell if we do not believe in a particular imam or a particular sect? 
    Does it make sense to suggest that we will enter Hell if we do not believe in things that neither the Holy Qur’an nor the noble Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us? 
    These are very few simple questions that will lead us to cast away all these sects and factions and weird beliefs, and to become certain of the path that we follow, far away from them and closer to the pure Tawheed (affirmation of the Oneness of Allah) that is the religion of all of the Prophets (peace be upon them). 
    Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Say: ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allah’s Message) and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messengers duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way (i.e. to preach in a plain way).’” [an-Noor 24:54]
    “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment” [al-Hashr 59:7]. 
    Moreover you should understand that the teachings of Islam do not instruct you to give up studying for fear that your husband may force you to work. The husband has no right to force his wife to do that, and by the same token he has no right to your wealth or property. Rather you can stipulate (in your marriage contract) whatever is appropriate for you and your situation. If you both agree that you can work in an appropriate environment, there is nothing wrong with that, so long as you strive to adhere to Islamic guidelines. 
    If you yourself do not want to work, then no one has the right to stipulate that you must do that, and you have the right to state that and stipulate whatever you wish to anyone who proposes marriage to you, so long as you do not make that a barrier that prevents you from getting married. Rather you should strive to maintain your chastity by getting married and choose for yourself a righteous husband who will take you from the environment, beliefs and traditions with which you have grown up and help you to adhere to the true and pure religion. It is not essential that his outward appearance should be such that it would cause your family to reject him; rather it is sufficient that he should be of good character and generally acceptable in terms of religious commitment, one who is keen to follow his religion and who prays regularly. 
    If you want to delay postgraduate study until after marriage, then you know best what is appropriate for you. But if you want to complete your studies, whilst striving to reduce things that are contrary to Islamic teachings to the best of your ability, and you are keen to pray on time so that the time for prayer does not end before you offer the prayer, except in exceptional circumstances and emergencies, then do that, and we hope that there will be nothing wrong with you doing that, in sha Allah. 
    Going out of the house does not require a mahram; rather it is in the case of travel that that is required, especially if you adhere to hijab and proper conduct, and there is no danger posed by aggressors. 
    But if you fear for yourself, that you may be subject to aggression, or you fear losing your religious commitment, or you are not able to observe hijab or adhere to the guidelines of your religion, then give precedence to all of that over the interests of work. 
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : Between habit and worship


    Q
    Between habit and worship

    A

    Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
    Habit is a neutral concept, so it is a good thing if a person gets used to doing good and to being steadfast when doing it, without finding it burdensome. It was narrated in the hadith: “Doing good is a habit [that one may acquire easily] and evil is stubbornness [and man persists in it only out of stubbornness].” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (221) and by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (310).
    It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that she said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had a reed mat with which he used to make a booth at night and pray in it, and the people started to follow his prayer, and he used to spread (that mat) out during the day. One night they gathered and he said: “O people, you should only do deeds that you are able for, for Allah does not grow weary but you do. The most beloved of deeds to Allah is that which is done persistently, even if it is little.” And if the family of Muhammad started to do something, they would persist in it. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5861) and Muslim (782).
    As Abu’t-Tayyib said: Each person will gain of his life that which becomes a habit for him.
    It is well-known that one of the greatest means of a person becoming steadfast in his journey towards Allah is having acts of worship to which he commits himself, remains steadfast in doing them, and becomes accustomed to doing them, and he does not neglect them, become heedless concerning them or feel too lazy to do them. This was always the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); in other words, he would do them constantly and persistently. And if his family did something, they would persist in it.
    Secondly:
    With regard to habit in the sense that a person does not have presence of mind when doing an act of worship, so he does it automatically, with no spirit or focus, that is something very dangerous, and he should be concerned about that.
    The reward for worship is connected to presence of mind and humility whilst doing it, as Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Certainly will the believers have succeeded:
    They who are during their prayer humbly submissive”
    [al-Mu’minoon 23:1-2].
    It is very important that the heart should be focused when doing an act of worship, and not be distracted from it.
    Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
    I have read some advice in a book which says: do not make worship a habit. How can a Muslim make worship of Allah truly for Allah, and not a mere habit? May Allah reward you with good.
    He replied:
    What is meant is: do not do the prayer as a habit; pray as an act of worship so that you may draw closer to Allah thereby, and not because it is a habit that you have got used to. If you pray Duha, then pray it for the purpose of drawing closer to Allah, not because it is a habit. By the same token, if you pray tahajjud at night, pray it because it is an act of worship and obedience, not because it is merely a habit or because your father or mother used to do it.
    Thirdly:
    Among the things that may help one to attain focus of mind when doing acts of worship are the following:
    1. Variation in acts of worship. The individual should do a variety of acts of worship, including prayer, reading Qur’an, dhikr, giving charity, honouring his parents, upholding ties of kinship, visiting the sick and attending funerals. By the mercy and grace of Allah, acts of worship are many and varied.
    2. Persistence in keeping the intention in mind when doing the acts of worship.
    Ibn al-Qayyim said in ‘Umdat as-Saabireen (60-65):
    … Being persistent whilst doing the good deed, so the person should persist in warding off any shortcomings or negligence in the action. He should persist in keeping his intention in mind and continue to be focused when standing before his Lord, and not be absent-minded when carrying out His command. What matters is not only doing what is enjoined; rather what matters above all is not forgetting the One Who enjoined it when doing what He enjoined. Rather he should persist in remembering Him whilst carrying out His command.
    This is the worship of the true and sincere slaves of Allah. It requires patience and perseverance in order to be able to do acts of worship in the proper manner, by performing the act with all of its essential, obligatory and Sunnah parts. It also requires persevering in remembering the One Whom he is worshipping when doing that act of worship, and not letting himself be distracted from that by his worship. So his presence of mind with Allah should not distract him from carrying out the physical actions of the act of worship properly, and focusing on doing the physical actions in the proper manner should not distract him from presence of mind when standing before Allah, may He be glorified. End quote.
    3. Striving hard in du‘aa’ (supplication).
    This is one of the greatest means that help one to keep in mind the fact that Allah is with him and is helping His slave.
    4. Not giving up acts of worship.
    That is one of the means by which the Shaytaan discourages a person from doing acts of worship, on the grounds that he is not able to focus. So let the believer be aware of that, and let him continue to do the acts of worship.
    5. Preparing oneself for a particular act of worship and getting ready for it, and keeping away from anything that may distract him from it.
    It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not pray when food has been served and do not pray when resisting the urge to relieved oneself.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (89).
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : He is heedless about sins, on the grounds that the Sahaabah also committed sins


    Q
    He is heedless about sins, on the grounds that the Sahaabah also committed sins

    A

    Praise be to Allah.Such talk stems from the deceit of the Shaytaan, by means of which he makes sins seem insignificant to people, so that they will get carried away in sin and not repent from it.
    This notion is false on several counts:
    -1- The perfect example for the Muslim is the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
    Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often” [al-Ahzaab 33:21].
    Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
    This verse is an important principle, which is following the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his words, deeds and character. Hence Allah commanded the people to follow the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on the day of al-Ahzaab, in terms of his patience, steadfastness, perseverance, striving in jihad and awaiting help and support from his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon him constantly until the Day of Judgement.
    End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (6/391).
    By the same token, we must adhere to what he brought of commands and prohibitions.
    Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty” [al-Hashr 59:7].
    Whoever goes against his prohibitions has failed to achieve the level of piety (taqwa) that is required of him, and he has exposed himself to the punishment of Allah, may He be exalted.
    -2- The Muslim is enjoined to follow the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) in their good deeds, and not otherwise.
    Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment” [at-Tawbah 9:100].
    Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi said:
    “and those who followed them with good conduct” – this is an condition that is required of those who follow them, which is that they should follow them in their good deeds and not their bad deeds. End quote.
    See: ad-Durr al-Manthoor (4/272) and Tafseer al-Baghawi (4/88).
    So the Muslim should strive to follow the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) in their good deeds, so that he may be included among the people mentioned in the verse quoted above. As for any errors that they (may Allah be pleased with them) made, we are not enjoined to follow them in that.
    Among the good deeds of theirs in which the Muslim should follow their example is the fact that if they made any mistakes, they would hasten to repent, and their repentance was so great and sincere that Allah erased their sins thereby. The hadiths that speak of that are very well known, such as the repentance of Maa‘iz and of the Ghaamidi woman (may Allah be pleased with them).
    So the Muslim should strive to obey Allah, may He be exalted, and to keep away from disobeying Him. Then if he slips up, he must hasten to repent sincerely and not try to excuse himself by referring to the mistakes made by some of the Sahaabah, because they would repent and they would not persist in sin.
    -3- Even though some of the Sahaabah committed some major sins, that did not happen very often; in fact it was rare. In most cases, they (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to the command of Allah and strove hard to attain His pleasure. So why would this person referred to in the question ignore what was usually the case with the actions of the Sahaabah, and try to use that which rarely happened as an excuse?
    Moreover, if he is sincere, then let him do what they did: they used to hasten to repent, and they did not persist in sin, as noted above.
    Then let him follow the example of the one who surrendered her life for the sake of Allah, and [admitted the sin of adultery] so that the hadd punishment would be carried out on her.
    Then let him follow their example with regard to worship, attitude, effort, striving, acts of charity, fasting and voluntary prayers at night.
    In his attitude and actions, let this poor man strive to emulate the attitude and actions of the Sahaabah.
    Then let him see, in that case, whether the Shaytaan will try to entice him with such notions!
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : Holding fast to Allah and His religion


    Q
    Holding fast to Allah and His religion

    A

    Praise be to Allah.The ‘holding fast” that is mentioned in the Qur’an is of two types: holding fast to Allah, and holding fast to the rope of Allah.
    Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided”
    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:103]
    “and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper”
    [al-Hajj 22:78].
    Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
    I‘tisaam (holding fast) means adhering to that which will protect you and will ward off from you that which you dread and fear. ‘Ismah means protection and i‘tisaam means seeking protection. Hence fortresses are called ‘awaasim (sing. ‘aasimah) because they give protection and safety.
    Well-being and happiness in this world and the hereafter are based on holding fast to Allah and holding fast to His rope. There is no salvation except for the one who adheres to these two means of protection.
    With regard to holding fast to His rope, it protects one from going astray.
    Holding fast to Him protects one from doom and destruction, for the one who is journeying towards Allah is like one who is travelling on a path towards his intended destination. Hence he needs guidance on the road and he needs to be safe whilst travelling; he cannot reach his intended destination except after attaining these two things.
    The guide will protect him from losing his way, and will guide him to the right path; and equipment, physical strength and weapons will help him to be safe from bandits and any other troubles he may encounter on the road.
    So holding fast to the rope of Allah will lead him on the path of guidance and help him to follow the guide.
    Holding fast to Allah will give him the strength, equipment, weapons and anything else that he will need [to protect himself] on his journey.
    Hence the salaf [early generations] used a variety of phrases to explain what is meant by holding fast to the rope of Allah, even though these phrases all refer to the same idea.
    Ibn ‘Abbaas said: Adhere to the religion of Allah.
    Ibn Mas‘ood said: It is the jamaa‘ah (main body of the Muslims). And he said: You should adhere to the jamaa‘ah, for it is the rope of Allah that He has enjoined us to hold fast to. What you may find of things you dislike when you are with the jamaa‘ah is better than what you may find of things you like when you are scattered.
    Mujaahid and ‘Ataa’ said: It means adhering to the covenant of Allah. Qataadah, as-Saddi and many of the scholars of tafseer said: It means adhering to the Qur’an.
    Then he said: As for holding fast to Him, it means putting one’s trust in Him, seeking strength with Him, seeking protection with Him, and asking Him to protect the individual, give him strength and ward off harm from him. For the result of holding fast to Him is that He will ward off harm from His slave, for Allah defends those who believe. So He will ward off from his believing slave, if he holds fast to Him, any cause that could lead to problems, and He will protect him from that. So He will protect him from doubts and desires, and from the schemes of his enemies both apparent and hidden, and from the evil of his own self. He will ward off from him the consequences of that which may lead to problems and troubles after the causes thereof are all present, commensurate with the strength with which he holds fast to Him, so that the causes of troubles and problems will be removed in his case, and thus Allah will protect him from what could result from that and the causes thereof. He may ward off from him something that He had decreed by means of another decree, and something that He willed by means of something else that He wills, thus protecting him from it. End quote from Madaarij as-Saalikeen (1/457-460).
    We also advise you to refer to the following material [in Arabic]:

    https://www.almunajjid.com/10083
    al-I‘tisaam bi’l-Kitaabi wa’s-Sunnah: Asl as-Sa‘aadah fi’d-Dunya wa’l-Aakhirah wa Najaat min Mudillaat al-Fitan by Shaykh Dr. Sa‘eed ibn ‘Ali ibn Wahf al-Qahtaani (may Allah have mercy on him).
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : How can he acquire social intelligence?


    Q
    How can he acquire social intelligence?

    A

    Praise be to Allah.Improving one’s level of social intelligence requires intellectual effort and acquisition of knowledge, as well as practical, behavioural effort.
    With regard to intellectual effort and acquiring knowledge, it is attained by learning the noble characteristics that have to do with dealing with people in general terms, and learning the ideal ways of dealing with transgression and hypocrisy, and bad characteristics in particular.
    With regard to practical, behavioural effort, it is attained by persisting and steadfastly interacting with people on the basis of noble characteristics; developing self-restraint when dealing with transgressors, hypocrites and ill-mannered people; and repelling with that which is better and bearing with patience the evil of wrongdoers.
    The best and noblest path that one may follow in terms of both knowledge and behaviour in this regard is the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on how to deal with people of all types, ages, religions, races, classes and statuses.
    A useful book that we advise you to read in this regard is the book Kayfa ‘Aamaluhum by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid, which clearly explains the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) regarding how to interact with people of different types.
    https://www.almunajjid.com/9468
    See also the answer to question no. 71184, which speaks concisely about the character of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
    And Allah is the source of help.

  • Q n A : How can we make ourselves feel when reading Qur’an that Allah is addressing us thereby?


    Q
    How can we make ourselves feel when reading Qur’an that Allah is addressing us thereby?

    A

    Praise be to Allah.Making yourself feel that Allah is addressing you in the Qur’an is attained by listening attentively to the Qur’an, reflecting properly upon it, and acting in accordance with it, as the Muslim believes that Allah is addressing His slaves in the Qur’an, issuing commands and prohibitions to them; sometimes He addresses a particular group in some contexts, and sometimes He addresses humanity as a whole.
    When He addresses the believers, then the Muslim should reflect on that and say: We hear and we obey. Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When you hear Allah saying “O you who believe”, then pay attention, for it is something good that He is enjoining or something bad that He is forbidding.
    Tafseer Ibn Katheer (1/374).
    When Allah addresses humanity as a whole, then you should think that Allah is addressing you in particular, so if it is a command then do it, and if it is a prohibition then refrain from it, and if it is an exhortation then act upon it.
    The individual should reflect upon what Allah says throughout the entire Qur’an, but that reflection varies according to the context of what is being recited of the text. If obedience is mentioned, then he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to obey. If disobedience is mentioned, then he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the prohibition on disobedience. If people of faith (believers) are mentioned, he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to take them as friends and allies and love them. If the people of disbelief and hypocrisy are mentioned, he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to hate them and regard them as enemies.
    If the Shaytaan is mentioned, he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to regard him as an enemy, go against him and not to follow him, and to strive to obey Allah. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan – [for] indeed, he is to you a clear enemy –
    And that you worship [only] Me? This is a straight path”
    [Yaa-Seen 36:60-61].
    If truthfulness and those who speak the truth are mentioned, he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to strive to be one of them.
    If allies and liars are mentioned, he should bear in mind that Allah is addressing him with the command to strive to not be one of them.
    Imam Abu Bakr al-Aajurri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
    … Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, urges people to reflect upon the Qur’an, as He, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?”
    [Muhammad 47:24].
    And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
    “Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah , they would have found within it much contradiction”
    [an-Nisaa’ 4:82].
    Muhammad ibn al-Husayn [al-Aajurri] said: Do you not see, may Allah have mercy on you, how your most generous Lord urges His creation to reflect upon His words? Whoever reflects upon His words will come to know the Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and will come to know the greatness of His might and power, and will come to know the greatness of His grace and bounty towards the believers, and will come to know his duty to worship Him, so he will commit himself to do what is obligatory, and will beware of whatever his most generous Lord has warned him against, and will be eager to do what He has urged him to do.
    Whoever has this attitude when reciting Qur’an, and when listening to someone else reciting it, the Qur’an will be healing for him, and he will become independent of means even if he does not have wealth; he will feel honoured and proud even if he does not have a large family around him; and he will feel at ease in situations where others feel worried. His main concern, when starting to read or recite a soorah, will be “when will recitation of Qur’an have an impact on me?”, not “when will I finish the soorah?” Rather his concern will be: when will I understand and pay heed to what Allah is saying to me? When will I rectify myself, when will I learn the lesson? Because recitation of Qur’an is an act of worship, and an act of worship cannot be done properly when there is heedlessness and a lack of attention. May Allah help and guide us all.
    End quote from Akhlaaq Hamalat al-Qur’an (3)
    This is how the attitude of the one who recites Qur’an should be.
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : Ruling on recording university lectures without the permission of the lecturer


    Q
    Ruling on recording university lectures without the permission of the lecturer

    A

    Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible for a Muslim who pays attention to matters of trust and hates betrayal to record the words of a speaker without his permission or without his knowledge, no matter what the type of speech, whether it is religious or worldly, such as fatwas, scientific discussions, financial matters, and so on.
    It is proven in the hadith of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillah al-Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one man speaks to another and looks around (to make sure no one is listening), then that is a trust (amaanah).” Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi.
    What is meant by his looking around is that it is clear from the actions of the speaker that he is being cautious, by looking around, right and left, to make sure that no one can hear what he is saying. Thus what your companion says to you is a trust for the listener, that he has entrusted him with. If he tells someone else about it, then he has gone against the command of Allah, as he has disclosed the trust to people who are not entitled to receive it, and thus he becomes a wrongdoer. What he should do is conceal it, because when the person who told it to him looked around, that was like a gesture telling him not to tell anyone else. They said: This is a very concise expression, yet full of meaning, because the word translated here as looked around is very concise, and is encouraging us to observe good etiquette when mixing with people, to treat people well, to conceal secrets and maintain friendships, and it is a warning against spreading malicious gossip that could lead to resentment, as is quite clear.
    Ar-Raaghib said: Confidential talk is that which is meant to be kept private, which may be understood directly, such as if you say to someone else: Keep what I tell you to yourself; or it may be indirect or circumstantial, such as if the speaker takes the opportunity of being alone with you, or he lowers his voice, or tries to conceal it from others in the gathering. This is what is meant in this hadith. End quote.
    If you record his words without his permission or his knowledge, then this is a kind of treachery and a breach of trust.
    If you then spread these words to other people, this exacerbates the treachery and violation of the trust.
    Conclusion: Recording someone’s words – on a phone or otherwise – without the knowledge or permission of the speaker is evildoing and a betrayal, and undermines one’s good character and dignity.
    End quote from Adab al-Haatif by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd (may Allah have mercy on him), p. 28
    I put this question to our shaykh, ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him), and he replied:
    They have no right to record without his consent or knowledge.
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : If a person dies in the bathroom, is that indicative of a bad end?


    Q
    If a person dies in the bathroom, is that indicative of a bad end?

    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    In such cases, if a person dies
    in such circumstances, it has nothing to do with being praiseworthy or
    blameworthy in and of itself, and there is no Islamic ruling connected to
    that. Islamic rulings only have to do with the deeds of those who are
    accountable. If a person dies in a particular place, or at a particular
    time, or in a particular posture, that is not part of his deeds and it is
    not within his control, so there is no ruling that is connected to it. 

    With regard to the death of one
    who is fasting, this is the matter concerning which there are reports which
    point to its virtue, not because death in this situation was within his
    control, but because he died whilst doing a righteous deed and his life
    ended with that. It is the righteous deed that is within his control and is
    connected to the ruling of Allah. If a person dies doing such a deed, that
    is a blessing granted by Allah, may He be exalted, to His slave, and it is
    encouraged to constantly do such deeds, in the hope that one might die doing
    such a thing. 

    It was narrated that Hudhayfah
    (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of
    Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts one day, seeking the Countenance of
    Allah, and his life ends with that, will enter Paradise.”

    Narrated by Ahmad (no. 22235).
    Shaykh al-Arna’oot said: It is saheeh because of corroborating evidence. 

    It was also narrated by al-Bazzaar
    in his Musnad (1/436) as follows: “If a person’s life ends with a day
    of fasting, he will enter Paradise.” Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani. 

    Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have
    mercy on him) said: The words “If a person’s life ends with a day of
    fasting” mean: if a person’s life concludes with a day of fasting, in the
    sense that he dies when he is fasting or after breaking his fast. 

    The words “will enter Paradise”
    mean: with those who enter it first, or without prior punishment.

    End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer
    Sharh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer (6/160) 

    Muslim narrated in his Saheeh
    (5126) that Jaabir said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
    of Allah be upon him) say: “Each person will be resurrected in the condition
    in which he died.” 

    Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have
    mercy on him) said: If a person dies in a particular condition, then his
    life ends with that, and in that condition he will be resurrected.

    End quote from Kashf al-Mushkil
    min Hadeeth as-Saheehayn (1/751) 

    And Allah knows best.