Praying Witr As One Rak’ah, By Ibn Hajar

Ibn Hajar said:

“It is authentically reported that a number of the Companions prayed one rak’ah for witr, without praying any nafl prior to it. It is recorded in Muhammad Ibn Nasr’s book and others, with an authentic isnaad from As-Saa’ib Ibn Yazeed, that ‘Uthmaan recited Quraan one night in just one rak’ah; and he did not pray anything else. We will also cite in the chapter of Al-Maghaazee the report of ‘Abdullaah Ibn Tha’labah that Sa’d prayed one rak’ah for witr, and in al-Manaaqib the report that Mu’aawiyah prayed one rak’ah for witr, which was approved by Ibn ‘Abbaas.”

[Fath Al-Baaree]

As for praying witr three rak’ah and giving salam after two, then standing up to pray the last rak’ah, then this was done by Ibn ‘Umar as is recorded in Saheeh Bukhari.

Good Bid’ah, By Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami

Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami said:

“In ‘Umar’s saying regarding the tarawee prayers, ‘This is a good bid’ah,‘ he meant the linguistic meaning of bid’ah, which is to do something that was not being done, similar to what Allaah says: “I did not bring a bid’ah (something new) among the messengers.” [46:9]. This does not indicate a bid’ah in the shar’ee sense, because a bid’ah would be an at of misguidance, as was indicated by the Messenger (saw).

Scholars who classify the bid’ahs into good and bad only intend the linguistic meaning of bid’ahs; and those who say that every bid’ah is a misguidance mean the bid’ah in the Shar’ee sense.”

[Al-Ibdaa’ Fee Madaarr Il-Ibtidaa’]

Revive A Sunnah The Last Half Of Ramadhaan

‘Abdur-Rahmaan Bin ‘Abdul-Qaaree said:

“And they (the sahaabah) cursed the kuffaar in the (second) half (of Ramadhaan, saying):

اَللَّهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الْكَفَرَةَ الَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِكَ

وَ يُكَذِّبُونَ رُسُلَكَ

وَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِوَعْدِكَ

وَ خَالِفْ بَيْنَ كَلِمَتَهُمْ

وَ اَلْقِ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ

وَ اَلْقِ عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزَكَ

اِلَهَ الْحَقِّ

O Allaah, fight the disbelievers who obstruct the people from Your way,
and reject Your Messengers,
and do not believe in Your promise;
Cause them to be divided,
and cast terror into their hearts,
and launch Your punishment and chastisement upon them;
You are the God of Truth.

Then they said the salaah upon the Prophet (saw), prayed for the Muslims with what they wished of good, and sought forgiveness for the believers. Following this, they said:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

وَ لَكَ نُصَلِّيْ وَ نَسْجُدُ

وَ اِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَ نَحْفِدُ

وَ نَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ رَبَّنَا

وَ نَخَافُ عَذَابَكَ الْجَدَّ

اِنَّ عَذَابَكَ لِمَنْ عَادَيْتَ مُلْحَقٌ

O Allaah, it is You that we worship,
and to You we pray and prostrate ourselves,
and unto You we run and rush;
we hope in Your Mercy our Lord,
and we fear Your severe punishment,
surely Your punishment is to reach those whom You hate.

Then they said takbeer and went to sujood.”

[Recorded by Ibn Khuzaimah, verified to be authentic by Sh. Al-Albaanee]

The Salaf And The Quraan, Part 1

‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (ra) said:

“Verily, these hearts are vessels, so fill them up with the Quraan and do not fill them up with anything else besides it.”

[Al-Musannaf, 7/106]

Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) said:

“Allaah has guaranteed for the one who follows the Quraan that he wont go astray in the worldly life nor be miserable in the Hereafter.”

Then he recited:

“So whoever follows my guidance will neither go astray nor be miserable.” [20:123]

[Al-Musannaf, 7/136]

Naafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar (ra) used to recite in his prayer and pass by a verse in which Paradise is mentioned so he would stop and ask Allaah for Paradise, supplicate and cry.

He would also pass by a verse in which the Fire is mentioned so he would stop, supplicate and seek the forgiveness of Allaah (swt).

[Az-Zuhd, of Imaam Ahmad, p.241]

‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (ra) said:

“Recite the Quraan in seven days but do not recite it in less than thre days, and a man should strictly guard his daily recitation of one juzz.”

[Ash-Shu’ab, 2/2173]

The Sahaabah: A Generation Of The Quraan

A plethora of evidence demonstrates that the Companions actively took part in the policy of teaching the Quraan during the Madanee period. The following narrations represent, as usual, only a fraction of the evidences:

– ‘Ubaada Ibn As-Saamit taught the Quraan during the Prophet’s lifetime.

– Ubayy also taught during the Prophet’s lifetime in Madeenah, even trekking regularly to teach a blind man in his house.

– Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree states that he sat with a group of immigrants (muhaajiroon) while a qaari (reciter) read for them.

– Sahl Ibn Sa’d Al-Ansaaree said, “The Prophet came to us while we were reciting to each other…” .

– ‘Uqba Ibn ‘Aamir remarked, “The Prophet came to us while we were in the mosque, teaching each other the Quraan.”

– Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdillaah said, “The Prophet came to us while we were reading the Quraan, our gathering consisted of both Arabs and non-Arabs…”

– Anas Ibn Maalik said, “The Prophet came to us while we were reciting, among us Arabs and non-Arabs, blacks and whites…”

Additional evidence shows that the Companion travelled beyond Madeenah to serve as instructors:

– Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal was dispatched to yemen.

– On their way to Bi’r Ma’oona, at least 40 Companions known for teaching the Quraan were ambushed and martyred.

– Aboo ‘Ubaidah was sent to Najraan.

– Wabra Ibn Yuhannaas taught the Quraan in San’aa (Yemen) to Umm Sa’eed Bint Buzrug during the Prophet’s lifetime.

The sea of incentives and opportunities for learning the Holy Bok, coupled with the waves of people involved in disseminating it, soon yielded a prodigious number of Companions who had thoroughly memorised it by heart (huffaaz). Many were subsequently martyred on the fields of Yamaama and Bi’r Ma’oona, and the full details of their names have, in most cases, been lost to history. What the references do show are the names of those who lived on, who continued to teach either in Madeenah or in the newly conquered lands of the growing Muslim realms.

Lowering Your Gaze On ‘Eid

It is reported on the authority of Al-Wakî’ b. Al-Jarrâh:

We went out one Eid with Sufyân Al-Thawrî and he said, “The first thing we will do on this day of ours is to lower our gaze.”

[Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Kitâb Al-Wara’. Article 66]

It is reported that Hassân b. Abî Sinân – Allâh have mercy on him – went out one Eid and when he returned home his wife said:

“How many beautiful women have you looked at today?”

After she kept asking him, he said:

“Woe to you! I have looked at nothing but my toe from when I went out to when I returned to you.”

[Ibid. Article 68]

Source

Sittings In Ramadhan With Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (Day 30)

مجالس شهر رمضان
Day Thirty
Concluding the Month
Shaykh Muhammad bin Saaleh Al-‘Uthaymeen

My brothers: The month of Ramadhan is leaving us, and it is either a witness for you or against you. So whoever ends the month and he did good, then let them praise Allah for that and have glad tidings of much reward, for indeed Allah does not lose the reward of a person who did good.

As for the person who did evil acts, then let them repent to his Lord a sincere repentance, for indeed Allah forgives for whoever repents.

[The Saying Of The Takbeer]

Allah has prescribed for you in the end of this month acts that will bring you closer to Allah and increase your iman, and increase your good deeds. Allah has prescribed for you zakatulfitr, and we spoke about this already, and Allah prescribed for you to make takbeer on the last day once the sun sets until the Eid prayer.

Allah (swt) says, “So that you may finish the month, and make takbeer to Allah for what he has guided you, and so that you may be thankful.”

The takbeer should be said like this: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar, La Illaha Illalah, Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, walilaahilhamd.”

And the men should say it out loud in the mosques, marketplace, and houses. This is to show the greatness of Allah, and to show thankfulness. As for women, they should say it quietly, because they are ordered with modesty and using low voices. There is not a more beautiful sight than to see the people making takbeer of Allah in every place after they finished the month, they fill the places with takbeer and praise seeking the mercy of Allah and scared of His punishment.

[The ‘Eid Prayer]

Allah has also prescribed the Eid prayer, and it is a completion to thikr of Allah (swt). The Prophet (saw) ordered both men and women to attend the Eid prayer, even though the house is better for the women, except for the Eid prayer.

Sittings In Ramadhan With Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (Day 29)

مجالس شهر رمضان
Day Twenty-Nine
Repentance
Sheikh Muhammad bin Saleh Al-‘Uthaymeen

My brothers: Conclude this month of Ramadhan with repentance to Allah from disobeying Him. And with returning to Him with what pleases Him. Indeed a person will never stop from committing sins, and being deficient. And all of the sons of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those that repent.

[A Few Verses On Forgiveness]

As Allah says, “(And to preach thus), ‘Seek ye the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance; that He may grant you enjoyment, good (and true), for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding grace on all who abound in merit! But if ye turn away, then I fear for you the penalty of a great day.’ ”

And, “Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your Allah is one Allah, therefore follow the right way to Him and ask His forgiveness; and woe to the polytheists;” And, “and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful.”

And, “O you who believe! turn to Allah a sincere turning; maybe your Lord will remove from you your evil and cause you to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the day on which Allah will not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him; their light shall run on before them and on their right hands; they shall say: Our Lord! make perfect for us our light, and grant us protection, surely Thou hast power over all things.”

And, “Surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves.” And there are many verses that mention repentance.

Sittings In Ramadhan With Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (Day 28)

مجالس شهر رمضان
Day Twenty-Eight
From ZakatulFitr
Sheikh Muhammad bin Saleh Al-‘Uthaymeen

My brothers: Indeed this noble month is almost over, so whoever was good in this month, then let them praise Allah, and whoever wasn’t, then let them repent to Allah. Indeed Allah has made it obligatory to end this month with giving the zakatulfitr before the Eid prayer, we will talk in detail about it.

[The Ruling On Zakaat Al-Fitr]

As for its ruling, it is an obligation that was obligated on us from the Prophet Muhammad (saw), and whatever he obligates or orders us, it is taken the same as something obligated on us from Allah (swt). As Allah (swt) says, “Whoever obeys the Messenger then they have indeed obeyed Allah…” And it is an obligation on the young and old, male and female, free man and slave, from the Muslims.

Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) said, “The Prophet (saw) made zakatulfitr from Ramadhan obligatory, a sa’ah of dates or barley on the slave, free, male, female, young, and old from the Muslims.” (Agreed upon)

It is not obligatory to be paid on the baby still in the mother’s stomach, but if they pay it for the rewards, then that is okay. ‘Uthman (ra) used to take it. Each person is responsible for paying it on themselves, if they can’t then their family can pay it for them. Whoever can’t afford to give one sa’ah, then they can give less as Allah (swt) says, “Fear Allah as much as you’re able.” And the saying of the Prophet (saw), “If I order you with something, then do it to the best of your ability.” (Agreed upon)

[The Wisdom Behind Zakaat Al-Fitr]

As for the wisdom behind paying zakatulfitr, it is sustenance for the poor, and it will stop them from begging on the day of Eid. They will be able to join the rich people in their happiness, and it will be Eid for everyone. It is also makes a person more generous, and it purifies the person’s fast and completes any deficiencies in it. It also shows a way to thank the blessings bestowed upon us from Allah, for finishing fasting in this month, and worshiping in it.

Sittings in Ramadhan with Shaikh ibn Utheimeen (Day 27)

مجالس شهر رمضان
Day Twenty-Seven:
The Second Type from the Reason of Entering Hell
Sheikh Muhammad bin Saleh Al-‘Uthaymeen

My brothers: We spoke last week about many different reasons form the first type of entering Hell and remaining there forever. We will talk about the second type, and this is the reasons that make a person enter hell but will not remain in there forever.

Reason One: Disobeying the parents.

This includes cutting them off, not listening to them, or saying or doing something impermissible to them. Allah says, “And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) “Ugh” nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.”

And Allah says, “Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying.”

The Prophet (saw) mentions a person that disobeys the parents as not entering Jannah in Ahmad and Nisaee.

Reason Two: Cutting the relations of the womb.