Characteristics of a Pure and Sound Heart

A pure heart is the heart that has submitted to its Lord and His command without entertaining any resentment to His command or opposition to His saying. It is free from anything besides Allah and His injunction; it does not desire anything save Allah and it does not do except what Allah has ordered. Hence, Allah alone is its goal, His order and law are its way and path, and no doubt comes between it and believing the information of its Lord.  An iota of doubt will never pass through it except that the heart surmounts it knowing that there is no dwelling for it therein, and no lust comes between it and following the pleasure of its Lord.

Whenever a heart is in this state, it will be free from shirk, free from innovations, free from oppression and free from falsehood as well as all the sayings whose explanations have been abrogated. The truth is that this heart has submitted to the servitude of its Lord out of modesty, fear and hope; it is absorbed in His love, His fear and His hope alone. Indeed, it has acquiesced to the order of Allah and His messenger out of faith and obedience as preceded. Besides, it has surrendered to the decree and preordainment of Allah without panning Him or wrangling with Him.

It does not become angry at the decree of Allah but surrenders to Him out of submission, humility and devotion. It has submitted all its state of affairs, sayings, actions, inclinations and likings, inward and outward, to whatsoever come from the niche of His messenger and it has subjected any other thing to the niche of the messenger; it accepts whatever conforms to it and rejects whatever contradicts it.

It will suspend or defer anything that is not clear to him as to whether it is in   conformity or inconsistent until it becomes readily apparent to him. Equally, it makes peace with the friends of Allah and His party, the successful party who defends His religion and the Sunnah of His Messenger and implements it. On the other hand, it shows enmity to His enemies who go against His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger, those who rebel against the two and invite to what is contrary to them.

Source: Miftaah Daar as-Sa‘aadah wa Manshoor Wilaayah Ahl al-‘Ilm wal-Iraadah by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Taking Money for Teaching the Qur’aan

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)

The Shaykh was asked, what is the ruling on accepting wages for teaching the noble Qur’aan in schools of memorizing the Qur’aan?

He responded: There is no harm in that according to the most correct view. This is because accepting wages would assist a person to continue to teach and be patient upon it, because a lot of people may not be able to do it without something (that is payment) if they do not have income with which they would take care of themselves so as to devote their time to the teaching.

Therefore, if a person is given payment for that he will dedicate himself to teaching and benefit the people. Al-Bukhaaree recorded in his authentic collection from Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The most deserving thing that you take a wage for is the Book of Allaah.” This includes teaching.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymeen said:  It is permissible to employ a person to teach the Qur’aan. The following are proofs of that.

Firstly: The statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) in an authentic hadeeth: “The most deserving of thing that you take wages for is the Book of Allaah.”

Secondly: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) permitted taking of wages for healing as contained in the hadeeth of the man who was stung by a scorpion.

Thirdly: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) married a woman to a man who did not have dowry and considered her dowry teaching her the Qur’aan that he has memorized. So he made it a compensation. Therefore, the correct opinion is that it is permissible to take wages for teaching the Qur’aan. We have mentioned three proofs. One of them is verbal proof while the other two are practical proofs.

Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Commenting on the hadeeth of Aboo Sa’eed al-Khudree who narrated that a Companion took a herd of sheep for healing somebody by reciting Soorah al-Faatihah, Shaykh al-Albaanee said:

“This hadeeth is clear with regard to the permissibility of accepting wages for healing by reciting Soorah al-Faatihah. As regards, accepting wages for teaching the Qur’aan, it is not permissible according to the correct view among the sayings of the scholars due to the ahaadeeth that have been reported from him (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) condemning the one who takes wages for teaching the Qur’aan. I have mentioned a good number of them in Silsilah ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (256 – 260)

Source: al-Eejaaz fee Ba’di Maa Ikhtalafa  feehi al-Albaanee, wa Ibn Uthaymeen wa Ibn Baaz, vol. 1,  p. 691-692 compiled by Sa’d bin Abdullaah

The Sunnah that makes Lectures Beneficial

Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Every sermon that is devoid of tashahhud is like an amputated hand [that is devoid of benefit].”  As-Saheehah, no. 169

Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him) commented on the above hadeeth thus: “I believe that the intended meaning of tashahhud in this hadeeth is Khutbatul-Haajah (the Sermon of Need), which Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) used to teach his companions:

إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومن يضلل فلا هادي له وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله

‘Indeed, all praise is due to Allaah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from our souls’ evils and our wrong doings. He whom Allaah guides, no one can misguide, and he whom He misguides, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship save Allaah, the One Who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is his servant and messenger’

Perhaps, this is the reason or at least one of the reasons why most of the lessons and lectures that are delivered to students lack benefit, since they are not commenced with the aforementioned tashahhud in spite of the eagerness of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) to teach it to his companions…”

Source:  Nudhum al-Faraa’id mimma fee Silsilati al-Albaanee min Fawaa’id, vol. 2, p. 356-357 by Abdul-Lateef bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abee Rabee’

The Reality of this World

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

…If the world makes you laugh a little, it will make you weep much; if it gives happiness for one day, it will cause sorrow for a year; if it gives little enjoyment, it will deny it for a long period. No house will be filled with fortune without it being filled with tears; and if it gives someone happiness for a day, it will conceal joy from him for a day.

Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “For every moment of joy, there is a moment of sorrow, and no house is filled with joy except that it will be filled with sadness.” Ibn Seereen (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said: “No laughter comes except that weeping follows it.” Hind bint Nu‘maan (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I remember when we were the most powerful people and strongest in kingdom; then it was not long before we became the most insignificant of people. It is the promise of Allah the exalted that He will not fill up a house with blessing except that He fills it with tears.”

Then a man asked her to inform him about her condition, so she said: “We woke up one morning and there was none among the Arabs except that they admired us. Then in the evening, there was none among the Arabs who did not feel sorry for us.” Her sister Hurqah bint Nu‘maan cried while she was in her glorious days. She was asked: “Why are you crying? Perhaps, someone hurt you?” She replied: “No, but I saw affluence in my family; and hardly is a house filled with happiness without its being filled with sadness.”

Ishaaq bin Talhah said: “One day I entered upon her (that is, Hurqah bin Nu‘maan) and said to her: “How do you see the tears of kings?” She answered: “Our condition today is better than our situation yesterday. We find in the books that no household lives in affluence except that it will be followed with tears thereafter. And time will not display to a people a day they love without concealing for them a day they will dislike!”  Then she said:“When we ruled the people and the authority was ours, all of a sudden we became among the subjects demanding justice. Horrible is the world whose bliss is not permanent; it changes and fluctuates many times with us.”

Source: Zaad al-Ma‘aad fee Hady Khayr al-‘Ibaad by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

What is Sincerity in Seeking Knowledge?

Sincerity in seeking knowledge is by making the following intentions:

First: Let your intention in seeking knowledge be to comply with the order of Allaah, because Allaah has enjoined that. He said: “So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allaah and ask forgiveness for your sin…”  [Soorah Muhammad: 19]. Allah the exalted has exhorted seeking knowledge and an exhortation towards something necessitates that He loves it, approves of it and enjoins it.

Second: Your intention should [also] be to preserve the Sharee’ah of Allaah, because preservation of the Sharee’ah of Allaah is through learning and retention in the chest as well as through writing.

Third: Let your intention be to protect and defend the Sharee’ah, because if not for the scholars, no one would have protected and defended the Sharee’ah. That was why the likes of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and others among the people of knowledge checked the people of innovations and clarified the futility of their call. We believe that they have attained abundant good [on account of that].

Fourth: [Further], your intention should also be to follow the Sharee’ah of Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) because it is impossible to follow his Sharee’ah unless you know this Sharee’ah.

Fifth: Finally, your intention in seeking knowledge should be to remove ignorance from yourself and others.

Source: Kitaab al-‘Ilm, p. 130-131 by Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)

The Neglected Sunnah of Fajr Adhaan

There are many abandoned Sunan in our time. One of them is with regard to the Adhaan of Fajr prayer. The Sunnah is that two Mu’adhdhins should be appointed for the first and second adhaan of Fajr. One calls the first Fajr adhaan and the other calls the second. This is what is established in the authentic hadeeth. Abdullaah bin ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated, ‘The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Bilaal pronounces the adhaan at night, so keep on eating and drinking (pre-dawn meal) till Ibn Umm Maktum pronounces the adhaan.”  Recorded by al-Bukhaaree. May Allaah the exalted reward whoever revives this Sunnah.

Source: Refer to Tamaamul-Minnah, p.148 by Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Rarely Performed Sunnah of Salaah

One of the things that a worshipper should strive to do after entering the masjid is to perform his voluntary prayer towards a sutrah and he should move close to it. Sutrah is legislated with respect to the Imaam, a worshipper praying alone and the person who misses part  of the prayer with the Imaam when he stands up to make up what he has missed of the prayer. [This Sunnah should not be neglected] even if the worshipper is praying in a place where it is not feared that someone would pass due to the generality of the proofs, which indicate that every worshipper should pray towards it. This is because the one passing in front of a worshipper may be among the class that human being cannot see like the devil.

As regards the legality of praying towards a sutrah, there is no difference between men and women; yet there is negligence concerning it. There are some people who perform voluntary prayers [in the masjid] without praying towards a sutrah. Rather, they observe their prayers in the middle of the masjid or at the back of it without a sutrah. This is due to ignorance and lack of understanding in the religion. Women are also negligent regarding the sutrah. You can hardly find a woman praying in her house towards a sutrah except in rare cases.

There are statements and actions in the Sunnah, which indicate that praying towards a sutrah is important. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did it regularly and he did not abandon it whether in residence or while on a journey; and he enjoined it in a number of ahaadeeth so much so that some of the people of knowledge opined that it is obligatory. This is the view of Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah, Badar ad-Deen al-‘Aynee, ash-Shawkaanee and others (may Allah have mercy on all of them). This is a strong view even though the majority of scholars said it is Sunnah. This is because the command to make use of sutrah is a general one which has no inference that would change it from being an obligation. Below are some of these texts:

Aboo Sa’eed al Khudree (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and he should be close to it. He should not allow anyone to pass between him and it. If anyone tries to pass, he should fight him for he is a devil.”[1] Ash-Shawkaanee said: This contains a proof that praying towards a sutrah is obligatory.[2]

Sahl bin Abee Hathmah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhin wasallam) said: “When one of you prays, he should pray towards a sutrah and he should get close to it so that the devil will not cut off his prayer.”[3]

Sabrah bin Ma’bad al-Juhanee (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) of Allah said: “When one of you prays he should make a sutrah for his prayer even if it is with an arrow.”[4]

Source: Ahmaam Hudoor al-Masaajid, p. 117-118 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him). See also Sunan Mahjoorah, p. 32-33 by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed Raslaan (may Allaah preserve him)

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[1] Recorded by Aboo Daawood and others; it is in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (654, 664)

[2] Naylul-Awtaar (3/2)

[3] Aboo Daawood, and graded saheeh by Ibn Khuzaymah and an-Nawawee

[4] Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah and at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer. Its isnad is good.

Allah Will Treat You as You Treat Others

According to an authentic hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah is one (odd number) and loves odd (number).”[1] And He – blessed and exalted be He – is merciful and loves those who are merciful and He only shows mercy to those slaves of His who are merciful to others. He conceals faults and loves those who conceal (the faults) of His servants. He is Oft Pardoning and loves those slaves of His who pardon others among His servants. 

He is Oft Forgiving and loves those who forgive. He is Courteous and loves those who are courteous among His servants; and He hates those who are rude, harsh and merciless to His servants. He is Gentle and loves gentleness; He is Forbearing and loves forbearance; He is Righteous and loves righteousness and its people.

He is just and loves justice. He accepts the excuses of His slaves and He loves those who accept His servants’ excuses. He rewards His slave in proportion to the amount of the presence or absence of these attributes in him. Hence, whoever pardons others will be pardoned by Him and he who forgives others will be forgiven. He who accepts excuses from others will also be excused by Allah and whoever is gentle and mild to others Allah will be gentle and mild to him as well. 

Whoever is merciful to His creatures, Allah will be merciful to him and whoever is good to them He will be good to him. Whoever is generous to them, He will be generous to him and whoever benefits them, He will benefit him. Whoever conceals their fault He will conceal his fault. He will expose the one who exposes the fault of His servants and disgrace the one who disgraces His slaves.

Whoever deprives them of good, He will deprive him of good; and whoever puts His servants into hardship, He will put him into hardship. He plans against the one who plans against His slaves and deceives the one who deceives them. Whoever treats or deals with His creatures in a particular manner, Allah will also treat and deal with him in the same manner both in this world and in the Hereafter.

Therefore, Allah is to His servant the same way His servant is to Allah’s creatures. As such, it is stated in a hadeeth that: “Whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his fault in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever removes one of the anxieties of this world from a believer, Allah will remove one of the anxieties of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever makes things easy for the one distressed, Allah will make his accountability easy.”[2]

Source: Al-Waabil as-Sayyib min al-Kalim at-Tayyib p. 47-48 by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

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[1] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree (6410) and Muslim (2677)

[2] Recorded by Muslim (2699), al-Bukhaaree (2442)

How to Increase Your Knowledge

 ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Knowledge increases by spending while wealth decreases by spending.” Whenever a scholar offers his knowledge to the people and spends from it, its spring will gush forth thereby growing in abundance, strength and visibility. Through his teaching, he will gain the preservation of what he had learnt and acquire the knowledge he does not previously possess. An issue may be unclear to the scholar or within the scope of complication, but when he talks about it and teaches it, it may become clear and simplified to him, which may open up other forms of knowledge to him.

In addition, the reward for an action is from the type of action; just as he taught the people what they did not know, Allah will reward him by teaching him what he did not know. The proof is contained in Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of ‘Iyaad bin Himaar who reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said in a lengthy hadeeth: “Allah said to me, ‘Spend I will spend upon you.”[1] This includes spending knowledge by conveying it, awakening it or mentioning its essence.

There are two paths to the growth and development of knowledge: the first is by teaching it and the second is acting upon it. Indeed, acting upon it will also cause it to grow, increase it and open its doors and its hidden assets for the one acting upon it. This is because teaching it and acting upon it is trading in it; just as wealth grows by trading with it, the same is applicable to knowledge.

Source: Miftaah Daar as-Sa’aadah wa Manshoor Wilaayah Ahl al-‘Ilm wal-Iraadah by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Translated by Abdus-Samee Abdus-Salaam.

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[1] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree (4684) and Muslim (993)

Revive This Abandoned Sunnah of Praying Nawaafil

One of the abandoned Sunnah is for a person to perform his voluntary prayers where people would not see him and this is something Muslims do not strive for [today]. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stated, as recorded by Abu Ya’laa with a saheeh chain: “The voluntary prayer of a man where people do not see him is worth twenty-five times more than in a place where people would see him.” This hadeeth is saheeh[1]

Source: Sunan Mahjoorah, p. 32 by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed Raslaan (may Allah preserve him)

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[1] It was graded saheeh by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer (3821)

Benefits of Seeking Allah’s Pleasure at All Times

A servant will not prefer the pleasure of Allah the Mighty and Sublime to the pleasure of the creation, bears the burden and difficulty of that and remains patient on the trial, except that Allah will bring forth blessing, bliss and backing from that trial and difficulty in proportion to what he endured for His pleasure. He will turn his fears to safety, his likely place of destruction to salvation, his debilitation to relaxation, his difficulty to assistance, his affliction to favor, his tribulation to gift, and his irritation to pleasure. What a failure for those lagging behind! What a depravity for those who shy away!

It has become the unalterable way of Allah that whoever prefers the pleasure of the creatures to His pleasure, He will make his object of pleasure angry with him, and cause him to be disappointed from his angle, place his ordeal in his hand and his praise will turn to condemnation. And whoever prefers His pleasure out of discontent, he will not attain his aim from the creatures nor will he obtain the reward of the pleasure of his Lord. Such a person is the weakest and most thoughtless of creatures.

This is in spite of the fact that the pleasure of the creature is neither achievable, nor required nor transmitted as it is impossible; rather, they will certainly be angry with you. And for them to be angry with you while Allah is pleased with you should be dearer to you; this is more beneficial to you than that they should be pleased with you while Allah is not pleased with you.

 If their anger is inevitable upon evaluation, prefer their anger through which you will attain the pleasure of Allah, for they will be pleased with you afterwards; otherwise, the most despicable of things is the pleasure of one whose pleasure will not benefit you nor will his anger harm you in your religion, eemaan or in your Hereafter. Moreover, even if it harms you in an insignificant thing in this worldly life, the harm of Allah’s anger is greater.

Source: Madaarij as-Saalikeen by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him)

When A Traveller Is in These Situations

If a traveller prays behind a Resident Imam: If a traveller enters a masjid while people are praying, he should pray with them and it is obligatory upon him to complete the prayer and follow the Imam. This is based on the report from Moosaa bin Salamah who said, “We were with Ibn Abbaas in Makkah. Then I said, ‘When we are with you we pray four rak’ah and when we return to our abode, we pray two rak’ah.’ He said, ‘That is the Sunnah of Abul-Qaasim.”[1] Moosaa bin Salamah also said: ‘I asked Ibn Abbaas, ‘How shall I pray if I am in Makkah and I do not pray with the Imam? He replied, ‘Two rak’ah – the Sunnah of Abul-Qaasim.”[2]

Ash-Sha’bee narrated that whenever Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) performed prayer in Makkah, he used to pray two rak’ah except when he prayed behind the Imam, then he would pray according to his prayer.”[3] Naafi’ also reported that Abdullaah bin ‘Umar used to pray four rak’ah behind the Imam in Mina, but if he prayed by himself, he would perform two rak’ah.’ These narrations indicate when a traveller prays behind a resident, it is obligatory upon him to perform four rak’ah according to the consensus of the people of knowledge.[4]

If a traveller catches two rak’ah of Zuhr or ‘Asr with a Resident Imam: If a traveller enters a masjid after the Imam has performed two rak’ah of Zuhr, for example, will the remaining two rak’ah suffice for him since he is required to perform just two rak’ah if he prays alone or does he have to complete the prayer?  

Response: It is obligatory upon him to complete the prayer. This is based on the report from Aboo Mijlaz – his name is Laahiq bin Humayd -  who said: “I said to Ibn ‘Umar, ‘If a traveller catches two rak’ah with the people -  that is, non-travellers – will those two rak’ah suffice for him or does he have to pray according to their prayer? He laughed and said, ‘He prays according to their prayer.”[5] On the basis of this, if a traveller catches one rak’ah or more with a resident Imam, he should complete the prayer because he caught up with the congregation and followed a resident in a portion of his prayer. So it is obligatory upon him to complete the prayer.

If a traveller catches less than a rak’ah with a Resident Imam: However, if a traveller catches less than a rak’ah, such as if he catches up with the Imam in tashahhud, should he complete his prayer or shorten it? Scholars differ with regard to the issue of when should a person be considered to have caught up with the prayer in congregation. Those who said that a person is considered to have caught up with the prayer in congregation if he catches one rak’ah are of the view that if a traveller catches up with his Imam in tashahhud, he should shorten his prayer because he has missed the congregation. He is like one who prayed alone. According Imam Ahmad, Maalik and a group of scholars among the salaf, whoever catches less than a rak’ah should shorten his prayer.

However, those who said that if a person catches the tashahhud, he has caught up with the prayer in congregation  are of the view that this traveller should complete his prayer because he  caught up with the prayer in congregation.[6] The correct view as regards this issue is that a person cannot be considered to have caught up with the prayer in congregation except if he catches up with a rak’ah.[7]

Source: Ahkaam Hudoor al-Masaajid, p 198-200 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)[8]

Is congregational Prayer obligatory upon a traveller?

Shaykh al-Albaanee: If what is intended by congregational prayer is the congregational prayer in the masjid, the answer is no. But if what is meant [by congregational prayer] is that the travellers should pray [in congregation] amongst themselves, then the answer is yes.

Is Jumu’ah prayer obligatory upon a traveller?

Shaykh al-Albaanee: No it is not obligatory. Our evidence that the obligation of congregational prayer in the masjid is lifted from travellers is due to the fact that Jumu’ah prayer is not obligatory upon them and the Jumu’ah prayer is more emphasized than congregational prayer, yet he is not mandated to observe the Jumu’ah prayer along with the Jamaa’ah of the Muslims

Source: al-Haawee min Fataawaa ash-Shaykh al-Albaanee, p. 240 compiled by Aboo Yoosuf Muhammad bin Ibraaheem. Translated by Abdus-Samee' Abdus-Salaam.

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[1] Recorded by Ahmad (3/357) and the chain was graded saheeh in Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel (213)

[2] Recorded by Muslim

[3] Recorded by Ibn Khuzaymah

[4] See al-Mughnee, 3/146

[5] Recorded by al-Bayhaqee (3/157) and its chain is saheeh. See Irwaa al-Ghaleel (3/22)

[6] See Majmoo al-Fataawaa (23/243)

[7] Aboo Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘If you come to the prayer and we are in prostration, prostrate and do not count it as (a complete rak’ah). Whoever catches the bowing has caught the prayer.” Saheeh al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer, no. 468

[8] Note: He is different from Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan bin Abdullaah al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)