Can a Muslim Woman Wear Flat Shoes without Socks?

 

It is best for Muslim women to wear socks while wearing flat shoes. This is based on the majority view that a woman must cover her feet while venturing out.  However, Imam Abu Hanifah and Ibn Jarir do not think it absolutely necessary to do so.

The authentic and preferred view in the Shafi`i school is that women’s feet are awrah. This view is also shared by Imams Malik, Al-Awza`i, and Abu Thawr- as stated by Imam An-Nawawi in his encyclopedic work al-Majmu`. Imam Abu Hanifah, Sufyan al-Thawri, and Muzani, however, do not consider women’s feet as awrah.

There is no harm in following the latter view in case of hardship. It is acceptable to do so, according to the teachings and precedents of the imams of the madhhab.

Source: AsktheScholar.Com

Almighty Allah knows best.

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Will Prophet Muhammad’s Parents Go To Paradise?

 

Hadiths Regarding the Fate of the Parents of the Prophet

There are two specific hadiths that mention the fate of the parents of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.  

Anas narrated that a man asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, where is my father?’ The Prophet said, ‘In Hell.’  When he turned away the Prophet called him back and said,

‘My father and your father are in Hell.’” (Sahih Muslim 203, Book 1, #408)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

I sought permission to beg forgiveness for my mother, but Allah did not grant it to me. I sought  permission from Allah to visit her grave, and Allah granted it to me. (Sahih Muslim 976a, Book 11, #134)

This is interpreted as the mother of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) being in Hell, because of what is said in the Qur’an:

It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire (Quran 9:113)

If the Prophet’s mother was a believer and in Paradise, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have been granted permission to pray for forgiveness for her.

Everyone is Responsible for Their Own Actions

It is very important for everyone to remember that each person is ultimately responsible for their own actions.  

Allah says in the Qur’an,

No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another.  And if a sin-burdened soul cries for help with its burden, none of it will be carried—even by a close relative.  You can only warn those who stand in awe of their Lord without seeing Allah and establish prayer.  Whoever purifies themselves, they only do so for their own good. And to Allah is the final return. (Qur’an 35:18)

On the Day of Judgment, we must take full ownership of all of our deeds, both our good deeds and our sins.  

We cannot have anyone else take responsibility or blame for our sins, and no one can claim our good deeds as their own.  

This applies to everyone, even our family members; no matter how much we may want to help out our loved ones regarding their fate, we cannot.

Allah is the Ultimate Judge and will judge us solely on what we ourselves did.

Families of Prophets are Not Exempt from Judgment

Even the family of the Prophets are not exempt from this.  

Simply being related to or close to a Prophet does not mean that a person is by default a believer, a good person, or destined for Paradise.  

If a relative of a Prophet doesn’t believe in Allah or does evil deeds, they will be punished in the Hereafter, and their familial connection to the prophet will not be of any help to them.  

Allah specifically mentions that this is the case for the wives of Prophet Noah and Prophet Lot:

Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.  Each was married to one of Our righteous servants, yet betrayed them.  So their husbands were of no benefit to them against Allah whatsoever.  Both were told, “Enter the Fire, along with the others!” (Qur’an 66:10)  

Abu Lahab, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), was also condemned to Hell in the Qur’an because of his disbelief. (Qur’an 111:1-5)

This illustrates the extent of Allah’s Justice; it would be very unfair to grant people Paradise just because they are related to a Prophet, regardless of their actions in life.  

Because Allah is the Most Just, Allah therefore only judges people based on their own deeds.

Having Faith in Allah’s Mercy

But, all of this does not mean that we can be totally sure that the Prophet’s parents are doomed.  

Allah promises, “We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.” (Qur’an 17:15)  

This means that if a person is not aware of the message of Islam, they will not be penalized because they had no chance to accept or reject it.  

Although most people in pre-Islamic Arabia were pagan, there were people there that believed in Allah (Jews, Christians, and general monotheists).  

It is possible that the parents of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were believers in Allah.

Since they died before the advent of Islam, they weren’t able to accept or reject Islam, so Allah would therefore not punish them.  

Ultimately, Allah is the Final Judge, and Allah will decide who will be in Paradise or Hell.  

We can only believe, do good deeds, and have faith in the Mercy, Kindness, and Generosity of Allah.

May Allah grant us all the best in this life and the Hereafter, Ameen!

- aboutislam.net

About Anne Myers

Anne Myers is a proud Wellesley College graduate and holds a Master of Divinity focusing in Islamic studies. She has experience in pastoral care in hospital and university settings. Her passions include Islam, feminism, traveling, reading, watching cooking competitions, and her cats.

Who Is the Worst Wrongdoer?

 

{And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance – they will never be guided, then – ever.} (Al-Kahf 18:57)

In this verse Allah Almighty talks about people who are given a reminder but they ignore it. But before discussing the ayah, let’s think about this physical phenomenon: our bodies have been gifted with different limbs and muscles. If you fail to exercise a muscle for an extended period of time, you may lose the ability to use that muscle.

So, for instance, if a person is laid in bed because of some sickness for months and months then, six months or a year later, try to get out of bed, they may not have the strength left their legs and stand up again. It may also be that they lose the ability to walk altogether as a result of not having exercised that muscle.

Borrowing from that analogy, there is some truth to our spiritual ability to benefit from a reminder. So Allah Almighty says in this Ayah who could be more of a wrongdoer than someone who was continually reminded of the Ayat, the revelations, and the miracles then he knowingly and deliberately ignored it; he does not really care.

They are exposed to something that can benefit them but they disregard it. Now, our hearts, our spiritual hearts, have the ability to take the reminder and benefit from it. Just like a muscle, if you do not exercise it; if the reminder comes and you refuse to put it to work, the muscle loses its ability. - aboutislam.net

How a Dua Journal Will Brighten Up Your Days

 

Being a convert myself, I remember having similar questions about the concept of dua.

At first, it felt very confusing for me as well, and I too felt overwhelmed – so please know that you aren’t alone in feeling this way at first. I pray this answer may provide some clarity for you perhaps.

What is Dua?

Dua is commonly translated as supplication. It is the other type of prayer, besides salah, the daily obligatory prayer. Now what people don’t always make super clear when explaining it to somebody new to the faith is that many things count as duas, from the super small and simple to the lengthy and eloquent. 

Allah Most High says in the Holy Quran,

“Your Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you. Surely those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.” (Surah Ghafir, Ayah 60)

The truth is that the duas people often teach each other are also from Quran or hadith and they’re ones often given to Prophets before us who had success with their duas.

That being said, there is no obligation to stick purely to the duas of other people. Dua can be anything from your heart at any moment in your native language as well – it just has to have the intention to be dua. Your prayers must be from the heart and that is all Allah Most High asks from us.

Bite-sized Duas With Powerful Meaning

To prove my point about small duas people do without realizing it is considered a dua, I thought I would include a small list of them. 

• Saying “peace be upon him” after mentioning the Messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
• Subhanallah (Glory be to God)
• Alhamdulillah (All praises be to God)
• Astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness from God)
• The last two chapters of the Quran double as duas as well
• Surah al-Fatiha 

There are many more, of course, but these are often the most common duas Muslims may do without realizing they’re even duas. Of course, there are many gems in the Quran that are a bit longer (more like multi-word phrases) and then of course, long paragraphs of prayers people do, if they feel so inclined. However, I recommend everybody keep a Dua Journal when possible.

Dua Journaling

Dua journalling is a beautiful practice that anybody can do whenever they feel so inclined. It can be a Google Doc or any memo app where you write down the things you would like to talk to the Almighty about. Perhaps if you have the ability to, consider buying a pretty journal or notebook that brings you joy to write in. 

Health, wisdom, tranquility, deeper understanding, forgiveness – these are all great things to talk to Allah about. Of course, He is also there to listen to the negative feelings too. If you’re feeling frustrated with family issues or betrayed by loved ones, He will hear you out when you talk about these things too. He is there in times of distress but also in times of delight, so try to talk to Him when you can, much like a close friend.

It is also a really lovely practice I recommend for people so we can keep track of all of the times we’ve said we would pray for somebody, even in passing. (I know I’ve told my family “Don’t worry! I’ll pray for you.” on facebook or something and then totally forget when I close my computer, because I didn’t write it down so having a dua journal helped me remember my promises better.)

How a Dua Journal Will Brighten Up Your Days

A dua journal is also a good way to later reflect back and see all of the blessings and bounties the Almighty has already given you before that you didn’t realize were answered. Like somebody might look back in ten years and simply say, “I remember feeling unsure of how to make dua and now I’m very comfortable with it since I prayed to Him that He would put ease in my prayers.” It is often said that God works in mysterious ways, but I find that a dua journal really helps solidify that God works in the best of ways for us.

In short, please consider making a dua journal or memo and focus on doing little daily dua phrases like the above mentioned so you can get more generally comfortable with dua. He did not want you to stress so much when you talk to Him, because He loves to hear from you over and over again. Allah is al-Wadood or the Divine Source of Love. 

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Tuscany Bernier

Tuscany Bernier is from Indiana where she lives with her husband and two cats. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and raised in the rural town of Ladoga, Indiana. Tuscany recently graduated with her associate's degree in Islamic Studies from Mishkah University and is passionate about cultural diversity and women’s studies.

Purity of Heart: How to Improve It

 

Every child is born innocent, sinless, and angelically pure. If you look at the innocence of a child, this is how close we should be to Allah the Almighty.

A child brought up knowing love and tenderness retains a healthy sense of self-esteem and worth. However, it remains that every child develops an ego, and each encounters life experiences that adversely affect their trust and innocence.

When we are pure at heart, our hearts become innocent and clean like children. But to remain this way is a daily challenge.

Not Being Taught a Moral Life

Optimistically, most children learn the meaning of integrity and how to live a moral life.

When children learn integrity and morals, they grow up having self-worth, making it is easier to relate to God. They have common sense, and their life is made easier.

ess fortunate children may, as adults, go through life aimlessly – without knowing how to navigate their journey – making up the rules as they go along. They lack a sense of self-worth or purpose that should have been instilled in them by parental figures.

Sometimes, they feel jealous and exhibit competitiveness toward others. These individuals tend to search for love wherever they can find it, ultimately facing betrayal and disappointment, leading to heartache and lack of trust.

Despair

When a person feels hurt, disappointed, or alone, despair and depression begin to take root.

Many people lead lives of desperation and emptiness, devoid of morals – conditions that make life complicated.

In such a state, it becomes easy to miss seeing the beauty of Almighty Allah around us; or to see Him as the One who loves us unconditionally. In taking these things for granted, it becomes commonplace to lose trust in God.

Judging Others

Even when trying to live moral lives, a lack of self-control leads to speaking badly toward or judging others.

In not striving to live exemplary lives, showing empathy toward one another, giving in charity and brotherhood, upholding the common good, and supporting justice – life becomes mundane.

Overcoming Shame

Many new converts, and Muslims who strayed from the straight path, have lived immorally – against the tenants of Islam. Sometimes this is found in Western cultures, where self-focus vs. service to others is predominant.

In either case, Allah the Almighty is All-Forgiving, Most-Merciful, and whatever our mistakes, repentance, asking His forgiveness, seeking forgiveness of others, and forgiving ourselves, purifies our hearts.

The love of Allah the Almighty invokes self-worth. Our mere existence is proof that we are a creation of His beauty!

He loves us with the tenderness of a mother holding her newborn child. Almighty Allah is always with us. We are never alone.

Forgiveness brings us peace of mind and purity of heart if we submit our whole hearts to Allah the Almighty.

Becoming Close to Almighty Allah

The acts of prayer and dhikr (remembrance of Allah the Almighty), bring us inner peace. Remembering Him throughout the day, being aware of the beauty and awe of His creation rekindles that child-like quality of innocence we had at birth.

Being merciful and kind, having a good heart, refraining from being judgmental, cruel, jealous, or self-righteous will restore peace of mind and purify our hearts.

Physical Cleanliness

Physical purity and cleanliness will also contribute to the purity of our hearts. We should physically take care of and beautify ourselves.

Eating healthy halal food and drinking enough water will make us feel better about ourselves.

Purifying ourselves before prayer with proper wudu washes away our sins.

When we uphold our responsibility to family and keep our word, we are worshiping God.

Guarding our words, not using profanity with the same mouths that recite the Quran or Allah the Almighty, keeps our minds clean.

Being fair, not hurting others unjustly, and using good judgment prevents drama and conflict in our lives.

Reflection

Taking time to reflect in solitude, and pausing several times a day (not just for the daily prayers), to feel the closeness and companionship of Allah the Almighty, and seeking refuge in Him through times of despair, is essential in maintaining purity of heart, because life is far from perfect.

We should also pause throughout the day to make dua for others affected by misfortune.

Gratitude also nurtures peace of mind and purity of heart; teaching us to value whatever we have in our lives.

Forgiveness

Having the ability to forgive and apologize for doing something wrong, or hurt someone, is an invaluable virtue.

Holding onto a wall of anger between our brothers or sisters brings complexity and impurity into a believer’s life.

Through purity of heart, we become more empathetic. If Allah the Almighty is Forgiving and Merciful, we should strive to emulate the examples set out in the Quran and Sunnah, beginning with extending mercy toward one another.

Life of Simplicity

Following the middle path, Allah the Almighty makes practicing Islam easy for us.

Islam is not intended to complicate our lives but encourages that we live in simplicity and to avoid seeking excess in the material aspects of this life.

Material things complicate our lives and diminish both physical and spiritual purity.

Simplicity brings purity of heart. Living a life of simplicity and purity will bring us back to the innocence of a child, resulting in greater happiness and peace of mind. It will make our lives easier.

Our lives become enriched by viewing the world as a creation of God’s beauty, and we should take care to not destroy the earth or be wasteful.

We should look to ourselves as creation of Allah that we, ourselves, are beautiful, and that we should make ourselves beautiful, our relationships beautiful, and that we will be rewarded in the hereafter, for Allah loves a pure and beautiful heart. This is what is most desired to Allah in the hereafter.

In looking to ourselves as the inherently beautiful creation of Allah the Almighty, it becomes easier to understand that, by striving to maintain purity in our hearts, the inner beauty we were born with radiates through our appearance, and our relationships improve as well.

What aspect of our character does Allah the Almighty value the most concerning the hereafter? He is looking for whether or not we have a pure and beautiful heart. - aboutislam.net

The People of Light

 Light is something that is mentioned when obeying Allah many times. When we disobey Allah, darkness prevails. May Allah make us all people of light!

A Believer’s Good Deeds

-aboutislam.net

7 Are Safe on the Day of Judgment – Are You One of Them?

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Seven are (the persons) whom Allah will give protection with His Shade* on the Day when there will be no shade except His Shade (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection), and they are:

A just ruler; a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the mosque; two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom a beautiful and high ranking woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer by saying): ‘I fear Allah’; a person who gives a charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand might not know what the right has given; and a person who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes well up. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

1. A Just Ruler

The concept of Justice in Islam is very important and it is something which the Muslim—the ruler and the ruled—must apply in all matters without exception.

Justice means to give each the right he deserves: Muslim or non-Muslim, relative or stranger, friend or enemy. Allah says:

[…] do not let hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness […] (5:8)

Unfortunately, even if we admit this in theory, we quickly forget it in practice. So we find that when we speak about our friends and loved ones, we praise them beyond reason and when we speak about those whom we hold difference with, we can find no good in them and we capitalize on their bad points.

This is far removed from the justice which Allah loves and gives great reward for, as mentioned in the following hadith:

The doers of justice will be on thrones of light at Allah’s Right Hand – and both of Allah’s Hands are Right Hands. (Muslim)

They are those who were just in their ruling, with their families and in all that over which they were given authority.

2. A Youth who Grew up in the Worship of Allah

In another interesting hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he says:

Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth before you become old, and your health before you fall sick, and your richness before you become poor, and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death. (Ahmad)

Shaykh Yaser Birjas states in one of his (sermons):

“Youthfulness is a time when a person is the most energetic, when he lays out the foundations for his future, and when he plans his life.

So the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to take advantage of this time before the time comes when you do not have that enthusiasm, when you do not have that zeal, or that outlook.

The enthusiasm and energy that you have been blessed with will never again be given to you after this age. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to seize the moment and take advantage of it.

A person should exercise this energy for the sake of Allah by procuring knowledge of Allah, obtaining halal (lawful) sustenance and worshiping Allah through acts that he might not be able to do later on in life.”

Moreover, this young age is a time when desires are more, and the will to disobey Allah is more. The mind is rebellious and the temptations of the shaytan (Satan) are at its maximum. The one who does his part in restraining himself/herself and obeys Allah surely deserves the shade under the throne of Allah.

3. A Man whose Heart is Attached to the Mosques

Numerous hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) say that praying in the mosque has 27 times more reward than praying in homes (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Also the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

He does not take a step [towards the mosque] except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease supplicating for him [for] as long as he remains at his place of Prayer [saying]: O Allah send blessings upon him, O Allah have mercy upon him… (Al-Bukhari)

It must be emphasized here however, that all the hadiths encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques are not intended to lead one to the conclusion that Islam is a religion which should be confined to the mosques, as many people imagine.

Nonetheless, the mosque should be at the heart of the Muslim community, and the role of those in authority of the mosques is vital here.

They are the ones mainly responsible for making the mosque a welcome refuge for the Muslims, rather than an arena for politics and power struggles as many seem to have become these days.

4. Two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that

Having mutual love for the sake of Allah is one of the great doors leading to the good of the Hereafter and a cause of tasting the sweetness of faith in this world.

Loving one another for Allah’s sake means one loves another only because of his deen (religion). So it does not matter what the person looks like, what he wears, how rich or poor he is, where he comes from, or what the color of his skin is-perhaps you dislike everything about him, but you love him for his iman: this is loving for Allah’s sake.

“Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent says:

“Those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory will have pillars of light and will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs.” (Al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad

5. A man who is tempted by a woman of beauty and position but he says, “I fear Allah”

The same is for the woman tempted by a man and she says, “I fear Allah.”

This world is full of temptations which lead to burning in the Fire and amongst them is that which comes from women.

Many a man has led his soul into destruction on account of the lure of a woman, which is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that the most important provision which we need to protect ourselves from this and all other temptations in life is the fear (khawf) of Allah.

This fact is alluded to in the following Quranic verse:

And as for him who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, then indeed Paradise will be [his] refuge. (79:40)

6. A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity

This part of the hadith shows two very important qualities that should be the hallmark of every Muslim. First is charity. We should give charity so much that even we forget the amount of charity we have given. Have you ever wondered that the ones who give charity never become poor? Even if they give millions in charity?

The second point emphasized is the fact that the one who gives charity should give it in secret. The early generations of the Muslims used to give charity so secretly that even their wife didn’t know.

Riya’, showing off in worship, is the hidden shirk (associating partners with Allah), destroying all blessings of a good deed, and making it null and void, as it is done to show off to the people and not for the sake of Allah.

The best way to keep ourselves in check is to do all sunnah and nafl (voluntary) acts of worship in secret and away from the eyes of the people.

7. A man who remembered Allah in private and shed tears

Another amazing reminder from the Quran comes to my mind every time I listen to this part of this verse:

Has not the time come for those who believe that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? […] (57:16)

When was the last time we cried for the sake of Allah? When was the last time that we turned our faces to Allah in secret, and our eyes overflowed with tears remembering every sin that we committed day and night? Did we ever cry thinking of the immense Mercy of Allah, and all the blessings He has bestowed upon us?

This hadith mentions crying in secret, as it is commonplace to cry publicly when the Imam makes du’a. The fear of showing-off remains even here, and hence the one who cries in secret will be given shade under the Throne of Allah, on a day when there will be no shade but Allah’s shade.

If you contemplate the seven whom Allah will shade with the shade of His Throne when there is no shade but His, you will find that they deserved that shade because of their opposition to their inner desires.

Allah is the One to be petitioned to grant us protection from our desires, which are inclined to evil, and that He makes our desires in accordance with what He loves and what is acceptable to Him. He has power over all things, and He is most worthy of answering our petition.

May Allah indeed enable us to be among those whom He shades under His Throne on a day when there is no shade but His shade!

Source: Suhaib Webb

About Raiiq Ridwan

Raiiq Ridwan is a Bangladeshi medical student at the University of Bristol, UK. He has a Bachelors In Arts in Islamic Studies at the Islamic Online University. He is founder of "The One Message". He’s certified life coach. He can write on topics related to Quran, dawah, depression, anxiety, achieving goals, productivity etc.