I would like a clarification about a saying of Sheikh Ibn Uthaimeen in the du’a of “oh Allah! Grant me the security by being close to You” sheikh Ibn Uthaimeen said it achieves four virtues for the believer: Honor without kinsfolk’s support, knowledge without seeking, richness without wealth, and security without company. Is this say correct, especially that it became widespread among people?
The following Hadeeth: “Oh Allah! I ask You to grant me steadfastness on this matter (the straight path), grant me a firm will to do the right, guide me to thanking Your favors and worshipping You to the best of my ability. I ask You to grant me a pure heart and a truthful tongue. I ask You to bless me with the goodness of that which You know, I seek refuge with You of that which you know, and seek Your forgiveness for that which you know (of my bad deeds)” is it one of the prophetic du’as? Is it right that sheikh Bin Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, said that “If people took treasures of gold and silver, you treasure this du’a”?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We could not find what you mentioned of the words of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) and we could not find this du’aa’, “O Allaah, I ask You for the comfort of being close to You,” in any of the books of Sunnah, nor did we find it narrated from any of the salaf. Hence it is unlikely that the Shaykh uttered this du’aa’.
As is well known about Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, he was very keen to adhere to the way of the salaf and to emphasize the proven du’aa’s, and not to assert such virtues unless there is evidence to that effect, especially when this du’aa’ could be quoted a great deal by some people who try to put other off seeking knowledge and claim to have acquired knowledge directly from Allaah, as one of them said, “my heart told me, from my Lord”!
The texts urge us to seek knowledge and pursue it, and state that seeking knowledge is the duty of every Muslim.
We asked Shaykh Dr. Saami al-Saqeer (may Allaah preserve him) – who is one of the senior students of the Shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) and spent a great deal of time with him – and he said: This is a lie against the Shaykh.
Secondly:
The du’aa’, “O Allaah, I ask You for steadfastness in this matter …” is a proven du’aa’ of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Ahmad (17155), al-Tirmidhi (3407) and al-Nasaa’i (1304) narrated that Shaddaad ibn Aws (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us to say: “Allaahumma inni as’aluka al-thabaat fi’l-amri, wa as’aluka ‘azeemat al-rushd, wa as’aluka shukra ni’matika wa husna ‘ibaadatika, wa as’aluka lisaanan saadiqan wa qalban saleeman, wa a’oodhu bika min sharri ma ta’lam wa as’aluka min khayri ma ta’lam, wa astaghfiruka mimma ta’lam, innaka anta ‘allaam ul-ghuyoob (O Allaah, I ask you for steadfastness in this matter, and I ask You for the resolve to adhere to the path of guidance, and I ask You for gratitude for Your blessings and to worship You well, and I ask You for a truthful tongue and a sound heart, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of what You know, and I ask You for the good of what You know, and I ask You for forgiveness for what You know; You are the knower of the Unseen).”
This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah no. 3228, and classed as hasan by Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot in Tahqeeq al-Musnad.
It was narrated by Ahmad with the words: “When people accumulate gold and silver, you should accumulate the words ‘Allaahumma inni as’aluka al-thabaat fi’l-amri…’”
These are the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), not the words of Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him).
The words Allaahumma inni as’aluka al-thabaat fi’l-amr (O Allaah, I ask You for steadfastness in this matter) mean steadfastness in adhering to Islam. Wa as’aluka ‘azeemata al-rushd (and I ask You for the resolve to adhere to the path of guidance) i.e., to adhere to all matters that lead to what which is right and proper.
Wa as’aluka shukra ni’matika (I ask You for gratitude for Your blessing), i.e., to be enabled to give thanks for Your blessings.
Wa husna ‘ibaadatika (and to worship You properly) i.e., so that I may perform all acts of worship in a manner that is pleasing to You.
Wa as’aluka lisaanan saadiqan (I ask You for a truthful tongue) i.e., one that is protected from lying; wa qalban saleeman (and a sound heart) i.e., one that is free of false beliefs and whims and desires.
A’oodhu bika min sharri ma ta’lam (I seek refuge with You from the evil of what You know) i.e., what You know and I do not.
This is a comprehensive request that includes seeking refuge from all evils, and seeking all that is good. This du’aa’, which is concise in wording, ends with a plea for forgiveness which is the main point of the du’aa’, and says: Wa astaghfiruka mimma ta’lam, innaka anta ‘allaam ul-ghuyoob (and I ask You for forgiveness for that which You know; You are the knower of the Unseen).
May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allaah knows best.
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Friday, 23 March 2012
Du’aa’ during wudoo’ by the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
I have a habit which I do not know if it is good or bad:
I ask Allah while washing my feet during wudu’ by the Prophet’s virtue to keep my feet firm on the Siraat.
Also during the prayer I ask Allah by his Prophet’s virtue to forgive my sins and to have mercy on me. Is this du’a permissible or not?
I used to make du’a in this way believing that Allah will answer the prayer of who asks him by His beloved Prophet’s virtue, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Praise be to Allaah.
Asking Allaah to make His slave’s feet steadfast on the Straight Path is a good du’aa’ and there is nothing wrong with it. We ask Allaah to make the feet of all of us steadfast.
But there are two mistakes in this du’aa’:
1 – Always reciting it when washing your feet during wudoo’:
You know that wudoo’ is an act of worship and that the Muslim does not have the right to change the way an act of worship is done or add to it or take away from it; rather following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) properly means doing what he did, without adding or taking anything away.
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (22/510):
No one has the right to introduce to the people any kind of dhikr or du’aa’ apart from those that are narrated in the Sunnah, and make them a regular act of worship that the people do all the time, as they do the five daily prayers; rather this is innovation in the religion for which Allaah has not given permission. End quote.
It was not the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to say du’aa’ when washing the parts of the body that are washed in wudoo’. There is a hadeeth concerning that, but it is not a saheeh narration from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Al-Haafiz ibn al-Salaah said:
There is no saheeh hadeeth concerning that. End quote. It was mentioned thus by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Talkhees al-Habeer (1/297).
Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Manaar al-Muneef (45):
As for the mawdoo’ (fabricated) hadeeth about dhikr when washing each part of the body (in wudoo’), it is baatil (invalid). End quote.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said of the du’aa’s recited when washing each part of the body (in wudoo’): The du’aa’ for washing each part of the body (in wudoo’) has no basis.
Al-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah (2/27-29).
In Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (2/49):
Some people think that there is a dhikr for every part of the body (when doing wudoo’), and some ahaadeeth have been narrated concerning that, but they are not saheeh at all, rather they are false. End quote.
In Duroos li’l-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (no. 13, tape 2) it says:
There is no basis for any of this, and nothing has been narrated in a sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so these du’aa’s are not recommended when washing these parts of the body. Rather what is recommended (mustahabb) is two things: Firstly, when starting to do wudoo’, one should mention the name of Allaah; secondly, after finishing wudoo’ one should recite the Shahaadah. This is what is prescribed with regard to wudoo’. End quote.
It cannot be said that weak ahaadeeth should be acted upon with regard to good deeds, because there is no consensus on this principle and there are some who disagree with it. Moreover, with regard to acting upon weak ahaadeeth, it is stipulated that they should not be severely weak, and this condition is not met in this case, as was understood by Ibn ‘Allaan in al-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah (2/29).
Al-Suyooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote an essay on this matter entitled al-Ighda’ ‘an Du’aa’ al-A’daa’, in which he explained how very weak the reports concerning that are, and that they are not fit to be acted upon, even with regard to good deeds.
See also the answer to question no. 45730.
2 – As for the second mistake, it is your saying in your du’aa’, “by the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)”.
Undoubtedly the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is great, but Allaah has not made seeking to draw near to Him (tawassul) by means of that one of the causes of du’aa’ being answered.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – who is the one who did not omit to guide us to anything that is good – did not teach us to seek to draw near to Allaah by means of that.
Hence it is known that this du’aa’ is not prescribed.
This has already been explained in the answer to question no. 23265.
So strive to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and do not add anything to it or take anything away; keep away from things that have been introduced into the religion, as the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised us when he said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa’ (al-Khulafa’ al-Raashideen), and to seize it firmly. Beware of newly-innovated things, for every innovation is a going-astray.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4607); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
And Allaah knows best.
I ask Allah while washing my feet during wudu’ by the Prophet’s virtue to keep my feet firm on the Siraat.
Also during the prayer I ask Allah by his Prophet’s virtue to forgive my sins and to have mercy on me. Is this du’a permissible or not?
I used to make du’a in this way believing that Allah will answer the prayer of who asks him by His beloved Prophet’s virtue, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Praise be to Allaah.
Asking Allaah to make His slave’s feet steadfast on the Straight Path is a good du’aa’ and there is nothing wrong with it. We ask Allaah to make the feet of all of us steadfast.
But there are two mistakes in this du’aa’:
1 – Always reciting it when washing your feet during wudoo’:
You know that wudoo’ is an act of worship and that the Muslim does not have the right to change the way an act of worship is done or add to it or take away from it; rather following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) properly means doing what he did, without adding or taking anything away.
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (22/510):
No one has the right to introduce to the people any kind of dhikr or du’aa’ apart from those that are narrated in the Sunnah, and make them a regular act of worship that the people do all the time, as they do the five daily prayers; rather this is innovation in the religion for which Allaah has not given permission. End quote.
It was not the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to say du’aa’ when washing the parts of the body that are washed in wudoo’. There is a hadeeth concerning that, but it is not a saheeh narration from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Al-Haafiz ibn al-Salaah said:
There is no saheeh hadeeth concerning that. End quote. It was mentioned thus by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Talkhees al-Habeer (1/297).
Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Manaar al-Muneef (45):
As for the mawdoo’ (fabricated) hadeeth about dhikr when washing each part of the body (in wudoo’), it is baatil (invalid). End quote.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said of the du’aa’s recited when washing each part of the body (in wudoo’): The du’aa’ for washing each part of the body (in wudoo’) has no basis.
Al-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah (2/27-29).
In Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (2/49):
Some people think that there is a dhikr for every part of the body (when doing wudoo’), and some ahaadeeth have been narrated concerning that, but they are not saheeh at all, rather they are false. End quote.
In Duroos li’l-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (no. 13, tape 2) it says:
There is no basis for any of this, and nothing has been narrated in a sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so these du’aa’s are not recommended when washing these parts of the body. Rather what is recommended (mustahabb) is two things: Firstly, when starting to do wudoo’, one should mention the name of Allaah; secondly, after finishing wudoo’ one should recite the Shahaadah. This is what is prescribed with regard to wudoo’. End quote.
It cannot be said that weak ahaadeeth should be acted upon with regard to good deeds, because there is no consensus on this principle and there are some who disagree with it. Moreover, with regard to acting upon weak ahaadeeth, it is stipulated that they should not be severely weak, and this condition is not met in this case, as was understood by Ibn ‘Allaan in al-Futoohaat al-Rabbaaniyyah (2/29).
Al-Suyooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote an essay on this matter entitled al-Ighda’ ‘an Du’aa’ al-A’daa’, in which he explained how very weak the reports concerning that are, and that they are not fit to be acted upon, even with regard to good deeds.
See also the answer to question no. 45730.
2 – As for the second mistake, it is your saying in your du’aa’, “by the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)”.
Undoubtedly the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is great, but Allaah has not made seeking to draw near to Him (tawassul) by means of that one of the causes of du’aa’ being answered.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – who is the one who did not omit to guide us to anything that is good – did not teach us to seek to draw near to Allaah by means of that.
Hence it is known that this du’aa’ is not prescribed.
This has already been explained in the answer to question no. 23265.
So strive to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and do not add anything to it or take anything away; keep away from things that have been introduced into the religion, as the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised us when he said: “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa’ (al-Khulafa’ al-Raashideen), and to seize it firmly. Beware of newly-innovated things, for every innovation is a going-astray.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4607); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
And Allaah knows best.
In the case of general supplication (du’aa’), it is not stipulated that it should be narrated in the Sunnah
I heard one of the ignorant people offering supplication and one of the things that he said in his supplication was: “O Lord, do not make me dependent on any one or make me in need of anyone; make me independent of everyone, O You on Whom people rely and depend, Who is the One, the Only, the Self-sufficient, Who has no partner or son. O Allah, bring me back from misguidance to guidance and save me from every sin and trouble.” What is your opinion on this supplication?.
Praise be to Allaah.
You should differentiate between two types of supplication:
1. The first type is restricted supplication, by which we mean that it is connected to a certain time or place or act of worship, or that Islam specifies a certain number or virtue and similar restrictions, such as the supplications that are narrated at the beginning of prayer, the adhkaar of morning and evening, the du’aa’s for sleeping, eating and so on.
In this type of supplication it is essential to limit it to that which is narrated in sharee’ah, without adding or subtracting anything. It is not permissible to make up any kind of supplication to take the place of that which is narrated in the Sunnah.
This is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught to al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said to him:
“When you go to bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side, then say: ‘O Allaah, I have turned my face towards You and entrusted my affairs to You and relied completely upon You, out of hope and fear of You. There is no refuge or safe haven from You except with You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’ Make these your last words. Then if you die that night, you will have died in a state of fitrah.”
He said: I repeated them in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), and when I reached the words, ‘O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed’ I said: ‘I believe in Your Messenger whom You have sent,’ and he said: “No, ‘in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (247) and Muslim (2710).
Al-‘Allaamah al-Mu’allimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book al-‘Ibaadah (p. 524):
What a great loss is incurred by the one who forsakes the supplications that are proven in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he hardly calls upon Allah by them, and he goes to something else and recites it regularly. Is this not wrongdoing and transgression? End quote.
2. The second type is general supplication, which means asking Allah for needs both public and private, turning to Him and asking Him for what one needs and wants, such as supplication whilst prostrating, during the last third of the night and on the day of ‘Arafah and so on.
With regard to this kind of supplication, it is not essential that it be proven or narrated [in the texts], rather it is sufficient for the words of this supplication to be words that are acceptable and correct according to sharee’ah. There should be no transgression or overstepping the mark in supplication, and there should be no supplication that involves sin or severing the ties of kinship.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (24/203-204):
The matter of supplication is broad in scope, so that each person may call upon his Lord for what he needs in ways that do not involve any sin.
As for the du’aa’s and adhkaar that are narrated in texts, the basic principle concerning them is that we should adhere to the wording and numbers that are narrated. The Muslim should pay attention to that and adhere to it and not add to the specified number or add to the wording, or subtract anything from that, or change anything. End quote.
It also says (24/275):
The du’aa’s that are narrated in the Qur'aan and Sunnah are those which it is prescribed to adhere to, pay attention to, memorise and publicise. As for the other du’aa’s which all people say, they are not like that, and the best that may be said concerning them is that they are permissible, but they may contain phrases that are confusing or incorrect. End quote.
It seems that the du’aa’ or supplication mentioned in the question comes under the heading of general supplication, and by examining its words and phrases, it seems that it is a permissible supplication and there is nothing wrong with it, and it does not seem to us that there was anything in it that is objectionable from a shar’i viewpoint; rather its words are sound and correct. So you should not denounce it or brand the one who says it as ignorant.
See also the answer to questions no. 21561 and 75058.
And Allah knows best.
Praise be to Allaah.
You should differentiate between two types of supplication:
1. The first type is restricted supplication, by which we mean that it is connected to a certain time or place or act of worship, or that Islam specifies a certain number or virtue and similar restrictions, such as the supplications that are narrated at the beginning of prayer, the adhkaar of morning and evening, the du’aa’s for sleeping, eating and so on.
In this type of supplication it is essential to limit it to that which is narrated in sharee’ah, without adding or subtracting anything. It is not permissible to make up any kind of supplication to take the place of that which is narrated in the Sunnah.
This is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught to al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said to him:
“When you go to bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side, then say: ‘O Allaah, I have turned my face towards You and entrusted my affairs to You and relied completely upon You, out of hope and fear of You. There is no refuge or safe haven from You except with You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’ Make these your last words. Then if you die that night, you will have died in a state of fitrah.”
He said: I repeated them in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), and when I reached the words, ‘O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed’ I said: ‘I believe in Your Messenger whom You have sent,’ and he said: “No, ‘in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (247) and Muslim (2710).
Al-‘Allaamah al-Mu’allimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book al-‘Ibaadah (p. 524):
What a great loss is incurred by the one who forsakes the supplications that are proven in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he hardly calls upon Allah by them, and he goes to something else and recites it regularly. Is this not wrongdoing and transgression? End quote.
2. The second type is general supplication, which means asking Allah for needs both public and private, turning to Him and asking Him for what one needs and wants, such as supplication whilst prostrating, during the last third of the night and on the day of ‘Arafah and so on.
With regard to this kind of supplication, it is not essential that it be proven or narrated [in the texts], rather it is sufficient for the words of this supplication to be words that are acceptable and correct according to sharee’ah. There should be no transgression or overstepping the mark in supplication, and there should be no supplication that involves sin or severing the ties of kinship.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (24/203-204):
The matter of supplication is broad in scope, so that each person may call upon his Lord for what he needs in ways that do not involve any sin.
As for the du’aa’s and adhkaar that are narrated in texts, the basic principle concerning them is that we should adhere to the wording and numbers that are narrated. The Muslim should pay attention to that and adhere to it and not add to the specified number or add to the wording, or subtract anything from that, or change anything. End quote.
It also says (24/275):
The du’aa’s that are narrated in the Qur'aan and Sunnah are those which it is prescribed to adhere to, pay attention to, memorise and publicise. As for the other du’aa’s which all people say, they are not like that, and the best that may be said concerning them is that they are permissible, but they may contain phrases that are confusing or incorrect. End quote.
It seems that the du’aa’ or supplication mentioned in the question comes under the heading of general supplication, and by examining its words and phrases, it seems that it is a permissible supplication and there is nothing wrong with it, and it does not seem to us that there was anything in it that is objectionable from a shar’i viewpoint; rather its words are sound and correct. So you should not denounce it or brand the one who says it as ignorant.
See also the answer to questions no. 21561 and 75058.
And Allah knows best.
Do not panic if du’aa’s are not answered
I would like to ask you a question and I hope that you will take the time to answer me. I am an ordinary Muslim; I do not have great faith or weak faith. I do the obligatory duties with some shortcomings – and I hope that Allaah will forgive me – and I do some of the Sunnahs. I believe in the divine will and decree, both good and bad. About seven years ago I suffered great distress because of a calamity – which I will not trouble you with – but I will tell you honestly that initially I panicked, and I was filled with despair, but after approximately one year Allaah guided me, and good people taught me that there was something good in it, by Allaah’s leave. They told me that the calamity was either because of a sin that I had committed or it was a test from Allaah, and they advised me to call upon Allaah (du’aa’) and ask for forgiveness, and to ask of Allaah from his bounty, and to seek to draw closer to Him by means of His beautiful names and sublime attributes, and to do a lot of good deeds, and that by Allaah’s leave my request would never be rejected, and that Allaah would answer my prayers. I did all of that, although I do not say that I did it perfectly, but I did the best I could. I said a lot of du’aa’ and did a lot of good deeds, and I repented to Allaah sincerely from all my sins, and I asked Allaah to relieve my distress and take away my worry. I prayed to Allaah for guidance (istikhaarah) before doing some things in my life so that my affairs would be set straight, but after doing all these things, my worry and distress only increased, and the calamities and grief grew worse. All the things about which I prayed istikhaarah failed, and brought me trouble. All doors were closed in my face. Allaah forbid that I should complain about Allaah to you, rather I complain about my sorrow and grief to Allaah. But I want to know why Allaah did not answer me? And why did I not succeed in any of my worldly affairs, even though I took the necessary means and put my trust in Allaah, and I did not do anything without praying istikhaarah beforehand, and Allaah helps the kaafir in his worldly affairs if he takes the necessary means. I do not eat haraam things and I do not intend to do bad things to anyone and I pray for everyone to be guided. I heard one of the Shaykhs telling the story of Pharaoh and he said that Allaah said to Moosa: “By My Might and Majesty, if he had asked Me to save him I would have saved him.” Some questions began to form in my mind: Am I more insignificant before Allaah that Pharaoh, even though I have not committed the sins that he did? If that is not the case, then why is Allaah testing me with these trials even though I do not have a lot of faith? If the reason is my sins, then I have repented from all sins, and I have said a lot of du’aa’. If Allaah wants to raise me in status in Paradise thereby, how can that be when Allaah knows that I am not able to bear this trial?
Many questions are going around in my mind, they are haunting me and I cannot find any answer. In fact my resolve has started to fail and my faith is beginning to weaken, and I feel very distressed about everything in this world. I can no longer bear this burden. It has gone on too long and I am filled with deep despair and doubt is entering my heart. Were it not that Allaah has forbidden suicide, I would have done it and given myself a break. I apologize for going on at such length.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and forgive your sin, and to help you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
Secondly:
Undoubtedly there is some error in your understanding of the issue of du’aa’ and response and calamity. What you are suffering from is something natural, if you do not have a proper understanding of these and similar matters. We empathize with you and feel your pain, and we hope that you will pay attention to what we are going to explain to you, and follow it. We see from your letter that you are prepared to accept what we want to tell you, and this had encouraged us to write back to you and tell you what will be good for you in this world and in the Hereafter.
Thirdly:
Many people think that all they have to do is to declare their repentance to their Lord, then they will immediately have it easy and be relieved of trouble, and wealth will come to them, and they will live a life of luxury! But none of that is necessarily the case. Rather there is a test and trial of this person’s repentance: is it sincere or not? Is it for the sake of Allaah or not? All of that means he will face a new test. Indeed the purpose and wisdom behind this life is that it is a test and trial. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (drops) of mixed semen (sexual discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so We made him hearer and seer”
[al-Insaan 76:2]
If he understands this fact, then he should surrender in his heart to his Lord and accept it, but if he does not understand that, then he will not be able to surrender in his heart to his Lord, even if he seems to have surrendered outwardly. Hence it was narrated that some of the salaf said: “If the kings and sons of kings knew what joy we experience, they would fight us for it with their swords.” What joy could be referred to here? It is the joy of the heart that has certain faith in its Lord, may He be exalted, and the joy of obeying Him and the happiness of drawing closer to Him, even if they were going through hardships. This is the measure of a good life, as Allaah says in His Holy Book, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”
[al-Nahl 16:97]
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who combines faith and good deeds, “to him We will give a good life” by giving him tranquillity in his heart and peace of mind, and by causing him not to pay any attention to that which could disturb his heart. Allaah will grant him a goodly provision from sources he could not imagine, and “We shall pay them certainly” in the Hereafter “a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do”, all kinds of delight such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and it has not crossed the mind of any man. So Allaah will give him good in this world and good in the Hereafter. Tafseer al-Sa’di (p. 448).
With regard to others, such as the kuffaar and sinners, listen to what Allaah says about them (interpretation of the meaning):
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’aan nor acts on its teachings) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection”
[Ta-Ha 20:124]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder” means: goes against My command and that which I have revealed to My Messenger, and turns away from it and ignores it, and follows something other than its guidance, “verily, for him is a life of hardship” i.e., in this world, so he will have no tranquillity or peace of mind, rather he will be in a state of anxiety because of his misguidance, even if he appears outwardly to be living a life of luxury, wearing what he wants, eating what he wants, living where he wants, but so long as his heart has no certain faith and is not guided, then he will be in a state of anxiety and confusion and doubt, and he will remain doubtful and hesitant. This is part of the life of hardship.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer (5/322, 323)
Is it in any way wise or reasonable to give up that which Allaah has given you of different kinds of worship, and has honoured you with belief in it, because you are deceived by the ease and ample provision enjoyed by the kuffaar in this world?
“Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them
56. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, [it is a Fitnah (trial) in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter] but they perceive not”
[al-Mu’minoon 23:55]
Moreover you are ignoring the clear evidence in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger about du’aa’ and its great importance, and the causes of it being answered, and you are focussing on things such as the phrase “By My Might and Majesty, if he had asked Me to save him I would have saved him” which is more akin to the words of story tellers and reports from the Children of Israel.
Even if we assume it is sound, is simply getting what one wants in this world of good living and ample provision a sign that he is accepted by his Lord?
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honour and bounties, then he says (in exultation): “My Lord has honoured me.”
16. But when He tries him by straitening his means of life, he says: “My Lord has humiliated me!”
17. Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)!
18. And urge not one another on the feeding of Al‑Miskeen (the poor)!
19. And you devour the inheritance — all with greed.
20. And you love wealth with much love.
21. Nay! When the earth is ground to powder.
22. And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.
23. And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him?
24. He will say: “Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!”
25. So on that Day none will punish as He will punish.
26. And none will bind (the wicked, disbelievers and polytheists) as He will bind”
[al-Fajr 89:15-26]
Even if we assume that this provision came to him after a great deal of du’aa’, does this indicate that this person is acceptable and pleasing to his Lord?
“He it is Who enables you to travel through land and sea, till when you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they are glad therein, then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are encircled therein. Then they invoke Allaah, making their Faith pure for Him Alone, (saying): “If You (Allaah) deliver us from this, we shall truly, be of the grateful.”
23. But when He delivers them, behold! They rebel (disobey Allaah) in the earth wrongfully. O mankind! Your rebellion (disobedience to Allaah) is only against your ownselves, — a brief enjoyment of this worldly life, then (in the end) unto Us is your return, and We shall inform you of that which you used to do”
[Yoonus 10:22-23]
Shaykh Ibn al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
They understood that they were doomed, so they ended their dependence on created beings and they realized that no one could save them from this hardship except Allaah alone, so they called upon Him, making their Faith pure for Him Alone and promising that they would adhere to that, and they said: “If You (Allaah) deliver us from this, we shall truly, be of the grateful” but “when He delivers them, behold! They rebel (disobey Allaah) in the earth wrongfully” i.e., they forget that hardship and that du’aa’, and what they committed themselves to, and they associate others with Allaah whom they acknowledge cannot save them from hardships or protect them from difficulty. Why are they not sincere towards Allaah in worship in times of ease as they are at times of hardship?
But they will face the consequences of their rebellion, hence Allaah says: “Your rebellion (disobedience to Allaah) is only against your ownselves, — a brief enjoyment of this worldly life” i.e., everything that you hope when you rebel and turn away from Allaah, is to make some worldly gains, which will soon come to an end, then you will leave them behind: “then (in the end) unto Us is your return” on the Day of Resurrection, “and We shall inform you of that which you used to do”. This is the ultimate warning to them against persisting in what they are doing. End quote. Tafseer al-Sa’di (361).
Think about the meaning of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever desires the quick‑passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected __ far away from Allaah’s Mercy).
19. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah __ Islâmic Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah).
20. On each __ these as well as those __We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord. And the Bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden.
21. See how We prefer one above another (in this world), and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment”
[al-Isra’ 17:18-21]
You should understand that the matter is not as you think, that the one who gets his share or has his du’aa’ answered is better, and that the one who does not get anything is of lesser status. No, it is not like that.
Fourthly:
Many people are mistaken about the issue of du’aa’ in many ways. With regard to your question we want to point out two mistakes:
1 – You think that du’aa’ is answered just because you say du’aa’. This is wrong, because there are conditions for du’aa’s to be answered and there are impediments which prevent it from being answered.
For a detailed discussion concerning this matter, please see the answer to question no. 5113.
In that discussion you will see that one of the impediments to du’aa’ being answered in your case is your being impatient and getting frustrated.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person will still be answered so long as his du’aa’ does not involve sin or severing ties of kinship, and so long as he does not become impatient.” It was said: O Messenger of Allaah, what does being impatient mean? He said: “Saying, I said du’aa’, and I said du’aa’, and I did not receive any response, then he becomes frustrated and stops saying du’aa’.” Narrated by Muslim (2735).
2 – You think that the response can only be of one kind, which is getting what you asked for in du’aa’ such as wealth, children, a job and so on. This is wrong, because the response may be of three types: it may be by getting what one asked for in du’aa’, or it may be that evil commensurate with one’s du’aa’ is warded off, or that may be stored up for one as reward for the Day of Resurrection.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no Muslim who does not offer any du’aa’ in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allaah will give him one of three things in return: either He will answer his du’aa’ sooner, or he will store it up for him in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil away from him because of it.” They said: “We will say a lot of du’aa’.” He said: “Allaah is more generous.” Narrated by Ahmad (10749), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1633).
Fifthly:
If a Muslim is falling short in his worship and obedience, that should make him feel that he is not worthy of having his du’aa’ answered, and perhaps that will motivate him to do more acts of worship and obedience that will bring him closer to Allaah. If the caller believes that he has done that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, and that he deserves an answer, that will make him think badly of his Lord, may He be exalted, and will make him feel let down and begin to despair, until he wishes that he could escape from life by committing suicide. All of that, unfortunately, we can see in your words.
This is unlike the one who is aware of his shortcomings before his Lord. This will make him think badly of himself, not of his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and that will motivate him to keep away from forbidden things and do obligatory things, and to follow the path of piety, and to avoid overindulging in permissible things which may distract him from obeying his Lord.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It was narrated that ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: By avoiding that which Allaah has forbidden, Allaah will accept du’aa’ and tasbeeh. And it was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The amount of du’aa’ with righteousness that is sufficient is like the amount of salt that is sufficient with food.” And Muhammad ibn Waasi’ said: A little du’aa’ is sufficient with piety.
One of the salaf said: Do not expect a response when you have blocked the way with sins. One of the poets also commented on this by saying:
We call upon Allaah for every hardship, then we forget Him when the hardship is relieved.
How can we hope for an answer to our du’aa’s, when we have blocked its way with sins?
Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam (1/107, 108).
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It was said to Ibraaheem ibn Adham: Why is it that we supplicate and receive no response?
He said because you know Allaah but you do not obey Him, and you know the Messenger but you do not follow his Sunnah, and you know the Qur’aan but you do not act in accordance with it, and you eat from the blessings of Allaah but you do not give thanks for them, and you know Paradise but you do not seek it, and you know Hell but you do not flee from it, and you know the shaytaan but you do not fight him rather you agree with him, and you know death but you do not prepare for it, and you have buried the dead but you do not learn a lesson from that, and you ignore your own faults and are preoccupied with other people’s faults.
Tafseer al-Qurtubi (2/312).
Study this brilliant passage from the writings of Ibn al-Jawzi concerning this matter. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the du’aa’ for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a test and needs patience.
What a person experiences of waswaas when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine, I have experienced this myself. A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps. Sometimes he said : The generosity (of Allaah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?
I said to him: Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!
Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allaah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.
My soul (nafs) said: How could you explain the delay in the response of Allaah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?
I said: It is proven with evidence that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.
2 – The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.
3 – There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”
4 – The response may be withheld because of some fault in you. Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the du’aa’, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely.
So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.
5 – You should examine the intention behind this request, because attaining it may lead to more sin, or prevent you from doing some good, so withholding it is better.
It was narrated that one of the salaf used to ask Allaah to help him to go out on campaign, but a voice called out to him: If you go out on campaign you will be taken prisoner, and if you are taken prisoner you will become a Christian!
6 – Perhaps losing what you have missed out on will cause you to turn to Allaah and getting it will distract you from Him. This is obvious, based on the fact that were it not for this calamity you would not have turned to Him, because the real calamity is what distracts you from Him, but what makes you stand before Him is good for you and is in your best interests.
If you ponder these things you will focus on what is more beneficial for you, such as correcting a mistake or seeking forgiveness or standing before Allaah and beseeching Him, and forget about what you have missed out on . End quote.
Sayd al-Khaatir (59-60).
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Many questions are going around in my mind, they are haunting me and I cannot find any answer. In fact my resolve has started to fail and my faith is beginning to weaken, and I feel very distressed about everything in this world. I can no longer bear this burden. It has gone on too long and I am filled with deep despair and doubt is entering my heart. Were it not that Allaah has forbidden suicide, I would have done it and given myself a break. I apologize for going on at such length.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and forgive your sin, and to help you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
Secondly:
Undoubtedly there is some error in your understanding of the issue of du’aa’ and response and calamity. What you are suffering from is something natural, if you do not have a proper understanding of these and similar matters. We empathize with you and feel your pain, and we hope that you will pay attention to what we are going to explain to you, and follow it. We see from your letter that you are prepared to accept what we want to tell you, and this had encouraged us to write back to you and tell you what will be good for you in this world and in the Hereafter.
Thirdly:
Many people think that all they have to do is to declare their repentance to their Lord, then they will immediately have it easy and be relieved of trouble, and wealth will come to them, and they will live a life of luxury! But none of that is necessarily the case. Rather there is a test and trial of this person’s repentance: is it sincere or not? Is it for the sake of Allaah or not? All of that means he will face a new test. Indeed the purpose and wisdom behind this life is that it is a test and trial. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (drops) of mixed semen (sexual discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so We made him hearer and seer”
[al-Insaan 76:2]
If he understands this fact, then he should surrender in his heart to his Lord and accept it, but if he does not understand that, then he will not be able to surrender in his heart to his Lord, even if he seems to have surrendered outwardly. Hence it was narrated that some of the salaf said: “If the kings and sons of kings knew what joy we experience, they would fight us for it with their swords.” What joy could be referred to here? It is the joy of the heart that has certain faith in its Lord, may He be exalted, and the joy of obeying Him and the happiness of drawing closer to Him, even if they were going through hardships. This is the measure of a good life, as Allaah says in His Holy Book, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”
[al-Nahl 16:97]
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who combines faith and good deeds, “to him We will give a good life” by giving him tranquillity in his heart and peace of mind, and by causing him not to pay any attention to that which could disturb his heart. Allaah will grant him a goodly provision from sources he could not imagine, and “We shall pay them certainly” in the Hereafter “a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do”, all kinds of delight such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and it has not crossed the mind of any man. So Allaah will give him good in this world and good in the Hereafter. Tafseer al-Sa’di (p. 448).
With regard to others, such as the kuffaar and sinners, listen to what Allaah says about them (interpretation of the meaning):
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’aan nor acts on its teachings) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection”
[Ta-Ha 20:124]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder” means: goes against My command and that which I have revealed to My Messenger, and turns away from it and ignores it, and follows something other than its guidance, “verily, for him is a life of hardship” i.e., in this world, so he will have no tranquillity or peace of mind, rather he will be in a state of anxiety because of his misguidance, even if he appears outwardly to be living a life of luxury, wearing what he wants, eating what he wants, living where he wants, but so long as his heart has no certain faith and is not guided, then he will be in a state of anxiety and confusion and doubt, and he will remain doubtful and hesitant. This is part of the life of hardship.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer (5/322, 323)
Is it in any way wise or reasonable to give up that which Allaah has given you of different kinds of worship, and has honoured you with belief in it, because you are deceived by the ease and ample provision enjoyed by the kuffaar in this world?
“Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them
56. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, [it is a Fitnah (trial) in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter] but they perceive not”
[al-Mu’minoon 23:55]
Moreover you are ignoring the clear evidence in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger about du’aa’ and its great importance, and the causes of it being answered, and you are focussing on things such as the phrase “By My Might and Majesty, if he had asked Me to save him I would have saved him” which is more akin to the words of story tellers and reports from the Children of Israel.
Even if we assume it is sound, is simply getting what one wants in this world of good living and ample provision a sign that he is accepted by his Lord?
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honour and bounties, then he says (in exultation): “My Lord has honoured me.”
16. But when He tries him by straitening his means of life, he says: “My Lord has humiliated me!”
17. Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)!
18. And urge not one another on the feeding of Al‑Miskeen (the poor)!
19. And you devour the inheritance — all with greed.
20. And you love wealth with much love.
21. Nay! When the earth is ground to powder.
22. And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.
23. And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him?
24. He will say: “Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!”
25. So on that Day none will punish as He will punish.
26. And none will bind (the wicked, disbelievers and polytheists) as He will bind”
[al-Fajr 89:15-26]
Even if we assume that this provision came to him after a great deal of du’aa’, does this indicate that this person is acceptable and pleasing to his Lord?
“He it is Who enables you to travel through land and sea, till when you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they are glad therein, then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are encircled therein. Then they invoke Allaah, making their Faith pure for Him Alone, (saying): “If You (Allaah) deliver us from this, we shall truly, be of the grateful.”
23. But when He delivers them, behold! They rebel (disobey Allaah) in the earth wrongfully. O mankind! Your rebellion (disobedience to Allaah) is only against your ownselves, — a brief enjoyment of this worldly life, then (in the end) unto Us is your return, and We shall inform you of that which you used to do”
[Yoonus 10:22-23]
Shaykh Ibn al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
They understood that they were doomed, so they ended their dependence on created beings and they realized that no one could save them from this hardship except Allaah alone, so they called upon Him, making their Faith pure for Him Alone and promising that they would adhere to that, and they said: “If You (Allaah) deliver us from this, we shall truly, be of the grateful” but “when He delivers them, behold! They rebel (disobey Allaah) in the earth wrongfully” i.e., they forget that hardship and that du’aa’, and what they committed themselves to, and they associate others with Allaah whom they acknowledge cannot save them from hardships or protect them from difficulty. Why are they not sincere towards Allaah in worship in times of ease as they are at times of hardship?
But they will face the consequences of their rebellion, hence Allaah says: “Your rebellion (disobedience to Allaah) is only against your ownselves, — a brief enjoyment of this worldly life” i.e., everything that you hope when you rebel and turn away from Allaah, is to make some worldly gains, which will soon come to an end, then you will leave them behind: “then (in the end) unto Us is your return” on the Day of Resurrection, “and We shall inform you of that which you used to do”. This is the ultimate warning to them against persisting in what they are doing. End quote. Tafseer al-Sa’di (361).
Think about the meaning of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever desires the quick‑passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected __ far away from Allaah’s Mercy).
19. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah __ Islâmic Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah).
20. On each __ these as well as those __We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord. And the Bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden.
21. See how We prefer one above another (in this world), and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment”
[al-Isra’ 17:18-21]
You should understand that the matter is not as you think, that the one who gets his share or has his du’aa’ answered is better, and that the one who does not get anything is of lesser status. No, it is not like that.
Fourthly:
Many people are mistaken about the issue of du’aa’ in many ways. With regard to your question we want to point out two mistakes:
1 – You think that du’aa’ is answered just because you say du’aa’. This is wrong, because there are conditions for du’aa’s to be answered and there are impediments which prevent it from being answered.
For a detailed discussion concerning this matter, please see the answer to question no. 5113.
In that discussion you will see that one of the impediments to du’aa’ being answered in your case is your being impatient and getting frustrated.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person will still be answered so long as his du’aa’ does not involve sin or severing ties of kinship, and so long as he does not become impatient.” It was said: O Messenger of Allaah, what does being impatient mean? He said: “Saying, I said du’aa’, and I said du’aa’, and I did not receive any response, then he becomes frustrated and stops saying du’aa’.” Narrated by Muslim (2735).
2 – You think that the response can only be of one kind, which is getting what you asked for in du’aa’ such as wealth, children, a job and so on. This is wrong, because the response may be of three types: it may be by getting what one asked for in du’aa’, or it may be that evil commensurate with one’s du’aa’ is warded off, or that may be stored up for one as reward for the Day of Resurrection.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no Muslim who does not offer any du’aa’ in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allaah will give him one of three things in return: either He will answer his du’aa’ sooner, or he will store it up for him in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil away from him because of it.” They said: “We will say a lot of du’aa’.” He said: “Allaah is more generous.” Narrated by Ahmad (10749), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1633).
Fifthly:
If a Muslim is falling short in his worship and obedience, that should make him feel that he is not worthy of having his du’aa’ answered, and perhaps that will motivate him to do more acts of worship and obedience that will bring him closer to Allaah. If the caller believes that he has done that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, and that he deserves an answer, that will make him think badly of his Lord, may He be exalted, and will make him feel let down and begin to despair, until he wishes that he could escape from life by committing suicide. All of that, unfortunately, we can see in your words.
This is unlike the one who is aware of his shortcomings before his Lord. This will make him think badly of himself, not of his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and that will motivate him to keep away from forbidden things and do obligatory things, and to follow the path of piety, and to avoid overindulging in permissible things which may distract him from obeying his Lord.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It was narrated that ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: By avoiding that which Allaah has forbidden, Allaah will accept du’aa’ and tasbeeh. And it was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The amount of du’aa’ with righteousness that is sufficient is like the amount of salt that is sufficient with food.” And Muhammad ibn Waasi’ said: A little du’aa’ is sufficient with piety.
One of the salaf said: Do not expect a response when you have blocked the way with sins. One of the poets also commented on this by saying:
We call upon Allaah for every hardship, then we forget Him when the hardship is relieved.
How can we hope for an answer to our du’aa’s, when we have blocked its way with sins?
Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam (1/107, 108).
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It was said to Ibraaheem ibn Adham: Why is it that we supplicate and receive no response?
He said because you know Allaah but you do not obey Him, and you know the Messenger but you do not follow his Sunnah, and you know the Qur’aan but you do not act in accordance with it, and you eat from the blessings of Allaah but you do not give thanks for them, and you know Paradise but you do not seek it, and you know Hell but you do not flee from it, and you know the shaytaan but you do not fight him rather you agree with him, and you know death but you do not prepare for it, and you have buried the dead but you do not learn a lesson from that, and you ignore your own faults and are preoccupied with other people’s faults.
Tafseer al-Qurtubi (2/312).
Study this brilliant passage from the writings of Ibn al-Jawzi concerning this matter. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the du’aa’ for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a test and needs patience.
What a person experiences of waswaas when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine, I have experienced this myself. A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps. Sometimes he said : The generosity (of Allaah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?
I said to him: Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!
Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allaah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.
My soul (nafs) said: How could you explain the delay in the response of Allaah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?
I said: It is proven with evidence that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.
2 – The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.
3 – There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”
4 – The response may be withheld because of some fault in you. Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the du’aa’, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely.
So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.
5 – You should examine the intention behind this request, because attaining it may lead to more sin, or prevent you from doing some good, so withholding it is better.
It was narrated that one of the salaf used to ask Allaah to help him to go out on campaign, but a voice called out to him: If you go out on campaign you will be taken prisoner, and if you are taken prisoner you will become a Christian!
6 – Perhaps losing what you have missed out on will cause you to turn to Allaah and getting it will distract you from Him. This is obvious, based on the fact that were it not for this calamity you would not have turned to Him, because the real calamity is what distracts you from Him, but what makes you stand before Him is good for you and is in your best interests.
If you ponder these things you will focus on what is more beneficial for you, such as correcting a mistake or seeking forgiveness or standing before Allaah and beseeching Him, and forget about what you have missed out on . End quote.
Sayd al-Khaatir (59-60).
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Kinds of Tawassul
I have been discussing the subject of using "waseela" while supplicating to Allah (swt) with some Muslims, and have come to know that there are quite different opinions about fact whether the use of "waseela" in duaa is halaal or haraam. Could you please provide me with some information about this subject, some ayaat from the Holy Qur'an or authentic ahaadeeth? With the term "use of waseela" I mean asking via the agency of someone, fx "I ask You (O Allah) to grant me forgiveness via the agency of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his household)" or via the agency of other Prophets (Peace be upon them), saints or other pious Muslims.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is meant by tawassul and waseelah is four things:
the kind of tawassul without which faith cannot be complete, which is seeking to reach Allaah (tawassul) by believing in Him and His Messengers, and obeying Him and His Messenger, This is what is meant in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Do your duty to Allaah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him…”
[al-Maa’idah 5:35]
This includes seeking to approach Allaah through His Names and Attributes, or by doing acts of obedience and worship by which one seeks to approach Allaah, and so on.
Seeking to approach Allaah by asking His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to make du’a’ for one during his lifetime, and the believers asking one another to make du’aa’ for one another. This follows on from the first type and is encouraged.
Seeking to approach Allaah by virtue of the status and virtues of some created being, such as saying, “O Allaah, I ask You by virtue of Your Prophet” and so on. This is allowed by some of the ‘ulama’, but this opinion is da’eef (weak). The correct view is that it is definitely haraam, because there can be no tawassul in du’aa’ except by virtue of the Names and Attributes of Allaah.
Tawassul as it is understood by many of the Muslims of later times, which is calling on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and seeking his help (or seeking the help of the dead and so-called awliya’). This is a form of major shirk, because calling on or seeking help from anyone other than Allaah with regard to something that that only Allaah is able to do is a kind of worship, and directing worship to anyone or anything other than Allaah is major shirk. And Allaah knows best.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is meant by tawassul and waseelah is four things:
the kind of tawassul without which faith cannot be complete, which is seeking to reach Allaah (tawassul) by believing in Him and His Messengers, and obeying Him and His Messenger, This is what is meant in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Do your duty to Allaah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him…”
[al-Maa’idah 5:35]
This includes seeking to approach Allaah through His Names and Attributes, or by doing acts of obedience and worship by which one seeks to approach Allaah, and so on.
Seeking to approach Allaah by asking His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to make du’a’ for one during his lifetime, and the believers asking one another to make du’aa’ for one another. This follows on from the first type and is encouraged.
Seeking to approach Allaah by virtue of the status and virtues of some created being, such as saying, “O Allaah, I ask You by virtue of Your Prophet” and so on. This is allowed by some of the ‘ulama’, but this opinion is da’eef (weak). The correct view is that it is definitely haraam, because there can be no tawassul in du’aa’ except by virtue of the Names and Attributes of Allaah.
Tawassul as it is understood by many of the Muslims of later times, which is calling on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and seeking his help (or seeking the help of the dead and so-called awliya’). This is a form of major shirk, because calling on or seeking help from anyone other than Allaah with regard to something that that only Allaah is able to do is a kind of worship, and directing worship to anyone or anything other than Allaah is major shirk. And Allaah knows best.
Du’aa’ to wipe the kuffaar out of existence
I heard some people saying this du’aa’: “O Allaah, deal with the kuffaar and mushrikeen and Jews; O Allaah, do not leave any one of them alive; O Allaah, wipe them out as You wiped out ‘Aad and Thamood.” What is the ruling on such a du’aa’?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Praying that the kuffaar be wiped out is overstepping the mark in du’aa’, because Allaah has decreed that they should exist and there is a reason for their existence; Allaah does what He wills and rules as He wants.
And Allaah is the source of strength; may Allaah send blessing and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Praise be to Allaah.
Praying that the kuffaar be wiped out is overstepping the mark in du’aa’, because Allaah has decreed that they should exist and there is a reason for their existence; Allaah does what He wills and rules as He wants.
And Allaah is the source of strength; may Allaah send blessing and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Praying for the kaafir to be guided or else be punished by Allaah
What is the ruling on praying for Allaah to guide some wrongdoers and evildoers or kaafirs, and if He does not guide them, may He seize them with such a penalty that comes from One exalted in power and able to carry out His will? Is this du’aa’ permissible? Or does it come under the heading of letting Allaah choose?.
Praise be to Allaah.
This is not letting Allaah choose, rather it is asking for them to be guided by Allaah, whilst referring the matter of their being guided to His will and wisdom. If that is done for them then praise be to Allaah, otherwise may Allaah protect us against their evil by seizing them with such a penalty that comes from One exalted in power and able to carry out His will, as a punishment for their wrongdoing and so as to cleanse the earth of their filth. So it is a permissible du’aa’.
And Allaah is the Source of strength, May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas
Praise be to Allaah.
This is not letting Allaah choose, rather it is asking for them to be guided by Allaah, whilst referring the matter of their being guided to His will and wisdom. If that is done for them then praise be to Allaah, otherwise may Allaah protect us against their evil by seizing them with such a penalty that comes from One exalted in power and able to carry out His will, as a punishment for their wrongdoing and so as to cleanse the earth of their filth. So it is a permissible du’aa’.
And Allaah is the Source of strength, May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas
The du’aa’ “O Allaah, we do not ask You to overturn the decree but we ask You to help us bear its impact”
Sometimes we say this du’aa’: “O Allaah, we do not ask You to overturn the decree but we ask You to help us bear its impact”. Is this du’aa’ permissible or is there anything in it that goes against Islam?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not approve of this du’aa’; rather we think it is haraam and that it is more serious than that which was mentioned by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “No one of you should say, ‘O Allaah, forgive me if You will, O Allaah, have mercy on me if You will.’” That is because du’aa’ is one of the means by which Allaah overturns the decree, as it says in the hadeeth: “The Decree cannot be overturned except by du’aa’.” Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, decrees something then creates impediments to it, so He decrees something and He decrees that this man will say du’aa’ and the decree will be overturned; the one who overturns the decree is Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted.
For example: would a sick person say, “O Allaah, I do not ask You for healing, but I ask You to make the sickness bearable”? No, rather he would say: “O Allaah, I ask You for healing,” and he would be definite in asking for what he wants, and he would not say, “O Lord, keep what I dislike but make it bearable.” Is Allaah anything other than the kindest of the kind and the most generous of the generous? He is able to overturn what He had initially decreed for you because of your du’aa’. Hence we think that this sentence is haraam and that what should be said is: “O Allaah, I ask You to give me well-being, to heal me, to bring back to me my absent loved one” and so on. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)
http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/sound/article_17381.shtml
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas were asked about this du’aa’ and they replied:
We do not know that this du’aa’ was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), so it is better not to recite it, and there are sufficient other du’aa’s, such as, “I ask You for what You have decreed for me to make its consequences good.” Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and the author of al-Mustadrak who said: Its isnaad is saheeh. And that which was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah from severe calamity, from a bad fate, from a bad end, from the malicious joy of enemies. Sufyaan - one of the narrators of the hadeeth - said: The hadeeth refers to three things and I added one, but I do not know which of them it is. Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz… Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal al-Shaaykh… Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan… Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Ifta’ (24/291)
And Allaah knows best.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not approve of this du’aa’; rather we think it is haraam and that it is more serious than that which was mentioned by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “No one of you should say, ‘O Allaah, forgive me if You will, O Allaah, have mercy on me if You will.’” That is because du’aa’ is one of the means by which Allaah overturns the decree, as it says in the hadeeth: “The Decree cannot be overturned except by du’aa’.” Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, decrees something then creates impediments to it, so He decrees something and He decrees that this man will say du’aa’ and the decree will be overturned; the one who overturns the decree is Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted.
For example: would a sick person say, “O Allaah, I do not ask You for healing, but I ask You to make the sickness bearable”? No, rather he would say: “O Allaah, I ask You for healing,” and he would be definite in asking for what he wants, and he would not say, “O Lord, keep what I dislike but make it bearable.” Is Allaah anything other than the kindest of the kind and the most generous of the generous? He is able to overturn what He had initially decreed for you because of your du’aa’. Hence we think that this sentence is haraam and that what should be said is: “O Allaah, I ask You to give me well-being, to heal me, to bring back to me my absent loved one” and so on. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)
http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/sound/article_17381.shtml
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas were asked about this du’aa’ and they replied:
We do not know that this du’aa’ was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him), so it is better not to recite it, and there are sufficient other du’aa’s, such as, “I ask You for what You have decreed for me to make its consequences good.” Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and the author of al-Mustadrak who said: Its isnaad is saheeh. And that which was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah from severe calamity, from a bad fate, from a bad end, from the malicious joy of enemies. Sufyaan - one of the narrators of the hadeeth - said: The hadeeth refers to three things and I added one, but I do not know which of them it is. Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz… Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal al-Shaaykh… Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan… Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Ifta’ (24/291)
And Allaah knows best.
Saying du’aa’ during prayer asking to marry a certain man
Is it permissible for me to say du’aa’ whilst praying asking to marry a certain man?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The majority of Maaliki and Shaafa’i fuqaha’, and some Hanbalis, are of the view that it is permissible to say du’aa’ in prayer asking for various worldly needs, which the worshipper wants to ask for and that he needs, such as if he prays to get married or for provision or success and so on.
They quoted as evidence for that the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught the Sahaabah the Tashahhud, then he said at the end of it: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he wishes.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5876) and Muslim (402).
Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in al-Musannaf (1/331) that al-Hasan and al-Sha’bi said:
Ask during your prayer for whatever you want. End quote.
It says in al-Mudawwanah (1/192):
Maalik said: There is nothing wrong with a man praying for all his needs in the prescribed prayers, for his needs in this world and in the Hereafter, when standing, sitting and prostrating. He said: Maalik told me that ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr said: I heard from him that he said: I ask Allaah for all my needs when praying, even for salt. End quote.
The Hanafis and most of the Hanbalis disagreed with that and said that it is not permissible to say du’aa’ asking for worldly things when praying, rather they said that the prayer of one who says du’aa’ in it asking for any of that is invalidated.
It says in al-Insaaf (1/81-82), which is a Hanbali book:
With regard to saying du’aa’ in words other than those which are narrated (from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), and which do not have to do with the Hereafter, the view of our madhhab is that it is not permissible to say such du’aa’s whilst praying, and the prayer is invalidated thereby. This is the view of most of our companions.
It was also narrated from him – i.e. Imam Ahmad – that it is permissible to say du’aa’ asking for one’s worldly needs, and it is permissible to say du’aa’ asking for one’s worldly needs and pleasures, such as saying: O Allaah, bless me with a beautiful wife and a green suit and a comfortable mount and so on. End quote.
It says in al-Fataawa al-Hindiyyah (1/100), which is a Hanafi book:
If he says: O Allaah, bless me with So and so (a woman), then the correct view is that it invalidates the prayer, because this wording is also used among people (in day-to-day speech). End quote.
See: Fath al-Baari (1/319) and Nasab al-Raayah (1/558).
They learned that from a number of the salaf (early generation), and Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from them in al-Musannaf (1/332) that they regarded it as mustahabb to say du’aa’ in obligatory prayers quoting Qur’aan only. Indeed it was narrated from Ibn ‘Awn that Muhammad said: It was regarded as makrooh to say du’aa’ in prayer concerning any matter of this world.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (20/265-266):
The Hanafis and Hanbalis say: It is Sunnah to say du’aa’ in the final tashahhud after sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying things that resemble the wording of the Qur’aan or the wording of the Sunnah, and it is not permissible to say du’aa’ in words that resemble the speech of people, such as saying: O Allaah, marry me to So and so, or give me such and such an amount of gold and silver and positions.
The Maalikis and Shaafa’is are of the view that it is Sunnah to say du’aa’ after the Tashahhud and before saying the salaam, asking for the best of religious and worldly things, but it is not permissible to say du’aa’ asking for anything haraam or impossible or conditional. If a person says du’aa’ asking for any such thing then his prayer is invalidated, and it is best to say du’aa’ using words that are mentioned in reports. End quote.
The correct view is the view of the Maalikis and Shaafa’is, because of the strength of their evidence, and because of the weakness of the evidence quoted by those who hold the other opinion.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo’ (3/454):
Our view is that it is permissible to say du’aa’ in prayer for that which it is permissible to ask for outside of prayer, of religious and worldly matters. So one may say: O Allaah, bless me with good (halaal) earnings, and a child, and a house, and a beautiful wife, describing her, or: O Allaah, set So and so free from prison, and destroy So and so, and the like, and his prayer is not invalidated by any of that in our view.
This was the view of Maalik, al-Thawri, Abu Thawr and Ishaaq.
Abu Haneefah and Ahmad said it is not permissible to say any du’aa’ except those that are mentioned in reports and are in accordance with Qur’aan.
They quoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “This prayer is not the right place for any of the people’s speech, rather it is tasbeeh, takbeer and recitation of Qur’aan” (narrated by Muslim), by analogy with returning greetings and saying Yarhamuk Allaah to one who sneezes.
Our companions quoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “As for prostration, strive hard in du’aa’ therein.”
The command to say du’aa’ is general in meaning, and was not restricted, so it applies to everything that is called du’aa’.
And because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said du’aa’ at various points (in the prayer), which indicates that there is no restrictions on that.
In al-Saheehayn, in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said at the end of the tashahhud: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he likes or wishes”.
According to a report narrated by Abu Hurayrah: “Then let him pray for himself as he sees fit.” Al-Nasaa’i said: Its isnaad is saheeh.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in his Qunoot: “O Allaah, save al-Waleed ibn al-Waleed and ‘Ayyaash ibn Abi Rabee’ah and Salamah ibn Hishaam, and the believers who are weak and oppressed. O Allaah, punish Mudar severely and send upon them a famine like the famine of Yoosuf.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O Allaah, curse Ri’l and Dhakwaan and ‘Usayyah who disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger.” These were Arab tribes.
There are many other ahaadeeth that are similar to those which we have quoted here. Furthermore, the du’aa’ is not part of people’s day-to-day speech.
With regard to saying Yarhamuk Allaah to one who sneezes and returning salaams, these are words that are addressed to another human being, unlike du’aa’. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/283):
The apparent meaning of the author’s words – meaning Imam Moosa al-Hijjaawi, who was one of the Hanbalis – is that he should not say du’aa’ using words other than those which were narrated, so he should not ask for any worldly matter such as saying: O Allaah, bless me with a spacious house, or O Allaah, bless me with a beautiful wife, or O Allaah, bless me with a lot of wealth, or O Allaah, bless me with a comfortable car, and so on – because this has to do with worldly matters. Some of the fuqaha’ (may Allaah have mercy on them) even said: If he asks for something that has to do with worldly matters, then his prayer is invalidated.
But this is undoubtedly a weak view.
But the correct view is that there is nothing wrong with asking for things that have to do with worldly matters, because du’aa’ in itself is an act of worship, even if it is asking for worldly things, and man has nowhere to turn but to Allaah. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The closest that a slave is to his Lord is when he is prostrating” and he said, “As for prostration, say a great deal of du’aa’ in it, because it is more likely that you will receive a response.” And according to the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, when he spoke of the Tashahhud, he said: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he wishes.” A person is never turning to Allaah as fully as he is in prayer, so how can we say Do not ask Allaah, when you are praying, for anything that you need of worldly things! This is very unlikely.
So the correct view is undoubtedly that he may ask after the Tashahhud for whatever he wishes of good in this world and in the Hereafter. End quote.
The point is that there is nothing wrong with saying du’aa’ asking to get married to a particular man – if he is righteous and good – although it is always better to use concise and eloquent du’aa’s and those that were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). See the answer to question no. 5236, 6585 and 75058.
Secondly:
Moreover – although we have ruled that it is permissible for you to say du’aa’ in your prayer asking to get married to a particular man – we advise you, from a psychological point of view, not to go to extremes in thinking about this matter. Marriage is decreed by Allaah, and by His mercy to mankind He has given them ample provision and made them independent of means, and has not limited marriage to one particular man, rather He has connected it to conditions of good character and religious commitment, so when these conditions are met, the Muslim should accept it.
The Muslim who believes in the will and decree of Allaah (al-qada’ wa’l-qadar) believes that Allaah is wise in all that He commands and does, and that He may ward off from a person the bad that he wants, strives for and prays for, because He knows that the best is in something else. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know”
[al-Baqarah 2:216].
The slogan of the Muslim in this matter is the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in du’aa’ al-istikhaarah: “and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1162).
We hope that this matter will not take up more space in your heart and mind than it deserves. There are many – praise be to Allaah – who are of good character and religiously committed. We ask Allaah to ordain good for you wherever it may be and to make you pleased with what He decrees for you.
And Allaah knows best.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The majority of Maaliki and Shaafa’i fuqaha’, and some Hanbalis, are of the view that it is permissible to say du’aa’ in prayer asking for various worldly needs, which the worshipper wants to ask for and that he needs, such as if he prays to get married or for provision or success and so on.
They quoted as evidence for that the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught the Sahaabah the Tashahhud, then he said at the end of it: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he wishes.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5876) and Muslim (402).
Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in al-Musannaf (1/331) that al-Hasan and al-Sha’bi said:
Ask during your prayer for whatever you want. End quote.
It says in al-Mudawwanah (1/192):
Maalik said: There is nothing wrong with a man praying for all his needs in the prescribed prayers, for his needs in this world and in the Hereafter, when standing, sitting and prostrating. He said: Maalik told me that ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr said: I heard from him that he said: I ask Allaah for all my needs when praying, even for salt. End quote.
The Hanafis and most of the Hanbalis disagreed with that and said that it is not permissible to say du’aa’ asking for worldly things when praying, rather they said that the prayer of one who says du’aa’ in it asking for any of that is invalidated.
It says in al-Insaaf (1/81-82), which is a Hanbali book:
With regard to saying du’aa’ in words other than those which are narrated (from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), and which do not have to do with the Hereafter, the view of our madhhab is that it is not permissible to say such du’aa’s whilst praying, and the prayer is invalidated thereby. This is the view of most of our companions.
It was also narrated from him – i.e. Imam Ahmad – that it is permissible to say du’aa’ asking for one’s worldly needs, and it is permissible to say du’aa’ asking for one’s worldly needs and pleasures, such as saying: O Allaah, bless me with a beautiful wife and a green suit and a comfortable mount and so on. End quote.
It says in al-Fataawa al-Hindiyyah (1/100), which is a Hanafi book:
If he says: O Allaah, bless me with So and so (a woman), then the correct view is that it invalidates the prayer, because this wording is also used among people (in day-to-day speech). End quote.
See: Fath al-Baari (1/319) and Nasab al-Raayah (1/558).
They learned that from a number of the salaf (early generation), and Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from them in al-Musannaf (1/332) that they regarded it as mustahabb to say du’aa’ in obligatory prayers quoting Qur’aan only. Indeed it was narrated from Ibn ‘Awn that Muhammad said: It was regarded as makrooh to say du’aa’ in prayer concerning any matter of this world.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (20/265-266):
The Hanafis and Hanbalis say: It is Sunnah to say du’aa’ in the final tashahhud after sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying things that resemble the wording of the Qur’aan or the wording of the Sunnah, and it is not permissible to say du’aa’ in words that resemble the speech of people, such as saying: O Allaah, marry me to So and so, or give me such and such an amount of gold and silver and positions.
The Maalikis and Shaafa’is are of the view that it is Sunnah to say du’aa’ after the Tashahhud and before saying the salaam, asking for the best of religious and worldly things, but it is not permissible to say du’aa’ asking for anything haraam or impossible or conditional. If a person says du’aa’ asking for any such thing then his prayer is invalidated, and it is best to say du’aa’ using words that are mentioned in reports. End quote.
The correct view is the view of the Maalikis and Shaafa’is, because of the strength of their evidence, and because of the weakness of the evidence quoted by those who hold the other opinion.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo’ (3/454):
Our view is that it is permissible to say du’aa’ in prayer for that which it is permissible to ask for outside of prayer, of religious and worldly matters. So one may say: O Allaah, bless me with good (halaal) earnings, and a child, and a house, and a beautiful wife, describing her, or: O Allaah, set So and so free from prison, and destroy So and so, and the like, and his prayer is not invalidated by any of that in our view.
This was the view of Maalik, al-Thawri, Abu Thawr and Ishaaq.
Abu Haneefah and Ahmad said it is not permissible to say any du’aa’ except those that are mentioned in reports and are in accordance with Qur’aan.
They quoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “This prayer is not the right place for any of the people’s speech, rather it is tasbeeh, takbeer and recitation of Qur’aan” (narrated by Muslim), by analogy with returning greetings and saying Yarhamuk Allaah to one who sneezes.
Our companions quoted as evidence the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “As for prostration, strive hard in du’aa’ therein.”
The command to say du’aa’ is general in meaning, and was not restricted, so it applies to everything that is called du’aa’.
And because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said du’aa’ at various points (in the prayer), which indicates that there is no restrictions on that.
In al-Saheehayn, in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said at the end of the tashahhud: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he likes or wishes”.
According to a report narrated by Abu Hurayrah: “Then let him pray for himself as he sees fit.” Al-Nasaa’i said: Its isnaad is saheeh.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in his Qunoot: “O Allaah, save al-Waleed ibn al-Waleed and ‘Ayyaash ibn Abi Rabee’ah and Salamah ibn Hishaam, and the believers who are weak and oppressed. O Allaah, punish Mudar severely and send upon them a famine like the famine of Yoosuf.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O Allaah, curse Ri’l and Dhakwaan and ‘Usayyah who disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger.” These were Arab tribes.
There are many other ahaadeeth that are similar to those which we have quoted here. Furthermore, the du’aa’ is not part of people’s day-to-day speech.
With regard to saying Yarhamuk Allaah to one who sneezes and returning salaams, these are words that are addressed to another human being, unlike du’aa’. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/283):
The apparent meaning of the author’s words – meaning Imam Moosa al-Hijjaawi, who was one of the Hanbalis – is that he should not say du’aa’ using words other than those which were narrated, so he should not ask for any worldly matter such as saying: O Allaah, bless me with a spacious house, or O Allaah, bless me with a beautiful wife, or O Allaah, bless me with a lot of wealth, or O Allaah, bless me with a comfortable car, and so on – because this has to do with worldly matters. Some of the fuqaha’ (may Allaah have mercy on them) even said: If he asks for something that has to do with worldly matters, then his prayer is invalidated.
But this is undoubtedly a weak view.
But the correct view is that there is nothing wrong with asking for things that have to do with worldly matters, because du’aa’ in itself is an act of worship, even if it is asking for worldly things, and man has nowhere to turn but to Allaah. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The closest that a slave is to his Lord is when he is prostrating” and he said, “As for prostration, say a great deal of du’aa’ in it, because it is more likely that you will receive a response.” And according to the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, when he spoke of the Tashahhud, he said: “Then let him choose whatever supplications he wishes.” A person is never turning to Allaah as fully as he is in prayer, so how can we say Do not ask Allaah, when you are praying, for anything that you need of worldly things! This is very unlikely.
So the correct view is undoubtedly that he may ask after the Tashahhud for whatever he wishes of good in this world and in the Hereafter. End quote.
The point is that there is nothing wrong with saying du’aa’ asking to get married to a particular man – if he is righteous and good – although it is always better to use concise and eloquent du’aa’s and those that were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). See the answer to question no. 5236, 6585 and 75058.
Secondly:
Moreover – although we have ruled that it is permissible for you to say du’aa’ in your prayer asking to get married to a particular man – we advise you, from a psychological point of view, not to go to extremes in thinking about this matter. Marriage is decreed by Allaah, and by His mercy to mankind He has given them ample provision and made them independent of means, and has not limited marriage to one particular man, rather He has connected it to conditions of good character and religious commitment, so when these conditions are met, the Muslim should accept it.
The Muslim who believes in the will and decree of Allaah (al-qada’ wa’l-qadar) believes that Allaah is wise in all that He commands and does, and that He may ward off from a person the bad that he wants, strives for and prays for, because He knows that the best is in something else. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know”
[al-Baqarah 2:216].
The slogan of the Muslim in this matter is the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in du’aa’ al-istikhaarah: “and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1162).
We hope that this matter will not take up more space in your heart and mind than it deserves. There are many – praise be to Allaah – who are of good character and religiously committed. We ask Allaah to ordain good for you wherever it may be and to make you pleased with what He decrees for you.
And Allaah knows best.
Saying du’aa’ al-istikhaarah without praying
Is it permissible to recite the du’aa’ of istikhaarah without praying two rak’ah beforehand, because one is not at home, for example?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Istikhaarah means asking Allaah to help you choose the better of two things and to divert the worse of them. Praying two rak’ahs beforehand is only prescribed before the du’aa’ to make it more likely to receive a response, and to help bring about proper presence of mind and make the du’aa’ more likely to be accepted.
Ibn Abi Jamrah said, as narrated in Fath al-Baari (11/186):
The wisdom behind putting the prayer before the du’aa’ is that the aim of istikhaarah is combine the best of this world and the Hereafter. So he needs an introduction before presenting his case before Allaah, as it were. And there is nothing better for that than prayer, because it involves venerating Allaah, praising Him and expressing one’s need for Him now and always. End quote.
The istikhaarah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us includes praying two rak’ahs then reciting the du’aa’ after that.
If a Muslim cannot offer the prayer (two rak’ahs) for some reason, there is nothing wrong with calling upon Allaah and asking Him to make easy for him the better of the two options, without offering the prayer.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Adhkaar (p. 120):
If he cannot offer the prayer then he may recite the du’aa’ of istikhaarah. End quote.
These words of al-Nawawi were quoted by a number of scholars from different madhhabs, who quoted them as evidence.
See: Haashiyat Radd al-Muhtaar (2/27); al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani (1/35); Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel by al-Kharashi (1/37); Asna’l-Mataalib (1/205).
And Allaah knows best.
Reading Quran and reflecting over the Quran Is our Duty
Read quran and it will guided us to the true teaching of The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) he summarized the religion of Islam with this statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK holy quran, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] so to study the religion people should go to the source of and source of Islam is the quran so learning quran and reading quran with the meaning the quran tafsir and then explore the words of wisdom. And for the Muslims the sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes doing the quran recitation, listening to quran along with learning the tajweed rules and reciting it beautifully, letting our kids learn quran learning holy quran tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it and teaching quran to spread the word or truth and calling to it. So by learning quran education online and reflecting over the Quran online, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Quran then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...
Praise be to Allaah.
Istikhaarah means asking Allaah to help you choose the better of two things and to divert the worse of them. Praying two rak’ahs beforehand is only prescribed before the du’aa’ to make it more likely to receive a response, and to help bring about proper presence of mind and make the du’aa’ more likely to be accepted.
Ibn Abi Jamrah said, as narrated in Fath al-Baari (11/186):
The wisdom behind putting the prayer before the du’aa’ is that the aim of istikhaarah is combine the best of this world and the Hereafter. So he needs an introduction before presenting his case before Allaah, as it were. And there is nothing better for that than prayer, because it involves venerating Allaah, praising Him and expressing one’s need for Him now and always. End quote.
The istikhaarah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us includes praying two rak’ahs then reciting the du’aa’ after that.
If a Muslim cannot offer the prayer (two rak’ahs) for some reason, there is nothing wrong with calling upon Allaah and asking Him to make easy for him the better of the two options, without offering the prayer.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Adhkaar (p. 120):
If he cannot offer the prayer then he may recite the du’aa’ of istikhaarah. End quote.
These words of al-Nawawi were quoted by a number of scholars from different madhhabs, who quoted them as evidence.
See: Haashiyat Radd al-Muhtaar (2/27); al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani (1/35); Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel by al-Kharashi (1/37); Asna’l-Mataalib (1/205).
And Allaah knows best.
Reading Quran and reflecting over the Quran Is our Duty
Read quran and it will guided us to the true teaching of The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) he summarized the religion of Islam with this statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK holy quran, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] so to study the religion people should go to the source of and source of Islam is the quran so learning quran and reading quran with the meaning the quran tafsir and then explore the words of wisdom. And for the Muslims the sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes doing the quran recitation, listening to quran along with learning the tajweed rules and reciting it beautifully, letting our kids learn quran learning holy quran tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it and teaching quran to spread the word or truth and calling to it. So by learning quran education online and reflecting over the Quran online, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Quran then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
She committed zina when she was married; to whom should the child be attributed?
I ask Allaah for forgiveness and I repent to him, for I have committed the worst and greatest of major sins, namely zina (adultery) when I was married. I got pregnant with a daughter who is now 6 years old, and is named after my husband. I cannot tell my husband of the awful thing that I did, because I am afraid for my family and my son from him. I have repented to Allaah sincerely, and I have put on hijab and I pray regularly. I have asked for forgiveness and pardon from Allaah for this crime that I committed. Will Allaah forgive me? What should I do in order to make my repentance complete? I hope that you can advise me. Should I tell my husband so that Allaah will forgive me?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Learn Quran it brings happiness in this world and the Here after. Reading quran online inspires a man to explore the Arabic quran teachings in a new manner and see the world in a different way the way of truth and guidance. Learn holy Quran it brings happiness in this world and the world after death. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: If you desire the life of the fortunate, the death of a martyr, the salvation on the Day of Regret and the shade on the Day of Extreme Heat, then you should study the Quranic education because it is the word of the Merciful, a sanctuary from Shaytaan and a causes the tilting of the Balance. It is the deputy of every Muslim to spread the word of justice let teach kids quran from the beginning the quran quida and ask then for listening to quran online from different reciter’s and learn quran tafsir and the quranic tafseer with translation and let the do quran memorization and learn tajweed quran rules from quran tutor and guide them to spread the word of peace
We ask Allaah to forgive you and pardon you, for zina is a major sin and a serious crime, especially on the part of one whom Allaah has blessed with marriage, but she was ungrateful for the blessing of Allaah, betrayed her husband, transgressed his honour and contaminated his bed. Hence the punishment for this married woman is to be stoned to death, as a punishment from Allaah, and Allaah is Almighty and Most Wise.
But by His Mercy, He shows kindness to His slaves, gives them respite and invites them to repent, and He accepts repentance and gives reward for it. How merciful, great and kind He is, may He be glorified and exalted.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse ___and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
So continue repenting and turning to Him, beseeching Allaah to accept it from you, and Allaah accepts the repentance of those who repent.
One of the signs that Allaah has accepted repentance is that He conceals His slave and does not expose him, and He extends his life span so that he will draw close to Him and make his peace with Him. We praise Allaah for having helped you to pray regularly and wear hijab, and to obey Him and repent. We hope that Allaah, the Most Generous and Most Merciful, has forgiven you, and we ask Him to do that.
If Allaah has concealed you, then do not break that concealment that He has bestowed upon you, and do not tell your husband or anyone else anything about what happened. Your repentance is regret and righteousness and doing good deeds.
As for the child, he is to be named after your husband, and that is not cancelled out unless he rejects the child by means of li’aan, because the basic principle is that the child belongs to the marital bed, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: There is a married woman who committed zina when she was still married. She got pregnant as a result and gave birth to a child, either male or female. With whom should that child stay? Should he stay with her husband based on the hadeeth “The child is for the (owner of the) bed and the fornicator gets nothing” or not? If he stays with his mother’s husband, should he adopt him and regard him as one of his own children with regard to all rights, or will he just be under his care only? But if he is attributed to the adulterer, should he regard him as one of his real children or keep him with him even though he is still illegitimate?
They replied: If a married woman commits zina and becomes pregnant, then the child belongs to the (owner of the) bed (i.e. the husband), because of the saheeh hadeeth. If the owner of the bed wants to deny the child by engaging in li’aan then he may do that before the shar’i judge, and in that case the child does not belong to anyone according to the consensus of the Muslims. But adoption is not permissible and the adopted child does not truly become the child of the one who adopted him. And Allaah is the source of strength.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (20/339).
See also the answer to question no. 85043.
And Allaah knows best.
Learning quran and understand the teaching of quran Learn Quran it brings happiness in this world and the Here after. Reading quran online inspires a man to explore the Arabic quran teachings in a new manner and see the world in a different way the way of truth and guidance. Learn holy Quran it brings happiness in this world and the world after death. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: If you desire the life of the fortunate, the death of a martyr, the salvation on the Day of Regret and the shade on the Day of Extreme Heat, then you should study the Quranic education because it is the word of the Merciful, a sanctuary from Shaytaan and a causes the tilting of the Balance. It is the deputy of every Muslim to spread the word of justice let teach kids quran from the beginning the quran quida and ask then for listening to quran online from different reciter’s and learn quran tafsir and the quranic tafseer with translation and let the do quran memorization and learn tajweed quran rules from quran tutor and guide them to spread the word of peace
He lived in sin with his girlfriend and had a child from her and he wants to marry her
I live in the west and during the last three years I got to know a kitaabi girl (from the people of the Book – Jewish or Christian), and the relationship between us deepened. That was with the approval of her family and mine. After that we had a daughter and we applied for a civil marriage, but the court refused to marry us because the girl has not yet reached the age where marriage is allowed in that country. I had no choice but to go to the imam of our mosque and the girl’s guardian, and two witnesses of good character came, and we got married in this manner. Is the marriage legitimate according to sharee’ah? Do I have to do anything because of the previous years that I spent with this kitaabi girl without being married? Please advise me, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Undoubtedly you did something very wrong for yourself and your religious commitment when you agreed to form a haraam relationship with a Christian woman. As for yourself, that is by committing the sin of zina for which Allaah warns of a severe punishment and decrees the hadd punishment in this world: one hundred lashes for one who is not married and stoning to death for one who is married. As for your religious commitment, that is by giving a bad example of Islam and its morals and rulings to those kuffaar, whether in the land where you live or the family of the woman with whom you are living. How can they respect Islam and the Muslims when they do not see any difference between you and others of the people of the Book?
What you –and your family who knew of your sin – must do is repent sincerely from this great sin. You should realize that you did not only fall into the sin of zina which Islam warns against even approaching, but you persisted in that and lived with the woman as man and wife. This makes your sin worse than the sin of others who may fall into the sin of immorality without continuing or persisting in it.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse __and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
For more information on the greatness of Allaah’s grace in accepting the repentance of His slaves and that He accepts the repentance of the penitent no matter how serious and numerous their sins, please see the answers to questions no. 624, 13990, 47834, 23485 and 20983.
Secondly:
It should be noted that it is not permissible for you to marry this kitaabi woman unless you repent sincerely to Allaah, and until you are certain that she will not commit immoral actions with anyone and that she will not have boyfriends. This is one of the conditions of marriage to a kitaabi woman.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends”
[al-Maa'idah 5:5]
What you should have done was to tell the one who did the marriage contract for you about your situation and hers, so that he could have enjoined you to repent and told you of the conditions of her being chaste and avoiding zina, and so that you could wait for one menstrual cycle until it was established that she was not pregnant, or until she gave birth if she was pregnant.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a woman commits zina, it is not permissible for the one who knows of that to marry her unless two conditions are met:
1- That her ‘iddah has ended. If she is pregnant as the result of zina then her ‘iddah ends when she gives birth, and it is not permissible to marry her before she gives birth.
2- That she repents from committing zina.
And he said: If both conditions are met, it is permissible for the zaani (the man who committed zina) or anyone else to marry her according to the majority of scholars, including Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and his son, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Jaabir, Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab, Jaabir ibn Zayd, ‘Ata’, al-Hasan, ‘Ikrimah, al-Zuhri, al-Thawri, al-Shaafa’i, Ibn al-Mundhir and ashaab al-ra’y.
Al-Mughni (7/108, 109)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to marry a woman who has committed zina until she repents. If a man wants to marry her then he must wait for one menstrual cycle to establish that she is not pregnant before doing the marriage contract with her. If it turns out that she is pregnant, it is not permissible for him to do the marriage contract with her until after she gives birth.
Al-Fataawa al-Jaami’ah li’l-Mar’ah al-Muslimah (2/584)
You do not have the right to do the marriage contract in the courts that govern by man-made laws, or in their churches, rather what you did by asking the imam of the mosque to do the marriage contract was the right thing to do. There is nothing wrong with confirming it in the courts for official purposes.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
If the proposal and acceptance are completed, along with all the other conditions of marriage, and it is free from any impediments, then it is valid. If confirming it legally (in the civil court) could serve some shar’i interests of both parties, both now or in the future, then that must be done.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (18/87).
And they said:
If the marriage contract is not recognized and no rights will be granted unless it is confirmed in a non-shar’i court, then this does not affect the validity of the marriage, but there is nothing wrong with confirming it in a non-shar’i court if the aim is to record it for official purposes.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (18/87).
Thirdly:
As for your daughter, she is the product of an illegitimate relationship and it is not permissible for her to be named after you, rather she should be named after her mother.
It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb from his father that his grandfather said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ruled that whoever was born to a slave woman whom his father did not own or to a free woman with whom he committed adultery, then he cannot be named after him and he does not inherit from him, even if the one whom he claims is his father acknowledges him. So he is the product of zina, whether his mother was a free woman or a slave.
Narrated by Abu Dawood (2265) and Ibn Maajah (2746); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said, concerning a similar case:
The daughter mentioned, who is the result of illicit relations with her mother, is not your daughter according to sharee’ah, and it is not permissible for her to be named after you, because she was born from haraam water, which is zina. So she should be named after her mother and not after the one who committed zina with her.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (18/321, 322)
If it is not possible to name the child after the mother in the land where the mother lives, she may be given a name which does not belong to anyone in particular, so she may be given a name to use in official papers and documents.
See also the answer to question no. 12283 – which is important – and also117, 33591, 2103 and 33615.
We should also remind you that it is haraam to settle in a kaafir land, and you should learn a lesson from what happened to you and try to leave that land and settle in a Muslim country where you will see Islam being practised openly and you will be able to raise your children to follow Islam, be chaste and have good attitudes.
See the answers to questions no. 20227 and 45645 for more information on the negative consequences of marrying non-Muslim women.
And Allaah knows best.
He committed zina during one of the nights of Ramadan and he wants to repent
One of my friends had sex with a girl during one of the nights of Ramadaan. He is single and is asking about the ruling and what he has to do.
Praise be to Allaah.
If what is meant is that he committed zina –Allaah forbid – then zina is a major sin and a serious offence. Allaah has warned us against it and stated that it leads to bad consequences. He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And come not near to unlawful sex. Verily, it is a Faahishah (i.e. anything that transgresses its limits: a great sin), and an evil way that leads one to hell unless Allaah forgives him)”
[al-Isra’ 17:32]
Allaah has decreed that the punishment for the zaani is stoning, if he was married, and flogging if he was unmarried. That is because of the abhorrence of what he has engaged in of haraam intimacy. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by Allaah, if you believe in Allaah and the Last Day. And let a party of the believers witness their punishment”
[al-Noor 24:2]
But by the mercy of Allaah, the door of repentance is always open, and Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful; He loves the repentance of His slaves and accepts it if he turns to Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Know they not that Allaah accepts repentance from His slaves and takes the Sadaqât (alms, charity), and that Allaah Alone is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful?”
[al-Tawbah 9:104]
“Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they whom Allaah will forgive and Allaah is Ever All‑Knower, All‑Wise”
[al-Nisa’ 4:17]
“And those who invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allaah, nor kill such person as Allaah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse __ and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
How forbearing is Allaah, and how Generous. His goodness descends upon them even as their evil deeds ascend to Him. He holds out His Hand by night to accept the repentance of the one who sinned during the day, and He holds out His hand during the day to accept the repentance of the one who sinned at night. All the sinner has to do is acknowledge his sin and give it up, and ask his Lord for pardon and forgiveness, and resolve never to go back to that sin, and to set his deeds straight, and strive to do that which will please his Lord, may He be blessed and exalted.
The one who does that will find relief, for the Most Gracious, Most Merciful rejoices over the repentance of His slave and accepts it from him, and He will reward him for it and erase his bad deeds thereby, and raise him in status, because He is the Forbearing, Most Generous, Most Kind, Most Merciful, may He be blessed and exalted.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death)”
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
Moreover, we say to this brother: beware of removing the cover with which Allaah has concealed you and telling anyone of what you have done, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Avoid these filthy things that Allaah has forbidden. Whoever has done any of them, let him conceal himself with the concealment of Allaah, and let him repent to Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (149).
Muslim (2590) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah does not conceal a person in this world but Allaah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection.”
So hasten to repent and regret, and weep for your sin and wrongdoing. Conceal yourself with the concealment of Allaah and do not speak openly of your sin; do a lot of good deeds such as praying, giving charity, dhikr, and tasbeeh, for these are means of attaining forgiveness.
Beware of procrastinating with regard to repentance, or of taking the forbearance and concealment of Allaah for granted, for Allaah may grant you time or He may not, and He may become angry and seek vengeance. Perhaps He will look at His slave who dares to disobey Him and will say: ‘Go, for I will never accept any good deed from you,’ so he will be utterly lost and his punishment will be Hell. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound and to grant us salvation.
We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and to bring that back to the right path.
And Allaah knows best.
Why is the hand cut off in the case of stealing but not in the case of (daylight) robbery or seizing by force?
What is the difference between the thief (saariq, one who breaks in by stealth and steals something that is kept in an appropriate place) and the robber (muntahib, one who takes something by force in front of others)? Why is the hand cut off in the first case and not in the second?
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
The fact that the hand of the thief (saariq) may be cut off for three dirhams, and not in the case of the opportunist thief (mukhtalis, one who steals when a person is not looking), robber or extortioner (ghaasib, one who seizes something by force) is indicative of the perfect wisdom of sharee’ah. For one cannot take precautions against the thief who breaks into houses and breaches one’s hiding-places and breaks locks; the owner of the goods cannot do any more than that (i.e., hiding them in appropriate places). If it were not prescribed for the hand of the thief to be cut off, then people would steal from one another in this manner and a great deal of harm would be done, and the problem of theft would be grievous indeed. This is unlike the case of the robber and opportunist thief, for the robber is the one who takes things openly in the sight of people, so they may stop him and restore the rights of the one who has been wronged, or they may testify before the judge. And the opportunist thief is the one who takes things when the owner is not paying attention, etc., so there has to be some form of negligence which enables the opportunist to steal, otherwise when one is careful and alert, he cannot take anything. So he is not like a thief (saariq), rather he is more like a betrayer.
Moreover, the opportunist theif (mukhtalis) does not take things from a place where things of that nature are usually hidden, rather he waits until you are not paying attention, then he takes your things when you put something down for a moment and are not paying attention. This is something against which precautions may be taken in most cases, and he (the opportunist) is like the robber who steals openly. With regard to the one who seizes things by force, the case is more obvious: it is even more apt that his hand should not be cut off, but it is permissible to put a stop to the actions of these people by beating them, making an example out of them as a warning to others, imprisoning them for lengthy periods and punishing them by seizing their property.
Ruling on one who kills another in self-defence and dies – does he have to pay blood-money or offer expiation?
My father died and he had killed someone in self defence, and the family of the one who was killed had accepted the diyah (blood money). What is the expiation? Please note that he did not fast for two months or free a slave or feed the poor, and he had children. What is required of them?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The Muslim is obliged to defend himself and his family from any aggressor. He should ward him off with the slightest means, but if the assailant cannot be warded off except by killing, then it is permissible for the one who is being attacked to kill him, and he is not subject to retaliation (qisaas) and he does not have to pay any blood money (diyah) or offer any expiation (kafaarah), because sharee’ah has given him permission to kill in this case, and the slain aggressor is threatened with Hell, whereas the victim of aggression, if he is killed, is a martyr (shaheed) in sha Allaah. It makes no difference whether the aggressor is a Muslim or a kaafir.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think if a man comes wanting to take my property? He said: “Do not give him your property.” He said: What if he fights me? He said: “Fight him.” He said: What if he kills me? He said: “Then you will be a martyr.” He said: What if I kill him? He said: “He will be in Hell.” Narrated by Muslim (140).
It was narrated that Sa’eed ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who is killed defending his wealth is a martyr, the one who is killed defending his family is a martyr, the one who is killed defending his religion is a martyr, and the one who is killed defending his life is a martyr.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1421), al-Nasaa’i (4095), Abu Dawood (4772); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (708).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The Sunnah and scholarly consensus are agreed that if a Muslim assailant cannot be warded off except by killing him, then he may be killed, even if the wealth that he wants to take is a small amount, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in the saheeh hadeeth: “The one who is killed defending his wealth is a martyr, the one who is killed defending his life is a martyr, and the one who is killed defending his womenfolk is a martyr…” Fighting off an assailant is established in the Sunnah and by scholarly consensus. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (28/540, 541).
In al-Rawd al-Murabbi’ (p. 677) it says:
If a person or one of his womenfolk, such as his mother, daughter, sister or wife, is attacked, or his property, whether a slave or an animal, is attacked, then he has the right to defend that by the least means that he thinks will ward off the attack. If he is able to ward it off with the least means then it is haraam for him to do more than that because there is no need for it.
If he cannot ward off the attacker except by killing him, then he may do that, i.e., kill the assailant, and he is not liable for that, because he killed him to ward off his evil. End quote.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) said:
The one who is attacked by someone who wants to kill him or attack his womenfolk such as his mother, daughter, sister or wife and violate their honour, or is attacked by someone who wants to take or destroy his property, has the right to defend himself against that, whether the attacker is a human or an animal. He should ward it off with the least that he thinks most likely will be able to ward it off, because if he is not allowed to defend himself that will lead to destruction and harm against himself or his womenfolk or his wealth, and because if he did not do that, people would overpower one another. If he cannot ward off the assailant except by killing him, then he has the right to do that, and he is not liable, because he killed him in order to ward off his evil. If the victim is killed then he is a martyr because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a person’s wealth is sought unlawfully and he fights and is killed, then he is a martyr.” Narrated by Muslim and others from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). And he said: A man came and said: O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think if a man comes wanting to take my property? … and he narrated the hadeeth quoted above.
Al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi (2/443).
The person who is attacked should not hasten to kill the assailant until after he has exhausted other means of warding him off, such as reminding him of Allaah, scaring him and threatening him, seeking help from other people, or seeking the help of the police. But he may hasten to kill him if he fears that the aggressor is about to kill him.
It was narrated from Qaboos ibn Mukhaariq that his father said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: What if a man comes to me wanting to take my wealth? He said: “Remind him of Allaah.” He said: What is he pays no heed? He said: “Seek help against him from those who are around you of the Muslims.” He said: What if there are no Muslims around me? He said: “Then seek help against him from the ruler.” He said: What if the ruler is faraway from me? He said: Then fight him to defend your wealth, until you become one of the martyrs in the Hereafter or you protect your wealth.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i (4081) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i.
Secondly:
This applies if it is proven that he killed him in self-defence with evidence such as the testimony of witnesses, or if the heirs of the slain person believe that he killed him in self-defence, or if there is strong circumstantial evidence to indicate that, such as if the slain person was known for evil and corruption, and he threatened to kill him – for example – in front of other people and so on.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If this person admits to killing him and claims that he did it in self-defence but the heir of the slain person does not believe him, then qisaas (retaliation) must be carried out. It says in al-Insaaf: this is our view, and the view of our companions. But if the slain person was known for aggression and evildoing, and there is circumstantial evidence that points to what the killer is saying, then it says in al-Insaaf: it says in al-Furoo’: No qisaas is required if he is known for evildoing. I say: This is the correct view, and circumstantial evidence should be taken into account. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Ibraaheem (11/255, 256)
Based on that, if your father killed this man in self-defence, then he does not have to do anything, whether that is offering expiation or paying blood money.
And Allaah knows best.
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