Who are the Prophets?

According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus, Allah has chosen from every nation at least one Prophet to convey His Message to people.

One might ask, how were the Prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?

Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a Prophet may be recognized:

1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a Prophet's life serves as a role model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message, he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. This is not to mean that Prophets did any, as they were of the highest conduct among the people and thus were prepared to receive the message. A Prophet might make some minor mistakes- not out of desire or for personal goals; rather, out of keenness on achieving some benefits in the favor of the message he came to convey. Such minor mistakes were usually corrected by revelation.

2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an imposter. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of Allah and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors.

3. Every Prophet states clearly that what he receives is not from his own, but from Allah for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A Prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message that is entrusted to him by The One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.

Prophets are necessary for conveying Allah's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? These and so many other questions about Allah, angels, paradise, hell, and more, cannot be answered without direct revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why messengers are the elite of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.

Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great Prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Prophet Lut is reported to have committed incestuous fornication while drunk. Prophet Dawood (David)  is alleged to have sent one of his leaders to his death in order to marry his wife. Prophets, to Muslims, are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories cannot be true from the Islamic point of view.

The Prophets are also miraculously supported by Allah and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message. The content of the Prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:

a) Clear concept of Allah: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.

b) Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn, Paradise and Hell.

c) Why Allah has created us, what He wants from us and what rewards and punishments are for obedience and disobedience.

d) How to run our societies according to His will. That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a smoothly functioning, harmonious society.

Now one might ask: who are the Prophets according to the Islamic Faith? The answer is, many of the same Prophets found in the Old Testament, New Testament, and some Prophets which are mentioned in the Quran that you may not be familiar with.

According to Islam, some Prophets were given the message to deliver to their people (e.g. Prophets Adam, Nooh, Lut and others, may Allah exalt their mention, and others were given books (e.g. Prophets  Ibraheem, Moosa, 'Eesa, Muhammad and others, may Allah exalt their mention.

Prophets in Islam are revered, respected individuals who were chosen by Allah to bring His Divine Message to their people.

In the case of Prophet Muhammad  he was chosen to give his Message to all mankind. Every Prophet came to relay the same message to their people, which was to worship Allah alone, associating no partners with Him.

Islam is the final message for mankind, complete in every way, as Allah Says (what means): "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion." [Quran 5:3]

When Muslims mention the name of any Prophet, out of respect, they supplicate for them asking that Allah exalt their mention and bestow His Peace and Blessings upon them. Another way in which Muslims show respect for the Prophets and Messengers of Allah is that they neither draw pictures of them nor approve of actors portraying Prophets in movies. Muslims believe that it is disrespectful to any Prophet of Allah for an actor to portray them. 

The Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, who were mentioned in the Quran are (arranged chronologically):

1-     Adam .

2-     Idrees (Enoch) .

3-     Nooh (Noah) .

4-     Houd .

5-     Salih (Saleh) .

6-     Ibraheem (Abraham) .

7-     Lut (Lot) .

8-     Isma'eel (Ishmael) .

9-     Ishaq (Isaac) .

10- Ya'qoob (Jacob) .

11- Yoosuf (Joseph) .

12- Ayyoob (Job) .

13- Thul-Kifl (Ezekiel) .

14- Yoous (Jonah) .

15- Shu'ayb .

16- Moosa (Moses) .

17- Haroon (Aaron) .

18- Dawood (David) .

19- Sulayman (Solomon) .

20- Ilyaas (Elias)

21- Al-Yasa' (Elisha) .

22- Zakariyya (Zachariah) .

23- Yahyaa (John)

24- 'Eesa (Jesus) .

25- Muhammad .

 -islamweb.net

Waking up at Fajr time to check if menstrual period is over

Question

How vigilant should a woman be about ascertaining when her menstrual period has come to an end? Does she have to wake up (with an alarm clock's help) at Fajr time to go and check if her period has ended with time enough to spare for her to bathe and pray? Or, should she just wake up whenever she wakes up and then go and and check? My question is not about how to clinically determine that the period is over. I'm clear about that. I just want to know how vigilant she has to be.

Answer

A woman does not have to wake up at Fajr time during the last days of her menstrual cycle. She is not burdened with discovering the exact moment that her menstrual period comes to an end. 

The women used to send samples of cotton to `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) so she could judge for them when their periods came to an end. She would simply tell them not to be in such a hurry. 

This shows us that showing an exaggerated concern for determining when the period comes to an end is contrary to the practice of our Pious Predecessors. 

We also have the general axiom of Islamic Law that "certainty is not removed by doubt". In this case, the woman knows she is on her period. She is not under any legal burden to act upon the possibility that her period is over. Therefore, she is not required to wake up at Fajr time to determine whether her period might be over. 

Likewise, we have the principle of Islamic Jurisprudence known as istishâb al-hâl. This means that in Islamic Law, the default assumption is that things are still as they have previously been. Since the woman is already on her period, she is free to continue to assume that she is on her period until evidence shows her that it is otherwise. She is not called upon to go out of her way and verify that she is still on her period. When it becomes clear to her that her period is over, then she should take her bath and resume her prayers. 

The matter is one in which there is great flexibility and leniency. It should never be a source of worry or anxiety for any woman.

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

Ruling on one who is not able to see the wisdom behind one of the rulings of Allah and thinks himself to be more knowledgeable and wiser than Allah

QUESTION :

I know Allah says in quran that on day of judgement none will object to the justice of Allah, but if in this life I am unable to understand one of allahs rules and cant help but think it's not fair, is that shirk because i think god is unfair and I know better

ANSWER :

Praise be to Allah

Believing in Allah, may He be exalted, is not limited to believing that He exists. Rather it is believing that and also, just as importantly, believing that He possesses attributes of perfection and majesty, and that what He possesses of greatness and sublimity is far beyond human comprehension. This is what is referred to in the Holy Quran as “the highest description (al-mathal al-a‘laa)”. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has been perished), and this is easier for Him. His is the highest description (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise”

[ar-Room 30:27].

Al-‘Allaamah Shams ad-Deen Ibn al-Qayyim made a brilliant comment on the meaning of “the highest description (al-mathal al-a‘laa)”, as he (may Allah have mercy on him) said in as-Sawaa‘iq al-Mursalah fi’r-Radd ‘ala al-Jahamiyyah wa’l-Mu‘attillah (2/430):

If you want to have more understanding about this “highest description”, then estimate in your mind the strength of all creatures, and imagine it being all gathered and concentrated in one individual, then imagine that they all have the strength of that one individual. If you compare the power of that one to the power of Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, you will find that there is no comparison at all, just as you will find no comparison between the strength of the mosquito and the strength of the lion.

If you imagine the knowledge of all of humanity gathered into one man, then you think of them all having the knowledge of that one man, then their knowledge, put together, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, may He be exalted, will be like a bird pecking in the sea.

If you estimate the wisdom of all of humanity in the same manner, there can be no comparison between it and the wisdom of Allah.

If you estimate all the beauty in existence, and imagine it gathered in one person, then imagine if all people were as beautiful as that one, then in comparison to the beauty of Allah, may He be exalted and glorified, it is less than the light of a weak lamp in comparison to the light of the sun. Allah, may He be glorified, highlighted this idea when He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”

[Luqmaan 31:27].

So think of the oceans throughout the world as being ink, beyond which there are seven more oceans surrounding it, all of them being ink with which to write the words of Allah. Those seas would run dry and the pens, if you imagine all the trees of the earth from the time when it was created until the end of the world as being made into pens, would wear out, but the words of Allah would never be exhausted. End quote.

Once you understand this, then you will realise that the rulings of Allah, may He be exalted, all stem from knowledge, justice, wisdom and kindness. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower”

[al-An‘aam 6:115].

And Allah, may He be exalted, says, speaking of His slave and Prophet, Hood (interpretation of the meaning):

“I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the Straight Path (the truth)”

[Hood 11:56].

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Madaarij as-Saalikeen bayna Manaazil Iyyaaka Na‘budu wa Iyyaaka Nasta‘een (1/44): With regard to the verse in Soorat Hood, it clearly means, and cannot be interpreted in any other way, that Allah, may He be glorified, is on a straight path, and He, may He be glorified, is more deserving of being on a straight path, for all His words are truth, fairness, guidance, justice and wisdom, “And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice” [al-An‘aam 6:115]. And all His deeds are beneficial, wise, merciful, just and good. Evil cannot be part of the deeds or words of the One Who is on the straight path; rather evil can only be part of the words and deeds of one who drifts away from that path. End quote.

Allah, may He be glorified, tells us that His rulings are based on truth and justice, and the rulings of others are based on ignorance.

Think of what the word of ignorance contains of wrongdoing, darkness, injustice and misguidance. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Do they then seek the judgement of (the days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith”

[al-Maa’idah 5:50].

Al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Sawaa‘iq al-Mursalah (3/1046):

Allah, may He be glorified, stated that every ruling that is contrary to His ruling that He revealed to His Messenger is a ruling that is based on whims and desires, not a ruling that is based on wisdom, and it is the ruling of ignorance, not a ruling of knowledge and guidance. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And so judge (you O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) among them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah’s Will is to punish them for some sins of theirs. And truly, most of men are Faasiqoon (rebellious and disobedient to Allah).

Do they then seek the judgement of (the days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith”

[al-Maa’idah 5:49-50].

Thus Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that there is nothing else beyond what He has revealed except the following of whims and desires which divert people from His path, and there is nothing beyond His rulings except the rulings of ignorance.

All of these views and ideas that are contrary to what the Messenger brought are based on whims and desires and the rulings of ignorance, even if those who propagate them describe them as rationally-proven facts and certain proof, which is akin to the polytheists describing their idols and statues as gods, and the hypocrites describing their endeavour to spread mischief on earth and turn people away from faith as an effort to spread righteousness and do what is right. End quote.

After all of that, do you think – O insignificant slave of Allah, weak creature that you are – that you know more than Allah, may He be exalted, knows, and that with your weak mind you could understand that which the Knower of the unseen, may He be glorified and exalted, cannot understand?!

May Allah be glorified and exalted, how great is His might and how forbearing is He!

You have indeed brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing, whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, by regarding your weak and insignificant self as equal to the Lord of the Worlds!

Where are you headed with all these misguided notions? What path of misguidance is the accursed Shaytaan leading you on?

Listen to what the wise men and philosophers say:

Knowledge belongs to the Most Gracious, may He be glorified and exalted, and everyone else is sinking in ignorance.

What does the human being who is created from dust have to do with knowledge? Rather he is striving hard to learn that he knows nothing.

Even the great philosopher Abu’l-Waleed Ibn Rushd (d. 595 AH) said: The truest thing that the philosophers say is that reason has a limit at which it stops and cannot go beyond it. He stated this in his book Tahaafut at-Tahaafut (2/534).

Allah, in His sublime wisdom, may test His slave by making him blind to the wisdom behind a command or ruling, so as to test the faith of His slave and see whether he will submit to the ruling of his Lord or will object to His ruling and take an arrogant stance towards Allah, may He be exalted. The person with mature thinking who is truly a believer is the one who submits to the ruling of his Lord, even if the wisdom behind it is hidden from him, then after that he prays to his Lord and beseeches Him, asking Him to guide him and teach him that which is hidden from him.

Because Allah, may He be glorified, knows that people are unable to fully comprehend His wisdom, His might and His control of the affairs of His creation, He, may He be glorified, left them with no hope of competing with Him in His dominion, or of questioning Him about anything that He does. For it is their Lord Who will question His slaves and judge them. As for His slaves, they are no more than slaves.

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

“And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses, no choice have they (in any matter). Glorified is Allah, and exalted above all that they associate (as partners with Him).

And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.

And He is Allah; Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). all praises and thanks be to Him (both) in the first (i.e. in this world) and in the last (i.e.in the Hereafter). And for Him is the Decision, and to Him shall you (all) be returned”

[al-Qasas 28:68-70]

“To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship).

They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so)

Or have they taken (for worship) aalihah (gods) from the earth who raise the dead?

Had there been therein (in the heavens and the earth) aalihah (gods) besides Allah, then verily both would have been ruined. Glorified is Allah, the Lord of the Throne, (High is He) above all that they attribute to Him!

He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.

Or have they taken for worship (other) aalihah (gods) besides Him? Say: ‘Bring your proof:’ This (the Qur’an) is the Reminder for those with me and the Reminder for those before me. But most of them know not the Truth, so they are averse”

[al-Anbiya’ 21:19-24].

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Allah is not to be questioned about what He does because of His perfect wisdom, mercy and justice, not just because of His subjugation of creation and His might.

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (8/511)

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, did not appoint any partner in His creation; rather He is the only Creator. There was no one who witnessed that (creation) or watched it or learned about it, let alone helped or assisted in it or was a partner therein:

“I (Allah) made them (Iblees and his offspring) not to witness (nor took their help in) the creation of the heavens and the earth and not (even) their own creation, nor was I (Allah) to take the misleaders as helpers”

[al-Kahf 18:51].

So how about a matter the nature of which is hidden from you, and you were not present when it was created and first began, and you knew nothing of its origin and development, yet you dispute with your Lord concerning His knowledge of it, when He is the One Who has knowledge of His creation, may He be glorified:

“Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything)”

[al-Mulk 67:14].

You are ignorant of your own status and have gone beyond your limits and wronged yourself; you have not done yourself any favours, and you have exposed yourself to grievous harm and are causing your own doom.

The main cause of your error and misguidance is the fact that you do not differentiate between what is rationally impossible and what is rationally incomprehensible.

That in which wisdom is hidden or it is rationally impossible to comprehend that wisdom come under the heading of that which is rationally incomprehensible, which makes people wonder about the wisdom behind things. In religion you may see some matters that are beyond rational comprehension (and make people of reason wonder about them), as a test from Allah to His slaves.

But there is nothing in religion that is rationally impossible, and is false and incorrect according to reason. This is something that Allah never included in His religion and is something that He never included in His creation and command, may He be glorified. The failure to differentiate between the two is the cause of many people being misguided.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Undoubtedly the Messengers (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) may tell people of matters that their reason cannot comprehend, but they do not tell them of anything that people know on the basis of reason to be impossible. So the Messengers tell people of that which is rationally incomprehensible (that is, beyond the grasp of reason), but it is not impossible. So whoever would like to comprehend by his reason what the messengers said is akin to those concerning whom Allah, may He be exalted, said:

“And when there comes to them a sign (from Allah) they say: ‘We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah had received. Allah knows best with whom to place His Message”

[al-An‘aam 6:124]

“Nay, everyone of them desires that he should be given pages spread out (coming from Allah with a writing that Islam is the right religion, and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has come with the truth from Allah the Lord of the heavens and earth)”

[al-Muddaththir 74:52].

End quote from Dar’ Ta‘aarud al-‘Aql wa’n-Naql (7/327)

He also said:

It is not possible for the Messengers to say something that is not possible on the basis of common sense and rational thinking. Rather it is not possible for them to say something that cannot be accepted on a rational basis.

So they may say things that are incomprehensible according to reason, but they are not impossible.

And there may be something that they say that is beyond the ability of some people to comprehend and imagine, because people vary in their powers of reasoning. In the glory, dominion, signs and creation of the Lord, may He be exalted, there are issues that people – many of them – cannot understand or imagine.

It is sufficient for you to know that Moosa (peace be upon him), despite his great status, when His Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust and Moosa fell unconscious, then when he came to, he said:

“Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers”

[al-A‘raaf 7:143].

But many people think, on the basis of their reasoning, that there are things that are not possible, when they are not impossible, and they may think that there are things that are possible or necessary, when that is not the case.

End quote from Bayaan Talbees al-Jahamiyyah (8/534).

The first step that a person takes on the path of Islam and surrender to the Lord of the Worlds is to surrender to Him wholeheartedly, and surrender to His Lordship, and not to dispute with his Lord with regard to His dominion, power and deeds.

And he surrenders to His divinity, so he submits to His rulings and accepts His commands and prohibitions. There is no way that a person’s commitment to Islam can be acceptable unless he surrenders completely, in every single matter, major r minor, to the Lord of the Worlds and accepts His laws and His religion, whether it is in accordance with his whims and desires, or not.

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

“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission”

[an-Nisa’ 4:65].

Allah does not give you the choice, when it comes to any issues of religion, to believe in some of it if it makes sense to you or suits you, and to invent for yourself a law or system or religion, if you do not like anything of the religion of Islam. Allah is the most free of need of having any partner.

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

“They (hypocrites) say: ‘We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), and we obey,’ then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not believers.

And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away.

But if the truth is on their sides, they come to him willingly with submission.

Is there a disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers).

The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear and we obey." And such are the successful (who will live forever in Paradise).

And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful.

They swear by Allah their strongest oaths, that if only you would order them, they would leave (their homes for fighting in Allah's Cause). Say: ‘Swear you not; (this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allah knows well what you do’”

[an-Noor 24:47-52]

“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in to a plain error”

[al-Ahzaab 33:36].

At-Tahhaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Religious commitment cannot be sound unless one surrenders and submits, so whoever tries to seek knowledge of that which was concealed from him and is not content to surrender, his aspiration (to know everything) will prevent him from attaining pure Tawheed, proper knowledge and sound faith. So he will waver between disbelief and faith, belief and denial, acceptance and rejection, controlled by doubts, confused and not believing or denying anything.

End quote from Fi Matn at-Tahhaawiyyah bi Ta‘leeq al-Albaani (1/43).

Disapproving of anything that Allah has revealed, and not accepting it wholeheartedly, is what may lead a person to doom, take away his faith and nullify all his deeds.

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

“O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.

But those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah (Islamic Monotheism), for them is destruction, and (Allah) will make their deeds vain.

That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this Qur’an and Islamic laws etc.), so He has made their deeds fruitless”

[Muhammad 47:7-9].

You need to truly and sincerely renew your faith and your Islam, and surrender to the Lord of the Worlds, and to take care of your heart and cleanse it from what has befallen it of bad thoughts and doubts, and to repent sincerely and turn anew to the Lord of the Worlds. Then you will know for sure what faith means and how it should be.

It was narrated from al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “He has found the taste of faith who is content with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as his Messenger.” Narrated by Muslim (39).

There is nothing to save you from the pain of doubt, uncertainty, hesitation and confusion – there is nothing greater than the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Read it with understanding, persist in reading it, reflecting and pondering upon its meanings, seeking guidance, comfort and reassurance from it, as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is not a sign sent down to him (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) from his Lord?’ Say: ‘Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides unto Himself those who turn to Him in repentance.’

Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”

[ar-Ra‘d 13:27-28].

Listen to this advice, from a smart literary man and wise philosopher, who has read the words of wise men and has great knowledge of philosophy and kalaam, and now is telling us of the way of salvation:

The book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is protection and refuge; in it there is healing, clarity, guidance and light; in it is the answer to every problem and to it will turn everyone who is confused.

Its verses that speak in general terms are sufficient for people with sound hearts, and its verses that speak in detail offer sufficient healing for people with doubts in their hearts.

Its apparent meanings will call you in clear words to surrender to that which is hidden from you.

And its hidden meanings will indicate to you that you should comply with its apparent meanings.

This is if you understand the difference between the divine and the slave.

But if you are controlled by doubts and confusion, and you cannot see the difference between the good and the bad, or differentiate between the true reality of this and the false reality of that, then I fear that you will be doomed and you will continue to be confused, then your fate will be utter loss.

End quote from al-Basaa’ir wa’dh-Dhakhaa’ir by at-Tawheedi (2/112-113)

And Allah knows best.

-islamqa.info

Refusuing to bathe throughout the Hajj! Question

Question

Many people in my country believe that they must not bathe as long as they are in the state of ihram. This causes them to become extremely dirty during the Hajj, where they sweat and are crushed in with other people. Is this really the case?

Answer

It is a mistake for a pilgrim in the state of ihrâm to think he or she has to avoid bathing. There is no evidence to prohibit bathing. There is considerable evidence that the Companions often bathed while they were in the state of ihrâm. 

One of the Companions said: “I bathed seven times in one day while I was in the state of ihrâm.”

Yal`â b. Umayyah relates the following that took place during the Hajj in the reign of the Caliph `Umar [al-Muwatta’ (704), Musnad al-Shâfi`î (535), and Sunan al-Bayhaqî (5/63)]:

`Umar b al-Khattâb was bathing near a camel and I was screening him with a cloth. He said: “Ya`lâ, should I pour water over my head?” 

I replied: “The Commander of the faithful knows best.” 

So `Umar said: “I swear by Allah that water only increases the disheveled state of the hair.” Then he mentioned Allah’s name and poured the water over his head.

When `Umar mentioned that water only increases the disheveled state of the hair, he was emphasizing the idea that washing the hair with water is not the same as applying perfume. It is merely an act of cleanliness. 

Ibn `Abbâs said: “I assisted `Umar b. al-Khattâb to bathe by fully submerging himself in water while at Juhfah while we were both in the state of ihrâm.” [al-Muhallâ (7/174)] 

We also know that Ibn `Abbâs and Ibn `Umar used to bathe by fully submerging themselves in water when they were in the state of ihrâm. [Sunan al-Bayhaqî (5/62) and al-Muhallâ (7/174)] In fact, they had engaged in a contest as to which of them could hold his breath underwater the longest. 

`Abd Allah b. `Umar relates that `Asim b. `Umar and `Abd al-Rahmân b. Zayd went into the sea, dunking each other’s heads under the water with `Umar watching them without making any objection. [Sunan al-Bayhaqî (5/62) and al-Muhallâ (7/74)] 

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

Candor

Our pure religion appreciates counsel to the extent that the Prophet  said: “The Deen (religion) is [offering] sincere advice." Thus has Islam nurtured its followers to speak the truth, even if it may be bitter, and to be frank with everyone. Linguistically, candor refers to the quality of being honest and straightforward. Some scholars have defined it as “portraying one’s inner self without distortion or evasion, in a way that expresses ideas clearly, so that one’s deeds match his [or her] words.” [Al-Khuluq Al-Kamil, by Muhammad Ahmad Jad Al-Mawla .

The Prophet  fostered forthrightness in his Companions. Before giving the pledge at Al-‘Aqabah, Abu Al-Haytham ibn At-Tayyihan  stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah! There are ties between us and others [i.e., the Jews], which we shall sever. If we do this and Allah grants you victory, will you return to your own people and leave us?” The Messenger of Allah  smiled and replied, “No, this would never be the case. Blood is [for] blood and destruction [for] destruction [meaning, that he would avenge for the death of any of them and that if their life becomes violable, his life be rendered such as well]. You are of me and I am from you; I shall fight whoever you fight and conciliate with whoever you make peace." He  neither became angry, nor did he    object to or rebuke the man for his frankness. Rather, he appreciated this quality in him, which should encourage the rest of us to possess it, as well.

Similarly, when the Prophet  led the Companions in a prayer which consisted of four units, of which he  only offered two, Thul-Yadayn  asked, with due courtesy, veneration and candidness: “O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or was the prayer shortened?” The Prophet  replied, “I neither overlooked [anything] nor was it made short.” Thereupon, the Companions frankly replied, “No, Messenger of Allah, you did forget." He  then, did not reproach them or feel embarrassed; rather, he  then completed his prayer and performed the prostration of forgetfulness. Will the public figures today endure the candor of their followers like the Prophet ?

In another incident, when it was announced that the Prophet permitted the assassination of ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, leader of the hypocrites, the son of that man – the great Companion, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool  – came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have been told that you want to eliminate my father because of what has been reported to you concerning him. If you are going to [proceed with that], command me to do it and I will bring you his head. By Allah,  Al-Khazraj [the tribe of ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool]  knows that there has never been among them a man more dutiful to his father than I. I am afraid that you may order someone else, who may kill him; then, I will not be able to look at the assassin of my father walking among the people. Hence, I may then kill him, thus killing a believer to avenge a disbeliever; and in doing so, [I know] I would enter Hell.’ So, the Messenger of Allah  then suggested, “No [leave that]; we will be gentle with him and associate with him on friendly terms as long as he remains among us."

"There is no goodness in you if you did not say that"

Such was the remark of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab  when a man commanded him to fear Allah The Almighty and some of the people in the gathering objected. 'Umar  said: "Let him say it”; then, addressing the man, he said: “There would be no goodness in you if you did not say that and no goodness in us if we did not accept it."

Being respected for one’s candor

We are required to encourage others to be frank and we must not be harsh with them when they openly express their inner feelings, which may even betray a weakness of theirs. We should follow the example of the Prophet  when Basheer ibn Al-Khasasiyah came to him to give the pledge of allegiance and agreed to everything except performing Jihad (fighting in the path of Allah) and giving in charity. He said: "As for Jihad, I am a coward and I fear that if I participated in battle, I would flee; and if I did, I would be inflicted with the wrath of Allah." When, the Prophet  said to him: "O Basheer, no charity and no Jihad! How, then, would you enter Paradise?"; he  promised to do everything else. Consider how the Prophet  accepted the bluntness of that man and did not even comment on his self-description as a coward, with a word that might hurt him.

Misconceptions

Some people have certain misconceptions about candor, believing that it entails impoliteness; hence, they are brutal when offering advice and they use hurtful and inconsiderate words. However, there is no goodness in guidance conveyed in this manner; rather, it will have the opposite effect. We have seen in the aforementioned examples how frankness was accompanied with extreme politeness and concern for the feelings of others, which made others more receptive to the advice.

Another misconception is that some people confuse sociability with receptiveness. Thus, they may approve of evil, live with the immoral and refrain from uttering any word under the pretext of friendliness or to serve certain interests and deflect harms. Nonetheless, there is a great difference between sociability and receptiveness; according to scholars, the former is one of the characteristics of the believers, which denotes lowering the wing of humility to people, using lenient words and avoiding harsh speech. Certainly, this is one of the greatest ways to boost cordiality. On the other hand, scholars explain that receptiveness implies living with the wicked and expressing approval of their actions by not reproaching them. There is no doubt that such an attitude is prohibited in the Sharee'ah.

Candor is better than hypocrisy and insincere compliments

Some people become annoyed with other’s openness with them. You find them quickly becoming outraged and nervous, and losing control of their reactions. This, in turn, is likely to keep others from being frank with them and counseling them. Had such people been truly wise, they would have known that candor and advice is better for them than cheating, hypocrisy and outward satisfaction alongside concealed hatred and aversion to them and their deeds.

The righteous and pious would seek a mentor, knowing such a friend to be a means of safety sooner or later. The following story clearly indicates this: it was narrated that a woman whose husband was absent was mentioned in a negative manner in the presence of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab  who, then, sent for her. She remarked: "Oh, woe is me! What will I do with ‘Umar?” On her way, and out of fear of ‘Umar  she felt labor pains and gave birth to a baby who cried twice, then died immediately. ‘Umar  then consulted his companions, some of whom said that he was not responsible, for his role was that of a ruler and an enforcer of discipline. ‘Ali however, remained silent, so ‘Umar  turned to him and said, "O Abu Al-Hasan, what do you say regarding this matter?" He replied, "If this is their real opinion, then they are mistaken; and if they said this to please you, then they have not quite advised you. You should pay his Diyyah (blood money) because you scared her and she then delivered the baby.” Consequently, ‘Umar  acted accordingly. Hence, because of that candor, every person was given his or her due and those entitled to rights, were not deprived of them. -islamweb.net