Conditions of the Sahaabah

Conditions of the Sahaabah

Taken from al-Jawaab al-Kaafee liman sa'ala an ad-Dawaa ash-Shaafee

Translated by Abuz-Zubayr 'Abdur-Rahman Harrison

Written by/Said by Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (Rahimahullaah)

Edited by Editorial Staff at tazkiyah (dot) org (the site is down now, baarak Allaahu feekum)



Whoever reflects upon the conditions of the Sahaabah, he finds that they had the highest concern for deeds with the highest level of fear of Allaah ('Azza Wa Jall). Abu Ad-Dardaa (Radhiallahu 'Anhu) used to say, "The most severe of what I fear for myself on the Day of Resurrection is that it were to be said to me, 'Oh Abu Dardaa, you performed deeds, so how did you perform deeds yet did not learn?'" And he used to say, "If you knew what you will encounter after death, then you would not even eat food just for pleasure, nor would you drink any drink just for pleasure, nor would you even enter a house just to seek shade within it. You would rather go out to a high place, striking your chests and crying over yourselves. And I wish I were just a tree that is used for support and then eaten." Tameem Ad-Daaree (Radhiallahu 'Anhu) read one night Soorah Al-Jaathiyah and when this Aayah came upon him:

Or do those who commit evil deeds think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds? [Al-Jaathiyah : 21]

He began to repeat it over and over, crying until morning came. Ibraheem At-Taymee said, "I never put forth my statement before my action except that I was afraid of being a liar." Recorded in the collection of At-Tirmithee, Aaishah (Radhiallahu 'Anha) said, "I asked Allaah's Messenger (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) about this Aayah:

Indeed, those who are apprehensive form fear of their Lord, and those who believe in the signs of their Lord, and those who do not associate anything with their Lord, and those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord - it is those who hasten to good deeds, and they exceed others therein. [Al-Muminoon : 57-61]

So I said, "Are they those who drink wine, commit adultery, and steal?" So he replied: "No, oh daughter of As-Siddeeq. Rather, they are those who fast, pray, and give charity and they are afraid that it will not be accepted from them 'It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they exceed others therein.'" ⁽¹⁾ And Allaah described the people of happiness with Ihsaan and fear, while He described the people of misery with sins and the feeling of security and safety. And the greatest of people in deception is he who is deceived by the Dunyaa and its immediate pleasures so he prefers it over the hereafter. He is pleased with it over the hereafter. How is this so, when the Dunyaa, all of it from the beginning to the end, is like one breath from the breaths of the hereafter? This is similar to what Al-Imaam Ahmad and At-Tirmithee recorded from the Hadeeth of Al-Mustawrid ibn Shaddaad that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: "The Dunyaa compared to the hereafter is only like if one of you were to dip his finger into the sea - look what remains on it (of water)." ⁽²⁾ So what is the extent of the entire life of a person compared to the hereafter? Which of the two is given precedence by the intelligent person - preferring the immediate pleasures of this short period of time and being prevented from the ever-lasting good of the hereafter, or leaving something that is insignificant, worthless, soon-to-be cut off in order to gain that which is priceless, unimaginable, with no end to its pleasures, and never-ending?

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1	Declared Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithee, no. 3175 (go back)

2	Declared Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmithee, no. 2323 (go back)

A brief biography of the Ikhwaanul Muslimeen

A brief biography of the Ikhwaanul Muslimeen

Taken from al-Fataawaa al-Jaliyyah 'an al-Manaahij ad-Da'wiyyah

Translated by Abuz-Zubayr 'Abdur-Rahmaan Harrison

Written by/Said by Ash-Shaykh Ahmad ibn Yahyaa an-Najmee (rahimahullaah)

Edited by Editorial Staff at (the former) tazkiyah (dot) org (the site is down now, baarak Allaahu feekum)

Al-Ikhwaanul-Muslimeen

Al-Ikhwaanul-Muslimeen: They are the followers of Hasan al-Bannaa and there are many issues with their manhaj, the most important are the following:

1. Neglecting Tawheed of Ibaadah (Allaah's Unity of Worship), which is the most important aspect of Islaam and that, which without it, the servant's Islaam is not correct.

2. Their remaining silent and approving of people committing major shirk whether it be calling upon other than Allaah, making Tawwaaf around graves, making vows to the occupants of them (the graves), sacrificing in their names, and similar to that.

3. Indeed, the foundation of this manhaj is Soofee. They have a relationship to Sufism in that they made a pledge with Abdul-Wahhaab al-Hasaafee for allegiance to his Soofee path which is al-Hasaafiyyah ash-Shaathaliyyah.

4. The presence of bid'ahs with them and their worshipping with them. Rather, they are the foundation of their manhaj. They believe that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) attends their sittings of dhikr and forgives their previous sins as is in their verse of poetry:

"The God has sent prayers upon he who has appeared upon light, For all the worlds so he surpassed even the sun and moon, This beloved among beloved ones has arrived, And he has forgiven everything that has preceded and occurred."

5. Their da'wah for the leadership. This itself is a bid'ah, for indeed, the messengers and their followers were responsible for calling to Tawheed. Allaah said:

"And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger (saying), 'Worship Allaah and avoid false gods.'" [An-Nahl : 36]

6. The lack of any Walaa and Baraa (Loyalty and enmity) with them or at least it is very weak with them. This is clarified by their da'wah for cooperation and closeness between the Sunnah and the Shee'ah like the statement of their founder: "We cooperate in what we agree on, and we pardon one another for what we disagree on."

7. Their hatred for the people of Tawheed and the people of the way of the Salaf and their abhorrence of them. This is clear from their talk against the country of Saudi Arabia which was founded upon Tawheed. Tawheed is studied in its schools, its institutes, and its universities. It is also clear from their killing of Jameel ar-Rahmaan al-Afghaanee because he was calling to Tawheed and for his schools in which Tawheed was studied.

8. Their constant following up of the mistakes of the leaders and searching for their faults, regardless of whether they were true or not, and then spreading them among the youth to make them detest the leaders and to fill their hearts with hatred against them.

9. Disgusting Hizbiyyah that they ascribe to. So they show loyalty for the sake of their party and they show enmity for it.

10. Taking a pledge of allegiance for acting in accordance with the Ikhwaanee manhaj based upon ten specific conditions mentioned by the founder. There are other issues of criticism with them that perhaps we can take later.

Two Severe Threats For The One Who Opposes The Sunnah

Two Severe Threats For The One Who Opposes The Sunnah

Allaah The Most High has stated:

"Then let them be aware, those who oppose his (the Messenger's) commandment, that some Fitnah (trial) will befall them or a painful torment."

(Soorah An-Noor: 63)

The noble Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Sa'eed Raslaan (may Allaah preserve him) commented on this verse saying:

"This is a severe threat for the one who opposes the command of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) with one of two matters:

1. That Fitnah will befall his heart, and as a result of it, he deviates away from the truth and disbelieves after having Eemaan. His heart will become corrupt with the deviance of misguidance, therefore not being guided to the truth after that. That is because he opposed the command of the Messenger (sallallaau alayhi wa sallam). This punishment is more severe than the one after it.

2. The painful torment, either it takes place in the life of this world with being killed, sickness or the destruction that is for the disbelievers who opposed the commandment of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). The second punishment will take place in the hereafter. There will be no escape for the one who intentionally opposes the commandment of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) from the two punishments; A punishment which is in the heart and a punishment which afflicts the physical body or the wealth. This will take place either by way of death or the destruction or the complete loss of wealth and lives. This is a severe threat for the one who opposes the commandment of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)."

Source: As-Sunnah wa Bayaan Makaanatihaa pgs. 7-8 By Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Sa'eed Raslaan (may Allaah preserve him)

Some Golden Principles During Times of Fitnah

Some Golden Principles During Times of Fitnah

In his exellent book The Position of the Mu`min At Times of Fitnah, Shaikh 'Abdul-Azeez bin 'Abdillaah bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said:

quote:

Therefore, the only thing that will save you and protect you from Fitnah, by the permission of Allaah, is: judging by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and that is by returning back to Ahlus-Sunnah and the scholars of the Sunnah, who have the understanding of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and studied very well, knowing their rulings and adhering to them. Therefore, it is obligatory upon every individual in the Ummah - including mankind and jinn, Arabs and non-Arabs, men and women - to judge by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and to adhere to the methodology of the Salaf of the Ummah...

Ibn Baaz (rahimahullaah) continued:

quote:

...As for the hadeeth that is narrated from the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) regarding sitting down at time of Fitnah, this is known with the people of knowledge and its details are as follows: The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: quote: There shall soon be a Fitnah: the one who sits in that time is better than the one who stands, and the one who stands is better than the one who walks, and the one who walks is better than the one who hastens to it. And the closer you get to it, the closer it would get to you. Therefore, whoever is able to seek refuge in a shelter, let him do it. [Bukhari (3602), Muslim (6886); narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu)] The temptations that are meant in this hadeeth are the ones that are vague and ambiguous, and the way of truth in them is unknown; rather it is mixed up. Such are the temptations which the believer is advised to abstain from and stay far away from it with whatever way necessary. And this is similar to what is stated in his (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) statement: quote: There shall soon be a time in which the best wealth of the Muslim man will be his sheep which he will carry along with him to the peak of the mountain and the falling places of rain, fleeing with his religion from Fitan. [Bukhari (19), narrated by Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (radiallaahu 'anhu)] When the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was asked: quote: Who is the best among the people? He (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) replied: A believer who strives his utmost in Allaah's Cause with his life and property. They asked: "Who is next?" He (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allaah, and leaving the people secure from his mischief. [Bukhari (2786), Muslim (1888), narrated by Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri] The intent behind "Fitan" in the above mentioned hadeeth are the bewildering ones, and it is upon the believer to stay away from them. But if it is a situation when the oppressor is obvious from the oppressed, and the truth is obvious from falsehood, in this case, it is obligatory upon him to follow the truth and be at the side of the oppressed, and oppose the oppressor and falsehood. As the Prophet said: Aid your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed. He was asked: O Messenger of Allaah, how can I help him when he is an oppressor? He said: Prevent him from opression; that is helping him.

All Praise is due to Allaah, we are upon guidance and a clear Religion; Solace is close by, and evil will cease to exist by the Permission of Allaah.

Source: The highly beneficial book The Position of the Mu`min At Times of Fitnah, by Shaikh 'Abdul-Azeez bin 'Abdillaah bin Baaz (rahimahullaah)

The Three Kinds of Hearts

The Three Kinds of Hearts

by Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah

(taken from Ar-Risalat Ut-Tabukiyyah)

Contrary to the happy ones described above are those who neither accept the guidance that Allah sent with His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), nor do they benefit from it. They are described by Allah in the followning:

The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Torah but did not carry it (i.e., fulfill it) is like a donkey carrying volumes of books (but not benefitting from them. (Al-Jumu'ah 62:5)

The Prophet also classified people into three groups based on their response to his Messenger and Guidance. He said:

The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah sent me is like rain that falls on different kind of land:

1) One kind of land is good. It accepts the water and produces vegetation and grass in plenty.

2) A second kind of land is dry, with a solid bed that reserves the water so that the people can drink and irrigate with it.

3) A third kind is a porous land that can neither retain water nor produce vegetation. This is an example of those who acquire the knowledge of the Deen and benefit from the guidance that Allah gave me, and of those who do not take heed nor accept Allah's Guidance. (Recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Messenger likens the knowledge that he was given to rain because both are causes of life. The rain is the body's cause of life, whereas the knowledge is the heart's cause of life. He also likens the heart to valleys, as Allaah says:

He sends down water from the sky, making valleys flow according to their different capacities.....(Ar-Ra'd 13:17)

Just as there are three kinds of land, there are three kinds of hearts:

1) The first is a good land that is receptive of water and productive of vegetation. When the rain falls on it, it absorbs the water eagerly, giving rise to all sorts of pleasant vegetation.

This is an example of a person with a healthy, pure and intelligent heart. His heart embraces knowledge, and is guided by its true intelligent nature, blossoming by that wisdom and true faith. Therefore, because of its good nature, it is eager to take the knowledge, and ready to bear fruits.

This person is also like a rich merchant who has experience in different trades and investments, which enables him to invest his wealth in what brings the best profit.

2) The second kind is a hard and solid land prepared to keep and preserve the water. This benefits the people who frequent it for drinking and irrigation.

This is an example of a person whose heart preserves the knowledge and safeguards it so as to convey it just as he hears it, without alteration or conjecturing. This type of person is also described by the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) as follows:

There is often a person who conveys the knowledge to those who are more knowledgeable than himself; and there is often a person who carries the knowledge when he himself is not knowledgeable. (Recorded by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmithi, Ahmad, and others from Zayd Bin Thabit, Anas Bin Malik and others. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (as-Sahihah no. 404)

This is also like a rich man who does not possess the knowledge or experience to invest his wealth, but who knows very well how to preserve it.

3) The third is a barren land incapable of holding water or producing vegetation. Regardless of the amount of rain falling on it, that does not profit it.

This is an example of a person whose heart does not accept any knowledge or wisdom. It is also like a poor man who neither possesses wealth nor knows how to preserve it.

The first of the above three examples applies to a learned teacher of knowledge, calling to Allah's path with clear guidance. Such are the inheritors of the prophets.

The second example applies to a person who preserves the knowledge, precisely conveying what he hears. He carries to other people precious goods that they can use for trade and investment.

The third example applies to a person who neither accepts Allah's guidance nor benefits from it.

Thus this hadith covers the different types of people and their positions in regard to the Prophet's message, the first two types being happy ones, and the third being the miserable.

Growing the Beard is Obligatory

Growing the Beard is Obligatory

by

Muhammad bin Jamil Zino

(Taken from the book "Islamic Guidelines")

1. Allah the Exalted said concerning the insolence of the Satan:

".....and I will order them to change the creation of Allah....."(4:119)

So shaving one's beard is changing the nature created by Allah and obedience to the Satan.

2. Allah the Exalted said:

"And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam) gives you take it, and whatever he forbids you abstain (from it). " (59:7)

3. The Prophet sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam ,

"Trim the mustache and leave the beard and be different from the Magi." (Muslim)

4. The Prophet sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam ,

"Ten things pertain to the nature as Allah created: trimming the mustache, growing the beard, brushing the teeth, sniffing water into the nose, cutting the fingernails.......and so on." (Muslim)

5. It is narrated:

"The Prophet sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam cursed the men who intend to look like women." (Bukhari).

Shaving one's beard makes him look like women in the face and takes him away from Allah's Mercy.

6. He sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam also said,

"......but Allah ordered me to grow my beard and trim my mustache." (Ibn Jarir)

Thus growing the beard is a command of Allah and the Prophet sall Allahu alaihi wa sallam and the act of the Companions, and shaving it is prohibited in the Hadith.

7. You should not shave or remove any hair on the cheeks as they are part of teh beard.

8. Medical reports reveal that the beard protects the tonsils from the sunstroke. Shaving of the beard also harms the skin.

9. Beard is an ornament to man, designed by Allah. Even some birds like the cocks have it to be dissimilar to the the female birds.

10. Shaving the beard is as it is violation of the Prophet's command to grow it.

11. I asked a man, while he was shaving his beard, whether he loved the Prophet. He said that he did. Then I asked him why he did not accept the command of the Prophet with regard to the beard. Then he got convinced and promised to grow it.

12. If you wife does not like the beard, you can tell her that this is a Muslim characteristic and that she should fear Allah. Also quote a Hadith of the Prophet :

" Do not obey anybody in disobedience to Allah." (Ahmad)

The Soul that Greatly Commands Evil

The Soul that Greatly Commands Evil

by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaq Al-Abaad

Taken from Causes Behind the Increase and Decrease of Eemaan pg.109-111

This is a condemned soul, which Allaah placed inside the individual. It orders him with every evil, invites him to all perils and guides him to every vulgarity.

This is its nature and that is its trait, except for the soul that Allaah grants tawfeeq and which He makes firm and assists. None has been saved from the evil of his soul except by the tawfeeq of Allaah, as Allaah says relating from the wife of al-Azeez:

"And I free not myself (from the blame). Verily, the soul does indeed incline greatly to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills). Verily, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Soorah Yoosuf 12:53)

Allaah says:

".....And had it not been for the Grace of Allaah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure..." (Soorah an-Noor 24:21)

Allaah also says to the most honorable and beloved creation to Him:

"And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little." (Soorah al-Israa 17:74)

Furthermore, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaiyhi wa salam) used to teach them (i.e.., the people) the 'Speech of Need' (Khutbah al-Haajah): " All praise is for Allaah; we praise Him, seek His aid and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our souls and from the wickedness of our actions. Whosoever Allaah guides, then none can misguide him and whosoever Allaah misguides, then none can guide him..." (related by Aboo Daawood)

Thus, evil is concealed within the soul and it necessitates actions of evil. If Allaah lets the servant have his own way with his soul, he will perish at the evil of his soul and the evil actions that it sanctions. If Allaah on the other hand, grants the servent tawfeeq and assists him, he will deliver him from all of this.

Allaah has made in contrast to this soul, a soul that is content. If the soul that constantly commands evil urges the servant with something, the content soul prohibits him from it. The person at times obeys this soul, and at other times obeys the other; he himself is one of the two that is prevalent over him.

Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, states: "Allaah has assembled two souls: a soul that greatly orders evil and a soul that is content, and they are hostile towards one another. Whenever one diminishes, the other strengthens. Whenever one takes pleasure in something the other suffers pain as a result of it. Nothing is more difficult for the soul that constantly encourages evil than performing deeds for Allaah and preferring His pleasure to its own desire and there is nothing more beneficial to it than Allaah. Likewise, there is nothing more difficult upon the content soul than performing deed for other than Allaah and that which the incentives of desire bring about, and there is nothing more harmful to it than desire.... and the war is continuous, it cannot come to an end until it completes its appointed time from this world."

Hence, there is nothing more harmful to a person's eemaan and religion than his soul that constantly commands evil, whose standing and description is such. It is a primary reason and effective and active constituent that weakens eemaan, unsettles it and impairs it.

As such, it becomes imperative for the one who seeks to safeguard his eemaan from diminution and weakness to tend to the matter of calling his soul to account, admonishing it and to increase in censuring it, so that he can deliver himself from its adverse and devastating consequences and ends.