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Year: 2010

99 Names of Allāh on Your Hands?

In the Name of Allāh, the Ever Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy Imām Aḥmad Ibn Ḥanbal said, “You should beware of speaking about an issue in which you are not preceded by a scholar.” A common saying among the people today is that the lines on the hand indicate 99 Names of Allāh subḥānahu wa taʿala. Our brother Abū al-ʿAbbās Mūsá Richardson discusses this issue…From the lectures entitled, ʿAqīdah Course- Summer Course.

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Abandonment of the Prayer

Then there succeeded them a posterity who have neglected the ṣalāh and have followed lusts, so they will be thrown in hell. Except those who repent and believe and work righteousness, such will enter Paradise and will not be wronged. The prayer, dear reader is a very important pillar of Islām. In an authentic narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us that this very prayer will be the thing which we will be brought to account for firstly on the Day of Resurrection, saying: “If it is good then he will be successful, and if not will be a loser.” There is an abundance of benefit in the prayer...

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“I Mix with the People of Bidʿah to Bring Them Close”

Nowadays, it is common to see some of the youth, impressed by themselves and what they perceive to have a gathering of knowledge, to overrate themselves and believe that they can “bring the people of innovation close” by working with them or cooperating with them. They are heedless, not realising that they will be flattered with kindness, wealth and other forms of emotional blackmail. One of the major scholars of our time, may Allāh preserve him, comments on such a (innovated) notion in the name of ‘cooperation and rectification’: Shaykh Rabīʿ ibn Hādī al-Madkhalī was...

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The Prohibition of Anger

On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (raḍī Allāhu ʿanhu) that a man said to the Prophet (ﷺ) “Advise me.” He (ﷺ) said: “Don’t become angry” So the man repeated (his request) several times (and each time) He (ﷺ) said: “Don’t become angry.” (AI-Bukhārī) (Shaykh Ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd explains): “The Author of Al-lfsāh1 said concerning what is understood (from this advice of the Prophet (ﷺ), that the Prophet (ﷺ) came to know about a great deal of anger on the part of this man so, (as a result of that) he (ﷺ) favored him with this advice. The Prophet (ﷺ)...

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Weakness in the Ḥadīth of Praying Ṣalāt al-Istikhārah Seven Times

Ibn al-Sunnī reported in his book ‘Amalal-Yawm Wal-Laylah, Ḥadīth #161: It’s been narrated that Anas ibn Mālik said, the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم)[allegedly] said: “When you have an important matter to decide, then seek guidance from your Lord seven times, then look to what your heart inclines to. For verily the good is found there-in.” 1) Al-Imām al-Nawawī (d. 676 h.) mentioned in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 132): “Its chain is gharīb (comes only by one narrator); it contains people whom I don’t know.” 2) Al-ʿIrāqi (d. 806 h.) said: “All of them [in the chain] are known, although...

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Helping Sinners Repent or Insulting Them?

In the Name of Allāh… It has been relayed that Shaykh Ṣāliḥ Āl al-Shaykh – may Allāh bless and preserve him – said: From the sayings of Abū ad-Dardāʾ – may Allāh be pleased with him – : Once when Abū ad-Dardāʾ passed by a man who had committed a sin and the people became aware of it and were insulting him because of it – and Abū ad-Dardāʾ was so keen and insightful in helping people recovering from their religious ills and reviving sickened hearts – so he said: Had you found him at the bottom of a well, wouldn’t you be helping him up and out of...

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The Prophet’s (ﷺ) Guidance Regarding Fasting

لما كان المقصود من الصيام حبس النفس عن الشهوات وفطامها عن المألوفات وتعديل قوتها الشهوانية لتستعد لطلب ما فيه غاية سعادتها ونعيمها وقبول ما تزكو به مما فيه حياتها الأبدية ويكسر الجوع والظمأ من حدتها وسورتها ويذكرها بحال الأكباد الجائعة من المساكين . وتضيق مجاري الشيطان من العبد بتضييق مجاري الطعام والشراب وتحبس قوى الأعضاء عن استرسالها لحكم الطبيعة فيما يضرها في معاشها ومعادها ويسكن كل عضو منها وكل قوة عن جماحه وتلجم بلجامه فهو لجام المتقين وجنة المحاربين ورياضة الأبرار والمقربين وهو لرب العالمين من بين سائر الأعمال فإن الصائم لا يفعل شيئا وإنما يترك شهوته وطعامه وشرابه من أجل معبوده فهو ترك...

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I’m Stressed Out. I’m Angry. I’ve Had Enough. I’m Going to Explode!!

All praise is due to Allāh. May the al-Ṣalāh and the Salām be upon Prophet Muḥammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow him in goodness until the Day of Recompense, as to what proceeds: Indeed, the life of the Dunyā is one of toil and struggle for the believer up until the time when he meets his Lord. It is for this reason that Allāh has enjoined patience upon His slaves and has made it such an integral part of the religion of al-Islām. The All-Knowing, the All-Wise, has mentioned patience more than 90 times in the Qurʾān, from them is His, the Most High, statement: ​ And say...

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A 5th Century Scholar on Being Cautious and Abandoning Innovation

Imām Abū Naṣr ʿUbaydillāh al-Sijzī (d. AH 444) said: “Know, may Allāh, the Glorified have mercy upon us and you, that this section is from the most important sections of this book without question because of the calamities and confusion that has appeared [as a result of the failure to implement this] and because of what has been introduced to the people due to their negligence of this matter. This is because the affairs of the people of this time have changed and those who can be truly depended upon are scarce. How many people sell their religion for a lowly price or to endear themselves...

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ʿAqīdah Course: The Hāʾiyyah Poem of Ibn Abū Dāwūd (d. 316 AH)

Poetry Text (1) Hold tightly to the rope of Allāh and the guidance, And do not be an innovator, so that you might be successful. (2) And practice your religion based on the Book of Allāh and the Sunan which have come from the Messenger of Allāh so you will be saved and earn reward. (3) And say: Not a created thing is the Speech of our great King, Such was the religious position of the pious ones (before us) which they clearly expressed. (4) And do not be a person who takes no position on the Qurʾān, As did the followers of Jahm, and they had been too lax (to take the right position). (5) And...

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Guidelines Regarding the Texts Mentioning Kufr, a Negation of Faith or Entry to Paradise etc.

Guidelines Regarding the Texts Mentioning Kufr, a Negation of Faith or Entry to Paradise, or Punishment in the Fire for Certain Sins: Like: “Insulting a Muslim is fusūq (sinful disobedience), and fighting him is kufr.” “None of you has īmān until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” “The qattāt (tale-carrier) shall not enter Paradise.” “Whoever deceives us is not from us.” And like the āyah of the murderer (4:93) abiding in the Hellfire, and all other texts threatening of severe punishment for sins that other texts prove do not...

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The Major Scholars of Today Clarify the Ruling on the Muslim Who Commits Suicide

This is in opposition to the Khawārij and Muʿtazilah sects, two stray groups, who say: Sinful people who enter the Fire remain there forever, and this is a huge mistake. Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Bāz In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful… Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Bāz Shaykh Ibn Bāz (may Allāh have Mercy on him) was asked, “If someone commits suicide because of certain situations in his life and other factors that make it difficult for him to live and provide for his family, does this mean that he will abide eternally in Jahannam (the...

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Description of the Supererogatory Prayer Before ʿAsr

I say: The strongest argument is the one presented by Ishāq and it is supported by the narration transmitted by al-Nisāʿī, “He would say the taslīm (salutation) at the end of the Prayer.” Shaykh Muḥammad ʿUmar Bazmūl The optional Prayer of ‘ʿAṣr is to be prayed as four rak’ah with two tashahhud just like the other Prayers that consist of four rak’ah (e.g. Dhuhr).  Tasleem should be made after completing four rak’ah. This prayer is to be performed before the ʿAṣr Prayer. From ʿĀṣim Ibn Damrah as-Saloolee, who said: We asked ʿAlī about the supererogatory Prayers of Allāh’s Messenger (ṣallallāhu...

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The Wisdom Behind the Arrangement of the Pillars of Īmān

Then comes the mention of belief in the Angels and Messengers because they are the mediators between Allāh and His creation regarding the conveyance of His messages. Thus, the Angels descend with the revelation (from Allāh) and bring it to the Messengers and the Messengers convey it to the people. Al-ʿAllāmah Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān There is wisdom behind – and Allāh knows best- the arrangement of the pillars of Īmān in the verses of the Qurʾān and the aḥādīth, although the waaw (و) doesn’t exactly necessitate arrangement: The pillars of Īmān have begun with...

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Beware of Overeating

Thus, it is incumbent upon an individual to take heed of this prophetic moral and to not be excessive when it comes to eating or his desires. In addition to this, if a person reaches a point where he is extremely greedy regarding food then it is likely that the ḥalāl will not suffice him, hence he will set out seeking the ḥarām so he can fulfill his (evil) cravings. Al-ʿAllāmah Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān In the name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, Bestower of Mercy, Ḥadīth #1476: On the authority of al-Miqdām ibn Maʿdīkarib, raḍī Allāhu ʿanhu, who said: The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said: “No...

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Explanation of Sūrah al-Māʿūn (The Small Kindnesses)

These individuals perform actions to be seen by the people. The origin of the worship is for Allāh; however, they intend with that the praise of the people. They draw close to the people by that which draws them close to Allāh. These people are indeed Murā’ūn, those who do actions to be seen. As for a person who prays for the people meaning that he prays to a king for example or other than him and he submits himself before him (like you would to Allāh) by bowing or prostrating, then this is a Mushrik Kāfir, Allāh has made Paradise forbidden for him and his abode is the Hell-fire (if he dies...

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Ten Ways to Avoid the Hellfire

In response to Ibn al-Muttahir’s false accusations and blatant lies regarding ʿUthmān bin ʿAffān, raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu, alleged incompetency as the Khalifah of the Muslims. Shaykhul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah stated the following 10 ways by which a Muslim avoids the punishment of the Hellfire: Chapter Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned:1 The general principle that applies here is that we do not believe anyone is infallible2 after the Prophet (ﷺ). In fact it is quite possible for the khulafāʾ (Caliphs) and those other than them to make mistakes, The general principle that applies here is that...

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The Impermissibility of Saying “In shāʾ Allāh” in a Duʿāʾ

In the summer of 2008, our brother Mūsá Richardson taught kitāb al-tawḥīd from the Ṣaḥīḥ of Imām al-Bukhārī. We picked up a significant benefit in the actions of supplications. When we call on Allāh for something and make a duʿāʾ, we are to be firm in this supplication and we must not say, in shāʾ Allāh (if Allāh wills). ie. “O Allāh, give me a righteous wife, in shāʾ Allāh”. Verily Allāh is the all-hearing and He does as He pleases.

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Advice to Those Who Debate with the People of Innovation but Are Ignorant

A question posed to al-Shaykh, ʿUbayd al-Jābirī: Q: What is the case about a person who ascribes to the correct ʿaqīdah, salafīyyah, however he has some ignorance, and along with this ignorance he goes and approaches the people of innovation, in the case we are talking about, the Ashāʿirah, specifically those who are known to be callers to the way of the Ashāʿirah.  His ignorance leads him to mistakes in the basics of ʿaqīdah, like he affirms two ears of Allāh, without having a text to do so, but in the heat of the argument, he makes grave errors and affirms for Allāh attributes that we have...

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Straightening the Rows: From the Perfection of Ṣalāh

The obvious meaning of the prohibition: ‘do not leave gaps for the shayṭān’ is to not leave any space, or, to stand next to each other, connected. Shaykh Bakr Abū Zayd The following addresses some of the conclusions reached in the book “Lā Jadeed fī Aḥkām as-Ṣalāt” of Shaykh Bakr Abū Zayd (may Allāh have Mercy on him): In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful… May His Ṣalāt and Salām be upon the Final Messenger… 1. The obvious meaning of the order: “fill the gaps” is to not leave any space between people when praying.  When...

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The Concern for Tawḥīd in Relation to Rectification of the Ummah: Groups That Deviated From This

Abū Iyāḍ, may Allāh reward him, gives us an exploration into the different groups of Islām.  This division is a division that was prophetised by the Prophet, ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam, something that is inevitable. This lecture give us many examples on how the kuffār has influenced the Muslims into innovating and inventing ideologies.  From ʿAbdullāh ibn Saba’, the Jew who instigated, if not created the Shia, to the Marxist theologians who influenced Sayyid Qutb. Hudhayfah – raḍī Allāhu ʿʿʿanhu- said: The people used to ask the Messenger of Allāh, ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi...

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Until When Will You Say: “Know May Allāh Have Mercy Upon You?”

Al-Shaykh al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad Amān al-Jāmī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) was asked: A student of knowledge asks how should he seek knowledge, how should he study the books that he is studying and how should he stick to the scholars? Whoever desires to seek knowledge should totally turn away from all manifestations of political incitement and they should start by memorizing the smaller books. They should begin with the three fundamental principles and they should pay no attention to the rabble rousers who say: “Until when will we say: ‘Know may Allāh have mercy upon you?’ Will you say this...

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Don’t Just Stand There!

Since the latecomer to the congregational prayer does not count the rakʿah unless he has joined during the rukūʿ, some people believe that if they come after the rukūʿ there is no point in joining the prayer until the imām stands back up for the next rakʿah, even if it means standing there looking around for a long time while the congregation makes tashahhud! Here’s why this is forbidden from a four-fold textual standpoint: 1) The generality of the ḥadīth which is found in al-Bukhārī and Muslim: ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎‎‎‎”The imām has only been appointed to be followed…” 2)...

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You Guide Not Whom You Love but Allāh Guides Whom He Wills

Verily! You (‘O Muḥammad, ﷺ) guide not whom you love, but Allāh guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.” I (Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān) say: The negated thing here is guidance of tawfīq and acceptance. For verily that matter is only for Allāh and He alone has power over that. And as for the guidance mentioned in the statement of Allāh taʿālá: “And verily you (‘O Muḥammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight path” this is referring to the guidance of showing and clarification. So he (ﷺ) clarifies matters regarding Allāh and he shows the way of His dīn...

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Refuting the Muslim but Not the Kāfir?

After mentioning that those who deviate from the orders of Allāh are in categories Ibn Qudama al Maqdisi (d. 689 Hijra) mentioned: ​ Section Two: The innovator, if he is one who calls toward innovation and the innovation is from those that will make him a disbeliever (bidʿah mukaffarah), then his matter is more severe than that of a Thimmi because he would neither agree to pay the Jizyah nor would he make an agreement to live as a Thimmi. And if it is that his innovation does not make him a disbeliever, then the affair between himself and Allāh is less severe than the situation of the Kāfir...

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The Three Fundamental Principles

-Class was not completed- About the Book: A Gift for the Intellects in Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles by Shaykh al-Islām Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb [raḥimahullāh] with the explanation of Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī The book before you is an explanation of a concise yet great work written by a noble Scholar of Islām from the twelfth century of Islām, known as Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb. He compiled this work, called “The Three Fundamental Principles”, in order to make clear to the people the core and fundamental principles upon which Islām is established. Shaykh Muḥammad...

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Marriage Is Not Lust, Women Are Not Just Pleasure and Enjoyment

This is deception to the woman and dishonesty and misleading her; and if a man came to his daughter or his sister and he knew that he did not want her except for this purpose he would not allow him to marry her, but when it comes to other people’s daughters he does whatever he wants. Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh Āl al-Shaykh The noble Shaykh, the Muftī of the committee of major scholars in Saudi al-ʿArabīa, Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh Āli Shaykh declared that marriage is not just about lust and fulfilling the desires rather it is security and living together and stability. The...

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Given the Choice – Marry a Sister upon the Sunnah or a Sister upon Innovation?

ʿImrān ibn Hitān, al-Sunnī (meaning that he was a sunnī) thumma (then he became a) al-Khārijī: He adopted the madh`hab of the khawārij during the later stages of his life. The reason for that was his cousin (female) was of the madh`hab of the khawārij, so he wanted to make her change; however, she ended up making him change to her madh`hab!1 Ibn Kathīr further stated: “ʿImrān ibn Hitān Al-Khārijī: At first he was from Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah. However he married a very beautiful woman from the Khawārij and he loved her immensely, whereas he was unattractive. Thus he wanted to change her to...

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The Reality of al-Ḥarakāh al-Shabāb al-Mujāhidīn in Somalia

  However, it is obligatory to differentiate between the legislated Jihād which Allāh and His Messenger has commanded and the innovated Jihād which is the Jihād (waged by) misguided individuals who perform Jihād in obedience to the Devil but they believe that they are performing Jihād in obedience to the Most Merciful (al-Raḥmān). This is like the Jihād of the people of innovation and desires such as the Khawārij and other than them who fight against the people of Islām… Shaykh Ḥasan al-Ṣumālī What Is The Methodology Of Shabāb? “A member of her household bore witness.” (Yusuf:...

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The Ruling on Using Musical Entertainment to Gather People for the Purpose of Daʿwah

…the fact that those who understand these innovated musical gatherings to be a valid means unto Allāh, give precedence to these gatherings over gatherings in which the Qurʾān is recited, pondered and thus reflected upon. It is also possible that these individuals intentionally gave precedence to music over the Qurʾān, to the extent that they would only listen to the Qurʾān with heedless hearts, mimicking tongues, wavering actions, voices deemed unacceptable to the hearts, and dispositions that are not comforted by its recitation.Thus, it is mandatory to expose falsehood and defend the daʿwah...

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The Prohibition on Abbreviating the Ṣalāh and Salāms upon the Prophet (ﷺ)

The author, Shaykh Zakarīyyah al-Anṣārī, then mentioned that Imām al-Nawawī related that there is consensus among those who are relied upon that it is legislated to send ṣalāh upon the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) in speech as well as writing. So therefore, it not from the Sunnah to use symbols or abbreviations in place of it. Shaykh Mūsá Richardson [1] Sending ṣalāh on the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) means that one invokes Allāh to praise him and mention his high status to the angels. See Jalāl al-Afhām (p.253) of Ibn Al-Qayyim, Fat′h al-Bārī (11/179-197) of Ibn Hajr,...

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