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This is what to say when offering or slaughtering a sacrifice. Try and memorize it.

What to say when offering or slaughtering a sacrifice. Try and memorize it.

As we celebrate Eid adha on Sunday, the following are some of the cherished Sunnah of Eid:

1. Begin the day with a refreshing ritual bath.
2. For Eid ul Kabir, refrain from eating before the Eid prayer. However, ensure you eat before the Eid ul Fitr prayer.
3. Adorn yourself in your finest attire, preferably in white.
4. Apply a pleasant fragrance (for males only).
5. Utter heartfelt supplications on your way to Eid, proclaiming: "Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar walillahil hamd."
6. Avoid offering voluntary prayers (Nafilah) at the Eid prayer ground.
7. Consider walking to the Eid prayer location, if feasible.
8. Take a different route when returning home after the Eid prayer.
9. Spread the joy of Eid by exchanging greetings, saying: "Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum" (May Allah accept it from us and you).
10. Extend your love and kindness by visiting friends, family, and neighbors.

Let us cherish these timeless traditions of our beloved Prophet, and by sharing this message, you can inspire others to partake in these sunnahs. May Allah (SWT) reward you abundantly.

Eid Mubarak to all!

Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum

Below are ten important ten facts About UD'HIYAH (ileya Sacrifice) you should know.

By Sanusi Lafiagi

1. Only the following categories animals are valid: Camel, cow, sheep, goat.

2. The age at which each of the animals above becomes eligible for sacrifice is as follows:
a. Camel: 5 years
b. Cow: 2 years
c. Sheep: 6 months
d. Goat: 1 year

3. The number of persons who can sacrifice the above animals is:

a. Camel: 7 persons
b. Cow: 7 persons
c. Ram: 1 person
d. Goat: 1 person

4. The defects that render an animal invalid for sacrifice are:

a. An obvious defect in (one or both of) its eyes such as if it's blind in the eye, or there's an obvious blurriness

b. An obvious illness that affects its activity

c. Obvious lameness that affects its movement

d. Emaciation that leaves no marrow in its bones.

5. A woman can slaughter her own sacrifice by herself, even if she were menstruating or experiencing post natal bleeding. Gender and purity are not a condition for its validity.

6. One can take a loan to buy an animal for sacrifice so long as it is not an interest based loan, and he intends to pay it back.

7. It is permitted to delegate another to do the slau.ghtering on one's behalf.

8. The sacrifice commences immediately after the conclusion of 'īd Salāt on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah and ends after sunset on the 13th.

9. The meat should be divided into three (unequal) parts:

a. A part is to be consumed by the owner
b. A part is to be given in charity to the poor and the needy
c. A part is to be given as gifts ro friends, relatives, etc

10. It is Sunnah for whoever intends to sacrifice an animal for this purpose to refrain from cutting his nails and hair immediately the crescent of Dhul Hijjah is sighted.

Allāh knows best.

May Allah accept our Ibadah (Ameen)

Tomorrow is the 9th day of Dhul-hijjah when Hujjaj, which is equivalent to the great day of Arafah. It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allah’s Favour was completed. It is the day when sins are forgiven. Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years!

It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said, “It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.” Narrated by Muslim.

https://salamcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Day-of-Arafa-web.jpg

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.

N.B: The permissibility of fasting Arafah when it falls on Saturday: The majority of scholars do not see a prohibition on fasting Arafah when it falls on Saturdays.
May Allah accept our good deeds (Ameen)

Prime numbers vs. composite numbers


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbr1Hzc9I_M

Sequence and series 1 - Introduction


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKjp53U8Vag

Alhamdulillah ladhi binimitihi tateemu solihaat.

Today marks the end of the review of the 40th Hadith of An-nawawih collection.

May Allah grant us understanding and bless all what we have learnt (Ameen)

What lessons did you gain from all the Hadith?

This week, let's review the 42nd hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Anas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu) who said:I heard the Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) say,

“Allah the Almighty has said: ‘O Son of Adam, as long as you invoke Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and you then asked forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the Earth, and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it [too].’ ”

[Reported by Tirmidhi who said it is a hasan sahih hadith]

Benefits and Action points:

Always finish off anything you do whether act of worship or not, with seeking forgiveness in Allah

Praise Allah for the vastness of His forgiveness that he promised us

When making du’aa, recognise your weakness in front of Allah and your need for Him, along with His ability to see to your needs

Always believe in Allah’s answering of your du’aa and never give up on that, no matter how long you have been making du’aa for

Have hope in Allah in everything you do/want
Realise that tawheed is not just an academic thing, and it is something that you must feel in your heart

Praise Allah for allowing you to study these 40 ahadith and realise that for you to be more closer to Him, you need implement whatever little you know

The journey of life often encompasses difficulties, challenges, trials and tribulations. With the right frame of mind and positive attitude we can come out of each “dark tunnel” better, stronger and wiser.

We have a choice on how we respond to life’s “storms.” Either we can cast blame while becoming resentful and bitter or we can be positive and turn to Allah Ta’ala and exercise patience. Every hurdle we face in life has a meaning and Allah Ta’ala will not expose us to a burden we cannot endure. “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear…” (Qur’an: 2:286).

“Great reward comes with great trials. When Allah loves a people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it attains His pleasure, whereas whoever shows discontent with it incurs His wrath.” (Hadith- Tirmidhi)

“…….If anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done (such and such), the such and such would have happened,’ rather say: ‘Allah has decreed and what He wills He does , for (saying) ‘if only’ opens the door to the work of the shaytaan(devil).”(Hadith-Muslim ).

As part of our Imaan (faith), we believe that all matters are in the hands of Allah Ta’ala. However, our Imaan can get shaken during times of trials and hardships. It is during such times though that we should remind ourselves that a believer’s position and rank is raised in front of Allah and that such a hardship may very well be a sign of Allah’s love for the believer. This can help us in maintaining and even strengthening our faith.

Once a boy found a cocoon of a butterfly and took it home. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the boy decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The boy continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the boy in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Allah Ta’ala’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If Allah allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would sometimes cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been and possibly never be able to “fly”.

Sometimes we need heat and warmth to ripen fruit and sometimes cold is needed in certain fruit to complete the ripening process. So exactly is the same in life sometimes we may have to undergo various conditions that may appear to be unfavourable so that we “ripen” and are ready for the onward journey.

I wise person once said: “ I asked for Strength…And Allah gave me Difficulties to make me strong. I asked for Wisdom…And Allah gave me Problems to solve. I asked for Prosperity…And Allah gave me Brain and Brawn to work. I asked for Courage…And Allah gave me Danger to overcome. I asked for Love…And Allah gave me Underprivileged people to help. I asked for Favours…And Allah gave me Opportunities. I received nothing I wanted …Yet I received everything I needed!”

Accepting and enduring our condition and the Divine Decree of Allah Ta’ala can help us in not only shedding burdens of the past but to also win Allah’s pleasure. Suppressing our urge to blame others for the pains that we encounter by maintaining a positive mindset can help us maintain a less stressful life and promote healthy relationships.

“Nothing befalls a believer, a (prick of a) thorn or more than that, but Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby, or erase a bad deed.” (Hadith-Bukhaari )

Hardships and trials are part of everyone’s life. The important thing is for us to have the right attitude of trusting Allah and His plans when facing such hardships and trials. During such trying times, always remember that nothing happens without the Will of Allah. Second, we may not know that our trials and hardships may be part of a bigger plan of which we may have only limited knowledge. It’s only at a later stage when the bigger Plans of Allah reveal themselves to everyone. We can see an example of this from the following verse of Qur’an-Surah Yousuf that when the step brothers of Prophet Yousuf (peace be upon him) were taking him to throw him into a dark well, Allah revealed to Prophet Yousuf (AS) that,”Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.” (Qur’an, 65:7) and this is exactly what happened.

Allah also reminds us:“…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (Qur’an-Surah Baqarah: 216)

“There is a blessing in calamity that the wise man should not ignore, for it erases sins, gives one the opportunity to attain the reward for patience, dispels negligence, reminds one of blessings at the time of health, calls one to repent and encourages one to give charity and endure.”

Life is a learning curve and the challenges are there to make us stronger and to condition us and build us emotionally, spiritually and physically for the greater challenges that we will encounter tomorrow. Outwardly circumstances may be perceived as hardships but in reality they may really be blessings in disguise!

By Abu Muhammad Yusuf

This week, let's review the 41sh hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin ’Amr bin al-’Aas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu) who said: The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,

“None of you [truly] believes until his desires are subservient to that which I have brought.”

[Imam Al-Nawawi says: We have related it in Kitab al-Hujjah with a sahih chain of narrators]

Brief Commentary from Hadith Commentary

Many scholars have declared this hadith as weak, so we don’t attribute it to the prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) but we study the content of this hadith as the meaning is sound

Imam Al-Nawawi didn’t compile the collection randomly, but followed a wise and set sequence. It is as if he is saying that in order for us to believe, we need to follow all the previous ahadith and make that our desire, therefore we need to be inclined to acting upon them

We should not just accept what we are told to do, but must accept it with our heart, with contentment and willingness, hence we say every morning and every evening “I am content with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam as a prophet and a messenger” [Reported by Ahmad and others]. These words shouldn’t be just uttered with our mouths, but should also stem from our hearts

The negation used in this hadith is that of completeness i.e. you don’t have complete Iman if your desires aren’t in conjunction with what the prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has brought

We also learn from this hadith that Iman increases and decreases based upon the agreement of your desires with the teachings of the prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam)

Ibn Al-Jawzi said, “Desires are an inclination of the soul to that which fits it”
Desires are not necessarily a bad thing. The bad desires mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Sad[38:26] and Surah Al-Nazi’aat [79:40-41] are the fulfilment of the desires in a limitless manner

The desire mentioned in the hadith really means love i.e. you should love what the prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has brought down

We shouldn’t look at the obligations as something we must do, but look at them with love, which is achieved by loving Allah

Allah didn’t legislate the Shari’ah for His benefit, but for our benefit
We need to know the lofty purposes of the Shari’ah, and its benefits so we can appreciate it and love it

The hadith puts making our desires conform to the teachings of Islam to be a condition for the completeness of Iman. This is because if our desires do not conform to the Shari’ah, we would find it difficult to adhere to, and hence we wouldn’t be able to adhere to it fully, thus have an incomplete Iman

If we really know the reality of sins, we would not sin

Allah dispraises those who dislike what He loves, and like what He hates in many places in the Qur’an such as in Surah Muhammad [47:9, 26, & 28]

Some of the salaf used to say: “Whoever claims to love Allah and he does not follow Allah’s commands in his actions, then his claim is false. And every lover who does not fear Allah is deceived”

Yahya bin Muadh said, “Whoever claims to love Allah, but does not keep within His limits is not truthful (in his love)”

A believer is complete in that there is no difference in what he professes and what his heart feels

The people of innovation are also called the people of desire in that they put what they prefer over what Allah loves and this is how sins come about

When they sin, many people say, “Only Allah can judge me”. This is incorrect as people can judge the actions of others, hence we have punishments in Islam. Only Allah can judge what is in the heart, but the actions of a person are a reflection of what their heart contains


Benefits and Action points from Hadith commentary

- Ensure you conform your heart to the commandments found in all of the previously studied 40 ahadith
- Have love for the teachings of the prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam)
- Look at the obligations with love, rather than something that must be done
- How to make our desires conform to what Allah loves:
--Have a deeper knowledge of the lofty purposes of the Shari’ah
--Increase in the knowledge of rewards and punishments
--Avoid idle speech and actions which only serve to waste your time, and distance you away from Allah

But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. [Surat al-Baqarah: 216]

The great Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah bestow mercy upon him) said,

“You should busy yourself doing what has been demanded of you, not what has been guaranteed for you. Provision and Death are two matters that are destined and finalized; so long as the time of death does not arrived, the provision will continue to come.”

And if Allah closes one of its paths for a wisdom which He alone knows, He will – out of His mercy – open another path for you which is even more beneficial.

Ponder the state of the embryo, how it is fed from the blood of the mother through one path; the umbilical cord. Once it is born and that path is closed, two other paths – the breasts – are opened for him through which nourishment is now provided, except that it’s more delicious than what he used to receive from the first path. Thereafter, these two paths are closed upon weaning the child, but four paths of nourishment replace them which are more perfect for the human being; two food (animal and vegetation) and two drink (water and milk). Eventually, these four paths are also closed by a person dying. However, Allah will open – if he is an inhabitant of Paradise – eight paths in their stead; the eight gates of Paradise, to enter from whichever of them he pleases.

In this fashion, Allah does not prevent His slave from attaining any worldly matter, except to give him something better and more beneficial than it. No one enjoys this privilege except the believer; Allah deprives him of acquiring the lower in order to grant him the higher. But due to man’s ignorance of what is actually good for him, and the wisdom, generosity, and kindness of his Creator, he isn’t able to differentiate between what he has been prevented from and what has been preserved for him. On the contrary, he is deeply attracted to the immediate things, even if they may be inferior, and hardly yearns for what has been deferred for him, even if they are superior.

If man were just with his Creator – he is not so – he would realize the favor of Allah on him via the worldly enjoyment that He deprived him of, and it being far greater than what He gave him of its enjoyment. Indeed, He only deprived him in order to give him, and He only afflicted him in order to heal him, and He only tested him to strengthen his bond with his Creator, and He only put him to death in order to elevate him, and He only removed him from this worldly life in order to meet Him.”[1]

[1] Taken from [al-Fawâ’id], by Ibn al-Qayyim, with adaption

https://jamiat.org.za/closing-doors-to-open-more/

This week, let's review the 40th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhuma), who said: The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) took me by the shoulder and said,

“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.”

And Ibn Umar (RahiyAllahu ‘anhuma) used to say, “In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.”

[Reported by Bukhari]


Benefits and Action points:

- Understand the reality of this life and that it is very lowly
- Do not seek to be a stranger, but it comes naturally to whoever is following teachings of the Quran and Sunnah correctly
- Living as if you will die tomorrow and having high aspirations are not contradictory, but are two different things. A believer should live as if - he will die tomorrow but plan as if he will live for long
- Look at the ill people around you and take heed from their illness and focus on doing more good while you are still healthy
- Understand that your true home is Jannah and you are now here on a trip towards Jannah so ensure you follow the right path so you can reach your goal, and do not waste your time taking with you unnecessary items that will only slow you down and push you further away from home

Read the full commentary here

Episode 4 - graphing linear inequalities


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XVsAhijS4E

Many people overlook sins, forgetting that they have a lot of consequences. Below are some of the effects of sins on our lives.

1: The prevention of knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allaah throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light. Imaam Shaafi’ee (rahimahullah) said: “I complained to Wakee’ about the weakness of my memory, so he ordered me to abandon disobedience. And informed me that the knowledge is light. And that the light of Allaah is not given to the disobedient. “

2: The prevention of sustenance: Just as Taqwaa brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwaa causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience.

3: The prevention of obedience (to Allaah): If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allaah then this would be sufficient.

4: Disobedience weakens the heart and the body: Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely.

5: Disobedience reduces the lifespan and destroys any blessings: Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

6: Sins weaken the hearts will and resolve: The desire for disobedience becomes strong and the desire to repent becomes weak bit by bit until the desire to repent is removed from the heart completely.

7: Every type of disobedience is a legacy of a nation from among the nations which Allaah destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the People of Lot, taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the People of Shu’ayb, seeking greatness in the land and causing corruption is a legacy of the People of Pharoah and pride/arrogance and tyranny is a legacy of the People of Hud. So the disobedient one is wearing the gown of some of these nations who were the enemies of Allaah.

8: Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Sustainer. Al-Hasan al-Basree (rahimahullah) said: They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honorable (in His sight) He would have protected them. Allah the Exalted said: “And whomsoever Allaah lowers (humiliates) there is none to give honor.”

9: The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allaah. Ibn Mas’ood (radiy Allahu anhu) said: Indeed, the believer sees his sins as if he was standing at the foot of a mountain fearing that it will fall upon him and the sinner sees his sins like a fly which passes by his nose so he tries to remove it by waving his hand around. [Bukhaari]

10: Disobedience inherits humiliation and lowliness. Honor lies in the obedience of Allaah. Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak said: “I have seen sins kill the hearts. And humiliation is inherited by their continuity. The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts. And the prevention of your soul is better for it.”

11: Disobedience corrupts the intellect. The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient.

12: When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said: “But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (i.e. their actions).”

13: Sins cause the various types of corruption to occur in the land. Corruption of the waters, the air, the plants, the fruits and the dwelling places. The Exalted said: “Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return (to Him).”

14: Sins are the cause of Allaah forgetting His servant, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself with his soul and shaytaan and in this is the destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.


15: Sins remove the servant from the realm of Ihsaan (doing good) and he is prevented from (obtaining) the reward of those who do good. When Ihsaan fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience.

16: Disobedience causes the favors (of Allaah) to cease and make His revenge lawful. No blessing ceases to reach a servant except due to a sin and no retribution is made lawful upon him except due to a sin. Ali (radiy Allahu ‘anhu) said: No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance. Allaah the Exalted said: “Whatever misfortune afflicts you then it is due to what your hands have earned and (yet) He pardons many.” And the Exalted also said: “That is because never will Allaah change the favor He has bestowed on a people until they change what is with themselves.”

Imaam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
Source: From his Book Al-Jawaab al-Kaafee
https://jamiat.org.za/the-effects-of-sins/

This week, let's review the 39th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhuma), that the Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

Verily Allah has pardoned for me my ummah: their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they have been forced to do under duress.

[Hasan hadith reported by Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi, and others]

Brief Commentary from Hadith Commentary


- Forgetfulness is when you know the ruling but you forget at the time of carrying out the action. Again, when it comes to the rights of the community and individuals, even if you forget, you are still held accountable by them if they don’t forgive you
- When it comes to doing actions under duress, the person who forced you must have the ability to enact what he threatened to do, otherwise it is not considered that you were forced to do the action
- The person who is being forced to do the action must:
-- Not be content with the action
-- Lack the capability of repelling the person forcing him
- It differs from person to person what a valid threat is depending on their ability, whether they can bear it or not. (Shafi’ee opinion, which seems strongest)
- Not everything we are coerced to do is acceptable:
- Uttering a statement of kufr: There is consensus that you can do this as long as you have Iman in your heart
- Action of kufr: Difference of opinion, but the strongest opinion is that it is the same as uttering statement of kufr
- Killing someone: There is consensus that you can’t do this. Every believer has an equal right to live so you cannot take someone’s life to save another’s
- Doing a haram action to keep the better good: It is obligatory for you to do this, as it is a concession from Allah


Benefits and Action points

- Praise Allah for overlooking mistakes, forgetfulness and coercion from actions carried out by this nation
- Always seek forgiveness from individuals when you wrong them, even if it is unintentional as they may not forgive you and seek retribution on the day of judgement
- Whenever wanting to know the correct opinion on a matter, look at what the pious first nations agreed upon and ensure the opinion you follow falls into their agreement even if they differed e.g. they differed between A & B, so ensure you fall into either A & B as they agreed it is between those two opinions only
- Do not carry out an action and claim you were forced to do it when the person forcing you is weaker than you or cannot carry out his threat, or threatens you with something bearable
- If you are forced to do something, ensure you are always discontent with it in your heart
When there is no textual evidence advising you what to do, then look for the overall benefit and act upon it


Hadith Commentary

Graphing inequalities


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuXFuaFtEh8

DieRich5:
If Nigeria government no kill us, other countries go kill us


Now Amazon kdp don blacklist Nigeria and so many sites........... just imagine all the Exchanges stop p2p, what's will be our next aim?


Seriously, to be a Nigerian man is not easy at all

You guys should also stop gaming things.

Are your parents your responsibility? - Sanusi Lafiagi

A few days ago, someone tweeted on X that your parents are not your responsibility. The tweet generated so much debates and reactions among fellow users. Some users agreed with the tweet, and some opposed it. Those who opposed it argued from religious and moral perspectives.

Some of those who agreed with the tweet submitted that it was the choice of the parents to birth their children, hence it becomes their responsibility to raise them. However, the children are not required to reciprocate the gesture because they never asked for it in the first place.

As Muslims, our thoughts and actions must always be guided by the dictates of the Sharī'ah and not by those of our whims. Some of the comments I read from supposed Muslims on the matter is disappointing and heartbreaking to say the least. So, if we all agree that the dictates of the Sharī'ah are our ultimate guide, what does it say about this issue?

Firstly, Islam commands 5 things when it comes to parents. These are:

1. Obedience: Every child owes his/her parents total obedience in all matters except where such obedience constitutes a disobedience to Allāh and His Messenger.

Disobedience to one's parents is a MAJOR sin in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: "A disobedient child will NOT enter Jannah."

2. Respect: Showing respect to one's parents is a fundamental principle of the Sharī'ah, to the extent that it is forbidden to ignore, disregard, cheat, lie to, or raise one's voice at them (Qur'ān 17:23)

3. Dutifulness: The Sharī‘ah obligates every child to be dutiful to his/her parents and submit himself/herself to them completely. Serve your parents is the second of the sacred commandments (Qur'ān 4:36, 17:23). During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, a young man enlisted in the army for an expedition. The Prophet asked him, "are your parents alive?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ directed him to go back home and take care of them. That, for him, was the Jihād.

4. Compassion: Being compassionate and empathetic to one's parents especially in their old or weak age is an obligation on every child. In Qur'ān 17:24, Allāh says:
"and spread over them humbly the wings of thy tenderness, and say: "O my Sustainer! Bestow Thy grace upon them, even as they cherished and reared me when I was a child!"

5. Charity: The Sharī‘ah obligates every child to spend on his parents first before extending his hand of generosity to others. In Qur'ān 2:215, Allāh says:
The people ask, "What should we spend?" Tell them, "Whatever you spend, spend for your parents, your relatives, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, Allah has knowledge of it."

This brings us back to the question of whether or not a child is responsible for taking care of his/her parents. The simple answer is a capital YES! Your parents are your responsibility as highlighted above.

However, the degree of responsibility varies according to the capacity of both the parent and the child. What this means is that where the parents are financially comfortable and can take care of their own needs, the child is not obligated to provide for them. He is not sinful for not spending on them.

My father was so comfortable that even when he died, what he left in his account I am yet to have it even with my pension balance combined. This was a man that was supporting me with ₦100,000 every year for my postgraduate programme frok Masters to PhD until he died. Whatever one does for such a parent is considered as a form of charity to attract their affection and prayers.

However, if one's parents are destitute or weak and cannot fend for themselves or do not have enough to sustain themselves, it becomes OBLIGATORY on the child to provide for them after providing for himself, his wife, and kids. This is a matter of consensus among the scholars of Islam. Ibn Al-Mundhir said:

أجمع أهل العلم على أن نفقة الوالدين الفقيرين الذين لا كسب لهما ولا مال واجبة في مال الولد.

Therefore, before you jump on the trend to support the tweet, know what the Sharī‘ah stipulates. It doesn't matter whether your parents ask you or not. If you have enough to take care of yourself and family, add your parents to your responsibility list. They have sacrificed their active and productive years for you. It is time for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

May we not become weak and needy in our old age. Importantly, may we not give birth to ingrates that won't care about our wellbeing because he/she doesn't consider us his/her responsibility!

Parents are a live wire, nay transformer with constant electric supply. Don't go and hug it o!

This week, let's review the 38th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

Verily Allah (Glorified may he be) has said: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to a wali (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with nafil (supererogatory) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’

Benefits and Action points:

- Increase in purifying your heart and carrying out many righteous actions so that you may be from the friends of Allah
- Enmity can occur between us and the scholars and amongst ourselves so we should be aware of falling into either
- Beware of waging war against Allah by harming His believing slaves
- Know that the most beloved actions to Allah are the obligatory actions
- Strive to attain the love of Allah by fulfilling the obligations and increasing in the recommended actions
- Khabab ibn Al-Aratt said, “Know that you will not draw closer to Allah with anything more beloved to Him than his speech (i.e. Qur’an)”
- Don’t leave out recommended actions just because you are not fulfilling the obligatory ones, rather do the recommended actions that you can for they may push you to then fulfil the obligations as you should

Source: Hadith Commentary

Episode 72 - Sequences

Tonight, I began the next program (Program 10, page 605) covering the topic of sequences. I reviewed the meaning of sequences, discussing how they relate to and differ from sets. Additionally, I demonstrated how to graph sequences and explained some special sequences along with methods to obtain their nth terms.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clf4WfI27M0

Inequalities 2 - Solving inequalities


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX4brQ-aUTw

Inequalities Ep. 1 - Introduction


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP5x8X4KTqQ

As Shawwal draws to a close, let's not forget the opportunity to earn extra blessings by completing our six fasts. Remember the words of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): 'Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if they fasted for an entire year.'

Let's seize this chance for multiplied rewards!

May Allah accept our ibaadat

This week, let's review the 37th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhuma), from the Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam), from what he has related from his Lord is:

“Verily Allah has written down the good deeds and the evil deeds”, and then explained it [by saying]: “Whosoever intended to perform a good deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed. And if he intended to perform it and did perform it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds up to seven hundred fold, up to many times multiplied. And if he intended to perform an evil deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed. And if he intended it [i.e., the evil deed] and then performed it, then Allah writes it down as one evil deed.”

[Reported by Bukhari & Muslim]


Benefits and Action points:
Source: Hadith commentary

- Be observant of Allah’s watching over you
- Train yourself to always think about and intend to do good deeds
- Allah will aid you if we want to do good deeds
- What prevents you from developing further and changing to the better is not having high aspirations and wanting to do good, so change this and have high aspirations
- Try to increase in the reasons for multiplication of deeds so that your deed is multiplied even further e.g. be more sincere, try to benefit others, make sure your hear is present
- Ensure you leave sins for the sake of Allah and not for the sake of the people
- Leaving out an action is an action, so ensure your leaving of actions is solely for Allah so that it is not considered as riyaa’, which is a minor shirk
- Avoid all of the reasons for magnification of sins
- Praise Allah for decreeing the contents of this hadith


Others? add yours

Now that we come to the end of Ramadaan the big question is what to do?

Did we go through all the spiritual exercises in Ramadaan in order that we may have the freedom to indulge, on Eid day, in all types of immoral, shameless and indecent amusement? Did we restrain ourselves from halaal food, drinks and other pleasures from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadaan, so that we may return with renewed vigour to gambling, drinking, adultery and fornication? Will the spirit of tolerance, mercy, patience, charity and sympathy be still evident or will these noble qualities be shelved until the dawn of the next Ramadaan?

The Holy month of Ramadaan came like seasonal rain and passed by. This rain did not water the plants and crops -it showered upon the hearts of believers. It is sad, but true, that the hearts of the majority of Muslims are stricken with spiritual drought and spiritual decadence. It is a drought caused by excessive indulgence in un-Islamic activities, immoral behaviour, unjust actions, unfair dealings etc. Drought caused by lack of rain destroys crops -drought caused by lack of piety, lack of fear of Allah and lack of Allah consciousness destroys the SPIRITUALITY of the heart.

Ramadaan’s spiritual rains brought to life the Masaajid and other prayer places. Ramadaan had fanned the dying spark of charity. Ramadaan had awakened the dying spirit of tolerance, patience and sympathy for the less fortunate.

Now that we come to the end of Ramadaan the big question is what to do?

Did we go through all the spiritual exercises in Ramadaan in order that we may have the freedom to indulge, on Eid day, in all types of immoral, shameless and indecent amusement? Did we restrain ourselves from halaal food, drinks and other pleasures from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadaan, so that we may return with renewed vigour to gambling, drinking, adultery and fornication? Will the spirit of tolerance, mercy, patience, charity and sympathy be still evident or will these noble qualities be shelved until the dawn of the next Ramadaan?

Will the Masajids which were filled on most nights in Ramadaan remain the same or will they become empty wondering where the faithful have gone? Our lifestyles after Ramadaan will show whether we used the month to bring about a total reformation within ourselves or are we going to waste the valuable opportunity?

The National and international position of the Muslim communities leaves much to be desired. Muslims are lamenting the loss of lives, destruction of property, oppression, tyranny, injustice and a host of other problems all over the world. They are wondering why the promised help of Allah to the believers is nowhere in sight. Just one glance into the lifestyles of the overwhelming majority of the Muslims is sufficient to answer the question. Millions of Muslims do not have much to their credit besides Muslim names.

Allah’s help comes with action and Islamic qualities -not with names or faces – Arabs or non-Arabs, African or European, Chinese or Indians. On the other hand every group, organization, society or individual who talks Islam, seems to have got its own brand of Islam. The Islamic teachings which were left behind for us, crystal clear and pristine pure, have become so adulterated with foreign customs, alien practices and un-Islamic ideologies, that a new Muslim has to make an effort to search for the Quran and Sunnah brand of Islam or remain confused and ignorant.

May Allah Ta’ala give us the guidance to resolve that we shall make the Quran and Sunnah our guiding lights and practise Islam as much as possible. If the non-Muslim inhabitants of our country see Islam in the lives of Muslims, they will not require much persuasion to accept our beautiful deen

https://jamiat.org.za/after-ramadaan-avoiding-sins-3/

The Quran unequivocally advises against excessive suspicion, asserting that some forms of suspicion are indeed sinful, and warns against the act of spying or prying into the faults of others (Surah Hujurat, Verse 12). This prohibition extends to both Tajassus (spying) and Tahassus (searching). In a narration by Abu Hurayrah (RA), the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) explicitly forbade the act of spying on one another and actively seeking out the faults of others (Bukhari & Muslim).

While the term Tahassus (searching) may not inherently carry a negative connotation, its application to the private lives of others is deemed reprehensible, as highlighted by the Prophet's injunction. The verse notes the importance of relying on presented evidence rather than actively seeking out faults.

Abu Barzah Al Aslami further emphasizes the detrimental nature of speaking ill of Muslims behind their backs and searching for their faults. Such actions, he explains, invite the scrutiny of Allah, who will expose the faults of those who engage in such behavior, even within the confines of their homes (Abu Dawood).

Both Tajassus (spying) and Tahassus (searching) encompass intrusive acts such as secretly listening to conversations without permission or eavesdropping at doors.

In adhering to the finer aspects of social conduct, Muslims demonstrate their commitment to character and worship. It is through cultivating good character and embodying noble qualities that one's deeds hold greater weight in the eyes of Allah than mere acts of worship.

May Allah ease our affairs (Aameen)

Inspired from Darul-ihsan

This week, let's review the 35th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:
“Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the grievances of the Day of Judgment. Whosoever alleviates the needs a needy person, Allah will alleviate his needs in this world and the next. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the next. Allah will aid a servant [of His] so long as the servant aids his brother. Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except tranquillity descends upon them, mercy envelopes them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are with Him. Whosoever is slowed down by his actions will not be hastened forward by his lineage.”


[Reported by Muslim in these words]

Benefits and Action points (from Hadith commentary):

- Try to alleviate afflictions or financial difficulties from your brothers
- Be easy on a person who you have borrowed money
- Never search for the faults of others and conceal the ones you know
- Always search for your own faults and try to fix them
- Feel sad when you see someone doing wrong and never be happy when proving someone wrong
- When it comes to exposing sins:
*We shouldn’t mention the faults of the righteous who are not known to openly commit sins
*We can expose the sins of those who sin publicly to warn Muslims about them, not to mock them
- Ensure you act upon whatever little knowledge you have
- When seeking knowledge, don’t expect things to come easy, rather struggle to gain the knowledge that you require
-Study the Qur’an in the Masjid for it is a highly virtuous act
-Intentions when seeking knowledge:
*To please Allah, not to fulfil our intellectual cravings
*To remove ignorance from oneself and others
*To defend the shari’ah
*To reform our character and act upon our knowledge

Benefits and Action points


Envy is hidden so we need to assume we have it, to ensure we don’t have it and get rid of it
Realise the ill-effects and dangers of envy and try to steer away from it

Try and compete with others who are better than you in matters of the religion, whilst wishing the best for them

Ways to remove envy from our hearts:
Do not compare yourself with others who have more than you in matters of the dunya
Mention the good qualities of the person you are envious of

Be good to the person you are envious of
Make du’aa for the person you are envious of
Wish that the person surpasses you in that which you are envious of

Do not witness or approve of gatherings where others are being mocked or their faults are being mentioned

Ponder over the harms of envy mentioned above

Avoid the causes of envy mentioned above

Do not artificially increase the price of products

When hating someone for the sake of Allah, only hate their deviancy and love all the good in them

Never boycott a believer for the sake of a worldly matter for over than 3 days

Understand that boycotting deviants is done if it brings a benefit and is decided by the scholars

If you have a dispute with a brother, then be the better person by initiating the salam when you meet

Do not undercut believer and disbelievers in trade

Do not wait for your brother to ask you for help, rather offer them help without them having to ask

Do not allow for a believer to be humiliated before you and you do nothing to help them

There is no benefit in developing a good relationship with a person if you don’t help each other in attaining piety and in worship of Allah, and this friendship may be a cause of sorrow for you on the day of judgement

A Muslim should be someone who has an awareness about the reality of the Muslim ummah and knows it needs and tries to help wherever possible

Sometimes we may be tested by another person’s character, so we need to ensure we don’t oppress someone just because we don’t like their characteristics, when in fact they could be a pious person

A believer should always be conscious of not harming others

We need to have empathy and never harm anyone whether mentally or physically

For more commentary, see here

This week, let's review the 35th hadith of the forty hadith of An-nawawih. For the past review, see here

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RadhiyaAllahu ‘anhu) who said: The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said,

“Do not envy one another, and do not inflate prices for one another, and do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade, but [rather] be slaves of Allah and brothers [amongst yourselves]. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor does he fail him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he hold him in contempt. Taqwa (piety) is right here [and he pointed to his chest three times]. It is evil enough for a man to despise his Muslim brother. The whole of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property, and his honour.”

[Reported by Muslim]

Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward.

Whoever fasts these six days of Shawwal after Ramadan will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.”

The Sunnah acts and etiquettes of ‘Eid include: 1. Making ghusl before ‘Eid prayer.

2. Eating before going out to pray on ‘Eid al-Fitr and after the prayer on ‘Eid al-Adha.

3. Takbir on the day of ‘Eid

4. Offering congratulations

5. Adorning oneself on the occasion of ‘Eid.

6. Going to the prayer by one route and and returning by another.returning by another.

Source: IslamQA