In our Deen, we have a principle that when it comes to all things, anything is permissible unless there is evidence to deem it prohibited with the exception of acts of worship. When it comes to anything outside of the realm of worship, it is neutral unless there is something that makes it prohibited or praiseworthy. So when you look at any political strategy, you’re not going to be asking the question about whether or not it’s prohibited on the basis of trying to prove whether Nabi ﷺ did it. You’re going to be looking at the implications of that action and if there are any explicit or ambiguous things that come with it that are in violation of the Deen OR if there are elements of it that serve a noble cause and this, if practised with the right intention, could actually be rewardable. Boycotting is one those things that you don’t need to prove whether it’s from the Sunnah but rather analyse the strategy and see how we can make it both useful and faithful.
Sometimes, some things do not have to be directly from sacred texts but from the natural sense of honour and protectiveness and dignity that Allah naturally puts inside us, within our fitrah that naturally makes you feel an aversion or an affinity to certain things. For example, if you were living in Makkah as a secret Muslim and Nabi ﷺ had already migrated to Madinah, would you still do business with Abu Jahal? With Abu Sufyan? Without an order coming from Nabi ﷺ, we would know inside of us that something feels wrong about this. Going to the marketplace and dealing with these people… something feels off without having to hear a single hadeeth of Nabi ﷺ. This should be a natural feeling within us for our brother and sisters.
An incident that comes to mind is something that happened in Madinah between the wife of Nabi ﷺ, Umm Habibah and her father Abu Sufyan. When Abu Sufyan came to speak to Nabi ﷺ regarding the violation of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, he entered their home and his daughter, Umm Habibah RA, picked up the mattress Nabi ﷺ would sit on in a way that she could sit on it but not her father, Abu Sufyan (maybe folded it in half). She knows what her father does to the Muslims, she knows her father is an enemy of Islam. Her father was bewildered and asked, ‘Are you protecting that from me or me from it?’ She replies, ‘No, I don’t find it befitting that you sit on the mattress of Nabi ﷺ.’ That wasn’t scriptural. That came from a place of dignity and honour for Nabi ﷺ just like how we should feel for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted by the enemy.
Moving on, boycotting is a form of character building. Yes, it’s inconvenient. Yes, it hampers your privileges. Yes, it means you may have to do things the long and hard way. But this controlling of the nafs will be beneficial in the long run. It’s a personal thing. It strengthens you spiritually because you didn’t feed into every whim and desire of your nafs. It’s a type of personal growth.
Thumama RA was a powerful merchant based in Yamamah from where the Makkans would buy their wheat. In his anger against the Quraysh, he put a stop on the wheat exportations to Makkah to the extent that the prices of wheat shot up, there was extreme hunger in Makkah. This was the first boycott from a Sahabi. Nabi ﷺ didn’t admonish him and him not saying anything is paving way to its permissibility. The boycott was only lifted when they wrote to Nabi ﷺ begging for it to be lifted and out of the kindness of Nabi ﷺ, the boycott was ended and Thumama RA restarted the exporting of wheat into Makkah.
The concept of reducing/removing sins will forever stand and we understand that there are wider ramifications to our sins. That is a personal thing between you and Allah and one that has to be worked on always and forever. Boycotting comes under the ‘body is like one Ummah’ hadeeth. Compassion, empathy, doing EVERYTHING we possibly can.
Nabi ﷺ didn’t explicitly go out in protests, didn’t petition, didn’t lobby…that doesn’t mean it is impermissible or that it doesn’t have positive results.
“I am struggling with intrusive thoughts, doubt and anxiety in worship. Am I sinful? Any advice would he helpful, JzkAllah“
Answer:
First and foremost, I want you to know that you are not alone in this struggle. What you are experiencing, intrusive thoughts, doubts, and anxiety in worship, is something many sincere believers have faced, including some of the sahabah.
1️⃣ You are NOT sinful, these thoughts do not make you a disbeliever.
I know these thoughts make you anxious and distressed, but they do not define you or your Iman. In fact, feeling upset by them is a sign of faith!
📖 The Sahabah once told the Prophet ﷺ:
“We have thoughts that are so terrible we would rather be burned than speak them.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘Allahu Akbar! Praise be to Allah who has reduced shaytan’s influence to mere whispers!'”
(Sahih Muslim 132)
💙 This means shaytan whispers to believers to make them doubt themselves. But these thoughts are not yours, and Allah does not hold you accountable for them.
2️⃣ Creating these thoughts are shaytan’s trick, your job is not to engage with them, just learn to ignore them.
These thoughts only become stronger when you pay attention to them. Shaytan wants you to repeat wudu, repeat shahada, repeat salat until you feel so exhausted that you stop praying. DO NOT LET HIM WIN.
📖 The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shaytan will come and say: ‘Who created this? Who created that?’ until he says, ‘Who created Allah?’ If this happens, let him seek refuge in Allah and STOP thinking about it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3276, Muslim 134)
✅ What to do:
– IGNORE the thoughts completely. Do NOT debate them in your head.
– Say: “A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim” (I seek refuge in Allah from shaytan).
– Distract yourself immediately, shift your focus to Qur’an, dhikr, or any other task.
➡️ Remember: The less you engage with the thoughts, the weaker they become.
You might be getting these thoughts even in Ramadan despite shaytan being locked away, this is normal as shaytan lays down his traps and gets us used to listening to these thoughts even without him being here.
3️⃣ STOP repeating shahada, wudu and salat
I know it feels like you have to redo everything because of doubt, but repeating wudu and salat is exactly what shaytan wants.
📖 The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If one of you feels doubt in his wudu, let him not leave (his prayer) unless he hears a sound or smells something.” (Sahih Muslim 362)
✅ What to do:
– Do wudu ONCE, even if you have doubts, move on.
– Pray ONCE and do not repeat salat at all.
– If thoughts come, keep praying and ignore them.
➡️ If you fight the urge to repeat, it will get easier, inshaAllah.
4️⃣ Make salat a place of comfort again
I know salat has become a source of anxiety, but it is supposed to be your place of peace. Take small steps to make it easier:
– Keep your prayers simple and try to focus on one posture at a time.
– Listen to soothing Qur’an before salat to get into a peaceful mindset.
– Take deep breaths before praying to relax your mind.
📖 Allah says:
“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humble.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:45)
5️⃣ Seek assistance through duas & ruqyah.
📖 Allah says:
“And if an evil whisper from Shaytan reaches you, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:200)
– La ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer.
➡️ These will help ease your heart and push away these intrusive thoughts.
6️⃣ Sometimes, waswasah(intrusive thoughts) can be linked to anxiety or OCD, which is a condition many people face. If these thoughts are making life extremely difficult, it might help to speak to one of our therapists. There is no shame in seeking help.
💙 You are NOT sinful. You are NOT a bad Muslim.
💙 Allah is Most Merciful, and He knows your struggle.
💙 You will NOT go to Hell for thoughts you didn’t bring into your mind.
📖 Allah says:
“Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins…”
(Surah Al-Zumar 39:53)
➡️ Keep going, my dear brother/sister. You are stronger than Shaytan, and Allah sees your effort. 🤍
🌸 May Allah grant you ease, comfort and a heart full of tranquillity. Ameen. 🤲
1. Sihr of Separation This is very common form of black magic which aims to separate or make discord between two spouses, or stir up hatred between two friends or two partners. Allah says: (…and they follow what the Shayaateen (devils) recited over Sulaymaan’s Kingdom. Sulaymaan disbelieved not but the Shayaateen disbelieved, teaching the people sorcery, and that which was sent down upon Babylon’s two angels, Haroot and Maroot; they taught not any man, without they said, ‘We are but a temptation; do not disbelieve.’ From them they learned how they might divide a man and his wife, yet they did not hurt any man thereby, save by the leave of Allah (swt), and they learnt what hurt them and did not profit them, knowing well that whosoever buys it shall have no share in the world to come; evil then was that they sold themselves for; if they had but known.) (al-Baqarah/02: v 102) Jabir (RadiyAllahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Iblis would lay his throne on water and would send his brigade of demons. The lowest among them in rank is the one who is most notorious in stirring up fitna. One of the demons would, after a mission, come and say to Iblis, ‘I have done so and so.’ Iblis would reply, ‘You have not done anything.’ Another one would come and say: ‘I have not left such and such person until I separated him from his wife.’ Iblis would come closer to his demon and say, ‘How good you are.’” – (Muslim in An-Nawawi : 17/157) Symptoms of Sihr of Separation: 1. A sudden change in attitude from love to hate. 2. Exaggerating the causes of disputes between two people, even though they may be trivial. 3. Changing the mental image that a woman may have of her husband, or changing the mental image that a man may have of his wife; so that the man would see his wife in an ugly way, even though she were beautiful. In reality, it is the demon who is entrusted with the task of performing this type of Sihr is the one who would appear to the husband in her person, but in an ugly way. By the same token, the woman would see her husband in a horrible way. 4. The person affected by Sihr hates anything the other party does. 5.The person affected by Sihr hates the place in which the other party stays. For instance, a husband may be in good mood when he is outdoors, but when he returns home, he feels quiete depressed. According to Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir, the cause of separation between two spouses through this Sihr is that each of them appears to the other as an ugly or ill-mannered person. – (Tafsir ibn Kathir: 1/144)
2. Sihr Al-Mahabbah / At-Tiwala (Love) Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Ar-ruqa, at-tama’im and at-tiwala are acts of shirk (polytheism).” – (Ahmad) (1/381) According to Ibn Al-Athir, At-Tiwala is a type of Sihr which makes a man love his wife. The reason why this type of Sihr is classed by the Prophet (saw) as an act of polytheism is because those who have it done for them believe that it has an effect and does the opposite of what Allah (swt) has prescribed. – (An-Nihaya: 1/200) I would like to emphasise that the ruqyah (treatment) referred to in the above hadith is the one which seeks the assistance of Jinn and devils and consists of acts classed as polytheistic. However, the ruqyah which is based on the Qur’an and lawful supplications of Allah is lawful, according to scholars. It is reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) was quoted as saying: “There is no harm in using ruqyah as a means of treatment provided it does not consist of anything polytheistic.” 3. Sihr At-Takhyil (False Appearance of Objects) Allah says: They said, “Moses, will you throw something down or shall we be the ones to throw.” He said, “You throw!” So when, they charmed people’s eyes and overawed them. They produced a splendid Sihr. And We revealed to Moses: ‘Cast thy staff.’ And lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention. So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they were doing. So they were vanquished there, and they turned about, humbled. And the sorcerers were cast down, bowing themselves. They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of al-’Alamin (Jinn and mankind), the Lord of Moses and Harun. (7:117-122) They said, ‘Moses, either you will cast (something) or shall we be the first to cast (a spell)?’. It seemed to him under the effect of their Sihr that their ropes and stuff were sliding. (17:65-66) Symptoms 1. A fixed object would appear to be mobile, while a mobile object would appear to be fixed for the viewer. 2. A small object would appear large, while a large object would appear small for the viewer. 3. The false appearance of objects: Under the effect of the magic of Pharaoh’s sorcerers, ropes and rods appeared to viewers as real snakes.
4. Sihr Al-Junoon (Becoming Insane) Kharija Ibn Salat reported that his paternal uncle went to the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) and declared his conversion to Islam. On his way back, his uncle passed by a people who had fettered a lunatic in chains. They said: “We were told that your companion (the Prophet Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) has brought good with him. Do you have anything with which to cure our lunatic?” I recited al-Faatihah (the opening chapter of Qur-aan) and he was cured. They gave me one hundred sheep and then approached the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) to inform him of it. He asked: “Did you say anything other than this?” I replied: “No.” He said: “Take it, for by my life, some would accept in return for a false Ruqyah, but you have done this with a genuine one.” According to another narration, “the man cured him by reciting al-Faatihah for three days, day and night; whenever he finished reciting it, he would gather his saliva and spit.” Symptoms 1. Severe absentmindedness and forgetfulness 2. Confused speech 3. Bulging eyes and deviation of sight 4. Restlessness 5. Inability to do a task regularly 6. Disinterest in one’s appearance 7. ln severe cases, one can tell from a lunatic’s face that he does know where he is going, and he would probably sleep in derelict places
5. Sihr Al-Khumul (Lethargy) How this happens A saahir (sorcerer/sorceress) would send a Jinn to the targeted person, instructing him to settle in his brain and make him introverted and lonely. The Jinn would do his best to carry out the mission, and the symptoms of this Sihr would appear, according to the strength and weakness of the Jinn entrusted with the task. Symptoms 1. Love of seclusion 2. Absolute introversion 3. Constant silence 4. Anti-sociability 5. Absentmindedness 6. Frequent headaches 7. Quietness and constant lethargy
6. Sihr Al-Hawatif (Bad Dreams & Hearing Voices) Symptoms 1. The patient experiences nightmares 2. The patient sees in a dream as if someone were calling him 3. The patient hears voices talking to him when awake, but cannot see where these voices are coming from 4. The patient hears much whispering (Al-Waswas) 5. The patient is very suspicious of his/her friends and relatives 6. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself falling from a high place 7. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself being chased by animals
7. Sihr Al-Marad (Illness) Symptoms 1. Constant pain in one part of the body 2. Epilepsy 3. Paralysis of one area of the patient’s body 4. Total paralysis of the body 5. Disability in of one of the sense organs
8. Sihr An-Nazif (Bleeding Following Menses) How it is achieved This type of Sihr affects women only. A saahir sends a Jinn to the targeted woman and instructs him to cause her to bleed. To do so, the Jinn enters the woman’s body and circulates in her veins and arteries with the blood. This notion of circulation has long been warned about by the Prophet (saw) in the following tradition: “Shaytaan circulates in man’s body like blood.” – (Al-Bukhari: Fath Al-Bari: 4/282) When the Jinn reaches a known vein in the woman’s womb, he stomps it so that the vein bleeds. This fact was also pointed out by the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) when Hamna bint Jahsh asked his opinion on the issue of bleeding outside the period of menses, and he said: “Such bleeding is but one of Shaytaan’s stomping.” – (At-Tirmidhi) According to another tradition, the bleeding “is the result of Shaytaan’s stomping on a vein rather than from a normal menses.” – (Ahmad and An-Nasai) Therefore, according to both traditions, a menstruation that occurs outside its normal period is one of the Shaytaan’s stomps on one of the womb’s veins. According to scholars of Fiqh (jurisprudence), an-nazif refers to al-istihaadha (continuous menstruation), and according to doctors, it refers to bleeding. According to Ibn Al-Athir, al-istihadha means bleeding following a normal menses. This bleeding may last for months, and the amount of blood could be little or large.
9. Sihr of Impeding Marriage The Jinn has two options 1. If he can enter the girl, then he would cause her to feel uncomfortable with any prospective husband and; thus, turn him down. 2. If he cannot enter the girl, then he would use the Sihr of imagination, from outside. As a result, a suitor would see the girl in an ugly image under the effect of the Jinn’s whispering, and so would the girl. Under the effect of this Sihr and under the Jinn is whispering, a suitor, who would have initially agreed to the marriage, would decline after a few days, without any valid reason. In cases of a strong Sihr, a suitor would, upon entering the house of his prospective wife, feel very uncomfortable and see darkness before him as if he were in prison, and so would never return. During the period of this Sihr, the Jinn may cause the girl to experience occasional headaches. Symptoms 1. Occasional headaches, which persist despite medication 2. Severe tightness in the chest, especially between al-’asr and midnight 3. The patient sees the suitor in an ugly image 4. Absentmindedness 5. Anxiety during sleep 6. Occasional constant stomach-aches 7. Pain in the lower part of the back
10. Sihr regarding Sexual Intimacy Al Sihr Ar-rabt (Penile Erection Problem during intercourse), Al- ‘ajz al-jinsi (impotence) and Adh-dhu’f al-jinsi (sexual weakness) Ar-Rabt Al-’ajzal-jinsi (sexual inability / impotence): The man affected by this type of Sihr feels active and energetic about having sexual intercourse with his wife. His penis is even erected as long as he is distant from his wife. Nevertheless, as he approaches her, his penis shrinks and is unable to have sexual intercourse. It means a man’s inability to have sexual intercourse with his wife, whether he is distant from or near her, as his penis cannot erect. Adh-du’f al-jinsi (sexual weakness): A man can only have sexual intercourse with his wife after long periods. Sexual intercourse takes place for only a short time; after which the penis looses its rigidity. Ar-Rabt in Women (sexual frigidity) Just as a man suffers from ar-rabt (penile erection failure) and is unable to have sexual intercourse with his wife, a woman, too, may suffer from ar-rabt (frigidity). There are some types of rabt in women: 1. Rabt al-man’(obstruction): It occurs when a woman prevents her husband from having sexual intercourse with her by tightly joining her legs together and obstructing his penis from entering into her vagina. This reaction is automatic and beyond her control, but one young man whose wife was affected by this type of Sihr, criticised his wife for her response, so she explained that it was beyond her control. One day, she told him to put iron shackles between her legs to keep them apart before, starting sexual intercourse. He did that, but it was to no avail. Alternatively, she told him to give her a drug injection if he wants to have sexual intercourse with her. It worked, but only one partner benefited. 2. Rabt at-taballud (lack of sexual feeling): The Jinn entrusted with the mission of Sihr settles in the centre of sexual feeling in the woman’s brain and causes her to lose her sexual feeling, at the moment of sexual intercourse with her husband. As a result, she feels no sexual pleasure and does not respond to her husband. Her body becomes numb even if her husband does what he wishes with her. In this type of Sihr, the glands do not release the fluid which lubricates the vagina, and therefore, the sexual act cannot be achieved. 3. Rabt An-nazif (bleeding at the time of sexual intercourse): This is different from Sihr an-nazif in one aspect. While, rabt An-nazif is confined to the time of sexual intercourse, Sihr an-nazif may last for several days. In this type of Sihr, the Jinn causes heavy bleeding to the targeted woman at the time of sexual intercourse with her husband, and thus prevents the man from having sexual intercourse with his wife. One day, one man, who was a soldier, told me that whenever he came home for holidays, his wife would bleed as soon as he arrived home. The bleeding would last for the holiday period which was approximately five days, but would stop as soon as he went back to work.
PLEASE NOTE: Dear reader, after having read all the above symptoms, it is easy to start saying ‘I have such and such a sympton, I MUST be affected’. We would like to remind you that until you have sought Ruqyah from a trusted and shar’ee raaqi and the presence of Jinn has been confirmed, one should NOT self-diagnose.
Short and Beneficial Advice for Students Sitting Exams
By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat dāmat barakātuhum
1. Work hard to achieve the highest possible grades. You will not be able to reach great heights without putting effort into your studies.
2. Manage your time appropriately by making a timetable and a revision plan. Adequate time should be allocated for exam preparation and also for resting and eating, as the mind is not able to function efficiently without sufficient rest and food.
3. Whilst acknowledging that your efforts and preparations alone cannot guarantee success without the Help of Allāh ta‘ālā, turn to Him with utmost humility. Make du‘ā yourself and request your parents, the ‘Ulamā and pious to make du‘ā for you too.
4. Repent and abstain from every disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā. This is the most important advice as any sort of disobedience will incur the Displeasure of Allāh ta‘ālā and close the doors of His Help.
5. Recite Sūrah Yāsīn in the morning of the exam. It has been narrated that Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, ‘Whoever recites Sūrah Yāsīn in the morning, his needs will be fulfilled.’ (Sunanud-Dārimī)
6. Perform two raka‘āt of salāh before leaving for the exam. Allāh ta‘ālā says, ‘Seek help with salāh and patience.’ (2:45)
7. Give sadaqah (charity) according to your capacity, even it is as little as 10p, 20p or 50p.
8. Whenever the examinations make you worry, recite the following:
O The Most-Merciful of the merciful! O the Ever-Living! O the Sustainer (of all)! Only through Your Mercy do I seek help. Allāh is sufficient for us and He is the best one in Whom to trust.
9. Begin the exam paper with bismillāh and salāt ‘alan-Nabī. If you get stuck on any question during the exam, then before giving more thought to the question, recite two or three times a short formula of salāt ‘alan-Nabī such as sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam or Allāhumma salli ‘alāMuhammad. Salāt ‘alan-Nabī creates ease and provides a solution for every problem.
10. Show gratitude to Allāh ta‘ālā for whatever you were able to write by performing two raka’āt after the exam.
11. If the exam does not go as well as you desired, then do not become despondent. Remain content with the Decree of Allāh ta‘ālā regarding your exam results and remember that He is the Most-Wise. Inshā’allāh, your efforts along with your obedience to Allāh ta‘ālā will, sooner or later, bring success.
I pray that Allāh grant all the students barakah in their studies, success in their examinations and make them true ambassadors of Islam. Āmīn.
Sisters, your role in society is like the role of the archers in the battle of Uhud.
They were not at the forefront or in the thick of the action,
BUT they held the most important position. They guarded the army. If they moved, the whole army would be uncovered and defeated.
In the same way, if you leave your most important position, you leave the army-the Ummah uncovered.
You are the silent heroes,
You are the foundational structure of great generations,
You are the mothers who look after the family,
You are the first of the teachers of this Ummah,
You are the ones who teach the Muslim men courage, truthfulness, kindness, perseverance, and patience.
You are the carers of the men of this Ummah.
The success of this Ummah lies upon your shoulders. ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل states that a woman’s primary abode is her home. This does not mean she plays no role in society. She is like the engine of a car hidden in the bonnet. Everything in the car is meaningless without the engine.
The engine being concealed does not mean it is insignificant. In fact, being concealed reveals its real value.
A woman is like a live wire tucked away.
If it is exposed it will shock people. It is concealed yet provides the current for electricity.
A woman is like the battery in a mobile phone.
All the features of the mobile phone mean nothing if the battery is not there. It is concealed but provides the main function. Being concealed and doing what ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل wants you to do reveals the real value of women.
What a great reminder in these uncertain times, I have seen a few versions of this but this one was the best and it’s worth sharing and reminding all our families and friends.
The deceased Kuwaiti writer Abdullah JarAllah (RH) said:
I will not worry about my death nor be unduly concerned about my body for my Muslim brothers will do the needful. 1- يجردونني من ملابسي…They will disrobe me 2- يغسلونني…And wash me 3- يكفنونني …And enshroud me 4- يخرجونني من بيتي …And take me from my home 5- يذهبون بي لمسكني الجديد ( القبر ) …And they will carry me to my new abode (the grave) 6- وسيأتي الكثيرون لتشييع جنازتي…And many will come to participate in my Janaaza بل سيلغي الكثير منهم أعماله ومواعيده لأجل دفني …Many of them would have taken time off their jobs or cancelled appointments in order to attend my burial. وقد يكون الكثير منهم لم يفكر في نصيحتي يوما من الأيام …And most of them would not have reflected a day over my advice… 7- أشيائي سيتم التخلص منها …My belongings will be disposed of… مفاتيحي …my keys كتبي …my books حقيبتي …my briefcase أحذيتي …my shoes ملابسي وهكذا…my clothes and so on وإن كان أهلي موفقين فسوف يتصدقون بها لتنفعني … And if my family are amenable, they will donate it (my things) to benefit me.. تأكدوا بأن الدنيا لن تحزن علي…rest assured, the world would not mourn my passing ولن تتوقف حركة العالم …and the movement of the world wouldn’t stop واﻻقتصاد سيستمر …and trading will continue ووظيفتي سيأتي غيري ليقوم بها …and someone else will do my job وأموالي ستذهب حلالاً للورثة …and my wealth will be lawfully inherited by my heirs بينما أنا الذي سأحاسب عليها !!!whilst I will be taken to task for it: a little, or a lot, nothing unaccounted for القليل والكثير …النقير والقطمير … و إن أول ما موتي هو اسمي !!! The first thing I will lose upon death will be my name; that is why upon my death they will ask: “where is the body?” لذلك عندما اموت سيقولون عني أين ” الجثة “..؟ولن ينادوني باسمي ..!and they will not call me by my name وعندما يريدون الصلاة علي سيقولون احضروا “الجنازة” !!!When they want to perform the salat they will say: “bring the bier”, and they will not call me by my name! ولن ينادوني باسمي ..!وعندما يشرعون بدفني سيقولون قربوا الميت ولن يذكروا اسمي ..!And when they are ready to bury me, they will say “bring the deceased…” and they will not mention my name… لذلك لن يغرني نسبي ولا قبيلتي ولن يغرني منصبي ولا شهرتي …Due to this I will not be deceived by lineage, or my tribal affiliation and neither my status nor fame will beguile me… فما أتفه هذه الدنيا وما أعظم ما نحن مقبلون عليه …How insignificant this world is, compared to what we will face فيا ايها الحي الآن … اعلم ان الحزن عليك سيكون على ثلاثة أنواع:O, YOU WHO ARE ALIVE RIGHT NOW, KNOW THAT SORROW FOR YOU ARE OF 3 TYPES: 1- الناس الذين يعرفونك سطحياً سيقولون مسكينThose who really knew you, and they will say (miskeen) 2- أصدقاؤك سيحزنون ساعات أو أياماً ثم يعودون إلى حديثهم بل وضحكهم 2. Your friends who will remain sad for hours or days, then they will return to their discourses and entertainment 3- الحزن العميق في البيتسيحزن أهلك أسبوعا… أسبوعين شهرا… شهرين أو حتى سنةوبعدها سيضعونك في أرشيف الذكريات!!!3. Deep sorrow at home. Your family will be sad for a week or two, a month, two months or even a year after which you will be but a memory… انتهت قصتك بين الناسوبدأت قصتك الحقيقيه وهي الآخرة Your story ended amongst people, but your real story just began, and its the hereafter… لقد زال عنك: 1- الجمال …2- والمال …3- والصحة …4- والولد …5- فارقت الدور…والقصور6- والزوج …You have been divested of beauty, wealth, health, children, houses, castles and wife… ولم يبق معك الا عملكوبدأت الحياة الحقيقية And nothing remains with you except your deeds (that you used to do). And you have now begun the “real” life… والسؤال هنا :ماذا أعددت لقبرك وآخرتك من الآن ؟؟؟The question here is what have you PREPARED for your grave and your hereafter FROM NOW? هذه حقيقة تحتاج الى تأمل … This reality needs some deep reflection لذلك احرص على :so safeguard 1- الفرائض …the fard prayers and duties 2- النوافل …nafl/ voluntary works 3- صدقة السر …secret charity 4- عمل صالح …Good deeds 5- صلاة الليل…the tahajjud لعلك تنجو so that you may be saved ان ساعدت على تذكير الناس بهذه المقالة وانت حي الآنستجد أثر تذكيرك في ميزانك يوم القيامة بإذن الله…If you helped remind people through these utterances, while you are alive presently, if Allah wills, you will find the effect of your reminder in your scale of good deeds on the Day of Judgement. (وذكّر فإن الذكرى تنفعُ المؤمنين) And remind, most certainly, reminding is fruitful for the believers لماذا يختار الميت “الصدقة”لو رجع للدنيا why do you think the dead wish to perform charity if they return to the Earth? As Almighty has stated: “Oh my Lord if only you gave me a little respite, I would surely give in charity كما قال تعالى( رب لولا أخرتني إلى أجل قريب فأصدولم يقل : He didn’t say لأعتمر I’ll perform umrah او لأصلي Or so I could pray أو لأصوم Or so I could fast قال العلماء : ما ذكر الميت الصدقة إلا لعظيم ما رأى من اثرها بعد موتهThe ulema said that the dead mentioned charity due to what (s)he saw of its great effect after his / her death فأكثروا من الصدقة SO GIVE PLENTY CHARITY ومن افضل ما تتصدق به الآن 10 ثوان من وقتك لنشر هذا الكلام بنية النصحفالكلمة الطيبة صدقة.And the best of charity you could possibly do at this moment is to spend 10 seconds to forward this advice as a reminder; after all a good word is a charity💐.
1. “I pray my Salah and Manzil, then trust Allah. Nothing can harm me! Why would I need Ruqya?”
A simple answer for such people is that the Prophet PBUH also prayed Salah and read the Qur’an, rather the Qur’an was revealed upon him. Despite such noble piety, He PBUH was still affected by jinn/jadoo for six months and wasn’t aware (some scholars say even longer). Salah and Qur’an/Manzil are the best forms of protection, they do help, but a person can still be affected by nazar and jinn etc.
NB: We do not stop anyone from reading Manzil and general Qur’an as this does help immensely if someone casts evil eye on you despite your Salah and Qur’an it will only affect you 20%-30%, because you have a certain amount of protection.
2. “I went for Ruqya once it didn’t make a difference, black magic never really goes away.”
This is a statement we hear often because people have unrealistic expectations from Raqis. They want us to fix all their life problems, marriage, kids, work, house and maybe get us that fancy new car too?? And when those expectations are not met it leads to disappointment and frustration.
Secondly, Ruqya is never a one-time fix, this is the biggest mistake people make because most people need a few sessions.
Thirdly, patience is needed. It takes time for these things to heal. A person can have black magic for 10 years and expects it to go in a day or a week? Even medical doctors can’t cure cancer in a week.
You don’t change GPs every week, in a like manner don’t go to one Raqi today, another one next week, then try Taweez in India, by February you’re on Chinese herbal medicine and then back to anti-depressants. Stick to one method for at least 6 months, if it doesn’t work go to someone else, but do regular treatment.
3. “Ruqya is soo expensive and they tell you to drink Zamzam regularly also expensive, and buy Ajwa dates even more expensive! Ruqya is a rip-off!!”
Money means a lot to us all, we all value and love our money, but do we love our health? Mental and physical health… that’s what it boils down to. If you value your health, you will spend the money you spend all your life earning to save that health. But not everyone does, and nobody admits it.
Dear brother and dear sister, have you ever contemplated the amount of money you spend on takeaways/restaurants. The amount brothers spend on cigarettes and shisha. The amount sisters spend on make-up and handbags? Shoes? None of the above save your health! Cut down on these and save £20 for Zamzam/Ajwa… I’m not an accountant, but you can do the maths, we happily spend on futile things because shaytan loves to mislead us.
Ruqya is expensive and the reason is the nature of the field and the risks we take to do this job. It’s not easy and it’s not ABC, don’t compare us to a dentist or optician who opens at 9 am and closes at 5 pm. Raqis have to do so many things in the background to protect themselves to treat you, it also affects their family and house. Not to mention the backlash from doing Ruqya which comes in many forms.
But we must apply the ‘common sense rule’. If someone is charging in the 100s, then Shariah says use your Aqal and run, as you run from a lion. Don’t get conned!
Look for those who have decent and reasonable prices, bearing in mind those who run from clinics have rent to pay (costs add up). I’m only explaining, not justifying.
Again, I will say, I rarely hear people complain about dentists and opticians who have high rates! Private health care rips your wallet, arm, and leg off…
4. “I’ve heard these guys are all bogus, they make stories up. And it’s all money-making!”
Nobody likes stereotypes. Nobody. But we all get angry and emotional at some point in our lives and blurt a few things hidden in our minds, because of our bad experiences. You are allowed to have bad experiences and even talk about them, just don’t generalise. The word ‘all’ is dangerous, especially when it’s due to the actions of a few individuals.
The police are meant to protect us and uphold the law, often they break the law. There are corrupt police officers, does that mean all coppers are bent? #LoD
Teachers are meant to educate our children in school and madrasah, many teachers abuse our children, physically and sexually. Do you still send your children to school or do you generalise?
Doctors are meant to save our lives, but many doctors have killed their patients. Have you stopped going to the hospital?
My point is every sector has a few rotten apples, but you can’t say that everyone is the same. You get genuine people in the world and corrupt people, we need to look for genuine Raqis.
I have never denied the fact that there are fake healers, even in the Taweez/Aamil world. Don’t look at social media and YouTube, everyone looks good on there! Sisters particularly need to be careful as these predators often target vulnerable women. Always go with a mahram and ask questions if you have doubts about their diagnosis, don’t be bamboozled.
5. “Isn’t there a Hadith to the nearest effect, 70,000 people will enter Jannah without accountability on Qiyamah. One group is those who don’t seek Ruqya.”
The Hadith is correct, but like with most Hadith they need interpretation and commentary, they shouldn’t be taken literally, otherwise, it can cause confusion (generally speaking not just for Ruqya). There are Hadith that the Prophet PBUH urinated standing up? Do we follow such Hadith?
The different meanings of the “one who did not seek ruqya.”
1. There are certain pious individuals who have 100% reliance on Allah SWT and they never turn to the creation for help, like the Prophets AS and the Sahabah RA and even in the general public we have the Saints of Allah, they shouldn’t seek Ruqya as it goes against their tawakkul.
2. They do not ask anyone for Ruqya until the affliction happens, some individuals who panic seek Ruqya before the affliction, this is incorrect.
3. They believe Allah cures not the Raqi, so their belief is correct.
4. They refrain from shirk in their Ruqya, like the Ruqya in pre-Islamic times.
5. They try Ruqya or treatment themselves first then seek it from others. Self-Ruqya is important, to learn and teach it to others.
These are the answers given by Shaykh Khalid Hibshi, KSA
6. “I believe my issues are mental health or even medical. I don’t need Ruqya, because I don’t believe in jinn/jadoo.”
An increasing issue, especially in Europe and the West, where Mental Health issues are accepted and Jinn/Jadoo issues are rejected, denied and marginalized. So where is the balance and correlation between them all? We, as Muslims should believe in Mental Health, it’s a growing reality. Our lifestyle, our diet, and the fast-moving technology are usually the causes.
As for believing in Ruqya and Jinn/Jadoo, be careful before you get your defense shield up. Ruqya is reciting verses of the Qur’an and the treatment is everything mentioned in the Hadith. There is a Surah in the Qur’an called ‘Surah Jinn’. The Prophet PBUH and many of the Sahabah RA were affected by Black Magic. To deny the above is a major sin, and we need to watch our words before we deny them haphazardly.
It is mainly men who deny these things and even some scholars are negative towards jinn/jadoo issues (wait for day 10 and the reality of Ulama/Imams).
To believe in one thing you don’t need to deny another, to believe in mental health (because you suffered) doesn’t mean you deny jinn/Jadoo. But I’ll be honest, I do feel mental health is overrated, everything is mental health nowadays! Especially with the millennial kids and millennial parents, they don’t believe in jinn/Jadoo as much. The reason is the secular society we live in, the NHS and Media promote Mental Health massively. Well, my answer is My Nabi and My Allah promote jinn/Jadoo issues far more, it is endorsed in the Qur’an and Hadith. We do believe in mental health but mental health doesn’t believe in us.
Many people suffering from jinn/jadoo will suffer mental health issues and vice versa, jinn/jadoo can be a contributing factor in mental health and medical issues. Ruqya has helped people who suffer from Anxiety, Depression, Severe Migraines, even in cases of Cancer Ruqya has helped. Some were given ‘all clear’ and others said Ruqya helped with (the pain of) Chemo. That doesn’t mean we deny medical issues, it just endorses what Allah SWT has said, “The Quran is Shifa.” If doctors and medical experts know everything and cure all, why are soo many people still suffering day and night pills after pills;
CT scan = Clear.
MRI = Clear.
X-ray = Clear.
But they are still in pain and agony? Please do explain.
7. “I’ve had soo much Ruqya done, been to a dozen Raqis. Why am I not getting better? Why doesn’t it go away?”
Some people don’t get better and don’t see major improvements, there are reasons for this: i) People don’t act upon the advice we give them. They don’t pray salah and manzil, let alone surah baqarah (which is long). Men don’t go to the masjid, sisters don’t want to cover up and wear hijab, how on earth will you get better? Apart from a miracle…
ii) Sihr/Jadoo can be repeated. Just like Covid-19, you can get it once and you can get it twice (some have had it thrice). You can also get jadoo again, because the people doing it repeat it. Hence, I say never give up Manzil and Surah Baqarah, keep drinking Ruqya water, and use olive oil regularly. Most people become complacent once they see signs of improvement.
iii) The one doing Black Magic is close to you. Nobody likes to hear that, but often true. I don’t suggest accusing people, but the worst cases for us are when the perpetrators of Sihr are family members. Hence they keep feeding you and you lose all spirituality and religiosity.
Food is the strongest source of Black Magic, they feed you by mixing it in your food (usually sweet things, cakes, biscuits, or tea). The food enters your body, flows through your blood, eventually, you are fully ‘jadoofied’. A man’s whole personality can change, good men/women can become bitter and evil, harsh and arrogant.
If you find the concept hard why a family member would do jadoo, father on his own son? Wife on her own husband? One word: control. Control is what everyone craves, but not everyone gets it. Black Magic will give you that control (temporarily), and hellfire (permanently).
8. “You treated my brother who got better instantly, but I am not seeing results despite praying manzil regularly and reading surah baqarah etc.”
Yaqeen and conviction is an important aspect of Islam, it makes all the difference in treatment (medical or spiritual). Even if you take a paracetamol your belief should be Allah SWT cures, not the tablet. If you come for Ruqya you need to believe Allah SWT cures, not the Raqi. The higher the level of Yaqeen the quicker the ilaaj.
Two people can come for Ruqya with different mind-sets and see different results. Many come to ‘test’ us and see if it works. Totally wrong mindset, such people need to stick to MOT testing and not test the words of Allah SWT. If you are cured, Allah SWT cured you and if you weren’t cured there is a deficiency somewhere.
One of the greatest things I have learnt from Ruqya is trust in Allah SWT, hope in Him, and being optimistic about Allah SWT in all situations. It’s a real test of your Imaan. “I am as my servants think of me” (Hadith Qudsi). Think good of Allah SWT and the results are amazing!
One of the best clips on Husne Dhann with Allah SWT for Arabic listeners.
A line from the clip, “One of the pious predecessors used to say, even if Allah SWT enters me into the Hellfire, I will still tell the people of Hell: I love Allah SWT!”
Subhan Allah! Despite being entered into Hell, to still say I love Allah (because He is fair) is real love and optimism. Allah grant us a share of it. Ameen.
9. “I have heard Raqis don’t like Aamils and people who do Taweez, is this true? Because they say all Taweez are shirk!”
There is a hadith that states ‘amulets/taweez are shirk’, but there is also a hadith (which nobody quotes) that states ‘Ruqya is shirk’. As always, Hadith need interpretation and commentary. The answer to both Hadith is that those amulets which contain the words of Shirk and associating partners with Allah SWT are Shirk. The same applies to Ruqya of jahiliyya/pre-Islam which contains Shirk is not allowed.
Taweez is a grey area though and we need to be careful what sort of taweez we use. If it is clear and legible, then good, if it is a Qur’an ayah you know, then okay. But if you don’t know what it says in the taweez, avoid it like the plague. Why risk it?
Many taweez have been opened to find hair and blood inside. Others had the names of Shaytan and pictures of Shaytan. Hence, we always promote Ruqya which is clear and Qur’anic, it makes sense. The method of treatment is found in the Sunnah. Why have cotton when you can have silk?
As for the hatred, Taweez vs. Ruqya, I have never been intimidated by anyone who does Taweez, Alhumdu Lillah. But I am not sure about the other way round. I have heard many Aamils who spread all sorts of rumours about Raqis, it’s like we are stepping on their toes! If what they do is “kosher” why do they panic when someone starts Ruqya?
Why the use of such adjectives like “dodgy mawlana” or “Magician molsab”? Carry on with what you do silently… but ruqya does damage for some of them, because their works are far, far from kosher. It is the work of Shaytan! Black magic comes from somewhere…
And often that somewhere are Peers and Mawlanas who sell Taweez containing shirk and black magic. People who do Black Magic don’t sit in a castle dressed in black with a cat and cauldron, that’s Harry Potter! In real life, they are our own scholars making millions of dollars. Be warned!
The truth is always bitter, but bitter medicine has always proven to cure faster than any other. And remember half these stories you get from Aamils are absolutely bogus, many claim to keep jinns for info, even that is questionable whether their jinns exist? But people love to hear their fascinating stories!
10. “I recently went to a counsellor with my husband, the counsellor is also an Alim. We talked about jinn/jadoo issues to which he replied, “shut that topic down, no such thing! 99% of these jinn/jadoo issues are just mental health!”
The best to the last… Ulama and jinn/jadoo issues! First and foremost, we need to understand scholars are scholars, not God! They study in Darul Uloom for 6/7 years to give them “training” in Qur’an/Hadith.
I choose my words carefully, ‘training’, they don’t qualify to know everything. Then they’re told to further their studies on their own or specialise in specific fields. But the majority don’t, many don’t even know Qur’an and Hadith properly let alone specialise in something, let alone know about Mental Health and Jinn/Jadoo issues. Just like this scholar mentioned above. When I put on my trench coat and glasses, I realised he also works in a school? Imagine how many people he is misleading because of his arrogance! You know I will always challenge these molvis… so I called him and gave a plethora of evidence, hadhrat jee put the phone down! I apologised for hurting his ego.
For years, I wondered and wandered through different avenues to work out why soo many Ulama are against Ruqya and negative towards jinn/jadoo issues.
Once I listened to a talk relating the story of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal RH, in his time someone came and said, “O Imam! Fulan ibn Fulan denies the issue of jinn!” Imam Ahmad RH: “This is the Shaytan talking on his tongue.” This meaning shaytan will target ulama/imams and misguide them, to mislead the masses, there is plenty of evidence for this. It is important for ulama to have protection against sihr/jinn.
We will always reach out to Ulama who are wrong and correct them, there is no harm. It is better than gheebat-ing, especially in a dars of hadith. That’s right, even senior scholars can be corrected. Recently, our intel told us a senior Shaykhul Hadith sat in a lesson of Bukhari blasting Ruqya and blasting me! What was my sin? Educating people on Black Magic and Ruqya.
Subhan Allah! It’s a shame ulama don’t have the courage to ring me or tell me to my face, especially when I’m not doing anything wrong… these are the elders we are told to respect since we were small. I wonder if they are elders or oldies?
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure).
The first and most important point is to make sure the charity is Shariah Compliant. Let us not be naïve and think everything that has the words “Islam” or “Islamic” before it, is according to Qur’an and Hadith. Many charities do activities which are violating the laws of Allah SWT, you do not need to be a Mufti/Scholar to know this. For example, mixed events, music in their videos, qawwali is becoming common, fashion shows and makeup tutorials… the list goes on. Every sane Muslim knows these things are totally wrong in the name of Islam.
Make sure the
charity is under the supervision of at least one Alim or a group of qualified
scholars. We see charities opening on every street corner, many of these
brothers and sisters do not have knowledge of the basics of Islam. They are
collecting our Zakah and Sadaqah, how can we guarantee it will be distributed
correctly and accurately?
Give to needy charities and not the GREEDY ones! You should be giving your money to the neediest places and the neediest charities. Some charities accumulate 40-50 million pounds a year, others are very close. Check their annual reports or search on the Charity Commission Website. Check to see how much of that money is being spent, why give your Zakah to a charity that still hoards last year’s Zakah?
Ask your charity
if they take admin costs for Zakah and Sadaqah, some charities take
astronomical amounts! Although it is permissible to take from Sadaqah, one must
ask a local Mufti if it is permissible to take admin costs from Zakah: https://islamqa.org/hanafi/qibla-hanafi/37024
Ask your charity how quickly they distribute Zakah. As mentioned in point 3, some charities get millions every year. A lot of this money is hoarded in their bank accounts as they are unable to spend this money instantly. Which could mean your charity still has last year’s Zakah gathered up! Do you really want to give them this year’s Zakah? Some charities have a 30-day policy i.e. they distribute your Zakah within 30 days, I personally think this is an excellent idea.
Don’t be ashamed to ask how much they pay their employees, their PR managers and the CEO. We hear about charities taking ridiculous wages due to help from Gift Aid etc. Unfortunately, the concept of kindness and consideration is disappearing from some charitable people.
“You donate for the sake of Allah!” I am sure you have all heard this one before? Some defensive charity workers reply with the above statement when questioned about their practises and money management. The statement is incompetent and uneducated. Just because we donate for Allah does NOT mean in any way, shape or form we cannot question people. It is our God-given right, we are living in 21st Century Britain.
Now we come on to charities collecting door-to-door. Most of us, unfortunately, donate blindly, we do not ask for a receipt, nor a charity reg number. Some of these people are not even Muslim, they just grow a beard and wear a hat or hijab for women. We must follow protocol, and ask for a certificate where it applies. We need to get rid of our ignorance and stop saying, “We donate for Allah and it is all in his hands” Definitely, you donate for Allah, but does that mean you donate to thieves and crooks because of your sheer naivety? Learn to ask a few questions, ask for their website (give it a quick google search on the doorstep), their head office location, which countries they work in etc.
Make an intention, The intention is important for Zakah. AS for Sadaqah/Lillah most of us give Ma Sha Allah, very generously. But we do not make an intention, for esale thawab, for Shifa, safety from calamities, multiple intentions can be made In Sha Allah. Allah accept from one and all. Ameen.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia(one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Allah says: “Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except for the enjoyment of delusion.” ( Qur’an 57:20)
Happiness or Money?
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.”
I believe that money can’t buy you happiness. Sure, having a lot of money is a great thing and gets rid of the stress of financial insecurity. But real happiness can’t be bought by money. Thinking about life has led me to think about this popular belief and realise it’s completely true. Although being financially secure is one of the best things in the world, it won’t necessarily bring you happiness. Many people dream of being rich. They think of all the things they can buy with money such as big houses, fancy cars, and long vacations. People make it their goal to get into a good college to get a good job and make a lot of money. With financial security, people think they have more time to spend relaxing and being happy. There are so many success stories of people going from “rags to riches” and people try to follow their footsteps and do the same thing. Basically, we all get this idea that being rich is a great thing and it will guarantee happiness, but is it true? On the flip side, there are also people who have gone from millionaires (karor pati) to living off benefits (road pati).
As Muslims we are taught to rely on Allah SWT for our sustenance, Allah provides. Obviously, tie your camel then trust in Allah. I would like to narrate a passage from a lecture of an Imam from Madinah – Shaykh Muhammad al-Mukhtar ash-Sinqitee (Allah preserve him): “The happiest of people is the one who addresses his complaints to Allah and not to his creation. The happiest of people is the one who puts his certainty in Allah and does not put his certainty in Zayd or Amr (i.e. people). If a person was in debt and your friend said I will talk to such and such a person he is wealthy. And your debt will be relieved very easily by that person. How certain will you be about your debt being settled and your hardship being removed?
But how about the King of Kings the One who has depositories of the Heavens and the Earth in His hand? How about the Most Generous, which the fullness of His Hand is not affected by the continuous spending, night and day. O Allah! Make our poorness to You, and our richness in You. Be rich in Allah, have trust in Allah. People turning away from you is indeed a blessing from Allah, He wants you to turn to Him.”
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
“Many a people with dishevelled hair are driven away from the door (but they are so pious) that if they are to swear in the name of Allah, He would definitely fulfil that.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The happiest of people are the one who says, “Ya Rabb!” – and Allah answers his supplications. By Allah! Happiness is not in wealth; if it was in wealth, the happiest of the people would have been Qaroon, but he was amongst the most unfortunate and miserable of people, “And we caused the earth to swallow him and his home.”(28:81)
Wealth is not happiness and happiness is not when you ask people and they give you. True happiness is when Allah will open the doors of heaven for you, Allah make us from them. Ameen!
It was narrated from Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) that the Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) used to tie a stone to his stomach because of hunger.(Ibnul Arabi in Mu’jam)
Money only makes a person want more money – it creates greed and thrives off the desire for more and more. I heard someone recently say regarding another person who has a fulfilling business that ‘he’s lazy and not enthusiastic’ simply because he has shown a level of contentment within his business and refuses to advance it further.
Why? Because, unlike many many others, by Allah, he has resisted that monetary lust and has sukoon/peace in the amount he has. And why was he called lazy? Because unfortunately, today, many people think that the successful and admirable one is he who is able to keep the revenue rolling constantly until there is more money than one will EVER need.
Abū Saʿīd Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allāh’s Messenger (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said,
“The world is sweet and green (alluring) and verily Allāh is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act. So avoid the allurement of women: verily, the first trial for the people of Isrā’īl was caused by women. (And in the ḥadīth transmitted on the authority of Ibn Bashshar the words are:) so that He should see how you act.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The feeling of constantly wanting to generate money has terrible, subconscious effects on oneself. The person is in a constant trance-like mode whereby he is forever thinking about the next project that will bring him a profit and in this there is no barakah/blessings in his day for any extra Qur’an, adhkar and Islamic progression. Many so-called religious folks try justifying their love for wealth and materialism by stating companions such as Uthman Ghani (Allah be pleased with him) and AbdulRehman ibn Awf (Allah be pleased with him) who were wealthy… Dear brothers and sisters, with the wealth of Uthman (Allah be pleased with him) must come the Taqwa of Uthman as well! Scholars have also got sucked into materialism and consumerism, please see this article on scholars charging for Da’wah.
The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) was seen by ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) with dust on his clothes from having slept on the floor. ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) wished to provide the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) with a more comfortable bed and the reply was,
“What have I to gain in this world? The like of this world is as that of a traveller who is travelling in the sun and he sits under a tree momentarily and then gets up and continues on.” (Tirmidhi)
For example, In “The High Price Of Materialism” Tim Kasser says, No matter how many fancy designer clothes, cars, or jewels they might obtain, no matter how big their house or how up-to-date their electronic equipment, the lost opportunity to engage in pleasurable activities and enjoy each others’ companionship will work against need satisfaction, and thus against their happiness.
Happiness is the most valuable aim of a human being. While the earth is getting complicated and changing day by day, almost all people are trying to have a happy and fulfilling life. During this pursuit of happiness, our relationships play a crucial role. In the pace of life, when we have encountered some stressful or disappointing situation or cases, in order to take a breath we always consult our families and fly into our family’s arms. If we have our own families and their real support, it is the most reliable way to reach happiness and relief. But sometimes people can be in a dilemma between possessions and relationships. This is the point of collapsing real happiness because when the passion of money comes to a person, he starts to abandon his family. He thinks as if money will bring them happiness and a good life. But it won’t. As Tim Kasser says in the article of Mixed Messages “a focus on materialistic values detracts from well-being and happiness. For example, when spouses spend most of their time working to make money, they neglect opportunities to be with each other and do what most interests them.” And again in Downshifting in Britain
As you can see in these sentences as long as people don’t allocate enough time for their families, there is no way to make them happy.
“Difficulties in managing work-life balance can have a detrimental impact on the quality of the relationships between parents and children and the parent’s responsiveness to the child, with implications for child outcomes. This is particularly important for every young child, with evidence suggesting that it is best for children if they can receive intensive parental contact for the first months (HM Treasury & DTI 2003, p 13-14).”
The word ‘happy’ is defined by the Oxford dictionary as: “Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment,” however happiness means different things to each individual person. Most people’s definition of happiness would include words along the lines of ‘love’ and ‘health’, and others may include ‘family’ ‘friends’ ‘belief’ ‘achievement’ these are all things that money does not give you. The truly happy people I’ve known have been those who were engaged in meaningful work, paid or unpaid. These people were so busy living their lives in pursuit of something larger than themselves that they had no time to wonder, “Am I happy?” They just were.
The other most important step to reach happiness is our satisfaction. Because actually, the money doesn’t make us happy, it can help us just by providing some satisfaction. When we lost our satisfaction, it means we lost our happiness and this is exactly what our possessions do. Lots of people in consumer countries and societies think that they always need more money than they have now, even if they are wealthy and rich people. In the book of Clive Hamilton, this situation is stated with this sentence: “The trouble with the rat race is, even if you win, you are still a rat.” Because of the society that they belong to, they are convinced that more money means always more happiness. So without exception, all people are trying to have more possessions to be satisfied by being able to buy what they need.
In conclusion, I believe that money provides temporary satisfaction but that is up to you to figure out how to truly be happy. You need to start with basics like enough money for food and shelter, but if you try to build on your fortune then you must keep your priorities right; friends and family first. If you lose your money, then who will be there for you to catch you when you fall from that high horse that you have been riding for so long? Your friends and family. My definition of happiness would be living a healthy life surrounded by my family and friends, yes I would need money for food and shelter but after that, how much do I really need?
Anas bin Mālik (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allāh makes his heart rich, and organises his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not. And whoever makes the world his goal, Allāh puts his poverty right before his eyes and disorganises his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him.” (Tirmidhi)
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Happiness or Money?
