Blame Ourselves or Blame the Rulers?

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) talked about what people think is the fitnah of “our times,” i.e. meaning his own times, but this applies just as well to the contemporary fitnah of our own times. About the ways of Allaah (swt) in this creation vis-a-vis the rulers and the ruled, he said:
“And contemplate Allaah (swt)’s Wisdom when He made people of authority, making them a reflection of the ruled. It is as if the deeds of the ruled appear in the form and deeds of their rulers:
if the ruled are upright, then their rulers will be upright

if the ruled incline away from uprightness, then their rulers will do the same to them

if the ruled transgress and oppress, then their rulers will do the same to them

if there appears deception and plotting from the ruled, then it will be the same from their rulers

if the ruled take away the rights of the people and become miser as to the rights of others, then their rulers will do the same to them and deprive them of their rights

if the ruled take away from the oppressed /weak among them that which they deserve not to take in their transactions with them, then their rulers will do that towards the ruled’s wealth and take what they deserve not, and impose on the ruled taxes and assignments

and whenever the ruled take from the oppressed and weak unjustly, then their rulers will do the same to them and take it by force

so the actions of the ruled appear in the actions of the rulers and it is not in the Divine Wisdom that Allaah (swt) assigns authority over the wicked and evils ones, EXCEPT to the ones who are of their own kind

Since the first generation was of the best generation and of the most righteous, … so were their leaders righteous

It is not befitting Allaah’s Wisdom that in “our times” (Ibnul Qayyim’s times) that those assigned to authority over us be the like of Muawwiya and ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz, not to mention Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. The leaders of those before us were in accordance with their own conditions and ranks. Our leaders are in accordance with our own condition and rank. In both cases, this is entailed by the Wisdom of Allaah (swt).”

Such is the conclusion of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullah) concerning his times, i.e. the 8th century A.H., so what do you think about our own times?
The Wisdom of Allaah (swt) pertains to His Attributes. He puts things in accordance with His Hikmah and puts them in their proper places with what fits. The Wisdom of Allaah (swt) has a noble and most perfect objective.

As for those who hasten in making these roads for “deliverance” and see getting rid of the rulers as the solution to their problems, they confuse symptoms and disease.

The rulers are seen as being the causes when in reality they are only the symptoms. The true illness is within the ruled. Therefore, all endeavors towards finding a solution should focus on the ruled themselves.

The deeds of the ruled are reflected in the deeds of the people having authority over them. When the people are not ready and are away from the deen of Allaah, who would you expect them to deserve as rulers?

Contemplate this very carefully!

_{Dr. Saleh As-Saleh}

_{transcript of audio file 29-11-1425}

_{corresponding to Jan 10th 2005}

_{From: A brother’s Reminders Mailing List}

The Great Debate of Ibn ‘Abbās with the Khawārij

The Great Debate of Ibn ‘Abbās with the Khawārij

Source: al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (5/12-13) by al-Albānī

Translator: Abbas Abu Yahya

(Ibn ‘Abbās narrated:)

When the Harūriyyah (the Khawārij) rebelled, they isolated themselves in a place. There were 6000 of them and they were united in rebelling against ‘Alī. Continuously people would come to ‘Alī and say, “Oh Leader of the Believers, verily these people are rebelling against you.”

He would reply, “Leave them, verily I will not fight them until they fight me and that is what they will do.” So when it came to that day, I came to ‘Alī before the noon prayer and I said to him, “Oh Leader of the Believers, delay the prayer until it is cooler perhaps I will speak to these people.” He said: “Verily, I fear for you.”₁

_{Taken from al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (5/12-13) by al-Albānī and Munaẓẓarāt a’immat al-Salaf, p.89-}

_91.

I said, “Never! I used to be known as a man of good manners, I never harmed anyone.” He gave me permission to go. So, I put on a very nice garment, the best of what one could get from Yemen and I combed my hair. Then, I visited them at midday while they were eating. I had entered upon a people, the likes of whom I had never seen with regards to their exertion in worship. Their foreheads were wounded due to (constant) prostration (in prayer) and their hands had become rough like camels’ feet, wearing recently washed, untidy shirts with very high raised clothing and with tired and worn out faces [due to not caring for themselves]. So, I greeted them and they said, “Welcome, oh son of Abbās! And what is this cloak you are wearing?” I asked, “What deficiency do you see from me? Indeed, I saw the messenger of Allah (saas) dressed in the best of what you can find in Yemeni clothing, then I recited this verse:

Say, “Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced

for His servants and the good things of provision?”

[Sūrah al-A’rāf, 7:32]

Then they asked, “What has brought you here?” I told them, “I have come to you from amongst the companions of the Prophet (saas) – the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār and from the son of the uncle of the Prophet (saas) (‘Alī), who is his son-in-law. And upon them descended the Quran; they are more knowledgeable about it than you and there is not one of them (the companions) amongst you. I have come to convey to you what they say, and to convey to them what you say.”

A group amongst them said, “Do not debate with the Quraysh because verily Allah, (swt) says:

Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people.

[Sūrah al-Zukhruf, 43:58]

Then a group of them turned towards me and two or three of them said: “Verily, we will speak to him.” So I said, “Come forward, what is the grudge you have against the companions of the Allah’s messenger and the son of his uncle (‘Alī)?” They answered, “Three points.” I asked, “And what are they?”

They said, “One of the points is that he (‘Alī) had men judge in a matter of Allah while Allah says:

The judgment is for none but Allah.

[Sūrah al-Anā’m, 6:57 and Sūrah Yūsuf, 12:40, 67]

“What have men got to do with the judgment?” I said, “This is one point.” They said, “As for the second point, then he fought and he did not take captives nor did he take the war booty. If they were disbelievers, then their captives are permissible for us and if they were believers then their captives are neither permissible to take nor was it allowed to fight them (in the first place).” I said, “This is the second point, and what is the third point?” Or he said something similar. They said, “He should remove the title of ‘Leader of the Believers’ (Amīr al-Mu’minīn) and if he is not the ‘Leader of the Believers’ then he is the ‘Leader of the Disbelievers’ (Amīr al-Kāfirīn).” I asked, “Do you have any points other than these?” They replied, “These are sufficient for us.” I said to them, “Do you understand that if I read to you from the book of Allah (swt) and from the Sunnah of His prophet ( ) that which refutes what you say, will you then return (back)?” They said, “Yes.” I said: “As for your statement that ‘Alī had men judge in a matter that was for Allah; then I will read to you from the book of Allah, where Allah has delegated His judgment to men regarding the eighth of a quarter of a dirham. Allah ( )commanded the people to judge in this matter. Do you not understand the saying of Allah (swt):

Oh you who believe, do not kill the game while you are in a state of Iḥrām, and whosoever of you kills it intentionally, then the penalty is an offering equivalent to the one he killed, as judged by two just men among you.

[Sūrah al-Mā`idah, 5:95]

And it is from the judgment of Allah that He delegated men to judge in this matter. If Allah willed, He could have judged in this matter but He allowed men to judge. I ask you by Allah, is it better that men judge in something regarding reconciliation in disputes and in preventing bloodshed or regarding the hunting of a rabbit?” They said, “Of course, this is better.”

“And regarding a woman and her husband (Allah says):

If you fear a breach between the husband and wife, appoint two arbitrators: one from his family and the other from hers.

[Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:35]

“Is not men judging in reconciling disputes and in the prevention of bloodshed better than men judging regarding the private parts of a woman? Have we finished with this point?” They replied, “Yes.” I said, “As for your statement, ‘He fought but did not take captives and did not take war booty,’ then would you take your mother (in Islam), Ā’ishah, as a captive, making her permissible for yourselves for that which you make permissible from other than her while she is your mother? If you say, ‘We make permissible from her that which we make permissible from other than her,’ then you have committed disbelief. And if you say, “She is not our mother,” then you have also committed disbelief:

The prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives

are their mothers.[Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, 33:6]

“And so you are between the two ill judgments. So, which of them do you want to take? Have we finished with this point?” They replied, “Yes.” “As for ‘Alī removing the title of ‘Leader of Believers’, then I will give you something that will please you; verily, the prophet of Allah contracted an agreement with the Mushrikīn (the disbelievers of Quraysh) on the Day of Hudaybiyyah, and the Prophet (saas) said to ‘Alī:

Write, oh ‘Alī: This is what Muhammad, the messenger of Allah, agrees with. They, the Mushrikīn, said, ‘If we knew you to be the messenger of Allah, we would not have fought you.’ So the messenger of Allah (swt) said:

Oh Allah, indeed You know that I am Your messenger. Erase it, ‘Alī, and write:

This is what Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd Allah agrees upon.

“I swear by Allah that the messenger of Allah ( ) is better than ‘Alī and even he erased his own name, and erasing his name does not erase his prophet-hood. Have we finished with this point?” They said, “Yes.” So 2,000 of them came back while the rest of them rebelled and fought, based upon their misguidance, and the Muhājirūn and Anṣār fought them.²

_{The Reference for this Narration}

_{Narrated by al-Dārimī in his Sunan (1/68-69) and by Baḥshal in: Tarīkh Waṣīt. This}

_{narration is reported on the authority of ‘Amr Ibn Salmá and authenticated by al-Albānī.}

_{There are other narrations of this story. It has been narrated by Abd Allah Ibn Aḥmad in:}

_{Zawā’id al-Zuhūd, (p.428) and by Abū Naī’m in: Ḥilyat al-Awliyyāt, (4/380-381). Also}

_{recorded by al-Ṭabrānī in: al-Kabīr, (9/125-126) and by ‘Abd al-Razzāq in: al-Muṣṣannaf,}

_{(5409). al-Ḥaythamī narrated it in: Mu’jam al-Zawā`id, (1/181).}

_{As for the narration of ‘Abd al-Razzāq and al-Ṭabrānī, it has been authenticated by al-}

_{Ḥaythamī in: Mu’jam al-Zawā’id, (1/181).}

_{The narration of Abū Naī’m in al-Ḥilyat was reported on the authority of Abū Za’rā.}

_{2 Recorded by ‘Abd al-Razzāq in his book: al-Muṣṣannaf (18678), Aḥmad (1/243), al-Hākim (2/150-}

_{152), Ibn Abd al-Barr in his Jām’’ Bayān ‘Ulūm (2/962-964/ 1834) and others.}

_{This story has many other narrations in al-Kabīr and some of them were authenticated by}

_{al-Ḥaythamī.}

To those who put their intellects above the evidences…

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim Al-Jawzi (rahimahullaah) said:

And using the intellect in opposition to the evidences is the basis of all evil in the world. And it opposes the call of the Messengers (’alaihim u salaam) in every way. This is because they (the Messengers) called toward putting forward the revelation over one’s opinions and intellects, and those who opposed them did opposite to this. The followers of the Messenger put the revelation over the opinions and intellect, and the followers of Iblees (Satan; may Allaah curse him) – or a subsitute from his substitutes – put the intellect over the evidences.

Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Kareem Ash-Sharastani (rahimahullaah) said in his book Al Milal Wa Nihal:

Know that the first doubt that was put forward was the doubt of Iblees, and the basis of this was putting opinion before an evidence, and in his choosing desire over obedience. And his pride because of the material he was created from – which was fire – over the material which Adam (’alaihi salaam) was created from – clay. And from this, many other doubts came thereafter.

From the book: The Summary of Sawaiq Al-Mursalah

Giving precedence to ‘Aql over Naql

Q: What is your reply to philosophers who give reason preference over religious texts?

A: The function of reason with regard to the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah is to understand and accept them. Reason has no role in religion except for this. There are a lot of religious texts that make it obligatory for Muslims to follow the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah. Also, such texts warn Muslims against offering any opinions or suggestions that may oppose what is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah.

• Allah (may He be Exalted) says, (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49: 1) O you who believe! Make not (a decision) in advance before Alla‎h and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and fear All‎ah. Verily, Alla‎h is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

• He (may He be Praised) says, (Surah Al-A`raf, 7: 3) Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord (the Qura‎‎n and Prophet Muhammad‎’s Sunnah), and follow not any Auliy‎ (protectors and helpers who order you to associate partners in worship with All‎ah), besides Him (All‎ah). Little do you remember!

• Also, Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says, (Surah Al-`Imran, 3: 31) Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him to mankind): ‎If you (really) love All‎ah then follow me (i.e. accept Isl‎amic Monotheism, follow the Qur‎‎an and the Sunnah), All‎ah will love you and forgive you your sins.”

• He (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says, (Surah Al-An`am, 6: 153) And verily, this (i.e. All‎ah‎’s Commandments) is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaq‎n (the pious).

• Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) also says, (Surah Al-Nisa’, 4: 59) And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to All‎ah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) if you believe in All‎ah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.

• He (may He be Exalted) says, (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 170) When it is said to them: ‎Follow what All‎ah has sent down.‎ They say: ‎Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.‎ (Would they do that!) even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided? There are other Qur’anic Ayahs that order Muslims to follow the revelation sent down from Allah (may He be Exalted) and warn against following one’s personal desires and all that is dictated by reason deviating from the right path.

Thus, it is not permissible for a person to be fooled by his reason whatever comprehensive understanding and thought he might have; that he takes his reason as a fundamental and the transmitted texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah as a branch, accepting what is in agreement with reason and rejecting or distorting all that is in disagreement with it. This implies an accusation of the Divine Shari`ah (Law). Also, it undermines the fundamentals and pillars of the Shari`ah, as there are different reasons, natures, and thoughts, and people hardly agree on anything with the exception of necessities and the things that are perceptible through the senses. If the reality is as mentioned, which of all these reasons can be adopted as a fundamental to which people refer when differing on a case and to understand the transmitted texts of the Shari`ah?

What a wise opinion was said by Shaykh-ul-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be Merciful with him), “People should know that nothing related to direct reason or the authentic transmitted texts makes it obligatory to oppose the method of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). Those who oppose the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah and the Salaf of this Ummah (nation based on one creed) are in a confused state in which they can not differentiate between right and wrong. Anyone who denies Ru’yah (seeing Allah), claims that reason regards such an act as impossible. Thus, he needs to have another Ta’wil (allegorical interpretation) for the word “Ru’yah”. Also, those who regard it as impossible for Allah (may He be Exalted) to have Knowledge and Might and to have uncreated speech, say that reason regards such matters as impossible, so they resort to Ta’wil. Moreover, those who deny the resurrection of bodies and real eating and drinking in Paradise claim that reason regards such matters as impossible, so they resort to Ta’wil. Also, those who claim that Allah (may He be Exalted) is not seated on the Throne, claim that reason regards it as impossible, thus, they resort to Ta’wil.

The evidence on the corruption of opinions offered by those people is that none of them has a fixed rule regarding what is considered impossible by reason. Some of them claim that reason regards as permissible or obligatory what is regarded as impossible by others. So, which of these can be adopted in terms of considering the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah? As said by Imam Malik Ibn Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), “How foolish we are to abandon what is revealed to Muhammad (may peace be upon him) through Jibril (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) when a person excels others in argument comes to us!”

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’ headed by Shaykh Ibn Bazrahimahullah.

From: A brother’s Reminders Mailing List

Taking a Break

Assalamu ‘alaikum,

I’ve decided to take a break from the blog and focus on many other things. In the meantime, I’d definitely suggest reading the Tafseer Juz ‘Amma series by Ilm Fruits and also the great posts on Tayyibat

 

Erasing Sins (1 of 3)

By Abu Tasneem Dawood Adeeb
Transcribed by: Umm Hasna Firdous Bint Jabir

Listen to audio @ troid.org 

Khutbatul Haajah 

“Say, O My Servant, those who have been excessive, those who have been extreme o*n their own soul, do not despair of the mercy of Allaah subhana wa ta’ala for surely Allaah forgives all sins. And surely Allaah, He is Al-Ghaffoor and Ar-Raheem. He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Merciful. He is extremely forgiving and extremely merciful.”

In this above Ayah, respected brothers and sisters in Islaam, Allaah among other things explains to us that He forgives our sins. He forgives all sins, whether they are Major or Minor. No matter what colour the sin may be, no matter what size the sin may be, how old or new it is, Allaah subhana is Al-Ghaffoor Ar-Raheem. And if the Muslim, the Abd (the Slave of Allaah subhana wa ta’ala) fulfills the conditions, Allaah will forgive. This type of forgiveness is a unique forgiveness. Allaah subhana wa ta’ala is unique as He says : 

“Qul Huw-Allaahu Ahad” — 

Say, He Allaah is unique.

For His forgiveness is not like any type of forgiveness and His Mercy is not like any type of Mercy. 

“Wa laisa kamislihi shaiun wa huwas Sameeul Baseer” � 

There is nothing like Him and He is As-Sameeh and Al-Baseer � He is the Hearer and He is the Seer.

This Jumma’ah we would like to talk about the methodology or the road that we can use, the way, the method that we can utilize in gaining the atonement and forgiveness of our sins. How we can gain the atonement, the expiation, the effacing, the erasing of our sins. What is the methodology of erasing these sins? What can we do to remove these sins? Because all of us are sinners as Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said in an authentic Hadith : 

“All of the children of Aadam are sinners and the best of sinners are those who repent.”

So we need to learn brothers and sisters in Islaam how we can efface, how we can remove, how we can make atonement for az-zunoob; How we can get rid of these sins. When we talk about the erasing and the atonement of sins according to the ahlul Ilm, according to the people of knowledge, there are two types (two ways to remove the sins) :

One as Allaah subhana wa ta’ala mentions : 

Follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will wipe it out. It will erase it. This is the first type of removing (the erasing) of sins.

The second is the exchange of o*ne thing for another. As Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says : 

For them, those individuals who do these sins, Allaah will exchange for their bad deeds, good deeds. He will replace their bad deeds with good deeds and Allaah subhana wa ta’ala is Ghaffoorur Raheema. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

There are many ways brothers and sisters and we can have many Khutba’as o*n this subject. But we would just like to site just a few of these ways that we can atone for and erase our sins. The first and foremost and Allaah subhana ‘alam, Allaah the Majestic, the Most High above all creation knows best is to accept Islaam. Alhamdulillaah, which we have all done. If a Kaafir from among the Kuffaar (no matter how good they may seem or how righteous they may seem in the eyes of the people), if they want to have their sins erased, (their tawbah is different from our tawbah) their tawbah is to accept Islaam. And there is no tawbah for them except this. 

Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says : 

Surely the Deen with Allaah is not Christianity, it is not Judaism, it is not Hinduism, it is Islaam.

And again Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says : 

Whoever seeks a Deen other than Islaam, it will never ever be accepted from him. And in the Last Day they will be the losers.

So those individuals who are among the Kuffar of this life, in order for their actions to be accepted and in order for them to be forgiven, they have to accept Islaam. And Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says : 

Say to the Kuffar if they seize (stop) what they did in the past, they will be forgiven.

What does that mean? It means that if they leave off their kufr, if they stop disbelieving, then Allaah will forgive them. 

So, the person who wants to have the forgiveness of Allaah, that is still among the groups of the Ahlul Kitaab and the Mushrikoon, they have to accept Islaam. And Allaah subhana wa ta’ala will remove their sins and He will forgive them. 

Those individuals whom Allaah subhana wa ta’ala had raised among the Sahaaba to accept Islaam when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was alive, there is a clear, clear record of this. 

On the authority of Ibn Shumaasa al Mahri that he said : We went to Amr Ibn Al-Aas (radiallaahu anhu), he was about to die, (he was o*n his death�bed). He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. �(Not clear�) The audience asked Amr : Didn’t the Messenger of Allaah not give you tidings of this? 

He turned his face towards the audience and said : The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah and Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)is the Messenger of Allaah. For surely I have passed through three stages and this is what Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says in His Glorious Book : 

You shall certainly travel from stage to stage.

Within the first stage in which I found myself averse (disinclined) to none else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allaah and there was no other desire stronger in my heart than the o*ne that I should over power him and kill him. Had I died in this stage, I would have been definitely been among the people of the Hell-Fire.
Because if a Kaafir dies without having accepted Islaam (this is the forgiveness and atonement of his sins), he will surely go to the Hell-fire as the Prophet’s example when visiting the young Jewish boy (who used to serve him), when he went to his house and invited him to Islaam while he was o*n his death-bed and his father standing at his side, the Prophet incited him to say: “Laa ilaaha illallaah”. And he turned and looked at his father for approval. And his father said : Obey, Abu Qassim. (The Kunya, the nickname of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). So, the boy said : “Ash-hadu an Laailaaha illallaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadar Rasoolullaah.” Then he died. 
Then the Messenger of Allaah left the house saying : Praise be to Allaah who saved this boy because of me from the Hell-Fire. So this is another proof that those individuals who do not accept Islaam and do not make this statement will be in the Hell-Fire. And those who do, Allaah will forgive them of their sins. 

So he said if he had died in that state, he would have been one of the inhabitants of the Hell-Fire. When Allaah instilled the love of Islaam in my heart, I came to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and I said : Stretch out your right hand O Messenger of Allaah so that I may make bai’aah (the pledge of allegiance) to you. He stretched out his right hand and I withdrew my hand. And he, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : What has happened to you O Amr? 

I replied : I intend to lay down some conditions.

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked : What conditions do you intend to put forward?

I said : I should be granted forgiveness. 

He the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)said : “Are you not aware of the fact that Islaam wipes out all previous sins? Verily Hijrah wipes out all previous sins. And truly Hajj wipes out all previous sins.” 

And then he (radiallahu anhu) said : “No one was more dear to me than the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and none was more sublimer in my eyes than him. And I could never get up the courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendor. So if I am asked to describe the features of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), I am not able to do it because I have not looked at him fully. Had I died in this state, I have no reason to hope that I would ever be among the dwellers of the Paradise . I had every reason to hope that I would be among the people of Paradise.”
Then we are responsible for certain things in the light of which I am not able to know what is in store for me. When I die, let not the female mourner nor the fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth and stand around it for a time in which a camel is slaughtered and the meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy (those individuals who stand around my grave) and I can ascertain what else I can give to the Angels of Allaah subhana wa ta’ala.

Another example of those things that will efface and atone for sins is following the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And we all know brothers and sisters that following the Messenger of Allaah is an incumbent act upon every male and female Muslim. Allaah subhana wa ta’ala says :

And believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the unlettered on, who believes in Allaah and His word and follow him so that perhaps you will gain success.

We also know that upon us it is the duty to obey the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And whoever obeys the Messenger has therefore obeyed Allaah. And it is incumbent upon every single Muslim to obey the Messenger of Allaah and obey those who are trusted in authority from the Messenger of Allaah among the Ulema. 

“O You who believe obey Allaah and obey His Messenger and those trusted in authority from among you.”

With all of this and other ahyahs and hadiths, we gain the understanding that if we believe in Allaah subhana wa ta’ala and if we follow the Messenger of Allaah, Allaah subhana wa ta’ala will forgive us our sins simply for obeying and following the Prophet. 

“Say, if you love Allaah, then follow me.” – Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is saying this from the Book of Allaah. He is commanding to all of us sitting here and all the Muslims until the Day of Resurrection : “if you really love Allaah, then follow me. And Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins.”
So in following the Prophet (just simply following him) with all the conditions of following him, if they are met, Allaah subhana wa ta’ala will forgive our sins. 

At-Taubah is a means of erasing sins, brothers and sisters. When we commit any sin, Allaah subhana wa ta’ala has instructed us in the Qura’an :

“O You who believe return to Allaah with sincere, unadulterated repentance. Perhaps your Lord will atone for you, your evil deeds.”

And the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)in an authentic narration collected by Imaam Ibn Maajah and others on the authority of Abdullaah Ibn Al-Masood (radiallahu anhu): 

“The person who repents from his sins is like the individual who didn’t have any sins at all.”

Also following up those evil things with good things. Allaah subhana wa ta’ala has mentioned in the Qura’an : 

“Verily the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is a reminder for those who remember.” 

When we look at the tafseer of this particular ayah brothers and sisters, we find a very beautiful story. That a man came to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) saying : “O Messenger of Allaah, I kissed a woman.” 
(Is there anything wrong in kissing a woman? Of course if she is not your mother, if she is not your sister, if she is not your wife and if she is not your daughter or your maternal or paternal aunt, this this haraam).
And the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) answered him by reciting this verse : 
“Truly the good deeds remove the evil deeds and this is a reminder for the mindful.” 

Also spreading the salaam, saying : “Assalamu alaykum” is a means of forgiveness for sins. Just simply saying, “Assalamu alaykum” you could be removed of your sins. And good speech is a means of removal of sins. And there is a Hadith that was collected in the Musnaad of Shia’ab that says that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : 

“Truly some of the causes of forgiveness is the spreading of Salaams and good speech.”
(Not bad speech, but good speech. Just speaking good can remove and atone sins.) 
Another means of forgiveness and atonement of sins is simply shaking the hands of your brothers and sisters in Islaam. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said : 

“There are no two Muslims that meet each other, then they shake hands except that the both of them are forgiven of their sins before they leave each other.”

Simple !! Just shake your brother’s hand. And hold it and keep holding it so that sins can be removed. And the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) again said : 

“Truly the believer when he meets the other believer and then he says, “Assalamu Alaikum” and then he takes his hand and shakes his hand, both of their sins fall off like leaves fall from trees.”

 

 

From: AbdurRahman.org Islam Information Page 

Conversational Arabic Classes at ICN

A Weekly EmanRush at ICN

 

Yasir Qadhi: My Conversion – Admitting One’s Mistake and Moving On

Posted by Yasir Qadhi • May 18th, 2009 • Printer-friendly

This is, in many ways, an awkward post for me. Admitting one’s mistake is not easy to do. Claiming that one’s past opinions were wrong  – opinions that were defended publicly, in writing and speech, and championed for many, many years – is always a bitter pill to swallow. And this is even more difficult to do when the ‘mistake’ is not just one secondary matter or trivial opinion, but rather an entire framework or methodology.

But now, I am forced to make such a confession. I have given the matter great thought, and have realized there is no way forward unless I break clean of my past. And if I do so, I am not the first, nor shall I be the last, to make such a claim. Many great scholars in our tradition have gone through phases of their life, realizing later on that they followed an incorrect system in an earlier stage.

It is an open secret that there are two great traditions in our times competing with one another. Each of these two systems claims to be better and more perfect. Each one claims to be older, or more ‘orthodox’. Each one claims to have large numbers of followers. Each one presents an entire methodology – a holistic framework from which all other programs of one’s life should spring forth. Each one is eager for converts, critiquing the other tradition with utmost contempt (sometimes with very cheap and underhand tactics – as bloggers know all too well).

It is obvious that both of these systems cannot simultaneously be true in all that they say. One of the two MUST be the more correct and better.

For many years of my life, (in fact for ALL of the years that I have been of age), I had been an ardent follower of what I thought was the only system. As a young teenager, I never even knew that people followed other methodologies, and the first time I was exposed to the other system I truly found it incomprehensible. It seemed too difficult to follow, too ’strange’ and exotic. As I grew older, and learnt more about both systems, initially my faith in my own tradition grew stronger and stronger. It is actually ironic that I wrote many works, books and treatises in its framework. In many public and private gatherings, I had defended my own preferred methodology and mocked the other.

It is true that many people tried to convert me, and initially I rebuffed them quite easily. But as these efforts increased in earnestness, and I found close friends of mine, people whom I truly looked up to, convert one by one, I felt the seeds of doubt grow within me. Perhaps my system was not the best? Perhaps the framework that I had initially been led to believe was the truest and most perfect was not actually so?

 

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Video and Telelink claas with Sheikh Abdul-Azeez Ar-Rayyis

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, 

There is an upcoming event this Friday night at Masjid Yahya ibnu Ma’een here in Nashville. It will be a video and telelink claas with Sheikh Abdul-Azeez Ar-Rayyis. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Du’as for When Waking Up

 

When Waking Up   ‘All praise is for Allaah who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the Resurrection.‘   The Prophet (S) said: ‘Whoever awakes at night and then says:  [du‘a (a)] ‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone without associate, to Him belongs sovereignty and praise and He is over all things wholly capable. How perfect Allaah is, and all praise is for Allaah, and none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, Allaah is the greatest and there is no power nor might except with Allaah. The Most High, The Supreme. …and then supplicates:  [du‘a (b)] ‘O my Lord forgive me.‘ …will be forgiven‘  Al-Waleed said, ‘or he (S) said: ‘ and then asks, he will be answered. If he then performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted‘.’   ‘All praise is for Allaah who restored to me my health and returned my soul and has allowed me to remember Him.‘   (from Verse 3:190 till the end of the chapter Aal ‘Imraan)