Chapter 2
Training Oneself
44594: Advice to one who slanders his Muslim
brothers and accuses them without any proof
Question:
Our Shaykh, I love you for the sake of Allaah and I
hope that you can tell me how to silence those who slander
the scholars. There are people who accuse you of
being extreme in labeling others as kaafirs and of Qutbi (a
group that claims to base its ideas on the writings of
Sayyid Qutb) _ as they call it. What is your answer? Please
note that I am _ as Allaah knows _ one of those who love
you for the sake of Allaah.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
May Allaah love you, for Whose sake you love us,
and may He bring us together in His mercy on the
Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, except
him who brings to Allaah a clean heart (cf. al-Shu'ara' 26:89).
With regard to what you have said in your question,
we advise you to keep away from everyone who speaks
about your Muslim brothers or slanders them, or accuses
them and casts aspersion on their intentions. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "O you
who have spoken the words of faith but faith has not
entered your hearts! Do not backbite about the Muslims or
seek our their faults, for whoever seeks out their faults,
Allaah will seek out his faults even if he is his house."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, no. 4880; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani.
It is also necessary for you to advise these people to
fear Allaah and refrain using such labels and names that
divide the Muslims. With regard to offering advice and
correcting mistakes, this should not be done by means of
exposing people's faults or casting aspersions on their
intentions etc.
With regard to the issue of takfeer (labeling people
as kaafirs), this is subject to further discussion.
Describing as a kaafir one who has been described as such by
Allaah or by His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) is obligatory. Allaah has described some
groups as being kaafirs in His Book, as when He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, disbelievers are those who said: `Allaah is
the third of the three (in a Trinity)'"
[al-Maa'idah 5:73]
"Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is
the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:17]
But it is haraam to label as a kaafir someone whom
Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not label as such.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: Just as it is not permissible to label a specific
person as a kaafir unless the conditions of labeling someone
as such have been met in his case, so too we should not
shy away from labeling as kaafirs those whom Allaah
and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) have labeled as such. But we must
differentiate between what is specific and what is general.
Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 2/281.
See also question no. 21576.
And Allaah knows best.
Moreover, everyone who levels an accusation
against another person must provide proof:
"Say (O Muhammad), Produce your proof if you
are truthful"
[al-Baqarah 2:111]
"Since they produce not witnesses, they are the liars
in the sight of Allaah"
[al-Noor 24:13]
This problem is widespread among some of those
who claim to be religiously-guided, may Allaah guide
them, for they make accusations against people on grounds
that are not regarded as something worthy of criticism
in sharee'ah or that do not undermine a person's
religious commitment.
Then they do not bring any proof of that, and they
follow their own whims and desires, because it is human
nature to appoint oneself as judge, praising and condemning
on a whim.
We must go against the whims and desires of our
own selves and measure people by the criteria set out in
Islam; we should make mention of their good points and
advise them with regard to their mistakes.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
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9082: The faith in his heart has wilted _ what should
he do?
Question:
We live in an Arab Muslim country, but we do not
feel the taste of faith. We have few good people who
remind us of Allaah. May Allaah reward you with good:
please give us some advice from which we may benefit.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
1 _ I advise you to read the Qur'aan a great deal,
and listen to recitations of Qur'aan and ponder the
meanings of what you read and what you hear as much as you
can. Whatever you cannot understand, ask the people
of knowledge in your country or write to other scholars
of Ahl al-Sunnah (Sunnis).
If you read a tafseer (commentary) on what you read,
this will help you to ponder the meanings. One of the
best and most concise Tafseers is Tafseer
al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him).
2 _ You should remember Allaah a great deal (dhikr),
by reciting the dhikrs narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth
such as Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but
Allaah), Subhaan Allaah wa'l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise
be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah, and Allaah is
great), and so on. See al-Adhkaar by al-Nawawi and
similar books.
Remembering Allaah increases one's faith and
brings peace to the heart. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah —
Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in
the remembrance of Allaah verily, in the remembrance
of Allaah do hearts find rest" [al-Ra'd
13:28]
Observe regular prayer, fast and observe all the pillars
of Islam, whilst also hoping for the mercy of Allaah;
put your trust in Allaah in all your affairs. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The believers are only those who, when Allaah
is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His
Verses (this Qur'aan) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the
Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their
Lord (Alone);
3. Who perform As-Salaah (Iqaamatas Salaah) and
spend out of that We have provided them.
4. It is they who are the believers in truth. For them
are grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness and
a generous provision (Paradise)" [al-Anfaal
8:2-4]
It should be noted that faith increases when one
obeys Allaah and decreases when one disobeys Him, so
continue to do that which Allaah has enjoined, such as
observing the five daily prayers in congregation in the mosque
and paying zakaah willingly, to purify yourself of sin, and
as an act of mercy towards the poor and needy.
Keep company with good and righteous people so
that they can help you to apply sharee'ah and guide
you towards that which will bring you happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter.
Keep away from the people of innovation and sin,
lest they tempt you and weaken your resolve.
Do a lot of naafil good deeds, and turn to Allaah and
ask Him for guidance.
If you do these things, Allaah will increase you in
faith and help you to catch up with what you have missed
of good deeds, and make you more steadfast in adhering
to Islam.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 3/187. (www.islam-qa.com)
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22090: How can the Muslim discipline himself
Question:
How can the Muslim discipline himself
Islamically, especially if he has shortcomings with regard to
his religious commitment, which Allaah knows best about?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Acknowledging your shortcomings is one of the first
steps in disciplining yourself.
Whoever acknowledges that he has shortcomings
has started on the path to self-discipline. This acknowledgement is one of the things that make
us discipline ourselves and be persistent in doing so.
This acknowledgement should not put you off
disciplining yourself. It is a sign of Allaah's care when a person
tries to change himself and develop, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, Allaah will not change the condition of a
people as long as they do not change their state themselves"
[al-Ra'd 13:11]
So whoever tries to change for the sake of Allaah,
Allaah will help him to change.
Each person is individually responsible for his own
self, and will be questioned individually, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is none in the heavens and the earth but
comes unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) as a slave.
Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted
them a full counting.
And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the
Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector
or defender)" [Maryam 19:93-95]
Man cannot benefit from what he has been told
about goodness unless he himself takes an interest in that.
Do you not know the story of the wife of Nooh and the
wife of Loot, who were members of the households of
two Prophets, one of whom was one of the Messengers
of strong will? Imagine how these Prophets strove to
guide their wives and how much guidance these wives
received, but there was no interest on their part, so it was said
to both of them:
"Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"
[al-Tahreem 66:10 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Whereas the wife of Pharaoh _ even though she was
a member of the household of one of the greatest
evildoers _ is presented by Allaah as an example to those
who believe because she disciplined herself.
The ways in which a Muslim can discipline himself
are as follows:
1- Worshipping Allaah, keeping in contact with Him
and submitting to Him. That is done by paying attention
to doing obligatory acts of worship well, and cleansing
your heart of any attachment to anything other than Allaah.
2- Reading Qur'aan a great deal, pondering its
meanings and seeking to understand it.
3- Reading useful religious books that describe the
ways of treating and cleansing the heart, such as
Mukhtasar Manhaaj al-Qaasideen, Tahdheeb Madaarij
al-Saalikeen and so on; reading the biographies of the salaf and
learning about their attitude and behaviour, such as
Sifat al-Safwah by Ibn al-Jawzi and Ayna nahnu min Akhlaaq
al-Salaf by Baha' al-Deen `Aqeel and Naasir al-Jaleel.
4- Attending educational programs such as classes
and lectures.
5- Making good use of your time and using it to do
things that will be of benefit in both worldly and spiritual terms
6- Not indulging too much in permissible things and
not paying too much attention to them.
7- Keeping company with righteous people and
looking for righteous companions, who can help you to do
good. Those who live alone will miss out on a lot of
the characteristics of a good brother such as preferring
others to oneself and being patient.
8- Trying to act on what you learn and put it into practice.
9- Checking closely on yourself.
10-Having confidence in yourself _ whilst relying
on Allaah _ because the one who has no confidence
cannot act.
11-Despising yourself for not doing enough for the
sake of Allaah. This does not contradict the things
mentioned above. Man has to strive hard whilst still thinking
that his efforts are not enough.
12-Practising withdrawal or isolation as prescribed
in sharee'ah. You should not mix with people all the
time, rather you must have some time which you spend
alone, in worship as prescribed in Islam.
We ask Allaah to help us and you to discipline
ourselves and submit to that which Allaah loves and is pleased
with. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our
Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
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27082: How can he punish himself so as to
encourage himself to do good?
Question:
I know that punishing oneself and depriving oneself
is effective in encouraging oneself to do good, but how
can I punish myself?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The believer who is keen to save himself will strive
to save himself from everything that may lead to his
doom, and he is kind to himself. Part of that kindness is
taking care of one's relationship with Allaah so that he will
be saved from the punishment of the Hereafter, and
striving to make himself do that which is enjoined upon him
and to avoid that which is forbidden to him, seeking
thereby the pleasure of Allaah. So he starts by repenting from
all sins, and urging himself to compete in doing
righteous deeds, and striving to reach high levels of faith,
by applying the appropriate means, such as learning
about the rewards for good deeds, the effects and causes of
sin, keeping away from those who discourage him and
are lacking in ambition, listening to stories of those who
strive in worship. Then if he weakens in doing righteous
deeds or commits sin, or finds that he is inclined towards it,
this is the time for punishment.
Punishment comes after learning the truth and
deviating from it. You should not start with punishment
because there is no punishment before knowledge and
knowledge leaves no excuse.
You should also note _ may Allaah bless you _
that punishment should not be sought as an end in and of
itself, rather it is a means of disciplining the self. This is
like cauterization for one who is sick, which is only used
as much as is necessary.
It is not good to punish yourself and burden yourself
with more than you can bear, or with things that cause
physical harm, such as burning yourself with fire or standing
in the sun, etc. Rather punishment should take the form
of obliging yourself to do more righteous deeds,
without causing too much hardship, or depriving yourself of
things that you like. However, you know yourself best and
you know what makes you more lazy and pushes you
towards sin, and you should avoid these things.
Al-Maqdisi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If the believer checks himself and sees some
shortcoming or he commits some sin, he should not take the
matter lightly, for that may lead to him committing sin
regularly and then it will be difficult for him to give up that
sin. Rather he should punish himself in a permissible
manner just as he would discipline his wife and children. It
was narrated that `Umar went out to a garden he owned,
then he came back and the people had prayed `Asr, so he
said, "I went out to my garden and when I came back the
people had prayed `Asr; I give my garden in charity for the poor."
And it was narrated that Tameem al-Daari (may
Allaah be pleased with him) slept one night and did not get up
to pray Tahajjud until dawn came, so he prayed qiyaam
al-layl for a year and did not sleep in order to punish
himself for sleeping that night.
Hassaan ibn Sinaan passed by a room and said,
"When was this built?" Then he thought to himself and said,
"Are you asking about something that is not your concern?
I will punish myself by fasting for a year," and he
fasted that year.
But with regard to punishments that cause physical
harm or involve doing something reprehensible, they are
not permissible. It was narrated that a man looked at a
woman, then he put his eyes out, and that another disobeyed
Allaah with his hand, so he put his hand into the fire until
it became paralyzed. Such actions are not permissible,
and a man cannot treat himself in this way.
From Mukhtasar Manhaaj al-Qaasideen.
And Allaah knows best.
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22877: He feels that his faith is weak and that worship
is burdensome
Question:
I have been a religious person for several years, but for
a few months I have been feeling that my mind and
heart are devoid of faith and will power. This matter
is tormenting me and I said to myself that perhaps this is
a touch from the Shaytaan or something like that, and
it will go away when Ramadaan comes. But it has not
gone away and I find it very difficult to pray qiyaam al-layl.
I have tried to read more Qur'aan despite this
waswaas and the distress it is causing me. My situation has
started to affect me socially, at work, in the family and in
my religion. Now I am living in torment because of this
and I cannot find the faith which I feel has been taken
away from me. I feel that I will have a bad end and that
my faith will never return to me and that a seal has been
placed over my heart. When I go to the mosque to pray, which
I have not stopped doing, I feel that I am not like the
other worshippers and I envy them for their faith. I also feel
put off by religion and often I cannot listen to the Qur'aan
or hadeeth, or listen to tapes, except with great
difficulty. This is tormenting me because I do not want this, and
I want to be like I was, a believer who loves the
religion because it is the truth, but I feel that I cannot control
my mind or my feelings. I have started to think about my
sins which I believe are the cause of this, and I have started
to remember many sins which I had forgotten, as if they
are appearing before me one after the other. Until now I
am living with this torment, misery and distress. I do not
know what has happened to me and what the solution and
the remedy is. Will my faith come back to me or is this a
bad end and a punishment from Allaah? Finally, please
do not forget to make du'aa' for me.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
My brother, have great hope in Allaah, and do not let
the Shaytaan cause you to despair of the vast mercy of
Allaah which He has guaranteed for His believing slaves.
What you are telling yourself about this being a sign that
you will die following something other than that which
Allaah wants is only insinuating whispers (waswaas) from
the Shaytaan and his deviant ideas by means of which
he wants to tempt the slaves of Allaah and lead them
away from their religion. So he comes to a righteous slave
and whispers to him that his good deeds are of no avail,
or that he is doing them not for the sake of Allaah but
to show off to people, so that they will think he is good.
All of these are the usual ways with which the Shaytaan
tries to trick the slaves of Allaah, especially those who
show signs of being righteous _ of whom I think that you
are one, although I do not praise anyone before Allah _
to hinder their efforts. We seek refuge with Allaah from him.
You need to increase your hope and trust in Allaah
Who forgives all sins, and who accepts the slave who
seeks His protection and refuge, for He is the Most
Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving.
You should increase your good deeds, such as
reading Qur'aan, giving charity, remembering Allaah
(dhikr), upholding the ties of kinship, etc. The weakness
which you feel also happens to others, for it is something
natural. How many people were examples followed by others
and had a great deal of drive and ambition, then they lost
their drive and ambition for a long time, then it came back
to them by the grace of Allaah. Remember the words of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): "Everybody has his time of energy, and every time
of energy is followed by a time of lethargy. But if a
person tries to follow a moderate path, then I have hope for
him, but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the
street), then do not think anything of him."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2453; classed as hasan by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 1995).
What is meant by "Everybody has his time of energy"
is eagerness for a thing, energy and the desire to do good.
What is meant by "every time of energy is followed by
a time of lethargy" is tiredness, weakness and lack
of movement.
"But if a person tries to follow a moderate path"
means that the one who has energy does his deeds in
moderation and avoids going to extremes when he is feeling
energetic and avoids being negligent when he is feeling lethargic.
"Then I have hope for him" means, I have hope that
he will be successful, for he can continue following a
middle course, and the most beloved deeds to Allaah are
those which are continuous.
"but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the
street)" means, if he strives hard and goes to extremes in
doing good deeds so that he will become famous for his
worship and asceticism, and he becomes famous and people
point him out to one another,
"then do not think anything of him" means, do not
think that he is one of the righteous, because he is showing
off. He did not say, "do not have hope for him," as
an indication that he has already fallen, and he will not
be able to make up for what he has missed out on.
[From Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi]
Think about this hadeeth, and relate it to your
own situation and the situation of others: you will see a
clear similarity. This hadeeth clearly states that man
goes through a stage of incomparable eagerness and great
focus and ambition, then suddenly he becomes weak and
loses that focus and eagerness and ambition. When he
reaches this stage, he must strive even harder to do
obligatory duties and avoid haraam things. If he does that, then
there is the hope that he will succeed and progress, but if
he falls into haraam things and stops doing obligatory
things, he will be lost and doomed.
So you must turn to Allaah a great deal, seek
His forgiveness and ask Him to make you steadfast until
death. I also advise you to keep away from haraam things.
May Allaah forgive your sins and make things easier for you.
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26985: Tempted by permissive channels and internet sites
Question:
I am a young man who is, unfortunately, tempted
by satellite channels and internet sites to such a degree that
I have fallen far short in religious matters. I hope that
you can help me and pray for me to be guided. May
Allaah reward you.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon
the Messenger of Allaah.
We ask Allaah to guide you, and to ward off evil
and immorality from you, and to make you one of
His sincerely-devoted slaves. For Allaah may delay but
He never forgets. How can you be sure that when Allaah
sees you committing this sin, He is not going to say, "By
My Glory and Majesty, I will not forgive you"?
Look at these physical faculties with which you
are committing sin. Do you not see that Allaah is able
to deprive you of their blessings and to cause you the
pain of losing them?
Then look at how Allaah has concealed you (your
sin) and has been patient and forbearing with you. You
know about His protective jealousy over His slaves, so
how can you be sure that He will not become angry with
you and expose your affairs, so that people will come to
know your secrets and you will suffer scandal in this
world before the Hereafter?
Will you get anything from haraam looks apart from
grief, misery and darkness in the heart?
Even if you feel some pleasure for a day or two, or for
a month or a year… what will come after that?
Death… then the grave… then the Reckoning…
then torment, when all pleasure will vanish and only
sorrow will remain.
If you feel ashamed to let your brother see you
committing this sin, then how can you think of Allaah as the
least important of those who watch you?
Do you not know that Allaah can see you, and that
His angels are recording your deeds, and that tomorrow
(i.e., on the Day of Resurrection) your own limbs will
speak of what used to happen?
Think about what will become of you after you sin:
worry and distress in the heart, alienation between you
and Allaah, loss of humility… you give up praying at
night (qiyaam al-layl)… you forsake fasting… Tell me, by
your Lord, what is this life worth?
Every time you look at these devilish screens, a
black spot appears on your heart, until it is covered with
layers of blackness, then by the raan (stain) which
overwhelms the heart, and deprives you of the pleasure of
obeying Allaah and of the sweetness of faith.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "When a slave commits a sin, a black spot
appears on his heart. But if he give it up, seeks forgiveness
and repents, his heart will be cleansed, but if he repeats
it, (the blackness) will increase until it overwhelms his
heart. This is the raan which Allaah mentions:
`Nay! But on their hearts is the Raan (covering of sins and evil
deeds) which they used to earn'
[al-Mutaffifeen 83:14 _ interpretation of the
meaning]."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3257; Ibn Maajah, 4234;
classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn
Maajah, 3422).
So be among those who give up sin, seek forgiveness
and repent. Beseech Allaah frequently to purify your heart
and protect your chastity, and to grant you refuge from
the traps of the Shaytaan.
Avoid everything that may call you to haraam things
or remind you of them, if you are sincere and really want
to repent.
Hasten to get this dish out of your house, and cut
your connection to these bad sites on the internet. Note
that the best means of helping yourself give up the
haraam things that you have gotten used to is to nip it in the
bud, and ward off every thought of looking that crosses
your mind, before it becomes a desire, wish or intention,
and then an action.
Al-Ghazzaali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"If the first inward thought is not warded off, it will
generate a desire, then the desire will generate a wish, and the
wish will generate an intention, and the intention will
generate the action, and the action will result in ruin and
divine wrath. So evil must be cut off at its root, which is when
it is simply a thought that crosses the mind, from which
all the other things follow on." (Ihyaa' `Uloom
al-Deen, 6/17).
This is based on the words of Allaah (interpretation
of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of
Shaytaan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of
Shaytaan (Satan), then, verily, he commands AlFahsha' [i.e.
to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse)],
and AlMunkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil
and wicked deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden
in Islam)]"
[al-Noor 24:21]
If you can do without the Internet altogether, then go
ahead and do that, until you feel that your heart and your
faith are stronger.
Strive to find righteous friends, strive to perform all
the prayers on time, and do a lot of naafil acts of
worship. Avoid being alone and thinking about haraam things
as much as possible.
Sincerity in seeking treatment opens the door to
good, and closes the door to evil.
We ask Allaah to enable us and you to repent sincerely.
And Allaah knows best.
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26811: How to control urges through fasting
Question:
My question is about fasting. But it is not concerning
The Holy month Ramadan. I mean fasting when one wants
to marry but has not the ability to do this at the moment.
I know that in Islam it is prescribed for this purpose, but
I do not what is the right ruling on this. I would like
to learn the exact time for iftar and sahur, how many days
in month one should fast, exactly which day of the week
it supposed to be as well.Please provide me with as
much as you can details about that. And Allah knows best.
May the peace and blessings of Him be upon all you.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. This pure monotheistic religion
came to teach people how to control urges so that the
Muslim individual who is distinguished by his character
and behaviour would not remain a prisoner to his desires
like an animal. Islam prescribes rulings, both obligatory
and mustahabb, to protect him against the bad effects of
being driven by his desires. Among these rulings is
the prescription of fasting for those who cannot find
the natural outlet for these desires in marriage, as
`Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him)
narrated, "We were young men with the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we did not
have anything (i.e., we could not afford to get married).
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said to us, `O young men, whoever
among you can afford to get married, then let him do so, for it
is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding
chastity. And whoever is not able to do that, then let him fast,
for that will be a shield for him.'" (al-Bukhaari,
5066; Muslim, 1400). Fasting reduces the effects that
desires have on young people.
Although this ruling is addressed to young men, it
may become more essential when there is more
temptation and the means and motives for committing evil
increase, especially for those who live in societies in which
there is a great deal of wanton display and promiscuity. So
they should be keen to do this act of worship in order to
protect their chastity and religious commitment. As well
as fasting, a person may seek help though praying to
Allaah to protect his religious commitment and honour, and
to make it easy for him to get married, as marriage
protects one's chastity. He may also help himself by
remembering the reward in Paradise that Allaah has prepared for
those who steadfastly obey His commands and guard
their chastity, namely al-hoor al-`iyn.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
21284: What can we do about the slaughter of Muslims
in Palestine and around the world?
Question:
What is our stance concerning the slaughter of
Muslims in Palestine and other parts of the world that is
happening right now, where houses are being destroyed, farms
are being wrecked, children are being killed, the
wounded are being detained in the streets, houses are
being bombarded and people are being prevented by the
Jews and others, from buying the food and drink that they
need? What can I, as a Muslim, do?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
1- You have to make du'aa', and recite du'a' al-qunoot
in your salaah (prayer).
2- Collect charity and send it through
trustworthy channels.
3- Support the weak and oppressed in all ways,
including the media and the internet.
4- Get scholars, daa'iyahs, khateebs and writers to
explain the oppression that is happening and the negligence
on the part of the ummah, and to mobilize the ummah
to defend the holy places.
5- Check on one's own intentions with regard to
fighting for the sake of Allaah, and see whether he is applying
the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him): "Whoever dies without having fought for
the sake of Allaah or having had the intention of doing
so, has died following one of the branches of
hypocrisy." (Saheeh Muslim, no. 3533)
6- Pursuing all the means of building up material
and moral strength, in preparation for meeting the enemy
(in battle).
7- Reminding oneself and others of the virtues
of martyrdom for the sake of Allaah and studying the
rulings on jihad, and not having an attachment to this world.
8- Doing as much damage as possible to the enemies
who are in a state of war with us, by boycotting their
products, attacking them verbally and in writing to humiliate
and annoy them, and to point out their kufr and shirk,
and their insults to Allaah, His Messenger and the
believers, publishing as much as possible in the audio-visual
and print media about this serious topic whilst also
connecting that to Islamic belief and the words of Allaah and
His Messenger,
We ask Allaah the Exalted and All-Powerful to
support His religion and cause His word to prevail.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
22860: How can I define my stance?
Question:
Sometimes the Muslims is faced with situation
concerning which he does not know what position he should
take, whether those matters are political, da'wah-related,
social or even personal. How can I find out the correct way
of dealing with a situation with which I am faced?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
I thank you for your question and ask Allaah to grant
us and you strength, steadfastness and wisdom, and to
show us what is true and help us to follow it, and to show
us what is false and help us to avoid it, and not to let it
confuse us and lead us astray… With regard to what you
asked about, my comments on it are as follows:
You should note that we are not obliged to define
our stance or opinion on every issue or event that
occurs, simply because much of what occurs does not
concern us. With regard to the things that do concern us and
on which we should form opinions, they are of
different types:
1 _ Matters which because of their depth and breadth
go beyond the limits of our knowledge and
understanding. Concerning these matters we must consult the
opinions of specialists, scholars, researchers or experts, as
much as possible.
2 _ Matters which are so clear that they have become
the talk of gatherings and the media. We can form an
opinion on such matters by reconciling between the views of
those whom we trust and some of the reports.
3 _ Matters within our own private circle. These
require us to look at all the alternatives and weigh up the
pros and cons of each, then compare them objectively.
This will enable us to form an initial idea, then we can
consult others and seek the opinions of people who have
prior experience in this field, or those whose opinions we
trust. Whoever consults people will benefit from
their experience and knowledge. As time goes by and we
make mistakes and benefit from our experience, we
will accumulate experience and more understanding, and
will develop the ability to evaluate things. In the light of
this experience we will be able to form our own opinions.
May Allaah help you and protect you, and make
you steadfast in adhering to the path of truth and goodness.
Ahmad al-Muqbil: Islam today (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
13308: The enmity of Shaytaan towards man
Question:
I want to know some details about the Shaytaan _
can you help me?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
When Iblees refused to prostrate to Adam, Allaah
expelled him from heaven and the curse of Allaah is upon
him until the Day of Resurrection. Allaah said to him:
"Then get out from here; for verily, you are outcast.
And verily, My Curse is on you till the Day
of Recompense"
[Saad 38:77-78 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Then he asked Allaah to grant him respite until
the Resurrection, and He granted him that:
"(Iblees) said: `Allow me respite till the Day they
are raised up (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).'
(Allaah) said: `You are of those respited'"
[al-A'raaf 7:14-15 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
When Iblees felt safe from destruction, he rebelled
and transgressed:
"(Iblees) said: `Because You have sent me astray,
surely, I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on
Your straight path.
Then I will come to them from before them and
behind them, from their right and from their left, and You
will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will
not be dutiful to You)'"
[al-A'raaf 7:16-17 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
When Iblees said that, Allaah said to him:
"(Allaah) said: `Go, and whosoever of them follows
you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an
ample recompense.
And befool them gradually those whom you can
among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any
other call for Allaah's disobedience), make assaults on
them with your cavalry and your infantry, share with
them wealth and children (by tempting them to earn money
by illegal ways usury, or by committing illegal
sexual intercourse), and make promises to them.' But
Satan promises them nothing but deceit.
`Verily, My slaves (i.e. the true believers of
Islamic Monotheism) — you have no authority over them.
And AllSufficient is your Lord as a Guardian'"
[al-Israa' 17:62-64 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Hence the Shaytaan declared his evil and his
enmity towards the children of Adam, so he started to make
sin attractive to them and to tempt them with haraam
and evil things, and to enjoin evil and immoral actions
upon them. Thus most of the people were deceived by him
and they fell into those sins and haraam things:
"And indeed Iblees (Satan) did prove true his
thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group
of true believers (in the Oneness of Allaah)"
[Saba' 34:20 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Everything that happens among the sons of Adam of
kufr, murder, enmity, hatred, the spread of immorality and
zina, the wanton display of women's beauty, drinking
alcohol, worshipping idols and other major sins, is all the work
of the Shaytaan, in order to prevent people from
following the way of Allaah and to corrupt mankind and drag
them to the Fire of Hell with him:
"O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of
alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and AlAnsaab (stone altars),
and AlAzlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are
an abomination of Shaytaan's (Satan's) handiwork. So
avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may
be successful.
Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and
hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks)
and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of
Allaah and from As Salaah (the prayer). So, will you not
then abstain?"
[al-Maa'idah 5:90-91 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Allaah has warned us against following the Shaytaan
and walking in his footsteps, as He says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of
Shaytaan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of
Shaytaan (Satan), then, verily, he commands Al Fahshaa' [i.e.
to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse)], and
Al Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil
and wicked deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden
in Islam)]
[al-Noor 24:21]
When a person turns away from Allaah, the Shaytaan
gains control over him and encourages him to commit sin
and transgression:
"See you not that We have sent the Shayaateen
(devils) against the disbelievers to push them to do evil
[Maryam 19:83 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Everyone who turns away from Allaah and follows
the Shaytaan is only destroying his own self and is a loser
in this world and in the Hereafter:
"And whoever takes Shaytaan (Satan) as a Wali
(protector or helper) instead of Allaah, has surely, suffered a
manifest loss
[al-Nisa' 4:119 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Shaytaan uses strange ways to tempt people; he
has corrupted many of mankind and made their evil
deeds attractive to them, so he is the cause of their going
to Hell, what a terrible fate!
"He [Shaytaan (Satan)] makes promises to them,
and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytaan's
(Satan) promises are nothing but deceptions.
The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and they will
find no way of escape from it
[al-Nisa' 4:120-121 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The enmity of the Shaytaan towards Adam and his descendents is ancient. Allaah caused Adam and his
wife to dwell in Paradise, then the Shaytaan came to
Adam and made sin attractive to him, so Adam obeyed
him, thinking that he was sincere. Thus Adam disobeyed
his Lord and was expelled from Paradise, then
Allaah accepted his repentance. Allaah warns us against
obeying the Shaytaan, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytaan (Satan)
deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwa'
(Eve)] out of Paradise
[al-A'raaf 7:27]
Because the enmity of Shaytaan towards mankind is
so clear and obvious, Allaah tells us to beware of him and
to declare war on him and to show enmity to him, as
He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so
take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his
Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of
the blazing Fire
[Faatir 35:6]
Allaah has told us to seek refuge with Allaah from
the outcast Shaytaan every time we think of sinning. He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries
to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good),
then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the All Hearer, the
All Knower
[Fussilat 41:36]
On the Day of Resurrection, the Day of truth and
justice, the Shaytaan will confess to his crimes and will
declare before all of creation that Allaah is the One Who tells
the truth and that he is a liar. He will say that there is
no blame on him; rather the blame is on those who
followed him. Then everyone who followed him will regret it,
but at that time regret will be of no avail:
"And Shaytaan (Satan) will say when the matter has
been decided: `Verily, Allaah promised you a promise of
truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had
no authority over you except that I called you, and
you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame
yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your
former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with
Allaah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is
a painful torment for the Zaalimoon (polytheists
and wrongdoers)'"
[Ibraaheem 14:22 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad
ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwaijri (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
10459: Protecting oneself from temptation in
permissive countries
Question:
How should the Muslim youth who have left the
Muslim countries to study in America protect themselves
from the temptations, besides the option of marriage.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. We have to note that marriage is
the natural solution, and when we think of alternatives
we think of them as being temporary. There are two
things which will help to combat the effects of desire:
1. Strengthening that which prevents us from giving
into it. This includes strengthening our faith, fearing
Allaah and His punishment, strengthening our resolve and
will-power, and understanding the consequences of
following our desires, in this world and the next.
2. Weakening the motives, which is achieved by
fasting and by keeping away from that which provokes
desire, foremost among which is looking at haraam things
and keeping bad company.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Duwaysh
Doing all kinds of acts of worship prescribed in
sharee'ah and keeping yourself busy with that is the greatest help
in protecting oneself from forbidden temptations.
These young people should keep themselves busy in
reciting Qur'aan, remembering Allaah, making du'aa', fasting
and calling others to Allaah, and establishing for
themselves their own community where they can worship Allaah
and come together to do good. Each of them should
devote himself to worshipping Allaah during his free time
and keep remembering Allaah when he is busy, even in
the library and classroom, so that his heart will be with
his Lord even when his body is with the kuffaar. This will
be one of the greatest means of keeping safe. And Allaah
is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A.Sheikh
Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
11498: Warding off thoughts of zinaa
Question:
what should u do if u find urself thinking abt zina
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Thinking about zinaa may mean one of two things.
(1) It may be merely thoughts that cross the mind,
without becoming a firm resolve. A person cannot be blamed
for this, but it is better to rid oneself of these thoughts so
that they do not lead to anything else.
(2) It may be an established thought accompanied
by resolve and intention. In this case, the person must
hasten to deal with it in a number of ways, including
the following:
1- Seriously thinking of getting married, because this
is the shar'i and natural protection for the Muslim man
and woman.
2- Fasting if one cannot get married.
3- Muslim men and women should strive to
strengthen their eemaan (faith) by reading Qur'aan, praying
naafil prayers and doing other kinds of acts of worship.
4- Taking care to choose righteous friends.
5- Keeping away from everything that might
provoke desire; one of the most obvious of these is looking at
things which are haraam.
6- Remembering the punishment for zinaa in this
world and in the Hereafter, and that its evil affects far
outweigh the immediate pleasure that a person may experience.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Duwaysh (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (180 pages)
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