The Burden of a Muslim

The Burden of a Muslim

Shahul Hameed

 Question: There is so much to know about Islam. How can I possibly learn everything to teach my children? How can I know what is right or wrong in the name of Allah, the All-Knowing? It makes me very sad that people don’t know about so many different small and big things in life.

In the Name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, May Allāh blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear, as said in the Qur’an:

“On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns.”[Al-Baqarah, 2:286]

If you study all those things said in the Qur’an and the hadith, along with all the explanations, interpretations, details of law, jurisprudence and so on and so forth, you will be one of the greatest scholars the world has ever seen.

Once you understand the fundamental principles of Islam and the practical aspects of religious duties, everything else follows naturally. But you may have doubts in certain circumstances, whether some particular thing is proper from the Islamic point of view or not. In such cases, you need to consult someone you know to be knowledgeable, that is all.

Understand that Allah will not do even an atom’s weight of injustice. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“.. I do not the least injustice to My servants.”[Surah 5:29]

“And the Book [of deeds] will be placed [before you]; and you will see the sinful in great terror because of what is [recorded] therein; they will say: "Ah! Woe to us! What a Book is this! It leaves out nothing small or great, but takes account thereof!" They will find all that they did, place before them: And not one wills your Lord treat with injustice.”[Surah Kahf,18:49]

Allah is Just and Merciful at the same time. He knows what you reveal and what you hide. He knows your strength and weakness; he knows the circumstances which compel you to fall into error. He will not punish for your errors, unless you are really responsible for such actions.

The Qur’an says Allah repeatedly, is Forgiving and Merciful. He never punishes any one for the things they do unknowingly, unwittingly.

Allah does not look at your external beauty or appearance, or into your wealth. He looks into your hearts and your actions. Or, rather He checks your actions and the intents behind the actions. It is on the basis of the intention behind the action, that every action is judged.

The foregoing means that in most cases you simply follow the dictates of your commonsense, the reason that Allah has given you. In cases where you are doubtful, you ask the opinion of someone who can help you in the matter.

But, spend a part of your time for study too. The rest is with Allah. Depend on Him and pray to Him for forgiveness, for guidance.

Of course you must have a desire to do good and avoid evil, a desire to obey Allah, and not to obey the Devil. That is all you have to do.

Allah Almighty knows best.

[Excerpted with minor modification from QA published in Islam Online -- Ask About Islam, 11Aug 2003.]

Overstepping the Mark of Dua'.

Overstepping the Mark of  Duā’'.

Some brothers are very detailed in their dua'. I am afraid that this is a kind of overstepping the mark in making dua'. It is better for him to ask for what is good in this world and the next by reciting the dua’s that are known from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? I hope that you can explain this matter.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

Firstly: Duā’ is a weapon that has been forsaken by many people, although duā’ is worship.

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashīr (radiallāhu`anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “Duā’ is worship.” Then he (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) recited: “And your Lord said: Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (Ghafir, 40:60). [At-Tirmidzi (3372): Sahih]

The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “There is nothing dearer to Allāh than duā’.” [Al-Tirmidzi, no. 2684/2665: sahih].  And he (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does not ask of Allāh, He becomes displeasured with him.” [Al-Tirmidzi, no. 2686: Sahih.]

If you appreciate and value this, one should be keen to make a lot of duā’.

Secondly: There is etiquette to be followed when making duā’ are as follows:

1.     Starting with oneself when making duā’.

2.     It is mustahabb to raise the hands when making duā’.

3.     The person making duā’ should be in a state of complete purity.

4.     One should face the qiblāh when making duā’.

5.    One should manifest humility before Allāh: “call upon Him in humility and in secret” [aAl-An’ām 6:63]. In Badā’i’ Al-Fawā’id Ibn Al-Qayyim said that not being humble when making duā’ is a kind of overstepping the mark in duā’. [Badā’i’ al-Fawā’id, 3/12].

6.     He should beseech Allāh in his duā’.

7.  One should not look for a speedy response.

In Al-Sahihain it is narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “You will be answered so long as you are not in a hurry and say, ‘I made duā’ but I did not receive a response.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 6340; Muslim, 2735].

For when a Muslim calls upon his Lord, one of three things happens, as was mentioned in the hadīth of the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam): “There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a duā’ in which there is no sin or severing of family ties, but Allāh will give him one of three things: Either He will answer his prayer quickly, or He will store (the reward for) it in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil away from him.” They said: “We will say more duā’.” He said: “Allāh’s bounty is greater.” [Narrated by Ahmad, 10749; al-Tirmidzi, 3573: Sahih].

8. It should be noted that one should praise and glorify Allāh in duā’, and send blessing upon the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam).

It was narrated that Faddālah ibn ‘Ubayd (radiallāhu`anhu) said: The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) heard a man making duā’ after his prayer, but he did not send blessings upon the (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam). The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “This man is in a hurry.” Then he called him and said to him or to someone else: “When any one of you has finished praying (and makes duā’), let him start by praising Allāh, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam), then after that let him asks for whatever he wants.” [Al-Tirmidzi, 2765: Sahih].

Thirdly:  With regard to overstepping the mark in making duā’, this involves a number of things:

Being too detailed in one's duā’, as described in the question (“O Allāh, give me a furnished apartment and etc”).

Rather what is prescribed is to make duā’ in concise words as the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to do. He used to ask Allāh for the best in this world and in the Hereafter. It was narrated from ‘AbdAllāh ibn Mughaffal that he heard his son say: “O Allāh, I ask You for the white palace on the right side of Paradise if I enter it.” He said: “O my son, ask Allāh for Paradise and seek refuge with Allāh from the Fire, for I heard the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) say: ‘Among this ummah will be people who overstep the mark in purifying themselves and in making duā’.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud, 690: Sahih].

Calling upon Allāh in ways that Allāh has forbidden or that are means that lead to something forbidden (because the means come under the same rulings as the ends).

This was stated by Ibn al-Qayyim in Badaa’i’ al-Fawā’id, 3/12. So whatever is a means to something haram is also harām.

Usually those who watch televisions  to see and listen to haram things,  the person who is asking for that then his duā’ is a kind of overstepping the mark in making duā’, because he is asking Allāh to give him something by means of which he will disobey Him.

It is clear that this duā’ is overstepping the mark in two ways:

1-     Because it is detailed

2-     Because it is a means to something haram, and the means come under the same rulings as the ends.

This applies if the person who is making the duā’ is going to use it for something harām, as most people do.

[Via Islam Q&A]

Conditions of Dua' To Be Accepted By Allah

Conditions of Duā’ Would Be Accepted By Allāh

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Hamad

What are the conditions of duā’ so that would be answered and accepted by Allāh?

 In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is His Messenger.

There are many conditions of duā’, are including the following: 

1. To ask upon no one except Allāh alone.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “If you ask, then ask from Allāh, and if you seek help, then seek the help of Allāh.”  [Narrated by al-Tirmidzi, 2516: sahih] 

Allāh Says: “And the masajid are for Allāh (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allāh” [Al-Jinn, 72:18] 

This is the most important condition of duā’, without which no duā’ will be accepted and no good deed taken up. There are some people who make duā’ to the dead and regard them as intermediaries between them and Allāh. They claim that these righteous people will bring them closer to Allāh and intercede for them with Him, and they claim that their sins are so great that they have no status before Allāh, and that is why they set up these intermediaries and pray to them instead of Allāh. But Allāh says: 

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor)”

[Al-Baqarah, 2:186] 

2. You should seek to draw close to Allāh in one of the ways that are prescribed in syarī’ah. 

3. Be Patient and should avoid seeking a quick response.

This is one of the cause that may prevent the duā’ from being accepted. In the hadith it says: “One of you may be answered so long as he is not hasty and says, ‘I said duā’ but I got no response.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 6340; Muslim, 2735.] 

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “A man’s (duā’) may be answered so long as it does not involve sin or severing the ties of kinship or hastening.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allāh, what does hastening mean?” He said: “When he says, ‘I made duā’ and I made duā’ but I did not see any response,’ so he gets discouraged and stops making duā’.” [Narrated by Muslim (2736)]

4. The duā’ should not entail sin or severing of the ties of kinship.

The hadith as quoted above: “A man’s (duā’) may be answered so long as he does not involve sin or severing the ties of kinship …” 

5. You should believe positively of Allāh.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Allāh, the Exalted, says: ‘I am as My slave thinks I am.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 7405; Muslim, 4675].

According to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiallāhu`anhu): “Make duā’ to Allāh when you are certain of a response.” [Narrated by al-Tirmidzi: hasan] 

Whoever thinks well of his Lord, Allāh will bestow His bounty upon him and give him in abundance.  

6. You should be focused, aware of the greatness of Allāh.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Know that Allāh does not answer a duā’ from a distracted heart.”  [Narrated by al-Tirmidzi, 3479: hasan] 

7. Ensuring that one’s food comes from halal sources.

Allāh says: “Verily, Allāh accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious)” [Al-Ma’idah, 5:27] 

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) stated that a response was unlikely for one who eats drinks and wears haram things. In the hadith it says: [The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)] mentioned the man who undertakes a lengthy journey and is disheveled and covered with dust, and he stretches his hands towards heaven saying, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ when his food is harām, his drink is harām, his clothes are harām. He is nourished with harām, so how can he be granted a response? [Narrated by Muslim, 1015] 

Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah)  said: Thus eating harām things saps the strength of the duā’ and weakens it. 

8. You should avoid elements of aggression in duā’, for Allāh does not like aggression in duā’.

Allāh says:  “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors” [Al-A’rāf, 7:55] 

9. You should not let duā’ distract you from an obligatory duty.

A duty such obligatory prayer that is due, and you should not neglect parents’ rights on the basis of duā’. This is indicated by the story of Juraij, when he did not answer his mother’s call and turned instead to his prayer. She prayed against him and Allāh tested him sorely. 

Imam Al-Nawawi (rahimullāh) said: The scholars said: This indicates that what he should have done is to answer her, because he was offering a supererogatory (nāwafil prayer), continuation of which was voluntary, not obligatory, whereas answering his mother and honouring her was obligatory and disobeying her was haram. [Sahih Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi, 16/82] 

And Allāh Almighty knows best.

[ See: Kitab al-Duā’ by Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Hamad].

[Via Islam Q&A]

How to Offer Solah al-Hajat

How to Offer Salah al-Hajat

By Dr. `Ujail Jasim An-Nashami

In the Name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, May Allāh blessings and peace be upon His Messenger.

Muslim scholars state that Solah al-Hajat is recommended act of worship. According to the majority of scholars, it consists of two rak`at.

Dr. `Ujail Jasim An-Nashami, Professor of Shari`ah at the University of Kuwait, states:

"All Muslim scholars unanimously agree that Solāh al-Hajat is recommended act of worship. They base their view on the hadith, which is reported on the authority of `Abdullah Ibn Abi Awfa (radiallāhu ‘anhu)  that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam), said: "If any one among you has any kind of need, be of Allāh or of a human being, let him perform wudu' (ablution) and offer two rak`at (prayer units). Then he should praise Allāh; invoke His blessings on the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) and say the following du`a' (supplication):

Lilia illallāhu-Halīmulkarīm. Subhanallāhi rabil-`arshil `azīm. Al-Hamdulilahi rabbi il-`Alamīn. As'aluka mujibati rahmatika, wa `aza'ima maghfiratika, wal-`ismata min kuli dhanb, wal ghanīmata min kuli birr, was-salāmata min kuli ithm. La tada` li dzanban illa ghafartah, wala hamman illa farajtah, wala hajatan hiya laka ridan illa qadaytah, Ya arhama ar-rahimīn.

(There is no god but Allāh, the Ever-Clement, and the Most Generous. I celebrate the Glory of Allāh, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds. I beseech you, seeking that which will draw me closer to Your mercy, and that which will make certain for me Your Forgiveness. O Allāh, grant me protection against any sin, and a share of every virtue. Do not leave me a sin without forgiving it, a worry without relieving me of it, or a need that meets with Your pleasure without providing for it, O Most Merciful Lord.)

[Narrated by al-Tirmidzi: said this is a gharib hadith; the fact that Fa’id ibn ‘Abdal-Rahman (Abu’l-Warqa’) is among the narrators makes the hadith very weak]

Al-Hakim (rahimallāh) said: “Fabricated ahādith were narrated from Ibn Abi Awfa.”[Mishkat al-Masabih, 1/417]

This hadith was also narrated by Ibn Mājah, may Allāh have mercy on him, in his Sunan, 1/144, also via Fa’id ibn ‘Abdal-Rahman. Al-Albani classified it “(It is) very weak.”[Da’ief Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 293]

If a Muslim in distress and need help, seek Allāh's help in prayer

Notwithstanding the above, al-Quran and other ahādith states that if a Muslim is in state of distress and in need of help, he should take wudhu’ and offer  Sunnah Prayer make a make the dua’ to seek Allāh’s mercy to reduce the stress. There are no restrictions on number of raka’ahs and kinds of supplications.

Allāh Subhanahu wa ta`ala indeed says: “….And seek help in patience and prayer…” [Al-Baqarah, 2:45]; And Allāh also says: “And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible” [Ghafir, 40:60]

Abu ad-Darda’ (radiallāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

‘He who makes wudhu’, and does it properly, then observes Solah two raka`at, Allāh will grant him whatever he may pray for, sooner or later.’"

[Narrated byAhmad ( Musnad al-Qāba'il); The narrators of this hadith  named Maimun or Abu Muhammad al-Mara'ii at-Tamimi, a person who was majhul unsure of his status  by the 'ulama' of hadith. Even Yahya ibn Abi Kathir was tsiqah but sometimes he narrated mudallas hadith and sometimes he narrates hadith with broken chain of narrators (Mursal). So there is a narrator who majhul and another is not firmed. So, it is a weak hadith cannot be used as strong evidence; But Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq classified it Sahih in his Fiqh As-Sunnah]

Hudzaifah (radiallāhu ‘anhu) reported: “When anything distressed the (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam), he would pray.”

[Reported by Abu Dawud in his Sunan, and classified as hasan in Sahih al-Jaami’, 4703)]

Ibn ‘Abbas (radiallāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say, when he felt distressed:

“Lā ilāha illallāh al-‘Azīm ul-Halīm, Lā ilāha ill-Allāh Rabb il-‘arsh il-‘azīm, Lā ilāha ill-Allāh Rabb is-samawaati wa Rabb il-ard wa Rabb il-‘arsh il-Karīm”

(There is no god except Allāh, the All-Mighty, the Forbearing; there is no god except Allāh, the Lord of the Mighty Throne; there is no god except Allāh, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne)

[Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

Anas Ibn Mālik (radiallāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say, when something upset him:

“Yā Hayyu Yā Qayyuum, bi Rahmatika astaghīth (O Ever-Living One, O Everlasting One, by Your mercy I seek help)"

[Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

Asma’ bint ‘Umays (radiallāhu ‘anha said: The Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said to me: “Shall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed? [Say:]

“Allāh, Allāh, Rabbi laa ushriku bihi shay’an (Allāh, Allāh, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him)". 

 [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

‘Abdallāh ibn Mas’ud (radiallāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

“No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:  

“Allāhumma inī ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadā’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘andak an taj’ala al-Qur’āna rabee’ qalbi wa nūr sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dzahāba hammi (O Allāh, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’an the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety)"

But Allāh will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy.”

[Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

[Al-Kalim al-Tayyib by Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, edited by Shaykh al-Albāni, p. 72]

As for the number of rak`ahs in this prayer, scholars hold different views. The Mālikis, Hanbalis, Ash-Shāfi’es – in the famous view – and some Hanafis say that it consists of two rak`ahs. Some other Hanafis say that it consists of four rak`ahs and others say that it is a twelve-rak`ah prayer.

According to Al-Shāfi’es the Solat al-Hajat falls under nawafil prayers established by individuals. The Nawafil prayer in performed in congregation is such as Prayer 'Eid al-Fitri and Prayer' Eid al-Adha, Istisqa’ (Prayers for Rain) and the Eclipse Prayer. Hence, Solat al-hajat is a nawafil prayer performed in preferably to be done individually.

Allāh Almighty knows best.

[Via  Islam Online (Ask About Islam) 12.8.2003 (adapted from Q&A)]