How to Treat People Who are in Difficulty

by: Umar al-Ashqar

Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

“A man used to lend money to people, and he used to say to his servant, ‘When you come to one who is in difficulty, let him off, perhaps Allah will let us off.’ And when he met Allah, Allah let him off.” [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2/108, hadith no. 2899.]

Nasaa’i, Ibn Hibbaan and Al-Haakim narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

“There was a man who never did anything good. However, he used to lend money to people, and would say to his messenger, ‘Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off.’ When he died, it was asked, ‘Have you ever done anything good?’ He said, ‘No, but I had a slave and I used to lend money to people. When I sent him to collect the debts, I would tell him, ‘Take what they can afford to pay you, and forget about what they cannot afford, and let them off. Perhaps Allah will let us off.” Allah said: ‘I will let you off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 2/204, hadith no. 2073.]

In Mustadrak al-Haakim it is narrated with a saheeh isnaad from Hudhayfah, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir and Abu Mas’ood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Allah will bring forth one of His slaves to whom He had given wealth, and will say to him, ‘What did you do in the world?’ He will say, ‘I did not do anything, O Lord, but You gave me wealth, and I used to engage in trade with people. One of the ways in which I treated people was that I would be easy-going with those who could afford it and I would postpone payment for those who were in difficulty.’ Allah will say, ‘I should be more tolerant than you; let My slave off.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 1/92, hadith no. 124.]

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al-Albaane on Tirmidhi’s Definitions

The saying of at-Tirmidhi: Hadeeth Hasan

Our shaykh (al-Albaanee) said in as-Saheehah (1/527):

“It is taken from at-Tirmidhi in his Sunan (4/229 – with the Sharh Tuhfah (al-Ahwadhi) and he said: ‘This hadeeth is Hasan.”

I (al-Albaanee) say: “And this is like the saying: And the meaning is that it is Hasan li-ghayrihi.”

 

Tirmidhi’s Saying: Hadeeth Ghareeb

Our Shaykh (al-Albaanee) said in as-Saheehah (5/237):

“…and [it is recorded by] Tirmidhi (2213) and he said ‘Ghareeb.’”

I (al-Albaanee) say: “Meaning: Da’eef (weak).”

 

Tirmidhi’s Saying: Hasan Ghareeb

Our Shaykh (al-Albaanee) said in as-Saheehah (2/180):

“at-Tirmidhi brought together between the words “ghareeb” and “hasan” the meaning of which is “hasan li-dhaatihi” and it is different from if he said “hadeeth hasan” and stopped without adding “ghareeb” because this is from the meaning of “hasan li-ghayrihi” and it is different from his saying “hadeeth ghareeb” and stopping because the meaning of this is that the isnaad is da’eef.

From Rawd-ud-daanee fil Fawaa’id al-Hadithiyyah of Shaykh Muhammad Naasir-ud-deen al-Albaanee (pages 52-53).

Following the example of the Prophet (saw)

Ibn Hazm says: The best knowledge is what brings you closer to your creator and what helps you attain his satisfaction.

In wealth, condition, and health compare yourself to those who are less fortunate than you are; and in religion, knowledge, and virtue, compare yourself to those who exceed you in these matters.

Nothing can be inflicted upon knowledge and its people worse than the intrusion of those who are outsiders to knowledge. They are ignorant but they think they know and they are mischievous but they think they are the reformers.

Whoever desires the good in the hereafter, the wisdom in this life, the justice in conduct, the acquiring of all good morals and the deserving of all virtues should follow the example of Muhammed (saw). And should imitate his manners and conduct such as he can.

May Allah make it possible for us to follow his example; Ameen.

Continuation of the increases and decreases lf eemaan

If a person does good deeds physically more than another, the one who does more will have more eemaan than the one who does less. This is stated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah – I mean the fact that eemaan may increase and decrease. Allaah says, “And We have fixed their number only as a trial for the disbelievers, in order that the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) may arrive at a certainty and that the believers may increase in Faith.” [Soorah al-Muddaththir (74):31] “And whenever there comes down a Soorah, some of them (hypocrites) say, “Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?” As for those who believe, it has increased their Faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubt, disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers.” [Soorah at-Tawbah (9):124-125] According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said, “I have never seen any women lacking in reason and faith who have a more negative impact on the mind of a serious man than you.” Thus eemaan increases and decreases.

Remembrance of Allaah (Part one)

The Virtue of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allaah)

Written by Shaykh ‘Ali al-Hudhayfee

 

All praise is due to Allaah. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. May peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him, his household and companions.
Dear Muslims! Fear Allaah and obey Him. Beware of His wrath and retribution, for His punishment is severe and none of your actions or deeds are hidden from Him.

Allaah says, “O you who believe! Remember Allaah with much remembrance.” (Al-Ahzaab: 41).
Fellow Muslims! Allaah enjoins you to remember Him, commands you to be consistent in your remembrance, makes His remembrance a means to achieve His pleasure, and promises a great reward and safety from punishment for those who remember Him. He says, “And the men and women who remember Allaah much (with their hearts and tongues), Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).” (Al-Ahzaab: 35).

Remembrance of Allaah, though easy to do is nevertheless heavy on the scale (of one’s good deeds). The Prophet of Guidance told us that remembrance of Allaah is the best and the purest deed. Aboo Dardaa narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said, “Shall I tell you of the best and purest of your deeds before your King, the one that elevates your position the most; that is better for you than meeting your enemies whose necks you strike and they also strike your necks?” The companions said, “O Yes.” The Prophet then said, “Remembrance of Allaah, the Exalted.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhee and others).

 

The meaning of remembrance of Allaah is to Praise Him with His names and perfect attributes, to supplicate to Him and to deem Him free from all that does not benefit His greatness. Remembrance of Allaah can be through physical acts of worship, or it can be with the tongue or in the heart. The best Dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) is the one done with the body, tongue and heart; like prayer, hajj and Jihad (fighting in the cause of Allaah) followed by the one done with the tongue and heart alone. The best oral act of remembrance is recitation of the Glorious Qur’aan, for the Qur’aan is the life of the hearts and minds and the guide to Allaah’s pleasure and the blissful Paradise. It is also the protection against the accursed Satan. Recitation of it is an act of worship; reflecting on its meanings is victory and happiness.Ibn Mas’ud narrated that the Prophet said, “Whoever reads a letter of the Book of Allaah will have a good reward for that and ten more like it. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, rather that Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Meem is a letter.” (Tirmidhee).

( To Be Continued )

Eemaan

The Increase And Decrease Of Faith

Author: Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen Source: Majmoo’ Fataawa wa-Rasaa’il

Published: Wednesday 26th October, 2005

According to Ahlus–Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, eemaan (faith) is “belief in the heart, words on the tongue and actions of the body.” This includes three things:

1. Belief in the heart

2. Words on the tongue

3. Actions of the body

As this is the case, then it will increase and decrease. That is because the degree of belief in the heart differs from one person to another. Believing in what someone tells you is not the same as believing something that you see with your own eyes. Believing in what one person tells you is not the same as believing what two people tell you, and so on. Hence Ibraaheem (alayhis-salaam) said, “ ‘My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.’ He (Allaah) said, ‘Do you not believe?’ He [Ibraaheem (Abraham)] said, ‘Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith.’ ” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2):260]

Eemaan may increase with regard to belief, contentment and tranquility in the heart. A person may experience that in himself when he attends gatherings of dhikr where he hears a lesson. Remembering Paradise and Hell increases eemaan to the point where it is as if you can see them with your own eyes. But when a person is negligent and leaves those gatherings, this certain faith is reduced in his heart. Eemaan in the sense of words may increase similarly. Whoever remembers Allaah a few times is not like one who remembers Him one hundred times. The latter is far better in eemaan. And the one who does an act of worship in a perfect manner will have more faith than one who does it in an imperfect manner. The same applies to righteous deeds.

 

The things that invalidate the prayer

The things that invalidate the prayer are well known, but the number differs according to differences among the fuqaha’. They are as follows:

1. That which invalidates wudoo’, such as breaking wind or eating camel meat.
2. Uncovering the ‘awrah deliberately. But if it is uncovered by accident and what is uncovered is only a little, or if a lot becomes uncovered but he covers it immediately, then the prayer is not invalidated.
3. Turning away from the qiblah to a large extent.
4. Presence of najaasah (impurity) on one’s body or clothes, or in the place where one is praying. If he notices it or remembers it during the prayer and removes it immediately, then his prayer is valid. Similarly, if he does not find out about it until after the prayer is over, his prayer is still valid.
5. Excessive continuous movement during the prayer for no essential reason.
6. Omitting one of the pillars (essential parts) of the prayer, such as bowing and prostration.
7. Deliberately doing an extra pillar, such as bowing.
8. Deliberately doing some pillars before others.
9. Deliberately saying the salaam before completing the prayer.
10. Deliberately changing the meaning whilst reciting.
11. Deliberately omitting one of the obligatory parts of prayer, such as the first tashahhud. But if a person forgets, his prayer is valid but he must do the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood al-sahw).
12. Deciding to stop praying.
13. Laughing out loud. Merely smiling does not invalidate the prayer.
14. Deliberately speaking. If one speaks by mistake or out of ignorance of the ruling, the prayer is not invalidated.
15. Eating and drinking.

(Islam Q&A)

Friendship

Ibn hazm Said : Do not counsel on the condition that your advice will be accepted, Do not interceed on somebody’s behalf on the condition your intercession will be accpeted and do not give on the condition you will be rewarded.

Conditions for a Sahih Hadith

The five condtions for a hadith to be sahih

1. Complete isnaad (a continues isnaad all the way back to the Messenger (Saw) or a companion from begining to end)

2. Narrators have to be Trustworty,

3. Dabt:They have to have a Strong memory

4. Shadahdh: meaning it cannot contradict a more reliable hadith that is reported a larger number of narrators or even by one transmitter of higher authority.

5. Ilal: Free from hidden or obvious defects.

 

Reward of Making Wudu

Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 4, Number 138: Narrated Nu’am Al-Mujmir:

Once I went up the roof of the mosque, along with Abu Huraira. He perform ablution and said, “I heard the Prophet saying, “On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be called “Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalun” from the trace of ablution and whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so (i.e. by performing ablution regularly).’ “