The purpose of wealth

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

An Example of Selective Quoting:

During my stay in India, I would often come across people hanging frames in their houses and stores containing this verse:

{هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي}

{This is by the Grace of my Lord}

What they failed to realize is that this was only a part of the verse. A lot of them neither knew the complete verse nor did they know which Surah it was taken from:

{هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ}

{…This is by the Grace of my Lord to TEST me whether I am GRATEFUL or UNGRATEFUL! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his ownself, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his ownself). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful.} [Surah al-Naml (27):40]

Since some of them did not know the complete verse, the purpose of this wealth became obscure to them. They failed to realize that this wealth and whatever other blessings which Allaah bestowed upon is an Amaanah (trust) from Allaah تعالى to them, so that through it Heتعالى can test them whether they will be grateful to Him or not.

Abu Waaqid رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Indeed Allaah تعالى said: {We have sent down wealth so that the prayer is established and charity is given and if the son of Aadam was given a valley (full of wealth), he would crave for another one, and if he had two valleys, he would crave for a third. Nothing will fill the stomach of the son of Aadam except dust. Then Allaah will turn to whoever turned to Him (in repentance).}” 

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (5/218-219) and Tabaraani (3300 and 3301). Shaikh al-Albaanee said in al-Saheehah (1639), its chain of narration is “Hasan” (good) and it is on the condition of Imaam Muslim except for Hishaam bin Sa`d. And it has supporting chains which makes it “Saheeh” (authentic)].

And Salaah is established for Allaah’s remembrance and obedience:

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي﴾

{Verily! I am Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salaat (Iqaamat-as-Salaat) for My Remembrance.} [Surah Taahaa (20): 14]

So do not let your wealth divert you from Allaah’s remembrance:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾

{O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.} [Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63): 9]

Imaam Ahmad: "Whoever claims that the Qur’aan is created is a disbeliever"

‎ بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله said:

“Whoever claims that the Qur’aan is created is a disbeliever, for the Qur’aan is part of Allaah’s Knowledge and includes the Names of Allaah. Thus, when a person says that knowledge is created, he is a disbeliever because he claims that Allaah did not have knowledge until He created it.”

[Ma`aarij al-Qabool (1/272), al-Sunnah of `Abdullaah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal (102)]

The difference between Ahl al-Sunnah and Ahl al-Ahwaa’

‎ بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

How the Ahl al-Sunnah (people following the Sunnah) differ from Ahl al-Ahwaa' (people of desires):

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ﴾

{And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: “Had it been a good thing, they (the poor believers) would not have preceded us to it!”} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 11]

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله commented on the above mentioned aayah:

“which means that those who disbelieve say of those who believe in the Qur’aan: “Had it (the Qur’aan) been any good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!” By that, they meant Bilaal, `Ammaar, Suhayb, Khabbaab رضي الله عنهم and others like them of the weak, the male servants, and female servants. The pagans said this only because they thought that they held a high status with Allaah, and that He took special care of them. By that, they made a great and obvious error, as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ﴾

{Thus have We tried some of them with others, that they might say: “Is it these whom Allaah has favored from among us”} [Surah al-An`aam (6):53] meaning, they wonder how could those weaklings be the ones who were guided from among them. Thus, Allaah تعالى says,

﴿لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ﴾

{Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 11]

Contrary to this is the position of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah: They say about any act or saying that has not been reported from the Companions: "It is an innovation. If there was any good in it, they would have preceded us in doing it, because they have not left off any of the good characteristics except that they hurried to perform them.”

--end of quote.

Tawheed has its pillars...

‎ بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh al-Islaam, Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahaab رحمه الله said: “Tawheed has pillars and subdivisions, it has its prerequisites, its ordainments and its obligations. True Islaam – with its perfection and completeness – is not attained except when it (Tawheed) is established upon knowledge and action.”

[المورد العذب الزُّلال ص(6)]

قالَ شيخُ الإسْلام الإمام مُحمَّد بن عبد الوهَّاب (ت: 1206هـ) رَحِمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: «التَّوحيد لهُ أركان وفُروع، ومُقتضيات وفرائض، ولوازم، لا يحصل الإسْلام الحقيقيّ على الكمال والتَّمام إلاَّ بالقيام بها عِلْمًا وعملاً».اهـ.

http://alathariyah.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-post_9686.html

The Foundation of Islaam

‎ بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Shaikh `Abdul Rahmaan bin Hasan aal al-Shaikh (d. 1285H) رحمه الله said: “The foundation of Islaam is: No one is to be worshiped except Allaah; and Allaah is not to be worshiped except with the ways He تعالى has legislated – not with (the ways one) desires nor with innovations.”

[المورد العذب الزُّلال ص(6)]

قالَ الإمام عبد الرَّحمن بن حسن آل الشَّيخ (ت: 1285هـ) رَحِمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى«: فإنَّ أصل دين الإسْلام: أنْ لا يُعبَد إلاَّ الله، وأنْ لا يُعبَد الله إلاَّ بما شرع، لا بالأهواء والبدع»

http://alathariyah.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-post_2773.html

Similitude of `ilm

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Muhammad bin `Eesaa said that he heard Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله saying: “Do you know what the similitude of `Ilm is? The similitude of `ilm is like: the similitude of the house (land) of kufr and the house (land) of Islaam. If the Muslims abandon al-Jihaad, then Kuffaars will come and conquer the land of the Muslims. (Similarly) if the people abandon knowledge, they will become ignorant (i.e. ignorance will conquer them).” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/193)]

Who's in greater need of knowledge?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ayoob (the author of “al-Maghaazee”) said: People gathered around Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله and asked: Who is in greater need of seeking knowledge? He said: “The ones who are in a greater need of seeking knowledge are the scholars; because the ignorance in them is despicable. This is because it is they whom the people (rely and) ask (their questions).” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/192)]

A Wise Person Benefits from Little Advices

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Abu Ayoob Sulaimaan bin Dawood reported on the authority of Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله: It was said: “If a wise person does not benefit from the little advices (he receives), the increase of it will only cause more evil.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/192)]

Take care of the knowledge you receive

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله said: “If the knowledge doesn’t benefit you, it will harm you.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/192)]

Who's a knowledgeable person?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Abu Ma`mar al-Hudhlee reported on the authority of Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله: “A knowledgeable person is not he who knows the good and the bad. Rather a knowledgeable person is he who knows the good and follows it; and he knows the evil and shuns it.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/191-192)]

Laa ilaaha ilallaah: the best blessing

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Is-haaq ibn Abi Israaeel said: I heard Sufyaan ibn `Uyainah رحمه الله saying: “There is no blessing, which Allaah bestowed upon His slaves, better than what He taught them about “Laa ilaaha ilallaah” (There is no one worthy of being worshiped except Allaah). For verily “Laa ilaaha ilallaah” for them in the Hereafter will be like how water is for the people of the Dunyaa.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/191)]

The Origin of Every Type of Goodness

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Ibn Abi Al-Hawaaree: I heard Abu Sulaimaan al-Daaraanee saying: “The origin of every kind of goodness is the fear of this Dunya (and its fitan); the key to the Dunyaa is satiety, and the key to the Hereafter is hunger.” [Siyar A`laam al-Nubalaa’]

Imaam al-Shaafi`ee said: “I did not satiate (fill my stomach fully) for the past 16 years.” Abu Muhammad (the sub-narrator) said: “Because satiation makes the body heavy (and lazy), causes the heart to harden, leads to witlessness and sleepiness and weakens one’s ability to worship.” [Hilyatul Awliyaa (9/127)]

The Ill Effects of Sins

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Prophet Yusuf and His Love for Allaah

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله: فَإِنَّ قُوَّةَ " يُوسُفَ " وَمَحَبَّتَهُ لِلَّهِ وَإِخْلَاصَهُ وَخَشْيَتَهُ كَانَتْ أَقْوَى مِنْ جَمَالِ امْرَأَةِ الْعَزِيزِ وَحُسْنِهَا وَحُبِّهِ لَهَا

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said: “Verily the strength of (Prophet) Yusuf عليه السلام and his love for Allaah, and his sincerity towards Allaah, and his fear of Allaah were stronger than the beauty of the wife of the Azeez and her charms and his love for her.” [Majmoo` al-Fataawaa (10/602)]

Are you not ashamed O Children of Aadam??!

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Allaah تعالى says:

{Does he (man) think that none sees him? Have We not made for him two eyes, And a tongue and two lips? And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?} [Surah al-Balad (90): 7-11]

Ibn al-Jawzee رحمه الله said: “I contemplated about sins, and I realized that it is not possible for a person to commit a sin except that he (mis)uses one of the many blessings bestowed upon him by Allaah.”

Ahmad bin Abi al-Hawaaree: on the authority of Abu `Abdullaah al-Raazee that Sufyaan bin `Uyainah رحمه الله said to him: “O Abu `Abdullaah! One of the ways a person thanks Allaah, for His blessings, is by Praising Him for it and using it (the blessings) in His obedience. It is not from thanking Allaah that a person uses these blessings in disobeying Allaah.” [Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal by Al-Mizzee (11/192)]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #39

Raiment of Righteousness

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (4/266) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Allaah تعالى said:

{يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُّوَارِي سَوْءَاتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ}

{O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your private parts, and as an adornment; and the raiment of righteousness, that is better.} [Surah al-A`raaf (7):26]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #38

Scale: What will be measured?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/448-450]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Allaah تعالى said:

{فمن ثقلت موازينه فأولئك هم المفلحون}

{So, as for those whose Scales will be heavy, they will be the ones who are successful} [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):102]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #37

The meaning of the word "al-Dunya" (the world)

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/355]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

الدنيا (Al-Dunya - the World): is this life which we are living in. It was named Dunyaa because of two reasons:

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #36

The wives of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم are from Ahl al-Bait

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/223]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Allaah تعالى said in the honor of the wives of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم:

وأقمن الصلاة وءاتين الزكاة وأطعن الله ورسوله، إنما يريد الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت ويطهركم تطهيرا 

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #35

Etiquette of yawning

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (4/439-440) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning, so if someone sneezes and then praises Allaah (by saying: al-Hamdulillaah), then it is obligatory on every Muslim who heard him, to say:

يرحمك الله

(Yarhamuk-Allaah)

May Allaah be merciful to you.

But as regards yawning, it is from Shaitaan, so one must try one's best to stop it, if one says 'Ha' when yawning, Satan will laugh at him.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6223, 6226)]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #34

When the father asks the son to divorce his wife

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/203]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

It is not that every father be obeyed when he forces/commands his son to divorce his wife. A man asked Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله saying: My father said: “Divorce your wife”, while I love her. Imaam Ahmad said: “Do not obey him.” The man said: “Did not the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded `Abdullaah ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما to divorce his wife upon the command of `Umar رضي الله عنه?” Imaam Ahmad said: “Is your father like `Umar?” [1]

Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #33

Being merciful to others

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/89]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Know that being kind to the weak, orphans and the young (children) fills the heart with mercy, and makes it soft, compassionate, turning towards Allaah عز وجل (in repentance); and no one perceives this except the one who has tried it.