Who is Allaah?

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله described the greatness of Allaah in the Most Beautiful way:

"He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms. He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life. He raises and lowers people’s status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges. His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things. He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night. The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him.

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ    
'Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honour to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, etc.)! '

(Ar-Rahman 55:29)

He forgives sins, eases worries, relieves distress, helps the defeated person back on his feet, makes the poor rich, guides the one who is astray and confused, fulfils the needs of the desperate, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, conceals faults, and calms fears. He raises the status of some and lowers the status of others. Even if all the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as pious as the most pious among them, this would not increase His sovereignty in the slightest; if they all, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as rebellious as the most rebellious among them, this would not decrease His sovereignty in the slightest. If everything in heaven and on earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn, living and dead, animate and inanimate, were to stand in one place and ask of Him, and He were to give them everything that they asked for, this would not decrease what He has by even an atom’s weight.

Nurturing children upon CARTOONS

Sheikh Saleh Al Fawzaan حفظه الله was asked:

What is the ruling on nurturing children upon Cartoons of which the goal is to benefit them and teach them good manners?

The Sheikh حفظه الله said:

Allaah made pictures Haraam, and it is Haraam to acquire them so how can we nurture our children upon them?? How can we nurture them upon something that is Haraam, upon pictures that are Haraam and drawings that move and speak and are similar to human beings? This is an evil picture and it is unlawful to nurture children upon it.

This is what the Kuffar want. They want us to oppose what the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited us from. And the Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited us from pictures, and using them, and acquiring them. And those who spread it (cartoons) between the youth and the Muslims, claiming that it is from nurturing (the children) then this is immoral nurturing. And the correct nurturing is to teach them what will benefit them in their religion and worldly affairs.

Q: What is the ruling on watching and buying Islaamic animated-cartoon movies, given that these movies present purposeful and beneficial stories for children which promote good character, dutifulness to parents, honesty, offering Salah (Prayer) regularly and the like. 

(The Children's Treasure) - كَنْزُالأَطْفاَل

by Dr. Faisal Az-Zanâmi al Wâdi'ee

 

Taught by: Umm Hyatt al-Ameriki حفظها الله

Notes of: Umm Hasna bint Jabir as-Saylâniyyah

Introduction  

The book we will be studying  is written by Dr. Faisal, who was a doctor in Dammaj, Yemen. He was the doctor of Sheikh Muqbil رحمه الله and has studied from both Sheikh Muqbil bin Hadee al Wadi'ee رحمه الله  and Sheikh Yahya bin 'Alee al Hajooriee حفظه الله. Though he has written this book for children, it is beneficial for the adults as well. Insha-Allaah this book will teach us the 'Basics of Aqeedah, Tawheed, Fiqh & Seerah' which every Muslim is obligated to know. In fact, the question and answer format is adhering to the methodology of Prophet Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم.

 

Umm Hyatt حفظها الله thereafter, advised the students that in order to fear Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى one has to have knowledge of His Creator. This necessitates that we must make an effort to gain that beneficial knowledge. Intelligence is in our hearts and we understand with our heart. The people of knowledge are those who fear Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى , they are the Ulema (Scholars).

Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى    also says in the Qur’aan:

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء

"It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh."

(Fatir 35:28)

** Why did Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  state that the Ulema have the most fear (khashya)?

Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  praised the Ulema (scholars) in this ayah, due to them having the most knowledge. They carry out all the actions in obedience to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى with taqwa. The Ulema also leave off sins fearing His سُبحانه وتعالى's punishment. Therefore, they are the ones who fear Allaah the most.

Umm Hyatt explained that علماً نافعاً (Ilman Naafi'an) is connected to Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  and His Deen. This is khair because even an ant in its hole and the whales in the ocean make dua and send salaam for the one who teaches knowledge. This knowledge is concerning 'talabul ilm.'  This is due to the benefit that is derived from theعلماً نافعاً  (beneficial knowledge) as the benefit goes down even to the ant in its hole since the Ulema teach what is halaal, haraam, being good to animals, rights of animals etc. 

Click to download notes.

“Part of the TEST is when a believer supplicates & receives NO response.."

Ibnul-Jawzi رحمه الله said:

"I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives NO RESPONSE, and he repeats the du’aa’ for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a test and needs patience.

What a person experiences of was-waas when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine, I have experienced this myself. A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps.

Sometimes he said:

The generosity (of Allaah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?

I said to him:

Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!

Then I told myself:

Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allaah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.

My soul (nafs) said:

How could you explain the delay in the response of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى to your prayers for relief from this calamity?

I said:

It is proven with evidence that Allaah, سُبحانه وتعالى is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.

Honey.. healing for men..!

يَخْرُجُ مِن بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاء لِلنَّاسِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

"There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think."

[An-Nahl 16:69]

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله said:

Honey contains great benefits, for it cleanses impurities from the veins and stomach etc, whether it is eaten or applied to the skin. It is good for the elderly, the phlegmatic and those whose humours are cold and wet. It is nourishing, aids digestion, energizes, makes unpleasant medicine palatable, is good for the liver and chest, is a diuretic and helps to ease coughs caused by phlegm. If it is drunk warm mixed with rosewater it is beneficial for one who has been bitten by a scorpion or who has consumed opium. If it is drunk on its own mixed with water, it is good for the one who has been bitten by a rabid dog or eaten poisonous mushrooms. If fresh meat is placed in honey, it will stay fresh for three months, as will cucumbers, pumpkins and eggplants. Many fruits can be kept in it for six months.

It will also preserve a dead body, and it is known as the trustworthy preserver. If the body of one who is afflicted with lice is painted with honey, it will kill the lice and their eggs. It makes the hair long, beautiful and smooth. If used on the eyes like kohl it clears the vision. If the teeth are brushed with it, it whitens the teeth and makes them bright, and keeps the gums healthy. It opens the veins and induces menstruation. If taken on an empty stomach it takes away phlegm and cleanses the stomach, clearing away waste matter and restoring the correct temperature. It does likewise to the liver, kidneys and urethra.

As well as all this, it has no side effects and causes little harm. It may cause side effects in one who is suffering from jaundice, but that may be counteracted by vinegar and the like, in which case it becomes very beneficial for him. It is a kind of nourishment, a kind of medicine, a kind of drink, a kind of sweet, a kind of cream. There is nothing that has been created for us for a similar purpose that is better than it, or even comes close. The ancient peoples relied on it, and in most of the books of the ancients there is no mention of sugar at all and it was unknown to them, for it is something that is very new. The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم used to drink honey mixed with water on an empty stomach, and this is the secret of maintaining good health that no one can understand except one who is intelligent and blessed.

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/33, 34.)

Different Perspectives on Patience..

Ibnul Qayyim al Jawziyyah رحمه الله

Patience may be of two types, either physical or psychological, and both types may either be by choice, or without choice, as follows:

1.     Physical patience by choice, such as doing hard labour willingly.

2.    Physical patience without choice, such as patiently bearing illness, beatings and extremes of heat and cold.

3.    Psychological patience by choice, such as refraining from things which both the Sharî‘ah and common sense say are wrong.

4.   Psychological patience without choice, such as patiently bearing an enforced separation from one whom you love.

Different degrees of patience 

As mentioned above, patience is of two types, by choice or without choice. Patience by choice is of a higher status than patience without choice, as the latter is common to all people, but the former is not attainable by all. Therefore the patience of Yûsuf عليه السلام in disobeying the wife of al-‘Azîz, and his patience in bearing the resulting punishment, is of higher status than his patience in response to his brothers’ actions, when they threw him in the well, separated him from his father and sold him as a slave. This superior, voluntary, patience is the patience of the Prophets, of Ibrâhîm, Mûsâ, Nûh, ‘Īsâ and the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم). Their patience was in calling the people to Allâh and in striving against the enemies of Allâh.

The patience of men and the patience of animals

These four types of patience apply only to human beings. Animals share only the two types of patience in which there is no choice, and man is distinguished by having the patience in which there is choice. However, many people have only the types of patience that animals have, i.e. patience without choice.

The patience of jinn

Jinn share the quality of patience with humans, as they are responsible for their actions like humans are. They need patience to fulfill their responsibilities towards Allâh سُبحانه وتعالى  the same way that we do. One might ask: are they responsible in the same way that we are, or in a different way? The answer is that with regard to matters of emotion and feelings they are responsible just as we are, and share the obligation to love for the sake of Allâh and hate for Allâh سُبحانه وتعالى, to believe and have faith, to take believers for friends and unbelievers for enemies, etc. But as far as physical matters such as ghusl, wudû‘, washing after relieving oneself and circumcision are concerned, they are not the same as us. Their duties in that regard are in accordance with the way they are created.

Ten Types of Modesty

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله mentioned in his book Madarij us Saalikeen Vol. 2 Pg. 267  - 'Al Hayaa’ (i.e. modesty) is categorized into ten types:

1. The modesty of Shame: This is similar to the modesty of Adam عليه السلام when he fled in Paradise after eating from the forbidden tree. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى asked him “Are you fleeing form me O Adam because of your sin?” He said: “No my Lord! Rather it is out of shame that I flee from you!”  

2. The modesty that results in you realizing your shortcomings such as the modesty of the angels, those who praise Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى day and night and never enervate (weaken). On the Day of Judgment they will say Subhanaka! (i.e. Glory be to You!) we did not worship You as You deserved to be worshiped.”

3. The modesty of Magnification: This modesty is a result of knowledge. The extent of knowledge the slave has of his Lord, will determine how modest or shy of Him he/she is.

4. The modesty of Generosity: This is similar to the modesty of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم with those people he invited to the walimah (i.e. marriage banquet) of Zaynab Bint Jahsh رضي الله عنها and they stayed with him longer than necessary, so he stood up and walked away without saying to them “Leave!”.

 5. The modesty of Embarrassment: This is similar to the modesty of Ali Ibn Talib رضي اللّه عنـه when he was too embarrassed to ask the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم himself about the pre-seminal discharge he was experiencing, because he was married to his daughter.

The Effect of Shyness upon Finding a Good Husband

 

O Muslim Sister !

In an effort to find a suitable spouse some of our Muslim sisters often resort to impermissible, demeaning methods such as free-mixing with men via the internet, chat rooms, marriage websites, social networks, sending pictures and the like. 

Unfortunately some of our sisters have been deceived into believing this to be the more effective technique for obtaining a spouse, removing from themselves the veil of shyness, modesty and dignity. 

O my sister in Islaam! Trust in Allaah and follow the blessed methodology of Islaam when choosing a mate.

Sheikh Saleh al Fawzaan explains how Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  rewards the shy and modest woman with a good husband. The Sheikhحفظه الله  said:

Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  said concerning the story of Musa:

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاء مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاء وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

'And when he arrived at the water of Madyan he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you?" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man."'

(Al-Qasas 28:23)

Beauty of seeking knowledge of the religion....

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“When Allaah granted Prophet Yoosuf عليه السلام physical beauty it caused him to be locked up in the prison; but when Allaah granted him knowledge (when he interpreted the dream of the king) it not only took him out of prison, but elevated his rank in society, clearly showing us the virtue of knowledge and that physical beauty DOES NOT mean anything.”

(Al-‘Ilm wa Fadhluhu wa Sharafuhu pg.32)

An Interview with Umm Saalih - A Grandmother Who Completed Memorizing the Qur'aan at the age of 82 years

 

- As read by Dr. Saleh as Saleh رحمه الله

Al-Hamdulillaah (All-Praise is due to Allaah), the One Who said: 

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

"And in truth We have made the Qur'aan easy to remember; but is there any that remembers?"

(Al-Qamar 54: 32)

Al-Hamdulillaah, the One who made the Qur'aan easy for remembrance, had made it easy for Umm Saalih age 82 years. In an interview with Umm Saalih, she was asked the following questions:

Q1: "What was the reason that drove you to memorize the Qur'aan after so many years?"

She said, "I always hoped to memorize the Qur'aan from the time I was young. My father always used to invoke Allaah for me to become one of the memorizers of the Qur'aan, like himself and like the elder brothers of my family who memorized it. So I memorized in the beginning about three parts and then after I completed the age of thirteen, I got married and became busy with the household and the children. After I had seven children, my husband died. They (the children) were all young so I took the time to raise them and educate them, and then after they grew up and got married, I had more time for myself. Therefore, the first thing I directed myself to focus upon was the Qur'aan.