₦airaland Forum

Something intriguing happened yesterday after my tafsir session. I met a young energetic and 'naughty boy' (about 5 years old) at the door of the masjid and the followin'g ensued:

Me: Why did you stop attending the Tafsir

Boy: (With a straight Face) You don't share gifts

I was shocked!!! I and everyone around me started laughing.

I had a deep reflection about what the boy said.

Incidentally I had spoken about following the prophet's example of giving children gifts during my lecture earlier in the day when I was discussing "the Prophet's ﷺ Madrassah".

Some reflections:

1. Gifts leaves a deep effect on hearts
and has a great impact on them, more so in the case of children.
2.Gifts soften people's heart towards you, the young as well as the old.
3. The Prophet ﷺ understood the power of gifts and he will prioritize gift for new Muslims and the vulnerable to draw their hearts closer to Islam.
3. One of the ways of making those who hate you and have enmity against you to love you is by giving them gifts. The Prophet ﷺ said تَهَادُوا تَحَابُّوا‏.‏ ":Give gifts and you will love one another."
4. The message of the Da'iyah (Preacher) may be more effective if he touches the lives of his audience with gifts.

May Allah bless and increase our sustenance and count us among the generous ones. Aameen.

The act of forgiveness is a strategy to become neutral, to reset the game, to start fresh.

Forgiveness is a decision, an intention to get out of guilt, to clear all the debt and baggage that keeps us stuck in self-destructive patterns.

Forgiveness does not mean that you condone the bad behavior nor does it mean that you accept that the insult be repeated. Forgiveness merely takes the charge off and neutralizes it so it does not drain your energy anymore.

The act of forgiveness is a frequency, not the emotion that accompanies the act of forgiveness. When we forgive, we can feel an incredibly sense of relief or cry tears of happiness, but the emotion is not the forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice we make.

Muslim reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Abu Hurairah reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives; Allah adds to his respect, and the one who shows humility Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people)” .

The act of forgiveness raises our frequency, our energy. It’s one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal!

Take a moment to recall an experience where someone insulted you. Chances are that whenever you think of that situation you feel bad. This is what is referred to as an “energy leak” because disturbing emotions drain our energy. If our energy leaks continue, we only harm ourselves. We need sufficient energy in order to be healthy, happy and to manifest!

When you recall such an experience that makes you feel bad, ask yourself, “Do I want to continue to give that person the power to control me and deplete my energy?” At any moment, you can choose to forgive and free yourself of burdens that rob you of happiness and freedom.

Imagine how you will feel when you no longer allow that person to drain your energy. Think of the relief you will experience when you finally experience forgiveness. You eliminate a huge energy leak that keeps you stuck.

The purpose of life is to gain experiences, make choices, learn from choices and acquire wisdom and understanding. Forgiveness is a self empowering technique—a healing process that enables us repair damage to our energy bodies. This includes the damage and energy drain that comes from mental complexes, heavy emotions and attachments.

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools we have to raise our frequency and spiritually evolve.

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Fragrance for men is that which the scent is apparent and colour is hidden and fragrance for women is that which its colour is visible and its scent is hidden.”

Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2787.

This Hadith applies to women when they intend on leaving the home. A good fragrance will attract unnecessary attention from strange men and could lead to fitnah. Therefore, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) issued stern warnings against such a practice.

‘Fragrance’ in this Hadith [for women] has been used metaphorically.

The commentators explain that this would refer to Saffron [probably mixed with some water] or henna as these have colour but no smell. Thus, women are permitted to apply these and leave the home [as these would not attract attention from strange men if a woman is properly concealed]. Applying fragrance with a good smell is reserved exclusively for when she is with her husband.

On the authority of Abu Abbas, Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

"One day I was [mounted] behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to me, 'Young man, I will teach you words [of advice]: Keep Allah in mind – He will keep you from harm. Keep Allah in mind – you will find Him before you. When you ask, ask Allah; and when you seek help, seek it from Allah. Know that even if the [whole] nation assembled in order to benefit you with something, it could not benefit you except by something Allah had already decreed for you; and if they assembled in order to harm you with something, they could not harm you except with something Allah had already decreed upon you. The pens have been lifted, and the pages have dried.'"

(Narrated by at-Tirmidhi – ḥasan-ṣaḥeeḥ)

On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah, and Abu Abdur-Rahman Muadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people. It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said it was a hasan (good) hadeeth, and in some copies it is stated to be a hasan saheeh hadeeth.

Praise be to Allah.

It is permissible for the person who is not travelling to combine two prayers if it will be too difficult for him to perform the second prayer on time. Permission to join prayers is broader than permission to shorten them, because shortening them is allowed only to travelers , but both travelers and non-travellers are permitted to join prayers when it will be difficult to perform the second prayer, whether on time or in congregation.

Based on this, it is permissible for you to bring `Asr forward and pray it with Zuhr in your home city, if you think it most likely that you will not be able to pray it on time because of travelling.

If the airport is outside your city, you can pray in the airport and shorten your prayers. If you live near the airport, then you can join the prayers but you cannot shorten them .

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymهn (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Question:

If a person is in Qasهm and goes out to the airport, can he shorten his prayers in the airport?

Answer:

“Yes, he may shorten his prayers, because he has left the built-up area of his town, and all the villages that are around the airport are separate from the town. But if a person lives near the airport, he should not shorten his prayer, because he has not yet left the built-up area of his town.” (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/514)

Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr and `Asr together in Madinah, at a time when there was no fear and he was not travelling. Abu’l-Zubayr said: I asked Sa’id [i.e., ibn Jubayr], Why did he do that? He said, I asked Ibn 'Abbas the same question, and he said, He did not want anyone among his ummah to suffer hardship. (Narrated by Muslim, 705)

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

“The specific reason for shortening the prayers is travelling, and it is not permissible to shorten prayers when not travelling. With regard to joining prayers , the reason for it is if there is a need or an excuse. So if a person needs to do so, he may join prayers whilst travelling , whether he is travelling a long distance or a short one, and he may join prayers because of rain etc., or because of sickness etc., or for any other reason, because the point is to spare the Muslims any difficulty or hardship.” (Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 22/293; published by King Fahd Complex)

And Allah knows best.

Dear President Tinubu, your economic policies have shortchanged the Muslim Ummah.

I greet you with uttermost respect, my prayers and loyalty are with you. I hope this message will reach you in good health.

I have listened to your National Broadcast tonight 31/7/2023 where you spoke to Nigerians about your economic policies and interventions to remedy the harsh effect of removal of petrol subsidy on Nigerians. This is indeed a good gesture and evidence that your government is listening to the yearnings of its citizens. Kudos.

As you rightly mentioned in your speech, that you will speak to Nigerians in plain language without too much economic jargons so that we understand where you stand, I will like to borrow your leaf Mr. President.

Without mincing words, the Muslim Community in Nigeria, cannot be able to benefit from the 3 major economic interventions you have mentioned, as they contain at least 9% interest on the proposed loans namely;
1 N75bn credit to manufacturing enterprises at 9% interest.
2 The fund of N500,000 to N1million at 9% interest per annum to 100,000 MSMEs
3. Provision to invest N100 billion in transportation industry, where transport companies can access credit under this facility at 9% per annum with 60 months repayment period.
Mr. President, The Holy Qur’an stated categorically in Surah Baqara Chapter 2 : 278-279

...يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُواْ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓاْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

"O Believers, fear Allah and give up that interest which is still due to you, if you are true Believers; but if you do not do so, then you are warned of the declaration of war against you by Allah and His Messenger...."

This is a stern warning from Almighty Allah.

Therefore, no true Muslim can go against the teachings of The Holy Qur’an in the hope of getting some worldly temporary economic benefits. Hence the 3 categories of loans stated above excluded Muslim community because of the above verse and many of its like in the Holy Qur’an.

Mr President, these interventions are aimed to cushion the pains of our people across socio-economic brackets, then what is the government going to benefits from the added interests on the loans? Why not make it a soft loan? I urged Mr President to please look in to this issue and remove the interest on the loans.

However, if you and your your advisers insist on the interest, then we humbly request you to kindly discuss it with economic experts of Islamic finance, and see how you can make it affordable to Muslim community. There are various Islamic ways of giving loans; finance trusteeship, equity partnership or any other acceptable agreement.

Thank you and May Allah bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):

“A man said to the Prophet, ‘Give me advice.’ The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘Do not get angry.’ The man asked repeatedly and the Prophet answered each time, ‘Do not get angry.’”

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