Woman's covering her face

Question

According to my understanding the order of covering face was revealed when Muslim women were disturbed and harmed by non-Muslims. It is amazing that even Muslim men nowadays look at women and talk about them etc. So, I think that the covering face is only compulsory where the women are unsafe or harmed like during traveling or moving from place to place where women come across strangers. But in an environment like office, etc, covering face will no longer be an obligation since they are safe and respected by their fellow workers.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

There is agreement among Fuqahaa that a woman has to cover her face in case of fearing temptation, but they differ concerning this issue in case of not fearing temptation.
We believe that the correct opinion is to cover the face in both cases. This is the opinion of al-Hanabila and the most correct opinion of al-Shafi'iyah. It is supported by Qur'an and Sunnah.

So, we tell our sister that you are to cover your face wherever you are as long as there are alien men, i.e. in their presence, whether it is possible to be harmed and disturbed or not.

Any other saying in this concern is not correct, and the situation of women in the Prophetic era give us the best example. They used to wear Hijab and cover their faces without considering harm or disturbance.

Allah knows best.

-islamweb,net

Offering the Duhâ prayer every day

Question

What is the difference between the Duhâ prayer, the Awwâbîn prayer, and the Ishrâq prayer? Also, I read that it is not Sunnah to offer the Duhâ prayer every day, since `Umar once called it an innovation, and meant by it that it is an innovation to offer the Duhâ prayer every day, since the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not offer it every day. Is this true?

Answer

The terms ishrâq and awwâbîn are used to refer to the Duhâ prayer. 

There is no separate prayer called al-Ishrâq. The word ishrâq simply means “sunrise” and the meaning of this prayer is the same as the Duhâ prayer. The Duhâ prayer starts approximately fifteen minuets after sunrise and lasts up to the time the sun reaches its zenith. It is preferred to be performed when the day becomes warmer. 

The prayer of the awwâbîn (the very penitent) is the Duhâ prayer, as demonstrated in Sahîh Muslim (748) where Zayd b. relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The prayer of the very penitent (al-awwâbîn) is offered at the time when the young camels feel the heat.” 

This hadîth indicates that the prayer should preferably be offered later in the morning when it gets hot. 

The Duhâ prayer is certainly a Sunnah. It is true that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not pray it every day. However, he advised his Companions to pray it. 

Abû Hurayrah said: “The dearest person to me (the Prophet, peace be upon him) advised me to do three things, and I will not leave them until I die: to fasting three days of each month, to offer the Duhâ prayer, and not to sleep until after I pray Witr.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1178) and Sahîh Muslim (721)] 

Abû Dharr reports that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “In the morning, charity is due from every bone in the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's glorification is an act of charity. Every utterance of His praise is an act of charity. Every utterance of profession of His Oneness is an act of charity. Every utterance of a profession of His Greatness is an act of charity. Enjoining good is an act of charity. Forbidding wrong is an act of charity, and two units of prayer which one offers in the forenoon will suffice.” [Sahîh Muslim (720)] 

Since these hadîth are authentic, it is a Sunnah to pray the Duhâ prayer on any day and every day, regardless if someone has opined that it is not Sunnah to do so every day. 

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

CHAPTER 22, AL-HAJJ (THE PILGRIMAGE)

Introduction

The chapter gets its title from the reference to the rite of pilgrimage that Muslims believe was initiated by Abraham.  The theme is introduced by condemning those who barred believers from access to the Sacred Mosque and is followed by permission to fight when attacked.  The chapter begins with the Day of Judgement and repudiates those who worship idols, later describing them as powerless to even create a fly.  In the end, the chapter urges Muslims to endure in following the faith of Abraham.

Verses 1-24 Day of Resurrection and people’s attitudes towards it, horrors of the Day of Resurrection and some proofs for that Day, people’s attitude towards divine guidance, discussion with those who are desperate for triumph, divine justice between different parties, recompense of both the disbelievers and the believers

The chapter begins with an awesome opening that makes hearts tremble.  It addresses all mankind, calling on them to fear their Lord and warning them against what may happen on the eventful and terrible Day of Judgement.  When the details are given, we find them even more frightening.  We have a picture of every suckling mother completely unaware of the child she is nursing: she looks but does not see, moves but only aimlessly.  Every pregnant female miscarries because of the great shock that engulfs her.  All people look drunk, but they are not.  Despite this horror, we are told that some people dispute about God, having no fear of Him.  If they are doubtful about returning to life, then they should reflect on how life is initiated.  They should look at themselves, and at the earth around them.  There are numerous indications that tell them that the whole thing is very close to them, but they pay little heed to the significance of the indicators within themselves and on earth.  The One who originated life in the first instance is the One who brings it back in the final stage.  They will then be given their reward for whatever they did in this first life.  Such resurrection is dictated by the purpose of creation.

The chapter paints a picture of a type of person who weighs up faith against what profit or loss he is likely to achieve as a result.  Thus, his approach to faith is the same as any business transaction he conducts.

Faith is the mainstay of a believer’s life.  The world may be swayed and shaken, but the believer stays his ground supported by this mainstay.  Events may pull him in this or that direction, but he remains firm in his resolve.  Contrasted with this is the person who looks at faith as a commercial endeavor.

Verses 25-37 The Sacred Mosque and its status, obligation to Hajj, goal of honoring the sacred sites of God, for each faith community there are sacred rites

It speaks about the unbelievers who turn people away from God’s path and from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca.  The reference here is to those who opposed the message of Islam when it started in Mecca, and who sought to turn people away from it.  They also confronted the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and his Muslim Companions seeking to debar their entry into the Sacred Mosque at the Kabah.  It then speaks about the basis on which this mosque was founded when God assigned its building to Abraham and ordered him to call on all people to visit it for pilgrimage.  Abraham’s instructions were very clear: that this mosque must be established on the clear basis of God’s oneness, so as to prevent any form of associating partners with God from being practiced in or near it.  It must be kept open to all people, whether they reside nearby or come from afar.  None is to be denied entry, and none is to claim its ownership.  The chapter then outlines some of the rituals of pilgrimage and how they enhance people’s consciousness and constant remembrance of God.  It also stresses the need to protect the Sacred Mosque against any aggression by those who try to turn people away from it or change the basis on which it is founded.  Those who fulfil their duties of protecting the purity of the faith are promised victory.

Verses 38-70 God defends the believers and legitimacy of fighting, taking lessons from the destruction of the old people, people’s attitude toward messengers and toward the Quran, reward of the Emigrants, proofs of divine power, nations have different rituals and acts of worship

The Prophet is reassured that God’s power will intervene to provide him with the help he needs ensuring the failure of his enemies.  The same power intervened in the past to support earlier prophets and messengers, and to punish those who denied and opposed them.  The unbelievers are directed to reflect on the doom suffered by earlier communities; even though such reflection benefits only hearts and minds that are open and receptive.  It is not only eyes that can be blind, for real blindness is that of the heart.  The Prophet is also reassured on another count, namely that God protects His messengers from Satan’s wicked scheming, just like He protects them from their opponents’ plots.

On the Day when all dominion belongs to God alone, the believers and those who deny God’s message will end up in contrasting positions.  All this is given within the context of God’s support of His messengers, protection of His message and the reward He has in store for those who believe and those who refuse to believe.  This passage begins with a reference to those who migrate for God’s cause.

Verses 71-78 Polytheists worship of idols, honoring God and professing His Oneness and choice, religion of your father Abraham, God named you Muslims before

The section refers to their worship of deities that have no sanction from God, as well as their worship of beings they do not know.  They are criticized for being hard hearted and for their dislike of hearing the truth.  In fact, they would not shrink from attacking those who recite God’s revelations to them.  They are threatened with the Fire which will be their ultimate abode.  This is a promise that will never fail.  This is followed by an announcement to all mankind, making it clear that those whom they worship instead of God are devoid of power.  Their weakness is shown in a humble image that carries no exaggeration, but the way it is presented brings their shameful weakness into sharp relief.  They are shown as incapable of contending with flies, or of retrieving what a fly takes from them.  Yet, unbelievers claim that such beings are deities.

The passage and the chapter end with an address to the community of believers requiring them to fulfil their duties as leaders of humanity.  They should prepare themselves for their task with prayer, worship and good action, seeking God’s help and protection. -islamreligion.com

How to Encourage Children to Dress Islamically

Most faiths and cultures have their own unique identity and being different from others is encouraged in Islam. The Prophet (saw) would purposely comb his hair differently from the Christians and Jews in order to be distinguished from them.

Likewise, we should encourage our children to develop an Islamic dress sense, not only to be seen as Muslims but to maintain a modest dress too. - islamway.net

Which opinion should a layman follow?

Question

If you doubt something a scholar says because he does not provide proof, is this permissible, even if that scholar is well reputed? What do you do if two scholars disagree?

Answer

We are commanded to worship Allah in the way Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) directed us. Allah says: “That day (Allah) will call to them, and say: What was the answer you gave to the Messengers?” [Sûrah al-Qasus: 65] Allah does not say that He will ask: What was the answer you gave to this or that scholar? 

Allah, moreover, says: “What! Have they partners who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah?” [Sûrah al-Shûrâ: 21]. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does something that is not of our affair, then it is rejected.” 

Our concern should be with the evidence. When you hear a scholar say something and mention his evidence, then this is what should be taken if the scholar is trustworthy. 

If the scholar provides no evidence, then the questioner has the right to ask for evidence so that he can be more satisfied and convinced. 

In case a person is faced with two different opinions without being provided with any evidence or without being able to make a determination for himself based on the evidence that he has been given, then he should take the opinion of the most trustworthy scholar. 

If he considers them to be equally knowledgeable, trustworthy, and pious, then there is disagreement about whom the person should follow. Some people of knowledge are of the opinion that the person should follow the easer opinion of the two, while others prefer that he should follow the more difficult. 

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

Paying someone – by praying for them

Question

If someone does some act of kindness for me and I have no other way to repay that person, should I pray to Allah for that person by supplication to Allah on that person's behalf?

Answer

If you do a good deed or an act of kindness for another person, you should not expect any reward or recompense from that person whatsoever. You should look forward to your reward from your Lord and from nowhere else. 

However, if someone shows you a kindness, you should repay that person in some way if you are able to do so. If you are unable to return the kindness, then you should beseech Allah in supplication for that person. You should do so often, until you feel that you have fully honored the good deed that the person has done for you. 

It is authentically related from In `Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever seeks refuge in Allah's name, give him refuge. Whoever begs from you in Allah's name, give to that person. Whoever invites you, accept the invitation. Ad whoever does you a kindness, repay him. If you do not find the wherewithal to repay him, then supplicate to Allah for him until you feel you have compensated him." [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (1672) and Sunan al-Nasâ'î (2567)] 

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

Prayers – Dua for studies and exams!!

[dua in arabic version is shared with us by a sister , kindly make dua for her, may Allah bless sister for sharing this imp dua in arabic]

Dua Before Studying :

“Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’uunii. Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifzal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘aiman bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’u qadeer wa anta hasbun-allahu wa na’mal wakeel.”

“Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availer and protector and best of aid.”

Dua After Studying

DUA after studying_dua for exams

“Allahumma inni astaodeeka ma qara’tu wama hafaz-tu. Farudduhu ‘allaya inda hajati elahi. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’-u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel”

“Oh Allah! I entrust you with what I have read and I have studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, you are my availer and protector and the best of aid.”

Dua While Studying Something Difficult :

DUA while studying_dua for exams

“Allahumma la sahla illama ja-‘altahu sahla anta taj ‘alu al hazana eza ma shi’ta sahal.”

“Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what you have made easy. If you wish, you can make the difficult easy.”

Dua For Concentration:

DUA for concentration_dua for exams

“Salla-l-laahu alaa Muhammad wa aal-e Muhammad. Allahumma inni as’aluka yaa mudhakkira-l khayr wa faa’ilahu wa-l-aamimira bihi dhakir-ni maa ansaani-hi-shaytan.”

“Blessings of god be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O god, I ask you, the one who mentions goodness and actualizes it and commands it, remind me of that which the shaytan makes me forget.”

Recite This Dua Everyday For Victory And Prosperity

“Ya sayyedas-sada-te, ya mojeebad-da’vate, ya rafe’ad-darajate, ya vali-yal hasanate, ya ghaferal-khati’ate, ya mo’ti-yal mas’alate, ya qabi-lat-tavbate, ya same’al-asvate, ya ‘alemal-khafiyate, ya dafe’al bali yate.”

“O’ the chief of all chiefs! O’ the acceptor of prayers! O’ the elevator of ranks! O’ the master of virtues! O’ the forgiver of sins! O’ the granter of requests! O’ the excerptor of penance! O’ the hearer of all voices! O’ the one who knows all mysteries! O’ the remover of calamities!” 

Dua Before Exams:

dua before exams

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) told the following dua to be recited in stress, studies, exams and trials

“O Allaah, there is no ease except what You make easy. And if You wish, You make the difficult easy.” [recorded in Hisnul-Muslim]

[kindly share these duas  in ur website,or group/page with source back linkpls,this help us in dawah,so pls don;t ignore]

Tips for Exams And Students

The Muslim student puts his trust in Allaah when facing the tests of this world, and he seeks His help whilst following the prescribed means, in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

“The strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to attain that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah, and do not feel helpless.” (Saheeh Muslim, hadeeth no. 2664)

Among those means are the following:

• Turning to Allaah by making du’aa’ in any way that is prescribed in Islam, such as saying, “Rabbiy ishrah li sadri wa yassir li amri (O my Lord, expand my chest and make things easy for me).”

• Getting used to sleeping early and going to exams on time.

• Preparing all required or permitted equipment such as pens, rulers and setsquares, calculators and watches, because being well prepared helps one to answer questions.

• Reciting the du’aa’ for leaving the house: “Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allaah, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah. Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala ‘alayya (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no strength and no power except with Allaah. O Allaah, I seek refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, lest I slip (commit a sin unintentionally) or be tripped, lest I oppress or be oppressed, lest I behave foolishly or be treated foolishly).”Do not forget to seek your parents’ approval, for their du’aa’ for you will be answered.

• Mention the name of Allaah before you start, for mentioning the name of Allaah is prescribed when beginning any permissible action; this brings blessing, and seeking the help of Allaah is one of the means of strength.

• Fear Allaah with regard to your classmates, and do not be affected by their anxiety or fear just before the exam, for anxiety is a contagious disease. Instead, make them feel optimistic by saying good words as prescribed in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was optimistic when he heard the name of Suhayl (which means “easy”) and he said: “Things have been made easy for you.” He used to like to hear the words ‘Yaa Raashid, when he went out for any purpose. So be optimistic that you and your brothers will pass this exam.

• Remembering Allaah (dhikr) dispels anxiety and tension. If something is too difficult for you, then pray to Allaah to make it easy for you. Whenever Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) found something too difficult to understand, he would say, “O You Who taught Ibraaheem, teach me; O You Who caused Sulaymaan to understand, cause me to understand.”

• Choose a good place to sit during the exam, if you can. Keep your back straight, and sit on the chair in a healthy manner.

• Look over the exam first. Studies advise spending 10% of the exam time in reading the questions carefully, noting the important words and dividing one’s time between the questions.

• Plan to answer the easy questions first, then the difficult ones. Whilst reading the questions, write notes and ideas which you can use in your answers later.

• Answer questions according to importance.

• Start by answering the easy questions which you know. Then move on to the questions which carry high marks, and leave till the end the questions to which you do not know the answers, or which you think will take a long time to produce an answer or which do not carry such high marks.

• Take your time to answer, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Deliberation is from Allaah and haste is from the Shaytaan.” (A hasan hadeeth. Saheeh al-Jaami, 3011).

• Think carefully about the answer and choose the right answer when answering multiple-choice questions. Deal with them in the following manner. If you are sure that you have chosen the right answer, then beware of waswasah (insinuating whispers from the Shaytaan). If you are not sure, then start by eliminating the wrong or unlikely answers, then choose the correct answer based on what you think is most likely to be correct. If you guessed at a correct answer then do not change it unless you are sure that it is wrong – especially if you will lose marks for a wrong answer. Research indicates that the correct answer is usually that which the student thinks of first.

• In written exams, collect your thoughts before you start to answer.Write an outline for your answer with some words which will indicate the ideas which you want to discuss. Then number the ideas in the sequence in which you want to present them.

• Write the main points of your answer at the beginning of the line, because this is what the examiner is looking for, and he may not see what he is looking for if it is in the middle of the page and he is in a hurry.

• Devote 10% of the time for reviewing your answers. Take your time in reviewing, especially in mathematical problems and writing numbers. Resist the desire to hand in the exam papers quickly, and do not let the fact that some people are leaving early bother you. They may be among the people who have handed in their papers too early.

• If you discover after the exam that you answered some questions incorrectly, then take that as a lesson in the importance of being well prepared in the future, and not rushing to answer questions. Accept the will and decree of Allaah and do not fall prey to frustration and despair. Remember the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “If anything befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such.’ Rather say, ‘Qadar Allaah wa maa sha’a kaan (the decree of Allaah and what He wills happened),’ for saying ‘if only’ opens the door for the Shaytaan.” (Saheeh Muslim, and the first part of this hadeeth was mentioned above).

• Note that cheating is haraam whether it is in foreign language tests or any other tests. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever cheats is not one of us.” It is wrongdoing and it is a haraam means of attaining a degree or certificate, etc., that you have no right to. The consensus is that cheating is a kind of cooperation in sin and transgression. So do without that which is haraam, and Allaah will suffice you from His bounty. Reject all offers of haraam things that come to you from others. Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better. You have to denounce and resist evil, and tell the authorities about any such thing that you see during the exam, or before or after it. This is not the forbidden kind of slander rather it is denouncing evil which is obligatory.

Advise those who buy or sell questions or post them on the Internet etc., or who prepare cheat notes. Tell them to fear Allaah, and tell them of the ruling on what they are doing and on the money they earn from that. Tell them that the time they are spending in preparing these haraam things, if they spent it in studying, or answering previous exams, or helping one another to understand the subject before the exam, that would be better for them than doing these haraam things.

– Remember what you have prepared for the Hereafter, and the questions of the examination in the grave, and how to be saved on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted to Paradise will indeed have succeeded.

We ask Allaah to make us succeed in this world and cause us to be among those who are victorious and saved in the Hereafter, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayer.