Understanding of What Sisterhood/Brotherhood in Islam really means

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Even though this is a letter from a sister to her Muslim sisters, it can easily apply to the brothers as well.

My Dear Sister in Islam:

Insha-Allah, everything is well with you and those close to you. I am writing this letter to let you know how much I care and to help us both gain an understanding of what Sisterhood in Islam really means, Insha-Allah.
I care about you because we share something that is more special than the whole world and all that it contains; we share the belief in the Oneness of Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala) and the religion that He (Subhana wa Ta'ala) has given to us. This is a gift that transcends any differences we may have in regard to race, color, nationality, culture or language. Being a sister in Islam is one of the many blessings that comes from acceptance of the true path of Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala). It is also a responsibility that we each have as members of the Muslim Ummah. To fulfill our obligation, we first need to understand what is required of us. This is what the bond of Sisterhood in Islam means to me, based upon the wisdom of Allah and his
Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam), "...And lower your wing for the believers (be courteous to the fellow Believers)." (Al-Hijr 15:88) The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "None of you has Iman
(faith) until he desires for his brother (or sister) Muslim that which he desires for himself (or herself)." (Bukhari and Muslim) He (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) also said, "The Muslims in their mutual love, kindness and
compassion are like the human body where when one of its parts is in agony the entire body feels the pain, both in sleeplessness and fever." (Bukhari and Muslim) I love you for the sake of Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala) .. The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "On the Day of Judgement, Allah, the Most High, will announce, 'Where are those who love each other for the sake of My pleasure? This day I am going to shelter them in the shade provided by Me. Today there is no shade except my shade." (Muslim) I will be sure to tell you of my love, Insha-Allah ...The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "If a person loves his brother, he should inform him of this fact." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidi) I will be merciful
and compassionate toward you, Insha-Allah ...Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala) says, "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful
among themselves..." (Al-Fath 48:29) The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "Do not be envious of other Muslims; do not overbid at auctions against another Muslim; do not have malice against a Muslim;
do not go against a Muslim and forsake him; do not make an offering during a pending transaction. O' servants of Allah, be like brothers (or sisters) with each other. A Muslim is the brother (or sister) of another Muslim; do not hurt him (or her), or look down upon him (or her) or bring shame on
him (or her). Piety is a matter of heart (The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) repeated this thrice). It is enough evil for a person to look down upon his Muslim brother (or sister). The blood, property and honor of a Muslim is inviolable to a Muslim." (Muslim) I will keep company with you, Insha-Allah ..The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "Keep company with a believer only, and let your food be eaten only by the righteous." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidi) He (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) also said, "A person is likely
to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidi) I will help you when necessary and I will cover your shortcomings, Insha-Allah ... The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said,"One who helps a fellow Muslim in removing his (or her) difficulty in this world, Allah
will remove the former's distress on the Day of Judgement. He who helps to remove the hardship of another, will have his difficulties removed by Allah in this world and in the Hereafter. One who covers the shortcomings of another Muslim, will have his faults covered up in this world and the next by Allah. Allah continues to help a servant so long as he goes on helping his own brother (or sister)." (Muslim) I will encourage you to the
right, Insha-Allah ... Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala) says, "The believers, men and women. are Auliya (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on people) Al-Ma'ruf ( i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbids (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they offer their prayers perfectly (Iqamat-as-Salat); and give the
Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy upon them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (At-Tauba 9:71) When the Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) instructed, "Help your (Muslim) brother (or sister) when he commits a wrong and when a wrong is committed against him, someone
asked, "O Messenger of Allah, I understand how I can help him if a wrong is committed against him, but how can I help him if he is himself committing a wrong?" At that the Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) answered, "Stopping him from committing the wrong is helping him." (Bukhari) I will fulfill my
minimum duties and beyond, Insha-Allah ... The Prophet (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) said, "A Muslim owes six obligations towards another Muslim: when you meet him (or her), salute him (or her) saying 'Assalamu Alaikum; when he (or she) invites you, accept his (or her) invitation; when he (or she) solicits your advice, advise him (or her) sincerely; when he (or she) sneezes and praises Allah, respond with the supplication Yarhamuk Allah (Allah have mercy on you); when he (or she) falls sick, visit him (or her); on his (or her) death, join his (or her funeral)." (Muslim) He (salAllahu Alaihi wa Salaam) also said, "When a Muslim visits his (or her) Muslim brother (or sister) who is sick, he (or she) certainly gathers the fruits of Paradise until he (or she) returns (from visiting)." (Muslim) You should understand, dear sister, that these are only some of the promises that I have made to you and to Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala), Insha-Allah. I will strive to fulfill each of them to the best of my ability, Insha-Allah. Insha-Allah you will do the same for all of your sisters in Islam. This will not only enhance our bounds of Sisterhood, but will also strengthen the fibers of the Muslim Ummah as we acquire and utilize the wisdom of Islam, Insha-Allah. Our ultimate goal is to gain the pleasure of Allah
(Subhana wa Ta'ala), as well as His Mercy and Blessings, Insha-Allah. May we both find the true peace that comes with being a Muslim and attaining the highest of rewards: Paradise.Ameen!!!

With true love, Your Sister in Islam

Concept of Friendship in Islam

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta`ala says in Noble Qur`an;
(interpretation of the meaning)

"O you who believe!
Guard your own souls:
If you follow the right guidance
[and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong]
no hurt can come to you from those who are in error.
The return of you all is to Allah,
then He will inform you about (all) that
which you used to do."

(Noble Qur'an : Surah 5, Ayah 105):

Concept Of Friendship In Islam:

Humans are social creatures by nature;
they're always in need of friends and companions.
Most of our lives depend on interaction with others.
Strong individuals are the core of a strong community,
something that Muslims should always strive for.

We all know that
Allah the Most High has brought us to life in order to test us.
Thus we are here for a relatively short period of time
and that we shall meet Allah one Day,
so we need to use our present life for what is best for us
in the hereafter.

Once we know our purpose and our goal in life,
we should seek ways to achieve them
so as to benefit our own selves.

In an authentic Hadith,
Prophet Mohammad (Sall'Allahu alaihi wasallam) said:

"A person is likely to follow
the faith of his friend,
so look whom you befriend."

       
Prophet Mohammad (Sall'Allahu alaihi wasallam)
who has the most noble character and dealings with fellow humans
gave us a very clear and simple message
and advice in regard to friendship.

How should we choose our friends?

We should choose the friend that believes
and abide by our religion (Islam)
and gives great respect to
what Allah and Prophet Mohammad
(Sall'Allahu alaihi wasallam) has ordered us.

And we should stay away from that
who is not well mannered
and gives no attention to what Islam is about
or what pleases or displeases Allah,
for he'll surely affect us negatively.

There is no good in the companion
drowns us in sins and displeasing Allah.

The bases for the actions of those
who follow the evil ways are corrupt;
their actions are built upon misguidance and deviation.
Their deeds are worthless to them
as
Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta`ala says in Noble Qur`an;
(interpretation of the meaning)

"And We will proceed to
what they have done of deeds,
so We shall render them
to scattered floating dust."

(Noble Qur'an - Surah 25: Ayah 23)

Their actions, even if we see them as righteous and noble
are of no value to them, so how can they be useful to us?

Good friends are those
who share their companions
both happiness and sadness.

If we share our feelings with the wrong-doers
whose actions are worthless and based on corruption,
then we are following
the same ways and standards as they are,
and we'll end up being as corrupted as they are,
and then we're in a big trouble, how can we face
Allah's dissatisfaction and displeasure?!

Instead of making friends with the misguided ones
we should befriend the righteous,
yet treat the rest in a gracious and just manner.

Staying at sufficient distance is necessary;
yet treating everybody
in a noble and kind manner is required.

In another Hadith,
Prophet Mohammad (Sall'Allahu alaihi wasallam) said:

"The example of
a good companion and a bad companion
is like that of the seller of musk,
and the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows.
So as for the seller of musk then
either he will grant you some,
or you buy some from him,
or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him.
As for the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows then
either he will burn your clothes
or you will get an offensive smell from him."

When choosing our friends
we should ask ourselves first:

Are they going to help us achieve the purpose
for which we were brought to life?
or will they take us away from it?

Will they desire for us Allah's pleasure
or is that completely irrelevant to them
and not their concern at all?

Are they leading us to Paradise
or to the Hell?

Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta`ala says in Noble Qur`an;
(interpretation of the meaning)

"O you who believe!
Guard your own souls:
If you follow the right guidance,
[and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong]
no hurt can come to you from those
 who are in error.
The return of you all is to Allah,
 then He will inform you about (all) that
 which you used to do."
(Noble Qur'an: 5:105)

An Icon Search Engine

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Should you need icons for websites, presentations, or for replacing all the default icons on your computer desktop because you're crazy like that, Icon Finder is for you. Choose from bazillions of images, many of which are free for personal or commercial use. Anything & everything that you need, you can find on that site.  They have lots of icons for websites & blogs as well.  Search by size, background color, and licensing options. (When viewing any icon, the license info is shown in the upper left corner.(

Below are just a few samples of what the website has!

Tip Tuesday - Week #1 (Ants & Ice)

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

I decided to use a clipart picture of an Ant in case anyone gets the Heeby Jeeebies from looking at real ants.

Ants hate Cucumbers!  Keep the skin of Cucumbers in or near the place or ant hole.

To get pure & clean ice, boil water first before pouring into your ice cube trays.

Dipping Oil/Butter/Sauce for Breads

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

I just love dipping my bread in a mixture of oil & herbs.  Below are some great "Copycat" recipes to try.

Carraba's Bread Dipping Sauce

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley (Italian best)
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Combine all except oil and lemon juice in a small food processor or coffee
bean grinder. Chop briefly until all about the same size. Stir in olive
oil and lemon juice. To serve, combine about 1 1/2 tsp. herb mixture to
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil mixture on a small dish. Dip sliced bread in mixture.

Carrabbas Italian "Butter"

1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1/8 tsp. or a little less kosher salt (use according to your taste)
fresh ground pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
1 large clove of garlic (crushed)
2 to 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix together your dry spices. Add crushed garlic to the dry spices. Place
on small saucer. Pour olive oil over mixture. Dip with your favorite hot
French bread.

Carrabba's Herb Oil for Dipping Bread

Serving Size : 4

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (1/4-1/2 cup)

Combine all ingredients, except oil, on a deep plate or bowl. Pour olive
oil over.  You can even add some parmesan to make it extra yummy!

Yield:"1/2 cup"

How to Schedule a Future Date for a Post

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

This is actually from another blog, but I thought it was great information!

This post is how to change the date and time of a post to suit your needs...when you have the free time to write!  Are you so busy during the week that you can't post when you want to? Is Friday or Saturday easier for you? Maybe you have a day off during the week where you could write several posts. Let me show you how to change the date and time of each of your posts, so you can write them all on one day and they will post throughout the week...when you want them to!

Write your post as usual. When you are done, click on the bottom left button called "Post Options". I have it circled in black below. Click on the picture to enlarge.

A drop down option will appear. In the section on the right, that I have circled in black, you can change the date and time of when you want the post to be published. Make sure you keep it in the same format that it's written in. For example...month/day/year...3/27/11 and AM or PM

When you are finished, click the "Publish Post" button circled in black on the bottom left. It won't publish at that time, but it will be stored in your edit post list until the date you picked.

Go to your edit post list and you will see it as "Scheduled" with the future date and time you have chosen.

Another thing you can do with the time date feature is to republish an old post.

If you are editing a post, but want to keep it on the same date, just make you corrections in the post and publish again. The changes will be made, but it will still post on the original date.

However, if you want to edit a post and republish it new again...bring up your old post, change the date and hit "Publish Post" again. That old post will be published on that new date.

"I Swear by MY Honor Verily I Shall Assist You !"

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

 

Abu Hurairah (Radiallaho Anho) reports,

 

Prophet Mohammad {Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam} said:-

 

"There are three persons whose Dua is not rejected,

# 1/The fasting person until he breaks the fast.

 

# 2/the just ruler.

#3/ the oppressed person.

whose Dua Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) lifts above the clouds
and opens unto it the doors of Jannah and
Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) says:-

 

'I swear by my honor, verily , I shall assist you,
even though it may be after sometime.' "

Blue Hijab Day - Supporting Autism Awareness Day (4-2-2011)

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

http://www.bluehijabday.com/

Hijab/Khimar Swap

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago the Womens' Committee had a hijab swap, suggested & organized by myself.  We were all sitting around trying to come up with ideas for social events at the masjid.  I suggested the Hijab/Khimar swap as I know others have done the same thing with purses, shoes, hats, etc.

We sent out emails to the sisters in the community & posted flyers at the masjid.  The sisters were to also bring a snack to share (either bought at the store or made at home).  Sisters were to bring hijabs/khimars that they no longer wanted or no longer wore in exchange for something they would wear.  We told the sisters to make sure to wash the hijabs/khimars and make sure they were free of stains, rips, tears, holes, etc.

As sisters came into the room, I asked them how many khimars they brought.  I would write their number on a ticket along with the # of khimars they brought.  Sisters would choose new headscarves in the order they arrived for the social event.  As I was doing that, a couple of volunteers would take the khimars and neatly fold then and place on a table by category (rectangle/shaylas, squares, pullover/Al-Amirah).

After we had enough khimars on the table, I called "Sister #1".  She would come up to the table, give me her ticket and choose hijabs according how many she brought.  Then she would sit down, then Sister #2 would come up, then so on.  After all the sisters who brought hijabs got to choose hijabs, the remaining hijabs were given away to sisters that just came for the social time & some were donated to the masjid for those sisters who come without khimars.

With the language barrier, I think next time we will just do a sign-up sheet on a clipboard.  I will take the names and write down how many khimars they brought on the paper, instead of doing tickets.

All in all, the first Hijab Swap for our masjid, turned out okay.  8 sisters brought khimars to swap.  Insha Allah as more sisters understand the concept and know about it, more sisters will participate and bring scarves to swap.  The masjid would like to do this type of event maybe 2-3 times a year Insha Allah.

Have any of yall done any type of swap like this at yall's masjid?  You can do it for Jilbabs/Abayas as well.  This type of event is great for those on a budget or no budget at all but want something new to wear.

I personally wanted a black shayla & a brown shayla.  I brought home a brown shayla that was way smaller than what I am used to, tried it on in front of the mirror and realized I didn't like it.  When I was there, I did find a solid grey square and solid grey pullover.  The pullover one is really long, comes down to my knees and I thought it would be great as a prayer garment over my dresses, so that is what I use and really like it!  I never imagined myself wearing the color grey.  But Alhamdulillah, with my pasty white skin and blue eyes, I've been told grey looks great on me!

Announcing "Tip Tuesdays" - an Ongoing Blog Series

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

For those of us that blog, we know that some blogs have "Special Days" that bring readers running back to read what is new.  For example, Handmade by Heidi has "Friday Night Sew-In" once a month.  Sew Many Ways has "Tool Time Tuesdays".  Several other blogs have "Wordless Wednesdays".  Freshly Pieced has "WIP (Work in Progress) Wednesdays.  I imagine there are other types of days like Family Friday, Muslim Monday, etc.

Being that I like tips that make things easy, help me get healthier, etc. I decided to start "Tip Tuesdays".  Each week I will post a "Halal/Permissable" tip or 2 for the home, pets, yourself, your children, cooking, your car, basicly anything that has a benefit.

I will also have this 160x160 button on my blog that you can "Grab" if you like & post to your own blog or website that links back to my blog.

 If you have any tips that you would like added to this series, please email me at TabascoPeppers@yahoo.com.  You will get credit for the tip in the blog post.

Very Pretty Pictures - Masha Allah

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

I saw these on a couple of other blogs and wanted to add them to mine.

Muslim Marriage Advice - website

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

I came across this website from another blog and wanted to post it in case anyone needs the service/information.  The website has a wealth of information.  You can even ask questions.

The advisory board consists of 4 Sheikhs (Sheikh Riad Ouarzazi, Sheikh Alaa, Sheikh Kamal El Makki, Sheikh Navaid Aziz), 1 brother & 1 sister.

Haste is from the Shaytaan except in five cases:

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.


Haatim al-Assam stated:

Haste is from the Shaytaan except in five cases:

1.  Feeding the guest when he arrives.

2.  Preparing the deceased when he dies.

3.  Marrying off the virgin when she reaches the appropriate age.

4.  Paying off the debt when its due.

5.  Repenting from a sin when a sin is commited.

 

http://www.subulassalaam.com/articles/article.cfm?article_id=148 

Du'a (Invocation) Is Worship and is Of Two Types: Du'a of Need and Du'a of Worship

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Worship ( العبادة) is defined as:

A comprehensive term that incorporates everything that Allaah loves and is pleased with from the statements and actions, both inward and outward.

And thus, worship is of many different types, and they are mentioned in the Qur'an. And when something is declared to be worship, then it is not permissible for it to be directed to other than Allaah, and such worship occurs either in the heart, upon the tongue or through the limbs, all the forms and types of worship fall into any of these three categories.

The greatest of the types of worship is du'a ( الدعاء), "invocation, supplication", and invocation is such that it is accompanied by other forms and types of worship, especially those of the heart, such as love, hope, aspiration, reliance and the likes. And thus, the issue of invocation (du'a) is one that has been dealt with extensively in the Qur'an, in refutation of those who worship others besides Allaah, by making their hearts attached to others besides Him and invoking them (with the presence of such devotion of the heart that is befitting only for Allaah).

Du'a (invocation) is worship

From its proofs are the saying of Allaah:

فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

So, call you (O Muhammad and the believers) upon (or invoke) Allah, making (your) worship pure for Him (Alone)... (Ghafir 40:14)

Ibn Katheer commented:

أي فأخلصوا لله وحده العبادة والدعاء وخالفوا المشركين في مسلكهم ومذهبهم

Meaning, make your worship and your invocation purely and sincerely for Allaah alone, and oppose the pagans in their way and their religion.

And the pagans invoke others besides Allaah, hoping for their intercession or seeking them as a means of approach to Allaah, and Allaah refuted this in the Qur'an, and ordered that only He be invoked.

And also the saying of Allaah:

ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً

Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret... (Al-A'raf 7:55)

And also the saying of Allaah:

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا

And the mosques are for Allah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allah. (Al-Jinn 72:18)

Ibn Katheer comments:

يقول تعالى آمرا عباده أن يوحدوه في محال عبادته ولا يدعى معه أحد

The Most High says, commanding His slaves that they single Him out in arena of His worship and that none is invoked alongside Him...

And Ibn Jareer at-Tabari comments:

ولا تشركوا به فيها شيئا , ولكن أفردوا له التوحيد , وأخلصوا له العبادة

...[meaning], and do not associate anyone as a partner to Him therein, but rather single Him out with Tawhid (Pure Monotheism) and make worship purely and sincerely for Him (alone)...

And also the saying of Allaah:

فَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُعَذَّبِينَ

So invoke not with Allah another ilah (god, deity) lest you be among those who receive punishment. (Ash-Shu'ara 26:213)

And also the saying of Allaah:

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَومِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاء وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ

And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allýh, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become enemies for them and will deny their worshipping. (Al-Ahqaf 46:6)

And there are many similar verses in this regard, through which it is firmly established that du'a (invocation) is worship and thus is not to be directed except to Allaah alone.

Calling Upon Someone In A Matter In Which They Have Ability

All of the above verses are in reference to supplication (du'a) in such matters that only Allaah alone has the power over and thus whoever invoked others besides Allaah for that in which only Allaah has power over, then he has committed shirk (associationism) and kufr (disbelief), irrespective of whether the one being called upon is living or dead.

As for invoking a living person for that in which he is capable, such as saying, "O so and so, feed me", or saying, "O so and so, give me drink", or saying, "O so and so, help me to carry these goods" and so on, then there is no harm in this.

And whoever called upon one who is dead, or who is absent (i.e. not present there and then) with the likes of these requests (food, drink, assistance and so on), then he has committed shirk (associationism), because the dead and the absent are not able to provide the likes of these affairs, and a person would not have called upon them for these things except due to his belief that they are able to provide these things whilst being absent, and if he had not believed this, he would not have called upon them, rather he would have called upon Allaah alone.

Du'a Is Of Two Types: That Of Need and That of worship

The Scholars explain that du'a is of two types, the first is an explicit request made such as "O Allaah, forgive me!", and "O Allaah provide for me!" and "O Allaah, show mercy to me!" and "O Allaah guide me!" and "O Allaah, grant me a righteous spouse", and "O Allaah grant me success!" and so on. All of these are specific requests, for specific needs and this is called (دعاء المسألة), "The invocation of need". This type of du'a is accompanied with other forms of worship, particularly those of the heart, such as love, hope, aspiration, reliance, awe and the likes.

As the for second, (دعاء العبـادة), "the invocation of worship", then this covers every act of worship in the sense that when you perform any act of worship, whether it is inward, outward, verbal or non-verbal, then even if you are not expressing it explicitly with your tongue, you are nevertheless, by way of the performance of that action, asking from Allaah. For example, by giving charity, which is worship, you are asking, by way of your action, even if you do not verbally express it, for reward, mercy and forgiveness and the likes. And the same applies to all other actions of worship. Thus, this is called "the invocation of worship", in the sense that you are invoking Allaah (silently) through the actions you are performing.

Now both of these two types of worship are intended by the verses that are mentioned above, and when you refer back to the classical commentaries of the Qur'an you find that they use du'a, interchangeably with ibaadah, because that is exactly how it has been used in the Qur'an.

Prohibition of Invoking Others Besides Allaah 

From the above, everything that occurs in the Qur'an of the command to invoke Allah and Him alone, praising of those who invoke only Him alone, the prohibition of invoking others, and the absence of any benefit of invoking others besides Allaah, as occurs frequently in the Qur'an, then this applies to both forms of invocation mentioned above.

The issue of invocation is also connected to other forms of worship such as isti'aanah (seeking aid), isti'aadah (seeking refuge) and istighaathah (seeking rescue), and these will be dealt with separately in other articles.

Source : tawhidfirst.com

Revolutions, Coups and Revolts Were Not the Way of the Righteous Salaf in Repelling Oppression and Tyranny

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

The vast majority of the groups present today in the field of da'wah try to win the sentiments and support of the people by focusing and pointing their fingers towards the rulers. They make them the scapegoats for all the calamities, evils and ills to befall the Ummah, and subsequently make their methodologies of reform based around coups, revolutions and bringing about the downfall and replacement of governments. All of this is based upon ignorance of the Sharee'ah and ignorance of Allaah's Divine wisdom, and is a mental outlook that is based upon a corrupt underlying aqidah.

The Shaikh and Imaam, Abdul-Lateef bin Abdur-Rahmaan bin Hasan Aal Shaikh - may Allaah have mercy upon them all - said, in powerful words that uncover the confusing doubts in this topic and that refute the one who spreads them from amongst the ignoramuses: 

... And those people - those who are under trial - do not know that with the exception of Umar bin Abdul-Azeez and whoever Allaah willed from among the Banee Umayyah - great mishaps, insolence, taking up arms [against the people] and corruption occurred from most of those in charge [wullaat] of the people of Islaam from the time of Yazeed bin Mu'aawiyah [till the present]. But along with that, the manner and behaviour of the notable scholars and mighty leaders with the rulers is well-known and renowned - they do not raise a hand against giving obedience in that which Allaah and His Messenger have commanded from among the legislated actions and obligatory duties of Islaam. 

And I will give you an example - that of al-Hajjaaj bin Yoosuf ath-Thaqafee, and his affair is well known in the ummah - that ofoppression, repression, excessiveness in spilling the blood [of the Muslims], desecration of the Sanctities of Allaah, the killing of whomever he killed amongst the notables of the ummah such as Sa'eed bin Jubair, the besieging of Ibn az-Zubair even though he had sought refuge in the Haram, and making lawful the sacred and sanctified, the killing of Ibn az-Zubair - even though Ibn az-Zubair had given obedience to him and the people of Makkah, Medinah, Yemen, and most of Iraaq had given the pledge of allegiance to him [Ibn az-Zubair] and al-Hajjaaj was only a deputy of Marwaan, and then of his son Abdul-Malik and none of the khulafaa' (successors) had given Marwaan a pledge and none of the influential people, those with power, had given the pledge of allegiance to him (Marwaan). And along with all of this none of the People of Knowledge hesitated in obeying him and complying with him in that in which obedience is permissible from amongst the pillars of Islaam and its obligations. 

And Ibn 'Umar and whoever met al-Hajjaaj were from amongst the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam), and they never contested with him and nor did they prevent obdedience to him in that by which Islaam is established and by which eemaan is perfected. And it is likewise for those who were also in the era of al-Hajjaaj from among the taab'ieen such as Ibn al-Musayyib, al-Hasan al-Basree, Ibn Seereen, Ibraaheem at-Taimee and those like them from among the leaders of the ummah. 

And the affair continued like this between the leading scholars of the ummah - they would enjoin obedience to Allaah and His Messenger and making jihaad in His path along with every leader [imaam] whether righteous or sinful, as is well known in the books of the fundamental principles and beliefs of the religion. 

And similarly, Banu al-'Abbaas, they conquered the lands of the Muslims forcefully, with the sword - and not one of the People of Knowledge and Religion aided them in that - and they killed hordes of people and many of the creation from among the Banu Umayyah, their leaders and their deputies. And they killed Ibn Hubairah, the ameer of Iraaq and they also killed Marwaan, the khaleefah - and it was reported that the murderers killed around eighty people from the Banu Umayyah in a single day - and then they placed their blankets above the corpses, sat upon them and then called for food and drink. 

So along with all of that the conduct of the leading scholars - such as al-'Awzaa'ee, Maalik, al-Layth ibn Sa'd, 'Ataa bin Abee Rabaah - with those kings is not hidden from the one who has a share in knowledge and realisation. 

And then next generation of the People of Knowledge such as Ahmad bin Hanbal, Muhammad bin Ismaa'eel [al-Bukhari], Muhammad bin Idrees [ash-Shaafi'ee], Ahmad bin Nooh, Ishaaq bin Raahawaih and their brothers ... their occurred in their time what occurred from the kings of the great innovations and the denial of the Sifaat and they were called to [affirm] these things and were put to trial by them] and whoever was killed, was killed such as Ahmad bin Nasr. But along with all of this it is not known that a single one of them raised his hand against obedience [to those kings] and that he saw fit to attack them... 

Source: Ad-Durar as-Sunniyyah fil Ajwibat un-Najdiyyah(7/177-178). 

Source : Manhaj.com

The Jinn Are the Offspring of Iblees (Satan) and Can Appear in Many Different Forms

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I hope this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, as quoted in "Fath ul-Mannaan Fee Jam'i Kalaami Shaykh il-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah an il-Jaann", a compilation of all the statements of Ibn Taymiyyah regarding the Jinn, (p. 55-56):

 All praise is due to Allaah. That which is in the Qur'an is that they (Jinn) see mankind from where mankind do not see them, and this is true, which necessitates that they see mankind in a condition that mankind do not see them, and this does not mean that mankind do not see them in (any particular) condition (at all), rather the righteous and other than the righteous can sometimes see them, but they do not always see them. The "shayaateen", they are the rebellious amongst the men and Jinn. And all of the Jinn are the offspring of Iblees, and Allaah knows best.

Refer to Majmoo' al-Fataawaa (15/7). The Jinn are seen by men only when they take a particular form, since men cannot see Jinn in their original form.

In the above book ("Fath ul-Mannaan"), the compiler brings some narrations pertaining to Iblees being the father of the Jinn:

From them, the saying of Ibn Shihaab (az-Zuhree) quoted by Abu ash-Shaykh in al-Adhmah (5/1644), commenting upon al-Kahf (18:50), that, "So Iblees (Satan) is the father of the Jinn, just as Adam is the father of men...", also reported by as-Suyutee in ad-Durr al-Manthoor (4/227).

And from al-Hasan al-Basri, that he said, "Iblees was not from the Angels, not even for the (length of) a blinking of the eye, ever. But he is the origin (source) of the Jinn, just as Adam is the origin of men." Reported by at-Tabari in his tafsir (15/260).

And also a little earlier in the book (pp. 51-52), from the saying of Ibn Taymiyyah:

And the Jinn can appear in the form of men and animals. So they appear in the form of snakes, scorpions and others. And in the form of camels, cows, sheep, horses, mules, donkeys. And in the form of birds, and in the form of the sons of Adam...

See Majmoo' al-Fataawaa (8/458, 10/406 onwards, and 13/78 onwards) and Minhaj us-Sunnah (8/262). And the Jinn can also be seen by animals, such as donkeys and dogs, as occurs in the Sunnah.

Source : www.dajjaal.com