ihsaan_foc

PREFACE
FIQH OF CHILLIN’
Assalamu‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Verily all the Praises are due to Allah (l), we praise Him, we seek His help and we ask
for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evil within our souls and from
the evils of actions. Whomsoever Allah (l) guides, no one can misguide him and
whomsoever He misguides, no one can guide him.
We bear witness that there is no God but Allah (l) and that Prophet Muhammad (n) is
His final Prophet and Messenger. We thank Allah (l) Who helped us all along the way in
producing this notes and it would be no exaggeration to say that without His Help we
would have indeed failed. We also thank Him who preferred us upon many of His
believing slaves in preparing this notes, alhamdulillah.
This document contains the notes from the “Fiqh of Chillin’: Entertainment & Recreation
in Islam” single-weekend seminar which was taught by our own Shaykh Saad Tasleem in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hosted by Qabeelat Ihsaan on 16–18 January 2015. AlMaghrib
Institute or its instructors are not responsible for the material inside this notes. There is
no copyright associated with this work, it is highly encouraged to spread around this
knowledge to everyone; however, it should be done without editing.
Allah (l) says in the Qur’an, “… and man was created weak …” [An-Nisa’ 4:28]
So indeed, in this class notes you will find mistakes but since we are weak creatures, we
do mistakes, so please accept our apology in advance. If you find any mistakes, please
email us back at malaysia@almaghrib.org or message us on Facebook page. Feel free to
share this class notes with others as well. Kindly remember us in your du‘a, and may Allah
(l) accept this effort.
We hope that Allah (l) accepts from us this work and benefits the Muslims and non-
Muslims alike as a source of guidance and away from misguidance, so that it can be a
source of hasanat for us even after death; as Rasulullah (n) said,
“When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial
knowledge and righteous offspring who will pray for him.” [Muslim]
Wassalamu‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Qabeelat Ihsaan Academic Team
Email: academics.ihsaan@almaghrib.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/qabeelatihsaan

PREFACE
FIQH OF CHILLIN’

CONTENTS
FIQH OF CHILLIN’
1. Striking the Balance(Al-Wasatiyyah)
a. Moderation and Balance are part of the Shari‘ah
b. How to Strike the Balance
c. “Halal Until Proven Guilty”
2. Pop Culture
a. Consumerism
b. Music
c. Movies & Pop Culture
d. Hollywood’s Depiction of “Love”
e. Watching and Following Sports
3. Physical Fitness
a. Sports at the Time of the Prophet (n)
Archery
Horse Riding
Swimming
Running/Sprinting
Wrestling
Fencing
b. Islamic Perspective on Sports and Physical Fitness
4. Recreational Drugs
a. Cigarettes
b. Shisha/hookah
c. Electronic Cigarettes
d. Alcohol
e. Marijuana
5. Social Media
a. Studying Islam Online
b. Getting a Fatwa from ‘Shaykh Google’ & Wikipedia
c. Online Modesty
d. Keeping Our Private Lives Private
e. Online Sins of the Heart
f. Online Sins of the Tongue
g. Dealing with Trolls
h. Publicizing Sins
i. Looking for a Spouse Online
j. Matrimonial Websites
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6. Laughing, Joking, and Pranks
a. Smiling in Islam
b. Ruling of Jokes
c. The Prophet (n) Joking
d. The Companions Joking
e. Scholars of the Past Joking
f. Permissible Jokes
g. Impermissible Jokes
7. “Souls are Like Soldiers
Grouped in Ranks.”
a. Friendship in Islam
b. 20 Things Which Will Make You the Best of Friends
c. What No Friend Should Do
d. Examples of Best Friends
e. Socializing
f. Shopping
8. “So Travel Through
the Earth...”
a. The Encouragement of the Shari‘ah to Travel
b. Traveling for Leisure
Holidays
Family vacations
“Honeymoons”
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Striking the Balance (Al-Wasatiyyah)
Moderation and Balance are Part of the Shari‘ah
“Thus we have made you into a balanced and just nation…”
[Al-Baqaarah 2:143]
Negligence Balanced Extremism
Doing nothing
There is balance in
hope and fear of Allah.
There is hope for Jannah
and fear of Jahannam.
Going too far,
doing too much
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Narrated by An-Nawwas bin Sam'an Al-Kilabi:
The Messenger of Allah (n) said:
"Indeed Allah has made a parable of the straight path: At the sides of
the path there are walls with open doors, each door having a curtain.
There is a caller at the head of the path calling, and a caller above it
calling. And Allah invites to the abode of peace and guides whomever
He wills to the straight path. The doors which are on the sides of the
path are the Hudud (legal limitations) of Allah; no one breaches the
Hudud of Allah except that curtain is lifted, and the one calling from
above it is his Lord."
[Tirmidhi]
Interpretation:
The path ……………………………………. The Prophet’s (n) path,
the path of Islam
The walls …………………………………… The limits of Allah
The doors ………………………………..… The prohibitions of Allah
Opening them will not lead to
anything good
The caller at the gate of the path … The book of Allah
The caller above the path …………… The admonition of Allah found
in the heart of every Muslim
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) سطو ( Wasat
1. It means balanced, moderate, just.
2. We are the best of nations, the most exemplary.
In order for 2 to be true, 1 must be true.
Hanẓalah (a) passed by Abu Bakr (a)whilst he was crying.
Abu Bakr (a) asked, “What’s wrong, O Hanẓalah”
He said, “Hanẓalah has committed hypocrisy. When we’re with the
Prophet (n) he reminds us of Paradise and the Hellfire as if they are
before us, but when we return to our families and businesses we
become forgetful.”
Abu Bakr (a) replied, “It is as you say. Let us go to the Prophet (n).”
They went to him, and when the Prophet (n) saw Hanẓalah (a), he
said, “What’s wrong, O Hanẓalah”
He replied, “Hanẓalah has committed hypocrisy. When we’re with you
we are reminded of Paradise and the Hellfire as if they are before us,
but when we return to our families and businesses we become
forgetful.”
The Prophet (n) remarked, ‘If you always continued to be as you are
with me, then the angels would come and greet you in your sittings, on
the roads and upon your mattresses. Rather, O Hanẓalah, there is a time
for this and a time for that.’”
[Tirmidhi]
In the Sunni doctrine, the iman goes up with worship and goes down when
staying away from worship.
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Narrated Anas bin Malik (a):
A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet
worshipped (Allah), and when they ‏(ﷺ)‏ asking how the Prophet ‏(ﷺ)‏
were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient
and said, “Where are we from the Prophet ‏(ﷺ)‏ as his past and future
sins have been forgiven.”
Then one of them said, “I will offer the prayer throughout the night
forever.” The other said, “I will fast throughout the year and will not
break my fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from the women and
will not marry forever.”
Allah's Messenger (n) came to them and said, “Are you the same
people who said so-and-so By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah
and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep
and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in
religion, is not from me (not one of my followers).
[Al-Bukhari]
We can never be better than the Prophet (n) when it comes to worshipping
Allah.
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The Epic Du‘a
Abu Hurayrah (a) reported that Allah's Messenger (n) used to
supplicate (in these words):
"O Allah, set right for me my religion which is the safeguard of my
affairs. And set right for me the affairs of my world wherein is my
living. And set right for me my Hereafter on which depends my afterlife.
And make the life for me (a source) of abundance for every good
and make my death a source of comfort for me protecting me against
every evil."
[Muslim]
Dunya, deen, akhirah, life and death are common themes in du‘a.
“Plan for the dunya as if you’ll live forever,
plan for the akhirah as if you’ll die tomorrow.”
Don’t abandon the dunya, and fulfill responsibilities to Allah.
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Balance in Theology
Incur Wrath Islam Astray
Knowledge
without action
Example:
Jewish rabbis
(Have you acted
upon every hadith)
Action upon
knowledge
Example:
Umar Ahmad ibn Ali ibn
Thabit mentions that Nafi'
transmitted that Ibn 'Umar
said, “Umar learned Al-
Baqarah over twelve years.
When he finished, he
slaughtered a camel.”
[Malik]
Action without
knowledge
Example:
Christians have no
Shari‘ah
The Sahaba would
memorize a portion of the
Qur'an, and until they put
those ayat into action and
made it a part of their
character, they would not
move onto the next portion.
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Balance in Worship
Heedless Islam Monk
No worship
Worship balanced
with responsibilities
Nothing but worship
Narrated by Abu Juhayfah (a):
The Prophet ‏(ﷺ)‏ established a bond of brotherhood between Salman
(a) and Abu Darda' (a).
Salman (a) paid a visit to Abu ad-Darda (a) and found Um Ad-
Darda' (d) dressed in shabby clothes and asked her why she was in
that state" She replied, "Your brother, Abu Ad-Darda is not interested
in the luxuries of this world."
In the meantime, Abu Ad-Darda (a) came and prepared a meal for
him (Salman), and said to him, "(Please) eat for I am fasting." Salman
(a) said, "I am not going to eat, unless you eat." So Abu Ad-Darda'
(a) ate. When it was night, Abu Ad-Darda' (a) got up (for the night
prayer). Salman (a) said (to him), "Sleep," and he slept. Again Abu-
Ad-Darda' (a) got up (for the prayer), and Salman (a) said (to him),
"Sleep." When it was the last part of the night, Salman (a) said to him,
"Get up now (for the prayer)." So both of them offered their prayers
and Salman (a) said to Abu Ad-Darda' (a),"Your Lord has a right on
you; and your soul has a right on you; and your family has a right on
you; so you should give the rights of all those who have a right on you).
Later on Abu Ad-Darda' (a) visited the Prophet ‏(ﷺ)‏ and mentioned
that to him. The Prophet ‏,(ﷺ)‏ said, "Salman has spoken the truth."
[Al-Bukhari]
Fulfill the rights of those who have rights upon you.
Your nafs has needs for rest, entertainment, and relaxation too.
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Balance in Life
Shuns Dunya Islam Materialistic
Forgets
responsibilities
Deen and dunya
Only dunya
Narrated Abu Hurayrah (a):
A bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people rushed to beat him.
Allah's Messenger (n) ordered them to leave him and pour a bucket or
a tumbler (full) of water over the place where he has passed urine.
The Prophet (n) then said, "You have been sent to make things easy
(for the people) and you have not been sent to make things difficult for
them."
[Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet (n) was calm in this situation.
The extreme reaction from the people was due to lack of knowledge,
which led to overzealousness.
The Sahabah poured alcohol when they heard of the prohibition of alcohol
although they didn’t need to.
It was easy for them because iman was already there.
13 years was spent on building iman. Tawheed before religiosity.
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How to Strike the Balance
How Does the Shari’ah Strike the Balance
1. By splitting the religion into constants and changeable
Example:
Issues of worship are for the most part constant whereas issues of
day-to-day living are changeable.
2. Not going to one extreme or the other
Example:
It is recommended to fast voluntarily.
3. Ease in Islam
“The religion is easy” — what does this mean
It means that hard things become easy with habit.
Sufyan ath-Thawri once said, “For twenty years I waged Jihad against myself.
I struggled, all throughout to remain standing in prayer at night. For those
twenty years, I never tasted the sweetness of the night prayer. It was only
after that that I found comfort and sweetness.”
Ibn Qayyim said that a believer will come on the Day of Judgment sweating
according to the level of sins. When a believer is shaded by Allah they will
say, the Prophet (n) is true because they will find ease on such a difficult
day.
4. Concessions for certain people
Example:
If you can’t pray standing, pray sitting, or else lying on your side.
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How Do WE Strike The Balance
“And I have not created the jinn and humankind except that they
worship me”
[Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
1. Don’t forget your true goal and vision in life.
2. Your life revolves around attaining the pleasure of Allah.
3. Strike a balance in your life and fulfill your responsibilities.
"Your Lord has a right on you; and your soul has a right on you;
and your family has a right on you; so give each one its due right.”
4. When you chill and play, your intention is to be rewarded by Allah
so you’ll be rewarded for chilling too.
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“Halal Until Proven Guilty”
The religion is divided into two broad categories:
Worship
Non-Worship
Done only for the sake of Allah
Prohibited unless allowed
Evidence:
Narrated by Aisha:
Allah's Messenger (n) said, “If
somebody innovates something
which is not in harmony with the
principles of our religion, that thing
is rejected.”
Deen and dunya
Halal until proven guilty
Most things are halal to enjoy
Evidence:
“It is He who created for you all of
that which is on the earth.”
[Al-Baqarah 2:29]
[Al-Bukhari]
Allah
has made
most things
Halal.
Haram
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It was narrated that Salman Al-Farisi (a) said:
“The Messenger of Allah (n) was asked about ghee, cheese, and wild
donkeys. He said, ‘What is lawful is that which Allah has permitted, in
His Book and what is unlawful is that which Allah has forbidden in His
Book. What He remained silent about is what is pardoned.’”
[Ibn Majah]
Characteristic of evidence:
Authentic
Clear application of it
Don’t let somebody come tell you something is haram without proof.
Your bad feeling about something doesn’t make it haram either.
Proof regarding an act of worship must be clear.
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Pop Culture
Consumerism
Consumerism:
A social and economic order that encourages the purchase of goods and services
in ever-greater amounts
“Consumerism is the myth that the individual
will be gratified and integrated by consuming.”
– Rip Cronk
Manifestations of Consumerism
1. Temporary gratification
This is the reason cellphone companies can sell a new model every year.
Deep down we know we don’t need them, but we convince ourselves to buy
them.
Exercise:
Think of the things you bought.
How were your feelings
Before your purchase
While purchasing
6 months after the purchase
2 years after the purchase
2. Depression for those who cannot buy
These are the victims of consumerism.
People who can’t afford to buy the new “in” thing will feel left out.
We are Defined by the Things We Buy
1. People begin to identify strongly with products or services that they
consume.
We have al-wala’ wa al-bara’ (loyalty and disavowal) towards brands.
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2. Valuing people for their possessions in light of Islam.
‘Imran b. Ḥ usayn (a) narrates that the Prophet (n) said: “I looked into
Paradise and I saw that the majority of its people were the poor...”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
The poor people are the ones looked down upon in this world.
But in Islam, the nobility of a person depends on his/her taqwa.
… Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most
righteous of you…
[49:13]
Abu Hurayrah (a) reported the Allah's Messenger (n) as saying:
“Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks
to your heart and to your deeds.”
[Muslim]
Production and Consumption
“Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our
way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek
our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption... we need things
consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”
– Victor Lebow
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Planned Obsolescence and Perceived Obsolescence
Planned
Perceived
Manufacturers design something
that will last or fail within a certain
amount of time.
We perceive something as not good
anymore although it is perfectly
fine.
Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (a) narrates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (a) saw him
carrying some meat in his hand. ‘Umar immediately asked: “What is this, Jabir”
Jabir (a) replied, “I was craving for meat, so I managed to buy some.
(It looks like meat was such a luxury item at that time, something we do not
think about these days).
‘Umar (a) said, “So are you going to buy whenever you crave for something,
Jabir Don’t you fear that the following verse might apply to you:
And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire [it will be
said], “You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and
enjoyed them… “
[Al-Ahqaf 46:20]
Lesson:
We convince ourselves that our desires will be fulfilled in this life,
and thus we no longer look forward to the akhirah.
There is nothing wrong with buying the halal if you desire it,
but if you buy it every time you see it, what have you got left in the akhirah
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The Work, Watch, Spend Treadmill
We work in a job we don’t like.
To make ourselves happy, we
We watch television and social media for things we need in our life.
We spend time in the mall, a place where we fulfill our desires of shopping
and eating.
Exercise:
Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my life”
Love of the Worldly Life
Ibn ‘Abbas (a) narrates that he heard ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭab (a) said:
“I went to the residence of Allah’s Messenger (n) and behold, he was
staying in an upper room of his to which he ascended by a ladder, and a
young black servant of Allah’s Messenger was sitting on the first step. I
said to him, ‘Tell (the Prophet n) ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭab is here.’
Then the Prophet (n) admitted me and he was lying on a mat made
 of
palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Underneath
his head, there was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibers, and leaves
of a saut tree were piled at his feet, and above his head hung a few
water skins.
On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept. He said,
‘Why are you weeping’ I replied, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Caesar and
Khosrau are leading the life (i.e. luxurious life), and you are the
Messenger of Allah!’
He then said, ‘Wouldn’t it satisfy you that this life be for them and the
Hereafter for us’”
[Al-Bukhari]
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Misconception:
We are not supposed to have anything here.
They have the dunya to chase after, while we have the akhirah to chase after.
The truth:
Wealth isn’t the problem.
We have a bigger goal.
Therefore, we don’t desire the dunya as much as other people do.
Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some
who desire the Hereafter.
[Al-Baqarah 3:152]
Reasons for Love of the Dunya
1. Allah has created the things of the dunya to test us
Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire — of women
and children, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fire branded horses,
and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but
Allah has with him the best return.
[Ali-‘Imran 3:14]
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best
in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.
[Al-Mulk 67:2]
Beware;
Shaytan also convinces you that you are abnormal for desiring the dunya.
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2. Instant gratification
This is the reason fast food is popular and why people fail at diets.
The Marshmallow Test is an analogy for dunya.
We want it now so badly, although we know that the akhirah is better.
3. Always wanting more and more - materialism!
The Ill Effects of Loving the Dunya
1. It causes one to fall into sins
When a person is about to commit a sin, a conversation happens between the
person, his nafs and shaytan.
By choosing the dunya, he will commit the sin.
He will stop if he prefers the akhirah.
2. It causes ghaflah (heedlessness)
Abu Hurayrah (a) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (n) said:
“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he
repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be
polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases.
That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: ‘Nay! But on their
hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to
earn.’ [83:14]”
[Ibn Majah]
Continuously living in sins leads one to no longer care about his/her deen.
A khutbah, world events, janaiz make no difference to the person.
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3. One doesn’t enjoy the remembrance of Allah
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the
remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah
hearts are assured.
[Ar-Ra‘d 13:28]
For remembrance of Allah (dhikr) to have an effect, it must be done with the
presence of the heart and mind.
Beware:
Shaytan deceives you by making you think something is wrong with you
when you can’t find rest in dhikr.
4. The worries and sorrows of the world consume one’s life
A person whose main concern is the dunya will be shattered if something bad
happens and they can’t move past them. For example, people leave Islam
because of the passing of a loved one.
5. One doesn’t get rewarded for the deeds they do because the intention is
missing
6. Oppressing and wronging others becomes easy
This happens because one doesn’t think of the akhirah.
Oppression (zulm) is something we see throughout the Quran and the
Sunnah.
If a person’s heart is truly attached to the akhirah, he won’t oppress people.
7. Causes one to not hesitate to sell their deen
A person may give up a portion of his/her religion from something from the
dunya.
For example, a sister takes off her hijab to get a job.
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8. Causes one to not hesitate to speak about Islam without knowledge.
The problem does not lie in ignorance; it’s when the ignorant speaks.
Once a man came to Imam Malik (t) from Sham to Madinah and he asked
him 40 questions. Imam Malik (t) only answered four of them and for the
rest of the 36 questions he replied, “I don't know.”
The man was surprised and asked Imam Malik (t), “What should I tell
people about these 36 questions for which you said ‘I don't know’”
Imam Malik (t) replied that the man should tell the people that Malik says,
“I don't know,” “I don't know,” “I don't know.” (Imam Malik said this 3 times.)
For Imam Malik (t), the deen is not a small issue.
Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.
[Al-Muzzammil 73:5]
Pious predecessors used to say, “Half of knowledge is to say I don’t know.”
This statement is important in times of confusion and problems.
People don’t value Islamic knowledge as much as they value dunya
knowledge. They would not hesitate to seek second opinions on dunya
matters, but would not do the same when it comes to Islam.
9. Causes one to love people for the sake of their wealth
How Can We Cure Love for the Dunya
1. Realizing the realities of this life
Life is temporary.
Life is not perfect.
Your perfect meal makes you sick if you have too much of it.
Everything belongs to Allah.
He can take it away anytime.
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2. Being content with less
For dunya matters: Look to the people who have less than you.
For akhirah matters: Look to the people who have more taqwa than you.
Beware:
Shaytan convinces you to do the opposite, by making us look at people who
sin more than we do to make us feel better about ourselves — “At least I’m
not doing that”.
3. Realizing that there is no way to completely satisfy one’s worldly desires!
Sahl ibn Sa`d (a) narrated that he heard Ibn Az-Zubayr (a) who was
on the pulpit at Mecca, delivering a sermon, saying, “O men! The
Prophet (n) used to say, “If the son of Adam were given a valley full of
gold, he would love to have a second one; and if he were given the
second one, he would love to have a third, for nothing fills the belly of
Adam's son except dust. And Allah forgives he who repents to Him.’”
Ubayy said, “We considered this as a saying from the Qur'an till the
Sura (beginning with) ‘The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly
things diverts you…’ (At-Takathur 102:1) was revealed.”
[Al-Bukhari]
Stop thinking “If I had _____________, I’ll be fine.”
4. Realizing the worth of the dunya is NOTHING — think about how much it
would be worth to you on your deathbed
One day Ibn Sammak was sitting with Haroon ar-Rashid.
Haroon felt thirsty and he asked for water and water was brought.
When he wanted to drink, Ibn Sammak said, “O Amir al- Muminin! Stop for a
moment.”
Haroon ar-Rasheed said, “Yes"
Ibn Sammak said, “If you can't get water when you are most thirsty how
much will you spend to get a bowl of water"
Haroon ar-Rasheed said, “I shall exchange it for half of my realm (kingdom)."
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Ibn Sammak said, “Now, you may drink."
When he finished Ibn Sammak said, “O Amirul-Mumineen! If this water
remains in the abdomen and does not come out, how much will you spend to
take it out"
Haroon ar-Rasheed said, “Half of my realm if need be."
Ibn Sammak said, “Enough. Now you must know that the price (value) of your
whole realm (kingdom) is equal to a bowl of water and a bowl of urine. You
must not be proud of it."
Haroon ar-Rasheed burst into tears and continued to weep for a long time.
Ibn Fadl, his wazir, said to Ibn Sammak, “You are making him sad.”
Ibn Sammak said, “Ibn Fadl will not be with you in your grave. It will be you
and your deeds. He will not be with you on judgment day. And as for you, Ibn
Fadl, you are supposed to advise him on things that will bring him closer to
Allah.”
Will you think of your dream possessions on your deathbed
We will only be thinking about our deeds.
Therefore spend time, make effort, do jihad.
5. Putting forward the love of Allah before anything else
“Allahu akbar” means “Allah is greater (than everything)”.
When we say this in salah, it means that Allah is greater than whatever we
thought about whilst praying.
6. Thinking about the pleasures of the akhirah
7. Pushing oneself to be patient over the love of the dunya
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Are We Supposed To Abandon The Dunya All Together
Should we move to a cave
Or be poor like the people in the hadith of ‘Imran b. Husayn
Wealth is not a problem as long as it is used in the correct way.
Narrated by Abu Dhar (a):
…Then he (the Prophet n) said, "Those who are rich in this world
would have little reward in the Hereafter except those who spend their
money here and there (in Allah's Cause), and they are few in number…
[Al-Bukhari]
'Amr ibn al- ‘As (a) said, “The Prophet (n) sent for me. He
commanded me to put on my clothes and arms and come to him. I did
that and came to him while he was doing wudu'. He looked at me and
then lowered his eyes.
Then he said (n), ''Amr, I want to put you in charge of an army and
Allah will give you booty. I will give you a correct portion of the spoils.'
I said, 'I did not become Muslim out of the desire for property. I became
Muslim out of the desire for Islam and so that I would be with the
Messenger of Allah (n), may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'
He (n) said, ''Amr! Sound property is very excellent for a sound man!'"
(Al-Albani)
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Epic Du’a
Narrated upon salaf.
Some have attributed it to the Prophet (n), some don’t.
O Allah! Make us indifferent to this worldly life, and make it expansive
for us, and do not keep it from us so that we begin to desire it.
The Prophet (n) never asked Allah to make him poor.
Thinking that he chose to be poor is wrong.
He (n) would ask for protection from poverty and evils associated to it.
Therefore, we should ask for halal and pure wealth, and righteousness.
The Correct Understanding of Asceticism
Sahl bin Sa'd As-Sa'idi (a) reported:
A man came to the Prophet (n) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, guide
me to such an action which, if I do Allah will love me and the people will
also love me.”
He (n) said, “Have no desire for this world, Allah will love you; and
have no desire for what people possess, and the people will love you.”
[Ibn Majah]
Zuhd usually is translated as asceticism.
Asceticism is not an Islamic concept.
It comes from Christian and Buddhist traditions.
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The meaning of zuhd according to pious predecessors:
“Do not testify to a person’s zuhd, for zuhd is in the heart.”
– Sulayman al-Darani
“Zuhd with respect to this world is where one, if he is blessed with
something, gives thanks and, if he is tried, is patient.”
– Sufyan b. Uyaynah
“Hold the dunya in your hand, not in your heart.”
– Hasan al-Basri
Hasan al-Basri was asked by his students, “How do you attain zuhd”
He answered them:
“I know my sustenance will not be taken by anyone but me,
so I learn to be content.
I learned that no one else will do my good deeds for me,
so I busied myself with doing more deeds.
I learned that Allah is watching me,
so I became ashamed that Allah sees me sinning.
I learned that my death is waiting for me,
so I prepared my provisions to meet my Lord.
With these four things, I attain zuhd.”
The advice of Sulayman al-Darani seems to contradict that of Hasan al-Basri’s as
his students made it seem like he has zuhd. His students addressed him that way
out of respect for him.
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Affluent Companions Whose Hearts Were Actually Attached To the
Hereafter
Abu Bakr (a) used his wealth for Islam.
When he became Muslim, he used his wealth to free slaves.
Abu Bakr (a) and Umar (a) competed to give wealth for Islam
Narrated by Zaid bin Aslam (a):
“I heard 'Umar bin Al-Khattab saying: ‘We were ordered by the
Messenger of Allah ‏(ﷺ)‏ to give in charity, and that coincided with a time
in which I had some wealth, so I said, ‘Today I will beat Abu Bakr, if
ever I beat him.’ So I came with half of my wealth, and the Messenger of
Allah ‏(ﷺ)‏ said: ‘What did you leave for your family’ I said: ‘The like of
it.’
And Abu Bakr came with everything he had, so he said: ‘O Abu Bakr!
What did you leave for your family’ He said: ‘I left Allah and His
Messenger for them.’ I said: ‘[By Allah] I will never be able to beat him
to something.’”
[Tirmidhi]
‘Uthman (a) bought a well for Muslims during a water shortage in Madinah.
Other wealthy companions:
Abdur-Rahman b. Auf (a)
Sa’ad b. Ubaydillah (a)
Talhah (a)
And the list goes on.
Imam Malik (t) was a wealthy scholar.
He wore the finest clothes and his perfume could be smelled from miles away.
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Conditions for Praiseworthy Wealth
1. Attained in halal manner
2. Intended for use in Allah’s obedience
3. Hold it in the hand and not in the heart
4. One is always conscious of Allah
5. Remembering that the wealth if from Allah and it is a test from Allah
Wealth can become blameworthy when accompanied by arrogance can be
destructive.
Example:
Qarun
The man with two gardens (Al-Kahf)
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Music
Important Terms
Ghina’ – All types of music and melodious sound
– Applies to beautification of voice
– Halal and haram inclusive
Mazamir – Plural of mizmar
– Refers to wind instrument
– Also refers to human voice
Ma‘azif – Plural of mi‘zaf or a‘zf
– Refers to instruments only
– Any type, including percussion, wind, string
Duff – Specific type of Arab drum mentioned in the Sunnah
– It doesn’t make a large range of sound
Evidences in the Quran
1. An-Najm [53: 59-61]
Do you then wonder at this discourse (the Quran) And you laugh
and do not weep While you are samidun So prostrate to Allah and
worship Him (alone).
When the Prophet (n) would make da’wah, the mushrikun would sing and
dance around him to distract people from the Quran. The Quran was recited
but they did not weep thinking about it. They were in a state of samidun —
vain play, which includes singing.
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Possible Ruling
Impermissible
Reason
Allah has blamed singing and dancing.
Argument
The application of this ayah on music is unclear.
2. Luqman [31:6]
And of the people he is the one who buy lahw al-hadith to mislead
(others) from Allah without knowledge, and takes it in ridicule. For
such people is a humiliating punishment.
Abu Jahl hired singers to sing when Prophet (n) recited the Quran.
Ibn ‘Abbas (a) and Ibn Mas‘ud (a) were of the opinion that this ayah
refers to music and is applicable to ghina’ and ma‘azif.
Possible Ruling
Impermissible if it leads away from Allah
Reason
Allah mention that people who buy lahw al-hadith
to mislead (others) from Allah will be punished.
Argument
What if the music doesn’t lead away from Allah
The ruling becomes unclear.
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3. Al-Isra’ [17:64]
… And incite (to senselessness) whoever you can among them with
your voice ...
“Voice” is that of shaytan.
He uses his voice to call people to senselessness.
It was said that this refers to singing.
Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Every caller who calls people to disobey Allah.”
Possible Ruling
Impermissible if it leads to sin
Reason
It is what the Shaytan does.
Argument
The ayah doesn’t explicitly refer to music.
4. Al-Isra’ [17:55]
And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens or the
earth. And we have made some of the Prophets exceed others (in
various ways), and to David we gave him the book (of Psalms).
Possible Ruling
Permissible
Reason
In the Christian tradition, Prophet Dawud (p)
preached the Psalms by singing and using musical
instrument.
Argument
It could be that the method of Prophet Dawud’s
(p) preaching is allowed in the previous shari’ah
but not ours.
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Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah
heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: “He ‏(ﷺ)‏
has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the
family of Dawud (p),”
In Abu Musa Al-Ash‘ari’s case, he had a melodious
voice. It could also be that Prophet Dawud (p)
was reciting the Psalm in melodious voice only.
This is not enough an evidence to establish any
ruling on music.
5. Al-Jumu ‘ah [62:11]
And when they see merchandise or amusement they rush to it, and
leave you standing. Say, that which is with Allah is better than the
amusement and (better) than the merchandise, and Allah is the best of
providers.
Amusement (lahw) here refers to the duff.
During a jumu‘ah khutbah, a caravan passed through Madinah, signaled by
the playing of the duff. People rushed to the caravan and left the khutbah.
Possible Ruling
Permissible
Reason
The ayah above were not so much for or against
music so we return to the default ruling of
permissibility, as it isn’t an act of worship.
Allah mention that He is better than the lahw (duff),
it does not necessarily means duff is not allowed.
Argument
What is mentioned is the duff only.
This does not apply to all instruments.
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Evidences in the Sunnah
1. Narration of Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari in Sahih al-Bukhari
The Prophet (n) said, “There
will be groups of people from my nation
who will seek to declare fornication/adultery, silk, wine, and musical
instruments to be lawful.”
Interpretations:
The people will indulge in them to such a degree as if permissible
The people will try justify these sins
Possible Ruling
Impermissible
Reason
The ‘asl of music being permissible changes with
this hadith.
Argument
1. Minority claim that the hadith not authentic
Ibn Hazm didn’t consider it to be authentic.
Counter-argument:
It is a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Majority of the scholars including Ibn
Hibban, Hakim, Nawawi, ash-Shaukani,
considered it authentic.
Ibn Hajr has refuted Ibn Hazm in 8 pages in
Fathul Bari
2. Musical instruments are only haram when
accompanied by zina, silk, and wine.
Counter-argument:
Zina, silk and wine are each haram on their
own.
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3. It’s the only hadith
Counter-argument:
It isn’t. There is a similar narration by Abu Malik
al-Ash‘ari (a) in Sunan Ibn Majah as follows:
The Prophet (n) said, “People among my nation
will drink wine, calling it by another name.
Musical instruments [al-ma‘azif] will be played
for them and singing girls [will sing for them].
Allah will cause the earth to swallow them up,
and will turn them into monkeys and pigs.”
2. Narration of Nafi‘ mawla Ibn ‘Umar as reported by Imam Ahmad
‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar (a) heard the sound
of a shepherd’s flute so he
put his
fingers in his ears and moved his riding animal away from the
road. He kept asking me, “Nafi‘, do you hear it” and I kept saying, “Yes
[the sound] continues...” until I said, “No.”
He then put his hands down, returned his riding animal to the road and
said, “I
saw the Messenger hear the sound of a shepherd’s flute and he
did as I have done.”
Refer to How Music Affects Us
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3. Narration of ‘A’ishah (c) in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
“The Messenger of Allah (n) came [into my apartment] while there
were two girls with me singing the song of Bu'ath. He lay down on the
bed and turned his face away.
Then Abu Bakr came in. He scolded me and said, ‘Mizmar of Shaytan in
the house of the Messenger of Allah (n)’
The Messenger of Allah (n) turned towards him and said, ‘Leave them.’
And when he (Abu Bakr) was not paying attention, I signaled to them
and they left.”
Explanation:
Jariyatan in this hadith means either
Slave girls
Girls who are not pubescent.
The second meaning is more likely as they were friends of'A’ishah (c).
“It was the day of 'Eid. The Abyssinians were playing with shields and
spears. Then either I asked the Messenger of Allah (n) or he asked me
whether I wanted to see them, and I said yes. So he had me stand
behind him, with my cheeks against his cheeks saying, ‘Carry on O Banū
Arfadah’ until I became tired. He [then] said [to me], ‘Is that enough’ I
said, ‘Yes’, and said, ‘Then go ahead and go.’”
Explanation:
The Abyssinians were performing a war dance with swords and spears,
not as musical instruments.
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4. The narration Buraydah in Sunan at-Tirmidhi
The Messenger of Allah (n) went out for one of his expeditions, then
when he came back, a black slave girl came to him and said: “O
Messenger of Allah! I took an oath that if Allah returned you safely, I
would beat the Duff before you and sing.” So the Messenger of Allah
(n) said to her: “If you have taken an oath, then beat it, and if you have
not then do not.”
So she started to beat the Duff, and Abu Bakr entered while she was
beating it. Then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it, then ‘Uthman
entered while she was beating it. Then ‘Umar entered, so she put the
Duff under her, and sat upon it.
So the Messenger of Allah (n) said: “Indeed Ash-Shaytan is afraid of
you O ‘Umar! I was sitting while she beat it, and then Abu Bakr entered
while she was beating it, then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it, then
‘Uthman entered while she was beating it, then when you entered O
‘Umar and she put away the Duff.”
There are different opinions regarding the duff:
Permissible if played by women
Permissible if played by women at time of celebration
Permissible if played by men/women
Permissible if played by men/women at time of celebration
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The Conclusion
1. The ruling of musical instrument
Musical instruments are impermissible except for the duff.
All four madhahib agree, except for a minority of scholars (e.g. Ibn Hazm,
often from misconceptions).
Imam Al-Ghazali gave the following conditions for musical instrument to be
permissible:
It is not played by non-mahram women.
It is not played by people who are sinful/have the characteristic of sinful
people.
It does not contain vulgarity/speech of low morality.
The sound does not incite desire.
The listener must be someone who hold the love of Allah more than
anything else
2. The ruling of singing
According to the majority of scholars human voice is not a ma‘azif (musical
instrument). Even the sahabah sang during Khandaq.
However, adult women are not allowed to sing to non-mahram.
Singing in an enticing voice is impermissible.
3. The ruling of the duff
The strongest opinion is that it is permissible for men and women.
Regarding other types of percussion, there are different opinions:
All are impermissible.
All are permissible.
Only those that are similar to duff are permissible.
(E.g., tambourines and similar types of percussion is permissible.
Drum kits, dubstep go way beyond permissibility.)
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4. The ruling of beat-boxing and acapella
Beat-boxing: Making sounds from the vocal chords that imitate the
instruments.
There are different opinions:
Impermissible: Because it imitates the instruments.
Permissible: Only the instruments are impermissible.
5. Guidelines for music to be considered permissible
Free from haram instruments
Lyrics and message should be free from anything sinful
In general, it should not have a negative message
Songs should not praise anyone or anything sinful
The performance of the song should not involve anything sinful
Should not distract from one's obligations
Should not take over a person's heart
Listening
Hearing
Listening (istima‘)
Purposefully
Makes listener accountable
Hearing (sama‘)
Unintentional
Not accountable
Evidence:
In the hadith of Nafi’,
he wasn’t listening to music.
He was hearing it.
If the music is secondary
(background music), it doesn’t
make a person sinful for hearing it.
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Listening to music is a minor sin.
Major Sin
Minor Sin
When severe punishment
and/or condemnation for
committing the prohibition is
mentioned in the Qur’an or
Sunnah
One has to make specific tawbah
Other minor prohibitions
Forgiven in other ways
(e.g., by pricking of the thorn,
making wudu’)
Conditions for Stopping People from Listening to Music (Making Inkar)
1. Full knowledge in commanding or forbidding
2. No difference of madhahib in the issue
3. Prioritize
See if there are bigger issues than listening to music
Example: iman, solah
4. Weigh harms and benefits
Hijr Ismail was originally part of Ka’bah, it was then separated.
Rasulullah (n) didn’t reconstruct it to the original because the people had
become so attached to it.
The layperson should be extremely careful when making inkar.
Giving advice and sharing of knowledge is different from making inkar.
How to Kick the Music Habit
Start cutting it down
Replace it with something halal
(e.g. poetry or beatboxing)
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How Music Affects Us
Addiction
Affects the mood
Final Thoughts
See the sins that happen around music
Music is powerful but it doesn’t have power to bring you closer to Allah
It is very hard to find piety and goodness in music
Can music be that bad
Allah didn’t legislate for the individual, but for the society.
Laws were made to minimize the sinfulness.
Music is good at keeping the society ignorant.
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Movies & Pop-Culture
1. The main goal of the music and movie industry is to sell to you,
so they make more money.
Be careful of the industry you are funding
2. Being obsessed with following the lives of celebrities and musicians
3. Wanting to dress the way celebrities and musicians dress
4. Wanting to use the products that celebrities and musicians use
“Celebrity imam, scholars”
Positive
Negative
A person looks up to someone
other than a pop star.
Blind following (un-Islamic),
especially in sinful lifestyle.
The reality is there is no escaping
celebrity, we naturally look up to
other people.
One should imitate their Islam
and not their culture.
5. Craving attention, fame, and fortune
6. “5 minutes of fame” and the phenomenon of the viral video
Some people give up an eternity of Jannah for five minutes of fame.
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Hollywood’s Depiction of Love
The thrill of the chase
Not how love works in Islam
The unrealistic notion that there is “the one,” the soul mate, and that this soul
mate will be absolutely perfect, with no flaws
Believing that Allah has decreed someone for you is fine, not the perfect one
that you must search for is not.
Love has to grow, be nourished, and worked on.
This applies to love with Allah and humans.
Movies capture the excitement of new relationships, but they wrongly
suggest that trust and committed love exist from the moment people meet
Romantic comedies or ‘rom-coms’ and the ‘happy-ever-after scenario’
The excitement only lasts a while.
The idea that someone looks perfect all the time.
Never compare your relationship to others.
Couples who need to prove their happiness to the world (by being lovey
dovey online) have a reason for doing so.
Pornography
The line between porn and movies blurred.
Effect:
Person who watches won’t find pleasure with spouse.
It’s not just a male problem.
Solution:
Stop shaming people about it.
Have an open dialogue.
Be careful what you expose yourself to. Minimize your exposure to haram.
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Video Games
The effects vary from one individual to another.
Grand Tourismo is better than GTA
Whatever you’re trying to quit or develop a habit of, start something small
and be consistent.
Extended adolescence
When adults act like children or do ridiculous things.
Examples:
Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen.
Watching and Following Sports
Obsession with sports is fine as long as one doesn’t get fanatical.
Sports tend to dumb people down if not enjoyed sparingly.
Don’t let it take over your life.
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Physical Fitness
Definition:
Being physically involved in sports
The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak
believer and in both there is good.
[Muslim]
Interpretations:
1. Strength of iman
Because the Prophet (n) mentioned al-mu’min (the believer), not al-muslim
2. Physical strength
Condition: Using it in the obedience of Allah
Nafs–Body Link
Acts of worship require either
1. Physical strength
2. Non-physical strength
3. Monetary strength
4. A combination of all three
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Sports at the Time of the Prophet (n)
There was no such thing as sports the way we have them today, because life was
so physical back then. Ability to self-defend was important due to tribal wars.
Archery
Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (a) reported, the Messenger of Allah (n)
passed by some people from the tribe of Aslam practising archery. He
said, “O children of ‘Isma'il! Shoot (your arrows), for your father
(‘Isma'il) was an archer. I am on the side of Bani so-and-so [meaning
one of the two teams].”
The other team stopped shooting their arrows, so the Prophet (n) said,
“What has happened that you are not shooting” They said, “How can
we shoot while you are with them” He said, “Shoot, for I am with all of
you!”
[Al-Bukhari]
‘Uqbah ibn Amir (a) did archery until old age.
The first person to shoot an arrow in Islam was Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaṣ (a).
Horse Riding
There is goodness in the forelock of horses until the Day of Judgment,
the spoils of war, and reward [in the Hereafter].
[Al-Bukhari]
Horse riding was regularly done back then.
Even the women knew how to ride horses.
Modesty didn’t mean complacency or weakness.
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Swimming
‘Umar (a) said, “Teach your children swimming, archery and horse riding.”
When the caliphate expanded, the companions saw the water and learned how to
swim. This proves that new things are not haram by default.
Running/Sprinting
‘A’ishah (c) said, “I raced with the Prophet (n) and I beat him.
Much later on when I gained more weight, we raced again and he beat
me. He then said, ‘This one is in place of the last one.’”
[Aḥ mad]
Background:
The Prophet (n) told her to race because she was bored of riding (and she loved
to run). He (n) told the caravan to ride on without them.
This shows the Prophet’s (n) humility.
They ran together more than once.
Sahabah used to run for fun too.
Wrestling
The Prophet (n) wrestled a man by the name of Rukanah and overpowered him!
Fencing
The Prophet (n) had a sword called dhul-Fiqar.
It was a necessary skill at the time.
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Islamic Perspective on Sports and Physical Fitness
General Ruling
1. A strong believer is better than a weak believer.
Eat healthy and don’t overeat.
Miqdam bin Madikarib said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (n) say: ‘A
human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a
human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he
must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third
for air.’”
[Ibn Majah]
Obesity is one of the signs of Day of Judgment
Imran b. Husayn narrated that the Prophet (n) said, “… There will then
appear people who will give testimony without having been asked to
do so, they will be treacherous and untrustworthy, they will make
promises but break them, and among them will be obesity.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Characteristic of the Prophet (n)
He had full arms
His stomach had squares on it (6 packs)
He Physically strong
The other Prophets were of strong physique too
Ibrahim (p) and Ismail (p) built the Ka’bah with their own hands.
Nuh (p) built an ark.
Musa’s (p) push seriously hurt a person.
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2. To rest the body is recommended.
3. Rest and play mean that a person is revitalized and energized for work and
worship.
4. The Prophet (n) and his Companions participated in sports.
5. Laziness and gluttony are disliked in the religion.
Guidelines for Playing Sports
1. As with everything in the religion, things should be done in moderation.
2. Sports should not detract a person from their obligations and
responsibilities.
Exercise:
How much time do you spend working on your
Soul
Knowledge
Physical self
Relationships They should be pretty even.
3. Sports should be played/watched to seek the pleasure of Allah.
Get rewarded for the intention.
Ibn Qayyim said, “A smart believer ensures he gets rewarded even in his
sleep.”
4. One should have the intention of rejuvenating their body so that they can
worship Allah better.
5. Time is precious and should not be wasted unnecessarily.
6. The sport should not contain anything unlawful.
Sisters should preserve their modesty and privacy.
Brothers should create environment for sisters to be active.
7. Sports, although competitive, should not lead to enmity, hatred, jealousy, etc.
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Recreational Drugs
O you who believe, do not consume another’s wealth unjustly, except
only that which is lawful by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves
or one another. Indeed, Allah to you is ever merciful.
[Al-Nisa, 4:29]
Principles:
Anything harmful is haram if life-threatening.
Harming yourself and others is haram.
Cigarettes
The Outdated Ruling
Makruh because its dangers were not known.
The Updated Ruling
It’s now haram.
Scholars say it’s a major sin as it is like a slow suicide and harms other people.
Misconception
Argument
It doesn’t harm me.
Ruling is not based of exceptions.
Just because the smoker is alive, it
doesn’t mean that the health effects
won’t come.
It hasn’t been proven that
smoking kills.
It technically has.
It is unethical to conduct tests to prove
it. We know its harmful effects.
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Fiqh Issues Related To Smoking
1. Does it invalidate wudu
No.
2. Does it invalidate ones fast
Anything that goes through the body without forgetfulness or force breaks
the fast.
3. Is it makruh to enter masjid with the odour
Analogy of onions apply.
4. Is it permissible to use nicotine patches.
Permissible.
It may be wajib for some.
It doesn’t invalidate fast (the patches don’t contain nutrients) or wudu’.
Shisha/Hookah
Misconception
Argument
Shisha is harmless because the
tobacco is flavored.
It is still tobacco.
Cigarette smoke is inhaled
directly. Water in shisha purifies
the smoke.
No, it merely cools down the smoke.
A study has found that shisha is more harmful than cigarettes as it can be
smoked for hours at a time and sharing the pipe can spread diseases.
Ruling
Same as cigarettes
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Electronic Cigarettes
It seems to be better than smoking cigarettes of shisha, but there is not enough
study being done on electronic cigarettes.
Ruling
It is permissible to help quit smoking.
But it is not permissible for someone who doesn’t smoke to pick it up.
Alcohol
They ask you, O Muhammad, concerning alcoholic drink and gambling.
Say, in them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin in
them is greater than the benefit.
[Al-Baqarah 2:219]
There are benefits of alcohol, but it is harmful for the society.
Allah has made the ruling for our own benefit.
Marijuana
Misconception
Argument
It’s not haram because the Quran
and Sunnah didn’t mention it.
It is an intoxicant.
The Prophet (n) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is
ḥ aram.”
[Muslim]
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‘Umar (a) declared from the pulpit the Prophet (n) said, “Khamr is
that which befogs the mind.”
[Al- Bukhari & Muslim]
Umm Salamah (c) said, “The Messenger of Allah (n) forbade all
kinds of intoxicants and relaxants.”
[Aḥ mad, Abu Dawū d]
Khamr is usually translated as alcohol, but it actually means intoxicant.
Marijuana is something that “befogs the mind”.
Spiritual Effect of Consuming Intoxicants
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (a):
The Messenger of Allah (n) said: “Whoever drinks Khamr, Salat is not
accepted from him for forty days. If he repents, then Allah will accept his
repentance. It he returns to it, then Allah will not accept his Salat for forty
days. If he repents, then Allah will accept his repentance. If he returns to
it, then Allah will not accepts his Salat for forty days. If he repents, then
Allah will accept his repentance.
If he returns to it a fourth time, Allah will not accept his Salat for forty
days, and if he were to repent, Allah would not accept his repentance,
and he will be given to drink from the river of Al-Khabal.” They said: “O
Aby 'Abdur-Rahman! What is the river of Al-Khabal” He said: “A river of
the pus from the inhabitants of the Fire.”
[Abu 'Eisa said: This Hadith is Hasan. Similar to this has been reported
from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr and Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet (n).]
[Tirmidhi]
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Medical Marijuana
It is permissible to use with the following conditions:
1. If there is an absolute need for it.
2. No other halal means can serve the same purpose.
3. The decision to use it must be made by a trustworthy Muslim doctor.
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Social Media
Studying Islam Online
Many institutes have begun offering live Islamic classes online.
There is much one can benefit from.
What to Watch Out For
1. Information overload
When a person learns everything at once, it’ll go away at once.
2. A lack of self-discipline
Staying consistent counts.
3. A lack of motivation
Some Ways to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated
• Constantly purify intention
Seek knowledge to
– Get closer to Allah
– Remove ignorance
– Call the ummah
Not for worldly reasons.
Sincerity will add more barakah to your effort.
• Start small
– Start with basics to build upon
– Set clear goals for yourselves
– Something not too easy, not too difficult
• Track your progress
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How to Get the Most Out Of Your Online Classes
1. Take rigorous notes.
Don’t rely on the information or PowerPoint that is provided.
Always have this in mind: “Can I explain this to someone else”
Have a relationship with your notes
2. Prepare yourself for your online class just as you would prepare yourself for
an in-person class.
Dress properly
Sit and behave
3. Get rid of all the distractions.
Switch off your phone
4. Keep in contact with your teacher.
5. Keep a journal, an actual journal, physically writing things down!
Example: Book of gems
Getting a Fatwa from ‘Shaykh Google’ and ‘Shaykh Waki’ (Wikipedia)
Imam Waqi’ ibn Jarrah was the one of the famous teachers of Imam ash-Shafi’i.
Imam ash-Shafi‘i complained to Imam Waqi’ of his poor memory. Imam Waqi’ told him to leave
his sins. His sin was that he looked at the ankle of a non-mahram woman. He made tawbah and
his memory came back.
Distinguishing between research/general knowledge and getting a fatwa
Asking Shaykh google for fatwa is not okay.
General knowledge is fine.
The problems with getting fatwas from the internet.
– Don’t know credibility
– Can cause more confusion
You will tend to pick either the easiest or the hardest
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– The fatwa maybe for a particular time and place
– Specific and general hadith may contradict one another.
– Cannot distinguish scholar and du’at.
Scholars can give fatwa. Du’at give inspiration.
It is always best to get legal verdicts and Islamic advice personally from a
scholar instead of relying upon information found online.
Online Modesty
Rules don’t change.
Lowering your online gaze!
Don’t stare at picture.
You are responsible for how you interact with the picture, especially if you
find it attractive.
“Facebook stalking”
You will go through a never-ending hole.
It happens because people don’t know you are looking through it.
It’s not cool.
You can’t blame people for having poor privacy settings.
The danger of anonymity
Interacting with the opposite gender
Keep it formal
Be careful of how your message is perceived
Opening the door for Shaytan!
Don’t be alone with a woman online
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Keeping Our Private Lives Private
As Muslims, we make a clear distinction between our public and private lives
Airing One’s Dirty Laundry
The world doesn’t need to know about it. Keep it to yourself!
Problems with Sharing Too Much
It creates a false sense of self-importance
One will always be craving of attention
Always being concerned with what people think of us
As Muslims, we don’t put our self-esteem on the hands of other people.
Losing the love of those who really count
Nothing special about them anymore
Online Sins of the Heart
Desiring Praise and Insincerity
Always being concerned with what people think of us
Self-worth and self-esteem
Doing it for the likes and followers
Hypocrisy
Only looking at the faults of other
Apathetic posting
Sharing but not implementing
Don’t be a habitual retweeters, not at all affected by what you post.
See how it impacts your life before you share.
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Jealousy
The ‘peanut gallery’
The need to criticize everything.
Gossiping
Passive aggressive posts
“Girls who wear hijab with tight jeans. #modestyfail”
You are still criticizing. As soon as the person who you posted about realizes
it, it is considered backbiting.
Online Sins of the Tongue
Criticizing and Condemning
Focusing on the faults of others
Assuming the worst in others
Ibn 'Umar (a) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (n) said,
“Indeed whoever tries to expose his Muslim brother’s secrets, Allah will
expose their secrets. The one who has their secrets exposed by Allah
will be ruined, even if they were in the depth of their house.”
[Tirmidhi]
There is a difference between criticizing and advising
How advise should be given
“Whosoever commands his brother (towards doing good)
at the head of a gathering, then he has condemned him.”
“The believer conceals (the sin of his brother) and advises (him),
while the evildoer disgraces and condemns (him).”
– Al-Fudayl b. 'Iyyad
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Give advice in private if you truly care.
If you do it in public is condemnation.
Backbiting, Slander, and Gossip
Social media can become a facilitator for sins of the tongue
The amplification of sins of the sins of the tongue
Online speech can turn into backbiting and slander
Argumentation
The role of anonymity
The Keyboard Warrior
When arguing online becomes entertainment
'A’ishah (c) narrated that the Prophet (n) said, “The most hated
person in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most quarrelsome.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
“If Allah wills to punish a people, He makes them constantly involved in
argumentation and keeps them from action.”
– Al-Imam al-Awza'i
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Dealing with Trolls
Trolls are those attention seekers who annoy you; they make fun of everything.
How to deal with those who like to argue
Ignore them
Know your troll
– They will generally disagree
– Okay for a minute and argumentative the next
– Uses provocative language, sarcasm, humor to get your attention
The Psychology of Trolls
Low self esteem
Publicizing Sins
Putting Our Sins on Display
The documentation of sins!
Abū Hurayrah (a) narrated that the Prophet (n) said,
"All the sins of my nations will be forgiven except those of the ones who
publicize their sins. An example of such disclosure is that a person
commits a sin at night and though Allah hides it from the public, they
come in the morning and say, 'O so-and-so, I did such-and-such deed
yesterday,' though they spent their night hidden by their Lord and in
the morning they remove Allah's screen from themself.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Consequences:
– Sins get more exposed.
– You get two sins.
One for actual sin, another one for exposing it.
– Leads to loss of shame
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Abu Mas'ū d (a) narrated that the Prophet (n) said,
“If you have no shame, then do as you wish.”
[Al-Bukhari]
Our Online Legacy
Jabir b. 'Abdillah (a) narrated that the Prophet (n) said,
"Whosoever
introduces a good practice in Islam, they will have its reward and the
reward of those who act upon it after them without anything being
diminished from their rewards.
And whosoever introduces an evil practice in Islam, they will shoulder
its sin and the sins of all those who will act upon it, without diminishing
in any way their burden."
[Muslim]
Before we post something, think of it as our final post.
When we die, people will go through posts on our social media.
What would we like them to see
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Looking For a Spouse Online
If you are interested in someone specific for marriage, here are some general
guidelines:
1. Do not contact them personally.
Contact their wali or a third person who can serve as an intermediary.
If you cannot find any other way but to contact them personally, ask to speak
to their wali, keep it short, to the point, and do not engage in any other
conversations.
2. Do not go through their profile looking for pictures.
Ask their wali or the third party to send you pictures or information with
their permission.
3. If you must, Google them, but be careful not to delve into personal pictures,
or personal conversation that happen to be available for you to see.
Getting married through people you know, people in your community, family,
friends, etc. makes things a lot easier and will protect you from falling in to sin.
The Internet can serve as a tool to help, but it’s not the place to go on a blind
search. Blindly searching online can open the door for Shaytan and can easily
lead to crossing the boundaries set by Allah.
Matrimonial Websites
General Advice
Purify your intentions, and then purify them again every time you log on.
Cut off communication at the first sign of inappropriate and un-Islamic
behavior.
Be completely honest about what you say regarding yourself.
If you are embarrassed about being on a matrimonial website, then this may
not be the best option for you.
If you are not comfortable with being on a matrimonial website, don’t do it
just because you feel pressured to get married.
Trust and rely upon Allah and do not lose hope in marriage if this avenue did
not work. Allah can create many more avenues.
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Advice for the Sisters
Keep your wali involved in the whole process, every step of the way.
Stay clear from interacting with a brother in private.
Always speak to your wali before sharing any personal information and make
sure he knows what is being shared.
When in doubt about the appropriateness of something, speak to your wali or
a person of knowledge about it.
Make sure the brother is capable of getting married and isn’t there to just
waste your time or get involved in a haram relationship.
Advice for the Brothers
Always ask to have the sister’s wali involved in the process.
Be completely honest about who you are and what your accomplishments
are.
The moment you feel like you are not interested, or you wouldn’t marry this
person, cut off communication.
Red Flags
The other person shies away from having the wali involved.
Profiles with pictures but no information.
Someone who asks for a lot of personal information without telling you
anything about themselves.
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Laughing, Joking and Pranks
Some faces that day will be bright. Laughing and rejoicing.
[‘Abasa 80:38–39]
Nothing will be compared to the joy of being given news of paradise.
Narrated by Abdullah b. Harith:
“I never saw anyone smile more than the Prophet (n).”
[Tirmidhi]
The Prophet (n) went through more trials.
Faux Humility
‘Umar saw a young person walking while being hunched over, so ‘Umar said
loudly, "O Young man, raise your head. True humility is in the heart and not
shown through the body and face. If anyone shows his humility through his body
in excess of what is contained in his heart, then he is a hypocrite."
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Smiling in Islam
To smile in the face of your brother is charity.
[Tirmidhi]
Never belittle a good deed, even if it is meeting your brother with a
happy face.
[Muslim]
Ruling on Jokes
One which brings happiness and relief, ………
causing no harm or ill feeling
Joking about aspects of the religion ……………
Recommended
Prohibited
Causes harm or ill feeling …………………………..
Prohibited
Too much joking ………………………………………
Disliked
None of the above ……………………………………..
Allowed
Pay attention to people’s feelings.
Pay attention to the words you use.
Don’t cause any harm.
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The Prophet (n) Joking
With Children
Anas (a) narrated that the Prophet (n) said to his brother, “O Abu
‘Umayr, what happened to your bird”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
He paid attention to the feelings of children.
Maḥ mū d b. Rabi‘ (a) said, “All I remember from the Prophet (n) was
that he threw water on my face when I was five years old.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
The memory of the Prophet (n) was an intimate one.
With Members of His household
Sahl b. Sa‘d (a) narrates that the Prophet (n) came upon ‘Ali (a)
whilst he was sleeping in the mosque. When he stood he was covered in
dust, so the Prophet (n) said, “Stand up, O father of dust.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
‘Ali (a) loved that name and asked people to call him that because the Prophet
(n) gave it to him.
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The Prophet (n) approached Zahir while he was selling goods, and the
Prophet (n) hugged him from behind, and he could not see him. He
then said: ‘Let me go!’ When he knew that it was the Prophet (n) who
was hugging him, he pressed his back towards the Messenger’s (n)
chest.
He (n) then said: ‘Who will buy this slave from me’ Zahir said: ‘O
Messenger of God, I am worthless!’ The Messenger (n) said: ‘You are
valuable and precious to God.’
(Ibn Hibban)
The Companions Joking
Nu’ayman Ibn ‘Amr: The Funny Sahabah
There was a man in the house of Rasulullah (n) and he had tied his camel
outside. The sahabah pointed it out to Nu’ayman. He took the camel, slaughtered
it and made a feast out of it. The man came outside and screamed, asking where
his camel was.
Rasulullah (n) asked the sahaba and they told him what happened and where
Nu’ayman was hiding. Rasulullah (n) went to him, removed the dust and palm
leaves off of Nu’ayman, dusted his face and began to laugh with him.
Rasulullah (n) paid the man for his camel above the value of the camel, then he
feasted on it.
Umm Salamah narrated that Abu Bakr he wanted to go on a journey. He decided
to take Nu’ayman ibn ‘Amr and Suwaybit ibn Harmala, another Sahabi with him
on that journey. Suwaybit had been put in charge of food. Nu’ayman was hungry
so he asked for food from Suwaybit. He said “Until Abu Bakr comes and gives me
permission you can’t touch this food.”
Nu’ayman wanted to take revenge out on Suwaybit. He went to a group passing
by and said, “I’ve got this slave that I would like to sell to you but he’s really
smart, he’s Arab and he’s going to insist that he’s free whenever you take him. Do
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you want him or not” And they said, “Yes.” Suwaybit was sold for 10 dirhams
and Nu’ayman took the group to Suwaybit and says, “There he is.”
They tried to capture him and he said, “I’m free! I’m free!” The group told him,
“Yes, your master said you would say that.” Nu’ayman stood by and watched
quietly. Abu Bakr came back and found Nu’ayman and the companions and he
asked, “What happened to Suwaybit” The sahaba told Abu Bakr what happened
and they went after him. Nu’ayman didn’t plan on keeping Suwaybit as a slave
forever, he just wanted to teach him a lesson. The sahaba went after that tribe
and Abu Bakr refunded them and freed Suwaybit. Then they went back to the
Prophet (n). Umm Salama said that the Messenger (n) and his companions
laughed for an entire year over the incident.
Nu’ayman played pranks in the time of ‘Uthman too. There was a blind man who
wanted to urinate. Naturally, he would be guided outside the masjid. Nu’ayman
volunteered to do that. He led the blind man to the corner of the masjid. When
the man urinated, people came after him. The man got scared. He asked, “Who
was the young man who brought me here” They said, “It must’ve been
Nu’ayman.” He said, “Where is Nu’ayman I want to teach him a lesson!
Somebody take me to him!”
Nu’ayman came to him and spoke in a different voice “You’re looking for
Nu’ayman”. He said, “Yes.” He took the blind man by the hand and went to
‘Uthman, the Khalifah. The blind man jumped on ‘Uthman. ‘Uthman was pulled
away and he laughed because he understood what happened. Nu’ayman ran
away.
Other Companions
Miqdad laughed until he fell on the ground. The Prophet (n) joined him. The
companions who came in later joined them too. They did not know why they
laughed.
In al-Adab al-Mufrad, Imam Bukhari reports from Bakr ibn 'Abdillah who said:
"The Companions of the Prophet used to throw melon-rinds at one another, but
when the matter was serious, they were the only true men."
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Scholars of the Past Joking
A man came to Abu Hanifah and asked, “If I take off my clothes and bathe in the
river, should I face the qiblah or another direction” Abu Hanifah replied, “It is
best to face the direction of your clothes just in case they get stolen.”
Some people came to Ash‘ab and asked him to narrate hadith to them, so he
agreed. He said, “‘Ikrimah heard Ibn ‘Abbas say that the Prophet (n) said, ‘Two
things will not be found in a believer.’” Ash‘ab then went quiet. The students
asked, “Well, what are the two things” He replied, “‘Ikrimah forgot the first one
and I forgot the second one.”
Permissible Jokes
1. Truthful
Abu Hurayrah asked the Prophet (n), “You joke with us”
He replied, “Yes, but I only speak the truth.”
2. It should not make mockery of any aspect of the religion
3. A person shouldn’t go to extremes in joking
4. Choosing the appropriate time and place
5. Should not harm or offend others
6. Should not include swearing, backbiting, belittling or making fun of others
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Impermissible Jokes
1. Lying, harming others or doing something haram
2. Making fun or joking about the religion
And do not take the signs of Allah in jest.
[Al-Baqarah, 2:231]
3. Taking someone’s possessions as a joke
Do not take the possessions of your brother as in jest or seriousness,
and whosoever takes the stick of his brother, let him return it.
[Aḥ mad]
4. Scaring someone as a joke
It is impermissible for a Muslim to scare or frighten another Muslim.
[Abu Dawū d]
Jump scares are therefore not permissible.
5. Using a weapon as a joke
Whosoever points a weapon towards his brother will be cursed by the
angels until he puts it down, even if it is his paternal or maternal
brother.
[Muslim]
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Souls Are Like Soldiers Grouped In Ranks
Abu Hurayrah (a) reported Allah's Messenger (n) saying:
“Souls are troops collected together and those who familiarised with
each other (in the heaven from where these come) would have affinity,
with one another (in the world) and those amongst them who opposed
each other (in the Heaven) would also be divergent (in the world).”
[Muslim]
Ibn Hajr’s explanation:
This refers to a time when Allah created souls.
Souls are either compatible or incompatible
Friends on that day will be foes one to another except for the pious.
[Al-Zukhruf 43:67]
A person is on the religion of their close friend, so let each of you look
to who is their close friend.
[Bayhaqi]
We take on the trait of our close friends.
Not everyone deserves to be our close friend
When you choose a close friend, look for
Intelligence
Good character
Taqwa (those who have it or trying to develop it)
Knowledgeable or trying to seek it
Zuhd (indifference to the world)
Because we want to have those characteristics.
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Umar (a) once said, “Beware of a friend who is not trustworthy. Only a person
who has the taqwa of Allah will be a truly trustworthy friend.”
Does it mean that they are religious only
No.
But they are someone you can completely trust with the dunya and the akhirah.
Friendships based on piety is stronger than blood bonds based on disbelief.
Friendship in Islam
Brotherhood and friendship are core concepts of Islam.
To have a best friend is also an Islamic concept. The Prophet (n) said that
were he to take a best friend, it would be Abu Bakr (a).
Abu Ad-Darda (a) narrated:
There was a dispute between Abu Bakr and `Umar, and Abu Bakr made
`Umar angry. So `Umar left angrily. Abu Bakr followed him, requesting
him to ask forgiveness (of Allah) for him, but `Umar refused to do so
and closed his door in Abu Bakr's face. So Abu Bakr went to Allah's
Messenger ‏(ﷺ)‏ while we were with him. Allah's Messenger ‏(ﷺ)‏ said,
"This friend of yours must have quarrelled (with somebody)."
In the meantime `Umar repented and felt sorry for what he had done,
so he came, greeted (those who were present) and sat with the Prophet
became angry ‏(ﷺ)‏ and related the story to him. Allah's Messenger ‏(ﷺ)‏
and Abu Bakr started saying, "O Allah's Messenger ‏!(ﷺ)‏ By Allah, I was
more at fault (than `Umar)." Allah's Apostle said, "Are you (people)
leaving for me my companion (Abu Bakr), Are you (people) leaving for
me my companion When I said, 'O people I am sent to you all as the
Messenger of Allah,' you said, 'You tell a lie.' while Abu Bakr said, 'You
have spoken the truth.”
[Al-Bukhari]
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'Abdullah (a) reported Allah's Messenger ‏(ﷺ)‏ as saying:
“If I were to choose as my best friend I would have chosen the son of
Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr) as my best friend.”
[Muslim]
Righteous friendship is based on pleasing Allah.
– They will be given the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgment.
– Visiting someone only for the sake of Allah brings the love of
– Allah.
– Meeting, visiting and sitting for the sake of Allah grants the love
– of Allah.
– Love for Allah’s sake allows one to taste the sweetness of faith.
It was narrated from Anas bin Malik (a) that the Messenger of Allah
(n) said:
“There are three things, whoever has them has found the taste of faith
(One of the narrators) Bundar said: ‘The sweetness of faith; When he
loves a man and only loves him for the sake of Allah. When Allah and
His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; and when
being thrown into the fire is dearer to him than going back to disbelief
after Allah has saved him from it.”
[Ibn Majah]
– Protecting your friends and defending them is honorable.
– Anything which increases love is recommended, such as gifts.
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One of the greatest sources of regret on the Day of Judgment is friendship
based on other than Allah’s sake.
And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will
say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I
wish I had not taken that one as a friend. He led me away from the
remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a
deserter."
[Al-Furqan 25:27–29]
“Wrongdoer will bite on his hands”:
Both in literal sense and metaphorical sense (out of severe regret).
Shaytan is ever the deserter of mankind.
Footsteps of shaytan
– Starts small
– Ends catastrophically
How to save yourself
Change your company.
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20 Things which will Make You the Best of Friends
1. Love your friends for the sake of Allah first and foremost.
Abu Idris al-Khawlani said, "I entered the Damascus mosque and there
was a young man with a beautiful mouth and white teeth sitting with
some people. When they disagreed about something, they referred it to
him and proceeded from his statement. I inquired about him, and it was
said, 'This is Muadh ibn Jabal.' The next day I went to the noon-prayer,
and I found that he had preceded me to the noon prayer and I found
him praying."
Abu Idris continued, "I waited for him until he had finished the prayer.
Then I came to him from in front of him and greeted him and said, 'By
Allah! I love you for Allah!' He said, 'By Allah' I said, 'By Allah.' He said,
'By Allah' I said, 'By Allah.' He said, 'By Allah' I said, 'By Allah.' "
He continued, "He took me by the upper part of my cloak and pulled me
to him and said, 'Rejoice! I heard the Messenger of Allah (n) say,
"Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said, 'My love is obliged for those who
love each other in Me, and those who sit with each other in Me, and
those who visit each other in Me, and those who give to each other
generously in Me.’”
[Muwatta’Imam Malik]
2. Be the best Muslim you can be so that your friends will benefit from your
example.
3. Be a source of goodness, bring them closer to Allah.
4. Love for them what you would love for yourself.
5. Compliment one another’s strengths and make up for each other’s
weaknesses.
6. Be intelligent and considerate in the way you deal with your friends.
7. Be just and fair.
8. Conceal the faults of others and help them to improve.
9. Never be stingy with good, sincere advice and be patient if your friends
don’t always take your advice.
10. Learn to pardon and forgive your friends when they make mistakes.
11. Don’t lie to your friends or break their trust.
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12. Buy them gifts, visit them, and keep in touch.
13. Be there for them in their times of need and not just on happy occasions.
14. Visit them when they’re ill and support their families when they need you.
15. Always speak well of them and never belittle them.
16. Defend them in their absence.
17. Make excuses for them.
18. Be patient with them. Everyone makes mistakes.
19. Don’t let Shayṭan come in between you.
20. Last but not least, make du‘a’ for them.
The simplest du’a:
Assalamu’alaikum
Think about three things when saying it:
• How it is a du’a
• Make the intention to increase the love
• Care about their akhirah
When you make du’a for a person, the angels will make dua for you.
Abu ad-Darda' (a) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (n) said, "The supplication of a Muslim for his
(Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Everytime
he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed
for this particular task says: 'A meen! May it be for you, too'."
[Muslim]
What No Friend Should Do
• Backbite, lie, slander, spread rumors, mock
• Become overly angry or jealous
• Develop enmity and hatred
• Never remind you of Allah
• Encourage you to disobey Allah
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Examples of Best Friends
• The Ash’ari tribe of Madinah
If one of them runs out of food, everyone will gather theirs and distribute the
food evenly.
• Ṣuhayb, Bilal and Salman
They share a few things in common:
– Non-Arab (Roman, Abyssinian, Persian, respectively)
– Older generation
– Very poor
They had nobody.
They were tortured very severely by the mushrikun in Makkah.
• Abu Bakr and ‘Umar
• Sa‘d b. Rabi‘ and ‘Abdul-Rahman b. ‘Awf
When 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf (a) arrived in Al-Madinah, the
Messenger of Allah established a bond of brotherhood between him
and sa'd bin Ar-Rabi. So he said to him: "Come here, I will divide my
wealth and give you half, and I have two wives, I will divorce one of
them, and when she completes her waiting period you may marry her."
He said: " May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. Show me
where the market is." So they showed him where the market was and
he did not return that day except with some cottage cheese and cooking
fat which he had earned as a profit.
[Tirmidhi]
• Generally the Companions
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Socializing
Eating & Drinking
The best of you are those who feed others.
[Ibn ‘Asakir]
The most beloved actions to Allah are entering happiness upon a
Muslim, removing some harm, feeding him, or paying off a debt.
[Ṣaḥiḥ al-Jami‘]
Spread the salam, feed people, join the ties of kinship, pray whilst
others are sleeping and you will enter Paradise in peace.
[Ṣaḥiḥ al-Jami‘]
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Shopping
Give gifts and you will love one another.
[Ṣaḥiḥ al-Jami‘]
The Prophet (n) would accept gifts and reciprocate in kind.
[Al-Bukhari]
Guidelines
• Make your intention for Allah’s sake.
By doing this, the time you spend with your friends, be it a meal or going
shopping, will be rewarded.
• Stay away from anything which is haram.
• Don’t go to extremes
E.g. spending day after day shopping forno reason.
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So Travel through the Earth
Encouragement to Travel in the Shariah
Traveling to Reflect Upon The Creation
Say: travel in the land and see how Allah originated creation and then
Allah will bring forth resurrect the creation of the hereafter (i.e.
resurrection after death). Verily Allah is able to do all things.”
[Al-Zumar 39:20]
This type of traveling can increase our iman and remind us that everything leads
back to the Creator.
Traveling for Seeking Knowledge
Whoever treads upon a path of knowledge, Allah will guide him to a
path of Paradise.
[Abu Dawū d]
Everything you go through comes together with knowledge; it’s an experience.
Knowledge is always coupled with traveling.
It was the norm for scholars to travel, but they exhaust local scholars first.
It breaks you out of your comfort zone.
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Traveling for Pilgrimage
Traveling is so important that Allah has made it part of the deen.
• Miqats for Hajj are placed at different places, different directions.
It shows that countries can be split up, but the ummah will still be united.
Delaying the journey is bad habit.
It’s meant to be undertaken while you are young.
Traveling To Visit Family or Another Muslim
Traveling For Leisure
Traveling For Holidays
The general ruling is that it is allowed.
• One must be able to fulfill their obligations, e.g. pray.
• One must stay away from haram.
• One should be sure they will not succumb to any fitnah.
• One should know the rulings and etiquettes of traveling.
Women Traveling Alone
It’s better to travel with a mahram unless
• It’s necessary
• Traveling is safe
• Accompanied by a group
Traveling For Family Vacations
Have the intention to please Allah by bringing your family closer together.
Make the trip educational and beneficial for your family and especially children.
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“Honeymoons”
If it is done with a righteous intention of nurturing love between the husband
and wife, it is praiseworthy.
It should not be done in imitation of the disbelievers.
Ruling
Type of Travel
Obligatory
Hajj
Recommended
Seeking knowledge
Allowed
Holiday
Disliked
Traveling to waste money
Prohibited
Traveling to disobey Allah
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