Monday, May 30, 2011

Beware of Backbiting and Gossiping

Beware of Backbiting and Gossiping

 

 

by Imam al-Madina al-Munawarrah 'Ali Abd-ur-Rahman al-Hudhaifi

 

 

 

 

All praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims!

 

"Fear Allah and obey Him. Be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned; and they shall not be dealt with unjustly"� (Al-Baqarah 2: 281)           

Brothers in Faith! Major sins are indeed the cause for all misery, evil and torment in this world and the hereafter. And the worst of all sins are those that are greatest in harm and danger. Among the destructive major sins are backbiting and slandering. These two sins were forbidden by Allah through His Prophet because they sow enmity, evils and discord among people and lead to destruction. They make their perpetrator regret when regret will be of no avail. They cause hostilities between people of the same household and between neighbours and relatives. They can decrease in good deeds and increase in evil ones and lead to dishonour and ignominy.

 

Backbiting and slandering are shame and disgrace. Their perpetrator is detested and he shall not have a noble death. Allah forbids these acts in His Book when He says,

 

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah, verily, Allah is the one who accepts repentance, Most Merciful"� (Al-Hujuraat 49: 12)      

This verse strongly forbids backbiting for Allah likens the backbiter to one who eats the flesh of his dead brother. If he would hate eating the flesh of his brother, he should also hate to eat his flesh while he is alive by backbiting and slandering him.

When one reflects deeply over this assimilation it will be enough to keep one away from backbiting.

Aboo Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said,

 

"Do you know what backbiting is?"� They said, "Allah and His Messenger know best."� He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike."� Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?"� The Messenger of Allah said, "If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him."� (Muslim)

Aboo Bakr narrated that the Prophet said in Mina on the day of slaughtering (10th day of Dhul-Hijjah) ,

 

"Verily, your blood, property and honour have become sacred to one another as the sacredness of this day of yours in this month of yours and in this city of yours. Indeed, have I conveyed the Message?"� (Al-Bukharee and Muslim)

Therefore, guard your tongue, fellow Muslims, from this debasing sin, for whoever guards his tongue from sins and uses his limbs in acts of obedience to Allah has prospered. Sahl ibn Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah said

 

, "Who protects his tongue from unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse, I shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise."� (Bukharee and Muslim)

Aboo Moosa Al-Ash'aree said

 

, "I asked the Messenger of Allah: Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of Allah replied, "He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands."� (Muslim)

Dear Muslims! Beware of slipping of your tongues and do not give it free hand to wreak havoc on you. For free tongue destroys its owner and causes him calamities and evils.

 

Aboo Sa'eed Al-Khudree narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,

 

"When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying, 'Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.'"(At- Tirmidhee)

Mu'aadh ibn Jabal said,

 

"I said: O Messenger of Allah tell me of a deed that will make me enter Paradise and keep me away from the Fire. The Prophet said, "You have asked of a great matter but it is easy for whosoever Allah makes it easy. You should worship Allah without associating anything with Him, perform Salaah, pay Zakaah (charity), fast during the month of Ramadaan and perform pilgrimage if you are able to.' He said further, 'Should I show you the gateways to good? Fasting is a shield (from evils), charity extinguishes sins as water extinguishes fire and praying in the middle of the night.' He then recited this verse, 'Their sides forsake their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope and they spend (charity in Allah's cause) out of what We have bestowed them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.' (As-Sajdah 32: 16-17) The Messenger of Allah then said, 'Should I tell you the head of the matter, its pillar and its peak?' I said: Yes O Messenger of Allah. He then said, 'The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is Salaah (prayer) and its peak is Jihaad in the way of Allah.' He then asked, 'Should I tell you of the foundation of all that?' I said: Yes O Messenger of Allah. He then took hold of his tongue and said, 'Hold back this.' I said: O Messenger of Allah, are we going to be held responsible for what we utter? He said, 'May your mother be bereaved of you[1] does anything cast people into the Fire on their faces except what their tongues have uttered?'" (At-Tirmdhee)

Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,

 

"When I was ascended to heaven, I passed by a people who had copper nails with which they scratched their faces and chests, and I said, 'O Jibreel, who are these?' He said, 'These are those who used to eat other people's flesh and attack their honour.'"� (Aboo Dawood)

Therefore do not treat the issue of backbiting with indifference because it is a great sin. Allah says, "

 

You considered it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great."� (An-Noor 24: 15)     

Aboo Bakr used to take hold of his tongue and say this is that which caused me destruction. He said this as a sign of humbleness.

Backbiting is so widespread that it has become the topic of people's meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy with those who indulge in backbiting believing that they are hiding their own imperfections and harming others. They are oblivious of the fact that they are only harming themselves. This is because the backbiter if the wrongdoer and his victim is the wronged and on the Day of Resurrection both the wrongdoer and the wronged will stand before Allah Who is the Just Judge and the wronged will appeal to Allah to avenge the wrong done to him, Allah will then give this wronged person from the good deeds of the person who wronged him in accordance with his wrong by backbiting his brother on a Day that no father will give his son any of his good deeds nor a friend to his friend. All will be saying, 'Myself, myself.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

 

"Usury has seventy something kinds, the smallest of which is for a man to have intercourse with his mother and the highest act of usury is for a Muslim to attack the honour of his Muslim brother."� He also said, "Whoever protects the honour of his brother, Allah will protect him from Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection. "� (At-Tirmidhee)

So prevent the backbiter of affronting the honour of Muslims. Allah says,

 

"O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and fear Him and speak (always) the truth."� (Al-Ahzaab 33: 70)           

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allah for whoever fears Allah, He protects him from torment and doubles reward for him. Allah says,

 

"And indeed We have created man and We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our knowledge). (Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being after he or she has attained the age of puberty), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions). Not a word does he or she utter, but there is a watcher by him (ready to record it."� (Qaaf 50: 16-18)     

Brothers in Islam, gossiping about others is also another vicious type of backbiting. It means carrying tales from one people to another with the intention of sowing dissention among them. Allah condemned this deed when He said,

 

"And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless. A slanderer going about with calumnies."� (Al-Qalam 68: 10-11)        

The Prophet said,

 

"The gossiper will not enter Paradise."�

Fear Allah therefore, dear brothers, and call yourselves to account before you are called to account and weigh your own deeds before they are weighed for you.

Be aware also dear Muslims, that the Ulamaa have explained that it is allowed for the wronged to inform the authorities of the wrong done to him as it is allowed for the person who sees vice to inform those who are capable of removing it and prevent its perpetrator from committing further vice. It is also allowed for the one seeking for religious decision to mention the wrong done to him to the knowledgeable man from whom he is seeking a decision in order to make things clear for him. It is also permissible for you to tell whoever seeks your advice on a person of something about him. It is not allowed for you to hide what you know about him so that he will not be deceived. All these types of speaking about others are lawful.

 

 

 


-- 
 

                                    "The best property of a man is, that histongue is used for the remembrance of Allah; his heart is thankful and his wifeis honest and helpful to her husband and accords aid in his faith." (Sau'ban(R.A.)- Tirmizi)


When I stand before God at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,
and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
                 

 Zuni Ayesha

WWW.muslimtilltheend.blogspot.com

muslim hereafter and till the end - FB page.

                                                           


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Merits of saying La Ilaha Illallah

Forty Hadiths on the merit of saying Laa ilaha illahlah

1. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever says: there is no god but Allah enters Paradise." Tabarani narrated it from Abu Dharr in the Kabir (7:55), Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (31), al-Hakim in his Mustadrak (4:251), al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (2:422), al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (1:18), Ibn `Adi (7:2639), Abu Nu`aym in the Hilya (7:174), and al-Bazzar from `Umar.

2. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever says there is no god but Allah enters Paradise even if he commits adultery and even if he steals (i.e. even if he commits great sins)." (Nasa'i, Tabarani and others from Abu al-Darda' - sahih).

3. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Whoever witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, Allah forbids the Fire from touching him." Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim from `Ubada ibn al-Samit.

Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, book of riqaq ch. 14 (1989 ed. 11:324) says that the hadiths of "Allah forbids the Fire from touching him" are even more explicit than those of "Allah will enter him into Paradise" in establishing that the one who declares Allah's oneness is saved even if he does not heed the orders and the prohibitions.

4. The Companions were talking about Malik ibn Dukhshum, and they wished that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- would curse him so that he should die or meet some calamity. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Does Malik ibn Dukhshum not testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" They said: "Yes, he no doubt says this but it is not in his heart." The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "No-one ever witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger and then enters the Fire nor is consumed by it." Anas said: "This hadith impressed me so much that I ordered my son to write it down and he did." Muslim narrates it.

5. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said that Allah will save a man of his community the record of whose sins fills 99 books, each book extending as far as the eye can see. Against all this will be weighed the one good deed that he has, which is his witnessing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, and it will outweigh all the rest. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- then said: "Nothing is of any weight with Allah's Name."
[The hadith begins: innallaha sayukhallisu rajulan min ummati...] Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As by Ahmad, Tirmidhi (Iman 17 - hasan gharib), al-Hakim, and Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman.

6. Bukhari narrates in his Sahih (Volume 9, Book 93, Number 601): Ma`bad ibn Hilal al-`Anazi relates: Some of us from Basra gathered and went to Anas bin Malik in company with Thabit al-Bunani so that he might ask Anas about the Hadith of Intercession on our behalf. Anas was in his palace, and our arrival coincided with his late morning (Duha) prayer. We asked permission to enter and he admitted us, sitting on his bed. We said to Thabit, "Do not ask him about anything else first but the Hadith of Intercession." He said, "O Abu Hamza! Here are your brethren from Basra coming to ask you about the Hadith of Intercession." Anas then said:
The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- talked to us saying: On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge one group after another like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say: "Please intercede for us with your Lord." He will say: "I am not fit for this. You should go to Ibrahim as he is the Intimate Friend (khalil) of the Beneficent." They will go to Ibrahim and he will say: "I am not fit for this, but you should go to Moses as he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly." So they will go to Musa and he will say: "I am not fit for this, but you should go to `Isa as he is a soul created (directly) by Allah, and His Word (Be!)." They will go to `Isa and he will say: "I am not fit for this, but you should go to Muhammad."

They will come to me and I will say: "I can do it." Then I will ask for my Lord's permission and it will be given; then He will inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I cannot fathom. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down prostrate before Him. Then it will be said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be heard; ask, for your will be granted your request; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my Community! My Community!" And then it will be said: "Go and take out of the Fire all those who have in their hearts faith the weight of a barley grain."

I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down prostrate before Him. Then it will be said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be heard; ask, for your will be granted your request; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my Community! My Community!" And then it will be said: "Go and take out of the Fire all those who have in their hearts faith the like of a small ant or a mustard-seed."

I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down prostrate before Him. Then it will be said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be heard; ask, for you will be granted your request; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted." I will say: "O Lord, my Community! My Community!" And then it will be said: "Go and take out of the Fire all those who have in their hearts the smallest iota of faith." I will go and do so.

When we left Anas, I said to some of my companions: "Let us pass by al-Hasan (al-Basri) who is hiding himself in the house of Abu Khalifa and request him to recount to us what Anas ibn Malik has just told us." So we went to him and we greeted him and he admitted us. We said to him: "O Abu Sa`id! We came to you from your brother Anas ibn Malik and he related to us a Hadith about the intercession the like of which I have never heard." He said: "What is that?" We told him of the Hadith and at the end we said: "He stopped at this point." He said: "What then?" We said: "He did not add anything after that." He said: "Anas related the Hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I don't know whether he forgot or if he did not like to let you depend overly on what he might have said." We said, "O Abu Sa`id! Do tell us." He smiled and said: "Man was created hasty. I only mentioned it because I was going to inform you of it. Anas told me the same as he told you and said that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- added:
I will then return for a fourth time and praise Him similarly and prostrate before Him the same as before. And then it will be said: "O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be heard; ask, for your will be granted your request; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted." I will then say: "O Lord, allow me to intercede for whoever said: la ilaha illallah." Then Allah will say:
By My Power,
by My Majesty,
by My Supremacy,
and by My Greatness,
I shall take out of the fire whoever said: la ilaha illallah.

7. This is confirmed by another well-known hadith whereby the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "My intercession is for those people of my Community who commit major sins." Narrated by Tirmidhi, Qiyama 11; Abu Dawud, Sunna 31; Ibn Maja, Zuhd 37; and Ahmad 3:213.

8. Adhana fi al-nasi anna man shahida an la ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu mukhlisan dakhala al-janna. "It was proclaimed among the people that whoever witnesses that there is no god except Allah, alone, without partner, enters Paradise." Narrated by Ibn `Adi on the authority of `Umar.

8a. Man shahida an la ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna. "Whoever witnesses that there is no god but Allah alone enters Paradise." al-Bazzar narrates it from `Umar.

9. Bashshir al-nasa annahu man qala la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu wajabat lahu al-janna. "Announce to the people the tidings that whoever says: No god except Allah alone, without partner, Paradise is guaranteed for him." Narrated by al-Nasa'i from Sahl ibn Hunayf and Zayd ibn Khalid al-Jahni.

10. `Uthman ibn `Affan said: I heard Allah's Messenger say: "Verily, I know a phrase which no servant utters truthfully from his heart except the Fire is made unlawful for him." `Umar ibn al-Khattab said: "I shall tell you what that phrase is. It is the kalima of sincerity with which Allah has empowered Muhammad and his Companions, the kalima of fear of Allah which Allah's Prophet enjoined upon his uncle Abu Talib on his deathbed: the witnessing that there is no god but Allah." Ahmad related it in his Musnad (1:63 #449).

11. Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib relates: When the death of Abu Talib approached, Allah's Apostle came to him and said: "Say: la ilaha illallah, a word with which I will be able to negotiate or argue (uhajju) for you in Allah's presence." Narrated by Bukhari in his Sahih (Volume 8, Book 78, Number 672). Muslim also narrates it in his Sahih.

12. Mafatih al-janna shahadatu an la ilaha illallah. "The keys to Paradise are the witnessing that there is no god but Allah." Ahmad related it from Mu`adh and Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id: "The men in its chain has been declared trustworthy (thiqa) although there is interruption in the transmission." It is confirmed by the next hadith.

12a. Li kulli shay'in miftahun wa miftahu al-jannati shahadatu an la ilaha illallah. "Everything has its key, and the key to Paradise is the witnessing that there is no god but Allah." Narrated by Tabarani from Mu`qal ibn Yasar. Wahb confirmed its authenticity as related in one of the chapter-titles in Bukhari's Sahih.

13. Ibn `Abbas narrated in his Commentary that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said concerning the meaning of the verse: hal jaza'u al-ihsani illa al-ihsan - "Is the reward of goodness anything other than goodness?" (55:60): "Allah says: Can there be any other reward than Paradise in the Hereafter for one whom I blessed in his worldly life with the recitation of the kalima of la ilaha illallah?" `Ikrima and al-Hasan also said that the reward of la ilaha illallah cannot be anything but Paradise.

14. "If anyone comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said la ilaha illallah sincerely with the intention to win Allah's pleasure, Allah will make Hellfire forbidden for him." Narrated by Bukhari, vol. 8 p.288 #431.

Tirmidhi comments on the preceding hadith: "It is narrated from al-Zuhri that he was asked about the Prophet's saying whereby "Whoever says la ilaha illallah enters Paradise" and he said: "This was only in the beginning of Islam, before the revelation of obligations and the orders and prohibitions." The hafiz Abu Bakr ibn al-`Arabi (d. 543) comments on this in `Aridat al-ahwadhi (10:105): "There is no justification for Ibn Shihab's (al-Zuhri) explanation." This is confirmed by the hadith of `Utban ibn Malik. Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, Riqaq ch. 14 (1989 ed. 11:324) mentions that the opinion of al-Zuhri and of Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib that the hadith "Whoever says la ilaha illallah applied only in the beginning of Islam was incorrect since the hadith of Abu al-Darda' and Abu Dharr whereby the Muslim enters Paradise "even if he commits adultery or steals" and the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- mentioned this precisely to contradict the logic of those who say that great sins will prevent entry into Paradise.

15. Lan yuwafiya `abdun yawma al-qiyamati yaqulu la ilaha illallah yabtaghi biha wajh Allah illa harrama Allahu `alayhi al-nar. "No servant is true to his word on the Day of Resurrection, saying: No god but Allah in order to seek Allah's good pleasure, except Allah will make the Fire unlawful for him." Narrated by Ahmad and Bukhari from `Utban ibn Malik.

16. "The best of my sayings and of the sayings of all Prophets before me is: There is no god but Allah alone, without partner, to Him belong all sovereignty and glory, and He has power over all things." Narrated by Tirmidhi from `Amr ibn Shu`ayb, from his father, from his grandfather (hasan gharib).

17. Afdalu al-a`mali al-imanu billahi wahdah, thumma al-jihad, thumma hujjatun mabrura, tufdilu sa'ir al-a`mali kama bayna matla` al-shamsi ila maghribiha. "The best deed is belief in Allah alone, then fighting in the way of Allah, then pilgrimage that is accepted: these outweigh all deeds the distance of East to West." Narrated by Ahmad from Ma`iz with a sound chain.

18. Alaysa yashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa anni rasulullah? Qalu innahu yaqulu dhalika wa ma huwa fi qalbihi. Qala la yashhadu ahadun an la ilaha illallah wa anni rasulullah fa yadkhulu al-nara aw tut`imuhu. Qala anas fa a`jabani hadha al-hadith fa qultu li ibni uktubhu fa katabahu. It is narrated on the authority of `Utban ibn Malik that he came to Madina and said: Something was wrong with my eyesight, so I said to the Prophet: "It is my ardent desire that you should grace my house with your presence and pray there so that I should take the spot where you prayed as a place of worship." (Another version also in Muslim has: I sent for the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- the message: "Come and lay for me a place for worship [khutta li masjidan]." Imam Nawawi said: It means: "Mark for me a spot that I can take as a place for worship by obtaining blessing from your having been there [mutabarrikan bi atharika].") So the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- came there, with those of the Companions whom Allah wished. He entered (my home) and performed prayer. Then the Companions began to talk among themselves about Malik ibn Dukhshum, and they wished that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- would curse him so that he should die or meet some calamity. After the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- finished praying he said: "Does Malik ibn Dukhshum not testify to the fact that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah?" They said: "Yes, he no doubt says this but it is not in his heart." The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "No-one ever witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger and then enters the Fire or consumes it." Anas said: "This hadith impressed me so much that I ordered my son to write it down and he did." Narrated by Muslim. Imam Nawawi says about: "In this hadith is evidence for obtaining blessings through the relics of saints (al-tabarruk bi athar al-salihin)."

19. Al-imanu bid`un wa sab`una baban fa adnaha imatat al-adha `an al-tariq wa arfa`uha qawlu la ilaha illallah. "Belief is seventy and some branches. Its lowest branch is the removal of harm from the road while its highest is to say: There is no god but Allah." Narrated by Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad.

20. Man kana akhir kalamihi la ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna. "Whoever breathes his last with the words: la ilaha illallah, enters Paradise." Narrated from Mu`adh by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Hakim.

Imam Nawawi in his book al-Tarkhis fi al-ikram bi al-qiyam li dhawi al-fadl wa al-maziyya min ahl al-Islam (p. 84) said:
The hadith master Abu al-Baqa' told us: Hafiz Abu Muhammad informed us: Abu Tahir al-Silafi informed us: Abu `Ali al-Burdani said: I heard Hannad ibn Ibrahim al-Nasafi saying: I heard Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Qattan saying: I heard Abu `Abd Allah `Umar ibn Ahmad Ibn Ishaq al-`Attar saying: I heard Abu `Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Warah al-Razi saying: I and Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Idris al-Razi were present with Abu Zur`a al-Razi at the time of his death, so I said to Abu Hatim: "Come, let us remind him to say the shahada." Abu Hatim said, "I would be ashamed before Abu Zur`a to remind him of the shahada; but come, let us recall the hadith, perhaps when he hears it he will say it." I started and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
from `Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far -
then I got confused about the hadith as if I never heard it or read it.
So Abu Hatim started and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
from `Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far -
then he too got confused as if he never read it or heard it before.
Then Abu Zur`a, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke and said:
Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us:
Abu `Asim al-Nabil told us:
`Abd al-Hamid ibn Ja`far told us:
from Salih ibn Abi `Urayb:
from Kathir ibn Murrah:
from Mu`adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:
the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace, said: "Whoever speaks as his last words: la ilaha illallah" - then Abu Zur`a's spirit came out with the letter ha' (the last letter of the word Allah) before he could say "he will enter Paradise." That was in the year 262.

21. Man mata wa huwa ya`lamu annahu la ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna. "Whoever dies knowing full well that there is no god but Allah, enters Paradise." Narrated by Muslim and Ahmad from `Uthman.22. Idhhab bi na`layya hatayni fa man laqita min wara'a hadha al-ha'it yashhadu an la ilaha illallah mustayqinan biha qalbahu fa bashshirhu bi al-janna. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said to Abu Hurayra: "Go with these two sandals of mine and whoever you meet behind this wall that witnesses that there is no god except Allah with certitude in his heart, give him glad tidings that he will enter Paradise." Narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayra. The latter then met `Umar, who prevented him from announcing this to the people and the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- agreed with him on the grounds that they would then rely upon it to the exclusion of everything else. The prevention of this news from reaching the ears of the ignorant is confirmed by the hadith of Mu`adh and that of `Ubada ibn al-Samit through al-Sunabihi, both narrated by Muslim in the same chapter (Book of iman ch. 10).

23. Man shahida an la ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammadan rasulullah harrama Allahu `alayhi al-nar. `Abd al-Rahman ibn Usayla al-Sunabihi said: When I entered upon `Ubada ibn al-Samit at the time of his death I burst into tears so he said: "Why are you crying? By Allah, if I were asked to testify I would testify for you, and if I were given intercession I would intercede for you, and if it were in my power I would certainly help you! By Allah, I never heard a hadith from Allah's Messenger in which there was benefit for you except I narrated it to you, all but one: and I shall narrate it to you now since I am about to breathe my last. I heard Allah's Messenger say: "Whoever witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger, Allah forbids the Fire from touching him." Muslim and Tirmidhi narrated it. Qadi `Iyad said: "In this hadith is the proof for the permissibility of keeping certain types of knowledge away from the common people due to the inability of their minds to understand it correctly, as long as it does not concern an obligation of religion or stipulations for punishment." Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (Iman Ch. 10 #47).

24. Ya Mu`adh ibn Jabal ma min ahadin yashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa anni rasulullah sidqan min qalbihi illa harramahu allahu `ala al-nar. Qala ya rasulallah afala ukhbiru al-nasa fayastabshiru? Qala idhan yattakilu. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "O Mu`adh ibn Jabal! No one witnesses that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah's Messenger truthfully from his heart except Allah has made him unlawful for the Fire." Mu`adh said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I not tell the people so that they will be glad?" He replied: "If you do, they will rely on it (and leave everything else)." Narrated by Muslim, Ahmad and Bayhaqi from Anas. Muslim says: "Mu`adh narrated it at the time of his death to avoid sinning (by keeping it to himself)."

25. As`adu al-nasi bi shafa`ati yawma al-qiyama man qala La ilaha illallah khalisan mukhlisan min qalbihi. Abu Hurayra inquired from the Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, who will be the most fortunate of people to receive your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "O Abu Hurayra, I knew, because of your love of what I say, that no one other than you would ask me of this hadith. The most fortunate of people to receive my intercession on the Day of Resurrection are those who said: la ilaha illallah purely and sincerely from the heart." Narrated by Bukhari from Abu Hurayra.

26. Usama ibn Zayd killed an idolater in battle after the latter had said: "There is no god but Allah" (la ilaha illallah). When news of this reached Allah's Messenger he condemned Usama in the strongest terms and he said to him: "How can you kill him after he said La ilaha illallah?" He replied: "But he said it with the sword hanging over his head-" The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said again: "How can you kill him after he said La ilaha illallah?" He replied: "O Messenger of Allah, he said it in dissimulation (taqiyyatan)." The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Did you split his heart open (to see)?" and he did not cease to reprove him until Usama wished that he had not entered Islam until after he had killed that man so that he might have been forgiven all his past sins through belief. Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tayalisi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, al-`Adni, Abu `Awana, al-Tahawi, al-Hakim, and Bayhaqi.

27. Al-Miqdad said: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, suppose I and one of the idolaters battled and he cut off my hand, then I was positioned to strike him and he said: la ilaha illallah! Do I kill him or spare him?" He said: "Spare him." I said: "Even if he cut off my hand?" He said: "Even so." I asked him again two or three times whereupon he said: "If you kill him after he says la ilaha illallah then you are like him before he said it, and he is like you before you killed him." Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, Shafi`i in his Musnad, and Bayhaqi in the Shu`ab.

28. Innallaha la yu`adhdhibu min `ibadihi illa al-marid wa al-mutamarrid `ala Allah wa aba an yaqula la ilaha illallah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Allah does not punish, of his servants, except the rebel against Allah who refuses to say: there is no god but Allah." Ibn Majah narrated it.

29. afdalu al-dhikri la ilaha illallah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "The best remembrance of Allah is to say: There is no god but Allah." Tirmidhi (hasan), Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman, from Jabir ibn `Abd Allah.

30. Al-tasbih nusfu al-mizan, wa al-hamdu lillah tamla'uhu, wa LA ILAHA ILLALLAH laysa laha duna Allahi hijabun hatta tukhlisu ilayh. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Saying subhan allah (glory to Allah) is half the balance and saying al-hamdu lillah (all praise belongs to Allah) fills it, and there is no veil between la ilaha illallah and Allah Himself (i.e. it is not even weighed in the Balance), it reaches Him directly." Narrated by Tirmidhi from `Abd Allah ibn `Umar. Suyuti in al-Jami` al-saghir said it is sound (sahih).

31. Kunna `inda al-nabiyyi sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam fa qala hal fikum gharib? ya`ni ahl al-kitab qulna la ya rasulallah fa amara bi ghalqi al-abwabi wa qala irfa`u aydikum wa qulu la ilaha illallah! farafa`na aydina sa`atan thumma qala al-hamdu lillah! allahumma innaka ba`athtani bi hadhihi al-kalimai wa wa`adtani `alayha al-jannata wa anta la tukhlifu al-mi`ad! thumma qala abshiru fa innallaha qad ghafara lakum. Ya`la ibn Shaddad relates that his father Shaddad ibn Aws told him as `Ubada ibn al-Samit was present and confirmed it: "We were sitting with Allah's Messenger and he asked if there was any stranger - the narrator said: i.e. People of the Book - in the gathering. We said that there was none. He said: Shut the door, raise up your hands and say: "There is no god but Allah." We raised our hands and recited the kalima tayyiba for some time. He then exclaimed: "al-hamdu lillah! O Allah, You have sent me with this word and have ordered me to teach it and have promised me Paradise for it, and You do not take back Your promise. Be glad, for Allah has forgiven you!" The chain of this hadith is fair (hasan). Narrated from Ya`la ibn Shaddad's father and `Ubada ibn al-Samit by Ahmad, Nasa'i, Tabarani, al-Hakim, al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib, and others. Al-Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id: "The sub-narrators in its chain are trustworthy."

32. `Abd Allah ibn Salam relates: As we were travelling with Allah's Messenger he heard the people asking: "Which action is the best, O Allah's Messenger?" He said: "Belief in Allah, fighting in Allah's way, and pilgrimage that is accepted." After this he heard a call coming from a valley saying: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" whereupon he said: "And I bear witness to the same, and I bear witness that no one bears witness to the same except he clears himself of shirk (associating a partner to Allah)." Ahmad and Tabarani in al-Awsat relate it with a sound chain, as stated by Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id.

33. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- came out and heard the adhan. When he heard the mu'adhdhin say: la ilaha illallah, he said: khala`a al-andad, which means: "He (the speaker) has disowned (the existence of) partners (to Allah)." Ibn Abi al-Dunya narrated it, and Suyuti cites it in his commentary of verse 2:18 in al-Durr al-manthur.

34. Yakhruju min al-nari man qala la ilaha illallah wa kana fi qalbihi min al-khayri ma yazinu sha`ira, thumma yakhruju min al-nari man qala la ilaha illallah wa kana fi qalbihi min al-khayri ma yazinu badhra, thumman yakhruju min al-nari man qala la ilaha illallah wa kana fi qalbihi min al-khayri ma yazinu dharra. "There will come out of the Fire whoever said: There is no god but Allah, and there is in his heart a bead's worth of goodness; then there will come out of the Fire whoever said: There is no god but Allah, and there is in his heart a grain's worth of goodness; then there will come out of the Fire whoever said: There is no god but Allah, and there is in his heart an atom's worth of goodness." Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi (hasan sahih), Bayhaqi, Nasa'i, Tabarani, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzayma from Anas.

35. Mu`adh ibn Jabal said that the last he spoke with the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- he asked him: "What action is most beloved to Allah?" And the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- replied: "That you die with your tongue still moist with the mention (dhikr) of Allah." Related by Tabarani and al-Bazzar (hasan). Note that hadith #29 stipulates that the best dhikr is La ilaha illallah.

36. Ala unabbi'ukum bi khayri a`malikum wa azkaha `inda malikikum wa arfa`iha fi darajatikum wa khayrin lakum min infaqi al-dhahabi wa al-waraqi wa khayrin lakum min an talqu `aduwwakum fa tadribu a`naqahum wa yadribu a`naqakum qalu bala qala dhikrullah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "Shall I tell you something that is the best of all deeds, constitutes the best act of piety in the eyes of your Lord, will elevate your status in the hereafter, and carries more virtue than the spending of gold and silver or taking part in jihad and slaying and being slain in the path of Allah? It is the dhikr or remembrance and mention of Allah." Narrated from Abu al-Darda' by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Hakim (sahih), al-Dhahabi (who confirmed al-Hakim), and others.

37. Ma `amila adamiyyun `amalan anja lahu min `adhabi al-qabri min dhikrillah. The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "A human being cannot do anything that is more effective in saving him from the punishment of the grave than the dhikr or remembrance of Allah." Narrated from Mu`adh ibn Jabal by Ahmad. Haythami said in Majma` al-zawa'id that the sub-narrators in its chain of transmission are the men of sound hadith, although the Tabi`i link is missing; however, Tabarani narrated it through a second chain which is entirely sound (sahih). Also narrated with the word al-`abd (Allah's servant) instead of adamiyyun (a human being) by Malik in his Muwatta', Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim (sahih), and al-Dhahabi (who confirmed al-Hakim).

38. Anas reports that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- was once asked the same question as Mu`adh in hadith #35, and he replied: "Knowledge of Allah." It was then asked: "And which action adds to this in merit?" He repeated: "Knowledge of Allah." They said: "We ask about actions and you answer concerning knowledge?" The Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "A few actions are greatly useful as long as there is knowledge; while a lot of actions are useless if there is ignorance." Anas said: "He spoke of this at length." Ibn `Abd al-Barr reports it in Fadl al-`ilm with a weak chain. See also Ithaf al-sadat al-muttaqin (1:85), Suyuti's al-Durr al-manthur (2:221), and al-Mundhiri's al-Tarhib wa al-Targhib (3:525).
This hadith is confirmed by hadith #37 and by the first phrase of hadith #17 whereby "the best deed is belief in Allah alone." The hadith is further confirmed by our decisive knowledge that the purpose of creation is knowledge of Allah, as indicated by Ibn `Abbas's explanation of the verse wa ma khalaqna al-jinna wa al-insa illa li ya`budun "I did not create the jinn and humankind except to worship (= know) Me" (51:56) and the verse fa`lam annahu la ilaha illallah "Know that there is no god except Allah" (47:19).

39. Wal-ladhi nafsi bi yadihi law ji'a bi al-samawati wa al-ardi wa man fihinna wa ma baynahunna fa wudi`na fi kaffati al-mizani wa wudi`at shahadatu an la ilaha illallahu fi al-kaffati al-ukhra la rajahat bihinna. "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if the heavens and the earth and all that are in them and everything that is in between were brought and placed in one pan of the Balance, and the witnessing that there is no god but Allah were placed in the other, the latter would outweigh the former." Related by Tabarani and by Suyuti in al-Durr al-manthur. Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id stated that the sub-narrators in its chain are trustworthy, but that the Tabi`i link is missing.

40. After the passing of the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- from this world Abu Bakr said to the Companions: "I asked Allah's Messenger what basic thing was necessary for salvation and he replied that whoever accepts the Word which I brought and which I offered to my uncle Abu Talib and which he rejected: this Word constitutes salvation for him." Related by Ahmad (1:6), Tabarani in al-Awsat, Tayalisi in his Musnad, Ibn Sa`d in his Tabaqat (2/2:84-85), Abu Ya`la, Ibn Abi Shayba, Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman (1:107-108 #92-93) and al-Bazzar. See above, hadiths #10-11. This hadith is sound although in Ahmad the link between al-Zuhri and Abu Bakr and `Uthman is not named other than "a man from the trustworthy people among the Ansar," while Bayhaqi's and Tayalisi's narration from al-Zuhri is from Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As.
 
Blessings and peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions.


Source:- http://www.islamicacademy.org/html/Articles/English/LA%20ILAHA%20ILLALLAH.htm


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                                    "The best property of a man is, that histongue is used for the remembrance of Allah; his heart is thankful and his wifeis honest and helpful to her husband and accords aid in his faith." (Sau'ban(R.A.)- Tirmizi)


When I stand before God at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,
and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
                 


 Zuni Ayesha

WWW.muslimtilltheend.blogspot.com

muslim hereafter and till the end - FB page.

                                                           


Fwd: ALLAH IS ALWAYS WITH US !!!










 

 

 
 
ALLAH IS ALWAYS WITH US!!!!!!!!!! !

When you are BLESSED
HE is AL-REHMAN

When you are HUNGRY
HE is AL-RAZZAQ

When you are HONOURED

HE is AL-MOIZ

When you are WEAK

HE is AL-MUQEET

When you PRAY

HE is AL-MUJEEB

When you need a FRIEND

HE is AL-WALI

When you are DETRACKED

HE is AL-HADI

When you are GIFTED

HE is AL-KAREEM

When you are FORGIVEN

HE is AL-GHAFOOR

When you are in DARKNESS of HOPELESSNESS

HE is AL-NOOR

When you are a SINNER

HE is AL-TAWWAB
ALLAH IS ALWAYS WITH US

 
    

__._,_.___
 
ALLAH PAK KO HAR WAQT YAAD KARTE RAHO 
Remembers  me In Your Prays

Jis qadar bhalai karsaktay ho karo..
Jitni ziada karsaktay ho karo..
Jitnon say karsaktay ho karo..
Aur Jub tuk karsaktay ho karo..

 

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__,_._,___



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                                    "The best property of a man is, that histongue is used for the remembrance of Allah; his heart is thankful and his wifeis honest and helpful to her husband and accords aid in his faith." (Sau'ban(R.A.)- Tirmizi)


When I stand before God at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,
and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
                 


 Zuni Ayesha

WWW.muslimtilltheend.blogspot.com

muslim hereafter and till the end - FB page. 

                                                           


Friday, May 13, 2011

Burqa- Safeguard of womens chastity and honor



 
This is a not a new topic, but every passing day increases its importance. Some anti-Islam organizations and people who follow their own base desires oppose it and in the name of "freedom for women" and "equal rights for women," women are being forced to leave their home and hearth. They are told, how long will you remain imprisoned within the 4 walls of the houses? You should leave your houses and walk alongside men in every phase and walk of life. Under these and such deceiving slogans, women have been removed from the safe and secure walls of their houses and are dragged into the nightclubs and dancing houses, they are forced to work in the offices and different departments and they are made playthings in of men. The crown of chastity and the robe of modesty which Allah SWT granted them has been removed, the chador of honor which Islam had given has been torn to shreds and women are turned into showpieces and puppets. It is strange that when a women serves her family, when she busies herself in caring for her husband and her children, it is called as servitude, but when she washes dishes for a stranger or serves meals to a customer, caters to whims and caprices of a passenger and pampers the ego of her boss, that is called as "freedom". 

Renaming wisdom as madness and madness as wisdom 
you are a miracle-worker, you can do anything. 

All this is being done in the name of women's rights. Women have been removed from the secure nature of Purdah and turned into a plaything, showpiece for men. This has turned this into a burning topic for the present time. 

Surely Islam never wants that women should remain a slave. It also does not want their chastity and honor to be disturbed. This is not possible without Purdah. It is a common occurrence that 20 men may pass but no one even raises their head to see them, but let 1 woman pass, then she becomes the center of attention. Allah SWT has placed a certain power of attraction in women. If there is no system in place to protect women, then the sky-high structures of "culture" will be razed to the ground in the twinkling of an eye. 

Islam explains the fact that men are women are all slaves of Allah SWT and both of them are the progeny and children of Hadhrat Adam and Hadhrat Hawwa (Eve) (Peace be upon them). They are not slaves of one another. In the society they are both equal and they are different from the viewpoint of creation. For this reason, their areas of work are different. They are both equally responsible for the development and the smooth running of the society. The men takes care of work outside the house and the women takes care of work inside the house. Islam says that the real place of a woman is her house: 

And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. Surah Ahzaab (33:33) 

This shows that leaving the house for mere display and show. But it is perfectly allowed to leave the house for any valid reason. 

It is given in Sahih Bukhari: Translation: Allah SWT has given you permission to leave your houses for your (valid) needs. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Un Nikah, Hadith No:4836) 

Separate and complete rules have been given to be followed when the women leave the house. Purdah is the safeguard of a woman's chastity and honor. 

The degrees of Purdah: 
The first degree: 
Islam has given guidelines for women to be followed when she is in her house and when she leaves her house. The first degree of Purdah is Purdah against people in that women and their actions should not be seen by men. They should remain in their house and the eyes of men should not fall even on their clothes. This is a high degree of Purdah. Allah SWT says: 

And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. Surah Ahzaab (33:33) 

Allah SWT also says: 
And when ye ask (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Surah Ahzaab (33:53) 

There is a Hadith in Jame Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawood and Musnad Ahmed: 
Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with her) that she and Hadhrat Maimoona (May Allah be well pleased with her) were in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Maktoom (May Allah be well pleased with him) entered. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Veil yourselves from him. Hadhrat Umme Salma (May Allah be well pleased with him) says I said: O Prophet of Allah SWT! He is blind, he can't see us. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Are you also blind? Can you not see him? 

(Jame Tirmidhi, Hadith No: 2702, Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith No: 3585, Musnad Imam Ahmed, Hadith No: 2702) 
There is a Hadith in Kanzul Ummal and Majma Uz Zawaaid: 
Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) that I was in the presence of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). He told the Sahabah: What is better for a woman? The Sahabah remained silent. Then when I went to my house, I asked Hadhrat Fatima (May Allah be well pleased with her) about this. She said: It is better for women that they do not see men and men don't see them. When I conveyed this reply to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: She has said the truth. Verily! She is a piece of My heart. 
(Majma Uz Zawaaid, Vol. 4, Pg No: 255, Kanz Ul Ummal, Hadith No: 46012) 

The second Degree: 
When women are allowed to leave the house for any valid need of theirs, then they are ordered to cover themselves in a long chador or the like that no part of their body should be visible. She should not use any kind of scent, fragrance etc. She should not wear any jewelry which makes sound. She should walk at the sides of the road and she should not enter a crowd of men. As Allah SWT says in Surah Ahzaab: 

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 Ahzaab (33:59) 

The third degree: 
In the house, there is no prohibition on relatives, servants etc. entering the house and collective living, eating etc. with them. Broad guidelines have been given in this regard. 

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 (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 Noor (24:31) 

As far as male relatives are concerned, there are some relatives who themselves safeguard the chastity of women. They are called "Maharim" with whom marriage is prohibited forever. And there are some other relatives with whom marriage is not prohibited and allowed and permissible. They are the not included in the Maharim. The Maharim are those who safeguard the chastity of women. About others Islam has ordered Purdah against them. 

In the Holy Quran the Purdah for women has been dealt with in 7 verses. 3 verses of Surah Noor and 4 verses of Surah Ahzaab. There are about 70 Hadith in which the rules of Purdah have been described. 

With the husband, there is no Purdah. The husband can see the wife from head to toe and vice versa. It is mentioned in etiquettes (aadaab) that they should not see each other's private parts. As given in Mausu'atul Fiqhiya, Vol. 1, Pg No: 53). About other relatives like father, brother etc., the rule is that from a woman's navel to her knees, nobody can see. Nobody from the Maharim can see this area of a woman's body. Other parts like face, ankles, arms etc can be seen provided there is no fear of corruption, as given in Hidayah Kitab Ul Karahiya, Pg No: 461. Allah SWT says about seeing the Maharim in verse 31 of Surah Noor: 

that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (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,.......... 

According to this verse, it is allowed to reveal one's beauty before them and revealing one's beauty means revealing the areas of beauty. The wrists, ears, neck, feet are all included in this. These are called the areas of beauty i.e. the areas where beauty is expressed. If there is any fear of any corruption, then even the face should be covered. If there is no such fear, then there is no problem in keeping the face and palms uncovered. As said by Allah SWT: 

that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; 
As given in Hidayah in Kitabul Karahiya, Pg No: 452 that according to Hadhrat Ali and Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) that except "what (ordinarily) appear thereof" means the Kohl of the eyes and the ring. 

Hadith: 
Translation: Hadhrat Asma bint Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with them) came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and she was wearing thin clothes. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) turned His face away from her and said: O Asma! When a woman comes of age, then her body parts being visible is not correct, excepting this and He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gestured towards His face and His palms. 

The most attractive part of the human body is the face and it is this body part which has the abilities of seeing, hearing and talking which may lead a person to immodesty. For this reason, the Shariah has commanded the woman to cover her face and not allow any unrelated person's eyes to fall on her face. 

There are strict warnings in Hadith about seeing an unrelated woman's face with desire. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Whoever looks at the beauty of a woman with desire, on the Day of Judgment, molted lead will be poured into his eyes. 

The face is not included in Satar (those body parts covering whom is compulsory) but because of the general corruption of the times, the Fuqaha (Hon'ble Jurists) have made it compulsory to cover the face and not reveal before an unrelated male, so while wearing the Burqa, it is necessary that a woman cover her face, her ankles, and her palms as well. As given in Durre Mukhtaar, Vol. 5, Pg No: 261. 
It is universally agreed upon that seeing an unrelated face with desire is forbidden. 

According to the Fiqh Hanafi, the Hanafi school of Fiqh, it is allowed to reveal the face of a woman, but in this age of corruption it is better to cover it. It is allowed for a woman to reveal her face to a Qazi, a witness. It is allowed to see the face of the woman whom you desire to marry, as it is a means to develop love. It is allowed for a doctor to see the diseased part of the body. Those parts of a woman's body which are to be covered cannot be seen even when they are separated from the body. This is the ruling about the hair, nails of a woman. 

The parts which cannot be revealed cannot be touched or felt as well. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has said: whoever touches the palm of a woman with whom he had no valid relation, on the Day of Judgment, fire will be placed on that palm. (Takmila fath ul Qadeer, Hidayah, kitabul Karahiya, Vol. 4, Pg No: 459) 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said: 
Translation: No man should see the Satar of another and no woman should see the Satar of another. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 512) 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said: May Allah SWT curse those women who are naked in spite of wearing clothes. 

Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: Do not clothe your women in such clothes which are so tight that they outline their whole body. (Al Mabsut Kitabul istihsaan) 

Burqa is only an improved kind of Purdah. The Niqab of the Burqa also fulfils the same reason for which the command for covering the faces with chador is given. . There are numerous reports daily of criminals snatching chains and other jewelry from women going on the road, but there is no report which says that this has happened to a Burqa-wearing woman as well. Skin diseases are common nowadays because of pollution and more often than not, it is the women who keep their faces uncovered who contract them. It is a blessing of the Purdah that apart from prying eyes, it saves from skin diseases as well. Nowadays, people are trying to defame Islam and Muslims in some way or the other. Sometimes, by disrespecting the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and sometimes by making fun of the Shariah. Sometimes by portraying Islamic divorce in a bad light and sometimes by comparing the Purdah to a prison. The aim is to defame the Muslims and spread immodesty among them. The remarks of Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, are against wisdom and common sense. If any person wants to lead a peaceful life, then there is no other go other than Islam. 

It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Uqba bin Amir (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said avoid going to women. A Sahabi (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: What do you say about the husband's brother? He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The husband's brother is death. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No: 4831, Sahih Muslim, 4037). 

There is a Hadith in Jame Tirmidhi: Woman should remain in Purdah, when a woman leaves the house without Purdah, Satan starts eying her and increases her beauty and displays it. Verily! A woman is closest to Allah SWT when she is in her house. (Jame Tirmidhi, Hadith No: 1093, Mojam Kabeer Tabarani, Hadith No: 9368). 

In Ihraam (in Haj, Umra) women should save their face from other cloths. If a woman runs into non-Maharim, she should cover her face and when they pass uncover it again. 

Hadith Translation: Ummul Momineen Hadhrat Ayesha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with him) says: Riders would cross us when we were with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in Ihram. We would cover our faces when they came near us and uncover it when they went. (Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith No: 1562) 

Old women are excused from the rules of Purdah which are for young women. As given in Surah Noor: 

Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage― there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and Allah is One Who sees and knows all things. Surah Noor (24:60) 

The summary of all these rules is that safeguarding chastity and honor should be most important to women, so that the society holds her in high esteem. In light of the needs of the society, Purdah has been classified into degrees. The whole body should be hidden from male view and when necessary, the face and hands can be revealed. The face, hands, arms, feet etc. can be revealed before the Maharim. Even here, doing it without a reason is not liked. For her husband, a woman can dress herself up and adorn herself as much as she likes. Islam permits them to leave their houses for a valid reason with the above guidelines. 

Human society is not only through men but women are also an integral part of it. All kinds of family and household issues are related to them alone. The daughters of Islam can acquire Islamic sciences and worldly education and play an important role in purifying and improving the society. Within the parameters set by the Shariah, they can even perform social service as the need arises. There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari: 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Rabe'ea (May Allah SWT be well pleased with her), she says that along with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), we would provide drinking water, and provide first-aid to the injured and take the martyrs to Madina. (Sahih Bukhari, Vol 1, 403). 

To summarize, the daughters of Islam should acquire Islamic and worldly sciences and master all disciplines and serve the society both directly and indirectly and most of all they should pay attention to that specialty of medicine which deals with women's diseases (OB/GYN) and specialize in them. 

It is necessary for building a pure, virtuous society that the sources from where corruption spreads should be covered otherwise the whole society will go up in flames. For this reason and to protect the women, the Islamic Shariah has given the women, the Purdah (Burqa) and has given various guidelines for its use. If these are followed, then the whole society will turn into a garden of peace.

 

                                    "The best property of a man is, that histongue is used for the remembrance of Allah; his heart is thankful and his wifeis honest and helpful to her husband and accords aid in his faith." (Sau'ban(R.A.)- Tirmizi)


When I stand before God at the end of my life,
I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,
and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
                 


 Zuni Ayesha

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