₦airaland Forum

Every young adult experiences a time in their life where the fear of not finding the right partner eats them away inside. Every boy hopes to wed a princess; every girl dreams to wed a prince charming. Dreams can become a reality. One must walk the path to one’s dream.

The following points are the path to finding the right spouse:

1) Work on yourself

The search for the ‘right one’ begins from oneself. One has to be right to get someone right. Only a prince gets a princess. Each person has to work to improve his/her conduct, morals, values and ethics. We have to make ourselves people of substance. A person should have worth and value.

A two dimensional effort is required from each person:

a) Psychological

Praiseworthy qualities and characteristics need to be embedded in one’s life. Kindness, gentlessness, compassion, mercy, softness, a sense of understanding, tolerance, well-wishing, sincerity and other such traits should be radiant from one’s demeanour. Blameworthy traits like intolerance, anger, hatred, malice, crudeness, pride, stubbornness and the like need to be effaced from one’s disposition. A sincere effort to become more Allah conscious is the key.

b) Spiritual

Along with an effort to improve one’s psychological balance, one needs to exert concerted pressure on the soul for it to elevate to lofty ranks and stations. We need to become men and women of Allah. All good and prosperity is acquired simply by being close to Allah. One who befriends a king has access to the king and his treasures. Whoever befriends Allah, he will have VIP treatment in this world and the Hereafter.

Much of the psychological balance discussed above is achieved by working on one’s soul. It is highly recommended and encouraged to seek out scholars under whom one can train and tame his psyche and base desires.

In addition to taming one’s soul, one needs to make his/her life flourish with true and devout worship of Almighty Allah. The idea is to become good; goodness in essence is being close to Allah. This is the door to all goodness and virtue.

2) Make du’ā’

The first step towards the goal is seeking the help of Allah Almighty. All goodness rests with Allah. One should beg Allah to bless him with a pious and noble spouse.

One should seek Allah’s assistance daily if not after prayer. In addition, one may perform Salāh al-Hājah and seek Allah’s aid.

3) Travel the right route!

Step two is simply to head in the right direction! If one lives down south and wants to travel north, he must take a northbound route. Likewise, if one wants to marry a loving, sweet, kind, soft and good natured partner, one must travel the route which leads to such a partner. A person may have a very fast car and in fine condition, in other words, he/she may be very pious and devout, yet if he heads south, he will not reach the north.

Affairs, relationships or anything pre-marital is impermissible in Islam. Whatever Islam has taught us is only for our benefit. The system of Islam is the most beautiful system. Islam protects our dignity, honour and interests. Every ruling of Islam has compounding benefits. We cannot invoke the mercy of Allah which we all so desire by committing acts displeasing to Allah.

Marriage is not about one day, one month or one year. Marriage is a lifetime’s commitment. A lifetime’s commitment requires a partner who is a lifetime partner. An affair or an impermissible relationship is not a commitment. Such relationships have ‘no strings attached’. The man is not obliged to provide for the woman; the woman is not obliged to tend to the needs of the man. They do not live together usually, so the responsibilities, compromise and experience of living under one roof do not apply. In most cases, the couple do not even have contact with each other’s family. Therefore, the true lifestyle, nature and personality of a person can never manifest itself by being in such a relationship.

True love only begins with marriage. A famous quote reads,

“In the secular world, love is a madness which only ends with marriage. In Islam, love is a madness which only begins with marriage.”

There are many examples where a man and woman in a pre-marital relationship married only to divorce thereafter. One expects the post-marital relationship to be just as spicy as the pre-marital relationship. However, when the knot is tied, reality strikes. Characteristics, habits and practices of a person begin to surface which one was totally unaware of. Some differences cannot be endured. This leads to friction and a divide which is unbridgeable. The end result is separation.

4) Consult parents, Ulama and seniors

The one looking to get married should abstain from finding a spouse on the hard shoulder. A youngster must consult his parents and seniors. There are many prospective and likeable faces concealed; one’s parents and seniors will unearth these diamonds for you.

Speak to your parents about your intention to get married. A person always knows a person who knows a person. This is the game plan. That’s how it works. Women are excellent matchmakers; especially elderly women. Many toddlers from the community have matured in their sight. Therefore, approaching such senior people is definitely a head start.

Likewise, another hotspot to guide you to prospective spouses are the respected Ulama (scholars). The scholars are the ones whose days and nights pass in the company of other pious individuals. They will know people from the community. They may lead you to a hidden treasure!

5) Research

If a potential target is located, lock on and research. Before approaching any girl, do a thorough investigation on her. Find out who she is, where is she from, her lineage, her family, what is she like etc. If one has female family members, they can really help here. A female can judge another female in an instance. Usually, mothers have friends who have friends. It is through all these links and contacts information and vital intelligence is obtained.

Try and identify somebody whom you know and who knows the potential spouse. That may be a start.

The same can be said when finding a boy. A girl’s family must do a meticulous investigation. A daughter is the coolness of every parent’s eyes. They want to give their daughter to the most honourable and worthy male. The boy’s background, characteristics, nature, cast, work, profession should all be gauged.

It is vital to gather as much as information on a potential spouse. This will really help when selecting a spouse. If a person is good natured and noble, everyone will give 5 star reviews. You will get a silhouette of the person in your mind before even seeing her.

An important point here is to also get opinions on looks of the person in mind. This is just as important. In this day and age of fitna (trials), one must be attracted to his spouse. If one is not attracted to his/her spouse, it can lead one to a lot of sin. One’s desires should be fulfilled in one’s spouse. There should be no need at all to gaze anywhere else. One must be magnetic to one’s spouse only.

6) The approach

If one is satisfied with all the information gathered on a potential spouse, then one’s parents should approach the family of the girl. A lot of patience is required here. Every step now should be done with a balanced mind. Always give time to the other family. They will need to consider all their options. One’s parents might enquire about the prospect of marriage by phone or personally pay a visit. They may even use a third party. Using a trusted third party may be ideal. Usually, the family of the prospective spouse are taken aback by the idea of marriage. They need time. Therefore, after enquiring, allow ample time to the family to entertain the thought of marriage.

You may not hear any response from the family of the girl for one/two weeks. Do not be impatient. One should keep busy with their lives. Whatever is good, insha’Allah, that will transpire. Leave it to Allah.

If the response is positive, then let things flow their course. It would be ideal to have a glance at the girl so one knows exactly how she looks. Likewise, the girl should be given a chance to glance at the boy who is proposing to her. If all goes well, there will be a wedding around the corner!

Nevertheless, throughout the whole process, one needs to keep his eyes fixed on Allah. Never be impatient. Keep your hopes and spirits high. Good things come to those who wait. Always be understanding and tolerable.

We make du῾ā’ Allah Ta῾ālā grant you and all the single Muslims around the world a pious loving spouse. Amīn.

And Allah Ta’ālā Knows Best

There is no escape from death:

In أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِ‌ككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ (verse 78) (Wherever you will be death will over-take you), Allah Almighty removes any doubts the deserters from Jihad may entertain. They think that, perhaps by dodging Jihad, they can also dodge death. Therefore, it was said that there will be a day of death, a day when it, must come, no matter where you are; it will come exactly where you are. When this is settled, there is no sense in backing out from Jihad.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (رح) ، the famous commentator, while discussing this verse, has reported a lesson-filled event on the authority of Mujahid as narrated by Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim ؓ . He recounts the event concerning a woman from an earlier community. Soon after her pregnancy matured, she gave birth to a child and sent her servant out to fetch some fire. As soon as the servant stepped out of the door of the house, he saw a man appear suddenly before him. He asked: 'What baby this woman has given birth to?' The servant told him that it was a baby girl. Thereupon, the man said: You must remember that this girl will sleep with a hundred men and will finally die through a spider.' Hearing this, the servant returned immediately with a knife and slit the abdomen of that girl open. Taking her to be dead, he ran away from the house. But, a little later, the mother of the girl stitched up the skin of the abdomen slit by the servant. Then came the day when this girl grew to be young and beautiful, so beautiful that she was considered to be the jewel of the city.

As for the servant, he escaped overseas where he stayed for a long time and, in the meantime, assembled a fortune for himself. When he planned to get married, he returned to his old city. There he met an old woman. He told her that he was looking for a bride, but that he was eager to marry the most beautiful woman in town. The old woman told him about a certain girl whose beauty was unmatched in the whole city and insisted that he should marry her. The servant, now a rich man, made efforts and finally got married to that girl. While getting to know each other, the girl asked him as to who he was and where did he live. He told her: 'Actually, I belong to this very city, but I had to run away because I had slit the abdomen of a girl open.' Then he narrated the whole event. Hearing this, she said: 'I am that girl.' She showed him her abdomen. The cut mark was still there. Seeing this, the man said: 'If you are the same woman, I disclose two things about you. The first one is that you will sleep, with a hundred men.' Thereupon, the woman confessed that she has done that, but she could not remember the number. The man said: 'The number is hundred. And the second one is that you will die through a spider.'

The man who was now rich had a grand palace built for her which was absolutely free of any spider webs. On a certain day, while they were resting in their room in the palace, they noticed a spider on the wall. The woman said: 'Is this the spider you scare me of?' The man said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, she sprang up from the bed saying: 'Then, this one I am going to kill right now.' Having said that, she downed the spider on the floor and trampled her dead under her feet.

The spider died all right but the poison from her infected her feet and nails and the message of death became all too clear for her. (Ibn Kathir)

Here was a woman living in a palace, new and very clean, but she died through a spider all of a sudden. Compare her case with many others who spent a life-time in fighting battles yet death did not come to them there. Think of Sayyidna Khalid ibn Walid ؓ ، the famous soldier and general of Islam known by his oft-repeated title, Saifullah - the Sword of Allah. He had a burning desire to die as martyr in the way of Allah. So, he kept fighting all his life, engaging in one Jihad after another and longing to become a Shahid. He killed thousands of disbelievers on the battlefields, living dangerously and daringly against many a trial, always praying and pleading that he be saved from the fate of dying in bed like women and praying and pleading that Allah favour him with the death of a fearless soldier in the heat of some Jihad. But, as. decreed by Allah, he finally died nowhere else but on his own bed in the house.

The lesson is that the arrangement of life and death stays in the hands of our creator whose decisions are final. There is nothing we can do about it. It is He who can, if He wills, give us death on a luxury bed at the hands of a spider; or, if He elects to save us, he can keep us alive amid swinging swords or zooming fires.

Jimasun:
I agree with you.
Please can you provide the channel, I am still battling with mathematics. Just as a hobby

ibrutex:
Jazahkumlah khaeran..

In addition tayammum will only valid for one compulsory solat and cannot be used for nafilah afterwards..

Praise be to Allah.

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

“The ruling on riba is that it is haraam according to the Quran and Sunnah and scholarly consensus. It is classified as one of the major sins, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“but whoever returns (to riba), such are the dwellers of the Fire — they will abide therein” [al-Baqarah 2:275]

“And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger” [al-Baqarah 2:279]

And because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba, the one who pays it, the two who witness it and the one who writes it down. So it is a major sin.

There is scholarly consensus that riba is forbidden, hence whoever denies that it is forbidden although he lives in a Muslim environment is an apostate, because this is one of the obviously forbidden things on which there is consensus.

But if we say this, does that mean that the scholars are agreed on all forms of riba? The answer is no; there is a difference of opinion concerning some forms of it. This is like what we have said about zakah being obligatory according to consensus, but despite that there is no consensus on every form of it. They differed concerning the zakat on camels and oxen that are used for farming or irrigation, and they differed concerning the zakah on jewellery and the like, but in general the scholars are agreed that riba is haram and is a major sin.” (Al-Sharh al-Mumti’ ‘ala Zad al-Mustanqi’, 8/387)

The ruling on those who regard riba as permissible

Based on that, it may be said:

Whoever denies that riba is forbidden is a kafir, because the fact that it is forbidden is one of the matters indicated by the texts, and the scholars are obviously agreed that it is haram, and this is well known among the Muslims.

But if he denies that a specific form of riba is forbidden, concerning which there is a difference of opinion among the scholars or there is no consensus that it is obviously forbidden, then he is not a kafir; rather his case should be examined further. He may be a mujtahid who will be rewarded for his ijtihad, or he may be excused, or he may be an evildoer if by regarding this as permissible he is following his own whims and desires.

And Allah knows best.

Know that seniors (those greater in age) have tremendous standing and rights. Therefore, if you walk beside an elder walk on his right side, slightly behind him. When you come to an entrance or exit, put him before you. When you encounter him give him is due by way of greeting with salam and showing respect.

When you converse with him then let him get the first word and listen with attentiveness and awe. If during the conversation points of disagreement come up then discuss them with decorum, composure, and kindness. Lower your voice when you address him and do not forget to be gracious when doing so or when calling out to him.

Here are some hadiths and reports that substantiate these points:

“Two brothers came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to inform him of an incident that occurred between them. One was older than the other. When the younger of them wanted to speak (first) the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘kabbir, kabbir’.” Meaning “Give the elder his right.” He then had the elder of the two speak. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Our master, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “He who does not respect our elders is not of us.” Another narration has it, “He who does not exalt our elders, nor show mercy to our young, nor acknowledge the right of our learned is not of us.” (Hakim, Ahmad, others)

https://jamiat.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Helping-the-Aged.jpg

Now listen to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) impart to the youth the decorum of keeping the company of and meeting with elders, as well as their priority over the young.

The distinguished companion Malik bin Huwayrith (Allah be pleased with him) said:“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to us and we were young men of like age. He had us stay with him for twenty nights during which time he was ever so merciful and kind. He eventually came to think that we must miss our families so he asked concerning those we had left behind. We informed him concerning that and he said, “Return to your families and stay with them, teach them and instruct them. When you gather for the prayer then let one of you give the call to prayer and let the eldest of you lead it.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

2468iyajo:
Thank you for reminder, and also i want to ask question. My question is, is't good to say happy friday on every fridays?

Gratitudes081:
Salaam alaekum brother,
For how long will a traveler be considered a traveler to be entitled to shortening prayers and start praying full and complete sola'at?

Praise be to Allah.

We do not know of any source for the hadith mentioned, and it is clearly fabricated. Hence it is not permissible to attribute it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because that comes under the heading of telling lies against him, and telling lies against him is haraam and is a major sin. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever narrates a hadith from me knowing that it is false is one of the liars.”

Narrated by Muslim in the Introduction to as-Saheeh (1/7).

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This is a stern warning against lying, which it indicates that whoever thinks it most likely that what he is narrating is false but still narrates it is a liar. How can he not be a liar, when he is narrating something that did not happen?

End quote from Sharh Saheeh Muslim (1/65)

What is mentioned in this (so-called) hadith about the Fire being prohibited to a person for simply uttering this greeting comes under the heading of reckless talk and exaggeration which indicate that a hadith is fabricated and false. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Fabricated hadiths sound strange, are poorly-worded and contain exaggeration, which clearly indicates that they are fabricated and are lies told against the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

End quote from al-Manaar al-Muneef (p. 50)

For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 70317 and 128530

And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.

If the student will get a certificate or increase his grades or pass an exam by means of that, then this action is haraam, and it is cheating and deceiving, whether this research is taken from the internet or elsewhere, because the purpose of research is to train the student and test his abilities and so on. So what he must do is do it himself. If he takes the efforts of someone else and presents it under his name, he is cheating and lying.

These people who write reports for others are sinning and doing wrong, whether they do that in return for payment or not, because they are helping in cheating and lying, and because they play a role in the giving of certificates and grades to those who do not deserve them. This causes great damage to society and it is deceiving the ummah, because it results in promotion of those who do not deserve promotion and appointment of those who do not deserve to be appointed.

The money that is taken for selling these reports is haraam wealth, and it is not permissible to make use of it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every body that is nourished on haraam things, the Fire is more fitting for it.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani and Abu Na’eem; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, no. 4519.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What do you say about what some people do, hiring someone to write reports for them or prepare essays for them, or write reports on some books so that they can get academic certificates?

He replied: It is most unfortunate, as the questioner says, that there are some students who hire people to write reports and essays for them by means of which they obtain academic certificates, or who write reports on books, so they say to them: Prepare biographies of these figures for me and refer to specific research for me, then they submit the essay and get a degree by means of which they are entitled to become teachers and the like. In fact this goes against the aim of the university and against reality, and I think it is a kind of betrayal, because the aim of that is only to get the certificate, and if he were to be asked a few days later about the subject in which he got the certificate, he would not be able to answer.

Hence I warn my brothers who write book reports and who prepare essays in this manner of the severe consequences. I do not say that there is anything wrong with seeking help from another person, but not in such a way that the entire essay is the work of someone else. May Allaah help us all to acquire beneficial knowledge and do righteous deeds, for He is All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive.

End quote from Kitaab al-‘Ilm.

And Allaah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.

When the traveller prays behind a non-traveller, he has to offer the prayer in full, whether he catches up with the entire prayer or just one rak’ah, or less. Al-Athram said: I asked Abu ‘Abd-Allaah (i.e., Imam Ahmad) about the traveller: should he join in the tashahhud of residents? He said: He should pray four rak’ahs. That was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbaas and a number of the Taabi’een, and was also the view of al-Shaafa’i and Abu Haneefah.

The evidence for that is:

1 – The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 722; Muslim, 4141.

2 – The report narrated by Ahmad from Ibn ‘Abbaas, that it was said to him: “Why does the traveller pray two rak’ahs when he is alone and four when he follows an imam who is a resident (non-traveller)?” He said: “That is the Sunnah” – meaning that it is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 571.

3 – This is what ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) did. Naafi’ said: When Ibn ‘Umar prayed with the imam he would pray four rak’ahs and when he prayed on his own he would pray two. Narrated by Muslim.

And Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

If the traveller prays with an imam then he has to offer the prayer in full, because of the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The imam is appointed to be followed.” And because the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to pray behind the caliph ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan during Hajj in Mina, and he used to lead them in praying four rak’ahs so they offered four rak’ahs with him.

Similarly if the traveller joins the prayer when the imam is offering the last two rak’ahs, after the imam says the salaam he has to stand up and complete his prayer, making it four rak’ahs, because of the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whatever you catch up with, pray, what whatever you miss, complete it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 635; Muslim, 603. In this case the person’s prayer is connected to the imam, so he has to follow the imam even with regard to whatever he missed of the prayer.

If a person used to pray two rak’ahs behind a non-travelling imam in the past, then he has to repeat the four-rak’ah prayers in which he did that. He does not have to offer them all in one go. He should try to work out the number of prayers involved and repeat them.

Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, p. 40-41.

Ways to Think Well of Others

There are certainly many ways that a Muslim can think well of others; some of which are:

1- Supplication

Supplicating to Allah The Almighty is the gate to every goodness. The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ), would ask his Lord to grant him a sound heart.

2- Putting Oneself in the Place of Others

If each one of us puts himself in the place of his brother when the latter does or says something, this will help him think well of others. Allah The Almighty directs His slaves to this meaning in the verse where He Says (what means): {Why, when you heard it [the falsehood against ‘Ai'shah, may Allah be pleased with her], did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another?}[Quran 24:12] In another verse, Allah The Almighty makes the believers feel as if they are one single entity, to the extent that when one of them meets his brother and greets him, it is as if he is greeting himself. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon yourselves - a greeting from Allah.} [Quran 24:61]

3- Interpreting the Words of Others in the Best Possible Way

This was the habit of the righteous predecessors. ‘Umar may Allah be pleased with him said, “Do not think ill of a word that your believing brother utters as long as it can be interpreted in a good way.”

Imam Ash-Shafi‘i may Allah have mercy upon him was ill once, and some of his brothers came to visit him; one of them said, “May Allah strengthen your weakness [He intended to supplicate to Allah in order to eliminate his weakness].” Ash-Shafi‘i may Allah have mercy upon him said, “If Allah strengthens my weakness, it would kill me!” The man said, “By Allah, I intended nothing but goodness.” Ash-Shafi‘i may Allah have mercy upon him replied, “Even if you insulted me, I know that you sought goodness.” Thinking well of others is true brotherhood, even in things that cannot be interpreted in a good way.

4- Making Excuses for Others

When anyone says or does something that annoys or grieves one, he should try to find excuses for him and recall the status of the righteous who used to think well of their fellows and make excuses for them. They would say, “You should make seventy excuses for your brother.” Ibn Seereen may Allah have mercy upon him said, “If you come to know that a brother has harmed you with either a word or a deed, you should make an excuse for him; if you did not find one, you should say, ‘There may be an excuse that I do not know of.’” When you exert your utmost to make excuses for the words and deeds of others, you will save yourself the trouble of assuming and you will avoid blaming your fellows excessively.

5- Abstaining from Judging the Intentions of Others

This is one of the greatest causes that help one think well of others. One leaves the intentions to the only One who knows them: Allah The Almighty, for He did not command us to check each others' hearts and intentions, and thus we have to avoid harboring ill-thoughts about others.

6- Recalling the Harmful Consequences of Evil Assumptions

The one who thinks ill of others lives in endless trouble and grief, to say nothing of the fact that he loses all those who socialize with him, even the closest people to him. It is natural that people make mistakes, even unintentionally. Accusing others along with thinking well of oneself is one of the evil consequences of thinking ill of others. This is one way a person may be guilty of ascribing purity to oneself that Allah The Exalted forbade in His Book. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.} [Quran 53:32] In another verse, Allah The Exalted criticizes the Jews when they ascribed purity to themselves. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allah purifies whom He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].} [Quran 4:49]

Thinking well of others requires extensive training and striving against one’s self, particularly because the devil is inseparable from man like the blood that runs through his body. He never stops his attempts to sow dissension within the Muslims and stir up disputes among them. Thinking well of others is one of the greatest means to block this way before the devil. We ask Allah The Almighty to Grant us sound hearts and Help us to think well of our brothers and sisters.

The advent of the internet was a major breakthrough; it brought a great revolution along with it and has been a helpful tool for preachers, seekers of knowledge and workers in all areas of human benefit. It also proved to be a useful means for the idle, small-minded and irresolute people, enabling them to arrive at the object of their quest as well. However, our focus here is on the benefits gained by the workers in the field of Da‘wah (calling to Allah), acquisition of useful knowledge and good-doing.

The internet has been a blessing, and so was the introduction of social media platforms as a culmination of this blessing for those who made the best of them and harnessed them to achieve their objectives, disseminate their useful knowledge and promote Da‘wah.

It is painfully unfortunate though that we find that some virtuous people and influential workers in the Da‘wah field have fallen into the trap of social media and became addicted to them until they have become their main concern; they cannot keep away from their social media accounts, compulsively check them for new posts and cannot break free from their chains. They have become like someone who has slipped in mud, the more he tries to get out, the deeper he sinks.

Disaster

Some good people have turned into social media addicts, and this – as Mr. Muhammad Al-‘Awshan says – is a disaster. What a terrible disaster indeed when positive impactful people, seekers of knowledge, callers to Allah, and people we turn to for advice should be diverted from knowledge and scientific production, practical application, realization of sublime objectives and serving the community to succumbing to consumerism!

It is a disaster that these elite individuals should swerve from minimizing wasted time and taking advantage of every moment in order to benefit thereof to wasting long hours on trivial internet activities!

It is a disaster that people who are able to create an impact and make a change should settle for following social media, retweeting, and adding likes and comments here and there!

It is a disaster when those people, whom Allah endowed with a share of knowledge or understanding or awareness, become preoccupied with checking their WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram accounts to catch up with what is trending online!

It is a disaster that such people should spend more time on their mobile phones than they do reading, studying, helping their students, performing prayers, reciting Quran, tending to their families, and striving to realize their goals.

It is heartbreaking that these “role models” should be a bad example for others in wasting time, giving things the wrong order of priority, and addictive use of technology.

It is a disaster when the noblest and meanest of people alike, and their cultured and commoners alike are all equal in their passive attitude and vulnerability to the goings-on on social media.

It is a disaster when those people think of themselves as influential actors with perceptible impacts simply because they echo the voices of others and react to their initiatives.

It is a disaster when one of them thinks that such waste of time (on social media) – which is condemned by the Sharee‘ah – is a means to construe current conditions or a manifestation of caring about Muslims’ affairs, whereas it is nothing but an addiction in the full sense of the word, and an actual implementation of the Hadeeth of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) about the three prohibitions (that Allah disliked for us): “… idle talk, asking too many questions (about matters that yield no real benefit), and wasting wealth.”

It is disastrous when those people collude to turn a blind eye to such internet addiction because they themselves are afflicted with it; so they legitimize it instead of counteracting it and treating themselves and others.

Revolution against Internet Addiction:

We stand in dire need for a revolution against this dangerous internet addiction, to be led by the repentant role models against this blind passive drifting behind technology and social networks and what goes on therein!

We stand in dire need to set up parameters, fences, and warning signs against this pathological attachment, infatuation, and losing oneself to social media, even if it is disguised as good and as a means for crowding out evil and triviality!

We stand in dire need to continue denouncing this addiction, developing the tools for denouncement, diversifying its methods, not accepting the status quo under the pretext of ‘Umoom Al-Balwa (i.e., permissibility due to unavoidable necessity; when a matter becomes widespread and is difficult to avoid)!

Important Reminders:

1- This previous speech is addressed from me to you – dear reader – in person, and not to a third person whom you think to be the addressee.

One of our problems lies in the fact that a person feels that what is said applies to “others” only and not to “him”, akin to the third-person effect hypothesis about the media impact, and the illusion that he is an epitome of moderation and balance when it comes to the use of technology, whereas it is contrary to the truth!

2- Beware of assuming that my speech is addressed to the famous Shaykhs and Daa‘iyahs. My speech is rather addressed to you; for great are the roles, tasks, and actions that require your potential, time, and resolve; and vast are the areas of making an impact that need someone like you to fill them and impact others through them. You are not too small to have an impact, and perceiving yourself as not the right person to have such an impact is another problem that you need to address.

3- The scope of the problem is measured by considering the alternative opportunities. How much time do you spend on your mobile phone? What are the tasks that you could accomplish if the internet shuts down in the entire world for a week?

4- I would like to exclude those whose Da‘wah and educational projects are based on harnessing technology to convey their message in a serious, continuous and systematic manner. These people are entrusted with a serious task, through which they can save what can be saved and employ technology to serve their goals instead of being exploited by technology to serve its goals.

5- This reminder does not mean that I am perfectly safe from this peril, but I am simply a man who sensed the danger and wanted to warn of it, hoping that we would be from those about whom Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah} [Quran 3:110] and the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you will enjoin good and forbid evil or (else) Allah will soon afflict you with a punishment from Him, then you will call upon Him and He will not answer you.”

Praise be to Allah.

There is nothing wrong with setting up a website to provide work for jobseekers and connect them with employers in return for commission paid either by the worker or the business owner, or both of them, according to the terms of the agreement. That comes under the heading of brokerage.

Al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Saheeh: Chapter on the fee of a broker. Ibn Sireen, ‘Ata’, Ibraaheem, and al-Hasan did not see anything wrong with paying a fee to a broker. End quote.

In that regard it is stipulated that the website should limit its activity to facilitating connections for permissible work only. It is not permissible to act as a middleman or agent for doing haraam work, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and transgression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty” [al-Maa’idah 5:2].

There is nothing wrong with working for Amazon on the Mechanical Turk website, if the worker is not helping in anything that is haraam.

If we assume that there are haraam jobs that are requested by jobseekers, but his work is far removed from that and he is not helping in that in any way, then his work is permissible.

And Allah knows best.

Sacrifice is part of nature. The excruciating pain a mother endures patiently at childbirth, the years a teacher spends in educating children, the medical personal who attend to accident scenes in the dead of night, the police who patrol the streets during odd times and extreme weather, the Mujahideen who protect the borders of Islam, the patience of innocent civilians under oppressive regimes are just but a few examples of sacrifices for humanity.

“Great achievements and happiness is the born out of sacrifice and not out of selfishness”

Sacrifice may vary in degree and form. Sometimes it may be little and at times it may be immense. It could mean surrendering some of our wealth, time or even health for the benefit of others. Sacrifice is an important part in our contribution to society.

“Sacrifice always brings joy to both the beneficiary and the giver. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.”

Allah Ta’ala promises to give you back and most certainly He will increase it manifold. Allah Ta’ala says;



“Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts (it) for him. But whatever thing you spend (give) – He will compensate it; and He is the best of Providers.” (Qur’an Saba’, 34:39)

The Noble Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

“No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.”(Hadith –Bukhari & Muslim)

There is an incident about a little girl named Ameena who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother Abdullah, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother Abdullah carefully, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister Ameena who needed it urgently to survive.

Abdullah hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it, if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing that when the blood was given, colour was returning to Ameena’s cheeks.

After some time Abdullah’s face grew pale and his smile faded. Then Abdullah looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister Ameena all of his blood in order to save her life.

This is the ultimate in self-sacrifice where a person is willing to give his life. Daily we all face a challenge to what extent will we give. If we cannot give the ultimate, then let us at least do whatever “little” we can to bring about joy or benefit to others.

“Value and appreciate the people who sacrifice ‘something’ for you as maybe their ‘something’ was their ‘everything’ “

Piety, sacrifice and giving are all inter-related. Allah Ta’ala says;

“Never will you attain righteousness until you spend (give) from that which you love. And whatever you spend(give), indeed Allâh is Knowing of it.” (Qur’an 3:92)

Sacrifice usually is accompanied by difficulty and our sincerity is put to test. It’s easy to sacrifice and give to those who give back. The real test is to give to those who can give you nothing in return. This reality is often very difficult for people to grasp, that whatever one gives or sacrifices for in a good cause is not really lost. When you sacrifice something precious, you’re not really losing it. you’re just passing it on to someone else and hoping for a reward from your Creator.

In fact there is a huge source of reward for the giver both in this temporary world and even more so in the Hereafter. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said;

“He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection“(Hadith-Muslim)

Let us sacrifice our “little” for humanity, remember drops form puddles and puddles form rivers and rivers form oceans!

On one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) visited a Bedouin who received him warmly and honoured him. So, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) bade him to also visit him.

Accordingly, the Bedouin visited Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “If you have any need, you may ask me.” The Bedouin replied, “I want a she-camel to use as a conveyance, and a few goats for my family to milk.”

Hearing the reply of the Bedouin, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) addressed the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and said, “Why do you not be like the old woman of the Banu Israaeel?” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) asked, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Who was the old woman of the Banu Israaeel and what was her incident?”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied by mentioning the following incident:

When Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) departed from Egypt with the Banu Israaeel, they could not find the road (which they needed to travel on). So Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) asked the Banu Israaeel, “What is the matter (i.e. why is it that we cannot find the road)?” The learned among the Banu Israaeel answered, “When Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam) was close to passing away, he made us pledge in the name of Allah Ta‘ala that we will not leave Egypt, without taking his body with us.” Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) asked them, “Who knows the location of the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam)?” They replied that an old woman knew the location. Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) thus sent for her.

When the old woman arrived, Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) requested, “Guide me to the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam).” However, the old woman responded, “(I will not guide you to the grave) until you give me what I want.” Nabi Musa (‘alaihis salaam) asked her, “What is it that you want?” She replied, “I want to be with you in Jannah.” Initially, Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) was reluctant to accede, but Allah Ta‘ala then sent wahi to him, commanding him to agree to the request of the old woman.

The old woman then proceeded with them to a lake and instructed them to drain all the water from it. After they had drained all the water from the lake, she instructed them to dig. They then discovered the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam) and recovered his body.

Once they removed the body from the grave and carried it with them, the road became as clear as daylight for them.

(Saheeh Ibni Hibbaan #723)

Lesson:

Imagine that it was Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power), or you managed to cling to the Ka’bah at the multazam, and you now had a ‘once in a lifetime chance’ to make a du‘aa that you greatly hope will gain acceptance. What would you ask for? Perhaps many of us would ask for something related to this world such as beauty, health, wealth, a dream home, etc.

However, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) praised the old woman of the Banu Israaeel and encouraged the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) to be like her. The reason is that when this woman saw the golden opportunity, then instead of asking for something paltry and insignificant, she seized her chance to secure Jannah.


Thus, when the hadeeth teaches us to make du‘aa for all our needs, be they big or small, we should not suffice on asking for only our small needs while neglecting to beg for Jannah. Instead, we must make it a priority to beg for Jannah, as this is the biggest need.

Praise be to Allah.

By the grace of Allah, may He be exalted, to all people, and to the Muslim ummah in particular, He has made what is permissible to them broad in scope, and has made permissibility the default; He has restricted the scope of what is prohibited to the narrowest possible, and has made it rare and exceptional. He, may He be glorified and exalted, says in His wise Book (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allâh wishes to make clear (what is lawful and what is unlawful) to you, and to show you the ways of those before you, and accept your repentance, and Allâh is All-Knower, All-Wise.

Allâh wishes to accept your repentance, but those who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should deviate tremendously away (from the Right Path).

Allâh wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak” [an-Nisa’ 4:25-27]

“Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you” [al-Baqarah 2:185]

“Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful” [al-Maa’idah 5:6].

Imam ash-Shaatibi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The basic principle with regard to interactions, transactions and customs is that they are permitted, unless there is evidence to the contrary. End quote from al-Mawaafaqaat (1/440).

Hence there is nothing wrong with you freelancing in the fields you mentioned, such as graphic design, creative writing, research and development, or any other kind of creative, artistic or educational work. What matters is that you should have a purpose in your work, whether it is to help people and make life easier for them, or to promote the values of truth, guidance and justice among them, or to teach them and increase their awareness of important issues having to do with their religious or worldly affairs. All of these are good and valid purposes that you can undertake in the freelance work that you mentioned and other kinds of work. You may rest assured that if you bear these meanings in mind, the outcome of your work cannot be anything but good, and you will find that what you produce will fall into that praiseworthy category, far removed from the few haraam matters that may be involved in such work, such as designing prohibited images, stirring up sexual desire, contributing to the spread of vile practices, selling prohibited things, and so on.

We have previously discussed some of the rulings on design and writing on our website, in the following answers: 105325, 150564 , 174829 and 220161.

And Allah knows best.

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