Tag: Hadhrat Mawlana Saleem Dhorat Saheb

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Naseehah for Madrasah Teachers

Naseehah (Principal Forum Conference)

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (hafidhahullāh)

1st September 2025

Those who have selected ta’līm as their occupation, they have been classed as the best of people by  Nabī ﷺ. 

خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ

Abū Abdur-Rahmān as-Sulamī who narrated this hadīth to his students from Hadrat Uthman said that it is this hadīth which is the reason for me sitting here today. From the time of Hadrat ‘Uthmān to the time of Hajjāj bin Yūsuf, he continued teaching in one place, one Masjid – and it was due to this hadīth. Hence, those who teach are very valuable in the sight of Allāh. 

The ‘Ulamā are the inheritors of the Anbiyā. What is their duty? Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah.

لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ

What was the mission of Rasūlullãh ﷺ?

  1. Tilāwah – teach them the words of the Qur’ān
  2. Tazkiyah – purify their hearts from shirk, spiritual illnesses etc.
  3. Tafsīr of Qur’ān – teach them the explanation of the Qur’ān alongside the words
  4. Sunnah 

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

After Ibrāhīm AS made the house of Allāh with Ismā’īl AS, he didn’t stop there, but he made the above du’ā – he asked to send someone with these specific four qualities. The first three of these qualities are connected to ta’līm and the last one is connected to tarbiyyah. 

If we summarise these missions, they come down to two things – Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah.

Nabī ﷺ has said,

إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ صَالِحَ الأَخْلاقِ

إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ مُعَلِّمًا

There is no one better than Nabī saw in this world – Allah gave him knowledge and did his tarbiyyah

وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمۡ تَكُن تَعۡلَمُۚ وَكَانَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكَ عَظِيمٗا

Nabī ﷺ has said,

أدبني ربي فأحسن تأدیبي

So Allah gave Nabī ﷺ ta’līm, hence he was a muta’allim, and Allah did his tarbiyyah so he was murabba at that time. He then became the murabbī and mu’allim of this ummah. He did ta’līm and tarbiyyah of this ummah.

إِنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَرَثَةُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ

This duty was then passed onto the people of knowledge. It is a great virtue and a tremendous ihsān from Allāh ﷻ upon those who take on this responsibility. Our job is Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah. Our responsibility is Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah. When we sit for 2–3 hours in a maktab, our purpose should always be Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah.

Take an example: if a man doesn’t know that his purpose is to go to town and buy a coat, he may go—but he won’t know which shop to enter or what to do. If he doesn’t know what he’s buying, he won’t know where to go. However, if a child knows his mother has given him money to buy chocolate, he will go to the right shop, in the right area, and buy the right thing. The point is: when you know the purpose of something, you won’t waste time—you’ll fulfil the duty.

The purpose of our teaching is Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah.

Our job is to teach both ‘Ilm and ‘Amal. It’s not enough to just say, “We should lower our gaze.” We must also teach how to do that. A weakness today is that we say what needs to be said, but we don’t forbid the wrong in practice. If someone is doing something wrong, it’s either due to a lack of knowledge or a lack of tazkiyah.

Tarbiyyah is not done through r’ub and khawf , but through shawq (desire) and muhabbah (love). A child should look forward to your class and your lessons. From the morning, they should be waiting eagerly for 5pm. If they develop love for you, they will want to come. That is how you do their Tarbiyyah—through muhabbah. The child’s progress in Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah is directly tied to your progress towards the ākhirah.

Story of Muhājir Umm Qays: Nabī ﷺ was giving Tarbiyyah. If a mistake was not corrected, the mistake would have continued.

There is a difference between parhāna (to lecture) and sikhāna (to teach practically). If you take a recipe book and explain the recipe of biryani in an excellent manner, the girls won’t be able to make biryani just from that. That is parhāna. But sikhāna is different—you have to teach practically too. You teach the knowledge, but you also teach how to implement it.

A young man once came to Nabī ﷺ and said he felt the urge to commit zina. If it was only about propagating, Nabī ﷺ would have just said, “It is harām.” But Nabī ﷺ knew the boy already had the knowledge—what he lacked was Tarbiyyah. So Nabī ﷺ began his Tarbiyyah: he asked the young man how he would feel if someone did this with his mother, daughter, or sister. The boy replied that he would dislike it. Nabī ﷺ explained that the woman he wishes to commit adultery with is also someone’s daughter, sister, or mother.

Notice—Nabī ﷺ did not shout at him. He did not say, “How dare you ask such a thing? Don’t you know zina is harām?” Instead, he gave Tarbiyyah. Then, he placed his hand on the young man’s chest and made du‘ā:

‎اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ ذَنْبَهُ، وَطَهِّرْ قَلْبَهُ، وَحَصِّنْ فَرْجَهُ

“O Allāh, forgive his sin, purify his heart, and protect his chastity.”

After this, the young man never even looked at a non-mahram. This was the extent to which Nabī ﷺ went in doing Tarbiyyah.

We really need to understand our purpose.

Before leaving the house, we should think: I am going to do Ta’līm and Tarbiyyah of my students. I must teach them knowledge and also how to practice it.

In the villages of India, even if a teacher wasn’t an ‘Ālim, he had concern (fikr) to see whether the students attended the masjid for ṣalāh.

A teacher should never be absent—not even once. Absence removes barakah. Be present physically, mentally, and wholeheartedly. The children’s time is an amānah. I go as far as saying that we shouldn’t even look at our mobile phones in class—that is khiyānah.

We should always feel the need for the suhbah of the buzurgs. When things succeed, we shouldn’t think it’s due to our own efforts, but rather the du‘ās of our teachers. 

The entire time should be spent behind the students—even during exams, don’t read your own books. Help them revise. Ml Islām ul Haq would listen to us—he didn’t just say, “Revise with one another” whilst he sat observing. He would listen to us even during exam time. He didn’t even need to open the kitāb. He listened to sabak every day of every child, sometimes even correcting us firmly when needed.

If you’ve finished sabak earlier one day, still occupy the children’s time. 

Qārī Raheem Baksh, a student of Qārī Panipatti, always arrived 5–10 minutes early and left 5–10 minutes late. If he had to travel abroad, even if his flight was at 2pm, he wouldn’t simply give a holiday. He would teach until he had to leave for the airport. And when he returned, if there was still time left in the day, he would first go to teach and only then return home.

Hadrat Qārī Siddīq Bandwi continued teaching even when his wife passed away. He was in great sorrow and wanted to cry—he would go to the toilet as an excuse to weep, then return to continue teaching. But he never left his Ta’līm.

If a madrasah is closed for a week due to issues in the building, how many teachers feel sad that the children are missing days of learning? Instead, many feel happy. This shows we don’t truly understand our purpose. If one madrasah has 50 days of holiday and another has 40, the second group should be happy for having ten extra days of Ta’līm, while the first should feel sad for having ten fewer—but today, it’s often the opposite.

We should note this and change our mindset. When school holidays began, my father would call students from the morning. Whether there was a wage or not, he would make them understand the value of using the holidays. He encouraged them to do a few extra ajzā’. He would take them with him to ẓuhr. If a child had not completed his lesson, he would keep him until he had finished—even if it was until 8pm because of just one student. It was not easy. 

Once, my father slipped due to a frosty surface and broke his hand. We rushed him to hospital, and by the time we returned home, it was nearly ‘aṣr. He quickly prayed ẓuhr and told me: “Go tell the mosque secretary that I have fever and a broken hand, so I cannot come to the mosque—but send the children to my house instead.” My mother said, “Leave it for one day.” But he replied, “Sabak cannot be missed.”

There are countless stories like this from our pious predecessors. Qārī Siddīq Bandwi writes about his teacher, Qārī Abdul Haleem. When asked to teach sab‘a qirā’āt, he replied: “I don’t have time. But after ẓuhr, the class I teach hidāyah to take 7–8 minutes to organise their kitābs. If you come then, I can teach you in those 7–8 minutes.” Later, he added: “Come after ‘ishā’ as well.” After some time he said: “Even this won’t be enough to complete within a year. So come from tahajjud till fajr.” The students would sleep in his house, and after praying tahajjud, he would wake them up and teach them until fajr.

We should put effort not only on the bright students, but also on those who struggle. A teacher once said to me that he wanted to stop teaching maktab because his class that year wasn’t as bright as previous cohorts. I told him to continue—and at the end of the year, he felt a great sense of satisfaction.

There was a ḥifẓ teacher who complained to me about a student who could only learn three lines a day. I asked him: “What would you do if he was your own child?” The boy continued and eventually completed his ḥifẓ in seven years, later becoming an ‘Ālim. Due to the patience of his teacher, the child achieved so much.

Nabī ﷺ said: “I am to you like a father is to his son.” Imām Shāfi‘ī mentioned that as a child, being an orphan, he received less attention from his teachers. Burhān al-A’immah, when students came to him after fajr, would teach them until midday, and only then would he teach his own son. His son complained: “You teach them at the best time, but me at the hardest time (when people are sleepy).” His father explained: “The others come from far away, so they deserve priority.” Both father and son sacrificed. Whoever puts effort on other people’s children, Allāh ﷻ will not deprive their own.

A teacher has limited time, but it is his duty that if someone does not understand, he should teach them again in his free time. Imām Shāfi‘ī explained something 17 times to a student who still didn’t understand. Out of embarrassment, the student left. Imām Shāfi‘ī called him back and said: “I will explain again.”

Rabi‘ ibn Sulaymān, a beloved student of Imām Shāfi‘ī, once heard his teacher say: “If I could feed you knowledge, I would feed it all to you.”

Every father wants better for his child. A sincere (mukhlis) teacher also wishes the same—that his students’ rank surpasses his own. Qārī Raheem Baksh could not eat if a student had failed to deliver sabak. At night, he would turn restlessly and do istighfār, thinking the fault lay in his own shortcomings.

We should have immense love for our students. Ml Mamlūk ‘Alī Sāhib would check on every student. If he heard that one was ill, he would travel far to visit him.

At Jāmi‘ah Islāmiyyah (Fatehpur), there was a principal, Maulānā Zuhoorul Islām. Once, a student became ill and cried when Mawlānā visited him. Hadrat comforted him, then went to the masjid to pray two rak‘ahs. His khādim overheard him making du‘ā: “O Allāh, this child has come from far. If shifā’ is not written for him, and death is written for him, then I also have a son—‘Aṭiyyatullāh. Take him instead.” Shortly after, he received news that his son was gravely ill. Before he could reach home, ‘Aṭiyyatullāh had passed away, while the student had recovered.

Even maktab teachers should do mutāla‘ah. They should think: How can I explain this to a child of such-and-such age? Mufti Sa‘īd Ahmad Pālanpūri once advised: “The time you spent in mutāla‘ah during your student days, now spend that much time thinking about how to teach in a way that your students can grasp that information.”

We should have the following bātinī asbāb:

  1. Reverence

We should regard the spreading of knowledge as something great in our hearts. Allāh ﷻ sent an angel to our beloved Nabī ﷺ and chose the month of Ramadān and such a blessed place (Makkah). We should have love and reverence for this knowledge. There is a noticeable difference between a teacher who has azmat for knowledge in his heart and one who does not.

  1. Love

Have love in your heart—for Allāh, for the students, and for the knowledge itself.

  1. Sincerity

One should be sincere. There is nothing wrong with taking a wage. However, there is a difference between teaching for Allāh ﷻ and accepting a wage for livelihood, and teaching purely for the wage. Do we come to the madrasah just for the wage? Do we switch to another madrasah solely because it pays better? Teaching without ikhlās is one of the worst things. 

  1. Taqwā

We should maintain taqwā in our hearts. Find a murabbī who can guide you—there are many shuyūkh around. Be serious and have concern for your own Tarbiyyah. How can we give Tarbiyyah to others if we lack it ourselves? We should be good examples for our students. Often, we instruct students to do something, yet we do not follow it ourselves—such as giving salam when entering the classroom or sitting appropriately. Our environments of madrasah should also be based on taqwa.

Hadrat Mawlānā Hashim, a very affectionate teacher of mine, once said that next to Jogwar Dārul ‘Ulūm, there is a vast piece of land. He suggested to Qari Siddeeq Sb that we should establish a Dārul ‘Ulūm for girls there and construct a large wall as a barrier between the two institutions. He also proposed that the holidays be arranged so that when the girls are going home, the boys are not present, and vice versa. For example, boys would have a holiday one day, and the girls would have their holiday the next day. Qari Siddeeq Sb listened to this proposal but responded thoughtfully:

“You may build a physical barrier between the two, but there is no barrier between thoughts and hearts. What wall can prevent thoughts like, ‘Such-and-such a girl from such a place is studying there’?”

I mention this because today we are familiar with all the rules and regulations, but as Mufti Shafi Sb said, “The biggest mufti is your heart.”

What is the meaning of parda? It means ensuring that thoughts of non-mahrams or inappropriate thoughts do not enter the heart. A niqab alone cannot achieve this. Someone once remarked that he found niqāb-clad women more of a fitna than women without a niqab. When I asked why, he explained that with a woman without a niqab, her reality is visible, but with a niqāb, the imagination of the nafs takes over. Our elders were extremely cautious about this. There should be taqwā in the madrasah: no casual messaging between genders, no unnecessary interactions. A mahram is a mahram, and a ghayr mahram is a ghayr mahram. Meetings shouldn’t take place with both genders in the same room, even with a niqāb.

In our madrasah, IDA, we currently combine lessons for girls and boys in Mishkāt and Daurah years. Insha’Allāh, we plan to make it fully independent in the future. During lessons, complete seriousness is maintained. Even sensitive hadiths, such as those about nāqisāt-‘aql, are never joked about. Besides one teacher, no one knows how many girls are studying or whose daughters are enrolled. Even I do not know how many girls are currently studying in Daurah Ḥadīth.

Before going to a lesson, when leaving your home, start by making du‘ā—for protection from Shayṭān and that you may fulfill the duty entrusted to you. Ask yourself: have I made enough preparations? After teaching, do shukr and istighfār. Ask yourself: did I teach the way I was supposed to?

Keep a connection with your elders—they have basīrah, and the nūr of ‘Ilm and Taqwā!

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Udhiyah (Qurbani)

Udhiyah (Qurbani)

By Shaykhul-Hadith, Hadrat Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat damat barakatuhum

Virtues of Udhiyah

• Udhiyah is a practice commanded by Allah ta‘ala:

..So turn in prayer towards your Rabb and sacrifice (animals). (108:2)

• The son of Adam does not carry out on Yawmun-Nahr (10th Dhul- Hijjah) a deed more beloved to Allah than the animal sacrifice. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgement with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah ta‘ala before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore, sacrifice with an open and happy heart. (At-Tirmidhi)

On Whom is Udhiyah Wajib?

• Udhiyah is wajib on every Muslim who is of sound mind, mature (who has reached the age of puberty), muqim (i.e. he is not a Shar‘i traveller) and possesses the amount of fifty two and half tolas of silver (612.36 grams) or wealth equivalent to that value which is in excess of one’s asli (basic) needs. It is not necessary that this amount be in one’s possession for a complete lunar year. It’s possession during the three days of udhiyah will make udhiyah obligatory. Udhiyah is not incumbent on a child or an insane person whether they own wealth equivalent to the amount above or not, nor is it wajib upon their guardians to perform it on their behalf. Similarly, it is not wajib on a Shar‘i traveller.

Note: A Shar‘i traveller is he who goes on a journey with an intention of travelling forty eight miles. He will be regarded a Shar‘i traveller as soon as he goes out of his town.

• It is also highly virtuous for one on whom udhiyah is not wajib to offer sacrifice for the Pleasure of Allah ta‘ala. He will be eligible for all the reward mentioned in the Ahadith.

• During the days of udhiyah, sadaqah (charity) cannot compensate for udhiyah nor fulfil the wajib. Udhiyah is a unique ‘ibadah. Just as zakah cannot compensate for hajj, or sawm (fasting) cannot compensate for salah, similarly sadaqah cannot compensate for udhiyah. However, if the days of udhiyah had passed and the udhiyah was not offered due to not knowing, negligence or for some other valid reason, then it becomes wajib to give in sadaqah the price of udhiyah animal or the animal itself to the poor.

• If a traveller returned home or a person acquired the required wealth on the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah before sunset, it will be wajib upon him to perform udhiyah.

• A traveller who makes intention of staying at a certain place for fifteen days or more, no longer remains a traveller. He must offer udhiyah if he possesses the prescribed amount.

Days of Udhiyah

• The days of udhiyah are the tenth, eleventh and twelfth of Dhul-Hijjah. The first day is better than the second, and the second better than the last.

Time for Udhiyah

• In towns and cities where Jumu‘ah and ‘Id are performed, the time for udhiyah is from after the ‘Id salah until before sunset of 12th Dhul Hijjah. If the udhiyah has been offered before the ‘Id salah, it will have to be repeated.

• It is permissible, but not preferable to perform udhiyah at night.

The Udhiyah Animal

• It is permissible to offer in sacrifice a goat or she-goat, sheep of all kinds, cow, bull, buffalo or camel.

• It is necessary that the goat is one (full) year old, whether male or female. A cow, bull or buffalo will have to be two years old, and a camel five years. Animals that are younger are not suitable for udhiyah.

• A sheep (of any kind) not less than six months old, so strong and fat that it appears to be one year old will suffice for udhiyah, otherwise it will have to be one (full) year old.

• A cow, bull, buffalo or camel will suffice for seven persons provided no one’s share is less than one seventh and the niyyah (intention) of all partners is to attain thawab (for udhiyah), and not merely to obtain meat.

• The udhiyah of only one person can be performed from a goat, sheep or ram.

• If an animal seller says that the animal has reached the required age, and outwardly there is no sign to disprove it, then it is permissible to rely on his statement.

• Animals that are castrated can be used for udhiyah. In fact, this type of animal is preferable.

• The following cannot be used for udhiyah:

-Animals that are blind, one-eyed or has lost one-third or more of its eyesight.

-Animals that have lost a third of the ear or the tail. Similarly, the animal which has no ear from its very birth.

-An animal whose horn has been broken off from the root.

-An animal which has one leg lame to the extent that it walks on three legs only and is unable to use the fourth leg.

-An animal so lean and thin that its bones have no marrow.

-An animal so weak that it cannot walk to the place of slaughtering on its own.

-An animal completely toothless or one that has lost most of its teeth.

• It is virtuous to purchase the animal for udhiyah a few days prior to slaughtering and care must be taken in feeding and nursing it.

Method of Sacrifice

• It is more virtuous to slaughter the animal with one’s own hands. If one does not know how to slaughter, it is preferred that he remain present while someone else is sacrificing the animal. It is not necessary to make the niyyah (intention) of udhiyah with the tongue, however it is necessary to say the Name of Allah, preferably Bismillahi Allahu Akbar when slaughtering.

• Use a sharp knife and slaughter the animal quickly so that it does not suffer.

• Do not sharpen the knife in front of the animal.

• After slaughtering, do not skin the animal before it becomes completely cold.

• Do not slaughter one animal in the presence of another.

• It is mustahabb (desirable) for the one intending to offer udhiyah to refrain from cutting hair or clipping nails from 1st Dhul-Hijjah until one’s udhiyah animal is sacrificed.

The Udhiyah Meat and Skin

• It is impermissible to sell the meat or skin of the udhiyah animal. However, they may be given away in charity or as a gift.

• It is permissible to eat the udhiyah meat. It can also be distributed to relatives and friends whether wealthy or poor, muslims or non-muslims. It is better to divide it into three parts. One for the family, one for relatives and friends and one for the poor and needy.

• The skin of the udhiyah animal can be kept for personal use, e.g. using it as a prayer-mat, water bag etc.

• If the meat or skin of the udhiyah animal is sold, then it is wajib to give that amount in sadaqah to the poor (i.e. those who are eligible for zakah).

• It is not permissible to give the meat, skin, fat, etc. of the sacrificed animal to the butcher as his wages.

• The meat of the animal slaughtered by partners should be shared by weight and not by estimation.

• The rope, cover, etc. of the animal should be given away as sadaqah.

Udhiyah on Behalf of the Deceased

If one has been favoured by Allah ta‘ala with wealth, then he should also perform udhiyah on behalf of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the Ambiya ‘alayhis salam, the Sahabah radhiyallahu ‘anhum, the Ummah, and for his own living or deceased relatives, friends, mashayikh and teachers who have conveyed to him Dini knowledge.

One should always remember our Beloved Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and perform udhiyah on his behalf. Sayyiduna ‘Ali radhiyallahu ‘anhu sacri?ced two rams for udhiyah; one on behalf of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and one for himself, and said, ‘Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam ordered me to offer udhiyah on his behalf, therefore I will always do so (for as long as I remain alive).’ (Al-Hakim)

Our Beloved Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam himself performed udhiyah on behalf of his ummah. Sayyiduna Abu Talhah radhiyallahu ‘anhu has related that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sacrificed one ram and while sacrificing the other he said, “This is on behalf of every one of my Ummah who believed in me and testified (to my prophethood).” (At-Tabarani)

It is a matter for deep thought and consideration that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam kept his Ummah in his mind while offering the sacrifice; hence it would be inappropriate for the Ummah not to remember him and offer udhiyah on his behalf.

© Islamic Da’wah Academy

Categories
Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Hajj – a Lesson in Submission

By Shaykhul-Hadith, Hadrat Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat damat barakatuhum

On 6th Dhul Hijjah 1426 after the jumu‘ah salah, we arrived at Dhul-Hulayfah, outside Madinah, and made preparations to enter into ihram. Dhul-Hulayfah was chosen because it is where Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and his Companions radhiyallahu ‘anhum had entered the state of ihram. It was our desire to begin the hajj by observing this sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam. The thought persisted in my mind that the Beloved of Allah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam performed only one hajj during his lifetime, and Allah ta‘ala had chosen this place for him to enter into ihram. Thus, there could not have been a better place for this act.

After making all the preparations, attired in only two sheets, we performed two raka‘at, made the intention for hajj and recited the talbiyah:

Labbayk, allahumma labbayk. Labbayk, la sharika-laka labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk. La sharika-lak.

Here I am (at Your service), O Allah, here I am. Here I am, no partner do You have, here I am. Truly, the Praise and the Favour is Yours, and the Sovereignty. No partner do You have. (Al-Bukhari)

It is impossible to express how I felt at that moment. Tears trickled down my cheeks wetting my beard. In my mind echoed the thought: ‘You are so careless regarding the Din of Allah ta‘ala. You are not worthy of being invited by Allah ta‘ala to His Blessed House. How Merciful and Kind is your Creator that despite all your negligence and shortcomings, He has listed you amongst the hujjaj of 1426.’

We were now in the state of ihram and many things had now become prohibited, including the use of ‘itr (perfume) and covering the head, both of which are sunnah at other times.

On 8th Dhul Hijjah, we arrived in Mina. According to the sunnah practice, we were to spend the whole day and perform all our salah there. On this day, being present in the Haram for us pilgrims was less rewarding than remaining in Mina.

On the next day, 9th Dhul Hijjah, we moved to ‘Arafah. Those who performed the Zuhr salah in Masjid Namirah behind the Imam of hajj combined the ‘Asr salah with it before its prescribed time. We remained in ‘Arafah until sunset, after which we left, delaying the Maghrib salah until we combined it with the ‘Isha salah in Muzdalifah, as this is the sunnah of Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam.

I came across hundreds of hujjaj from all walks of life, young and old, men and women, and masha’allah, not a single person questioned any of the above. Each individual carried out what had been commanded without raising any objection whatsoever. No one was concerned that covering the head and applying perfume, both prophetic practices, were forbidden. No remarks were to be heard regarding the reward of salah in the Haram during the stay in Mina. The performance of ‘Asr salah in ‘Arafah before its appointed time did not raise any questions, nor did delaying the Maghrib salah. Every single haji was an embodiment of Islam, submitting his/her will to the Will of the Creator, unquestioningly carrying out all the Commands of Allah ta‘ala.

Alhamdulillah, throughout my journey, amidst the thousands of hujjaj who had come from all corners of the world, I witnessed nothing but Islam i.e. submission to the Will and Command of Allah ta‘ala. This made me think that the greatest lesson of hajj is that Allah ta‘ala is telling His bondsmen: ‘If you are able to submit totally to my commands without any hesitation during these five days, surely you have the ability to do the same after hajj. Islam is not difficult, as long as you resolve to follow it.’

Once this lesson has been learnt, the haji resolves to submit himself to his Creator. By pelting the Jamarat and sacrificing an animal he practically begins his battle against those two things that prevent a person from fully submitting to Allah ta‘ala: Shaytan and the nafs. The act of pelting is an open declaration of enmity towards Shaytan, whilst sacrificing an animal is a vow to sacrifice the desires of the nafs. Once these two, Shaytan and the nafs, are under control, submission is no longer difficult. Allah ta‘ala and His Rasul sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam have warned us against both these obstacles:

O believers, enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of Shaytan; surely, he is your open enemy. (2:208)

As for the one who feared to stand before his Rabb and restrained his nafs from (evil) desire, Jannah will be his abode. (79:40-41)

The clever one is he who subjugates his nafs and works for what is to come after death… (At-Tirmidhi)

If the haji returns with a resolution to submit wholeheartedly to his Creator, then definitely his life will change. And this change is a sign that he has performed al-hajjul-mabrur (accepted hajj) and the reward for al-hajjul-mabrur is nothing other than Jannah.

Taken  from ‘Inspirations’ (Volume 1) published by Islamic Da’wah Academy

© Islamic Da’wah Academy

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Current Affairs articles

Three Electoral Commitments Every Muslim Should Make


21st Dhul-Hijjah 1445 AH ~ Thursday 27th June 2024     
Like the rest of the country, the UK’s Muslim community is also gearing up to vote on Thursday 4th July 2024. The political parties have been campaigning in earnest for some time, outlining their manifestos and stressing their commitments to the nation. During the days preceding polling day, Britain’s Muslims should be asking themselves what commitments they have made when it comes to casting their votes. Below is an article by Hadrat Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat damat barakatuhum, containing valuable advice for the Muslim voter. 

Three Electoral Commitments Every Muslim Should Make

By Shaykhul-Hadith, Hadrat Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat damat barakatuhum   

Reaping the Benefits of Progress Allah ta‘ala has placed the desire for progress, and the spirit of mutual competitiveness that accompanies it, into the very nature of man. It is natural for individuals and communities to strive to better themselves and achieve progress. As Muslims, we should open the pages of history to discover those factors which make a nation progressive and prosperous and adopt them, as long as they are consistent with the teachings of our Din. As a result, we too will reap the benefits of progress, insha’allah.Our study should commence with trying to ascertain the secret behind the success of the noble Sahabah radhiyallahu ‘anhum, for they are the ideal role models of a community that attracted success in its every endeavour. A thoughtful investigation will reveal three prominent qualities which can be attributed to their success. In this election season, every Muslim should commit him/herself to observing these three principles, regardless of their preferred party, in order to secure success and achievement, both on a personal and communal level.

Taqwa Abstention from sins is the essence of taqwa and through it Allah ta‘ala has promised relief from every difficulty. The Sahabah radhiyallahu ‘anhum shunned all disobedience to Allah ta‘ala; they neither had a habit of sinning nor were they inclined towards sins.In dealing with the election issue, we must not say or do anything that displeases Allah ta‘ala. Of all the sins to beware of, backbiting and slander are major sins which are a particular threat at such times. One inclined towards a particular party should not backbite or slander a supporter of another party, for in doing so the requirements of taqwa will be compromised; and Divine assistance and blessings cannot be expected in the absence of taqwa.

Ikhlas Every decision taken by the Sahabah radhiyallahu ‘anhum was only for the Pleasure of Allah ta‘ala. Whether standing for election, supporting a party or voting, a Muslim must be pure in his intentions. This intention should be to elect the candidate who will best serve humanity in general, including the Muslim community. If a Muslim has sincerity then his vote will go to the right candidate, for he will expend his energies in finding out who is the best candidate.

Unity Unity is a key factor for the success of any nation; a truly united community can withstand any competition. Individuals should have the courtesy of mutual respect despite their political rivalries. Sadly, the Muslim community is a divided one. Every individual has the right to his own opinion and his own preference, within Dini boundaries; but our mutual differences often transform into malice and enmity towards each other. We go to extremes: if we like something in a particular person, we praise him to the extreme, whereas if we disagree with someone on one issue, we become blind to all the good qualities he possesses. Our dealings are but a faint shadow of the Islamic concept of brotherhood, taught to us by our Beloved Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam. True brotherhood demands that whatever our political stripe, we should be able to sit at a table and sacrifice our political allegiances for the sake of Allah ta‘ala and agree to support the candidate who is best for not only the Muslims, but all communities in general. All that is needed to achieve unity is a little sacrifice and the willingness to swallow one’s pride. We should be willing to marginalise our differences in order to progress in a common direction.It may be a good idea for the Muslims of each constituency to unite on a single platform and form a committee which is responsible for recommending the best candidate to Muslim voters. In this way, political parties will try to persuade such committees and as a result, seriously consider the needs of the Muslim community. May Allah ta‘ala grant us all the longing to strive for taqwa, ikhlas and unity. Amin.

Important Points
Every Muslim should keep the following points in mind:
1.    In all circumstances hold fast to taqwa, ikhlas and unity.
2.    The vote is very important. It is a means of electing the person most beneficial for the community and our country.
3.    Voting is a big responsibility. Not voting or voting incorrectly will give authority to the wrong person.
4.    The best candidate deserves our vote.
5.    We should become politically aware.
6.    We should read every party’s manifesto.
7.    We should study party policies and also refer to sincere people in our communities, who possess political acumen.
8.    We should find out which party offers us the best in all spheres of life: education, housing, health, social issues, foreign policy etc. Deciding on a party by just looking at one issue does not constitute farsightedness.
9.    We should think rationally and not make judgements based on emotions.
10. Finally, we should make du‘a to Allah ta‘ala, asking Him to enable us to make the right choice and that He grants success to those who will serve the country and its citizens without any prejudice or wrong. May Allah ta‘ala grant us all success and progress with khayr and barakah. Amin. 
Taken from Riyadul Jannah, Vol. 26 No. 4, Apr 2017 © Islamic Da’wah Academy 

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Grief & Happiness – A Test

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

If we carefully reflect on our lives, we will realise that we all experience moments of both grief and happiness. One will never experience only grief or only happiness throughout his life. Every human being from the time of Sayyidunā Ādam ‘alayhis salām till today will have experienced both grief and happiness and this will be the case for every person to come till the last day. After moments, days, weeks or months of grief, Allāh ta‘ālā changes the situation and one finds himself enjoying happiness. Similarly after a period of happiness, be it short or long, a person will experience some grief.

Happiness and Grief: Samples of Jannah and Jahannam

One of the wisdoms behind creating grief and happiness and making us experience both is that after spending time in this world, a person will depart for the Hereafter where there is Jannah and Jahannam. The characteristic of Jannah is eternal comfort and happiness, whilst the characteristic of Jahannam is eternal hardship and grief. This world, however, bears the characteristics of both Jannah and Jahannam. The grief and happiness experienced here is, in effect, a sample of the eternal and unimaginable grief or happiness to come in the Hereafter. When one is struck with any condition that brings grief, for example illness and poverty, one should understand that this is merely a sample of the grief of the Hereafter. Allāh ta‘ālā puts His servants in this grief as a reminder that if they are unable to bear the limited and temporary grief of this world, then how will they bear the everlasting grief of Jahannam? Similarly, Allāh ta‘ālā gives one the taste of happiness, so that one can reflect and acknowledge that if temporary bounties of this world can bring such happiness, then what about the happiness acquired through the inconceivable bounties of Jannah. They serve as reminders for us to try our utmost to safeguard ourselves from the everlasting grief and strive to acquire the everlasting happiness of the Hereafter.

Happiness and Grief: Tests from Allāh ta‘ālā

Happiness and grief are both tests from Allāh ta‘ālā. Everything that we experience in this world either brings happiness or grief. Life is a blessing which results in happiness. The birth of a child or recovery of a loved one after being on the brink of death are certainly sources of happiness. On the other hand, losing a loved one is a source of grief. Everything in this world has a life and a death. Prosperity in business is life, whilst bankruptcy is its death. Honour and reputation is life, whilst humiliation and disgrace is its death. Similarly health is life, whilst illness is its death. Allāh ta‘ālā has created these two conditions to test His servants, to see whether the servant is patient and persevering when struck with grief and whether he is grateful when blessed with happiness.

Causes Behind Afflictions

It is important to understand that there isn’t always a single cause behind the afflictions and trials one experiences. When someone is struck with a calamity, the general tendency is to assume that it is a punishment from Allāh ta‘ālā as a consequence of the person’s sins. This is not always the case. No one has the right to be suspicious about someone else’s internal condition. The causes of afflictions can be good as well as bad. Those afflicted fall into one of three categories:

1. The afflicted is not content with the Decree of Allāh ta‘ālā and complains saying things like, ‘Why did this happen to me? What have I done to deserve this?’ This is a sign that the calamity is a punishment from Allāh ta‘ālā.

2. The afflicted is content with the Decree of Allāh ta‘ālā and exercises patience despite the discomfort. This is a sign that the calamity is a blessing and that the sins of the afflicted are being forgiven. Alhamdulillāh, majority of the Muslims find themselves in this category when afflicted.

3. The afflicted not only observes patience and refrains from complaining but also shows gratitude to Allāh ta‘ālā for having saved him from something worse. When afflicted with an illness, for instance, he will remain thankful for being able to walk, see and hear. When his wealth is taken away from him, he thanks Allāh ta‘ālā for having protected his life. This is a sign that the one afflicted is a very special servant of Allāh ta‘ālā and the affliction is a means of elevating his status.

Immense Reward for Sabr

In light of the above, one should remember that grief is a test from Allāh ta‘ālā and one should bear it with patience; and true patience is to accept the Decision of Allāh ta‘ālā wholeheartedly. For such people are glad tidings and immense reward. Allāh ta‘ālā says,

We will most definitely test you with some fear and hunger, and loss in wealth, lives and fruits. And give glad tidings to the patient ones, those who when afflicted with an adversity say, ‘Indeed, to Allāh we belong and indeed, to Him we will return. (2:155-156)

Indeed, the patient ones will be given their reward in full without measure. (39:10)

Three Components of Shukr (Gratitude)

Another test from Allāh ta‘ālā is that of blessings and bounties which result in happiness. Allāh ta‘ālā desires to see shukr from those blessed with his favours. And this shukr comprises of three parts:

1. Firstly, one needs to acknowledge with the heart and mind that one was not deserving of the blessings and bounties he enjoys. One should never feel that any bounty was a result of one’s effort and striving. Although such a thought does not usually arise regarding the bounties granted by Allāh ta‘ālā directly, such as the eyes and ears; but thoughts like these can occur with regard to bounties that apparently seem to have been acquired through one’s efforts. Wealth and knowledge are examples of such bounties. If the mind happens to think this way, then one should repel this thought by asking questions such as, ‘Who gave me the ability to strive in the first place? What about those who are more intelligent and able in this field than me?’ Moreover, one should always remember that Allāh ta‘ālā is capable of taking away the blessing in a split of a second if He wills.

2. Secondly, one should declare with the tongue what one has acknowledged with the heart and mind and thereafter, thank Him and praise Him saying, ‘Allāhumma lakal-hamdu wa lakash-shukr’ (O Allāh! For You is all praise and for You is all gratitude). One should also acknowledge that he can never praise Allāh ta‘ālā for His Blessings as He deserves to be praised. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam supplicated:

لَا أُحْصِيْ ثَـنَاءً عَلَيْكَ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْـنَـيْتَ عَلٰى نَفْسِكَ

I cannot truly praise You; You are as You have praised Yourself. (Ibn Mājah)

3. Thirdly, one should refrain from utilising the Bounties of Allāh ta‘ālā in disobeying Him. The eyes, the ears, the tongue, wealth, health, knowledge and every bounty Allāh ta‘ālā has blessed us with should never be utilised in disobedience to Him. Only then can one be regarded truly grateful to Allāh ta‘ālā.

Patience and Gratitude: Two Doors of Jannah

Sabr (patience) in times of grief and shukr (gratitude) in times of happiness are both means of entering Jannah. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

How wonderful is the situation of a believer! Every situation of his is khayr (goodness) for him, and this is for no one except the believer; if he finds himself in a favourable situation, he expresses gratitude, and this is good for him; and if he is afflicted with adversity, he exercises patience, and this is good for him. (Muslim)

A Beautiful Incident Regarding Shukr

There is a well-known incident of Sayyidunā Dāwūd ‘alayhis salām with regards to expressing true gratitude to Allāh ta‘ālā. Whilst engaged in shukr for the Blessings of Allāh ta‘ālā, he was inspired with a wonderful thought, ‘The tawfīq of shukr upon blessings granted by Allāh ta‘ālā is also a blessing from Him. Therefore, it is necessary to express shukr for this also.’ Upon engaging in shukr a second time, the same thought occurred again, so he carried out shukr for a third time. He then thought, ‘The tawfīq to express gratitude for a third time is yet another blessing.’ Now Sayyidunā Dāwūd ‘alayhis salām thought to himself that this is a never-ending cycle. Every shukr will always be a new blessing upon which another shukr will be necessary. Therefore, it is impossible to fulfil the responsibility of doing shukr.  Sayyidunā Dāwūd ‘alayhis salām was compelled to say:

O my Rabb! How can I be [truly] grateful to You when my shukr to You is also a blessing from You upon me?

Upon this, Allāh ta‘ālā said,

O Dāwūd! Now you have expressed (true) gratitude to Me.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to adopt the beautiful qualities of sabr and shukr. Āmīn.

Extracted from Riyāḍul Jannah, Vol. 29 No. 7, 2020

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Loans and Debts: The Islamic Perspective


16th Jumādal-Ākhirah 1442 AH ~ Friday 29th January 2021 

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Taking loans

Allāh ta‘ālā has full control over the financial situation of each and every person. Whether a person is well off or struggling to make ends meet, this is all decreed by Allāh ta‘ālā.

For those struggling financially, taking a loan is a way of alleviating financial difficulty. However, one should try his utmost to avoid taking loans as they can lead to many ills. This is why Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would make the following du‘ā:

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ

O Allāh! I seek refuge in You from sins and debt.

When Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was asked as to why he frequently sought refuge in Allāh ta‘ālā from being in debt, he said, “Indeed, when a person incurs a debt, he will lie when he speaks and he will break promises whenever he makes them.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim) It is evident from the hadīth that after taking a loan, if a person is unable to repay on time, he will resort to lying and breaking promises.

As loans are often taken from family and friends, if there are delays in repaying or fulfilling promises, it will eventually lead to disputes that will destroy family ties and friendships. This point is captured in an Arabic saying:

الْقَرْضُ مِقْرَاضُ الْمَحَبَّةِ

Loans are the scissors of love.

Therefore, one should always try to avoid taking loans. However, our Dīn has made taking loans permissible for situations when one has no other choice. If one has to resort to taking loans they should keep the following points in mind:

•  The option of taking a loan is only for those who are in dire need. It is not appropriate for a person to take a loan just to fulfil one’s desires, for example spending on holidays, expensive cars and unnecessary house extensions.

•  The loan arrangements should be in complete conformity with the rules and injunctions of Dīn. Loans should not be taken from interest-based sources nor have impermissible conditions.

•  One should have a genuine and sincere intention to repay the loan as the assistance of Allāh ta‘ālā will be with him. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said:

One who takes the money of people with the intention of repaying it, Allāh ta‘ālā will repay it on his behalf. (Al-Bukhārī)

    This means that Allāh ta‘ālā will create the means and grant barakah in his sustenance, to enable him to repay the debt.

•  One should make every effort to repay the loan on time. If one is unable to do so, the creditor should be informed and a polite request made for extra time.

•  One should refrain from unnecessary spending whilst being in debt, as this will result in delays in repaying the loan.

•  One should make a record of the loan, whether it is large or small, so that the loan and its amount are not forgotten. This will save disputes in the future. 

•  If one has not paid off a loan before his death then he should make a provision in his will for its repayment. If he passes away without paying off the loan or making a bequest, he will be questioned in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā.

Granting loans

Those who have the means should support those who are in need by giving loans. Allāh ta‘ālā grants extra wealth to people so they can help others who are in need. Therefore, those who have been blessed with more than their needs should spend as much as possible in good causes; one such good cause is giving loans.

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “On the night of Mi‘rāj, I saw written on the door of Jannah, ‘(The reward of) Sadaqah is ten times and (the reward of giving a loan) is eighteen times.’ I asked, ‘O Jibra’īl! Why is giving a loan better than sadaqah?’ He said, ‘Because the beggar may ask and already have, whilst the one asking for a loan only asks when in need.’” (Ibn Mājah)

After giving a loan, if a situation arises where the debtor is finding it difficult to repay on time, the creditor should extend the time for repayment. Allāh ta‘ālā says:

If he (the debtor) is in financial difficulty, then allow him grace until a time of ease (when he will be able to pay back easily)… (2:280)

Even better than extending the time, is waiving the repayment of the loan. If the loan is of such an amount that waiving it completely will not bring any difficulty upon the lender, then it is better to do so. Allāh ta‘ālā says:

…and that you forgo it as charity is much better for you, if you really knew. (2:280)

And for those who forgive others and waive their debts, Allāh ta‘ālā will definitely be merciful towards them on the Day of Qiyāmah. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said:

Allāh will grant a place in His shade to that person who grants respite to a poor person (in the repayment of a debt) or cancels the debt (partly or altogether). (Muslim)

Managing expenditure to avoid debts

Those who have been granted barakah in their wealth should try their utmost to ensure a situation does not arise whereby they are forced into taking loans. One method of doing so is by controlling expenditure so that it is in accordance to our income. It should not be the case that our expenditure exceeds our income, thereby taking us into debt.

Hadrat Muftī Muhammad Shafī‘ rahimahullāh and Hadrat Mawlānā Masīhullāh Khān rahimahullāh would say: “Income is not in our control; but expenditure is, so what is not in our control should be based on what is in our control.”

Nowadays, people just spend without any consideration of their income. This is incorrect. There is a saying in English, “Stretch (one’s) legs according to the coverlet (bedspread).” If one stretches his legs more than his bedspread, he will feel cold, but if he stretches according to the size of the bedspread he will remain comfortable. Similarly, if we let our expenditure go beyond our income, we will fall into debt, and if we limit our expenditure according to our income, we will always remain financially stable.

The reason why many people complain about their financial circumstances is the fact that they spend on things they do not need. If we analyse our weekly shopping for example, we will realise that 20-30% of our purchases are unnecessary. Why should one who is in dire circumstances be spending £10-£15 a week on luxuries like chocolates, sweets or soft drinks? Many of us come across items which are on offer e.g. “buy one, get one free,” and we immediately purchase these items thinking that we are getting a good deal. However, the reality is that most of the time we are not in need of even the one item we are paying for.

This is why we must make a list of the things we need before we go shopping and not think about it whilst we are there. Make a list and then only buy what is on the list, so that we can avoid unnecessary expenditure.

In summary, we must be grateful to Allāh ta‘ālā for the wealth that He has given us. This gratitude demands that we take care of it and not squander it here and there, so that we become compelled to take loans. If a situation arises where we must take a loan, then we should keep in mind the points that have been mentioned above.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the ability to act upon these advices. Āmīn.

Extracted from Riyāḍul Jannah, Vol. 28 No. 2, Feb 2019

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Illness – A Blessing in Disguise

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Innumerable Favours of Allāh ta‘ālā

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

If you were to enumerate the Favours of Allāh, you would not be able to count them. Surely, Allāh is Ever-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (16:18)

Allāh ta‘ālā has bestowed us with so many bounties that our minds are unable to encompass them and we would never be able to enumerate them. Rather, often we fail to realise a bounty to be a blessing being showered upon us. Furthermore, many times we regard a certain bounty to be an adversity!

Illness – a Bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā

Illnesses have always been around and will continue to be. Various forms of illnesses are prevalent throughout the world. At times people become ill in large numbers; the current Coronavirus pandemic being a prime example of this. It would be unintelligent to believe that we can completely eradicate every illness and have an ‘illness free’ world. However, as Muslims we need to understand what our thinking should be with regards to illnesses; we need to contemplate and realise whether illnesses are in reality adversities or actually blessings in disguise.

Generally, health is perceived to be a bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā and rightly so. However, illness is also a bounty from Allāh ta‘ālā. Fundamentally, health and illness are no different for a believer; both are a bounty and blessing from Allāh ta‘ālā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

How wonderful is the situation of a believer! Every situation of his is ‘khayr’ (goodness) for him, and this is for no one except the believer; if he finds himself in a favourable situation, he expresses gratitude and this is good for him; and if he is afflicted with adversity, he exercises patience and this is good for him. (Muslim)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has explained in this Hadīth that both situations of adversity and ease are ‘khayr’. Accordingly, a believer’s attitude should be that he does not act according to circumstances, but rather according to his objective, i.e. the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Therefore, in reality, no situation should be adverse for him because his focus will be to acquire Divine Pleasure by remaining within the parameters set by Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam for those circumstances. In a favourable situation, he will ensure he is grateful to Allāh ta‘ālā by not violating any of His Commands, whilst in adversity, he will exercise patience and act accordingly. As a result, he will acquire the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā in both situations, hence the adversity will also prove to be a blessing for him.

Positive Aspects of Illness

If we analyse the situation of a person afflicted with illness, we do not find him at any disadvantage in the pursuit of his objective, the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Rather, we will conclude that he has a greater advantage than those in privileged circumstances. Let us look at some of the benefits that a sick person acquires when he becomes ill.

1. Special Blessings, Mercies and Guidance from Allāh ta‘ālā

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

…And give glad tidings to those who exercise patience, those who, when any difficulty befalls them, say, “Indeed, we belong to Allāh, and to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom there are (special) blessings from their Rabb, and mercy; and those are the ones who are rightly guided. (2:155-57)

As is apparent from the above verse, one who exercises patience during illness or adversity and says ‘innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn’, he will receive special blessings from Allāh ta‘ālā as well as general mercies and Allāh ta‘ālā will increase him in hidāyah (guidance) too.

2. Expiation of Sins

In one Hadīth, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Do not speak ill of fever, for it gets rid of the sins of the children of Ādam just as the furnace gets rid of the impurities from iron. (Muslim)

In another Hadīth, a Sahābī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu commented regarding a person who had passed away, ‘Glad tidings for him that he died without becoming ill.’ Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam replied,

Woe to you! What do you know? It is possible that had Allāh afflicted him with an illness, He would have forgiven his sins through its medium. (Al-Muwattā, Imām Mālik rahimahullāh)

3. A High Status in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā

Many virtues have been mentioned with regards to those people who visit the sick. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

No Muslim visits another sick Muslim in the morning except that seventy thousand angels pray for his forgiveness until the evening, and he does not visit him in the evening except that seventy thousand angels ask for his forgiveness until the morning. And for him will be an orchard in Jannah. (At-Tirmidhī)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has also said,

Whoever visits a sick person, a caller (angel) calls out from the heavens, “You are pure and pure is your walking, and you have made for yourself an abode in Jannah.” (Ibn Mājah)

If such are the virtues for those who visit the sick, then what status must the sick person hold in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā?

4. A Sign of Goodness

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

The person for whom Allāh desires goodness, he is afflicted. (Al-Bukhārī)

5. Award of Jannah

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Allāh ta‘ālā states, “When I test my servant by (taking away) his eyesight and he remains patient, I give him Jannah in return.” (At-Tirmidhī)

6. Martyrdom

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

The one who dies due to an illness in the stomach is a martyr, and the one who dies due to a plague is a martyr. (Al-Bukhārī)

7. Proximity to Allāh ta‘ālā

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

Indeed, Allāh ta‘ālā will say on the Day of Judgement, “O son of Ādam! I was ill and you did not visit me?” He will say, “How could I have visited you when you are the Rabb of the all the worlds?” (meaning how could You have become ill?) He will say, “Did you not know that a certain servant of Mine was ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him, you would have found Me by his side?”… (Muslim)

8. Reward Beyond Measure

Allāh ta‘ālā states,

Indeed, those who observe patience will be given their reward in full without measure. (39:10)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated,

When those who endured difficulties (in the world) will be given (their) reward (for exercising patience), those who were given safety will wish that their skin was cut up with scissors in the world (so that they too would have become deserving of that reward). (At-Tirmidhī)

If one is ill himself or if someone in his family is ill, then he should make du‘ā for the removal of the illness, spend in charity and also resort to medicine, but one should not fear illness or have a disliking for it. When there are so many Dīnī benefits for those who are afflicted with adversity or illness, then surely, it should be recognised as a blessing in disguise.

Making Du‘ā for the Removal of Illness

A question may arise in a person’s mind that if illness is such a great blessing, then why should we want to make du‘ā or resort to medicine for its cure? In this regard, I would like to mention an incident:

Hadrat Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī rahimahullāh narrates that the great spiritual mentor, Hadrat Hājī Imdādullāh rahimahullāh was once discussing the positive aspects of illnesses. Coincidentally, a person came to request Hadrat to make du‘ā for his wife who was ill. Hadrat Thānwī rahimahullāh mentions that I thought to myself, ‘How will Hadrat make du‘ā for the lady as this will entail asking Allāh ta‘ālā to take away a blessing granted by Him?’

Hadrat Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī rahimahullāh says that Hadrat Hājī Imdādullāh rahimahullāh supplicated: O Allāh! Health is a blessing and illness is also a blessing; however, we are incapable of enduring the blessing of illness, so change it with the blessing of health which we are able to endure (happily).

In conclusion, a believer should always keep acquiring the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā in mind and regard every situation and circumstance a blessing from Allāh ta‘ālā. Surely, no situation will be an adversity for him if he learns to face it in the correct manner. Hence, the current pandemic of Coronavirus should also not over-concern a believer. A person should take all preventive measures and thereafter if he remains safe, alhamdulillāh, and if he is afflicted then too, alhamdulillāh, as he will be blessed with numerous Dīnī benefits that he will reap in this world and the Hereafter.

Extracted from Riyāḍul Jannah, Vol. 29 No. 4/5, 2020

© At-Tazkiyah

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Valuing the Last Ten Days of Ramadān

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

The month of Ramadān is full of blessings. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

And it is a month the first part [first ten days] of which is mercy, the middle part [middle ten days] is forgiveness and the last part [last ten days] is emancipation from the Fire (of Jahannam). (Ibn Khuzaymah)

Having passed through the first ten days of ‘mercy’, we find ourselves in the second ten days of ‘forgiveness’ and approaching the last ten days, wherein Allāh ta‘ālā emancipates His servants from the Fire of Jahannam. Now, we will find people with different mind-sets; some will count down the days in eager anticipation of ‘Īd after which they will not have to stay hungry and thirsty for long hours anymore; some will have spent the major part of Ramadān exerting much effort in devotion to Allāh ta‘ālā and thus feel that they can now relax in the last ten days as they have, in their opinion, carried out much ‘ibādah already; and some will not have done anything of note until now and feel that there is no point of doing anything in these remaining days.

All these mind-sets are incorrect, as the last ten days of Ramadān hold great significance and virtue over the first twenty days of Ramadān. One only needs to examine the conduct of Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam during the last ten days to understand their virtue.

The Conduct of Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam during the Last Ten Days

Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā reports that when the last ten days of Ramadān would enter, Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would tighten his waist belt, stay awake at night and awaken his family. (Al-Bukhārī)

In this hadīth, Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā has mentioned three things:

1.  Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would tighten his waist belt, which refers to preparation for exerting himself in ‘ibādah.

2.  Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would stay awake throughout the nights of the last ten days of Ramadān and worship Allāh ta‘ālā.

3.  Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would awaken his family also for ‘ibādah and tahajjud so that they too can acquire the blessings of the blessed nights.

The fact that Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would especially exert much effort in devotion during the last ten days of Ramadān, shows the virtue and significance of these last ten days. And why would Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam not exert effort during these last ten days, when they have been specified for the Night of Qadr. Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,

Seek Laylat-ul-Qadr during the last ten days of Ramadān. (At-Tirmidhī)

The Virtues of Laylat-ul-Qadr

Laylat-ul-Qadr is a night full of blessings and goodness. ‘Ibādah carried out on Laylat-ul-Qadr is better than ‘ibadah carried out continuously for a thousand months (83 years and four months). Allāh ta‘ālā says:

Verily! We revealed it (the Qur’ān) during the Night of Qadr (from Al-Lawh Al-Mahfūz to the first heaven). Do you know what is the Night of Qadr? The Night of Qadr is much better than a thousand months. The angels and the Rūh (Sayyidunā Jibra’īl ‘alayhis salām) descend in it by the Command of their Rabb with every decision. It (this night) is full of peace. And (all of this) remains (from sunset) until the break of dawn. (97:1-5)

Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

During the Night of Qadr, Jibra’īl ‘alayhis salām descends with a group of angels and they make du‘ā of mercy for every servant who stands or sits remembering Allāh ta‘ālā (engaged in worship). (Al-Bayhaqī)

Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also said:

Whoever stands in worship during the Night of Qadr with Īmān and hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhārī)

If we understood the virtues and the blessings of this great night, we too would exert great effort towards acquiring these blessings just as our pious predecessors did. It is reported regarding Qatādah rahimahullāh that he would complete the entire Qur’ān every three nights during the first twenty days of Ramadān and every night during the last ten days. In order to become deserving of the virtues of Laylat-ul-Qadr, one must exert every effort and do everything he can. One easy way of becoming deserving of the blessings of the Night of Qadr is to observe the i‘tikāf of the last ten days of Ramadān. Sayyidunā Abu Sa‘īd Al-Khudrī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,

Verily, in search of Laylat-ul-Qadr I performed i‘tikāf of the first ten days and then extended it to the next ten days for the same purpose; then I was told that this night is in the last ten days; so those who are performing i‘tikāf with me should perform the i‘tikāf of the last ten days. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

The Importance and Virtue of I‘tikāf

We learn from the Sīrah of our beloved Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that the i‘tikāf of the last ten days of Ramadān was a practice that he sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would not miss. Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā said that Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam would observe i‘tikāf in the last ten days of Ramadān until he passed away. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

Sayyidunā Anas radhiyallāhu ‘anhu said that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam observed i‘tikāf during the last ten days of Ramadān. One year he could not observe the i‘tikāf, so the following year he observed i‘tikāf for twenty days. (At-Tirmidhī)

Mentioning the virtues of i‘tikāf, Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu says that Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,

He (the one observing i‘tikāf) refrains from sins (as he confines himself to the boundary of the masjid) and is rewarded for all good deeds (that he cannot do due to being in i‘tikāf e.g. visiting the sick or participating in janāzah salāh) like that person who carries out good deeds. (Ibn Mājah)

The one performing i‘tikāf, through the blessing of staying within the confines of the masjid, is able to refrain from sins which he may have committed outside of the masjid. Along with this, he is able to engage in so many worships e.g. salāh, dhikr, tilāwat, du‘ā. Moreover, every moment of his is a means of reward as i‘tikāf in itself is also a worship; hence the one performing i‘tikāf gains the reward of i‘tikāf even whilst eating and sleeping.

I‘tikāf: A Fortune

The one observing i‘tikāf is extremely fortunate for he disassociates himself from everything and throws himself into the Court of His Lord and Creator. He remembers Him, praises Him, glorifies Him and sincerely seeks His Forgiveness; he cries over his past mistakes and beseeches His Creator for His Mercy and seeks nothing but His Pleasure. His days and nights are spent only in this pursuit. The author of Marāqī-Al-Falāh states that if i‘tikāf is observed with sincerity, then it is amongst the most virtuous deeds.

Our Task in Hand

So if one is able to perform i‘tikāf during the last ten days, he should most definitely do so. The ladies should also perform i‘tikāf at home. If one is not able to perform i‘tikāf for all of the last ten days, he should perform i‘tikāf for however many days he is able to. And if one is so busy that he cannot spend even one day in i‘tikāf then the least he should do is value each and every moment of the last ten days, especially the nights. He should refrain from every minor and major disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā carry out actions which please Him to acquire Divine Pleasure.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to value the remaining days of Ramadān, especially the last ten days. May He bless us with the virtue of Laylat-ul-Qadr. May He accept those who have intended to carry out the Sunnah i‘tikāf and may Allāh ta‘ālā make this Ramadān a turning point in our lives and enable us to live a life of obedience until we depart from this world. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 27 No. 5/6, May/June 2018)

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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)