Ilm Fruits

What is a Hadith?

What exactly is a hadith? It's a saying of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم). The Science of Hadith defines a hadeeth as "whatever is attributed to the Prophet, in terms of sayings, actions, approvals, and physical and character descriptions." [1]

Ahadith are an important part of Islam. They complement and the Qur'an, and provide us with numerous benefits and different types of information, including:

• Laws not directly stated in the Qur'an (eg. prohibition of visiting fortune-tellers)
• Details of things mentioned in the Qur'an (eg. how to make wudoo)
• A look into the lifetime of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)
• Tafseer (explaination) of the Quran (eg. the story of the People of the Ditch)

Some people deny ahadith, and say "we don't need no hadiths! We can just use Qur'an!" In response, refer them to this verse:

Translation: O you who believe! Obey Allâh, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and render not vain your deeds. [Surah Muhammad, 47:33]

Or, if it suits your da'wa a bit better, ask them: "how do you know how to pray?" It's not in the Qur'an--only a few details here and there. The same goes for wudoo! (Further details are available here.)

While ahadith can be classified in many ways, it's essential that all Muslims understand the following five:

• Saheeh (linguistically, "sound"): those ahadith that are certified authentic.
• Hassan (linguistically, "good"): those ahadith that are lower in status then saheeh. They are usually da'eef hadith that are upgraded to Hassan due to authentic backing.
• Da'eef (linguististically, "weak") those ahadith that are likely not true and are generally not used in certain topics, such as 'aqeedah. They can still be used in other fields, such as akhlaaq.
• Mawdoo': Fabricated ahadith that are definitely not true--someone invented them and attributed them falsely to the Prophet.
• Qudsi: (linguistically, "pure"): Hadith where the Prophet narrates or paraphrases something from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).

That includes a brief introduction to ahadith. Please post any questions/clarifications in the comments area. Jazakumullahu khayran!

External Links: The Deviation of those who are satisfied with The Qur'an to the exclusion of Hadeeth, by Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani

[1] Hamid, Abdool. "Mustalahul-Hadeeth": the Science of Hadeeth Methodology. Toronto: The Islaamic Institute of Toronto. 2.

• Chain of Command
• The Pen is Lifted From Three
• Muhaddith Al-Albani
• Seeing the Prophet in a Dream
• The Elite 99 Names of Allah

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!

Jafar ibn Abu Talib’s Speech to the Negus

The Muslims were forced out of their land because of the persecution of the polytheist Arabs, who tortured them because they said, "our Lord is one". The Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم) commanded the Muslims to migrate to Abysynnia, to live under the Negus, a just ruler. The Polytheists refused to let them leave peacefully, and confronted the king to demand the return of the Muslims. Jafar was chosen as the spokesperson for the Muslims to the king.

He said:

O King, we were a people in a state of ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals, committing all sorts of abomination and shameful deeds, breaking the ties of kinship, treating guests badly, and the strong among us exploited the weak. We remained in this state until Allah sent us a Prophet, one of our own people, whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and integrity were well-known to us.

He called us to worship Allah alone, and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and our ancestors used to worship besides Allah.

He commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbors, to cease all forbidden acts, to abstain from bloodshed, to avoid obscenities and false witness, and not to appropriate an orphan's property nor slander chaste women.

He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to associate anything with him, to uphold Salat, to give Zakaah, and fast in the month of Ramadan.

We believed in him and what he brought to us from Allah, and we follow him in what he has asked us to do and we keep away from what he forbade us from.

Thereupon, O King, our people attacked us, visited the severest punishment on us, to make us renounce our religion and take us back to the old immorality and the worship of idols.

They oppressed us, made life intolerable for us, and obstructed us from observing our religion. So we left for your country, choosing you before anyone else, desiring your protection and hoping to live in Justice and in peace in your midst.

The Negus was impressed and was eager to hear more. He asked Jafar, "Do you have with you something of what your Prophet brought concerning God?" "Yes," replied Jafar.

"Then read it to me," requested the Negus. Jafar, in his rich, melodious voice, recited for him the first portion of Surah Maryam, which deals with the story of Jesus and his mother Mary.

On hearing the words of the Quran, the Negus was moved to tears. To the Muslims, he said: "The message of your Prophet and that of Jesus came from the same source..." To Amr and his companion (the men who were trying to convince the Negus to hand over the Muslims), he said: "Go. For, by God, I will never surrender them to you."

[1] "Biography of Jafar Ibn Abi Talib." USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. 25 Aug. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.JAFAR_IBN_ABI_TALIB.html>.

• The Definition of The Qur’an
• Five Minute Dawa Speech
• Genesis
• Wear Islam Responsibly
• No Fear Nor Grief

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!

Alhamdulillah

We praise someone under two circumstances: for the excellent attributes they possess, or for the deeds they perform towards us, such that we feel gratitude towards them. [1]

The only one who deserves praise in all these levels is the Creator of excellence, the Perfect Being who showers us with abundant favors again and again!

Translation: All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. [Surah Al-Fatiha, verse 2]

How true are the words of the righteous man who said, "How can I truly thank Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), when my desire to thank him is a blessing by Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and deserves to be thanked for!"

Subhan'Allah, lets reflect upon this heart-felt expression whenever we say it. Let us fill our scales of good deeds with the phrase, "Alhamdulillah". [2]

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) help us learn how to praise Him in the best manner, such that we mean it, and don't just say it, ameen!

Tip: One way to get the maximal benefit from the verbalization of alhamdulillah is to actively think of a blessing Allah blessed us with when we say it. [3] And there are always tons of blessings to remember, for Allah says:

Translation: And He gives you of all that you ask for. But if you count the favours of Allah, you will never be able to number them! [Surah Ibrahim, verse 34]

[1] Commentary on the Quran, Surah al-Faatiha by Maulana Maudoodi.

[2] On the authority of Abu Maalik al-Haarith ibn Aasim al-Ashari(رضي الله عنه), who said: The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, "Purification is half of the faith. The phrase al-hamdulilaah ('All praise be to Allah') fills the scale. The phrases subhan'Allah ('High is Allah above every imperfection and need; He is pure and perfect') and al-hamdulillah ('All prase be to Allah') together fill--or each fill-- what is between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is a light. Charity is a proof. Patience is a brightness. The Quran is either an argument for or against you. And everyone goes out in the morning and sells himself, either freeing or destroying himself." [Muslim]

[3] Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Breach of Covenant. University of Toronto, Toronto. May 2005.

• Being Grateful to Your Lord
• QMajd Issue 2: Route 114
• Islamic Phrases for Daily Use
• Eid Mubarak!
• Fasting in Muharram

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!

Who is the Law Maker?

Every specific Islamic rule originates from a law maker. Here, we investigate who can say, in Islam, that something is the law.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), Lord of the Worlds, is the law maker. None can dispute His laws. What's the proof? In Surah Yusuf Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: the command is for none but Allah: He hath commanded that ye worship none but Him: that is the right deen, but most men understand not. [Surah Yunus, verse 40]

Subhanallah, the basis of Western law is that intelligence is the most trustworty, and the source of all law. But is that true in Islam? Can Intelligence be the law maker?

Surah Nisaa reveals the answer:

Translation: Apostles who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the coming) of the apostles, should have no plea against Allah: For Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. [Surah Nisaa, verse 165]

Intelligence is used in making laws, but it is not the law maker. Check the ayah above: if people never get the message, they say "nobody told me"; Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) does not ask, "Why didnt you figure it out yourself?" Because that method will never lead to the true Law. (Just look at Western socities, and where their laws, influenced as they are from Islam, are now.)

What's more, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), who was the most intelligent among the companions, only about four times reached a conclusion that matched a command of Allah.

This confuses a lot of Muslims. Why do we accept law from the Prophet? Well, because of what Surah Al-Ghashiyah:

Translation: Therefore do remind, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher over them. [Surah Gashiya, verse 21-22]

If the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) is not a law maker, what does that make a mujtahid or an imam?

They are not law-makers. They simply research (inshaAllah) and tell you what they think Allah told us to do. Based on their research and tools (such as codes of Usool-ul-Fiqh).

It's sad that, in our community, people say things like "the shaykh said mortgages are ok" and when you show them ayat probiting interest from the words of Allah, they turn away. Or worse, they argue (one of the characteristics of munfaiqin). What are they really saying? "Well, my Mufti says so, who cares about the Qur'an?" May Allah protect us from being among such people, ameen.

If you know such people, remind them (gently) of the hadith of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم): "There is no obedience to the creation when it entails disobedience to the Creator." [Musnad of Ahmad] [1]

There is also this hadith of the Prophet:

The Prophet sent a Sariya under the command of a man from the Ansar and ordered the soldiers to obey him. He (i.e. the commander) became angry and said "Didn't the Prophet order you to obey me!" They replied, "Yes." He said, "Collect fire-wood for me." So they collected it. He said, "Make a fire." When they made it, he said, "Enter it (i.e. the fire)." So they intended to do that and started holding each other and saying, "We run towards (i.e. take refuge with) the Prophet from the fire." They kept on saying that till the fire was extinguished and the anger of the commander abated. When that news reached the Prophet he said, "If they had entered it (i.e. the fire), they would not have come out of it till the Day of Resurrection. Obedience (to somebody) is required when he enjoins what is good." [Bukhari 5/59/629]

Subhanallah. May Allah protect us from misguidance and from the Fire, ameen!

[1] Abdul Hasib. "A Trip to Your Neighbour." There is no obedience to the creation when it entails disobedience to the Creator. 6 Aug. 2006. 13 Aug. 2006 <http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=9343&page=15&pp=10>.

[2] Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Code of Scholars. University of Toronto, Toronto. August 2005.

• Five Minute Dawa Speech
• 60 Ways to Keep Your Husband’s Love

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!

What Should I Read?

Last month before summer ends, we let the days go by or wrap up summer courses before it all starts over again! To get that degree, we consistently keep up with projects, homework, study for tests, etc. And sure enough, most of us accomplish this 'goal' within the time we aimed for.

But do we have similar goals for learning the deen? It might be something we admired--and perhaps desired--but never really worked for. It is not a shock to find most of us spent our youth and failed to reach any significant levels of acheivement with respect to our knowledge of Islam--which is supposed to be our way of life. Do we prepare to pass this life's test even remotely at the same level as we do for our duniya education and goals? How regularly do we study the Qur'an or the Arabic language?

If you have asked any of the above questions, you are amongst the thousands of muslims facing the same problem. What is the resolution? Study the Qur'an and the sunnah of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وس) on a regular basis.

The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وس) said, "I am leaving you with two murshids." The term murshid refers to the one who guides to the right path. The first is the talking murshid, the Qur'an, the second is the silent murshid, mawt or death. These are the only two things that will lead us to the right path: learning Qur'an and remembering death. If we truly remember death, we realize we have a deadline, and would work towards our goals in an efficient manner. Insha'Allah, the following outlines a recommended routine.

Try to read the Qur'an on a regular basis. It is better to read small portions consistently, rather than large portions occasionally. A good start would be from the interpretation of the 30th juzu: pray qiyam, and read from it at night. Those who say they do not feel submissive prayers should try this and see the results. This way, you truly taste the sweetness of qiyam. Suggested choices for interpretation:

• Mukhtasar Tafseer Ibn-Katheer (The Abridged Interpretation of Ibn-Katheer).
• Fee thilal Al Qur’an (In the Shade of the Qur’an) by Sheik Sayyed Kutb (part 6 has the 30th juz interpretation)

Try to observe what time of the week most of the family members are around. Read one topic from a book weekly with them. Even if you cannot cover the full topic, set up the family halaqa to be at least an hour long. You can incorporate this with any picnics or outgoing activities that your family takes part in to make it more enjoyable and rewarding! Some good books include:

• Riyad As-Saliheen (The Gardens of the Pious) by Al-Imam An-Nawawi. Explains kind treatment towards parents, Qiyam, praying at masjid, etc. and it states all the authentic ahadith only for the specific topics.
• Al-Imam An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith, Commentary by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo

The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وس) said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself." [Bukhari]

How many of us claim that we love the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وس) more then ourselves? How much do we know about him? In order to truly love him more then ourselves, we must first learn the seerah, learn about his life, learn about manners, and learn about his sunnah. A good way to do this is to set goals for yourself, to read at least one book that allows you to learn more about the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وس) and derive lessons for yourself. This can be done monthly or bi-monthly, depending on how fast you read. Suggested books:

• Fiqh As-Seerah (understanding the life of the Prophet) by Sheikh Said Ramadan Al-Buty.
• Ar-Raheek Al-Makhtoom (The Sealed Nectar), it teaches of the life of prophet as well as lessons that can be taken from it.
• Fiqh As-Sunnah (Understanding the Tradition of the Prophet, especially part 1) by Sheikh Sayyed Sadek. Outlines how the Prophet performed wudu’ (ablution), prayed, fasted and so on in detail.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) allow us all to make the best use of our limited lifespans, ameen!

• Arabic Grammar: It’s All in the Vowels
• The Qur’an: It’s All For You!
• The Key to Learning Arabic
• A Minute at a Time
• Advice from an Older Brother: Study your Deen

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!

Huruwful Jarr: Prepositions

In English, we have words like "from", "to", "with", etc. These are called prepositions. They exist in Arabic, too--"huruful jaar" (حُرُوقُ الجَرّ).

Huruwful jarr modify the words immediately after them, which are called "majruwr" (مَجرُور).

In Arabic Grammar, majurwr words always take kasra (either single or double).

(The one exception is feminine names, which take fatha.)

So for example, if we have a book (kitaabun), then we add the preposition with (bi), it becomes "bi kitaabin" (بِ كِتَابٍ). Or if we have the car (as-sayaaratu), and we add the preposition on (3ala), it becomes "3ala sayaarati" (عَلَى سَيَارَةِ).

Wallahu 'alim. There are only about 17 huruwful jarr, so memorize them inshaAllah. May Allah give us a persistant understanding of this simple but crucial element of Arabic Grammar, ameen!

fiy (فِي): in

ila (إلَ): to (eg. travel to)

3ala (عَلَى): on (top of)

min (مِن): from

li (لِ): for (eg. for you)

ma3a (مَعَ): with

bi (بِ): at/in/with

7atta (حَتَّ): until

munthu (مُنذُ): since

3an (عَن): about

ka (كَ): like/as

[1] Faynan, Rafi' El-Imad. The Essential Arabic: a Learner's Practical Guide. New Delhi: Goodword Books, 2004. 23-24.

• Death Du’a Dissected
• Accelerate Your Arabic

Like this post? Get instant ilm-ification via our RSS feed or through email!