Allah says in Surah al-Imran: "Every soul will taste of death. And you will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which you have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter paradise, he indeed is triumphant."
Prophet (pbuh) said “This religion, this deen, in the beginning it came as a stranger (ghurabah), and it will return again as a stranger; so welcome glad tidings to the strangers (ghurabah)”-[Sahih Muslim]... A tribute to the faithful, the selfless, the steadfast... Indeed 'The Strangers'
Monday, January 31, 2011
Aafia Siddiqui 650
Nasheed about our beloved Sister Aafia (may Allah give her sabr & hasten her release-Ameen), specially commissioned and produced by JFAC. '650' by Muslim Belal, Masikah and Spitz and by former Guantanamo detainee Abu Suleman Al Bahraini.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Words to my Muslim Sister
My Dear Sister,
Know that you are man's sister and half of humanity. You are a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grand daughter or grand mother. The Prophet said, what translated means, Women are, indeed, men's partners. [Abu Dawood]. You are a member of the great nation of Islam, the best nation ever produced for mankind. No other nation on earth has more great men, leaders and conquerors than this nation. It is the nation of guidance and the straight religion, and it leads humanity to righteousness and truth. It transforms people from worshippers of slaves to worshippers of the Lord of slaves, from life's pressures to the pleasures of the Life after, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam.
Your ancestors, great women of Islam, were one of the main reasons for this great nation to take this great place among all nations. Allah, Who granted Islam to this nation, made a high place for Muslim women, and decreed that they share in the responsibilities of enjoining truth, forbidding evil and raising the flag of Islam. He said, what translated means, The believers, men and women, are loyalists of one another, they enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, they offer their prayers perfectly and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will leave His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [9:71]
Allah has given Muslim women what they can bare of orders and duties. He is the God Who knows His creation, Should He not know what He created? And He is the Most Kind, All-Aware (of everything). [67:14].
My dear sister, you are called upon today to truly become an active member of the Muslim nation, strive to establish victory for Allah's Word, implement the Quran and help build the generation of Iman.
What Do Your Enemies Want From You?
There are those who want to distract you from doing your duty. They want to distract you from meeting your noble obligation, that is, to defend the religion of Allah and raise His Word high. Those enemies use many methods:First: They distract you from what Allah created you to perform of worship, belief and Da'wah (propagating Islam). They use this worldly life as their bate: Jewelry stores, fashions that originate in non-Muslim countries, new models all the time, desires raised, hunger that can never be satisfied, pleasures and competition for them and endless ways for joy. Allah did not create us for this. Indulging in these matters is usually accompanied by wasting time and money and igniting enmity and competition between the rich and the poor.
Second: They ignite enmity between you and man. To those sinners, you are a daughter that is put down, a humiliated mother, an abused wife and an oppressed sister! Men are always unjust, hypocrites, dictators, freedom- preventers and suppressors, according to them. There is a fabricated war that those evil ones are starting for no reason other than to direct you to rebel against your father, be arrogant with your brother and disobedient to your husband. They do not call for justice, mercy and unity. They call for hatred, arrogance and destruction.
Third: They do not stop at their call for rebellion against parents, brothers and husbands, rather, they plot against Islam. They call upon you to rebel against the obligations of Islam and the decrees of the All-Knowing King. Islam, to them, is unjust and Islamic laws are imperfect and restrictive. They call upon you, day and night, to rebel and insist on the disobedience of this religion. They try to rid you of your religion. They try to rid you of comfort and safety under generous parenthood, happy marriage and good brotherly relations.
Those devils portray piety and honor as chains on freedom. To them, Hijab does not cover the head, but also covers the mind; prayer, fasting and Zakat are a waste of time and effort; and obedience to husbands is slavery and a return to the stone age. They distorted all facts and changed all truths, all to serve their evil goals.
Dear Sister,
The goals that your enemies and the enemies of your religion are seeking to achieve are well known. They want you to be available for them to fulfill their evil desires whenever they wish. They want you to be a mistress that has no honor. They want you to be found everywhere, on roads and in places of sin, without honor, religion or manners. They seek for you only what they want you to do. The Western world has gone through this all. Women of the West are the part of society that is facing injustice and dishonor. They strive to please men who keep changing partners and seek pleasures but with no responsibility and no consideration of the evil consequences of their sinful actions.
O Muslim sister, read and know about those women who discarded shyness and honor and followed their desires, what was the result of their deeds? Was their end honorable and desirable, or was it a shameful and hated end?
Advice For My Sister In Islam
Be proud of your religion and the religion of your ancestors. Be a good example for your sons and daughters and sincere in your belonging to this mighty nation. Know that honor is an honor to all wise people, and that adultery is dishonorable to all nations, even if some called it freedom. Know that adultery is also done with the eyes by seeing, with the ears by listening, and with the mouth by kissing, as was mentioned in a Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Your happiness is in being an obedient and believing daughter, a loyal and generous wife and a pious and merciful mother. Know that prayer is the cornerstone of Islam. Fasting one day, for the sake of Allah, takes your face seventy years away from Hellfire, as the Hadith, related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, states. Charity is a major cause for gaining forgiveness and for repentance to be accepted. Those women who are showing parts of their bodies to men, will not enter Paradise or smell its fragrance and are cursed, as in the Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Hijab is an honor and protection for you. Hijab must be modest in color and not exotic, wide and thick and not revealing, different from the dress of non-Muslim women and men.My Dear Sister,
These are words from the heart. These are words of good and sincere advice. Beware of the loyalists of shaytaan who want to lead you astray. Be a slave of Allah, righteous and know your role in building this great nation. Perform your duty and do not be a cause for destruction. Be a maker of righteous generation that will lead mankind, again, to what is right and proper, to the great religion of Islam.
Lawful Wives or Unlawful Girlfriends !!!
As humans male or female, we all want to be cared for and loved, occasionally needing the odd hug or shoulder to cry on in times of hardship or sadness. Unfortunately, we live in a society today that is corrupt to say the least, but is also one that even Muslims wish to look up to, especially when it comes to the opposite gender. It has become the norm to walk down the street and see couples walking hand in hand with each other, oblivious to the world around them. Intimacy is something cherished that should be kept behind closed doors and not flaunted in the street, and it is sad to see Muslims as the victims of these corrupt ideals.
You only need to walk through the streets of London, Birmingham, Manchester etc. to see boys and girls walking freely alongside each other, working out where to go for lunch or what film to watch in the cinema that evening. Eid day is the most disheartening; on a day when Muslims should be spending time with their families dressed modestly in a halal environment, you see them in their hoards in limousines creating more pollution with the sound of Indian music blasting out the windows. Inside, a handful of male youths are being lured by a girl or two who have taken the opportunity of this blessed day to spend time with their boyfriends, half dressed in something that can barely be passed off as a clothing.
The Muslim woman is a treasured pearl who should be elevated and protected. However, she has become a victim and slave to Western society, which dictates that it is abnormal not to have a boyfriend. If she hasn’t lost her virginity by the age of 14 she is seen as an outcast, so she allows herself to be dishonored by a man before she even knows how to think for herself. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘"And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a fahishah (a great sin) and an evil way." [17:32]
So why then do Muslims engage in such sick practices? Anyone reading this may think, ‘I have a boyfriend or girlfriend, and I’ve never slept with them. I would never do that, that is just wrong’, but the Messenger (pbuh) described the different types of fahishah and that which leads to it. He (pbuh) said, ‘Zina is lustful glances which constitutes zina of the eyes; listening (to flirtations etc) is zina of the ears; lewd speech constitutes zina of the tongue; the lustful grip of the hand becomes zina, and the movement of the feet is likewise [Bukhari and Muslim]
It is clear from the above hadith that even the holding of a hand, or less than that, an innocent look constitutes zina, and opens the gate for disobedience. Islam, being divine and from Allah, nips all problems in the bud and does not pave the way for sin, as is evident when the Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Whenever a man is alone (in khalwa) with a woman, the devil makes a third’ [Tirmidhi].
How many cases have there been when a woman has cried sexual harassment or even rape after being alone with her employer? What about those numerous cases of female teachers who had intercourse with teenage male students and were impregnated and consequently arrested for paedophilia? Closer to home, how many young Muslim girls have had abortions because, ‘one thing led to another’ with their boyfriend. Had they obeyed Allah and not put themselves in such a situation, they would not have had to face such consequences.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with a piece of iron it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman whom it is not permissible for him to touch.’ This is the importance of keeping distance from the opposite gender.
So how is it possible for a person to be loved you may ask?
Desire is something that is innate within all of us. Allah has created humans with feelings and emotions that adhere to the natural disposition (fitrah) of each individual. He says, ‘And We have created you in pairs’ [78:8], and the Messenger (pbuh) said, ‘O young people! Whoever among you can support a wife should marry, for that is more modest for the gaze and safer for your private parts.'
Here we can see that from the moment we feel a desire, we should get married. It may be a big thing, especially for someone so young, but is it not better than the punishment of the Hellfire for committing zina? Of course, you would look for a good Islamic spouse, not just the average Joe who is looking to get married. Marriage is half of our deen, so we should choose a husband or a wife who can take us to Jannah and not Hellfire.
Allah says, ‘And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find quiet of mind in them and He put between you love and compassion" (30:21).
Allah puts love between husband and wife – so it is not necessary for anyone to ‘date’ their future husband as is the trend, particularly in the Asian community. An engagement ring on the finger does not mean that a boy and a girl are married, as they are not bound by that engagement – rather the only way they are bound is by the nikah (Islamic marriage contract).
So it must be clearly understood, that marriage is something beautiful loved by Allah. It is a bond between two people and the best environment in which to raise children. It is not something that should be neglected nor delayed, for this is something that Allah’s dislikes.
And what can be better than pleasing Allah who created us from nothing, and to whom we will return.
You only need to walk through the streets of London, Birmingham, Manchester etc. to see boys and girls walking freely alongside each other, working out where to go for lunch or what film to watch in the cinema that evening. Eid day is the most disheartening; on a day when Muslims should be spending time with their families dressed modestly in a halal environment, you see them in their hoards in limousines creating more pollution with the sound of Indian music blasting out the windows. Inside, a handful of male youths are being lured by a girl or two who have taken the opportunity of this blessed day to spend time with their boyfriends, half dressed in something that can barely be passed off as a clothing.
The Muslim woman is a treasured pearl who should be elevated and protected. However, she has become a victim and slave to Western society, which dictates that it is abnormal not to have a boyfriend. If she hasn’t lost her virginity by the age of 14 she is seen as an outcast, so she allows herself to be dishonored by a man before she even knows how to think for herself. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘"And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a fahishah (a great sin) and an evil way." [17:32]
So why then do Muslims engage in such sick practices? Anyone reading this may think, ‘I have a boyfriend or girlfriend, and I’ve never slept with them. I would never do that, that is just wrong’, but the Messenger (pbuh) described the different types of fahishah and that which leads to it. He (pbuh) said, ‘Zina is lustful glances which constitutes zina of the eyes; listening (to flirtations etc) is zina of the ears; lewd speech constitutes zina of the tongue; the lustful grip of the hand becomes zina, and the movement of the feet is likewise [Bukhari and Muslim]
It is clear from the above hadith that even the holding of a hand, or less than that, an innocent look constitutes zina, and opens the gate for disobedience. Islam, being divine and from Allah, nips all problems in the bud and does not pave the way for sin, as is evident when the Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Whenever a man is alone (in khalwa) with a woman, the devil makes a third’ [Tirmidhi].
How many cases have there been when a woman has cried sexual harassment or even rape after being alone with her employer? What about those numerous cases of female teachers who had intercourse with teenage male students and were impregnated and consequently arrested for paedophilia? Closer to home, how many young Muslim girls have had abortions because, ‘one thing led to another’ with their boyfriend. Had they obeyed Allah and not put themselves in such a situation, they would not have had to face such consequences.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with a piece of iron it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman whom it is not permissible for him to touch.’ This is the importance of keeping distance from the opposite gender.
So how is it possible for a person to be loved you may ask?
Desire is something that is innate within all of us. Allah has created humans with feelings and emotions that adhere to the natural disposition (fitrah) of each individual. He says, ‘And We have created you in pairs’ [78:8], and the Messenger (pbuh) said, ‘O young people! Whoever among you can support a wife should marry, for that is more modest for the gaze and safer for your private parts.'
Here we can see that from the moment we feel a desire, we should get married. It may be a big thing, especially for someone so young, but is it not better than the punishment of the Hellfire for committing zina? Of course, you would look for a good Islamic spouse, not just the average Joe who is looking to get married. Marriage is half of our deen, so we should choose a husband or a wife who can take us to Jannah and not Hellfire.
Allah says, ‘And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find quiet of mind in them and He put between you love and compassion" (30:21).
Allah puts love between husband and wife – so it is not necessary for anyone to ‘date’ their future husband as is the trend, particularly in the Asian community. An engagement ring on the finger does not mean that a boy and a girl are married, as they are not bound by that engagement – rather the only way they are bound is by the nikah (Islamic marriage contract).
So it must be clearly understood, that marriage is something beautiful loved by Allah. It is a bond between two people and the best environment in which to raise children. It is not something that should be neglected nor delayed, for this is something that Allah’s dislikes.
And what can be better than pleasing Allah who created us from nothing, and to whom we will return.
The 70 Major Sins in Islam
Allah Most High says: Surely, Allah does not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills. (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116)
01. Associating anything with Allah
02. Murder
03. Practicing magic
04. Not Praying
05. Not paying Zakat
06. Not fasting on a Day of Ramadan without excuse
07. Not performing Hajj, while being able to do so
08. Disrespect to parents
09. Abandoning relatives
10. Fornication and Adultery
11. Homosexuality(sodomy)
12. Interest (Riba)
13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan
14. Lying about Allah and His Messenger
15. Running away from the battlefield
16. A leader's deceiving his people and being unjust to them
17. Pride and arrogance
18. Bearing false witness
19. Drinking Khamr (wine)
20. Gambling
21. Slandering chaste women
22. Stealing from the spoils of war
23. Stealing
24. Highway Robbery
25. Taking false oath
26. Oppression
27. Illegal gain
28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully
29. Committing suicide
30. Frequent lying
31. Judging unjustly
32. Giving and Accepting bribes
33. Woman's imitating man and man's imitating woman
34. Being cuckold
35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband
36. Not protecting oneself from urine
37. Showing-off
38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world and concealing
that knowledge
39. Bertrayal of trust
40. Recounting favors
41. Denying Allah's Decree
42. Listening (to) people's private conversations
43. Carrying tales
44. Cursing
45. Breaking contracts
46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers
47. A woman's bad conduct towards her husband
48. Making statues and pictures
49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort
when an affliction befalls
50. Treating others unjustly
51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals
52. Offending one's neighbor
53. Offending and abusing Muslims
54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude toward them
55. Trailing one's garment in pride
56. Men's wearing silk and gold
57. A slave's running away from his master
58. Slaughtering an animal which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allah
59. To knowingly ascribe one's paternity to a father other than one's own
60. Arguing and disputing violently
61. Withholding excess water
62. Giving short weight or measure
63. Feeling secure from Allah's Plan
64. Offending Allah's righteous friends
65. Not praying in congregation but praying alone without an excuse
66. Persistently missing Friday Prayers without any excuse
67. Unsurping the rights of the heir through bequests
68. Deceiving and plotting evil
69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims
70. Cursing or insulting any of the Companions of Allah's Messenger
Muslim Women
One of the main tasks we face as Muslims is to purify our current understanding of Islam so that it reflects the correct understanding of Islam. Unfortunately for many Muslim women 'culture' rather than Islam fundamentally influences their roles as mothers, wives and daughters. Culture and Islam have become so confused and synonymous that for many people it is difficult to distinguish between them. As Muslims it should be Islam which is the dominant, driving force in our lives, after all, we are Muslim’s first, second and last: "Say: My worship and my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah alone, the Lord of the Worlds." (6:162)
The Seerah (biography) of the Rasool-Allah (pbuh) cites many examples of where the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the Sahaabah (ra) to teach and convey all that they had learnt to their wives. The wives of our beloved Rasool (pbuh) and the Sahabiyaat (ra) were shown to be constantly striving to learn and educate themselves about the Deen and the level of their understanding was reflected in their firm obedience to Allah and His Messenger (pbuh).
Is it not a great honor that the first person to embrace Islam was a woman, Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid (ra). She was the first woman to bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and that her husband was the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Khadeejah (ra) was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (saw) during his struggle to make the Deen prevail over all other ideologies.
'Aa-ishah (ra) being the wife of Rasool-Allah (pbuh) learnt a great deal from him. She used to sit with the women of the community and pass on any knowledge that she would receive from the Prophet (pbuh).
Long after he had died for as long as she lived, she was a source of immense knowledge and wisdom for the believing men and women, and this is not surprising because she was one of the four people who had transmitted more than two thousand ahadeeth at her time, the others being Abu Hurayrah, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar and Anas bin Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them all).
A title of great respect and honor was attributed to all the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), that of, Umm ul-Mu'mineen (the mother of the believers), which confirmed what the Qur'an clearly states, that no man may marry any of them after they had been married to the Prophet (pbuh), for Allah says: "The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are as their mothers." (3:16)
Many of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as numerous Sahabiyaat (ra) were present in the battles for Islam. For example, in the Battle of Hunayn a small group of women stood firm with the Prophet (pbuh), one of whom was Ummu Sulaym bint Milhaan, the wife of Abu Talhah (ra). Although she was heavily pregnant at the time she had armed herself with a dagger to use against the Kaafiroon Also, Nusaybah Umm Imarah was a great fighter for the Cause. She was present at the Second Pledge of al-'Aqabah and gave Rasool (pbuh) her allegiance (bay'ah). She was also present at the Battle of Uhud and actually participated in the battle physically.
These few examples clearly reveal the vibrancy of Islam and the essential spiritual equality, which exists between men and women in Islam. Muslim women were able to rise to the occasion and were the counterparts, the mirror images of their men, courageous, strong, thoughtful and ready to give all for the cause of al-Islam.
It is the Muslim woman who has been endowed, blessed with the noble and vital role of a mother as they hold the next generation of Muslims in the palm of their hands. It is our responsibility, our duty, to shape their mentality in accordance with the Islamic mentality. We must ensure that Islam is taught in its totality as a comprehensive and complete way of life. As Muslim women we are told that our Islam begins and ends in the home. That is true to a certain extent meaning we must ensure the environment of the home is purely influenced by Islam so that our children would be brought up only according to Islam.
The potential scope of da'wah possible in a Muslim woman's life is not yet realized by many. Islam places great emphasis and value on the family unit and has undoubtedly defined a Muslim women's first priority to be welfare of her family. However, it is not necessary to step outside this role or neglect any of these duties in order to carry the message of Islam. The duty of carrying the message of Islam should simultaneously be carried out as it is the core and natural part of our lives. Our weakness as Muslim women is not in creating opportunities for the da'wah of Islam, but rather recognizing and taking up these opportunities as and when they appear.
During the time of Muhammad (pbuh) not only were women a part of the struggle for the deen but once the Islamic state was established in Madeenah, Muslim women were a part of the Majlis al-Ummah (Consultative Assembly), they were judges in the Sharee'ah courts, scholars and teachers. Muslim women can take any position of authority with the exception of the Khaleef (Head of State) and Walie (Governor).
Let us not underestimate what this Ummah can achieve as we have prime examples to follow. The Sahabiyaat (ra) supported and encouraged their husbands in da'wah and Jihaad, raised their children with the correct Islamic 'Aqeedah, nursed the sick on the battlefield, carried water and food for those Mujaahideen that were fighting and when the occasion demanded, would even participate in battles.
There is no doubt that Islam will return again and victory will be granted to this Ummah as it is promised by Allah The question is not 'if' but 'when' Islam will return again, and whether we are to be 'passive speculators' or 'active participants' of this Global Revival of al-Islam: "Allah has promised those who have believed and performed the good deeds, that He will, of a surety grant them authority on Earth, as He granted it to those before them. And that He will establish in authority their Deen which He had chosen for them and that He will change their state of few into one of peace and security." (24:55)
The Seerah (biography) of the Rasool-Allah (pbuh) cites many examples of where the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the Sahaabah (ra) to teach and convey all that they had learnt to their wives. The wives of our beloved Rasool (pbuh) and the Sahabiyaat (ra) were shown to be constantly striving to learn and educate themselves about the Deen and the level of their understanding was reflected in their firm obedience to Allah and His Messenger (pbuh).
Is it not a great honor that the first person to embrace Islam was a woman, Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid (ra). She was the first woman to bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and that her husband was the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Khadeejah (ra) was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (saw) during his struggle to make the Deen prevail over all other ideologies.
'Aa-ishah (ra) being the wife of Rasool-Allah (pbuh) learnt a great deal from him. She used to sit with the women of the community and pass on any knowledge that she would receive from the Prophet (pbuh).
Long after he had died for as long as she lived, she was a source of immense knowledge and wisdom for the believing men and women, and this is not surprising because she was one of the four people who had transmitted more than two thousand ahadeeth at her time, the others being Abu Hurayrah, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar and Anas bin Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them all).
A title of great respect and honor was attributed to all the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), that of, Umm ul-Mu'mineen (the mother of the believers), which confirmed what the Qur'an clearly states, that no man may marry any of them after they had been married to the Prophet (pbuh), for Allah says: "The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are as their mothers." (3:16)
Many of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as numerous Sahabiyaat (ra) were present in the battles for Islam. For example, in the Battle of Hunayn a small group of women stood firm with the Prophet (pbuh), one of whom was Ummu Sulaym bint Milhaan, the wife of Abu Talhah (ra). Although she was heavily pregnant at the time she had armed herself with a dagger to use against the Kaafiroon Also, Nusaybah Umm Imarah was a great fighter for the Cause. She was present at the Second Pledge of al-'Aqabah and gave Rasool (pbuh) her allegiance (bay'ah). She was also present at the Battle of Uhud and actually participated in the battle physically.
These few examples clearly reveal the vibrancy of Islam and the essential spiritual equality, which exists between men and women in Islam. Muslim women were able to rise to the occasion and were the counterparts, the mirror images of their men, courageous, strong, thoughtful and ready to give all for the cause of al-Islam.
It is the Muslim woman who has been endowed, blessed with the noble and vital role of a mother as they hold the next generation of Muslims in the palm of their hands. It is our responsibility, our duty, to shape their mentality in accordance with the Islamic mentality. We must ensure that Islam is taught in its totality as a comprehensive and complete way of life. As Muslim women we are told that our Islam begins and ends in the home. That is true to a certain extent meaning we must ensure the environment of the home is purely influenced by Islam so that our children would be brought up only according to Islam.
The potential scope of da'wah possible in a Muslim woman's life is not yet realized by many. Islam places great emphasis and value on the family unit and has undoubtedly defined a Muslim women's first priority to be welfare of her family. However, it is not necessary to step outside this role or neglect any of these duties in order to carry the message of Islam. The duty of carrying the message of Islam should simultaneously be carried out as it is the core and natural part of our lives. Our weakness as Muslim women is not in creating opportunities for the da'wah of Islam, but rather recognizing and taking up these opportunities as and when they appear.
During the time of Muhammad (pbuh) not only were women a part of the struggle for the deen but once the Islamic state was established in Madeenah, Muslim women were a part of the Majlis al-Ummah (Consultative Assembly), they were judges in the Sharee'ah courts, scholars and teachers. Muslim women can take any position of authority with the exception of the Khaleef (Head of State) and Walie (Governor).
Let us not underestimate what this Ummah can achieve as we have prime examples to follow. The Sahabiyaat (ra) supported and encouraged their husbands in da'wah and Jihaad, raised their children with the correct Islamic 'Aqeedah, nursed the sick on the battlefield, carried water and food for those Mujaahideen that were fighting and when the occasion demanded, would even participate in battles.
There is no doubt that Islam will return again and victory will be granted to this Ummah as it is promised by Allah The question is not 'if' but 'when' Islam will return again, and whether we are to be 'passive speculators' or 'active participants' of this Global Revival of al-Islam: "Allah has promised those who have believed and performed the good deeds, that He will, of a surety grant them authority on Earth, as He granted it to those before them. And that He will establish in authority their Deen which He had chosen for them and that He will change their state of few into one of peace and security." (24:55)
Attributes of a Righteous Wife
"If a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (i.e. Ramadan), guards her private parts, and obeys her husband, it will be said to her, 'Enter Paradise through whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.'" [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Devotion and Obedience to Allah such that she fulfills His rights, such as the prayer, fasting, chastity covering herself, withholding her gaze and so on.
Obedience to Her Husband in that which does not involve disobedience to Allah such that she fulfills his rights completely. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"If I were to order anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have ordered the woman to prostrate to her husband. By Him in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the woman will not fulfill the rights of her Lord until she fulfills the rights of her husband; and even if he were to request her for herself (i.e. to have intercourse with her) whilst she was sitting upon a camel's saddle, she should not refuse him." [Sahih, reported by Ibn Majah and Ahmad from Abdullah ibn Awfa]
That She Guards and Preserves Herself and Her Honor, in the Absence of Her Husband, from the hand of anyone wishing to touch her, the eye of anyone wishing to look upon her, and the ear of anyone wishing to listen to her.
Likewise that she preserves her husband's children, home and wealth. Allah says:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.)..." [Noble Quran 4:34]
Serving Her Husband.
From Husain ibn Mihsan who said that my paternal aunt said,
"I came to Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for some need, so he asked, 'You there! Are you married?' I replied, 'Yes.' He then asked, 'How are you towards your husband?' She responded, 'I do not fall short in his service except with regard to what I am unable to do.' He said, 'Then look to your standing with him, for indeed he is your Paradise and your Fire.'" [Sahih, reported by al-Hadim and others]
Here is an example of how Asma bint Abu Bakr served her husband. She said,
"Az-Zubayr married me and he did not have any property or slaves or anything upon the earth except for a camel which drew water from the well and his horse. So I used to feed his horse, draw the water, stitch his water bucket, and prepare the dough, but I was not proficient in baking bread - so ladies from the Ansar who were my neighbors and were honorable used to bake the bread for me. I also used to carry the date-stones upon my head, from the land given to Az-Zubayr by Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) - and it was about two miles away. One day when I was coming with the date-stones on my head, I met Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and a group of the Ansar were with him. So he called me and said, 'ikh, ikh (a word said to make the camel kneel down.).' in order to carry me behind him upon the camel. But I felt shy to proceed along with the men, and I thought of Az-Zubayr and his sense of jealousy, and he was one of the most jealous of the people. So Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saw my shyness and so passed on. So I came to Az-Zubayr and said, 'Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) met me while I was carrying the date-stones upon my head and with him were a group of his Companions. He caused his riding camel to kneel, but I felt shy and remembered your sense of jealousy.' So he said, 'By Allah your having to carry the date-stones is harder upon me than that you should ride along with him.'" She said, "Then later on Abu Bakr sent me a servant to look after the horse, so it was if he had set me free." [Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Keeping the Husband's Secrets.
Particularly what occurs between him and her in private - with regard to sexual matters and the private affairs within the marriage.
From Asma bint Yazid who said that she was in the company of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and men and women were sitting, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Perhaps a man mentions that which he did with his wife, and perhaps a woman informs of what she does with her husband?!" So the people were silent, so I said, "Yes, by Allah,, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! The women certainly do that, and the men certainly do that." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Then do not do so, since that is just like a male devil meeting a female devil upon the way, and he has intercourse with her while the people are watching." [Reported by Ahmad and there are witnessing narration's which raise it to the level of being Sahih or Hasan at the very least]
She Should Appear Before the Husband in the Best Appearance, such that if he looks at her it pleases him.
Abu Hurairah narrates: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, "Which of the women is the best?" He replied, "The one who gives him (the husband) pleasure when he looks (at her outer beauty, or the inner beauty of her good character and how she devotes herself to obedience to Allah and Taqwa); obeys him when he orders; and does not go against his wishes with regard to herself or her wealth by doing that which he dislikes." [Sahih Muslim, reported by an-Nasa'i, al-Hakim and Ahmad]
She Should Not Permit Anyone to Enter Her Husband's House Except With His Permission
From Abu Hurairah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"It is not permissible for a woman to fast when her husband is present except with his permission; nor may she permit anyone to enter his house except with his permission; and whatever she spends in charity without his order - then half of the reward is for him." [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
She Should Not Ask Her Husband For Divorce Without a Reason Necessitating That
From Thawban who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Whichever woman asks her husband for divorce without a strong reason - then the fragrance of Paradise will be forbidden for her." [Sahih Muslim, reported by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and others]
Avoidance of Cursing
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the prayer-ground for the (prayer of) Adha or Fitr, and he passed by the women and said,
'O women! Give in charity, for I have been shown that you shall be the majority of the people in the Fire.' So they asked, 'Why is that, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)!' He replied, 'You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands.'" [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Being Thankful to the Husband for the good he does and for his good treatment to his wife.
This is accomplished by good words, and by her obedience to him in what is good, and by not forgetting his good treatment and avoiding denying this, since that is one of the reasons which brings about the entry into the Fire.
From Ibn Abbas who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"I was shown the Fire and found that the majority of its inhabitants were women, due to ingratitude. It was said: "Is it that they disbelieve in Allah?" He said: They are ungrateful to their husbands and deny the good they do. If you were to treat one of them well always, and she then saw something (displeasing) from you she would say: 'I have never seen any good from you.'" [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
She Should Not Remove Her Clothes Outside Her Husband's House
Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Whichever woman removes her clothes in other than her house, then Allah, will tear down His cover from her." [Sahih-Jami, reported by al-Hakim and others]
What is apparent is that removal of her clothing means uncovering herself to strange males, for the purpose of sexual intercourse or that which leads to it.
Striving to Please the Husband by Every Possible Means
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Your women from the people of Paradise are the beloved and fertile, the one who is an asset to her husband, who if her husband becomes angry - comes and places her hand in the hand of her husband and says, 'I will not taste sleep until you are pleased (with me).'"
Devotion and Obedience to Allah such that she fulfills His rights, such as the prayer, fasting, chastity covering herself, withholding her gaze and so on.
Obedience to Her Husband in that which does not involve disobedience to Allah such that she fulfills his rights completely. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"If I were to order anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have ordered the woman to prostrate to her husband. By Him in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the woman will not fulfill the rights of her Lord until she fulfills the rights of her husband; and even if he were to request her for herself (i.e. to have intercourse with her) whilst she was sitting upon a camel's saddle, she should not refuse him." [Sahih, reported by Ibn Majah and Ahmad from Abdullah ibn Awfa]
That She Guards and Preserves Herself and Her Honor, in the Absence of Her Husband, from the hand of anyone wishing to touch her, the eye of anyone wishing to look upon her, and the ear of anyone wishing to listen to her.
Likewise that she preserves her husband's children, home and wealth. Allah says:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.)..." [Noble Quran 4:34]
Serving Her Husband.
From Husain ibn Mihsan who said that my paternal aunt said,
"I came to Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for some need, so he asked, 'You there! Are you married?' I replied, 'Yes.' He then asked, 'How are you towards your husband?' She responded, 'I do not fall short in his service except with regard to what I am unable to do.' He said, 'Then look to your standing with him, for indeed he is your Paradise and your Fire.'" [Sahih, reported by al-Hadim and others]
Here is an example of how Asma bint Abu Bakr served her husband. She said,
"Az-Zubayr married me and he did not have any property or slaves or anything upon the earth except for a camel which drew water from the well and his horse. So I used to feed his horse, draw the water, stitch his water bucket, and prepare the dough, but I was not proficient in baking bread - so ladies from the Ansar who were my neighbors and were honorable used to bake the bread for me. I also used to carry the date-stones upon my head, from the land given to Az-Zubayr by Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) - and it was about two miles away. One day when I was coming with the date-stones on my head, I met Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and a group of the Ansar were with him. So he called me and said, 'ikh, ikh (a word said to make the camel kneel down.).' in order to carry me behind him upon the camel. But I felt shy to proceed along with the men, and I thought of Az-Zubayr and his sense of jealousy, and he was one of the most jealous of the people. So Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saw my shyness and so passed on. So I came to Az-Zubayr and said, 'Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) met me while I was carrying the date-stones upon my head and with him were a group of his Companions. He caused his riding camel to kneel, but I felt shy and remembered your sense of jealousy.' So he said, 'By Allah your having to carry the date-stones is harder upon me than that you should ride along with him.'" She said, "Then later on Abu Bakr sent me a servant to look after the horse, so it was if he had set me free." [Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Keeping the Husband's Secrets.
Particularly what occurs between him and her in private - with regard to sexual matters and the private affairs within the marriage.
From Asma bint Yazid who said that she was in the company of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and men and women were sitting, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Perhaps a man mentions that which he did with his wife, and perhaps a woman informs of what she does with her husband?!" So the people were silent, so I said, "Yes, by Allah,, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! The women certainly do that, and the men certainly do that." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Then do not do so, since that is just like a male devil meeting a female devil upon the way, and he has intercourse with her while the people are watching." [Reported by Ahmad and there are witnessing narration's which raise it to the level of being Sahih or Hasan at the very least]
She Should Appear Before the Husband in the Best Appearance, such that if he looks at her it pleases him.
Abu Hurairah narrates: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, "Which of the women is the best?" He replied, "The one who gives him (the husband) pleasure when he looks (at her outer beauty, or the inner beauty of her good character and how she devotes herself to obedience to Allah and Taqwa); obeys him when he orders; and does not go against his wishes with regard to herself or her wealth by doing that which he dislikes." [Sahih Muslim, reported by an-Nasa'i, al-Hakim and Ahmad]
She Should Not Permit Anyone to Enter Her Husband's House Except With His Permission
From Abu Hurairah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"It is not permissible for a woman to fast when her husband is present except with his permission; nor may she permit anyone to enter his house except with his permission; and whatever she spends in charity without his order - then half of the reward is for him." [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
She Should Not Ask Her Husband For Divorce Without a Reason Necessitating That
From Thawban who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Whichever woman asks her husband for divorce without a strong reason - then the fragrance of Paradise will be forbidden for her." [Sahih Muslim, reported by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and others]
Avoidance of Cursing
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the prayer-ground for the (prayer of) Adha or Fitr, and he passed by the women and said,
'O women! Give in charity, for I have been shown that you shall be the majority of the people in the Fire.' So they asked, 'Why is that, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)!' He replied, 'You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands.'" [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Being Thankful to the Husband for the good he does and for his good treatment to his wife.
This is accomplished by good words, and by her obedience to him in what is good, and by not forgetting his good treatment and avoiding denying this, since that is one of the reasons which brings about the entry into the Fire.
From Ibn Abbas who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"I was shown the Fire and found that the majority of its inhabitants were women, due to ingratitude. It was said: "Is it that they disbelieve in Allah?" He said: They are ungrateful to their husbands and deny the good they do. If you were to treat one of them well always, and she then saw something (displeasing) from you she would say: 'I have never seen any good from you.'" [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
She Should Not Remove Her Clothes Outside Her Husband's House
Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Whichever woman removes her clothes in other than her house, then Allah, will tear down His cover from her." [Sahih-Jami, reported by al-Hakim and others]
What is apparent is that removal of her clothing means uncovering herself to strange males, for the purpose of sexual intercourse or that which leads to it.
Striving to Please the Husband by Every Possible Means
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
"Your women from the people of Paradise are the beloved and fertile, the one who is an asset to her husband, who if her husband becomes angry - comes and places her hand in the hand of her husband and says, 'I will not taste sleep until you are pleased (with me).'"
Engagement in Islam..?
‘Engagement’ is a term used in society to mean that one has a ‘fiancée’ that one eventually intends to marry. In the Western world this ‘engagement’ can last for many years with no definite date for the marriage, and in more and more cases, no date at all. During this engagement, the couple free-mix quite happily, which also includes having a sexual relationship. This is of no surprise however as, in the so-called civilised society today, sexual relationships with anyone or anything, let alone your fiancée, is the norm, leading to the many sexual diseases, unwanted pregnancies, single parent families and sexual perversion (amongst other things) that we see prevalent nowadays.
Neither does engagement have the meaning of commitment as people falsely believe, rather it is the ‘trial run’ of the couple’s relationship prior to marriage, and thus having affairs, one-night stands, breaking-up and reuniting are all part and parcel of this trial, as no vows are being broken.
Many Muslims have unfortunately adopted this concept of engagement. Couples are ‘engaged’ and big parties are thrown, together with rituals adopted both from western society (for example, the exchanging of rings) and non-Islamic culture of the families’ birth countries (for example, the wearing of specific colours). Many of these parties also involve free-mixing and other activities prohibited in Islam. The couple start (or continue as in many cases today) to have a special relationship, whether with or without physical contact, prior to their marriage as well. In addition they socialise through letters, telephone conversations and meetings falsely believing that this is legitimate now that they are engaged.
In Islam, this concept of engagement does not exist. The only way a man and woman can share an intimate relationship emotionally or physically is through the contract of Nikah, i.e. Marriage. This article will examine the Islamic understanding of ‘engagement’ and the divine rules relating to it.
The definition of engagement in Islam is, ‘A private arrangement with the intention of marriage between a suitable Muslim man and a woman via her guardian i.e. Wali Amr.’ To explain this:
A private arrangement means an unbinding secret agreement.
A suitable Muslim man means he is Muslim, mature, sane.
A Suitable woman means a Muslim woman or woman from the people of the book (Jew or Christian) free for marriage from any Shari'ah prevention such as if she is still married, or in her I'ddah (waiting period)of divorce or widowhood, or pregnant, or if she has had a previous intimate relationship with him, or is a prostitute, a fornicator, or a Mushrik (idolaters such as Hindus or Sikhs) etc…
Via her guardian means that the arrangement is made with the knowledge of her original Wali Amr i.e. her father.
During the period when a Muslim male proposes to a suitable female with the consent of her guardian (usually her father), and she agrees to consider him for marriage the couple are under ‘engagement’ Islamically and the female may not consider another man until and unless she decides to decline the proposal.
This engagement does not allow any grounds for socialising or private meetings. The man can go out with her only as long as they are going out for a matter related to the preparations for marriage and with the accompaniment of her Mahram (i.e male whom she cannot marry such as her father or brother or uncle). If they do need to meet, they must do so in the presence of her mahram and strictly to discuss Islam or the preparations for marriage and not for any purpose of entertainment. In addition they are not allowed to be alone together in a room, as this is Khalwah and is Haram (prohibited). Moreover any physical contact between the couple is prohibited. But they are allowed to speak to each other on the phone with the father’s permission and the conversation must be restricted to discussing Islam or the preparations for marriage. To discuss, for example, sex is Haram except in the context of Hukm Shar'ie (Divine Laws).
It is permissible, however, for the man to see the woman without her wearing her Khimar (head-scarf) and Jilbab (outer clothing) as long as she is covering her hard aworah i.e. her body from her chest to over her knees. He is allowed for him to look properly at her eyes, face, hair, arms and hands.
It is narrated in Muslim upon the authority of Abdullah Ibn Omar that a man came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and said, 'I need to get married, how much can I look at her?' to which our Nabi (pbuh) replied, 'Until you are convinced.' In another narration he (pbuh) said, 'Whoever saw a woman for the purpose of marriage and he changed his mind let him not speak about it to others.’
If we combine the evidences we can conclude that a would-be husband is allowed to see more than the face and hands but not the hard aworah which even the father is not allowed to see! The majority of the Ulema of the past held this opinion (including the classical scholars). However, the woman need not give her consent to this and is under no obligation to do so.
The opinion of Ibn Hazim is not that one can see all the aworah, as some people mistakenly believe, but that he can see 'her aworah' which does not mean more than the soft aworah, particularly considering that he said elsewhere that, 'He is sinful if he saw the private parts of his fiancée.'
Some Ulema hold the view that 'what convinces' includes her character and trustworthiness as well, whilst others posit that it is referring to the face because this can 'convince' as well (and not more than that). The latter, however, is not a strong opinion since, as we have said, it is better to combine the evidences.
The viewing of the woman in this way, however, needs to be done in the presence of her Mahram and for the purpose of marriage only. Also, the man must be trustworthy and he can only see the aworah overall, not to check something out specifically (i.e. she will wear normal dress showing only her soft aworah and no more). It is useful to note here that it is makrouh (undesirable) to marry her without looking at her beforehand at all.
In choosing a suitable female companion it is worthy for us to remember the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh);
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "A woman is married for four things, that is, her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. So you should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser." (Bukhari)
This is a reminder to those of us who fall into the trap of being deluded by our non-Islamic environment around us, and thus look for materialistic criteria in our future partners.
Finally, engagement in Islam must be kept secret and if it is broken both parties are forbidden from speaking about what they know or have seen from each other.
Engagement in Islam is thus a means to an end and not an end in itself. Allah has created mankind with certain instincts that need to be fulfilled, and He has also given us the method with which to fulfil them. It is within the nature of human beings to long for companionship emotionally and physically and thus we fulfil this through marriage and marriage alone. Muslims need to remember that we are the slaves of Allah and not of man or of our own desires. The corrupt Western concept of engagement should not be implemented in our lives as it is completely contrary to the laws of Allah.
"And among His Signs is this that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." (30:21)
Neither does engagement have the meaning of commitment as people falsely believe, rather it is the ‘trial run’ of the couple’s relationship prior to marriage, and thus having affairs, one-night stands, breaking-up and reuniting are all part and parcel of this trial, as no vows are being broken.
Many Muslims have unfortunately adopted this concept of engagement. Couples are ‘engaged’ and big parties are thrown, together with rituals adopted both from western society (for example, the exchanging of rings) and non-Islamic culture of the families’ birth countries (for example, the wearing of specific colours). Many of these parties also involve free-mixing and other activities prohibited in Islam. The couple start (or continue as in many cases today) to have a special relationship, whether with or without physical contact, prior to their marriage as well. In addition they socialise through letters, telephone conversations and meetings falsely believing that this is legitimate now that they are engaged.
In Islam, this concept of engagement does not exist. The only way a man and woman can share an intimate relationship emotionally or physically is through the contract of Nikah, i.e. Marriage. This article will examine the Islamic understanding of ‘engagement’ and the divine rules relating to it.
The definition of engagement in Islam is, ‘A private arrangement with the intention of marriage between a suitable Muslim man and a woman via her guardian i.e. Wali Amr.’ To explain this:
A private arrangement means an unbinding secret agreement.
A suitable Muslim man means he is Muslim, mature, sane.
A Suitable woman means a Muslim woman or woman from the people of the book (Jew or Christian) free for marriage from any Shari'ah prevention such as if she is still married, or in her I'ddah (waiting period)of divorce or widowhood, or pregnant, or if she has had a previous intimate relationship with him, or is a prostitute, a fornicator, or a Mushrik (idolaters such as Hindus or Sikhs) etc…
Via her guardian means that the arrangement is made with the knowledge of her original Wali Amr i.e. her father.
During the period when a Muslim male proposes to a suitable female with the consent of her guardian (usually her father), and she agrees to consider him for marriage the couple are under ‘engagement’ Islamically and the female may not consider another man until and unless she decides to decline the proposal.
This engagement does not allow any grounds for socialising or private meetings. The man can go out with her only as long as they are going out for a matter related to the preparations for marriage and with the accompaniment of her Mahram (i.e male whom she cannot marry such as her father or brother or uncle). If they do need to meet, they must do so in the presence of her mahram and strictly to discuss Islam or the preparations for marriage and not for any purpose of entertainment. In addition they are not allowed to be alone together in a room, as this is Khalwah and is Haram (prohibited). Moreover any physical contact between the couple is prohibited. But they are allowed to speak to each other on the phone with the father’s permission and the conversation must be restricted to discussing Islam or the preparations for marriage. To discuss, for example, sex is Haram except in the context of Hukm Shar'ie (Divine Laws).
It is permissible, however, for the man to see the woman without her wearing her Khimar (head-scarf) and Jilbab (outer clothing) as long as she is covering her hard aworah i.e. her body from her chest to over her knees. He is allowed for him to look properly at her eyes, face, hair, arms and hands.
It is narrated in Muslim upon the authority of Abdullah Ibn Omar that a man came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and said, 'I need to get married, how much can I look at her?' to which our Nabi (pbuh) replied, 'Until you are convinced.' In another narration he (pbuh) said, 'Whoever saw a woman for the purpose of marriage and he changed his mind let him not speak about it to others.’
If we combine the evidences we can conclude that a would-be husband is allowed to see more than the face and hands but not the hard aworah which even the father is not allowed to see! The majority of the Ulema of the past held this opinion (including the classical scholars). However, the woman need not give her consent to this and is under no obligation to do so.
The opinion of Ibn Hazim is not that one can see all the aworah, as some people mistakenly believe, but that he can see 'her aworah' which does not mean more than the soft aworah, particularly considering that he said elsewhere that, 'He is sinful if he saw the private parts of his fiancée.'
Some Ulema hold the view that 'what convinces' includes her character and trustworthiness as well, whilst others posit that it is referring to the face because this can 'convince' as well (and not more than that). The latter, however, is not a strong opinion since, as we have said, it is better to combine the evidences.
The viewing of the woman in this way, however, needs to be done in the presence of her Mahram and for the purpose of marriage only. Also, the man must be trustworthy and he can only see the aworah overall, not to check something out specifically (i.e. she will wear normal dress showing only her soft aworah and no more). It is useful to note here that it is makrouh (undesirable) to marry her without looking at her beforehand at all.
In choosing a suitable female companion it is worthy for us to remember the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh);
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "A woman is married for four things, that is, her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. So you should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser." (Bukhari)
This is a reminder to those of us who fall into the trap of being deluded by our non-Islamic environment around us, and thus look for materialistic criteria in our future partners.
Finally, engagement in Islam must be kept secret and if it is broken both parties are forbidden from speaking about what they know or have seen from each other.
Engagement in Islam is thus a means to an end and not an end in itself. Allah has created mankind with certain instincts that need to be fulfilled, and He has also given us the method with which to fulfil them. It is within the nature of human beings to long for companionship emotionally and physically and thus we fulfil this through marriage and marriage alone. Muslims need to remember that we are the slaves of Allah and not of man or of our own desires. The corrupt Western concept of engagement should not be implemented in our lives as it is completely contrary to the laws of Allah.
"And among His Signs is this that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." (30:21)
Raising Children
Providing children with Islamic education and raising them up as good practicing Muslims are essential duties of parenthood. Rightfully fulfilling these duties will lead to the Pleasure of Allah and good for the parents and the child in this life and the Hereafter. However, ignoring these duties would lead to the destruction of the child's Hereafter and the Wrath of Allah will befall the parents for not protecting their child from the traps of Shaytan and allowing him to choose the path of destruction.
Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The leader is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock, a man is the shepherd of his family and is responsible for his flock; a woman is the shepherd in the house of her husband and is responsible for her flock, the servant is the shepherd of his master's wealth and is responsible for it. Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock." [Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]
Allah says in the Quran:
"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your family from a fire whose Fuel are men and stones." [Noble Quran 66:6]
One of the ways of protecting your children from the Fire is to let him memorize the Words of Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"If the Quran is gathered in a body (i.e. a person), Allah will not burn him with the Fire." [al-Baihaqi, Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani]
"Teaching the children the Quran is a fundamental from the fundamentals of Islam. By it the child will grow upon the Fit rah (natural Islamic monotheism) and the lights of wisdom will rush to their hearts before the desires are able to settle in them and darken them with the cloudiness of disobedience and misguidance," said al-Hafidth as-Suyooti.
This is because the child from the early age will be protected from the temptations of the world and whispers of the Shaytan, he will live and grow up among the gathering of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) where tranquility and the mercy of Allah of descends, and as a result Allah will preserve his Fit rah (natural inclination of Islamic Monotheism)
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"No people gather in a house of the houses of Allah (i.e. Masjid) reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that the tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him (the lofty gathering of Angels)." [Sahih Muslim]
Your child will be given a position in Paradise according to the number of verses he memorizes from the Book of Allah, it will be said to him on the Day of Judgment as the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"'Read, ascend and recite with slow, rhythmic chanting just as you used to recite in the worldly life. For verily, your position (in Paradise) will be at the place of the last verse that you recite." [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]
Every time your child goes to the Masjid to learn the Quran he will have the reward of a perfect Hajj. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever goes to the Masjid in the morning having no intention except to learn something good or teach it he will have the reward like the person who performs Hajj." [At-Tabari. Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani]
The Prophet (pbuh) said to Abu Dharr,
"O Abu Dharr! That you set out in the morning and learn one verse from the Book of Allah is better for you than if you prayed one hundred Rak'ahs (units of prayer)." [Ibn Majah]
The Quran will intercede for your child on the Day of Judgment, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Recite the Quran for verily it will come on the Day of Judgment as an intercessor for those who recited it." [Sahih Muslim]
Your child will be given to wear garments and a crown of honor on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The Quran will come on the Day of Judgment and say, 'Oh Lord! Adorn him.' So the person will be made to wear the crown of honor. Then it (the Quran) will say, 'Oh Lord! Increase him.' So the person will be made to wear the garment of honor. Then it will say, 'Oh Lord! Be pleased with him.' So Allah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said, 'Recite and ascend.' And the person will receive an extra good deeds for every verse (that he recites of the Quran.)" [Sahih at-Tirmidhi]
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever recites the Quran, learns it and acts upon it will be given a crown of light to wear on the Day of Judgment and its light will be like the light of the sun." [Sahih al-Hakim]
So, why not encourage our children to memorize the Quran and make them one of the best individuals of this Ummah. Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said:
"The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it." [Sahih al-Bukhari]
Allah, the Exalted, has also promised abundant rewards for those parents who guide their children to memorize the Quran. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever recites the Quran, learns it and acts according to it will be given a crown of light to wear on the Day of Judgment whose light will be like the sun. His parents will be clothed in two garments that did not exist in this worldly life. So they will say, 'What has caused us to be clothed (in these garments)?' It will be said, 'Your child taking hold of (i.e. memorizing) the Quran has caused this.'"
When the parents leave a righteous child behind them, the child will be a source of reward and blessing for them after their death, for Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said:
"When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end, except for three cases; the charity of continuous blessings, beneficial knowledge which he leaves behind and a righteous child who prays for him." [Sahih Muslim]
The parents will also receive equal amount of reward that the child receives by memorizing or reciting the Quran, for the parents guide him to this good act and instill in his heart the love for Islam, and the love for the Book of Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever guides to something good is like the one who does it." [Sahih Muslim] and:
"Whoever invites to guidance will receive the reward like the rewards of those who follow him and that will not diminish anything from their rewards..." [Sahih Muslim]
The parents should also send those children who are intelligent and bright to learn the Quran and Islamic education. It should not be that only those children who when are unsuccessful in worldly studies are sent to Madras as for religious studies. The parents should realize the importance of Islamic education for their children and raising well-educated Muslims who would in the future work for the Cause of Islam.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The example of guidance and knowledge with which, Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil, absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rainwater and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge), which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)" [Sahih al-Bukhari v.1 no.79]
Those parents who give the excuse that their child is weak or does not have good memory or 'he is not gifted', should know that Allah has said in the Quran:
"And indeed we have made the Quran easy to remember." [Noble Quran 54:17]
And the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"Whoever treads on a path in search of Islamic knowledge, Allah will ease the way to Paradise for him. The Angels will lower their wings, pleased with this seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth will ask forgiveness for the knowledgeable person, even the fish in the deepest of waters will ask for his forgiveness." [Sahih Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi (2835)]
It is not mandatory for your child to memorize the complete Quran. If he is not able to memorize the complete Quran then know that only attending daily circle for memorization will suffice your child for it will accustom him to frequent the places of worship rather than visiting evil gatherings. Your child will find good companions which will protect him from deviating and adopting evil habits and practices. [Al-Hakim graded it authentic]
Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The leader is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock, a man is the shepherd of his family and is responsible for his flock; a woman is the shepherd in the house of her husband and is responsible for her flock, the servant is the shepherd of his master's wealth and is responsible for it. Each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock." [Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]
Allah says in the Quran:
"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your family from a fire whose Fuel are men and stones." [Noble Quran 66:6]
One of the ways of protecting your children from the Fire is to let him memorize the Words of Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"If the Quran is gathered in a body (i.e. a person), Allah will not burn him with the Fire." [al-Baihaqi, Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani]
"Teaching the children the Quran is a fundamental from the fundamentals of Islam. By it the child will grow upon the Fit rah (natural Islamic monotheism) and the lights of wisdom will rush to their hearts before the desires are able to settle in them and darken them with the cloudiness of disobedience and misguidance," said al-Hafidth as-Suyooti.
This is because the child from the early age will be protected from the temptations of the world and whispers of the Shaytan, he will live and grow up among the gathering of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) where tranquility and the mercy of Allah of descends, and as a result Allah will preserve his Fit rah (natural inclination of Islamic Monotheism)
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"No people gather in a house of the houses of Allah (i.e. Masjid) reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that the tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him (the lofty gathering of Angels)." [Sahih Muslim]
Your child will be given a position in Paradise according to the number of verses he memorizes from the Book of Allah, it will be said to him on the Day of Judgment as the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"'Read, ascend and recite with slow, rhythmic chanting just as you used to recite in the worldly life. For verily, your position (in Paradise) will be at the place of the last verse that you recite." [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]
Every time your child goes to the Masjid to learn the Quran he will have the reward of a perfect Hajj. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever goes to the Masjid in the morning having no intention except to learn something good or teach it he will have the reward like the person who performs Hajj." [At-Tabari. Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albani]
The Prophet (pbuh) said to Abu Dharr,
"O Abu Dharr! That you set out in the morning and learn one verse from the Book of Allah is better for you than if you prayed one hundred Rak'ahs (units of prayer)." [Ibn Majah]
The Quran will intercede for your child on the Day of Judgment, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Recite the Quran for verily it will come on the Day of Judgment as an intercessor for those who recited it." [Sahih Muslim]
Your child will be given to wear garments and a crown of honor on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The Quran will come on the Day of Judgment and say, 'Oh Lord! Adorn him.' So the person will be made to wear the crown of honor. Then it (the Quran) will say, 'Oh Lord! Increase him.' So the person will be made to wear the garment of honor. Then it will say, 'Oh Lord! Be pleased with him.' So Allah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said, 'Recite and ascend.' And the person will receive an extra good deeds for every verse (that he recites of the Quran.)" [Sahih at-Tirmidhi]
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever recites the Quran, learns it and acts upon it will be given a crown of light to wear on the Day of Judgment and its light will be like the light of the sun." [Sahih al-Hakim]
So, why not encourage our children to memorize the Quran and make them one of the best individuals of this Ummah. Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said:
"The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it." [Sahih al-Bukhari]
Allah, the Exalted, has also promised abundant rewards for those parents who guide their children to memorize the Quran. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever recites the Quran, learns it and acts according to it will be given a crown of light to wear on the Day of Judgment whose light will be like the sun. His parents will be clothed in two garments that did not exist in this worldly life. So they will say, 'What has caused us to be clothed (in these garments)?' It will be said, 'Your child taking hold of (i.e. memorizing) the Quran has caused this.'"
When the parents leave a righteous child behind them, the child will be a source of reward and blessing for them after their death, for Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said:
"When a man dies, all his good deeds come to an end, except for three cases; the charity of continuous blessings, beneficial knowledge which he leaves behind and a righteous child who prays for him." [Sahih Muslim]
The parents will also receive equal amount of reward that the child receives by memorizing or reciting the Quran, for the parents guide him to this good act and instill in his heart the love for Islam, and the love for the Book of Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whoever guides to something good is like the one who does it." [Sahih Muslim] and:
"Whoever invites to guidance will receive the reward like the rewards of those who follow him and that will not diminish anything from their rewards..." [Sahih Muslim]
The parents should also send those children who are intelligent and bright to learn the Quran and Islamic education. It should not be that only those children who when are unsuccessful in worldly studies are sent to Madras as for religious studies. The parents should realize the importance of Islamic education for their children and raising well-educated Muslims who would in the future work for the Cause of Islam.
The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The example of guidance and knowledge with which, Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil, absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rainwater and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge), which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)" [Sahih al-Bukhari v.1 no.79]
Those parents who give the excuse that their child is weak or does not have good memory or 'he is not gifted', should know that Allah has said in the Quran:
"And indeed we have made the Quran easy to remember." [Noble Quran 54:17]
And the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"Whoever treads on a path in search of Islamic knowledge, Allah will ease the way to Paradise for him. The Angels will lower their wings, pleased with this seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth will ask forgiveness for the knowledgeable person, even the fish in the deepest of waters will ask for his forgiveness." [Sahih Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi (2835)]
It is not mandatory for your child to memorize the complete Quran. If he is not able to memorize the complete Quran then know that only attending daily circle for memorization will suffice your child for it will accustom him to frequent the places of worship rather than visiting evil gatherings. Your child will find good companions which will protect him from deviating and adopting evil habits and practices. [Al-Hakim graded it authentic]
Allah says:
"And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord, morning and afternoon, seeking His Face and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose hearts We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lust and whose affairs (deeds) have been lost." [Noble Quran 18:28]
"And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord, morning and afternoon, seeking His Face and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose hearts We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lust and whose affairs (deeds) have been lost." [Noble Quran 18:28]
How to Gain Khushu in Salah
By: Dr. Mamdouh N. Mohamed
Associate Professor at the American Open University
Associate Professor at the American Open University
What is Khushu'?
Khushu' during Salah is misunderstood by some people as crying and weeping. Rather, it is the presence of the heart during an act of 'Ibadah. When a person's heart is fully occupied of what he says or hears, he is in a true state of Khushu'. The concept of Khushu' in Salah is very essential.
1- It is a vital factor in making a person successful in this life and in later life.
"Indeed, the believers, who have Khushu' in their Salah, are the winners." [Noble Quran 23:1-2]
2-It is a contributing factor for the acceptance of Salah.
3- It is a way to gain more rewards from the Almighty Allah; the more the Khushu' a person has, the more rewards he gets.
4- Without Khushu' the heart cannot easily be purified.
Ways to Gain Khushu'
A. Pre-Salah
1- A Muslim should know his Lord very well. Knowing whom one worships makes a person a better worshipper. Having clear and authentic knowledge about Allah increases His love in our hearts. Consequently, faith also increases.
2- Avoiding major and minor sins is very helpful in gaining Khushu', as the heart becomes more receptive to the words of Allah during and after Salah.
3- Reciting the Quran frequently and consistently softens the hearts and prepares it for Khushu'. Hard hearts do not gain Khushu'.
4- Minimize attachment to worldly matters. Gearing one's intentions towards the Afterlife helps against the temptations of life.
5- Avoid excessive laughter and useless arguments as they harden the heart and lead to heedlessness.
6- Stop working as soon as you hear the Adhan. When you listen attentively to the call of Salah repeat after the muezzin then offer the relevant supplication. This prepares you for a smooth transition from the business with worldly matters to the business with Salah.
7- Performing Wudu' immediately after hearing the Adhan prepares you for the pending Salah. Wudu' also works as a buffer zone before engaging in Salah.
8- Going to the mosque early for praying and continuing mention of Allah drives Satan away and help gain concentration.
9- The waiting time for the congregational Salah helps create a buffer zone between the state of mind before Salah and the state of during Salah.
B. During Salah
1- The Iqamah itself is a final signal to the mind to be well prepared for performing the actual Salah. Remember what the messenger of Allah said to Bilal "Let us enjoy the comfort of the Salah."
2- When you stand facing the Qiblah remember the following:
a. It might be the last Salah in your life. There is no guarantee to live longer to catch the next Salah.
b. You are standing between the hands of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. How can you be busy with something else?
c. The angel of death is chasing you.
3- Do not forget to make Isti'adthah. It wards off Satan's whispers.
4- Keep your eyes focused on the place of Sujud. This helps you gain more concentration.
5- When reciting the Fatihah, try to recall the response of Allah to you after every Ayah you say. (When you say: "al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil 'Alamin) Allah responds: "My servant praised me." etc. This feeling of speaking to Allah puts you in the right mood of Khushu'.
6- Beautifying the recitation of the Quran has a positive impact on the heart.
7- Recite the Quran slowly and reflect upon its meaning deeply.
8- It is recommended to change the Surah that your recite from time to time to avoid the mechanic-like state of repetition.
9- Alternate between the various authentic Sunan such as proclaiming a different opening supplication in every Salah.
10- Undoubtedly, understanding Arabic helps you focus on the intended meaning.
11- Interact with the recited Ayahs;
a. if you hear an Ayah about Allah, glorify Him by saying "Subhanallah";
b. If you hear an Ayah about Hellfire, say "A'udthu Billahi Minan-Nar".
c. If you hear a command to make Istighfar, do it.
d. If you hear an Ayah that requests Tasbih, make Tasbih.
12- These forms of interactions are very helpful in keeping you focused.
13- When you prostrate, remember that this position brings you closer to Allah. Seize the opportunity to make sincere Du'a'. Invest these moments in making sincere supplications.
C- Post-Salah
1. When you make Taslim, make Istighfar to Allah as you might have made during Salah.
2. When you praise Allah, thank Him from the bottom of your heart that you have experienced the beauty of Salah in your heart. Getting used to this habit prepares your for the next Salah, as you will always be eager to focus in your prayer.
3. One perfection leads to another perfection. If some one perfects his Salah once, he would be self-motivated to continue on the same level.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Quran and You
Looking at the beginning of Surat al-Baqarah, you will notice that the very first characteristic of the muttaqin Allah lists is that they believe in al-Ghayb - the unseen world. Besides the obvious, there are a few practical implications of this concept in your life.
25 Ways to Enter Jannah
1. Whoever meets Allah without ascribing anything to Him will enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
2. Whoever believes (has Iman) in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and establishes the prayer and fasts the month of Ramadan, it is incumbent upon Allah that He enters him in Jannah. [Bukhari]
3. Whoever builds a Masjid seeking by it the Pleasure of Allah, Allah will build for him a similar place in Jannah. [Bukhari]
4. Whoever prays the two cool prayers (Asr and Fajr) will enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
5. Whoever goes to the Masjid (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer), Allah will prepare for him an honorable place in Jannah with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon goings. [Bukhari]
6. Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Jannah for him. [Bukhari]
7. Whoever prays 12 Rak'ah in the day and night, a house in Jannah will be built for him. [Muslim]
8. Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Jannah. [Muslim]
9. Whoever repeats after the Mu'adthin (the caller to prayer) from his heart (i.e., sincerely) will enter Jannah. [Abu Dawud]
10. There is not one of you who perfects his Wudu and prays two Rak'ah setting about them with his heart as well as his face except that Jannah would be mandatory for him. [Abu Dawud]
11. Whoever says: "I am pleased with Allah as my Rabb, and with Islam as my Deen, and with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my Prophet, Jannah would be mandatory for him. [Abu Dawud]
12. Whosoever last words are: La ilaha illa Allah, will enter Paradise. [Abu Dawud, Sahih]
13. Whoever says "SubhanAllah al-Adthim wa Bihamdihi, Glorified and Exalted is Allah, The Great, and with His Praise", a date-palm will planted for him in Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
14. Whoever dies and is free from three: arrogance, grudges and debt will enter Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
15. Whoever raises two girls, he and I will enter Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
16. Whoever calls the Adhan for 12 years, Jannah will become mandatory for him. [Ibn Majah]
17. Whoever asks Allah for Jannah three times, Jannah will say: "O Allah, enter him into Jannah." [Tirmidhi]
18. Whoever visits an ailing person or a brother of his to seek the Pleasure of Allah, an announcer (angel) calls out: "May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you be awarded a dignified position in Jannah". [Tirmidhi]
19. Indeed, truthfulness leads to righteousness and indeed righteousness leads to Jannah. [Bukhari]
20. Allah guarantees him who strives in His Cause and whose motivation for going out is nothing but Jihad in His Cause and belief in His Word, that He will admit him into Jannah. [Bukhari]
21. O people, spread the salaam (greetings), feed the hungry, and pray while the people are asleep, you will enter Jannah in peace. [Tirmidhi]
22. (The performance of) Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted) is nothing but Jannah. [Bukhari]
23. Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
24. I saw a man going about in Jannah (and enjoying himself) as a reward for cutting from the middle of the road, a tree which was causing inconvenience to the Muslims. [Muslim]
25. O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am You servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I committed. I acknowledge Your favor upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You. "If somebody recites this invocation during the day, and if he should die then, he will be from the people of Jannah. And if he recites it in the night, and if he should die on the same day, he will be from the people of Jannah." [Bukhari]
All narrations not found in Bukhari or Muslim have been verified as authentic by Sheikh Albani Rahimahullah.
2. Whoever believes (has Iman) in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and establishes the prayer and fasts the month of Ramadan, it is incumbent upon Allah that He enters him in Jannah. [Bukhari]
3. Whoever builds a Masjid seeking by it the Pleasure of Allah, Allah will build for him a similar place in Jannah. [Bukhari]
4. Whoever prays the two cool prayers (Asr and Fajr) will enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
5. Whoever goes to the Masjid (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer), Allah will prepare for him an honorable place in Jannah with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon goings. [Bukhari]
6. Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Jannah for him. [Bukhari]
7. Whoever prays 12 Rak'ah in the day and night, a house in Jannah will be built for him. [Muslim]
8. Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Jannah. [Muslim]
9. Whoever repeats after the Mu'adthin (the caller to prayer) from his heart (i.e., sincerely) will enter Jannah. [Abu Dawud]
10. There is not one of you who perfects his Wudu and prays two Rak'ah setting about them with his heart as well as his face except that Jannah would be mandatory for him. [Abu Dawud]
11. Whoever says: "I am pleased with Allah as my Rabb, and with Islam as my Deen, and with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my Prophet, Jannah would be mandatory for him. [Abu Dawud]
12. Whosoever last words are: La ilaha illa Allah, will enter Paradise. [Abu Dawud, Sahih]
13. Whoever says "SubhanAllah al-Adthim wa Bihamdihi, Glorified and Exalted is Allah, The Great, and with His Praise", a date-palm will planted for him in Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
14. Whoever dies and is free from three: arrogance, grudges and debt will enter Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
15. Whoever raises two girls, he and I will enter Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
16. Whoever calls the Adhan for 12 years, Jannah will become mandatory for him. [Ibn Majah]
17. Whoever asks Allah for Jannah three times, Jannah will say: "O Allah, enter him into Jannah." [Tirmidhi]
18. Whoever visits an ailing person or a brother of his to seek the Pleasure of Allah, an announcer (angel) calls out: "May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you be awarded a dignified position in Jannah". [Tirmidhi]
19. Indeed, truthfulness leads to righteousness and indeed righteousness leads to Jannah. [Bukhari]
20. Allah guarantees him who strives in His Cause and whose motivation for going out is nothing but Jihad in His Cause and belief in His Word, that He will admit him into Jannah. [Bukhari]
21. O people, spread the salaam (greetings), feed the hungry, and pray while the people are asleep, you will enter Jannah in peace. [Tirmidhi]
22. (The performance of) Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted) is nothing but Jannah. [Bukhari]
23. Allah has ninety-nine Names, one hundred minus one, and whoever believes in their meanings and acts accordingly, will enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
24. I saw a man going about in Jannah (and enjoying himself) as a reward for cutting from the middle of the road, a tree which was causing inconvenience to the Muslims. [Muslim]
25. O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am You servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I committed. I acknowledge Your favor upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You. "If somebody recites this invocation during the day, and if he should die then, he will be from the people of Jannah. And if he recites it in the night, and if he should die on the same day, he will be from the people of Jannah." [Bukhari]
All narrations not found in Bukhari or Muslim have been verified as authentic by Sheikh Albani Rahimahullah.
Death Came Knocking at the Door
It was early in the morning at four,
When death knocked upon a bedroom door,
Who is there? The sleeping one cried.
I'm Malik-ul-Mawt, let me inside.
At once, the man began to shiver,
As one sweating in deadly fever,
He shouted to his sleeping wife,
Don't let him take away my life.
Please go away, O Angel of Death!
Leave me alone; I'm not ready yet.
My family on me depends,
Give me a chance, O please prepense!
The angel knocked again and again,
Friend! I'll take your life without a pain,
Tis your soul Allah requires,
I come not with my own desire.
Bewildered, the man began to cry,
O Angel I'm so afraid to die,
I'll give you gold and be your slave,
Don't send me to the unlit grave.
Let me in, O Friend! The Angel said,
Open the door; get up from your bed,
If you do not allow me in,
I will walk through it, like a Jinn.
The man held a gun in his right hand,
Ready to defy the Angel's stand.
I'll point my gun, towards your head,
You dare come in; I'll shoot you dead.
By now the Angel was in the room,
Saying, O Friend! Prepare for your doom.
Foolish man, Angels never die,
Put down your gun and do not sigh.
Why are you afraid! Tell me O man,
To die according to Allah's plan?
Come smile at me, do not be grim,
Be Happy to return to Him.
O Angel! I bow my head in shame,
I had no time to take Allah's Name.
From morning till dusk, I made my wealth,
Not even caring for my health.
Allah's command I never obeyed,
Nor five times a day I ever prayed.
A Ramadan came and a Ramadan went,
But no time had I to repent.
The Hajj was already FARD on me,
But I would not part with my money.
All charities I did ignore,
Taking usury more and more.
Sometimes I sipped my favourite wine,
With flirting women I sat to dine.
O Angel! I appeal to you,
Spare my life for a year or two.
The Laws of Qur'an I will obey,
I'll begin SALAT this very day.
My Fast and Hajj, I will complete,
And keep away from self-conceit.
I will refrain from usury,
And give all my wealth to charity,
Wine and wenches I will detest,
Allah's oneness I will attest.
We Angels do what Allah demands,
We cannot go against His commands.
Death is ordained for everyone,
Father, mother, daughter or son.
I'm afraid this moment is your last,
Now be reminded, of your past,
I do understand your fears,
But it is now too late for tears.
You lived in this world, two score and more,
Never did you, your people adore.
Your parents, you did not obey,
Hungry beggars, you turned away.
Your two ill-gotten, female offspring,
In nightclubs, for livelihood they sing.
Instead of making more Muslims,
You made your children non-Muslims.
You ignored the Mua'dhin Adhaan,
Nor did you read the Holy Qur'an.
Breaking promises all your life,
Backbiting friends, and causing strife.
From hoarded goods, great profits you made,
And your poor workers, you underpaid.
Horses and cards were your leisure,
Moneymaking was your pleasure.
You ate vitamins and grew more fat,
With the very sick, you never sat.
A pint of blood you never gave,
Which could a little baby save?
O Human, you have done enough wrong,
You bought good properties for a song.
When the farmers appealed to you,
You did not have mercy, tis true.
Paradise for you? I cannot tell,
Undoubtedly you will dwell in hell.
There is no time for you to repent,
I'll take your soul for which I am sent.
The ending however, is very sad,
Eventually the man became mad
With a cry, he jumped out of bed,
And suddenly, he fell down dead.
O Reader! Take moral from here,
You never know, your end may be near
Change your living and make amends
For heaven, on your deeds depends.
If this poem inspires you,
It can help someone too.
When death knocked upon a bedroom door,
Who is there? The sleeping one cried.
I'm Malik-ul-Mawt, let me inside.
At once, the man began to shiver,
As one sweating in deadly fever,
He shouted to his sleeping wife,
Don't let him take away my life.
Please go away, O Angel of Death!
Leave me alone; I'm not ready yet.
My family on me depends,
Give me a chance, O please prepense!
The angel knocked again and again,
Friend! I'll take your life without a pain,
Tis your soul Allah requires,
I come not with my own desire.
Bewildered, the man began to cry,
O Angel I'm so afraid to die,
I'll give you gold and be your slave,
Don't send me to the unlit grave.
Let me in, O Friend! The Angel said,
Open the door; get up from your bed,
If you do not allow me in,
I will walk through it, like a Jinn.
The man held a gun in his right hand,
Ready to defy the Angel's stand.
I'll point my gun, towards your head,
You dare come in; I'll shoot you dead.
By now the Angel was in the room,
Saying, O Friend! Prepare for your doom.
Foolish man, Angels never die,
Put down your gun and do not sigh.
Why are you afraid! Tell me O man,
To die according to Allah's plan?
Come smile at me, do not be grim,
Be Happy to return to Him.
O Angel! I bow my head in shame,
I had no time to take Allah's Name.
From morning till dusk, I made my wealth,
Not even caring for my health.
Allah's command I never obeyed,
Nor five times a day I ever prayed.
A Ramadan came and a Ramadan went,
But no time had I to repent.
The Hajj was already FARD on me,
But I would not part with my money.
All charities I did ignore,
Taking usury more and more.
Sometimes I sipped my favourite wine,
With flirting women I sat to dine.
O Angel! I appeal to you,
Spare my life for a year or two.
The Laws of Qur'an I will obey,
I'll begin SALAT this very day.
My Fast and Hajj, I will complete,
And keep away from self-conceit.
I will refrain from usury,
And give all my wealth to charity,
Wine and wenches I will detest,
Allah's oneness I will attest.
We Angels do what Allah demands,
We cannot go against His commands.
Death is ordained for everyone,
Father, mother, daughter or son.
I'm afraid this moment is your last,
Now be reminded, of your past,
I do understand your fears,
But it is now too late for tears.
You lived in this world, two score and more,
Never did you, your people adore.
Your parents, you did not obey,
Hungry beggars, you turned away.
Your two ill-gotten, female offspring,
In nightclubs, for livelihood they sing.
Instead of making more Muslims,
You made your children non-Muslims.
You ignored the Mua'dhin Adhaan,
Nor did you read the Holy Qur'an.
Breaking promises all your life,
Backbiting friends, and causing strife.
From hoarded goods, great profits you made,
And your poor workers, you underpaid.
Horses and cards were your leisure,
Moneymaking was your pleasure.
You ate vitamins and grew more fat,
With the very sick, you never sat.
A pint of blood you never gave,
Which could a little baby save?
O Human, you have done enough wrong,
You bought good properties for a song.
When the farmers appealed to you,
You did not have mercy, tis true.
Paradise for you? I cannot tell,
Undoubtedly you will dwell in hell.
There is no time for you to repent,
I'll take your soul for which I am sent.
The ending however, is very sad,
Eventually the man became mad
With a cry, he jumped out of bed,
And suddenly, he fell down dead.
O Reader! Take moral from here,
You never know, your end may be near
Change your living and make amends
For heaven, on your deeds depends.
If this poem inspires you,
It can help someone too.
Taraweeh? Witr? Nawafil? - RAMADAAN
TARAWEEH:
Q1) Is Taraweeh Fard? When can we pray Taraweeh?
Ans) Taraweeh is Sunnah not Fard, the Prophet (saws) led his companions in prayer (Taraweeh) for several nights, and then on the third or fourth night he did not come out to them. When morning came He (saws) said: “Nothing prevented me from coming out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made obligatory for you.” [Sahih Bukhari]
The time for Taraweeh begins when Isha prayer is over, as was stated by al-Baghawi and others and lasts until dawn comes.
Q3) Can we hold and read from the Quraan if we are praying Taraweeh at home?
Q5) Leaving the Masjid before the Imaam has completed all Prayers (Isha, Taraweeh & Witr)?
WITR & NAWAFIL:
Q1) Is Witr Fard or Sunnah?
Q3) Witr should be the last prayer of the Night?
Q4) But if Witr is supposed to be the last Prayer of the Night then how can we pray Nawafil or Tahajjud Prayers after the Imaam has completed the Salaah with Witr? Should I pray Witr again in the Night?
Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: ‘Do not pray Witr like Maghrib.’ [Sahih - at-Tabarani]
Q6) What if we want to pray Witr at Home as the last Salaah of the Night and not with the Imaam after Taraweeh?
Q7) Is dua Al-Qunoot in Witr Fard? Can we make any other Dua?
Q8) When should we say the dua Al-Qunoot and how should we raise our Hands? Do we wipe our Face at the end of the Dua?
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT NOTE:
1 - Friday or Eid Khutbah dua.
2- Tawaaf (circumambulation of the Kabah), Saie (running between al-Safa and Marwah)
3 - Anywhere in the Salaah except dua Al-Qunoot in Witr.
4 - Morning and Evening Adhkaars.
Insha'Allah we pray that this knowledge was of some benefit to our dear Muslimeen. May Allah accept all our service to His deen and forgive us for our flaws - AMEEN.
Q1) Is Taraweeh Fard? When can we pray Taraweeh?
Ans) Taraweeh is Sunnah not Fard, the Prophet (saws) led his companions in prayer (Taraweeh) for several nights, and then on the third or fourth night he did not come out to them. When morning came He (saws) said: “Nothing prevented me from coming out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made obligatory for you.” [Sahih Bukhari]
The time for Taraweeh begins when Isha prayer is over, as was stated by al-Baghawi and others and lasts until dawn comes.
It says in al-Insaaf (4/166): "The time for it (i.e., Taraweeh) begins after Isha prayer and its Sunnahs, according to the correct view. This is the view of the majority and is the practice of the Muslims."
Q2) How many Rakah's are there in Taraweeh?
Ans) It has been narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saws) used to pray 8 rakah Taraweeh (2x2x2x2) followed by 2 rakah of Witr, and then by another 1 rakah of Witr.
Note that if one wants to pray more then 8, there is no restriction but its preferred to pray 8 rakahs. In a hadith of Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked Aishah (ra), “How did the Messenger of Allah (saws) pray during Ramadaan?” She said: “He did not pray more than eleven rakahs in Ramadaan or at other times. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray three. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, will you sleep before you pray Witr?’ He said, ‘O Aishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not.’” [Bukhari, 1909; Muslim, 73]
Q2) How many Rakah's are there in Taraweeh?
Ans) It has been narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saws) used to pray 8 rakah Taraweeh (2x2x2x2) followed by 2 rakah of Witr, and then by another 1 rakah of Witr.
Note that if one wants to pray more then 8, there is no restriction but its preferred to pray 8 rakahs. In a hadith of Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked Aishah (ra), “How did the Messenger of Allah (saws) pray during Ramadaan?” She said: “He did not pray more than eleven rakahs in Ramadaan or at other times. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray three. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, will you sleep before you pray Witr?’ He said, ‘O Aishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not.’” [Bukhari, 1909; Muslim, 73]
Q3) Can we hold and read from the Quraan if we are praying Taraweeh at home?
Ans) YES you can, the Scholars have clearly said there is no harm in doing so, the same goes incases of Dua's that one might not remember-can also be read by holding a piece of paper or a book. However holding a Quraan and reading in a Fard Salaah is considered as Makrooh by the Scholars of Islam.
It was narrated from Aishah (ra) that she told her freed slave Dhakwaan to lead her in praying night prayers during Ramadaan, and he used to read from the Mus-haf (collection of pages or can also be a book). [Bukhari in a mu’allaq majzoom report]
Also Al-Nawawi said: "If he reads from the Mus-haf that does not invalidate his prayer, whether he had memorized it or not. Rather he should do that if he has not memorized al-Fatihah, and if he turns the pages sometimes whilst praying that does not invalidate his prayer."
Q4) Evidence of finishing the Quraan in Taraweeh in the Month of Ramadaan?
Ans) There is no evidence whatsoever related to the saying of many Imaams who claim that the recitation of the Quraan must be completed during the month of Ramadaan in the Taraweeh prayers. This does not exist at all in the Shareeah and results in the Imaams rushing salaah and distorting the recitation in order to complete the Quraan as fast as possible.
Q5) Leaving the Masjid before the Imaam has completed all Prayers (Isha, Taraweeh & Witr)?
Ans) Some Brothers and Sisters leave the Masjid after praying Isha, or Taraweeh thus missing out on the reward of which the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Whoever stands (and prays) with the Imam until he finishes, it will be recorded as if he spent the night in prayer.” [Al-Tirmidhi (806), Abu Dawood (1375), Al-Nasai (1605) and Ibn Majah (1327) - Classed as Sahih by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzaymah (3/337), Ibn Hibban (3/340)]
As for the one who prays as much as he can and then leaves before the Imaam has completed his prayer, only what he has prayed will be recorded for him.
WITR & NAWAFIL:
Q1) Is Witr Fard or Sunnah?
Ans) Scholars of Islam say Witr prayer is one of the greatest acts of worship that draws one closer to Allah, however Witr prayer is Sunnah Muakkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) according to the majority of Scholars. Witr prayers are given superiority over Sunnah and Nawafil Prayers. Whoever prays it on some days and not on others will not be blamed for that, but it is highly advised to pray Witr regularly.
Ali (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “O people of the Quraan, pray Witr, for Allah is One and loves that which is odd-numbered.” [Abu Dawood (1416)]
Q2) When are we supposed to pray Witr?
Q2) When are we supposed to pray Witr?
Ans) Witr in Ramadaan should be prayed after Isha and Taraweeh or Nawafil prayers. The time for Witr prayer lasts from after Isha prayer until the dawn begins.
Ibn Umar (ra) said that the Prophet (saws) said: “Hasten to pray Witr before dawn.” [Saheeh Muslim]
bn Umar (ra) said that the Prophet (saws) said: “When dawn comes, all the night prayers and Witr are over, so pray Witr before dawn comes.” [Saheeh al-Tirmidhi 469]
Prophet (saws) said: “The night prayers are two (rakahs) by two, then when you think that morning (dawn) is about to begin, pray one (rakah) and it will make what you have prayed Witr (odd-numbered).” [Bukhari (472)]
Q3) Witr should be the last prayer of the Night?
Ans) YES, its preferred to have prayed Witr as your last Salaah of the Night.
Abdallah ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Make the last of your prayer at night Witr.” [Bukhari, 998; Muslim, 749]
Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Witr is one rakah at the end of the night.” [Muslim (752)]
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, but whoever thinks that he will be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is better.” [Muslim (755)]
Q4) But if Witr is supposed to be the last Prayer of the Night then how can we pray Nawafil or Tahajjud Prayers after the Imaam has completed the Salaah with Witr? Should I pray Witr again in the Night?
Ans) There is nothing wrong with the person who prays Witr in the first part of the night or the middle of the night offering any Nawafil prayers he wants after Witr, even though it is mustahab (recommended) for the last of his prayer at night to be Witr - Please note its recommended not obligated.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo, 3/512:
If a person prays Witr then he wants to offer a naafil prayer etc at night, that is permissible and is not makrooh, but he should not repeat Witr. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah who was asked about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (saws). She said: “We used to prepare his siwaak (tooth stick) and water for wudoo’ for him, then Allah would cause him to wake up at any time He willed at night. He would use the tooth stick, do wudoo’ and pray nine rak’ahs, in which he would not sit except in the eighth, when he would remember Allah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would get up without saying salaam, and pray the ninth rak’ah. Then he would sit down and again remember Allaah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would say a salaam that we could hear, then he would pray two rak’ahs after that, whilst sitting down.” [Narrated by Muslim; this is part of a lengthy hadeeth, which is to be understood as meaning that the Prophet (saws) prayed two rak’ahs after Witr to show that it is permissible to pray after Witr.]
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo, 3/512:
If a person prays Witr then he wants to offer a naafil prayer etc at night, that is permissible and is not makrooh, but he should not repeat Witr. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah who was asked about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (saws). She said: “We used to prepare his siwaak (tooth stick) and water for wudoo’ for him, then Allah would cause him to wake up at any time He willed at night. He would use the tooth stick, do wudoo’ and pray nine rak’ahs, in which he would not sit except in the eighth, when he would remember Allah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would get up without saying salaam, and pray the ninth rak’ah. Then he would sit down and again remember Allaah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would say a salaam that we could hear, then he would pray two rak’ahs after that, whilst sitting down.” [Narrated by Muslim; this is part of a lengthy hadeeth, which is to be understood as meaning that the Prophet (saws) prayed two rak’ahs after Witr to show that it is permissible to pray after Witr.]
So, if a person prays Witr then he wants to offer a Nawafil prayer etc at night, that is permissible and is not makrooh, but he should not repeat Witr, rather the Witr that he prayed at the beginning of the night is sufficient.
Talq ibn Ali said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, “There should not be two Witrs in one night.” [Tirmidhi 470; al-Nasai 1679; Abu Dawood 1439]
Q5) What are the ways of Praying Witr?
Ans) The minimum number of rakahs for Witr is one rakah as mentioned in above Muslim 752 Hadith BUT Witr may also be Three or Five or Seven or Nine. However in Ramadaan its recommended to go with Three BUT do not pray Three rakah as that of Maghrib:Q5) What are the ways of Praying Witr?
Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: ‘Do not pray Witr like Maghrib.’ [Sahih - at-Tabarani]
If a person prays Three rakahs of Witr this may be done in Two ways, both of which are prescribed in Shariah:
1 – To pray them one after another, with one Tashahhud, because of the Hadith of Aishah (ra) who said: The Prophet (saws) used not to say the Tasleem in the (first) two rakahs of Witr. According to another version: “He used to pray Witr with three rakahs and he did not sit except in the last of them.” [Nasai, 3/234; Sahih al-Bayhaqi, 3/31]
2 – Saying the Tasleem after Two rakahs, then praying one rakah on its own, because of the report narrated from Ibn Umar (ra), that he used to separate the two rakahs from the single rakah with a Tasleem, and he said that the Prophet (saws) used to do that. [Ibn Hibbaan (2435); Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (2/482) its isnaad is qawiy (strong)]
Q6) What if we want to pray Witr at Home as the last Salaah of the Night and not with the Imaam after Taraweeh?
Ans) It is not recommended to leave the Masjid before ending the prayer with the Imaam and loose the reward equivalent to spending the whole night in prayer, so the following can be done as suggested by Scholars:
When the Imam says the Salam at the end of Witr, do not say the Salam with him, rather stand up and do an extra rakah and that will be considered as your Nawafil prayer and so you can pray your Witr then at the end of the night. Q7) Is dua Al-Qunoot in Witr Fard? Can we make any other Dua?
Ans) Dua Al-Qunoot is not Fard, its Sunnah in Witr and if a person omits it sometimes, his prayer is still valid and there is nothing wrong.
When the Prophet (saws) taught al-Husayn ibn Ali (ra) to say Qunoot in Witr, he did not tell him to omit it sometimes or to do it all the time. This indicates that either is permissible. Hence it was narrated that when Ubayy ibn Kab (ra) led the Sahabah in prayer in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (saws), he used to omit Qunoot some nights; perhaps that was in order to teach the people that it is not obligatory.
YES, we can make any other dua, it is permissible to say other words or to add Dua's in Al-Qunoot. Even if we were to recite verses from the Quraan that include words of supplication (dua), that would be sufficient BUT not the Quraan itself, only Dua's from the Quraan. Any dua that is said will serve as Qunoot but it is better to recite the words that were narrated in the Sunnah.
Q8) When should we say the dua Al-Qunoot and how should we raise our Hands? Do we wipe our Face at the end of the Dua?
Ans) Dua Al-Qunoot is recited in the last rakah of Witr prayer, after Bowing meaning after Ruku OR it can also be recited before Bowing (Ruku). The Fuqaha among the scholars of Hadith, such as Ahmad and others, say that both are allowed, because both are mentioned in the Saheeh Sunnah, but they preferred reciting Qunoot after Bowing (Ruku) because this is mentioned more often.
Humaid says: "I asked Anas: 'Is the Qunoot before or after the Ruku'?' He said: 'We would do it before or after.'" [Sahih - ibn Majah]
Ubayy b. Kab said: "The Apostle of Allah (saws) recited supplication in the Witr before Bowing." [Abu Dawood book 2]
Now, the right way of raising your Hands is mentioned in a saheeh report from Umar (ra), as was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in a report which he classed as saheeh (2/210).
The worshiper should raise his hands to CHEST Height and no more up or further down, because this dua is not a dua of supplication in which a person needs to raise his hands high. Rather it is a dua of hope in which a person holds out his palms towards Heaven… The apparent meaning of the Scholar’s words is that the worshiper should hold his Hands close together like a beggar who asks someone else to give him something - Like you are begging to Allah.
NO, we should not Wipe our Hands on the Face after dua Al-Qunoot. There is no authentication of this on any Ahadith and is considered as Biddah. None of the narrations provide any proof of Wiping Hands over face especially after dua Al-Qunoot. The consensus of Scholars have agreed that the Prophet (saws) did not do such an act.
Al-Baihaqi writes regarding Wiping Face with hands after dua Al-Qunoot: "It is preferred not to do so and to confine one's self to what the early generations did. They raised their hands but did not wipe their faces during the prayer."
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT NOTE:
The basic principle is that one should raise the hands when making dua, because the Prophet (saws) said: “Allah is Most Generous, and He dislikes to turn away empty the hands of His slave when he raises them to Him.” [Sahih Tirmidhi, 3556]
Hands should be raised when making dua, except when the dua is part of another act of worship, in which case raising the hands is regarded as an additional action (and should not be done). Examples of such acts of worship as per Shariah law, where the Prophet (saws) did not raise his Hands includes:
1 - Friday or Eid Khutbah dua.
Raising the hands when the Imam is delivering the Khutbah on Friday or Eid is not prescribed in Shariah, neither for the Imaam nor for the members of the congregation. Rather what is prescribed is to listen attentively to the Imaam and to say ameen to his dua, rather it is sufficient for the Imam to point with his forefinger. The Sahabah denounced Bishr ibn Marwan when he raised his hands during the Friday khutbah. But an exception is made in the case of prayers for rain (istisqaa), because it is proven that the Prophet (saws) raised his hands when praying to Allah for rain during the Friday khutbah, and the people raised their hands with him. But apart from that one should NOT raise one's hands when making dua during the Friday khutbah.
Umarah ibn Ruaybah saw Bishr ibn Marwan on the minbar raising his hands (Abu Dawood added: when he was making dua on Friday), and he said: “May Allah make these two hands ugly. I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) doing no more than this with his hand,” and he gestured with his forefinger. [Muslim (874); Abu Dawood (1104)]
2- Tawaaf (circumambulation of the Kabah), Saie (running between al-Safa and Marwah)
3 - Anywhere in the Salaah except dua Al-Qunoot in Witr.
4 - Morning and Evening Adhkaars.
Insha'Allah we pray that this knowledge was of some benefit to our dear Muslimeen. May Allah accept all our service to His deen and forgive us for our flaws - AMEEN.