Thursday, May 27, 2004

Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Saleem's bayan

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

Insha-Allah, you are all in the best of health and Iman.

On Sunday I attended a bayan for the sisters hosted by the Islamic Da'wah Academy. The talks were in English by three Shuyukh, one of them being Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat. There was also Qir'aat, nasheeds, naats prayed by some sisters.

Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Saleem's bayan was out-standing, Masha-Allah. Let me relate to you a little of what was in his talk. Firstly he talked about the reason for our creation...Worship. We have all been created solely to worship Allah Ta'ala. And what is worship..? Worship is not only Salaah. But living your life according to Islam. Everything you do should reflect the teachings of Islam, eat according to the Sunnah, sleep according to the Sunnah, all of these are also acts of Worship.

Shaykh went on to talk about Tawbah (repentance). When you ask Allah (SWT) sincerely to forgive your sins, then know that Allah Ta'ala has forgiven your sins, and that it is as if you never committed the sin, as related in a Hadith of the Prophet (SAW); "The one who repents from sins is like the one who has no sin." (Bayhaqi). SubhanAllah. Allah (SWT) will never mention that sin, it will all be forgiven and He will make the angels who write down a person's deeds, forget that the person ever committed such a sin. SubhanAllah. This is how beautiful repentence is. And once you have asked Allah sincerely to forgive your sins, don't mention it again. Allah has forgiven you, and that's the end of it. If you keep and asking Allah's forgiveness for the same sin, it is as if you do not have any hope in Allah forgiving you. So once you have asked for forgiveness from Allah, leave it at that, and never mention the same sin again.

Shaykh related how there are some people who commit a sin, and after committing the sin, they are so cheeky (he used this very word, lolll) that they go and boast about it to others. So one thing you do something wrong then you go boasting about it. That is so wrong.

Shaykh mentioned how say if someone makes the intention of waking up for Fajr Salaah, but when the time comes for him to wake up, he feels too lazy, and says he'll wake up tomorrow, but tomorrow comes and again he feels too lazy and says he will definitely wake up for Fajr Salaah the next day. And like this time goes on, until he thinks what's the point of me waking up and praying my Fajr Salaah anymore, I've missed so much, Allah is never going to forgive me. This is the wrong attitude. Allah (SWT) will forgive as long as you repent sincerely, Insha-Allah.
That was more or less what was said in the bayan. (I take responsibility for any errors found). May Allah (SWT) give us all the tawfeeq to repent sincerely. May He give us the tawfeeq to follow what has been related in the bayan. And may He instill in our hearts the love for Islam. Ameen.

The next bayan will be in Urdu for the sisters at al Khayr Foundation on 6th of June. All sisters are requested to attend and benefit from the talks given, Insha-Allah. The next English bayan will be on Sunday 11th June at 2pm. Again all sisters are requested to attend. Also for the kids, only boys for the time being, aged between 6-11 yrs of age on Saturday after Asr Salaah at Masjid Al-Farooq, there will be a programme for them where talks will be relayed on their level. Parents are requested to make sure their kids make their way there and benefit from the programme. Jazakallahu khair.

Moving on, the beautiful recitation on the Qur'an currently playing on my blog is Surah Ad-Dukhan recited by Ibrahim al Jibrien. Jazakallahu khair, to my brother for discovering it. Been hooked to it ever since. It's sooo beautiful, masha-Allah!

That's all from me for now. I've added some new links, some of them to other great blogs, and some brilliant sites. So do check them out.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Sunday, May 16, 2004

My take on Hijab

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

My take on Hijab

Firstly, let us define 'Hijab'. Dr. Mohammed Ismail Memon Madani in his Kitab Hijab writes; " These days the word Hijab is often translated in English as Head Scarf, which is not in accordance with its meaning and intent in the Holy Qur'an and Ahadith. It is, therefore, misleading. The correct translation is 'Something that covers and conceals completely'."

So there you have the definition of Hijab. Now let us discuss Hijab. Hijab is that which beautifies a woman with the veil of honour, dignity, chastity and saves her from demoralisation, being abused and used like filth. Some people due to, I don't know maybe, ignorance or selfish desire seek to make out that Hijab is not part of Islam, that Islam does not require a woman to observe the Hijab. Astaghfirullah. These same people say that as long as 'my heart is clean' that's all that matters. No, you are wrong. If your heart was so clean, if it was so pure, you would observe the Hijab and obey Allah's (SWT) Command without a second's thought. Indeed, you would be running to obey Him. So ask yourself, is your heart truly 'pure', or are you motivated by selfish desires. What is stopping you from acknowledging Allah's Command. Because first thing, you have to understand and accept Hijab as being a Command of Allah, then go about following it. If you do not even accept it as being required in Islam, how will you then carry it out? So accept it as a command from Allah. Let us look at some of the verses of the Glorious Qur'an on the subject of Hijab;

"O Prophet! tell thy wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful." (Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 59)

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or the slaves whom their right hands possess or male servants free of physical needs or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah that ye may attain Bliss." (Surah An-Nur, verse 31)

Can anyone now deny Hijab? Can any Muslim deny it? Let us follow the example of the Prophet's (SAW) wives. There is no woman today who could be more pious than the Wives of the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet's (SAW) Wives were the first to observe the Hijab, they used to veil despite them being so pure, so free from evil. If the best of all women, the mothers of the believers, used to screen themselves fully from their ghair mahram, does it not mean we should be doing it more than anyone? In the Kitab Hijab by Dr. Mohammed Ismail Memon Madani, he mentions how after the following verse was revealed; "O Consorts of the Prophet! ye are not like any of the (other) women: if ye do fear (Allah) be not too complaisant of speech lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye a speech (that is) just." (Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 32). After this verse was revealed the Wives of the Prophet (SAW) used to cover their mouths with their hands to hide their natural voice while talking to strangers. SubhanAllah. Does any Muslim woman do this nowadays? Can we even compare to the Prophet's (SAW) Wives?

I'll leave you to think over everything I have said.

May Allah (SWT) grant me and all of you the tawfeeq to follow all His Commands fully. Ameen.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Saturday, May 15, 2004

Importance of Sunnah

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

My thoughts and comments on the article I posted in the previous post (The War on Hijab) & subject matter


Alhamdulilah, brilliant article by the Islamic Tarbiyah Academy. It touches on quite a few things. Firstly, reviving the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Unfortunately, nowadays Muslims are more involved and wrapped up with the Dunya, worldly life, that we forget the real purpose of our existence. We forget the reason as to why we are here. Following the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) doesn't even seem important to us anymore. We look at it as a mere 'burden', something which stops us from enjoying our worldly life. Astaghfirullah. Our Prophet (SAW), the mercy to the worlds, went through so much just for his Ummah, yet today this is the way we are repaying him! Allah (SWT) says in the Glorious Qur'an;

"Laqad kana la-kum fi Rasuli-(A)llahi uswatun hasanah(tun) - Indeed! In the Messenger of Allah you have a good example." (Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21)

In another verse, Allah (SWT) says;

"Qul' in kuntum tuhibbun(a) Allaha fattabi'u-ni yuhbib-kumu (A)llahu wa yaghfir la-kum dhunuba-kum - Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins." (Surah Al 'Imran, verse 31)

Allah (SWT) sent the Prophet (SAW) as the best example for us. He sent the Nabi (SAW) as a mercy to all mankind, to guide us all to the right path. Today people do not realise the importance of the Sunnah/Hadith of the Prophet (SAW). They feel that just following the Qur'an is ok. How wrong they are. You can not even carry out even the basic Qur'anic commandment without the Sunnah of Nabi (SAW). Let me give you an example. I was listening to Shaykh Ahmed Ali's bayan called 'History of the Sunnah' and in it he mentioned how in the Qur'an over 73 times 'Aqimu-(a)s-Salaat' (establish the prayer, observe the Salaah) is mentioned. Yet nowhere in the Qur'an does it tell us how to pray the daily prayers, nor does it tell us how many rakaats in each prayer, nor does it tell us what is Fardh in Salaah, the Waajibaat of Salaah, what is makrooh in Salaat or what breaks Salaat and so forth. All of this we know through the Sunnah of Nabi (SAW). Without the Sunnah of Rasulullahi (SAW) we would not have even be able to practise the basic Command of Allah 'establish Salaah'. SubhanAllah. So now you see just how important the Sunnah is. Many people do not even know this. Which just goes back to how important seeking deeni knowledge is.

Insha-Allah, I'll go on to talk about Hijab as mentioned in the article 'The War on Hijab', tomorrow or in the days to come.

May Allah (SWT) give me and all of you the tawfeeq to follow all His Commands. Ameen.

"And the end of our prayer is; Praise be to Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds and blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, the chief of His messengers and his family and all his companions."

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

The War on Hijab

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

Below is an article taken from Attarbiyah Magazine March 2004 (Volume 6/Issue 9). (Jazakallahu khair, Shaykh Mufti Zubair Dudha, for granting permission to use the Islamic Tarbiyah Academy's online material.)

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The War on Hijab

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) predicted about the later times, times such as the age wherein we find ourselves - that holding onto Deen would be like holding a burning coal in one's hand.

This is what the upholders of the Sunnah, especially those who after realisation turn from error of modernism towards the light of the Sunnah are experiencing today. From all sides they are confronted by the Satanic onslaught of forces aligned against the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) either due to misunderstanding, inadequate Islamic knowledge, un-Islamic upbringing, inferiority complex or the impact of material sciences with their roots anchored in atheistic theories and doctrines or scepticism.

In such barren grounds, such surroundings of hostility, and unfriendliness towards the beloved and sacred practices of our beloved Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) it becomes of fundamental importance for us to renew doubly our efforts in the noble endeavour to plant the seeds of the forgotten, trampled upon and murdered Sunnah, so that these noble institutions of piety may once again flourish with strength and glitter in the generations to come. In raising this Torch of the Sunnah, the upholders of the Deen should take reassurance and hope from the following declaration of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), "He who clings to my Sunnah when my Ummah is corrupt, will receive the Reward of a hundred Martyrs." (Mishkat).

Today, in these times of religious turmoil and anti-sunnahism, all lovers of the Sunnah have don the mantle of struggle against the onslaughts of the irreligious. And, the best and the strongest form of struggle in the struggle to revive and preserve the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is to cloak ourselves with the practices of the Sunnah. It devolves upon us to give practical expression to these Sunnah's, no matter how 'little' or how 'insignificant' they may seem to the man drowned in the deception of this worldly life.

One such Sunnah and requisite of our beautiful Deen is the Islamic headgear and Hijab. The Hijab has elevated women to the peak of respect and has saved a woman from disgrace and humiliation, given her a chance to be treated like an honourable human being and not a mere sex object for the lustful desire of bestial miscreants.
Banning hijab is banning modesty and decency. There is no doubt that those behind it have the fervour of a crusader.

Spiritual Purity

Hijab is a Divine imposition calculated for the maintenance if Islamic human fibre. This fibre remains intact and develops only with spiritual purity. Without Hijab spiritual purity and progress are impossible-unattainable goals.

Thus spiritual and moral purification are the goals of Hijab. When the Qur'anic law of Hijab is abandoned 'ri'jz' (filth and immorality) becomes the order of the day. The catastrophic consequences of immorality, moral filth are too glaring and prevalent to require any elucidation. Every intelligent person will acknowledge that the physical diseases stemming from promiscuity and the ascendance of vices pertaining to sexual misconduct are the direct products of Hijab abandonment.

May Allah Ta'ala make us among those who seek to imitate the sacred life and example of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Ameen.

Courtesy of Islamic Tarbiyah Academy


Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.