Accompanying the Janazah

This means that one should accompany the deceased up to his grave. On this he will be granted entry into paradise together with a reward of 2 Qeerats.

Hadhrat Thawbaan (R.A.) narrates that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “The one who observes salaah on the deceased receives the reward of one Qeerat whilst he who takes part in the burial as well will be entitled to two Qeerats and each Qeerat is equivalent to Mount Uhad.” [Muslim]

Therefore he who wishes to proceed with the Janazah should wait until the end of the burial so that he may earn the reward of two Qeerats. Together with this, the greater the number of people attending the Namaaz, the more beneficial it is for the deceased.

Hadhrat Ayesha (R.A.) narrates that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “There is no mayyit (deceased) upon whom a group of one hundred Muslims perform the Janazah Salaah and intercede in his favour but the intercession will be accepted.” [Muslim]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali

Hour of Accepted Dua on Jumuah

Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:

“There is such an hour on Friday that if any Muslim makes dua in it, his dua will definitely be accepted. ”
[Bukhari, Muslim]

The ulama have differed in specifying that hour which has been mentioned in the Hadith. Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi rahmatullahialayh has mentioned 40 different opinions in his book Sharh Sifrus Sa’aadah. However, from among all these opinions he has given preference to two opinions:
(1) That time is from the commencement of the khutbah till the end of the salaat,
(2) That time is towards the end of the day.

A big group of ulama have given preference to this second opinion and there are many Ahadith which support this opinion. Shaykh Dehlawi rahmatullahialayh says that this narration is correct that Hadrat Fatimah radiallahuanha used to order her maid on Fridays to inform her when the day is about to end so that she could occupy herself in making zikr and duas. (Ash’atulLama’aat)

Zeal of Abu Hurayrah


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The Prophet’s Sermon on Ramadhan

Baihaqi reported on the authority of Salman Al-Farsi (Radhi Allah ‘Anh) that Prophet (‘Alaihi Salat was-Salam) delivered a sermon on the last day of the month of Sha’ban. In it he (‘Alaihi Salat was-Salam) said,

“O People! The month of Allah (Ramadan) has come with its mercies, blessings and forgivenesses. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allah has honoured you in it. In every breath you take is a reward of Allah, your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations are answered.

Therefore, you must invoke your Lord in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Holy Qur’an. Indeed!, miserable is the o­ne who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great month. While fasting remember the hunger and thirst o­n the Day of Judgement. Give alms to the poor and needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard.

Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness. Do repent to Allah for your sins and supplicate with raised hands at the times of prayer as these are the best times, during which Allah Almighty looks at His servants with mercy. Allah Answers if they supplicate, Responds if they call, Grants if He is asked, and Accepts if they entreat. O people! you have made your conscience the slave of your desires.

Make it free by invoking Allah for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allah for long intervals, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allah has promised in His Honour and Majesty that, people who perform salat and sajda (prostration) will be guarded from Hell-fire o­n the Day of Judgement.

O people!, if anyone amongst you arranges for iftar (meal at sunset) for any believer, Allah will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allah will forgive him his sins. A companion asked: “but not all of us have the means to do so” The Prophet (SAAWS) replied: Keep yourself away from Hell-fire though it may consist of half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.

O people!, anyone who during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Paradise) o­n the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allah will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn’t hurt others during this month, Allah will safeguard him from His Wrath o­n the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allah shall look at him with kindness o­n that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allah will bestow His Mercy o­n him o­n that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allah will keep away from His Mercy.

Whomever offers the recommended prayers during this month, Allah will save him from Hell, and whomever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whomever repeatedly invokes Allah’s blessings o­n me, Allah will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness. Whomever recites during this month an ayat (verse) of the Holy Qur’an, will get the reward of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.

O people!, the gates of Paradise remain open during this month. Pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. While the gates of Hell are closed, pray to your Lord that they never open for you. Satan has been chained, invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”

Ali ibn Talib (RAA) said: “I asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds during this month’?” ‘He replied: ‘O Abu-Hassan, the best of deeds during this month is to be far from what Allah has forbidden’.”

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Sutra in Salah

In the name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful

It is related that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ‘If the one passing in front of the one praying knew what was against him, his waiting forty would be better for him than passing in front of him.’ [Bukhari] Abu al-Nadr, one of the sub narrators, said ‘I don’t know whether he said forty days, or months or years’. In a version narrated by al-Bazzar the hadith reads ‘forty autumns’.

The offence being as serious as it is, the scholars defined what constitutes passing in front of somebody praying. If the one praying is in an open space or a large mosque, the scholars differed concerning what is considered passing in front, both opinions being deemed strong and follow-able. One opinion is that it is passing by his place of prostration, such that if one where to pass in front of him but beyond his immediate place of prostration there would be no sin upon one. The other opinion, which is ibn Abidins preference, is that one would be considered passing in front if one is within the field of vision of the one praying if his eyes were fixed on his place of prostration.

If the one praying is in a room or a small mosque then one will be sinful for passing in front regardless of how far in front of him one is. Ibn Abidin defines a small mosque as being forty cubits.

However, is the one passing in front always to blame?

The possible scenarios that may occur are four,

1. The one passing has an alternative to passing in front and the one praying did not pray in a place where he is in people’s way.
-In this case the sin is only on the one passing.

2. The one passing has no alternative to passing and the one praying was in a place where he would be in people’s way.
-The sin in this case is solely on the one praying.

3. The one passing has an alternative to passing in front and the one praying was in a place where he would get in people’s way.
-The sin is on both of them.

4. Neither does the one passing have an alternative nor is the one praying in people’s way. -The sin is on neither of them.

In all of these cases the one passing in front would be free from sin if the one praying were to keep a sutra in front of him. A sutra is an object of about a cubit in height that one places in front of one as one prays.

One last scenario that is relevant to mention is that if someone prays near the entrance of the mosque or without filling in the gaps in the row in front, one can walk in front of him to fill in the gaps. [Radd al-Muhtar, 1:427, Dar Li Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi]

Looking now to the question at hand, if the mosque is considered a large mosque then there is no problem at all as there is no harm in walking in front of somebody by a few metres in a small mosque. If it is not a large mosque then there still is no sin on the men as they are walking to fill in the rows which they can not do with out walking in front of the women.

And Allah knows best.
Sohail Hanif.

www.sunnipath.com

Shaykhah Shuhdah, Fakhr-un-Nisa

Fakhr-un-Nisa was daughter of a distinguished scholar, Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn ‘Umar Al-Abri. She herself was an illustrious Hadith scholar and a skilful calligraphist. She was born in 484H in the Iranian city of Denvar. She had her early studies from her father and learnt calligraphy from him. She achieved perfection in the art, driving the master calligraphist of the time appreciate her.

She received learning of Hadith and studied other branches of knowledge under the guidance of the reputed scholars like Abu ‘Abdullah Hasan ibn Ahmad Nomani, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad-As-Shashi, Ahmad ibn Abdul Qadir ibn Yusuf and Abu-Al-Husayni. Shuhdah commanded great name in the studies of Hadith and the seekers of learning came from distant places and took it a pride if they were allowed to join her session of Dars. Many scholars of great fame were said to be regular audience of her Dars and would acquire authority from her to report the Ahadith on behalf of her. She not only exhibited her erudition in study of Hadith but also would make scholarly speeches on history, linguistics and literature, leaving lasting impression on heart and soul of the audience. She came to acquire the title of Fakhr-un-Nisa (Pride of the Women) for her erudition, calligraphic art and highly acclaimed oratory.

Her husband died after forty years of marriage. She endured the great shock with courage and patience and occupied herself with learning and educating. The Caliph Al-Muqtadi Bi-amr-Allah granted her a large estate to enhance the scope of her scholarly activities. She, with the help of new fortunes established a grand Darsgah on the banks of river Tigris where hundreds of students had had their studies. Its all expenses were borne by Shuhdah herself. Shuhdah retained her loyalty to the virtuous job of brightening the world with the light of knowledge till the last moment.

She died in 574H at the age of more than 90. Her funeral prayer was said at Jama’e Al-Qasr in Baghdad. Thousands of sorrowful people including the scholars, students and the state dignitaries participated in her funeral proceedings. The noted Muhaddith, ibn Jawzi says, “Shuhdah was a pious and devoted lady.”

(ibn Khallikan, Sved Amir Ali)

Bibi Karimah bint Ahmad Maruzi

She had been a world reputed scholar in fifth century Hijrah. She was daughter of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Hatam. She was born in Iranian town of Merv. She studied theology for years and learnt Ahadith from great scholars. She went to Makkah after having been qualified to narrate Hadith. She commenced delivering Dars at Makkah. The noted Muhaddith of Muslim Spain, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Sabaq Saqli was a devoted learner from her. He, after the Muslim rule at Saqqlyah (Sicily) ended, had gone to Makkah where he achieved learning of Hadith from her. He, afterwards went to Spain and made her abode in Granada to narrate Ahadith, he had learnt at Makkah. Ibn Bashkwal says…

(Abu Bakr Muhammad reported Ahadith from Karimah bint AhmadAl-Maruzi and others, He came to Andalus and the people of Granada passionately learned from him).

AIlama Khatib Baghdadi says in Tarikh Baghdad (History of Baghdad) that he, in 463H, during the days of Hajj, heard Sahih Bukhari from Karimah. Hundreds of seekers participated in the Dars session of Muhaddithah Karimah and quenched their thirst of learning. Besides Abu Bakr Muhammad, Allama Khatib Baghdadi and Allama Abu Talib Zaynabi, a number of other scholars of great esteem attained knowledge of Hadith from her. Bibi Karimah was said to have achieved perfection in mysticism besides other faculties of studies. She presumabty died about 464H with the controversy on the exactness of the date.

(Khazinat-ul-Asfia, Tarikh Saqqlya)

Aminah Ramlyah

Aminah Ramlyah is regarded a member of the learned elite of the time and one of great mystics of second and third century Hijrah. She was born about 163 H in Ramla, a suburb of Baghdad. She was very intelligent and had longing to attain knowledge since early childhood. But her parents were very poor so they could not do enough for her education. Only, which she could have, was, what more or less available at home. When she grew young, she accompanied her mother to Hajj. In those days an old man with scholarly figure delivered Dars (lecture) in Masjid-Al-Haram (Holy mosque in the Ka’bah).

She joined his Dars and learned from him the knowledge of Al-Quran and Hadith. After his death, she went to Madinah where Imam Malik had laid his rug for seekers of knowledge. Aminah joined his class and continued learning the Hadith from him for long. She memorized a number of Ahadith. Hafiz ibn Abdul Birr held the number of Ahadith, reported by her around 100.

She, afterwards returned to Makkah and had study of Fiqh from Imam Shafe’i. She had attained the age of thirty-six when Imam Shafe’i went to Egypt and she to Kufa.

She took benefit of the presence of many eminent scholars there and gained knowledge from them with great interest. She got excellence in all fields of studies. When she returned to her nativity from Kufa, fame of her erudition already had spread all around. She instituted delivering the Dars to enlighten the heart and soul of people who would throng to achieve the knowledge of Hadith. A number of notable scholars came to listen her Dars on Hadith. She happened to visit Baghdad in 209H where a dervish, by the benefit of his consideration caused her life change entirely. She gave away all her belongings as charity and took the life of a dervish. Her days and nights were started to be spent in praying and wailing in fear of Allah. During those years she went on Hajj for seven consecutive years and journeyed on foot. People called her ‘chosen by Allah’ for her piety, continence and mysticality, and extended great respect. Her dignity and grace could be judged by the fact that an illustrious Wali Allah (friend of Allah – saint) of her time Bashar Hafi (RA) (obiit: 227H) would visit her occasionally. So was the fourth Imam of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RA) (obiit: 241H), appreciative of her glory and grace.

Once Bashar hafi fell ill and Aminah went to see him. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, too, incidentally came to inquire after his health. He asked Bashar Hafi who was that lady. He told that she was Aminah Ramalyah, came to hear of his illness. Imam ibn Hanbal expressed great pleasure on her presence and said, it was his longstanding desire to visit her. He begged Bashar Hafi to ask her to pray for him. Bashar hafi conveyed his will to Aminah. Aminah raised her hands and prayed with immense humility, “O, Allah! Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Bashar, both seek Thy protection from Fire. Thou are the Most Merciful, save them from it.”

(Some biographers narrated an occurence and held it in terms of Aminah’s miracle. They attributed to Imam ibn Hanbal the anecdote, that he reportedly said, “the same night a piece of paper dropped unto me from heaven. Written on the paper was: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We did it and we could do even more (or we have even more of the bounties).”

Once a very rich person offered her ten thousand gold coins but she refused to accept, though she agreed to keep later on his insistence but did not even touch them. She made announcement to the beat of drum in the town that whosoever was needy, might come and take money. So the indigents thronged therein and she gave them enough to their need. All the money was disbursed till the evening while she had nothing to eat that very day.

Bashar Hafi narrates that Aminah woke up by midnight and prayed prayers with great concentration and humility till dawn. Once I heard her praying, “… O, Creator of the earth and the heavens, Thou hath stock of bounties, beyond limits but the wrong doers are unmindful. Thou art the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, but the people have forrgotten Thee.

… O, My Lord, my welfare is in Thy hand. Abase me not on the Day of Judgement before all, otherwise people would say. Allah abaseth His obedient slave who loved Him greatly.”

She had made a principle not to accept food from any one saved it was sure the host was pious and his sources of income were pure. The historians are silent about her matrimonial life, and neither has been detailed how she managed years long stay at distant towns to attain knowledge and who was her patron therein. Year of her death is not known to any one. It is presumed that she died sometime in third century Hijrah.

(Pairah Ma’araf lslamia, Mashahir Niswan, Bakamal Muslaman Khawteen)

Punishment of the Grave

This is an extract from Lesson 183 of the commentary of al Tajrid al Sarih (The Abridged Saheeh al Bukhari) by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq Delivered on Friday 8th February 2008 at Al Kawthar Academy, Leicester. Every Friday.

Meeting another Muslim with a cheerful countenance

When one Muslim meets another he should confront him with a smile and cheerful countenance and physically express his delight in meeting him. This will entail a fortification of love and affection between them. If you confront a grieved person with a cheerful countenance, you might just allay his grief or at least pacify him. A person feels unrestrained in expressing himself if he is confronted cheerfully thereby aiding him in fulfilling his needs.

Hadhrat Abu Dhar (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“Don’t ever belittle any of your good deeds even though this may be meeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.” [Muslim]

The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“When two Muslims meets and clasp each others hands, their sins are shed as a tree sheds it’s leaves.”

Together with a buoyant confrontation, clasping each others hands is also mustahab (preferable) as this increases mutual love and affection.

Hadhrat Qatadah (رضى الله تعالى عنه) relates that he enquired of Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) if the companions of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) grasped each others hands whilst meeting. Hadhrat Anas (رضى الله تعالى عنه) replied: “Yes of course!” [Fathul Baari]

Hadhrat Baraa (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“When two Muslims meet one another and clasp each others hands, they are forgiven even before they separate from one another.” [Abu Daud]

Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali

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