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We Need One Ummah, Not One Eid

Every Eid same drama, same “unity” palaver. But hang on unity is from the Sunnah? The Quran endorses unity! The Qur’an and Sunnah teaches us a lot of things… tazkiyah and purity of the heart being number 1. 

What is the point of one Eid when the hearts aren’t one? The hearts aren’t united?

What is the point of one Eid when we pray Salah shoulder to shoulder but the Ummah isn’t one? 

What is the point of one Eid when our marriages aren’t unified? Surtis don’t marry bharuchis and Indians don’t marry Pakistanis? 

What is the point of one Eid when your masjids don’t allow all Muslims to be members? When your Islamic schools give preference to the four holy Masjids because they are ‘from the ghom’?

Can someone tell me what really is the point? I don’t understand. 

Have one Eid or a dozen Eids, but this Ummah will always be fragile until we learn to live like brothers.

Allah purify our hearts from jealousy and malice and unite this Ummah on the best day of the year. Ameen.

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

1 Shawaal 1443

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Ramadhan Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

When is Eid?

eid

This is a question on the tongues of many Muslims and in the minds of many already, as we near to the end of the holy month. Eid is a day of happiness and bliss. A festival ordained by Allah SWT, so much so, it is Haram to fast on the days of Eid (1st Shawwal, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th Dhul Hijjah). But the question still remains brothers and sisters, “When is Eid?”

The answer to that is not one word or one day. One of the Salaf said, “My Eid is the day in which I do not commit a sin.” Further to this, I recently listened to a talk by his eminence, the honourable, Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat Saheb (Hafidhahullah) of Leicester, UK. He explained when the ‘true’ Eid is, it really changed my perspective on Eid and this temporary life we are passing through. Below are a few things I happened to remember:

We do not know when we will depart from this transient and fleeting world, neither you know neither I know. Life and death are not guaranteed, perhaps this is the last advice of mine you will hear (because I no longer remain or you don’t). I plead to you sincerely with advice, cut off from your life of sins. Leave the television, music, lustful glances at Haram, the love of wealth, following your desires, all of this will be left behind (once you die). We have all fasted the month of Ramadhan, Alhumdu Lillah! Don’t you feel proud of yourself? Of course you do! This is the difference between sins and obedience. When you sin, the happiness is temporary, just five or ten minutes. But in obedience it is long lasting e.g. 20 years later you will remember these fasts, the Qur’an you read, the one Subhan Allah you said in the Masjid. And you will feel joy in your heart, this joy is forever and ever.

This is only when you obey Allah SWT, then every hour and every minute is Eid for you.

The moment you die, then your soul is content and happy, ready to return to Allah SWT, this will be Eid for you.

The angels will descend to welcome you, this will be Eid for you.

The moment you are lowered into your grave, like a garden of Jannah, this will be Eid for you.

On the day of judgement, Allah will give you shade under His throne, this will be Eid for you.

When you are given your books of deeds in the right hand, this will be Eid for you.

Crossing the bridge of sirat at the speed of lightning, this will be Eid for you.

Then, your final abode, Jannah! Allah’s angels will great you, “Salam! Salam!” This will be Eid for you.

Just imagine the angels doing Salam, the ecstatic feeling in your heart…

“The Messenger of Allah recited this Verse: ‘For those who have done good is the best reward and even more.’

 Then he said: ‘When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, and the people of the Fire enter the Fire, a caller will cry out: “O people of Paradise! You have a covenant with Allah and He wants to fulfil it.” They will say: “What is it?” Has Allah not made the Balance (of our good deeds) heavy, and made our faces bright, and admitted us to Paradise and saved us from Hell?” Then the Veil will be lifted and they will look upon Him, and by Allah, Allah will not give them anything that is more beloved to them or delightful, than looking upon Him.'” (Ibn Majah)

This will be Eid!

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah will say to the people of Paradise, “O the people of Paradise!” They will say, ‘Labbaik, O our Lord, and Sa`daik, and all the good is in Your Hands!’ Allah will say, “Are you satisfied?’ They will say, ‘Why shouldn’t we be satisfied, O our Lord as You have given us what You have not given to any of Your created beings?’ He will say, ‘Shall I not give you something better than that?’ They will say, ‘O our Lord! What else could be better than that?’ He will say, ‘I bestow My Pleasure on you and will never be angry with you after that.’ “ (Bukhari)

This will be Eid!

The Eids in the world will come and go, that happiness will come and go. A new child is born it is temporary happiness, you children’s wedding, the happiness is temporary. But the real happiness is the happiness of obeying Allah, pleasing Allah, having the love of Allah and feeling His benevolence. This is when every day is Eid, every night is Eid, every hour is Eid, in hardship you will feel it is Eid and in ease you will find it is Eid.

foodbaklawa

O Allah! Accept from us our Fasting, Tilawah, Sadaqah, Zakah, Qiyam and Taraweeh.

O Allah! Make this Ramadhan such, that I become a Wali of yours.

O Allah! Free our necks from the fire of Hell and grant us Jannah.

O Allah! Make this Ramadhan a turning point in our lives, so we become closer to You.

O Allah! Make this Eid a true Eid for us, one in which we abstain from disobedience and keep us all steadfast.

Ameen.

eid lantern

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure).

27th Ramadhan 1437

 ras malai

 

 

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

‘Īd – An Occasion of Happiness

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Allāh ta‘ālā, through His sheer Grace and Mercy only, grants us many moments and days of happiness throughout our lives. When we hear of engagements and weddings, or of the birth of a child, or anticipate the day of ‘Īd, we experience joy in our hearts. Despite all our shortcomings, disobedience and subsequent unworthiness, He does not deprive us of such occasions of happiness. These occasions are unique in the sense that each individual, no matter what condition he is in, experiences happiness to some degree at the mere thought of their arrival. This happiness is from Allāh ta‘ālā alone, as He is the one in whose control lies joy and sorrow. 

One such occasion of happiness is the day of ‘Īd. However, when we entertain the thoughts of happiness that surround ‘Īd, many disobediences run through our minds. As far as the Dīnī aspects surrounding ‘Īd are concerned, only a handful are thought of, and even those, as mere rituals. At most, people will think of certain sunan of ‘Īd and ‘Īd salāh, and on ‘Īd-ul-Adhā the udhiyah (qurbānī). Thereafter, Zuhr, ‘Asr and the remaining salāhs of the day are almost unheard of. Even the Fajr salāh is missed by many especially when the days of ‘Īd fall in the summer months in the UK, because it is too early for them to make an effort to perform it. To perform the five times daily salāh is fard (compulsory) upon each and every believer, whilst the ‘Īd salāh is at most wājib, which, although of great importance, is albeit of a lower degree than fard. Therefore, being punctual in fulfilling a wājib whilst leaving aside a fard, is not the way a Muslim behaves, especially on an occasion of happiness. 

The happiness surrounding ‘Īd-ul-Adhā is based upon the great life of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām, in which he was tested numerous times by Allāh ta‘ālā, but never once did he waver or falter in his obedience to Him. He was tested during his youth; he was exiled by his father when he had no resources and was in need of his father’s support. But for Allāh ta‘ālā, he left him. Then again he was tested during his old age, when he was commanded to sacrifice his son Ismā‘īl ‘alayhis salām, when he needed him the most. Allāh ta‘ālā says,

“When his Lord put Ibrāhīm to a test with certain Words, and he fulfilled them…” (2:124)

It is this great life that we remember on the days of ‘Īd-ul-Adhā, and we are made to understand by Allāh ta‘ālā that just as My Khalīl Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām, who gave all sacrifices in order to carry out My commands, is being remembered throughout the world by millions of people, year in, year out, and will be remembered in the Hereafter, if you also live your lives according to My commands, I will also grant you honour and dignity both in this world and the Hereafter. 

‘Īd in no way means that we enjoy ourselves as we like, disobeying Allāh ta‘ālā by watching movies, intermingling freely with the opposite gender, consuming harām and generally neglecting our duties as Muslims. We should at all times, especially on this happy day of ‘Īd, purify our hearts from harbouring grudges, jealousy, hatred and ill-feelings towards our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, which is against the spirit of the way of our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

In contrast, we should have a greater sense of remembering Allāh ta‘ālā: the one who granted us this day of happiness. On the occasion of ‘Īd-ul-Fitr, Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh would complete the recitation of the entire Qur’ān during the night, and another during the day, after having already completed its recitation 61 times over the month of Ramadān. Our salaf as-sālihīn (pious predecessors) would spend their days of ‘Īd in the obedience of Allāh ta‘ālā and in His remembrance, whereas we spend ours in His disobedience.

We should learn our lesson from the blessed sīrah of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām not to disobey Allāh ta‘ālā in the slightest, and submit totally to His command at every juncture in our lives, just like he ‘alayhis salām did. If we do this, then we will acquire the proximity of Allāh ta‘ālā and every day of our lives will be a day of ‘Īd; a day of happiness and ecstasy. A person who gains the proximity of Allāh ta‘ālā through obedience to Him experiences such happiness and ecstasy during every moment of his life, that in comparison to it the pleasures of the whole world amount to nothing. Moreover, the truth is that the pleasures we search for in the displeasure of Allāh ta‘ālā are superficial, fake, and hollow. They are nothing but illusions. True pleasure lies in the connection and strength of relationship with Allāh ta‘ālā, in love for the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and in following his teachings in all aspects of life. 

It is this pleasure that our pious predecessors would experience. If that wasn’t the case, why would Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām have gone through so much for the sake of Allāh ta‘ālā? Why would Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh have recited the Qur’ān so much, even on the day of ‘Īd? One of our great predecessors, Mawlānā Fadl-ur-Rahmān Ganjmurādābādī rahimahullāh used to say that whenever he would go into prostration, he would not wish to raise his head again. Such was the feeling of ecstasy in worship and obedience. 

Ibrāhīm ibn Adham rahimahullāh would say, “By Allāh! If the kings were to know the pleasure we are in, they would fight us with swords [to snatch it away from us].”

Abū Sulaymān Ad-Dārānī rahimahullāh would say, “The worshippers of the night in their worship experience more pleasure than those who engage in futility.” 

This was the feeling of ecstasy and pleasure that compelled Bilāl radhiyallāhu ‘anhu to say, “Ahad, ahad (Allāh is One, Allāh is One)” despite being brutally tortured.

This lesson that we learn at the occasion of ‘Īd-ul-Adhā, should be revised each time Allāh ta‘ālā grants us any kind of happiness. At occasions of happiness we should not forget our Compassionate Creator who has granted us the happiness. May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us all the pleasure of His obedience, and keep us steadfast on the creed of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām and his immense will of submission. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Volume 21, Issue 11)


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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Udhiyah [Qurbani]


The Spirit of Udhiyah (Qurbānī)

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

During the months following Ramadān, Muslims the world over remember the life of the great Prophet, the Friend of Allāh ta‘ālā, Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām; a life full of sacrifice and submission to the will of Allāh ta‘ālā.

At a very young age, when in need of the support of his father, Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām was compelled to leave him. Then, during the final stages of his life, when in his old age and in need of the support of his young son, he was commanded by Allāh ta‘ālā to sacrifice him. Without hesitation, he was ready to submit to the Will of his Creator. Allāh ta‘ālā says:

And when (his son) reached an age in which he was able to walk with him, he said: “O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you, so see what is your view.” He said: “O my father! Do what you are commanded. Allāh willing, you will find me of the patient ones.”

So when they had both submitted (to Allāh’s Will), and he laid him down on his forehead, We called out to him: “O Ibrāhīm! You have indeed fulfilled the vision.” Surely, thus do we reward the doers of good. This was a clear trial. (37:102-106)

 Allāh ta‘ālā granted this action of Ibrāhīm u so much acceptance that He made the Udhiyah (qurbānī/sacrifice) a symbol of this great act. When asked by the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum what Udhiyah is, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam replied:

It is the sunnah of your father Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām. (Ahmad, Ibn Mājah)

The act of Udhiyah brings enormous rewards and the Pleasure of the Lord. The Prophetsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

The son of Ādam does no deed on the day of Udhiyah dearer to Allāh ta‘ālā than the sacrificing of animals. It (the sacrificed animal) will come on the Day of Qiyāmah with its horns and its hair and its hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allāh before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with a happy heart. (At-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah)

Once, the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum asked Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamregarding the benefits of Udhiyah. He answered: “A reward for every hair.”

They asked: “And wool, O Prophet of Allāh?”

He said: “A reward for every fibre of the wool.” (Ahmad, Ibn Mājah)

Therefore, everyone who is able to offer Udhiyah should do so and acquire the rewards promised in the ahādīth.

Who is Required to do Udhiyah?

The act of Udhiyah is in some cases wājib and in others nafl. A person must perform the wājib Udhiyah and endeavour to perform as many nafl as possible. In the case of the person who, during the days of Udhiyah (10th, 11th and 12th Dhul-Hijjah), possesses wealth to the amount which would make zakāh obligatory upon him, be it in the form of gold, silver, cash, merchandise or any item which is surplus to his needs, the Udhiyah will be wājib. Unlike in the case of zakāh, it is not necessary for this amount of wealth to be in one’s possession for an entire year. The compulsion of Udhiyah is established simply if wealth equivalent to the nisāb of zakāh is possessed during the specified days.

Some Misconceptions Regarding Udhiyah

Here, we need to clarify certain common misconceptions as regards this ‘ibādah.

1) One common misconception regarding Udhiyah is that it is merely a virtuous deed; it brings reward to the one who performs it and there is no blame if it is not done. This is a serious misunderstanding, for in most cases in the UK, it is wājib.

2) The second misunderstanding is assuming that the obligation of Udhiyah is shared between the entire household. This results in those members of the household upon whom Udhiyah is incumbent performing just one between them, feeling that the obligation has been fulfilled. This is not so. If a man possesses the nisāb of zakāh, one Udhiyah is wājib upon him. If his wife also possesses the nisāb, she will have to perform a separate Udhiyah. Similarly, if any of the children (provided they are bāligh) possess the amount of nisāb, Udhiyah will be compulsory on each one of them as well.

3) Another common misconception is that Udhiyah is carried out to allow people to eat meat which is considered blessed. With this in mind they are satisfied with eating Udhiyah meat that has reached them from others. There is no doubt that Udhiyah meat is blessed, as Udhiyah is the re-enactment of the sacrifice made by Ibrāhīm‘alayhis salām, the Friend of Allāh, but it is even more importantly an obligation which needs fulfilling. Such people should worry about discharging the obligation of Udhiyah and not only be content with partaking of its blessed meat.

4) In many households, the father performs Udhiyah on behalf of all his family members without their knowledge or without their having requested him. We should understand that this approach to Udhiyah only amounts to a nafl Udhiyah. In the case of a father arranging the Udhiyah for his dependants, they need to make him their wakīl (agent) in order for these sacrifices to be considered valid.

It is clear from the above that we must become familiar with the masā’il and injunctions of Udhiyah. These masā’il can be learnt from various books as well as through consulting the ‘Ulamā and Muftis.

The Spirit of Sacrifice in Udhiyah

Just as the name itself suggests, Udhiyah (sacrifice) should be carried out taking its literal meaning into consideration. Generally, we arrange for our Udhiyah to be carried out at a cheap price in a poor country. No doubt this lifts the obligation, but it is not the type of Udhiyah that Allāh ta‘ālā would like to see. We will not experience the spirit of Udhiyah until we spend the amount that it takes to sacrifice e.g. a sheep in this country (which is often equivalent to the amount required to sacrifice a cow elsewhere). Allāh ta‘ālā has provided for us in abundance so we should express our shukr (gratitude) to Allāh ta‘ālā and not be miserly.

We should offer a Udhiyah in needy countries by all means, but we should also offer one in our own locality. By doing so we too can partake of the blessed meat.

The Custom of our Pious Predecessors

Shaykhul Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh used to mention that during the three days of Udhiyah, no other food items should accompany the Udhiyah meat. The Shaykh would stress to the people that during these days, they were the guests of Allāhta‘ālā and that the meat of Udhiyah was His hospitality. We can gather from this how much our pious predecessors gave importance to Udhiyah. So let us perform Udhiyah in our localities as well as in those places where the destitute live who have no access to meat.

We should also offer Udhiyah on behalf of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, our parents, our teachers, our mashā’ikh, our well-wishers and benefactors, and also one on behalf of the whole Ummah. We may also perform Udhiyah on behalf of the variousSahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, alternating between them on different occasions. The same applies for the Awliyā (friends of Allāh), the Muhaddithīn and the A’immah, all of whom we are indebted to.

My honourable father, Hāfiz Ibrāhīm Dhorat rahimahullāh used to keep an annual record of nafl Udhiyahs performed on behalf of all these great personalities. He also used to perform nafl Udhiyah every year on behalf of his parents and shaykh.

In this manner, our intended reward will reach the pious in the hereafter and, inshā’allāh, will be a reason for them to search for us on the Day of Judgement. We should also make this practice a habit whenever we have the opportunity to spend in the path of Allāh ta‘ālā. These acts will prove beneficial spiritually for our lives in this world and the hereafter.

May Allāh ta‘ālā give us the ability to offer Udhiyah in its true spirit, not feeling it a burden but with zeal and eagerness. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 14 No. 12, Dec 2005)