Sometimes the Manners Surpassed Knowledge

It is re­ported that Imām Al-Zuhrī رحمه الله تعالى said:

‘We used to some­times come to a scholar and what we learned of his manners was more beloved to us than the knowl­edge we took from him.’

*Abū Nuʿaym, Ḥily­atu Al-ʾAwliyāʾ #4575

For surely hardness of the heart has a cure ....

For surely hardness of the heart has a cure and its cure is by abundantly reciting the Qur’aan. The evidence for this is the statement of Allaah,

لَو أَنزَلنَا هَـٰذَا ٱلقُرءَانَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيتَهُ ۥ خَـٰشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّن خَشيَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌
“Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rend asunder by the fear of Allaah…”

[al-Hashr: 21]

A mountain is a firm rock that if the Qur’aan were to descend upon then it would become humble and break. The same goes for the heart, when the Qur’aan is recited while pondering over its meanings with deep contemplation then there is no doubt that it will affect the heart. Listen to the statement of Allaah,

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ
“Verily, therein (the Qur’aan) is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful.”

[Qaaf: 37]

The Two Deviated Paths of Learning

 

The Noble Scholar Sheikh Saalih al-Fawzaan (حفظه الله) stated:

There are now (in this day and time) two deviated paths regarding learning:

1) Learning (only) from books without (learning from) the ‘Ulamaa. This is a deviated path and many have gone astray because of it. This is due to the person not understanding what is in the books or he understands in a manner that is not intended because the books have not been explained and clarified to him. Or it is possible that the author is a deviant in his understanding or in his knowledge, so he fills his books with the mistakes in the matter of the knowledge.

 
So, this ignorant youth reads them and embraces them. Therefore the books are not to be depended upon. This is even if they are authentic books. You will not understand them upon that which is required (for one to understand them). The Khawaarij did not go astray or lead others astray along with their intelligence and piety except due to them keeping away from the ‘Ulamaa, depending upon their understanding and those (who don’t have understanding) like them. So they received (knowledge) from one another and as a result they became a harm upon themselves and a harm upon the Ummah.

 
This is the result of keeping away from the ‘Ulamaa.  I advise you that you busy (yourselves) with seeking the beneficial knowledge at the hands of the Scholars and keep away from vain speech regarding the people. Keep away from the affairs of backbiting, tale-carrying, criticizing (without right), and defamation (of the people without right). Indeed this is a widespread evil that has separated the youth of the Ummah and made them into different sects and parties due to speaking ill of the people (without right).

2) There are those who don’t have any concern except for “so and so said this, so and so said that, and what’s with you and so and so.” 

You (yourself) seek the knowledge in order that you know the truth.  As for you declaring the people to be wrong before you learn and you say, “so and so said this and so and so said that and be aware of so and so…”

This is not a sound methodology.

Carelessness of some Women concerning Traveling by Airplane without a Mahram

 

By Sheikh Uthaimeen رحمه الله تعالى

There is a very regrettable thing with regard to this matter which is the carelessness of some women concerning travelling by airplane without a Mahram.

They are very negligent in this matter: One finds women travelling by airplane alone, and their justification for doing this is that they say that her Mahram escorted her in the airport from which the airplane took off and the other Mahram will meet her in the airport at which the airplane lands, and that in the airplane she is safe.

This justification is weak in reality, because the Mahram who accompanies her does not admit her onto the airplane, he only admits her to the departure lounge.

It may also be that the airplane is delayed in taking off and so this woman remains lost, or the airplane might take off and then be unable to land at the intended airport due to some reason or another, and so it lands at some other place, else and so this woman will be lost. Or, the airplane might land at the intended airport, but the Mahram who is supposed to meet her does not arrive due to one reason or another, such as illness, sleep or a car accident which prevents him from getting there, or something else.

Even if all of these things did not happen, and the airplane landed at the correct time of arrival and the Mahram who was supposed to meet her was present, there might be some man sitting next to her on the airplane who does not fear Allaah, the Most High and does not respect the worshippers of Allaah, and he might be attracted to her and she to him, which might lead to Fitnah (temptation, trial) and unlawful deeds, as is well known.

I know my Arabic Letters... Alhamdulillaah!

**NEW** -

From Aasiya’s Homeschooling Corner!!!

Alhamdulillaah, the flash cards (both colored & Black/white) have been uploaded for the Arabic letters with the respective vocabulary. These flashcards were designed especially for my three grandchildren, and for all the Muslim children around the world. Hope you all benefit from them, inshaAllaah. 

Baarakallaahu Feekum!

Click to view or download (Colored)
Click to view or download (B/W)

 

Beneficial Dua.

                                                               

'Abbās (رضي الله عنه) - the uncle of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, came to the Prophet and said, “Ya Rasūlullāh, teach me a du'ā'.” 

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم  said: “O my uncle, say:

"Allāhumma inni asaluka al-'āfiyah.

(O Allāh, I ask you for 'āfiyah).”

What is 'āfiyah?

'Āfiyah means:

*To save me from any afflictions;

*To be healthy, you are in 'āfiyah;

*To have enough money;

*To live, you are in 'āfiyah;

*To have your children protected, you are in 'āfiyah;

*And if you are forgiven and not punished, you are in 'āfiyah.

'Āfiyah means:

“O Allāh, protect me from any pain and suffering.”

**This includes the dunya & the ākhirah.

'Abbās  رضي الله عنه thought about this for a while, and then he came back after a few days and said: “Ya Rasūlullāh, this du'ā' seems a little short. I want something Big.” (paraphrased)

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “My dear uncle, ask Allāh for 'āfiyah for wallāhi, you cannot be given anything better than 'āfiyah.”

It is a simple du'ā'. Sincerely mean what you say.

“O Allāh, I ask You to be saved from any distress, grief, hardship, harm. Don't test me.”

All of this is included in:

“Allāhumma inni asaluka al-'āfiyah”

(Riyadh As-Saliheen, Sunan At-Tirmidhi)

Conditions of Du'a

كَنْزُالأَطْفاَل

 (The Children's Treasure)

 

Taught by: Umm Hyatt al-Ameriki حفظها الله

Part – 2 of Q48

48) What is the significance of Dua (دُعَاء  supplication)?

      Dua is ibaadah (worship).

  CONDITIONS OF DU’A

For the Du’a to be answered, there are conditions which have to be fulfilled. Imaam Nawawi رحمه الله mentions in his book ‘al-Adkhaar’, the characteristics (Adab) that one should have when making Du’a.

Choosing a time that is considered noble with Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى. These are times that the Du’as are answered, e.g. Yawmul Arafah, the last hour of Yawmul Jumu’ah, Mondays and Thursdays when a person is fasting, the last of the night wherein Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says that He descends to the lowest heaven etc.  

Choosing a particular state (condition) that we should be in such as in the position of sujood (prostration), between the adhaan and the iqamah etc. (We will not be going into these daleel right now). 

 

The heart at the time of making Du’a should be soft. If the heart is hard, one cannot benefit from his Du’a. As we all know, the heart goes through different states. Sometimes it is gentle and soft and at other times it is hard. One will feel close to Allaah only if his heart has softness in it, which in turn will benefit his Du’a. 

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Is Dua worship (Ibaadah)??

كَنْزُالأَطْفاَل

 (The Children's Treasure)

 

Taught by: Umm Hyatt al-Ameriki حفظها الله

Part – 1

48) What is the significance of Dua (دُعَاء  supplication)?

      Dua is ibaadah (worship).

ما أَهَمِّية الدُّعَاء؟

الدُّعَاء هُوَ العِبَادَة

It is for us to understand that the significance of ** Dua ** (supplication) is ibaadah (worship). We should not look at Dua as something insignificant. 

The Daleel for this is the following hadeeth:

عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ‏:‏ ‏(‏وقالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ )     ‏    ‏

An-Nu`man bin Bashir narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم  said: “The supplication is worship.” Then he recited: And Your Lord said: “Call upon me, I will respond to you…."

 (Jami at-Tirmidhi) 

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Having Confidence In Allaah

                    Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله said:

أَنَّ الثِّقَةَ خُلَاصَةُ التَّوَكُّلِ وَلُبُّهُ

"Confidence in Allaah is the conclusion of Tawwakul and its core!"

And then he mentions a great example of it:

"He brought in this chapter His statement, the Exalted of Umm Musa:

فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي

‘When you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve..’

[Al Qasas, 28:7]

For verily what she did here is the very essence of having confidence in Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى. If it was not for the completeness of her confidence in Allaah, she would not have thrown her child, her prized possession in the stream of water to be played with by the waves and current to where it would land or stop".

[Madaarij as-Salikeen (2/142)]

How to Stop Smoking: An Islaamic Method

Smoking continues to be one of the greatest public health concerns in the modern world. There are more than 1 billion people who smoke worldwide and 5 million people die from Tobacco use every year, not to mention the thousands of second-hand smoke victims.

Sheikh ’Uthaimeen رحمه الله gives us guidelines to help quit smoking, bi’ithnillaahi ta’ala. May Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى reward brother Faisal ibn Abdul Qaadir ibn Hassan for having penned on this much needed topic. 

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