Death, the doorway is ever near

Poem written by : Velma Cook

Here I am at last
I knew this day would come
My new home for a time
'til the trumpet shall blow
and once again I stand
upon an earth renewed

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Dark and still
I wait
Time has gone
Asking my lord for refuge
As I did in days gone by

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The call will go on
Long after I've gone
What did I leave behind?
Was I a carrier of light or a player of dreams?

Whose feet walk above me now?
Where do they go? From whence do they come?
Do they carry on the work
Or waste themselves in illusions?
Death, the doorway is ever near

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Do they not think of the day?
They shall be like me
Locked in a tomb
Awaiting life
The life that never ends?

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In the Name of Allah

Poem written by : Velma Cook

In the name of Allah we are born
In His name we live
and in His name we die

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Our shadows prostrate to their Creator morning and evening
without our consent
Birds and animals usher in the times of prayer

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Birds circumambulate the Ka'ba
while migrating birds stretch forth their wings
finding their way by Allah's Mercy

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Only to feel unrest and leave once more
ever-searching, traveling discontent until they die

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We, also wander
some blindly
while others see

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By : Velma Cook

The Simple Garment

Poem written by : Nargis Rahman (England) I am a Muslim,

A proud Muslim,

A lady with strong beliefs,

Why should I hide that fact?

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The comments, the looks, the sniggering,

Don’t care what people think,

I will still hold my head high,

I will still walk with bliss and dignity.

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So simple is the garment,

Yet so effective at its job,

Protecting me from the eyes of the world,

Reminding me of Allah.

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Stop….look….and think,

Do you truly want to be amongst the ignorant?

Do you truly want the lustful world?

Is it really worth sacrificing your Imaan?

Who I Am !

An Excellent poem about the Muslim Woman.

What do you see
when you look at me
Do you see someone limited,
or someone free

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All some people can do is just look and stare
Simply because they can't see my hair

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Others think I am controlled and uneducated
They think that I am limited and un-liberated

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They are so thankful that they are not me
Because they would like to remain 'free'

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Well free isn't exactly the word I would've used
Describing women who are cheated on and abused

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They think that I do not have opinions or voice
They think that being hooded isn't my choice

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They think that the hood makes me look caged
That my husband or dad are totally outraged

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All they can do is look at me in fear
And in my eye there is a tear

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Not because I have been stared at or made fun of
But because people are ignoring the one up above

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On the day of judgment they will be the fools
Because they were too ashamed to play by their own rules

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Maybe the guys won't think I am a cutie
But at least I am filled with more inner beauty

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See I have declined from being a guy's toy
Because I won't let myself be controlled by a boy

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Real men are able to appreciate my mind
And aren't busy looking at my behind

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Hooded girls are the ones really helping the muslim cause
The role that we play definitely deserves applause

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I will be recognized because I am smart and bright
And because some people are inspired by my sight

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The smart ones are attracted by my tranquility
In the back of their mind they wish they were me

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We have the strength to do what we think is right
Even if it means putting up a life long fight

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You see we are not controlled by a mini skirt and tight shirt
We are given only respect, and never treated like dirt

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So you see, we are the ones that are free and liberated
We are not the ones that are sexually terrorized and violated

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We are the ones that are free and pure
We're free of STD's that have no cure

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So when people ask you how you feel about the hood
Just sum it up by saying 'baby its all good' ;)

Choice

Poem written by: Maymoonah MS Adly

 

I see you doing wrong, 
You say you're not so strong, 
To fight against shaytan. 
Your evil desires drag you along. 
Mankind and jinn have one thing in common. 
They differ from Allah's other creation. 
The animals, trees, birds, bees and everything existing, 
fallow Allah's decree. 
As people you and I should agree, 
That we all have the ability ,to choose. 
Allah show us right. 
Allah shows us wrong. 
He gives us a brain, a mind. 
Now its up to us to choose, 
what we have to do. 
If we choose to do right, 
Allah will give us guidance, 
And bring us into the light. 
He would grant us everlasting paradise and delight. 
If we chose to do wrong, 
Evil will turn us down a road of darkness ,confusion, and frustration. 
A road that leads to a terrible destination. 
The fires of hell are wicked and mercyless. 
Only you could put your self in this. 
The choices you make, 
The things you choose, 
must not be taken lightly, must not be abused. 
Everyday every hour every minute of your life, You're making choices. 
What will I wear? 
What will I say? 
Should I say anything? 
Should I sit here? 
Or talk to them? 
Or eat this? 
Or buy that? 
Allah will ask us: what did we sing,learn,watch,say and do? 
"Why did you lie?" "Why did you curse?"
"Why did you wear that tight skirt and shirt?" 
Did Allah not give you all all that you need? 
So that you must commit sins and bad deeds? 
There is no excuse for the evil you do. 
Do not talk foolishness when you know the truth. 
You cannot lie to Allah. 
He knows all that you do. 
If you love Allah fully and true, 
Try your up most to please him, 
and pray for him to be pleased with you.

Why the Shame ?!

Poem written by : Maryam Elbenhawy I'm eyeballed from head to toe I notice this everywhere I go I look different because I am so I am a Muslim, and that's for you  To know... I cover myself, including my face Others may see it as strong faith I follow what the Quran says, and desire to appear As the Mothers of the Believers did People still see me as weird Even the Muslims, they hide in fear But why feel ashamed from something That dignifies women of your faith? Why exploit the beauty that Allah has Ordained? True this is a kafer country,  But should I fear not? Only from the One True Allah  Who created me from a clot

What is Islam ?

Poem written by : Maymoonah MS Adly

"What is Islam?” is the question you ask.
Answering this question is every Muslims task.
Describing Islam can be a lot,
But first I’ll tell you what Islam is not.
Islam is not Faraqan and terrorism.
Nor is it oppressing women and racism.
Islam doesn’t teach these things.
On the contrary it forbids them.
Islam isn’t focused on selling news papers and bean pies.
It’s not about drinking goats milk and having many wives.
Most people think Islam is just a religion.
 But, it is actually a detailed way of living,
prescribed by Allah, the merciful, the forgiving.
Peace, submission, and morality,
Respect, kindness and charity.
And worshipping one God, the All Mighty,
This is Islam.
It demolishes the cloudiness and confusion in our brains.
Faith in God is one thing Islam sustains.
It makes clear our purpose of life, beginning and end.
People take our wealth and freedom, but our faith we must defend.

Palestine's Tears

Imagine someone intruded into your home,
Ripped your furniture, threw out your clothes,
You'd say:That's called break in theft, isn't that what it shows?

Then what if they beat you, abused your children, and raped the women of your home,
You'd say:That's called physical and sexual assult (your anger grows),

What if I tell you that this doesn't happen once, and it isn't a new hap'
It's been happening since the 50's while the rest of us were taking a nap

Palestine is a country of certain people all full of Islamic faith, and live up to the name,
While the Jews persist the torture, as if it were a never-ending game.

They paint a pretty picture for themselves, with an American Frame.
Muslims surrounding Palestine don't use their potential to help-what a shame!

Then what about the innocent people that strive to live their life?
Being separated by borders, a man is forbidden to see his own wife.

How about children like Mohamad Adura who die brutally by the guns of the Jews?
So I ask you to imagine Palestine was your home being trespassed by transgressors,

Whilst they never shall take Jeruselum because they humiliated their successors!
A country that has Allah's name uttered 24/7 by the Muslims that are caught between hopes and fears,
Are waiting for the victory while Palestine shed its tears

Written by : Maryam Elbenhawy, Canada

Why do Muslims say “Al-hamdu Lillah” after they sneeze?

 

Assalamu Alikum,
I was wondering if you could explain why Muslims say,
"Alhumdulliah" after they sneeze? Please reply as soon as possible...
Thank You…

Praise be to Allaah.

It was proven in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
likes the act of sneezing and dislikes the act of yawning, so if any one of you sneezes
and praises Allaah (says “al-hamdu Lillaah”), it is a duty on every
Muslim who hears him to say to him, “Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on
you).” As for yawning, it is from the Shaytaan, so if any of you feels the urge to
yawn, he should suppress it as much as he can, for when any one of you yawns, the Shaytaan
laughs at him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/505)

It was also reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“If any one of you sneezes, let him say ‘Al-hamdu Lillaah,’ and let
his brother or his companion say, ‘Yarhamuk Allaah.’ And if he says to
him, ‘Yarhamuk Allaah,’ let him say, ‘Yahdeekum Allaahu wa
yusliha baalakum (May Allaah guide you and correct your thinking).’” (Reported
by al-Bukhaari, 10/502)

Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that two
men sneezed in the presence of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
who said “Yarhamuk Allaah” to one of them, but not to the other. The one
to whom he did not say it said: “So and so sneezed, and you said ‘Yarhamuk
Allaah’ to him; I sneezed but you did not say it to me.” He said, “He
praised Allaah (said ‘al-hamdu Lillaah’) and you did not.” (Reported
by al-Bukhaari, 10/504)

Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari reported that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When one of you sneezes and
praises Allaah, then say ‘Yarhamuk Allaah’ to him, but if he does not
praise Allaah then do not say it.” (Reported by Muslim 2992)

Sneezing brings a person the blessing of relief by
releasing vapours that were trapped in the head which, if they were to remain there, would
cause him pain and sickness. For this reason, Islam tells him to praise Allaah for this
blessing and for the fact that his body is still intact after this jolt that shook him
like an earthquake… for sneezing causes a disturbing movement in the body… It
was said (concerning the origin of the word “tashmeet” [which is
translated here as “saying ‘yarhamuk Allaah’, but the original
meaning is to tell someone to rejoice at another’s ‘misfortune’]): this is
telling him to feel joyful because he has annoyed the Shaytaan by praising Allaah for the
blessing of sneezing and its association with things that Allaah likes. When a person
mentions Allaah and praises Him, this annoys the Shaytaan in several ways, for example:
the act of sneezing itself, which Allaah likes; his praising Allaah for it; the Muslims
praying for mercy for him; and his prayer for them to be guided. All of this annoys the
Shaytaan and makes him upset, so the believer is told to rejoice over this annoyance of
his enemy. Praying for mercy for the one who sneezes is called tashmeet because it
implies that he should rejoice over the annoyance of his enemy. This is a good meaning
which people should bear in mind when they sneeze or say ‘yarhamuk Allaah’
to one who sneezes, and they should appreciate the blessing of sneezing for the body and
mind, and understand why Allaah likes it. Praise be to Allaah as is His due for He is the
Most Generous and Majestic.

The scholar Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him)
reported that Imaam Ibn Hubayrah said: “Al-Raazi reported from some doctors: sneezing
is not a sign of the onset of sickness, unless it is accompanied by catarrh.” Ibn
Hubayrah said: “If a person sneezes, this is an indication of good health, sound
digestion and physical strength, so he should praise Allaah. This is why the Messenger of
Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to praise Allaah.”

It is also important to know that the Muslim should submit to the texts
and act in accordance with them, without trying too hard to understand precisely why a
text commands or forbids something. He should believe that Allaah is the Wise and Aware,
Who doe not prescribe anything for His slaves unless it is in their best interests, in
this world and the next, even though it may not cross their minds and some people may
understand part of the wisdom behind it whilst others will never know. The Muslim’s
basic rule is to follow the commands, and if he has some knowledge of the reason behind
the commands, then praise be to Allaah.

And Allaah knows best.

For further details on the rules concerning sneezing, see: Al-Aadaab
al-Shara’iyyah by Ibn Muflih, 2/334; Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim,
2/438; Ghadhaa’ al-Albaab by al-Safaareeni, 1/441

Saying “Yarhamuk Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on you)” to one who sneezes

 

If a Muslim sneezes and does not say “Al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah), does he deserve to have
others say “ Yarhamuk Allaah ” to him? Is it better to say “ Yarhamuk
Allaah ” to him or not to say it? Has anything concerning this been narrated from
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or not?

Praise be to Allaah.

He does not deserve that, and it is makrooh to
say “Yarhamuk Allaah” to him. It was reported in the two Saheehs
of al-Bukhaari and Muslim that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

‘Two men sneezed in the presence of the Prophet
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said “Yarhamuk Allaah” to one of
them and not to the other. The one to whom he did not say it said, “So and so sneezed
and you said, ‘Yarhamuk Allaah’ to him, and I sneezed but you did not say
it to me.” The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “He
said ‘Al-hamdu Lillaah’, and you did not.”

According to Saheeh Muslim, Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari
(may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘When one of you sneezes and says “al-hamdu
Lillaah”, then say “Yarhamuk Allaah” to him, but if he does not
say “al-hamdu Lillaah”, then do not say “Yarhamuk Allaah”
to him.’”

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is reported from Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “When any one of you sneezes, let him say ‘Al-hamdu
Lillaah’ and let his brother or companion say to him, ‘Yarhamuk Allaah.’
If he says ‘Yarhamuk Allaah’ to him, let him say, ‘Yahdikum
Allaahu wa yusliha baalakum (May Allaah guide you and reform your
thinking).’”

If he sneezes or hears a donkey braying whilst praying, should he say the dhikr narrated in the Sunnah?

 

If a person sneezes whilst praying, should he say “Al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah)”? And if he hears a donkey braying, should he say “A’oodhu Billaahi min al-Shaytaan il-rajeem (I seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan)?”.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

With regard to sneezing, it is narrated in the Sunnah that a
worshipper should say al-hamdu Lillaah if he sneezes. 

With regard to seeking refuge with Allaah from the accursed
Shaytaan when hearing a donkey braying (whilst one is praying), there is no
report in the Sunnah to that effect. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
said: 

If a person sneezes whilst praying, he should say Al-hamdu
Lillah, as was narrated in the saheeh report of the story of Mu’aawiyah ibn
al-Hakam (may Allaah be pleased with him) when he started to pray with the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then a man among
the people sneezed and said, “Al-hamdu Lillaah.” Mu’aawiyah said to
him, “Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you).” The people
glared at Mu’aawiyah, denouncing him for speaking. He said: “May my mother
be bereft of me!” then they started to beat their hands on their thighs,
indicating to him to be quiet, so he was quiet. When the prayer was over,
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called him.
Mu’aawiyah said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for him. By Allaah,
he did not scold me or beat me or rebuke me. He said: “This prayer should
not include anything of people’s talk; rather it is tasbeeh (saying ‘Subhaan
Allaah’ – glory be to Allaah), takbeer (saying ‘Allaahu akbar’ – Allaah is
Most Great) and reciting Qur’aan.” Narrated by Muslim, 537; Abu Dawood,
930. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
did not tell off the one who sneezed and said Al-hamdu Lillaah whilst
praying, which indicates that if a person sneezes during the prayer he
should say al-hamdu Lillaah, because there is a reason for doing so.
But that does not apply to every dhikr for which the reason for saying it
occurs whilst one is praying. 

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 13/342. 

And he was asked: 

Is it permissible for one who is praying to say al-hamdu
Lillaah if he sneezes, and to seek refuge with Allaah if he hears a
donkey braying? Is there a difference between obligatory prayers and naafil
prayers in that regard? 

He replied: 

With regard to saying al-hamdu Lillaah if he sneezes
and seeking refuge with Allaah if he hears a donkey braying, that is
permissible according to the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
(may Allaah have mercy on him), but it is makrooh according to the well
known view of the madhhab of Imam Ahmad. The more correct view is that
favoured by Shaykh al-Islam with regard to saying al-hamdu Lillaah if
one sneezes. With regard to seeking refuge with Allaah when hearing a donkey
braying, it is better not to do that. The difference between them is that
saying al-hamdu Lillaah when sneezing is mentioned in the Sunnah, and
because it is prescribed by a specific command, unlike when a donkey brays,
which is does not concern him, and the worshipper should not let himself be
distracted by sounds outside the prayer.  

With regard to the above,
it makes no difference whether the prayer is a prescribed (obligatory)
prayer or a naafil (supererogatory) prayer.” 

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 13/342. 

And Allaah knows best.

The etiquette of sneezing: praising Allaah, saying “May Allaah have mercy on you” and responding to the one who says that

 

Many Muslims, if they sneeze and someone says “Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you),” say, “Yarhamuna wa yarhamukum Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on us and on you)” or “Hadaana wa hadaakum Allaah (May Allaah guide us and you).”


 How correct is this form? Is it narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? What is the correct form that is narrated from him?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Different forms of the sneezer praising Allaah and responding
to the one who says “May Allaah have mercy on you” have been narrated. 

Al-Bukhaari (6224) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “When one of you sneezes, let him say, ‘Al-hamdu-Lillaah
(Praise be to Allaah),’ and let his brother or companion say to him. ‘Yarhamuk
Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on you).’ If he says, ‘Yarhamuk-Allaah,’
then let (the sneezer) say, ‘Yahdeekum Allaah wa yuslihu baalakum
(May Allaah guide you and rectify your condition).’” 

Imam al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Adab al-Mufrad (5033)
from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “When one of you sneezes, let him say, ‘Al-hamdu-Lillaah
‘ala kulli haal (Praise be to Allaah in all situations),’ and let his
brother or companion say to him, ‘Yarhamuk Allaah (May Allaah have
mercy on you).’ If he says, ‘Yarhamuk-Allaah,’ then let (the sneezer
say, ‘Yahdeekum Allaah wa yuslihu baalakum (May Allaah guide you and
rectify your condition).’”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Abu Dawood (5031) and al-Tirmidhi (2740) narrated that Saalim
ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When one of you sneezes, let him
say, ‘Al-hamdu-Lillaah Rabb il-‘Aalameen (Praise be to Allaah the
Lord of the Worlds),’ and let the one who responds to him say, ‘Yarhamuk
Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on you),’ and let him say, ‘Yaghfir
Allaahu lana wa lakum (May Allaah have mercy on us and you.”

Classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood.
But he classed it as saheeh in Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (715) with a
mawqoof isnaad that stopped at ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be
pleased with him). 

It was narrated that Abu Hamzah said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbaas
saying when someone said ‘Yarhamuk Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on
you)’ to him: “ ‘Aafaana Allaah wa iyyaakum min al-naar, yarhamukum
Allaah (May Allaah save us and you from the Fire; may Allaah have mercy
on you).”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Adab
al-Mufrad, 955. 

Maalik narrated in al-Muwatta’ (1800) from Naafi’ that
if ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) sneezed and it was
said to him, “Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you),’ he
would say, “Yarhamuna Allaahu wa iyyaakum wa yaghfir lana wa lakum
(may Allaah have mercy on us and you, may He forgive us and you).” 

Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: 

Al-Qaadi said: The scholars differed as to how one should
praise Allaah or respond, and there are varying reports concerning that. It
was said that he should say, “Al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to
Allaah)”, or “Al-hamdu-Lillaah Rabb il-‘Aalameen (Praise be to Allaah
the Lord of the Worlds)”, or “Al-hamdu-Lillaah ‘ala kulli haal
(Praise be to Allaah in all situations)”. Ibn Jareer said: He has the choice
between all of these. This is the correct view, but they are agreed that he
is enjoined to praise Allaah. 

He said: And they differed as to how the sneezer is to
respond to the one who says “Yarhamuk Allaah.” It was said that he
should say, “Yahdeekum Allaah wa yuslihu baalakum (May Allaah guide
you and rectify your condition),” or that he should say, “Yaghfir Allaahu
lana wa lakum (May Allaah forgive us and you).” Maalik and al-Shaafa’i
said: He has the choice between these two options. This is the correct view,
and the ahaadeeth which mention them are saheeh. End quote 

Conclusion: The phrases used to praise Allaah have been
narrated in various forms: 

Al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to
Allaah)

Al-hamdu-Lillaah ‘ala kulli haal
(Praise be to Allaah in all situations)

Al-hamdu-Lillaah Rabb il-‘Aalameen
(Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds) 

The phrases used to pray
for mercy for the sneezer have also been narrated in various forms:

Yahdeekum Allaah wa yuslihu baalakum
(May Allaah guide you and rectify your condition)

Yaghfir Allaahu lana wa lakum
(May Allaah forgive us and you)

‘Aafaana Allaah wa iyyaakum min al-naar, yarhamukum Allaah
(May Allaah save us and you from the Fire; may Allaah have mercy on you)

Yarhamuna Allaahu wa iyyaakum wa yaghfir lana wa lakum
(may Allaah have mercy on us and you, may He forgive us and you) 

All of these are saheeh
and the Muslim may choose whichever of them he wants. 

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Ruling on saying al-hamdu Lillah after sneezing when praying

 

If a person is praying and he sneezes, should he say al-hamdu Lillah, whether it is an obligatory or naafil prayer?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, it is prescribed for him to say al-hamdu Lillah, because
it is proven in the saheeh hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard someone say al-hamdu Lillah after
sneezing and he did not rebuke him, rather he said: “I saw such and such a
number of angels, all of whom were hastening to write it down.” And because
praising Allaah is akin to the phrases of prayer, and is not contrary to
it.” End quote. 

He sneezed whilst he was praying – should he say al-hamdu Lillaah?

 

If I sneeze whilst I am praying, should I say al-hamdu Lillaah or not?.

Praise be to Allaah.

If a person sneezes whilst he is praying, it is prescribed
for him to say al-hamdu Lillaah, may He be glorified, whether the prayer is
obligatory or naafil. This is the view of the majority of scholars among the
Sahaabah and Taabi’een, and it was also the view of Imam Maalik, al-Shaafa’i
and Ahmad, but they differed as to whether he should say it silently or out
loud. The correct view and the view of Imam Ahmad is that he should say it
out loud, but only loud enough that he can hear himself, lest he distract
other worshippers. That is indicated by the general meaning of the report
narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If one of you
sneezes, let him say ‘Al-hamdu Lillaah’…” The hadeeth was narrated by
al-Bukhaari. That is also supported by the report narrated by Rifaa’ah ibn
Raafi’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: I prayed behind the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and I
sneezed and said: Praise be to Allaah, much good and blessed praise, as our
Lord loves and is pleased with. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished praying he said: “Who is the
one who spoke during the prayer?” and no one said anything. Then he said it
a second time, “Who is the one who spoke during the prayer?” and no one said
anything. Then he said it a third time, “Who is the one who spoke during the
prayer?” and Rifaa’ah ibn Raafi’ said: It was me, O Messenger of Allaah. He
said: “What did you say?” He said: I said: Praise be to Allaah, much good
and blessed praise, as our Lord loves and is pleased with. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in
Whose hand is my soul, thirty-odd angels competed to see which of them would
take it up.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa’i. Al-Tirmidhi
said: a hasan hadeeth. Al-Haafiz narrated in al-Tahdheeb from
al-Tirmidhi that it is saheeh. It was also narrated by al-Bukhaari in his
Saheeh but he did not mention that he said that after sneezing, rather
he said it after rising from bowing. It may be that he sneezed whilst rising
from bowing and he said that because he sneezed, and the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of that and did not rebuke him
for it. This indicates that it is prescribed during prayer, but if a person
sneezes whilst praying then praises Allaah, it is not permissible for those
who hear him to say Yarhamak Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you), because
that is part of human speech and it is not permissible during prayer. It is
proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
denounced someone who said Yarhamak Allaah to a man who sneezed whilst
praying, then he said to him: “In this prayer nothing of human speech is
permitted; it is only tasbeeh (glorifying Allaah), takbeer (magnifying
Allaah) and recitation of Qur’aan.” Narrated by Imam Muslim, Abu Dawood and
al-Nasaa’i. 

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send
blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
End quote. 

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas. 

Should the one who sneezes and does not praise Allaah be reminded?

 

If someone sneezes and does not say al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah) should I remind him?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Saying Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you)
is only prescribed for one who sneezes and praises Allaah. If someone
sneezes and does not praise Allaah, then it is not prescribed to say
Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you to him), or to remind him
to praise Allaah, because of the saheeh report from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) according to which two men sneezed in
his presence and he said Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on
you) to one of them but not to the other. The man said: O Messenger of
Allaah, you said Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you) to
him but not to me. He said: “He praised Allaah and you did not.” If
reminding the one who sneezes was prescribed, then the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have reminded this man to say
al-hamdu Lillah. 

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send
blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
End quote. 

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas 

Sleeping on one’s stomach when there is a legitimate reason

 

Alsalam Alykuym

my question is regarding a posting i saw in your website that it is
preffered for a Muslim to sleep on his right side and not on his stomach. Is that true?
and what if a person due to problems with his back can't sleep except on his stomach?

Jazakum Allah Khair

Praise be to Allaah.

If you have no choice but to sleep on your back, there is nothing wrong
with doing so, so long as you are keen to follow the Sunnah and the only reason you cannot
put this particular aspect of it into practice is your illness. And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Boy Sleeping with His Mother or Sister

 

Is it allowed for a boy to sleep in
the same bed with his mother or sister after he has reached the age of puberty?

Praise be to Allaah.

it is not allowed for male children, if they have reached
the age of puberty or are ten years old or more, to sleep

with their mothers or sisters in the same bedding or mattress. This
safeguards chastity and keeps the person away from

temptation. It also closes the door to evil. The Prophet (peace be upon
him) ordered that the children be separated in

their bedding when they reach the age of ten. He said,

"Order your children to pray when they are seven years old. And spank
them [to exhort them] to do it by the age of ten

and separate them in their bedding."3

Those who are not approaching the age of puberty still must ask permission
to enter upon their parents at three times

during the day. These are the times in which one is more likely to be
taking off his clothing and exposing the parts that are

usually covered. This has been stressed by them being called times of
privacy. Allah says in the Quran,

"O you who believe! Let your slaves and those among you who have not
come to the age of puberty ask permission

[before they come to your presence] on three occasions: before morning
prayer, and while you put off your clothes for the

noonday [rest] and after the Isha [Night] Prayer. [These] three times are
times of privacy for you. Other than those times

there is no sin for you or for them to move about, attending to each
other. Thus Allah makes clear His signs to you. And

Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise" (al-Nur 58).

However, those who are past the age of puberty must seek permission to
enter at all times of the day. Allah says,

"And when the children among you reach the age of puberty, then let
them (also) ask for permission, as those senior to

them (in age ask permission). Thus Allah makes clear His signs for you.
And Allah is Al-Knowing A-Wise" (al-Nur 59).

All of this is to avoid any kinds of problems and temptations and to
safeguard honors. It also brings an end to the means

that lead to evil.

As for the child who is less than ten years old, it is permissible for him
to sleep with his mother and sister in their bedding if

there is some need to look after him and if there is no fear of
temptation. They may also all sleep in the same area, in their

own bedding, if they are of the age of puberty if there is no fear of
temptation.

The Standing Committee

Footnote

1. Other than the husband's father or sons.--JZ

2. Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. It implies that such close relations
can easily lead to adultery which has the death

penalty.--JZ

3. Recorded by Abu Dawud and Ahmad. Al-Albani has graded it hasan.
Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 2, p. 1021.

The reason why it is forbidden to sleep on one’s belly

 

Why is it forbidden to sleep on ones belly?
Is it forbidden for both men and women?

Praise be to Allaah.

The reason for this is that it was forbidden by the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), who left no good thing but he told us about it and left
no evil thing but he warned us against it. Ya’eesh ibn Tihfah al-Ghifaari reported
that his father said: “I stayed as a guest with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) with those of the poor whom he hosted. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out in the night to check up on
his guests, and saw me lying on my stomach. He prodded me with his foot and said, ‘Do
not lie in this manner, for it is a way of lying that Allaah hates.’” According
to another report, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prodded him
with his foot and woke him up, and said, “Do not lie like this, for this is how the
people of Hell lie.” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Fath al-Rabbaani,
14/244-245; by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2798, Shaakir edn.; and by Abu Dawood, al-Sunan, Kitaab
al-Adab, no. 5040, al-Da’aas edn. Also reported in Saheeh al-Jaami’,
2270-2271)

This is a general prohibition that applies to both males
and females, because the basic principle is that rulings apply to both sexes, except in
cases where it is indicated that there is a differentiation between the two. And Allaah
knows best.

Sleeping after Fajr and ‘Asr

 

As-salamu alaikun,

I would like to know if there is any verdict concerning sleeping after
fajr salat? (subuh)

Shukran. Jazakukmul-lahu khairan.

Praise be to Allaah.

As far as a person’s sleeping after praying Fajr is concerned, no
text (of Qur’aan or hadeeth) has been reported to indicate that this is prohibited,
so the general principle applies (i.e., everything is permitted except that which has been
expressly forbidden).

But the practice of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and his Companions after praying Fajr was to remain sitting in the place where
they had prayed until the sun rose, as is reported in Saheeh Muslim
(1/463) in the hadeeth of Sammaak ibn Harb, who said: “I asked
Jaabir ibn Samurah, ‘Did you used to sit with the Messenger of Allaah?’ He said,
‘Yes, frequently. He would not get up from the place where he had prayed Subh until
the sun rose. When the sun rose, he would get up. They used to talk about things that had
happened during the Jaahiliyyah, and they would laugh and smile.’”

Also, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
asked his Lord to bless his ummah in the mornings, as is reported in the hadeeth of Sakhr
al-Ghaamidi, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “O Allaah, bless my ummah in the mornings.’ Whenever he sent
out troops or an army, he would send them at the beginning of the day.’” Sakhr
was a trader, and he used to send out his caravans at the beginning of the day, and he did
well as a result and made money.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi and Ibn
Maajah, with an isnaad in which there is some jahaalah (i.e., one narrator is
unknown); corroborating evidence is to be found in a hadeeth narrated by ‘Ali, Ibn
‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood and others, may Allaah be pleased with them
all.)

For this reason some of the salaf disliked the idea of
sleeping after Fajr. Ibn Abi Shaybah reported in his Musannaf
(5/222, no. 25442) with a saheeh isnaad from ‘Urwah ibn
al-Zubayr that he said: “Al-Zubayr used to forbid his children to sleep in the
morning.” ‘Urwah said: “I do not hear of any man who sleeps in the morning,
but I lose interest in that person.”

In summary then, people should make the most of this time which can
bring many benefits in this world and in the Hereafter, but if a person sleeps at this
time to gain strength to do his work, there is nothing wrong with this, especially if it
is not easy for him to sleep at any other time of the day. Ibn Abi Shaybah reported in his
Musannaf (5/223, no. 25454) from the
hadeeth of Abu Yazeed al-Madeeni who said: “Umar came to Suhayb one morning and found
him sleeping, so he sat down until he woke up. Suhayb said: ‘The Ameer
al-Mu’mineen is sitting in his place and Suhayb is sleeping!’ ‘Umar said to
him: ‘I did not like to disturb your sleep that could be beneficial for
you.’”

As for sleeping after ‘Asr, this is also permitted; there is no
saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to
indicate that sleeping at this time is prohibited.

As for the words, “Whoever sleeps after ‘Asr and loses his
mind as a result has no-one to blame but himself,” which are attributed to the
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this is a false hadeeth and
there is no proof that these words were uttered by the Prophet
(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). See: Silsilat al-Da’eefah, no. 39.

And Allaah knows best.

Ways of protecting oneself from nightmares and disturbing dreams

 

How can we cure nightmares ?

Praise be to Allaah. 

1.                
Dreams that disturb a person and keep him awake come from the
Shaytaan. In general, the dreams that people see are either good dreams
which come from Allaah, a reflection of things which a person is thinking
about, or a third type, which are dreams that come from the Shaytaan. 

It
was reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet
(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “Towards the end of time, hardly any dreams
that the Muslim sees will not come true. The one whose dreams are the most
truthful will be the one whose speech is the most honest. The dreams of
the Muslim form one of the forty-five parts of Prophecy. Dreams are of
three types: the good dream which is good news from Allaah; dreams which
cause distress, which come from the Shaytaan; and dreams concerning
matters which a person is thinking about…” (Narrated by Muslim, 2263) 

2.                
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told
us how to rid ourselves of the influence of Shaytaan during sleep. This
can be achieved by reciting verses from the Qur’aan and du’aa’s
narrated from him, before going to sleep.

   
It was reported that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) put me in charge of guarding the zakaah of Ramadaan. Someone
came and started to scatter the food. I took hold of him and said, ‘I
will take you to the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him).’… He said, ‘When you go to bed, recite Aayat
al-Kursi and you will be protected by Allaah, and no shaytaan
(devil) will come near you until morning.’ The Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘He told you the truth even
though he is a liar. That was a shaytaan.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
3101).

(b)                        
It was reported that Abu Mas’ood al-Badri (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The last two aayahs of Soorat
al-Baqarah – whoever recites them at night, they will be
sufficient for him.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3786; Muslim, 
807).

Al-Nawawi said: “Concerning the phrase, ‘The last
two aayahs of Soorat al-Baqarah
– whoever recites them at night, they will be sufficient for him’, it
was said that it means, they will be sufficient for him instead of praying
qiyaam al-layl, or as protection from Shaytaan, or as protection from
vermin. It could mean all of these things.” 

(Sharh Muslim,
6/91, 92).

(c)                        
It was reported that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: “When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) went to his bed, he would blow into his hands and recite Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Soorah 112) and the Mi’wadhatayn
(Soorahs 113 and 114). Then he would wipe his hands over his face and his
body, as far as they could reach.” ‘Aa’ishah said: “When he fell
ill, He would ask me to do that for him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
5416; Muslim, 2192) 

(d)                        
It was reported that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to tell us, when any
one of us wanted to sleep, to lie on his right side, then say ‘Allaahumma
Rabb al-samaawaati wa Rabb al-ard wa Rabb al-‘Arsh il-‘Azeem, Rabbana
wa Rabba kulli shay’in, faaliq al-habb wa’l-nawa wa munazzil
al-Tawraata wa’l-Injeeli wa’l-Furaan, a’oodhu bika min sharri kulli
shay’in anta aakhidhun bi naasiyatihi. Allaahumma anta al-awwal fa laysa 
qablaka shay’un, wa anta al-aakhir fa laysa ba’daka shay’un.
Wa anta al-zaahir fa laysa fawqaka shay’un wa anta al-baatin fa laysa
doonaka shay’un. Iqdi ‘annaa al-dayna wa aghninaa min al-faqr
(O Allaah, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and Lord of the Mighty
Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the date
stone, Revealer of the Tawraat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel) and the
Furqaan (Qur’aan), I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things that
You will seize by the forelock [i.e., have full control over them]. O
Allaah, You are the First and there is nothing before You; You are the
Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Manifest (al-Zaahir) and
there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden (al-Baatin) and there is
nothing beyond You. Settle our debt and spare us from poverty).’”
(Narrated by Muslim, 2713). 

(e)                         
It was reported that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: “Abu Bakr said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, teach me something that
I can say in the morning and in the evening.’ He said: ‘Say, Allaahumma
‘Aalim al-ghaybi wa’l-shahaadah, Faatir al-samawaati wa’l-ard, Rabba
kulli shay’in wa maleekahu, ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa anta. A’oodhi
bika min sharri nafsi wa min sharr il-shaytaan wa shirkih (O
Allaah, Knower of  the seen
and the unseen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Sovereign
of all things, I bear witness that there is no god except You. I seek
refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil and shirk of
the Shaytaan). Say this in the morning and in the evening, and when you go
to bed.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3392; Abu Dawood, 5067).

3.                
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also
taught us what to do when someone sees something unpleasant in a dream and
wakes up as a result. That is: to spit drily to the left, to seek refuge
with Allaah from the Shaytaan, to change the side on which one was
sleeping, and to pray if one wishes.

(a)                         
It
was reported that Abu Qutaadah said: “The Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Good dreams come from Allaah and
bad dreams come from the Shaytaan. If any one of you sees a bad dream
which makes him afraid, let him spit drily to his left and seek refuge
with Allaah from its evil, then it will not harm him.” (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 3118; Muslim, 2261).

(b)                        
It was reported from Jaabir that the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you
sees a dream that he dislikes, let him spit drily to his left three time,
and seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan three times, and change the
side on which he was sleeping.” (narrated by Muslim, 2262).

(c)                        
It was reported that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Prophet
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If any one of you sees
something that he dislikes (in a dream), let him get up and pray, and not
tell people about it.’” (narrated by Muslim, 2263)

 If
the Muslim follows this advice given by the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), before he goes to bed, it is hoped that
no shaytaan will come anywhere near him, and if he follows this advice
when he wakes up from a bad dream, it will take away all anxiety and
distress from him.

 And Allaah knows best.

Should he recite Aayat al-Kursi aloud or silently?

 

I say Ayat Kursi at night before I go to
bed. I read if you recite it Shatayn will not bother you. Do you have to reite it out loud
or can you say it to yourself and still be protected?

Praise be to Allaah.

It was reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) entrusted me with the task of looking after the Zakaat of
Ramadaan. Someone came to me and started to scatter the food about, so I grabbed hold of
him and said, ‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him)!’… He (that intruder) said: ‘When you go to your bed,
recite Aayat al-Kursi, then there will stay with you a protector from Allaah, and no
shaytaan (devil) will approach you until morning comes.’ The Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘He spoke the truth even though he is a liar;
that was a shaytaan.’” (Hadith no. 4624). It is Sunnah to
recite it, and it should be recited in a voice that you can hear. And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Is it makrooh to sleep after ‘Asr?

 

Is it makrooh to sleep after ‘Asr?

Praise
be to Allaah.  

 

It was narrated that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps after
‘Asr and loses his mind, let him blame no one but himself.” This hadeeth
was classed as da’eef (weak) by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah
al-Da’eefah, 39. 

Shaykh al-Albaani said: 

Marwaan [ibn Muhammad al-Asadi] said: “I said to Layth
ibn Sa’d – when I saw him sleep after ‘Asr during the month of Ramadaan
– ‘O Abu’l-Haarith! Why are you sleeping after ‘Asr when Ibn Lahee’ah
has told us … (and he mentioned it)?’ Al-Layth said: ‘I do not give
up something that is good for me because of the hadeeth of Ibn Lahee’ah
from ‘Aqeel!’” 

I say, I am impressed by this answer of al-Layth, because
it is indicative of understanding and knowledge, and no wonder, for
he was one of the imams of the Muslims and well known fuqahaa’. I know
that many of the shaykhs today do not let themselves sleep after ‘Asr,
even if they need to do that. If it is said to them that the hadeeth
concerning that is da’eef, they will immediately respond by saying,
“Weak ahaadeeth should be followed with regard to virtuous actions.” 

Think about the difference between the understanding
of the salaf (earlier generation) and the knowledge of the later generations. 

Al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah
(hadeeth no. 39).

Guidelines of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning sleep

 

I want to know how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sleep. Did he sleep on a bed or on the floor? Did he used to recite a specific du’aa’ when he wanted to sleep?

Praise
be to Allaah.  

 

The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sleep sometimes
on a mattress, sometimes on a leather mat, sometimes on a mat made of
palm leaves, sometimes on the floor, sometimes on a bed, sometimes on
the sand, and sometimes on a black cloak. 

‘Abbaad ibn Tameem said, narrating from his paternal
uncles: I saw the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) lying on his back in the
mosque, putting one leg on top of the other. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
475; Muslim, 2100). 

His mattress was made of leather stuffed with palm fibres,
and he had a coarse woollen cloth that he would fold over twice and
sleep on. 

The point is that he slept on a mattress and covered
himself with a blanket. He said to his wives: “Jibreel never came to
me whilst I was under the blanket of any one of you apart from ‘Aa’ishah.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3775). 

His pillow was also leather stuffed with palm fibres. 

When he went to bed to sleep, he would say: “Allaahumma
bismika ahyaa wa amoot (O Allaah, in Your name I live and die).”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7394). 

He used to put his hands together and blow into them,
then recite Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Falaq
and Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas [i.e., the last three soorahs
of the Qur’aan), then he would wipe his hands over as much of his body
as he could, starting with his head and face, and the front part of
his body. He would do that three times. 

He used to sleep on his right side, putting his right
hand under his right cheek, then he would say: “Allaahumma qini ‘adhaabaka
yawma tab’ath ‘ibaadaka (O Allaah, protect me from Your punishment
on the Day You resurrect Your slaves).” 

And when he went to bed he used to say: “Al-hamdu
Lillaah alladhi at’amanaa wa saqaanaa wa kafaanaa wa aawanaa fakam mimman
laa kaafi lahu wa laa mu’wi (All praise is for Allaah, Who fed us
and gave us to drink, and Who is sufficient for us and has sheltered
us, for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them).” This was
narrated by Muslim, who also narrated that he used to say when he went
to bed: 

“Allaahumma Rabb al-samawaati
wa’l-ard wa Rabb al-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Rabbaanaa wa Rabba kulli shay’in,
Faaliq al-habb wa’l-nawa wa munzil al-Tawraati wa’l-Injeeli wa’l-Furqaan,
a’oodhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta aakhidhun bi naasiyatihi.
Allaahumma anta al-awwal fa laysa qablaka shay’un, wa anta al-aakhir
fa laysa ba’daka shay’un, wa anta al-zaahir fa laysa fawqaka shay’un
wa anta al-baatin fa laysa doonaka shay’un. Iqdi ‘annaa al-dayna wa
aghninaa min al-faqri (O Allaah, Lord of the
seven heavens and the exalted Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things,
splitter of the seed and the date-stone, Revealer of the Tawraat and
the Injeel and the Furqaan [Qur’aan], I seek refuge in You from the
evil of all things You shall seize by the forelock [have total mastery
over]. O Allaah, You are the First so there is nothing before You, and
You are the Last so there is nothing after You. You are al-Zaahir [the
greatest and highest] so there is nothing above You, and You are al-Baatin
[aware of the subtlest secrets] so there is nothing closer than You.
Settle our debt for us and spare us from poverty).” (Narrated by Muslim) 

When he woke up from sleep he would say: “Al-hamdu
Lillaah alladhi ahyaana ba’d ma amaatana wa ilayhi al-nushoor (Praise
be to Allaah Who has brought us back to life after causing us to die,
and unto Him is the resurrection).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6312).
Then he would clean his teeth using the miswaak, and recite the last
ten aayahs from Soorat Aal ‘Imraan, from the verse (interpretation of
the meaning):  

“Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth…”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:190-200] 

And he would say: “Allaahumma laka al-hamd anta noor
al-samawaati wa’l-ard wa man fihinna, wa laka al-hamd anta qayyim ul-samaawaati
wa’l-ard wa man fihinna, wa laka al-hamd anta al-haqq wa wa’duka al-haqq
wa liqaa’uka haqq wa’l-jannatu haqq wa’l-naaru haqq wa’l-nabiyoona haqq
wa Muhammadun haqq wa’l-saa’atu haqq. Allaahumma laka aslamtu wa bika
aamantu wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu wa ilayka anabtu wa bika khaasamtu wa
ilayka haakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamutu wa ma akhartu wa ma asrartu
wa ma a’lantu anta ilaahi laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allaah, to You
be praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and everyone
in them. To You be praise, You are the Sustainer of the heavens and
the earth and everyone in them. To You be praise, You are the Truth
(al-Haqq), Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true, Paradise
is true, Hell is true, the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true 
and the Hour is true. O Allaah, to You I submit myself, in You I believe,
in You I put my trust, to You I repent, by Your help I strive (against
Your enemies) and to You I refer for judgement, so forgive me my past
and future sins, what I do in secret and what I do openly. You are my
God and there is no god but You).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1120). 

He used to sleep during the first part of the night and
get up to pray during the last part. Sometimes he would stay up late
to deal with the interests of the Muslims. His eyes slept but his heart
did not. When he slept, they would not wake him up; he would be the
one to wake up. 

When he stopped to rest at night during a journey, he
would lie down on his right side, and if he stopped to rest just before
dawn he would prop his head up on his forearm, resting it in his palm.
This was narrated by al-Tirmidhi. 

His sleep was of the best length and it was the most
beneficial of sleep. The doctors say that it is one-third of the night
and day, namely eight hours.

Did the Prophet appoint ‘Ali as khaleefah?

 

What is the ruling on people who claim that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) as khaleefah, and say that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) conspired against him?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

This opinion is not known among any of the Muslim groups
apart from the Shi’ah, and it is a false view which has no basis in the
ahaadeeth that have been proven from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). On the contrary, a great deal of evidence
shows that the khaleefah after the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him
and with all the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him)). But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not state that clearly and he did not appoint him in any
definitive sense; rather he gave commands which indicated that, when he told
him to lead the people in prayer when he (the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)) was sick, and when he told him about the
leadership of the Muslim community after his death, saying, “Allaah and the
believers will only accept Abu Bakr.” Hence the Sahaabah (may Allaah be
pleased with them) gave their allegiance (bay’ah) to Abu Bakr and they were
unanimously agreed that Abu Bakr was the best among them. It was reported in
the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Sahaabah
(may Allaah be pleased with them) used to say during the Prophet’s life:
“The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then
‘Uthmaan,” and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
approved of their saying that. Mutawaatir reports from ‘Ali (may Allaah be
pleased with him) show that he used to say, “The best of this ummah after
its Prophet is Abu Bakr then ‘Umar.” And he (may Allaah be pleased with him)
used to say, “No one is brought to me who prefers me over them, but I will
whip him with the hadd punishment for telling lies.” He never claimed that
he was the best of this ummah, or that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had appointed him as khaleefah. He
never said that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) had wronged
him and taken away his rights. When Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) died he gave a second pledge of allegiance (bay’ah) to Abu Bakr, as
confirmation of his first pledge and to demonstrate to the people that he
was with the jamaa’ah (the main group of Muslims) and that he had no
reservations in his heart against giving his allegiance to Abu Bakr (may
Allaah be pleased with them all). When ‘Umar was stabbed, he appointed six
of those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
had testified were guaranteed Paradise, for them to appoint one of their
number as ‘Umar’s successor; among these six was ‘Ali, who never denounced
‘Umar, either whilst he was still alive or after his death. ‘Ali did not say
that he was more entitled than any of them to be khaleefah, so how can
anyone have the right to tell lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say that he appointed ‘Ali as
khaleefah? ‘Ali himself never made any such claim, and none of the Sahaabah
claimed that for him. Rather they were unanimously agreed that the caliphate
of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan was valid; ‘Ali acknowledged that and he
cooperated with all of them in jihad, shoora (consultation), etc. Moreover,
the Muslims after the Sahaabah were agreed upon that which the Sahaabah had
been agreed on. After all this, it is not permissible for anyone or for any
group, Shi’ah or others, to claim that ‘Ali was the appointed successor, or
that the caliphate before him was false. Similarly, no one has the right to
say that the Sahaabah wronged ‘Ali and took away his rights. Rather this is
the falsest of falsehoods, and it is thinking badly of the Companions of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
including ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him and with them all). 

Allaah has protected the ummah of Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and kept it from agreeing on misguidance.
It was narrated in a saheeh report in many ahaadeeth that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A group of my ummah will
continue to adhere to the truth and to prevail.” It is impossible that the
noblest generation of this ummah could agree on falsehood, supposedly the
caliphate of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan. No one says this who believes in
Allaah and the Last Day, and no one says this who has the slightest insight
into the rulings of Islam. 

The sons-in-law of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

 

Who are the sons-in-law of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who married his daughters?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
had four daughters, all of whom were born from Khadeejah (may Allaah be
pleased with her): 

1 – Zaynab (may Allaah be pleased with her); she was the
oldest of his daughters. She married Abu’l-‘Aas ibn al-Rabee’ (may Allaah be
pleased with him) and she bore him ‘Ali and Umaamah. She died in 8 AH. 

2 – Ruqayyah (may Allaah be pleased with her). First she
married her cousin ‘Utbah ibn Abi Lahab, then he divorced her before
consummating the marriage with her, when Allaah revealed the words,
“Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab” [Soorat al-Masad, 111]. Then she
married ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), and she
migrated with him to Abyssinia, then to Madeenah. She fell sick at the time
when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out
for the battle of Badr, and he ordered ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with
him) to stay with her, but he allocated him his share of the booty, and
rewarded him for the battle as if he had been present. When the good news of
the Muslims’ victory at Badr came, they had just finished burying her (may
Allaah be pleased with her). She bore ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with
him) 'Abd-Allaah who died when he was six years old. 

3 – Umm Kalthoom (may Allaah be pleased with her). First she
married ‘Utaybah ibn Abi Lahab, who divorced her before consummating the
marriage as his brother ‘Utbah did with Ruqayyah (may Allaah be pleased with
her). When Ruqayyah died, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) married Umm Kalthoom to ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him).
She died in 9 AH and did not bear him any children. 

4 – Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with her). She was the
youngest of the daughters of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him). She was married to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib in Safar 2 AH. She bore
him al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Umm Kalthoom and Zaynab. Faatimah (may Allaah be
pleased with her) died six months after the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). She was the first member of his family to
join him, as He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said she
would be. 

See al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah by Ibn Katheer, 5/321;
Zaad al-Ma’aad, by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/100 

And Allaah knows best.

The way the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to ride

 

What are the animals which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to ride?

Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) rode horses, camels, mules
and donkeys. He rode horses both saddled and bareback, and he used to
make them gallop them on occasion. He used to ride alone, which was
most of the time, but sometimes he would put someone behind him on the
camel, or he would put one person behind him and one in front, so there
would be three men on one camel. So he would sometimes let some men
ride on his camel with him, and on some occasions he let his wives ride
with him. The animals which he rode most often were horses and camels.
With regard to mules, it is known that he had one mule which was given
to him as a gift by one of the kings. Mules were not well known in the
land of the Arabs, and when he was given a mule, it was asked, “Why
do we not mate horses with donkeys?” He said, “That is only done by
those who do not know.”

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2565; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2236) 

How many times did the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) perform ‘Umrah?

 

How many times did the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) perform ‘Umrah?

Praise
be to Allaah.

 

It was narrated from Qutaadah that Anas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) told him that the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed ‘Umrah four times,
all of them in Dhu’l-Qi’dah apart from the ‘Umrah which he performed
with his Hajj: (he did) ‘Umrah from al-Hudaybiyah or at the time of
al-Hudaybiyah in Dhu’l-Qi’dah; (he did) ‘Umrah the following year in
Dhu’l-Qi’dah; and (he did) ‘Umrah from Ja’raanah when he shared out
the booty of Hunayn in Dhu’l-Qi’dah. 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Hajj, 1654; Muslim,
al-Hajj, 1253 

Ibn al-Qayyim said: 

He did ‘Umrah four times after the Hijrah, four ‘Umrahs,
all of them in Dhu’l-Qi’dah. 

The first was the ‘Umrah of al-Hudaybiyah, which was
the first of them, in 6 AH, but the mushrikeen prevented him from reaching
the House (the Ka’bah), so he offered the sacrifice (of camels) when
his way was blocked at al-Hudaybiyah, and he and his companions shaved
their heads and exited the state of ihraam, and went back in the same
year to Madeenah. 

The second was the Fulfilled ‘Umrah in the following
year, when he entered Makkah and stayed there for three (days), then
he left after completing his ‘Umrah. 

The third was the ‘Umrah which he did along with his
Hajj. 

The fourth was his ‘Umrah from al-Ja’raanah, when he
went out to Hunayn then he came back to Makkah and performed ‘Umrah
from al-Ja’raanah. 

He said: there is no (scholarly) dispute concerning the
fact that he did no more than four ‘Umrahs. 

See Zaad al-Ma’aad, vol. 2, p. 90-93 

Al-Nawawi said: 

The
scholars said:  the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed these ‘Umrahs
in Dhu’l-Qid’ah because of the virtue of this month and in order to
go against the (ways of) Jaahiliyyah, because they used to think that
this (i.e., doing ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Qi’dah) was one of the most evil of
evil actions, as stated above. So the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did that several times in
this month as this was the most eloquent way of explaining that it was
permissible and of demonstrating the beliefs of Jaahiliyyah to be false. 

And Allaah knows best. 

Sharh Muslim, 8/235

The first Revelation that came to the Messenger of Allaah

 

hello do you know the story of the up comming of islam (where he went in to the cave and he could read)if you do the will you please help me. If you can please reply.

Praise be to
Allaah.

It is reported in al-Saheehayn from ‘Urwah ibn
al-Zubayr that ‘Aa’ishah the wife of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The beginning of the Revelation that came to the Messenger
of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was good
dreams; he never saw a dream but it came true like bright daylight.
Then seclusion was made dear to him, and he used to go to the cave of
Hiraa’ and worship there, which means that he went and devoted himself
to worship for a number of nights before coming back to his family to
collect more provisions, then he would go back again. Then he would
go back to Khadeejah to collect more provisions. (This went on) until
the truth came to him suddenly when he was in the cave of Hiraa’. The
angel came and said, ‘Read!’ The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘I am not a reader.’ He said,
Then he took hold of me and squeezed me until I could not bear it any
more then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I am not a reader.’
He took hold of me and squeezed me a second time until I could not bear
it any more, then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I am not
a reader.’ He took hold of me and squeezed me a third time until I could
not bear it any more, then he released me and said, 

‘Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all
that exists).

He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated
blood).

Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.

Who has taught (the writing) by the pen.

He has taught man that which he knew not.’

[al-‘Alaq 96:1-5 – interpretation of the meaning]

Then the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) went back with his heart beating wildly, until
he came to Khadeejah and said, ‘Cover me! Cover me!’ They covered him
till his fear went away. Then he said to Khadeejah, ‘O Khadeejah, I
fear for myself,’ and he told her what had happened. Khadeejah said,
‘Nay, be of good cheer, for by Allaah, Allaah will never disgrace you.
You uphold the ties of kinship, speak truthfully, help the poor and
destitute, serve your guests generously and assist those who are stricken
by calamity.’

Then Khadeejah took him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, the son
of her paternal uncle. He was a man who had become a Christian during
the jaahiliyyah. He used to write Arabic script and he used to write
from the Gospel in Arabic as much as Allaah willed he should write.
He was an old man who had become blind. Khadeejah said, ‘O son of my
uncle, listen to what your nephew says.’ Waraqah said: ‘O son of my
brother, what have you seen?’ [The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him)] told him what he had seen. Waraqah said: ‘This
is the Naamoos [Jibreel] who came down to Moosa. Would that I were young
and could live until the time when your people will drive you out.’ 

The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Will they really drive me out?’ Waraqah said,
‘Yes. Never has there come a man with that which you have brought, but
he was persecuted. If I should live to see that day, I will support
you strongly.’ But a few days later, Waraqah died, and the Revelation
also ceased for a while, until the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was filled with grief.

Muhammad ibn Shihaab said: Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan
told me that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari said: “The Messenger
of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, speaking
of that period when the revelation ceased: ‘Whilst I was walking, I
heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the angel who had come
to me in Hiraa’, sitting on a chair between the heavens and the earth.
I felt scared of him, so I came home and said, “Cover me, cover me [with
blankets]!” So they did, then Allaah revealed the words:

“O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments!

Arise and warn!

And magnify your Lord (Allaah)!

And purify your garments!

And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!”

[al-Muddathir 74:1-5].’”

Abu Salamah said: al-rujz were the idols which
the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to worship. Then the revelation came
frequently after that.

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4572; Muslim, 231)

al-Seerah (biography of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him))

The virtues of Faatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

 

I hear that Fatima (ra) and Ali (ra) had a daughter in addition to Hassan (ra) and Hussein (ra), but I know nothing else about her. Could you tell us something about her please, like how her life was, and whether she had any role in Islamic history, etc.

Praise be to Allaah.

Faatimah, the
daughter of the leader of mankind, Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), al-Qurashiyyah al-Haashimiyyah, Umm
al-Hasanayn [the mother of al-Hasan and al-Husayn]. She was born shortly
before the beginning of the Mission of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), and she married ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be
pleased with him) after the battle of Badr. 

The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) loved her and honoured her.
She was patient, devoted to Islam, generous, chaste, devout and thankful to
Allaah. 

When the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died,
she grieved and wept for him, and said, “O my father, to Jibreel we tell the
news of his death, O my father, he answered the call of his Lord, O my
father, in Paradise is his eternal abode.” 

Faatimah’s
speech most closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I never saw anyone whose speech more
closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) than Faatimah. When she entered upon him, he would
stand up to greet her, kiss her and welcome her, and she would do the same
for him.” 

Faatimah lived
for six months after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). She was buried at night. Al-Waaqidi said: this is the
most correct view. He said, al-‘Abbaas prayed (the funeral prayer) for her,
and he, ‘Ali and al-Fadl lowered her into her grave. Her sons were al-Hasan
and al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with them) and her daughters were Umm
Kulthoom, who was wed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with
him), and Zaynab who was wed by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Taalib. 

It was
narrated from Masrooq that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
“Faatimah came walking in the manner of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Welcome, O my daughter.’ Then he seated her to
his right or to his left, then he said something privately to her and she
wept. I said to her, ‘Why are you weeping?’ Then he said something privately
to her and she smiled. I said, ‘I have never seen anything like that which I
have seen today, of joy so close to grief.’ I asked her what he had said,
and she said, ‘I would not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’ When the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed away, I asked her and she
said, ‘He told me, “Jibreel used to review the Qur’aan with me once every
year, but this year he has reviewed it with me twice, so I know that my
appointed time (of death) is approaching. And you will be the first of my
family to join me.” So I wept. Then he said, “Would it not please you to be
the leader of the women of Paradise or the women of the believers?” So I
smiled.’”

(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, al-Manaaqib, 3353) 

Among the
things that prove her virtue is that which was reported in al-Saheehayn
from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to pray at the Ka’bah, and Abu Jahl and his
companions were sitting there. They said to one another, ‘Who will bring the
intestines of the camel of So and so and put it on Muhammad’s back when he
prostrates?’ So the most wretched of people went and brought it and waited
until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
prostrated, then he put it on his back, between his shoulders. I was
watching but I could not help him because I did not have any power. They
started laughing and leaning against one another (because of their
laughter), and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) was prostrating and did not raise his head until Faatimah came
and removed it from his back. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) raised his head, and said, ‘O Allaah, deal
with Quraysh,’ three times. They became worried when he prayed against them,
because they used to believe that du’aa’s made in that land would be
answered…”

(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 233; Muslim, 3349) 

Among her
virtues was also that which was narrated in al-Saheehayn, that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Faatimah is a part of me, and whoever angers her, angers me.”

(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 3437; Muslim, 4483) 

And Allaah
knows best. 

See Nuzhat al-Fudalaa’ Tahdheeb Siyar A’laam al-Nubalaa’, 1/116.