Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #99

How the Love of Dunya will ruin the Aakhirah

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

﴿أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ * حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ﴾

{The competition for piling up of worldly things diverts you * Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).} [Surah al-Takaathur (102): 1-2]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝By Allaah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but I fear that this world will be opened up with its wealth for you as it was opened to those before you; and you vie with one another over it as they did and eventually it will ruin you as it ruined them.❞

[Saheeh Muslim]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

This is why we say: Whenever the doors of richness are opened for the people and they stare at it (and yearn for it), they will be losing their share of the Aakhirah to the level of their gain of the Dunya.

Du`aa al-Istiftaah - Part 2

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

You can read part 1 from here:
http://ilm4all.blogspot.com/2016/06/duaa-al-istiftaah-part-1.html

The first Du`aa al-Istiftaah and its meaning:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to keep silent between the Takbeer and the recitation of Qur’an (Surah al-Faatihah) and that interval of silence used to be a short one. I said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say in the pause between Takbeer and recitation? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“I say:

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ، كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالبَرَدِ

Du`aa al-Istiftaah - Part 1

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ruling pertaining to Du`aa al-Istiftaah*:

* Du`aa al-Istiftaah: the opening supplication which is recited after the first Takbeer and before reciting Surah al-Faatihah. Example:

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، وتبارك اسمك، وتعالى جدك، ولا إله غيرك

How perfect You are O Allaah, and I praise You. Blessed be Your name, and lofty is Your position and none has the right to be worshiped except You.

[See “Hisnul Muslim” for other such Du`aa which are mentioned in the Sunnah]

Question: If a person joins the congregation while the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatihah, should he recite the Du`aa al-Istiftaah?

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen: If a person joins the congregation while the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatihah, then he should say the Takbeer and silently listen to it. Then when the Imaam completes his recitation of Surah al-Faatihah, then the person should say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah and recite Surah al-Faatihah. But if the he joins the congregation after the Imaam has already recited Surah al-Faatihah and is now reciting some other Surah after it, then in this case, he should only recite Surah al-Faatihah and he should not say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah because there is no place for saying the Du`aa al-Istiftaah in this situation. When the Imaam is reciting, then one should not recite (anything behind him) except for Surah al-Faatihah.

So upon this, this is how it is to be done:

1) If a person joins the congregation while the Imaam is reciting Surah al-Faatihah, the he should remain silent. Then when the Imaam completes his recitation of Surah al-Faatihah, he should say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah and recite Surah al-Faatihah.

2) If he joins the congregation after the Imaam has already recited Surah al-Faatihah and he is reciting some other Surah, then he would say the Takbeer and only recite Surah al-Faatihah without saying the Du`aa al-Istiftaah, as this is not the place to say the Du`aa al-Istiftaah.

[Liqaa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh (5/42)]

3 reasons why we get sidetracked in our prayers and their remedy

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

1) The first reason is the Waswas (whisper) of the Shaitaan called Khanzab:

Narrated `Uthmaan ibn Abul `Aas: `Uthman came to Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: Allaah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur’aan and he confounds me. Thereupon Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “That is (the doing of the Satan) who is known as Khanzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allaah from it and spit three times to your left.” I did that and Allaah dispelled that from me.

Tafseer: The means are useless without Allaah’s Will

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

﴿وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ﴾

{and (it is Allaah who) sent down water (rain) from the sky and (it is He who) brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 22]

While mentioning some of the points of benefit of this Aayah, Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Ibn al-Qayyim: Sins reduces the reward and corrupts the fruits of fasting

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“The (true) fasting individual is the one whose limbs abstain from sins; and whose tongue abstains from lying, profanity, and forged statements; and whose stomach abstains from food and drink; and whose private parts abstain from obscenities.

When he speaks, he does not say things which may harm his fasting; when he does something, he doesn’t do anything which may nullify his fasting. He only says things which are beneficial and good. Similarly, his actions are like the fragrance which a person sitting next to the owner (or seller) of Musk can smell. Likewise, the one sitting with a fasting person benefits from his companionship, and the gathering is safe from falsehood, lies, immorality, and oppression.

Fasting, False Speech and Bad Actions

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Fasting is one of the greatest forms of `Ibaadah (worship). Allaah تعالى specifically attributed this action that it is done for Him and that He تعالى has taken upon Himself to reward them for it personally. Allaah will reward them without measure:

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah تعالى said: {All the deeds of Aadam’s sons are for them, except Fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’...}”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1904, 5927, 7492, 7538) and Saheeh Muslim (2564, 2566, 2568)]

And in another narration in Muslim it is reported:

“All the deeds of Aadam’s sons are rewarded ten times to seven hundred times. Allaah تعالى said: {Except Fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it, for he has avoided his desires and food for my sake.}”

[Saheeh Muslim (2567)] 

Allaah تعالى singled out Fasting from among all the other deeds, and that is because of its high status with Him, and His love for it, and the apparent sincerity there is in it for Him, because it is hidden between the slave and his Lord and nobody knows about it except Allaah. A person may be between a group of people and none will know that he is Fasting. He might be alone, where there is no one to see him, yet he will not eat or drink, knowing that Allaah is watching Him. This is the highest level of Ikhlaas (sincerity).

But yet, the magnificent reward for this great action may be lost because of a person not taking control of his tongue or his actions; for fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink, but from everything which Allaah تعالى hates and has made it prohibited.

A few narrations on the importance of controlling the tongue and actions while Fasting:

#1 Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), evil deeds, and speaking bad words (i.e. indulging in obscene language) to others, then Allaah is not in need of his (Fasting) leaving his food and drink.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1903, 6057)]

#2 Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Fasting is a Shield. If one of you is Fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and avoid quarreling (and behaving foolishly), and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am Fasting.’”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1894, 1904) and Saheeh Muslim (2566)]

#3 Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “There may be a Fasting person who gets nothing more from his Fast except hunger and thirst, and there may be a person who prays Qiyaam (night prayers) and all he gets from his Qiyaam is a sleepless night.”

[Sunan Ibn Maajah (1690) and Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (8856) and graded as “Hasan-Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

#4 Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Fasting does not just mean giving up food and drink, rather Fasting also means giving up idle and obscene talk.”

[Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah (1996), and Mustadrak of al-Haakim (1570) and graded as “Saheeh” by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Targheeb (1082) and Saheeh al-Jaami` (5376)]

#5 It was narrated that Taleeq ibn Qays said: Abu Dharr said: “When you Fast then be careful as much as you can.” When Taleeq was Fasting he would enter his house and only come out to pray.

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8878)]

#6 Jaabir ibn `Abdallaah al-Ansaaree رضي الله عنه said: “When you Fast, then let your hearing, your sight and your tongue also Fast from lying and sin, and stop abusing the servants, and be tranquil and dignified on the day when you Fast. Do not let the day when you do not Fast and the day when you Fast be the same.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8880)]

#7 Al-Mutawakkil رحمه الله said: “When Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه and his companions Fasted, they would stay in the Masjid and say: “We are keeping our Fast pure.”

[Hilyatul Awliyaa’ (1/382) and Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8881)]

#8 `Umar ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه said: “Fasting does not mean that one abstains from food and drink only; it also means abstaining from lying, falsehood, idle talk and (false) oaths.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8882)]

  

#9 Maimoon Ibn Mihraan رحمه الله used to say: “The easiest part of Fasting is abstaining from food and drink.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8883)]

  

#10 `Alee ibn Abi Taalib رضي الله عنه said: “Fasting does not just mean giving up food and drink; it also means giving up lies, falsehood and idle talk.”

 [Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8884)]

#11 Mujaahid رحمه الله said: “Whoever protects himself from these two characteristics, his Fasting will be correct: Gheebah (backbiting) and telling lies.” 
[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8887)]

#12 Ibraaheem al-Nakha`ee رحمه الله said: “They used to say that telling lies breaks the Fast.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8888)]

#13 Abu al-`Aaliyah رحمه الله said: “A Fasting person is in (a state of) `Ibaadah as long as he does not backbite anyone.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abee Shaibah (8889)]

Be prompt in giving out your Zakaah and Sadaqa

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Have you ever contemplated why the dead would prefer “Sadaqah” as his choice of good deed over the other things if he were ever allowed to return to this world?! As Allaah تعالى mentioned:

﴿فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ﴾

{…and he would say: "My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give Sadaqah (charity of my wealth)…}

[Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63): 10]

It is not mentioned that he would say: “so that I could fast”, or “I could pray”…

Perhaps the reason for mentioning the Sadaqah here is because of its great virtues and its lasting effects which the dead will see after his death, as the believers will be under the shade of their Sadaqah…

`Uqbah bin `Aamir رضي الله عنه said that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝Every person will be under the shade of his Sadaqah (charity) till the Judgment has been settled among the people.❞

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (17333), Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan (3310) and al-Haakim in his Mustadrak (1517) and Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah (2431) and Shaikh al-Albaanee commented on Ibn Khuzaimah saying: “It is Saheeh as per the condition of Imaam Muslim” See also Takhreej Mushkilah al-Faqr (118) and Saheeh al-Jaami` (4510) and Saheeh al-Targheeb (872) of Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Also the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Seven people will be shaded by Allaah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. ❝They are: …a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity)…❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (660, 1423, 6479, 6806) and Saheeh Muslim (2248)]