₦airaland Forum

Praise be to Allah.

It is not permissible for the Muslims to exchange greetings on the occasion of the Gregorian New Year, and it is not permissible for them to celebrate it, because both of these matters involve imitation of the kuffaar, and we have been forbidden to do that.

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4031; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood

Moreover, offering greetings on this day that comes back each year comes under the heading of celebrating it and taking it as a festival, which is also forbidden.

And Allah knows best.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, it should be noted that visiting the sick is something religiously encouraged and it is one of the rights of a Muslim on his Muslim brother. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Whosoever visits an ailing person or a brother in Faith seeking the Pleasure of Allaah, an announcer (angel) calls out: `May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you be awarded a dignified position in Paradise". [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]. Furthermore, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "The rights of a Muslim on his Muslim brother are six, (and he mentioned) … if he gets sick, you should visit him." [Muslim].

The scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them stated some etiquettes of visiting the sick, among which are the following:

1- Choosing a suitable time for the visit.

2- Not sitting for a long time with the sick person.

3- Lowering one's gaze (whilst in his house).

4- Not asking the sick person too many questions.

5- Showing one's concern about the sick person.

6- Sincerely supplicating for the cure of the sick person. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “The one who visits a sick person who is not on the point of death and supplicates seven times: As'alu Allaah Al-'Atheem Rabbul 'Arsh Al-'Atheem an yashfiyaka (I beseech Allaah The Great, The Lord of the Great Throne, to heal you), except that Allaah will heal him from that sickness.” [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi].

7- To boast his morale by speaking good words to him, as it is reported that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said to a sick person: "It (your sickness) will be a purification from your sins, Allaah willing].” [Al-Bukhari]

8- Encouraging him to be patient as there is a great reward in being patient.

9- Warning him against being anxious and discontent, as one is sinful if he feels as such.

Allaah Knows best.

Children are a trust from Allah. Not only must we attend to their physical, intellectual and spiritual needs, we must also keep them from harm. Protecting our children from the evil in this world is the responsibility of every parent.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
Every one of you (people) is a shepherd. And every one is responsible for whatever falls under his responsibility. A man is like a shepherd of his own family, and he is responsible for them. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Whether it is from seen or unseen forces, the Prophet advised us on how we can safeguard our children.

Below are the 5 Prophetic ways to protect your children:

1. Du’a for Protection

The Prophet used to say the following to seek the protection of Allah for Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein:
u‛eedhukumaa bi kalimaat-illaahi-taammati min kulli shayṭaanin, wa haammatin, wa min kulli ‛aynin laammah.
I seek protection for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, and every beast, and from every evil eye. (Al-Bukhari 4/119)
It is advised to say this du’a over your children in the morning, evening and before leaving the house.
N.B: The text was reported to have said by the Prophet as a dua for the protection of his two grand children (Hassan and Hussein, Radiyya Lahu anihumo). So, if you are praying for a child, you are to say U'eethuka (for a male) and U'eethuki (for a female) instead of U'eethukumaa.

2. Recite the Last Three Chapters of the Quran & Ayat ul-Kursi

Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas are well known for their protective properties. Recite these chapters into your hands and wipe them over the children before they sleep.

It was narrated from ‘Aisha that:

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them Qul Huwa Allah Ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi rabb in-nas. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. (Al-Bukhari 5017)
An-Nasa’i recorded that Ibn ‘Abis Al-Juhani said that the Prophet said to him:
“O Ibn Abis! Shall I guide you to, or inform you, of the best thing that those who seek protection use for protection)”
He replied:
“Of course, O Messenger of Allah!’’
The Prophet said:
“Say: ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.’’ and “Say: ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.’” “These two Surahs” (are the best protection.)
Similarly, Ayatul kursi, the 255th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, is renowned as a protection against the Satan. Parents should include Ayatul kursi in the daily remembrance that is recited over your children.

Abu Hurayrah said:
The Messenger of Allah put me in charge of guarding the zakat of Ramadan. Someone came to me and started grabbing (taking illegally) handful of the food. I took hold of him and said:
‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allah.’
He said: ‘I will teach you some words by means of which Allah will benefit you.’
I said: ‘What are they?’
He said: ‘When you go to your bed, recite this ayah: “Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)…” (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:255). Then Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no Satan will come near you until morning.’
The Messenger of Allah asked me:
‘What did your prisoner do last night?’
I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, he taught me something, and claimed that Allah would benefit me by it.’
He said:
‘What was it?’
I said:
‘He taught me to recite Ayatul kursi when I go to bed, and said that no Satan would come near me until morning, and that Allah would appoint a guard for me who would stay with me.’
The prophet said:
‘He told you the truth, although he is an inveterate liar. That was the Satan’ (Al-Bukhari; Muslim)

3. Surah Al-Baqarah

Recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah is known to keep the devil away from the home. Since many tribulations are satanic in nature (evil eye, possession, black magic), keeping Satan away from your homes is fundamental for protecting your family.
Abu Hurayrah reports that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Do not make your houses like graves, for the Shaytan runs away from a house in which Surat al-Baqarah is recited.” (Muslim, 780)
Sahl ibn Sa’d said that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Everything has a hump (or, high peak), and Al-Baqarah is the high peak of the Quran. Whoever recites Al-Baqarah at night in his house, then Shaytan will not enter that house for three nights. Whoever recites it during a day in his house, then Shaytan will not enter that house for three days.” (Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani).

4. Etiquettes in the Toilet
The toilet is an area of filth and the jinn are attracted to such dirty places. The Prophet taught us ways to protect ourselves from their influence and potential harm when using the washroom. It is important to teach these etiquettes to your children from a young age.
These include saying the Sunnah du’as upon entering and leaving the toilet.
It is good practice for parents to keep the daily du’as visible around the house for the children to read. Stick these du’as onto your wall, or keep them in the appropriate places, to encourage your children to seek protection in Allah and facilitate their memorization.

5. Precautions at Maghrib Time

The Prophet recommended not allowing our children outdoors around the time of Maghrib as at this time the devils are out. Practically, this means keeping them indoors thirty minutes before the start of the Maghrib prayer, and one hour after Maghrib begins.
The Prophet said:
“When night falls, keep your children indoors, for the devils are out and about at this time. When an hour of the night goes by, you can let them go.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The Prophet said:
“Do not send out your cattle or your children when the sun sets until the blackness of the night descends, for indeed the Satans are sent forth when the Sun sets until the blackness of the night descends.” (Muslim)
It is also recommended to cover food and drink, and close the doors and curtains of the house at Maghrib time.
The Prophet said:
“Cover your dishes, close your containers, shut your doors, and keep your children indoors at nightfall, for the Jinn are out and about and stalking.” (Al-Bukhari)
In all things, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave us the best and most complete advice. The Prophet Muhammad is the best of examples with regards to protecting our children from the evil in this world.

Adhere to his Sunnah and it will be sufficient insha’Allah.

Pymetrics:
Jazakallahu khayra @Scholar Lukgaf. The Part that says not accepting with love..... Is the area I want clarify.
To those who misunderstood this portion, the part was saying that don't accept by showing love for the non Islamic festivals they are celebrating. That's all.

We attend your wedding, house warming, naming ceremony and we eat and no problem in that. So not celebrating and accepting gifts related to your festival does not turn us to be enemy. It's simple understanding.
Meanwhile, some Christians too would say it point blank that they don't accept sallah gifts and we don't fight them. We live normal. So what's now the fuss?

ibnlawal:
Lukqaf azin Alfa Mutiullah friend?

alsudaes1:
Fixed profit, yes.
Theres a particular one, you get 50% of your capital as profit after 4 months, there's another one of 73% of your capital after 6 months, some the ROI is 15 % after 3 months etc.
The risk is what I don't know, they are mostly silent on it, they lay emphasis on the percentage profit of the capital after a specific number of months

All praise belong to Allah ... They said if Allah creates someone such that it has two kinds of sexual organ – the male's sexual organ and the female's sexual organ, how do they sort its (share of) inheritance?

There is nothing in this life that Islam has not explained. This is what we call 'khuntha mushkil'. Khuntha mushkil', how to allocates inheritance to it is easy for one who seeks knowledge about it.

We will distribute the inheritance in such a way that if it were a male, what would be its portion; and if it were a female, what would be its portion. What it ought to collect if it were a male and (if it were a) female, we would add them, then we would divide it into two. The average of the sum of what it ought to get if it were a female and if it were a male is what we would give it.

This, in the olden days, was when it seems it was well established. This is because scholars of sharia'h explained that later, when the knowledge of medicine advanced, people have devised several ways out for those who Allah has created as a hermaphrodite, they carry out surgery on them which would make us know that he is a male, or make us know that she is a female.

In the olden days, before the knowledge of medicine evolved to this extent, what they used to do as instructed by Islamic scholars is that they would tell such a person to urinate. While urinating, they would observe how the urine came out. Is the urine coming out of the male organ more, or it is the ones coming out of the female organ (that is more)? Where (between the organs) it (the urine) came out more is the ruling we would give it that it is such a person (who bears such organ).

Then we keep tabs on it. Since it is from the male organ, for example, urine comes out more, then we would observe that when it has grown enough to start spotting breast if it were a female, or start growing beard if it were a male, which (of the two) happens? Is it spotting breasts or growing a beard? All these would show us whether our initial investigations was right.

In medical studies nowadays, this is not an exception from what they also observe besides that they would also check its hormones, is the male's or female's dominant? They would carry out surgery (to assert this).

Till this day that we are speaking, there are still people like that (hermaphrodite) that they did not bother to have surgery to show whether they are a male or a female. They are living their lives. If we have such (a case), how we would share the inheritance is what we have spoken. And there are lot of rulings concerning it in Islam, it is not sharing of inheritance alone. If it comes to the mosque, would it stay at the male space or female space? This is also part of the rulings concerning them. That is it on that.

It is permissible for you to accept the gift from your Christian neighbour on the day of their festival, subject to the following conditions:

1 – This gift should not be meat that has been slaughtered for the festival.

2 – It should not be something that may be used to help in imitating them on the day of their festival, such as candles, eggs, palm leaves etc.

3 – You should explain to your children the belief in al-wala’ wa’l-bara’ (loyalty and friendship vs. disavowal and enmity), lest a love of this festival or a fondness for the giver be instilled in their hearts.

4 – The gift should be accepted with the aim of softening her heart and calling her to Islam, not with friendship and love.

If the gift is something that it is not permissible to accept, then the refusal to accept it should be accompanied by an explanation of why it is being refused, such as saying, “We only refused your gift because it is meat that was slaughtered for the festival, and it is not permissible for us to eat it, or these things are only accepted by those who are taking part in the celebrations, and we do not celebrate this festival, because it is not part of our religion, and it involves beliefs that we do not believe in” and so on, which is a starting point for calling them to Islam and explaining the danger of the kufr that they follow.

The Muslim should be proud of his religion and apply its rulings, and he should not give them up out of shyness or to impress anyone, for Allaah is more deserving of us feeling shy before Him.


And Allaah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.

Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."

Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . ."
[al-Zumar 39:7]

". . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . ."
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]

So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.

If they greet us on the occasion of their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

It is haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations.

Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said in his book Iqtidaa’ al-siraat al-mustaqeem mukhaalifat ashaab al-jaheem: "Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak."

Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or to be friendly, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islaam, and because it makes the kuffaar feel proud of their religion.

Allaah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.

Majmoo’ah Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/369)

alsudaes1:
Salaam alaykum wa Rahmotullaah wa Baarokatuhu.


I know Islam does not discourage us from engaging in investments. Recently, I have seen or read about different Agritech platforms in Nigeria where individuals can sign up for different kinds of Agricultural products ranging from food crops to animals/birds, the Agritech firms claim they farm/nurture the animals on one's behalf and sell also on one's behalf.

There are different offers of fixed percentages of profit based on the amount invested on the different plans over fixed period of time (maturity)

As a Muslim who would not want to consume haram in any guise, can we invest in such platforms?

My doubts are premised on how real are the platforms, are the farms truly in existence? Hoping also that such are not ponzi schemes in disguise.

I don't know if my enquiry has earlier been attended to, please pardon me if that's the case.



Cc:
Lukgaf
RealIsmailakabir
Rashduct4luv

And other brethren.

All praise belongs to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the messenger of Allah –Muhammad the son of Abdullah – his household, his companions, and those who stood by him.

Firstly, getting animals to mate, is from what people assist themselves with. This is because someone may have only female animals but does not have males. Or, the male he has is not sexually active such that it does not even attempt mating the females let alone getting them pregnant. So you have a male that is active such that if it is among females, by Allah's will, those who will get pregnant through it would be many.
There is nothing wrong that one who has such a male should lend one who is in need of it so as to use it among his herd. But would we collect money or would we not?

Islam does not permit that we collect such money because there are two things present that would not permit us to collect money. This is what is called 'Al-jahalatu wal-gharar' — It is a shady transaction, and also there is risk therein. It is a shady transaction as to 'how much is what your animal ejaculates into the other animal such that we measure it to know how much to pay on each bottle? 'And also (it has risk because) if you say they have mated and that the animal should get pregnant, what if it does not get pregnant? Since it is a sexually active animal that perpetually mates other animals such that most of them get pregnant, does it mean it cannot mates an animal without it being pregnant? What if it mates all your animals and none of them gets pregnant, what will happen?

This (such active animal) is from what, if one has it, one can assist his brother with, it is Allah that will reward him. People do not collect money from such under Allah's law.

The first point to note is that Islāmic knowledge is not the same as motivational speaking or counseling. It is not subject to individual thought. This is why Alī radiyaLlāhu anhu said, "were (affairs of) the religion subject to reason, it would have been more appropriate to wipe the beneath of the leather socks than its top."

Secondly, it's important for Muslim writers to always put the teachings of their faith ahead of their personal views. They should learn to consult the 'Ulamā and get the correct position of Islām on issues before dabbling into them, lest they mislead their unsuspecting followers. A lot of people fall in love with the ink of some writers that they take whatever comes from them hook, line and sinker, as though it's a sacred text. It doesn't matter whether one is writing from the point of view of Islām or otherwise, one must let Islām reflect in his or her writings at all times.
Thirdly, one must beware of who he choses as model to read from, especially on issues of the Dīn. There's nothing wrong reading the writeups of counselors and motivational speakers on social and mundane affairs. However, when matters of the Dīn are involved, one must be wary of such persons unless they are known experts in religious affairs.

Lastly, the 'Ulamā have ruled that any form of sexual gratification outside a valid marriage is prohibited, based on explicit verses from the Qur'ān. Thus, masturbation and by extension the use of intimacy gadgets for sexual gratification is HARĀM. Some have permitted its use by legally married couples ONLY for sexual stimulation in place of pre-intimacy and some have prohibited it outright even at that. Some of the Ulamā even went as far as prohibiting its purchase and sale.

Masturbation through any means is a fāhishah and may likely affect one's sexual tastes and preferences, among other issues associated with it

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave a clear definition of backbiting. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do you know what backbiting is?” They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “When you say about your brother something that he dislikes.” They said: What if what I say about my brother is true? He said: “If it is true then you have backbitten about him and if it is not true then you have told a grave lie about him.”

Narrated by Muslim (2589).

Maalik narrated in al-Muwatta’ (3/150) that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (sa) (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What is backbiting? He said: “When you say about your brother something that he does not like to hear.” He said: O Messenger of Allah, even if it is true? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you say something untrue, then that is a grave lie.”

Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (1992).

Secondly:

Backbiting only refers to speaking ill of a person in his absence, when he is not present. As for criticising him in his presence, this comes under the heading of insulting and reviling, and is also haraam.

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Insulting a Muslim is an evil action and fighting him is disbelief (kufr).”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (48) and Muslim (64).

And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not envy one another, do not artificially inflate prices, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, do not undercut one another. Be, O slaves of Allah, brothers. The Muslim is the brother of his fellow-Muslim. He does not wrong him, let him down or despise him. Piety (taqwa) is here” – and he pointed to his chest three times. “It is sufficient evil for a man to despise his Muslim brother. The whole of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim, his blood, his wealth and his honour.”

Narrated by Muslim (2564).

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Ibn at-Teen said: Backbiting (gheebah) means saying about a man in his absence that which he dislikes. This was also stated by az-Zamakhshari and Abu Nasr al-Qushayri in at-Tafseer, and by Ibn Khamees in a book on this topic, and by al-Mundhiri and more than one of the scholars, one of the last of whom was al-Kirmaani. He said: Backbiting means saying behind a man’s back what he would dislike if he heard it, even if it is true. End quote from Fat-h al-Baari (10/469).

Al-Jirjaani said: Backbiting means saying bad things about a person in his absence, when they are true; if they are not true, then it is a grave lie, and if it is said to his face, then it is reviling or insulting.

End quote from at-Ta‘reefaat (p. 163)

Conclusion: your saying about your Muslim brother that he is boring, meaning that people do not like to sit with him because his character, words and manner are tedious, comes under the heading of backbiting which is haraam, even if it is said in a moment of anger, because anger does not make it permissible to cast aspersions upon your brother who has not wronged you.

There is a stern warning against backbiting that was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so hasten to repent and to apologise to your brother if he has heard about what you said concerning him. If he has not heard about it, then you should seek the forgiveness of Allah, may He be exalted, and pray for your brother.

And Allah knows best.

“LIAR!” – From all the accusations that could be leveled against a person, this is definitely among the worst. This word is not a mere accusation – it is a sword that slices through one’s integrity, honesty and truthfulness, leaving them no more. Once a person is branded a liar, people are reluctant to trust him and view him with suspicion. In short – he loses all honour and respect.

Lying is a very dangerous habit as it has a ‘snowball’ effect. If a person makes a snowball and rolls it down a hill, then as the snowball progresses downward, it gathers more snow, growing in size, until it becomes too big to control. Similarly, when a person speaks a lie, he sparks off a chain reaction. In order to cover-up for the first lie, he will be forced to speak a second lie, and then a third, and so on, until he is eventually caught and the entire chain of lies is revealed.
https://jamiat.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/gossip-1.png

However, this evil trait has absolutely no place in Islam and the lives of Muslims. On one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was asked, “Can a believer be a coward?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was next asked, “Can a believer be a miser?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes.” Finally, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was asked, “Can a believer be a liar?” To this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “No.” (Muwatta Imaam Maalik pg. 732)

Throughout Islam and even before Nubuwwah (prophethood), Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was renowned for his qualities of truthfulness and honesty. It was for this reason that many people chose to keep their valuable belongings with him in trust. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), being the ardent followers and companions of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), maintained the highest level of truthfulness in their lives, and thus Muslims were a people who were once known for their honesty and truthfulness.

Truthfulness, in every facet of our lives (be it speech, actions or even our thinking), is something to strive for and is a quality that leads a person to Jannah. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioned, “Indeed truthfulness leads to piety, and piety leads to Jannah. And a person continues to be truthful until he is recorded as a ‘Siddeeq’.” (Saheeh Bukhaari #6094)

The quality of truthfulness is one that is even cherished and prized by the disbelievers. Hence, when a Muslim is dishonest and deceitful, whether in the business place before an associate or at home before the domestic worker, he tarnishes the entire image of Islam. The disbelievers, instead of labeling the individual a liar, will often say, “Muslims” are dishonest people.

May Allah Ta‘ala assist us all in the endeavor to acquire truthfulness, in all facets of our lives, to the highest level – aameen.

Praise be to Allah.

1. Whatever a Muslim says without intending or choosing to, he is not to be held accountable for it

Whatever a Muslim utters of words that may result in committing himself to something, he is only to be held accountable for what he said if he said it deliberately and by his choice, and he meant it. The basic principle concerning that is the words of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Actions are but by intentions, and each person will have that which he intended.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1) and Muslim (1907).

As for what he says without intending or choosing to say it, such as things that he is forced to say or that he says by mistake, he is not to be held accountable for it.

Allah (may He be exalted) said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. ‘Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people’”

[al-Baqarah 2:286].

Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to the words “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred”, it was not made clear to us here whether Allah responded to this supplication or not. But He indicated that He responded regarding errors in the verse in which He says: “And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful” [al-Ahzaab 33:5]; and He indicated that He responded regarding forgetfulness in the verse in which He says: “And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people” [al-An‘aam 6:68]. It is clear that before the reminder, there is no sin on him.

And it is proven in Saheeh Muslim that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited the words “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred”, Allah (may He be exalted) said: Yes.

End quote from Adwaa’ al-Bayaan (1/312).

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This is what we have said about intentions and aims being important with regard to what one says of words, and that which does not become binding unless the speaker meant to utter it and intended to comply with the consequences. Moreover, it is essential that he should have meant it and wanted to utter those words. Thus it is essential that he should have intended two things: he intended to say these words by choice and he wanted to comply with the consequences and what the words implied. Rather intending the meaning is more important than wanting to utter the words, meaning that what he said was more important, because this is the core of the issue and the words are just a means. This is the view of leading muftis among the scholars of Islam…

End quote from I‘laam al-Muwaqqi‘een (4/447).


2. The zihaar or talaaq of one who is angry

Based on the above, we may discuss the words uttered by one who is angry. If his anger was so great that it made the one who uttered these words unable to comprehend what he was saying, or unable to control and choose his words, so that words came out of him by compulsion, without him meaning to say them, then his words do not count and no ruling is to be based on them. This is what the religious texts indicate with regard to talaaq.

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “There is no talaaq and no manumission [of a slave] in the case of ghilaaq.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (2193); classed as hasan by al-Albaani when all its isnaads are taken into account, in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (7/113). Abu Dawood said: I think ghilaaq is anger.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to the angry person whose anger makes him unaware of what he is saying and what he means, this is the worst type of ighlaaq (anger, rage). In this state he is like one who is delirious, insane or drunk; in fact he is worse off than one who is drunk, because the one who is drunk does not kill himself or throw his child from a high place, whereas the one who is angry may do such things. There is no dispute among the scholars that his talaaq does not count as such. The hadith definitely refers to this level of anger.

End quote from Ighaathat al-Lahfaan (p. 19).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If anger affects a person greatly but he is still sound of mind and aware of what he is doing, his talaaq does not count, because it was anger that forced him and compelled him to do that, so he uttered the word of talaaq when he did not like to utter it, in order to relieve himself of anger. Because of his anger, he did not have any valid aim, so he is like one who was compelled. Hence his supplication against himself and his wealth will not be answered, and his vow to do righteous deeds is not binding on him.

End quote from al-Insaaf fi Ma‘rifat ar-Raajih min al-Khilaaf (22/138-139).

What is said about talaaq may also be said about zihaar, because they are both of the same nature.

But if the anger did not remove the speaker’s ability to understand what he was saying, and he was still able to choose his words and control his words, then in this case he is bound by the ruling that results from uttering these words.

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

I am married to my cousin, and I have five children from her. There was a small argument, but she insisted on asking me to divorce her, until I got angry with her, so I said to her: “You are divorced and you are haraam to me; you are to me like my mother in this world and the hereafter.”

He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: First we ask about the level of anger: was it so extreme that you did not know what you are saying? In that case, what you said is regarded as null and void, and no talaaq or zihaar has taken place, because when the angry person’s anger reaches such a level that he does not know what he is saying, his words are not regarded as meaning anything.

But if the anger was less severe than that, so that you could understand what you were saying and you were in control of yourself, then the talaaq and zihaar do count as such, because you likened her to your mother, and if a man likens his wife to his mother, this is zihaar…

End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb (10/444).

And Allah knows best.

MeeztaFabulouz:
It is really terrible to feel suicidal all because of marriage. I use use to see different news of how people commit suicide because of relationships and I always felt it was so stupid to think of suicide just because of a fail relationship.

Now I have seen it all clear that depression is really very bad especially when you feel so depressed in a marriage you work so hard and do everything to protect and make your family happy. Its very painful when you know honestly inside your heart that you don't cheat on your wife, provide everything she wants for herself and the kids even when business is quite rough.

She has no conscience and no regard for our union and our home. I am a guy that don't think about looking at wife's phone or suspecting her for anything but then after our first child she changed completely and as of today I don't know were I stand anymore because of my kids. I opened a business for her just so that she won't be like a house wife but she has completely taken the business more important than the family and wake up 4am to start cooking and close 8pm at night. Stressing herself so much but always complaining business is not moving and she is not making any money.

I sponsor everything in the home though am not complaining because that's what a man should do, but she does not have regard for anything or appreciate anything I do. Can you imagine I give her money for feeding weekly even though she is running a food business, she buys few food stuffs in the house which can stay almost two weeks without us eating them because we basically feed from food she cooks in her restaurant. I decided not to bother myself and just give her money to always ensure her business is moving and at least food will not be a problem for us.

One faithful day, I decided to check her phone because I observed a certain strange behavior about her and how she likes to off her phone at night or sometimes when I am around. I saw different chats with some two guys she claimed one was her ex boyfriend that just likes to check on her once in a while, and the other guy was someone I remember like coming to eat in her restaurant but she said they went to school together and he is working with a construction company doing a building project close to her restaurant. She also claimed that when they were in school he was asking her out even till they fished school but she preferred her ex boyfriend to him and when she had issues with her ex that was when I came into her life.

If the story she told me is true or not, I wasn't really bothered anymore because I know its normal for a woman you met at 26 years to have met other guys before you and obviously still has guys that don't respect people's marriage and still do anything to sleep with a married woman. But my paid now is because I feel so respected by many of the things she does and when I think of divorce, I only feel for my kids who will now have to grow up with another man or having to visit their mum and see her with another man.

Recently I have become so depressed that I have been thinking of suicide so that my kids will know their dad is no more rather than knowing that their dad is still alive but can only be with either daddy or mummy and not as a complete family. My depression is getting worse especially when I think about all I have done for her and the kids just to always make them happy but in return, she doest appreciate or even have any regard anymore for what is called "FAMILY"

Over 7 years now and at this point I really feel suicidal. Please I really need help because I make this big mistake.

Rashduct4luv:
Stop rushing to go see your babalawo/ Dibia Alfa. Do the right thing and have faith!

Even if you wake up see black cat (or red sef) nothing dey happen. It's either the cat is looking for something or it's running away from something!

Even spiders can be busy in the night spinning cobwebs to catch their prey. Then humans will wake up and get caught up in this web....and remember one village people.

Abu al-‘Abbas ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas(ra) reports:
“One day I was riding (a horse/camel) behind the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he said, ‘Young man, I will teach you some words. Be mindful of Allah, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of Allah. If you need help, seek it from Allah. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if Allah had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if Allah had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.’ ”
Related by Tirmidhi

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

The basic principle is that adhering to the obligatory duties and always reciting the adhkaar for morning and evening, and before going to sleep, will protect a person from being overpowered by the jinn. But a person may go through a time when he is heedless, at which time the jinni may enter his body, or possession may have occurred before he began to adhere to regularly reciting adhkaar, so he needs to be treated with ruqyah, or that treatment needs to be repeated, and that will not go away with adhkaar alone; rather keeping up with adhkaar will weaken the impact of the possession and may take it away altogether.

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) was asked: We find that some people are affected by possession or the evil eye even though they protect themselves with adhkaar in the morning and evening. What is the guideline concerning that?

He replied: If Allah wills that something should befall him, the person will fail to recite dhikr on that day; either he will forget it or he will be distracted from it.

End quote from:

www.al-fawzan.af.org.sa/node/14626

Secondly:

Possession may be treated by means of ruqyah as prescribed in Islamic teachings, done by someone who adheres to the Sunnah, and by regularly reciting the adhkaar for morning and evening, when going to sleep, when entering the bathroom, when taking off clothes, and when eating and drinking, and reflecting on the meanings when saying those adhkaar, with focus and presence of mind, and going to sleep in a state of purity. We also advise you to humbly beseech Allah (may He be exalted) and ask Him to take away what you are suffering and to heal you and grant you well-being.

Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Jibreen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Some of the jinn may appear to a man in the form of a woman, then the human has intercourse with her, or a jinni may appear in the form of a man and have intercourse with a human woman, as a man has intercourse with a woman.

The remedy for that is:

to protect oneself from them, both male and female, by means of the du ‘aa’s and awraad narrated in the religious texts, and reciting verses that speak of seeking protection and guarding against them, by Allah’s leave.

End quote from Fataawa ‘Ulama’ al-Balad al-Haraam, p. 1546.

See also the answer to question no. 9577.

We ask Allah to heal you and grant you well-being.

And Allah knows best.

There is an English phrase ‘You are what you eat’. I beg to differ. I believe it should be ‘You are what you utter’. Give me the next few minutes to explain why.

The boneless tongue has the ability to make peace and end wars. It has the ability to destroy families and lifelong friendships. It also the ability to decide between paradise and hell-fire.

What is really unique about speech of the tongue is that, in most cases, it’s blurted out. That is why it is such an effective tool of Shaytaan. Shaytaan won’t waste his time trying to convince us to consume alcohol. His experience tells him that most of us won’t even give it a second thought. Rather, he will use his wisdom and get us involved in actions that we don’t even realise is a sin. Let’s call it a deceptive sin. One way he successfully does this is by making us misuse out tongues. In fact, he does it so brilliantly that Nabi ﷺ has said in a hadith:

“Whoever guarantees me the protection of the piece of flesh between his thighs (Private parts – Zina) and the piece of flesh between his jaws (control of the tongue), I guarantee him Paradise” (Bukhari)

On a side note, scholars mention that Nabi ﷺ indicating towards the most private part of one’s body in such a discreet manner shows the modesty in his speech.

Fortunately, Nabi ﷺ has also informed us of the various traps that we can fall in. Below, I give you five ways by which we can misuse our tongues and fall prey to Shaytaan’s trap. These are five types of people that Nabi ﷺ has spoken about in the Hadith. Of course, it’s not the only five that has been discussed, but it is five that are relevant.

1. The Insulter

Who doesn’t like laughter? We all do. But there is a limit to it. A joke makes all laugh but when a joke turns into an insult, it makes Shaytaan laugh. I don’t see a problem with the good old ‘Van De Merwe’ jokes but once people’s names are used, it becomes serious. When that lady’s obesity is mocked, it’s not a joke anymore. When that man’s complexion is laughed at, Shaytaan will be the only one smiling at the end of the day. Even if it’s the truth, it’s still mockery…

One of the wives of Nabi ﷺ , Safiyyah R.A., was once referred to as ‘Qaseerah’ which literally translates to ‘shorty’. This of course broke her heart. Nabi ﷺ informed that person

“…You have uttered such a word that if it has to be dropped into the oceans, it will turn the oceans bitter” (Abu Dawud)

The next time we decide to come out with an avalanche of ‘you so fat…’ jokes or pass a comment to the lady who’s been trying her best to keep her weight down, let’s keep in mind that obese or lean, tall or short, everyone has a heart.

2. The Two-Face

‘Ay I don’t know what kind of people they are. Breakfast time just one lousy cup of tea and rusks. No biscuits and cakes.’

All this after staying for free at their house for an entire week. What’s worst is at their house, the person said the same thing about the people that he/she is currently staying with. The interesting thing is in the Hadith the word ‘Tha Wajhayn’ is used. It literally translates to mean a person who possesses two faces. Besides the gossiping part in the above scenario, the fact that a person could play ‘good guy’ at each house says a lot about the person. If you do it, it say a lot about you. How would you define a two-face. The Hadith gives us a definition, and a warning…

“On the day of Judgement, you will find the two-faced lot to be the worst of people, those that go to one group with one face and then meet the next group with a different face.” (Bukhari)

In the above Hadith, we find that Nabi ﷺ has referred to such people as the worst of people. This of course also means that their punishment will be from among the worst. This also means that from among the best of people will be the direct opposite, those people that speak good wherever they go.

3. The Judge

Picture the common scenario in a courtroom. One seat for the judge and opposite him, about a hundred seats for the others involved in the case. If we could help it, we’ll turn the tables around. One seat for a person involved and about a hundred for the judges.

Yes, that’s the unfortunate reality. There is an incident mentioned in the Hadith of a pious man who once told a sinner “you will never enter Jannah”. On the day of Qiyaamah, our Most Merciful Allah will ask this man what authority did he have to make Allah’s decisions and in this way the pious man will be sent to Jahannum while the sinner will be sent to Jannah.

Remember, we have no idea what lives in a person’s heart. I always say that sometimes those closest to Allah are the most distant from people. Those that we don’t worry about, those that the community doesn’t care about, those are known as ‘write-offs’, sometimes they could be the closest to Allah.

If the above is not a good enough reason, then ponder over this narration…

“He who accuses his brother of a sin (that he has made Taubah from) will not die until he gets involved in that same sin.”

In simple words, if you accuse a man or lady of Zina, while they already made Taubah for their sins, you will not die until you get involved in Zina. This is regarding those that really did commit the sin. Imagine judging a person regarding a sin that wasn’t even committed.

4. The Chatterbox

This one needs to be understood correctly. There is nothing wrong with talking a lot. Some people are naturally quiet and some are naturally talkative. The reason I mentioned this type of people is because when a person talks a lot, there is a greater chance of uttering the wrong statement. A Hadith states…

“A man with the habit of silence (with average Ibaadat) is better off than a man with sixty years of Nafl Ibaadat (but he talks a lot).” (Mishkaat)

In the above Hadith, two types of people are being compared. The one has average Ibaadat. This means that he performs his Fardh Salaah and nothing more. He fasts in Ramdaan and nothing more. He gives his Fardh Zakaat and nothing more. Along with his average Ibaadat, he has the ability to control his tongue.

On the other hand, there is a man who, along with his Fardh Salaah, has sixty years of Nafl Salaah to his name. Along with his Fardh fasts, he has sixty years of Nafl fasts to his name. However, he talks a lot.

Despite not having any Nafl Ibaadat to his name, the man who speaks less is superior. But why? Because the Hadith teaches us that the misuse of our tongue destroys our Ibaadat. Therefore, the man who speaks less, even though he has minimal Ibaadat, he is guaranteed to see his Ibaadat after his death. The man that speaks a lot, he has no guarantee of ever seeing his sixty years of Ibaadat. There is a chance that his tongue could destroy his Ibaadat and come death, he will find nothing waiting for him in the hereafter.

Once again, nothing wrong in being a chatterbox, but the more you talk, the greater your chances of destroying your ibaadat.

5. The Biter

I left the most common vice of the tongue for last. The Hadith tells us that backbiting or gossip is not only disliked by Allah, but it also destroys your good deeds.

Most people misunderstand the definition of backbiting. When someone tells them to stop, they say “But it’s the truth!”

Let’s take a closer look at the definition of backbiting. A statement will be classified as backbiting when…

A) The person or people being spoken about are not aware of the discussion.

B) The person or people being spoken about will not like it if they found out about the discussion.

C) That which is mentioned in the discussion is true.*

*If it is false info, it is much worse than backbiting. In this case, along with backbiting, it falls under the category of ‘spreading rumours’ and ‘false accusations/slander’.

Ibn Abbas R.A. narrates: “Two people were performing Salaah while they were fasting. When Nabi S.A.W. completed his Salaah, he called them and asked them to repeat their Wudhu and Salaah. He also told them to keep Qadha of their fasts. They asked: What is the reason for this oh messenger of Allah. Nabi S.A.W. replied: The two of you were gossiping about a certain person.” (Mishkaat)

Allah informed Nabi ﷺ about these two individuals. This narration is a serious warning to us. How many times do we unknowingly involve ourselves in backbiting. Remember, backbiting is not about speaking a lie. Backbiting is speaking the truth behind someone’s back.

We might meet our friends outside the Masjid and innocently swim into a discussion about the neighbour’s new car. “Since he got his new wheels, he acts like he don’t know us. Even worst, when he comes to the shop he gets off the car in slow motion making sure everyone sees him.”

Sometimes, we end up gossiping in the person’s presence. Like when we give eye indications to our sister or cousin about a certain aunty by the table when she dishes out a 3rd helping.

Both these examples fall within the definition provided. Yes, the later scenario doesn’t technically involve a conversation but indications via the eyes or hands signify a silent discussion. Whether we at a friend’s house house or at a family function, Shaytaan will find a way for gossip to creep into our discussions. Not only that, he will also make it juicy and irresistible. You not even safe on when chatting or browsing.

Shaytaan, will use this tool to destroy our actions. When he doesn’t succeed in overpowering us at the time of Fajr, he will try his best to make us gossip after Fajr so that we destroy the good deed of Fajr.

This is why i feel the saying should be ‘You are what you utter’. Good, clean, pure words points towards a person’s inner beauty. ‘Ugly’ is commonly linked to the face. How wrong are we. It rightfully should be linked to the tongue.

Praise be to Allah.

Yes it is permissible for each spouse to think of the other, but we must explain the following points with regard to this matter:

1 – The Muslim should not keep away from his wife for more than six months, as stipulated by Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him), as was narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq in his Musannaf, 7/152.

If a Muslim is away for longer than that, then both parties may fall into temptation and be affected by whispers from the Shaytaan.

This may lead to thinking about haraam things, and after thinking about such things he may be provoked into satisfying his desires, and this may lead him to falling into haraam – Allaah forbid. Desire has power over a person’s mind and this may lead him to look at pictures or haraam things.

2 – The Muslim must break the power of his desire by fasting, lowering his gaze, avoiding temptation and turning away from it. He must fear Allaah as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy”

[al-Baqarah 2:168]

3 – Another issue that has to do with this topic is that it is not permissible for a woman to describe another (non-mahram) woman to her husband, so that he will not imagine her as if he is looking at her.

It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should look at or touch another woman to describe her to her husband as if he can see her.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4942).

And Allaah knows best.

Realismailakabir:
JazaakaLahu Khaira bro. There are many disagreements between scholars on using Da'eef Hadith for supererogatory good deeds. many supported the motion of Al-haafez Ibn Hajar Al'asqolaani why few are against the motion.

One Example of these hadiths is this.

"Loving your country/State is part of faith"

it is right to use this hadith to preach to people because it is urging/calling to good deed which is loving one's Nation. Below are three laws preconditions before using Daeef Hadith.


1. It Daeefness/Weakness should not be very intense

2. It should have origin (haslu) from Sahabas or Taab'een

3. It should not be binded with the name of Prophet Muhammad SAW

Now this is how to quote it.

from one of the hadith which was narrated by Sahabas/Taa'been they said prophet Muhammad Said "Loving your country/State is part of faith"
you can mention its chain of narrators also but make it known in your quotation it is Daeef.

Dont quote like - Prophet Muhammad says

Praise be to Allah.

1. We have not come across any hadith which says that whoever makes someone get up from his seat will be deprived of his seat in Paradise

We have not come across a hadith that says this, that if someone does that, he will be deprived of his seat in Paradise!

2. The ruling on making someone get up from his seat

The one who reaches a permissible place first has more right to it, and it is not permissible for someone else to make him get up from his seat so that he can sit there instead.

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that he forbade making a man get up from his seat so that someone else can sit there; rather he told them to accommodate one another and make room.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6270) and Muslim 2177).

The Sunnah states that a person has the right to remain in the place where he is sitting until he no longer needs it.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you gets up from his seat, then comes back to it, he has more right to it.” Narrated by Muslim (2179).

Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only forbade making a man get up from where he is sitting because, if someone reaches a seat first, it is his, until he gets up voluntarily, after having fulfilled the purpose for which he was sitting there. It is as if he takes possession of the usage of that place, so it is not permissible for anyone to come between him and what he owns [temporarily].

Based on that, this prohibition may be understood in accordance with the apparent meaning, which is that it is haraam. It was also said that it is to be understood as meaning that it is makrooh (disliked), but the former is more likely to be correct.

End quote from al-Mufhim (5/509).

Ibn Abi Jamrah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This applies specifically to places that it is permissible for people to enter and sit in them, either for all people in general, such as mosques, courts and circles of knowledge…

Or it may apply in private spaces, such as when a man invites specific people to his house for a wedding feast or other occasions that are permitted according to Islamic teachings. In these gatherings, whoever sits in a place should not be made to move so that someone else may sit there.

With regard to everything that is permissible, people are all equal, both those of high standing and those of lowly standing. So whoever reaches something first is entitled to it, and the one who is entitled to something on the basis of Islamic teachings, if anything of it is taken away in an unlawful manner that is contrary to Islamic teachings, it has been usurped, and usurping is haraam according to scholarly consensus…

End quote from Nahjat an-Nufoos (4/194).

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

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade that because it is a transgression against one’s brother.

One of the things that we learn from this hadith is that it is haraam to make a man get up from his seat so that one may sit in it. The reason for that is that in principle, saying that one should not do something means that it is prohibited (haraam). The fact that it is prohibited is supported by the fact that it is a transgression against another person, and the basic principle regarding transgression against others is that it is haraam.

Another thing that we learn from this hadith is that a man has more right to his seat so long as his need for it has not come to an end, so he should not be asked to leave it. That includes his place in the mosque, his place in the study circle, his place in a marketplace, his place in any location. He has more right to it so long as he has not left it…

End quote from Sharh Buloogh al-Maraam (6/252-253).

Conclusion: Whoever makes someone get up from a permissible place that he reached first is wronging him, and he should ask him to forgive him and not expose himself to retaliation on the Day of Resurrection when the issue will be settled with hasanaat (good deeds) and sayyi’aat (bad deeds).

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has wronged his brother, let him seek his forgiveness, for there [in the hereafter] there will be no dinar and no dirham, and before some of his hasanaat (good deeds) will be taken and given to his brother and if he has no hasanaat to his credit, then some of his brother’s sayyi’aat (bad deeds) will be taken and thrown onto him.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6534).

And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.

There are three reasons why praying istikhaarah is important:

The first reason is to show our desperate need of Allah alone, to disconnect any hope except hope in Allah, to put our trust in Him (may He be glorified and exalted), and to delegate all our affairs to Him. All of these are sublime aspects of Tawheed and Islam, which praying istikhaarah helps one to attain and helps one to establish them, especially for the one who gets used to doing it often and realizes and understands in his heart its importance and the wisdom behind its being prescribed.

The second reason is to make the right choice, be successful in what one is striving to achieve and to be helped by Allah in one’s efforts. Whoever delegates his affairs to Allah, He will suffice him, and whoever asks of Allah with sincerity, He will grant his need and not withhold it.

Al-Ghazaali says in Ihya’ ‘Uloom ad-Deen (1/206):

Some wise men say that whoever is inspired to do four things will not be deprived of four things: whoever is inspired to give thanks will not be deprived of more [of Allah’s bounty]; whoever is inspired to repent will not be deprived of his repentance being accepted; whoever is inspired to pray istikhaarah will not be deprived of a good outcome; and whoever is inspired to seek the advice of others will not be deprived of reaching the right decision. End quote.

With regard to the hadith, “He will not be disappointed who prays istikhaarah, and he will not regret it who seeks the advice of others,” this is a fabricated (mawdoo‘) hadith. See: as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (611) by Shaykh al-Albaani.

The third reason is acceptance of the divine decree and contentment with one’s lot. Whoever seeks Allah’s guidance in his affairs by praying istikhaarah will not regret what he ultimately chooses to do, and he will feel reassurance and certainty which will ward off from him all worry and grief that could result from his choice. This reason is one of the greatest benefits that one could attain through praying istikhaarah.

Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated in ar-Rida ‘an Allah bi Qada’ihi (92) and elsewhere, with his isnaad from Wahb ibn Munabbih, that he said:

Daawood (peace be upon him) said: O Lord, which of Your slaves is most hateful to You? He said: A slave who prayed to Me for guidance [istikhaarah] concerning something, and I chose for him, but he was not content with it. End quote.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Waabil as-Sayyib (157):

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah used to say: He will never regret it who prays istikhaarah seeking the guidance of the Creator and who seeks advice from people, then remains steadfast in whatever decision he makes. End quote.

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned these words of wisdom and these benefits in a brilliant discussion of the importance of praying istikhaarah, and he said – as we see in Zaad al-Ma‘aad (2/442):

He compensated them with this supplication – the du‘aa’ of istikhaarah – which reflects the concept of Tawheed, desperate need of Allah’s help, servitude to Him, putting one’s trust in Him and seeking help from the One in Whose hand is all goodness, for no one could grant all that is good except Him, and no one can avert all that is bad except Him, for He is the One Who, if he opens the door of mercy to His slave, no one will be able to withhold it from him except Him, and if He withholds [mercy], no one will be able to make it reach him by any means, such as augury [bird omens], astrology, horoscopes and the like. This supplication [istikhaarah] is the “good omen” of the blessed and guided, for whom Allah has already decreed the best reward, and it is not the “omen” of the people of shirk, doom and failure, who associated other gods with Allah; but they will come to know.

This supplication [istikhaarah] implies affirmation of the existence of Allah (may He be glorified); affirmation of His perfect attributes, such as His perfect knowledge, power and will; affirmation of His Lordship, delegating one’s affairs to Him, seeking His help, putting one’s trust in Him, turning away from relying on one’s own means, declaring that there is no power and no strength except with Him, acknowledging one’s failure to know what is good for oneself and to attain it, and acknowledging that that is all in the hand of one’s Protector, Creator and true God. In Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, it is narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The sign that the son of Adam is blessed is that he seeks guidance from Allah [istikhaarah] and accepts what Allah decrees, and the sign that the son of Adam is doomed is that he does not seek guidance from Allah [istikhaarah] and is discontent with what Allah decrees.”

Think about how what Allah decrees comes in between two things: putting one’s trust in Him, which is the essence of istikhaarah, before His decree comes to pass, and being content with what Allah decrees after it comes to pass. These two are the essence of being blessed. The essence of being doomed is that [what Allah decrees] is preceded and followed by a failure to put one’s trust in Him and seek His guidance [istikhaarah] before His decree comes to pass, and discontent after it comes to pass.

So putting one’s trust in Allah comes before the decree comes to pass, then when it comes to pass, true servitude to Him should be demonstrated by showing contentment afterwards, as it says in al-Musnad. An-Nasaa’i added in the famous supplication: “…and I ask You for contentment after the decree comes to pass.”

This is of a higher level than simply being content with the divine decree, because a person may have resolve [to be content with it], but when the decree comes to pass, he loses his resolve. So if a person attains contentment after the decree comes to pass, that is a very high status.

The point is that istikhaarah is putting one’s trust in Allah, delegating one’s affairs to Him, swearing an oath by His power and knowledge, and trusting Him to make a good choice for His slave. This is the requirement that is needed to show that one is content with Allah as Rabb (Lord), and a person will not have the taste of faith if he is not like that. If he is content with the decree after it comes to pass, then that is a sign that he is blessed. End quote.

And Allah knows best.