What is the difference between the hawd (lake) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and al Kawthar? What does bid’ah (innovations in the religion) have to do with them? We have a variety of narrations on the hawd – in Sahih Muslim, Nasa’i and others. Clarification of Al Hawd and Al Kawthar Some people…
Let them play and join in Whenever we play with children, we have an opportunity to enter into their world and see the world through their eyes, (where everything is new, exciting and fascinating). Although this looks like play to us adults, it is actually work for them. It has been said by many psychologists…
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا “Our Lord, grant us delight in our spouses and our children, and make us a good example for the righteous.” [25:74] Sayyiduna Hasan al-Basri (Allah be pleased with him) advised a man to supplicate with the following words when congratulating new parents: بَارَكَ…
اَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا, وَمَيِّتِنَا, وَشَاهِدِنَا, وَغَائِبِنَا, وَصَغِيرِنَا, وَكَبِيرِنَا, وَذَكَرِنَا, وَأُنْثَانَا, اَللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى اَلْإِسْلَامِ, وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى اَلْإِيمَانِ, اَللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ, وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ – رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ Allahummaghfir lihayyina wa mayatina wa shahidina wa ghaibina wa saghirina wa kabirina wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa ahyihi…
Allah Almighty told us to call on Him for our needs: قالَ رَبُّكُمُ اُدعُونِي أَستَجِب لَكُم Your Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you” (40:60) How to heal using recitation from the Quran (ruqya) Recite slowly and with purity of intention. The person performing ruqyah should place their hand on the…
There are differences of opinion, about how people who are not Muslim will be judged on the Day of Judgement. People often ask what will be the fate of the pygmies? In other words, how will people be judged who did not receive the message or Islam or only received a distorted impression of Islam?…
In general it is permissible to have a small structure constructed over a grave and have a gravestone to mark it. The structure should be humble and not higher than a handspan. Graves From a shariah point of view, you should not construct a large structure over a grave. It should be low / close…
Is it wrong to cry for the deceased? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: وَإِنَّ المَيِّتَ يُعَذَّبُ بِبُكَاءِ أَهْلِهِ عَلَيْهِ ‘Indeed the deceased is punished for the crying of his relatives over him.’ [Bukhari] What does this hadith mean? What type of crying is being prohibited here? Misconception There is a misconception that crying…
A woman’s mahram is a man to whom she is related by blood or cannot marry: Father, grandfather, great-grandfathers. Sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. Brothers and half-brothers (brother with whom one shares one parent). Milk brother (brother who was breastfed by one’s mother) Nephews. Paternal and maternal uncles. Father in law Related posts What beauty treatments are…
In general, a fast is broken when you swallow something and it enters the stomach or gives the body nutrition. Medicine taken into the body that does not enter the stomach is permissible. Injections Intravenous and intramuscular injections do not break a fast. Injections that administer medicine or vaccinations into the body, whether intravenous (through…
Many doctors ask if something has elements of pig or alcohol can they prescribe it? I ask if there is an alternative available. If there is, then it is a no-go area. We have to take the alternative, even if it has 80% of the efficacy of the one with alcohol in it. If there…
Is it permissible to pray in impure clothes out of necessity (such as the clothes on which urine has fallen), if one cannot change one’s clothes and will end up missing the salah? Salah requires purity of one’s body, clothes and place of worship The conditions of a valid salah are that one prays with…
Mosques are sacred places. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أَحَبُّ الْبِلَادِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدُهَا وَأَبْغَضُ الْبِلَادِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَسْوَاقُهَا “The most beloved of places to Allah are the mosques, and…
Reciting the bismillah What does it mean to say ‘Bismillah’ – In the name of Allah? Bismillah is invoking Allah at the beginning of an action. We attach Allah’s name to that action. And we begin that action mindful of Allah. For instance, ‘iqra bismillah’ (I read in the name of Allah) means you are…
Imam Ghazali who was a great theologian and usuli has written brilliantly about usul al fiqh, says 99% of rulings come with ‘ila’ – the explanation of the wisdom behind them, but there is 1% where we do not have the explanation. One of these is why we perform 7 tawaf. Allah Almighty did not…