Letter from Malcolm X

Posted Jan 29, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 1 Comment

I do not intend to make this into a political blog nor is Malcolm X. a muslim scholar, but he managed to describe this in a very beautiful way.

May Allah forgive him for his short comings and make him a means for others to see the truth.

Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures.

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Sin leads to more sin

Posted Jan 18, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 2 Comments

Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim writes regarding sins in his book ad-Daa wa Dawaa:

And from it [i.e consequences] is that the sin produces more of its like and multiply, so much so that it becomes overwhelming for the slave to leave it off or find a way out.

Just like some of the salaf used to say:

From amongst the punishments of committing sins is that they lead to more sins and from the rewards of performing good deeds is that one performs more good deeds, so if a slave performs a good deed another good deed calls towards him proclaiming do me too!

And if he does it a third good deed proclaims the same thing and so on.

So the reward is multiplied and the good deeds are increased.

And the same thing applies for sins, until performing either good deeds or committing sins become firmly imbedded habits and part of a person’s character.

So if a righteous person was to leave off a good deed then that would weigh him down immensely and he would feel as a fish taken out of its water until he is brought back into it so that his heart finds peace and tranquility again.

And if the sinner was to turn away from his sins towards obedience then he would feel an immense constriction of his soul until he made himself firm upon that righteous action.

To such an extent that a lot of sinners commit sins without acquiring any pleasure from it rather they commit it due to the pain and anguish they feel leaving it off.

And a slave does not cease to perform acts of obedience, loving it, but that Allah through His infinite Mercy sends angels to him encouraging him towards obedience and righteousness. And makes him leave his bed and laziness altogether.

And a slave does not cease to commit sins, loving it, but that Allah sends devils upon him edging him on [in sin].

So as for the first one then he sought strength in righteousness and asked for aid [from the angels] so they became from amongst the greatest of helpers.

And the other strengthened  his army of evil with help [from the devils] so they became aids against him.

Shaykh Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him]

Posted Jan 15, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 3 Comments

Something you will notice about this Shaykh is that almost all types of people loved him [rahimahullah] even people from different sects.

He was once asked what was the reason that people loved him so much, despite the differences they had among each other, he replied:

I do not know of anything, except that since I realised the truth whilst I still was a youth, calling towards Allah and having patience upon the hardships I had to face, I never tried to make anyone love me, nor did I ever beautify my speech towards anyone.

I spoke the truth by the Grace of Allah and had patience upon the hardships that afflicted me, if [my speech] was accepted then alhamdulilah and if not alhamdulilah.

This was my path that I treaded, both in my speech and in my writing, whomsoever wanted to accept it accepted it and whomsoever wanted to turn away from it turned away from it…

So I do not know any other reason then that, I used to speak the truth with the help of Allah as much as I could and I used to spread it both in speech and through action, and if I was ever targeted I never retaliated with harm or harshness rather I made du’a that Allah give them tawfeeq and guidance.

This was my way with both the royals and the common people.

[Usuul ash-Shaykh 'Abdil 'Azeez bin Baaz fee ar-Rad 'ala al-Mukhaalifeen p. 123]

Cold Jahannam?

Posted Jan 14, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 1 Comment

Allah the Most High says:

مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا

 In that [garden] they will on couches recline, and will know therein neither [burning] sun nor severe cold

The word Zamhareer means intense cold.

Imaam Tabari writes in his famous tafseer:

Narrated by Ibn Abeel ‘Alaa saying that Ibn Thawr reports on the behalf of Ma’mar on the behalf of az-Zuhri on the behalf of Abee Salamah on the behalf of Aboo Hurayrah on the behalf of the Prophet that he said:

The hell fire complained to her Lord, she said My Lord, parts of me eats up other parts so let me breath. So He [Allah] let her breath twice every year, so the coldest you encounter then it is from the Zamhareer of Jahannam and the hottest you encounter then it is from the heat of Jahannam.

Dreams and Rulings

Posted Jan 13, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with No Comments

In Islaam dreams can only give glad tidings or sometimes serve as warnings to people. Dreams do not bring new rulings in Islaam.

Certain sects actually take rulings based upon dreams they might see, and this is no doubt a big source for the spread of Bida’ (innovations)

Imaam ash-Shaatiby writes in his book al-Itisaam about this:

And from the most baseless forms [of bid'ah] is that a group of people actually use dreams to derive rulings. So they might say we saw so and so [mentioning a pious man] and he ordered us to do such and such and stay away from such and such.

And some of them might even say we saw the Prophet in our sleep and he told me such and such and commanded me to do that.

So this person actually does this based on the dream and turns away from the clear Sharee’ah and its limits and this is wrong.

Since dreams seen by any other than Prophets are not taken as a ruling except that we put the dream against what is in our hands [i.e the Qur'aan and Sunnah] if it is in accordance with it then we accept it otherwise we have to leave it and turn away from it.

Ahmad bin Hanbal and Friday Prayer

Posted Jan 06, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 4 Comments

Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal was asked a few questions regarding the friday prayer in the book Masa-il al-Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal wa Is-haaq bin Rahaweyyah:

I asked him wether one person could give the khutbah and another person could lead the prayer

He replied: I do not know

I asked him if a person joins the Imaam in the last Raka’ah of the salah

He replied: Then he just adds one more Raka’ah, but if he joins the prayer whilst the people are in tashahud then he should pray four Raka’ahs

Is-haaq gave the same answer.

I asked him if there was any type of Imaam that the friday prayer would not be valid behind

He replied: No, the Friday prayer is not left for anything.

I asked him about the man who sneezes during the khutbah shall I say yarhamakAllah to him?

He replied: Yes do that

Is-haaq said the same thing

I asked him if I could reply to the greeting during the Khutbah

He replied: You should reply back

Is-haaq said: Yes

I asked him what if the place I am praying is very crowded and I cant preform ruku’ nor sujud?

He replied: Then you make sajdah upon the back of the person infront of you.

Winter and its Benefits

Posted Jan 06, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 3 Comments

Haafidh ibn Rajab writes in his book al-Lataa-if al-Ma’aarif concerning the season known as winter:

And from the benefits of this season is that the bitter cold weather serves as a reminder for the believer regarding the cold [parts] of Jahannam and he seeks refuge from it through his Lord.

Advice of Shaafi'ee

Posted Jan 06, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 2 Comments

I just can’t get enough of the Imaams poetry, may Allah have mercy upon him and all the rest of the scholars.

This advice goes out to anyone who wants to be a student of knowledge, anyone who wants to learn more about Islaam.

And this is not my own words but the words of the great scholar Imaam Muhammad bin Idris ash-Shaafi’ee so read this carefully.

أخي لن تنال العلم إلا بستة

o my Brother you will never gain knowledge without [possessing] six [qualities]

سأنبيك عن تفصيلها ببـيان

I will inform you of these in detail and with clarity

ذكاء وحرص واجتهاد وبلغة

Sharpeness [of the mind] eagerness [to learn] sacrifice [in terms of time etc] and means [i.e wealth]

وصحبة أستاذ وطول زمان

And the company of a scholar and length of time!

Beat that!

Posted Jan 06, 2010 by Aboo Thaabit with 6 Comments

This is something for all the students of the Qur’aan to ponder and think about.

How long does it take you?

Imaam Nawawi writes in his book at-Tibyaan fee aadaab hamalatil Qur’aan:

It is befitting to make special time for the tilawah of the Qur’aan and increase in it.

It was from the practise of the salaf - may Allah be pleased with them – that they used to finish the Qur’aan within different periods of time.

 Ibn Abee Dawuud reports that some of the salaf used to finish one khatam (complete Qur’aan) in two months.

Others use to finish one khatam every month.

Some used to finish one khatam within ten days the likes of Hasan al-Basri. And some every eighth day such as the noble companion Ubayy bin Ka’b.

A great portion of them used to finish the Qur’aan within a week, people such as ‘Abdullah bin Mas’uud and ‘Alqamah bin Qays etc. 

Some finished every six days such as al-Asuud bin Yazeed and others every five days.

A portion of them used to finish the Qur’aan every  four days such as Aboo Dardaa’.

And even a greater portion used to finish the Qur’aan every three days like ‘Abdullah bin ’Amr.

Some every two nights such as ‘Ataa bin as-Saa-ib. And a big portion of them used to finish the Qur’aan every day like ‘Abdullah bin Zubayr.

Some even finished the Qur’aan twice, meaning every night and day! Such as ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin al-Qaasim.

Some finished the Qur’aan three times a day, whereas others finished the Qur’aan eight times a day, four khatams during the day and four during the night.

As for those who used to finish the Qur’aan every day and night were the likes of ‘Uthmaan bin ’Affaan, at-Tameem ad-Daariyy, Sa’eed bin Jubair, Mujaahid, ash-Shaafi’ee amongst others.

Ibn Abee Dawuud reports with an authentic chain that Mujaahid used to finish the Qur’aan once during Ramadan between magrib and isha.

Some of the Taabi’een used to finish two khatams between magrib and isha during the month of Ramadan.

And it has also been reported that many of the salaf used to finish the entire Qur’aan in one raka’ah these were people like ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Affaan, at-Tameem ad-Daareyy  and Sa’eed bin Jubair.