Categories
Poems

Dear Mum and Dad,

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Dear Mum and Dad,
Do you remember the day I was born?
I guess since then quite a bit I have grown.
Drink milk, sleep and cry is all I would do,
And of course keep filling my nappy up too!
Since then things have changed and I’ve gone big now,
And I’m sure you’ll agree that its amazing how,
Allah turned me from a tiny baby who knew nothing at all,
Who might one day among fellow humans stand tall.
I say might because I’m a bit like a seed you see,
Nurtured well it has the potential to develop into a strong tree.
That has strong roots firmly anchored deep into the land,
So that the winds of change over time it is able to withstand.
Have you done that Mum and Dad nurtured me good?
And I don’t mean just to have given me clothes, toys and food?
As I said I’ like a plant I’m going to grow anyway,
But whether or not that’s a wild, straggly, useless one in that you have a say.
Allah has made you responsible to teach me what is wrong and right,
Of this sometimes it seems that you tend to lose sight.
How is it that you can shout at me for losing something new till your blue in the face,
Yet when I miss my Fajr everyday, of any anger, I see no trace.
When there’s a million things like the washing and ironing for you to do,
You stick me in front of the TV, out of your way so that your chores you can get through.
Don’t get me wrong Mum I do have fun, cartoons I do like to see,
But Mawlana at Mosque tells me TV is bad, so you don’t half confuse me!
I’m sure being a parent is a hard job, but there is help for you, you know,
If you follow the Prophet’s SAW example you won’t go wrong, that’s for sure!
Anonymous
Categories
Poems

Straight Talk!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ship
So, you reckon Allah will understand?
And not give you a reprimand?
How on earth can you even think that at all?!
Surely, you can see Shaytan’s setting you up for a fall.
Don’t you remember Hadhrat Abu Bakr RA talking of Judgement Day?
He had hope and fear and knew it could go either way.
And here is foolish you,
Simply relying on Allah’s mercy to get you through.
How you can be so stupid I really don’t know!
But one thing of which I am quite sure,
Is that if you’d paid thousands for a prosthetic arm,
I bet my bottom dollar you’d let it come to no harm.
Despite the fact that it would never be,
As good as the real thing given to you and me.
So WHY ain’t you looking after this gift given to you free of charge,
It’s been made-to-measure just for you – not too little or too large.
By the one who loves you more than you love Him,
And thats how you show gratitude by acting on a whim!
You need to wake up before its too late,
Break the cycle now before it turns into self hate.
Do you remember when to you someone once said,
(And it was also summat that you read)
That Shaytan only frequents those from whom he can steal a precious jewel.
Just stop and think, don’t you reckon that’s so cool?
That means that somewhere within you,
And I know you find this hard to believe but its true.
You’ve got summat that Shaytan reckons is worth nicking,
Are you really gonna let him take it without giving him a good kicking???
To hear your answer as a firm no – is good,
Because that is the attitude that you should
Have in order to get far in life,
Remember its all about struggle and strife.
There will be highs and there will be lows,
That’s Shaytans way of keeping you on your toes.
Just stay alert and on the ball,
Keep strengthening your mental wall.
Take each day as it comes and you’re sure to be fine,
Ask for Allah’s help and then go out there and shine.
All the best!
Where there’s a will there’s a way…
Anonymous
Categories
Marriage

WORLD WAR III: Mother-In-Law VS Daughter-In-Law

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

“I am not perfect. Let’s both assume that the other is doing the best she can.”

Mother-In-Law-HeartWeddings are usually such happy occasions, full of love and hope for the future of the bride and groom. As wonderful as it can be, it can also mean mother-in-law problems. Something happens the moment a bride says, “I accept him.” Not only does she get a husband, but in most cases, a mother-in-law as well.

But far too many women describe this relationship as fragile, tense, and even competitive.

It’s no secret that in-laws are the subject of many marital arguments. The rivalry between wives and their mothers-in-law is a major source of tension in many marriages. You may find it interesting that many new brides get along very well with their husband’s parents at first; it isn’t until later—sometimes years later—that friction develops.

Time-after-time, daughters-in-law say things like, “My husband’s parents welcomed me into their family immediately and treated me as their own daughter.” Likewise, “My own in-laws showered me with gifts and included me in everything”. It’s not uncommon for young women to be very fond of their husband’s family, and vice versa… in the beginning.

Later on down the marriage, dealing with in-laws can be an overwhelming challenge—whether you are dealing with an overbearing mother-in-law who believes her opinions are superior to yours—or someone who tries to make you feel guilty whenever your needs conflict with hers. It may be tempting to gossip, hold silent grudges, or cut off all communication with troublesome in-laws – but that often just adds to the problem.

 

Mother-in-law problems can be one of the biggest issues in an engaged or married couple’s life. In some cases, they’re really more like out-laws. Some mother-in-laws have a way of letting everyone know their displeasure with the new family member over issues big and small – and yet seem to forget their own son or daughter can think or speak for themselves, and in most cases, should.

Why is it that the mother-in-law relationship can be so difficult? When you think about it, it really shouldn’t be. You have so many meaningful things in common: love for the same person, wanting what’s best for that person, and for them to be happy. For some though, it’s these same things that make for fast adversaries.

Some mother-in-law problems arise out of a competition for the attention of the adult child. Because they are now spending all of their time with their new spouse, there may not seem to be room enough for mum, which can be seen as not loving them as much anymore. When they visit mum, of course your spouse is going to take you with them – you’re now a package deal. Mother-in-law’s can be very resentful of having to share time and space with someone else.

Who would know what’s best for their kids better than a mother? As adults, however, we know what’s best for ourselves, not our mum. Some mothers, however, feel that they should reign supreme over our lives – even when we’re 45-years-old. It can be a hard habit for parents to break and some never feel compelled to stop parenting, even adult children. What makes that more difficult is that some of us don’t know how to let our mothers know that we are now adults who think for ourselves.

No one wants or needs their mother-in-law (or future one) telling them what’s best for their partner or worse, guilt-tripping them because of some imaginary slight or that they don’t measure up to her expectations. Big or small, whatever the issue may be, if she can’t refrain from commenting or speaking out inappropriately, it’s up to our spouse to talk to her. This can be difficult for our partners since for some it can seem unthinkable to speak out “against” their mother and be independent.

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Advice for mother-in-laws:

  1. Pray for your daughter in law, rather than prey on her. Hope and pray that the marriage of your son will be successful. Don’t sit in the background and hope for your daughter-in-law to fail. Ask Allah to show you how to love your daughter-in-law as your own daughter.
  2. Try to be understanding more than criticising. Ask questions to understand. Don’t tell your daughter-in-law how things should be. Don’t expect your son to do what you want him to do anymore. Expect and encourage him to consult with his wife. Rather than question or criticize your daughter-in-law, speak to her and reason with her.
  3. Compliment your daughter-in-law; never complain about her. Honour your daughter-in-law in the presence of your son. Compliment your daughter-in-law; never complain. Make an effort to applaud, praise, and thank your daughter-in-law. Tell her how much you appreciate her positive influence on your son and why you think she’s a good mother. Your daughter-in-law may be different from you. Accept her for who she is. Realise that your daughter-in-law wasn’t raised the same way you raised your son and maybe doesn’t have the same standards you have. Perhaps she is from a different family or caste or race…Try to understand her mind set and the way her family operated. Do not try to change her into who you would like her to be.
  4. Act like a family, fight like a family, not an enemy. Encourage your son to build, develop, and define his marriage role. Don’t fight for position by grasping and grabbing for your son’s time and emotions.  Good mums want their kids to have good marriages. If you are a family, act like one. Families fight, they discuss their issues and that’s how they get resolved. This can be done lovingly and constructively, not destructively! It doesn’t have to be a he said/she said/you said situation. Tiptoeing around the problems and acting like they don’t exist doesn’t help anyone, it only hurts everyone in the long run. Ask your daughter-in-law to let you know if/when you offend her. Remember that Shaytan wants to destroy your relationship.
  5. Your son isn’t perfect, not before marriage and certainly not after. Remember that your son has always had faults. Your child was not perfect before she married him. You love your son, so does your daughter-in-law. Every change that you see in your son is not her doing. Every change that you see in your son is not her doing.

 

A good mother-in-law doesn’t make the wife feel like she doesn’t measure up, or give the impression that she wishes her son would have made a ‘better’ choice.  A good mother-in-law encourages, accepts, and loves unconditionally. Allow your daughter-in-law to disagree and know that it isn’t something personal.  Don’t be offended if a daughter-in-law does not share your tastes, dreams, and values. Tell her about decisions you faced as a mother of infants, toddlers, teenagers, young adults, etc. Talk about more than superficial things. Get to know her for the person Allah created her to be. Then, come alongside her to mentor, encourage, and build a relationship so that if/when you need to give loving input or direction, it is not taken as meddling. Express your gratitude towards her: “You truly are the wind beneath my son’s sails and I really appreciate and love you. You understand my son far better than I do, and I thank Allah for you.” “I’ve got the best daughter-in-law God could give. I am so blessed.” Finally, offer to take care of the grandkids so your daughter-in-law can have a day to herself.

Okay, mothers-in-law, there’s the list. What are we going to do about it?

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The second year of my son’s marriage, he and his wife had Thanksgiving with us. My daughter-in-law made a delicious sweet potato casserole. My mother and I complemented her on it and asked for the recipe. “It’s a family recipe,” my daughter-in-law said. “So I don’t give it out.”   —Anonymous mother-in-law

Whoa! I had thought that daughters-in-law were the ones with the in-law stories. Well, apparently mothers-in-law have their share of stories, too.

One mother-in-law wrote something that brought back memories. “That little boy that brought me dandelions and messy hugs,” she said, “is now a grown man with a family of his own. I need to fully release him so he is allowed to change and adapt to his wife and adult life.  I don’t want to be a parent who says or does things that grate in the mind of my daughter-in-law. She is the one who knows my son best now.”

Yes, a mom relinquishes her title of “first lady” in her son’s life on his wedding day. Perhaps that’s why some have described the relationship between a mother- and daughter-in-law as fragile or tense. Allah certainly didn’t intend it to be that way.

Advice for daughter-in-laws:

  1. She is still his mother, she gave birth to him. Even though you are the woman in her son’s life now, be considerate of the fact that she used to be the woman in his life. The most important thing that you can do for your mother-in-law is to love her son unconditionally…You’ve now taken the spot as her son’s biggest
  2. Respect her for who she is, think of her as your own mother. Don’t try to change your mother -in-law. Accept her eccentricities. Realise that she may do things differently in her home, try to understand her ways. Especially, if you live with them. Bear in mind her age, think of your elderly parents.

 

  1. Do not assume things, rather ask and clarify. If I have offended you, I may not know this. You have the freedom to say to me, nicely, ‘Remember when you said ______. Did you mean _____?’ I am not perfect. Let’s both assume that the other is doing the best she can. Don’t judge, there are two sides to any story.
  2. Remember, you are family and not foes! Ring your mother-in-law off your phone not your son’s phone. Take her out, just the two of you. Go shopping! Discover what you have in common. Keep your in-laws informed of their grandchildren, don’t deprive them.
  3. Express gratitude, not a bad attitude! Post on your Facebook page: ‘I am thankful for my mother-in-law! I am so grateful for our great relationship. It is so important! And ever since I got married our relationship has become so natural and I love spending time with her!’ Please take time to express your appreciation for a gift by writing a note or calling just to say, ‘Thanks!’ If she or any of your in-laws visit you welcome them in with a smile, prepare something special for them. Show your happiness, don’t block yourself from them.

Some mothers- and daughters-in-law form close friendships very quickly. For others, this may take years. But most mothers- and daughters-in-law do want to connect with each other. They want to find common ground. They want to know each other as individual women with feelings, beliefs, and ideas. Do not fight your mother-in-law over your husband and same to the mother-in-law over your son. If the daughter-in-law cooks something or buys something for her husband, please do not compete with her for praises.

mil

Categories
Miscellaneous

The Usage Of Weak Hadith

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

REFERENCE: https://haq2012.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/imam-ibn-taymiyyahs-stance-on-the-usage-of-weak-ahaadith/

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All praise for Allah, may peace and blessings be upon our noble master Mohammed sallalaho alayhi wasallam, upon his pure family his noble companions and all those who follow them until the day of judgement.

Respected readers, what I would like to discuss here inshallah is an issue which causes a lot of controversy, that is the issue of usage of weak ahaadith. We have some people who go the extreme of saying that weak ahaadith should be rejected entirely. I will state the obvious here, and mention that other that the sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim) every other book of hadith, be it the sunan of Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, the mustadrak of Imam Haakim, musannaf of Imam ibn Abi shaybah and others all contain some weak as well as sahih ahaadith.

What we must understand is that there is a difference between a weak and a fabricated hadith but unfortunately and sadly we have certain ignorant people who don’t differentiate between the two. They treat a weak hadith like a fabricated hadith and totally disregard it. I am not saying for a second that fabricated ahaadith should be entertained, we all know the severity of attributing a lie to the messenger of Allah sallalaho alayhi wasallam who himself said ‘whoever attributes a lie to me has reserved his space in the fire of hell’ (Bukhari).

Some people who are even regarded as scholars have this attitude that weak ahaadith should not be used at all, and if this approach was adopted then the majority of the books of hadith would be rendered useless and only Bukhari and Muslim could be applied thus making life extremely difficult.

The majority view of the ulema is that a WEAK hadith is permissible for usage in non-fiqh issues. The following are some great scholars who hold this view : Imam Nawawi, Ibn Salah, Sufyan Thawri, Ahmed bin Hanbal, Ibn uyaynah, Ibn Mubarak, Ibn mahdi, ibn ma’een, khateeb Baghdadi, Bukhari, mullah Ali Qari, ibn Hajr al Asqalani, ibn Taymiyah, ibn Qayim, imam Sakhawi, abu Dawud.

Even Imam Bukhari RA himself has compiled weak narrations in his book ‘Al Adab Al Mufrad’ which shows that he accepted weak narrations in regards to virtues of good deeds, so we can see here that the majority of muhaditheen accepted the usage of weak ahaadith and did not have this attitude that the salafis of today have.

I will now present work from none other than imam Ibn Taymiyah RA from his famous book ‘al qaedah jaleelah fit tawassul wal waseelah.’ The reason I chose to use Ibn Taymiyah RA on this occasion is because those people today who like to reject weak ahaadith and condemn others for using them are those who use Ibn Taymiyah RA as a reference and would always accept any ruling of his without hesitation.

The imam states:

“But Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other scholars permitted the narration [of hadith] regarding the virtues of good what is not sure as long as it is not known that it is a lie.” [laakinna Ahmad ibn Hanbal wa ghayruh min al-‘ulama jawwazu an yurwa fee fada’il al-‘aamal maa lam yu’lam annahu thaabit idha lam yu’lam annahu kadhib.]

Ibn Taymiyya goes into a full chapter of discussion of this subject from here, Chapter 8 of “al-qaida al-jaleela fit-tawwasuli wal-waseela“, where he presents the views of the majority of the ‘ulama of Islam and he presents his own views of the subject. And here we will examine this in detail.

To continue, Ibn Taymiyyah RH says, in para 478:

“and that is the action which is known to be lawful with a shari’ah evidence, and there has been narrated in its virtue hadith that is not known to be a lie, it is possible that the reward will be true and none of the Imams have said that it is permissible to consider something required [waajib] or recommended [mustahabb] by way of a weak hadith, and whoever said so differed from the consensus [ijma’a].”

So here we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is explaining that if there is a hadith, even though it has not been judged to be authentic, if it encourages what is known as a good deed in Islamic shari’ah, something of virtue, a praiseworthy action, or idea, then it is fully acceptable to refer to such a hadith as an encouragement for that deed.

And here also, Ibn Taymiyah RA refers to the ijma’a, the consensus, which is a clear reference to the concept of ijma’a of scholars of Islam as being a fully accepted concept and one which *he* accepts. And this is a clear proof that Ibn Taymiyah RA, though he considered himself a mujtahid mutlaq, capable of independent reasoning, nevertheless depended on the consensus [ijma’a] of scholars as a proof for the opinions he considered acceptable. And this is the position of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’at.

Then he continues in para 479:

“And just like it is not permissible to forbid something without a shari’ah evidence, [daleel shar’ee] but if it something is known to be forbidden and a hadith has been narrated in warning the one who commits such an action, and it is not known that it is a lie, it is permissible to narrate it. And it is permissible to narrate it in the manner of encouraging and discouraging [at-tarheeb wat-targheeb] what is not known that it is a lie. but in what is known that Allah has encouraged or discouraged with another evidence besides this [weak] hadith whose authenticity is unknown [majhoul haaluh].”

So from this we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is using the weak hadith [ahadith da’eef], to discourage people from doing an evil deed, as long as this deed is known to be forbidden in the shari’ah. If the deed is forbidden in the shari’ah, it is acceptable to use a hadith whose authenticity is unknown, as long as the hadith is known not to have been an actual lie. This principle is acceptable, in anything that it is known that Allah expressed its forbiddance. Ibn Taymiyah RA continues to explain this concept in para 480:

“This is like the [situation] of the Isra’iliyyaat [stories related by the Jews]. It is permissible to be narrated as long as we know that it is not a lie, for encouraging or discouraging in what we know that Allah has ordered in our law [shar‘] or forbade in our law [shar‘].”

Here we see that Ibn Taymiyah RA is not only accepting that the weak are acceptable in the case of encouraging good deeds and discouraging evil ones, but he is showing clearly that he accepted the use of Isra’iliyyaat, stories related from the Jews, which many Salafis reject today as unacceptable. And this is verified in the hadith of the Prophet (saws), “narrate from the hadith of Bani Isra’il and there is no harm in doing it.”

So respected brothers and sisters, we see from the above evidences that Imam Ibn Taymiyah RA himself accepted the usage of weak ahaadith, I ask those salafi brothers who love to insult the likes of hazrat Moulana Zakariyyah RA because of his usage of weak ahaadith, will you now refute and condemn your own imam on the same grounds?

May Allah give us all the ability to understand the deen in its entirety, Ameen.

 

Weak Hadiths and “Fada’il al-A`mal”

IMG_1355I have a question regarding the text Faza’il – e – A’maal by
Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi. From many I’ve heard that this text contains many weak hadiths and should not be read for the hadiths all are not saheeh. Is this correct? If so, please explain if this text would be appropriate to read and are the hadiths with strong chains?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most MercifulAssalamu alaykum

In the name of Allah most Gracious Most Merciful.

Along with many sahih hadiths, Fada’il A’mal is also known to contain a number of weak hadiths. In fact many of the great hadith collections contain weak hadiths. This is the case with Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, al-Bayhaqi, al-Mustadrak of Imam Hakim, Mishkat al-Masabih, al-Tarqhib wa al-tarhib, etc. Besides these, popular works such as the Ihya ‘ulum al-din of Imam Ghazali is one in which Allama ‘Iraqi has judged many hadiths to be weak. However, these works have been overwhelmingly accepted by the majority of traditional scholars of Islam throughout the centuries. Furthermore, despite the rigorous authentication of the Sahih of Imam Bukhari, his other works such as al-Adab al-Mufrad and Juz’ al-qira’a khalf al-imam contains many weak narrations.

What we understand from this is that it is not a crime to relate weak hadiths, as some like to advocate. Individuals have risen in the last century who have attempted to “purify” the books of the pious predecessors by sifting the weak hadiths from the authentic (many a time with great injustice) and have published the classical collection under new titles such as Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih Sunan Ibn Maja, etc.

The approach of the classical scholars was not such. It was accepted among them that works on the subject of virtues and fada’il did not have to meet the same levels of authenticity as was needed in discussions on the belief system of Islam or the laws and rulings of the lawful and unlawful.

Great hadith experts such as Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn al-Mahdi, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said, “When we narrate in regards to the lawful [halal] and unlawful [haram] we exercise extreme strictness and when we narrate in regards to virtuous and the like (stories and narratives) then we are more lenient.” (See Suyuti’s Tadrib al-rawi).

We learn from this statement that the scholars were more relaxed in the case of using weak hadith in virtues, but were very strict when it came to aspects of belief or fiqhi rulings. There were also other conditions for accepting weak hadith. For instance, the weakness should not be extreme that it is bordering on fabrication or the hadith should not be a spurious one. Likewise the weak hadith should not contradict an established principle of Shari’a or go against the spirit of the teachings of Islam (See Tadrib al-rawi).

If one takes the approach of shunning every book that contains weak hadiths would be left with very few books to benefit from. This would create great difficulty in regard to the din. Imam Tirmidhi has demonstrated in his Sunan as to how so many fiqhi rulings have been based on not-so-strong narrations.

The Fada’il A’mal is not a book of juristic laws. it is a book of virtues and as such there is no doubt that one can read it and practice on the virtues mentioned therein, even if they are from weak hadiths. Allah has granted this book such a widespread popularity that it is difficult in many countries to find a masjid without a copy. Many have benefited and softened their hearts for the remembrance of Allah and other such virtuous acts by reading it and the Fada’il Sadaqat by the same author.

The author Shaykh Zakariya Khandelwi taught the Sahih al-Bukhari for numerous years and spent his entire life in the service of the hadith of the Messenger (upon him be peace). His works include the editing of the Badhl al-Majhud (Arabic commentary of Sunan Abi Dawud), al-Hall al-Mufhim (Arabic commentary of Sahih Muslim), and al-La’ali al-Dirari (Arabic commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari); then the Awjaz al-Masalik is his Arabic commentary of the Muwatta of Imam Malik (Dar al-Fikr, Syria edition over twenty volumes), and the Khasa’il al-Nabawi, his Urdu commentary of the al-Shama’il al-Muhammadiya of Imam Tirmidhi. Besides these he has authored numerous other works in Urdu. He passed away in Madina Munawwara on Monday the 1st of Sha’ban 1402 corresponding to 24th May 1982.

Wassalam
(Mufti) AbdurRahman ibn Yusuf Mangera (hafidhahullah)

Categories
Spirituality

A STRANGE INCIDENT OF A WOMAN IN THE TIME OF SAYYIDAH ‘AISHAH (RADIYALLAHU’ANHA)

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

http://hadithanswers.com/a-strange-incident-of-a-woman-in-the-time-of-sayyidah-aishah-radiyallahuanha/

 

A woman whose hand was paralysed entered upon ‘Aa’ishah (radiyallahu ‘anha). She said, “O Mother of the Believers, I went to sleep yesterday and my hand was healthy and I woke up and it was paralysed.

‘Aa’ishah said, “How is that?”

She replied, “I had wealthy parents and my father used to pay zakah, host guests and give to beggars and he did not see any good except that he would do it.

As for my mother, she was stingy and did nothing good with my father’s wealth. Then my father died and my mother died only two months after him.

So I saw my father in a dream last night and he was wearing two yellow garments and in front of him was a flowing river.

I said, “Father, what is this?’

He said, “Whoever does good in this life will see it, this is what Allah has given me.”

I asked him, “What has happened to my mother?” He asked, “ Your Mother died?”

I said, “Yes”

He said, “She has been turned away from me, so look for her on your left”

So I turned to my left and I saw my mother standing naked, covering her lower half with a rag and in her hand was a piece of fat.

She was calling out, “My sadness, my thirst.’

When she became tired she would rub the fat with her hand and then lick it, while in front of her was a flowing river.

I said, ‘O mother, why are you crying out of thirst and there is a flowing river in front of you?’

She said, ‘I am not allowed to drink from it.’

I said, ‘Can I give u some of the water?’

She said, ‘I wish u would do that.’ So I filled my hand with water and let her drink and when she swallowed it I heard a voice on my right, ‘Whoever has given this woman water, may his hand be paralysed and they repeated it twice.

Then I awoke and my hand was paralysed and I am not able to do anything with it.

‘Aa’ishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) asked: ‘Did you recognise the rag she was wearing?’

I said, ‘Yes, O Mother of the Believers, it was exactly the same one I saw her wearing, for I had never seen my mother give anything as charity, except that one day my Father slaughtered a bull. So a beggar came to ask for some, so my mother gave him a bone that had some fat on it. And I saw one day that a beggar asked her for charity, so she gave him that exact rag.’

‘Aa’ishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) said, ‘Allah is the Most Great! Allah has told the truth and the Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has delivered the message.

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it,
And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it”
(Surah Zilzal, verses 7-8)

Hafiz Ibn Rajab Al-Hambaly (rahimahullah) references it to Kitabut Targhib wat Tarhib of Imam Abu Musa Al-Madini (rahimahullah) with a sound (hasan) chain.

(Al-Kalamu ‘alal Hadith: yatba’ul mayyita thalath; see Majmu’ Rasail Ibn Rajab, vol.2 pg.430)

Imam Abu Bakr ibn Abid Dunya (rahimahullah) has also recorded a variant of this incident with two weak chains, that support each other adequately.

(Kitabu Mujabid Da’wah, number: 71 & 72)

This incident may be quoted.

Categories
Current Affairs articles

2017: Problems with the world

﷽

2018

  1. Criticism – Nobody can accept it, I guess the truth hurts. We are living in absolute arrogant times where you cannot say anything to anyone. Nobody wants to know whether they are right or wrong, whether they offended someone or said something harsh or abusive. People just don’t want to know. I do feel it is worse in the West, we are more arrogant and narcissistic. From an Islamic point of view, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said, “Arrogance is to deny the truth and think low of people.” (Saheeh Muslim) So if you are wrong and cannot accept it, you clearly have ego issues! Anybody can be criticised, whether they are a scholar or not. An Islamic organisation, madrasah, school or charity. Just because we donate to them for the sake of Allah, doesn’t stop us from criticising them when they do actions contrary to Islam. Good intentions don’t always count when you lack knowledge.
  2. Parents – Some think they know everything, especially when it comes to their kids. They don’t! And loving your child does NOT mean you give them everything they want. How can a five-year-old know what is good for him/her? Just like kids don’t like injections, but we still give it to them? As we know what is good for them (and what is not). If you spoil your children, it won’t even be the age of sixteen (probably before that) you will start to regret it. “Beware. every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs). A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shal be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral well-being). A woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and brought up the children). A slave is a guardian over the property of his master and shall be questioned about it (as to how he safeguarded his trust). Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.” (Saheeh Muslim)
  3. Passive people – There is no doubt we live in an apathetic society. We see crime, oppression and injustice but we just turn a blind eye. I am not talking about Palestine and Syria, I am talking about the dhulm in your own backyard. Men are to blame first and foremost, because men are no longer men. We have a lot of “males” in society, very few (real) men. Then I blame religious folk, who say “Pray Salah, read Qur’an and do Dhikr… everything will be okay?!” On the day of Badr the Prophet ﷺ didn’t just pray Qur’an and do Dhikr! Be active, “evil spreads not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the SILENCE of good people.” We need to speak up, people are not afraid to speak lies, why should we be afraid to speak the truth? Let’s not be selfish and don’t apply the rule: each to their own. That’s not an Islamic rule. “The best of jihad is a just word spoken to an unjust ruler.” (Ibn Majah)
  4. Da’wah – Not enough people that do it, or do it properly. Then you have the other half who don’t do it at all… this really needs a separate article altogether. Let’s start with “practice what you preach.” Many people don’t even read the hadith/messages they paste on to Whatsapp/Facebook. Secondly, we have people who say if you are not perfect or your family is not perfect you can’t give da’wah. These are definitely words from a Satanic mouth, a true deception of Shaytan. None of us are perfect, so none of us should do da’wah? Exactly what Shaytan wants? Even the uncles of the Prophet ﷺ did not accept Islam, they were Kafir and died as Kafirs. Does this mean the Prophet ﷺ should not have given da’wah to the rest of the world? Think before you speak, people. We now come on to the “fast forwarders” as I call them. They forward anything and everything under the name of Da’wah. When did the Prophet ﷺ say forward fabricated messages? When did the Prophet ﷺ say don’t verify things before forwarding? When did the Prophet ﷺ say if someone asks you for a reference, be defensive and arrogant because your ego cannot accept you are wrong? You get my drift, no further comments. “Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will surely enter the Hell-fire.” (Bukhari)
  5. Fake people – Crocodiles tears, fake smiles, empty messages, people meet you with two faces, nothing from the heart. Why? The Ummah has become all about numbers. Number of followers on social media, we attend lots of talks but not a single change in our life. Madrasahs and schools have become all about numbers, as long as the seats gets full and fees are paid (and we are in surpluses), we are happy. And people perform excessive Hajj and Umrah, but no substance, no spirituality, not an iota of change. We really need a reality check. We have hundreds in the Masjid, we give thousands in Zakah, we are millions in Hajj, but our hearts are not clean. We really are fake and pseudo Muslims. “He who is two-faced in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.” (Abu Dawud)
  6. Social Media – Some of you are on absoTOTALutely everything!!! Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat and Twitter and WhatsApp and Telegram, like seriously? That is sad. Definitely for people with no life. I honestly just about manage with WhatsApp messages (I hardly even check people’s statuses). Committing yourself to all of these is like a full-time job, not even a part time job. Then you end up upsetting people and offending people, let alone all the debates and arguments you have. Press pause. Stop. Take a breath. And seriously quit the ones you don’t need, the ones that are eating you up and eating your time up. Maybe the last sentence should say, “stick with one.” In previous times, people kept diaries, if someone read your diary you would be upset and offended. Nowadays, we have social media, if someone doesn’t like your post or retweet your comment you get offended! Strange times! A lot of us do sit on our phones all day, even at work. But some people don’t. Don’t call me judgemental, with WhatsApp you can see everything. Those who are always on their phones and those who check social media first thing in the morning. Is it really that important to you? And don’t say “emergency”. Emergencies don’t occur every day. Time is valuable, it is priceless. Imam Ibn ul Qayyim (rahimahullah) stated: ”Time wasting is more serious than death because time wasting cuts you off from Allah and the home of the afterlife, whereas death cuts you off from the worldly life and its people.’’ [Source: Al-Fawaaid…page 59]
  7. Don’t judge me – Shaytan’s latest plot in spreading evil and preventing good. We have an obligation to enjoin good and forbid evil. If you SEE someone doing bad, stop them. How is that judgemental? Judgemental is when you don’t have evidence. You don’t need to be afraid if you are polite and pleasant in your words. The bigger problem is we don’t have enough people speaking up and stopping evil, so the few that do it, it becomes harder. We have too many ‘yes men’, who bow down to the needs of the people. As Muslims we only bow to the One on the throne (may He be exalted). Here’s one I made earlier.
  8. Impatient & Thinking the worst of people. We are living in super fast times. We don’t just eat a lot of fast food, we want everything fast and quick. We want fast replies to our texts and calls, if we call someone and they don’t answer (maybe because they are busy/in salah/driving/in the toilet) we get offended or automatically assume they are ignoring us. Most of us have zero patience. Be a bit more considerate, some people are busier than others. You think I am wrong? Next time your YouTube video is buffering for a few seconds, look how angry and frustrated you get?! It takes a few seconds to wait for it. Half of us would just switch the video off because we don’t have the patience to wait. Read more here. Driving and patience is another one, especially in the Asian community. Asian drivers have the least patience and some have no common sense, but you can’t teach them common sense. So I end here.

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

12 Rabiul Thani 1439

HOW TO START A NEW YEAR: https://mylittlebreathingspace.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/the-new-year/

 

 

Categories
Spirituality

The Story of Abu Dujanah RA

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

dates
Abu Dajanah (Allah be pleased with him) always used to pray behind the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam).
But as soon as he finishes his prayer, he comes out of the Masjid quickly.
This caught the eyes of the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) and one day he stopped him and asked him:
“O Abu Dajanah, don’t you need anything from Allah?”
Abu Dajanah (Allah be pleased with him) said:
“O Messenger of Allah, Yes I do. I can’t live without Allah even with a blink of an eye.”
The Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
“So why don’t you stay with us after prayers and ask Allah what you need?”
Abu Dajana (Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The reason is that I have a Jewish neighbor who has a date palm tree, and its branches are in the courtyard of my house.
 So when the wind blows at night, the dates fall into my courtyard.
 That is why you see me coming out of the Masjid quickly, so as I can go and collect the dates and return them to the owner, before my kids wake up. Because once they wake up, they will eat them as they are hungry.
 I swear to you, O Messenger of Allah, that one day I saw one of my children chewing the date, and I put my finger in his throat and took it out before he could swallow it.
 When my son cried, I said to him:
‘Aren’t you ashamed of standing in front of Allah as a thief?”
When Abubakr (Allah be pleased with him) heard what Abu Dajanah (Allah be pleased with him) said, he went to the Jewish and bought the date palm tree, and gave it to Abu Dajanah (Allah be pleased with him) and his children.
When the Jewish learned the truth of the matter, he quickly collected his children and his family and went to the Prophet (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam). and announcing their entry into Islam.
This is how they made people enter Islam because of their stand and their actions.
They were advocates of their deep-rooted faith, and their actions is a reflection of their faith.
(Nuzhatul Majalis, pg. 247-248)
Share please, JzkAllah
Categories
Muslim men Muslim women

Honey

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Why Does Raw Honey Crystallise, Set Or Become Solid

by Latin Honey Shop

Why does raw honey crystallise set or become solid?

Why does my honey have sugar in it? Has it gone bad? Why has my honey separated into solid and liquid layers?

These are some of the questions that we are commonly asked by customers trying raw honey for the first time.

You can’t blame them. Think of the last time you went to the “honey” aisle in a supermarket. Didn’t the “honey” look like a clear, thick, runny liquid? Not a single crystal in sight?

We say “honey” because supermarkets do not sell honey, they sell a processed sugary syrup that looks and tastes like honey… but it is not honey.

Why does raw honey crystallise?

Why does raw honey crystallise set or become solid?

Raw honey, which is honey that has not been heat-treated or filtered, is basically a solution high in natural sugars. The two main natural sugars in raw honey are fructose and glucose.

The ratio of fructose to glucose varies from honey to honey. Since honey is a natural product, honey from the same hive might have more fructose and less glucose one year and then the next year it might have less fructose and more glucose.

The balance of fructose and glucose in raw honey determines the speed and type of crystallisation of honey.

Glucose, which occurs naturally in raw honey, is what crystallises because it is less soluble than fructose. Fructose is more soluble than glucose so it remains fluid.

Honeys with a higher fructose content crystallise slower than honeys with a low fructose content.

Why do some raw honeys separate into two layers?

Why does raw honey crystallise set or become solid?

Some honeys form fine crystals that swim around in the liquid honey. Other honeys form heavier, denser crystals which sink to the bottom separating the honey into two layers.

Honey with a high pollen content crystallises quicker, forming dense crystals. This is because as the natural glucose in the honey begins to crystallise it latches onto the pollen and begins to clump around it.

These honeys tend to be set or solid at room temperature.

So speedy crystallisation is sometimes proof that the honey is raw and unprocessed.

Why does supermarket “honey” stay runny for a long time?

Supermarket “honey” is not honey. It is a solution that was once honey but has been heat-treated and filtered to extract the glucose out of the honey. The fructose remains, which is highly soluble, and thus more likely to remain liquid.

Sometimes supermarket “honey” crystallises because remnants of glucose in the “honey” begin to crystallise.

Does crystallisation mean the honey has gone bad?

Why does raw honey crystallise set or become solid?

Crystallisation does not affect raw honey one bit except changing its colour and texture. All the beneficial nutrients and enzymes in the raw honey remain after crystallisation.

In fact, crystallisation actually preserves the taste of the honey and makes it easier to use. The crystals release different flavours as they melt in the mouth and it is easier to spread on toast or to eat straight from the spoon.

Does crystallisation mean that sugar has been added to the honey?

This is a question we are frequently asked. As explained above, honey is a solution of natural sugars. Quite why someone would want to add more sugar to something that is already sweet is something we have yet to understand!

Why does raw honey crystallise set or become solid?

How can I transform crystallised honey into runny honey?

Simply put the jar of raw honey into a container of hot water for a few minutes until the honey warms up and the crystals dissolve.

However, take care to ensure that the temperature of the honey does not exceed 37C (body temperature) otherwise you will start to kill off the beneficial living nutrients in the honey.

So next time you see a jar of raw honey that has begun to crystallise, or separate into two layers, treat it as a gift and take it as proof that it is in fact raw, unprocessed honey.

And if you are still not convinced that crystallised raw honey tastes better than the completely runny version, try our Raw Organic Rainforest Honey from Brazil. It has delicious crystals that release different flavours as they melt in your mouth!

latinhoneyshop.com: single origin gourmet honey from the exotic parts of Latin America

Seven Reasons Why Raw Honey Is Good For You

by Latin Honey Shop

Seven Reasons Why Raw Honey Is Good For You

Most people know that raw honey is good for you in some way but they don’t really know how or why.

Here are seven quick reasons why raw honey is good for you.

Remember that raw honey is different to supermarket “honey”. Supermarket “honey” is not really honey because it has been heat-treated and filtered, leaving it with hardly any goodness.

1. Raw honey has a low glycaemic index (GI)

The glycaemic index is a ranking of carbohydrate foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.

Glycaemic index and raw honey

High GI foods spike the blood glucose level quickly in a process that triggers the body into storing more fat. Examples of high GI foods are potatoes, white rice, white bread, processed (white) sugar, white pasta.

Low GI foods provide a steady stream of glucose into the bloodstream, which allows the body to use this energy efficiently without storing it as fat. Low GI foods include porridge, lentils, beans, wholegrain foods and honey.

2. Raw honey contains enzymes that help to digest food

Raw honey contains enzymes, natural substances that break down food so it can be better absorbed by the body.

Enzymes in raw honey

Some of the enzymes naturally occuring in raw honey include diastate, invertase, glucose oxidase, peptidase and others.

3. Raw honey destroys harmful bacteria in the body

Raw honey contains hydrogen peroxide, which destroys harmful bacteria upon contact.

4. Raw honey contains probiotics that enhance digestion

Raw honey probiotics

Raw honey contains probiotics, living bacteria that are beneficial to the body. When raw honey enters the body it floods the digestive system with probiotics that enhance digestion and reduce flatulence and constipation.

5. Raw honey contains vitamins and minerals

Raw honey contains an impressive array of vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function efficiently. Unlike vitamin supplements, these occur naturally in raw honey.

6. Raw honey contains antioxidants

The body contains toxins known as free radicals that go around the body attacking cells and living tissue, causing damage and aging. Antioxidants are substances that destroy free radicals so they can no longer harm the body.

Antioxidants in raw honey

Raw honey contains a very high number of antioxidants that get to work immediately upon entering the body. Other high antioxidant containing foods include blueberries, pomegranates and broccoli.

7. Raw honey does not spoil

Bad bacteria that causes food to spoil cannot survive in raw honey. The acidity, lack of water and hydrogen peroxide naturally present in raw honey does not allow bad bacteria to go off, even after thousands of years.

In 2015, Egyptian archaeologists excavating the pyramids found sealed pots of wine, olive oil and honey. According to ancient Egyptian beliefs, these items were placed there over 3000 years ago to nourish the souls of the dead in the after-life.

The wine had gone off, the olive oil had gone but… the honey was as good as if it were harvested yesterday!

Raw honey in ancient Egyptian tombs

Latin Honey Shop – single origin raw gourmet honey from the exotic parts of Latin America

Categories
Current Affairs articles

11 Shocking Facts About Supermarket Honey

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

by Latin Honey Shop

Supermarket honey on shelves in Sainsburys supermarket UK

Consumers in the United Kingdom get through around 43,000 tonnes of honey every year. 95% of this honey is imported from outside the UK.

Most of the honey consumed in the United Kingdom is what is known as “supermarket honey”, in other words, honey that has been processed.

Here are 11 quick facts about supermarket honey that most people are unaware of:

1) Supermarket honey is not actually honey

Supermarket honey is filtered in a process which removes most, if not all, of its pollen. The removal of pollen from honey makes it impossible to determine its botanical origin, or whether is it even honey.

A 2011 survey by Food Safety News on 60 different supermarket honeys in the United States found that 76% had no pollen at all. Most supermarket honey in the US is the same as that supplied to supermarkets in the UK.

Honey without pollen is not honey, it’s just a honey-flavoured sugary syrup.

2) Supermarket honey is not labelled with a country of origin because it does not have a country of origin

The labels of most supermarket honey sold in the UK are marked, “Blend of EC/non-EC honeys.” Such a vague description is proof that the honey contains little, if any, pollen.

If the honey contained pollen, then its geographical origin would be traceable and known and its country of origin would be marked on the label.

Supermarket honey label not showing origin of honey

3) Supermarket honey does not crystallise or is slow to crystallise

The more pollen that a honey contains, the more nutrients and benefits it contains. Raw honey crystallises quickly because its pollen has not been filtered out.

When raw honey crystallises, it does so quickly because its glucose has pollen particles that it can attach to.

4) Supermarket honey is dead and has no living, beneficial nutrients in it

Honey starts its life as a living product which contains living nutrients, beneficial bacteria and enzymes. It is these nutrients that provide all the powerful health benefits of honey.

These living nutrients can only survive up to a maximum hive temperature of 37C/99F. Above this temperature, they die.

In order to prevent supermarket honey from crystallising, processors heat the honey up to 60C/140F.

This process certainly delays the crystallisation process, but it also kills every beneficial living nutrient in the honey. Dead honey has no health benefits beyond providing a sugar rush.

On the other hand, raw honey is “cold pressed”, meaning that the honey is never warmed to above 37C/99F when it is filled into jars.

5) Supermarket honey has a history of being contaminated with harmful antibiotics

Most processed honey sold in Europe is cheap honey imported from China. Chinese honey has a dark history of being contaminated with banned antibiotics that can be fatal to humans.

In February 2002, the EU banned Chinese honey after it was found to be contaminated with chloramphenicol, a banned antibiotic that can cause a fatal blood condition, aplastic anaemia, in humans.

This led to an urgent recall of supermarket honey from supermarkets shelves across the UK.

Supermarket honey from brands including Tesco Finest, Sainsburys, Gales, Rowse and Asda tested positive for at least one banned antibiotic so they were immediately withdrawn.

6) Processed honey is frequently honey that has been subject to “honey laundering”

During the 2002-04 Chinese honey ban in the EU, some Chinese honey producers got round the ban by re-exporting their contaminated honey through third countries such as India and changing the country of origin on the export documentation.

Honey laundering continues even today. Honey from countries unauthorised to export honey to the EU is being sold in the UK after having been “laundered” through different countries.

7) Supermarket honey has no aroma

It smells the same because it usually is the same. Most supermarket honey sold in the UK is processed and bottled by the same small number of honey factories.

In other words, one or two honey factories supply exactly the same honey which is sold in different supermarkets under different name brands.

On the other hand, raw honey has a variety of aromas depending on the botanical origin of the honey. Rose, vanilla, sandalwood, butterscotch… are all aromas that are present in different varieties of raw honey.

8) There are no beneficial “bits” in supermarket honey

The mass market supermarket honey industry has got consumers used to wanting their honey as a clean, clear liquid. A clean, clear, scentless liquid is a sign of processed honey which has little or no health benefits.

Raw, real honey contains a number of particles which contain an immense number of health benefits. These particles include propolis, royal jelly and pollen, which provide honey with all its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.

In other words, the “bits” present in raw honey indicate that it is raw and unfiltered.

9) Supermarket honey is more likely to be contaminated with artificial glucose, high fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners

Bees in mass market honey hives are frequently fed sugar solution or high fructose corn syrup to speed up the honey production process. In other words, supermarket honey is often likely to be nothing more than sugar solution regurgitated through bees.

10) Supermarket honey is usually the same colour because it is the same honey

Have you ever wondered why runny supermarket honey with exotic sounding labels: clover honey, acacia honey, etc. usually looks the same?

It is because it normally is the same thing. Mass market honey factories simply make minor changes to percentages of the different processed honeys to produce different “flavours” of supermarket honey.

On the other hand, raw honey comes in colours ranging from black, dark red and amber to amber, yellow and white (yes, white!).

11) Processed honey brings more harm than benefit

Many consumers eat supermarket honey thinking that they are consuming one of the healthiest natural substances known to man. This false sense of belief leads them to eat more honey, blissfully unaware that they are simply eating large quantities of sugar in liquid.

So if you want to eat honey, make sure that it is raw and unfiltered.

Put another way, if you are feeding your body supermarket honey, you may as well eat white sugar in water, because it is cheaper and quicker to obtain. (And it is less likely to contain harmful antibiotics.)

 

Categories
Personalities

A Quote From Sultan Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi RH

ROck.jpg“We hope in Allah Most High, to whom be Praise. Who leads the hearts of Muslims to calm what torments them and ruins their prosperity. Where is the sense of honor of the Muslims? The pride of the Believers? The zeal of the Faithful? We shall never cease to be amazed at how the disbelievers for their part have shown trusts, and it is the Muslims who have been lacking in zeal. Not one of them has responded to the call. Not one intervenes to straighten what is distorted; but observe how far the Franks have gone. What unity they have achieved. What aims they pursue. What help they have given. What sums of money they have borrowed and spent. What wealth they have collected and distributed and divided amongst them. There is not a king left in their lands or islands, not a lord or a rich man who has not competed with his neighbors to produce more support and rival his peers in strenuous military efforts. In defense of their religion they consider it a small thing to spend life and soul; and they have kept their infidel brothers supplied with arms and champions of war; and all they have done and all their generosity has been done purely out of zeal for him they worship in jealous defense of their faith.
The Muslims on the other hand are weakened and demoralized; they have become negligent and lazy, the victims of unproductive stupefaction and completely lacking in enthusiasm. If, Allah forbid, Islam should draw reign, obscure her splendor, blunt her sword there would be no one, east or west, far or near who would blaze the zeal for Allah’s religion, or choose to come to the aid of Truth against Falsehood. This is the moment to cast off laziness, to summon from far and near all those men who have blood in their veins; but we are confident [He speaks about himself and the small party of believers who began with him and then became a large party]; but we are confident thanks to Allah- alhamdu lillah- in the help that will come from Him and entrust ourselves to Him in sincerity of purpose and deepest devotion. In sha Allah, In sha Allah the disbelievers shall perish and the Faithful have a sure deliverance.”
Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi 12th century,
Kitab arRawadatain (Abu Shamma)