Nafsul Mutmainnah

"(It will be said to the pious): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction (Nafsul Mutmainnah) ! Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves, and enter you My Paradise!" - Surah Al Fajr [89:27-30]

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Addition of "Maghfiratuh" in response to the sallams.

Question #2: “What is the authenticity of adding wa maghfiratuh[1] in offering the salaam and responding to it?”
Shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah) answers:
“There is no addition (of wa maghfiratuh) in the hadeeth with respect to offering the salaam; i.e., if a person starts with offering the salaam, he ends at wa barakaatuh: asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. And the hadeeth that has come – or in more precise words, (the hadeeth) that was narrated – (stating) that at the fourth time, the fourth of them said, asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh wa maghfiratuh, then this is a weak narration. As for the addition (of wa maghfiratuh) in the response to wa barakaatuh, then it is established; i.e., a man says, asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, then we add wa maghfiratuh in the response…
It is in agreement with the noble Qur’aan (with) the saying ‘When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally.’[2] So if the greeter gives the salaam, saying asalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, the aayah that stated ‘greet in return with what is better than it’ is not invalidated; this command still exists, which is (followed by saying) wa maghfiratuh. This addition (with respect to responding) has also been mentioned in…narrations established from some of the Companions.
So we have brought out a conclusion whose summary is that adding wa maghfiratuh in the response is allowed and starting (the salaam with it) is not allowed.”

Source: silsilat ul-hudaa wan noor – the series of guidance and light - tape no. 253

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Raising righteous daughters !

All praise is due to Allaah and may the Salaat and Salaam be upon His servant and messenger Muhammad, his family and companions.

To proceed:

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- ??? ???? ???? ? ??? -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 on 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.

Choosing a Good Mother.

Choosing a Good Name.

Providing for their Physical Needs such Food, Clothing and Medicine.

Being Generous, kind and Merciful to Them.

Being Just Between Them and their Siblings whether they are Boys or 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 get Married.

Methods of Protecting them from the Dangers of Present day Society.

The uprightness and righteousness of the parents

Supplicating for Her.

Continuously Advising and Directing Her.

Directing Her to Choosing a Good Friend.

Preserving the Home from the Mediums of Destruction.

Carrying Out the Obligations of a Guardian.

Maintaining Family Bonds.

The Ideological Warfare. 
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 in as state of grief, 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 obligations and the rights she has over others and others have over her. 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]



Being Kind to Daughters - Methods and Examples

My Muslim brother; if Allaah blesses you with daughters, be diligent in carrying out their rights, this includes raising them, providing for them and interacting with them, all this while anticipating the reward from Allaah. Do you know the amount of reward you will receive for doing this? Indeed if you do so, you would be together with the Prophet- sallallaahu `alayhee wa sallam -in the afterlife, for a Hadeeth it states:

"Whoever raises two girls until they mature will come on the Day of Resurrection together with me - and he joined two of his fingers."

[Collected by Muslim]

He-sallallaahu `alayhee wa sallam -also said:

"Whoever is tested with something by daughters and is good to them, they would be a protection for him from the fire."

[Collected by both Bukhaaree and Muslim]

There are many ways to be good to daughters - amongst them:



Choosing a good mother; This is the first step in being good to your offspring, because a righteous mother is one of the causes of righteous children - In Shaa Allaah. How many a child has Allaah preserved due to the righteousness of his or her parents[1].



Choosing a good name; since the name of a child has an effect on him/her. Names have different rulings, amongst them are those that are permitted, recommended, disliked and prohibited. Today, the majority of people look for modern names, paying no attention to their meanings or rulings.

How many girls have names with bad meanings? How many girls have foreign names while their parents are Arabs in Arab countries?



Providing for their physical needs such food, clothing and medicine.

Being diligent in this affair is from the causes of entering Jannah; an extremely poor woman entered upon 'Aaishah - may Allaah be pleased with her - with her two children. 'Aa-isha said:

"She asked me but I didn't have anything except one date at the time, so I split it between the both of us and gave her one half. She didn't eat any of it, but left with both her daughters." The Messenger - sallallaahu `alayhee wa sallam - arrived and I told him about this, he said:

"Indeed Allaah has obligated the entrance to Jannah and prohibited the Hellfire from touching her because of that." [Reported by both Bukhaaree and Muslim]



Being Generous, kind and Merciful to Them.

When Fatimah used to enter upon the Prophet - sallallaahu `alayhee wa sallam , he used to say: "Welcome my daughter." One day he went to lead the prayer while carrying his granddaughter Zaynab; while prostrating he would put her down, and while standing he would carry her. It may have been that there was no one to look after her at home at the time so he took her with him. Or it may be that he wanted to legislate this and have people take him as an example - may Allaah's Salaat and Salaam be upon him.

The Prophet - sallallaahu `alayhee wa sallam - was the most merciful of people to children in general, whether they were boys or girls; he would kiss them, rub their heads, supplicate for them, and play with them. There is a great good in this.

The older a daughter becomes, the more she would need to feel respected and appreciated. If you provide this for her, she would feel that she is an important member of her family, in her own parent's home, and this would help her greatly in stability and steadfastness.

If however, she feels belittled and neglected, that she is not addressed except with orders and prohibitions; only asking her to carry out chores and so on, this would only make her hate her home and family, and Shaytaan may start whispering to her. She would then start looking for care and love in impermissible methods, which would lead her to destruction. Only Allaah knows where she would finally settle.



Being Just Between Them and their Siblings whether they are Boys or Girls.

There must be justness between her and the rest of her siblings - whether boys of girls. Indeed the feeling of being oppressed and leaning to other than her more than her would plant the seeds of hatred towards her parents, as well as animosity towards those amongst here brothers and sisters who have been preferred over here. So fear Allah and be just with between your children. When providing for them, [wealth should be spent] according to the need. As for 'Hibah' (the giving of wealth without compensation) then the male receives twice the amount of the female, and if a parent were to give it equally then this is good.



Bringing them up Islaamicaly and getting them Accustomed to this while they are Young.

Raising her in an Islamic way and familiarizing her with this from an early age. Raising her with the etiquettes of taking permission, the etiquettes of eating and drinking, and the etiquettes of clothing. Making her memorize whatever is easy from the Quran and legislated supplications. Teaching her ablution and prayer; ordering her to do so at seven and obligating it upon her at ten. Indeed if she is brought up upon goodness, she would be comfortable with it and love it, and it would be easy for her to abide by it and stay firm upon it.



Teaching and Preparing them for a Married Life.

Educating and preparing her for what she need after she moves on to married life; the etiquette of interacting with a husband and carrying out the responsibilities of a home such as cooking and cleaning and so on, indeed there are families which neglect this aspect. If a girls moves on to married life, while she isn't proficient at cooking, cleaning nor interacting - a husband may have little patience, he may have a short temper, problems may arise in a short time and may end up in divorce.



Being keen on Marrying Them to Men of Good Religion and Character.

Getting her married when she reaches the age of womanhood, and a man of righteousness, trustworthiness and good mannerisms asks for her hand in marriage, while you are pleased with him. Indeed this is one of the greatest forms of goodness, because delaying a woman from marriage is from the greatest causes of deviation from the correct path, especially in this time period.

Her guardian should facilitate the affairs of marriage such as dowry and other requirements, all this encourages those who are interested in stepping forward for her, and consequently for her sisters after her.

Muslim families must beware of delaying the marriage of a girl with the justification of completing education, or that she is still young and other such unfounded excuses, because this is an affair that would have a negative impact on society with evil consequences.



Visiting them and Enjoining Ties with them after they get Married.

Ties should be maintained with her and she should be visited after she gets married, and one should search for what she may need and resolve any problems she may have. Her happiness and distress should be shared with her. The family must beware, especially the mother, from directly being involved in her daughter's life, for excessive involvement in what does not concern her may harm her daughter's marriage.



Methods of Protecting them from the Dangers of Present day Society.

It should be known to you - my Muslim brother - that we live in an era where there is a lot of Fitnah, and the paths to evil and misguidance have been facilitated in a manner unprecedented to that of previous eras. This only emphasizes your responsibility, and necessitates that you double your efforts in raising, advising and directing as well as taking precautions.

To be continued...

Shaykh 'Alee al Haddaadee
 

Monday, July 4, 2011

Event: The Firmness of Ahlul-Hadeeth

AsSallamu `Alaykunna Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakatuh, I advise everyone who is able to attend these seminars bi'idhnillaah to do so. Below is a quick bio on the shaykh, hafidhahullaah. 


His Lineage
He is Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzaan Aal-Taamee Al-Haajiree -hafidhahullaah-. The Shaykh lives in Jubail, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
His Education
Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzaan Al-Haajiree holds a Master's Degree in Islaamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) from the Imaam Muhammad bin Sa'ood Univeristy in Saudi Arabia. The Shaykh has studied with many of the major scholars of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah and his teachers and Shaykhs include:
  • Shaykh 'Abdullaah bin 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz (for 12 years)
  • Shaykh Muhammad bin Saaleh Al-'Uthaymeen
  • Shaykh Muhammad bin Amaan Al-Jaamee
  • Shaykh Rabee' bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee
  • Shaykh Saalih Al-Atram
  • Shaykh Hamaad Al-Ansaaree
And many more. I (Abu Afnaan) once asked the Shaykh about his Shuyookh and he responded that they were more than two hundred in number. Shaykh Muhammad has been visited by many of the other scholars, such as:
  • Shaykh Muhammad Naasiruddeen Al-Albaanee
  • Shaykh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaamee
  • Shaykh Saalih bin Sa'ad as-Suhaymee
  • Shaykh Muhammad bin Haadee al-Madkhalee
  • Shaykh 'Aayid ash-Shimmarree
  • Shaykh 'Ubayd bin 'Abdillaah Al-Jaabiree
  • Shaykh Wasee'Ullaah 'Abbaas Al-Hindee
  • Shaykh Falaah bin Ismaa'eel Al-Mandakaar
Due to the Shaykh's humility, it is difficult to get him to talk about himself as he is always advising his students to "take knowledge from the Kibaar (major scholars)."

His Classes
For many years, Shaykh Muhammad has been giving continuous classes, of which the following books were/are taught:
  • 'Umdatul Ahkaam (Hadeeth/Fiqh)
  • Forty Hadeeth of Nawawi (Hadith)
  • Al Qawaid Al-Arba'a (Aqeedah)
  • Al Usool AlThalatha (Aqeedah)
  • Book of Tawheed (Aqeedah)
  • Kashfu Al-Shubahaat (Adeedah)
  • The Six Principles (Usool As Sitta) (Aqeedah)
  • (Aqeedah) Al-Waasitiyah
  • (Aqeedah) Al-Tahaawiyah
  • Lam'atul I'tiqaad (Aqeedah)
  • Sharh Al Sunnah of Imam Al-Barbaharee (Aqeedah)
  • Al-Ibanah Al Sughra (Aqeedah)
  • Masail Al Jaahiliyah (Aqeedah)
  • Fadhlul Islam (Aqeedah)
  • Mukhtasar Zaad AlMa"ad of Imam Muhammad Ibn AbdilWahab (Fiqh)
  • Al Rahabiyah (Fara'id-inheritance)
  • Al Waraqaat (Usool al fiqh)
  • Al Bayquniyah (Mustalah al hadith)
  • Kitab Ibadaat min Manhaj AlSalikeen (Fiqh)
  • Al Mulakhas Al Fiqhi of Shaykh Saleh AlFawzan
  • General Lessons for Common people of the Ummah of Shaykh Ibn Baaz
  • AlUsool fi "Ilmul Usool of Shaykh Ibn Uthaimeen (Usool al fiqh)
  • Parts of the Book Rawdhatun Nathir (Usool al Fiqh)

Current Classes
Shaykh Muhammad's schedule is filled with beneficial courses:

Saturday:
The Shaykh teaches Ma'aarij Al-Qabool of Al-Haafidh Al-Hakamee and Tafseer Ibn Katheer at Masjid 'Utbah bin Ghazwaan in Dammaam

Sunday:
The Shaykh teaches Sharh Rasaa'il of Imaam Muhammad bin 'Abdul-Wahhaab (and now Kitaab At-Tawheed) at Jaami' 'Umar bin 'Abdul-Azeez in Jubail

Monday:
The Shaykh is currently teaching Muqaddimah ar-Risaalah of Ibn Abee Zayd Al-Qayrawaanee. He's completed 40 An Nawawiya, Kitab Al Tawheed, Sharh As Sunna, and Fadl Islam. These classes are translated into English. These classes are done in the Shaykh's home in Jubail.

Thursday:
The Shaykh teaches five books after Fajr until roughly 10 AM at Masjid Suraqah bin Maalik in Jubail. The books taught are: Tafsir Ibn Katheer, Bulugh Al Maram (Fiqh and Hadith), Al-Sharee'ah of Imam Al-Aajooree (Aqeedah), Umdatul Fiqh (of Imam Al-Maqdasee) (Fiqh), Zaad Al Ma'ad (Fiqh and Seerah).

In Addition:
The Shaykh has weekly classes in Khafji and Nair'iyyah and monthly classes in Qaysooma and Al-Ahsaa. Within the past year the Shaykh has traveled to Morocco, Turkey, Europe, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, Emirates, and other places around the world giving Da'wah and classes to the people. In December of 2010, the Shaykh traveled to Morocco with Shaykh Saaleh as-Suhaymee to participate in the Dawra (Seminar) entitled, "Dawrah Imaam Maalik bin Anas -Rahimahullaah-," wherein he taught the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik and the Risaalah of Ibn Abee Zayd amongst beneficial lectures. On some of these trips, the Shaykh has traveled with the likes of Shaykh Wasee'ullaah Al-'Abbaas. I (Abu Afnaan) have personally seen a letter sent by Shaykh Wasee'ullaah Al-'Abbaas in which he gives Shaykh Muhammad 'Ijaaza in Sahih Al Bukhari which Shaykh Muhammad read sections from it to Shaykh Wasee'ullaah, a part of which was on a plane, exemplifying the Shaykh's dedication to seeking and spreading knowledge.

The statements of some of the `ulamaa for Shaykh Muhammad 
Shaykh Ahmad Al-Najmi, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about Shaykh Muhammad. Below is the translated transcript of the conversation:

Q: "O our Shaykh, one wants to know what you know of the following Callers (meaning those who call to the Salafi da'wah); Shaykh Abdul Rahman Muhiyuddin. Do you know him O Shaykh?"
A: "Who?"
Q: "Shaykh AbdulRahman Muhiyuddin"
A: "No."
Q: "Muhammad Ibn AbdulWahhab Al-Aqeel?"
A: "Muhammad Ibn AbdulWahhab Al-Aqeel is well known, he is from Ahl alSunnah insha Allaah"
Q: "Shaykh Abdul Salam Al-Suhaimi?"
A: "ah, ah"
Q: "Shaykh Abdul Salam Al-Suhaimi?"
A: "Abdul Salam Al-Suhaimi, he is well known, he is from Ahl alSunnah insha Allaah."
Q: "Shaykh Ali Ibn Ghazi Al-Tuwaijiri?"
A: "I don"t know him."
Q: "Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ramzan Al-Hajri?"
A: "He is from the heads of Ahl AlSunnah."
Q: "Jazakum Allaahu khairan."

Naif Al-Mutairi - one of the Shaykh's students- mentioned: 

I narrate to you a conversation of one our brothers who telephoned Sheikh Ubaid Al-Jaabiree -may Allaah protect him- seeking a fatwa about an issue. And the Sheikh (Al-Jabiree) was busy, so he asked our brother, "Where are you from?" He said, "From Al-Jubail." So the Shaykh (Al-Jabiree) said, "With you is Muhammad Ibn Ramzan, so call him and ask him."
And similarly when Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Hadi Al-Madkhalee -may Allaah protect him- visited us in Al-Jubail, I was with the Sheikh in the same car traveling to Dammam in which he praised our Sheikh (Muhammad Ibn Ramzan) and his efforts of da"wah in the Province.