In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Concerning the Islaamic Hijree date of 15th Sha’baan the Imaam, the ‘Allaamah Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen (rahima-hullaah) was asked:

We see some people specifying the 15th of Sha’baan with particular supplications and reciting the Qur.aan and performing naafilah prayers. So what is the correct position concerning this, and may Allaah reward you with good?

He responded as follows:

That which is correct is that fasting the 15th of Sha’baan or specifying it with reciting (the Qur.aan) or making (particular) supplications has no basis.

So the day of the 15th of Sha’baan is like any other 15th day of other months.

So from that which is known is that it has been legislated for a person to fast the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month, however, Sha’baan is characterised unlike the other months in that (except for Ramadhaan) the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) used to fast more in Sha’baan than any other month.

So he used to either fast all of Sha’baan or just a little.

Therefore, as long as it does not cause difficulty for a person, it is befitting to increase in fasting during Sha’baan in adherence to the example of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam).

The majority of the scholars say it’s bid’ah.

Shaykb bin baaz (May Allaah have mercy on him said (exerpts):

What the majority of scholars say is that celebrating this occasion is bid’ah, and that the ahaadeeth concerning the virtues of this occasion are all da’eef (weak), and some of them are mawdoo’ (fabricated) Among those who pointed this out was al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab, in his book Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif, and others. The da’eef ahaadeeth concerning acts of worship can only be acted upon in the case of acts of worship which are proven by saheeh evidence. There is no saheeh basis for celebrating the middle of Sha’baan, so we cannot follow the da’eef ahaadeeth either.

This important principle was mentioned by Imaam Abu’l-‘Abbaas Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him).

The [brief] evidences quoted from the fatwa:

quote
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his book Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif concerning this matter – after previously discussing it –

“Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan) was venerated by the Taabi’een among the people of al-Shaam, such as Khaalid ibn Mi’daan, Makhool, Luqmaan ibn ‘Aamir and others, who used to strive in worship on this night. The people took the idea of the virtue of this night and of venerating it from them. It was said that they heard of Israa’eeli reports (reports from Jewish sources) concerning that. Most of the scholars of the Hijaaz denounced that, including ‘Ataa’ and Ibn Abi Maleekah. ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam narrated that view from the fuqahaa’ of Madeenah, and this was the view of the companions of Maalik and others. They said: this is all bid’ah… No comment from Imaam Ahmad concerning Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan is known of… Concerning spending the night of the middle of Sha’baan in prayer, there is no sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions…”

This is what was said by al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allaah be pleased with him). He clearly states that there is no sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) about Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan).

Al-‘Allaamah al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo’ah:

“The hadeeth: ‘O ‘Ali, whoever prays one hundred rak’ahs on Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan, reciting in each rak’ah the Opening of the Book [Soorat al-Faatihah] and Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad ten times, Allaah will meet all his needs…’ This is mawdoo’ (fabricated) [i.e., it is falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him]. Its wording clearly states the reward that the person who does this will attain, and no man who has any common sense can doubt that this is fabricated. Also, the men of its isnaad are majhool (unknown). It was also narrated via another isnaad, all of which is mawdoo’ (fabricated) and all of whose narrators are majhool (unknown).

In al-Mukhtasar he said:

The hadeeth about the salaah for the middle of Sha’baan is false, and the hadeeth of ‘Ali narrated by Ibn Hibbaan – “ When it is the night of the middle of Sha’baan, spend that night in prayer and fast that day” – is da’eef (weak).

In al-La’aali’ he said,

“One hundred rak’ahs in the middle of Sha’baan, reciting (Soorat) al-Ikhaas ten times in each… (this is) mawdoo’ (fabricated), and all its narrators in its three isnaads are majhool (unknown) and da’eef (weak). He said: and twelve rak’ahs, reciting al-Ikhlaas thirty times in each, this is mawdoo’; and fourteen (rak’ahs), this is mawdoo’.

A group of fuqahaa’ were deceived by this hadeeth, such as the author of al-Ihyaa’ and others, as were some of the mufassireen. The prayer of this night – the middle of Sha’baan – was described in different ways, all of which are false and fabricated.”

Al-Haafiz al-‘Iraaqi said:

“The hadeeth about the prayer during the night of the middle of Sha’baan is fabricated and is falsely attributed to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).”

Imaam al-Nawawi said in his book al-Majmoo’:

“The prayer that is known as salaat al-raghaa’ib, which is twelve rak’ahs between Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ on the night of the first Friday in Rajab, and the prayer of Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan, of one hundred rak’ahs – these two prayers are reprehensible bid’ahs. No one should be deceived by the fact that they are mentioned in the books Qoot al-Quloob and Ihyaa’ ‘Uloom al-Deen, or by the hadeeth which is mentioned in these two books. All of that is false. Nor should they be deceived by the fact that some of the imaams were confused about this matter and wrote a few pages stating that these prayers are mustahabb, for they were mistaken in that.”

Shaykh al-Imaam Abu Muhammad ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Ismaa’eel al-Maqdisi wrote a very valuable book proving that these (reports) are false, and he did a very good job. The scholars spoke at length about this matter, and if we were to quote all that we have read of what they have said about this matter, it would take far too long. Perhaps what we have already mentioned is sufficient to convince the seeker of truth.
end quote

Shaykh Fawzaan states:

“Nothing firm and reliable has been established on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he held night-vigil prayer and fasted during the day of the 15th of Sha`ban. So, the night of the 15th of Sha`ban is like any other night, and if someone regularly observes acts of worship during other nights, then he may hold night-vigil prayer on this night without assuming anything special (because of it being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban).

This is because specifying a time for any act of worship requires an authentic proof, so if there is no authentic proof then the act is regarded as an innovation and all innovations are misguidance. Likewise, regarding specifically fasting during the 15th day of Sha`ban, then no (authentic) proof has been established on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to indicate the legality of fasting on that particular day.”

How to be successful in life

 Question:

How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and hereafter? What kind of success or prosperity that Islam wants the Ummah Islam gain in this world?

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.

Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety… these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. There are religious means of achieving that, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others.

There follows a summary of the means of achieving this aim for which everyone is striving. In some cases, those who achieve many of them will live a joyful life and a good life; in other cases, those who fail to achieve all of them will live a life of misery and hardship. And there are others which are in between, according to what the means he is able to attain. These means include the following:

1 – Faith and righteous deeds:

This is the greatest and most fundamental of means. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” (Quran, 16:97)

Allah tells us and promises us that whoever combines faith with righteous deeds will have a good life and a good reward in this world and in the Hereafter.

The reason for that is clear: those who believe in Allah – with sincere faith that motivates them to do righteous deeds that change hearts and attitudes and guides them to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter – follow principles and guidelines by means of which they deal with everything that happens to them, be it the causes of happiness and excitement or the causes of anxiety, worry and grief.

They deal with the things that they like by accepting them and giving thanks for them, and using them in good ways. When they deal with them in this manner, that creates in them a sense of excitement and the hope that it will continue and that they will be rewarded for their gratitude, which is more important than the good things that happen to them. And they deal with bad things, worries and distress by resisting those that they can resist, alleviating those that they can alleviate, and bearing with goodly patience those that they cannot avoid. Thus as a result of the bad things they gain a lot of benefits, experience, strength, patience and hope of reward, which are more important and which diminish the hardships they have undergone and replace them with happiness and hope for the bounty and reward of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) expressed this in a saheeh hadeeth in which he said: “How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that the believer is always gaining and the reward for his deeds is always multiplying, no matter what happens to him, good or bad.

2 – Being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing good.

This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allah wards off worries and distress from righteous and immoral like, but the believer has the greater share of that, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allah makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward” (Quran, 4:114)

Part of that great reward is relief from worry, distress, troubles, etc.

3 – Another of the means of warding off anxiety that stems from nervous tension and being preoccupied with disturbing thoughts is to occupy oneself with good deeds or seeking beneficial knowledge, for that will distract one from dwelling on the matters that are causing anxiety. In this way a person may forget about the things that are making him worried and distressed, and he may become happy and more energetic. This is another means that believers and others have in common, but the believer is distinguished by his faith, sincerity and hope of reward when he occupies himself with that knowledge which he is learning or teaching, or with the good deeds that he is doing.

The work with which he occupies himself should be something that he likes and enjoys, for that is more likely to produce the desired results. And Allah knows best.

4 – Another thing that may ward off worry and anxiety is focusing all one’s thoughts of the present day, and not worrying about the future or grieving about the past. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sought refuge with Allah from worry and regret, from regret for things in the past which one cannot put right or change, and worry which may come because of fear for the future. So one should focus only on the present day, and focus one’s efforts on getting things right today. For if a person is focused on that, this means that he will do things properly and forget about worry and regret.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said a du’aa’ or taught a du’aa’ to his Ummah, as well as urging them to seek the help of Allah and hope for His bounty, he was also urging them to strive to attain the thing they were praying for through their own efforts and to forget about the thing which they were praying would be warded off from them. Because du’aa’ (supplication) must be accompanied by action. So a person must strive to attain that which will benefit him in worldly and spiritual terms, and ask his Lord to make his efforts successful, and he should seek His help in that, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah, and do not be helpless. If anything (bad) happens to you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, then such-and-such would have happened.’ Rather you should say, ‘Qaddara Allah wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah decrees, and what He wills He does),’ for (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytaan.” (Narrated by Muslim).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) connected the matter of striving to achieve good things with the matter of seeking the help of Allah and not giving in to feelings of helplessness which are a harmful kind of laziness, and with the matter of accepting things in the past which are over and done with, and acknowledging that the will and decree of Allah will inevitably come to pass. He described matters as being of two types:

1 – Matters which a person may strive to achieve or to achieve whatever he can of them, or to ward them off or alleviate them. In such cases a person must strive and make the effort, and also seek the help of Allah.

2 – Matters where such is not possible, so he must have peace of mind, accept them and submit to Allah’s will.

Undoubtedly paying attention to this principle will bring happiness and relieve worry and distress.

5 – One of the greatest means of feeling content and relaxed and of acquiring peace of mind is to remember Allah a great deal (dhikr). That has a great effect in bringing contentment and peace of mind, and relieving worry and distress. Allah says:

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” (Quran, 13:2

Remembering Allah (dhikr) has a great effect in achieving this aim because it has a special influence and because of the hope that it brings of reward.

6 – Another of the means of bringing happiness and relieving worry and distress is striving to eliminate the things that cause worry and to achieve the things that bring happiness. That may be done by forgetting about bad things in the past which cannot be changed, and realizing that dwelling on them is a waste of time. So a person must strive to stop himself from thinking of that, and also strive to stop himself from feeling anxious about the future and the things that he may imagine of poverty, fear and other bad things that he thinks may happen to him in the future. He should realize that the future is something unknown, he cannot know what good or bad things are going to happen to him. That is in the hand of the Almighty, the Most Wise, and all that His slaves can do is to strive to attain the good things and to ward off the bad things. A person should realize that if he diverts his thoughts from worrying about his future and puts his trust in his Lord to take care of his situation, and puts his mind at rest concerning that, if he does that, then his heart will be at peace and his situation will improve and he will be relieved of worry and anxiety.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with worries about the future is to recite this du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite:

“Allaahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaaya allati fiha ma’aashi, wa aslih li aakhirati allati ilayha ma’aadi, waj’al al-hayaata ziyaadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta raahatan li min kulli sharr (O Allah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil).” (Narrated by Muslim, 2720)

And he said, “Allaahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not abandon me to myself even for a moment. And correct all my affairs. There is no god but You).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, no. 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, p. 49)

If a person utters these du’aa’s, which ask that his spiritual and worldly affairs may be set right or corrected, with proper presence of mind and sincerity of intention, whilst striving to achieve that, Allah will grant him what he has prayed for, hoped for and striven for, and He will turn his worry into joy and happiness.

7 – If a person experiences anxiety and distress because of a disaster, then one of the most effective means of relieving himself of that is to think of the worst scenario to which that may lead, and try to accept that. When he has done that, then he should try to alleviate it as much as possible. By means of this acceptance and these efforts, he will relieve himself of his worries and distress, and instead of worrying he will strive to bring about good things and to deal with whatever he can of the bad things. If he is faced with things that cause fear or the possibility of sickness or poverty, then he should deal with that by striving to make himself accept that, or something even worse, with contentment, because by making himself accept the worst-case scenario, he lessens the impact of the thing and makes it seem less terrible, especially if he occupies himself with efforts to ward it off as much as he can. Thus as well as striving to achieve something good which will distract him from his worries about calamity, he will also renew his strength to resist bad things, and put his trust and reliance in Allah. Undoubtedly these matters are of great benefit in attaining happiness and peace of mind, as well as bringing the hope of reward in this world and in the Hereafter. This is something which is well known from the experience of many who have tried it.

8 – Steadfastness of heart and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, that will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allah and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allah and has hope of His bounty, that wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity.

It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite.

The person who is safe from all of that is the one who is protected by Allah and helped by Him to strive to achieve that which will benefit and strengthen the heart and ward off anxiety. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him” (Quran, 65:3)

i.e., He will be sufficient for all that is worrying him in his spiritual and worldly affairs. The one who puts his trust in Allah will have strength in his heart and will not be affected by anything he imagines or be disturbed by events, because he knows that these are the result of vulnerable human nature and of weakness and fear that have no basis. He also knows that Allah has guaranteed complete sufficiency to those who put their trust in Him. So he trusts in Allah and finds peace of mind in His promise, and thus his worry and anxiety are dispelled; hardship is turned to ease, sadness is turned to joy, fear is turned to peace. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound, and to bless us with strength and steadfastness of heart, and complete trust, for Allah has guaranteed all good things to those who put their trust in Him, and has guaranteed to ward off all bad and harmful things from them.

If bad things happen or there is the fear of such, then you should count the many blessings that you are still enjoying, both spiritual and worldly, and compare them with the bad things that have happened, for when you compare them you will see the many blessings that you are enjoying, and this will make the bad things appear less serious.

See al-Wasaa’il al-Mufeedah li’l-Hayaat al-Sa’eedah by Shatkh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Sa’di

Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allah may dispel worries and regret. These are as follows:

1-     Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (belief in the Oneness of Divine Lordship)

2-     Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (belief in the Oneness of the Divine nature)

3-     Tawheed of knowledge and belief (i.e., Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l_Sifaat, belief in the Oneness of the Divine names and attributes)

4-     Thinking of Allah as being above doing any injustice to His slaves, and above punishing anyone for no cause on the part of the slave that would require such punishment.

5-     The person’s acknowledging that he is the one who has done wrong.

6-     Beseeching Allah by means of the things that are most beloved to Him, which are His names and attributes. Two of His names that encompass the meanings of all other names and attributes are al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyoom (the Eternal).

7-     Seeking the help of Allah Alone.

8-     Affirming one’s hope in Him.

9-     Truly putting one’s trust in Him and leaving matters to Him, acknowledging that one’s forelock is in His hand and that He does as He wills, that His will is forever executed and that He is just in all that He decrees.

10- Letting one’s heart wander in the garden of the Qur’aan, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress.

11- Seeking forgiveness.

12- Repentance.

13- Jihad.

14- Salah (prayer).

15- Declaring that he has no power and no strength, and leaving matters to the One in Whose hand they are.

We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound from worries and to relieve us of distress and anxiety, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive, and He is the Ever-Living, Eternal.

 

And Allah knows best. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Some Advice for Conveying Islam to Non-Muslim Friends and Acquaintances

Sheikh Khalid al Sayf, professor at al-Imam University

Many of us have contact with people of other faiths in our daily lives. They might be friends, acquaintances, or colleagues. However, some of us find it difficult to approach them about Islam. We wonder: What can I possibly say? How can I tell him that his religion is wrong? This bewilderment causes us to fail to teach these good people about Islam.

As Muslims, we should naturally desire to teach others about Islam. We know that this was the work of the Prophets. Allah says: “Say: This is my way; I call to Allah upon clear knowledge, I and those who follow me. Glory be to Allah! And I am not of those who engage in polytheism.” [Sûrah Yûsuf: 108]

We know that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to `Alî b. Abî Tâlib: “I swear by Allah! That Allah guides by your hand a single person is better for you than all the finest camels.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2724) and Sahîh Muslim (4423)]

The following are just a few points of advice for those of us who wish to approach this noble effort:

1. Make sure to pick an appropriate time to bring up the subject of Islam. Make sure that the other person is n the right frame of mind to talk about it.

2. Avoid things that will make the other person uncomfortable. You should be gentle and accommodating in your attitude and approach various issues and questions as a seeker of the truth.

3. Never criticize or attack the other person’s beliefs. That is a very indiscrete and unwise thing to do. This might make the other person more adamant about his beliefs as well as spoil the good relationship that you have with him.

4. Avoid getting into discussions about secondary issues. No matter how much the other person insists upon doing so, stress to him that essential matters and principles should be discussed first and it is not going to get us anywhere to delve into secondary matters when the primary issues are not fully understood.

For example, it is wrong to talk about why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had the number of wives that he had before discussing the concept of prophethood and what it means for him to be a Prophet.

5. Get acquainted with the standard misconceptions about Islam that are being circulated and how to answer them. Many of these misconceptions are well known. If he is Christian, acquaint yourself with the claims about Islam being circulated by Christian groups to their followers. Many of these misconceptions have been around for generations

6. If the person is from the People of the Scripture, it is often good to start with the topic of the earlier Prophets and how we know that they are Prophets. Talk about Moses (peace be upon him) and the other prophets of Israel. After that, bring up Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and discuss how his prophethood is established in the same way that theirs is. Once it is accepted that he is a Prophet, then it follows that everything that he says about God is true.

This is far better – in my opinion – than trying to argue concepts like the Trinity, especially with people who are not well-versed in their faith, which is the case with most people today.

And Allah knows best.

Ask Those Who Know

Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani

Translated by Jami`at Ihyaa Minhaaj as-Sunnah

Question: Some who are seeking knowledge are very hasty in giving rulings in matters of halaal and haraam, and this is a common noticeable defect. What is your advice to such people?

Al-Albaanee’s reply: “We have spoken on this issue long before, and we said that Allaah the Wise has divided the Muslim community into two types of people: the Ahl adh-Dhikr, and those that depend on the Ahl adh-Dhikr. As Allaah says to the ordinary people: “then ask those who possess the Message (Ahl adh-Dhikr) if you do not know.” (Soorah 21:7 and 16:43)

The Ahl adh-Dhikr are, as we all know, are the Ahl al-Qur’aan and the Ahl al-Hadeeth, those who know the authentic from the unauthentic, the general from the specific, the abrogating from the abrogated, and other such principles of Fiqh and Hadeeth.

Hence, it is not allowed for a Muslim to begin giving fatwaas on the basis of some hadeeth, simply because he came across it in some book, although he does not know if it is saheeh according to the criteria of the scholars of hadeeth. On the other hand, he knows that he is not sufficiently well-versed in knowledge and competence in the Arabic language to explain the meanings and ideas behind the Kitaab and Sunnah. Therefore, anyone who has not decided to undertake acquiring knowledge and persevere in it for many years, until the people of knowledge testify that he can guide the people and direct them towads good, it is not permissible for him to thank that he is an alim (scholar) simply because he has read some ahadeeth and memorized some aayaat. We often hear of some of them who cannot even read the Qur’aan properly, nor the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam). This is why I advise the seekers of knowledge to study two fundamentals: a) the principles of fiqh and b) the principles of hadeeth.

I have mentioned before that it is not easy for one to deduce the intended aim of the Lawgiver from any text unless he consults as far as possible, all the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. I will give a clear example: Allaah says: “Forbidden for you are dead meat, blood…” (5:4). If a beginner who is studying the Qur’aan and has no knowledge of hadeeth is asked regarding dead fish, he will immediately bring this aayah as proof to clearly forbid it since it prohibits dead meat. But were he to look into the ahaadeeth, he would know that the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, excepted two types of animals, fish and locusts, from this prohibition, so he could rule accordingly.

Briefly, the student must learn these two fundamental branches of learning to help to understand the Qur’aan and Sunnah as correctly as possible.”

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Assalamu’ Alaykoum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu

This is a video I made a few weeks ago by compiling translations of the meanings of quotations from the Qur’aan and quotations from saheeh ahaadeeth, I hope you like it insha’Allah!

Is Islamic ‘aqueedah a theoretical method or a practical method? What books can we read to learn about ‘aqeedah? How can we apply ‘aqeedah in real life? What are the ways of learning ‘aqeedah? Is doing one islamic thing and not another (such as praying but not giving zakaah or not lowering the gaze etc) regarde as a fault in one’s ‘aqeedah? Do the Muslims nowadays need someone to teach them ‘aqeedah?

I hope you can offer some information to one who wants to learn true ‘aqeedah according to the method of the Sahaabah (May Allah be pleased with them).

 

 

 

 

Praise be to Allaah.   

Firstly : 

Islamic ‘aqeedah is not a theoretical and philosophical method; action is an essential part of this ‘aqeedah. Hence the Ahl al-Sunnah are agreed that eeman (faith) consists of both words and deeds, or speaking with the tongue, believing in the heart and acting with the physical faculties. 

Whoever believes in Allaah as his Lord and God, will worship Him and obey Him by praying, giving zakaah and so on. 

Whoever believes in the Last Day and its reckoning and reward or punishment, will be motivated thereby to do that which Allaah has commanded and abstain from that which He has forbidden. 

Whoever believes that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allaah will therefore obey him, follow his Sunnah and propagate his religion.  

Thus the principles in which a person believes are translated into actions and words and efforts. The stronger that faith grows in his heart, the more its effects will be seen outwardly. 

Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the entire body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt. It is the heart.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 52; Muslim, 1599. 

Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Faith is not the matter of wishes or outward appearances, rather it is that which settles in the heart and is confirmed by one’s actions.” 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If the heart is sound in terms of faith, knowledge and feelings, then this will inevitably lead to the soundness of physical actions, such as verbal statements and deeds. As the leading scholars of hadeeth said: Words and deeds, both inward and outward. What is outward must follow what is inward, so if what is inward is sound then what is outward will also be sound, and if it (the former) is corrupt, (the latter) will also be corrupt. Hence one of the Sahaabah said concerning the one who prayed carelessly: If his heart had been humble and focused, his body would have been humble and focused. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 7/187 

Secondly :

With regard to books which one may read about ‘aqeedah, there are many, the greatest of which are the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in which there is protection and salvation for those who adhere closely to them. The scholars were concerned with explaining and propagating sound ‘aqeedah, and they wrote innumerable books on this topic. Among the most famous of these books are the following: 

Al-Sunnah by ‘Abd-Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal

Al-Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaymah

Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Alh al-Sunnah by al-Laalkaa’i

‘Aqeedat al-Salaf wa Ashaab al-Hadeeth by al-Sabooni

al-’Aqueedah al-Waasitiyyah by Ibn Taymiyah [available in English translation]

al-’Aqueedah al-Tahhaawiyyah wa Sharhuha by Ibn Abi’l-’Izz al-Hanafi

Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah by al-Safaareeni

Ma’aarij al-Qubool by Haafiz Hakami

Al-Irshaad ila Saheeh al-I’tiqaad by Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan - this is an easy and usefool book. 

Thirdly : 

With regard to applying this ‘aqeedah in real life, this is done by learning it, propagating it, calling others to it, and refuting those who go against it with wisdom and beautiful preaching. This is how ‘aqeedah is spread and its effects made manifest so that all people may benefit from it. 

Fourthly :

The way in which ‘aqeedah may be learned is to learn it directly from those who believe in it and act accordingly. This is the soundest and best way for those who are able to do it. For those who are far away from scholars, they should refer to their commentaries, writings and tapes, as well as asking about confusing matters and anything they do not understand. 

Fifthly : 

If a person follows some of the teachings of Islam and neglects others, by failing to do some of the obligatory duties or by committing some of the acts that are forbidden, this is a shortcoming in his faith and a weakness in his belief and his love for his Lord and His religion. This is undoubtedly a fault in his ‘aqeedah. 

Hence one of the basic principles of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that faith increases by doing acts of worship and decreases by doing acts of sin. These shortcomings and faults may erase faith altogether, so that the person becomes an apostate from Islam, such as if he stops praying. See question no. 5208 and 2182. 

With regard to sins that do not reach the level of kufr, such as withholding obligatory zakaah or looking at haraam things and so on, these are things which cause faith to decrease. 

Sixthfly : 

The Muslims need people to explain pure, correct ‘aqeedah to them, that is based on the Qur’aan and Sunnah according to the understanding of the righteous salaf. That is because of the widespread existence of ignorance, innovations (bid’ah), myths and deviant schools of thought. 

Every Muslim must be sincere towards himself first of all, by learning correct aqeedah from trustworthy sources, then by propagating it and teaching it to the people, by means of lessons and lectures, books, publications and magazines, thus fulfilling the duty to convey the message as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“(And remember) when Allaah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it (the news of the coming of Prophet Muhammad and the religious knowledge) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:187] 

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:104] 

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allaah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allaah, i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism with sure knowledge). And Glorified and Exalted be Allaah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah; those who worship others along with Allaah or set up rivals or partners to Allaah)’”

[Yoosuf 12:108] 

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

 

The headlines coming out of Gaza daily stun people as women and children are slain by Israeli airstrikes and the plight of the Palestinians worsens through blockades and embargoes of food, fuel and freedom. Pick up any newspaper, turn on any news channel and the message is the same: Gaza is a war zone — a war zone with only one army and an entire population of victims, struggling to stay alive and wondering if they will be alive tomorrow.

Arab News recently gathered four young Saudis to voice their views on the current Palestinian situation, and their assessments were both brutal and often pessimistic about the future of the Middle East as long as Israel disregards human rights and seeks to isolate the Palestinians instead of reaching consensus with them.

“Israel is meting out collective punishment,” said Badria Modeer, who is studying international relations at Dar Al-Hekma Women’s College. “The whole population is being attacked. They are killing infants; they are killing children. Why? And the worst part is nobody can stop them. What has happened to the conscience of the world? Where is humanity? Do other people in the world not see what we are seeing on our television screens every day and every night?”

“The whole Gaza Strip is surrounded by Israelis,” said Ahmad Sabri, 21, who studied political science at Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz University. “Why did they cut fuel supplies to the entire country? Why did they cut electricity? Power cuts led to dozens of patients dying in hospitals. Isn’t this a massacre? If those patients had been Israelis there would have been a flurry of condemnation led by the United States, but when it’s Palestinian patients who die quietly in the night because there’s no electricity nobody talks about them. This is mass murder.”

Most took a dim view of US foreign policy and its unflagging support for Israel and the failure of the United Nations to act effectively.

“I am not optimistic. Israel is a bully,” said Khaled Yeslam, 25, a graduate of Jeddah’s College of Business Administration who now works at a PR firm. “Israel came into being by force, and it will not listen to reason. American politicians are completely subservient to the Israeli lobby.”

“I don’t believe in the UN; it is not fair,” said Hidaya Abbas, 20, who is a student at Dar Al-Hekma College. “The UN can’t do anything. Instead of being busy putting pressure and sanctions on Iran just because it is allegedly in the process of producing nuclear energy why don’t they impose sanctions on Israel, which has 200 nuclear warheads? Iranians are not at war with anyone, but Israel has no qualms about bombing civilians. Why can’t the UN slap sanctions on Israel? It is a useless organization.”

“America is directly responsible for what is happening in Gaza today because they support the Israeli occupation morally, financially and militarily,” Sabri said. “They also support Israel in the United Nations by blocking all resolutions that condemn Israeli massacres. More specifically, the American government’s foreign policy is the problem.”

“I am for peace. I fully support King Abdullah’s peace initiative that calls for the creation of Palestine on pre-1967 borders,” Modeer said. “If we can’t have the entire cake, we can have some piece of cake — at least we have something rather than having nothing. Saudi Arabia is a rich country. It has good relations with the Americans, and if we pressure America, then Americans can pressure Israel to give up its occupation.”

Not everyone shared Modeer’s conciliatory perspective.

“I think peace can only be between two equal parties,” said Sabri. “I’m against the peace initiative, because it gives legitimacy to the occupation. It lends dignity to thieves. Yes, the Israelis are thieves. They stole our land. According to the international law, Palestinians have the right to resist occupation just like all the wars of liberation in history. Nobody can deny them the right of armed resistance. This happened everywhere.”

“Anybody who is talking about peace with Israelis does not make sense to me,” Abbas said. “Israel is occupying Palestine; how can we make peace with them? Let me simplify it. I have a house, and suddenly someone comes and tells me ‘I will take your house and then I will kill you’. So will I say: ‘OK, OK. Don’t kill me; take half of the house?’ That doesn’t make sense to me. Peace treaties are like that. If somebody wants to kill me and take my house, I don’t give him half of my house — I fight back. They are Zionists at the end of the day, and they are occupying our lands. They are taking something that doesn’t belong to them. They are killing children. So it is the right of the Palestinian people to fight back, and they are fighting. They are not terrorists — the occupiers are.”

The extreme events in Gaza are leading to worries about a conviction among some young people that the horrific situation requires a violent response.

“Islam stands strictly against killing civilians, but any occupier is not a civilian,” Sabri said. “He is stealing my land; he is stealing my water. There are five million Israelis living on my land, and there are six million Palestinian refugees all over the world. It doesn’t matter whether he is holding a gun or not. The most important fact is that most Israelis are reservists and will be called to service whenever required. So every Israeli has to be resisted.”

PHOTO CAPTION 

A mourner covers the body of a Palestinian child.

Source: arabnews.com