The Rewards for Good Deeds in Ramadan

Question: 

Are the rewards given in return for acts of worship and good deeds a lot more in the month of Ramadan?

ANSWER :

Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states the following about this topic:
The blessed month of Ramadan is very honorable. The rewards given for the voluntary prayer, remembrance of Allah, alms, and all other such worships done in this month are like those given for the obligatory ones done in other months. One obligatory act of worship done in this month is like seventy obligatory acts of worship done in other months. If a person gives (the supper called) iftar to a fasting person in this month, his or her sins will be forgiven. He or she will be emancipated from Hell. In addition, he or she will be given as many rewards as those which the fasting person receives. The rewards of that fasting person will not decrease in the slightest degree.

In this month, also those bosses who facilitate the work of those under their commands and who make it easy for them to worship will be forgiven. They will be emancipated from Hell. In the blessed month of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah used to emancipate the slaves and would give whatever was asked from him. Those who can do good deeds in this month will be blessed with doing such deeds all the year round. If a person disrespects this month and commits sins in this month, he or she will spend all the year sinning.

We should consider this month as an opportunity. We should perform as many acts of worship as we can, do the deeds which Allahu ta’ala likes, and deem this month an opportunity for earning the next world.

We must avoid sins while we are fasting. As we protect our eyes and tongues from sins, so we must protect our ears from them because it is prohibited (haram) as well to listen to what is prohibited to talk about. It is necessary to protect our hands, feet, and other organs from prohibited actions, too. A person who is fasting but also is committing sins is like a patient who is taking poison instead of drug, for sins are poison. They wipe out our rewards that we earn in return for our acts of worship. 

After committing an evil deed or any sin, we should feel a pang of remorse and keep offering good deeds and acts of worship. 

It is declared in hadith-i sharifs: 
(When you commit a sin, do a good deed immediately after it and earn thawab, so that it will wipe out that sin.) [Bayhaqi]

(No matter where and in what circumstance you are, fear Allah and do a good deed following an evil one, so that it will eradicate it.) [Tirmidhi]

The Qur'an al-karim says what means:
(Certainly hasanat wipe out sayyiat.) [Surat-u Hud 114]
[Hasanat means every kind of goodness, and sayyiat means every kind of evil.] 

We should do good to all people without differentiating between the righteous and the bad. It is one of the commandments of our religion to help the powerless, the old, and the needy. It is said in hadith-i sharifs:
(Show mercy to the powerless, the patient, the old, and the young.) [Shir'a]

(He who does not respect our old ones and who does not show mercy to our young ones is not one of us.) [Bukhari]

(Treating our old ones with respect and kindness is out of reverence for Allah.) [Bukhari]

(If a young person shows respect to an old person because of his age, Allahu ta'ala will make the young respect him when he reaches his age.) [Shir'a]

It is much reward-deserving to do good to humans. The following hadith-i sharifs say:
(All humankind is like the 'iyal [family, dependents] of Allah. The one whom Allahu ta'ala loves the most is the one who is the most beneficent to His 'iyal [humans]. The one whom Allahu ta'ala dislikes the most is the one who does not do any good to His 'iyal.) [Bazzar]

(There is nothing better than these two: belief in Allah and doing good to His slaves. There is nothing worse than these two: polytheism and doing harm to humans.) [Daylami]

(The best person is the one from whom only goodness is expected.) [Tirmidhi]

(Doing favors lengthens one's lifetime.) [Tabarani]

(Whoever has a favor done for him, let him make mention of that favor. Making mention of a favor is gratitude, and concealing it is ingratitude.) [Abu Dawud]

-myreligionislam,com

Advice to affluent woman courted by poor man

Question

I am seeking advice on behalf of a young woman from our family who has been approached for marriage by a man who I see as being religious, well-mannered, sensible, and hard-working. On the other hand, his financial circumstances are not very good. He is young – 22 years old. She, on the other hand, comes from an affluent family and is now in the final year of her university studies and wishes to complete her degree. He has no objection to her doing so. However, she is afraid to accept his proposal on account of his financial circumstances. What is your advice?

Answer

Allah says: “And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them of His bounty. Allah is of ample means, Aware.” [Sûrah al-Nûr: 32] 

Marriage is a reason for a person to acquire self-sufficiency. This is because it makes a person sense his responsibility and motivates him to work and to be industrious and frugal. 

Most importantly, Allah’s providence comes to a person according to his needs. For every weakness on a person’s part there is generosity and kindness on part of our Provider. 

Therefore, if the man is as you describe him, I would advise her to accept his proposal and complete her university degree. This is only if she herself is pleased with his character, his reputation, and his religion. 

If, however, she feels that she might not be able to respect him or that she might look down upon him on account of the disparity in their economic status, then I advise her not to marry him. Men are the protectors and maintainers of women and such a role cannot be effectively carried out by the man when his wife looks upon him with disdain.

-islamtoday.net

Meaning of the term muttafaq `alayh (agreed upon)

Question

We often read that a hadîth is muttafaq `alayh. What does this mean?

Answer

The phrase “muttafaq `alayh” literally means “agreed upon”. 

Among scholars of hadîth, the term is used to indicate those hadîth that are found in both Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim as related by a single Companion. 

If the hadîth is related in Sahîh al-Bukhârî by a different Companion than the one who relates it in Sahîh Muslim, then the hadîth will not be referred to as “muttafaq `alayh”. 

This is the usage that is well known and well-established among scholars of hadîth. Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî says: “It is what they (al-Bukhârî and Muslim) agree to place in their respective books from the hadîth of a single Companion.” [al-Nukat `alâ Kitâb Ibn al-Salâh (1/364)] 

Among hadîth scholars, al-Jawzaqî uses the term to refer to any hadîth text found in both Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim, regardless of whether it is related in both sources from the same Companion. This is how the term is generally employed by scholars of Islamic Law.

-islamtoday.net

Ruling on one who breaks the fast by mistake

QUESTION :

What is the ruling on breaking a voluntary fast by mistake?.

ANSWER :

Praise be to Allah.  

Al-Bukhaari (6669) and Muslim (1155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast for it is Allah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” 

It was also narrated that he does not have to offer expiation or make up that fast. 

Ibn Khuzaymah (1999) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever breaks his fast in Ramadan by mistake does not have to make up that day or offer expiation.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah. 

Al-Daaraqutni narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever eats in the month of Ramadan by mistake does not have to make up that day.” 

Al-Haafiz said: 

Although its isnaad is weak, it may still be considered sound because there are corroborating reports. The least that could be said about it is that it is hasan, so it may be quoted as evidence. Reports that are less strong than this have been quoted as evidence with regard to many issues. It may also be supported by the fact that a number of the Sahaabah issued fatwas that are in agreement with this hadeeth without any one of the Sahaabah having a different view, as was stated by Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Hazm and others, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Zayd ibn Thaabit, Abu Hurayrah, and Ibn ‘Umar. And it is in accordance with the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but He will call you to account for that which your hearts have earned”

[al-Baqarah 2:225] 

Forgetfulness is not something which is earned by the heart. 

This hadeeth tells of the kindness of Allah to His slaves and how He makes things easier for them and alleviates hardship. 

End quote. 

The majority of scholars quote these ahaadeeth as evidence that whoever forgets that he is fasting and breaks the fast, his fast is still valid, and he should complete his fast, and he does not have to make it up or offer any expiation. The general meaning of the hadeeth covers both obligatory and naafil fasts; there is no difference between the two. 

Al-Shaafa’i said in al-Umm (2/284): 

If a fasting person eats or drinks in Ramadan or in a fast observed in fulfillment of a vow or as an expiation, or a fast that is obligatory for some reason, or a voluntary fast, out of forgetfulness, then his fast is complete and he does not have to make it up.  

Al-Nawawi said: 

This is evidence to support the view of the majority: if the fasting person eats or drinks or has intercourse because of forgetfulness, then he does not break his fast. Among those who were of this view are al-Shaafa’i, Abu Haneefah, Dawood and others. 

Al-Haafiz said: 

An interesting story was narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq from ‘Amr ibn Dinar: that a person came to Abu Hurayrah and said: “I started fasting in the morning then I forgot and ate.” He said, “It does not matter.” He said: “Then I entered upon someone and by mistake I ate and drank.” He said, “It does not matter, Allah has fed you and given you to drink.” Then he said:  “I entered upon another person and forgot, and ate.” Abu Hurayrah said: “You are a person who is not used to fasting.”.

-islamqa.info

What to recite in Fajr prayer on Friday

Question

What is the ruling on reciting Sûrah al-Sajdah and Sûrah al-Insân in the two units of Fajr prayer on Friday? I understand it is Sunnah, but I recently came to know that Ibn al-Qayyim disagreed. Please clarify.

Answer

It is Sunnah to recite Sûrah al-Sajdah (32) and Sûrah al-Insân (76) in the two units of the obligatory Fajr prayer on Friday. This is what the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do. 

Abû Hurayrah relates that “Allah’s Messenger used to recite in the Fajr prayer on Friday Sûrah al-Sajdah and Sûrah al-Insan.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim] 

As for what Ibn al-Qayyim, he agrees that it is Sunnah to recite these two chapters of the Qur’ân in the Fajr prayer on Friday. He makes this clear in his book Zâd al-Ma`âd (1/375). 

However, he goes on to say: “Some of the leading scholars disliked doing so every single Friday morning, because the ignorant people from getting the wrong idea about it.” He cites Ibn Taymiyah as saying the same thing. 

All Ibn al-Qayyim is saying is that some scholars were worried that the people would assume it is obligatory to read these two chapters in the Fajr prayer on Friday if the people leading the prayer were to do so every week without fail. In order to avoid them coming to this false conclusion about the ruling of reading these two chapters, they recommend that the recitation should be varied on occasion. 

Therefore, when there is no danger of people coming to the conclusion that it is obligatory, then there is no objection to reading these two chapters every week. 

And Allah knows best.

-islamtoday.net

What are the pillars of fasting?

QUESTION :

What are the pillars of fasting?.

ANSWER :

Praise be to Allah.  

The fuqaha’ are agreed that abstaining from the things that break the fast, from the true dawn until sunset is one of the pillars of fasting. 

But they differed with regard to the intention. The Hanafis and Hanbalis are of the view that the intention is a condition of the fast being valid. 

The Maalikis and Shaafa’is were of the view that it is a pillar in addition to abstinence. 

Whether the intention is regarded as a pillar or a condition, the fast – like other acts of worship – cannot be regarded as valid without the intention, as well as abstaining from the things that break the fast. 

Al-Bahr al-Raa’iq, 2/276; Mawaahib al-Jaleel, 2/378; Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj, 3/149; Nayl al-Ma’aarib Sharh Daleel al-Taalib, 1/274. 

And Allah knows best.

-islamqa.info