Does supplication have any effect in changing what is written for a person before he was created?

Answer by Sheikh Saalih al-Uthaimeen رحمه الله:

There is no doubt that supplication has an effect on changing what is written, but this change was also written because of the supplication. So, do not think that if you supplicate to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى that you are supplicating with something which was not written; rather the supplication is written, and what results from it is written. This is why we find that the reciter recites over the sick person and he is cured, and in the story of the military expedition which the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم sent, they stayed as guests with a people, but they did not treat them hospitably, and it was decreed that a snake bit their leader, so they requested someone to recite something over him. The Companions رضي الله عنهم imposed the condition that they should be paid for that, and they gave them a flock of sheep, so one of them went and recited Surat al-Faatihah over him, and the man who was bitten arose as if he had been freed from shackles, that is, as if he was a camel which had broken free from its tethering rope. Therefore the recitation had an effect in curing the sick person.

Behaviour of the majority when stricken with illness

An observation of Imaam Ibnul Jawzi رحمه الله during his era

Imaam Ibnul Jawzi رحمه الله said:

Indeed, I see that when the majority of the people are stricken with illness, they would sometimes preoccupy themselves with (feelings) of anguish and complaining, and sometimes they would preoccupy themselves with medication. So preoccupation with the severity (of the illness) diverts them from the beneficial commandments, performance of good deeds or preparation for death. And how many (a person) has sins which he has not repented from, or trust which he has not returned, or a debt, or zakaah (to pay), or a misdeed related to responsibility of his, which he has not realized! But his sadness is (focused) in his parting with the worldly life. He has no interest other than (the sadness felt due to parting with this world), and perhaps he may regain health and command wrong doing. The reason for this is due to weakness in Imaan, as Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said:

Repentance is due for delaying your Repentance !!

Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah رحمه الله said:

”…And we shall mention some things related to repentance (tawbah) that are very necessary (to grasp), and it is NOT befitting that someone be ignorant of them.

From them: Immediate repentance is obligatory after committing a sin. It is NOT permissible to delay it. Whenever someone delays it, he has committed (another) sin by delaying it. In this case, when he repents from the sin (itself), another act of repentance remains a duty upon him – that he must repent for delaying his repentance! This is something that rarely comes to mind when someone repents. Instead, he may assume that since he has repented from the sin, that there is nothing else left to do, while there remains upon him the duty to repent from delaying his repentance…”

Source: Madaarij as-Saalikeen (1/487-488)

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'The one who repents from sins is like the one who has no sin!’

(Ibn Majah - Declared Hasan by Shaykh Al-Albaani رحمه الله

Is doing Udhiyyah abroad against the SUNNAH??

…and is NOT eating from the sacrifice LEAVING the SUNNAH?

Sheikh Saleh al Fawzaan حفظه الله:

O Muslims! Udhiyyah is a stressed Sunnah for the one who is able to do it. It is slaughtered in the houses, they eat from it in their houses, give some of it to their neighbours, and give some of it as charity to those poor people around them.

As for what some of the people have invented, from paying the price of the udhiyyah to charity organizations who slaughter (for them) outside of their city and far away from the house of the one offering the udhiyyah, then this is against the Sunnah and changing an act of worship. So it is obligatory to leave this transaction and slaughter the udhiyyah in the houses and in the same city as the one offering the udhiyyah, as is shown in the Sunnah and as has been the practice of the Muslims since the time of the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم up until this invention has occurred. And I am afraid that it may be an innovation, and the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم had said, “Whoever introduces into our affair something that is not part of it, it is rejected.” And he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said, “Be warned of newly invented matters, for verily every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a straying.”

So whoever wants to give in charity to those in need, then the door of charity is wide open, but do not bring change to the correct Shar’ee way of an act of worship by calling it a sadaqah, I seek refuge in Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى from the accursed Shaitaan,

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

"And what the Messenger gives you, then take it, and what he forbids you from, then cease doing it, and fear Allaah, verily Allaah is severe in punishment."

[al-Hashr 59:7]

History of Hajj

 

 Hajj literally means ‘to set out for a place’. Islaamically however it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم.

Hajj and its rites were first ordained by Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى in the time of the Prophet lbraaheem عليه السلام and he was the one who was entrusted by Allaah to build the Ka'aba – the House of Allaah – along with his son Ismaa’eel at Makkah.

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى described the Ka'aba and its building as follows:

وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

“And remember when We showed Ibraaheem the site of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not anything [in worship] with Me and purify My House for those who circumambulate it [i.e. perform tawaaf] and those who stand up for prayer and those who bow down and make prostration [in prayer etc.].”

[Al-Hajj 22:26]

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The Conditions of a Sacrificial Offering

Sheikh Saleh Al Uthaimeen رحمه الله

There are six conditions that a sacrificial offering (udhiyyah) must meet:

The First Condition: The sacrificial offering must be an animal from among cattle, which include camels and cows, or smaller livestock such as sheep and goats. This is based on Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى’s statement:

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beasts of cattle that He has given them for food.”

[Surah Al-Hajj 22:34]

The term “beasts of cattle” refers to camels, cows, sheep and goats. This definition is well known amongst the Arabs as stated by Al-Hasan, Qataadah, and others.

The Second Condition: It must have reached the required age that is in accordance with the religious standards such as six-months for sheep and one-year and up for everything else. The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“Do not slaughter any animal except for one that is mature in age unless that is difficult for you, in which case you may slaughter a premature one from among sheep.”

[Reported by Muslim] ^[1]

“Mature in age” is the age at which an animal is considered fully developed as well as any age beyond that, while “premature” is the age before that. With respect to a camel, a mature-aged one is one that has completed five years. With respect to a cow, a mature-aged one is one that has completed two years. A mature-aged sheep is that which is one-year old while a premature sheep is one that has competed half a year (up to one year).