The meaning of Verse 33, Al Rahmaan

 

Assalamu'alaikum wbt

Brother,

I would like to seek your assistance in translating the tafsir of surah 55 ayat
33(Since I do not know Arabic):

"33. O ye assembly of Jinns and men! if it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the
heavens and the earth pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass!"

Jazakallahu Khair.

Praise be to Allah;

Verse 33 of Surat al-Rahman, interpretation of the meaning: "O ye assembly of Jinns and men!
If you can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! Not without authority
shall ye be able to pass!"



This challenge from Allaah to all will be on the day of resurrection when all creatures, Jinn and
humans, will be assembled and the heavens split apart. Angels will descend from all of heavens
and encircle the resurrected. Allah will challenge the people assembled to escape if they can.
They will not be able to escape as they will not have the ability or the power to do so with the
angels besieging and encircling them from all sides.



In explanation of this Verse, Ibn Kathir (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "Meaning that
you cannot escape Allaah’s power and predestination, which are everywhere around you. You
cannot escape Allah’s power or break away from His authority or ruling on you. On the day of
resurrection, wherever you go, you will be surrounded on all sides by seven rows of angels. No
one can pass beyond the zones "without authority" i.e. an order from Allah. Verse 10 of Surat
Al-Qiyamah, or the resurrection, says (interpretation of the meaning): "(10.) That day will man
say: Where is the escape? (11.) By no means! No place of safety! 12. Before thy Lord
(alone), that day will be the dwelling."

 

 

Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan

 

I see the word fitnah repeated often in the Qur’aan in several soorahs and aayahs. Is there a difference in the meanings of this word, and what are its various meanings?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Definition of fitnah: 

1 – The word fitnah from a linguistic point of view: 

Al-Azhari said: “The Arabic word fitnah includes meanings of
testing and trial. The root is taken from the phrase fatantu al-fiddah
wa’l-dhahab (I assayed (tested the quality of) the silver and gold),
meaning I melted the metals to separate the bad from the good. Similarly,
Allaah says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
‘(It will be) a Day when they will be tried [yuftanoona]
(punished, i.e. burnt) over the Fire!’ [al-Dhaariyaat 51:13],
meaning, burning them with fire.” (Tahdheeb al-Lughah, 14/196). 

Ibn Faaris said: “Fa-ta-na
is a sound root which indicates testing or trial.” (Maqaayees al-Lughah,
4/472). This is the basic meaning of the word fitnah in Arabic. 

Ibn al-Atheer said: “Fitnah: trial or test… The word is often
used to describe tests in which something disliked is eliminated. Later it
was also often used in the sense of sin, kufr (disbelief), fighting,
burning, removing and diverting.” (al-Nihaayah, 3/410. Ibn Hajar said
something similar in al-Fath, 13/3). 

Ibn al-A’raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said:
“Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means
children, fitnah means kufr, fitnah means differences of opinion among
people, fitnah means burning with fire.” (Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn
Manzoor). 

2 – Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan and Sunnah: 

1-    
Testing and trial, as in the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Do people think
that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe, and will not be
tested [la yuftanoon]” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2]

i.e., that they will not be subjected to trial, as Ibn Jareer
said. 

2-    
Blocking the way and turning
people away, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“but beware of them
lest they turn you [yaftinooka] (O Muhammad) far away from some of that
which Allaah has sent down to you” [al-Maa’idah 5:49]

Al-Qurtubi said: this means blocking your way and turning you
away.         

3-    
Persecution, as in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):

“Then, verily, your
Lord
for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials [futinoo] and
thereafter strove hard and fought (for the Cause of Allaah) and were
patient, verily, your Lord afterward is, Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Nahl
16:110]

Put to trial means persecuted. 

4-    
Shirk and kufr, as in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And fight them
until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along
with Allaah)” [al-Baqarah 2:193]

Ibn Katheer said: this means shirk (worshipping others
besides Allaah). 

5-    
Falling into sin and hypocrisy,
as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“(The hypocrites)
will call the believers: “Were we not with you?” The believers will reply:
“Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations [fatantum anfusakum], you
looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith) and you were
deceived by false desires” [al-Hadeed 57:14]

Al-Baghawi said: i.e., you made yourselves fall into
hypocrisy and you destroyed yourselves by means of sin and whims and
desires. 

6-    
Confusing truth with falsehood,
as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who
disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole
world collectively) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one united block
under one Khaleefah (a chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world) to
make victorious Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism], there will be
Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism) and oppression on the earth, and a great
mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism)”[al-Anfaal 6:73]

What this means is that “unless believers are taken as close
friends instead of disbelievers, even if they are relatives, there will be
fitnah on earth, i.e., truth will be confused with falsehood.” This is how
it is explained in Jaami’ al-Bayaan
by Ibn Jareer. 

7-    
Misguidance, as in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And whomsoever
Allaah wants to put in Al‑Fitnah (error, because of his rejecting of Faith),
you can do nothing for him against Allaah” [al-Maa'idah 5:41]

The meaning of fitnah here is misguidance. Al-Bahr
al-Muheet by Abu Hayaan, 4/262. 

8-    
Killing and taking prisoners,
as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“if you fear that
the disbelievers may put you in trial [yaftinakum] (attack you)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:101]

This refers to the kaafirs attacking the Muslims whilst they
are praying and prostrating, in order to kill them or take them prisoner, as
stated by Ibn Jareer. 

9-    
Difference among people and
lack of agreement, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“and they would
have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition
among you [yabghoonakum al-fitnah]” [al-Tawbah 9:47]

i.e., they would have stirred up differences amongst you, as
it says in al-Kashshaaf, 2/277. 

10-Insanity, as in the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Which of you is
afflicted with madness (maftoon)” [al-Qalam 68:6]
Here it means madness. 

11-Burning with fire,
as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who
put into trial [fatanoo] the believing men and believing women (by torturing
them and burning them)”[al-Burooj 85:10]

Ibn Hajar said: the meaning may be understood from the
context. (al-Fath 11/176) 

Note: 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With
regard to the “fitnah” which Allaah attributes to Himself or which His
Messenger attributes to Him, as in the aayah (interpretation of the
meaning), ‘Thus We have tried [fatannaa] some of
them with others’ [al-An’aam 6:53] and the words
of Moosa, ‘It is only Your trial [fitnatuka] by
which You lead astray whom You will’ [al-A’raaf 7:155 – interpretation of
the meaning], that carries a different meaning,
which is a test or trial from Allaah to His slaves by means of good things
and bad, blessings and calamities. This is one thing; the fitnah of the
mushrikeen is another thing; the fitnah or trial of the believer by means of
his wealth, children and neighbour is another thing; the fitnah
(tribulation, differences) that happen amongst the Muslims, like the fitnah
that happened between the supporters of ‘Ali and Mu’awiyah, and between him
and the people of the camel, and between Muslims when they fight one another
or boycott one another, is another thing. (Zaad al-M’aad, vol. 3, p. 170).

What are the things that Allaah taught to Adam?

 

What are the things that Allaah taught
to Adam?

Praise be to Allaah.

Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
his Tafseer (1/256, ed. by Abu Ishaaq al-Juwayni), commenting on the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “And He taught Adam all the names (of
everything)…” [al-Baqarah 2:31]

“The correct view is that He taught him the names of all things,
what they are, and their qualities, right down to the noiseless fart, i.e., the names and
qualities of all things, great and small. Thus al-Bukhaari said in his commentary on this
aayah in Kitaab al-Tafseer in his Saheeh, and Ibn Katheer mentioned
al-Bukhaari’s isnaad from Anas, that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: ‘The believers will assemble on the Day of Resurrection and will say,
‘Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.’ So they will go to Adam
and say, ‘You are the father of all the people. Allaah created you with His own
Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all
things…’” This indicates that Allaah taught him the names of all created
things, which is why He then said (interpretation of the meaning): “… then He
showed them to the angels” [al-Baqarah 2:31] – i.e., the objects whose names
He had taught to Adam.”

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar listed various opinions on this topic in al-Fath
(8/10), where he said, “There was some dispute as to the meaning of the
‘names.’ It was suggested that this referred to the names of his offspring, or
the names of the angels, or the names of the different species – without going into
details, or the names of everything on earth, or the names of all things, even a
platter.”

Imaam al-Shawkaani said in Fath al-Qadeer (1/64): “The
‘names’ are phrases or expressions, and what is meant is the names of the
objects whose names Allaah taught him. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars,
and this is the true meaning of the word ism (name). This is confirmed by the word all
(all the names), which indicates that He taught him all the names and did not omit
anything, no matter what it was.”

And Allaah knows best.

 

Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning)And Allaah will never lead a people astray …” [al-Tawbah 9:115]

 

I hope that you can explain to us the meaning of the aayah (interpretation
of the meaning)And Allaah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid. Verily, Allaah is the All-Knower of everything” [al-Tawbah 9:115]

Praise be to Allaah. 

Allaah says, describing
His noble Self and His just Wisdom, that He does not lead people astray
except after His Message has reached them, and proof has been established
against them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And
as for Thamood, We showed and made clear to them the Path of Truth (Islamic
Monotheism) through Our Messenger (i.e. showed them the way of success),
but they preferred blindness to guidance” [Fussilat 41:17]

 According
to another view on the interpretation of this aayah, Mujaahid said concerning
the aayah (interpretation of the
meaning):

“And
Allaah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them” [al-Tawbah
9:115] . This aayah
refers to the issue of believers praying for forgiveness for the mushrikeen
in particular. Allaah has made clear the ruling on this matter, it becomes
a sin, so it is their choice whether they do it or not.

 Ibn
Jareer said: Allaah is saying that He would not decree misguidance for
them as a result of their seeking forgiveness for their dead mushrik
relatives, after He had guided them and given them faith in Him and
His Messenger, until He had told them of the prohibition so that they
would desist. But before He explained that this is not allowed, if you
did that, He would not decree that you would be led astray because of
that. For obedience and disobedience have to do with commands and prohibitions,
but with regard to matters that have not been commanded or prohibited,
no one can be considered to be obedient or disobedient.

 

 

Delay in saying In sha Allaah

 

Is it permissible for a person, if he forgot to say “In sha Allaah” to say it after a long time has elapsed?

Praise
be to Allaah.
 

 

Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And remember your Lord when you forget”[al-Kahf 18:24] 

There are two well-known scholarly views concerning this
aayah: 

One of which is that
this aayah is connected to that which comes before it, and it means that if
you say, “Tomorrow I will do such and such” but you forget to say “in sha
Allaah”, then after that you remember, you should say “in sha Allah”. In
other words, remember your Lord, connecting everything with His will
concerning what you want to do tomorrow, when you remember after having
forgotten. This is the apparent meaning, because it is what is indicated by
the preceding aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And never say of anything, ‘I shall do such and such
thing tomorrow’” [al-Kahf 18:23] 

This is the view of the majority, and among those who
expressed this view were Ibn ‘Abbaas, al-Hasan al-Basri, Abu’l-‘Aaliyah and
others. 

How was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bewitched?

 

How was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bewitched, when Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 


“Allaah will protect you from mankind” [al-Maa’idah 5:67]? 


How could he have been bewitched when he was receiving Revelation from His Lord and conveying that to the Muslims? How could he convey it if he was bewitched, and the kaafirs and mushrikeen said: 


“You follow none but a man bewitched”[al-Furqaan 25:8 – interpretation of the meaning]


We hope that you could explain this and clear up these doubts.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

It was proven in a saheeh
hadeeth that this witchcraft took place in Madeenah, when the Revelation and
the Message had become well-established and clear, and after the evidence of
Prophethood and the truthfulness of the Message had been confirmed, and
after Allaah had supported His Prophet against the mushrikeen and humiliated
them. Then a Jewish person called Labeed ibn al-A’sam came to him and did
some kind of witchcraft against him, using a comb and the hairs stuck to it
and the skin of pollen of a male date palm. He – the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) – started to imagine that he had done
something with his wife when he had not done it, but his reason, feelings
and ability to distinguish matters remained with him with regard to the
things he was telling the people, praise be to Allaah. So he continued to
speak to the people of the truth which Allaah had revealed to Him. But he
felt that something was affecting him with regard to his wives, as ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “He used to imagine that he had done
something in the house with his wife when he had not done it. So Revelation
came to him from his Lord via Jibreel (peace be upon him), telling him what
had happened. So he sent someone to take that thing [the material used for
witchcraft purposes] out of the well of one of the Ansaar, and he destroyed
it.” Then the effects of that left him, praise be to Allaah, and Allaah
revealed to him the two soorahs of seeking refuge with Allaah (al-Mi’wadhatayn,
the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan). He recited them and all harm left him.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those
who seek refuge can never seek refuge with anything like them.” Nothing
resulted from this witchcraft that could have harmed the people or
undermined the Message or Revelation. Allaah protected him from the people
with regard to the matter of receiving and conveying the Message. 

But with regard to the
kinds of harm that befell the Messengers, he (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was not protected from them, rather some such things
befell him too. He was wounded on the day of Uhud, and his helmet was
smashed on his head and his cheek was cut, some of the rings from his chain
mail pierced his cheeks, he fell in one of the holes that were there, and
they subjected him to intense persecution in Makkah. He suffered some of the
things that the Messengers before him had suffered, and that were decreed
for him, by means of which Allaah raised him in status and multiplied his
hasanaat (reward for good deeds). But Allaah protected him from them, so
that they were not able to kill him or to prevent him from conveying the
Message; they were not able to prevent him from fulfilling his obligation to
convey the Message, so he conveyed it and fulfilled the mission with which
he had been entrusted. May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him,
and praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. 

The difference between a Messenger and a Prophet

 

What is the difference between messenger and prophet?


-Why A messnger and not the LAST messenger?

Praise be to Allaah. 

The well-known difference between a Prophet
and a Messenger is that a Messenger is one to whom a law is revealed
and he is commanded to convey it, whilst a Prophet is one to whom a
law is revealed but he is not commanded to convey it. But this distinction
is not free of problems, because a Prophet is also commanded to call
people, convey the Message and judge among the people. Hence Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The correct view is that the Messenger is
one who is sent to a disbelieving people, and the Prophet is one who
is sent to a believing people with the sharee’ah of the Messenger who
came before him, to teach them and judge between them, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We did send down the
Tawraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light,
by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah’s Will, judged
for the Jews”

[al-Maa’idah 5:44]

So the Prophets of the Children of Israel judged by
the Tawraat which Allaah had revealed to Moosa.

 With regard to the aayah,

“but he is the Messenger of
Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40]

and why it did not say the last of the Messengers – the end of the
Message does not mean the end of Prophethood, but the end of Prophethood
does mean the end of the Message. Hence the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There will be no
Prophet after me,” and he did not say, there will be no Messenger after
me. 

Thus we know that there is no Messenger and no Prophet
after him (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him); he was the last of the Prophets and of the Messengers,
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him).  

Preferring some Messengers over others

 

How can we reconcile between the two aayahs (interpretation of the meaning):


“Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others [al-Baqarah 2:253]


 and :  


“We make no distinction between any of them [al-Baqarah 2:136]?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

The aayah (interpretation of the meaning):  

“Those Messengers! We
preferred some of them to others

[al-Baqarah 2:253] 

is like the aayah: 

“And indeed, We have
preferred some of the Prophets above others”

[al-Isra’ 17:55] 

There is no doubt that some of the Prophets and Messengers
are superior to others; the Messengers are superior to the Prophets, and the
“Messengers of strong will” (cf. al-Ahqaaf 46:35) are superior to all the
others. The Messengers of strong will are the five whom Allaah has mentioned
in two verses of the Qur’aan, the first of which is in Soorat al-Ahzaab: 

“And (remember) when We
took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and from
Nun (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses), and ‘Eesa
(Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)”

[al-Ahzaab 33:7 – interpretation of the meaning]
– these are Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Nooh,
Ibraaheem, Moosa and ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. 

The second verse is in Soorat al-Shoora: 

“He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion
(Islamic Monotheism) which He ordained for Nooh (Noah), and that which We
have revealed to you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem
(Abraham), Moosa (Moses‎) and ‘Eesa (Jesus)”

[al-Shoora 42:13 – interpretation of the meaning]. 

These five are superior to all others.  

With regard to what Allaah says concerning the believers
(interpretation of the meaning) – 

“Each one believes in
Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no
distinction between one another of His Messengers’”

[al-Baqarah 2:136] –  

what this means is: we make no distinction between them in
terms of belief, we believe that they are all truly Messengers from Allaah,
and that they did not tell lies, so they all spoke the truth. This is the
meaning of the phrase “We make no distinction between one another of His
Messengers”, i.e., in terms of belief: we believe that they were all
truly Messengers from Allaah. 

But in terms of the kind of belief that implies following,
for those who come after the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), this applies only to the Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). He is the one to be followed because his sharee’ah
(law) abrogates all other laws. Hence we know that we must believe in all of
them and believe that they are truly Messengers from Allaah, but after the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent, all
previous religions were abrogated by his sharee’ah, and it became obligatory
upon all people to follow Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) only. Allaah by His wisdom abrogated all religions apart from the
religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
hence He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say (O Muhammad): O
mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah — to Whom
belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa
(none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and
causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet
who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad), who believes in Allaah and
His Words [(this Qur’aan), the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and
also Allaah’s Word: “Be!” — and he was, i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam
(Mary)], and follow him so that you may be guided” [al-A’raaf 7:158]. 

So all religions other than that of the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are abrogated, but we must still
believe in the Messengers and that they are true. 

Falseness of the hadeeth, “Were it not for you, I would not have created the universe”

 

I have got a question regarding a hadiith. How sound is the hadiith, that states, that it were not for Muhammad (saw) Allaah (swt) would not have created this world???


To be honest I am a bit suspicious about this hadiith, could you shatter some light in the matter?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Many false and fabricated ahaadeeth have been
narrated that say similar things. For example: 

“Were it not for you, I would not have
created the universe.” 

This was quoted by al-Shawkaani in
al-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo’ah fi’l-Ahaadeeth al-Mawdoo’ah (p. 326). He said:  

Al-San’aani said: (it is) mawdoo’
(fabricated). 

Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah
(282): (it is) mawdoo’. 

Another example is the hadeeth narrated by
al-Haakim according to which Ibn ‘Abbaas said: 

“Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa (Jesus, peace be
upon him): ‘O ‘Eesa, believe in Muhammad, and tell whoever you meet of your ummah to believe in him. For were it not for Muhammad, I would not
have created Adam, and were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created Paradise and Hell. I created the Throne over the water and it would not
settle until I wrote on it, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammad Rasool Allaah (There is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah).” 

Al-Haakim said: its isnaad is saheeh! But al-Dhahabi commented on that and said: I believe it
is fabricated and falsely attributed to Sa’eed. 

Meaning, Sa’eed ibn Abu ‘Aroobah (one of the
narrators of this hadeeth). This hadeeth was narrated from him by ‘Amr ibn Aws al-Ansaari, who is the one who is accused of fabricating it.
Al-Dhahabi mentioned him in al-Meezaan where he said: “He produced a munkar report,” then he quoted this hadeeth, and said, “I believe that
it is mawdoo’ (fabricated).” Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar agreed with him, as it says in al-Lisaan. 

Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah
(280): There is no basis for it. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have
mercy on him) was asked: 

Is the hadeeth which some people quote –
“Were it not for you, Allaah would not have created the Throne or the Kursiy or the earth or the heavens or the sun or the moon or anything else”
saheeh or nor? 

He replied:

Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) is the leader of the sons of Adam, and the best and noblest of creation, hence some people say that Allaah created the universe
because of him, or that were it not for him, Allaah would not have created the Throne or the Kursiy or the earth or the heavens or the sun or the
moon. 

But this hadeeth that is narrated from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is neither saheeh (sound) nor da’eef (weak), and it was not narrated by any scholar in a
hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Neither was it known from the Sahaabah. Rather it is the words of one
who is unknown. 

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,
11/86-96. 

The Standing Committee was asked: 

Can it be said that Allaah created the heavens and the earth for the purpose of creating the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? What is the meaning of the hadeeth, “Were it not for you the universe would not have
been created,” and does this hadeeth have any basis? 

They replied: 

The heavens and the earth were not created
for the sake of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), rather they were created for the purpose which Allaah mentions
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“It is Allaah Who has created seven
heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allaah has
power over all things, and that Allaah surrounds all things in (His) Knowledge”

[al-Talaaq 65:12] 

As for the hadeeth mentioned, it is falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) and has no sound basis. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
1/312 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked about this hadeeth and said: 

The answer is that this was transmitted from the words of some of the common people who have no
understanding. Some people say that the world was created for the sake of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and were it
not for Muhammad the world would not have been created and mankind would not have been created. This is false and has no basis, and these are
corrupt words. Allaah created the world so that He would be known and worshipped. He created the world and He created mankind so that His names
and attributes, His power and knowledge, would be known and so that He alone would be worshipped with no partner or associate, and so that He
would be obeyed – not for the sake of Muhammad or for the sake of Nooh or Moosa or ‘Eesa or any other Prophet. Rather Allaah created the universe
so that He alone would be worshipped, with no partner or associate.

 Fataawa Noor ‘ala
al-Darb, 46.

 And Allaah knows best.

Why do we have to love the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) more than any other person?

 

Why do we have to love, obey, follow and venerate our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the most (or more than any other person)?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

1 – Allaah has commanded us to obey the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And obey Allaah and the
Messenger (Muhammad), and beware (of even coming near to drinking or
gambling or Al‑Ansaab, or Al‑Azlaam) and fear Allaah. Then if you turn away,
you should know that it is Our Messenger’s duty to convey (the Message) in
the clearest way”

[al-Maa'idah 5:92] 

2 – Allaah has told us that obedience to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is obedience to Allaah. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“He who obeys the
Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allaah, but he who turns away, then
we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them”

[al-Nisa’ 4:80] 

3 – Allaah has warned us against failing to obey him, and
that this may lead a Muslim into a fitnah that is the fitnah of shirk.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Make not the calling of
the Messenger (Muhammad) among you as your calling one of another. Allaah
knows those of you who slip away under shelter (of some excuse without
taking the permission to leave, from the Messenger). And let those who
oppose the Messenger’s (Muhammad’s) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah
legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware,
lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing,
overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be
inflicted on them”

[al-Noor 24:63] 

Allaah has told us that the status of Prophethood which he
gave to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
requires the believers to respect and venerate the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“Verily, We have sent
you (O Muhammad) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner.

9. In order that you (O
mankind) may believe in Allaah and His Messenger, and that you assist and
honour him, and (that you) glorify (Allaah’s) praises morning and afternoon”

[al-Fath 48:8-9] 

4 – The Muslim’s faith cannot be complete unless he loves the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and until the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is dearer to him
than his father, his son, his own self and all the people. It was narrated
that Anas said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “No one of you truly believes until I am dearer to him than his
father, his son, his own self and all the people.” 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 15; Muslim, 44. 

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Hishaam said: We were
with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he
was holding the hand of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab. ‘Umar said to him: “O
Messenger of Allaah, you are dearer to me than everything except my own
self.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“No, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, not until I am dearer to you than
your own self.” ‘Umar said to him: “Now, by Allaah, you are dearer to me
than my own self.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Now (you are a true believer), O ‘Umar.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 6257. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: The reason why it is obligatory to love the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and venerate him more than any other person
is that we cannot attain the greatest good in this world or in the Hereafter
except at the hands of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), by believing in him and following him. That is because no one can
be saved from the punishment of Allaah, and the mercy of Allaah cannot reach
him except by means of the Prophet, by believing in him, loving him, being
loyal to him and following him. This is the means by which Allaah will save
him from punishment in this world and in the Hereafter. This is the means by
which he will attain what is good in this world and in the Hereafter. The
greatest blessing is the blessing of faith, which can only be attained
through him, and which is more beneficial than his own self and his wealth.
He is the one by means of whom Allaah brings people forth from darkness into
light, and there is no other way to Allaah. As for a person’s self and
family, they will not avail him anything before Allaah… Majmoo’
al-Fataawa, 27/246. 

One of the scholars said: If a person thinks of the benefits
that he has been given through the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), through whom Allaah brought him forth from the darkness
of kufr into the light of faith, he will realize that he is the cause of his
soul remaining forever in eternal bliss, and he will understand that this
benefit is greater than all others. So he (the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)) deserves that his share of a person’s love
should be greater than anyone else’s. But people vary with regard to that,
depending on the extent to which they bear that in mind or neglect it.
Everyone who truly believes in the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) will inevitably have a strong love for him, but they
differ in the extent and depth of their love for him. Some of them have a
great deal of love for him and some have only a little, like those who are
absorbed in their own whims and desires most of the time. But when mention
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is made,
most of them long to see him, and prefers that to their own family, sons,
wealth and fathers. But that feeling quickly fades because of other
distractions. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek. See Fath al-Baari,
1/59 

This is what is referred to in the verse where Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“The Prophet is closer to the believers than their
ownselves”

[al-Ahzaab 33:6] 

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

[Allaah] knew how compassionate His Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was towards his ummah, and how sincere he
was towards them, so He made him closer to them than their own selves, and
decreed that his judgement among them should take precedence over their own
preferences. (6/380). 

Shaykh Ibn Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah tells the believers something by which they may
understand the position and status of the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him, so that they might interact with him
appropriately. So He said: “The Prophet is closer to the believers than
their ownselves”, the closest that he could be to a person, and closer
than his own self. So the Messenger is closer to him than his own self,
because he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was so kind and
sincere and compassionate towards them. He was the kindest and most merciful
of mankind. The Messenger of Allaah did the greatest of favours to all of
mankind. Not the slightest good came to them and not the slightest harm was
warded off from them except through him. Hence if there is a conflict
between what a person himself wants or what other people want, and what the
Messenger wants, then what the Messenger wants must take precedence. What
the Messenger says cannot be overridden by what any person says, no matter
who he is. They should sacrifice their selves, their wealth and their
children, and put love for him before their love for all others. 

What the scholars have said may be summed up by noting that
the wrath of Allaah and the Fire of Hell are the things that we fear the
most, and we cannot be saved from them except at the hands of the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The pleasure of Allaah and
the garden of Paradise are the things that we want the most, but we cannot
attain them except at the hands of the Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
referred to the former when he said: “The likeness of me and you is that of
a man who lit a fire and grasshoppers and moths started falling into it, and
he tried to push them away. I am seizing your waistbands and trying to pull
you away from the Fire but you are trying to get away from me.” 

(Muslim, 2285, from the hadeeth of Jaabir; a similar hadeeth
was narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3427 from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah). 

What is meant by this hadeeth is that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) likened the way in which the ignorant
and disobedient rush to fall into the Fire of the Hereafter by means of
their sins and whims and desires to the Fire, and their keenness to fall
into that Fire, even though he is trying hard to prevent them from doing so
to the way in which moths and other insects are fatally attracted to the
fire. Both of them are keen to destroy themselves because of their ignorance
of the consequences. 

(Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi) 

The latter was referred to by the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “All of my ummah will enter
Paradise except those who refuse.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, who
would refuse?” He said: “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whoever
disobeys me has refused.” 

Al-Bukhaari, 7280, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. 

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Believing that dinosaurs existed

 

Imaam, can you please tell me if it is
impermissible to believe that there were dinosaurs on the earth before Adaam and Eve were
created?

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah created Adam (peace be upon him) on a Friday, the sixth day
from the beginning of creation. Some texts mention what was created on the previous five
days, in brief and general terms, but as to the details of what was created, Allaah knows
best about that. Questions like this, on which no belief or deeds are to be based, are
just meaningless distractions that are of no benefit. Faith does not increase or decrease
according to whether one believes in dinosaurs or not. It was reported that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to occupy ourselves with things
that cause confusion and are not clear. We also know that people differ in their views as
to whether these dinosaurs existed or they are just figments of the imagination. And
Allaah knows best.

 

Finding Noah’s ark

 

Assalaamualaikum, I have heard that Noah's ark was found a few years ago using
references from the Quraán as opposed to the bible. Is this true?

Praise be to Allaah.



Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):



"The people of Nuh denied (their Messenger) before them, they rejected Our slave, and said:
‘A madman!’ and he was insolently rebuked and threatened.

Then he invoked his Lord (saying): ‘I have been overcome, so help (me)!’

So We opened the gates of heaven with water pouring forth.

And We caused the earth to gush forth with springs. So the waters (of the heaven and the
earth) met for a matter predestined.

And We carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails,

Floating under Our Eyes, a reward for him who had been rejected!

And, indeed, We have left this as a sign, is there then any that will remember (or receive
admonition)?

Then how (terrible) was My Torment and My Warnings!"

[al-Qamar 54:9-16]



In his Tafseer, Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: "‘And, indeed, We have left
this as a sign, is there then any that will remember (or receive admonition)?’ refers to this story,
which serves as a lesson." It was also suggested that it referred to the ship or ark itself, which
was left so that those who came after the people of Nuh might learn lessons from it and not
reject the Messengers. Qutaadah said: "Allaah left it in Baaqirdi in the Arabian Peninsula (a
place in Iraq), as a lesson and a sign, so that the first generations of this ummah would see it.
How many ships have there been after it that have turned to dust and left no trace!"



The apparent meaning is that this refers to ships in general, as in the aayaat (interpretation of the
meaning):

"And an aayah (sign) for them is that We bore their offspring in the laden ship (of Nuh),

And We have created for them of the like thereunto, so on them they ride."

Yaa-Seen 36:41-42]



"Verily! When the water rose beyond its limits [Nuh’s Flood], We carried you [mankind] in
the floating (ship that was constructed by Nuh).

That We might make it a remembrance for you, and the keen ear (person) may (hear and)
understand it."

[al-Haaqqah 69:11-12]



Hence Allaah says here "is there then any that will remember (or receive admonition)?" i.e., is
there anyone who will remember and learn?



In his tafseer of the words "We have left this as a sign" Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on
him, mentions three opinions:



1. That Allaah has left this story as a lesson to those who come after the people of Nuh;

2. That Allaah has left the ship of Nuh so that subsequent nations may see it and learn from it
how Allaah saved the believers and destroyed the kuffaar.

3. That Allaah taught mankind how to make ships and left this invention as a reminder of His
blessings and how Nuh’s children and the believers were saved by means of a ship like those
which are well-known.



In any case, there is nothing that would go against either Islamic teaching or reason if Nuh’s ark
were to be discovered and if generations of mankind after Nuh were to see it, because it would
be a sign to them. The issue would be how to prove that the ship discovered was really Nuh’s
ark; not everyone who finds an ancient ship and claims it to be Nuh’s ark is to be believed.
And Allaah knows best.

Falseness of the theory of evolution

 

There are people who say that long ago man was a monkey and he evolved. Is this true? Is there any evidence?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

This view is not
correct, and the evidence for that is that Allaah has described in the
Qur’aan the stages of the creation of Adam. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“Verily, the likeness of ‘Eesa (Jesus) before Allaah is
the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’
— and he was”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:59] 

This dust was moistened until it became sticky mud or clay
that stuck to the hands. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of
clay (water and earth)”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:12] 

“Verily, We created them of a sticky clay”

[al-Saaffaat 37:12] 

Then it became dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of
altered mud”

[al-Hijr 15:26] 

Then when it dried it became sounding clay like the clay of
pottery. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of
pottery”

[al-Rahmaan 55:14] 

Then Allaah moulded it into the form that He wanted and
breathed into him (his) soul created by Him. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Truly, I
am going to create man from clay’.

So when I have fashioned
him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down
prostrate to him”

[Saad 38:71-72] 

These are the stages through which the creation of Adam
passed according to the Qur’aan. As for the stages of creation which the
progeny of Adam pass through, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed We created
man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth).

Thereafter We made him
(the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female
sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman).

Then We made the Nutfah
into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into
a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones,
then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as
another creation. So Blessed is Allaah, the Best of creators”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:12-14] 

With regard to the wife of Adam – Hawwa’ (Eve) – Allaah tells
us that He created her from him, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“O mankind! Be dutiful to
your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam)
He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men
and women”

[al-Nisa’ 4:1] 

Maqaam Ibraaheem and the footprints on it

 

Are the marks on Maqaam Ibraaheem the footprints of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) or not?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Maqaam Ibraaheem (the Station of Ibraaheem) is the stone on which he stood when the building
became higher than he could reach. So his son put this famous stone there for him so that he could stand on it when the building grew tall… The
footprints of al-Khaleel (Ibraaheem, peace be upon him) remained on the rock until the beginning of Islam. 

From al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 1/163 

Ibn Hajr said: What is meant by Maqaam
Ibraaheem is the stone on which are the marks of his feet. 

Ibn Katheer said: 

The marks of his feet were clear on it and
were well known; the Arabs were familiar with that during their jaahiliyyah and the Muslims also knew of that, as Anas ibn Maalik said: I saw the
Maqaam on which were the marks of his toes and heels. 

But they disappeared because of people
touching them with their hands. 

Ibn Jareer narrated that Qataadah said: “
‘And take you (people) the Maqaam (place) of Ibraaheem (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibraaheem (Abraham) stood while
he was building the Ka‘bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak‘at after the Tawaaf of the Ka‘bah at Makkah)’ [al-Baqarah
2:125 – interpretation of the meaning]. This means that they were commanded to pray at that place; they were not
commanded to touch it. This ummah went beyond what was prescribed for it, to an extent that no previous nation did. We have heard from those who
saw the marks of his heels and toes on it, but this ummah kept touching them until they disappeared.” 

From Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/117 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 

Undoubtedly Maqaam Ibraaheem is proven and that on which the glass enclosure is built is indeed Maqaam Ibraaheem.
But the engraved marks that appear on it do not seem to be footprints, because what is well known from an historical point of view is that those
footprints disappeared a long time ago. But these engraved marks were meant as a marker only, and we cannot be certain that these are the
footprints of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him).

What is the purpose of animals and plants on Earth?

 

What is the purpose of animals and plants on Earth?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

It should be noted that Allaah has created man to worship Him, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should
worship Me (Alone)”

[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] 

Allaah has created for man and has subjugated to him what is in the
heavens and on earth, so that he may benefit from it and enjoy it, and meet his needs, and use it to help him to worship Allaah. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“He it is Who created for you all that is on earth”

[al-Baqarah 2:29] 

“See you not (O men) that Allaah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the
heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, (both) apparent (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, and the
lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks) and hidden [i.e. one’s faith in Allaah (of Islamic Monotheism), knowledge, wisdom,
guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise]?”

[Luqmaan 31:20] 

“And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the
earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply”

[al-Jaathiyah 45:13] 

“And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses,
to be of service to you; and He has made the night and the day, to be of service to you”

[Ibraaheem 14:33] 

There follow some of the reasons and purposes for the existence of animals and
plants on Earth: 

Plants are food for people and animals. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“Verily, the likeness of (this) worldly life is as the water (rain) which We
send down from the sky; so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat”

[Yoonus 10:24] 

“Then let man look at his food:

We pour forth water in abundance.

And We split the earth in clefts.

And We cause therein the grain to grow,

And grapes and clover plants (i.e. green fodder for the cattle),

And olives and date palms,

And gardens dense with many trees,

And fruits and herbage.

(To be) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.”

[‘Abasa 80:24-32] 

Plants remind man that this world will come to an end: 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, the likeness of (this) worldly life is as the water (rain) which We
send down from the sky; so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat: until when the earth is clad in its
adornments and is beautified, and its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it, Our Command reaches it by night or by day
and We make it like a clean-mown harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday! Thus do We explain the Ayaat in detail for the people who
reflect”

[Yoonus 10:24] 

Allaah gives people the likeness of the resurrection of the dead and their coming
forth from their graves, by reminding them of what they see of the earth coming back to life after it was dead. He says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And among His Signs (in this), that you see the earth barren, but when We send
down water (rain) to it, it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Verily, He Who gives it life, surely is Able to give life to the dead
(on the Day of Resurrection). Indeed He is Able to do all things”

[Fussilat 41:39] 

Man also derives medicines from plants, the greatest of which are the black seed
of which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that it is a cure for every disease apart from death (narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 5687); and honey, which is gathered from the nectar of flowers, of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… wherein
is healing for man…” [al-Nahl 16:69]. 

Animals are also food for people. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth (warm
clothing), and numerous benefits, and of them you eat”

[al-Nahl 16:5] 

“And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof fresh
tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek
(thus) of His Bounty (by transporting the goods from place to place) and that you may be grateful”

[al-Nahl 16:14] 

And animals are a means of transportation and an adornment.  

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an
adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge”

[al-Nahl 16:8] 

From animals man makes the tents in which he lives and the clothes that he wears.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And Allaah has made for you in your homes an abode, and made for you out of
the hides of the cattle (tents for) dwelling, which you find so light (and handy) when you travel and when you stay (in your travels); and of
their wool, fur, and hair (sheep wool, camel fur, and goat hair), furnishings and articles of convenience (e.g. carpets, blankets), comfort for a
while”

[al-Nahl 16:80] 

Horses are a means of jihad and will remain so until the Hour begins; the Muslims
wage jihad on horseback and achieve victory, acquire war booty and are rewarded by Allaah. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war  to
threaten the enemy of Allaah and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know but whom Allaah does know”

[al-Anfaal 8:60] 

Al-Bukhaari (2852) and Muslim (1873) narrated from ‘Urwah al-Baariqi that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Good will remain (as a permanent quality) in the foreheads of horses (for Jihad)
till the Day of Resurrection, for they bring about reward (from Allaah) and booty.” 

These are some of the benefits of animals and plants. And there are other purposes
and benefits which no one knows except Allaah. 

And Allaah knows best.

Her brother’s wife mistreats her because she is religiously-committed and she hates her

 

I am an eighteen-year-old girl, and my problem is that my brother’s wife always mistreats me. When my sister asked her why she does that, she said “Because she does not like religious people”! 


What she means is that I am religiously committed, hence she does not like me. I have suffered so much from her bad treatment that when she visits us I greet her then I go and sit in my room until she had left, because if I sit with her, she starts to insult those who are religiously-committed, with the intention of offending me. When I try to advise her she looks at me scornfully and in a mocking manner, then she goes away. Recently she does not want to speak to me at all. Is it permissible for me to treat her in like manner, i.e., not speaking to her at all – knowing that I have tried to advise her on numerous occasions but she just becomes more stubborn? One of my committed sisters advised me to keep away from my brother’s wife as much as possible because she only prays rarely and she often insults those who are religiously-committed. Now I am confused and I hope that you can advise me as to the best way to deal with this problem.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Firstly: 

With regard to one who does not pray, we have explained the
ruling on that, and stated that some of the scholars – who expressed the
correct view – have ruled that such a person is a kaafir and it is not
permissible to marry such a person or to remain married to him, and that
meat slaughtered by him is haraam, and so on. We have discussed these
rulings in detail. Please see questions no.
34795 and
20059. 

Secondly: 

With regard to your brother’s wife making fun of those who
are religiously-committed and insulting them and mocking them, she should
understand that by doing these things she is in serious danger, and that
these actions may put her beyond the pale of Islam. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked about the ruling on making fun of those who adhere to the commandments
of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)? 

He replied: Making fun of those who adhere to the
commandments of Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) because of their commitment is haraam and is very dangerous and
serious, because there is the fear that his hatred for them may be based on
hatred of what they are adhering to, namely the religion of Allaah. In that
case mocking them is mocking the path that they are following. They are like
those of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“If you ask them (about
this), they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’ Say: ‘Was it at
Allaah, and His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) and His Messenger that you were mocking?”

Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed’”

[al-Tawbah 9:65-66] 

These words were revealed concerning some of the hypocrites
who said: “We have never seen anything like these reciters – meaning the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his
companions – they are the most greedy, the most false of speech and the most
cowardly in battle.” Then Allaah revealed this verse concerning them.  

Those who make fun of the followers of truth because they are
religiously-committed should beware, for Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“Verily, (during the worldly life) those who committed
crimes used to laugh at those who believed.

30. And, whenever they passed by them, used to wink one to
another (in mockery).

31. And when they returned to their own people, they would
return jesting;

32. And when they saw them, they said: ‘Verily, these have
indeed gone astray!’

33. But they (disbelievers, sinners) had not been sent as
watchers over them (the believers).

34. But this Day (the Day of Resurrection) those who
believe will laugh at the disbelievers

35. On (high) thrones, looking (at all things).

36. Are not the disbelievers paid (fully) for what they
used to do?”

[al-Mutaffifeen 83:29-36] 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen,
2/question no. 236. 

Insulting a Muslim is a
major sin, especially if one insults him for being religiously committed and
righteous. There is the fear that the one who does this may fall into
apostasy as stated above with regard to mocking them. 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Insulting a Muslim is immorality and killing him is kufr.” 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 48; Muslim, 64. 

Al-Nawawi said: 

In Arabic the word sabb (translated here as insulting)
means slandering a person and speaking of his honour in a disparaging
fashion. And fisq (translated here as immorality) means going out; in
sharee’ah terminology it means going out of obedience (i.e., transgressing
the bounds of obedience). 

With regard to the meaning of the hadeeth: Insulting a Muslim
for no reason is haraam according to the consensus of the ummah, so the one
who does that is a faasiq as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said. 

Sharh Muslim, 2/53, 54. 

We advise you to
continue advising her, and if that is via your brother, that will be better.
Tell him of the Islamic rulings on what she is doing, and encourage him to
guide her by whatever means he can. 

We do not advise you to sit with her unless she repents and
turns back to her Lord. We fear that you may react towards her, and we fear
that she may increase in sin every time she sees you or sits with you. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And when you (Muhammad) see those who engage in a false
conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur’aan) by mocking at them, stay away
from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaytaan (Satan) causes
you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of
those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)”

[al-An’aam 6:68] 

But if you speak to her
and do not shun her, that may be more beneficial for her because it may
soften her heart. You can limit it to greeting and welcoming her, and asking
how she is, without indulging in any arguments with her that may lead her to
do something haraam. 

Do not forget – as well as doing what you can to advise her –
to pray that she may be guided aright. 

And Allaah knows best.

She had some problems after telling her boss about a bad woman at work

 

I have a problem at work, which to cut a long story short has to do with some wrong things done by a female colleague, such as forgery, eavesdropping on colleagues’ telephones and tampering with work papers. I asked one of the Islamic websites whether it would be regarded as malicious gossip (nameemah) if I were to tell my boss at work, and they said this is not regarded as malicious gossip, and it is better to tell them in the interests of the work, so long as your intention is for her good. When I did that, I found that the boss listened to me and he promised to set her straight. Then suddenly he transferred me from my job to another job, and launched a war against me that was unbearable, to such an extent that some of my colleagues turned against me, and he encouraged them to cause problems for me. My question now is, what should I do in this jungle, without incurring the wrath of Allaah?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Offering sincere advice to the slaves of Allaah is one of
the most important branches of faith and symbols of Islam, to such an
extent that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
described it as being the religion itself, as an indication of its great
importance. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Religion is sincerity (or sincere advice – naseehah).”
(Narrated by Muslim, 55). And Allaah tells us that whoever does this, that
is true success. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Let there arise out
of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining
Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and
forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has
forbidden). And it is they who are the successful”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:104] 

So long as you fulfilled your duty of offering sincere
advice, and your intention was good, then do not feel sad about the problems
that have befallen you (which is a test), for Paradise is the reward of
Allaah, and the reward of Allaah is precious and is surrounded with
hardships, and everything has a price. 

Remember that everyone who does this great duty will
inevitably meet with harm from people, or opposition. Hence Luqmaan the Wise
said to his son: 

“O my son! Aqim‑is‑Salaah
(perform As‑Salaah), enjoin (on people) Al‑Ma‘roof  (Islamic Monotheism and
all that is good), and forbid (people) from Al‑Munkar (i.e. disbelief in the
Oneness of Allaah, polytheism of all kinds and all that is evil and bad),
and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Verily, these are some of the
important commandments (ordered by Allaah with no exemption)”

[Luqmaan 31:17] 

Remember that the good end is for the pious (those who fear
Allaah), and Allaah will not cause the reward of those who do good to be
lost, and He is with those who are patient. So turn to Him and seek His
protection, and say Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for me, and He is the Best
Disposer of affairs (for me). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites)
said, ‘Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army),
therefore, fear them.’ But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said:
‘Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs
(for us).’

174. So they returned with grace and bounty from Allaah.
No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allaah. And
Allaah is the Owner of great bounty”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:174-175] 

No matter how much they plot against you, their plot will
backfire on them. 

“But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it”

[Faatir 35:43] 

So receive the glad
tidings of the help and support of Allaah, make a lot of du’aa’ and pray for
forgiveness. Remember that the prayer of the one who has been wronged or
oppressed is not rejected, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three whose prayers will undoubtedly be
answered: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a traveller, and the prayer
of one who has been wronged.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1536; al-Tirmidhi,
1905; Ibn Maajah, 3862; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi
Dawood. 

But we advise you to
leave this job and relieve yourself of that in which there is evil and harm,
and to move to another place; may Allaah give you someone better than them
and give you a trustworthy and kind boss. 

If you cannot move from
this place, then try to take a leave of absence for a while until things
calm down; Allaah may cause things to change. 

If you can do without
this job altogether, and save yourself from all this trouble and heartache
and devote your efforts to taking care of your house and children, then this
is best, and Allaah will reward you for that with His blessings and
compensate you with something better.  

We ask Allaah to relieve
your distress and take away your sorrow, and to protect you against the evil
of every evil person. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

His brother only treats his parents in a harsh manner, and he is afraid that he has been bewitched

 

I am concerned about my eldest brother's behavior towards his family (mother, father, brothers and sister) There is a great change in his behavior, he doesn't talk with anyone, says hurtful things to his parents, and resents them, while he is nice to others. I am suspecting his wife for doing some magic on him, please advise if my gut feeling is right, then what is the solution. Please do advise.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Allaah has obliged sons to honour their
parents and He has forbidden them to disobey them. We have discussed some of their (parents’) rights in the answer to question no.
5053. 

What you have said about your brother’s
treatment of your parents is an evil action and is a major sin. You have to advise him and remind him of what Allaah has enjoined upon him towards
his parents and relatives. 

It is not permissible for you to accuse
others of practicing witchcraft against your brother. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against suspicion,
and told us that it is the falsest of speech. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Beware of suspicion, because suspicion is the falsest of speech; do not spy on one another, do not pry into others’ affairs, do not hate
one another; be brothers.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4849; Muslim, 2563. 

So you have to look for the reasons why your
brother is doing this to you. There may be causes that you can put a stop to and help him to overcome. 

If there is no apparent reason, there is
nothing wrong with asking someone whose religious commitment and knowledge you trust to recite ruqyah for him and find out what is going on. If he
finds out that he has been bewitched, then you have to treat him with remedies that will remove that sihr (magic), remedies that are proven in the
Qur’aan and Sunnah. 

Whatever the case, such a situation requires
deliberation and wisdom in your dealing with him. Whether he is disobeying his Lord by treating his parents badly or he has been bewitched, he is
sick, and the sick person needs to be treated kindly in order to find the most suitable remedy for his condition.  

We ask Allaah to set the affairs of all the
Muslims straight. 

She faced social pressures that made her stop praying and take off hijab

 

I am a young, single woman from … I work as an engineer in the ministry of industry as head of the department. I am respected and well-treated, and I have a masters degree in industrial engineering.
I am from a close-knit and wealthy family that has connections with top people in the county, which has made our life easy, praise be to Allaah. 


So far so good. 


But the problem is that I feel alienated. 


Since the age of fifteen, I have not been like the girls in my generation and my society. I hated mixing and I hated the fact that we had no interest in our religion. No day passed when I did not read Soorat al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imraan, al-Rahmaan and Yaa-Seen, and recite a lot of du’aa’ and tasbeeh. I felt that I was better than my friends and the girls of my generation, and I felt that I was close to our Lord, and I had tranquillity and peace of mind. 


During all this I refused everyone who came to propose marriage, because they were far away from religion and were not committed; they drank alcohol and did many other things that I feel too embarrassed to mention. 


Sometimes those who regarded my mentality as backward would say: You are beautiful and you appear modern, but you are not enjoying your life and you are backward in your thinking like our grandmothers’ grandmothers. 


Yet despite that my faith in Allaah was great and I was strong in the face of all the temptations of life. I found myself in many difficult situations but every time, I chose to be close to our Lord and I overcame my self that is inclined towards evil, praise be to Allaah. 


For the first time I felt that I needed a righteous, religiously-committed husband. I felt that work and study were taking up all my time, but I needed to find a marriage partner and form a family and have children. 


In order to protect myself against the group who I was with in a foreign country, I put on hijab and went to pray in the mosque, and this was for the first time in my life, but they were the happiest

days of my life, a wonderful experience. 


I realized how far I was falling short in my religious commitment, and how ignorant I was about many things in my religion, and how awful and how faraway from religion our society is.  


But when I went back to our country I took off the hijab due to social, professional and political reasons, but I felt even more alienated and I felt very depressed. 


All the people think that I have changed a great deal, most of all my family, and because of that and in order to get me out of the state I am in, they decided to go for ‘umrah at the time of the Prophet’s birthday. 


Praise be to Allaah, I went, with my father, mother and sister, and it was an indescribable delight. I enjoyed praying in al-Rawdah al-Shareef (the area between the Prophet’s minbar and grave) and I enjoyed praying and making du’aa’ in Makkah, and I enjoyed the conservative Saudi society. I enjoyed wearing the niqaab and abayah, as I have never enjoyed anything else. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. 
When I came back to my country, I took off the hijab. I had no choice but to follow the ways of my society, because of the demands of my job, i.e., meetings with men. I have no choice but to shake hands, and dress as they dress. I work all day until 6 p.m., then I go home and pray Zuhr and ‘Asr and Maghrib and ‘Isha’ all together, because at work we have no time or space to ourselves. Even the places where we could do wudoo’ are mixed.  


I feel sick and tired, and I feel that my faith is very weak, and I am afraid of fitnah (temptation). 


I cannot get married and I cannot live, I cannot do my religious duties and I feel alienated. Either I live like the rest of the people and accept an immoral evildoer (as a husband) – please excuse these words – or I leave this country where everything is detestable. 


I have no objection to marrying someone from outside my country and leaving my country, so long as he is religiously committed and will help me to obey Allaah. 


I have been to all the marriage websites on the internet and this is my last hope. 


The problem now is that I have stopped praying and I have stopped reading Qur’aan because I feel that I am living a life of hypocrisy. I definitely want to wear hijab and I want to get married and protect myself from fitnah. 


All my prayer is weeping and whenever I read Qur’aan I weep bitterly. My life has become very bitter. 


Help me, save me from fitnah.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

We understand the extent of the problem that you are
suffering and the extent of the pressure you are facing to give up your
religion and your commitment. This problem is not yours alone, rather it is
a problem faced by thousands of Muslims who want to adhere to the teachings
of this great religion, and want to live a moral life of honour and
chastity, but they face many problems in their societies that,
unfortunately, have deviated from Islam to a large extent and now look down
upon and scorn those who adhere to Islam, and governments that cause trouble
for those who are committed to Islam. Everyone knows what is going on in
your country, the war against Islam and those who are committed to it. We
ask Allaah to foil their plots and support His religion and His believing
slaves. 

Secondly: 

“The reward of Allaah is precious, the reard of Allaah is
Paradise.” Thus said the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), and undoubtedly the precious reward needs a high price, and there
is nothing more precious than Paradise. Hence the Muslim must accept that
whatever difficulties he faces on his way to Paradise, they are to be
expected, and in fact, no matter how hard it is, they pale into
insignificance when compared with the delights that await him in Paradise. 

This is what makes it easy for the Muslim to bear the
calamities of this world and the difficulties that he faces on his path
towards Allaah. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
has told us that the most destitute of the people in this world, of those
who will enter Paradise, will be brought and dipped once in Paradise, and it
will be said to him: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything bad? Did you
ever experience any hardship? He will say: No, by Allaah, O Lord. I never
saw anything bad and I never experienced any hardship.”. Narrated by Muslim
(2807). 

The mind can imagine the state of this person, “the most
destitute of the people in this world,” and imagine the worst of situations
and trials, but one dip in Paradise will make him forget all that.

 And the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) has told us about the days of patience, and that the one who
adheres to his religion at that time will be like the one who takes hold of
a burning ember. Perhaps the current time is what the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant, so we have no choice but to be
patient and put up with hardships and even confront them, otherwise we may
lose out in this world and in the Hereafter: 

“By Al‑‘Asr (the time).

2. Verily, man is in loss,

3. Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do
righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one
another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al‑Ma‘roof) which Allaah has
ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al‑Munkar)
which Allaah has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the
sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allaah’s Cause
during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad)”

[al-‘Asr 103] 

Thirdly: 

With regard to the social and political pressures that you
are facing – and we understand how hard it is – we offer the following
advice to you and to everyone who is facing a similar problem, whilst noting
that under such pressures a Muslim may face severe difficulty in adhering to
the rulings of Islam, so there may be no choice but to compromise and be
content with partial commitment for fear of giving up commitment altogether.
But that is subject to the condition that the Muslim always seeks that which
is better and strives hard to overcome these difficulties and gradually seek
to attain full commitment. 

So this compromise is a temporary stage, it is not
permanent. 

Whatever a Muslim cannot do in full today because of the
pressures he is facing, let him do whatever he can of it – even if there are
shortcomings – until he gradually reaches a stage of full commitment and the
society may accept his transformation from one stage to another, because
that is easier than going through confrontations and problems. 

There follows some advice, and we apologize for making it too
long, but the matter is serious and of the utmost importance, and affects
thousands and thousands of Muslims as we have said, so one or two words are
not enough. 

1 – “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there is
no power and no strength except with Allaah)” 

This is a beautiful phrase, and it is one of the treasures of
Paradise. We have no power to change from one state to another, from
disobedience to obedience, from imperfection to perfection, except with the
help and guidance of Allaah.  

So it is essential to seek the help of Allaah first and last.
In Soorat al-Faatihah which the Muslim recites several times each day, it
says (interpretation of the meaning): “You (Alone) we worship, and You
(Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” [al-Faatihah 1:5]. 
We cannot worship Allaah unless Allaah enables us and helps us to do that.
Among the du’aa’ of the people of Paradise are the words (interpretation of
the meaning): “All the praises and thanks be to
Allaah, Who has guided us to this, and never could we have found guidance,
were it not that Allaah had guided us” [al-A’raaf 7:43].
And among the du’aa’ of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) were the words: “Do not leave me to myself even for the
blink of an eye.” Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (226). 

So it is essential to seek the help of Allaah, rely on Him
and be aware that all things are in His hand, and with the word “Kun
(Be!)” He does whatever He wills. 

So seek the help of Allaah and delegate your affairs to Him,
and trust that Allaah will grant you a way out: “And whosoever puts his
trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him” [al-Talaaq 65:3].  

2 – Constant du’aa’ 

Say du’aa’ a great deal, asking Allaah to make things easier
for you, to help you to do all that is good, to guide and to keep evil and
its people away from you. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with
him) used to say: “I am not worried whether Allaah will respond, but I am
worried about whether I will be able to make du’aa’, because if I am helped
to du’aa’, then the response will come with it.” Du’aa’ relieves distress
and takes away worry.  

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “There is no Muslim who says a du’aa’ in which there is no sin or
severing of family ties, but Allaah will give him one of three things:
either He will hasten to answer his prayer, or He will store it up for him
in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil from him.” They said:
Then we will say a lot of du’aa’! He said: “Allaah can give more than that.”
Narrated by Ahmad (10794), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Targheeb (1633). The one who says du’aa’ is always in a good state,
no matter how much du’aa’ he says, for Allaah is greater in goodness,
blessing and grace. 

3 – Worship, especially prayer 

You have to pay attention to acts of worship, for they will
revive the heart and alert the one who is negligent, and they are among the
most important factors of steadfastness and the best help in achieving one’s
goals, after the help of Allaah, may He be exalted. 

The greatest act of worship is prayer, for it is the main
foundation of faith after the shahaadatayn and it is the foundation of
Islam. The heart has no life without prayer. It brings relief from all
worries and hardships. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) used to say to Bilaal: “Let us find rest in it (the prayer), O
Bilaal.” Saheeh Abi Dawood (4985). So pray, and focus with proper
humility, and ponder, and weep, and relieve yourself of the worries and
stress of this world. 

4 –Reading the Holy Qur’aan 

Read the Holy Qur’aan regularly, and have a portion of it
that you read every day, and do not neglect it. You should also have a brief
Tafseer (commentary) that will help you to understand and ponder the
meanings of the verses, such as Tafseer al-Sa’di or Aysar
al-Tafaaseer by Shaykh Abu Bakr al-Jazaa’iri. 

There is nothing greater than the words of Allaah, and there
is no exhortation more eloquent than the exhortation of Allaah. There is no
book that can offer guidance or relief from worry like the Qur’aan. 

5 – Adhkaar and du’aa’s 

Always recite the adhkaar that are narrated from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) at various times and on
various occasions, such as the adhkaar for morning and evening, when going
to sleep and when waking up, when eating and drinking, when going out of the
house and when coming in, and in all situations. Be certain of the
importance of understanding their meanings. Among the useful books on this
topic are: al-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah bi Sharh al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah
by Ibn ‘Allaan. This is a valuable book from which you can learn the
meanings of the adkhaar, so that hearts may be revived and become connected
to the Knower of the Unseen. 

6 – Listening to useful lectures and khutbahs 

Continue to listen to useful lectures and khutbahs, for you
always need someone to remind you, guide you and advise you. From lectures
etc you can learn a great deal about the rulings of Islam and how to behave
at times of crisis. 

7 – It is essential to read and learn. 

It is essential for you to learn, read and educate yourself
in Islamic matters, for “whomever Allaah wills good to, He causes him to
understand Islam”, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. So it is
essential to know and understand the rulings of Islam. In many cases where
things seem difficult and complicated, if a person learned the rulings or
asked the scholars, he would find it easy and not complicated. There may be
a concession of which he is not aware, or there may be an alternative in
sharee’ah that would make it easier for him. Among the useful books that we
advise you to read is Fiqh al-Sunnah by Shaykh Sayyid al-Saabiq [this
is available in English translation under the title Fiqh us-Sunnah,
published in 5 volumes by American Trust Publications,  Plainfield, IN];
al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan; ‘Awdat al-Hijaab
by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel. You can also learn from useful Islamic
websites. 

You should also read modern history, especially that of your
own country, and how Islam has been fought, and what their plots were, for
if the Muslim understands that, it will inspire him to face the challenge
and make him adhere to Islam even more. 

8 – With regard to marriage 

It is undoubtedly very important, and will bring many
benefits in your case, such as: 

(a)  
Psychological stability, peace
of mind and tranquillity.

(b) 
By Allaah’s leave, it will be a
means of reducing the social and family pressures on you, because you will
be able to move to a new home, away from your family and neighbours and the
society which is placing many restrictions on you that you cannot overcome.

(c) 
You will be able to raise
righteous offspring in an atmosphere of chastity, trust, modesty and
adherence to this religion, the upbringing that many of us have missed out
on, unfortunately. 

A person can do with his children that which he wishes that
his parents had done with him. Raising righteous offspring is one of the
most important benefits of marriage. The ummah is waiting for you and others
like you who love this religion and want to adhere to it. They are waiting
for righteous, believing offspring from you, through whom Allaah will
benefit the ummah and change it for the better. 

There are many other benefits that you will attain through
marriage, hence we emphasize the importance of this issue. Based on the
circumstances that you are suffering, the advice which we have to offer you
is: if there comes to you one with whose religious commitment and character
you are pleased, do not hesitate to accept, and if there is no such person
then be content with one who is “semi-committed”, for if we cannot find that
which is perfect we must be content with the best that is available, even if
it is not perfect. This advice is just for you, based on your particular
situation. 

We do not mean by this that you should be content with an
evildoer or one who drinks alcohol, not at all. Rather what we mean is one
who is righteous in general terms, who prays regularly and loves Islam in
general, one who is of good character and chivalrous, who feels protective
jealousy with regard to matters of honour, even if he has some other
faults. 

You could encourage him to improve, by means of your
personality, your powers of persuasion and your wisdom in dealing with him,
after Allaah guides you and him. 

We do not agree that your going to websites is the last hope
for you, rather hope never ceases. The Muslim always has hope and expects
good from his Lord, and he thinks positively of his Lord Who says in the
hadeeth qudsi: “I am as My slave thinks I am.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and
Muslim. 

9 – With regard to the problem of hijab and your not being
able to wear it 

Once again, we state that we understand the extent of the war
that you are facing in your country because of hijab, hence we think that
there is no reason why – given your particular circumstances – you should
not take a gradual approach to wearing hijab. What your parents and society
may not accept today, they may accept gradually after a month or two, or a
year. 

You have to dress as modestly as possible, and try hard to
cover your head. Wear clothes that are loose, then when the people get used
to your dressing modestly, you can take another step forward, until you are
wearing full hijab as Allaah has enjoined upon the believing women and as
you yourself want and enjoyed wearing in the land of the two sacred mosques
during your visit. 

But do not be too hasty. Take it slowly, and you will attain
what you want, in sha Allaah. 

This is not the best way that the Muslim should follow, but
it is acceptable in cases of necessity and in the particular circumstances
that you are in. Attaining part of a thing is better than nothing, and
reaching perfection slowly is better than losing everything.  

10 –With regard to prayer 

Prayer is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the
Shahaadatayn. It is the connection between a person and his Lord, so you
should pay a great deal of attention to it and it is essential to offer
prayers regularly, at the proper times. 

“Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the
believers at fixed hours”

[al-Nisa’ 4:10] 

We do not think there is any problem with regard to Fajr and
‘Isha’, or with Maghrib during the summer, when the time for Maghrib begins
an hour or two after you come back from work. 

Based on that, there is no excuse for delaying these prayers
beyond the proper time, so strive hard to offer these prayers at the time
decreed for them in sharee’ah.  

That leaves Zuhr and ‘Asr, and also Maghrib during the
winter. 

The basic principle – as stated above – is that you should
offer each of them at the proper time, so look for a time when the place for
doing wudoo’ is free of men. If that is not possible, there is nothing wrong
with entering the washroom and doing wudoo’ in there, and wudoo’ done there
will be valid. In most cases its floor – even if it is wet – will be taahir
(pure) and the water that is on it will be taahir, so there is nothing wrong
with doing wudoo’ in there. 

When praying, a woman is required to cover all of her body
except her face and hands. If you cannot wear clothes like that for the time
being, then keep a hijab or other garment for prayer in your office, that
you can wear at the time of prayer. 

There is no special place where prayers must be performed,
rather prayers may be offered anywhere, so you can wait for a chance when
you are alone in your office, and then pray. 

If it is too difficult and you cannot offer every prayer on
time, then we hope that you will have a concession allowing you to join Zuhr
and ‘Asr, so you can delay Zuhr until the time of ‘Asr and pray them
together, but that is subject to the condition that it is done before the
time for ‘Asr ends, and that is half an hour or forty-five minutes before
sunset. If that is not possible, then you have a concession allowing prayer
until sunset, but there is no excuse for delaying ‘Asr until after sunset.

With regard to Maghrib in the winter, if you can do it at
work then this is what you must do, and if that is not possible then you may
delay it and join it with ‘Isha’ at the time of the latter, and you can pray
Maghrib and ‘Isha’ together when you go back home. 

Remember that if you do that, you are not delaying the prayer
beyond its proper time, because joining Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and
‘Isha’, is permissible in cases of necessity and in order to ward off
hardship, whether one is travelling or not, unlike shortening the prayers,
which is not permitted except when travelling. 

But you must try hard to offer every prayer at the proper
time, and the Muslim should always be able to find a way. A senior military
figure was unable to ask for permission to pray, lest he be accused of
fundamentalism or terrorism and be put under watch, so he used to ask
permission to go to the bathroom, where he would do wudoo’ then go and pray,
and come back. 

We do not think that you are incapable of coming up with some
way and finding an opportunity to offer every prayer on time. If you cannot,
then join Zuhr and ‘Asr as described above. 

Finally, we would draw your attention to the fact that many
of the problems that you are facing at work, such as delaying the prayers
and not being able to wear hijab, are due to your working in a place where
you mix with men. 

A woman’s working in a place where she mixes with men, with
no shar’i guidelines, leads to many negative consequences, as is obvious to
you. Hence the wisdom of Islam dictates that this is haraam. If you can move
to another department or another job where there are no men, this will solve
your problems at work to a great extent, or you can choose to stop working
altogether, unless you are facing pressure from your family to carry on
working, in which case we hope that you have a concession to allow you to
continue, whilst trying to avoid the bad things as much as possible. 

Finally, we will be happy to keep in ouch with you and offer
advice, and  we will be even happier to hear that you have acted upon this
advice and that you have taken steps in the right direction. 

We ask Allaah to make you steadfast and to help you to do all
that is good, and to divert all evil away from you, and to bless you with
righteous offspring. 

And Allaah is the source of strength and the Guide to the
right path. 

And Allaah knows best.