Be a Servant of Allāh

Allāh has also called the obedience of Shaytān in disobedience to Him, worship of him,

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Did I not make a contract with you, tribe of Adam, not to worship Shaytān, who truly is an outright enemy to you. [Ya Sin 36:60]

Allāh, Exalted is He, quotes His beloved Ibrahim as saying to his father,

يَا أَبَتِ لَا تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَنِ عَصِيًّا

Father, do not worship Shaytān. Shaytān was disobedient to the All-Merciful. [Maryam 19:44]

Whoever has not actualized the worship of the All-Merciful and His obedience will worship Shaytān through obeying him. A person cannot free himself of the worship of Shaytān except by making his worship sincere and wholly for the All-Merciful. The latter are the people about whom He said,

You have no authority over any of My slaves except for the misled who follow you. [al-Hijr 15:42]

These are the people who have actualized, ‘None has the right to be worshipped save Allāh’: those who were sincere in articulating it and their deeds testified to the truth of their words. These are people who have not turned to any other besides Allāh in their love, hope, fear, obedience, and reliance. These are people who remained true to their testification: these are the true servants of Allāh.


As regards the person who testifies that none has the right to be worshipped save Allāh, a testimony of the tongue, but then obeys Shaytān and his desires in disobedience to Allāh, his deeds prove the lie of his testimony and his Tawhīd is diminished according to the extent of his sin.

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّهِ

And who could be further astray than someone who follows his whims and desires without any guidance from Allāh? [al-Qasas 28:50]

وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

… and do not follow your whims and desires, letting them misguide you from the Way of Allāh. [Sad 38:26]

So be a servant of Allāh and do not be a servant to your desires for desires throw a person into a Fire,

أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

…are many lords better, or Allāh, the only One, the Conqueror ? [Yusuf 12:39]

May the servant of the dirham perish! May the servant of the dinar perish! By Allāh, none shall be saved from the punishment of Allāh tomorrow except for one who actualizes his servitude to Allāh Alone and is not duped into following empty desires. Whoever knows that his God and object of worship is one, let him single Him out alone for worship and not associate anything in the worship of his Lord.

Transcribed from: The Key to Paradise | Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali | A Translation of his: Tahqiq Kalimatu’l-Ikhlas
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The Repentance of Al Habeeb Abu Muhammad

In The Name of Allah The Most Merciful, The Bestower of His Mercy

An Important Reminder Related to Sincere Repentance

Indeed the shaytan has succeeded in leading many people astray from the straight path of Allah. He promised this, as we were informed by our Lord - The Most High - when He said:

I will indeed sit on Your straight path. Then I will approach them from the front, from behind, from the right and then from the left. You will find most of them to be ungrateful. (Surah al 'Araaf:18)

From the countless tricks of the shaytan and his constant deception of the children of Adam (may the blessings of Allah be upon him) is that he seeks to divert the servant away from performing sincere repentance. He is keen to accomplish this through several means and sinister strategies. Amongst his strategies is persuading an individual to blame others for difficulties and calamities that occur as a result of one's own sins. Due to this Allah ý The Most High ý has informed His servant that that which occurs in one's life of calamity is a direct or indirect result of what a person has put forward by way of his own hands. Allah ý The Most High ý said:

That which befalls you of calamity is due to what your hands have put forward, and Allah pardons much. (Surah al Shura:30)

Sheikh 'Abdul Rahmaan al Sa'di commented on the above verse:

Allah informs in this verse that a person is not afflicted with a trial in his body, wealth, children, or in anything that he loves and is dear to him, except that this occurs due to that which he has put forward of sins from his own hands. (Tayseer Kareem al Rahmaan pg.899)

The Salaf of the past realized this evil plot of the shaytan and as a result, they did not seek to blame others if calamities took place, especially those which occurred as a result of one's sins.
If one were to read the speech of the Salaf, one would find them to be undoubtedly well versed and exceptionally intelligent as it pertains to sins and repentance. The likes of their true understanding of the ill effects of sins and what follows them of trials and calamity can be witnessed in the statement of Fudayl bin 'Eyaad, he said:

Indeed I disobey Allah and as a consequence, I witness the evil result in the character of my donkey and my servant. (Hilyat al Awliyah 8/109, Al Daa wa Dawaa pg.134)

Another example which shows how the Salaf viewed this matter is illustrated in the story of the repentance of Al Habeeb Abu Muhammad. It is mentioned that he was a wealthy merchant who used to lend money to those in need, but with a stipulation that the debtor repays the loan along with interest. One day while Al Habeeb was leaving his home he passed by a group of young boys who upon seeing him began to chant:

Here comes the man who deals in interest!

Upon hearing this, Al Habeeb lowered his head in humiliation and said:

Oh Allah! You have exposed my affair even to these young boys!

Al Habeeb then returned home, gathered his wealth and said:

Oh my Lord! I am a slave, and I seek to purchase myself with this wealth, so please free me.

In the morning Al Habeeb donated all of his wealth in charity and thereafter he began to diligently busy himself with the worship Allah.

It is mentioned that from that time on, if anyone saw Al Habeeb, he would either be fasting, or indulged in prayer and remembrance of Allah.

It took place that after some time Al Habeeb passed by a group of youth who upon seeing him mentioned:

Lower your voices. Here comes Al Habeeb, the devoted worshiper!
Upon hearing this Al Habeeb said:

Oh Allah! At times You admonish, and other times You praise. Indeed this is all from You.

The people of his time mentioned that Al Habeeb became in individual whose supplication was always accepted. (Tahtheeb al Kalaam 5/390)

Many lessons and points of reflection can be derived from this story. From amongst them:

1. When Al Habeeb realized that his affair became well known to the public, he immediately turned to Allah in repentance and sought His forgiveness.

2. He did not become angry because of the information being spread, but rather he straight away concluded that his own sins were the cause of the public becoming aware of his faults.

3. Without delay Al Habeeb removed from his presence that which he had gained of wealth by way of sin. This is an indication of his true sincerity in repentance.

4. Al Habeeb did not begin to inquire about who informed the youth of his sin, nor did he say that those who informed the youth had backbitten him. Instead, he grasped the most significant benefit derived from this occurrence, which is the fact that he has committed a wrong against his soul, and he is in need of Allah's forgiveness.

5. Due to his true sincerity and eagerness to repent, Allah blessed Al Habeeb by rectifying his honor with the people, and He made him and individual whose supplication was always answered.

In the actions of Al Habeeb are important lessons for the believers and we should all try to gain from this tremendous story.

A present day example of this is, if a Muslim female, for example, were to listen to music from time to time on the internet. One day while her husband is sitting with their children one of them says: Abee, do you know that Ummi listens to music on the computer? If the husband confronts and admonishes his wife, she should not become upset and angry with her children. Instead, she should recognize that possibly this means that her Lord wants well for her! How? It's possible that if her husband never became aware of this sin, she would continue performing it thereby causing greater harm to her soul. But once her fault became known to her husband and she was admonished for it, at this point, if she stops the sin, turns to Allah and seeks His forgiveness, this trial in reality has become a blessing!

The statement of Fudayl and the story of Al Habeeb clearly illustrate how the Salaf understood the great affair of repentance, and how they attributed what befell them of trials and tribulations to themselves and not to others. Indeed when an individual comes to such a realization, he will begin to sincerely turn to Allah and seek His pardon.

Another matter which is worthy of mentioning is that if a servant finds himself constantly committing wrong, however his Lord does not cause difficulties and misfortunes to occur in his life, but instead Allah continues to bless him, this is considered Istidraaj (leading to one's destruction). This fact was mentioned by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he said:

If you notice that Allah continues to bless an individual with that which he loves of this world, while that person persists to indulge in sin, know that this is leading to his destruction. (Musnad Imam Ahmed and rated authentic in Silsilah al Saheehah 1/700)

The Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) also said:

If Allah wants well for His servant, He rushes the punishment for his sins in this life, but when Allah doesn't want well for His servant, He delays the punishment until the Day of Judgment. (Jame' al Tirmidhee:2396)

The above narrations clearly show that when Allah wants good for a person who has wronged himself, He will put in that person's path a calamity that will distress him to such a degree that it consequently causes him to turn to his Lord in a state of humiliation seeking His mercy and begging for His pardon. This proves that tribulations in the life of the Muslim can in fact become enormously needed means of purification. But this only takes place if the servant notices this reality and uses the calamity to his benefit from the very beginning. In light of this, the Prophet of Mercy (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

Indeed patience is to be displayed at the beginning of the mishap. (Sahih al Bukhari:1283, Sahih Muslim:2178)

With clarification of this important issue, it becomes evident how cleverly the shaytan has allowed tremendous reward and forgiveness to escape the hands of those who are neglectful and careless at times of major tests in their lives!

May Allah correct our affairs and grant us Tawfeeq to understand all matters of our wonderful religion so that we may be saved from the endless plots of the shaytan.

Mustafa George DeBerry
Riyadh, K.S.A
August 24, 2010

Source salafitalk

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Benefits of Ramadhaan..We Need a Ramadhaan!!!!

Abu Uwais Abdullaah Ahmed Ali (rahimahullah)




Transcribed by: Umm Hasna Firdous Bint Jabir


TRANSCRIPTION:


Ramadhaan is a month of Forgiveness.
Ramadhaan is a month of Rahmah.
Ramadhaan is the month of generosity.
Ramadhaan, the month that Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'ala accepts the Tawbah of the servants, and the month that Allaah blesses His servants.
We are in need of Ramadhaan to correct ourselves, for we have forgotten Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala for the majority of the year.
To correct ourselves for we have been neglectful.
To correct ourselves for we are not upon the remembrance of Allaah.
To correct ourselves because our hearts have gotten hard, some hearts are dead, some hearts are sick, some hearts are stone-cold, some hearts are black, getting no benefit whatsoever. Some hearts are so bad, and so ill that they see a good as a Munkar, (as an evil), and they see an evil as a good. These are not as they should be.
We need a Ramadhaan. We need a Ramadhaan because our connection with Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala is not correct.
We need a Ramadhaan because we do not have any Khushoo or devotion in our Salaah.
We need a Ramadhaan because our Qura'an has dust and is sitting on a shelf.
We need a Ramadhaan because we never read the books of Sunnah.
We need a Ramadhaan because we don't fast, and if we fast physically without food or drink, we don't fast with our eyes by lowering them and our tongue by not slandering and our tongue by not lying and back-biting. We need a Ramadhaan to get ourselves back in order, to work for the Hereafter, to connect ourselves to Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala.
We need a Ramadhaan because relationships brother to brother and sister to sister is in a miserable condition.
We need a Ramadhaan because we have bad thoughts about one another.
We need a Ramadhaan because of dhulm, injustice to one another.
We need a Ramadhaan because there is backbiting, there is envy, there is jealousy, and there is slander.
We need a Ramadhaan because we are despicable, because we are sick, because we are ill. (All these are diseases of the heart)
We need a Ramadhaan because we don't believe in the promise of Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala, or if we do, we do not implement it.
We need a Ramadhaan because it is time for us to change and become something better then we are now.
We need a Ramadhaan because that is the only thing that is going to get us together…
We need a Ramadhaan because we don't have unity, there's no brotherhood
We need a Ramadhaan because there's no respect for elders
We need a Ramadhaan because there's no real love between us
We need a Ramadhaan, full of love and the Mercy of Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala.
A Ramadhaan like we come in, like in a clinic or a hospital, trying to solve our illnesses, trying to come out of there without the disease we came with, trying to be better than we went in with.
We need a Ramadhaan. Look around you, look to your right, look to your left, look in front of you and look behind you and you'll say, "We need a Ramadhaan".
The sisters aren't covering properly, we need a Ramadhaan. Brothers and sisters are mixing. We need a Ramadhaan. Talking on phones and on the internet, we need a Ramadhaan. This is a mess, we are in a fix, we are in a bind, and this is a problem… We need a Ramadhaan. We need a Ramadhaan to get ourselves together.
We need a Ramadhaan, that we come in the Masjid and we face the Qiblah and we say "Allaahu Akbar" and we stand in qiyaamah a long time until those diseases, that filth, that sickness, that hardness the heart goes away.
We need a Ramadhaan that reminds us of the Hell-fire. We need a Ramadhaan that tells us that we haven't been given a certificate that we are people of Jannah.
We need a Ramadhaan that lets us known that we are servants of Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala.
And if we were to spend our whole life, from the time we were born until Yawm al Qiyaamah in Sajdaah, it would not be enough to thank Allaah for His Mercy, His Grace and His Blessings.
We need a Ramadhaan and it is clear. If there is any fear of Allaah left in the hearts of ours and if there is any hope of Jannaah left in us, and if there is any desire to change and to be better and to be righteous and to come to the level of Ihsaan, to come to the level of a Mumim, to have taqwa, to fear Allaah … we need a Ramadhaan.
We need a Ramadhaan, a month of Tawbaah.
We need a Ramadhaan, a month of Maghfira.
We need a Ramadhaan to correct our behaviour, to correct the differences & the difficulties and the envy / jealousies in our relationship between one another.
We need a Ramadhaan to understand that we have been committing injustice to one another. And as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : 'Az-Zulm (injustice) – "Zulumaat yawmal Qiyaamah" –we'll be changed physically into darkness on the Day of Judgement.'

We need a Ramadhaan to understand the Hadith : to fear the duaa of the o­ne to whom we have done injustice. For there is not between Allaah and the person making the invocation, the person making that supplication of the person to whom injustice has been done, there is no veil between that person and Allaah. That duaa is immediately accepted.

The oppressor is the one for whom things are not going right; He is tripping into this and falling into that; He is Slipping there and sliding here. Why I can't get ahead? Why I can't progress in my Deen? Why I can't memorize this ayah? Why I can't understand this hadeeth? We may be living under the invocation, the answer for invocation for someone whom we abused or stepped over. You know you need a Ramadhaan. I know I need a Ramadhaan. We know we need a Ramadhaan. We need to get ourselves together. We've been running around in filth, we have been having our hearts around the low matters; We need our hearts to be around the thrones of Allaah; We need to think about the high matters, high goals; We need to think about Jannah; We need a hope for al-Jannah.
You're planning for marriage, you're planning for education, you're planning for a job, but we need to plan for the Jannah. We need to prepare for the Jannah during the month of Ramadhaan.
"'Nahnu be haajathin Ma'aasa fir Ramadhaan."
We are in severe need for Ramadhaan, so that we come into Ramdhaan with repentance, we come into it with regret, we come into it realizing that we are weak, that we need Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala to correct us, realizing that we are wrong and that we need Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala to place upon us that which is right, realizing that we are weak and that we need Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala to grant us strength. We need a Ramadhaan. Oh Yes !! We need a Ramadhaan.

We needs nights of Qiyaam, we need dua and sujood, we need nights of Ramadhaan to do thilawaah of Qura'an. We need to listen to Husri, or Sudays or Shurain, or Hudhaifi. We need a Ramadhaan to listen to the Qura'an. When was the last time that we listened to the Qura'an?? When was the last time we recited Qura'an? We need a Ramadhaan to study Qura'an, to implement the Qura'an, and this Ramadhaan may be our final Ramadhaan. As one brother spoke, I believe it is Abu Thasleem Hafidahullaah, where is the guarantee that this is not our final Ramadhaan? What is the guarantee that it is not our final Ramadhaan? We have to come into it seriously. And we want to come out of it much better than we came into it. We want to come out of Ramadhaan with Taqwa, because that was the main reason that it was legislated.
"O you who believe fasting has been written upon you as it was written for those before you, so that you may gain Taqwa."

Taqwa is fear of Allaah. If we had taqwa, our condition will be better than it is now. If we had taqwa our relationships would be smoother, if we had taqwa …father to son who is a Muslim, sister to brother who is Muslim, uncle, aunt, niece and nephew who is Muslim, husband and wife who are Muslims.. the relationships would be better if they are based upon Taqwa. And we can achieve Taqwa during the month of Ramadhaan. I don't believe that our hearts are that hard, I don't believe that we can't change, I don't believe that some of us who hold hatred for the last 10 years cannot learn to love, and because we have been taught deceit and deception now we can't learn to trust.

I don't believe that those brothers who have left circumstances physically but have the teachings and the behaviours that they had while they were up there, that they can't change. The sisters who remove their bodies from the fitnah and physically remove their bodies from a mistake, physically remove their bodies from foolishness but their hearts have to follow. Be iznillaahi tha'aalah ! Their hearts have to follow.

We need a Ramadhaan to be as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was. That he was the most generous, he was generous in general and he was most generous in Ramadhaan. Like a wind … spending, giving to his right, giving to his left, giving in front of him, giving behind him, giving to anyone who came. He gave without them asking.

We need a Ramadhaan to inculcate these qualities. We need to control our desires. We need to control our tongue. We need to control our limbs. We need to learn self-discipline. We need to control our anger. We must do things in Ramadhaan not out of habit, something that is just tradition., that we are more despicable when we went in. We have to change our condition. We have to change our connection with Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala. For how light is the view of Allaah when they disobey Him. This is what was said by o­ne of the sahabas when he had the crown of the Persian King in his hand.

And the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'that he had been sent before the hour. And my provision has been provided for me under the shade of my spear and humiliation has been written against anyone who goes against my orders. Humiliation has been written upon anyone who goes against my orders. If we want to continue in the position of humiliation that we are in, then do not take the grand opportunity act like it doesn't exist, neglect and forget and be hard headed, be obstinate, follow your desires like you have been doing for the last 11 months and don't benefit from Ramadhaan. And when our circumstances doesn't change, when the Kuffar don't remove their spears from our necks, when our women are consistently raped and they are now these days in many parts of the world, when all of that happens, don't say "Why?" You know why. For we need a Ramadhaan and we have to correct ourselves in this Ramadhaan. And that you are a part of this Ummah and if you have an illness, and if you are a member of this ummah with a sickness, with filth, with crime, this affects the rest of the Ummah. It is like your body when you have an illness. It is like when you have hurt your finger or your toe, it affects the rest of the body. And it doesn't have to be said to you that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "the believers are like one body". If we want to correct the position of the Ummah, then we must first start by correcting ourselves. Don't worry about Ubyaid, Hassan and Musa, but worry about yourself. Be selfish this Ramadhaan. Not regarding giving sadaqa but where you are going to focus your rectification or how to rectify yourself. Your focus is going to be on yourself. Not worrying about this person and that person's manhaj. Are you on the correct Manhaj?? Not worrying about whether a particular brother is on the bidah or the Sunnah. Are you upon the Sunnah? Have those brothers stopped committing their sins --- have you stopped committing that sin? Has the brother made tawbah ---- Have you made tawbah?? Has the brother corrected a situation ----- have you corrected your situation? Worry about yourself. Worry about yourself this Ramadhaan.

Any other Ramadhaan do what you will. But my sincere advice to you is, this Ramadhaan worry about yourself. Am I backbiting? Am I slandering? Am I committing fahishah? Am I committing gheebah? Am I committing Nameemah (tale-carrying) ? Do I have 'hasad'? Do I have pride (Kibr) ? Am I arrogant? Am I too harsh? Am I unkind? Am I not gentle enough? Am I gentle enough? Question yourself. Was my intention when I said what I said or did what I did for the pleasure of Allaah or to be noticed? When I spoke what I spoke was it for the pleasure of Allaah or to be seen or heard? Was I doing it "Haarisa min Qalbi'--- sincerely from my heart or I did it to be known? 'Khutbath Duroor' --- Loving to be known breaks it.

Be Mukhlis. Be sincere. Be like that servant of Allaah like the Hadith that has been related in the Kitaab al tawheed of the soldier whose head is disheveled, who is bare-footed and dirty.. but he is sincere to Allaah. If he was placed at the rear of the army, he is pleased with that. And if he is placed in the front of the army he is displeased with that. His goal is Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala. Not where I sit. Not us and them, Not you and I but his brothers and sisters ..its the servants of Allaah, it is the believers, it is the Muslim, the salafiyoon, it is Ahlul –athar, it is Ahlus-Sunnah, it is Ahlul-Hadith. No one' bigger and no one is smaller . No one wants to step on anyone nor desire that. All of us should be working for the pleasure of Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala. And if we don't we have an illness which is Riyaah --- doing things to be seen or Sum'aah --- doing things to be heard and we need a Ramadhaan to correct that behaviour.

If we find that we talk to the sisters or brothers too much, we need a Ramadhaan to learn to stop talking to those who are not halaal for us to talk to. And if we find that we are mixing too much, we need a Ramadhaan to start mixing with those whom you are not supposed to mix with. We find that we have jealousy in our hearts, vengeance in our hearts, distrust in our hearts for other Muslims based upon nothing but Shaitaan whispers to us, we need a Ramadhaan.

We get all the good in front of us when we have the Book of Allaah tabarak wa ta'ala and the Sunnaah of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the fahmas Salafus Saalih and the connection to the inheritors of the Prophet alaihissalaam – the Ulamaa – we got all the good in front of us but we are like that individual who has a disease and he has the prescription for the medicine in front of him but he refuses to open the package – let alone read it ----- let alone take it.

We need a Ramadhaan, Our condition won't change. We'll continue to complain.
We need a Ramadhaan or we'll forever be in pain. We need a Ramadhaan or we'll go insane.

We need a Ramadhaan, you and I. Why can't we lift up, roll up our sleeves? Why do we have to beat the hands of one another? Why do we have to step on somebody to get somewhere? Why do we have to step on our brother – he wants to go to the same place where you want to go? The Jannah. Why can't we do it together? Why can't we be side by side? You roll up your sleeves and I'll roll up my sleeves, we'll get busy and we'll get help and support one another.

Why can't we make excuses? Why can't we forgive? Why can't we forget? Why can't we let things go? Upon clarity, upon Haqq, knowing the Sunnah, knowing the Deen, connected to the scholars, not preceding them in any statement or action and if they make a statement, we make their statement (not add our own), This is important. We need a Ramadhaan.

This blessed month where you can go in as the most despicable devil and come out like an angel. That blessed month when you can go in as a miser and come out as the generous … that blessed month where you can be one of those hard-hearted brothers – (everybody usually gives you a smile but you don't give anybody a smile) – and if you do it right, you'll come out of Ramadhaan giving smiles to those brothers , not in the faces of the sisters but the faces of your brothers..
We need a Ramadhaan to correct our condition : we are slow, we are lazy, we don't have any incentive towards the deen and the Aakhiraah, the Hereafter . Our incentives are towards the Dunya and if the opposite of this was true most of the neighbourhood around here would be Muslims. Many would enter Islaam in folds, as Sheikh Ubaid Madkhali Hafidaallaah says in his explanation of 'Usool as thalaathah', that Islaam is a Mahaasin – the beauty of it is explained. Islaam he said is a Mu'jizaa minal Mu'jizaath' -- Islaam is a miracle of the Mircales. Ayah minal Ayaahs. It is that, when it is presented to the hearts, when it is presented to the people, and it is done in the right way, what happens? They enter Islaam 'Afwaajan' – in the multitudes.

He said that if one of them has a business and we want to advertise, very few who wouldn't advertise at all would say that "I have a business but I am going to be silent." Business won't be successful and no one will benefit, he will loose. Generally a good business person gets a good advertisement – he may use the print media, he may use the radio, the audio media, to get his advertisement --- his dawa'ah , he'll call out so that people will come and he mixes in the most beautiful way and has the most beautiful response. This is what he does. The Sheikh said, 'if we were to do that with Islaam, show its beauty, explain its Mahasin –its beauty, it is the natural fitrah of the person (unless his fitrah has been polluted) that he wants to know Islaam. He wants to know why he walks upon the earth. He wants to know his prayer. He wants to have his connection with his Creator. He wants to know the purpose of his existence. But who will explain it to him or her? Who will tell them? Who will open up those hearts? It is supposed to be 'us'.

Those of us who cannot express ourselves, what about our actions? If the person sees you are truthful , why you are truthful? Because Islaam teaches you truthfulness and you must be truthful and there is high martaba being truthful and minas-Siddeeqi is the only martaba -- level after the Prophets… It is the first level after the Prophets, rather. Closest to the prophet's stations are those who are Siddiqeen, the most truthful. So you be truthful because of that. You keep your word because of that. You are gentle, you are nice, you have good behaviour, you have good etiquette, you have good deportment, so when it comes to Islaam it is Afwaajan. So if you don't see them doing it, we are doing what we are not supposed to be doing. If we were doing what we are supposed to be doing, we would probably have to have this type of fundraising at one of the football stadiums. If we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, people will be hearing Islaam from the radio, they will see articles written in the papers regularly, they would see good behaviour, they would see kindness and gentleness, patience and forbearance. They would see the qualities and characteristics of Mustapha sallallahu alaihi wassallam. i.e if we were doing our job. But we are not. Not the male or the female. Not father or mother or child. We are not upon what we should be upon, we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing.
We need a Ramadhaan to clarify our situation. We need a Ramadhaan to put us in position. We need a Ramadhaan to give this Ummah a rebirth, air .. we have to understand that we are global. Whoever follows the Book of Allaah, the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Manhaj of the Salafus Saalih, then they are our closest brothers. And those who are upon ignorance, innovation, not mukaffarah, they are still brothers from a distant but from within this Ummah. So it affects all of us. And we are connected in that way.

If you sit there saying, 'I don't care what they do to the Muslims in India doesn't concern me; I don't care if they bomb Afghanistan up the planet… I don't care.... it has nothing to do with me …then you are a racist, a nationalist, you are not a Salafi. Because a Salafi concerns himself about this Ummah. Salafi at night thinks about this Ummah. Salafi cries in his salaah about the condition of this Ummah, he cries about all locally, he cries about their condition internationally. We need a Ramadhaan so that we can realize the Islaamic brotherhood again.

We need a Ramadhaan because some of them never practiced brotherhood ever in their lives and may have been Muslims 50 years. We need a Ramadhaan so that the sisters learn sisterhood,

We need a Ramadhaan so that we can focus on the Aakhirah -- Hereafter and we give Naseehah and advice to one another that is of benefit and that our talking and our mixing is just not about the Dunya, and what you want to do in the Dunya and how you are gonna be in this Dunya.

We need a Ramadhaan so that people learn to inculcate in their children to be like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, Umar al-Khattab, Sa'ad abi Ibn Waqqas and like this. We need a Ramadhaan so that they can study knowledge. This Ummah needs another Bin Baaz, this Ummah needs another Al-Albani, this Ummah needs another Muqbil, this Ummah needs another Ibn Taimiyyah, this Ummah needs all of these and more. You are gonna tell me that none of them can come or no one like them can from our families? None of them can come from us? Not everyone who comes from us have to be Goofi. Can't our children speak the Arabic language at a young age? Can't we put in the hands of our children books that will benefit the Ummah.. the same love the Kaafir have for Harry Potter and their imaginary books? Our hope is low. Our desire is low. We are supposed to be having high goals. We should be looking at our kids Abdullaah and Abdurrahman and saying : You might be Sheikh Naasir for this Ummah. We should be saying when listening to Sudaisi and Shuraim that it could be you leading the salaah in haram. We are supposed to be having high goals. But until we brush off the dust, the foolishness of the jaahiliyyah , the hastiness of the youth, the bad characteristics that we have, we have to get rid of them , we have to change our condition, we need aRamadhaan.

We need our Qiyaam at night, we need recitation of Qura'an, we need to sit together and talk together only about the deen, not about the Dunya, we need to worry about our status in the Aakhirah, in the Hereafter. We need to wake up from our sleep. Wake up Oh Sleepy one. !! our slumber has been too long. You got to wake up, take wudoo, get within the caravan of Mohamed Ibn Abdullah, Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, Umar al-Khattab, Ibn Taimiyyah – you have to get with it. How long are we going to stay sick? How long are we going to be unsettled? How long are we going to have our problems? We need a Ramadhaan. And let this Ramadhaan be the one where you come out of it better, come out of it committed, come out of it devoted, you come out of it with your head held high. You are from the Ummah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and don't you forget it!!

Walhamdulillaahi rabbil aalameen.

Abu hakim talks about his coversion to Islaam..

Question one: When did you become Muslim?

I entered Islam in the summer of 1991

Question two: How did your family react to it?

I was born into a Jamaican family, and it is well known that most Jamaicans are quite staunch Christians. Though my parents were not strong practising Christians our family was raised on Christian ethics. My father was of a seventh day Adventist background and they are known to be a Puritan Christian denomination. Since I was heavily involved in gang culture anything that could take me away from that was welcomed by my family. I think though, that they initially thought it was a phase I was going through and I would leave gun culture due to it and then probably eventually leave it.

Question three: Has anyone in your family become Muslim since your reversion? If yes then how did you feel?

Yes. My father embraced Islam while I was still a student in the Islamic University of Medina. He suffered from diabetes and became very ill and was admitted into hospital while I was in the second year of my study in the faculty of Hadeeth. I was given leave to return to England so I returned with the mission of giving my father da'wah. I knew that my father was receptive to the da'wah before I even went away to study. That was because when I used to speak to the family about Islam he would be in the room and would silently listen. What I know of him is that if you would disapprove of something then he would let his disapproval be known. Also due to his seventh day Adventist background, I knew that he would be more appreciative of the pure monotheistic message of Islam and the Qur'an. So I returned and began to give him da'wah and call him to Islam, it didn't take long for him to accept the message though he found difficulty speaking. And so he embraced two weeks before he passed away Al hamdullillah and may Allaah have mercy upon him. When I informed Shaikh Ubaid of the good news he was extremely happy and named him Ahmad. Though it greatly affected that year of study in the faculty (as I had to stay in England much longer than the time that was given to me) this is a drop in the ocean compared to the great good that was achieved because of it. I also have three brothers and two sisters who are all older than me. My brothers have said that after them hearing the da'wah, if they were ever to become religious than they would embrace Islam so I make du'a that Allaah guides them all.

Question four: What made you want to leave the life you once led?

Since the age of 12, I was involved with the largest most notorious gang in Birmingham at the time known as the inch-I crew. Inch-I (who went on to become the now well-known Johnson Crew) controlled the North West corridor of Birmingham, but its members were feared citywide. After years of gang affiliation I was eventually imprisoned due to gang related offenses. Looking back I consider this to be the beginnings of my step towards being guided. Although I didn't get da'wah in prison, I did get long periods of reflection. I also did a lot of reading and studying in general and thus my frame of mind was altered. After release I decided to look for a close companion of mine who I was imprisoned with, who was also Inch-I and who was one of the few inmates in that prison, who like me, came from Birmingham. Rumour had it that he had gone mad after his release so I took it upon myself to try and find him. When I eventually came across him, I found him wearing a Pakistani salwar khamees and a koofi and then realised why people were saying that he had gone mad. Knowing that he wasn't un-intelligent, I decided that I would look into exactly what had come over him. I invited him to my home and he brought a number of books with him among them a Qur'an. He began to speak about the 'truths' that he had discovered, the errors in the Bible, various prophecies, the call of the prophets and the realities of death. He clarified biblical misconceptions that I had always queried, and established concepts that I had always thought to be correct. Then he left the Qur'an with me and other books which I began to read. From the first things that I did was that I stopped drinking intoxicants. With a clearer head I was able to fully grasp the concepts that were present in Qur'an. I was struck by how powerful the book was, its message and wording, and I used to wash before reading it which increased the feeling of awe that I had for it. It was not long until I began to debate with people as though I was Muslim but I had not yet embraced Islam.

Inshaa'Allaah NEXT ISSUE: Part 2- Questions on his Perception on Muslims before Islam and His studies and teachers.

source: As-Sunnah Newsletter page 4

Related post: Scholarly recommendations for Br. Abu Hakeem Bilaal Davis

Oh sister covered in hijab

Oh sister covered in hijab by sh. Badr Ali Utaybee hafidahullaah

This is a poem by shaykh Badr Bin Ali Utaybee hafidahullaah, taken from "20 pieces of advice to my sister before her marriage"

"Oh sister veiled in hijaab slacken your pace.
Walk upon the hearts of the jealous
ones and cause them to tremble!

Move with nobility and pride whenever the eyes of the envious
are barred from glancing at your skin.

You are beauty in its goodness and perfection.
You are chastity in all its glory.

Don't be decieved! Indeed veiling your face is from the sunnah
of that chosen Hashami Mesenger (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam)

Being veiled from sight is for you
a sign of dignity;
be delighted and with it, spoil yourself.

Your veil is a protective armor from every dreadful assailing wolf.

This is our legislation, truly and justly
Just as it is our nature.

It has been established in verses of the Qur'an and
authentic hadiths, related by trustworthy narrators.

When you recite the book of your Lord then understand
that in (surah) an-Nur are ayaat concerning al-Hijaab.

So ponder His order to throw the khimar, that covers your head,
over your face and to let it drape over your sides front and back.

And understand the word (throw) to indicate the importance
of being keen to cover your face and body
and this is clear truth.

And you have been prohibited from throwing your legs about,
So let not the sounds of anklets entice the ears.

And also in (surah) al-Ahzaab are verses 53 and on,
In them is my Lord's command to veil.

When
they came asking the prophet's wives or if you, Oh
sister are asked.

Because these verses even though they are for the prophets wives,
they are to be applied generally, due to what follows.

Because veiling is for the purification of the hearts which
so quickly fades the eyes when lined with kuhl.

And look to the conclusion of Al-Ameen and his understanding of the verse in
Adwaa'ul bayaan (1) and it is replete with benefits and also in this verse is an order
for you to bring your garment over you fully as to hide yourself and make yourself unrecognizable.

This book of Allaah Affirming that unveiling is
a foundation of evil that bring (men) to trial.

And the best of creation says about you "she is auwra"(2)
referring to women so think!

And on the authority of ibn Mas'ood as related by at-Tirmidhee
and declared hasan saheeh with each narrator just and precise
from first to
last.

And likewise al Bazzaar and ibn Khuzaymah and ibn al Adiyy
and Ali ad-Daraqutni (3)

Oh sister do not throw off the veil.
It is nobility for you and increase you in splendor,

As for those who encourage unveiling,
they only intend for you shame and belittlement.

And that you become like a mannequin in the hands,
a plaything, sold off for a petty price.

They seek that your picture is displayed in magazines
after you were once like a jewel, protected and safeguarded.

They want you to dance to music with them,
abandon your religion, and act like someone else.

And that the scum of mankind exchange,
between them and themselves, authority over you.

And use not acting as an excuse
Barking jackals, howling wolves,
there is no trust to be had in them.

Be warned from becoming the hunted, stalked down and eaten.

The "muck" of the art is belittling and
embarressing,
be warned of falling, Oh sister into mud.

Don't be amazed by the laughing of the mistresses of singning
and don't be bedazzled by the sinful stars of cinema.

This cannot decieve your type!
By Allaah, their chests constrict due to their sins,
filled with anguish and regret.

They, with their worries and woes, live their lives in a sick state,
Only Allaah's religion holds the cure.

Their chests are burnt by an open flame
that has set a blaze in its hollow.

With every day it burns stronger, more hot.

This is their intent; it decieves us not.

So do you, Oh sister, see as we see?

Do you understand whats being presented to thee?

Is dignity, that the Muslim woman relinquishes her hijaab?

Or that she fills with shame and disgrace?

Or is it decency if she is naked, uncovering her face,
wearing tight clothes and pants instead a modest
overgarment?

Is chastity to sing the song of adulterers and fornicators,
when overtaken by passion la la lee?

Is fortitude to agree to burn along with those
that will roast in hell?

Or is it sound politics to appoint to office over the masses,
one pampered raised in petty amusement(4) .

Those who make one from your gender in charge over their affairs will never attain success,
As authentically reported in the prophetic narration (5)

And it is just that she is given exactly as her husband in inheritance
and in rights of marriage and divorce ? (6)

Naturally she is not the same as a man

And in Islamic legislation she is below him
and is rightfully under his guardianship.

Oh our sisters, By Allaah this is her condition,
If you asked them: A modern woman

So do yourself well and stick to the shari'ah,
which if you hold firm to it,
your will not be misguided and will not
go astray.

It is your fortress, your honour.

It is your covering,
your light in the darkeness of the nights

Your are exalted in sticking to the injunctions of your faith,
like a star by which the sky is full of beauty.

May Allaah protect you and All who say
"Be rewarded with good Oh Bad bin Al-Ali

footnotes:

1)
I intend here the shaikh of our scholars, Al- Allaamah Muhammad Al
Ameen ash-Shanqetee, in his book Adwaa Al-bayaan (6/548). He mentioned
that the strongest opinion is that this verse is general to all women.
2)
Translator note: The auwra (private part) for the woman varies
depending on who she is in front of. However, while in front of foreign
men, who are not her husband, father ,grandfather, brother, son , uncle
or nephew, she has to cover every part of her body according to the
opinion of many of the people knowledge.

3) Narrated by
at-Tirmidhee (4/337), Ibn khuzaymah in his saheeh (3/93-94), Al Bazzaar
in his Musnad (5/427), ibn Adiyy in al Kaamil (3/424),ad- Daraqutni in
al-I'lal (5/314), At-Tirmidhee declared it to be hasan saheeh Gareeb
and al Hafidh A'li bin Umar ad-Daraqutni graded it to be authentic.

4)
Allaah, the Most High said about the female gender "(Like they then for
Allaah) a creature who is brough up in adornments (wearing silk and
gold ornaments, i.e. women), and who in dispute cannot make herself
clear?"(surah az-Zukhruf:18) According to the scholars of tafsir, this
verse refers to the weakness of the woman and her deficiency in
expressing herself.

5) Collected by Al-Bukhari , based on this
how can woman be given positions of great importance in a nation, such
as the ruler of the country or military general?

6) A woman is
not equal to man in inheritance or when dealing with marriage and
divorce. All of this is not because of the deficiency in her, but it is
from the completeness of a man's authority and guardianship over her;
he is her wali and he is responsible for her affairs. That is because
in the Islamic legislation, females are not equal to males.

Umm Yahya Bint Muhammad Ali

The Dislike of Marriage with Women from the People of the Book -nowadays- and its Evil Consequences

In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent Most Merciful,

by Sheikh 'Abdul 'Azeez bin Baaz -may Allah have mercy upon him- [Reference below]:

The Imaam, the Father Sheikh 'Abdul 'Azeez bin 'Abdillah bin Baaz -may Allahs mercy be upon him- says:

Marriage with other than Muslim Women contains in it elaboretness. [TN: It's not as simple as we think. And the Sheikh will explain bi ithnillah]. Idolatresses, Communist and likewise Buddhist Women are not permissible to marry. As for chaste women from the People of the Book who are known for having chastity, decency and being distant from the avenues of fornication, they are considered the chaste ones.

So it is permissible for a Muslim Man to marry a chaste woman (from the People of the Book). However he leaves off that which is more virtuous and foremost and what is farther away from evil (i.e. marrying the Muslimah).

Because marrying this women could perhaps lead him to becoming a Christian (or Jew) -and Allahs refuge is sought- or possibly lead the children to becoming Christians (or Jews). And this is the reason why 'Umar and a group from the Salaf disliked that (type of marriage although it is permitted) fearing for that person the evil consequences behind it. Nontheless the origin is that it is halaal (lawful).

Just as He the Most High and Exalted says in His Noble Book in Surah al-Maaidah: {Made lawful to you today are At-Tayyibat [all kinds of Halýl foods, which Allýh has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits). The food of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time, when you have given their due Mahr, desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse nor taking them as girl-friends.}5:5

Thus Allah has permitted marriage to those women from the People of the Book (who are chaste). And a Muhsanah is one who is free, chaste and known (to the people) for chastity and decency. So when is this known from her?! When is it known that she is chaste in (places like) America or England or in any place?! This is petrifyingly dangerous. The advice is that he (the Muslim Man) should not marry her (the disbelieving women from the People of the Book). But if you find a chaste woman (from amongst them) who her chastity can be testified to then it is permissible to do so, yet he leaves off what is better (i.e. a Muslimah).

Because it is a means for him becoming a Christian (or Jew) due to his love for her or his children after him whether it be during his lifetime or after his death.

And there is no might or power except with Allah!

And may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Taken from: http://sahab.net/home/index.php?Site=News&Show=885

Translated by: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim

the day i met shaytaan:

asalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh,

subhanAllah we should thank Allah for guiding us to Tawheed, as those who are upon shirk and kufr are the ones who shaytaan has truly taken over.

yesterday, my mother and i ran into someone who happened to be an overzealous christian, and as soon as he saw us, he said: "thank God im christian!". i say, "alhamdulillah for Allah has saved me from the shirk that they commit".

here are the main parts of the conversation, give or take a few words here and there. notice the sickness of mind and insanity of this individual in the way he answers the questions, full of blindness and senselessness, as Allaah says in the Qur'aan, a-falaa ya'qiloon???


him: why don't you believe that Jesus is God!? (he says this as if it is the most natural thing upon the face of the Earth)

me: we, as muslims, believe in what is called tawheed, it comes from the arabic root wa-hh-ada, to make one, that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah.

him: Jesus came to die for your sins!

me: we don't believe that anyone is going to be responsible for ours sins and bear the burden of our sins except our own selves.

him: Mary was pregnant with Jesus, and she was a virgin, and this miracle was performed by God, so God is the Father! (subhanAllahi 'amma yasifoon!!!)

me: all Allah has to do is say: "kun", fa yakoon - Be! and is it, and that is the case with the birth of Jesus.

him: Jesus came down to Earth for a period of 33 years, and during this time, God was a human. (laa ilaaha illa Allah!)

me: so do you believe that Jesus is God or the son?

him: both! (look at the insanity of this man, la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah)

me: where is God?

him: in the heavens.

me: then tell me, if God was on Earth as a human, who was in Heaven?

him: (starts talking about other nonsense and historical accounts).

after a few minutes

me: you didn't answer my question.

him: what was your question? (subhanAllah, is he really this blind?)

me: if God was on Earth as a human, who was in Heaven? and who was taking care of the needs of the Creation?

him: God is [can be] everywhere! (he just said God is in heaven, now he says He's everywhere. how confused is he! why don't they worship everything then if God is everywhere???)

me (or my mother): are you saying then that God was crucified, so He died?

him: yes he did! for me, for you and for you! because Jesus loves you! (wa lahum 'adhaabu jahannam wa bi'sal maseer)

me: you believe in one God or three?

him: we believe that God is one, but there is the Father, the son and the holy ghost!

me: so you believe that God is three people?

him: three...(stammers)...entities, yes.

me: we do believe in Jesus, but that he was only a messenger sent to us, like Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

him: messenger?? i can also be a messenger, i am a messenger sent to you! (have you started laughing yet?)

me: why don't you believe in the Qur'aan then, the way you invite us to believe in your Bible? except that we do believe in the orignial injeel, or revelation sent to Jesus, but it has been changed.

him: it has not been changed! (he denies the truth about the Bible even though it is in front of his face), and we don't believe in the Qur'aan because st. Paul said that whoever accepts another book after the Bible is doomed.

me: we don't believe in saints.

him: oh us too, but im just saying it to... (subhanAllah, he uses whatever example it takes, true or false, to try to prove his point)

me: the Qur'aan was revealed to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

him: i don't believe he [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] is the last prophet! how can it be when he [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] could not read or write and yet had the Qur'aan?

(subhanAllah, this man claims to believe in the miraculous birth of Isaa alayhi asalaam, and he fails to believe in the Qur'aan being revealed to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam???

look how he tries to rationalize here, yet he can't use his senses to realize that he is worshiping a god who was apparently killed at the hands of the people... Jesus could not save himself from being killed (as they claim), so how can he save us and bring us salvation???

"Have you then taken (for worship) Auliya' (protectors) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?")

lastly, when my mother and i were leaving (we had come to his office for some paperwork, not knowing about his character beforehand, subhanAllah this is from the qadr of Allah, and Allah had willed to show us shaytaan in person that day...),

he said: before you leave, i ask you to accept Jesus [to be your savior].

me: and i ask you to accept and worship Allah with no partners

him: NEVER! ('audhibillahi min ashaytan irrajeem)


i cant explain how sick i felt after hearing such words of kufr and shirk come out from someone's mouth. now when i think about the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the sahaaba, and what they went through, each and every day, dealing with the mushrikoon, i am truly amazed at how they passed through those moments by the Help of Allah. may Allah join us with them in Jannah, ameen.

wa nas'alullah asalaama wal 'aafiya.

subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ashhadu anla ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atooboo ilayk.
source:salafitalk
ام موسى سعدية

A Woman's Strong Determination to Repent!!! Read it and Weep (Literally!!!)

It was reported on the authority of Hassan Al Basree (Rahimahullah), who was one of the scholars from the Ta'bieen:

There was a prostitute who had a third of the beauty of Adam (Alaihis salam). She would not allow anyone to have sexual relations with her unless it
was for 100 dinars. There was a slave boy who saw her one day and her beauty amazed him so much that he went and worked and toiled with his
own two hands until he collected 100 dinars. So he went to her and said: "Your beauty amazed me so much that I went and worked and
toiled with my own two hands and immediately collected 100 dinars!" So she said to him: "Enter!" So he entered and to his amazement she
had a bed made of gold. He said: "So I sat on her bed and she said to me: "Come on!" So when he sat between her legs he remembered his
standing in front of Allah!! His heart began to tremble and quiver and he said to her: "Let me leave and you can keep the money!!" She said to
him: "What is wrong with you?! You were the one who said that you saw me and my beauty amazed you so you worked and toiled hard
and quickly with your bare hands until you collected 100 dinars and now that you have the ability to take what is rightfully yours this
is what you do?!!! "

So he said: "I am afraid of Allah and my standing in front of Him! I was once the most hated person to you (because he was a poor slave)
and now you are the most hated person to me!" (because he now realizes the sin she is allowing him to commit) So she said: "If you are
honest in what you say, then you are the only husband for me!" So he said: "Let me leave!" So she said: "No! Not until you marry me?!"
So he said: "No! Not until you allow me to leave!" So she said: "If you leave and I go out in search of you, do you promise that if I find
you, you will marry me?" So he said: "Perhaps!" So she let his garment go, he left and returned to his city. She set out in search of him
remorseful and repentant for what she had done until she found the city where he resided. She asked around town about his whereabouts and she
was directed towards where he lived. So someone said to him in passing:

إن الملكة قد جاء!
"The queen has come!" (He said this because her clothing and demeanor spoke that of a queen)

So when he saw her he cried so profusely and began to gag and gasp for air (as he never expected to see her again and now to his amazement,
believed that she was a queen!) and he died while falling into her arms! So she said:

أما هذا فقد فاتني فهل له من قريب؟
"As for him, I have lost this one! Does he have any relatives?

So it was said to her:
له أخ فقير!
"He has a brother but he is poor!"

So she said with all candor and sincerity:

فأتزوجه حبا لأخيه!
"Thus I will marry him because of my love for his brother!!" (keep in mind they still believe that she is the queen!)

So she married him.


Translator's Note: This narration is taken from a book called Hilyat ul Awliyaa by Abu Nu'aim Al Asbahani (Rahimahullah) and it is a book filled with
narrations about amazing events during the time of the Salaf. Some of these narrations may not be authentic or we may not know the authenticity of
them, however the scholars use them in the realm of what is called At Targheeb wat Tarheeb (i.e. encouragement (to be obedient to Allah) and
discouragement (from disobedience to Allah) and they have stipulated 4 conditions for using these narrations and I will provide them below for the
reader's clarification:

The First: The narration can not be used to establish and/or substantiate a legislative Islamic ruling. As the Islamic rulings in Islam are established
and/or supported by authentic unequivocal and concrete texts from the Qur'an, Authentic Sunnah and the Ijma'a (i.e. Consensus) of the Sahabah
and the Salaf us Salih (i.e. Righteous Predecessors)

The Second: The narration can not be attributed to the Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) or the narrator unless the Isnad (i.e. chain of narrators)
is affirmed by those scholars who are proficient in that respective field. So thats why the scholars will say when narrating these types of narrations
"It was reported…." Or "it was mentioned about…" but they will never say such and such said.

The Third: The class of the narration has to be clarified when quoted so as not to mislead the reader and/or listener to believe that it is authentic if
it is not authentic.

The Fourth: It can only be used in the realm of what the scholars call At Targheeb wat Tarheeb, as it was mentioned before.


Translated by Abu Az Zubayr Shadeed Muhammad on the 1431H./1/4 corresponding to Dec. 19 2009 in the city of Riyadh, the Capital of Saudi
Arabia

The Devil's Deception Regarding Birth Control

"[O]vulating women not on the [birth control] pill 'exhibit a preference for more masculine features, are particularly attracted to men showing dominance and male-male competitiveness and prefer partners who are genetically dissimilar to themselves.'

"Women on the pill tend to pick more effeminate men who look like themselves. This could lead to problems conceiving, according to the study conducted at the University of Sheffield.

"'There is evidence that genetic similarity between couples might be linked with infertility,' said the study..."

http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USTRE5973OT20091008




Also, keep in mind that male features tend to be tied to testosterone, a hormone that also influences sperm count (http://men.webmd.com/testosterone-15738?print=true).

More effeminate men tend to produce less testosterone, resulting in a lower sperm count, and lower fertility.
Less effeminate men tend to produce more testosterone, resulting in a greater sperm count, and greater fertility.

Theoretically, a woman could consistently take pills, remaining attracted to effeminate men.

This is further evidence that the West is killing humanity.

Other evidence includes:

1) The West's condoning relationships that can't possibly result in children (same-sex marriages)
2) In the name of women's rights, women are starting families later in life so they can establish a career, making it less likely that they can bear children.

Muslims have clearly been deceived by this when they make their daughters wait until after college to get married.

3) Polygamy is regarded as a horrible transgression against women, even though it's a way to have more children.

Shaykh Bin Baaz said:
quote:
Allah has sanctioned the means that lead to procreation and a larger Muslim nation. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi-wasallam) said,

"Marry the child-bearing, loving women for I shall outnumber the peoples by you on the Day of Resurrection." [Irwaa al-Ghaleel]

Another narration states at the end, "[outnumber] the prophets on the Day of Resurrection."

The Muslim Nation is in need of being increased in numbers so that it may worship Allah, strive in His way, and defend the Muslims, by the will of Allah, from the plots of their enemies. It is a must to avoid such things [as birth control] and not to use them except in the cases of dire necessity.

http://www.fat

'Marriage is not lust and the woman is not just pleasure and enjoyment'

The Mufti said,'Marriage is not lust and the woman is not just pleasure and enjoyment'


The following is a summary translation taken from sahab.net

http://www.sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=354427


The noble Sheikh, the Mufti of the committee of major scholars in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah Aali Shiekh declared that marriage is not just about lust and fulfilling the desires rather it is security and living together and stability.

And the noble Sheikh said: Some of the Muslims have an incorrect understanding about marriage, understanding it in a way other than its reality. Some of them have an understanding that marriage is simply about fulfilling their desires, so although they might implement the legislated marriage contract, their intention with this marriage is not stability nor commitment rather he marries and in himself he is planning to divorce her, meaning he knows in himself that he will marry her for a specific time period even if he does not mention this or disclose this.

So he marries her due to his desire for her not to have serenity and peace of mind with her, but he only counts her as just a simple pleasure; so he s always on the verge of divorcing her and bringing in someone other than her. So he is a husband and at the same time he mixes this with the intention of divorce. And he does not want from the woman anything other than pleasure.

This is deception to the woman and dishonesty and misleading her; and if a man came to his daughter or his sister and he knew that he did not want her except for this purpose he would not allow him to marry her, but when it comes to other people s daughters he does whatever he wants.

And all of this is from deception and dishonesty and fraud and betrayal. And for this reason Islam has prohibited temporary marriage; and this is to marry for an estimated number of days for an agreed upon specific duration. Therefore this was made impermissible due to the harms that it contains.

And the Sheikh said: So what the person does not like for his daughters then he should not like it for the daughters of the Muslims.

And the Sheikh said: And some of the people might travel to places in order to find marriage for a specific number of days or months and he thinks this is a marriage contract and all of this is trivial to him, so he falls into sin.

And there are some who marry a number of women before (the other women he divorced) finish their waiting period. So he will merge the marriage to more than ten women in one month without any concern for the Islamic legislated contract.

And the Mufti said: The Muslim must have good judgment and he should not let his goal be to fulfill his desire in a way that is not in accordance with the Islamic legislation. And he must adorn himself with the manners of Islam, and he must look at other people s daughters just like he looks at his own daughters and his own sisters, and he should put people in the position that he likes to be in.

Therefore if the person believes it allowable to do evil to the daughters of others and to not comply with the Islamic standard and then he does not want this same evil for his daughters; then why this discrepancy? Where is the balance, where is the justice?

Unfortunately, there are some Muslims who make permissible that which Allah has made impermissible so in a matter of days they marry a number of women, all with the intention of divorce, seeking by this to gain some benefit (from the wife) in the summer or the winter or other than this, and Islam prohibits this. Therefore Islam wants for us to be well-balanced in our contracts and to put others in the position of our daughters and our sisters and to be truthful in our dealings.

And the Sheikh said: &and some of them go and travel and get married against the normal system and then they fall into sin or serious situations and perhaps they might abandon their wives or leave them and not return to them after they have become pregnant or given birth to his child, so this exposes the Muslim descendants to danger. And some of them don t care about their wives or their children so major problems occur as a result of this treacherous marriage.


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THE STANCES TO BE ADOPTED WITH REGARD TO DECREED EVENTS WHICH ARE DISAGREEABLE

[From ‘al-Fawaa·id’ (pp.46-47) of Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim -rahimahullaah.]
“When something predecreed happens to the servant, and it is something which he dislikes, then he must adopt six stances regarding it:
The first: The stance of Tawheed: and that Allaah is the One Who decreed it, willed it, and created it. Whatever Allaah willed occurs, and whatever He did not will shall not occur;
The second: The stance of Justice (al-`Adl): And that His Judgement applies and occurs upon him, and whatever He ordains concerning him is fully just;
The third: The stance of Mercy (ar-Rahmah): And that His Mercy in this decreed matter outweighs His Anger, and His punishing; and that Mercy is its basis;
The fourth: The stance of Wisdom (al-Hikmah): And that His Wisdom -He the One free of all imperfections- necessitated that it should occur. He did not ordain it without purpose or frivolously.
The fifth: The stance of Praise (al-hamd): And that He- the Perfect- deserves full praise for that, from every aspect.
The sixth: The stance of Servitude (al-`Uboodiyyah): And that he is entirely a slave, in every sense. The Judgements and Decrees of his Master apply and occur upon him, since he belongs to Him and is His slave. So He controls him such that he is under His Decrees which relate to the creation, just as He controls him in his being under His Judgements relating to the Religion. So it is fully appropriate that these Decrees occur upon him.”

Raising Daughters

Noble reader, each and every one of you is surely going to be resurrected after his death, and questioned and taken into account for his actions in the life of this world. Amongst the issues that a servant would be questioned about, is his family and children, how did he look after and raise them. Concerning this, the Messenger- صلى الله عليه و سام -said: “A man is a care taker of his household and will be questioned about them. A woman is also a caretaker in her husband’s household and will be questioned about that.”

The topic of upbringing and raising children is an extensive one, so I will limit this essay to raising daughters specifically, due to their great importance and wide ranging effect in society - in manners and behavior. For indeed when a girl grows up, she becomes a wife, a mother, a teacher as well other responsibilities that await her in life. If she is rectified, a lot of other affairs would be rectified as a direct consequence, and if the she is ruined, a lot of affairs would also be ruined.

The following concise essay will revolve around the following points:

The virtues of Having girls and the falsity of pre-Islaamic ways.


Being Kind to Daughters – Methods and Examples.

Being Generous, kind and merciful to them.


Being just between them and their siblings whether they are boys and girls.

Bringing them up Islaamicaly and getting them accustomed to this while they are young.


Teaching and preparing them for a married life.

Being keen on marrying them to men of good religion and character.


Visiting them and enjoining ties with them after they are married.

Methods of protecting them from the dangers of present day society.




The virtues of Having Girls and the Falsity of Pre-Islaamic Discrimination.

If we look at the Book of Allaah the Glorified, we find that He strongly rebukes pre-Islaamic ways; that a man is displeased when he is given the glad tidings of a daughter, his face darkens while he is katheem, he feels shy amongst his people so he avoids them out of embarrassment. He contemplates whether he is going to bury her or leave her upon hawn. Allaah strongly criticized them from this practice.

There are, however, remnants of these pre-Islaamic ways that still live in the hearts of some men, especially if a man’s wife keeps giving birth to girls. Even though a woman is just like the earth in this case, in that it grows whatever the farmer plants in it, with some men, it has reached the point where he would divorce his wife after she gives birth – we seek refuge with Allaah from such ignorance and cold heartedness.

During the pre-Islaamic era, women had no status at all, a man would bury his daughter and yet raise his dog and feed his farm animals. Allaah falsified this lowly ideology and raised the status of the woman to its natural level, a level that suits her and enables her to carry out her duties, obligations and rights. He addressed the woman in the same way He addressed the man in obligations and prohibitions, and He specified the woman with some rulings that concern only her, rulings which suit her natural state.

Having children is something that is predestined, it is in Allaah’s Hands, He blesses whom he wills with girls and blesses whom he wills with boys. He blesses others with both boys and girls and tests others with neither. Allaah the Elevated states:
{To Allaah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills. Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. Verily, He is All-Knower and is Able to do all things.} [Ash Shooraa: 49-50]


Contemplate over how he mentioned girls first before boys; this is an admonishment to those who belittle the status of women and consider them to be insignificant.


So be pleased with whatever Allaah has decreed for you do not know where the goodness lies! How many fathers were contented by the tidings of a boy, who later only became a calamity for him, a cause for the decrease of his wealth and a continuous source of worry and misery for him. And how many a father was discontented by the news of a daughter while he was anticipating a son, and this girl became not only a helping hand, but a merciful heart and continuous source of support throughout his life. From here we understand that contentment, in reality, is not due to having a boy or a girl, it is only realized if the child is righteous, whether it is male or female. Allaah the Elevated said in describing the servants of al Rahmaan:
{And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the righteous. } [Al Furqaan: 74]

Raising Daughters

Noble reader, each and every one of you is surely going to be resurrected after his death, and questioned and taken into account for his actions in the life of this world. Amongst the issues that a servant would be questioned about, is his family and children, how did he look after and raise them. Concerning this, the Messenger- صلى الله عليه و سام -said: “A man is a care taker of his household and will be questioned about them. A woman is also a caretaker in her husband’s household and will be questioned about that.”

The topic of upbringing and raising children is an extensive one, so I will limit this essay to raising daughters specifically, due to their great importance and wide ranging effect in society - in manners and behavior. For indeed when a girl grows up, she becomes a wife, a mother, a teacher as well other responsibilities that await her in life. If she is rectified, a lot of other affairs would be rectified as a direct consequence, and if the she is ruined, a lot of affairs would also be ruined.

The following concise essay will revolve around the following points:

The virtues of Having girls and the falsity of pre-Islaamic ways.


Being Kind to Daughters – Methods and Examples.

Being Generous, kind and merciful to them.


Being just between them and their siblings whether they are boys and girls.

Bringing them up Islaamicaly and getting them accustomed to this while they are young.


Teaching and preparing them for a married life.

Being keen on marrying them to men of good religion and character.


Visiting them and enjoining ties with them after they are married.

Methods of protecting them from the dangers of present day society.




The virtues of Having Girls and the Falsity of Pre-Islaamic Discrimination.

If we look at the Book of Allaah the Glorified, we find that He strongly rebukes pre-Islaamic ways; that a man is displeased when he is given the glad tidings of a daughter, his face darkens while he is katheem, he feels shy amongst his people so he avoids them out of embarrassment. He contemplates whether he is going to bury her or leave her upon hawn. Allaah strongly criticized them from this practice.

There are, however, remnants of these pre-Islaamic ways that still live in the hearts of some men, especially if a man’s wife keeps giving birth to girls. Even though a woman is just like the earth in this case, in that it grows whatever the farmer plants in it, with some men, it has reached the point where he would divorce his wife after she gives birth – we seek refuge with Allaah from such ignorance and cold heartedness.

During the pre-Islaamic era, women had no status at all, a man would bury his daughter and yet raise his dog and feed his farm animals. Allaah falsified this lowly ideology and raised the status of the woman to its natural level, a level that suits her and enables her to carry out her duties, obligations and rights. He addressed the woman in the same way He addressed the man in obligations and prohibitions, and He specified the woman with some rulings that concern only her, rulings which suit her natural state.

Having children is something that is predestined, it is in Allaah’s Hands, He blesses whom he wills with girls and blesses whom he wills with boys. He blesses others with both boys and girls and tests others with neither. Allaah the Elevated states:
{To Allaah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills. Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. Verily, He is All-Knower and is Able to do all things.} [Ash Shooraa: 49-50]


Contemplate over how he mentioned girls first before boys; this is an admonishment to those who belittle the status of women and consider them to be insignificant.


So be pleased with whatever Allaah has decreed for you do not know where the goodness lies! How many fathers were contented by the tidings of a boy, who later only became a calamity for him, a cause for the decrease of his wealth and a continuous source of worry and misery for him. And how many a father was discontented by the news of a daughter while he was anticipating a son, and this girl became not only a helping hand, but a merciful heart and continuous source of support throughout his life. From here we understand that contentment, in reality, is not due to having a boy or a girl, it is only realized if the child is righteous, whether it is male or female. Allaah the Elevated said in describing the servants of al Rahmaan:
{And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders of the righteous. } [Al Furqaan: 74]

The title: Tsunami- The reasons for earthquakes

This audio recording was transcribed to text, from a class given at Masjid Rahmah, by Abul Hasan Malik Aadam Al-Akhdar. The title: Tsunami- The reasons for earthquakes is taken from the book ‘Asbaabu Zilzaal’, (The Reasons for Earthquakes) written by our Shaykh Al-Allaamah Muqbil Ibn Haadee Al-Waadi’ee, May Allaah’s Mercy be upon him.



Abul Hasan defines Tsunami:

A brief scientific definition of the word Tsunami is when an earthquake happens underneath the ocean bed or a volcanic eruption happens underneath the seas floor. When it causes the earthquake, the shifting of the earth then causes the eruption and when that eruption takes place it causes waves to reach great heights.And in one reading that I have read, it mentioned that when the wave begins to approach the earth, it begins to rise even more. It has something to do with the way that it approaches the earth and the velocity, like this and it raises even higher. And this particular Tsunami that took place, it basically took place in about seven different countries. And the death toll is now approximately147,000 people who have been killed in this particular calamity.This is not the first Tsunami that has ever happened and of course, as we know this is not the first earthquake that has ever taken place. Because of the devastation that has been seen or witnessed with this last Tsunami and much of the Kalaam (speech), many of the people who talk about it, firstly, being in some Muslim country that; it took place in Indonesia, for example. Also it took place in Malaysia, if I am not mistaken and some other places where there are great populations of Muslims.So many began to question this matter and began to ask with regards to the destruction; to the point where we had mentioned that we had heard even some from among the disbelievers who said that this caused them to question their belief in the Creator. The fact that so many babies had died and, so many lives had been taken that this has began to, as they say, cause them to question their belief in the Creator.And this shows us, brothers, the reality of those who disbelieve that when a matter like this happens. Those who believe understand this increases them in faith. As they understand that this is from the Decree of Allaah. And many of the nations that have preceded, because of their sins and transgressions against Allaah, they had been destroyed. How many are the examples that we could mention?The people of Lut, for example, because of their transgressions, because of their going to Homo-sexuality, preferring the men over the women, that Allaah has created for them. Allaah caused that village or that land to be raised up by the Angels until it was mentioned that in the heavens they could hear the barking of the dogs of the people in that particular place and that land was turned upside-down. And then, it was returned back to the earth in destruction and then Allaah rained down upon them fire from the heavens. So there is no question of that which has taken place historically from the Decree of Allaah in the nations. As we are well aware of the flood of Nuh (Noah), where Allaah caused the water to come from the earth and also from the heavens until the point where the people were drowned except those who were saved in the Ark of Nuh (Noah).So there is no question what so ever that Allaah in His infinite Wisdom and in His infinite Mercy, He has decreed the likes of these particular matters.

Our Shaykh, Shaykh Muqbil, (Allahs mercy be upon him), had written a book with regards to this matter: ‘Asbaabu Zilzaal’ (The Reasons for Earthquakes) and the likes of this and the calamities. It is a tremendous book. So we thought it would be beneficial after we saw what had taken place, that we could bring about some benefit with regards to this particular matter. Firstly, before entering into the book itself, I wanted to mention some of the brief Kalaam(speech) with regards to the Surah Zilzalah in the Qur’an,(The Book of Allaah), Allaah mentions Surah 99:1-8. (1) “When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake.” And the scholars of Tafsir, (those who explain the verses of the Qur’an according to what the Prophet Muhammad, Sallahu Alayhis Salaam, has said with regards to its meaning), from them Ibn Kathir; he mentioned that meaning here of this particular earthquake, that is mentioned in this particular Ayah, that it is the earthquake before Yaumal Qiyyamah, (The Day of Judgement). (2). “And when the earth throws out its burdens.” Also Ibn Kathir mentions with regards to the meaning of this particular Ayah at that particular time; the earth will cause that which is in it, to be cast out from the dead in the earth, from the treasures in the earth, from that which is buried in the earth, from ancient civilizations, whenever it may be. That at that particular time, the earth will throw up its burden, meaning that which is held in it. (3) ”And man will say: What is the matter with it?” Ibn Kathir mentions, with regards to this particular Ayah, that the people will say “Maa La Ha (What is wrong with it?)”. He said that at one time before this particular event, it was a land that was at rest, at peace, a normal affair, a normal matter and then it began to shake and quake. So this shows us that even at that particular time, because that place is at rest, it is a normal day, people are going about in their normal affairs, normal business and then all of a sudden the earth begins to shake. It begins to move and the people begin to question; what is with the earth?And as I read in one of the meanings with regards to the Tsunami itself, that some of the scientist say that it is as if the earth shook upon it’s axis in this particular Tsunami. (4). “That day it will declare its information about all that happened good or evil.” Ibn Kathir explains with regards to this particular Ayah: The earth is from the Shuhood (witnesses) for or against you. That those places that the people committed sin in, then the earth will bear witness against you and as for the places that the person has done righteousness in, then the earth will also be a witness for you. It’s either a witness for you or against you. So this particular matter shows us that the earth itself will testify and it will speak with regards to that which had taken place upon it. (5). “Because your Lord will inspire it.” Ibn Kathir mentions with regards to this meaning, that the inspiration here is that Allaah commanded the earth to shake; that it is Allaah that commanded the earth to move. And this is a refutation, as Shaykh Muqbil will get into against those who attribute these calamities to the nature. They call them natural disasters. And as we will see from the speech of Shaykh Muqbil: If one actually says this believing that it is the earth or the nature itself that causes this matter, then he is a disbeliever. He disbelieved that it is Allaah who has caused this matter and caused this affair to take place with His infinite Wisdom. (6). “That day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.” (7). “So whoever does good equal to the weight of an atom or a small ant, he shall see it.” (8). “And whoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom or a small ant, he shall see it.”

So on that day brothers, Yaumal Qiyyamah, after this particular earthquake, the great earthquake that is mentioned in these particular Ayat, every person will be shown that which he had done. If its something that is good, then he will be shown that and if it is something that is evil, then he will be shown that. And Ibn Kathir, recording on some of the Salaf, they mention that this Surah itself should be an encouragement for the people to do good even if it is a small, minor affair. Even if it is a small thing, something minute in your sight, it is a great encouragement for you to do.As Allaah mentioned that if you did the smallest amount of good you would see it on Yaumal Qiyyamah. Ibn Kathir also went on to mention that also the opposite is true. That this also should be a discouragement from even doing the smallest amount of evil. As Allaah mentioned in this Ayah that even if it is an atoms weight of evil, it will be shown to the individual. So this particular Ayat or Surah we should mention, shows the tremendous encouragement. Firstly, the doing of good even if it is a very small or minute matter and it is also a discouragement from doing evil again, even if it is from the most small or minute matters of evil. And we mentioned before in some of the lessons from the statements of the Salafis Salih with regards to this particular matter. And we mentioned that from what the Salaf has said: Do not look at the smallness or minuteness of the sin that you are committing, but rather look at the greatness of the one you are disobeying. This is the reality of the matter my brothers. May Allaah bless you.
And as the Shaykh began this particular book, he began to bring different Ayat to mention some of the matters that had happened throughout the earth in the past. And Inshallaah, I selected a portion of those particular Ayat, as the book is a bit long, not long. It’s a small Risalah, the meaning is that there are many Ayats and had we read the entire thing, it may have taken quite a few lessons. So I selected some of the Ayat from the different chapters or the different pages that the Shaykh had mentioned to read. And then bring the speech of the Shaykh in the conclusion.

The Shaykh mentions from the Qur’an the statement of Allaah, Al-A’raf 7:94-99, “And we sent no Prophet unto any town, any village or any place and they denied him, except that We seized it’s people with suffering from extreme poverty or loss in wealth or loss of health and calamities, so that they might humiliate themselves and repent to Allaah. Then We changed the evil for good, until they increased in number and wealth. And said: Our fathers were touched with evil, loss of health and calamities, and with good prosperity.” So they were touched with the both of them. They were touched with calamity, disease, death and what is like it. And they were also touched with some prosperity. So Allaah mentioned; “So We seized them all of a sudden while they were unaware. And if the people of the towns had believed and had Taq’wa (piety), and (fear of Allaah), certainly We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they denied the messengers. So We took them, with punishment, for what they used to earn. Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep? Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing? Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allaah? None feels secure from the Plan of Allaah except the people who are the losers.”
If you pay attention to these particular Ayat brothers, you see that from the reasons for destruction and from the reasons for these calamities that have takes place, is disobedience to the Messengers of Allaah. The people go about as Allaah mentions, in the day and in the night and some of them go to sleep in disobedience to Allaah. Not having any awareness and not being aware of that which Allaah has in plan for them in punishment and in seizing them.Or those who go about in the forenoon playing and going about their normal business in the day and not concerning themselves with that which they have done from disobedience, until Allaah takes and sends a tremendous punishment and calamity upon them and calls them to account for that which they had done. So clearly we see, and do not be mistaken, that which we have seen from destruction, and that which we have seen from death, is from the punishment of Allaah; for those who have belied the Messengers, and those who have disbelieved in the Messengers, and for those who have disobeyed the Messengers of Allaah.And then he brings the Ayat from the book of Allaah, Al_Isra’ 17:58-59. Allaah mentions in these particular Ayat; “And there is not a town, population, but We shall destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with a severe torment. That is written in the Book (of Our Decress). And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat, (proofs, evidences, signs) but that the people of old denied them.”So Allaah, He sent signs, Messengers, and Prophets. But the people belied those Messengers, they denied those Ayat, those signs and the likes of them. And He said; “We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And we sent not signs except to warn and to make them afraid (of destruction.)” So Allaah sent many signs to the people of the earth, past and present.He has sent them Messengers with revelations to their people to call them to that which is correct, and to that which is good, and to Tawheed, and to obedience to Allah. But these people belied the Messengers, and they denied the signs of Allaah, and therefore Allaah took them, as we mentioned, with terrible punishment. And then he mentioned the Ayat from the book of Allaah, Surah Fatir 35:44-45, “Have they not traveled in the land, and seen what was the end of those before them- though they were superior to them in power?” Here, Allah is mentioning that there were many nations that came before. Mighty nations, powerful nations, nations of technology, or civilization or like this that had built up great buildings, and great affairs and like this.
And have the people not looked through the earth and seen these matters and seen what was the punishment of those people? Volcanoes had taken some cities, earthquakes had destroyed some cities, floods had destroyed other cities. Great calamities had come to these nations who were powerful, who were mighty but it is Allaah, Glorified and Exalted is He, who is All-Mighty and All-Powerful and it is Allaah who takes to account for these particular matters.And then the Ayah continues: “Allaah is not such that anything in the heavens and the earth escapes Him. Verily, He is All-Knowing, All Omnipotent. And if Allaah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth.” Listen to the people when they talk about how they question their belief in the Creator. As if they do go about in the day and in the night sinning and transgressing against Allaah, causing all affairs of Kufr and disbelief; calling to all that is evil and wicked and corrupt. And then when Allaah takes them with a punishment, calls them to account for that which they did, they don’t remember their sins; they don’t remember their transgressions against Allaah.

All they can say is that they question their faith in the Creator. If Allaah had taken the people to account for what they had really done, there would remain a microbe upon the earth, not a living creature, not walking, not crawling, not swimming, not flying. There would not remain upon the earth a single creature had Allaah not given His infinite Mercy to His creation. “But He gives them respite to an appointed term: and when their term comes, then verily, Allaah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves.”

Allaah knows best that which they had done. Shaykh Muqbil, after mentioning these particular matters, he begins to make some comments with regards to these particular Ayat and the issue of the Zilzaal, these earthquakes. The Shaykh said that Allaah is telling us the story about these particular Ayat; about the condition of those who opposed the Messengers and what Allaah did to those people. And Allah did not oppress them, but rather they oppressed their own souls.Let us know for certainty, that which Allaah has done whether it be in this particular affair, this earthquake, that if you look at the evil of the people, how can one compare the likes of the evil of the people to that which has taken place. And it’s clear, that when Allaah mentions in that Ayah, that He taken the people to account for what they really had done that we wouldn’t remain. But it is only by the Mercy of Allaah and these calamities are from the Signs of Allaah. And then the Shaykh said in the Sahihain (Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority of Jaabirthat, when the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, brought the Ayah from the Qur’an: Say! He, Allaah, has Power, that He can send to you a punishment from above you. And when the Prophet recited it, he said; I seek refuge in your face, meaning Allaah, and then he said; or from beneath your feet. Allaah can send a calamity from above you or from beneath your feet and the Prophet said; I seek refuge in your face, again. Allaah says: or I can send a party of you against another so you can taste the punishment of one another. And sometimes Allaah sends a people strong in the affairs of war and killing and like this and He will send them over another people as a punishment.And this is from the punishment of Allaah, that He causes another people to humiliate another people. As we mention that from the affairs and the matters as mentioned from the book of Adaa Wa Dawaa by Ibnul Qayyim, that from the punishment of Allaah, again Bani Isra’eel, is that He sent a people against them strong in warfare to humiliate them and like. But when this was recited the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, said: As to this last affair, then it is the easiest of those matters.As for the punishment from the heavens, or as for the punishment from beneath the feet of you, then this is the most severe of the punishment of Alaah. So Allaah may send, as we mentioned, He may send down rain from the heavens to cause floods in the earth as we saw during the time of Nuh, peace be upon him. Or He may send down fire from the heavens, or as we see in this particular matter, Allaah may send destruction from beneath your feet from the shaking and the quaking of the earth from beneath you.

So it is Allaah that has Power over this matter. The Shaykh continues: And these affairs of teaching, these things that show you, these admonitions and like this, they continue to happen. They continue to take place ever since Allaah created the heavens and the earth until this day of ours.And in the second portion of this particular lecture or class when we continue and finish it up next week Insha-allaah, we will continue when Shaykh Muqbil brings in the last portion of this book chronologically different earthquakes and different calamities that have taken place in the earth.Whether it be famine, or it be hunger until the point where the Shaykh mentions in some instances in the history, that the hunger became so much that the people began to eat one another. This again is from the punishment of Allaah and from His infinite Wisdom. And then the Shaykh goes on to mention: And these particular Ayat are a severe warning for those who would oppose that which the Prophets and Messengers have come with. And we continue in our time to hear about these admonitions, these calamities. We just heard about this calamity, this Tsunami that took place last week 147,000 people killed. The Shaykh said: And we continue to hear about these signs from Allaah. And we continue to hear about these calamities that shake or bring fear to the Muslims, but the disbelievers, the enemies of Al Islaam, they try to make these calamities, natural disasters.

They call them natural disasters. Why do they call them natural disasters? So as to deny the Messengers? We just recited the Ayat about those who belie the Messengers, those who deny the signs of Allaah. So after 147,000 people die, a way for them to belie the Messengers, to deny the Ayat and the signs of Allaah, is to merely call it a natural disaster. The earth itself just did this. The earth itself began to quake naturally, for no reason, just began to quake like this.So they themselves try to belie the Messengers and deny the truth of Allaah, that which He has sent down, the claiming, alleging that these are natural disasters. And they also try to deny the help of Allaah and the victory that He gives to His Prophets. And then the Shaykh says: The abundance of the earthquakes in the last days is considered a sign from the signs of Prophethood.Why? Because the Prophet, Sallahu Alayhis Salaam, clarified as we will mention in the next lesson from the different narrations from Adallal An-Nubu’a, from the Proofs of Prophethood, that the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, had mentioned the coming of these earthquakes and that in the last days there would be tremendous loss of life due to earthquakes and the likes of this. So this is from proofs of Prophethood. And from signs of Prophethood is that the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, was able to mention that which was going to take place from the unknown at the particular time, or the un-seen at that particular time.
And then the Shaykh goes on to mention: As the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, mentioned in the narration of Salim Al Nufail, Radiullaahu Anhu, and other narrations that we will mention Insha-Allaah, there is also a narration in the Sahih of Imam: Bukhari and Imam: Muslims on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Radiullaahu Anhu,of the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, mentioning in the last days the coming of these earthquakes.

The Shaykh continues and says: And the question or that which needs to be considered; Have we taken account of that which has taken place? Have we repented to Allaah? How many of us when we heard about this earthquake, or this Tsunami that took place in the Asian Continent, how many fell and repented to their Lord? How many remembered their reckoning with Allaah, and knew that it could have taken place with them? The Shaykh is asking how many took account that 147,000 people have died. But how many of us have taken account from those who remain?

How many of us rushed to Taubah to Allaah. How many of us left off sin immediately, how many felt the fear, Might and Power of Allaah? Or did it become a mere matter of mentioning the death toll. How many people actually took account of that which had taken place in their own lives, and their own family. This is the reality of what the Shaykh is asking us here. Or are they like those who Allaah mentioned in His Qur’an. Allaah said: At-Taubah 9:126, “Do you not see that they had been tested with calamities at least once or twice a year.” Calamities happen quite often, earthquakes and floods. And then He, Allaah, says: “And then they still don’t repent.” The people still don’ repent, they see the calamities, they see the Might of Allaah. They see Allaah seizing the people of their sins and their transgressions and they still don’t repent to Allaah.
And they still don’t remember or take thought. They do not think. So this is what the Shaykh is clarifying for us. Yes, this calamity took place and it was a tragedy, yes. How many of us repented to Allaah. How many of us rushed to leave off the sins and transgressions against Allaah. That is a tremendous Ayah in Surah At-Taubah.

Then the Shaykh spoke about some of the earthquake that had actually taken place in Yemen and some of the calamities in Yemen. He said, after these earthquakes in Yemen, he said: Did the people then begin to get rid of the places that produce whiskey and alcohol. After the earthquake, did the people rush to remember their Lord and to tear down those places of whiskey and like this? Did they repent from Hisbiyyah. How many people repented from Hisbiyyah after these particular affairs. And how many people repented from democracy, that some of the people have the nerve and the audacity to call to and to claim this democracy is from Al-Islaam. A system that makes a faggot equal to the righteous, that gives the same matter to the drunkard to the man who is upon nobility.
How can the people even claim to clarify this matter, rather they should repent to Allaah from the democracy and understand that the affair is that which Allaah had legislated and sent down. Then the Shaykh said: Had they repented, had they freed themselves from the corruption and the sin that is in front of us. He said, again, speaking about the affair in Yemen: Rather, had they repented and freed themselves from unison with the likes of the communists. The matter needs Taubah. This matter needs repentance to Allaah. When we see the likes of these calamities, the likes of the destruction, the likes of the loss of life that we have seen before us, it needs Taubah. It needs people to repent to Allaah to leave off that which they have done from sin. To feel sorry for that which they have committed, to leave it off immediately and to desire within themselves never to return to that particular matter.

Then he mentions the Ayah from the book of Allaah, Qur’an, An-Anfal 8:25, “And fear the Fitnah, a trial, a calamity, that will not just strike those who were obstinate amongst you but rather, it will take all of you in a general punishment.” All of us should fear this. From amongst those who died, we are sure that there were those from among the Saliheen, righteous.But here, we see that Allaah has mentioned beware of a punishment from Allaah that will not just get the sinners from amongst you, but rather it will take the general people. And we will mention some points of benefit with regards to that matter. The Shaykh said: And some of the disbelievers they say; don’t say that these earthquakes are from the reasons of the sins of the people; don’t try to claim that the reason why the earth shook is because the people were sinning and transgressing against Allaah.And therefore the people continue to sin. Then he mentioned the Ayah from the book of Allaah, Qur’an, Ash-Shura 42:30. “And no calamity has reached you except from the deeds of your own hands.” Allaah is just and no calamity has reached the people except that it is from the sins of their own hand, the corruption of their own hands, that which they had put forth from their own sins is the reason for their destruction.And then Allaah mentions; Qur’an: Al-Hadid 57:22-23, “And there is no calamity that has taken place in the earth or within yourselves except that it is in a book that is recorded before we, Allaah, caused it to happen. And indeed this is easy for Allaah. So you will not feel sorrow for that which has missed you and you will not be happy about that which has come to you. And indeed Allaah does not love the obstinate braggard.”And then he mentioned the statement of Allaah, Qur’an, At-Taghabun 64:11, “And no calamity has reached you except by the permission of Allaah, and whosoever believes in Allaah, He guides his heart.” As we mentioned the true believer, when he sees his matter that had taken place with the Tsunami, it increased him in belief. It increased him in the fear of Allaah, as we will see from some of the coming narrations.

And the Shaykh, he continues: He said that earthquakes also could be from a test from Allaah. He firstly mentioned a punishment and it could also be a test from Allaah. He says: Qur’an: Al-Baqarah 2:153-156, “O you who believe! See aid in patience and prayer. Truly! Allaah is with the patient. And say not of those who are killed in the Way of Allaah, They are dead, rather they are alive, but you do not understand or you do not reason. And indeed, We will test you with something from fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient. Those who when afflicted with calamity, say: Truly! To Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” They understood this was a test from Allaah, as Allaah will test us with loss of life. Yes! You will be tested with loss of life as those who came before you were tested with the loss of life.Do you believe that the affair will only be good for you? Do the people now question the Creator because people had died? Yes! There was a calamity, no question it was an affair of sorrow but do the people believe that the affair will only be good for them? Qur’an, Al-‘Ankabut, 29:2-3, “Will the people be left alone saying that we believe and will not be tested?” This is the test of Allaah for His believing servants. He test the believers with loss of life, the loss of wealth, “To see those from amongst you who are truthful, and to see those from amongst you are the liars.”

Then the Shaykh goes on to say: Are we free from sin to where we have the audacity to believe we don’t deserve the punishment of Allaah? And he goes on to mention: Do we put ourselves in the place of the Angels, those who do not disobey Allaah in that which He commands them and they do as they are told? Do we put ourselves in that particular position? And when the Angels are told to do a matter, then they do so. How many times in the day and the night that we know an affair that Allaah has commanded us to do or forbidden us from and we still make that particular move? We still do that thing. How many times in the day and the night do we sin and transgress against Allaah and then we see the calamity before our eyes and we still don’t repent to Allaah.Instead of that affair making them question their belief in the Creator, it should have made them rush to belief in Al-Islaam. It should have made them rush to believe in the Creators of the heavens and the earth. But indeed, as Allaah mentions at the end of this particular Ayah, Al-Baqarah 2:156, “Truly! To Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” It is those who are upon them, the Peace of Allaah and His Mercy and it is those who are guided.So the guided ones are those who when the calamity comes, they know that it is from Allaah and they know we come from Allaah and to Allaah we are returned. The corruption and Fasad is present in the land of Yemen and other than the land of Yemen. Everyday it increases, every generation as we know gets worse and worse. Everyday the evil is increased in abundance. And some of the deviants may say: What is the sin of the babies. What is the sin of the young children or the young ones who died in this particular calamity, what is their sin?

The Shaykh said: They were taken because of the sins of their fathers and the sins of their families. This narration in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari on the authority of A’isha, and this narration gives us a tremendous look into this particular matter of the children; where she said that the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, said that an army will come to attack the Ka’bah and they will reach Baydah and Baydah, as Ibunl Hajar mentions in Fath Al Bari is a well know place that between Mecca and Al Madina, and when they get to that particular place the earth will swallow them up, the first of them and the last of them. And in one narration, even the middle from amongst them. So A’isha said: O Messenger of Allaah, the earth will swallow them up but they will be from them or with them, and those who are from them but not with them. Those who are not actually with them to come and fight against the Ka’bah and who are innocent of that particular matter? The Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, said: The earth will swallow up the first of them, and the last of them and then they will be raised up on Yaumal Qiyyamah and each person will be judged according to their intentions. In other words, those innocent who died with regards to this particular calamity, they were taken to account because of a general punishment.And the scholars had mentioned that this is a proof of not placing yourself amongst the people of sin, of removing yourself from the people of sin. As is mentioned in Fath Al Bari, this is a proof that even if a person is not drinking but he sits among those who drink, then he is likely to be punished amongst them. Just like if a person was standing on the corner and there were a bunch of people selling drugs. If the police raid the corner, even if you weren’t there selling drugs, you were amongst those people who were selling drugs. You will be taken account amongst those who were taken to account from those who were selling drugs. Guilty by association.But as for the children of those people who were killed in these particular calamities, they will be raised on Yaumal Qiyyamah and each one will be taken account according to his own intention. So they will not necessarily be punished for the sins of their fathers or like this, but they will be taken to account in a general punishment and this is also from the signs of Allaah.And from the Hadith of Zaynab, it is mentioned in this particular narration that the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, entered upon Zaynab and he said; Woe to the Arabs and an evil or a punishment is going to take them that is coming soon. And she said; O Messenger of Allaah, will we be destroyed and there are amongst us the righteous? He said; Yes! Once the corruption becomes rampant. They Shaykh said; and the evil has become much.

The factories of alcohol, and the women coming out uncovered, and Allaah knows best what evil is about to come or take after this. So as for the one who tries to ascribe these matters to the nature, natural disasters, and he calls them natural disasters, if he intends by this that the nature itself is that which is causing these matters, then he is a Kaafir, a disbeliever. The Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam, mentioned in this Hadith Qud’si: That one night when it had rained, Allaah mentions that the worshippers of Allaah will become believers and disbelievers.
As for the one who says that the rain was from the bounty of Allaah and from His Mercy, then he is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars. As for the one who says the rain is because of such and such from the creation, then he is the one who has disbelieved in Me and believed in the stars. So Allaah has clarified here, the one who ascribes these matters, whether it be rain, lightening, thunder, the Tsunami, whatever it may be, if he attributes that to the creation, then he has disbelieved in Allaah.If a person says, for example, in describing an earthquake that the earth begins to do this and they begin to explain the actual way that the thing takes place, then this is a scientific explanation but we understand that it is Allaah that caused all of that to take place. That it is all from the Might of Allaah. So he does no ascribe that matter to the nature itself.

On the authority of A’isha and Ibn Abass, Radiullaahu Anhu, And then she mentions the statement of the Prophet, Sallaahu Alayhis Salaam: that indeed the sun and the moon are from the signs of Allaah and they do not eclipse for the death of anyone from amongst you nor the life of from anyone amongst you but rather, they are from the matter which Allaah brings fear to your heart by them. So if you see them, solar or lunar eclipse, then pray and make supplication to Allaah. So don’t attribute these affairs to anything from the creation but rather, attribute it to Allaah.

The Shaykh says: So all these people from amongst the disbelievers, are they able to repel the earthquake, can they cause it to stop, can they settle the earth when it begins to shake? And he says: Are they able to stop the floods when they come, are they able to stop the rain when it comes and causes these matters? Rather, are they able to do that which is weaker than that? Are they able to cure the likes of A.I.D.S of which Allaah sent as a punishment for the people?