2 December 2012
2 minute Survey on what to do after the Seerah:
Please visit this Survey Link
or click below:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R7LJWBJ
Summary
Seerah:
Seerah: The Farewell Pilgrimage
The Prophet* sets out to perform his Farewell Pilgrimage with all the Muslims
The Prophet* teaches the people the rituals of Hajj and links them back to Ibrahim
The
Prophet* speaks about Muslim Brotherhood, abolishing pagan rituals and
practices, abolishing usury (interest), treating women properly, staying
true to the Qur’an and Sunnah, and basic duties
Allah reveals His final revelation that Islam is Perfected
Main Topic: Fiqh ~ Ijma’ as-Sahabah:
This
is where all the Companions agreed upon something unanimously, without
any objections – and so is considered a valid source of law although we
don’t have a hadith from the Prophet explicitly explaining their action
Example
- The delay in burying the Prophet* to choose a Khalife; or Umer
appointing 6 Companions to choose the next ruler and killing any
dissenters
Allah collectively praises the Companions in Qur’an
Through Ijma’ as-Sahabah we have the Qur’an and all the Sunnah protected for us
Sahaba
= A Muslim who lived with the Prophet* for one or two years or
participated in one or two Ghazwaat (military expeditions led by the
Prophet*)
Survey on what to do after the Seerah:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R7LJWBJ
Please complete the Online Survey:
We
are about to finish the Seerah of the Prophet*, InshaAllah. What we
would like to know is what topic people wanted to study after this on a
regular basis in Future Circles. Please vote for which things you would
like to discuss during the Circle. Or give your own suggestions. This
shouldn't take more than 2 minutes (InshaAllah)
Q: What topic would you like to study after the Seerah is finished?
- Lives of the first 4 Khulafah (Caliph - Islamic Leaders) = Abu Bakr, Umer, Uthman and Ali
- Lives of the Prophets (Adam to Isa/Jesus)
- Other (please specify)
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
The Farewell Pilgrimage
When the Prophet was in Medina during Ramadan it was his desire to make a spiritual retreat in the Mosque during the middle ten days of the month, and some of his Companions would do the same. But this year, having kept the ten appointed days, he invited his Companions to remain in retreat with him for another ten days, that is until the end of the month, which they did. It was in Ramadan every year that Gabriel would come to him to make sure that nothing of the Revelation had slipped from his memory; and this year, after the retreat, the Prophet confided to Fatimah, as a secret not yet to be told to others: "Gabriel reciteth the Qur’an unto me and I unto him once every year; but this year he hath recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time hath come."
The month of Shawwal passed; and in the eleventh month of the year it was proclaimed throughout Medina that the Prophet himself would lead the Pilgrimage. The news was sent to the desert tribes, and multitudes flocked to the oasis from all directions, glad of the opportunity of accompanying the Messenger at every step of the way. The Pilgrimage would be unlike any that had taken place for hundreds of years: the pilgrims would all be worshippers of the One God, and no idolater would desecrate the Holy House with the performance of any heathen rites. Five days before the end of the month the Prophet set out from Medina at the head of over thirty thousand men and women. He combed his hair, applied some perfume, wore his garment, saddled his camel and set off in the afternoon. All his wives were present, each in her howdah, escorted by 'Abd ar-Rahrnan ibn 'Awf and 'Uthman ibn 'Affan. Abu Bakr was accompanied by his wife, Asma', and at one of the first halts she gave birth to a son, whom they named Muhammad. Abu Bakr was for sending her back to Medina, but the Prophet told him to tell her to perform the greater ablution and then to consecrate herself for the Pilgrimage, and to go with them as she had planned.
He arrived at Dhul-Hulaifa before the afternoon prayer. He performed two Rak‘a and spent the night there. When it was morning he said to his Companions: "A comer, sent by my Lord, has called on me tonight and said: ‘Pray in this blessed valley and say: I intend ‘Umrah combined with pilgrimage (‘Umrah into Al- Hajj). Before performing the noon prayer, he bathed for Ihram (ritual consecration), and ‘Aishah perfumed him on both his body and head with her hand with a Dharira (a plant) and with a perfume containing musk. The thick sticky layer of perfume could be seen among his parts of hair and beard. He left it unwashed, wore his loincloth and garment. He performed the noon prayer shortened, two Rak‘a. He proclaimed pilgrimage procedure associated with ‘Umrah at his prayer-place. He, then mounted his she-camel ‘Al-Qaswa’, and proclaimed: ‘There is no god but Allah’. When he moved into the desert, he acclaimed the Name of Allah.
At sunset on the tenth day after leaving Medina the Prophet reached the pass through which he had entered Mecca on the day of the victory. There he spent the night, and the next morning he rode down to the Hollow. When he came within sight of the Ka'bah he raised his hands in reverence, letting fall the rein of his camel, which he then took up in his left hand, and with his right hand held out in supplication he prayed: "O God, increase this House in the honour and magnification and bounty and reverence and piety that it receives from mankind!": He entered the Mosque and made the seven rounds of the Ka'bah, after which he prayed at the Station of Abraham. Then going out to Safa he went seven times between it and Marwah, and those who were with him did their best to record in their memories the exact words of praise and prayer that he uttered at every station.
Again he refused to lodge in any house in Mecca despite the plea of Umm Hani' that he would stay with her; and on the eighth day of the new moon he rode to the valley of Mina followed by the rest of the pilgrims. Having spent the night there, he rode on after daybreak to 'Arafah, a broad valley about thirteen miles east of Mecca, just outside the sacred precinct. 'Arafah is on the road to Ta'if and is bounded north and east by the mountains of Ta'if, But separate from these, and surrounded on all sides by the valley, is a hill which is also named 'Arafah or the Mount of Mercy. It is the central part of this pilgrimage station, which extends none the less over most of the lower ground; and it was on this hill that the Prophet took up his station that day.
Some of the Meccans expressed surprise that he had gone so far, for while the other pilgrims went on to 'Arafah Quraysh had been accustomed to remain within the sacred precinct saying: "We are the people of God." But he said that Abraham had ordained the day on 'Arafah as an essential part of the Pilgrimage, and that Quraysh had forsaken his practice in this respect. The Prophet stressed that day the antiquity of the Pilgrimage, and the words "Abraham's legacy" were often on his lips.
On the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah — that is the Day of Tarwiyah, he left for Mina where he performed the noon, the afternoon, the sunset, the evening and the dawn prayers. — i.e. five prayers. Then he stayed for a while till the sun rose up then he passed along till he reached ‘Arafah, where there was a tent built for him at Namirah. He sat inside till the sun went down. He ordered that Al-Qaswa’, his she camel, should be prepared for him. They saddled it and had it ready, so he went down the valley where a hundred thousand and twenty- four or forty-four thousand people gathered round him. There he stood up and delivered the following speech: " O people! Listen to what I say. I do not know whether I will ever meet you at this place once again after this current year. It is unlawful for you to shed the blood of one another or take (unlawfully) the fortunes of one another. They are as unlawful, (Haram) as shedding blood on such a day as today and in such a month as this Haram month and in such a sanctified city as this sacred city (i.e. Mecca and the surrounding areas)."
"Behold! all practices of paganism and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood-revenge of the Days of Ignorance (pre- Islamic time) are remitted. The first claim on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabi‘a bin Harith who was nursed in the tribe of Sa‘d and whom Hudhail killed. Usury is forbidden, and I make a beginning by remitting the amount of interest which ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib has to receive. Verily, it is remitted entirely."
"O people! Fear Allah concerning women. Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful unto you by Words of Allah! It is incumbent upon them to honour their conjugal rights and, not to commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives refrain from impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably."
"Verily, I have left amongst you the Book of Allah and the Sunnah (Traditions) of His Messenger which if you hold fast, you shall never go astray."
"O people, I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not succeeded by any nation. So I recommend you to worship your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadan and to offer the Zakat (poor-due) of your provision willingly. I recommend you to do the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then you will be awarded to enter the Paradise of your Lord."
"And if you were asked about me, what wanted you to say?"
They replied: "We bear witness that you have conveyed the message and discharged your ministry."
He then raised his forefinger skywards and then moved it down towards people while saying: "O Allah, Bear witness."
He said that phrase thrice. The one who repeated the Prophet’s*statements loudly at ‘Arafat was Rabi‘a bin Omaiyah bin Khalaf. As soon as the Prophet* had accomplished delivering the speech, the following Qur’anic verse was revealed to him: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [TMQ 5:3]
Upon hearing this verse ‘Umer cried. "What makes you cry?" He was asked. His answer was: "Nothing succeeds perfection but imperfection." Bilal called for prayer after the speech, and then made the second call. The Prophet* performed both of the noon and the afternoon prayers separately, with no prayers in between. The ritual prayers were then prayed and the rest of the Day of Arafah, as it is called, was spent in meditation and supplication. He then mounted his she-camel Al-Qaswa’ - It was the tradition to ride quickly at this point, but at the first signs of excess he cried out: "Gently, gently! In quietness of soul! And let the strong amongst you have a care for the weak!". He approached the location of the vigil, directed his face towards Al-Qiblah, kept on standing till sunset when the sky yellow colour vanished a bit and the disc of the sun disappeared. Usamah added that the Prophet*moved onward to Muzdalifa where he observed the sunset and the evening prayers with one ‘First call’ and two ‘second calls’. He did not entertain the Glory of Allah between the two prayers. Then he lay down till it was dawn prayer time. Sawdah asked the Prophet's permission to leave Muzdalifah in the small hours. Being large in stature and heavier than most of the women, she had suffered more from the heat and from the exertions of travel, and shew as anxious to perform the rite of stoning before the multitude arrived. So he sent her on ahead in the company of Umm Sulaym, escorted by 'Abd Allah, one of the sons of 'Abbas.
The Prophet himself prayed the dawn prayer in Muzdalifah, and then led the pilgrims to 'Aqabah, with Fadl mounted behind him on his camel. Mounting on his Al-Qaswa’, he moved towards Al- Mash‘ar Al-Haram. It was at this very spot on this very day twelve years previously that he had met the six men of Khazraj who had pledged their allegiance to him, thus preparing the way for the First and Second 'Aqabah pacts. He faced Al-Qiblah and started supplicating: "Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah." He remained there till it was clear morning and before the sun rose high, he made his way to Mina. He walked a little and threaded the mid-road leading to the big Jamrah where he stopped and pelted seven pebbles at it saying "Allah is the Greatest" each time. They were like small pebbles hurled from the bottom of the valley. Then he set off to the sacrificial place, where he sacrificed sixty-three camels with his hands, and asked ‘Ali to slaughter the others, a hundred and thirty-seven altogether. He made ‘Ali share him in Al-Hadi. A piece of meat from each slaughtered animal was ordered to be cooked in a pot and from which both men ate, and drank the soup. After the stoning, the animals were sacrificed, and the Prophet called for a man to shave his head. The pilgrims gathered round him in the hopes of obtaining some locks of his hair. Abu Bakr remarked afterwards on the contrast between the Khalid of Uhud and the Trench and the Khalid who now said: "O Messenger of God, thy forelock! Give it unto none but me, my father and my mother by thy ransom!" And when the Prophet gave it him he pressed it reverently against his eyes and his lips.
At the daytime of the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah on the Slaughtering Day (Yaum An-Nahr) The Prophet* delivered another speech. That was at high time morning, while he was mounting a grey mule. ‘Ali conveyed his statements to the people, who were standing or sitting. He repeated some of the statements that he had previously said the day before. The two Sheikh (Bukhari and Muslim) reported a version narrated by Abi Bakrah who said: The Prophet* made a speech on Yaum An-Nahr (day of slaughtering) and said: "Time has grown similar in form and state to the time when Allah created the heavens and the earth. A year is twelve months. Four of which are Sacred Months (Hurum). Three of the four months are successive. They are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul- Hijjah, and Al-Muharram. The fourth Month is Rajab Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha‘ban." "What month is this month?" He asked. We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best of all." He kept silent for a while till we thought he would attach to it a different appellation. "Is it not Dhul- Hijjah?" He wondered. "Yes. It is." We said. Then he asked, "What is this town called?" We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best of all." He was silent for a while till we thought he would give it a different name. "Is it not Al-Baldah? (i.e. the town)" asked he. "Yes. It is." We replied. Then he asked again, "What day is it today?" We replied: "Allah and His Messenger know best of all." Then he kept silent for a while and said wondering: "Is it not ‘An-Nahr’ (i.e. slaughtering) Day?" "Yes. It is." Said we. Then he said: "(Shedding) the blood of one another and eating or taking one another’s provisions (unwillingly) and your honour are all inviolable (Haram). It is unlawful to violate their holiness. They must be as sacred to one another as this sacred day, in this sacred month, in this sacred town." "You will go back to be resurrected (after death) to your Lord. There you will be accounted for your deeds. So do not turn into people who go astray and kill one another."
"Have I not delivered the Message (of my Lord)?" "Yes you have." Said they. "O Allah! Bear witness! Let him that is present convey it unto him who is absent. For haply, many people to whom the Message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience,." said he.
In another version it is said that the Prophet* had said in that very speech: "He whoever plunges into misfortune will certainly aggrieve himself. So let no one of you inflict an evil upon his parents. Verily Satan has utterly despaired being worshipped in this country of yours; but he will be obeyed at your committing trivial things you disdain. Satan will be contented with such things."
The Prophet now bade the pilgrims visit the Ka'bah and return to spend that night and the two next nights in Mina. He himself waited until the late afternoon. Then his wives accompanied him to Mecca, all but 'A'ishah, who was not in a state of ritual purity. A few days later, as soon as she was able, he sent her outside the sacred precinct, escorted by her brother 'Abd ar-Rahrnan. There she consecrated herself afresh, and going to Mecca she made the rounds of the Ka'bah.
The Prophet* spent At-Tashreeq Days (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) in Mina performing the ritual teachings of Islam, remembering Allah (praying), following the ways of guidance of Ibrahim, wiping out all traces and features or polytheism. On some days of At-Tashreeq he delivered some speeches as well. In a version to Abu Da’ûd with good reference to Sira,’ the daughter of Nabhan; she said: "The Messenger of Allah* made us a speech at the Ru’us (Heads) Day in which he said: "Is it not this the middle day of At-Tashreeq Days." His speech that day was similar to that of An-Nahr Day’s. It was made after the revelation of Surat An-Nasr.
On the second day of An-Nafr (i.e. Departure) — on the thirteenth of Dhul- Hijjah, the Prophet* proceeded with An-Nafr to Mina and stayed at a high place of a mountain side at Bani Kinanah from Al-Abtah. He spent the rest of that day and night there — where he performed the noon, the afternoon, the sunset and the evening prayers.
Then he slept for a short while and mounted leaving for the Ka‘bah. He performed the Farewell Circumambulation (Tawaf Al-Wada‘), after ordering his Companions to do the same thing. Upon the accomplishment of his religious rituals he quickened his move to the purified Medina. He went there not to seek rest but to resume the strife and struggle in the way of Allah.
Main Topic: Ijma’ as-Sahabah
The Application of the Sunnah
The Sunnah can be applied in five ways:
A. Sunnah can explain a word which is not explained in the Qur’an
For example, the Qur’an says: “Establish the Salah” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 43) The Qur’an does not explain or provide any details regarding the term, “Establish the Salah.” However, the Sunnah explains the details pertaining to the term “Establish the Salah.” The Prophet* says: “Pray as you see me pray”
The Messenger* used to observe people pray and would correct them in the areas of the Salah where they made mistakes. The issue of explanation and clarification also extends to the rules of Hajj, Zakah, Jihad, and others. In summary, the Qur’an may mention a term without providing any details, but Sunnah plays the role of explaining these terms.
B. Qur’an mentions a general term, which could be applied to any person, while the Sunnah further specifies the term and forms another rule.
For example, the Qur’an says: “The man and woman who commit Zina, flog each of them with one hundred lashes.” (TMQ An-Nur: 2) This rule can be applied to any male or female who is found guilty of Zina. However, the Messenger* stoned married men and women who committed Zina. Thus, in this case, he* singled out the married man and woman and gave them the rule of stoning to death for Zina. As an example, Muslim extracted in his Sahih on the authority of Ibnu Omar that the Prophet* stoned to death a Jewish man and a Jewish woman for committing adultery.
C. A rule may be mentioned in the Qur’an without any restrictions, but the Sunnah places restrictions on the rule.
For example, the Qur’an says: “The male and female thief, cut their hands” (TMQ Al-Ma’ida: 38) There is no restriction placed on this rule in the Ayah, which simply states that anyone found guilty of stealing should have his hand cut. However, the Sunnah places certain restrictions on the application of this punishment. Some of which are that the stolen property must equal a Nisab, which amounts to one quarter of a Dinar in gold. Also, the property must be stolen from a place where such property wealth is usually kept. It has to be kept under average protection, which is relevant to the people and the property itself. For example, if the jewellery is left in the open instead of a locked up place, then the one who steals it will not have his hand cut off, even though the action is still Haram. Another example is if the sheep or horses are not kept in a barn or stable, then stealing will not call for the implementation of the Hadd, even though stealing them is Haram.
D. An original rule in the Qur’an, which is explained, has neither restrictions nor exceptions, but the Sunnah adds new items to the original rule.
For example, the Qur’an says: “Forbidden to you are your mothers, daughters, paternal and maternal aunts, nieces, foster mothers and sisters, mothers-in-law, and step daughter....” (TMQ An-Nisa: 23) The Sunnah added that: “No woman can be married to a man who is already married to her sister or her maternal / paternal aunt.” (Bukhari & Muslim) Men are also prohibited from marrying the women who breast-fed them. Thus, the Sunnah adds extra items to the Qur’anic rule.
E. A rule originating from the Sunnah and not the Qur’an.
For example the Messenger* said: “People are partners in three things. The water, the graze (kela), and the fire (includes power resources).” (Abu Dawud) This Hadith established rules related to public ownership of the natural resources in the Islamic State. The topic of public ownership in the State was never explicitly addressed in the Qur’an
Ijma’ as-Sahabah
Ijma’ is the verbal noun of the Arabic word Ajmaa, which has two meanings:
1) to determine,
2) to agree upon something.
There are many types of Ijma’ discussed in the books of Usul al-Fiqh. Some of these are; Ijma’ al Ummah, Ijma’ al Mujtahideen, Ijma’ ahlel Bayt, Ijma al Medina and Ijma’ as-Sahabah. Ijma’ as-Sahabah is the only one that is definitive and agreed upon.
If the Sahabah after the death of the Prophet* were to agree unanimously upon a solution to a problem without any dissent amongst each other, in the absence of a ruling from the Qur’an and Sunnah, then this agreement is considered to be a Daleel. This agreement must have been based upon some teaching of Mohammed* of which they all knew, but which did not reach us directly in the form of Hadith. Therefore, Ijma’ as-Sahabah is an indication of Sunnah itself.
Examples of Ijma’ as-Sahabah
An example of Ijma’ as-Sahabah is the priority, which must be given to the appointment of a Khaleefah for Muslims. The Sunnah of the Prophet* informs us that the dead must be buried quickly and it is forbidden for those responsible for the burial to delay the burial on account of other things. Yet when the Prophet* died, the Companions delayed his* burial until they had selected a Khaleefah from among themselves. Before the burial arrangements were completed, the Sahabah had gathered in the place of Banu Sai’da and proceeded to select the Khaleefah. After discussion of the matter, all agreed to give Bay’ah (oath of allegiance) to Abu Bakr, after which they buried the Prophet*. None of them objected to the delay of the burial. The unanimous agreement of the Sahabah regarding this action is a Daleel for us about the importance of appointing the Khaleefah for Muslims, even more vital than the burial of the Prophet* himself.
Al-Haythami (d. 1405 CE) said, “It is known that the Sahabah consented that selecting the Imam after the end of the era of Prophethood was an obligation (Wajib). Indeed they made it (more) important than the (other) obligations whilst they were busy with it over the burial of the Prophet*.” The reputed scholar Al-Taftazani (d. 1389 CE) said, “There is Ijma (consensus) that appointing an Imam is wajib (obligatory)…The adoption (i.e. correct position) is that it is obligatory upon the servants by textual evidence because of the saying of the Messenger*: "Whoever dies not having known the Imam of his time, dies the death of the days of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance)."
Also, the Ummah agreed that this was the most important duty following the death of the Messenger*, so important in fact that they considered it more important than the matter of his burial, and so also has it been after the death of each Imam. And they must appoint someone, for so many Shari’ah obligations depend on this duty.”
Another example of Ijma’ as-Sahabah is when Umar on his deathbed specified a time limit of three days to appoint the next Khaleefah after him, he even ordered for those amongst the council of six he nominated to be killed if they disputed. All of the Sahabah consented to this. The six Umar appointed in the council were all senior Sahabah who had been promised paradise by the Prophet*, they included Ali b. Abi Talib, Uthman b. Affan, Sa’ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Az- Zubayr b. Al Awwam, and Talha b. Ubaydullah.
The renowned scholar and historian Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923 CE) as well as others have reported the narrations about what occurred when Umar was wounded, Umar said: “O group of Muhajireen! Verily, the Apostle of Allah died, and he was pleased with all six of you. I have, therefore, decided to make it (the selection of Khaleefah) a matter of consultation among you, so that you may select one of yourselves as Khaleefah. If five of you agree upon one man, and there is one who is opposed to the five, kill him. If four are one side and two on the other, kill the two. And if three are on one side and three on the other, then Abdur Rahman ibn Auf will have the casting vote, and the Khaleefah will be selected from his party. In that case, kill the three men on the opposing side. You may, if you wish, invite some of the chief men of the Ansar as observers but the Khaleefah must be one of you Muhajireen, and not any of them. They have no share in the Khilafah. And your selection of the new Khaleefah must be made within three days.”
Daleel indicating the Authority of Ijma’ as-Sahabah
The Sahabah were the group who had the best access to the revelation and were most mindful of holding fast to the revelation in their actions. Their Ijma’ is a proof for the following two reasons:
First, Allah in the following Ayah praises them as a community, not just as individuals. “The Vanguard (of Islam) - the first of those who forsook (their homes) and those who gave them aFid (the Muhajireen and the Ansar) and also those who follow them in good deeds, Allah is well pleased with them and they with Allah. And Allah has made ready with them gardens underneath which rivers flow and that will be their abode forever eternally, this their supreme triumph.” (TMQ At-Taubah: 100)
This compliment is given to the Sahabah (Muhajireen and Ansar) for the sole reason of having been the Sahabah. However, the compliment for others is due to the fact that they followed the footsteps of the Sahabah. This means that the original compliment is for the Sahabah. The followers are not complemented but for following the Sahabah. Therefore, it can be concluded that the meaning of the Ayah is confined to the Sahabah only. Any group of people whom Allah compliments in such a manner, the truthfulness of what they agree on is affirmed.
Second, doubt in their trustworthiness leads to doubt in Islam.
The Sahabah were the generation that transmitted the Qur’an and narrated the Hadith. Our entire Deen has been conveyed to us through the vehicle of this group. This group was the means by which Allah chose the Qur’an to be compiled and preserved. Allah has promised to preserve this scripture through them. Allah says: “Falsehood cannot come at it (Qur’an) from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from the Wise, the Owner of Praise” (TMQ Fussilat: 42)
The important point to remember is that Ijma’ as-Sahabah is not the personal opinions of the Sahabah on any technical issue. Rather, it is their agreement on specific things with regard to its rule in Islam, i.e. an agreement on a Shar’i opinion.
The Sahabah would not agree that a certain thing is Islamically permitted or forbidden without knowing whether that action was approved or disapproved by the Prophet*. However, the Hadith in this regard is not narrated to us, instead its rule is conveyed by the total agreement of the Sahabah. The Ulema are in agreement that Ijma’ as-Sahabah is a binding proof.
As with Hadith, Ijma as-Sahabah can be Qata’i or Dhanni in transmission and meaning. Its reports are mentioned in the books of Hadith and Tareekh (history) which are compiled by Isnad (chains of narration). A chain of narration relating to the agreement of the Sahabah maybe mentioned in a book of Hadith like Sahih al-Bukhari, a book of history like the Tareekh of Al-Tabari or a book of Fiqh like Kitab al-Umm of Shafi’i. As with Ahadith, Mujtahideen look at the strength of the narration to determine its authenticity.
Who is a Sahabi?
There are two definitions of a Sahabi:
1. A Muslim who saw the Prophet*.
2. A Muslim who lived with the Prophet* for one or two years or participated in one or two Ghazwaat (military expeditions led by the Prophet*).
The latter definition was reported by the famous scholar of the Tabi’een, Said bin al-Musayeb and is stronger. It has been narrated he said, “It is essential that someone has companionship with the Prophet* for one or two years, or has gone out with him on one or two battles.”
Shu'ba reported from Musa al-Sibillani - whom he spoke appreciatively about - that he said: “I said to Anas bin Malik. Are there any companions of the Messenger of Allah* left other than you? He said: There are still many Arabs who saw him. As for his companions, no!” Imam al-Mazini said in his book Sharh ul-Burhan, “We do not mean by Sahabah those who met him for a day or two, or those who attended him for some business and then left, we mean those who followed him, helped him and were guided by the light that Allah revealed to him*, those are the ones to attain felicity.”
Children’s Feedback
Nil
News Topic:
Child Fighters in Free Syrian (Rebel) Army
Bank of Akhirah:
Parents and Children were asked to think about anything they have done over the past week purely for the sake of Allah, with Ihsaan and sincerity. Thus seeking the pleasure of Allah alone. Then put these on a piece of paper and put it in the cardboard Kaaba at the start of the next Study Circle.
Please write them anonymously.
Homework
Seerah ~ Why were the people upset with Ali and how did the Prophet* respond?
Belief ~ How do we derive / make laws in Islam ? What is the process of lawmaking?
Showing posts with label Ibrahim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ibrahim. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Monday, 19 November 2012
18 November 2012
Happy New Year - 1434
Summary
Seerah: Najran Delegation and the death of the Prophet*’s son (Ibrahim)
The Delegation of the Christians of Najran
False Christian belief in Jesus being a God and 'Original Sin'
Christians debated with the Prophet* and stayed in his masjid
Quranic Ayah revealed and challenged the Christians with a curse for the liars
Christians agree a peace treaty and to pay Jizyah
2 men from Bani ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘a try to kill the Prophet*, one dies of illness and the other struck by lightning
Death of the Prophet*’s Son (Ibrahim) followed by coincidental eclipse
What is Qur’an
Qur’an is from the word Qara’a = to read or recite
Qur’an linguistically means the book that has been read or recited.
Shariah term, Qur’an: 'is Allah’s miraculous speech revealed unto Muhammad* in Arabic and transferred to us by the Tawatur method'
Revelation of the Qur’an in stages over 23 years
Arrangement and verified by Jibreel and Prophet*
Compiled into book later
Has clearcut and ambiguous meanings
Asbaab an-nuzool (Circumstances of revelation)
The types of abrogation
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
The Delegation of the Christians of Najran
Many delegations of major Arab tribes are now reaching Medina, some asking for power others for friendship with whole tribes declaring acceptance of Islam. One with a special significance was from Najran. At the time of the Prophet*, Najran and its surrounding area, in the south of Arabia, was a Christian valley. It had a Bishop called Abu Harithah ibn ‘Alqamah who was considered an authority on the Christian faith. He was in touch with Byzantine emperors who respected him, sent him financial aid and helped build a number of churches in the area. In response to a letter sent by the Prophet* inviting them to Islam they sent a delegation of 60 people to Medina in order to get first-hand information about the Prophet*.
The Najranis had sympathy with much of Muhammad’s teaching, and admired the religious practices he was inaugurating – but they were concerned to defend the role of Jesus as the Divine Son of God, the second ‘person’ in their Holy Trinity. All Christian theologians, no matter to which branch of the Christian Church they belonged, understood that the entire edifice of Christianity as it was then being propounded depended on the literal acceptance of the doctrine of an original sin, which was then passed on to all humanity by inheritance, from which it was impossible for any human being, no matter how devout, to escape without extra Divine help. Thus, it was a necessary part of the faith that God Himself should become incarnate in human flesh, a being that was both God and Man – and therefore more than Man - to bring about the means for Man to escape the clutches of original sin; but at the same time he had to be part of humanity, so that Man might logically be the one paying the redemption for that sin. Jesus, they reasoned, was this God-Man, and the whole point of his incarnation on earth was in order to die as a sacrifice of God Himself, to God Himself, to save or redeem humanity from its impossible situation.
Once this doctrine of original sin was questioned, or the free grace and compassion of God accepted so that there was no need of sacrificial redemption from sin, then the notion of an incarnate saviour became unnecessary and nonsensical. The whole edifice of Christianity would be undercut – and this was the very real danger the Christian intellectuals grasped immediately. So, the Christians defended Trinitarianism and the divinity of Jesus, whereas Muhammad called them to recognise the Oneness of God and the spiritual unity of all humanity.
The Christians allowed to camp in the Medina Mosque
The Christians were treated with the utmost hospitality, and to allay their fears were allowed to have their tents erected in the security of Prophet*’s mosque, where they had all provisions of food and drink supplied to them. They made ready to meet him by taking off their travel (secular) clothes and putting on their ceremonial robes of fine silk embroidered with crosses, and gold rings. However, when they greeted the Prophet* he did not respond. They continued to wait on, and at the end of the day went to find Uthman b. Affan and Abdu’r Rahman b. Awf, who were known to them. They explained they had waited all day, and did not know what they were supposed to do. They had received the Prophet*’s letter and responded – should they now go home again, without speaking to him? Ali, who was with Uthman and Abdu’r Rahman, suggested they should take off their copes and rings, and try again. Sure enough, when the Prophet* approached him the next time, they were successful.
When meeting with the Prophet* he, after returning their greetings, spoke to them in his friendly manner. When the time came for the asr prayer, they also prayed, facing the east, the Prophet* allowing them to do so. They assured the Prophet* that they did not intend to change their faith, but wanted to hear what he had to say about Jesus. He told them that he had nothing to say that day, but they should wait. The next morning the Christians came forward, led by the Bishop.
‘O Muhammad,’ the Bishop opened, ‘Tell us what it is that you say about the Lord, the Messiah?’ ‘He is a servant of God,’ replied the Prophet*, ‘one chosen by God, and who answered Him.’ ‘Do you know whether his birth was caused by a father?’ ‘He was not born of human intercourse,’ replied the Prophet*, ‘so he could not have a father.’ ‘Then how can you say that he is a servant who has been created, when you consider all created servants to have been born as the result of human intercourse, and to have fathers?’
The Prophet* said, “I have nothing to say about him today. You have to stay until I can tell you what will be said to me about Jesus, peace be upon him.”
Revelation about Jesus (‘Isa)
Next morning, the Prophet* received fresh Qur’anic revelations which stated: “Jesus, in God’s view, is the same as Adam, whom He had created from dust and said to him: ‘Be’, and he was there. This is the truth from your Lord. Be not, therefore, one of the doubters. Should anyone argue with you about him after what has been given to you of true knowledge, say to them: let us call in our children and your children, our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves. Let us then all pray God and ask that God’s curse overwhelm the liars.” (Al-Imran 3: 59-61)
When the Prophet* told the Najran delegation the following day what information he had received about Jesus, they refused to accept it. The Prophet* then offered them the challenge which was outlined in the Qur’anic verses quoted above. It was a serious challenge. It meant for the Najran people that they risked being cursed by a Prophet* and a Messenger of God. Such a prospect was not to be trifled with.
The Challenge of a Mubahalah and Treaty Signed
The Prophet* recited this to the Christians. Next the angel revealed that he should issue the challenge of a mubahalah, that they should pray, and let the One True God send His curse on the party which was not declaring the truth.
The Najrani leaders held a consultation, and decided to act cautiously - for if the Prophet* truly was a Messenger of God, they would have invoked disaster upon themselves. Their unanimous view was to wait until the following morning, and then watch carefully to see what the Prophet* did. If he came out with his children and his family showing he had the confidence to risk their safety, then they would withdraw from the contest of prayer; but if he came out defended by Companions ready to support him, then they should let the contest go ahead, for in that case, he would be showing that he did not have real confidence.
So the Christians came out early with the Bishop at their head, to see whether or not the Prophet* would emerge with his family. He came out holding the hand of a younger man, two little boys walked in front of him (and scurried shyly beneath his cloak when he stopped), and a woman followed behind.
‘Who are these people?’ asked the Bishop. ‘That is his cousin Ali b. Abu Talib, who is also his son-in-law and the father of his two grandsons,’ he was told, ‘the most beloved of all creatures to him. Those children are the sons of his daughter by Ali. That woman is his daughter, Fatimah, the dearest of people to him and the closest to his heart.’ The Bishop looked at the other Christian leaders. ‘He has come out with the special members of his family, trusting in his own truthfulness,’ he said. ‘By God, he would not have come with them if he was afraid that the proof would be against him.’ The others agreed. So the Bishop called out that they would not make a contest of prayer, but would make peace with him.
The Messenger of Allah* then admitted that agreement and ordered them to pay Al-Jizya (i.e. tribute) and he made peace with them for the provision of two thousand garments, one thousand of them to be delivered in Rajab, the other thousand ones in Safar. With every garment they had to pay an ounce (of gold). In return they will have the covenant of Allah and His Messenger*. He gave them a covenant that provides for practicing their religious affairs freely. They asked the Prophet* to appoint a trustworthy man to receive the money agreed on for peace, so he sent them the trustworthy man of this nation Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al- Jarrah to receive the amounts of money agreed on in the peace treaty. By the time Islam started to spread in Najran, naturally, they did not have to pay Al-Jizya that usually non-Muslims paid. Whatever the case was, it was said that Al-Aqib and As-Saiyid embraced Islam as soon as they reached Najran on their journey back home. It is also said that the Prophet* sent to them ‘Ali too, for the collection of charities and tribute.
The terms of the peace agreement:
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent. This is what Muhammad, the Prophet* and God’s Messenger, has written down for the people of Najran when he has the authority over all their fruits, gold, silver, crops and slaves. He has benevolently left them all that in return for 2,000 hullas every year, 1,000 to be given in the month of Rajab and 1,000 in the month of Safar. Each hulla is equal to one ounce [a measure equal to 4 dirhams]. The Najran are also required to provide accommodation and expenses for my messengers, for up to 20 days. None of my messengers shall be kept in Najran more than one month. They are also required to give, as a loan, 30 shields, 30 horses and 30 camels, in case of any disorder and treachery in Yemen. If anything is lost of the shields, horses or camels they loan to my messenger, it will remain owing by my messenger until it is given back. Najran has the protection of God and the pledges of Muhammad, the Prophet*, to protect their lives, faith, land, property, those who are absent and those who are present, and their clan and allies.
They need not change anything of their past customs. No right of theirs or their religion shall be altered. No bishop, monk or church guard shall be removed from his position. Whatever they have is theirs, no matter how big or small. They are not held in suspicion and they shall suffer no vengeance killing. They are not required to be mobilized and no army shall trespass on their land. If any of them requests that any right of his should be given to him, justice shall be administered among them. He who takes usury on past loans is not under my protection. No person in Najran is answerable for an injustice committed by another.
It is useful to mention here that should a follower of an earlier religion state that Muhammad is a Prophet* or a Messenger of God, his statement does not bring him into the fold of Islam. This statement is not sufficient to make him a Muslim. What it signifies is that the man knows that Muhammad* is a messenger of God, but to be a Muslim is much more than mere knowledge, even when it is expressed in words and statements. To be a Muslim is to believe in God’s oneness and in the message of Muhammad* and to accept that in practice, making obedience to God and to the Prophet*, in public and in private, one’s way of life.
The Delegation of Bani ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘a
Among the group of delegates were ‘Amir bin At-Tufail — the enemy of Allah, Arbad bin Qais — Labid’s maternal brother, Khalid bin Ja‘far, and Jabbar bin Aslam. All of them were the leaders and satans of their people. ‘Amir was the one who doublecrossed the group of Ma‘una well. When this delegation made their mind to come to Medina, ‘Amir and Arbad conspired to kill the Prophet* . So when the group of delegates arrived, ‘Amir kept on talking to the Prophet* whereas Arbad turned aside trying to draw his sword. He managed to draw a span of hand long but Allah stilled his hand so that he was unable to proceed with its withdrawal. Allah protected the Prophet*. The Prophet* invoked Allah against them. So when they returned, Allah sent down a thunderbolt unto Arbad and his camel and he was burnt. As for ‘Amir he called at a house of a woman who was from Bani Salul and had a gland sore. He eventually died while he was saying: "What am I like? I have a gland similar to a camel’s. And here I am dying in the house of the woman from Bani Salul." In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is narrated that ‘Amir came to the Prophet* and said: "I grant you an opportunity to choose one of two: you will have the flat land people and I will have townspeople; or I will succeed you. Otherwise, I will invade your people with a thousand he-camels and a thousand shecamels." But, later on he got plague-stricken in a woman’s house. So he said: "What! I have a gland similar to a camel’s, and here I am in a woman’s house of Bani so and so people. Fetch me my mare!" He mounted it but died on its back.
Death of the Prophet*’s Son (Ibrahim)
The untroubled happiness of the early months of this year came to an end with the illness of Ibrahim. It was soon clear that he would not survive. He was tended by his mother and her sister Sirin, The Prophet* visited him continually, and was with him when he was dying. As the child breathed his last, he took him in his arms, and tears flowed from his eyes. His forbidding of vociferous lamentation had made prevalent the notion that all expressions of woe at bereavement were to be discouraged, and the mistaken idea still lingered on in many minds. "0 Messenger of God," said 'Abd ar-Rahrnan ibn 'Awf, who was present, "this is what thou hast forbidden. When the Muslims see thee weeping, they too will weep." The Prophet* continued to weep, and when he could find his voice he said: "Not this do I forbid. These are the promptings of tenderness and mercy, and he that is not merciful, unto him shall no mercy be shown. O Ibrahim, if it were not that the promise of reunion is sure, and that this is a path which all must tread, and that the last of us shall overtake the first, verily we should grieve for thee with a yet greater sorrow. Yet are we stricken indeed with sorrow for you, O Ibrahim. The eye weeps, and the heart grieves, nor say we anything that would offend the Lord."!
He spoke words of comfort now to Mariyah and Sirin, assuring them that Ibrahim was in Paradise. Then, having left them for a brief while, he returned with 'Abbas and Fa91. The young man washed the body and laid it out, while the two older men sat and watched him. Then it was borne forth to the cemetery on its little bier. The Prophet* led the funeral prayer and prayed again for his son at the edge of the grave after Usamah and Fadl had laid in it the body. When the earth had been heaped over it, he still lingered at the graveside, and calling for a skin of water he bade them sprinkle it over the grave. Some unevenness had been left in the earth, and noticing this he said: "When one of you doeth aught, let him do it to perfection." And smoothing it over with his hand, he said of his own particular action: "No harm it doth nor good, but it giveth relief unto the soul of the afflicted.":
He had already stressed more than once the need to make perfection one's aim in every earthly act, and many of his sayings indicate that this aim must be unworldly and detached. 'Ali is said to have summed up the Prophet*'s guidance in this respect as follows: "Do for this world as if to live for ever and for the next as if to die upon the morrow." To be always ready to depart is to be detached. "Be in this world as a stranger or as a passer-by," the Prophet* said.
On the day of Ibrahim's death, not long after his burial, there was an eclipse of the sun; but when some of the people attributed it to the Prophet*'s bereavement he said: "The sun and the moon are two signs of the signs of God. Their light is not dimmed for any man's death. Ifye see them eclipsed, ye should pray until they be clear."
Main Topic: What is the Qur’an?
What is the Qur’an?
It is necessary to define the Qur’an, from this definition we will know what is allowed to be read in prayer and what is not. What is a proof in Hukm Shara’i and what is not? It also tells us what makes somebody a Kafir due to what he denies and what does not constitute disbelief. So when we define Qur’an we mean the Qur’an as evidence in Fiqh.
Qur’an is derived from the word Qara’a, which means to read or recite. Therefore, Qur’an linguistically means the book that has been read or recited.
As a (Shariah) term, Qur’an is Allah’s miraculous speech revealed unto Muhammad* in Arabic and transferred to us by the Tawatur method.
The recitation of Qur’an is considered as an Ibadah (act of worship). By Allah’s speech it is meant that the Qur’an is the exact words of Allah. It was revealed to Muhammad* as it exists today. By ‘miraculous’ it is meant that no one can produce something similar to it. The term “in Arabic” refers to the language of the Qur’an, not to its scope or ideas because Qur’an addresses all Arabs and non-Arabs. The rules of Qur’an are universal and not restricted to one ethnic group or a specific area or time. All the Qu’ran is completely in Arabic and contains no foreign tongue. Furthermore, the ignorance of the Arabs about some words of the Quran is not evidence that the Quran contains foreign words. Rather there is a possibility that some non-Arabs learned some Arabic words and then it became wide spread in their language. Because of this some of their words may correspond to some words mentioned in the Quran, or maybe some foreign words entered in the Arabic language. And hence it became part of the Arabic language itself and therefore cannot be considered a foreign word anymore as the Arabs used it as part of their language, even if its root is foreign.
Many verses point that the Quran is completely in Arabic such as: “Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an.” (TMQ Yusuf: 2) “A Book whereof the Verses are explained in detail - a Qur’an in Arabic for people who know.” (TMQ Fussilat: 3) “An Arabic Quran with no crookedness in it, perchance they will be God fearing.” (TMQ Al-Zumar: 29) “We verily, have made it a Qur’an in Arabic.” (TMQ Zukhruf: 3)
By Tawatur method it is meant that a group or people for whom it is impossible to lie or conspire to fabricate a lie conveyed it to us. The Qur’an was transferred to us through an entire generation, not just by a group, to its successors, until it reached the present generation, without any interval in this transference.
Reciting Qur’an in Arabic by itself, without even comprehending its meaning is considered an Ibadah. In this regard, Qur’an is different from Hadith, which cannot be recited as an act of Ibadah. However, thinking about the meanings of both the Qur’an and Hadith is considered an Ibadah.
Revelation of the Qur’an
The Qur’an was revealed to Prophet* Muhammad* in parts for a period of twenty-three years. It used to be revealed in various ways. Sometimes the revelation would come in quick succession and other times it would take a long time. The Qur’an was revealed gradually and not all at once due to wisdom (Hikma) Allah has mentioned in the noble Qur’an itself: “And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is not the Qur’an revealed to him all at once?’ Thus (it is send down in parts), that We may strengthen your heart thereby.” (TMQ Al-Furqan: 32)
So, in order to strengthen the heart of the Messenger*, and so as to recite it to the people slowly without haste, and also in order to reveal it according to incidents and answers to questions, the Qur’an was revealed gradually and in parts for twenty-three years.
As we mentioned in previous study circles the scholars have defined fiqh as ‘the knowledge of the practical Shariah rules that are derived from their detailed evidences’.
Qur’an and Shariah
Knowledge of the Shariah rules began the day when they were revealed by Allah. This took place mostly after the migration (Hijra) of the Prophet* from Mecca to Medina. The Prophet* stayed in Mecca for thirteen years, and then he resided in Medina for about ten years. The Quran was revealed in Mecca and continued throughout the Prophet*’s stay in Medina. Many of the verses of Ahkam (rules) were revealed in Medina. In this period verses from the Qur’an were revealed and the Messenger* used to convey the Ahkam relating to answering practical questions and providing solutions to problems that arose.
The portion that was revealed in Mecca is approximately about two thirds of the Qur’an and they are known as the Meccan verses (Makki). In their totality they barely deal with few Ahkam. Rather they are confined to explaining the fundamentals of the Deen and calling people to them, such as the belief in Allah and His Messenger, the Day of Judgement, the command to perform Salah, characterisation with moral attributes such as honesty, truthfulness, and forbidding evil actions such as fornication, murder, burying girls alive, deficiency in the measure and scales etc. The second portion that was revealed in Medina is close to a third of the Qur’an and they are known as the Medinan verses (Madani). These are verses of Mu'amalat (transactions) such as selling, renting and usury. They also include the Hudud, such as the Hadd of Zina (fornication) and stealing. They include the Jinayat (capital punishments) such as killing the one who killed someone intentionally or punishment of highway robbers and rules from the Bayyinat (testimonial evidences) such as the testimony of Zina and the rest of the testimonies. The remaining rules concerning the worships (Ibadat) such as fasting, Zakah, Hajj and Jihad were also revealed during this period.
Arrangement of the Qur’an
During the time of the Prophet*, the text of the Qur’an was preserved in memory and also inscripted on flat stones, wood, and bones. The Qur’an used to be revealed to the Prophet* and he used to instruct people to memorise it and write it down on pieces of leather, paper, scapula, palm risp, bones, leaf stalks of date palm etc. When the Ayat were revealed he used to give the order that they be placed in their proper place in the Surah (chapter). Thus, he used to say put this Ayah in such and such Surah after such and such Ayah. So they used to put them in their proper place in the Surah. It has been narrated by Uthman that he said, “The Ayat used to be revealed to the Prophet* and so he used to say: “Put these Ayat in the Surah which mentions such and such thing.” (Ibn Majah & Abu Dawud) It was done in this manner until the whole Qur’an was revealed and Allah took his* soul after the revelation of the Qur’an was complete. That is why the arrangement of the verses of every Surah in the form as it is in now in the present script (Mushaf) was determined by the revelation (Tawqeefan) from the Prophet* transmitted to him* by Jibreel from Allah. According to this arrangement the Ummah transmitted the Qur’an from the Prophet* and there is no dispute about this. The order of the verses within the chapters (Surahs) was in the same form as we see today.
Compilation of the Qur’an
This was covered is last week’s Study Circle
Open & Hidden meaning?
The noble Qur’an does not have a Zaahir (outer) or Baatin (secret) meaning as some claim. It is an Arabic speech, which has come in the tongue of the Arabs. He said: “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an.” (TMQ Yusuf: 2) “In the plain Arabic language.” (TMQ Ash-Shu’ara: 195)
It is understood the same way as any Arabic speech is understood. What Allah intends by the Qur’an is what has been expressed by the noble Qur’an itself. Allah did not intend anything other than what was expressed. His intention is only understood from understanding of the syntax. The Arabic meaning is what Allah intended in His speech, which He expressed in the Arabic words and Arabic style. Accordingly, the import of the speech is what the speech indicated, through the linguistic proofs and the Shar’i indication mentioned in the Kitaab or Sunnah. This has no ‘outer’ or ‘inner’; it rather has a meaning indicated by the Arabic speech, through the understanding of the Arabic words and styles.
The Muhkamaat (clearcut) and Mutashaabihaat (ambiguous)
The Qur’an is composed of Ayat which are Muhkamaat (clearcut) and Ayat which are Mutashaabihaat (ambiguous), due to the saying of Allah: “In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear.” (TMQ Al-Imran: 7)
As for the Muhkam (clear) part, it is the text whose meaning is apparent and clear such that it precludes the possibility of having any other meaning, i.e. its indication is explicit and not open to interpretation. Such as the saying of Allah: “Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba (usury).” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 275) “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female.” (TMQ Al-Ma’ida: 38)
As for the Mutashaabih (ambiguous) part, it is the opposite of Muhkam. It is the text which is open to more than one meaning. For example: “Or you have been in contact with women.” (TMQ Al-Ma’ida: 6) “And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” (TMQ Ar-Rahman: 27) “For verily, you are under Our Eyes.” (TMQ At-Tur: 48)
And other such examples, whose wording have a number of conflicting meanings cannot be reconciled. Rather they need a linguistic Qareenah (indication), which would specify one of the meanings. It might also have an apparent meaning that implies anthropomorphisation of Allah, a matter that is not possible, either rationally or by Shar’a, for the word to indicate. So, it needs a linguistic or Shar’i Qareenah (indication) to determine the intended meaning.
Asbaab an-nuzool (Circumstances of revelation)
Some jurists have coined the term ‘Asbab an-nuzool’ for incidents that the revelation came to clarify. The question arises, do these Ahkam remain specific (Khass) to these incidents and not go beyond them or do we apply these Ahkam on every similar incident (Aam)? The answer is, these Ahkam are applied on every similar incident and this is established in two ways:
1. By examining all the Ayat which were revealed clarifying the rules of these incidents we find that they came with expressions that were general and not specific and hence they must be taken in their generality.
2. The Messenger* took these Ahkam in their generality and applied them on every similar incident.
So the Ayah of stealing was revealed regarding the theft of Majn or Rida of Safwaan, the Ayah of Zihar with regards to Salamah bint Sakhar or Khawlah bint Tha’labah the wife of Aws b. Saamit, the Ayah of imprecation (Li’aan) regarding Hilal b. Umayyah. Even though they were all revealed regarding specific incidences the Messenger* and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) took them as general due to their general form and they applied them on every similar incident. This is proven by the Sunnah and Ijma of the Sahabah. It was from these evidences that the following Shariah principle was deduced: ‘The consideration is for the generality of the expression and not for the specificity of the cause’.
Abrogation (Naskh)
Linguistically abrogation means canceling (Izaalah) or changing the thing and transforming it from one state to another while it still exists in essence.
Technically, it is the address (Khitaab) of the legislator which prevents the continuation of a Hukm Shar’i of a previous address (Khitaab).
As for the term abrogator (Naasikh) it may refer to Allah: “Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate.” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 106) Or it may refer to an Ayah: Thus, we say the Ayah of the sword’ (At-Tawbah: 29) abrogated so and so Ayah. Allah has informed us of the occurrence of abrogation and the Ahkam which have been abrogated show us its true occurrence: “Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 106)
The types of abrogation:
a) Abrogation of the Hukm of the speech (Khitaab) without an alternative Hukm
b) Abrogation with a lighter alternative:
c) Abrogation with a similar alternative Hukm:
d) Abrogation with a more difficult alternative Hukm.
What is abrogated
It is important to know what is abrogated, is the Hukm and not the recitation, this is what has been proven. Thus we can see the abrogation of the Hukm of the one year Iddah period and the abrogation of bequests by parents. As for the two Ayat which have been abrogated, they are still recited and this is the case for the rest of the abrogated Ayat. As for the abrogation of recitation, such a case is not to be found. The absence of this type of abrogation is an evidence to say it is not allowed. As for the Ahadith mentioned regarding this subject they are all Ahad (singular) narrations which cannot be relied upon in matters of Aqeedah.
How abrogation takes place
• First: Abrogation of the Qur’an with Qur’an:
• Second: Abrogation of the Sunnah by Sunnah.
• Third: Abrogation of Sunnah by the Qur’an:
• Fourth: It is not allowed to abrogate the Hukm established by Ijma.
• Fifth: Abrogating the Hukm of Qiyas.
• Sixth: It is not allowed for the Kitab to be abrogated by the Mutawaatir Sunnah.
For all of these reasons the Mutawaatir Sunnah cannot abrogate Qur’an. So by greater reason (Min Bab awla) the Qur’an cannot be abrogated by the Ahad (singular narrations) of the Sunnah. As in addition to what we have said about the Mutawaatir Sunnah the singular narrations are Dhanni (speculative) and the definite (Qata’i) cannot be abrogated by the speculative (Dhanni). However a hadith may specify a rule mentioned in the Quran such as the specification of lashing for the unmarried fornicator as the Sunnah stipulates stoning for the married adulterer. Similarly, the Mutawaatir Sunnah cannot be abrogated by the Ahad (singular) narrations of the Sunnah, because the Mutawaatir is stronger than the Ahad. The definite report is not removed by the speculative report.
Children’s Feedback & News Topic:
How to do Dawah to Non-Muslims
Muharram (Islamic New Year 1434)
Pray for people in Gaza
Bank of Akhirah:
Parents and Children were asked to think about anything they have done over the past week purely for the sake of Allah, with Ihsaan and sincerity. Thus seeking the pleasure of Allah alone. Then put these on a piece of paper and put it in the cardboard Kaaba at the start of the next Study Circle.
Please write them anonymously.
Homework
Seerah ~ Nil
Belief / Actions ~ How do we derive laws in Islam – what is the process
Happy New Year - 1434
Summary
Seerah: Najran Delegation and the death of the Prophet*’s son (Ibrahim)
The Delegation of the Christians of Najran
False Christian belief in Jesus being a God and 'Original Sin'
Christians debated with the Prophet* and stayed in his masjid
Quranic Ayah revealed and challenged the Christians with a curse for the liars
Christians agree a peace treaty and to pay Jizyah
2 men from Bani ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘a try to kill the Prophet*, one dies of illness and the other struck by lightning
Death of the Prophet*’s Son (Ibrahim) followed by coincidental eclipse
What is Qur’an
Qur’an is from the word Qara’a = to read or recite
Qur’an linguistically means the book that has been read or recited.
Shariah term, Qur’an: 'is Allah’s miraculous speech revealed unto Muhammad* in Arabic and transferred to us by the Tawatur method'
Revelation of the Qur’an in stages over 23 years
Arrangement and verified by Jibreel and Prophet*
Compiled into book later
Has clearcut and ambiguous meanings
Asbaab an-nuzool (Circumstances of revelation)
The types of abrogation
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
The Delegation of the Christians of Najran
Many delegations of major Arab tribes are now reaching Medina, some asking for power others for friendship with whole tribes declaring acceptance of Islam. One with a special significance was from Najran. At the time of the Prophet*, Najran and its surrounding area, in the south of Arabia, was a Christian valley. It had a Bishop called Abu Harithah ibn ‘Alqamah who was considered an authority on the Christian faith. He was in touch with Byzantine emperors who respected him, sent him financial aid and helped build a number of churches in the area. In response to a letter sent by the Prophet* inviting them to Islam they sent a delegation of 60 people to Medina in order to get first-hand information about the Prophet*.
The Najranis had sympathy with much of Muhammad’s teaching, and admired the religious practices he was inaugurating – but they were concerned to defend the role of Jesus as the Divine Son of God, the second ‘person’ in their Holy Trinity. All Christian theologians, no matter to which branch of the Christian Church they belonged, understood that the entire edifice of Christianity as it was then being propounded depended on the literal acceptance of the doctrine of an original sin, which was then passed on to all humanity by inheritance, from which it was impossible for any human being, no matter how devout, to escape without extra Divine help. Thus, it was a necessary part of the faith that God Himself should become incarnate in human flesh, a being that was both God and Man – and therefore more than Man - to bring about the means for Man to escape the clutches of original sin; but at the same time he had to be part of humanity, so that Man might logically be the one paying the redemption for that sin. Jesus, they reasoned, was this God-Man, and the whole point of his incarnation on earth was in order to die as a sacrifice of God Himself, to God Himself, to save or redeem humanity from its impossible situation.
Once this doctrine of original sin was questioned, or the free grace and compassion of God accepted so that there was no need of sacrificial redemption from sin, then the notion of an incarnate saviour became unnecessary and nonsensical. The whole edifice of Christianity would be undercut – and this was the very real danger the Christian intellectuals grasped immediately. So, the Christians defended Trinitarianism and the divinity of Jesus, whereas Muhammad called them to recognise the Oneness of God and the spiritual unity of all humanity.
The Christians allowed to camp in the Medina Mosque
The Christians were treated with the utmost hospitality, and to allay their fears were allowed to have their tents erected in the security of Prophet*’s mosque, where they had all provisions of food and drink supplied to them. They made ready to meet him by taking off their travel (secular) clothes and putting on their ceremonial robes of fine silk embroidered with crosses, and gold rings. However, when they greeted the Prophet* he did not respond. They continued to wait on, and at the end of the day went to find Uthman b. Affan and Abdu’r Rahman b. Awf, who were known to them. They explained they had waited all day, and did not know what they were supposed to do. They had received the Prophet*’s letter and responded – should they now go home again, without speaking to him? Ali, who was with Uthman and Abdu’r Rahman, suggested they should take off their copes and rings, and try again. Sure enough, when the Prophet* approached him the next time, they were successful.
When meeting with the Prophet* he, after returning their greetings, spoke to them in his friendly manner. When the time came for the asr prayer, they also prayed, facing the east, the Prophet* allowing them to do so. They assured the Prophet* that they did not intend to change their faith, but wanted to hear what he had to say about Jesus. He told them that he had nothing to say that day, but they should wait. The next morning the Christians came forward, led by the Bishop.
‘O Muhammad,’ the Bishop opened, ‘Tell us what it is that you say about the Lord, the Messiah?’ ‘He is a servant of God,’ replied the Prophet*, ‘one chosen by God, and who answered Him.’ ‘Do you know whether his birth was caused by a father?’ ‘He was not born of human intercourse,’ replied the Prophet*, ‘so he could not have a father.’ ‘Then how can you say that he is a servant who has been created, when you consider all created servants to have been born as the result of human intercourse, and to have fathers?’
The Prophet* said, “I have nothing to say about him today. You have to stay until I can tell you what will be said to me about Jesus, peace be upon him.”
Revelation about Jesus (‘Isa)
Next morning, the Prophet* received fresh Qur’anic revelations which stated: “Jesus, in God’s view, is the same as Adam, whom He had created from dust and said to him: ‘Be’, and he was there. This is the truth from your Lord. Be not, therefore, one of the doubters. Should anyone argue with you about him after what has been given to you of true knowledge, say to them: let us call in our children and your children, our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves. Let us then all pray God and ask that God’s curse overwhelm the liars.” (Al-Imran 3: 59-61)
When the Prophet* told the Najran delegation the following day what information he had received about Jesus, they refused to accept it. The Prophet* then offered them the challenge which was outlined in the Qur’anic verses quoted above. It was a serious challenge. It meant for the Najran people that they risked being cursed by a Prophet* and a Messenger of God. Such a prospect was not to be trifled with.
The Challenge of a Mubahalah and Treaty Signed
The Prophet* recited this to the Christians. Next the angel revealed that he should issue the challenge of a mubahalah, that they should pray, and let the One True God send His curse on the party which was not declaring the truth.
The Najrani leaders held a consultation, and decided to act cautiously - for if the Prophet* truly was a Messenger of God, they would have invoked disaster upon themselves. Their unanimous view was to wait until the following morning, and then watch carefully to see what the Prophet* did. If he came out with his children and his family showing he had the confidence to risk their safety, then they would withdraw from the contest of prayer; but if he came out defended by Companions ready to support him, then they should let the contest go ahead, for in that case, he would be showing that he did not have real confidence.
So the Christians came out early with the Bishop at their head, to see whether or not the Prophet* would emerge with his family. He came out holding the hand of a younger man, two little boys walked in front of him (and scurried shyly beneath his cloak when he stopped), and a woman followed behind.
‘Who are these people?’ asked the Bishop. ‘That is his cousin Ali b. Abu Talib, who is also his son-in-law and the father of his two grandsons,’ he was told, ‘the most beloved of all creatures to him. Those children are the sons of his daughter by Ali. That woman is his daughter, Fatimah, the dearest of people to him and the closest to his heart.’ The Bishop looked at the other Christian leaders. ‘He has come out with the special members of his family, trusting in his own truthfulness,’ he said. ‘By God, he would not have come with them if he was afraid that the proof would be against him.’ The others agreed. So the Bishop called out that they would not make a contest of prayer, but would make peace with him.
The Messenger of Allah* then admitted that agreement and ordered them to pay Al-Jizya (i.e. tribute) and he made peace with them for the provision of two thousand garments, one thousand of them to be delivered in Rajab, the other thousand ones in Safar. With every garment they had to pay an ounce (of gold). In return they will have the covenant of Allah and His Messenger*. He gave them a covenant that provides for practicing their religious affairs freely. They asked the Prophet* to appoint a trustworthy man to receive the money agreed on for peace, so he sent them the trustworthy man of this nation Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al- Jarrah to receive the amounts of money agreed on in the peace treaty. By the time Islam started to spread in Najran, naturally, they did not have to pay Al-Jizya that usually non-Muslims paid. Whatever the case was, it was said that Al-Aqib and As-Saiyid embraced Islam as soon as they reached Najran on their journey back home. It is also said that the Prophet* sent to them ‘Ali too, for the collection of charities and tribute.
The terms of the peace agreement:
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent. This is what Muhammad, the Prophet* and God’s Messenger, has written down for the people of Najran when he has the authority over all their fruits, gold, silver, crops and slaves. He has benevolently left them all that in return for 2,000 hullas every year, 1,000 to be given in the month of Rajab and 1,000 in the month of Safar. Each hulla is equal to one ounce [a measure equal to 4 dirhams]. The Najran are also required to provide accommodation and expenses for my messengers, for up to 20 days. None of my messengers shall be kept in Najran more than one month. They are also required to give, as a loan, 30 shields, 30 horses and 30 camels, in case of any disorder and treachery in Yemen. If anything is lost of the shields, horses or camels they loan to my messenger, it will remain owing by my messenger until it is given back. Najran has the protection of God and the pledges of Muhammad, the Prophet*, to protect their lives, faith, land, property, those who are absent and those who are present, and their clan and allies.
They need not change anything of their past customs. No right of theirs or their religion shall be altered. No bishop, monk or church guard shall be removed from his position. Whatever they have is theirs, no matter how big or small. They are not held in suspicion and they shall suffer no vengeance killing. They are not required to be mobilized and no army shall trespass on their land. If any of them requests that any right of his should be given to him, justice shall be administered among them. He who takes usury on past loans is not under my protection. No person in Najran is answerable for an injustice committed by another.
It is useful to mention here that should a follower of an earlier religion state that Muhammad is a Prophet* or a Messenger of God, his statement does not bring him into the fold of Islam. This statement is not sufficient to make him a Muslim. What it signifies is that the man knows that Muhammad* is a messenger of God, but to be a Muslim is much more than mere knowledge, even when it is expressed in words and statements. To be a Muslim is to believe in God’s oneness and in the message of Muhammad* and to accept that in practice, making obedience to God and to the Prophet*, in public and in private, one’s way of life.
The Delegation of Bani ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘a
Among the group of delegates were ‘Amir bin At-Tufail — the enemy of Allah, Arbad bin Qais — Labid’s maternal brother, Khalid bin Ja‘far, and Jabbar bin Aslam. All of them were the leaders and satans of their people. ‘Amir was the one who doublecrossed the group of Ma‘una well. When this delegation made their mind to come to Medina, ‘Amir and Arbad conspired to kill the Prophet* . So when the group of delegates arrived, ‘Amir kept on talking to the Prophet* whereas Arbad turned aside trying to draw his sword. He managed to draw a span of hand long but Allah stilled his hand so that he was unable to proceed with its withdrawal. Allah protected the Prophet*. The Prophet* invoked Allah against them. So when they returned, Allah sent down a thunderbolt unto Arbad and his camel and he was burnt. As for ‘Amir he called at a house of a woman who was from Bani Salul and had a gland sore. He eventually died while he was saying: "What am I like? I have a gland similar to a camel’s. And here I am dying in the house of the woman from Bani Salul." In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is narrated that ‘Amir came to the Prophet* and said: "I grant you an opportunity to choose one of two: you will have the flat land people and I will have townspeople; or I will succeed you. Otherwise, I will invade your people with a thousand he-camels and a thousand shecamels." But, later on he got plague-stricken in a woman’s house. So he said: "What! I have a gland similar to a camel’s, and here I am in a woman’s house of Bani so and so people. Fetch me my mare!" He mounted it but died on its back.
Death of the Prophet*’s Son (Ibrahim)
The untroubled happiness of the early months of this year came to an end with the illness of Ibrahim. It was soon clear that he would not survive. He was tended by his mother and her sister Sirin, The Prophet* visited him continually, and was with him when he was dying. As the child breathed his last, he took him in his arms, and tears flowed from his eyes. His forbidding of vociferous lamentation had made prevalent the notion that all expressions of woe at bereavement were to be discouraged, and the mistaken idea still lingered on in many minds. "0 Messenger of God," said 'Abd ar-Rahrnan ibn 'Awf, who was present, "this is what thou hast forbidden. When the Muslims see thee weeping, they too will weep." The Prophet* continued to weep, and when he could find his voice he said: "Not this do I forbid. These are the promptings of tenderness and mercy, and he that is not merciful, unto him shall no mercy be shown. O Ibrahim, if it were not that the promise of reunion is sure, and that this is a path which all must tread, and that the last of us shall overtake the first, verily we should grieve for thee with a yet greater sorrow. Yet are we stricken indeed with sorrow for you, O Ibrahim. The eye weeps, and the heart grieves, nor say we anything that would offend the Lord."!
He spoke words of comfort now to Mariyah and Sirin, assuring them that Ibrahim was in Paradise. Then, having left them for a brief while, he returned with 'Abbas and Fa91. The young man washed the body and laid it out, while the two older men sat and watched him. Then it was borne forth to the cemetery on its little bier. The Prophet* led the funeral prayer and prayed again for his son at the edge of the grave after Usamah and Fadl had laid in it the body. When the earth had been heaped over it, he still lingered at the graveside, and calling for a skin of water he bade them sprinkle it over the grave. Some unevenness had been left in the earth, and noticing this he said: "When one of you doeth aught, let him do it to perfection." And smoothing it over with his hand, he said of his own particular action: "No harm it doth nor good, but it giveth relief unto the soul of the afflicted.":
He had already stressed more than once the need to make perfection one's aim in every earthly act, and many of his sayings indicate that this aim must be unworldly and detached. 'Ali is said to have summed up the Prophet*'s guidance in this respect as follows: "Do for this world as if to live for ever and for the next as if to die upon the morrow." To be always ready to depart is to be detached. "Be in this world as a stranger or as a passer-by," the Prophet* said.
On the day of Ibrahim's death, not long after his burial, there was an eclipse of the sun; but when some of the people attributed it to the Prophet*'s bereavement he said: "The sun and the moon are two signs of the signs of God. Their light is not dimmed for any man's death. Ifye see them eclipsed, ye should pray until they be clear."
Main Topic: What is the Qur’an?
What is the Qur’an?
It is necessary to define the Qur’an, from this definition we will know what is allowed to be read in prayer and what is not. What is a proof in Hukm Shara’i and what is not? It also tells us what makes somebody a Kafir due to what he denies and what does not constitute disbelief. So when we define Qur’an we mean the Qur’an as evidence in Fiqh.
Qur’an is derived from the word Qara’a, which means to read or recite. Therefore, Qur’an linguistically means the book that has been read or recited.
As a (Shariah) term, Qur’an is Allah’s miraculous speech revealed unto Muhammad* in Arabic and transferred to us by the Tawatur method.
The recitation of Qur’an is considered as an Ibadah (act of worship). By Allah’s speech it is meant that the Qur’an is the exact words of Allah. It was revealed to Muhammad* as it exists today. By ‘miraculous’ it is meant that no one can produce something similar to it. The term “in Arabic” refers to the language of the Qur’an, not to its scope or ideas because Qur’an addresses all Arabs and non-Arabs. The rules of Qur’an are universal and not restricted to one ethnic group or a specific area or time. All the Qu’ran is completely in Arabic and contains no foreign tongue. Furthermore, the ignorance of the Arabs about some words of the Quran is not evidence that the Quran contains foreign words. Rather there is a possibility that some non-Arabs learned some Arabic words and then it became wide spread in their language. Because of this some of their words may correspond to some words mentioned in the Quran, or maybe some foreign words entered in the Arabic language. And hence it became part of the Arabic language itself and therefore cannot be considered a foreign word anymore as the Arabs used it as part of their language, even if its root is foreign.
Many verses point that the Quran is completely in Arabic such as: “Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an.” (TMQ Yusuf: 2) “A Book whereof the Verses are explained in detail - a Qur’an in Arabic for people who know.” (TMQ Fussilat: 3) “An Arabic Quran with no crookedness in it, perchance they will be God fearing.” (TMQ Al-Zumar: 29) “We verily, have made it a Qur’an in Arabic.” (TMQ Zukhruf: 3)
By Tawatur method it is meant that a group or people for whom it is impossible to lie or conspire to fabricate a lie conveyed it to us. The Qur’an was transferred to us through an entire generation, not just by a group, to its successors, until it reached the present generation, without any interval in this transference.
Reciting Qur’an in Arabic by itself, without even comprehending its meaning is considered an Ibadah. In this regard, Qur’an is different from Hadith, which cannot be recited as an act of Ibadah. However, thinking about the meanings of both the Qur’an and Hadith is considered an Ibadah.
Revelation of the Qur’an
The Qur’an was revealed to Prophet* Muhammad* in parts for a period of twenty-three years. It used to be revealed in various ways. Sometimes the revelation would come in quick succession and other times it would take a long time. The Qur’an was revealed gradually and not all at once due to wisdom (Hikma) Allah has mentioned in the noble Qur’an itself: “And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is not the Qur’an revealed to him all at once?’ Thus (it is send down in parts), that We may strengthen your heart thereby.” (TMQ Al-Furqan: 32)
So, in order to strengthen the heart of the Messenger*, and so as to recite it to the people slowly without haste, and also in order to reveal it according to incidents and answers to questions, the Qur’an was revealed gradually and in parts for twenty-three years.
As we mentioned in previous study circles the scholars have defined fiqh as ‘the knowledge of the practical Shariah rules that are derived from their detailed evidences’.
Qur’an and Shariah
Knowledge of the Shariah rules began the day when they were revealed by Allah. This took place mostly after the migration (Hijra) of the Prophet* from Mecca to Medina. The Prophet* stayed in Mecca for thirteen years, and then he resided in Medina for about ten years. The Quran was revealed in Mecca and continued throughout the Prophet*’s stay in Medina. Many of the verses of Ahkam (rules) were revealed in Medina. In this period verses from the Qur’an were revealed and the Messenger* used to convey the Ahkam relating to answering practical questions and providing solutions to problems that arose.
The portion that was revealed in Mecca is approximately about two thirds of the Qur’an and they are known as the Meccan verses (Makki). In their totality they barely deal with few Ahkam. Rather they are confined to explaining the fundamentals of the Deen and calling people to them, such as the belief in Allah and His Messenger, the Day of Judgement, the command to perform Salah, characterisation with moral attributes such as honesty, truthfulness, and forbidding evil actions such as fornication, murder, burying girls alive, deficiency in the measure and scales etc. The second portion that was revealed in Medina is close to a third of the Qur’an and they are known as the Medinan verses (Madani). These are verses of Mu'amalat (transactions) such as selling, renting and usury. They also include the Hudud, such as the Hadd of Zina (fornication) and stealing. They include the Jinayat (capital punishments) such as killing the one who killed someone intentionally or punishment of highway robbers and rules from the Bayyinat (testimonial evidences) such as the testimony of Zina and the rest of the testimonies. The remaining rules concerning the worships (Ibadat) such as fasting, Zakah, Hajj and Jihad were also revealed during this period.
Arrangement of the Qur’an
During the time of the Prophet*, the text of the Qur’an was preserved in memory and also inscripted on flat stones, wood, and bones. The Qur’an used to be revealed to the Prophet* and he used to instruct people to memorise it and write it down on pieces of leather, paper, scapula, palm risp, bones, leaf stalks of date palm etc. When the Ayat were revealed he used to give the order that they be placed in their proper place in the Surah (chapter). Thus, he used to say put this Ayah in such and such Surah after such and such Ayah. So they used to put them in their proper place in the Surah. It has been narrated by Uthman that he said, “The Ayat used to be revealed to the Prophet* and so he used to say: “Put these Ayat in the Surah which mentions such and such thing.” (Ibn Majah & Abu Dawud) It was done in this manner until the whole Qur’an was revealed and Allah took his* soul after the revelation of the Qur’an was complete. That is why the arrangement of the verses of every Surah in the form as it is in now in the present script (Mushaf) was determined by the revelation (Tawqeefan) from the Prophet* transmitted to him* by Jibreel from Allah. According to this arrangement the Ummah transmitted the Qur’an from the Prophet* and there is no dispute about this. The order of the verses within the chapters (Surahs) was in the same form as we see today.
Compilation of the Qur’an
This was covered is last week’s Study Circle
Open & Hidden meaning?
The noble Qur’an does not have a Zaahir (outer) or Baatin (secret) meaning as some claim. It is an Arabic speech, which has come in the tongue of the Arabs. He said: “We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an.” (TMQ Yusuf: 2) “In the plain Arabic language.” (TMQ Ash-Shu’ara: 195)
It is understood the same way as any Arabic speech is understood. What Allah intends by the Qur’an is what has been expressed by the noble Qur’an itself. Allah did not intend anything other than what was expressed. His intention is only understood from understanding of the syntax. The Arabic meaning is what Allah intended in His speech, which He expressed in the Arabic words and Arabic style. Accordingly, the import of the speech is what the speech indicated, through the linguistic proofs and the Shar’i indication mentioned in the Kitaab or Sunnah. This has no ‘outer’ or ‘inner’; it rather has a meaning indicated by the Arabic speech, through the understanding of the Arabic words and styles.
The Muhkamaat (clearcut) and Mutashaabihaat (ambiguous)
The Qur’an is composed of Ayat which are Muhkamaat (clearcut) and Ayat which are Mutashaabihaat (ambiguous), due to the saying of Allah: “In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book; and others not entirely clear.” (TMQ Al-Imran: 7)
As for the Muhkam (clear) part, it is the text whose meaning is apparent and clear such that it precludes the possibility of having any other meaning, i.e. its indication is explicit and not open to interpretation. Such as the saying of Allah: “Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba (usury).” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 275) “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female.” (TMQ Al-Ma’ida: 38)
As for the Mutashaabih (ambiguous) part, it is the opposite of Muhkam. It is the text which is open to more than one meaning. For example: “Or you have been in contact with women.” (TMQ Al-Ma’ida: 6) “And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” (TMQ Ar-Rahman: 27) “For verily, you are under Our Eyes.” (TMQ At-Tur: 48)
And other such examples, whose wording have a number of conflicting meanings cannot be reconciled. Rather they need a linguistic Qareenah (indication), which would specify one of the meanings. It might also have an apparent meaning that implies anthropomorphisation of Allah, a matter that is not possible, either rationally or by Shar’a, for the word to indicate. So, it needs a linguistic or Shar’i Qareenah (indication) to determine the intended meaning.
Asbaab an-nuzool (Circumstances of revelation)
Some jurists have coined the term ‘Asbab an-nuzool’ for incidents that the revelation came to clarify. The question arises, do these Ahkam remain specific (Khass) to these incidents and not go beyond them or do we apply these Ahkam on every similar incident (Aam)? The answer is, these Ahkam are applied on every similar incident and this is established in two ways:
1. By examining all the Ayat which were revealed clarifying the rules of these incidents we find that they came with expressions that were general and not specific and hence they must be taken in their generality.
2. The Messenger* took these Ahkam in their generality and applied them on every similar incident.
So the Ayah of stealing was revealed regarding the theft of Majn or Rida of Safwaan, the Ayah of Zihar with regards to Salamah bint Sakhar or Khawlah bint Tha’labah the wife of Aws b. Saamit, the Ayah of imprecation (Li’aan) regarding Hilal b. Umayyah. Even though they were all revealed regarding specific incidences the Messenger* and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) took them as general due to their general form and they applied them on every similar incident. This is proven by the Sunnah and Ijma of the Sahabah. It was from these evidences that the following Shariah principle was deduced: ‘The consideration is for the generality of the expression and not for the specificity of the cause’.
Abrogation (Naskh)
Linguistically abrogation means canceling (Izaalah) or changing the thing and transforming it from one state to another while it still exists in essence.
Technically, it is the address (Khitaab) of the legislator which prevents the continuation of a Hukm Shar’i of a previous address (Khitaab).
As for the term abrogator (Naasikh) it may refer to Allah: “Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate.” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 106) Or it may refer to an Ayah: Thus, we say the Ayah of the sword’ (At-Tawbah: 29) abrogated so and so Ayah. Allah has informed us of the occurrence of abrogation and the Ahkam which have been abrogated show us its true occurrence: “Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 106)
The types of abrogation:
a) Abrogation of the Hukm of the speech (Khitaab) without an alternative Hukm
b) Abrogation with a lighter alternative:
c) Abrogation with a similar alternative Hukm:
d) Abrogation with a more difficult alternative Hukm.
What is abrogated
It is important to know what is abrogated, is the Hukm and not the recitation, this is what has been proven. Thus we can see the abrogation of the Hukm of the one year Iddah period and the abrogation of bequests by parents. As for the two Ayat which have been abrogated, they are still recited and this is the case for the rest of the abrogated Ayat. As for the abrogation of recitation, such a case is not to be found. The absence of this type of abrogation is an evidence to say it is not allowed. As for the Ahadith mentioned regarding this subject they are all Ahad (singular) narrations which cannot be relied upon in matters of Aqeedah.
How abrogation takes place
• First: Abrogation of the Qur’an with Qur’an:
• Second: Abrogation of the Sunnah by Sunnah.
• Third: Abrogation of Sunnah by the Qur’an:
• Fourth: It is not allowed to abrogate the Hukm established by Ijma.
• Fifth: Abrogating the Hukm of Qiyas.
• Sixth: It is not allowed for the Kitab to be abrogated by the Mutawaatir Sunnah.
For all of these reasons the Mutawaatir Sunnah cannot abrogate Qur’an. So by greater reason (Min Bab awla) the Qur’an cannot be abrogated by the Ahad (singular narrations) of the Sunnah. As in addition to what we have said about the Mutawaatir Sunnah the singular narrations are Dhanni (speculative) and the definite (Qata’i) cannot be abrogated by the speculative (Dhanni). However a hadith may specify a rule mentioned in the Quran such as the specification of lashing for the unmarried fornicator as the Sunnah stipulates stoning for the married adulterer. Similarly, the Mutawaatir Sunnah cannot be abrogated by the Ahad (singular) narrations of the Sunnah, because the Mutawaatir is stronger than the Ahad. The definite report is not removed by the speculative report.
Children’s Feedback & News Topic:
How to do Dawah to Non-Muslims
Muharram (Islamic New Year 1434)
Pray for people in Gaza
Bank of Akhirah:
Parents and Children were asked to think about anything they have done over the past week purely for the sake of Allah, with Ihsaan and sincerity. Thus seeking the pleasure of Allah alone. Then put these on a piece of paper and put it in the cardboard Kaaba at the start of the next Study Circle.
Please write them anonymously.
Homework
Seerah ~ Nil
Belief / Actions ~ How do we derive laws in Islam – what is the process
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
30 October 2011
10 days Dhul-Hijjah; Ibrahim & a few battles
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Some other Expeditions and Battles
After the Battle of the Trench, the Messenger* was in a position to confidently declare that thenceforth he would take the initiative in war and would not wait for the land of Islam to be invaded. Hence, shortly after the conclusion of the battle with the Coalition and Quraiza, the Prophet* began to despatch punitive expeditions to force the aggressive tribes and rebellious Arabians to come to peaceful terms with the rising state of Islam.
Bani Bakr Expedition
A platoon of thirty believers under the leadership of Muhammad bin Maslamah was despatched on a military mission in Muharram, the sixth year Hijri. It headed for the habitation of Bani Bakr sept. The Muslims attacked and dispersed them in all directions. Plenty of spoils fell to the lot of the Muslims who returned home with a terrible disbeliever, Thumamah bin Uthal Al-Hanafi, chief of Bani Hanifa, who had gone out by order of Musailama, the Liar, to assassinate the Prophet*. The Prophet’s Companions tied him to a pole of the Prophetic Mosque. To a question posed by the Prophet*, Thumamah used to say: "If you were to kill someone, then you would have to choose one of noble descent, if you were to be gracious, then let it be to a grateful man and if you were to ask for money, you would have to ask for it from a generous man." He repeated that three times on three different occasions. On the third time, the Prophet* ordered that he should be released. He soon went nearby, washed and then came back to profess the new faith addressing the Prophet*: "No face had been more awful to me than yours but now it is the closest to my heart, no religion had ever been more repugnant to me than yours, now it is the dearest in my heart. Now I want to perform the ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage)." The Prophet* gave him good tidings and asked him to do that. On his arrival in Mecca, the Quraishites accused him of apostasy. He denied it and affirmed that he had embraced Islam, and then swore that they would never get a grain from Yamama, a suburban area around Mecca, unless the Prophet* would allow it. In fact, he did it and refused to send food supplies to Mecca until the Prophet* interceded at the Makkans’ earnest plea.
Bani Lihyan Invasion
Bani Lihyan had acted treacherously towards ten of the Prophet’s Companions and had them hanged. Their habitation being situated deep in the heart of Hijaz on the borders of Mecca, and due to deep-seated blood-revenge between the Muslims on the one hand, and Quraish and the Arabians on the other, the Prophet* deemed it unwise to penetrate deep and come close to the greatest enemy, Quraish. However, when the power of the allied Coaltion collapsed and they began to slacken and resign to the current unfavourable balance of power, the Messenger of Allah* seized this rare opportunity and decided that it was time to take revenge on Bani Lihyan. He set out in Rabi‘ Al-Awwal or Jumada Al- Ula in the year six Hijri at the head of two hundred Muslim fighters and made a feint of heading for Syria, then soon changed route towards Batn Gharran, the scene of his Companions’ tragedy, and invoked Allah’s mercy on them. News of his march reached Bani Lihyan, who immediately fled to the mountain tops nearby and thus remained out of his reach. On his way back, the Prophet* despatched a group of ten horsemen to a place called Kura‘ Al-Ghamim, in the vicinity of the habitation of Quraish in order to indirectly confirm his growing military power. All these skirmishes took fourteen days, after which he left back for home.
Expeditions and Delegations continued
1. A platoon led by ‘Ukasha bin Al-Mihsan was despatched to a place called Al- Ghamir inhabited by Bani Asad in the year six Hijri. The enemy immediately fled leaving behind them two hundred camels which were taken to Medina.
2. A platoon led by Muhammad bin Maslamah set out towards the habitation of Bani Tha‘labah in Dhil Qassa. But a hundred men of the enemies ambushed and killed all of them except Muhammad bin Maslamah who managed to escape but badly wounded.
3. In retaliation against Bani Tha‘labah, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, at the head of forty men, was despatched to Dhil Qassa. They walked that night and took the enemy by surprise in the morning. Again, they fled to the mountains except one who was injured, and later embraced Islam. A lot of booty fell to their lot in that particular incident.
4. A platoon, under the leadership of Zaid bin Haritha, was sent to Al-Jumum, the habitation of Bani Saleem, in the same year. A woman from Bani Muzaina showed them the way to the enemy’s camp. There the Muslims took some captives and gained a lot of booty. Later on, the Messenger of Allah* granted the woman her freedom and married her to one of his followers.
5. Zaid bin Haritha, in Jumada Al-Ula 6 Hijri, at the head of a hundred and seventy horsemen, set out to a place called Al-‘Ais, intercepted a caravan of Quraish led by Abul-Aas, the Prophet’s relative and looted their camels. Abul-Aas escaped and took refuge in Zainab’s (his wife and the Prophet’s daughter) house. He begged her to ask the Prophet* for the restitution of his wealth. The Prophet* recommended, but without coercion, that the people do that. They immediately gave the man back all his wealth. He went back to Mecca, gave over the trusts to those entitled to them, embraced Islam and emigrated to Medina where the Prophet* reunited him with his wife, Zainab, after three and a half years of their first marriage contract. The verse relating to prohibition of marriage between women Muslims and disbelievers had not been revealed then.
6. In Jumada Ath-Thania, the same year, Zaid at the head of fifteen men raided Bani Tha‘labah and captured twenty of their camels but the people had fled.
7. In Rajab of the same year, Zaid, at the head of twelve men, set out to a place called Wadi Al-Qura in a reconnaissance mission to explore the movements of the enemy. The people there attacked the Muslims, killed nine of them, while the rest including Zaid bin Haritha managed to escape.
Main Topic: The Greatness of first 10 days Dhul-Hijjah
Praise be to Allah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement. This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. Every one of these special occasions involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allah, and some kind of blessing though which Allah bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoever He will. The intelligent person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship Alhamdulillah, the blessed days of the Hijri month of "Dhul Hijjah" are upon us. "By the ten nights." [TMQ Al-Fajr 89:2]
The "ten nights" which Allah is swearing by here, are the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that Prophet* said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allah, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice." He was asked: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." [Bukhari]
It is a great chance to collect uncountable hasanat . It is a great chance to renew your relation with Allah. Prepare now so you can start from the first night/day of the month [i.e. as soon as Dhul-Hijjah is announced]. You don't want to miss a moment of the best days in the sight of Allah.
Since the Prophet* referred to the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah as: "...no days better than these days in the sight of Allah." [Ahmad], the scholars have said that these are better than Ramadan.
These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr ("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. Therefore, be very vigilant and don't waste these precious moments. Ask Allah to help you to benefit from this period of His special Grace.
• Ask yourself these questions [non-rhetorical]:
• Did you intend to benefit from these days?
• What have you done to prepare for these 10 days?
• Did you prepare a program?
• What is your plan of action?
A brief guide to help you to prepare for the best days of the year:
1. Read the Qur'an:
Plan to complete the reading of the Qur'an within this period. If you read three juz a day, it can be accomplished. It is not difficult. Ask Allah to make it easy for you. We know reciting one letter is equal to ten hasanat . If you read three juz everyday, it translates to thousands of millions of hasanat. And this calculation is just based on the 1=10 ratio. These are special days of His Grace. Therefore, don't even think about how much Allah can/will increase and add it for you. You cannot fathom it. He is Kareem. He knows that you have ikhlas ; He will not count it as 1=10. He could raise it to 1=700 or even more. And this is what you can earn every day of these special days. Keep in mind that reciting the Qur'an is a good deed and Allah specially loves the good deeds done in these days: "And if He loves the good deeds, He will love the doer of those good deeds." If Allah loves someone, He will not punish them. Remember this concept so that the deeds you do come from your heart [don't be like a machine]. Honour the rights of the Qur'an when reciting it.
2. Increase in Nawafil Prayers:
Increase your supererogatory prayers. Do you really want to be closer to Allah? Do you really love Allah and seek His closeness? If, you want this, then know that Allah teaches you the means to gaining His qurb. Allah says: "Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!" [TMQ Al-Alaq 96:19]
This is the way! Prostrate in sujud to Him and you will be closer to Him. The Prophet* said: "The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du'a then." He* is commanding us to make a lot of du'a while in sujud. We need to do more. For he* said to: "...make lots of du'a." Remember, the Prophet* loved us and he knew that we have a lot of needs from Allah. This is why he taught us the way to get those needs fulfilled. Therefore, if you have needs, then you cannot leave sujud. Any sajdah without khushu' and without du'a is a big khasara . When the Prophet* instructed us to do a lot of sujud, it means to perform a lot of salah . "With each sajdah for Allah, He will raise you a level with it. And cancel a sin with it." So, the more you increase in your sujud, the closer you are to being a winner.
Examples for increasing nawafil salah:
Allah swears by the night [Surah Fajr]. Therefore, take care of the nights. Don't be among the losers. Write this in bold and make it your motivational factor for the special days: "We won't be among the losers!" Remember: "Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night is left, and He says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him?'." [Bukhari and Muslim] And, now that it is winter, we get really long nights. So it's a good chance to maximise our hasanat. Don't forget while you are praying qiyam that Allah Loves this deed. Therefore, He loves the doer of this deed also.
If we were lazy before, we will be active and good from now on. We will not be among the losers. If these days and nights are we were to distributing gifts (£10 or £50) during the study circles and ask people to "Come take this money", you will find people standing in long queues and hordes to collect them. Subhana'Allah, Allah is spreading mercy during these days. He is accepting supplications. He is offering unimaginably wonderful blessings that we don't even know of. So will we not work to get in those lines to gather Allah's gifts?
3. Makes lots of Dhikr:
Do a lot of dhikr, especially in these days. "There are no days greater in the sight of Allah..." [Ahmed] So what did the Prophet* tell us to do in these days? The Prophet* commanded us to oft recite Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillah") and Takbeer ("Allahu Akbar") during this time. As soon as the announcement of Dhul-Hijjah is made, start your dhikr: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah, Wallahu Akbar. Walilahilhamd."
Many people mistakenly believe that you chant this only on the day of Eid. But, it is meant to be recited from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. Bukhari related that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah said that they used to go out in the streets making loud takbir. They did not think that this was riya. They were busy with declaring the signs of Allah. This practice has now become a forgotten Sunnah. Why do people feel shy to follow this Sunnah? These are the days of takbir, tahlil and tahmid with raised voices. Therefore revive this Sunnah by doing audible tasbih during all of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. For women, when you are in your homes, raise your voices. You will remind your children, husbands, brothers, etc. Make it like a habit so that you will find yourself doing dhikr automatically. While walking, reclining, working, eating, just keep doing dhikr.
Send a lot of blessings and salam upon the Prophet* consistently. Just one hadith should be enough for the believer who loves Prophet*. It is enough honour that when you send your salam to Prophet*, Allah returns his soul to him in order to answer you: "There is no one who sends salam upon me but Allah will restore to me my soul so that I may return his salam." [Abu Dawud] Men are encouraged to recite these phrases out loud and women quietly. Therefore, send your darud and salam from your heart. Feel that special honour in doing that deed.
4. Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar):
Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of success, in shaAllah. Allah says:
"But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." [28:67]
All kinds of dhikr will make your relation with Allah stronger and stronger. How many Muslim's are there today? 1.5 billion? In one minute it is possible to gain 1.5 billion hasanat. Allahu Akbar! How generous is Allah. No one will give you like Allah gives. So how can you gain 1.5 million hasanat? By making istighfar for all Muslim's. The Prophet* is reported to have said that when a person seeks forgiveness for all believers, Allah will write for him a hasanat for every one of those believers. Just say ‘Astaghfirullah' for yourself and for all the believers, from your heart. Allah is forgiving and generous. On the Day of Judgement, when you will see your book, you will find the record of your sins in it and you will feel regret. But, Subhana'Allah, you will find between these sins, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah. InshaAllah, Allah, the Karim will cancel those sins that have istighfar beside them, around them, after them.
Luqman taught his sons to make istighfar. He said: "Oh my sons, istighfirullaha qaidun, istighfirullah qaimum, istghfirullaha raqibun [make istighfar when you are standing, sitting, reclining]. For the mercy of Allah is descending."
Indeed, rahamat are falling down like rain. So try to be under those rahamat. Look at it this way - there are seasons of mercy during which Allah sends down abundant mercy [like during Ramadan, like the days of Dhul-Hijjah, etc.]. Allah is always generous because that is one of His Attributes, but He says that He gives more during certain periods. Allah is Rahim always, but He says He has more mercy during a certain period. These days are like those special-rate promotions or sale season. Therefore, don't leave or ignore this sale. Go and ask for more. Keep saying ‘astaghfirullah', ‘astaghfirullah', astaghfirullah', keep insisting on it till Allah forgives you. Start from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. "...nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness." [TMQ Al-Anfal 8:33]
We are informed that there is no punishment from Allah on the yastaghfirun. Allah relieves all problems with istighfar. Those who are persistent in istighfar in their lives, disasters and calamities will be repelled from them. Mercy is like a cloud on the head of the mustaghfirin . How do we know this? "Why seek you not the forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy?" [TMQ An-Naml 27:46] Allah is telling us to make istighfar to gain His mercy. Let your istighfar ascend to Him and His mercy will descend upon you.
5. Fasting:
Fast as much as you can during these blessed days. If you can fast all of these days, then do so. Even in any regular day, Allah has promised a great reward for the one who fasts: "Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face seventy years distance away from the Fire because of it." [Muslim] So what about these special days for which it is said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allah, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah." The Prophet* has said, "One fast during these days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship in the "Lailatul-Qadr" [Tirmidhi]. Allah loves the good deeds in these days. Allah loves siyam. Put these two beloved things together. You are the doer of the things Allah loves. He will Love you, bi-idhnillah. Hafsa, the wife of the Prophet (SA) mentioned that, ‘the Prophet (SA) would never leave the fasting of Ashoora (the 10th of Muharram), Al-Ashr (the first 10 days of this month, excluding Eid) and three days of every month.
Any ‘ibadah, be it salah, dhikr, Qur'an, that is done during some periods of time and with them, are also periods of non action. Also don't forget you have if Allah wills, at least one du'a guaranteed with each siyam - at the time of breaking the fast. So that is nine opportune moments during this period.
These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day of ‘Arafaah), on which Allah perfected His Religion, the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day. Regarding fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, the Prophet* said: "Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I hope, will expiate the sins of the year before it and the year to come..." [Muslim] So how does this happen? Does this mean that we can fast on that day and for the rest of the year we can do whatever we want of bad deeds? No! It implies that Allah will help us to abstain from sins. And, if you commit a sin by mistake, He will cancel it due to His promise.
6. Charity:
Spending for the sake of Allah! Only Allah knows how many trials and calamities have been pushed away from us, our family and loved ones as a result of our sadaqah. Allah knows how many times relief and ease has come to us due to the sadaqah we gave. Therefore, give in the way of Allah, as much as you can. Don't leave any raised hands return empty. Show Allah that you love Him by spending from that which you love. Show Allah that all these things mean nothing besides gaining His ridha. Don't look and remind yourself of what you have already spent in the past. If Allah wills, He has accepted and written it for you. Now, think of how you can outdo that sadaqah during these days. Spend from what you love and Allah will love you.
7. Preserve the Ties of Kinship:
Preserve the ties of kinship for: "No one who severs the ties of kinship will enter Paradise." [Muslim] If it is difficult for you to call or meet every relative, then send them a message. But write with your heart and with the right intention. There is a man who connects with all of his near and far relatives. It is almost like a mission for him for the sake of Allah. He loves this ‘ibadah. Even those who are far away, he calls and connects them to the rest of the family and brings them all together. And subhana'Allah, Allah has given him a lot of wealth and with such ease and has made his life easy, and as a result of his deeds. The Prophet* promised this reward for the one who connects and maintains kinship: "Whoever would like his rizq to be increased and his life to be extended, should uphold the ties of kinship." [Bukhari and Muslim]
These were just a few of the wonderful things we can do during the forthcoming best days of Dhul-Hijjah. Therefore, if we want Allah's help with these deeds and our schedule for them, we need to do a lot of tawbah. The Salaf as-Salih used to say that they would feel prevented from qiyam al-layl due to their sins. They knew that when they want to do ‘ibadah and they are unable to do it, it is due sins. So, what do we need to do? A lot of istighfar with tawbah, real Tawbah! Ask Allah for help. Make the du'a: "O Allah, help me to remember You, to give You thanks, and to perform Your worship in the best manner." [Abu Dawud]
8. Offering Sacrifice
Zayd lbne Arqam relates that the Companions asked, "O Rasoolullah*, what is Qurbani?" He replied, "It is the sunnah of your father lbraheem." They asked again, "What benefit do we get from it?" He answered, "A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal)." "And (what reward is there for animals with) wool, O Rasoolullah*?" they asked. "A reward", he said, "for every fibre of the wool." [Ibn Majah]
There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of judgment with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart. [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]. When a person slaughters a Qurbani animal, he is forgiven at the fall of the first drop of blood, and verily, the animal shall be brought forward on the Day of Judgment with its blood, meat etc, and shall be increased in weight seventy times more than its own weight, and thereafter it will be placed on the scale of deeds.
“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers” [51:55]
Highlights from the Life of Ibrahim [Abraham]
Ibrahim was mentioned in 73 places in the Qur’aan, in 25 surahs of Qur’an. He was born in Babylon/Babil. He was from the Caldanians from modern day Iraq.
Dawa to his father: Ibrahim started his da’wah to his father and was very young when he did this; he was less than 16 years old. The father said: ‘Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim (Abraham)? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.’ (19:46)
The Big One Did It: Ibrahim made da’wah to his people also. When he said to his father and his people: ‘What are these images, to which you are devoted?’ (21:52) “Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.” (21:54) He took his axe, went to the temple and destroyed all of their idols except for the biggest one. He hung the axe on the shoulder of the largest.
Allah is Sufficient for Me: They said, “Burn him and help your aliha (gods), if you will be doing.” (21:68 ) So they put Ibrahim in this catapult and threw him in the fire. “O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrahim (Abraham)!” (21:69)
Allah Gives Life and Death: The king of Babylon (Namrud) was a powerful dictator and he debated with Ibrahim. “Allah is the One who gives life and takes it away. Can you do that?” ‘Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it you to rise from the west.’
Ayn-ul Yaqeen (Certainty in Faith): “Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards you, and then put a portion of them on every hill, and call them, they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”
Lut Believed: Ibrahim made da’wah to his people but nobody believed in Ibrahim except his nephew. They had to flee from the persecution and oppression of their land. Ibrahim said: “I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (29:26)
Place Called Harraan: Dawa to the people of Harraan looking at the stars, moon, sun then Allah! He said: ‘O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of Al-Mushrikun.” (6:77-79)
Hijrah to Egypt: With his beautiful wife Sarah. The king wanted to place his hand on her, so she made a du’aa` to Allah and said, “Allah, take care of him.” His hand was paralyzed. “You have not presented me with a human woman; you have presented me with a devil.” He let her go. But to ward off her “evil” he gave her a gift – Hajar – as a slave. Sarah went back to Ibrahim with Hajar.
Glad Tidings of Children: Ibrahim received the commandment to circumcise himself from Allah and he did it when he was over 80 years old. Ibrahim married Hajar with the hope that they would have a child. Then Ibrahim was given the glad tidings of ghulaam haleem. Allah has described Ismail [Ishmael] with haleem, which is mild, gentle and forbearing.
Our Mother Hajar: Ismail was about two years of age. Ibrahim commanded his wife Hajar to accompany him in a long trip. Then suddenly in the middle of no where – dry desert, no settlements, no people – Ibrahim stopped. He left with them a sack filled with dates and he left with them some water. When these had finished, she climbed onto a mountain (As-Safa) looking for help then ran in the valley and then she climbed another mountain (Marwa). Then water was coming out of the sand through divine will of Allah (Zam Zam)
Ismail Grows Up: He married into the local tribe. Then Ibrahim would make some visits. One day he knocked on the door. Ismail’s wife opened the door and Ibrahim said, “Where is your husband?” She said, “He’s not here.” He asked, “How is your living?” She said, “We have a miserable life.” She complained – the food is not good; water is not good, etc. Ibrahim said to her, “Deliver my salaam to him and tell him to change his doorstep.” Ismail came home and and he felt something so he asked his wife, “Did somebody visit us?” She said, “Yes. An old man came. He asked about you. And he told me to deliver salaam to you and change your doorstep.” Ismail said, “That was my father and he is ordering me to separate from you. You are the doorstep. So go back home.” And he divorced her. The people of Jurhum loved Ismail so much that they married him another wife. Ibrahim made another trip a while later and he knocked on the door and asked his wife the same questions. She said, “Alhamdulillah! The best living.” She praised the simple lifestyle that they were leading. She was a righteous woman. Ibrahim asked, “What do you eat and drink?” She said, “Meat and water.” Ibrahim made du’aa` for them and said, “Make blessing in their food.” Ibrahim told her, “When your husband comes back, deliver my salaam to him and tell him to keep the doorstep.” So Ismail came back, and asked, “Did anyone visit us?” She conveyed Ibrahim’s message. Ismail told her, That was my father; you are the doorstep; and my father is telling me to keep you.
The Dream and Sacrifice: Ibrahim saw a dream when Ismail was older that he was was slaughtering his own son. Ismail said: “O my father, do what you are commanded to do. If Allah wills, you shall find me patient.” Ibrahim had the knife on the neck of Ismail, and he started to pass the knife over his neck. Allah said, “O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!” Allah told him, “Verily, indeed, that was a manifest trial.” It was a test for Ibrahim, and he passed it. Now, we sacrifice on ‘Eid, following the Sunnah of Ibrahim. Ibrahim was told by Allah: “And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times.” (37:108 ) The tashahud in every salah – we make salaam on Ibrahim in every prayer. We ask Allah to grant Ibrahim peace in every prayer. Millions of believers, throughout the generations, prayed for Allah to grant Ibrahim peace.
Building Al-Ka’bah: Allah says: “And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Isma’il (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah at Mecca), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage – Hajj and ‘Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad Peace be upon him ), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Quran) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom [Sunnah] or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’” (2:127-129)
Selected Qualities of Ibrahim
Hadith: No time to discuss
Feedback:
Unity of the Muslims - what this means
News:
10 days Dhul-Hijjah; Ibrahim & a few battles
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Some other Expeditions and Battles
After the Battle of the Trench, the Messenger* was in a position to confidently declare that thenceforth he would take the initiative in war and would not wait for the land of Islam to be invaded. Hence, shortly after the conclusion of the battle with the Coalition and Quraiza, the Prophet* began to despatch punitive expeditions to force the aggressive tribes and rebellious Arabians to come to peaceful terms with the rising state of Islam.
Bani Bakr Expedition
A platoon of thirty believers under the leadership of Muhammad bin Maslamah was despatched on a military mission in Muharram, the sixth year Hijri. It headed for the habitation of Bani Bakr sept. The Muslims attacked and dispersed them in all directions. Plenty of spoils fell to the lot of the Muslims who returned home with a terrible disbeliever, Thumamah bin Uthal Al-Hanafi, chief of Bani Hanifa, who had gone out by order of Musailama, the Liar, to assassinate the Prophet*. The Prophet’s Companions tied him to a pole of the Prophetic Mosque. To a question posed by the Prophet*, Thumamah used to say: "If you were to kill someone, then you would have to choose one of noble descent, if you were to be gracious, then let it be to a grateful man and if you were to ask for money, you would have to ask for it from a generous man." He repeated that three times on three different occasions. On the third time, the Prophet* ordered that he should be released. He soon went nearby, washed and then came back to profess the new faith addressing the Prophet*: "No face had been more awful to me than yours but now it is the closest to my heart, no religion had ever been more repugnant to me than yours, now it is the dearest in my heart. Now I want to perform the ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage)." The Prophet* gave him good tidings and asked him to do that. On his arrival in Mecca, the Quraishites accused him of apostasy. He denied it and affirmed that he had embraced Islam, and then swore that they would never get a grain from Yamama, a suburban area around Mecca, unless the Prophet* would allow it. In fact, he did it and refused to send food supplies to Mecca until the Prophet* interceded at the Makkans’ earnest plea.
Bani Lihyan Invasion
Bani Lihyan had acted treacherously towards ten of the Prophet’s Companions and had them hanged. Their habitation being situated deep in the heart of Hijaz on the borders of Mecca, and due to deep-seated blood-revenge between the Muslims on the one hand, and Quraish and the Arabians on the other, the Prophet* deemed it unwise to penetrate deep and come close to the greatest enemy, Quraish. However, when the power of the allied Coaltion collapsed and they began to slacken and resign to the current unfavourable balance of power, the Messenger of Allah* seized this rare opportunity and decided that it was time to take revenge on Bani Lihyan. He set out in Rabi‘ Al-Awwal or Jumada Al- Ula in the year six Hijri at the head of two hundred Muslim fighters and made a feint of heading for Syria, then soon changed route towards Batn Gharran, the scene of his Companions’ tragedy, and invoked Allah’s mercy on them. News of his march reached Bani Lihyan, who immediately fled to the mountain tops nearby and thus remained out of his reach. On his way back, the Prophet* despatched a group of ten horsemen to a place called Kura‘ Al-Ghamim, in the vicinity of the habitation of Quraish in order to indirectly confirm his growing military power. All these skirmishes took fourteen days, after which he left back for home.
Expeditions and Delegations continued
1. A platoon led by ‘Ukasha bin Al-Mihsan was despatched to a place called Al- Ghamir inhabited by Bani Asad in the year six Hijri. The enemy immediately fled leaving behind them two hundred camels which were taken to Medina.
2. A platoon led by Muhammad bin Maslamah set out towards the habitation of Bani Tha‘labah in Dhil Qassa. But a hundred men of the enemies ambushed and killed all of them except Muhammad bin Maslamah who managed to escape but badly wounded.
3. In retaliation against Bani Tha‘labah, Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, at the head of forty men, was despatched to Dhil Qassa. They walked that night and took the enemy by surprise in the morning. Again, they fled to the mountains except one who was injured, and later embraced Islam. A lot of booty fell to their lot in that particular incident.
4. A platoon, under the leadership of Zaid bin Haritha, was sent to Al-Jumum, the habitation of Bani Saleem, in the same year. A woman from Bani Muzaina showed them the way to the enemy’s camp. There the Muslims took some captives and gained a lot of booty. Later on, the Messenger of Allah* granted the woman her freedom and married her to one of his followers.
5. Zaid bin Haritha, in Jumada Al-Ula 6 Hijri, at the head of a hundred and seventy horsemen, set out to a place called Al-‘Ais, intercepted a caravan of Quraish led by Abul-Aas, the Prophet’s relative and looted their camels. Abul-Aas escaped and took refuge in Zainab’s (his wife and the Prophet’s daughter) house. He begged her to ask the Prophet* for the restitution of his wealth. The Prophet* recommended, but without coercion, that the people do that. They immediately gave the man back all his wealth. He went back to Mecca, gave over the trusts to those entitled to them, embraced Islam and emigrated to Medina where the Prophet* reunited him with his wife, Zainab, after three and a half years of their first marriage contract. The verse relating to prohibition of marriage between women Muslims and disbelievers had not been revealed then.
6. In Jumada Ath-Thania, the same year, Zaid at the head of fifteen men raided Bani Tha‘labah and captured twenty of their camels but the people had fled.
7. In Rajab of the same year, Zaid, at the head of twelve men, set out to a place called Wadi Al-Qura in a reconnaissance mission to explore the movements of the enemy. The people there attacked the Muslims, killed nine of them, while the rest including Zaid bin Haritha managed to escape.
Main Topic: The Greatness of first 10 days Dhul-Hijjah
Praise be to Allah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement. This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. Every one of these special occasions involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allah, and some kind of blessing though which Allah bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoever He will. The intelligent person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship Alhamdulillah, the blessed days of the Hijri month of "Dhul Hijjah" are upon us. "By the ten nights." [TMQ Al-Fajr 89:2]
The "ten nights" which Allah is swearing by here, are the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that Prophet* said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allah, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice." He was asked: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." [Bukhari]
It is a great chance to collect uncountable hasanat . It is a great chance to renew your relation with Allah. Prepare now so you can start from the first night/day of the month [i.e. as soon as Dhul-Hijjah is announced]. You don't want to miss a moment of the best days in the sight of Allah.
Since the Prophet* referred to the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah as: "...no days better than these days in the sight of Allah." [Ahmad], the scholars have said that these are better than Ramadan.
These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr ("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. Therefore, be very vigilant and don't waste these precious moments. Ask Allah to help you to benefit from this period of His special Grace.
• Ask yourself these questions [non-rhetorical]:
• Did you intend to benefit from these days?
• What have you done to prepare for these 10 days?
• Did you prepare a program?
• What is your plan of action?
A brief guide to help you to prepare for the best days of the year:
1. Read the Qur'an:
Plan to complete the reading of the Qur'an within this period. If you read three juz a day, it can be accomplished. It is not difficult. Ask Allah to make it easy for you. We know reciting one letter is equal to ten hasanat . If you read three juz everyday, it translates to thousands of millions of hasanat. And this calculation is just based on the 1=10 ratio. These are special days of His Grace. Therefore, don't even think about how much Allah can/will increase and add it for you. You cannot fathom it. He is Kareem. He knows that you have ikhlas ; He will not count it as 1=10. He could raise it to 1=700 or even more. And this is what you can earn every day of these special days. Keep in mind that reciting the Qur'an is a good deed and Allah specially loves the good deeds done in these days: "And if He loves the good deeds, He will love the doer of those good deeds." If Allah loves someone, He will not punish them. Remember this concept so that the deeds you do come from your heart [don't be like a machine]. Honour the rights of the Qur'an when reciting it.
2. Increase in Nawafil Prayers:
Increase your supererogatory prayers. Do you really want to be closer to Allah? Do you really love Allah and seek His closeness? If, you want this, then know that Allah teaches you the means to gaining His qurb. Allah says: "Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!" [TMQ Al-Alaq 96:19]
This is the way! Prostrate in sujud to Him and you will be closer to Him. The Prophet* said: "The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du'a then." He* is commanding us to make a lot of du'a while in sujud. We need to do more. For he* said to: "...make lots of du'a." Remember, the Prophet* loved us and he knew that we have a lot of needs from Allah. This is why he taught us the way to get those needs fulfilled. Therefore, if you have needs, then you cannot leave sujud. Any sajdah without khushu' and without du'a is a big khasara . When the Prophet* instructed us to do a lot of sujud, it means to perform a lot of salah . "With each sajdah for Allah, He will raise you a level with it. And cancel a sin with it." So, the more you increase in your sujud, the closer you are to being a winner.
Examples for increasing nawafil salah:
- Salat Dhuha: Also known as al-Awwabeen, may be offered as 2, 4, 6 or 8 rak'at, prayed after the sun has risen and before the time for Dhuhr approaches. [Muslim] "Al-Awwab' means one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience.
- 4 rak'at before and 4 after Dhuhr: "Whoever regularly performs four rak'at before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah will forbid him to the Fire." [Tirmidhi]
- 4 rak'at before ‘Asr - The Prophet* said: "May Allah have mercy on those who pray four rak'at before ‘Asr prayer." [Tirmidhi] You stand to gain the mercy of Allah because of the du'a of Prophet*.
- Tahhiyatul masjid: Greet the masjid with two rak'at: "If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak'at before sitting." [Bukhari and Muslim]
- Salat at-Tawbah: It could be any bad deed, any sin, you hear something bad , you see something bad, you feel your heart constricted because of something you have done and you didn't mean it, etc, you can erase it immediately with your prayer of repentance. Make a good wudhu' and offer two sincere rak'at of repentance. Ask Allah to forgive you. If it's from your heart, then know that Allah will cancel your sin.
- Qiyam al-Layl: With this prayer, we hope that Allah will illuminate our graves; will bestow nur on our faces; will cancel our bad deeds. Pray at least 2 rak'at. If you are able to follow the Sunnah, then pray all 11 rak'at.
Allah swears by the night [Surah Fajr]. Therefore, take care of the nights. Don't be among the losers. Write this in bold and make it your motivational factor for the special days: "We won't be among the losers!" Remember: "Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night is left, and He says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him?'." [Bukhari and Muslim] And, now that it is winter, we get really long nights. So it's a good chance to maximise our hasanat. Don't forget while you are praying qiyam that Allah Loves this deed. Therefore, He loves the doer of this deed also.
If we were lazy before, we will be active and good from now on. We will not be among the losers. If these days and nights are we were to distributing gifts (£10 or £50) during the study circles and ask people to "Come take this money", you will find people standing in long queues and hordes to collect them. Subhana'Allah, Allah is spreading mercy during these days. He is accepting supplications. He is offering unimaginably wonderful blessings that we don't even know of. So will we not work to get in those lines to gather Allah's gifts?
3. Makes lots of Dhikr:
Do a lot of dhikr, especially in these days. "There are no days greater in the sight of Allah..." [Ahmed] So what did the Prophet* tell us to do in these days? The Prophet* commanded us to oft recite Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillah") and Takbeer ("Allahu Akbar") during this time. As soon as the announcement of Dhul-Hijjah is made, start your dhikr: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah, Wallahu Akbar. Walilahilhamd."
Many people mistakenly believe that you chant this only on the day of Eid. But, it is meant to be recited from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. Bukhari related that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah said that they used to go out in the streets making loud takbir. They did not think that this was riya. They were busy with declaring the signs of Allah. This practice has now become a forgotten Sunnah. Why do people feel shy to follow this Sunnah? These are the days of takbir, tahlil and tahmid with raised voices. Therefore revive this Sunnah by doing audible tasbih during all of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. For women, when you are in your homes, raise your voices. You will remind your children, husbands, brothers, etc. Make it like a habit so that you will find yourself doing dhikr automatically. While walking, reclining, working, eating, just keep doing dhikr.
Send a lot of blessings and salam upon the Prophet* consistently. Just one hadith should be enough for the believer who loves Prophet*. It is enough honour that when you send your salam to Prophet*, Allah returns his soul to him in order to answer you: "There is no one who sends salam upon me but Allah will restore to me my soul so that I may return his salam." [Abu Dawud] Men are encouraged to recite these phrases out loud and women quietly. Therefore, send your darud and salam from your heart. Feel that special honour in doing that deed.
4. Seeking Forgiveness (Istighfar):
Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of success, in shaAllah. Allah says:
"But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." [28:67]
All kinds of dhikr will make your relation with Allah stronger and stronger. How many Muslim's are there today? 1.5 billion? In one minute it is possible to gain 1.5 billion hasanat. Allahu Akbar! How generous is Allah. No one will give you like Allah gives. So how can you gain 1.5 million hasanat? By making istighfar for all Muslim's. The Prophet* is reported to have said that when a person seeks forgiveness for all believers, Allah will write for him a hasanat for every one of those believers. Just say ‘Astaghfirullah' for yourself and for all the believers, from your heart. Allah is forgiving and generous. On the Day of Judgement, when you will see your book, you will find the record of your sins in it and you will feel regret. But, Subhana'Allah, you will find between these sins, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah. InshaAllah, Allah, the Karim will cancel those sins that have istighfar beside them, around them, after them.
Luqman taught his sons to make istighfar. He said: "Oh my sons, istighfirullaha qaidun, istighfirullah qaimum, istghfirullaha raqibun [make istighfar when you are standing, sitting, reclining]. For the mercy of Allah is descending."
Indeed, rahamat are falling down like rain. So try to be under those rahamat. Look at it this way - there are seasons of mercy during which Allah sends down abundant mercy [like during Ramadan, like the days of Dhul-Hijjah, etc.]. Allah is always generous because that is one of His Attributes, but He says that He gives more during certain periods. Allah is Rahim always, but He says He has more mercy during a certain period. These days are like those special-rate promotions or sale season. Therefore, don't leave or ignore this sale. Go and ask for more. Keep saying ‘astaghfirullah', ‘astaghfirullah', astaghfirullah', keep insisting on it till Allah forgives you. Start from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. "...nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness." [TMQ Al-Anfal 8:33]
We are informed that there is no punishment from Allah on the yastaghfirun. Allah relieves all problems with istighfar. Those who are persistent in istighfar in their lives, disasters and calamities will be repelled from them. Mercy is like a cloud on the head of the mustaghfirin . How do we know this? "Why seek you not the forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy?" [TMQ An-Naml 27:46] Allah is telling us to make istighfar to gain His mercy. Let your istighfar ascend to Him and His mercy will descend upon you.
5. Fasting:
Fast as much as you can during these blessed days. If you can fast all of these days, then do so. Even in any regular day, Allah has promised a great reward for the one who fasts: "Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face seventy years distance away from the Fire because of it." [Muslim] So what about these special days for which it is said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allah, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah." The Prophet* has said, "One fast during these days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship in the "Lailatul-Qadr" [Tirmidhi]. Allah loves the good deeds in these days. Allah loves siyam. Put these two beloved things together. You are the doer of the things Allah loves. He will Love you, bi-idhnillah. Hafsa, the wife of the Prophet (SA) mentioned that, ‘the Prophet (SA) would never leave the fasting of Ashoora (the 10th of Muharram), Al-Ashr (the first 10 days of this month, excluding Eid) and three days of every month.
Any ‘ibadah, be it salah, dhikr, Qur'an, that is done during some periods of time and with them, are also periods of non action. Also don't forget you have if Allah wills, at least one du'a guaranteed with each siyam - at the time of breaking the fast. So that is nine opportune moments during this period.
These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day of ‘Arafaah), on which Allah perfected His Religion, the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day. Regarding fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, the Prophet* said: "Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I hope, will expiate the sins of the year before it and the year to come..." [Muslim] So how does this happen? Does this mean that we can fast on that day and for the rest of the year we can do whatever we want of bad deeds? No! It implies that Allah will help us to abstain from sins. And, if you commit a sin by mistake, He will cancel it due to His promise.
6. Charity:
Spending for the sake of Allah! Only Allah knows how many trials and calamities have been pushed away from us, our family and loved ones as a result of our sadaqah. Allah knows how many times relief and ease has come to us due to the sadaqah we gave. Therefore, give in the way of Allah, as much as you can. Don't leave any raised hands return empty. Show Allah that you love Him by spending from that which you love. Show Allah that all these things mean nothing besides gaining His ridha. Don't look and remind yourself of what you have already spent in the past. If Allah wills, He has accepted and written it for you. Now, think of how you can outdo that sadaqah during these days. Spend from what you love and Allah will love you.
7. Preserve the Ties of Kinship:
Preserve the ties of kinship for: "No one who severs the ties of kinship will enter Paradise." [Muslim] If it is difficult for you to call or meet every relative, then send them a message. But write with your heart and with the right intention. There is a man who connects with all of his near and far relatives. It is almost like a mission for him for the sake of Allah. He loves this ‘ibadah. Even those who are far away, he calls and connects them to the rest of the family and brings them all together. And subhana'Allah, Allah has given him a lot of wealth and with such ease and has made his life easy, and as a result of his deeds. The Prophet* promised this reward for the one who connects and maintains kinship: "Whoever would like his rizq to be increased and his life to be extended, should uphold the ties of kinship." [Bukhari and Muslim]
These were just a few of the wonderful things we can do during the forthcoming best days of Dhul-Hijjah. Therefore, if we want Allah's help with these deeds and our schedule for them, we need to do a lot of tawbah. The Salaf as-Salih used to say that they would feel prevented from qiyam al-layl due to their sins. They knew that when they want to do ‘ibadah and they are unable to do it, it is due sins. So, what do we need to do? A lot of istighfar with tawbah, real Tawbah! Ask Allah for help. Make the du'a: "O Allah, help me to remember You, to give You thanks, and to perform Your worship in the best manner." [Abu Dawud]
8. Offering Sacrifice
Zayd lbne Arqam relates that the Companions asked, "O Rasoolullah*, what is Qurbani?" He replied, "It is the sunnah of your father lbraheem." They asked again, "What benefit do we get from it?" He answered, "A reward for every hair (of the sacrificed animal)." "And (what reward is there for animals with) wool, O Rasoolullah*?" they asked. "A reward", he said, "for every fibre of the wool." [Ibn Majah]
There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of judgment with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart. [Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]. When a person slaughters a Qurbani animal, he is forgiven at the fall of the first drop of blood, and verily, the animal shall be brought forward on the Day of Judgment with its blood, meat etc, and shall be increased in weight seventy times more than its own weight, and thereafter it will be placed on the scale of deeds.
“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers” [51:55]
Highlights from the Life of Ibrahim [Abraham]
Ibrahim was mentioned in 73 places in the Qur’aan, in 25 surahs of Qur’an. He was born in Babylon/Babil. He was from the Caldanians from modern day Iraq.
Dawa to his father: Ibrahim started his da’wah to his father and was very young when he did this; he was less than 16 years old. The father said: ‘Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim (Abraham)? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.’ (19:46)
The Big One Did It: Ibrahim made da’wah to his people also. When he said to his father and his people: ‘What are these images, to which you are devoted?’ (21:52) “Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.” (21:54) He took his axe, went to the temple and destroyed all of their idols except for the biggest one. He hung the axe on the shoulder of the largest.
Allah is Sufficient for Me: They said, “Burn him and help your aliha (gods), if you will be doing.” (21:68 ) So they put Ibrahim in this catapult and threw him in the fire. “O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrahim (Abraham)!” (21:69)
Allah Gives Life and Death: The king of Babylon (Namrud) was a powerful dictator and he debated with Ibrahim. “Allah is the One who gives life and takes it away. Can you do that?” ‘Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it you to rise from the west.’
Ayn-ul Yaqeen (Certainty in Faith): “Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards you, and then put a portion of them on every hill, and call them, they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”
Lut Believed: Ibrahim made da’wah to his people but nobody believed in Ibrahim except his nephew. They had to flee from the persecution and oppression of their land. Ibrahim said: “I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (29:26)
Place Called Harraan: Dawa to the people of Harraan looking at the stars, moon, sun then Allah! He said: ‘O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of Al-Mushrikun.” (6:77-79)
Hijrah to Egypt: With his beautiful wife Sarah. The king wanted to place his hand on her, so she made a du’aa` to Allah and said, “Allah, take care of him.” His hand was paralyzed. “You have not presented me with a human woman; you have presented me with a devil.” He let her go. But to ward off her “evil” he gave her a gift – Hajar – as a slave. Sarah went back to Ibrahim with Hajar.
Glad Tidings of Children: Ibrahim received the commandment to circumcise himself from Allah and he did it when he was over 80 years old. Ibrahim married Hajar with the hope that they would have a child. Then Ibrahim was given the glad tidings of ghulaam haleem. Allah has described Ismail [Ishmael] with haleem, which is mild, gentle and forbearing.
Our Mother Hajar: Ismail was about two years of age. Ibrahim commanded his wife Hajar to accompany him in a long trip. Then suddenly in the middle of no where – dry desert, no settlements, no people – Ibrahim stopped. He left with them a sack filled with dates and he left with them some water. When these had finished, she climbed onto a mountain (As-Safa) looking for help then ran in the valley and then she climbed another mountain (Marwa). Then water was coming out of the sand through divine will of Allah (Zam Zam)
Ismail Grows Up: He married into the local tribe. Then Ibrahim would make some visits. One day he knocked on the door. Ismail’s wife opened the door and Ibrahim said, “Where is your husband?” She said, “He’s not here.” He asked, “How is your living?” She said, “We have a miserable life.” She complained – the food is not good; water is not good, etc. Ibrahim said to her, “Deliver my salaam to him and tell him to change his doorstep.” Ismail came home and and he felt something so he asked his wife, “Did somebody visit us?” She said, “Yes. An old man came. He asked about you. And he told me to deliver salaam to you and change your doorstep.” Ismail said, “That was my father and he is ordering me to separate from you. You are the doorstep. So go back home.” And he divorced her. The people of Jurhum loved Ismail so much that they married him another wife. Ibrahim made another trip a while later and he knocked on the door and asked his wife the same questions. She said, “Alhamdulillah! The best living.” She praised the simple lifestyle that they were leading. She was a righteous woman. Ibrahim asked, “What do you eat and drink?” She said, “Meat and water.” Ibrahim made du’aa` for them and said, “Make blessing in their food.” Ibrahim told her, “When your husband comes back, deliver my salaam to him and tell him to keep the doorstep.” So Ismail came back, and asked, “Did anyone visit us?” She conveyed Ibrahim’s message. Ismail told her, That was my father; you are the doorstep; and my father is telling me to keep you.
The Dream and Sacrifice: Ibrahim saw a dream when Ismail was older that he was was slaughtering his own son. Ismail said: “O my father, do what you are commanded to do. If Allah wills, you shall find me patient.” Ibrahim had the knife on the neck of Ismail, and he started to pass the knife over his neck. Allah said, “O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the dream!” Allah told him, “Verily, indeed, that was a manifest trial.” It was a test for Ibrahim, and he passed it. Now, we sacrifice on ‘Eid, following the Sunnah of Ibrahim. Ibrahim was told by Allah: “And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times.” (37:108 ) The tashahud in every salah – we make salaam on Ibrahim in every prayer. We ask Allah to grant Ibrahim peace in every prayer. Millions of believers, throughout the generations, prayed for Allah to grant Ibrahim peace.
Building Al-Ka’bah: Allah says: “And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Isma’il (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah at Mecca), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage – Hajj and ‘Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad Peace be upon him ), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Quran) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom [Sunnah] or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’” (2:127-129)
Selected Qualities of Ibrahim
- He is from the 5 greatest Prophets: Muhammad, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Nuh. And Ibn Katheer says that the second greatest after them after Muhammad is Ibrahim.
- Ibrahim was mentioned in the Qur’an about 73 times, in 25 places.
- Ibrahim is the one who Allah has called in the Qur’an Khaleel Allah – the friend of Allah.
- Allah gave Ibrahim a name that was not given to anyone else in the Qur’an: Kaana Ummah. He was a nation by himself. He didn’t have anyone with him, but he counts as a nation.
- Allah says that he had khushoo’ of Allah.
- Allah says that he stayed away from all shirk. He had sincerity and understanding.
- Allah says about Ibrahim: “I will make you an imam (a leader / role model) for mankind.”
- Allah says all prophets and messengers that came afterwards came from Ibrahim’s descendants.
Hadith: No time to discuss
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