Understanding the Muslim Youth

by AbuSharmin

The youth of today are excellent in their secular knowledge. They have achieved much in terms of education, sports and socializing. They think broadly and have found new platforms of interaction such as Facebook, YouTube, etc. All these platforms emerged in the last 5 years or so. Inadvertently, these interactions have exposed our Muslim youth to globalization esp. westernization.

Instead of applying western methods to promote Islamic concepts, the youth of today have taken western concepts and methods per se. Take for example, the applications in mobile phones. Very few download Quran apps like uQuran that would help them recite Quran on the bus or in the comfort of their rooms. They do not use Google maps to identify the nearest masjid for congregational prayers. They do not say Assalamualaikum in their SMS messages. Very few use the YouTube to listen to Islamic lectures. Youth are wasting their young years in idle chats, attempts to meet and impress the opposite sex, fashionable clothes that expose their awrah and finding comfort in things that make them look 'cool' in the eyes of their peers.

It is our duty and responsibility to educate the youth in Islamic moral behaviour. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) placed utmost importance in educating the youth. In an article on youth education, Dr Seyfullah Kara points out 4 methods Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) used in the education of the youth.

1. Addressing the emotions of the young people

2. Avoiding embarrassing young people

3. Being tolerant and gentle towards young people

4. Attracting their attention by asking questions

We hardly take note of the emotions of the youth. We usually take a disciplinarian role in the education of the youth. We fail to understand why they are behaving in such manner. How many of us have sat with youth and listened to them? Most of the time, we are only interested in telling them what to do and even how and when to do. We hardly ask what they would like to do or how they would like to proceed..

There have been cases of elders admonishing youth with tattoos when they come to the masjid for prayers. Result? Such youth have stopped coming to masjids. In worst case scenarios, they have converted to other religions which are willing to accept them. Have we not heard of a Hadith where the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) accepted a man into the folds of Islam even when he conditioned that he will not stop drinking alcohol or womanizing? By listening to the Prophet's (peace be upon him) words and advice, that man became a good Muslim in time. Have you ever heard of the Prophet (peace be upon him) using rude or harsh words when educating or correcting someone? Where is that patience in us today? We say we are emulating the Prophet (peace be upon him) as best as we can but we lack patience.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was gentle-mannered and he remained calm even in situations that made him angry. He (peace be upon him) did not rebuke or scold when educating the young. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) served the Prophet (peace be upon him) for 10 years. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I served the Prophet (peace be upon him) for 10 years. He never once sighed in exasperation about me. He never scolded me for an action, saying "Why did you do this?" Morally, he was the most perfect of humans." (Al Tirmidhi)

See how tolerant and gentle the Prophet (peace be upon him) was. We, on the other hand, are quick to judge and admonish the behaviour of our young Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) attracted the attention of youth by asking questions. For example, when teaching Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) what to say when in difficulty the Prophet (peace be upon him) first asked him "O Ali! Shall I tell you what to say when you are in a difficult situation?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) then told him: "Say ‘Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, wala Hawla wala Quwatta Illa Billahi'l-Al'yyi'l-Azim' and this will prevent all troubles that might come to you."

In another example, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Do you know who will go first on the Day of Resurrection to the shade of Allah? Those who when given what is right accept it, when asked for something give freely and who judge in favour of others as they do for themselves." (Al-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Shall I tell you who are the best among you? The best of you are those who when seen are a means of Allah being brought to mind." (Al-Tirmidhi)

See how gentle the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in giving advice. How do we give advice? "Hey don't do that." "Why in the world are you doing this?" "Are you insane? What are you doing?" In worst case scenarios, "Hey Shaitan, why are you like this?" Are we emulating the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the education of our youth? Can we blame globalization or westernization as the sole cause of our youth's waywardness?

Our Muslim youth are looking for a listening ear, proper guidance and answers. As a first step in engaging the youth, are we prepared to listen to them?

Source: AbuSharmin (http://abusharmin.blogspot.com)

Not losing hope in the Dua’s that we make

One of the common complaints of many of us Muslims is that when we make Dua, we don’t see its immediate effects. As a result, we get disheartened and lose hope in the effectiveness and powers of our Dua. The post below highlights a passage written by Ibn Al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) where he discusses this topic.


For those of us who don’t know, Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi (508 AH – 597 AH) is known to be one of the most prolific authors in Islamic history. According to a research conducted on the extent of his research works, the number of Ibn al-Jawzi’s books is more than 376 texts. Some even say that he is the author of more than 700 works.

About the matter of Dua’s not being answered. Ibn al-Jawzi in one of his books commented the following:

"I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the dua 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 waswaas (whispers from shaytan) 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 Allah) 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 Allah 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 Allah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?

I said: It is proven with evidence that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.

The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.

There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”

The response may be withheld because of some fault in you. Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the dua, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely. So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.

You should examine the intention behind this request, because attaining it may lead to more sin, or prevent you from doing some good, so withholding it is better.

Perhaps losing what you have missed out on will cause you to turn to Allah and getting it will distract you from Him. This is obvious, based on the fact that were it not for this calamity you would not have turned to Him, because the real calamity is what distracts you from Him, but what makes you stand before Him is good for you and is in your best interests.

If you ponder these things you will focus on what is more beneficial for you, such as correcting a mistake or seeking forgiveness or standing before Allah and beseeching Him, and forget about what you have missed out on."


End quote. Source: Sayd al-Khaatir (59-60). (This publication is in three volumes containing aphorisms and wise counsels)

About the issue of Dua’s being accepted, the following two sayings by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are also very noteworthy:

It was narrated that Faddalah ibn ‘Ubayd said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard a man making dua after his prayer, but he did not send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “This man is in a hurry.” Then he called him and said to him or to someone else: “When any one of you has finished praying (and makes dua), let him start by praising Allah, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then after that let him ask for whatever he wants.” Al-Albani said: it is a saheeh hadeeth. (Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2765.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The slave will receive a response so long as his dua does not involve sin or severing of family ties, and so long as he is not hasty.” It was said, “What does being hasty mean?” He said: “When he says, ‘I made dua and I made dua, and I have not seen any response,’ and he gets frustrated and stops making dua.” Narrated by al-Bukahari, 6340; Muslim, 2735.

— Finally, for those of us who have abandoned the practice of Dua, we may be missing something quite important. Wishing is not the same thing as making a Dua. We may keep wishing our wishes but we have a better chance of seeing them materialized when we actually make the effort to enter the state of Dua and asking Him what we want.


Source: http://www.iqrasense.com/islamic-topics/not-losing-hope-in-the-duas-that-we-make.html

Visiting a Shrine

Imam Ahmad Rida Khan
Translated by Abdul Naim Azizi

Question: When we visit a Wali’s shrine, how do we pray [the fatiha] there and what should be [further] recited in the prayer?

Answer:
To visit shrines of Awliya, go from the foot of the shrine and stand facing the head of the shrine at a distance of about six feet, and [then] greet them respectfully with a voice neither loud nor quiet, saying: ‘assalamu `alaykum ya Sayyidi wa- rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh.’ Then recite durud ghawsiyya (Allahumma salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammadin ma’dan al-judi wal karami wa `ala ahlihi wa-sahbihi wa-barik wa-sallim) thrice, al-hamd sharif once, Ayat al-Kursi once, Surat Ikhlas seven times and if there is enough time [left], recite Surat Mulk and Surat Ya Sin too.

And pray to Allah Ta`ala,

‘Oh Lord, Give as much reward for this recitation as is worthy to your Grace and not as much that is worthy of my action, and convey it to your favorite slave as an offering.’

After this du`a for your lawful [and] good desires, make the Wali sleeping in this shrine a means in the court of Allah Ta`ala. And then, after offering the greeting, return in the same way. Don’t touch the shrine or kiss it. Circumventing it is unanimously forbidden, and prostration is purely haram.

And Allah Ta`ala knows best!

Source: http://www.marifah.net

Is it haraam to urinate standing up?

Question:
What is the Shari ruling regarding standing while urinating?
There is a hot debate here regarding this. While some claim that it is permissible others claim it is haram. Their argument is that there is a hadith in which Aisha (ra) says that whoever tells you that the Prophet (pbuh) urinated while standing do not believe him. Please clarify the issue.
Praise be to Allaah.

Answer:
It is not haraam for a man to urinate standing up, but it is Sunnah for him to urinate sitting down, because ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to urinate standing up, do not believe him. He only ever used to urinate sitting down.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Tahaarah, 12; he said, this is the most saheeh report on this topic.

And because this is more concealing, and it reduces the risk of any drops of urine splashing up onto him.

It was narrated from ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Umar and Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased with them) that it is allowed to urinate standing up on the condition that there is no risk of drops of urine splashing onto one’s body or clothes, and that one does not expose one's ‘awrah,

Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated from Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to a garden belonging to some people, and urinated standing up.

There is no contradiction between this and the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), because it is possible that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that because he was in a place where he was unable to sit down, or he did that to show the people that it is not haraam.

This does not contradict the basic principle mentioned by ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urinated sitting down, because it is Sunnah, it is not something waajib (obligatory) which it is forbidden to go against.

And Allaah knows best.

Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/88 .

Seeing Allah in dreams, waking, and the afterlife

Question:

What is the position of Islamic scholars on seeing Allah in dreams, waking, and the
afterlife

Answer:

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

The position of the mainstream Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah (Asha'ira and Maturidiyya)is that the vision of Allah Most High with the eyes of the head is rationally (aqlan)possible and that the believers will be blessed with this vision in the hereafter. This vision, however, will be without encompassment (ihata) or delimitation (tahdid) within any given limit (hadd), whether from the front, the back, above, below, right, or left. Allah Most High will be seen (unlike any material being) not in place or in a direction so far as being confronted, nor by the conjunction of the rays of light, nor by a certain definite distance between the one who sees and Allah. In other words, the believers will see Allah Most High in Paradise without our specifying how and in a manner Allah knows best. It is impossible and wrong to draw analogy for the unseen from the seen. This vision of Allah is certainly unlike the vision of material things in this world, for vision in this world requires the seen to be in a place, direction, at a specific distance, etc, whilst the vision of Allah Most High in the hereafter will be free from such restrictions. Allah Most High will enable the believers to see His esteemed self.

(Culled from Mulla Ali al-Qari's Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar P: 245-246, Taftazani's Sharh al-Aqa'id al-Nasafiyya P: 131, Nuh Ali Suleyman's commentary on Jawhara al-Tawhid P:
113 and Bajuri's commentary on the Jawhara P: 114)

The above is the position that the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah scholars have always maintained. The Mu'tazila and some other groups such as the Shi'a held that Allah Most High could not be seen at all, even on the Day of Resurrection or in Paradise. They interpreted certain verses of the Qur'an erroneously, rejected some sound hadiths claiming that such vision necessitated a physical body for Allah and a direction, which He Most High is free from. However, the position of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah is supported by many evidences of the Qur'an and Sunnah, of which some are presented below:

1) Allah Most High says:

"Some faces, that day, will beam (in brightness and beauty), looking towards their Lord."(Surah al-Qiyama, V: 22-23)

2) Allah Most High says regarding the Prophet Sayyiduna Musa (Peace be upon him): "When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, He said: "O my Lord! Show (Yourself) to me, that I may look upon You." Allah said: "By no means can you see Me (direct); But look upon the mount; if it abides in its place, then you shall see Me..." (Surah al-A'raf, V: 143)

In the above verse, Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) requested to see Allah Most High. Had the vision of Allah been impossible, the request of Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) would have been out of ignorance or foolishness or he would be making a request for the impossible, whereas all the Prophets of Allah are far removed from such things. Secondly, Allah Most High connected the vision with the abiding of the mountain firm in its place, which is something that is possible in itself. Hence, that which is connected to the possible is also possible. (Taftazani and Nasafi, Sharh al-Aqa'id al-Nasafiyya, P: 127-128)

3) Allah Most High says:

"There will be for them therein (in Paradise) all that they wish, and more besides in Our presence."(Surah Qaf, V: 35)

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) interpreted "more" saying that it referred to the vision of Allah Most High. (Narrated by Muslim and others)

4) Allah Most High says regarding the disbelievers:

"Verily, from their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled."(Surah al-Mutaffifin, V: 15) This verse explains that the disbelievers will be deprived from the vision of Allah; hence by contrast, it implies that the believers will be blessed with this vision. Thus, Sayyiduna Imam Shafi'i (Allah have mercy on him) said:

"Allah Most High's veiling Himself from a people (disbelievers) due to His displeasure indicates that a group (believers) will see Him due to His pleasure. By Allah, had Muhammad ibn Idrees (Shafi'i himself) not been convinced that he will see his Lord in the hereafter, he would not have worshipped him in this world!" (Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid)

5) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people(companions) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" He replied: "Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a clear(not cloudy) night?" They replied: "No, O Messenger of Allah" He said: "Do you have any doubt in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They replied in the negative. He said: "You will see Allah (your Lord) in the same way...." (Sahih al-Bukhari, no:773)

6) Sayyiduna Jarir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we were sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) on a fourteenth night (of the lunar month), and he looked at the (full) moon and said: "You will see your Lord as you see this moon. You have no trouble in looking at it. So, whoever can should not miss the offering of prayers before sunrise (Fajr prayer) and before sunset (Asr prayer)." Then the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) recited: "And celebrate the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting." (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 4570 and others)

7) Moreover, the occurrence of the vision of Allah has been narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Huzayfa ibn al-Yaman, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas, Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and many others (Allah be pleased with them all). No Companion (sahabi) of the Messenger of Allah is reported to have rejected the vision of Allah; hence there is complete consensus of the Companions on this. (Sharh al-Aqa'id al-Nasafiyya, P: 131 & Tuhfat al-Murid Sharh al-Jawhara, P: 115)

As far as the verse "Visions comprehend Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision" (6: 139) is concerned, it refers to encompassing Allah Most High with our vision. Vision and encompassment are two different things, the latter is rejected in this verse, in that the visions of humans will not be able to encompass Allah most High (even in the hereafter), whilst the former (vision) has been proven in many verses of the Qur'an and many Hadiths. (ibid)

The vision of Allah Most High in this world

The above few evidences were relating to the possibility of seeing Allah and the believers seeing Him Most High in the hereafter. As far as seeing Allah Most High in this world is concerned, there are two situations here. Seeing Him whist awake and secondly seeing Him in sleep.

a) Seeing Allah whilst awake

There is, more or less, a consensus amongst the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah scholars that, though logically possible, nobody is able to see Allah Most High in this world in the state of being awake. However, there is a difference of opinion as to whether the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah Most High in the night of ascension (me'raj) or not.

The renowned Hadith scholar and Hanafi jurist, Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states: "There is an agreement among the Muslims (scholars) that no believer will see Allah Most High with his eyes in this world. The scholars only differed with regards to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) seeing Allah during his ascension to the heavens." (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 354) Mulla Ali al-Qari then said, there is a consensus on the fact that the vision of Allah cannot take place in this world for other than the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). He quoted Ibn al-Salah and Abu Shama saying that the one who claims to have seen Allah whilst being awake will not be believed, for this (vision of Allah whilst being awake) is something that even Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) was prevented from when Allah Most High said to him: "By no means can you see Me".

However, there is a difference of opinion whether this vision occurred for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). (ibid) Some scholars went to the extent of considering such a person, who claims to have seen Allah whilst awake, a Kafir, although most scholars were precautions and did not consider such a person to be an outright Kafir. However, there is no doubt that this person will be considered to have severely deviated. (ibid) Hence, no individual (besides the Messenger of Allah) is able to see Allah Most High whilst being awake in this mortal world.

As far as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) is concerned, the Companions differed as to whether he (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah in the night of Isra' and Me'raj or not. Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas and others (Allah be pleased with them all) related that he did, whilst Sayyida A'isha, Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud and others (Allah be pleased with them all) were of the opinion that he did not see Allah with the eyes of his head during his ascension to the heavens. As a result, the scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah also have conflicting views on this issue.

Imam al-Bukhari relates that Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him)said regarding the statement of Allah: "And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We showed you, but as a trial for men..." (17.60): He said: "The sights which the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was shown on the night he was taken to Bayt al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams).And the cursed tree (mentioned) in the Qur'an is the tree of Zaqqum." (Sahih al-Bukhari,no: 3675)

Imam Tirmidhi has also related some narrations from Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) wherein he states that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see his Lord in the night of Isra' and Me'raj. (See: Sunan Tirmidhi, chapter on the commentary of the Qur'an, Surah al-Najm)

On the other hand, Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) has rigorously denied that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw Allah Most High with the eyes of his head. The following is the narration expressing her viewpoint:

Imam al-Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Masruq that the latter said: "I said to A'isha: "O my mother! Did Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) see his Lord?" She replied: "My hair stands on end because of what you said. Have you no idea of three things? Whoever tells them to you is lying. Whosoever tells you that Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw his Lord, is lying." She then recited: "Visions comprehend Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision. He is the Subtle, the Aware" and "And it is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil". (Secondly), whosoever tells you that he knows what shall happen tomorrow is lying." She then recited: "No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow" And (thirdly) whosoever tells you that he (Allah bless him & give him peace) concealed something, is lying." She then recited: "O Messenger. Proclaim the (message) which has been sent to you from your Lord" "However, he (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see (the angel) Jibra'il (peace be upon him) in his actual form twice." (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 4574).

Some scholars explained that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace)had a vision with the eyes of the heart, and not with the eyes of his head. This is elucidated by Ibn Abbas' other narrations in Sahih Muslim and elsewhere where he said:

"He saw him with his heart." Hence, in this way, the two opinions may be reconciled. (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 8/430)

Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) said that the preferred position according to the Ulama is that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see his Lord in the night of al-Isra' and al-Me'raj with the eyes of his head. The Hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) will be given preference over the position of Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her), as the principle states "Affirmation (ithbat) takes precedence over the negation (nafi)". Hence, the position of Ibn Abbas and others (Allah be pleased with them all) will be given preference and it will be said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was blessed with the vision of his Lord in the night of al-Isra' and al-Me'raj. (Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid, P: 117-118)

The best statement on the issue is of Shaykh Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi (Allah have mercy on him). He said: This world is that which is below the heavens and anything above the heavens is considered to be part of the next world (akhira). Hence, the vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) will not be considered a vision of this world; rather it is a vision of the next world, and there is no disagreement concerning the vision of the hereafter. Hence, this vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was also a type of the vision of the hereafter. (See: Ma'arif al-Qur'an, 3/412)

b) Seeing Allah in a dream

As far as the vision of Allah Most High in a dream is concerned, Imam al-Taftazani (Allah have mercy on him) states in his commentary of Imam Nasafi's al-Aqa'id:

"As far as the vision of Allah in sleep is concerned, it is something that has been related from many predecessors (salaf). And there is no doubt that this is a type of observation by the heart rather than the eye." (Sharh al-Aqa'id al-Nasafiyya, P: 135)

Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states in his renowned Sharh Fiqh al Akbar:

"The majority of the scholars are of the view that the vision of Allah Most High in sleep is possible, without any given description of modality (kayfiyya), direction (jiha) or quiddity (hay'a). It is recorded that Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him) said: "I saw Allah Most High 99 times whilst asleep." Then he saw Him the hundredth time also, the story of which is long and not feasible to be mentioned here. It is recorded that Imam Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him) said: "I saw Allah Most High in a dream, I said: "O Lord! How is it possible to achieve closeness to You?" He replied: "By the recitation of my speech (Qur'an)." I said: "O Lord! Recitation with understanding or (even) without understanding?" He replied: "With or without understanding." It is also narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he said: "I saw my Lord in my sleep." Hence, the vision of Allah in sleep is recorded from many predecessors (salaf) and it is a type of observation by the heart observed by noble people..." (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 356 357)

Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) states:

"As far as seeing Allah Most High in sleep, it is narrated from Qadhi Iyadh that there is no difference of opinion regarding its occurrence and truth, for the Satan cannot take the form of Allah Most High like he cannot take the form of the Prophets(peace be upon them)..... (Tuhfat al-Murid, P: 118)

The above-mentioned few texts of the scholars indicate clearly that Allah Most High can be (and has been) seen in a dream. It is something that His noble and pious servants are blessed with, and one cannot deny its occurrence. Indeed some Ulama did deny the possibility of seeing Allah in sleep, but that is a minority position not accepted by the majority of the scholars.

Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned some additional notes regarding the vision of Allah in sleep in his commentary of Jawhara al-Tahid. He states that, if one sees Allah in a manner that is not impossible for Allah, then one has surely seen Him. However, if one sees Him in a form that is impossible for Him such as seeing Him in a form of a specific individual, then that is not Allah rather it is the creation of Allah, and the dream will need to be interpreted by those qualified to do so.

Some scholars said that even in such a case, one did actually see Allah, but the form seen is not the reality of Allah; rather, it is reflecting the mind of the one having the vision. (Tuhfat al-Murid Sharh Jawhara al-Tawhid, P: 118)

Imam Ibn Sirin (Allah have mercy on him), a major classical scholar considered to be a master in the science of interpreting dreams, states in his renowned book, The Interpretation of Dreams: (This book incidentally covers over 900 dreams with their meanings explained. It explains what facts are to be taken into account when interpreting a dream, when is a dream regarded as true or false, etc.)

"Sayyiduna Daniyal (peace be upon him) relates that if a believer was to see Allah Most High in his dream unequalled and incomparable, as is related in the verses of the Qur'an and in the Hadiths, he will be blessed with the magnificent sight of Allah Most High (in the hereafter) and his needs will also be fulfilled. If an individual was to see a dream in a manner that he was standing before Allah Most High and that He Most High was watching him, then the dream is a sign of his piety and spiritual well-being. He will be chosen for forgiveness, and if he is sinful he will repent." (Ta'bir al-Ru'ya, P: 67)

Imam Ibn Sirin then goes on to mention many types of dreams in which one sees Allah Most High and gives their interpretations. For example, if one sees that Allah Most High is talking secretly with one, then this means one is close to Allah Most High. If one sees that Allah Most High is advising one and giving one Nasiha, then this alludes to the fact that Allah Most High is not completely happy with one's actions. A glad tiding from Allah is a sign of His pleasure and admonition from Allah is a sign of His wrath and anger (ibid). For more details, one may refer to Imam Ibn Sirin's above-mentioned book, but one should consult a reliable scholar of knowledge, piety and wisdom before coming to any sort of conclusion.

To sum up, the vision of Allah Most High is rationally possible and the believers will be blessed with this vision in the hereafter. However, no one is able to see Allah in this world whilst in a state of being awake besides the Messenger of Allah(Allah bless him & give him peace), and regarding the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) too, there is a difference of opinion amongst the Companions (Allah be pleased with them all). As far as seeing Allah in sleep is concerned, this is possible and is related from many pious servants of Allah, saints and scholars.

And Allah knows best

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
Darul Iftaa, Leicester, UK
www.daruliftaa.com

Source: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=6259&CATE=24

Taraweeh 8 raka'ats or 20 raka'ats?

Taraweeh

Taraweeh During The Era of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and the Sahabah (R.A.):

Ibn Abbass (R.A.) states that during the month of Ramadhaan, Nabi (s.a.w.) performed twenty rakaats (Taraweeh) and thereafter performed the witr salaat.
-Baihaqi and Musannaf Ibn Abie Shaiba.

Ubay bin Ka’ab (R.A.) led the Taraweeh prayers and offered 20 rakaats and three rakaats waajib salaat.

Umar (R.A.) commanded the Imaam to perform twenty rakaats Taraweeh salaat for the congregation.

Rasulullah did in fact perform the Taraweeh salaah in Jama’ah, but only curtailed this practice due to the fear that it might be made compulsory (fardh) on the Ummah and this would put them into difficulty. In the era of Umar (R.A.) this fear remained no more, therefore following the original practice of Rasulullah (sa.w.), Umar (R.A.) re-introduced Taraweeh salaah in Jama’ah behind one Imaam. Hence this act of Hazrath Umar (R.A.) is based on the Sunnah of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).

Hazrat Umar (R.A.) during his Caliphate had directed that Taraweeh salaat be performed collectively in the Masjid, lest the practice gradually dissipates from the Ummah. He did not introduce the number of rakaats on his own accord. To believe that the twenty rakaats is an innovation of Umar (R.A.) IS TO UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF Umar (R.A.) and all the Sahabah who were present at that time!

Views of The Scholars:

Imaan Qurtubie (R.A.) states: “ Twenty rakaats Taraweeh and three rakaats witr is the most authentic narration.”

Imaam Nawawie (R.A.) states: “Taraweeh is a unanimously accepted Sunnah of the Muslims. It is twenty rakaats”.


Tahajjud not Taraweeh

The proponents of eight rakaats Taraweeh quote the following Hadeeth of Ayesha (r.a.) as stated in Bukhari Shareef.

Ayesha (r.a.) was asked about the salaat of Nabi (s.a.w.). She replied by saying that Nabi (s.a.w.) did not exceed eleven rakaats in Ramadhaan nor in any other month…".

This hadeeth apparently indicates that Nabi (s.a.w.) performed eight rakaats Taraweeh and three rakaats Witr. However the words ‘nor in any other month’ clearly indicates that this was with reference to Tahajjud salaat and not Taraweeh salaat. The fact that Imaam Bukhari (r.a..) himself has not mentioned this hadeeth under the caption of Taraweeh salaat is clear proof that the salaat in question refers to Witr and not Taraweeh salaat.

Sha’ban: Merits, Do’s, and Dont’s

By Mufti Taqi Usmani

Sha’ban is one of the meritorious months for which we find some particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. It is reported in the authentic ahadith that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the month in Sha’ban. These fasts were not obligatory on him but Sha’ban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. Therefore, some preparatory measures are suggested by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Some of these are given below:

1. The blessed companion Anas, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, “Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?” He replied, “Fasts of Shaban in honor of Ramadan.”

2. The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam: “Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha’ban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month.” Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, replied: “That (Sha’ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting.”

3. Ummul Mu’mineen ‘Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, says, “Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast the whole of Sha’ban. I said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, is Sha’ban your most favorite month for fasting?’ He said, ‘In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting.”

4. In another Tradition she says, “Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Sha’ban.”

5. In another report she says, “I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting in a month so profusely as he did in the month of Sha’ban. He used to fast in that month leaving only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of the month.”

6. Ummul-Mu’mineen Umm Salamah, Radi-Allahu anha, says: “I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha’ban and Ramadan.”

These reports indicate that fasting in the month of Sha’ban, though not obligatory, is so meritorious that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did not like to miss it.

But it should be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha’ban are for those persons only who are capable of keeping them without causing deficiency in the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears that after fasting in Sha’ban, he will lose strength or freshness for the fasts of Ramadan and will not be able to fast in it with freshness, he should not fast in Sha’ban, because the fasts of Ramadan, being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts of Sha’ban. That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself has forbidden the Muslims from fasting one or two days immediately before the commencement of Ramadan. The blessed Companion Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, “Do not fast after the first half of the month of Sha’ban is gone.”

According to another report Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam has said: “Do not precede the month of Ramadan with one or two fasts.”
The essence of the above-quoted ahadith is that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself used to fast most of the month of Sha’ban, because he had no fear of developing weakness or weariness before the commencement of Ramadan. As for others, he ordered them not to fast after the 15th of Sha’ban for the fear that they would lose their strength and freshness before Ramadan starts, and would not be able to welcome the month of Ramadan with enthusiasm.

The Night of Bara’ah

Another significant feature of the month of Sha’ban is that it consists of a night which is termed in Shariah as “Laylatul-bara’ah” (The night of freedom from Fire). This is the night occurring between 14th and 15th day of Sha’ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a meritorious night in which the people of the earth are attended by special Divine mercy. Some of these traditions are quoted as follows:

1. Ummul-Mu’mineen ‘Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, is reported to have said, “Once Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, performed the Salah of the night (Tahajjud) and made a very long Sajdah until I feared that he had passed away. When I saw this, I rose (from my bed) and moved his thumb (to ascertain whether he is alive). The thumb moved, and I returned (to my place). Then I heard him saying in Sajdah: ‘I seek refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your annoyance, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as fully as You deserve. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.’ Thereafter, when he raised his head from Sajdah and finished his salah, he said to me: ‘Aishah, did you think that the Prophet has betrayed you?’ I said, ‘No, O Prophet of Allah, but I was afraid that your soul has been taken away because your Sajdah was very long.’ He asked me, ‘Do you know which night is this?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘This is the night of the half of Sha’ban. Allah Almighty looks upon His slaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice (against a Muslim) as they were before, (and does not forgive them unless they relieve themselves from malice).’”

2. In another Tradition Sayyidah’ Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has reported that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said, “Allah Almighty descends (in a manner He best knows it) in the night occurring in the middle of Sha’ban and forgives a large number of people more than the number of the fibers on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb.”

Kalb was a big tribe the members of which had a very large number of sheep. Therefore, the last sentence of the hadith indicates the big number of the people who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty.

3. In yet another Tradition, she has reported Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, “This is the middle Night of Sha’ban. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from Fire, more than the number of the hair growing on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb. But He does not even look at a person who associates partners with Allah, or at a person who nourishes malice in his heart (against someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties of kinship, or at a man who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a person who has a habit of drinking wine.”

4. Sayyidna Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: “Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha’ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)”.

Although the chain of narrators of some of these traditions suffers with some minor technical defects, yet when all these traditions are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as envisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected to give any special importance to this night. In fact, some of these traditions have been held by some scholars of hadith as authentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by them as minor technical defects which, according to the science of hadith, are curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the elders of the ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of special merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers.

What should be done in this Night?

In order to observe the Night of Bara’ah, one should remain awakened in this night as much as he can. If someone has better opportunities, he should spend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one cannot do so for one reason or another, he can select a considerable portion of the night, preferably of the second half of it for this purpose, and should perform the following acts of worship:

(a) Salah. Salah is the most preferable act to be performed in this night. There is no particular number of Rak’at but preferably it should not be less than eight. It is also advisable that each part of the Salah like qiyam, rukoo’ and sajdah should be longer than normal. The longest surahs of the Holy Qur’an one remembers by heart should be recited in the Salah of this night. If someone does not remember the long surahs, he can also recite several short surahs in one rak’ah.

(b) Tilawa. The recitation of the Holy Qur’an is another form of worship, very beneficent in this night. After performing Salah, or at any other time, one should recite as much of the Holy Qur’an as he can.

(c) Dhikr. One should also perform dhikr (recitation of the name of Allah) in this night. Particularly the following dhikr is very useful:
One should recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, as many times as he can. The dhikr can also be recited while walking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or leisure.

(d) Dua. The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this night is prayers and supplications. It is hoped that all the prayers in this night will be accepted by our Lord, insha-Allah. Prayer itself is an ‘Ibadah, and Allah Almighty gives reward on each prayer along with the fulfillment of the supplicator’s need. Even if the purpose prayed for is not achieved, one cannot be deprived of the reward of the prayer which is sometimes more precious than the mundane benefits one strives for. The prayers and supplications also strengthen one’s relation with Allah Almighty, which is the main purpose of all kinds and forms of worship.

One can pray for whatever purpose he wishes. But the best supplications are the ones made by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. These are so comprehensive and all-encompassing prayers that recitation of the Qur’an and dhikr should be performed in this night individually, not collectively. The Nafl Salah should not be performed in Jama’ah, nor should the Muslims arrange gatherings in the mosques in order to celebrate the night in a collective manner.

On the contrary, this night is meant for worshipping Allah in solitude. It is the time to enjoy the direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and to devote one’s attention to Him and Him alone. These are the precious hours of the night in which nobody should intervene between one and his Lord, and one should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed or intermitted by any one else.

That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, observed the acts of worship in this night in total seclusion, not accompanied by anyone, not even by his favorite life companion Sayyidah ‘Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, and that is why all forms of the optional worship (Nafl Ibadah), are advised by him to be done in individual, not in collective manner.

Fast of the 15th Sha’ban

On the day immediately following the Night of Bara’ah, i.e. the 15th of Sha’ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have recommended this fast emphatically. Although the scholars of hadith have some doubts in the authenticity of this report, yet it is mentioned earlier that the fasts of the first half of Sha’ban have special merits and Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the days in Sha’ban. Moreover, a large number of the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the 15th of Sha’ban. This constant practice indicates that they have accepted the relevant hadith as authentic.

Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha’ban as an optional (nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast.