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Wednesday 23 October 2013

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Children are a great gift from Almighty Allah to all parents. Parents must think of their children as such treasures that the all the wealth and material resources are worthless as when compared to ones children. We, as parents, should thank Almighty Allah for blessing us with children whether they are boys or girls. Today, it is quite disheartening to see that some parents rejoice when the newborn child is a male and show their dissatisfaction when the child is a female. But, this should not be the attitude. Islam does not condone this type of behaviour, as such was the manner of the parents in the time of ignorance.

Daughters are without doubt a great blessing from Almighty Allah. They are a means of salvation and a path to Jannah for their parents. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that when a boy is born, then he brings one Noor (light) and when a girl is born, then she brings two Noors. It has been narrated in a Hadith that the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that if parents are kind and generous towards their daughters, then they will be so close to the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in Jannah, like one finger is to the next. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has also stated that the person who is faced with hardship due to his daughters, and makes Sabr (is patient), then his daughters will be a Purdah (curtain) between him and Hell.

The crux of one narration states that one who loves his daughters and withstands the hardship of grooming and getting them married, then Almighty Allah makes Jannah Waajib (compulsory) on him and keeps him protected from the Fire of Hell.

Hazrat Khwaja Uthman Haaroni (radi Allahu anhu), the Peer-o-Murshid of Khwaja-e-Khwajegaan, Hazrat Sheikh Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (radi Allahu anhu), states: "Daughters are a gift from Almighty Allah. Those parents who are kind towards them, then Almighty Allah is generous towards such parents. Those who are merciful to their daughters, Almighty Allah is Merciful towards them." The great Saint also said, "When a girl is born to a family, then between the parents and Hell, there shall be a distance of five hundred years."

It has been stated that when parents rejoice at the birth of a daughter, this is greater than making Tawaaf of the Kaaba seventy times. Muslims should also remember that the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is from his beloved daughter Sayyidah Fatima Zahra (radi Allahu anha).

Dear brothers and sisters, rejoice on the birth of your daughters, love and guide them and give them that which is due to them from your belongings. Do not deprive them of their inheritance as they also have say in this. Remember! Daughters are a blessing and not a burden.
Daughters are a great blessing because Allah(SWT) has promised a place in paradise (Jannah) on bringing them up. The one who has 3 daughters or sisters, or 2 daughters or sisters and he brings them up properly and fears Allah(SWT) regarding their rights, then Paradise is made mandatory for him. In some Ahadith, when the Prophet(SAW) mentioned the blessings of bringing up 3 daughters or sisters, somebody asked “What if someone has only 1 daughter?” The Prophet(SAW) mentioned the same prize for him as well,i-e a place in the paradise. Paradise would never be made mandatory for such people had daughters not been blessings of Allah(SWT).
This shows that daughters are indeed a source of blessing from Allah(SWT), therefore if a daughter is born in someone’s house, he should not be saddened by this, instead he should rejoice and thank Allah(SWT) for this blessing. How can they be inferior when a place in paradise is being promise against them? Getting saddened by the birth of daughters was the practice of the Non-Believers(Kuffar) because before the Prophet(SAW) came, the Kuffar used to get saddened by the birth of daughters and used to consider them a burden as they would need to find someone for their daughters to marry. They were such animals that they used to bury their innocent daughters alive.
It is these blessed daughters that are the means for the existence of humanity, how can they be considered a curse, this is the act of the Non Believers. The Prophet(SAW) has called her a blessed woman who’s first child is a daughter. Therefore rejoice and smile when you hear about the birth of daughters and consider them a blessing for yourself.
Islam has given a very high status to daughters, therefore consider them a huge blessing of Allah(SWT). It is these daughters through whom Saints (Auliya Allah) are born and above all, our beloved Prophet(SAW), for whom this world was created, his family and bloodline was continued through his daughter. If daughters were not a blessing then Allah(SWT) would never choose them to carry forward the bloodline of his most beloved Prophet(SAW). This shows that daughters are indeed a great blessing so do not consider them inferior. Sons bring Daughters in Law and Daughters bring Son in Law. Sometimes the son in law is so obedient that he surpasses daughters in serving his parents in law.
However, making dua for Sons is not forbidden, one may do that. Ask Allah(SWT) for sons with the intention that you would make them Aalim, Hafiz so that they would take care of our Religious Institutions (Madaris) and hence become a Sadqa e Jaariya for us.

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It is a common misconception amongst people that hadiths were collected and written down after 150 to 200 years of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-Wa-Sallam's) death. This misconception has led to people viewing hadiths suspiciously as they surely can't be authentic as they were collected much later.

Hadiths were compiled and written down since the time of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam), sahaba (RadiAllahu Tala Anhum) had their own scrolls or books, with the help of these scrolls and books other hadith books were compiled later onwards.

At first the Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) stopped his companions (RadiAllahu Tala Anhum) from writing down hadiths.

[Sahih Bukhari]

Whatever the reason, then afterwards this was permitted, there is a narration regarding it but it is dhaeef so we are not writing it.

Prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said to Abdullah bin Amr (RadiAllahu Tala Anho): Write hadiths, I swear by Him who holds my life in His hand, from this mouth nothing but the truth comes out.

[Abu Dawood, volume 1, pg 158: Sanad is Sahih]

Abdullah bin Amr (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) says: We were seated near prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) and were writing, in this manner was asked: which city will be first conquered, Constinople or Rome?

He (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: Hercule's city will be conquered first.

[Darmi, pg 126: Sanad is Sahih]

Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: Write this hadith and give it to Abu shah (RadiAllahu Tala Anho)....

[Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim]

Ali (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) says: We don't have anything but Kitab Allah and the scriptures in which are hadiths of prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam).

[Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim]

Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) says: Amongst the sahaba (RadiAllahu Tala Anhum) no one narrates hadiths more than I do save Abdullah bin Amr (RadiAllahu Tala Anho), because he used to write them and I didn't.

[Sahih Bukhari]

Anas (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) heard a hadith and liked it so much, he told his son to write it and he wrote it.

[Sahih Muslim, Kitab ul Iman]

Anas (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) says that when Abu Bakr (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) sent him to Yemen as the governor, he wrote on a scroll and gave it to him whose content was: Start with Allah 's name who is Rehman and Raheem, this is the obligation of Zakat which Prophet of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) has made on the Muslimeen and this is what Allah ordered His prophet

[Sahih Bukhari, Kitab ul Zakat]

The narrator Hamad bin Salma says: I got this book from Anas (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) 's grandson Samama.

[Nasai, kitab ul zakat]

Imam Malik says: I read Omar (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) 's book …

[Muwatta Malik, pg 106]

From the above few authentic narrations from many, we can conclude that Hadiths were being written down since the time of the prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam). From such scripts other famous hadiths books were compiled.

But where are these scrolls or books?

When the hadiths were copied and narrated into other books, it was but logical that the small compilations get absorbed in bigger compilations.

It is not true that the muhaddiths collected only verbally transmitted hadiths, and there were no compilations in the earlier times especially the first century of the hijra.

Old compilations can be found today like Sahifa Hammam, in this are hadiths in which Imam Hammam bin Munabbi took dictation from Abu Huraira (RadiAllahu Tala Anho), this compilation is easily available for everyone to view.

So to say that there were no compilations for hadiths till the second century is just a misconception spread by helpers of shaitan so that people give up believing in hadiths and interpret Quran according to their desires thus making a mockery of prophethood which is clear blasphemy. May Allah save us form such a thought. Ameen.

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Manners of Visiting

3.5 CHOOSING A SEAT

Sit where asked to by your host. Do not argue with your hosts about the place where they wish you to sit. If you sit where you want, you may overlook a private area of the house, or you may cause inconvenience to the house residents. Ibn Kathir narrated in Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah that the honoured companion ‘Adi bin Hatam Al-Tay converted to Islam and came to Madina to see the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). The Prophet honoured Hatam by seating him on a cushion, while he himself sat on the floor. ‘Adi said: ‘…then the Prophet took me along and upon reaching his house, he took a leather cushion filled with palm fiber and threw it on the floor. ‘Sit on this,’ he said. ‘No, you sit on it,’ I answered. The Prophet insisted, ‘No you.’ So I sat on it while the Prophet sat on the floor.’ ‘

Kharija bin Ziada visited Ibn Sireen. He found Ibn Sireen sitting on a cushion on the floor and wanted to also sit on a cushion, saying, ‘I am content as you are.’ Ibn Sireen replied: ‘In my home, I will not be content until I provide you with what I am usually comfortable with. Sit where you are asked to sit.’ Do not sit in the patron’s seat unless he invites you to it.

In this regard, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘No person shall lead another in prayer while the first is at the latter’s house. No person shall sit, uninvited, at the favourite seat of the patron of the house.’

If it happened that you arrived early and your host, out of kindness, directed you to sit at the most prominent seat, be prepared to stand up and give this seat to the elder, the notable, or the scholar when they arrive after you since they are more deserving of this seat.

Do not be insensitive and tactless. If you refuse to give your seat to those who are considered more deserving of it by those around you, this will only indicate your lack of manners and common sense. You will become one of those referred to by the Prophet, when he said, ‘Those who do not respect our elders do not belong to us.’

To remain entrenched in your seat will not elevate your status, and it will certainly surprise those present. You will be considered a snob since you are insisting upon an undeserved honour. This rule applies equally to men and women. Insensibility does not enhance social standing. On the contrary, it will be a terrible mistake that will only tarnish your reputation. To honour an honourable person can only improve your standing and stir admiration for your manners and humbleness.

If you happened to sit in the second best place and a notable person entered the room, you should give up your seat to that person. To be respectful of our elders is evidence of your good manners and social sense. Imam Muslim reported that the Prophet said, when organizing prayers, ‘The wisest of you and the elders should stand next to me, then those below them, then those below them.’

In the gathering, a prominent person may call upon you to discuss a matter, or to answer a query, or to give you an advice. If you sat beside him or near him, it is desirable that you return to your previous seat once the matter is concluded unless that person or other notables insist that you remain at your new seat. This is provided that by doing so, the space does not become so tight as to cause discomfort to those already sitting there. Manners are based on common sense. They could be developed by socializing with prominent and tactful individuals. By observing how they act and behave, you will be able to enhance your common sense, good manners and graceful behaviour.

You could be called to a gathering where you are the youngest. In such cases, do not sit before you are invited to do so. Do not sit if you will be crowding out others, or forcing others to leave their seats for you. If you are invited to sit, do not proceed to the best place when there are others more deserving of it. Be prepared to give up your seat to such individual. Doing this on your own, before being requested to do so, will enhance admiration and respect for you.

3.6 A VISITOR IS NOT AN INSPECTOR

When you enter a home, whether as a visitor or an overnight guest, do not closely examine its contents as an inspector would. Limit your

observation to what you need to see. Do not open closed closets, or boxes. Do not inspect a wallet, a package, or a covered object. This is against Islamic manners and an impolite betrayal of the trust your host has accorded to you. Uphold these manners during your visit and seek to cultivate your host’s love and respect, and may Allah bless and protect you.

Imam Muhasibi in Risalat Al-Mustershidin said: ‘The duty of sight is to preclude forbidden sights and not to try to see what has been hidden or covered. Dawood Al-Ta’i said ‘I was told we will be accountable for our minor gazes as we are accountable for minor deeds.’

The Arabic poet Miskin Al-Darimi said:

‘My neighbor should not worry if

his door is not closed.’

3.7 TIMING YOUR VISIT

Choose an appropriate time for your visit. Do not visit at inconvenient times such as mealtime, or when people are sleeping, resting, or relaxing. The length of the visit should be in accord with how well you know the hosts, as well as their circumstances and conditions. Do not overstay your welcome by making your visit too long or burdensome.

Imam Al-Nawawi said in the book of Al-Azkar: ‘It is strongly recommended for Muslims to visit the pious people, the brethren, the neighbours, friends and relatives, and to be generous, kind, and obliging to them. However, the extent of the visit varies according to the host’scircumstances. The visit ought to be conducted in a pleasant manner and at convenient times. There are numerous sayings and traditions in this regard.’

Meeting another Muslim with a cheerful countenance

May 29th, 2012 by Ahmed.

When one Muslim meets another he should confront him with a smile and cheerful countenance and physically express his delight in meeting him. This will entail a fortification of love and affection between them. If you confront a grieved person with a cheerful countenance, you might just allay his grief or at least pacify him. A person feels unrestrained in expressing himself if he is confronted cheerfully thereby aiding him in fulfilling his needs.

Hadhrat Abu Dhar (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

“Don’t ever belittle any of your good deeds even though this may be meeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.” [Muslim]

The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

“When two Muslims meets and clasp each others hands, their sins are shed as a tree sheds it’s leaves.”

Together with a buoyant confrontation, clasping each others hands is also mustahab (preferable) as this increases mutual love and affection.

Hadhrat Qatadah (رضى الله تعالى عنه) relates that he enquired of Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) if the companions of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) grasped each others hands whilst meeting. Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) replied: “Yes of course!” [Fathul Baari]

Hadhrat Baraa (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

“When two Muslims meet one another and clasp each others hands, they are forgiven even before they separate from one another.” [Abu Daud]

Deeds are according to intentions

Jun 27th, 2008 by Ahmed.

Allah Accepts Deeds That Are Only For Him

عَنْ أَمِيْرِ المؤْمِنِيْن أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلي الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ : إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ؛ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا؛ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيُّ وَمسلم

It is related by Umar Ibn al-Khattab (رضى الله تعالى عنه ) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) say:

The actions are but judged according to intentions; and to every man is due what he intended. Thus, whosoever migrates for the sake of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) (and there is no other motive of his migration except compliance with the commands of Allah (SWT) and his Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and winning of their good pleasure), his migration is accounted for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) (and doubtlessly, he is to true Muhajir- Emigrant- and shall receive the recompense prescribed for Hijrat-Migration-towards Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم )); and whosoever migrates for the sake of this world or to wed a woman (his migration will not be for Allah and the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم ]), and will be accounted only for the purpose for which it is intended. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Commentary:

The Main purpose of the Hadith is to Show that the goodness or badness and acceptability or otherwise of all human actions is dependant on intention.

Or, in other words, only such deeds will be deemed good and carry merit in the sight of Allah (SWT) which is done with a good and virtues intention and a good deed noble and meritorious; on the contrary, it will held to be wicked and detestable according to the intention which motivated it through, apparently, it may be good and praiseworthy.

To summarise, Allah (SWT) judges the worth and value of a deed by the motive with which it is performed.

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Manners of Visiting

Jun 30th, 2009 by Ahmed.

3.1 KEEPING APPOINTMENTS, DELAYS AND CANCELLATION

In the first verse of Surat Al-Mai’da, Allah called upon the believers ‘O’ you the Believers, fulfill your promises.’ In Surat Maryam Allah also praised Prophet Ismail may peace be upon him ‘He was true to his promise. He was a Messenger and a Prophet.’

To keep an appointment is vital to our lives, since time is the most precious commodity, once wasted it could not be replaced. If you made an appointment, whether to a friend, colleague or for business you should do your utmost to keep this appointment. This is the right of the other person who gave you part of their time and may have declined other appointments. Not only have you disrupted their schedule but you have marred your image and personality. If your punctuality becomes lousy you will lose people’s respect. You should keep all your appointments whether it was with an important person,a close friend or someone else. You will be responding to the call of Allah in Surat Al-Issra’ ‘and keep your promises. The promise is a responsibility.’

It is enough to know that our kind Prophet gave an appointment to one of his companions. The companion came three days later. The Prophet gently reprimanded him ‘You have caused me some trouble. I have been waiting expecting you since three days.’ The companion probably had an excuse for this delay. Then, he had no means to inform the Prophet about his inability to meet the appointment.

Today, fast and reliable communication means are available everywhere. As soon as you realize you will not be able to keep an appointment, you should inform the other parties to enable them to utilize their time. Do not be careless or irresponsible. Do not think that the appointment is so unimportant that it does not merit a notice or an apology. This is totally irrelevant. Regardless of its importance an appointment is a commitment. It must be kept or canceled properly in advance.

Never make a promise while you do not intend to keep it or fulfill it. This is forbidden as it falls within lying and hypocrisy. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that the Prophet said: ‘Three traits single out hypocrites, even if he prayed and/or fast and claimed to be Muslim: If he talks, he lies. If he promises, he does not keep it. If he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.’

Imam Ghazali in Al-Ihya said that this Hadith fits those who promise while intending not to fulfill it, or those who, without excuse, decide later not to fulfill a promise. Those who promise but could not fulfill, their promise due to a proper excuse are not hypocrites. But we should be careful not to create excuses that are not valid. Allah knows our inner thoughts and intentions.

3.2 DECLINING A VISIT

If you visit friends with or without an appointment and they apologize for not being able to receive you, accept their apology without ill-feeling. You should understand that something may have come up compelling them to decline your visit. Their own affairs, or the state of their house, may have made your visit inconvenient. It is perfectly all right for them to ask to be excused.

The follower (Tabi’ee) Qatada bin Di‘ama Al-Sadüsy said: ‘Do not hang around at the door of those who declined your visit. Accept their reason, leave to attend your business, and let them attend their own business.’ Do not ask for reason or explanations. Imam Malik used to say: ‘Not all people can disclose their reasons.’ Accordingly, when it comes to visiting, our righteous ancestors used to say to their hosts: ‘Perhaps you just became busy and cannot receive us,’ making them feel at ease in case they wanted to be excused. Imam Al-Tabari in his Tafseer (18:113) reported that a man of Muhajirin said: ‘All my life, I wanted to practice this Sura ‘If you are told to turn back then do so, it is much better for you’ but I could not. I was hoping I will seek permission to visit a brother and he will tell me: Go back! I gladly will go back fulfilling this directive to Allah.

This particular etiquette is very important in order to remove any ill-feelings that could linger because of declining of a visit. Allah SWT said, ‘If you are asked to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity.’

Many people do not know what to do, and become disturbed by the visit of someone whom they do not want to receive under the circumstances, and may resort to lying. Not only their children learn these bad manners, but such behaviour may lead to antipathy.

The Quranic etiquette provides a better alternative to such unpleasantness and guards us against lying. It provides for the host to kindly present a reason to visitors and asks that they accept it in good faith and without hesitation: ‘If you are asked to go back, go back: that makes for greater purity.’

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Sense of Fun
Maybe, like me, you're a philosophy dork. Maybe, like me, when you were thirteen, you said to your friends, "Is there really a world behind that closed door? Or does the outside world only pop into existence when I open the door?", and they said, "Dude, you're weird! Let's go play basketball." Maybe, like me, when you were in high school you read science fiction and wondered whether an entirely alien moral code might be as legitimate as our own, and this prevented you from taking your World History teacher entirely seriously.

If you are a deep-down philosophy dork, then you might have a certain underappreciated asset: a philosophically-tuned sense of what's fun. You should trust that sense of fun.

It's fun -- at least I find it fun -- to think about whether there's some way to prove that the external world exists. It's fun to see whether ethics books are any less likely to be stolen than other philosophy books. (They're actually more likely to be stolen, it turns out.) It's fun to think about why people used to say they dreamed in black and white, to think about how weirdly self-ignorant people often are, to think about what sorts of bizarre aliens might be conscious, to think about whether babies know that things continue exist outside of their perceptual fields. At every turn in my career, I have faced choices about whether to pursue what seems to me to be boring, respectable, philosophically mainstream, and at first glance the better career choice, or whether instead to follow my sense of fun. Rarely have I regretted it in the long term when I have chosen fun.

I see three main reasons a philosophy dork should trust her sense of fun:

(1.) If you truly are a philosophy dork in the sense I intend the phrase -- and I assume most readers of this blog are (consider: this is how you're spending your free time?!) -- then your sense of what's fun will tend to manifest some sort of attunement to what really is philosophically worth pursuing. You might not be able quite to put your finger on why it's worth pursuing, at first. It might even just seem a pointless intellectual lark. But my experience is that the deeper significance will eventually reveal itself. Maybe it's just that everything can be explored philosophically and brought around back to main themes, if one plunges deep enough. But I'm inclined to think it's not just that. The true dork's mind has a horse-sense of where it needs to go next.

(2.) It energizes you. Few things are more dispiriting than doing something tedious because "it's good for your career". You'll find yourself wondering whether this is really the career for you, whether you're really cut out for philosophy. You'll find yourself procrastinating, checking Facebook, spacing out while reading, prioritizing other responsibilities. In contrast, if you chase the fun first, you will find yourself positively eager, at a visceral level, to do your research. And this eagerness can then be harnessed back into a sense of responsibility. Finding your weird passion first, and figuring out what you want to say about it, can energize you to go back later and read what others have said about your topic, so you can fill in the references, connect it with previous research, sophisticate your view in light of others' work. It's much more rewarding to read the great philosophers, and one's older contemporaries, when you have a lens to read them through than when you're slogging through them from a vague sense of duty.

(3.) Fun is contagious. So is boredom. Readers are unlikely to enjoy your work and be enthusiastic about your ideas, if even you don't have that joy and enthusiasm.