Salaf-us-Saalih.com :: The Call of the Salaf is True Islam

Need for Muslim Professionals

AbdurRahman.org — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:11:42 +0000

Bismillah,

As salaamu ‘alaykum

All praise is due to Allah, and may exaltation and safety be granted to Muhammad, his family, his companions, and those who follow them. To proceed:

[Q]: What is the Islamic ruling on learning contemporary knowledge such as medicine, engineering and other than that pertaining to what the Muslims are in need of?

[A]: One of our elder and highly-respected scholars, Shaykh, Dr. Rabee’ b. Haadee al-Madkhalee (1), may Allah safeguard him from all that is evil, elaborated on this question by saying:

I say, no doubt, the Muslims are certainly in need of [learning about] medicine and engineering, after we have learned what is obligatory upon us to learn about al-Islaam. This is because knowledge is [two types]: individual knowledge and communal knowledge…

Individual knowledge is the knowledge that every Muslim must know. There are facts about Islam that every person must know. Then, after that, there is communal knowledge: knowledge that a sufficient number of Muslims must take on the responsibility of learning.

Some examples of communal knowledge are learning medicine, engineering, chemistry, etc. Learning these fields or professions is communal knowledge, and whoever learns them desiring to service the Muslims and al-Islaam, [he has rendered an admirable service]. However, there are those who possibly learn these things only to obtain a profession, and it is possible that he does not connect them to al-Islaam.

So, it is upon all Muslims to associate this knowledge with al-Islaam and to produce a benefit for the Muslims. He reminds himself that the Muslims are in need of doctors, so he says: ‘I desire to fill a void and free the Muslims from being in need of a Jew, Christian, communist, or a secularist.’ Possessing this type of intention, maa shaa Allah, will, in shaa Allah, make his actions worship and a way of drawing nearer to Allah.

The same can be said about engineering, chemistry, farming, economics, and whatever else he learns with the good intention of filling a void [of the Muslims] and fulfilling the obligation of communal knowledge. This is an action that he is applauded for, in shaa Allah. (2)

Nevertheless, be extremely cautious of not having noble goals when learning, even when it pertains to the knowledge Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention and grant him safety, came with. And I believe I have slightly alluded to this point in what has preceded. I always mention this when these affairs are brought up. I mention that we are in need of Muslims to learn these things, and that they are necessary.

(1) Rabee’ b. Haadee al-Madkhalee is one of Saudi Arabia’s well-respected scholars. He has surpassed the age of eighty years, thus, combining between insight, wisdom and knowledge.

He has been commended for his efforts by many major scholars of this era: Shaykhs ‘Abdul-Azeez b. Baaz, Muhammad b. Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, Muhammad Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee, Muqbil b. Haadee al-Waadi’ee, Saalih al-Fawzaan, and many more.

(2) Rabee’ al-Madkhalee, “Welcome, O’ Student of Knowledge,” pp. 353-354

source:- http://embodyislam.org/

Filed under: Character, Islam Tagged: Allah, Islam, learning medicine, Muslim, Muslim Professionals

Our Call is to Correct What People Have Corrupted, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Anjaree

AbdurRahman.org — Thu, 31 May 2012 06:02:12 +0000

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu ‘ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba’d

Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah Ta’aala) said: “Those who establish the duty of preserving what was inherited from the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) – and safeguard it from any addition or deletion – are from the greatest of the awliyya` of Allaah; they are of the beloved servants of Allaah and His party.”

Imam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah Ta’aala) said: “Whoever proceeds upon the Straight Path that the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companions were upon, let him make himself get used to trouble from the ignoramuses and Ahlul-Bid’ah, such as them belittling him, attacking him, warning against him.“

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Our Call is to Correct What People Have Corrupted, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Anjaree (hafidhahullaah Ta’aala) [The following are notes - not verbatim - from this highly beneficial Scholarly Lesson and Advice]

After beginning with the name of Allaah, and praising Allaah, and asking Allaah to send His peace and security upon the noblest of His Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, then Shaikh Al-Anjaree greeted the Muslims with the greeting of Islaam – as-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa baarakatu – before beginning:

Allaah said:

كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ

You [true believers in Tawheed, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad, and his Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’roof (Tawheed and all that Islaam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islaam has forbidden), and you believe in Allaah… (Aali ‘Imran, ayah 110)

Allaah, Ta’aala, said:

وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّة ٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُوْلَائِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islaam), enjoining Al-Ma’roof (Tawheed and all that Islaam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islaam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful. (Aali ‘Imran, ayah 104)

Allaah, Subhanahu wa Ta’aala, has made the goodness of this nation in its commanding of the good and forbidding of the evil.

Commanding the good means commanding with the Religion, with Tawheed – that Allaah be singled out with worship – and the correct Manhaj and the Sunnah. And forbidding the evil means that they forbid Shirk, Bid’ah, and sins, and whatever is contrary to this Religion.

So the good comes about with enjoining of the good and forbidding the evil. And this is what Allaah, Subhanahu wa Ta’aala, commanded us with. So this Ummah is commanded to enjoin the good, and this was the duty carried out by the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the Sahaba (radiallaahu Ta’aala ‘anhum), who called to good and called to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

The Sahaaba called to good, and they likewise forbade all evil, all that the Religion prohibits, such as Shirk, Bid’ah, and the rest of the evil – everything that runs contrary to this Deen.

The flag-bearers, banner-carriers of the Sunnah are the carriers of this Religion, and they are those who command with the Sunnah and forbid Bid’ah, and the sahaaba (radiallaahu Ta’aala ‘anhum) carried out this role and were the carriers of this banner, and this is clear from their narrations.*

It is reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiallaahu ‘anhumma) said: “By Allaah, I do not think that anyone will be more pleased with my death than Shaytaan.” It was said, “How is that?” He replied, “An innovation is invented in the East or the West, and a man brings it to me. When it reaches me, I crush it with the Sunnah.”

They [the Sahaaba] called to revival of the Sunnah, and from forbidding evil is to demolish innovations (heresies).

So when it reached ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallaahu ‘anhu) that Sabeegh ibn ‘Asl had come up with some tafseer of the Qur`an off the top of his head, from Soorat an-Nazi’at, ‘Umar told him: If you were MuHaliqqa (bold-headed, like the Khawaarij), I would have cut off your neck. Meaning (he would have done that) to preserve the religion, the Sunnah, the methodology of Prophethood. This was their eager concern.

Ordering the good – the Sunnah – and forbidding evil – bid’ah.

The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) described these people of truth, these people of strangeness in his saying: Glad tidings is for the strangers.

He was asked: Who are the strangers? He (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: They are a righteous people amongst many evil people. Those who disobey them will be more than those who obey them.

So these are the strangers. The sahaba (radiallaahu ‘anhum) were like this. As was indicated by the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in his saying: Islaam began as strange, and it will return strange as it began. So glad tidings to the strangers. [Saheeh Muslim, no. 145] He was asked: Who are the strangers? He (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: They are a righteous people amongst many evil people. Those who disobey them will be more than those who obey them.

Obey them in what?

Meaning those who obey them in their call to the Sunnah and clarifying the truth and seeking to kill off – refute – bid’ah and falsehood.

The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: Whoever revives a Sunnah from my Sunnah, and the people act upon it, then for him will be the reward for all those who act on it. [Ibn Majah]

This is the Sunni who commands the Sunnah – commands the good – and forbids the evil.

Whoever revives a Sunnah – from the Prophet’s Manhaj, his path – and calls to the Sunnah, and the people act on it, so he receives the reward of all those who act on it without their reward reducing. This Sunni is the one who enjoins the good and forbids the evil. And this is a bounty from Allaah, Who bestows this upon whomever He wishes.

And opposite to this: Whoever calls to bid’ah, he will incur the sin of all those who act on it, without their sins reducing. So therefore, it is a right upon the people of the Sunnah – callers to the truth – to carry out this role, and call to the Sunnah, and strive to uproot innovation (heresies).

The true person of the Sunnah strives to uproot bid’ah. A person truly upon the Sunnah calls to the revival of the Sunnah. A person of bid’ah calls to revival of bid’ah. The Sunni encourages people upon the Sunnah and upon crushing bid’ah.

It has been reported that the Mesenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said about the strangers: They will be a people who rectify what the people have corrupted from my Sunnah after me.

Imam at-Tirmidhi said it is hasan-saheeh. [Although some scholars of hadeeth have said it is not authentic,] the meaning of this is correct. The strangers are those who rectify what people have corrupted from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) after his passing. So, this is the description of the strangers, that they rectify what the people have corrupted. Fasad (corruption) comes about as a result of bid’ah – no doubt. Bid’ah results in corruption – no doubt!

A person upon the Sunnah calls to the Sunnah, and seeks to benefit the people with what is beneficial in their beliefs, sayings, actions, and methodologies, and strives to rectify what people have corrupted.

So these are Al-Ghuraabah (the strangers). They are the people of the Sunnah, those who revive the Sunnah of the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and who revive the Prophet’s Methdology, and bring back to life what has been killed from his Sunnah.

Because in the hadeeth, the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: Whoever revives a Sunnah from my Sunnah... This being the opposite of killing off a Sunnah.** Then the Sunni comes and he revives it, brings it back to life (after learning it, he practices it, becomes firm upon it, and teaches it to others). This is their role.

And this is why Imam Ahmad (rahimahullaah Ta’aala) said about them (those who call to the Sunnah and its revival) in the introduction of his book Ar-Rad ‘alal Jahmiyyah (The Refutation upon the Jahmiyyah):

“All praise is for Allaah, Who leaves a group after the Messengers from amongst the people of knowledge who negate the changes, distortions of those who go to the extreme. And the changes of those who are ignorant. [This group] is those who call people from misguidance to guidance, and are patient upon harm. How many are they who have gone astray whom they helped bring back to guidance? How many are those [whose eeman] have been killed by Iblees whom they have helped give life to again? How beautiful is their effect upon the people, and how ugly and vile is the effect of the people upon them?“

Imam Ahmad described these callers to the Sunnah by saying about them.

How beautiful is their effect upon the people, and how ugly and vile is the effect of the people upon them?

How ugly is the effect of those who raise the banner of bid’ah upon the people of the Sunnah.

The people of the Sunnah are the strangers, those who repel the false distortions, the false tafseer, and refute the changes. The strangers correctly interpret and understand the Qur`an and Sunnah, and the Names and Attributes of Allaah. Those who carry this duty are the Awliyya` of Allaah, the beloved and obedient servants of Allaah.

Pay attention to what Ibn Taymeeyah said: “Those who establish the duty of preserving what was inherited from the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) – and safeguard it from any addition or deletion – are from the greatest of the awliyya` of Allaah; they are of the beloved servants of Allaah and His party.“

So this is the duty and role of Ahlus-Sunnah, who revive what Ahlul-Bid’ah have killed off.

If a Sunni is asked: what do you call to?

He [the Sunni] says: I call to the religion of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) – reviving it and reviving the Prophet’s Sunnah – and to crushing Bid’ah so as to make the truth clear from innovations (bid’ah), distortions and false interpretations.

Allaah, The Most High, consoled His Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam):

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُل ٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُو

Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you (O Muhammad), but with patience they bore the denial… (Al-An’aam, ayah 34)

This shows us that this path that the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companioions proceeded upon is a path that requires patience. So, oh person who carries the banner of the Sunnah, you need to remember this and that you are a stranger.

You will have to bear harm, just as Imam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) said: How beautiful is their effect upon the people, and how ugly and vile is the effect of the people upon them?

The person upon this path needs sabr. The people need from you that you have sabr.

Imam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said: “Whoever proceeds upon the Straight Path that the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companions were upon, let him make himself get used to trouble from the ignoramuses and Ahlul-Bid’ah, such as them belittling him, attacking him, warning against him.”

This is the path of the ghuraba, the strangers, Ahlus-Sunnah, those who want to revive what the people kill off from the Manhaj of Ahlus-Sunnah.

So you need to have sabr upon that. You will receive attacks from Ahlul Bid’ah, which is normal that it will happen, just as Imam Ahmad, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahumullaah) said.

Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: Ahead of you there lie days of patience, during which being patient will be like grasping a hot coal… ***

Meaning the one who clings to the Sunnah, the methodology of the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companions (radiallaahu ‘anhum).

Translated by: Abu Talha Dawood Burbank (rahimahullaah)

Source: Lesson Our Call is to Correct What People Have Corrupted, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Anjaree (hafidhahullaah), via salafiradio.org

Notes:
* Here some of the many narrations from sahaba in warning against bid’ah:

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “Be warned of the people of opinions! For verily, they are people who could not stick to the narrations of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam), and then they spoke based on their opinions, and thus they strayed and caused others to stray.“

Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiallaahu ‘anhumma) said, “Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) are the innovations.” [al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunan al-Kubraa (4/316)]
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said, “Verily, we emulate and do not initiate, and we follow and do not innovate.” [Al-Laalikaa`ee in Usoolul-I'tiqaad (1/86)]

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (radiallaahu ‘anhumma) said, “Every innovation is misguidance, even if the people regard it as good.” (ad-Daarimee)
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** Shaikh Al-Anjaaree (hafidhahullaah), in his lesson “How to adhere firmly to the truth for the one without in-depth knowledge” relayed that the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: There shall be aqwaam (groups of people) who will work with bid’ah and extinguish the Sunnah…

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*** The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: Ahead of you there lie days of patience, during which being patient will be like grasping a hot coal. The one who does good deeds then will have a reward like that of fifty men who do such deeds. They said: Oh Messenger of Allaah, the reward of fifty of them? He said: The reward of fifty of you.

[As comes in Imam As-Saaboonee's (rahimahullaah) book 'Aqeedatus-Salaf As`haabul-Hadeeth, point 167, this tremendous reward is for: "one who adheres to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), today, acting on it, being firm on it, and calling to it..."]

In some reports of the hadeeth, it reads: They are the ones who will revive my Sunnah and teach it to the people.(Narrated by Aboo Daawood (4341); al-Tirmidhi (3085) and he said: it is a hasan hadeeth. It was classed as ‘saheeh’ by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah [494])

[Explaining the Prophet's (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) statement: The reward of fifty of you, Shaikh 'Ubaid al-Jaabiree (hafidhahullaah) said this is: only in reward not superiority, as relayed by student 'Abdul-Ilah Al-Lahmami in the footnotes of Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan's (hafidhahullaah) book Understanding Islam, the solution for the Trials of Life. 'Abdul-Ilah Al-Lahmami (hafidhahullaah) also relayed that Shaikh Muhammad al-Banna (rahimahullaah) said: "And they are very few since those who adhere to the Sunnah fully are few in every time."]

Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhree (rahimahullaah) said, “Teaching a Sunnah is more superior than two hundred years of worship.” (Usool-U-Sunnah)

Yoonus Ibn ‘Ubayd (d 139H, rahimahullaah) said, “How amazing is the one who calls to the Sunnah today! And what is even more amazing than him is the one who answers the call to the Sunnah!” [Refer to Sharhus-Sunnah (no. 127) of Imam al-Barbahaaree.]

Yoonus bin ‘Ubayd also said: “There is not a thing more strange than the Sunnah. But what is stranger than that is the one who knows it.”

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Post Courtesy : Maher Attiyeh in SalafisOfFlorida Yahoo Group

Related Links:

Filed under: Aqeedah, Bidah, Ilm, Islam, Sunnah Tagged: aqeedah, Bidah, Innovation, Islam, religion, shirk, sunnah, Tawhid

The devil didn’t make you do it - Shaykh Fawzan

AbdurRahman.org — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:49:07 +0000

Reblogged from Jinn and Shayaateen (Devils):

The devil didn’t make you do it Explained by Shaykh Fawzan

Question: May Allah reward you. The questioner says: Is it legislated to curse satan or to seek refuge from him?

Shaykh Fawzan: Seeking refuge from him, yes this is desired.

وَإِمَّا يَنْزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ

If a suggestion from satan assails you, seek refuge with Allah (7:200)

How to Deal With the Elderly Person Who Does Not Pray or Commits Acts of Disobedience

AbdurRahman.org — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:13:12 +0000

Published on 3 Apr 2012 by SalafiCentreUK

Question to Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr:

”How is the elderly person dealt with, if he does not establish the prayer or if he commits some of the (acts) of disobedience?

Answer:

We know from what has preceded (i.e. in the lecture) that the elderly person has rights due to his old age; the rights of the elderly, even if he is not a Muslim, then how about the one who abandons the prayer completely?

This (person) is a disbeliever due to the saying of the Messenger (‘alayhi salat wasallam): ‘‘the covenant between us and them is the prayer, so whoever abandons it has disbelieved. ” And the ahaadeeth regarding this affair are many.

*[Note: Listener/Reader: The scholars differ with regards to the affair of the person who abandons the Salaah out of laziness, as to whether he is a disbeliever or not; so refer to the different arguments of the scholars on the topic. See the arguments of Shaikh Uthaymeen, Shaikh Bin Baaz, Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimahumullaah)]

However, regardless of this (i.e. this elder’s abandonment of the prayer), the rights of the elderly remain; so he is shown kindness and is dealt with in accordance with what such rights necessitates, in winning over his heart, and with the hope that Allaah (Tabaaraka-Wata-Aalaa) will guide him and return him to correctness, especially if he is a father or a near relative, then a person should deal with him in the worldly life with goodness and kindness. In this also is winning over his heart, and perhaps Allaah (Subhaanahu wa ta’ala) will grant him guidance and success.

And we did come across (i.e. in the lecture) the saying of Allaah:
”But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly.’‘ [Luqmaan: Ayah: 15].

He (Allaah) did not say: disrespect both of them, or cut off the relationship (between you and them), rather He said: ”but behave with them in the world kindly.” So, (you) behave kindly even if he is a disbeliever or polytheist; and even if he is caller to polytheism and disbelief, the father is (still) treated with kindness, also the mother and the close relative; so that this kindness becomes a means to winning over his heart and to draw it close to the truth and goodness.

And if he is from the sinful believers, then also he is to be dealt with in a good way and at the same time give him advise with etiquettes, without raising oneself above him, arrogance or what is similar to that; rather you him advise with etiquettes, gentleness and wise mannerisms, and perhaps Allaah (Tabaaraka-Wata-Aalaa) will bless him with guidance and bestow him steadfastness.

Translated by Abu Mu-aawiyyah (Abdullaah Al-Gambi)
Source www.al-badr.net
http://salaficentre.com

Related content:

Kissing the Hand of the Elderly Person | Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr

Filed under: Character, Islam, Salah, [Youtube] Tagged: disobedience, do not pray, Elderly Person, Islam, Kindness, laziness, Muslim, old people, Parents, Prayer, Salah

Ruling on Misyaar marriage - from Various Scholars

AbdurRahman.org — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:11:20 +0000

Reblogged from Covered Pearls:

Translator’s Note: Misyaar marriage is where a man does an Islamic marriage contract with a woman, meeting the conditions of marriage, but the woman gives up some of her rights such as accommodation, maintenance, or the husband’s staying overnight with her.

Question:

What is your view oh noble Shaykh concerning Misyaar marriage and what is the Islamic verdict concerning it?

Purifying The Soul (Tazkiat An-Nafs) - Abu Muhammad al-Maghribee (mp3/english)

AbdurRahman.org — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:52:01 +0000

Reblogged from Salafi Audio:

Here is a very beneficial talk from Sheikh AbdurRazaaq AlBadr Al’Abaad hafidhahu Allah on how to purify the soul: tazkiyatou annafs. the sheikh after showing the importance of this matter by explaning the 10 first verses of surah ashams, he gave 10 rules by which the muslim can purify his soul. Here is the link for the arabic audio AND its transcription into a word document: …

Yaa akhi, by Allaah, my intention is good

AbdurRahman.org — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:17:48 +0000

The Meaning Of ‘Actions Are Only Judged By Intentions’
sources: silsilat ul-hudaa wa nnoor, 340/8 & nudhum al-fawaaid, 21
asaheeha translations @ http://alalbaany.com

~ Explanation of the hadeeth: ‘Actions are only judged by intentions’ [Saheeh al-Bukhaari #1] ~

Shaikh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah):

“This hadeeth means that righteous actions are only (sound/accepted/rewarded) by sincere intentions, not that actions opposing the Legislation turn into righteous legislated actions due to coupling them with righteous intentions. No one will say that except someone ignorant or pursuing his own interests!

Many people know this hadeeth in wording but don’t understand its meaning. Why? Because oftentimes we turn (to some people) and say: ‘Yaa akhi, this action that you are doing, or this statement that you are uttering, is not a righteous action.’ What is the answer? ‘Yaa akhi, the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Actions are only judged by intentions’ and my intention is good! My intention is righteous!’

So what is the meaning of the hadeeth? Does the hadeeth mean that evil actions are only (sound/accepted/rewarded) by righteous intentions? Or does it mean that righteous actions are only (sound/accepted/rewarded) by righteous intentions? This latter statement is the meaning. As for if one’s actions are not righteous but intention is righteous – this is not enough. Likewise it is also not enough if it is vice versa: i.e. if one’s actions are righteous but intention is not righteous. So the hadeeth gives us two opposites: just like it is a condition for righteous action that there be righteous intention, it is likewise a condition for righteous intention that there be righteous action. So either one is not enough without the other.

You hear many people nowadays swearing by their fathers for example, saying: ‘.’ Sometimes you may find a person coming to a grave and praying there – a grave of a prophet or righteous person or the like – then when they are prohibited from that, he tells you: ‘My intention is not to worship him, my intention is to seek nearness to Allaah (tawassul) through him.’ Ok, your coming to this grave – granted that the intention is righteous – is an action, so is this a righteous action? The answer is no, because the Messenger (‘alayhi ssalaam) used to say: ‘Don’t sit on the graves nor pray toward them.’ And du’aa is part of prayer, in fact du’aa is worship as he (‘alayhi ssalaam) said. Hence turning to the grave with du’aa is like turning to it with prayer: it is an action that is not righteous, and this unrighteous action is not justified by the intention being righteous, if we grant that the intention is righteous.

Thus, for our actions to be righteous, they must be in agreement with the Legislation. This is what our Lord (‘azza wa jal) pointed to with His Statement in the Noble Qur’aan: {whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work and not associate any partner in the worship of his Lord}.”

Related Links:

The Two Necessary Conditions for the Acceptance of an Action – Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab al-Wasabi
The People Divide into Four Categories with Regards to Sincerity and Adherence to the Guidance of the Prophet. Source: Lessons on Tawhid – Approximately 50 Classes – from Dar-ul-Hadith, Dammaj, Yemen
The Righteous Action – Shaykh Muhammad Nasirud-Din al-Albani – al-Hijra magazine (vol.4 no.2)

Filed under: Bidah, Character, Ibadah, Islam Tagged: evil actions, ibadah, intention, Islam, Niyyah, righteous intentions, sunnah, worship

Everybody Falls into it Somehow... a Little or a Lot

AbdurRahman.org — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:16:56 +0000

Reblogged from The Names and Attributes of Allaah:

Everybody falls into it somehow… a little or a lot Post Courtesy : Moosaa Richardson in KSA_Dawah Google groups

In the Name of Allaah…

Most people entertain bad thoughts about Allaah regarding their own personal situations and the situations of others. The only ones who remain safe from this are those who truly know Allaah, His Names, His Attributes, and what His Wisdom and Right to be praised really entails.

The Speech Of The Salaf Must Be Understood By The Speech Of The Scholars Of The Sunnah

AbdurRahman.org — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:56:20 +0000

Reblogged from As-Salafiyaah - Ahlul-Hadeeth:

The Speech Of The Salaf Must Be Understood By The Speech Of The Scholars Of The Sunnah By: Shaykh Sulaimaan ar-Ruhaylee

Published on 24 May 2012 by ahlulsunnahwaljammah

Question:

What is your opinion of the one who says, “We should concern ourselves with explaining and teaching the books of the salaf and leave off the books of the later ones, because the books of the past are the foundation?”

Hasten to do good deeds; (there will be) fitnah like a portion of a dark night .. (Must Read)

AbdurRahman.org — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:47:00 +0000

The benefits derived from the hadith “Hasten to do (good) deeds. (There will be) Fitnah like a portion of a dark night (in which there is no moonlight)….”

Author: Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Bin Muhammad Al Junaid
Translated By: Abu Afnaan Muhammad Abdullah

All praise is due to Allah the All Powerful and All Mighty. Peace and blessings be upon the Master of all of mankind (Muhammad), his family, his companions and the tabi’een .

To proceed:

Abu Huraira -May Allah be pleased with him- has related that the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) said,

“Hasten to do good deeds; (there will be) fitnah like a portion of a dark night, wherein an individual wakes up as a believer and begins the night as a disbeliever or he begins the night as a believer and wakes up as a disbeliever. He sells his religion for a portion of the dunya (this worldly life).”

This hadith will be explained in light of the different issues related to this hadith:

1. The analysis of this hadith and its authenticity.

Imam Muslim narrated this hadith (n.118) and the abovementioned phrasing is from his narration. Also, Imam Ahmad related this hadith (n. 10,772) and (n. 8,030), At Tirmidhi also related it (n. 2,195), along with Ibn Hibban (n. 6,704) and other narrators of hadith have narrated this hadith as well.

Those (scholars of hadith) who deemed this hadith authentic (sahih) were: Muslim, At Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban, Abu ‘Awaana, Al Baghawi, Al Albani and other scholars of hadith.

2. The subject matter of the hadith:

The topic of this hadith is to warn from the threat of fitnah and an explanation of the dangers and harms it presents to mankind.

3. The third issue of the hadith: The explanation of the hadith.

This hadith is related to fitnah, which is of two types:

The first type is the fitnah of As Shubuhaat (doubts). What is meant by this type of fitnah is that fitnah which is connected to the religion/deen. This type of fitnah is more severe than the fitnah of As shahawaat (base desires) because it (may) expel an individual from the purity of At Tawheed and cause him to enter into the filth of As Shirk (polytheism), Al Kufr (disbelief), Al Ilhaad (atheism or misguidance with regards to Allah’s names and attributes), or Az Zandaqa(hypocrisy) and cause him to exit from the light of the Sunnah and cause him to enter into the darkness of bid’ah and misguidance.

This type of fitnah appears from time to time. It may also increase at one particular point in time and decrease at another. Also, those people who call to this type of fitnah increase and multiply at one particular time or another. This type of fitnah could be present in newspapers, magazines, books, tapes, TV channels, the internet, or from arguing or debating an atheist or with a person of bid’ah.

An individual could be a person who has the correct and unaltered aqeedah, love of at tawheed and as sunnah, honor of the salaf and then draw himself into listening to an atheist or a person of bid’ah or even reading their books, thereby exposing himself to doubts which could essentially misguide him and eventually cause him to be destroyed.

This type of fitnah could be related to Allah the Most High, His names and Attributes or His actions, or it could be concerned with the Messengers and Prophets, the companions, al Qadr (Allah’s divine decree), the Last Day and what happens therein, and affairs of the unseen. Also, it could be concerned with at tawheed and as Shirk, as Sunnah and al Bid’ah or some of the obligatory affairs, prohibitions or even some of the supplications that have been narrated in the Sunnah.

The second type of fitnah: The fitnah of lust and desires.

What is meant by this type of fitnah is the fitnah of the desires which leads to and encourages one to engage in and commit sins or disobedience to Allah.

This type of fitnah is very dangerous especially in our times because of the fact that this type of fitnah is more appealing and closer to those who have weak souls. Thus, the (weak) individual gives in the first time, then gets drawn in to this type of fitnah and establishes a strong foothold in committing sins. Thus, his iman (faith) weakens or even leaves.

Some examples of this type of fitnah are: the desire for wealth, immoralities, amusement, food and drink, clothes, and the desire to imitate the kuffar and sinners. For example, the lust for wealth leads to falling into numerous sins like the bloodshed which emanates between warring countries or between tribes, breaking into people’s homes and businesses or their cars, embezzling people’s money by unlawful means or prohibited means like fraud or selling things which are prohibited.

Lust for immoralities leads to committing unlawful acts like rape, fornication or adultery, homosexuality, masturbation, luring minors or weak minded individuals into committing inappropriate acts. It also leads to watching pornographic channels, videos, on the internet or magazines. It also leads to harassing or following women in shopping malls or with video enhanced networking devices like that are included in mobile phones and computer cameras. In addition to these vices, this type of fitnah leads to lethargy with regards to performing the obligatory actions in addition to leniency with regards to them and even leads to eventually leaving them completely, not performing them at all. An individual may be chaste, have fear of Allah, be religious and then open the door to this type of fitnah and as a result become corrupt and then be destroyed.

4. The fourth issue: The benefits of this hadith.

The fear of fitnah and warning from it (derived from this hadith), and the numerous benefits found in this hadith.

The first benefit: The fear of and the warning from fitna.

This fear that the servant has of this fitnah leads to several advantages for the servant.

The first advantage is that it will cause him to move towards seeking religious knowledge (‘ilm As Shari’ah) and the resulting seriousness in doing so. This is because having religious knowledge will reveal these (types of) fitnah to him, give him knowledge of the rulings related to them, and guide him to the correct position with regards to them. Also, whenever he increases in religious knowledge his insight with regards to this fitnah will be enhanced.

The second advantage is that he will increase in his beseeching of Allah and his supplications to Allah in order to protect him and remove him from fitnah especially during those preferred times and places (which help in the du’a being answered). Allah the Most High loves when the servant beseeches Him and loves those who beseech Him. Allah the Most High says encouraging the servants to beseech Him {Is not He (better than your idols?) Who responds to the distressed one when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil and makes you inheritors of the earth generations after generations? Is there any (God) with Allah? Little it is that you remember.} (An Naml: 62)

The third advantage is keeping away from those things which lead to fitnah.

From these causes (which distance one from fitnah) are: Not watching or listening to channels, websites, tapes, or CD’s which spread and fuel the fires of fitnah. Also, by not reading certain books, newspapers, magazines which increase fitnah, along with distancing oneself from the places of fitnah, its places, streets, scenes, clubs and coffee shops. And leaving the company of those who call to fitnah in addition to whoever may be known as troublemaker or talks a lot or rushes to enter into fitnah.

The second benefit of this hadith is: The encouragement to hasten and increase in doing good deeds before leaving them due to becoming preoccupied with fitnah.

This encouragement from the Prophet (sallahu alaihi wa salam) of increasing righteous actions before the onset of fitnah or the increase of fitnah, has its reasons and from some of these reasons are the following:

First: Righteous actions are a protection from fitnah for the individual because they strengthen one’s imaan and increase him in firmness upon the religion. This is because Allah the Most High does not disappoint the individual who approaches Him (by doing good deeds) and has become steadfast in his worship and obedience to Allah the Most High.

It has been authentically related from the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas -May Allah be pleased with him – that when he was a small boy, the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) advised him by saying, “Know Allah in times of ease and He will know you in times of adversities,” narrated by Ahmad and others. Also, Imam Al-Bukhari has narrated a hadith (n. 6,502) on the authority of Abu Huraira -May Allah be pleased with him- that the Prophet (sallahu alaihi wa salam) said, “Indeed, Allah has said, ‘whoever has declared one of My friends an enemy, then I have declared war upon him. And my servant has not gotten closer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than that which I have made obligatory upon him until I love him. And if I have loved him then I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, his leg with which he walks. If he asks of Me, surely, I will give him and if he seeks refuge in Me then surely I will protect him and I have not hesitated in doing anything which I have done like the hesitation of taking the soul of a believer. He hates death and I hate to disappoint him’.”

Al Hafidh Ibn Rajab Al Hanbali – may Allah have mercy upon him- mentioned in his book, ‘Al Jaam’I Al ‘Uloom wal Hikm’, pg. 424, “In the general sense, whoever has dealt with Allah with taqwa and obedience while in a state of ease, then Allah will deal with him with compassion and assist him in the circumstance of his experiencing hardship.”

The knowledgeable Shiekh Ibn Uthaymeen – May Allah have mercy upon him- mentioned in his explanation of ‘Riyadhus Saaliheen’, (v. 1,pg. 105), with regards to fitnah which is confronted with weak faith (imaan), “and this is because it is a strong fitnah and if it approaches a weak heart which has been weakened by sin and fatigued by shahawaat (lustful desires) then it (the heart) will not find resistance to that fitnah nor be able to stifle it and as a result , the individual will surely be destroyed by it and it will slash him just like the arrow pierces and tears through its prey.”

Additional warnings for the Ummah have been narrated from the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) encouraging them to increase their worship in times of fitnah. He (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) explained to them the great reward for doing so. He (Sallahu alihi wa salam) has said, “Worship in the time of ‘harj’ is like making hijrah towards me.” This hadith has been narrated by Muslim in his As Sahih, (n. 2,948).

Imam An Nawawi -May Allah have mercy upon him- mentioned in his explanation of Sahih Muslim, with regards to this hadith, “What is meant by the word ‘harj’ here means: fitnah and the people’s affairs becoming chaotic. Also, the reason for the increase in the reward for worship in times of fitan is that people are careless with regards to worship (during times of fitnah) and become busy and only a few individuals (in the time of fitnah) can actually devote themselves to worship.”

Secondly: If fitnah appears then it becomes a barrier between an individual and him doing good deeds or it weakens him, thereby causing his reward to be decreased. And this is because fitnah could be related to blood (taking of life), so security weakens and evil people and criminals gain control. For that reason, killing becomes widespread, therefore the individual becomes distracted from performing different types of obedience like jum’ah and the congregational prayer because he is busy trying to secure himself, his family and his wealth .

This fitnah may also result in an individual being imprisoned, becoming homeless, or his being abused, so he becomes too distracted to be able to do righteous actions under his own will due to the circumstances he is in. Or he may be stricken with worry, distress, anguish, fear and concerns to the point that his thoughts become preoccupied, his heart becomes busy, and his capacity to think clearly has been compromised. As a result, his khushoo’ (in worship) will weaken and his heart will be busy while performing acts of worship. As a result, his reward and recompense (for doing good deeds) is lessened.

The third benefit: The explanation of some of the hardships and hideousness of this fitnah.

From the hideousness and tragedies of this fitnah (described in this hadith) is the fact that an individual enters into the night a believer (Mu’min) and then because of this fitnah, he wakes up a kaafir (disbeliever) or he wakes up a Mu’min and he enters the night a kaafir.

The disbelief which this fitnah has led to could be kufr al akbar, major disbelief expelling one from Islam or is could be kufr al asghar (minor disbelief) which does not expel one from the religion and this depends on the reason why this individual sells his religion (a reference to the last part of the hadith). Sheikh Ibn Utahymeen – May Allah have mercy upon him- noted this point in his explanation of Sahih Muslim (pg.38).

Also, Shiekh Ibn Baz -May Allah have mercy upon him- mentioned in the compilation of his Fataawa, (pg. 108, v.25), with regards to the part of the hadith, he sells his religion for a portion of the dunya, “and this is if he speaks with kufr or does an act of kufr for the sake of the dunya. Someone comes to him and says, ‘Curse Allah, curse the Messenger, leave the prayer and we will give you such and such, declare zina (adultery or fornication) to be lawful and we will give you such and such, say alcohol is lawful, or they say to him, do not be with the believers and we will give you this or that so that you will be with the kuffaar’, so they tempt him to be with the kuffar and with the party (hizb) of the kufaar and from amongst their supporters. To the point where they give him ample wealth and as a result he becomes a supporter of the kuffaar and an enemy to the Muslims. The different categories of apostasy are numerous and most of the time the reason for apostasy is because of the dunya, loving it and preferring it over the aakhirah (afterlife).”

The fourth benefit: The magnitude of the dangers of this fitnah.

This is derived from two aspects: The first one being that the individual makes this drastic and dreadful reversal (from belief to disbelief) in just one day. The second, is that the Prophet (sallahu alaihi wa salam) likened this fitnah to the darkness of a night in which there is no light from the moon. As a result of the severity of this darkness it becomes difficult for the individual to know his whereabouts therefore making it easy for him to fall into that which harms and may even destroy him. Likewise is this fitnah, if it increases and becomes severe, it becomes difficult at that time to distinguish the truth and act upon it. Also, fitnah ruins the situation (an individual may be in), weakens the (practicing of) the religion, disrupts life and causes material losses.

The fifth benefit: Devoting one’s self to the dunya and the desire for it are some of the main reasons for falling into fitnah and misguidance in the religion.

This is derived from the Prophet’s (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) statement regarding the reason why the individual alters from belief to disbelief, “He sells his religion for a portion of the dunya.”

Sheikh Ibn Al Utahymeen -May Allah have mercy upon him- mentioned in the explanation of Riyadh As Saaliheen (v.1, pg. 150), “And do not think that this portion of the dunya is only wealth. (Rather) it could be any of the pleasures of this world that are presented to him like wealth, status, leadership, women, or other things. Anything from the pleasures of this world is this ‘portion’ of the dunya (mentioned in the hadith).”

The sixth benefit: Hastening to do good deeds are one of the reasons for strengthening one’s faith and leaving off good deeds causes one to doubt at the time of fitnah and be affected by it. Due to these reasons, the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) encouraged the Muslims to hasten to doing good deeds and commanded them to do so.

*Translated with the consent and permission of the author.

http://mtws.posterous.com/benefits-from-the-hadeeth-hasten-to-do-good-d

Filed under: Character, Ibadah, Ilm, Islam, Sins, Wealth Tagged: base desires, doubts, fitnah, good deeds, shahawaat, Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir Al-Junayd, Shubuhaat