The Era of Gentleness

 

Sheikh Abdul Azeez ibn Bâz (رحمه الله) said:

“This era is the era of gentleness, patience and wisdom. It is not the era of harshness. The majority of the people are in a state of ignorance, heedlessness, and giving precedence to the worldly matters. So it is a must that there be patience and gentleness so that the da’wah spreads and reaches the people in order that they come to know (the correct religion). And we ask Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى to guide all of us.”

{Source: Majmū’ Fatāwa ibn Bâz, vol.8, pg.376}

The Knowledge is Provisions from Allaah

 

A precious benefit from the Noble Sheikh ibn Baaz (رحمه الله):

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى stated:

ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ـ ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب

“And whoever fears Allaah, He will make a way out for him (from every difficulty) and provide for him from where he didn’t perceive.”

(Surah at-Talaq 65:2-3)

The Noble Sheikh ibn Baaz (رحمه الله) commented: That which is known, is that the attainment of the knowledge is from the best of the provisions. It is leaving from the restrictions of ignorance and its darkness into the vastness of knowledge and its light. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى stated: “And whoever fears Allaah, He makes for him ease in his affair.” 

Ruling on paying Zakah for building Masjids, Buying Books, Schools, Roads, etc..

 

Q: What is the ruling on paying Zakaah (obligatory charity) money for helping to build a Masjid (mosque) whose construction was halted due to lack of financial resources?

Answered by Sheikh ibn Baaz رحمه الله :

According to the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars and the Ijma` (consensus) of our Salaf (righteous predecessors), Zakaah is NOT to be paid for constructing Masjids, buying books, etc.

Rather, Zakaah must be spent on the eight categories which are mentioned in the Ayah (Qur’aanic verse) of Surah Al-Tawbah, i.e. the poor, the needy, those employed to collect (the funds), to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islâm), to free captives, for those in debt, in the cause of Allaah, and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything).

Duties of a Muslim Towards a Non-Muslim

Question: What is the duty of a Muslim towards a non-Muslim, whether he is a dhimmi in a Muslim country or in his own country, and the Muslim is living in the land of that non-Muslim? The duty I would like to have clarified is interactions of all kinds, starting with greeting and ending with celebrating the non-Muslim’s festivals with him. Is it permissible to take him as a friend at work only? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you.

Answer by Sheikh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz رضي اللّه عنـه: Praise be to Allaah. The duty of the Muslim towards a non-Muslim includes a number of things:

Firstly: Da‘wah or calling him to Allaah, سُبحانه وتعالى.

He should call him to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى and explain to him the reality of Islaam when possible, with regard to whatever issues he has knowledge about, because this is the greatest kindness that he can give to his fellow-citizens and to those whom he meets of Jews, Christians and others who may be Mushrikeen (polytheists), because the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“The one who guides others to goodness will have a reward like that of the one who does it.”

And he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said to ‘Ali رضي اللّه عنـه, when he sent him to Khaybar and instructed him to call the Jews to Islaam:

The Fitnah of Wealth Is More than the Fitnah of Children

Question posed to Imaam Ibn Baaz رحمه الله: The mentioning of the wealth always come before the mentioning of the children in the Qur'aan although the children are more precious with the parent than his wealth. What is the wisdom behind that?

Answer: The fitnah of the wealth is more (than the fitnah of the children). That is because the wealth aids him upon fulfilling the prohibited desires and other than that. This is different from the children. Indeed it is possible that the parent is tested by them and he disobeys Allaah due to them. However, the fitnah of wealth is greater and more severe. Based upon this, Allaah began with (mentioning) the wealth before the children.

Like in His statement:

وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُم بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ

“It is not your wealth or your children which gets you closer to Us.”

(Saba 34:37)

Is sihr (magic, witchcraft) real? Does it have any effect? What are its types?

 

From Majmoo’ Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Sheikh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (رحمه الله), pg. 65

Sihr is a serious crime and is one of the kinds of kufr. It is one of things with which people have been tested, in the past and currently, among the nations of the past, during the Jaahiliyyah and in this ummah. The more ignorance increases, the less there is knowledge and awareness of faith, the less attention the authorities pay to this matter – the more the practitioners of sihr and trickery increase and spread in the land, to take the people’s wealth and confuse them and do other things. When knowledge prevails and faith increases, and the Islaamic authorities are powerful, the number of these evil people shrinks and they move from one land to another, seeking a place where their falsehood will be accepted and they will be able to engage in their trickery and corruption. 

What are the prescribed means of warding off sihr (witchcraft) before it happens?

{Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat al-Sheikh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (رحمه الله), 
vol. 8}

Praise be to Allaah.

Among the most important means of warding off the danger of sihr before it happens is seeking protection through the adhkaar (dhikr) prescribed in Islam, making du’aa’ and reciting prayers seeking refuge that were narrated from the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم. These include: 

1 – Reciting Aayat al-Kursiy [al-Baqarah 2:255] after every prescribed prayer, after reciting the adhkaar which are prescribed after the salaam. 

2 – Reciting Aayat al-Kursiy when going to sleep. This is the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan, in which Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says: 

“Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains & protects all that exists). Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens & whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, & what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursiy extends over the heavens & the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding & preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

[al-Baqarah 2:255]

3 – Reciting “Qul huwa Allaahu ahad”, “Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Falaq” and “Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas” [i.e., the last three soorahs of the Qur’aan] following every prescribed prayer, and reciting these three soorahs (three times) at the beginning of the day after Fajr prayer, and at the beginning of the night after Maghrib prayer.