Truth Always Prevails

Taken From: www.islamonline.com

Islam is a practical religion, it does not float in the stratosphere of imaginary ideals but remains with the human being on the ground of realities and day-to-day concerns. It does not regard people as angels but accepts them as mortals who eat food and walk in the marketplace. Islam does not require of Muslims that their speech should consist entirely of pious utterances, that their silence should be a meditation, that they should listen to nothing except the recitation of the Qur'an, nor that they should spend all their leisure time in the mosque. Rather, it recognizes that Allah has created human beings with needs and desires, so that, as they need to eat and drink, they also need to relax, and to enjoy themselves.

Dr. Yusuf `Abdullah Al-Qaradawi, a prominent Muslim scholar, says:

"Laughter or joy is part of the instinctive feelings created in humans, and Islam, being a religion that calls man to the natural phenomenon of monotheism, is not expected to forbid humanity from expressing such natural feelings. On the contrary, it welcomes pleasure.

A Muslim should develop a positive and optimistic personality, and not a gloomy and pessimistic one that is negative towards life.

One must try to follow the good example set by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on this aspect. Despite his enormous responsibilities, he always had time for jokes; however, he never lied when joking. On many occasions the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) shared in the good cheer of his Companions; he’d joke with them and have fun. But as he shared in their joy, he shared in their sorrow.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon) found time to share good feelings with his wives, and was not carried away with the burdens of Prophethood to the extent that he neglected showing affection to his family.

The famous Hadith of Umm Zar` found in Sahih Al- Bukhari is an evidence in this respect.

In another Hadith narrated by At-Tirmidhi, an old woman pleaded to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to ask Allah to let her enter Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told her that there is no place in Paradise for old women. She burst into tears without understanding the deeper meaning of the Prophet’s words. He pacified her by saying that she would not enter Paradise as an old woman; rather, she would enter as a young woman full of vitality. Then he recited to her Allah’s words: 'Lo! We have created them a (new) creation. And made them virgins. Lovers, friends.' (Al-Waqi`ah: 35-37)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to instill joy and happiness in people’s hearts especially in happy occasions like feasts or marriage ceremonies. For instance, when Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) tried to stop two young girls from singing in the Prophet’s house, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told him: 'Let it be, for we are now in the feast.' Another version reads: '… to let the Jews know that in our religion there is time for merriment.'

The Prophet’s Companions and those who came after them also adopted the same characteristic. Though known for his strictness, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) once told his maid: 'I was created by the Lord of the generous while you were created by the Lord of the mean.' When he realized that his maid was vexed by these words, he rushed to soothe her feelings by explaining to her: 'Isn’t the Lord Who created the generous created the mean?'

However, some intellectuals and poets were not in favor of laughter, deemed it wrong and focused on its negative aspects while overlooking the positive ones.

This does not go in harmony with the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) whom we should take as a model in everything.

Abu Salmah Ibn `Abdur-Rahman is quoted as saying: 'The Prophet’s Companions neither went to extremes or passivity. They were always lively, and they had time for leisure and musical activities including activities traced to their pre-Islamic life. Yet, no one could use this to insult these Companions in their belief.

Ibn Sireen was once asked whether the Prophet’s Companions ever had time for fun. He replied: 'What do you think of them? They are like other human beings having time for merriment. Ibn `Umar, for instance, used to joke and compose songs.

Legal Limits for Laughter and Fun:

Given all that we have said about laughter and merriment, it’s clear that Islam does not go against this because it is typically part of human nature. `Ali Ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'Give your heart a break for some time otherwise it will suffer a breakdown out of excessive strain.' And Abu Ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) also says: 'I take to having leisure for my self with some sort of merriment in order to find strength to uphold justice.'

Laughter and fun have certain limitations:

1- In order to have fun or be in a joyous mood with friends one should not go to extremes: to the point of lying, for example, carrying out pranks on April Fool’s Day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to joke, but he did not joke with lies.

2- Joking shouldn’t hurt people’s dignity and honor. Allah says: 'O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), nor let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith…' (Al-Hujuraat: 11)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: 'Every Muslim should beware of making fun of his fellow brother.' (Reported by Muslim)

3- Joking shouldn’t lead to frightening or terrorizing people, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'It is not permissible for anyone to frighten a Muslim.'

4- Based on the famous saying: 'For every situation there’s a suitable time, and a proper time for every speech', one should not joke when people are overwhelmed with sorrow or when the situation needs composure. That is why Almighty Allah strongly rebuked the polytheists who laughed when they heard the recitation of the Glorious Qur’an. This is evidenced in Allah’s words: 'Marvel ye then at this statement. And laugh and not weep. While ye amuse yourselves?' (An-Najm: 59-61)

5- Having fun shouldn’t be an open and unrestricted game. Moderation preserves the mind from distortion and the society from falling apart. Besides, we all know that Islam goes against extremism and excessiveness in everything: even in worship and merriment. Excessiveness here refers to overdoing something to the extent of neglecting more important things. Perhaps this is what is meant in the following Hadith: 'Don’t argue with your fellow brother and never joke with him.'

Sa`id Ibn Al-`Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) also used to tell his son: 'Try to slow down a bit in joking, for too much joking weakens one's personality and gives a chance for bad people to insult you. But I don’t mean that you should abandon it altogether, for that also drives away friends and companions.'

So this indicates that moderation is one of the true features of Islam, and it is what distinguishes Muslims from others. We pray to Almighty Allah to guide us to this proper way of life and conduct."

In the nineteenth year after the Hijrah, 'Umar dispatched an army to fight against the Byzantines. In it was Abdullah ibn Hudhafah As-Sahmi. News of the Muslim force reached the Byzantine emperor, Heraclius. He had heard of their sincerity of faith, and their willingness to sacrifice their lives in the way of Allah and His Prophet. He gave orders to his men to bring to him any Muslim captives they might take alive..

God willed that Abdullah ibn Hudhafah should fall captive to the Byzantines and he was brought before the Emperor. The Emperor looked at Abdullah for a long time. Suddenly he said, "I shall make a proposal to you." "What is it?" asked Abdullah. "I suggest that you become a Christian. If you do this, you will be set free and I shall grant you a safe refuge." The prisoner's reaction was furious: "Death is preferable to me a thousand times to what you ask me to do." "I see that you are a bold man. However, if you respond positively to what I propose to you, I will give you a share in my authority and swear you in as my aide." The prisoner, shackled in his chains, smiled and said, "By Allah, if you give me all that you possess and all that the Arabs have in exchange for giving up the religion of Muhammad, I shall not do so." "Then I shall kill you." "Do what you want," answered Abdullah. The emperor then had him put on a cross and ordered his soldiers to throw spears at him, first near his hands and then near his feet, all the while telling him to accept Christianity or at least give up his religion. This he refused over and over again to do. The emperor then had him taken down from the wooden cross. He called for a great pot to be brought. This was filled with oil which was then heated under a fierce fire. He then had two other Muslim prisoners brought and had one of them thrown into the boiling oil. The prisoner's flesh sizzled and soon his bones could be seen. The emperor turned to Abdullah and invited him to Christianity. This was the most terrible test that Abdullah had had to face up till now. But he remained firm and the emperor gave up trying. He then ordered that Abdullah too be thrown into the pot. As he was being taken away he began to shed tears. The emperor thought that he had at last been broken and had him brought back to him. He once more suggested that Abdullah become a Christian but to his astonishment, Abdullah refused. "Damn you! Why did you weep then?" shouted the emperor. "I cried," said Abdullah, "because I said to myself 'You will now be thrown into this pot and your soul will depart'. What I really desired then was to have as many souls as the number of hairs on my body and to have all of them thrown into this pot for the sake of Allah." The tyrant then said, "Will you kiss my head? I will then set you free?" "And all the Muslim prisoners also?" asked Abdullah. This the emperor agreed to do and Abdullah said to himself, "One of the enemies of Allah! I shall kiss his head and he shall set me and all other Muslim prisoners free. There can be no blame on me for doing this." He then went up to the emperor and kissed his forehead. All the Muslim prisoners were released and handed over to Abdullah. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah eventually came to 'Umar ibn al Khattab and told him what had happened. 'Umar was greatly pleased and when he looked at the prisoners he said, "Every Muslim has a duty to kiss the head of Abdullah ibn Khudhafah and I shall start." Umar then got up and kissed the head of Abdullah ibn Hudhafah. Source: Scanned from "Companions of The Prophet", Vol.1 by Abdul Wahid Hamid

Narrated Said bin Jubair:
I said to Ibn Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka'b told us that the Prophet said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish' ..

Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha 'bin Nun, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?' (Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys.
Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient." The Prophet added, "We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.")

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 613
Sahih Bukhari

extracted from> http://www.sahaba.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=248
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal I said to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him):

Inform me about an act which would entitle me to get into Paradise, and remove me away from Hell-Fire.
He (the Prophet) said: You have asked me about a matter (which ostensibly appears to be) difficult but it is easy to those for whom Allah, the Exalted, has made it easy.
Worship Allah
do not associate anything with him,
establish prayer,
pay the Zakat,
observe the fast of Ramadan and
perform Hajj to the (sacred) House (Ka'bah).

He again said: Should I not direct you to the gateways of good? ..
Listen to me:
The fasting is a shield against evil,
the charity extinguishes (the fire of sin) just as water extinguishes fire,
the prayer of a person during the middle of the night.

Then he recited: 'Who forsake their beds...(up to)....they used to do.'

Then he said: Should I not direct you to the highest level of this matter, to the pillar on which (it rests) and its top?
I said: Allah's Messenger yes, (do tell me). He said: The uppermost level of the matter is Islam. Its pillar is the prayer and its top is Jihad.

He then said: Should I not inform you of the sheet anchor of all this?
I said: Allah's Apostle (of course do it). He took hold of his tongue and said: Exercise restraint on it. I said: Apostle of Allah, would we be held responsible for what we say with it? Thereupon he said: Mu'adh, may your mother be bereaved. Will anything else besides (irresponsible) talk cause the people to be thrown into the Hell-Fire upon their faces or on their nostrils?

Taken from: http://pakistanlink.com/religion/2001/1123.html
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Sadaqatul Fitr is a special charity of the month of Ramadan. This charity should be given during the month of Ramadan anytime before the Idul Fitr prayer. Because it can be given until the Idul Fitr time it is called Sadaqatul Fitr. The Prophet peace be upon him urged Muslims to pay this charity in the month of Ramadan.

Various reasons are given by scholars for this charity. Some say that this charity helps the poor and needy and takes care of their needs in the month of Ramadan and also makes it possible for them to celebrate the Id festival with other Muslims. Another view is expressed that this charity is to atone (as a kaffara) for any mistakes or omissions a person might have done during this blessed month. Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet peace be upon him enjoined Sadaqatul Fitr so that those who fast are purified of their errors and the poor and needy people are enabled to arrange for their basic needs of food, clothing etc. Therefore the Sadaqa of the person who gives before the Id prayer is the real Sadaqa, but if someone delays and gives it afterward his charity will be an ordinary charity (reported by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah).

Sadaqatul Fitr is obligatory upon every Muslim, whether male or female, minor or major, who possesses property over and above his basic needs and requirements, amounting to the Nisab for Zakat, whether it is subject to Zakat or not. The amount of Nisab for Zakat is about 80 grams of gold or its equivalent in cash value. The head of the household must pay this amount on behalf of his/her own self and on behalf of their spouse, children and even servants.

The amount of sadaqatul fitr was fixed by the Prophet peace be upon him. It is about 5 pounds of wheat, flour, barley, dates or raisins. Jurists also allow paying cash to the poor and needy. The head of the household must pay this amount on behalf of all the members or the dependant, males or females, adults or children.

This sadaqa should be given during Ramadan any time but before the Idul Fitr prayers. The sadaqa should be given to the poor and needy. Individuals can also make the payments to Islamic charitable organizations that collect this fund. These organizations then should distribute these funds as soon as possible so that they reach to the needy people in time.

taken from: http://pakistanlink.com/religion/2001/1123.html
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I’tikaf spending the last ten days of Ramadan in the Masjid is a beautiful tradition of the Prophet. It is like a spiritual retreat. It is reported by Aisha may Allah be pleased with her that the Prophet peace be upon him used to observe i’tikaf during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan and he continued this practice till his death. After him his wives carried on this practice of observing i’tikaf regularly. (Reported in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

It is recommended that every Muslim make at least one i’tikaf in his/ her life. There must be at least few people in every community who should do it in every masjid every year to keep this tradition alive. Men should do I’tikaf in the masjid so that they can pray in jama`ah and also offer the Friday prayers. Women can also do i’tikaf, but theirs must be at home for reasons of modesty and for their own convenience. There is a great blessing in I’tikaf and people who do it bring blessings upon themselves, upon their families and upon the Muslim Ummah at large.

The sunnah of i’tikaf is that one make its intention and begin the i’tikaf on the evening of the 20th of Ramadan from sunset time and continue until the sighting of the moon for Idul Fitr. During I’tikaf men should stay in the masjid day and night and should not leave it except for the use of toilet or shower. They are allowed to eat also inside the masjid, but if it is not convenient they may go outside and come back as soon as they finish.

During i’tikaf one should spend most of one’s time in prayer, reading of the Qur’an, zikr and reflection. Engaging in business and other worldly conversation and activities is not allowed during I’tikaf. However, attending a janazah or visiting a sick person or leaving for any emergency is permissible.

I`tikaf During the Whole Month of Ramadan: Bid`ah? (www.islamonline.com)

First of all, it should be clear that i`tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) is an act of worship highly recommended for Muslims to perform during the last third of Ramadan. It is of great merit and significance in Islam.

Focusing more on your question, the eminent Muslim scholar, Dr. `Abdul-Fattah `Ashoor, Professor of the Exegesis of the Qur'an at Al-Azhar Univ., states:

I`tikaf is a Sunnah. It can be offered at any time by day or night. There is no limit to its time. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) offered i`tikaf in Ramadan as well as in Shawwal. This is proof of the permissibility of i`tikaf during Ramadan as well as all other months of the year. So, whoever is able to offer it during the whole month of Ramadan will have abundant reward from Allah.

There is a hadith that states: "Whoever offers i`tikaf, Allah lays three barriers between him and the Hell-fire..." (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

Whoever finds time to offer i`tikaf during the whole month of Ramadan and continues to do so every year will have great reward in sha' Allah. We cannot consider this as bid`ah (innovation), for bid`ah is something that has no ground in religion, but i`tikaf has ground in Islam.

Based on the above Fatwa, it is clear that there is nothing wrong if someone offers i`tikaf during the whole month of Ramadan.

Extract from: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546140
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Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam which is of paramount significance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

In his response to your question, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, President of the Fiqh Council ofNorth America, states:

1. What is Fasting?

Fasting is called sawm in the Qur'an. The word sawm literally means "to abstain". In Surat Maryam, Allah tells us about Mary the mother of Jesus that she said, (I have vowed a fast (sawm) for the sake of the Merciful, so today I shall not speak to anyone. ) (Maryam 19: 26) The meaning is “I have vowed to abstain from speaking to anyone today”. According to Shari'ah, the word (sawm means to abstain from all those things that are forbidden during fasting from the break of dawn to the sunset, and to do this with the intention of fasting.

2. Purpose of Fasting

The Qur'an says: (O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who were before you, in order that you may learn taqwa. ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 183)

Taqwa is a very important spiritual and ethical term of the Qur'an. It is the sum total of all Islamic spirituality and ethics. It is a quality in a believer's life that keeps him/her aware of Allah all the time. A person who has taqwa loves to do good and to avoid evil for the sake of Allah. Taqwa requires patience and perseverance. Fasting teaches patience, and with patience one can rise to the high position of is piety, righteousness and consciousness of Allah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that fasting is a shield. It protects a person from sin and lustful desires. When the disciples of Jesus asked him how to cast the evil spirits away, he is reported to have said, "But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21). According Imam al-Ghazali (d. 1111 C.E.), fasting produces a semblance of divine quality of samadiyyah (freedom from want) in a human being. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350 C.E.), viewed fasting as a means of releasing the human spirit from the clutches of desire, thus allowing moderation to prevail in the carnal self. Imam Shah Waliullah Dahlawi (d. 1762 C.E.) viewed fasting as a means of weakening the bestial and reinforcing the angelic elements in human beings. Maulana Mawdudi (d. 1979 C.E.) emphasized that fasting for a full month every year trains a person individually and the Muslim community as a whole, in piety and self restraint.

3. Fasting is obligatory

In the second year of Hijrah, Muslims were commanded to fast in the month of Ramadan every year. The Qur'an says, (O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who were before you, in order that you may learn taqwa(piety). ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 183) Further Allah says, (The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur'an, wherein is guidance for mankind and the clear signs of guidance and distinction. Thus whosoever among you witness the month must fast.... ) (Al-Baqarah 2: 185)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) explained this further in a number of his statements reported in the books of Hadith. It is reported by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.”

The Muslim Ummah is unanimous that fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every person who is capable (mukallaf).

4. Rules about Fasting:

A) Who must fast?

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who is adult (i.e. has reached puberty) and sane and who is not sick or on a journey.

Sickness could be a temporary sickness from which a person expects to be cured soon. Such a person is allowed not to fast during the days of his/her sickness, but he/she must fast later after Ramadan to complete the missed days. Those who are sick with incurable illness and expect no better health, such people are also allowed not to fast but they must pay the fidyah, which is giving a day's meals for each fast missed to a needy person. One can also give instead the money for meals to a needy person. Women in their menses and post-natal bleeding are not allowed to fast, but they must make up later after Ramadan. Pregnant women and mothers who are nursing babies, if they find it difficult to fast they can also postpone their fasting to a later time when they are in a better condition.

Journey according to the Shari`ah is any journey that takes you away from your city of residence, a minimum of 48 miles or 80 kilometers. It is the same journey that allows you to shorten (qasr) your prayers. The journey must be for a good cause. It is a sin to travel in Ramadan in order to avoid fasting. A Muslim should try to change his/ her plans during Ramadan to be able to fast and should not travel unless it is necessary. The traveler who misses the fasts of Ramadan must make up those missed days later after Ramadan as soon as possible.

B) Fasting according to the Sunnah:

1) Take sahur (pre-dawn meal). It is Sunnah and there is a great reward and blessing in taking sahur. The best time for sahur is the last half hour before dawn or the time for Fajr prayer.

2) Take iftar (break-fast) immediately after sunset. Shari'ah considers sunset when the disk of the sun goes below the horizon and disappears completely.

3) During fast abstain from all false talks and deeds. Do not quarrel, have disputes, indulge in arguments, use bad words, or do anything that is forbidden. One should try to discipline oneself morally and ethically, beside gaining a physical training and discipline. One should also not make a show of one's fasting by talking too much about it, or by showing dry lips and hungry stomach, or showing bad temper. The fasting person must be a pleasant person with good spirit and good cheer.***This is included in the following saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): " Whoever does not give up false speech (lying and the like) and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink" (Muslim).

4) During fast one should do acts of charity and goodness to others and should increase his/her worship and reading of the Qur'an. Every Muslim should try to read the whole Qur'an at least once during the month of Ramadan.

C) Things that invalidate the fast:

One must avoid doing anything that may render one's fast invalid. Things that invalidate the fast and require qada' (making up for these days) are the following:

1) Eating, drinking or smoking deliberately, including taking any non-nourishing items by mouth, nose or anus.

2) Deliberately causing oneself to vomit.

3) The beginning of menstrual or post-childbirth bleeding even in the last moment before sunset.

4) Ejaculation out of sexual excitement from kissing, hugging, etc.

5) Eating, drinking, smoking or having sexual intercourse after Fajr (dawn) on mistaken assumption that it is not Fajr time yet. Similarly, engaging in these acts before sunset on the mistaken assumption that it is already sunset time.

Sexual intercourse during fasting is forbidden and is a great sin. Those who engage in it must make both qada' (make up the fasts) and kaffarah (expiation by fasting for 60 days after Ramadan or to feed 60 poor people for each day of fast broken in this way). According to Imam Abu Hanifah, eating and/or drinking deliberately during fast also entail the same qada' and kaffarah.

D) Things that do not invalidate fasting:

During fast, the following things are permissible:

1) Taking a bath or shower. If water is swallowed involuntarily it will not invalidate the fast. According to most of the jurists swimming is also allowed in fasting, but one should avoid diving, because that will cause the water to go from mouth or nose in the stomach.

2) Using perfumes, wearing contact lenses or using eye drops.

3) Taking injections or having blood test.

4) Using miswak (tooth-stick) or toothbrush (even with tooth paste) and rinsing the mouth or nostrils with water provided it is not overdone (so as to avoid swallowing water).

5) Eating, drinking or smoking unintentionally, i.e. one forgot that one was fasting. But one must stop as soon as one remembers and should continue one's fast.

6) If one sleeps during the daytime and has a wet-dream, it does not break one's fast. Also, if one has intercourse during the night and was not able to make ghusl (bathe) before dawn, he/she can begin fast and make ghusl later. Women whose menstruation stops during the night may begin fast even if they have not made ghusl yet. In all these cases, bathing (ghusl) is necessary but fast is valid even without bathing.

7) Kissing between husband and wife is allowed in fast, but one should try to avoid it so that one may not do anything further that is forbidden during fast.

E) Requirements for the validity of fasting:

There are basically two main components of fasting:

1) The intention (niyyah) for fasting. One should make a sincere intention to fast for the sake of Allah every day before dawn. The intention need not be in words, but must be with the sincerity of the heart and mind. Some jurists are of the opinion that the intention can be made once only for the whole month and does not have to be repeated every day. It is, however, better to make intention every day to take full benefit of fasting.

2) Abstaining from dawn to dusk from everything that invalidates fasting. This point has been explained in detail in the preceding sections.

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***Modifications.

Excerpted from an answer to a question: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1127117945681

"With the approach of the month of Ramadan, the Muslim is supposed to start a new leaf with Allah, his fellow human beings as well as all his surroundings. On this new leaf, he should first declare sincere repentance from all sins committed in order for him to be eligible for Allah's reward in the blessed month of Ramadan.

Responding to the question, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, Professor of Jurisprudence and its Principles at the International Islamic University, Malaysia, states the following:

Let us keep praying Almighty Allah to bless us in the month of Sha`ban and give us the chance to fast the month of Ramadan. For better preparation for the holy month of Ramadan, I propose the following:

1. Keep praying daily that Allah gives us the chance and grants us good health that will enable us to fast the holy month.

2. Start repenting and seeking the forgiveness of the Almighty for all our wrongdoings before Ramadan.

3. Seek the strength from Allah to fast in the way that He likes and wants.

4. Seek forgiveness from all members of your family, workmates, neighbors, and relatives for any wrongdoing against them.

5. Refrain from backbiting, slandering, and unlawful mixing with people.

6. Clean your heart and soul from envy, jealousy, hypocrisy, arrogance, and all heart diseases.

7. Seek the blessings of your parents, if they are alive, and their forgiveness for your shortcomings towards them.

8. Increase your du`aa' and commitment to your daily duties and obligations.

With this, I think, we will be able to achieve the main goals of fasting."

Malik ibn Dinar (may Allah be pleased with him) was a pious and obedient imam. No body imagined that he had once been a harsh and disobedient man. The story of his repentance shows us that no body is too bad to be accepted.

Ibn Dinar was one of the most oppressive people. Because he used to be an unjust and alcoholic person who also practiced usury, he was disliked and avoided by people. He had a little daughter whom he loved profoundly. After her death at the tender age of three, he, distraught and engulfed with sadness, drank until he lost his consciousness.

On that night, he had a dream that he was witnessing the Day of Judgment, and that a horrendous snake was chasing him. Terrified and unable to escape, Ibn Dinar saw no one but an old man toward whom he ran seeking help. The old man was too weak to help him, but he pointed toward another direction, in which Ibn Dinar ran until he found himself at the edge of a cliff leading to Hellfire.

Horrified, Ibn Dinar ran back to the old man and begged for rescue. The old man cried and told him, "I am weak, just as you see. I cannot help you." Then he told Ibn Dinar to run in another direction, which Ibn Dinar did. As he was running, the snake was so near to him that it almost seized him. All of a sudden, he saw his young daughter, who came to her father' aid and rescued him from the snake.

Overjoyed, yet still in a state of great fear due to what had just happened, Ibn Dinar took his daughter's hand and sat with her as they used to sit together when she was alive. Then the daughter posed the following question to her father: O my father:

( Has not the time yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? ) (Al-Hadid 57:16 )

I read in some of the books of wisdom that Almighty Allah said, "Indeed, I am Allah, the King of kings. The hearts of kings are in My hand. [For] whoever obeys Me, I will put in their [the kings'] hearts mercy and compassion toward them, and [for] whoever disobeys Me, I will put in their hearts wrath upon them. So, do not busy yourselves with insulting the kings, but instead, repent unto Me, and I will put in their hearts compassion and sympathy for you. [Safwat At-Tafaseer, Vol. 1, p. 419]

* The story was recorded in Ibn Qudamah's book At-Tawwabeen, and this article has been taken with modifications from Suhaibwebb.com.

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Taken From: ISLAMONLINE.NET

Taken from: http://abrizal.blogspot.com/

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم he said as reported by the noble companion Abdullah ibn Mas’ood رضي اللّه عنه and reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad. اللَّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي عَبْـدُكَ، إبْـنُ أَمَتِـكَ، the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said No slave is afflicted with anxiety and grief and then says, O Allah I am your slave son of your male slave, son of your female slave, نَاصِـيَتي بِيـدِكَ my forehead is in your Hand, مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُـكَ،and Your judgment upon me is assured, عَـدْلٌ فِـيَّ قَضَـاءُكَ، and whatever You have decreed for me is just, أسْـأَلُكَ بِكُـلِّ اسْمٍ هُـوَ لَك I ask You by every name belonging to You سَـمَّيْتَ بِـهِ نَفْسَـكَwhich You have named Yourself,فِـي كِتَـابِكَ ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ or You have revealed in Your Book, أَوْ عَلَّمْتَـهُ أَحَـدًا مِـنْ خَلْقِـكَ or You taught one of Your creation, أَوِ اسْـتَأْثَـرْتَ بِهِ فِـي عِلْـمِ الْغَيْـبِ عِنْـدَكَ or You have preserved knowledge of that Name with You in the Unseen, I ask You that You make the Qur’aan the spring of my heart,أَنْ تَجْعَـلَ القُـرْآنَ رَبِيَـعَ قَلْبِي ، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي ، and the light of my chest, وَجَـلاَءَ حُـزْنِي وَذَهَـابَ هَمِّـي ، a banisher for my grief and a reliever for my anxiety.”

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “إِلاَّ أَذْهَبَ اللّهُ حُزْنَهُ وَهَمَّهُ وَأَبْدَلَ مَكَانَهُ فَرَحَا whoever says this Allah سبحان وتعلى will replace his distress and grief with joy.
The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم was asked “O Messenger of Allah should we not learn this? He صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “Certainly! It is proper and befitting for the one who hears of this supplication that they learn it.”

This hadith is reported by Imam Ahmad contains amazing benefits. Benefits that are important to each and every one of us because there is not one of us except he will be met with trials and tribulations and this is a test from Allah سبحان وتعلى, to distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are faking. Allah عزّ وجل He said in the Noble Qur’aan in Surathul Baqarah verse 155,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمْوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
Certainly we shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, life and fruits but give glad tidings to the patient”

Imam Sa’adi رحمح الله تعلى mentions in his explanation of the Qur’aan ‘Taysir al Kareem ar Rahman’ explaining this verse, he said, (Arabic) “Allah the Most High informs us that He would definitely test His servants. (Arabic) So, the one who is truthful can be distinguished from the one who is faking and is a liar.” So, the one who is annoyed and irrational can be recognized from the one who is patient. And this is the Sunnah of Allah عزّ وجل. So from this verse we benefit that each and every one of us will meet a test. Depending upon our reaction, then this will show whether we are from those people who are patient or from those people who are irrational and impatient.

With regards to this hadith then I will use some of the words of the people of knowledge to explain it. Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى firstly and foremostly, and some of the other scholars from amongst the people of knowledge. In this life as Shaykh Abdur Razak he mentions the slave is tried with a variety of painful experiences. These painful experiences they affect the heart, causing it to become restless and they cause pain to the soul. Also it may be disturbing and stressful, what you have suffered and experienced.

Now brothers and sisters there is something that you have to understand and this is an important point mentioned by Ibnul Qayyim and others, if the pain that you have experienced is related to things that have happened in the past, then that is sadness. Understand this. If the pain that has afflicted the heart is connected to something that has happened in the past, then this is sadness(Huzn). And if it is connected to something that you expect and fear will happen in the future then this is worry(Hamm), and if it is related to something that is going on in your life right now then this is anxiety or stress.

And there is no way to remove these three things from the heart unless we truly return back to Allah عزّ وجل and humble ourselves before Allah. Surrendering to Allah عزّ وجل and accepting His command and believing in His pre-decree. And knowing His Names and Attributes and believing in His Book. And reading the Qur’aan and contemplating upon it and acting upon it. This is the only way that you can remove sadness, worry and anxiety from the qalb (heart).

And I say to you that this supplication, dua is not something only meant to be said upon the tongue. Many people they make d'ua or they mention various adkhar and it is just a movement of the tongue. There is no feeling in the heart. And that is why Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى mentioned in his book ‘al Fawaid’ (Arabic) the most superior remembrance and the most beneficial form of remembrance is that which is found in the heart and it is spoken upon the tongue. And the one who is mentioning Allah the one who is supplicating to Allah, invoking Allah he should understand the meaning of what they are saying and the intent behind it.

Many people make dua, many people make dhikr but they don’t understand what they are saying and they don’t understand the core messages behind it. So therefore they may not achieve what they expected to achieve due to the deficiency in themselves.
Further, when we make dua to Allah عزّ وجل, we have to supplicate to Allah سبحان وتعلى with love, fear and hope
What is the proof? Allah عزّ وجل, He said in the Qur’aan,
أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ

And Ibnul Qayyim mentioned “Some people suffered from anxiety or stress and they think the answer is to do something haram or something that they used to do in the past, because Shaytaan is whispering them to commit such behaviours. Ibnul Qayyim further added that, “If the anxiety, worry and stress are removed by using means other than the Qur’an for instance if you are sick and you regain health then the anxiety, stress and worry will return back.” However if the Qur’an is the spring of your heart then it will banish those things forever as long as that belief is in your heart. Ibnul Qayyim رحمح الله تعلى added, “Whoever is not cured by the Qur’an then Allah سبحان وتعلى will not cure that individual, who ever is not happy with the Qur’an (in terms that they believe it to be sufficient) Allah سبحان وتعلى will make nothing sufficient for them.”

By Neveen Shedid
Reading Islam Team

"I'm here, I'm finally here, All praise to God who brought me here again."

These are usually the first words I utter as soon as my eyes fall on the minarets of Prophet Muhammad's mosque on my way from the airport to the hotel in Madinah.

Throughout my ride, I keep staring out of the window of the bus trying to just catch a glimpse from a distance of Prophet Muhammad's mosque.

I've been visiting Madinah every Ramadan for the last fifteen years. I believe this is a great blessing from God because once your feet step on the ground there, you feel what thousands of pictures cannot tell or transfer: the spirit of Madinah, Prophet Muhammad's city.

Although I visited Madinah so many times, I still feel the very same happiness I felt the first time I went there. The feeling of serenity overfills me every time.

Although Madinah has witnessed its fair share of modernization, it still hasn't lost its spirit of peace and tranquility. And no wonder, as it is the city to which Prophet Muhammad migrated 1400 years ago, lived in, and is buried in.

As I sit in Prophet Muhammad's mosque or wander in the streets of Madinah, a thought always strikes me: could I be stepping on the ground that the Prophet's feet once touched? Could I be sitting in a place that Prophet Muhammad once sat in?

And I pray: "Oh God, let my feet touch a spot Prophet Muhammad's feet once touched."

A Garden From Paradise
"As I look at the faces of these women, I ponder at the amount of love they carry for a man they never met!" There are two timings for visiting Prophet's Muhammad grave for women, as the grave lies in the men's section of the mosque. As soon as the doors open for women to enter, hundreds and thousands of women rush towards the grave to try to pray in the area called Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah (the area now between Prophet Muhammad's grave and his pulpit).

Prophet Muhammad once said, "There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house and my pulpit." (Al-Bukhari)

Inside the Rawdah, you can see women from different ethnicities, speaking different languages, all gathered in this place for one reason: the love of Prophet Muhammad.

They look with love to each other with tears filling their eyes, praising God and thanking Him for enabling them to stand in this blessed place.

They raise their hands praying to God to forgive their sins and asking Him to grant them their wishes in this life and the Hereafter, for they stand next to the grave of Prophet Muhammad, the most beloved person to God.

A Pure Love
As I look at the faces of these women, I ponder at the amount of love they carry in their hearts for Prophet Muhammad, a man they never met, spoke with, or even saw, but still they love him as if he's living among them, and he is even dearer to them than their closest ones.

This enormous love to Prophet Muhammad stems from their appreciation to what he has been through in conveying the message of Islam, and the hope for his intercession to them on Judgment Day.

They carry for him a pure kind of love, incomparable to any other kind of love, a love that God placed in the believers' hearts for Prophet Muhammad, the mercy He sent to mankind.

When I sit in Prophet Muhammad's mosque and reflect upon all the incidents that happened to me throughout the year, I feel that my problems are very shallow and trivial.

Days and days we worry about tomorrow, forgetting the fact that it's all in God's hands and that we should truly rely on God as Prophet Muhammad did when he left Makkah, the most beloved place to him, and migrated to Madinah. That is one great lesson in reliance on God.

I look forward every year to visiting Prophet Muhammad's mosque to recharge my batteries of patience, and perseverance, and increase my faith that God always does what's best for me, but I'm the one who sometimes fails to read His signs.

The Bliss of Solitude
I always leave with the hope of coming back the next year, but as big as my hopes are, I also realize the fact that this visit might be my last one, a fact that I can't deny.

So I leave with tears in my eyes asking myself the inevitable question: Will my eyes ever fall again on the green dome where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is buried under?
My faith in God answers this question, and I find my solace in His words for God says in the Qur'an what means,

{And whoever obeys God and the Messenger, these are with those upon whom God has bestowed favors from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the pious, and a goodly company are they.} (An-Nisaa' 4:69)

I recall a poem I memorized at school when I was a child. It spoke about daffodils and how a beautiful memory can flashback and comfort you.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon the inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude (William Wordsworth)

To me, the memory of the visit to Prophet Muhammad's mosque is my bliss of solitude.

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Neveen Shedidis an editor at Reading Islam. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Cairo university and a diploma in Islamic studies.

photos;

http://picturesofmosques.blogspot.com/

Excerp;
http://www.readingislam.com/

While Maryam (Mary), may Allaah exalt her mention, was praying in her place of worship, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled with terror, she tried to flee, praying (what means): "…'Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allaah.' He said: 'I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son].' She said: 'How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?' He said: 'Thus [it will be]; your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.''" [Quran: 19:18-21]