ISLAM ENTERS THE FAR EAST

While conflict was an integral part in the spread of Islam in the Middle East this was not the case in China or Southeast Asia.  In this part of the world Islam meandered along following well-established trade routes.  It is said that the first Muslim to visit China was Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, who was the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  It is thought that he arrived in Canton (Guangzhou) in 627 CE.  In 651 CE Sa’d visited China for the third time to set up an embassy.  The Tang Emperor, Gaozong, received the envoy and ordered the construction of the Memorial mosque in Canton.  Thus Canton (Guangzhou) became one of the first Muslim settlements in China. 

The first Arab traders to reach China had travelled along the Southern Silk Road, a maritime route that brought an intense exchange in ideas, goods and people.  Although western academia debates when Islam arrived in China, Prophet Muhammad and his companions certainly would have been aware of China and the Chinese aware of the events taking place outside their area. 

Further north, along the Central Asian Silk Road, that went from the Middle East through Central Asia to China via Samarqand, Kashgar and Xi’an, a similar exchange took place.  It brought an increasing number of Turkic and Persian populations eager to convert others to the new religion coming out of the Middle East.  Many of the Muslims who visited China settled and married local women which helped to foster closer ties.  And then hundreds of years later countless Muslims migrated to China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), when whole populations shifted across the vast Mongol Empire.

Today, although Muslims make up less than two percent of the population, there are more than 20 million Muslims in China. Ten of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities are Muslim. According to government figures, there are 35 thousand Islamic places of worship and 45 thousand imams in China.[1]  However even after 1400 years Muslims who are culturally Chinese must justify their devotion to One God to their skeptical non-Muslim neighbors and do so in an increasingly intrusive state.

Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. Islam is the most widely practiced religion with more than 240 million adherents. Just how did Islam spread into Indonesia and Malaysia?  It travelled on the monsoon winds, and with the Arab traders who carried God’s message.  Indonesia now has a Muslim population of 88% and Malaysia has a Muslim population of 61.3%.[2]

Spread across a chain of 17 to 18 thousand islands Indonesia lies between Asia and Australia.  It has the world's largest Muslim population and Southeast Asia's biggest economy.  Indonesia stretches along the equator and 922 of its islands are permanently inhabited.  The country's strategic position fostered inter-island and international trade which in turn fundamentally shaped Indonesian history.

According to early accounts from the Abbasid caliphate, the Indonesian archipelago was famous among Muslim sailors due to its abundance of precious spice trade commodities such as nutmeg, cloves and galangal.  Arab traders had settled there by the 13th century CE and the gravestone of Sultan Malik Al-Saleh, dated 1297 CE, is one of the oldest Islamic inscriptions to be found in Indonesia.[3]  This indicates that the first ruler of Samudra, a Sumatran state, was Muslim.  Furthermore, and supplying more verifiable evidence for early Islam in Indonesia, famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo stopped in northern Sumatra on his way back to Europe from China in 1292.[4] He visited an Islamic town named Perlak.  Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited the same town in 1345-46 and wrote that its monarch was a Sunni Muslim.[5]

Islam spread into the Indonesian islands slowly via one of two routes.  The native people came into contact with Islam and converted, or foreign Muslims, from India, China and the Middle East, visited Indonesia and settled there mixing in with the local communities.  It seems that the new comers did not force their own customs and culture on the local populations but instead adopted their local culture while introducing the Oneness of God and the requirements of the Shariah.  Islam was carried from island to island. Each time the inhabitants of an island accepted Islam; they then worked hard to convert others.

Particular consideration should be given to Aceh and Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607–1636) the twelfth Sultan of Aceh who took the kingdom to its most powerful level and instigated interaction with the Ottoman Empire.[6]  In the first half of the seventeenth century Aceh was the dominant economic and political power of the region. It captured and controlled the northern half of the Malay Peninsula and northern and parts of central Sumatra.[7]

The entire Malay Archipelago was at one time known as Malaysia; however, a geographically reduced Malaysia emerged out of the territories colonized by Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  In 1963 parts of Malaysia, to the east and the west united into one country. Western Malaysia stretches from the Thai border to the island of Singapore and is on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.  The territories of Sabah and Sarawak separated by the country of Brunei, on the north end of Borneo, make up the area known as Eastern Malaysia.[8]

Bountiful natural resources such as tin, camphor, brazilwood, ebony and gold can be found in Malaysia’s interior.[9] Thus through the ages, ships have used the coast of the peninsula to dock and transact business.  Trade on the Strait of Malacca helped to create economic links between China, India and the Middle East, and thus Islam slipped effortlessly down the archipelago with Arab, Persian and Indian traders who controlled business in the area. It was a peaceful conquest.

The name Malacca comes from the Arabic word Malakut. An Arab trading post had been established in the 8th Century CE and Islam spread throughout the Malay Peninsula in the same way it spread in Indonesia; either the local inhabitants were attracted to and embraced Islam, or traders decided to settle in the area. 

By the time the Spanish and Portuguese arrived in the early 16th century, Islam was firmly established in Southeast Asia. It continued to develop in the 17th century, when Arab traders and scholars purposefully migrated to the area. European powers, or trading companies representing them, began to encroach on the region, establishing themselves as participants in its economic and political life. Despite colonialism by the 19th century Southeast Asia had established itself as an important part of the Muslim world. -islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]The Religious Policy of China.  https://www.muslim2china.com/MuslimInfo/Religious-Policy-of-China.html

[2]The Muslim Population of Indonesia. Pew Research Centre.
http://www.pewforum.org/2010/11/04/muslim-population-of-indonesia/
Malaysia Demographics Profile 2018 - IndexMundi
https://www.indexmundi.com/malaysia/demographics_profile.html

[3]Ancient Southeast Asia. John Norman Miksic & Goh Geok Yian Taylor & Francis, 2016 p497

[4]The explorer Marco Polo. http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/200504/the.explorer.marco.polo.htm

[5]Indonesia - THE COMING OF ISLAM - Country Studies
http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/5.htm

[6]Architecture and the Politics of Identity in Indonesia.  Izziah Hasan 2009
https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/65554/8/02whole.pdf

[7]Islam in South East Asia. P 21
https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/islam-islam-southeast-asia

[8]Countries and their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Malaysia.html

[9]http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Malaysia/sub5_4a/entry-3615.html

Fell in Love Through Social Media

Question

I seek your advice concerning a complicated situation. If a girl met an honest man and exchanged some emails with him in which he expressed that he is fond of her and that he is willing to continue his life with her. She was in an unenviable whether to tell her family that she fall in love with a man from outside the family or to continue with the man whom she cannot ever forget but she asked her sister to tell her mother about the man`s proposal. Now she has some questions: can she fabricate a story in front of people so that no one knows that she met him over the social media? Can she discuss the matters with him before he meets her father? How should they estimate the dowry and the other matters since he is from a different culture?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  is His slave and Messenger.

If you mean by “fabricate a story” making up a story and lying about it and saying something that is contrary to the reality, then this is not permissible because lying is a great sin and the Sharee'ah warned us against it. 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood  narrated that the Prophet said: "Beware of lying, for lying leads to vice (wickedness and evil-doing), and vice leads to the Hellfire. A man continues to tell lies and persists on lying till he is written before Allah as a liar." [Muslim]

Nonetheless, it is possible to resort to Tawriyah when needed to avoid lying. For definition of Tawriyah.

On the other hand, it is permissible for a woman to talk to a non-Mahram (marriageable) man when needed, provided that the Islamic conditions are met. But it is better to avoid this as a way of warding off evil; and if there is a need for this, then it should be done in the presence of one of her male Mahrams (non-marriageable).

The dowry is determined by agreement and consent between both spouses or between the husband and the wife's guardian whether their cultures differ or not.

It is recommended in the Sunnah to set a low dowry and to facilitate the marriage as these are reasons for the marriage to be blessed. 'Aa'ishah  narrated that the Prophet  said: "Among the signs of that a woman is blessed is when her engagement is facilitated, her dowry is affordable, and she is fertile." [Ahmad]

We did not understand what is meant by "the man whom she cannot ever forget". However, we advise her to choose a religious man who has a good moral character.

A man said to Al-Hasan Al-Basri : "A number of suitors proposed to marry my daughter, so to whom should I give her in marriage?" He said: "Marry her off to the one who fears Allah; if he loves her, he will honor her, and if he dislikes her, he will not wrong her."

Additionally, she must bear in mind that a marriage which results from mere online chatting and the like, may be doomed to failure because of not knowing the state and condition of the suitor. Also, the difference of cultures may have negative effects that lead to the separation of the spouses because, in general, harmony and understanding is difficult.

In conclusion, if Allah facilitated her marriage to this man, then all the best, otherwise she must stop every kind of relationship and communication with him because it is not permissible for a woman to have an emotional relationship with a non-Mahram man. Taking boyfriends or girlfriends was a practice of Jaahiliyyah (Pre-Islamic Era of Ignorance) and Islam abolished it.

Allah Says (what means): {[They should be] chaste, neither [of] those who commit unlawful intercourse randomly nor those who take [secret] lovers.} [Quran 4:25]

Allah knows best. -islamweb.net

Loving for the Sake of Allah is an Obligation

Question

salam alaikum Love and Sake for Allah is best....... but can it be said that it is """"OBLIGATORY""""" to love for the sake of Allah..... for there are many who love people for friendship...... I wanted a cnfrmaion whether it is OBLIGATORY OR RECOMMENDED(mustahab)" and how authentic is this narration that martyrs will envy people because of the position that will be achieved by people who love for the sake of Allah please answer both jazakallah and salam alaikum!!!!!!!!!

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  is His slave and Messenger.

Love for the sake of Allah – as well as hate for the sake of Allah – are one of the strongest bonds of faith; since this is the case, it is an obligation to achieve it. Indeed, the scholars  stated that love for the sake of Allah is obligatory. Ibn Battaal  in his commentary on 'Saheeh Al-Bukhari', said: “If someone says: …Tell us about love for the sake of Allah or hate for the sake of Allah, is it an obligation or a recommended act?” It would be said: “Rather, it is an obligation; and this is the view of Imam Maalik as well”. If it is said “what is the evidence for this?”, it would be said: “What Al-‘Aa’mash narrated from Abu Saalih from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: the Prophet  said: “I swear by Him in Whose Hands my soul is, you will not enter Paradise unless you have faith, and you will not have faith unless you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something if you do it you will love one another? Spread the Salaam amongst yourselves.” [Muslim, At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah] What the Prophet  ordered them to do, they should act according to it. Don’t you see that the Prophet  swore (by Allah) with his utmost sincerity that the people would not have faith until they love one another, and they will not enter Paradise until they have faith. Therefore, every wise person should be sincere in his affection and love to the believers…”

Ibn Hajar  said in 'Fat'h Al-Baari': “Maalik said that loving and hating for the sake of Allah are among the obligations.” Moreover, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah  said in ‘Minhaaj As-Sunnah’: “Love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah are an obligation and it is one of the strongest bonds of faith.” Indeed, there are many texts of the scholars about this.

On the other hand, the Hadeeth to which you pointed in the question is a Saheeh [authentic] Hadeeth reported by Ahmad and At-Tirmithi  from Mu’ath Ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “I heard the Prophet  saying: “Allah said: “Those who love one another for My sake, will have pulpits of light, and the Prophets and martyrs will envy them (i.e. wish that they have the same)."

Besides, At-Tabaraani  reported the same Hadeeth from Abu Maalik Al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The Prophet  said: “There are slaves of Allah who will have pulpits of light on the Day of Judgment, and they are neither Prophets nor martyrs, but the Prophets and martyrs will envy them (i.e. wish that they have the same).” They (the Companions) asked: “Who are they?” Prophet   said: “They are those who love one another for the sake of Allah.” [At-Tabaraani]

At-Tabaraani  also reported the same Hadeeth with the wording: “I knew some people who are neither Prophets nor martyrs but the martyrs and Prophets will envy them (i.e. wish that they have the same) because of their status with Allah. They are people from different tribes who love one another for the sake of Allah.”

As regards your statement that some people love other people for friendship, then this does not contradict what is mentioned above, the human being loves his friend, neighbor and his relative a natural love, and this is permissible and it is not dispraised unless it prevents one from the mention of Allah or diverts him from loving Allah. Ibn Al-Qayyim  said: “There is a fifth category of love that is not a part of what we have mentioned here, it is the natural love, which is that a person tends to what suits his nature, like the love of the thirsty person for water, and the love of the hungry person for food, and loving sleep, and loving the wife and the children, and these are not dispraised unless they prevent one from the mention of Allah or divert him from loving Allah.”

Allah Knows best. - islamweb.net

CHAPTER 106, QURAISH (QURAISH TRIBE)

Introduction

The title of this four-verse chapter is Quraish which refers to the tribe of Quraish mentioned in the first verse.  The Quraish was the ruling tribe in Mecca at the time of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  They were a tribe of merchants and were the custodians of the Kaba.  The Quraish was made up of ten main clans including Hashim, the clan to which the Prophet belonged.  The chapter Quraish was revealed in Mecca and has a particularly close association with the previous chapter The Elephant (Al-Fil).  In chapter 105, The Elephant, God defeats the threat to Mecca from the Yemini King Abrahah, thus in Chapter 106, Quraish, the trading and trading journeys carried out by the tribe of Quraish are secure.   In fact, some of the early Muslims regarded these two chapters as one chapter.  However, when compiling the Quran for future generations the scholars of the time set chapters 105 and 106 down as two separate chapters.  Regardless of whether they are one or two chapters there is little doubt that the latter is a continuation of the former. 

Verses 1 & 2 Safety and security

God begins this chapter saying, for the convenience of the Quraish, and to secure their winter and summer journeys.  This implies that God destroyed the army of Abrahah for their benefit.  The Meccans relied heavily on the trade with Yemen and therefore if Abrahah had been successful he would either have taken over their business or would have prevented them from entering Yemen.  Thus both the winter and summer trade journeys were secured.  The Quraish sent caravans to Yemen in winter and to Syria in the summer.  They were able to travel throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond in relative peace and security.  They established themselves along the breadth of the two routes and were met with generosity and admiration.

The security of the Quraish also meant security for the Kaba, which is the focal point of Islam.  The Quraish were the custodians of the Kaba.   As their position in the land was raised, due to God’s favor and their trading expertise, the Kaba became safe from the usual marauding and plundering that took place across the Peninsula.  The Quraish found themselves in an exclusive position with a guaranteed means of sustenance.  This security was a direct result of their custodianship of the Kaba; its sanctity is ordained and preserved by God.  Thus it could be said that for the sake of Islam God destroyed the Army of the Elephant and in doing so secured the future of the Quraish. 

Verses 3 & 4 Worship and be grateful

So let them worship the Lord of this house, the Kaba.  He is the One who provides them with food to ward of hunger and provides them with safety to ward off fear.  God reminds the Quraish of the blessings He provided for them.  God provided them with food.  Their land is barren and infertile, they would have starved if God had not provided them with a means by which to feed and support themselves.  The life of the Quraish could have been one of fear and apprehension but God granted them security and allayed their fears.  These two verses serve as a reminder to the Quraish that their custodianship of the Kaba has a great effect on their lives.  It was also an admonition exhorting them to worship God in the way that He expects and deserves.

When Prophet Abraham had completed the rebuilding of the Kaba, he prayed that He make this place a city of peace and sustain its inhabitants with the fruits of the earth.  God answered the prayer of Prophet Abraham, however, despite this many of the Quraish were not thankful or grateful to God and still others were polytheists.  It is as if God is saying if you cannot be grateful for all the blessings God has bestowed on you at least show some gratitude for this one huge favor, namely sustenance and security. 

The Quraish should have been gratefully worshipping their Lord, the Lord of the Kaba, the one who provided them with sustenance and security.  Their land was only a desert but it provided them with a livelihood, and God protected them from all their enemies even their most formidable foe Abrahah.  Instead of being grateful the Quraish persistently spoke and acted against Prophet Muhammad and the message he preached.

This chapter is a clear admonition to the Quraish and a warning that God could, if He so desired, destroy them as thoroughly as He had destroyed and humiliated the Army of the Elephant. -islamreligion.com

Fasting during Sha’ban

This is the great month of Sha`ban, most of which our beloved Prophet  used to fast. It is of paramount importance for us to keep alive this Sunnah and use it to get ready for the best time of the year to be a Muslim and feel like a Muslim—the month following this one, blessed Ramadan.

And what can be a better preparation than learning what the best example for humankind said about Sha`ban.

Usamah ibn Zayd  said: "The Prophet  used to fast so many days in succession that we would say: `He will never break his fast.' At other times he would go without fasting for so long until we said: `He will never again fast,' except for two days, which he would fast even if they occurred during the times he was not fasting consecutive days. Furthermore, he would not fast in any month as many days as he fasted during Sha`ban. I said: `O Messenger of Allah! Sometimes you fast so much it is as if you will never break your fast. At other times you leave fasting for such a long period it is as if you will never again fast [voluntarily], except for two days that you always fast.’ He asked: `Which two days are those?' I replied, `Monday and Thursday.' The Prophet  said: `Those are two days in which the deeds are presented to the Lord of the Worlds. I love that my deeds are presented [to Him] while I am fasting'. I said: `I do not see you fasting in any month like you fast during Sha`ban.' The Prophet  said: ‘That is a month occurring between Rajab and Ramadan that many people neglect. It is a month in which the deeds ascend to the Lord of the Worlds, The All-Mighty and Majestic, and I love for my deeds to ascend while I am fasting.’ ” [Ahmad and An-Nasa'i]

And ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers  said: "I did not see the Messenger of Allah fast any month in its entirety except Ramadan. And I did not see him fast as frequently in any other month as he did during Sha`ban." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Master Hadeeth scholar Zainuddeen ibn Rajab al-Hanbali  said that "To fast in Sha'ban is [to me] better than fasting in the Sacred Months [like the month of Rajab]. Also, the best of voluntary fasts are those done closest to Ramadan—before or after it- for they are, thus, like the voluntary so-called as-Sunan ar-Rawatib prayers, which are done before and after obligatory prayers. [One of the main reasons for such Rawatib] is that they compensate for one's shortfalls in the manner he made those obligatory prayers. The same may be said of the fasts observed [immediately] before [as many as one chooses to in Sha`ban] and after Ramadan [the six days of Shawwal]. Furthermore, like as-Sunan al-Rawatib of prayer are better than other voluntary prayers, so are the immediate fasts observed before and after Ramadan. They are better than other voluntary fasts."

The Prophet  said: "The best fasting after [i.e., second to] Ramadan is that of [the month of] Muharram." [Muslim].

So, which is a better month to fast in, Sha'ban or Muharram? Most scholars are of the opinion that the fasting in Sha'ban is better because of the Hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood in his "Book of Sunan" that "The most beloved of months for the Messenger of Allah  to fast in was Sha`ban, and his fasting in Sha'ban was continuous with his fasting in Ramadan." This authentic Hadeeth applies in the most general way to Sha'ban while the narration by Muslim may be seen as restricted to the first nine days of Muharram as indicated by other Hadeeths. And in addition to this and what Ibn Rajab  stated above, the Prophet  fasted most of Sha'ban and maintained that Sunnah until he passed away.

May Allah accept your Fast! Ameen! - islamweb.net

Significance of the month of Sha’ban

Question:

What is the significance of month of Sha’ban and can we fast on 15th Sha’ban?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad may Allah exalt his mention is His slave and Messenger.

The actions of people are presented to Allah in the month of Sha’ban so the Prophet  used to fast repeatedly in this month. ‘Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allah fast for a complete month except for Ramadan, and I never saw him do more fasting in any month than he did in Sha’baan". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
 

Usaamah bin Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: "I said to the Prophet : O Messenger of Allah! I did not see you fasting in any month as you do in the month of Sha’ban". The Prophet said: "People neglect this month which is between Rajab and Ramadan, in this month the actions of the people are presented to Allah; so I like my deeds to be presented while I am fasting". [Abu Dawood and An-Nasaa'i]
 

As for fasting particularly the fifteenth of Sha’ban this is not proved through any sound evidence.
 

There are some sayings of the companions of the Prophet and their successors, which indicate the virtue of this night. But this does not mean that there is any special significance to the day or that night. So, there is no evidence proving that fasting such a day is Sunnah nor is there any evidence proving that there are some specific prayers to be performed at the fifteenth night of Sha’ban.

Allah Knows best. -islamweb.net

CHAPTER 101, AL-QARIAH (THE STRIKING HOUR)

The Striking Hour is a short Meccan chapter of eleven verses.  As is the case with most Meccan chapters, this chapter also focuses on the fundamental beliefs of Islam.  In this chapter we are presented with scenes from the Day of Judgment and confronted by the possibility of a shocking outcome in the Hereafter.  It deals with what takes place on that momentous Day and what it will lead too. 

Verses 1-3 A startling blow

The Striking Hour is one of the names God uses for the Day of Judgement.  Throughout the Quran, He uses many different names each one designed to convey a particular aspect of the earth-shattering event.  Other names used include the Overwhelming One, the Deafening Shout and the Great Catastrophe.   

Al-Qariah is most often translated to The Striking Hour, but it is also known in English as The Striking Calamity, or the Crashing Blow.  The word Qariah describes all of these things.  Originally the word Qariah meant the knocking one, a strike or a blow, the act of hitting, and a single blow.  However, in the wider sense it can mean a major misfortune or calamity.  With either definition it conveys a sense of alarm and a startling noise.  It is something that shakes you to the core and fills you with fear.

Thus God is warning us that there will be a striking hour, and it will chill us to the bone.  It will startle us out of our complacency.  Do you know what it is God asks, do you know what it means?  What will make you understand that this Day and this Hour will be a reality?

The reality of this event however is that it is too great to be fully understood.  God’s question is a rhetorical question because the truth is that we will never ever fully comprehend it until we experience it.  God follows His question with some scenes that describe that Day.

Verses 4 – 5 Moths and mountains

This is the Day when people will be like scattered moths and the mountains will be like tufts of wool.  In order to help us understand God mentions two things that people are familiar with.  People (humankind) pride themselves on their intelligence and their abilities.  We consider ourselves to be clever and able to organise into workable societies and communities.  However, on this inevitable Day this will mean nothing.  All people will be so startled and shocked we will be like scattered moths, running in all directions not sure of what to do or how to behave.  We have all observed moths, flying in all directions and often times flying straight into danger.

Mountains too are an object that we are familiar with.  They stand like guardians on the earth, strong and impenetrable.  Mountains are parts of creation that are imposing and insurmountable but on this Day they will no longer be fixed to earth like pegs; they will instead be like tufts of wool, or as in some translations, like carded wool.  In either case it is wool that is no longer stable, instead it is broken away from the whole.  The present order of the world will be overthrown.  People will be confused, running about like moths drawn to a flame and the mountains will be flying about or crumbling.

Verses 6 – 7 Heavy scales

Next God shifts the narrative to a different aspect of the Day of Judgment, the Judgment itself.  The person whose scale is heavy with good deeds will learn that they will have a good life in the Hereafter.  The first scenes leave our minds in a panic, everything we know about the world will change.  But now God lightens the blow.  Those with scales heavy with good deeds have nothing to fear; they will now have a life where the necessities of life will not be a concern, everything will be provided, and they will be satisfied.  In other words, it is a life full of contentment and joy.

Verses 8 – 9 Light scales

On the other hand, there will be people who stand before God with scales that are light.  Their bad deeds far outweigh their good deeds.  These people will have no home in the Hereafter apart from the abyss.  They will be cast into a deep pit.  The Arabic word used is Hawiyah, and it usually used to describe a deep canyon that goes down, down, endlessly down.  Hawiyah is a deep canyon in Hell.  The person will be completely surrounded and held firmly in the abyss.   

Verses 10 – 11 The abyss

Again God asks what is it that will make you aware of just what this punishment is.  How can you really know the depth of the abyss or what it entails? It is beyond comprehension and imagination;  you can only hope for a glimpse or a hint of what it will be.  God answers his own question and knowing does not put your mind at ease.  The answer comes as a swift blow to the senses.  The abyss is a raging fire, a deep canyon of raging, spitting flames, and fire. -islamreligion.com

Wise Tips for Muslim Wives

A mother advises her daughter before her wedding:

Asma’ bint Kharijah Al-Fazari, may Allah have mercy upon her, said to her daughter before her wedding, “O my daughter, you are about to leave the nest where you grew up to sleep in an unfamiliar bed and to live with an unfamiliar man. Be the earth for him, and he will be your sky; be a resting place for him, and he will be your support; be his slave, and he will be your slave. Do not be clingy and possessive so that he would be disinterested in you; and do not become too distant from him so that he would not forget you. Should he draw near, draw close to him; and should he keep a distance, stay away from him. Watch for his nose, his hearing and his eyes so he will smell nothing from you but that which is sweet, hear nothing but that which is good; see nothing but that which is beautiful.”

A father’s advice to his daughter:

Abu Al- Aswad Ad-Du’ali, may Allah have mercy upon him, said to his daughter, “Beware of jealousy because it is the key to divorce. Adorn yourself, and remember that kohl is the best cosmetic. Apply perfumes, and remember that a perfect ablution is the best perfume. Follow my advice to your mother: take what I give to you contentedly and you will win my love; and do not say a word when I am angry, because when love and anger get together, anger does away with love.”

Banu Tamim women make the best wives:

Shurayh Al-Qadhi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said to Ash-Sha‘bi, may Allah have mercy upon him, “You should marry from the women of Banu Tamim. I have seen how wise they are”. Ash-Sha‘bi, may Allah have mercy upon him, asked, “How?” Shurayh, may Allah have mercy upon him, replied,

I passed by their homes and saw a girl who was as good as girls can be. So, I asked for her hand in marriage. On our wedding night, the women of the tribe escorted her. When she came into the house, she said that it is an act of the Sunnah for the man to perform a two-Rak‘ah prayer on the couple’s wedding night, then supplicate Allah The Almighty to provide him with her goodness and protect him from her evil. So, I performed the two Rak‘ahs and when I finished, I found that she had been performing the same prayer behind me.

When the guests left the house, I walked to her and stretched out my hand to touch her. However, she said, “Wait, Abu Umayyah (i.e., Shurayh).” Then, she said, “All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His aid, and ask for His forgiveness. Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. I do not know you and I have no idea about your character. So tell me what you like and I will do it, and what you dislike and I will avoid it.” She continued, “There must be among your people a woman that you could have married and a man among my people that I could have married, but Allah The Almighty has accomplished a matter already ordained in His Knowledge. Allah The Almighty has given you control over me, so obey Him in my regard; either retain me on reasonable terms or release me with kindness. This is all I have to say, and I ask Allah The Almighty to forgive us both.”

Shurayh, continued,

I found myself in need of delivering a speech. I said, “All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His aid, and ask for His forgiveness. Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad. You [i.e., his wife] have said many things, which, if you fulfill will be rewarded, but if you fail to observe, they will be evidence against you. I love such and such things, and I hate such and such things. You may spread whatever good deed you see, and should conceal whatever evil deed you see.” She, then, said, “What would you say about visiting my relatives?” I replied, “I do not like it that my in-laws get bored by seeing me too often.” She said, “Which of your neighbors would you let in your house?” I said, “The family of such and such are good pious people, and the family of such and such are bad company.”

Mustafa Sadiq Ar-Rafi‘i, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: 

A woman alone is the human environment of her husband’s home. A woman may come into her husband’s house to turn it into a beautiful garden, even if it was as empty as a barren desert. On the other hand, a woman may come into her husband’s house and turn it into a barren desert with her storms and heat, even if it was a beautiful garden. There is a third type of women who turn their husbands’ homes into graves.

Ar-Rafi‘i also said,

The perfect and loveable woman is the one who gives the man all the meanings of life that he lacks, and delivers happiness from her emotions like she delivers babies. Women play two great roles in life: increasing life itself in the physical sense of the word, by begetting children, and they make up for what may be missing of the meanings of life.

It was said that there are three types of women:

1. A woman who is like a redolent rose that blooms in a beautiful garden. The nearer you draw to such a woman the more you wish to be even nearer. When you are away from her, you yearn to see her again. She is your comfort, oasis and flower in all cases. 

2. A woman who resembles a thorn or a spear, and her tongue is like the lashing of a whip. Whenever you go near her, you wish to go away and when you go away, her image will haunt you wherever you go. When it is time to return to her den, you will have to face the worst. If you escape her arrows, you will not escape the lashes of her tongue. Thus, mobilize your defenses. 

3. A woman that turns the house into a grave, giving you two only options; to bury her or to let her bury you.

However, we should say that men are like women in this regard, that is, they fall into the same three categories.

Shaykh Jasim Muhammad, may Allah have mercy upon him, quoted a woman advising her fellow women saying:

A man can never love his wife unless she endeavors to make him love to stay at home in every possible way, including the following:

1- To maintain a feminine look and avoid behaving like a man. A woman should know that her husband loves to see her in the house like the sun in the sky without any dark cloud of frowning covering her face, particularly if her husband returns home with a long face for a reason that has nothing to do with her. A wife should be acquainted with the etiquette of conversation. She should remain silent when silence is appropriate; she should never interrupt her husband when he is speaking, and she should never raise her voice when speaking with him. In all cases, a wife must adhere to truthfulness, as it is the only thing that may save her from any doubts about her love and sincerity. 

2- A wise wife who sees herself to be smarter than her husband should conceal half of her intelligence and knowledge revealing, instead of them, sincerity and compassion to win the love and respect of her husband.

3- A wife should know that her husband does not endure to see his wife treating him with disinterest. So, she must beware of these bad habits and console her husband with comforting words.

4- A wife should be economical and wise in spending money, because it is a great pleasure for the husband to see his wife spending the money that he gives her wisely and properly in such a way that satisfies all the needs of the house. A husband also likes his wife to be smart enough to understand what he says.

If the wife applies these pieces of advice, her husband will spend his spare time at home talking and joking with her. This means that he will stay away from undesirable or evil hangouts.

Standard of marital happiness:

The separating line between a husband’s happiness and misery is whether his wife supports him to overcome the downs of life or helps the downs of life against him.

Types of wives:

There are three types of wives:

1- A wise and well-brought-up one, and she is the most honorable wife
2- A righteous and contented one, and she is the easiest to satisfy
3- An ignorant and peevish one and she the most troubling wife

A joke:

An old woman got sick and her son brought her a doctor. Upon entering, the doctor noticed that she was dressed up in colorful clothes and he therefore understood her problem. So, he said to her son, “This woman is in need of a husband!” The son countered, “But she is old!” His mother, who was listening, interfered immediately saying, “Woe to you son, the doctor certainly knows better than you!”

Finally, let us give the same advice that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, gave to Mu‘ath, may Allah be pleased with him, when he said to him: “O Mu‘ath, by Allah, I love you!” Mu‘ath, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! I do love you too.” Thereupon, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I advise you not to miss supplicating after every prayer, saying: `Allaahumma a`inni `ala thikrika wa shukrika, wa husni `ibaadatik,' [O Allah, help me remember You, express gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner].” -islamweb.net

When to say: Inna Lilaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji'oon

Question

Salam alaikum, Is "Inna lilayhi wa inna ilayhi" only to be said when a Muslim dies, or also when a kafir dies, when one looses his job, pet, house, etc.? Salam alaikum Nuha

Answer 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds.  I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  is His slave and Messenger.

The texts from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention), legislated the permissibility for a Muslim to say: {“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”}[Quran 2:156] when a calamity befalls him in his own self, his family or his money.

Therefore, it is permissible to say: “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” when losing one’s job, one’s animal, one’s house and so forth. Rather, it is desirable to say: “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” when one is afflicted with a calamity. An-Nawawi  said about the Hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, in the incident of Al-Ifk (when she was falsely accused of adultery) when she mentioned the arrival of Safwan Ibn Al-Mu’attal  to her while she was asleep that he said: “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” Imam An-Nawawi  said: "This is evidence that it is desirable to say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” when one is afflicted with a calamity in his worldly matters or in his religion, whether it is in his own self or in a person who is dear to him.”

However, is the death of a non-Muslim a calamity? The death of a non-Muslim may be a calamity for a Muslim. Al-Hattab  quoted in his book Mawahib Al-Jaleel from Ibn Rushd  that he said in regard to presenting one’s condolences to a Muslim son about his dead non-Muslim father, “There is no greater calamity for a man than the death of his father who used to be compassionate with him and benefit him in his worldly matters while he was a non-Muslim, and so he will not be with him in the Hereafter, so one makes the calamity easier for him (the son) by engaging him and presenting his condolences to him.”

If the death of a non-Muslim relative is a calamity for his Muslim relative and he says: “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” for his calamity, then we hope, Allah willing, that this is permissible.

Allah Knows best.

Answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb