What should be our attittude towards the Sahaba (RA) of the Prophet (SAWS)

           Why have the Muslims always loved the Sahabah?

One of the fundamental beliefs of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama`ah that at times distinguishes them from heretics is their belief in the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and all that has been mentioned about their virtues, merits and characteristics in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Companions are all those who met the Prophet (s.a.w.) and died as Muslims. Scholars have said that they were 114,000 in number [as stated by Abu Zur'ah, the teacher of Imam Muslim, and recorded by as-Suyootee] .

They are praised in many Qur'anic verses: "You are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind, you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah." [3:110]

 "And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajiroon (the Emigrants from Makkah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madeenah who helped the Muhajiroon) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success." [9:100]

"Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave their pledge to you (O Muhammad) under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down calmness and tranquility upon them..." [48:18] 

Our Attitude Towards Them 

Our attitude towards the Sahaba should be that of love, respect, peace and purity of our hearts and tongues. 

Allah has described this in His saying: "And those who come after them say: 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed.'" [59:10] 

And the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The sign of faith is love of the Ansar and the sign of hypocrisy is the hatred of Ansar" [al-Bukharee, Muslim]. 

Why should we not be thankful to those who believed in the Prophet, assisted him, strove with their lives and wealth to make the Word of Allah supreme, preserved and transmitted to us our Religion? Who is more deserving that we pray for them and speak of them in the best manner and think of them with the best thoughts? 

We should therefore mention their virtues and remain silent about any mistakes they made and about anything that occurred between them, as the Prophet (s.a.w.) advised us:

"When my Companions are mentioned then withhold" [Saheeh, at-Tabaranee] .

And he also said,

 "Do not abuse my Companions, for if any of you were to spend gold equal to (mountain of) Uhud in charity, it would not equal a handful of one of them or even half of that" [al-Bukharee, Muslim].

And he said,

"Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people" [Saheeh, At-Tabaranee] .

Muslim scholars have also been very strict in regard to the issue of speaking and thinking mistrustfully of the Sahaba.
Imam Malik said that someone who finds in himself an ill-feeling or anger "ghaiDH" about the Companions is a kafir because Allah (s.w.t.) says "li-yagheeDHa bihim ul kuffar" that He may enrage the disbelievers with them, i.e. the Sahaba [48:29].

And the `Ulama' also say if the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) are dishonest or betrayed the Prophet, then the whole religion is undermined. Because how do we know what the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, if the Companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) were not honest and truthful? We cannot be sure. And this also applies to the Qur'an, as we received the Qur'an through the Sahaba as well.

Indeed, they were truthful and sincere, as Allah described them: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah and showed not their backs to the disbelievers, of them some have fulfilled their obligations and some of them are still waiting, but they never changed (i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah) in the least." [33:23]

Hujjat ul Islam, Sufyan ibn `Uyainah said: "He who speaks a single word against the Companions of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) then he is an innovator." And Imam Ahmad said: "If you see anyone speaking ill of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, doubt his Islam." And Imam Dhahabee said, "Anyone who criticizes them or insults them has gone out of this religion and has segregated himself from the Muslim Ummah. He has disbelieved in what Allah the Most High says concerning them in His Book, and what Allah's Messenger has said concerning their noble qualities and their merits...

It is incumbent upon the Muslims to love Allah; to love His Messenger, to love what the Prophet brought as guidance and as his practice; to love his descendants, his Companions, his wives, his children, his servants, and to love those who love them and hate those who hate them, as this is the meaning of loving for Allah's sake and hating for Allah's sake, and that is the most excellent kind of faith."

In al-Kaba'ir (The Greatest Sins), we find that adh-Dhahabee also said, "The one who loves the Prophet loves and respects each and all of his Companions. To hate any of them is to hate the Prophet."

 Al-Fudayl ibn `Iyyad spoke similarly when he said, "Indeed, I love those whom Allah loves. They are those from whom the Companions of Muhammad (s.a.w.) are safe. I hate those whom Allah hates. They are the people of the deviant sects and innovation."

Ahlus Sunnah also, "accept all the superiorities and grades that have been described about them in the Qur'an, the Hadith and by consensus. They give superiority to those who spent and fought for the sake of Allah before the victory, that is, truce of Hudaibiyah over those who spent and fought after that. They consider al-Muhajireen (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madeenah for Islam) to be superior to al-Ansar (the helpers of al-Madeenah who supported the Muhajireen). They have faith in what Allah has said about the 313 persons on the occasion of the battle of Badr that, 'they are free to do what they like, their sins are pardoned' [al- Bukharee]. And none of those who gave their pledge to the Prophet (s.a.w.) under the tree will get into Fire as the Prophet (s.a.w.) has stated, 'Allah is doubtlessly pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.' And they were more than 1400 about whom the Prophet (s.a.w.) bore witness that they will be admitted to Paradise [Muslim].

The Ahlus Sunnah also bear witness the admission to Paradise for them such as the ten Companions who have been given glad tiding of Paradise in this world by the Prophet." [Al-aqeedatul Wasitiyyah of Shaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymeeyah]

The Companions' Noble Deeds

We believe that the Sahaba were not innocent of the minor or major sins, but their qualities and deeds were so virtuous and superior that they cause the pardon of the errors committed by them. 

We believe that if any of the Sahaba committed mistake, he either repented or performed such virtuous deeds that they are either pardoned or will be interceded for by the Prophet (s.a.w.) as they are most deserving of his intercession. Their Jihad, Hijra, knowledge, deeds and support for the Prophet (s.a.w.) will be a cause of pardon of their few mistakes.

As for their Ijtihad, they are rewarded twice when they were correct, and once when their exertion to find the truth resulted in a wrong conclusion.And, as ash-Shafi'ee said, "I have allegiance for them and I seek Allah's forgiveness for them, and for the people of Camel and Siffeen, those who killed and those who were killed, and all the companions of the Prophet in entirety."

The deeds and virtues of the Sahaba, may Allah be pleased with them all, should be what every Muslim should strive to emulate to the best of one's ability. Their behavior and sincerity were praised by Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.) and that suffices as proof.

As Ibn Mas'ood said, "Indeed Allah looked into the hearts of the servants and found the heart of Muhammad (s.a.w.) to be the best of the hearts of His servants and so He chose him for Himself and sent him as a Messenger. Then He looked into the hearts of His servants after Muhammad (s.a.w.) and found the hearts of the Companions to be the best of the hearts of the servants. So He made them ministers of His Messenger (s.a.w.) fighting for His Deen. So whatever the Muslims hold to be good then it is good with Allah and whatever the Muslims hold to be evil it is evil with Allah." [Ahmad, at-Tayalasee]

The Sahaba were undoubtedly the best in terms of understanding the religious obligations, the Sunnah of the Prophet and the way of establishing the Islamic teachings. Their belief is an example for us, as Allah says in the Qur'an: "So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." [2:137]

The Best of People

And they are the best people, to which the Prophet (s.a.w.) referred to in the Hadith: "The best of my people are my generation then those who come after them, then those who come after them, then there will come a people in whom there will be no good." [At-Tabaranee, authenticated by al-Albanee] Also, in al-Bukharee, "The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them..." This is also reported by Muslim, Aboo Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, An-Nasa'ee and others.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said, "...and my Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects." [Aboo Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, Ahmad, authenticated by at-Tirmidhee, al Hakim, ibn Taymeeyah, as-Suyootee, al-Manawee, ash-Shatibee, adh-Dhahabee and al-Albanee]. In another Hadith that is hasan, the Prophet (s.a.w.) explained which one is the saved sect: "Al- Jama`ah" [Ibn Majah]. In another Hasan Hadith the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The tribes of Israel broke into seventy- two sects. My Ummah shall break up into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire, except one: what I am upon and my Companions." [At-Tirmidhee]

Eid Greetings of the Sahaba

Eid Greetings of the Sahaba (Companions of the Holy Prophet SAWS):

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani (rahimahullah) said:“We have related in “Mahaamiliyaat” with a chain of narration that is authentic (hasan), from Jabyr ibn Nufayr who said:‘When the companions of Allah’s Messenger (sulAllahu alaihi wa salaam) met on the day of ‘Eid, they would say to each other,

‘Taqaballahu minna wa minkum (may Allah accept from you and us ).” [Al M...ahamiliyyat; hasan isnad; see Fath ul Bari 2:446]

Ibn Qudaamah mentioned in al-Mughnee (2/259) that Muhammad ibn Ziyad said: I was with Abu Umamah al Bahili (rahimahullah) and some other companions of the Prophet (sulAllahu alaihi wa salaam).When they returned from the eid, they said to each other, ‘Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from you and us).”

It is preferable to say " "تقبل الله منا ومنكم “Taqab-balallahu-Minnaa-Wa-Minkum” .

(Shami Vol 2 Pg 169, Umdat-ul-Fiqh Vol 2 Pg 460 )

Nothing wrong with "Eid Mubarak", but what the sahabah said is a better practice.

How Moderation is Gained by Following the Teachings of Islam -Maulana Ashraf ali Thanvi (RA)

Moderation in the Teachings of Islam

-Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (RA)

The kalam of Allah (Qur’an) is the most perfect because the Knowledge of Allah regarding conditions and circumstances is complete. He is the Possessor of choice, has control over everything and the One who makes everything effective. No attribute or condition overpowers Him. Thus, every law coming from Him will be perfect.

Never can His laws be too strict for He is not overpowered by His attribute of Wrath, nor are they absolutely lenient, for He is not overpowered by His attribute of Mercy, but He is the Possessor of choice and is Qahhar (One who has control over things) and is Rahim (merciful) and Karim (generous) when He wishes to be. He is not overpowered or compelled by any attribute.

We learn from this that His kalam (Qur’an) and all His laws are free from extremism. This is exactly why it is compulsory for every human- being to subjugate himself to the Shari’a. The Shari’a carries within itself all benefits and wisdom.

Experience has proven to us that we become overwhelmed by difficult conditions. This makes it more necessary to follow the Shari’a of Allah so that we can preserve moderation.

Undoubtedly, there is tremendous moderation in the Shari’a.

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Stance On The Usage Of Weak Ahaadith

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s Stance On The Usage Of Weak Ahaadith

 

   Respected readers, what I would like to discuss here inshallah is an issue which causes a lot of controversy, that is the issue of usage of weak ahaadith. We have some people who go the extreme of saying that weak ahaadith should be rejected entirely.

I will state the obvious here, and mention that other that the sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim) every other book of hadith, be it the sunan of Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, the mustadrak of Imam Haakim, musannaf of Imam ibn Abi shaybah and others all contain some weak as well as sahih ahaadith.

What we must understand is that there is a difference between a weak and a fabricated hadith but unfortunately and sadly we have certain ignorant people who don’t differentiate between the two.
They treat a weak hadith like a fabricated hadith and totally disregard it.

I am not saying for a second that fabricated ahaadith should be entertained, we all know the severity of attributing a lie to the messenger of Allah sallalaho alayhi wasallam who himself said ‘whoever attributes a lie to me has reserved his space in the fire of hell’ (Bukhari).

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

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

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

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

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

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

To continue, Ibn Taymiyya says, in para 478:
“and that is the action which is known to be lawful with a shari’ah evidence, and there has been narrated in its virtue hadith that is not known to be a lie, it is possible that the reward will be true and none of the Imams have said that it is permissible to consider something required [waajib] or recommended [mustahabb] by way of a weak hadith, and whoever said so differed from the consensus [ijma'a].”

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

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

Then he continues in para 479:
“And just like it is not permissible to forbid something without a shari’ah evidence, [daleel shar'ee] but if it something is known to be forbidden and a hadith has been narrated in warning the one who commits such an action, and it is not known that it is a lie, it is permissible to narrate it. And it is permissible to narrate it in the manner of encouraging and discouraging [at-tarheeb wat-targheeb] what is not known that it is a lie. but in what is known that Allah has encouraged or discouraged with another evidence besides this [weak] hadith whose authenticity is unknown [majhoul haaluh].”

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

Ibn Taymiyah RA continues to explain this concept in para 480:
“This is like the [situation] of the Isra’iliyyaat [stories related by the Jews]. It is permissible to be narrated as long as we know that it is not a lie, for encouraging or discouraging in what we know that Allah has ordered in our law [shar'] or forbade in our law [shar'].”

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

So respected brothers and sisters, we see from the above evidences that Imam Ibn Taymiyah RA himself accepted the usage of weak ahaadith.

Taken from  http://haq2012.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/imam-ibn-taymiyyahs-stance-on-the-usage-of-weak-ahaadith/#more-256

Learning from a Teacher & the Importance of Isnad

Learning from a Teacher & the Importance of Isnad

Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari 

Question:

I have read one of your recent articles and I wanted to know, what is the legal requirement for someone to be considered a knowledgeable scholar whom we can take knowledge from? Is Isnad(chain of transmission) one of the requirements and is there any evidence for this deduced from the sources?

Also, I have noticed that Isnad is not usually mentioned by the scholars as a prerequisite for someone to be considered a Mujtahid. Can one therefore be self taught?

Answer:

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

There are two aspects to your question. The first is regarding the importance of the chain of transmission (Isnad/Sanad) in relating Islamic knowledge, and the second concerns the status of learning from a qualified teacher. I will attempt to shed some light, Insha Allah, on both of these topics in the light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and the statements of classical scholars.

Isnad (chain of transmission) of knowledge 
Allah Almighty has honoured the Ummah of the best of creation, our master Muhammad (Allah bless him & give him peace) with many special characteristics that were not given to any other nation before us.

From among these favours is the unrivalled and unique feature of Isnad in relating the various sciences of Islamic knowledge. Isnad was regarded by the early Muslims (salaf) as the first and primary condition in relating any aspect of Shariah even if it was merely relating one word.

With this, Allah Most High fulfilled his promise of preserving the Deen which includes the book of Allah, Sunnah of the beloved of Allah and the various Islamic sciences that are indispensable in understanding the former two.

Allah Most High says:

“We have without doubt, sent down the Message; and we will assuredly guard it.” (Surah al-Hijr, V.9)

The “message” here refers to the book of Allah and also the Sunnah of his blessed Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace), for whatever the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) says is from Allah Almighty, as Allah Most High says:

“Nor does he (the Messenger of Allah) say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than revelation (wahi) sent down to him.” (al-Najm, V. 3-4)

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) explained both verbally and practically the contents of the book of Allah. The Qur’an is quite ambiguous and limited in stating the laws of Shariah, and the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) duty was to explain these injunctions.

Allah Most High says to his Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace):

“And We have sent down unto you the Message (Qur’an); that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them.” (al-Nahl, V. 44)

So the promise of preserving the Deen is not restricted to the Qur’an, rather it encompasses the Sunnah and also the Companion’s (Allah be pleased with them all) understanding of the Sunnah and the understanding of those who took from them.

Isnad is a unique feature of the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him & give him peace) Ummah. No other nation, religion or community can claim or boast to have such rigorous analysis of the various aspects of their faith.

Early Muslim scholars examined and analysed each and every statement that came to them, whether it was the statement of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), his companions (Allah be pleased with them all) or anyone else. They studied the life and character of those who were part of the transmitting chain (isnad) in the strictest way possible.

Thus, the Ummah witnessed an amazing introduction of the “science of studying the reporters of Hadith” (rijal al-Hadith) which was unprecedented and is unrivalled till today. The recording of the names, dates of birth, dates of demise, qualities and characteristics of thousands and thousands of people is something that only Muslims possess.

Books such as, Tahzib al-Kamal by al-Mizzi, Tahzib al-Tahzib by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Mizan al-I’tidal by Dhahabi and Lisan al-Mizan by Ibn Hajar are just some examples of this amazing phenomenon. There are also books that are dedicated to preserving the biographies of the Sahaba, such as Tabqat of Ibn Sa’d, al-Isti’abby Ibn Abd al-Barr, Usd al-Ghaba by Ibn al-Athir and al-Isaba by Ibn Hajar, in which the biographies of approximately ten thousand companions (Allah be pleased with them all) have been covered.

Imam Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak (Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Isnad is part of religion (deen), and if it was not for Isnad, one would have said whatever one desired. When it is said (to the one who speaks without an Isnad): “Who informed you? He remains silent and bewildered.” (See: Introduction to Sahih Muslim, 1/87, al-Jami’ li akhlaq al-rawi wa adab al-sami’ and others)

He (Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak) also stated:

"The one who seeks matters of his deen without an Isnad is similar to the one who climbs to the roof without a ladder.”

Sufyan al-Thawri (Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Isnad is the weapon of a believer. When one does not possess a weapon, then with what will he combat?.”

Sayyiduna Imam Shafi'i (Allah have mercy on him) says:

“The example of the one who seeks Hadith without an Isnad is of a person who gathers wood in the night. He carries a bundle of sticks not knowing that there is a snake in it.” (meaning, he gathers and collects all types of narrations, the genuine and spurious, ).

Baqiyya ibn al-Walid (Allah have mercy on him) once related to Hammad ibn Zaid (Allah have mercy on him) certain narrations that were void of Isnad. So Hammad said: “If only they had wings.”

Imam Ibn Taymiyya (Allah have mercy on him) states:

“Isnad is a unique feature of this Ummah and Islam. Then from among the Muslims, it is a specialty of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.”

(The above statements have been recorded by Shaykh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda [Allah have mercy on him] in his excellent work, al-Isnad min al-Din P. 18-20)

These and many other similar statements of the predecessors imply that the early Muslims held Isnad to be indispensable in order to acquire Knowledge. So much so, that in order to relate even one word in their books, they would mention a whole chain of transmission that covered three or four lines.

Isnad was not only mentioned in order to narrate Prophetic traditions (hadith), rather, it was related for every form of knowledge, such as the exegesis (tafsir) of the Qur’an, stories of the pious and worshippers, incidents of history, etc.

After the Prophetic traditions were gathered in the great compilations, such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and others, and other compilations in various other Islamic sciences, it was not deemed necessary to relate every statement with a chain of transmission going back to its original authority. Rather, it was sufficient to have an Isnad or Sanad going back to the author. The Isnad of the author going back to the original authority would be mentioned in his book.

Till this very day, we have scholars from around the globe relating Prophetic traditions and other branches of Islamic knowledge with a chain that goes all the way back to the authors of the respective books.

The six major books of Hadith are generally taught with an Isnad that goes back to their authors, and from them to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). Many scholars are seen to travel and make distant journeys in order to acquire Ijazah [authorization] and a higher form of Isnad.

In terms of Isnad with regards to prophetic traditions (hadith), the scholars of the Indian subcontinent are (perhaps) at the forefront. The science of Hadith is given special attention there and almost every student that studies in the various Islamic institutions (Dar al-Ulooms) is blessed with an Isnad in each of the major books of Hadith. Even major Arab scholars are seen to travel to Indo/Pak in order to acquire Ijazah and Isnad from the great Hadith masters.

In terms of other branches of knowledge, such as the science of Tajweed, Fiqh, etc, we see the Arab scholars at the forefront in relating and teaching the various books with Isnad. Major scholars in Syria and elsewhere have a chain in the recitation and memorization of the Qur’an that goes back to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) via the angel Jibril to Allah Almighty Himself.

The major books in Hanafi Fiqh (and other Madhhabs) are taught with a Isnad/Sanad going back to their authors and to Sayyiduna Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah be pleased with him) himself. Books in other sciences are also taught and related in a similar manner.

In conclusion, Isnad (or Sanad) is a unique feature with which our Ummah has been blessed. It has always been regarded to be indispensable in teaching and seeking knowledge. Scholars mention, that even today, one should acquire knowledge from a scholar who has an Isnad or at least a teacher who he studied with. Having a complete chain of transmission is not a pre-requisite for teaching. However, what is necessary, is that the one from whom one takes his/her knowledge, is amongst those who studied by other shuyukh. This is discussed further in the following section.

Learning from a qualified teacher

Allah Most High created man different from animals. Animals are not in need of a teacher or trainer in a way man is. We see for example that, when a fish is born, it automatically begins to swim without being taught how to do so. If a man was to take the example of the fish and throw his new-born baby into the river thinking that he will swim, then he is without doubt insane, for a fish is not in need of an instructor who instructs it how to swim, while a man needs a tutor to teach him to swim.

Take the example of the new-born chick; the moment it comes out of the egg, it begins to nibble at food without being taught. However, a human baby will not know how to eat unless it is taught practically how to consume the various types of foods.

It is the Sunnah (way) of Allah Almighty that he fashioned human beings in such a way that they are in need of practical instruction from a teacher in order to learn any science, technique or craft. From the moment one is born, one is in need of practical teaching and guidance in all aspects of life.

There is almost consensus on the fact that it is virtually impossible for one to master any science or art in the world without the guidance and tutelage of a qualified teacher under whom one practically learns the fundamentals of that science. It is not possible to gain expertise in any field unless one submits himself to the guidance of a teacher.

Take for example the science of medicine. If one was to think that I will read and study the books on medical science in the comfort of my home, thus become a medical practitioner, then he will be considered to be insane by almost everybody. If this individual was to perform surgery on a patient or begins to treat people, then his patients will not end up anywhere other than the graveyard!

Even if this individual is very talented and knowledgeable, the guidance of a tutor is indispensable. Suppose this individual is able to understand the books of medical science and he masters the language in which the books are written, he will still not be permitted to work as a physician or surgeon unless he studies under the guidance of a qualified person in the field of medical science. No government will ever allow this individual to take up the medical profession, due to the fact that he did not pursue the method necessary in order to take up this profession.

It is the same with all the other sciences of the world in that the guidance of a teacher is necessary. No body would allow you to practice law until you don’t attend a law school and learn form a qualified barrister. Let alone the major sciences, even the simple art of cooking is not achieved by merely reading a book. There are several books published explaining the methods of cooking different types of food. If an individual who had never cooked in his life before, cooked by merely reading the procedure of cooking mentioned in the book, then you can imagined what the outcome would be!

So, it is the nature of man that he can not acquire knowledge merely from books unless he has a teacher and mentor to train and guide him. He needs to stay in the company of a qualified teacher who will help and assist him on every step and save him from the errors that may be committed. This applies to every science, art and craft, and sacred and religious knowledge is of no exception. It is not possible for one to acquire sacred knowledge unless one is trained by a qualified teacher and mentor.

This is the secret behind a book or scripture never being revealed except Allah Almighty sent a Messenger to explain its contents. There are many examples where a Prophet was sent by Allah Almighty and no book or scripture was revealed unto him, but there is not a single case where a book was revealed without a Prophet carrying it.

The simple reason behind this is that if a book was sent on its own, man would not possess the capability to understand it without the teaching of a Prophet. If Allah wished, He could have sent the book on its own. Every individual could have found a book when he woke up in the morning, and a voice from the heavens would have declared: “Obey what is in this book” but Allah, the Creator of mankind, who is fully aware of the human instincts, chose to send the book with a teacher who would explain the contents of the book, both practically and verbally.

Allah Most High explains this concept in the following verse:

“Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent amongst them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting upon them verses (of the book), sanctifying them, and teaching them the scripture (book) and wisdom, while before that, they had been in manifest error.” (Surah Ali Imran, V. 164)

Similarly, Allah Most High says:

“And We have sent down unto you (O Messenger) the message, that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them.” (al-Nahl, V. 44)

Therefore, it is the Sunnah of Allah Almighty that He has kept two means for the guidance of mankind. One is through the medium of His books (kitab Allah) and the other is the Prophets and their successors. Hence, both, the book of Allah (kitab Allah) and men of Allah (rijal Allah) are necessary for one’s guidance. Sufficing with one of the two will surely lead to deviation.

At this point, it would be useful to quote the great scholar of Usul, Imam al-Shatbi (Allah have mercy on him). The following is the crux of what he stated on this issue in his renowned treatise al-Muwafaqat:

“The most beneficial and effectual way of gaining knowledge is by learning it from those who are masters in their fields. It is necessary to have a teacher in aspects of knowledge that need explanation and interpretation. It is not impossible for one to gain knowledge without a teacher; however, normally it is observed that a teacher is of utmost importance. This is, somewhat, agreed upon by the scholars.

Scholars said: “Sacred knowledge was in the hearts of men, then it moved into the books and the keys to these books are in the hands of scholars (rijal).” This implies the necessity of acquiring knowledge from the people who master it.

The basis for this is the Hadith which states:

“Verily Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people appoint ignorant as their leaders. They are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.” (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

If this is so, then the scholars are without doubt the keys for this knowledge.” (al-Muwafaqat)

Imam al-Shatbi (Allah have mercy on him) further mentions three signs and characteristics of a expert qualified teacher:

1) He practices what he teaches,

2) He himself has been trained by a qualified scholar,

3) His students follow and pursue in his footsteps, for if his students generally tend to not follow him, then this is a sign that there is something inherently wrong with him. (ibid)

There are many benefits and wisdoms in learning from a teacher: Sound understanding of the texts, its correct interpretation, being saved from making errors in understanding the texts (for each science has its own special terminologies) , getting questions and queries that may arise answered, practical application of the knowledge and obtaining the Baraka and light of guidance from that special teacher-student relationship are just a few to mention.

In conclusion, it is necessary for one that he learns his knowledge from a scholar of knowledge, piety and wisdom, and who himself has been taught and trained by a similar scholar. That does not mean it is incumbent for an individual that each time he picks up a book, he must find a scholar to teach him, rather one needs to study the fundamentals of each science with those who are qualified, thus become acquainted with the different terminologies, terms and expressions used. Thereafter, one may study a book on his own with always referring to senior scholars whenever something is unclear.

And Allah Knows Best

Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam Al Kawthari

Darul Iftaa

Leicester , UK

___,_._,___

Conditions for Debating in Fiqh- by Imam Ghazali

Disputation (Debating) in Fiqh

Disputation, according to Imam Ghazali, is only valid if the following conditions are met:

1. Disputation is a communal obligation (fard kifaya); before one may practice it he must have already fulfilled the individual obligations (fard  `ayn).
2. The purpose of disputation is to seek the truth; and it is justified only when there is not a more important community obligation that should be performed.
3. Disputation is justified only in the case of a mujtahid, capable of arriving at his own legal opinion and who is not bound by the opinions of any school of law.
4. Disputation is justified only in cases that are likely to be of actual occurrence.
5. Disputation should be held privately, rather than in public assemblies in the presence of notables and men of power and influence.
6. In disputation the aim should be to seek the truth regardless of which of the two adversaries finds it.
7. Disputation should be free of certain restrictive rules of dialectic, such as preventing the adversaries shifting from one argument to another.
8. A disputant should dispute with an opponent from whose knowledge he expects to benefit, one who occupies himself with legitimate religious knowledge.

After presenting his eight conditions Imam Ghazali states that there are others of minor importance, “but in these eight conditions there is that which will show you the difference between those who dispute for the sake of Allah, and those who do so for an ulterior motive.”

Half-hearted Hijabs for Fashion!

OBSERVATIONS ON HIJAB
Author: Unknown

It has been my personal observation that some Muslim girls and women do not realize the significance of hijab. Hijab is arabic for protection and cover. Some people put a lot effort into their hijab, yet it serves no purpose. I am referring to the pointless hijab that some girls wear.

The first pointless hijab is referred to as the headband hijab. It is a band of fabric approximately 4 inches wide. It covers the back of the head and allows all the hair to be exposed. It doesn't serve much in terms of modesty, but at least it comes in handy in case of an unexpected tennis match.

The second pointless hijab is the dupetta, also known as the Saran wrap hijab. It covers all the hair, but it is totally transparent. Again it doesn't serve much in terms of modesty, but it keeps the hair nice and fresh.

The third type of hijab is known as the Mickey Mouse Hijab. It is when a girl wears a black scarf and tucks it behind her ear, so that her ears stick out.

We now move to my favorites:

The yo-yo hijabs.  The first yo-yo hijab, also known as the Benazir Bhutto hijab, is the scarf that keeps falling down and needs to be constantly pulled back up....up, down, up, down, just like a yo-yo.

The second yo-yo hijab is also referred to as the convertible hijab. This type of hijab is predominant at any type of social event, i.e. an Aqeeqah, Bismillah party, Ameen party, wedding, etc.  This is when an Imam or Qari comes up to the microphone and starts to recite Qur'an. At this point, all the convertible hijabs come up...until he says "Sadaqallahul atheem". I'm not sure, but apparently in some cultures that translates to "ok sisters, you may now take off your scarves".

I'm sure this may seem odd, but what's even funnier is when people do not anticipate the recitation of Qur'an at a social event, and are forced to be creative and use accessories such as a purse to cover one's hair.  I was surprised to see a women hold her purse over her head as "hijab"..as if the multitudes of men surrounding her are not a good enough reason to wear hijab, but some guy reciting du'a compels her to hold a purse over her head. Her friends were more creative...one friend used her dinner napkin.

I was also laughing when I saw the communal hijab -- two or more girls draped under one dinner napkin during the recitation of Qur'an. Her other friend was still more creative. She used her coffee saucer on the back of her head.  I wasn't sure if it was hijab or a Yamaka. I didn't know  if she was a Muslim or a Jew. I felt like going up to her and saying "Shalom alaikum, sister".

And, people should remember that hijab is not just a protection from guys, but from a girl's nafs (ego) as well.  It should prevent girls from having to spend hours in front of the mirror doing her hair. But, unfortunately, you see girls in front of the mirror for hours doing their hijab as they would do their hair, with all sorts of elaborate braids and the like. I wanted to go up to a sister and say "Is your hijab naturally curly?" I also felt compelled to go up to another girl and  say "pardon me, but is your hijab naturally that color, or did you dye it?".

Well, the point to remember is that some people make an effort to wear hijab, but it is futile, because it is not fulfilling it's purpose. It's like using an umbrella with holes in it. Hijab is used for protection from guys as well as from the girl herself, and should not be used as an accessory or for beautifying one's self.

Anyway, that's it. If anyone disagrees with me or is offended, then you are disagreeing with the teachings of Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

 

Gaining beneficial knowledge

Despite Nabi salallahu alayhi wasallam being the nabi and the greatest of all creation, yet he was given the command of :

وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

O My Rabb! Increase me in knowledge. (Quran-20:114)

 

Therefore, Nabi salallahu alayhi wasallam made the du`aa for the increase in knowledge.

 

There are two types of `ilm (knowledge):

1. `ilm-e-naafi`(beneficial knowledge)
2. `ilm-e-ghair naafi`(non-beneficial knowledge)

The following du`aa was made (by the prophet Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) for beneficial knowledge:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا

"O Allah! I beg of You for beneficial knowledge" (Hakim)

 

and the following du`aa was made for protection against non-beneficial knowledge:

اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ

"O Allah! I seek Your protection from non-beneficial knowledge". [Sahih Muslim].

 

The question arises as to when will a person receive beneficial knowledge?

The answer is that the following conditions have to be found:

1. sound clear reasoning
2. firm conviction in the knowledge
3. firm determination to put it into practice
4. irresistible endeavour to remove all obstacles.

Effort is generally made to acquire sound reasoning. Eight to nine years are spent in studying texts, reading up their footnotes and researching their commentaries (For Aalim course). However, no effort is made to build up a firm conviction. Where will it be acquired? One will not acquire it through reading up footnotes etc. One needs to sit in the company of the ahl-e-dil (pious) and then only will yaqeen-e-kaamil (firm conviction) be created.

(Malfuzaat Faqeehul Ummah 1/215)
 

-Adapted from http://www.qafila.org/obstacles-in-gaining-beneficial-knowledge/#more-692

Duas (prayers) for removing poverty and difficulties/ debt--Mufti Mohammed Shafi R.A.

An easy prescription/Duaas for the problems and poverty of the Muslims.

http://islamicexorcism.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/how-to-repel-poverty-islamicexorcism-wordpress-com.pdf

"Today the problems which Muslims are facing are not concealed from a person with insight. It is as if poverty, bankruptcy, despicability and anxiety have become a distinguishing characteristic of the Muslims. The wise men of this Ummah are planning all kinds of cures for this devastating illness. However, sometimes the plan chosen is incorrect. As a result, instead of being a cure, it exacerbates the problem. Some plans are correct, but they are not practical nor are they within one’s reach. 

I have presented some cures here taken from the words of Allâh and His Messenger [PBUH]. Undoubtedly, these words are free of any of the above-mentioned defects. There is no chance of these cures being incorrect or harmful. Whether they are difficult or not, one can put them into practice and see for oneself. 

For the cure for poverty, I have chosen to translate the book, 
'husool ar rifq bi Usool ar rizq' of the famous scholar of the ninth century, 
Sheikh Jalālud-dīn Suyūtī R.A. It is sufficient for this discussion. [For full arabic, download-http://archive.org/details/HussulRifq ]

For general calamities and problems, the book, 'Al Faraj ba'ad al shiddah' of the famous Imām, the leader of the Muhaddithūn, Ibn Abī Ad-Dunyā R.A. is an excellent and amazing work."

-Mufti Mohammed Shafi R.A.

Download PDF file in english:
http://islamicexorcism.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/how-to-repel-poverty-islamicexorcism-wordpress-com.pdf

HOW TO REPEL POVERTY
Mufti Muhammad Shafi Saheb [ra]

Introduction

An easy prescription for the problems and poverty of the Muslims.

Today the problems which Muslims are facing are not concealed from a person with insight. It is as if poverty, bankruptcy, despicability and anxiety have become a distinguishing characteristic of the Muslims. The wise men of this Ummah are planning all kinds of cures for this devastating illness. However, sometimes the plan chosen is incorrect. As a result, instead of being a cure, it exacerbates the problem. Some plans are correct, but they are not practical nor are they within one’s reach.

I have presented some cures here taken from the words of Allâh and His Messenger (SAWS). Undoubtedly, these words are free of any of the above-mentioned defects. There is no chance of these cures being incorrect or harmful. Whether they are difficult or not, one can put them into practice and see for oneself.

For the cure for poverty, I have chosen to translate the book, (أصول الرفق في حصول الرزق) of the famous scholar of the ninth century, Sheikh Jalālud-dīn Suyūtī. It is sufficient for this discussion.

For general calamities and problems, the book, (الفرج بعد الشدة) of the famous Imām, the leader of the Muhaddithūn, Ibn Abī Ad-Dunyā is an excellent and amazing work.

 All praises are due to Allāh I that these two booklets have been translated with the necessary comments.

 Allāh U is the one who grants the ability.

(Muftī) Muhammad Shafī’ (رحمه الله)

The leader of the authors, Sheikh Jalālud-dīn Suyūtī رحمه الله says, “Many people asked me to collate all the narrations from the authentic ahādīth relating to those actions and incantations which have been mentioned to increase sustenance and repel poverty and bankruptcy and which have been tried and tested. Accordingly, I am writing this booklet which I have divided into two chapters. The first chapter contains the aurād and du’ās while the second chapter contains the actions which increase sustenance.”

devotions

Dhikr and Du’ās

 Imām Tabarānī رحمه الله has quoted in his Al-Mu’jamul Ausat from Abū Hurairah  that Rasūlullāh said,

“Whoever is granted a bounty by Allāh should express excessive gratitude for it. The one who has excessive sins should repent abundantly. Whoever is suffering from a lack of sustenance should recite,

 لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ

profusely.”

 Imām Ahmad, Abū Dāwūd and Ibn Mājah رحمهم الله have narrated from Àbdullāh Ibn Àbbās that Nabī  said,

“Whoever adopts istighfār (seeking repentance), Allāh  will grant him salvation from every type of problem and calamity.”

 Àbdullāh Ibn Mas’ūd  states that Rasūlullāh said, “Whoever recites Sūrah Wāqi’ah every night, will not be afflicted by poverty and want.” (Musnad Abū Ya’lā)

Anas  narrates that Rasūlullāh  said, “Sūrah Wāqi’ah is the sūrah of wealth. Read it yourself and teach your children to read it.” (Ibn Mardawaih)

Āishah narrates that the Messenger of Allāh said, “When Ādam was sent to the earth, he stood facing the Ka’bah and performed two raka’āt of salāh. At that time, Allāh inspired the following du’ā in his heart,

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ سِرِّيْ وَعَلَانِيَتِيْ فَاقْبَلْ مَعْذِرَتِيْ وَ تَعْلَمُ حَاجَتِيْ  فَأَعْطِنِيْ سُؤْلِيْ وَ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ نَفْسِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ إِيْمَانًا يُبَاشِرُ قَلْبِيْ وَيَقِيْنًا صَادِقًا حَتَّي أَعْلَمَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُصِيْبُنِيْ إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبْتَ لِيْ وَرَضِّنِيْ بِمَا قَسَمْتَ لِيْ

“O Allāh, You know my interior and exterior. Accept my excuse and You know my need. Fulfill my requirement. You know what is in my heart. Forgive my sin. O Allāh, I seek such faith in You that becomes embedded in my heart and such true conviction that I realize whatever afflicts me is only due to my fate which You have pre-destined. Make me pleased with my share.”

 Then Allāh revealed to Ādam (A.S),

“O Ādam, We have accepted your repentance. We have forgiven your mishap and whoever supplicates to Me with this du’ā, We will forgive him and We will take responsibility for all his tasks. The world will come to him despised even though he may not desire it.”

(Ibn Mardawaih)

 Imām Bayhaqī has narrated via Buraydah some supporting narrations.

Àlī states that Nabī said,

“Whoever will recite a hundred times,

لاَ إَلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِيْنُ

 it will become a means of safety from poverty for him and a solace from the solitude of the grave.”

(Musnad al-Firdaus)

Àbdullāh Ibn Mas’ūd  says that Nabī said,

“Whoever recites Sūrah Ikhlās when entering the house, this sūrah will distance poverty from the inhabitants of that house and the neighbours.”(Tabrânî)

Ubayy states that a Sahābī asked Rasūlullāh if he only recited salawāt (durūd) instead of all the devotions and du’ās, how will that be. Rasūlullāh replied,

“If you do so, Allāh will take responsibility for all your needs of the world and the work of dīn.” (Musnad Ahmad)

Āishah t narrates that Rasūlullāh used to recite the du’ā,

  

أَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ  أَوْسَعَ رِزْقِكَ عَلَيَّ عِنْدَ كِبَرِ سِنِّيْ وَانْقِضَاءِ عُمْرِيْ

  

“O Allāh, expand Your sustenance for me when I become old and at the end of my life.” (Tabrânî)

 Jābir says that Nabī said,

“Must I show you something that will grant you safety from your enemies and which will make your sustenance flow? It is to supplicate to Allāh day and night because du’ā is the weapon of a believer.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

Ummul Mu’minīn Ummu Salmah says that Rasūlullāh used to recite the following du’ā after the Fajr salāh,

 أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

“O Allāh, I ask of You legitimate (pure) sustenance, beneficial knowledge and an accepted action.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

 Imām Mustaghfirī has narrated from Imām Mālik رحمه الله that when he used to complete the Jumu’ah and come out, he used to recite the following du’ā at the door of the Musjid,

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَجَبْتُ دَعْوَتَكَ وَصَلَّيْتُ فَرِيْضَتَكَ وَانْتَشَرْتُ لِمَا أَمَرْتَنِيْ فَارْزُقْنِيْ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِيْنَ

  “O Allāh, I accepted Your invitation. I have performed Your obligation. I have gone out (to earn) as You have commanded. Therefore grant me sustenance from Your grace because You are the best giver of sustenance.”

 Àbdullāh Ibn Úmar says that Rasūlullāh said that when the time for the demise of Nūh approached, he advised his son to recite two sentences. One was,

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

 while the second was,

 سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

 These two statements constitute the salāh of everything and everything is given sustenance because of them. (Adabul Mufrad)

 Jābir Ibn Àbdullāh says that Rasūlullāh said,

“I am showing the thing which Nūh advised his son with. It is the statement,

 سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

 The entire creation reads this sentence and receives sustenance due to it.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

Àbdullāh Ibn Úmar says that a person complained about his poverty to Rasūlullāh . Rasūlullāh  asked him why he did not recite the words of the angels and the hymns of the creation. They are,

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ الْعَظِيْمِ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ

 Read this phrase a hundred times before the Fajr Salāh after the time of Fajr has entered and the world will come submissive to you.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

Once Úmar experienced poverty and mentioned his condition to Nabī and asked him for some dates. Nabī  told him that if he wanted, he could give him an amount of dates and if he wanted, he could teach him some words which were better than that for him. The words were,

أَللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلاَمِ قَاعِدًا وَ احْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلاَمِ رَاقِدًا وَلاَ تَطْمَعْ فِيَّ عَدُوٌّ وَلاَ حَاسِدٌ وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ وَأَسْئَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ الَّذِيْ بِيَدِكَ

 “O Allāh, protect me for the cause of Islam while I am sitting. For the sake of Islam, protect me while I am sleeping. Do not grant any enemy or jealous person the chance to relish my harm. I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything which is in Your power. I seek the good which is in Your control.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

 Hadrat Àlī  states that Nabī  said, “Do you prefer that I give you 500 goats with their shepherds or five statements?” This was an indication that the latter was much more virtuous.

The words are,

أَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ وَطَيِّبْ لِيْ كَسْبِيْ وَوَسِّعْ لِيْ فِيْ خُلُقِيْ وَلاَ تَمْنَعْنِيْ مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ لِيْ بِهِ وَلاَ تُذْهِبْ نَفْسِيْ إِلَي شَيْئٍ صَرَفْتَهُ عَنِّيْ

 “O Allāh, forgive my sins, make my earnings lawful and broaden my character. Do not deprive me of what You have ordained for me. Do not make me desire a thing which is not preordained for me.” (al-Mustaghfirī )

 Āishah states that her father, Abū Bakr Siddīq asked her if he should not teach her a du’ā which Nabī  taught him. Īsā used to teach this du’ā to his disciples. The speciality of this du’ā is that even if your debts are equal to Mount Uhud , Allāh  will fulfil them. Āishah requested her father to most certainly teach her. He said the du’ā is,

 أَللَّهُمَّ كَاشِفَ الْكُرَبِ مُجِيْبَ دَعْوَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّ رَحْمَانَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَرَحِيْمَهُمَا أَنْتَ تَرْحَمُنِيْ بِرَحْمَةٍ تُغْنِيْنِيْ بِهَا عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

 “O Allāh, the One who removes calamities and the One who answers the call of the one in distress, the One who has mercy in the world and the hereafter, only You can have mercy on me. Have such mercy on me that makes me independent of all others besides You.”

 Abū Bakr  says that when Nabī taught him this du’ā, he was deeply in debt and he was very worried about his debts. A few days after reciting this du’ā, he says, “Allāh granted me so much benefit, that I paid off all my loans”.

 Āishah also states that she owed a woman money and was very ashamed about it. She began reciting this du’ā and within a few days, Allāh provided her sustenance without her receiving it from any inheritance or charity. She used this wealth to fulfil her debt. (Baihaqî)

Abū Sa’īd says that once Rasūlullāh saw Abū Umāmah in a sad condition and asked him what the matter was. He replied that he was overburdened by debts and worries. Rasūlullāh said,

“I will show you such a du’ā which, if you read it, Allāh will remove all your worries and fulfil all your debts. Read this du’ā every morning and evening,

 أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَ قَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ 

 “O Allāh, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief. I seek refuge in You from weakness and laxity. I seek refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness. I seek refuge in You from overpowering debt and the subjugation of men.”

 Abū Umāmah says that when he began reciting these words, Allāh  granted him freedom from his worries and fulfilled his debt. (Abû Dâwûd)

A slave once went to Hadrat Àlī and asked him for financial assistance for his freedom. Hadrat Àlī said, “Why should I not teach you those words which Rasūlullāh taught me? The benefit of these words is that even if you have debts equivalent to Mount Uhud , Allāh will fulfil them for you. The du’ā is,

أَللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ أِلَهَ آدَمَ وَرَبَّ كُلَّ شَيْئٍ مُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيْلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْئٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بَنَاصِيَتِهِ أَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ ٌقَبْلَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُوْنَكَ شَيْئٌ إِقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ

 “O Allāh, the Lord of the seven skies and the Lord of the great throne, the Diety of Ādam and the Lord of everything, the One who revealed the Torāh, Injīl and the Qur’ān, the One who splits the seed and the pit, I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything which is in Your control. O Allāh, You are the first, there is nothing before You. You are the final being and there is nothing after You. You are the most high, there is nothing above You. You are the innermost and there is nothing besides You. Fulfil our debt and grant us relief from poverty.” (Abû Ya’lâ)

Qubaylah Bint Makhramah radiallâhû 'anhâ had the habit of reciting the following du’ā after Íshā Salâh when preparing to go to bed.

 أَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ وَبِكَلِمَاتِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لاَيُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا يُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيْهَا وَ شَرِّ مَا يُنَزِّلُ فِيْ الْأَرْضِ وَ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَ شَرِّ فِتَنِ النَّهَارِ وَطَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ إِلاَّ طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَاعْتَصَمْتُ بِاللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ إِسْتَسْلَمَ لِقُدْرَتِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ ذَلَّ لِعِزَّتِهِ كُلُّشَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ تَوَاضَعَ بِعَظْمَتِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ خَشَعَ لِمُلْكِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ بِمَعَاقِدِ الْعِزِّ مِنْ عَرْشِكَ مُنْتَهَي الرَّحْمَةِ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ وَجَدِّكَ الْأَعْلَي وَاسْمِكَ وَبِكَلِمَاتِكَ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لاَيُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ إِنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْنَا نَظْرَةً لاَ تَدَعْ لَنَا ذَنْبًا إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ وَلاَ فَقْرًا إِلاَّ جَبَرْتَهُ وَلاَ عَدُوًّا إِلاَّ أَهْلَكْتَهُ وَلاَ عَارِيًا إِلاَّ كَسَوْتَهُ وَلاَ دَيْنًا إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهُ وَلاَ أَمْرًا لَنَا فِيْهِ فِيْ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ إِلاَّ أَعْطَيْتَنَاهُ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ

 After this du’ā, she used to recite 33 times (سُبْحَانَ اللهِ), 33 times (الْحَمْدُ للهِِ) and 34 times (اللهُ أَكْبَر).

She used to say that the daughter of Nabī , Fātimah went to her father to ask him for a maid. Nabī said, “I will tell you something that is better than a maid.” Fātimah asked him what it was. He mentioned the same incantations (tasbīhāt) as mentioned above.

The translation of the above-mentioned du’ā is as follows:

“I seek refuge in Allāh and His complete words which no pious or impious person can surpass from the evil of that which He sends down from the sky and what ascends up to it, what descends on earth and what emerges from it, from the evil of the corruption of the day and the occurrences of the night except those occurrences which bring good.

I have believed in Allāh and sought refuge in Him. Praise be to Allāh to whose power everything is subservient. Praise be to Allāh under whose honour everything is dishonoured. Praise be to Allāh in front of whose grandeur everything is humbled. Praise be to Allāh under whose rule everything is helpless.

O Allāh, I ask You through the means of the honour of Your great throne, through Your book which is the extreme limit of mercy, through Your grandeur and honour, through Your greatest name and Your complete words which no pious or impious person can go beyond, to look at us with such mercy that does not leave our sins unforgiven, no need unfulfilled, no enemy unvanquished and no garment should be left without being worn, no debt unfulfilled and no matter of Dīn or the world in which there is good for us, without granting us. O most merciful one, I have believed in You and have trusted You.” (Tabrânî)

Once Hasan , the grandson of Rasūlullāh  was afflicted by difficult circumstances. He did not receive the one hundred thousand dirhams which Amīr Mu’āwiyah used to grant him as a stipend. This created great distress for him. He was forced to ask for a pen and ink in order to write a letter to  Amīr Mu’āwiyah and remind him. However, due to bashfulness and modesty, he did not do so. On that very day he saw his grandfather, Rasūlullāh in a dream. The latter asked him how he was. Hasan explained his condition in detail. Rasūlullāh  said, “Whoever has hope in the creation and leaves the Creator, this will be his lot.” (Ibn ‘Asâkir)

Actions which Repel Poverty

 Maintaining family Ties

 Abū Hurairah says that Rasūlullāh said,

“Whoever desires to have an increase in his sustenance and in his age, should join family ties.”

That is, he should fulfil the rights of his next of kin and assist them physically and financially according to his ability. (Sahîh Bukhârî)

 Washing the Hands

 Anas states that Rasūlullāh said,

“Whoever wants his sustenance to be increased by Allāh, should regularly wash his hands before and after meals.” (Ibn Mâjah)

Salah

 Imām Àbdur-Razzāq has quoted in his Musnad that when an old man from the Quraish used to complain of poverty to Rasūlullāh , he would emphasize to his household to perform salāh. Then he would read the verse,

وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لاَ نَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَي

 “Command your family to perform salāh. Remain steadfast upon it yourselves. We do not ask you for sustenance. We will provide you with sustenance. The best culmination is for the pious.”

The son of Àbdullāh Ibn Salām, Hamzah narrates that whenever difficult conditions affected the family of Rasūlullāh , he would stress the performing of salāh to them and he would recite the verse,

وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لاَ نَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَي

 to them.  (Sunan of Sa’îd bin Mansûr)

Thābit narrates that whenever the family of Nabī was afflicted by poverty, then he would call out to them, “Perform salāh, perform salāh.” (Kitâbuz Zuhd of Imâm Ahmad bin Hambal)

This was the habit of all the prophets. Whenever any calamity afflicted them, they would resort to salāh.

Piety

 Mu’ādh Ibn Jabal  says that he heard Rasūlullāh  saying,

“O people, adopt piety as your business, you will receive sustenance without any business or capital. Then he recited the verse,

 ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب ومن يتوكل علي الله فهو حسبه

  

“Whoever fears Allāh, Allāh will make an exit for him from every calamity and grant him sustenance from where he cannot imagine. Whoever reposes his trust in Allāh, Allāh will be sufficient for him.” (Tabrânî)

 Abū Dhar  reports that once Rasūlullāh recited the verse,

 ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب ومن يتوكل علي الله فهو حسبه

  “Whoever fears Allāh, Allāh will make an exit for him from every calamity and grant him sustenance from where he did not even perceive. Whoever places his trust in Allāh, Allāh is sufficient for him.”

And then he said, “O Abū Dhar, if all the people had to practice on this verse, it would suffice for them.”

 Thaubān narrates that Nabī  said, “Sometimes a person is deprived of sustenance due to a sin he committed.” (Ibn Mâjah)

Ímrān Ibn Husain narrates that Rasūlullāh said, “Whoever severs his focus from all sides and places his trust on Allāh , He will take the responsibility for all his tasks and whoever focuses his attention towards the world, Allāh will hand him over to the world.” (Tafsîr Ibn Hâtim)

Note 1:

If a person adopts all the methods and du’ās mentioned in this booklet to repel poverty, it is not difficult. It is not much of an additional burden if one is experiencing hardships in business, agriculture etc.

However, if a person does not have enough time, and he reads just one of the du’ās from the first chapter, that would also be sufficient. It has not been narrated about Rasūlullāh that he recited all these du’ās at one time. It is proven from the Ahâdîth that he read different du’ās on different occasions.

However, the actions related to increase in sustenance mentioned in chapter two are indispensable and one should endeavour to continually practice upon all of them. If one violates them, one should repent.

Note 2:

The incantations (tasbîhât and du’ās) and actions mentioned for increase in sustenance should be done with the intention of pleasing Allāh and earning reward. The increase in sustenance is an added bonus and a necessary consequence which will, if Allāh wills, be automatically obtained.

وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين

A Summary of the Du’âs

لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ سِرِّيْ وَعَلَانِيَتِيْ فَاقْبَلْ مَعْذِرَتِيْ وَ تَعْلَمُ حَاجَتِيْ  فَأَعْطِنِيْ سُؤْلِيْ وَ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ نَفْسِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ إِيْمَانًا يُبَاشِرُ قَلْبِيْ وَيَقِيْنًا صَادِقًا حَتَّي أَعْلَمَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُصِيْبُنِيْ إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبْتَ لِيْ وَرَضِّنِيْ بِمَا قَسَمْتَ لِيْ

لاَ إَلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِيْنُ

أَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ  أَوْسَعَ رِزْقِكَ عَلَيَّ عِنْدَ كِبَرِ سِنِّيْ وَانْقِضَاءِ عُمْرِيْ

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَجَبْتُ دَعْوَتَكَ وَصَلَّيْتُ فَرِيْضَتَكَ وَانْتَشَرْتُ لِمَا أَمَرْتَنِيْ فَارْزُقْنِيْ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِيْنَ

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ الْعَظِيْمِ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ

أَللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلاَمِ قَاعِدًا وَ احْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلاَمِ رَاقِدًا وَلاَ تَطْمَعْ فِيَّ عَدُوٌّ وَلاَ حَاسِدٌ وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ وَأَسْئَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ الَّذِيْ بِيَدِكَ

أَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ وَطَيِّبْ لِيْ كَسْبِيْ وَوَسِّعْ لِيْ فِيْ خُلُقِيْ وَلاَ تَمْنَعْنِيْ مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ لِيْ بِهِ وَلاَ تُذْهِبْ نَفْسِيْ إِلَي شَيْئٍ صَرَفْتَهُ عَنِّيْ

أَللَّهُمَّ كَاشِفَ الْكُرَبِ مُجِيْبَ دَعْوَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّ رَحْمَانَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَرَحِيْمَهُمَا أَنْتَ تَرْحَمُنِيْ بِرَحْمَةٍ تُغْنِيْنِيْ بِهَا عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَ قَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ

أَللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ أِلَهَ آدَمَ وَرَبَّ كُلَّ شَيْئٍ مُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيْلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْئٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بَنَاصِيَتِهِ أَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ ٌقَبْلَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْئٌ وَ أَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُوْنَكَ شَيْئٌ إِقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ

أَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ وَبِكَلِمَاتِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لاَيُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا يُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيْهَا وَ شَرِّ مَا يُنَزِّلُ فِيْ الْأَرْضِ وَ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَ شَرِّ فِتَنِ النَّهَارِ وَطَوَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ إِلاَّ طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَاعْتَصَمْتُ بِاللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ إِسْتَسْلَمَ لِقُدْرَتِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ ذَلَّ لِعِزَّتِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ تَوَاضَعَ بِعَظْمَتِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِيْ خَشَعَ لِمُلْكِهِ كُلُّ شَيْئٍ أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ بِمَعَاقِدِ الْعِزِّ مِنْ عَرْشِكَ مُنْتَهَي الرَّحْمَةِ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ وَجَدِّكَ الْأَعْلَي وَاسْمِكَ وَبِكَلِمَاتِكَ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لاَيُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ إِنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْنَا نَظْرَةً لاَ تَدَعْ لَنَا ذَنْبًا إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ وَلاَ فَقْرًا إِلاَّ جَبَرْتَهُ وَلاَ عَدُوًّا إِلاَّ أَهْلَكْتَهُ وَلاَ عَارِيًا إِلاَّ كَسَوْتَهُ وَلاَ دَيْنًا إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهُ وَلاَ أَمْرًا لَنَا فِيْهِ فِيْ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ إِلاَّ أَعْطَيْتَنَاهُ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ

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Imam Nawawi mentioned in his brilliant work on the Prophetic supplications, al-Adhkar, that Imam Tirmidhi related from Ali (Allah be pleased with him) that that Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) taught him to say,

"O Allah! Make me suffice in Your lawful provision from what You deem unlawful.

And enrich me, by Your bounty, from all other than You." [Tirmidhi (3563)]

Allahumma Akkifini bi halalika `an haramik, wa aghnini bi fadlika `amman siwak

اللّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاك

And Allah alone gives success.