MB01-KHADIJAH BINT KHAWAYLID R.A.

Khadijah-04/04

Khadijah (ra), passes away.

Khadija ra, passed away just three years before Hijrah
She died at the age of sixty-five, having given almost twenty-five years to Muhammad saws, and the cause of Islam

When Muhammad (saw) saw her in the throes of death he consoled her saying, Allah swt had so ordained it, and that the thing she was dreading, would prove favorable fpr her.
Her eyes lit up and as she gazed at her beloved husband, her soul left her earthly body.

The Prophet (saws) buries his beloved wife

Khadija’s ra, grave was prepared at a place called Hujjoon near Makkah.
Muhammad saws stepped into the grave to see everything was as it should be, and with his own hands lowered her gently into it.
Thus passed away the mother of all Muslims, the one who had sacrificed her all for Islam.
Inna Lillaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioon.

When the Prophet (saw) was asked about his grief he replied.

He (saw), replied, “ it is only natural that i should bbe touched by her absence, as she had been a loving mother to my now neglected children: she had been a loyal and sympathetic wife who shared my secrets. I was only human and natural that I should feel her loss as she was there for me during my most difficult times.

His (saw), love for her showed in his actions after her (ra), death

A companion of the Prophet saws, narrates that whenever any gift was brought to him saws, he would immediately send it to some lady who had been friend of Khadija ra
Aishah ra, narrates; “ whenever a goat was slaughtered the Prophet saws, would send some meat to Khadija’s ra, friends; when she remarked about this on one occasion he told her, “I have great regard for her friends, as she has a special place in my heart”.
Aishah narrates, whenever Muhammad saws spoke of Khadija ra, he would talk at great length and praise her qualities, and pray for her forgiveness.

As Allah swt says in Surah Al-Fajr (89:27-30)

“O the one in complete rest in satisfaction! come back to your lord-well pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing
(unto him)! Enter you them among My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise” (89:27-30)

MB01-KHADIJAH BINT KHAWAYLID R.A.

Khadijah-03/04

The Prophet (saw) had six children by Khadija (ra).
four daughters and two sons.

Zainab (ra), was married to Abul’Aas bin Rabee’ah
Ruqayyah (ra,) was married to Uthman (ra), when she passed away he Uum Kulthom (ra )
Fatimah (ra) was married to Ali bin Abi Talib (ra )
They all migrated to Al-Madinah, with the Prophet saws the first three daughter died during the lifetime of Muhammad (saw), and his beloved Fatimah (ra), lived just six months after he (saw) passed away .

The Prophet’s (saw) sons

The Prophet saws, had three sons, two by Khadija (ra) and he (saw), came to be known as Abu Qasim.

Qasim & Abdullah, who was also known as Tahir (the pure) or Tayyab (the good). Both died in their childhood. The prophet saws had a third son by Maria Qibtiyyah( ra), named Ibrahim who also died at infancy

The Prophet saws was granted Al-Kauthar

The Prophets’s saws enemies now started calling him Abtar, the one who had no descendants, whose lineage was cut off. but, Allah swt had more lasting bounties in store for him saws. He revealed the verses of ….

Translation (Surah Kauthar)
BEHOLD, we have bestowed upon you good in abundance
hence, pray unto your lord [alone], and sacrifice [to him alone].
Verily, whoever dislikes you has indeed been cut off [from all that is good]!

Khadija (ra) a pillar of strenght during Shi’ab Abi Talib.

Shi’ab Abi Talib (boycot of Abi Talib) was so severe that innocent children faced starvation and hunger and adults survived eating the leaves of trees.
Yet the firm followers of Muhammad saws, did not turn away from their true religion and they came out of the ordeal stronger and purer than before.
Khadija ra, who had been brought up in luxury in her wealthy father’s home, now faced the economic hardships with patience and courage, which are a necessary part of any siege.

Greetings from Allah swt for Khadija ra.

Khadija’s ra, nobility of character and conduct during this trial pleased Allah swt so much that He swt, sent special greetings for her ra.
This incident was quoted in Sahih Al-Bukhari.

Khadija’s home a center of Islam

Khadija (ra), was the ideal wife and mother
The prophet saws lived in her ra, house which became a blessed place due to his saws, presence and the fact that Jibril as, came often to visit him there with Quranic revelations.
It became the center of Islam, where the companions and women companions visited often to partake of the hospitality of Muhammad (saw), and his wife Khadijah (ra)

Khadija’s( ra) blessed home later the house of Allah swt.

After the Hijra (migration) of the Prophet s(aw) to Al-Madinah, the house was occupied by the brother of Ali (ra). later Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan (ra) who transcribed some of the Divine Revelations purchased this house and built a mosque there.
Thus, the site of the house of Khadija (ra,) became a place of prayer and worship for all time.

The narration of Afif Kindi.

Afif Kindi relates that Abbas bin Abdul Mutallib was a great friend of his and he used to visit him often in Yemen in connection with his business in perfumes.
On one occasion when they were standing and chatting in Mina, they saw a handsome young man approach. This man carefully washed his hands and feet and then stood respectfully with his arms crossed on his chest. Then he saw a dignified lady of noble bearing and a young handsome lad join him.

Afif asked Abbas, what they were doing and whether this was a new form of exercise. Abbas replied that the youth was his brother Abdullah’s son, (ie. Muhammad saw) and the lady was his wife (i.e.Khadija ra) she was a woman of great wealth and virtue, and an ideal wife and mother. The lad was his brother Abu Talib’s son (i.e. Ali ibn Abi Talib ra)
Muhammad (saw) had announced that he was a messenger of Allah swt, and had started preaching a new religion called Islam.In due course Afif accepted Islam, but he always regretted the fact that he had not joined Muhammad (saw) and his Companions in their prayers and supplication on that memorable day in Mina, when he had first heard of Islam

MB01-KHADIJAH BINT KHAWAYLID R.A.

Khadijah-02/04

Nafeesah bint Manbah helps Khadijah (ra).

One of Khadija’s ra, very close friends, Nafeesah bint Manbah offered to go herself and take Khadija’s ra, proposal to Muhammad saws. She went immediately to Muhammad saws, and asked him if he would be willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble and wealthy family, who was inclined towards marriage with him.

Prophet Muhammad’s saws acceptance of the proposal

The Prophet (saw) accepted Khadija (ra), proposal
He saws was then twenty-five years of age and Khadija ra, was forty years old.(some says 28 years old)
The two uncles of the prophet saws, Hamza ra, and Abu Talib approached her uncle Umar bin Asad, with the formal proposal. It was accepted and the date was fixed.

Halimah Sa’adiah the Prophet’s saw wet-nurse

Halimah Sa’adiah who nursed the Prophet saws in his infancy was specially invited for the wedding and traveled to Makkah from her village. When she left after festivities, Khadija ra, presented her with many household goods of utility, a camel and forty goats as an expression of gratitude, to the lady who had taken such good care of Muhammad saws, in his infancy.

Khadija’s ra, children from Prophet (saw).

Khadija ra, was very blessed in the marriage with the prophet saws, and had six children.
First two sons, Qasim and Abdullah
Then followed the daughters, Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah r anhum. They were wonderful intelligent children and it was very happy, peaceful and content household.

The Prophet’s saws, first revelation began during his marriage with Khadija (ra).

He (saw) would retire for a month once a year to the cave of Hira to dedicate himself entirely to prayer and meditation. One day he felt the presence of another being who held him tight embrace and asked him to “Read in the name of Allah who created” and after several times of asking he saws, read these Ayat, which were the first revelation of the Qur’an.

Surah Iqra or Alaq
Translation Iqra/Alaq 1-5

"Read in the name of your Lord who created man out of a clot of blood
Read –for your Lord is the most bountiful one
Who has taught [man] the use of pen
Taught man what he did not know! "

Khadija (ra), a picture of loyalty and serenity

The Prophet (saw), had an awesome experience and returned home sweating and shaking. He called out to Khadija (ra), asking her to cover him with a sheet.
When he had calmed down to some extent, he told his wife that he feared for his life, and narrated the whole incident to her.

Khadija (ra), consoled him saying that Allah swt would surely protect him from any danger,and would never allow anyone to revile him as he was a man of peace and reconciliation and always extended the hand of friendship to all. he never lied,always hospitable, carried the burdens of others and helped those who were in trouble.

The Effect of Khadija,s (ra) words.
These soothing and encouraging words of sympathy and understanding from Khadija (ra), gave him immeasurable strenght and confidence. His saws, onward experiences of revelation became easy for him due to the support and comfort of his beloved wife

MB01- KHADIJAH BINT KHAWAYLID R.A.

Khadijah-01/04

KHADIJAH (RA)

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (ra)
· Jibril came to Prophet saws and said , “O Allah’s Messenger! This is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah swt) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil (fatigue, trouble,etc.).” Al Bukhari

Khadijah (ra) Honored by Allah (swt)

· She (ra) was the first lady ever to be blessed with the honor and distinction of having been greeted Salam by ALLah swt and the angel jibril khadija ra, was a perfect image of faithfulness,

A model of Integrity
Khadija ra, A model of Modesty
Khadija ra, A model of Good manners
Khadija ra, A model of Nobility
Khadija ra, A model of Generosity
Khadija ra, A model of Wisdom
Khadija ra, A model of Understanding

The first and only wife of Prophet saws for more than 24 yrs

Khadija ra, and Prophet saws, spent those years living together in peace and harmony

Abdulla bin Abbas ra, narrated
One day the Prophet (saw) drew four lines on the earth and asked his Companions if they understood better. He saws, then told them that these lines stood for the four foremost ladies of the universe. They were Khadijah bint Khawaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, the mother of prophet Isa and Asiah bint Mazahim (the wife of Pharaoh)

Khadija (ra) has the distinction of the first Mother of believers

· The first named ie, Khadija ra, has the distinction of being the mother of all the believers. the mother of Fatimah ra, Fatimah will be the first lady of paradise Khadija the grandmother of the beloved grandchildren of the Prophet saws, ie, Hassan and Hussain ra, who are to be the foremost of the youths in paradise.

Khadija’s ( ra), birth and lineage

Khadija ra, was born in Makkah in the year, 556ce.
her mother’s name was Fatimah bint Za’ed
her fathers’ name was Khawaylid bin Asad. He was a very popular leader among the tribe of Quraish, and a very prosperous businessman who died while fighting in the famous battle of Fujjar.

Khadija’s (ra) marriages

Khadija ra, married Abu Halah Malak bin Nabash bin Zarrarah bin At-Tamimi. She bore him two children, Halah and Hind. He passed away.

Khadija ra, later as a young widow married Atique bin Abdullah Al-Makhzoumi, and she had a daughter by him Hindah. This marriage soon broke up on the grounds of incompatibility.

The Prophet Muhammad saws, was Khadija’s ra last marriage which lasted for more than 24 years until she passed away and left our beloved Prophet saws heartbroken and in sorrow.

Khadija’s Introduction to the Prophet (saw).

Khadija (ra), had heard of the integrity, honesty and principled behaviour of the Prophet saws and sent a job offer to him to head her trading caravans. He gladly accepted the offer and started working for her (ra.)

Nestora’s prediction of the Prophet (saw)

Nestora a jewish monk, noted for his knowledge of religion and for his insight saw Prophet saws resting under a tree on the way back from his business trip.
He told Khadija’s (ra), servant Maisarah, “This man would be elevated to Prophethood in the future, as no man had ever rested under that particular tree but prophets.

Maisarah witnessing a cloud

Tradition has it that Maisarah saw two angels bearing cloud over Prophet’s saws, head to protect him from the glare and heat of the sun. He was stunned and overcome at being blessed in the companionship of one chosen by Allah swt as his Messenger.

Khadija’s (ra), desire to propose marriage to Prophet (saw)

Maisarah returns home and informs Khadija ra, of all that had taken place on the trip to Syria.
she was deeply moved and impressed and started thinking of proposing marriage to Muhammad (saw)

She (ra) had already rejected several proposals of marriage from men belonging to some of the noblest families of the Quraish, and wondered how her tribe would react to this proposal
She (ra) was also concerned if an unmarried younger man would accept her proposal.

W3-The Wisdom Behind Prophet's (saw) Marriages(Ruling of Plural Marriages)

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· Allah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning)

“And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls then you marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice” [Al-Nisa’ 4:3]

· It should be noted that there are conditions attached to plural marriages

· Justice or fairness

· The ability to spend on one’s wives

The wisdom behind permitting plural marriages

· Plural marriage helps to increase the numbers of the ummah (nation, Muslim community).

· It is known that the numbers can only be increased through marriage, and the number of offspring gained through plural marriage will be greater than that achieved through marriage to one wife.

· Statistics show that the number of women is greater than the number of men
· If each were to marry just one woman, this would mean that some women would be left without a husband,

· Which would have a harmful effect on her and on society

· Men are exposed to incidents that may end their lives, for they work in dangerous professions.

· They are the soldiers who fight in battle, and more men may die than women.

· This is one of the things that raise the percentage of husbandless women, and the only solution to this problem is plural marriage

· There are some men who may have strong physical desires, for whom one wife is not enough.

· If the door is closed to such a man and he is told, you are not allowed more than one wife,

· This will cause great hardship to him, and his desire may find outlets in forbidden ways.

· Plural marriage does not exist only in the Islamic religion, rather it was known among the previous nations.

· Some of the Prophets were married to more than one woman.

· The Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (Solomon) had ninety wives. At the time of the Prophet (saws) there were some men who became Muslims who had eight or five wives.

· The Prophet (saws) told them to keep four wives and to divorce the rest.

· A wife may be barren, or she may not meet her husband’s needs, or he may be unable to have intercourse with her because she is sick.

· A husband may long to have children, which is legitimate desire, and he may want to have a sex life within marriage, which is something permissible, and the only way is to marry another wife.

· It is only fair for the wife to agree to remain his wife and to allow him to marry another.

· A woman may be one of the man’s relatives and to have no one to look after her, and she is unmarried or a widow whose husband has died

· The man may think that the best thing to do for her is to include her in his housewife along with his first wife, so that he will both keep her chaste and spend on her.

· This is better for her than leaving her alone and being content only to spend on her.

· There are other shar’i interests that call for plural marriages, such as strengthening the bonds between families, or strengthening the bonds between a leader and some of his people or group,

· He may think that one of the ways of achieving this aim is to become related to them through marriage, even if that is through plural marriage.

Objection

· Some people may object and say that plural marriage means having co-wives in one house, and that disputes and enmity that may arise between co-wives will have an effect on the husband, children and other

· This is harmful and should be avoided, and the only way to prevent that is to ban plural marriage.

Response to the Objection

· The response to that is that family arguments may occur even when there is only one wife, and they may not even happen when there is more than one wife, as wee see in real life.

· Even if we assume that there may be more arguments than in a marriage to one wife, even if we accept that they may be harmful and bad, the harm is outweighed by the many good things in a plural marriage.

· Life is not entirely bad or entirely good, but what everyone hopes is that the good will outweigh the bad, and this principle is what applies in the permission of plural marriage.

Another objection

· If we allow men to have plural wives, why are women not allowed to have multiple husbands, why does a woman not have the right to marry more than one man?

Response to this Objection

· There is no point in giving a woman the right to marry multiple husbands, rather that is beneath her dignity and she would not know the lineage of her children, because she is the one bears the offspring

· It is not permissible for the offspring to be formed from the sperm of a number of men lest the lineage of the child be lost and no one will know who is responsible for bringing up the child

· This will lead to breakdown of families, loss of ties between fathers and children, which is not permitted in Islam as it is not in the interests of the woman or of the child or of society as a whole.

W2-The Wisdom Behind Prophet's (saw) Marriages

Wisdom-2

The Prophet (saw) Marriage to Safiyyah bint Huyay bin Akhtab (ra)

His saws, marriages to is captives: Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith and Safiyyah bint Huyay bin Akhtab (ra), not only show how Islam tolerates mixed marriages based on social status, but also shows the high regard given to women.
Instead of making them slaves, being his captives, he married them and gave them the highest status of women being among the “Mothers of the Believers.”
It further shows how the Prophet (saw) freed women from the bondage of slavery.

ISLAM PERMITS MARRIAGE WITH ‘THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK’

The Prophet (saw) also demonstrated that Islam permits inter religious marriage with the People of the Book by marrying Safiyyah bin Hujay bint Akhtab (ra), Jew
and Maria (ra), a Christian from Egypt.
Both of them embraced Islam and became among the “Mothers of the Believers.”

THE PROPHET’S MARRIAGE TO Sawda bint Zam’a (ra)

With the Prophet’s (saw) marriage to Sawda bint Zam’a (ra), a widower i.e. The Prophet( saw), can opt to marry a middle-aged, kind, jovial, and widowed woman like Sawda (ra) who can take care of his children.

The Prophet’s ‘saws’ Marriage to Umm Salamah (ra)

Had the Prophet saws, not married Umm Salamah (RA), a widow with many children, he would not have demonstrated is virtuous teachings on the care of the orphans.
He saws, showed kindness to them just like his real children.

The wisdom in the Prophet (saws) Marriages to Widows with children.

The Prophet’s (saw) marriages to Hafsah bint Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra), Zainab bint Khuzaimah (ra) and Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi Omaiyah (ra), all widows, show that men should show sympathy and care for widows by marrying them.

The Prophet’s (saw) marriage to his cousin, Zainab bint Jahsh (ra)

The Prophet’s (saw) marriage to his cousin Zainab bint Jahsh (ra), who was divorced by his adopted son, Zaid (ra) , shows that in Islam, it is lawful for man to marry his first degree cousin.

It is also lawful for a man to marry a woman, divorced by his adopted son.
A command by Allah swt, directly thru the Qur’an, to Prophet saws Qur’anic Evidence ( Al-Ahzab 33:37)

Translation (Al Ahzab 33:37)

“And (remember) when you said to him [Zaid Ibn Harithah (ra) – the freed –slave of the Prophet (saw)] on whom Allah has bestowed Grace (by guiding him to Islam) and you [O Muhammad (saw) too] have done favor (by manumitting him) “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allah. “But you did hide in yourself (i.e. what Allah has already made known to you that He will give her to you in marriage) that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the (i.e. Muhammad (saw) married the divorced wife of his manumitted slave) whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him. So when Zaid had accomplished is desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there maybe no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allah’s Command must be filled.” (Al-Ahzab 33:37)

The plural marriages of the Prophet (saw) are a guidance of the believers

· They serve s guides on the do’s and don’ts of marriages in Islam.
· All the types of marriages that we derive from the Prophet’s (saw) plural
marriages are based on the following words of Allah (SWT),

Qur’anic Evidence
Translation (Al-Maidah 5:5)

“(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from those who were given the scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time, when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends…”(Al-Ma’idah 5:5)

The Prophet( saw) showed the practical implementation of Islam

· All of he types of marriages are demonstrated by the Prophet (saw) show that Islam is indeed, complete, rational, and practical for all times and all places.

Qur’anic Evidence
Translation (Al-Ahzab 33:50)

“O Prophet [Muhammad (SAW)]! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal –money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (captives or slaves) whom your right hand possesses-whom Allah has given to you, and the daughters of ‘Amm (paternal uncles) and the daughters of your ‘Ammah (paternal aunts) and the daughters of your Khal (maternal uncles) and the daughters of your Khalah (maternal aunts) who migrated (from Makkah) with you, and the believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her;- a priviledge for you only, not for the (rest of) believers. Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and those (captive or slaves) whom their right hands possess,-in order that there should be no difficulty on you. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Ahzab 33:50)

In short, Islam is the perfect religion for all mankind!
Allahu Akhbar!

W1-The Wisdom Behind Prophet's (saw) Marriages

Wisdom-1

The Prophet’s (saw) plural marriages are an example for us to follow

Each marriage set the path to all possible types of marriages in Islam.

The Prophet’s (saw), marriage to Khadijah (ra)
The Prophet’s (saw), marriage to Khadijah (RA) showed that it is permissible for a man to marry a woman who is older than him, for a poor and orphan man to marry a wealthy woman, for an employee to marry his employer, and for bachelor to marry a widow.

PROPHET’S (saw) MARRIAGE TO AISHA (ra) & HAFSAH (ra)

As in the case of Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra). A man can choose to marry a young and intelligent woman like Aisha (ra).
He can marry his friends daughter in the same way as the Prophet (saw) married Aisha and Hafsah (ra), the daughters of his closest friends: Abu Bakr and Umar (ra) in order to foster ties of relationships.

In addition, Islam allows the practice of bethrothal before entering into the marriage to Aisha (ra).
The Prophet’s Marriage to
Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith (ra)
Umm Habiba o Ramlah (ra)

A man can marry his enemy’s daughters as the Prophet (saw) married:
Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith, the head of Bani Al-Mustaliq of Khuza’ah and
Umm Habiba or Ramlah (ra), the daughter of Abu Sufyan (ra). Note that both Harith and Abu Sufyan (ra) were bitter enemies of Islam.

The Prophet’s (saw) marriages to their daughters show how Islam goes for peace and reconciliation.

Islam also permits marriage in absentia eg. Umm Habibah’s (ra)

As in the case of his marriage to Umm Habiba or Ramlah (ra), the daughter of Abu Sufyan (ra), who was in Abyssinia.
The Prophets ‘saw’ marriage to Maria (ra)
Likewise, it is allowed for a man to marry woman of low social class as in the case of Maria (ra), who was given to the Prophet (saw) as a present by the ruler of Egypt.
The Prophet (saw) elevated her status by marrying her, instead of making her his slave.

H15- 40 HADITH ( Manners of Muslims)

HADITH-15

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest."
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Background
This hadith contains the rulings concerning the tongue and the behaviour of Muslims towards others. It also emphasises that we are responsible for what we say.
Imam Haithami points out that this hadith is very similar in meaning to Hadith 13 that says: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." He says that everyone is a neighbour to someone else. Therefore if this hadith is properly practiced and applied, then there will be a strong bond and love within the society or community.

Lessons
The responsibility of the Muslim regarding what he says is mentioned in the Qur'an:
"Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it"[Surah Qaf (50): ayat 18].

There are also other hadiths which state that the Muslim should be careful about what he says. His words can either, if they are pleasing to Allah, raise him to a higher level; or if his words displease Allah, they may cause him to be thrown into the Hellfire - as stated in a hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari. This shows that what we say can have a direct effect on whether it will benefit us or not.

One hadith (which illustrates the example of a bad consequence resulting from what a person says) states that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said that a pious man from Bani Israel use to see his fellow man always committing sins. On day the pious man swore to the sinner: "By Allah, He will never forgive you." Allah was displeased with what the pious man said because only Allah knows what is our destiny, whether someone will end up in Paradise or Hell. Because of this, when the two men died, the pious man was punished and put into Hell and the sinner was forgiven by Allah. [Sunan Abu Daud]

What we can learn here is that either we say something beneficial and good or else we should keep silent.

There are many Islamic guidelines which help us to say good things and to refrain from saying bad things, or things which displeases Allah subhana wa ta'ala. When we talk to others, whether it is relatives, friends, neighbours, etc., we should select the best terms/words and say them in a nice way. We should ensure that what we say is clear and easily understood. If we are not careful and we do not choose the right words, what we say may be misinterpreted and may lead to conflicts.

As a listener, we have to listen positively and interpret what we hear in a good way. We should not 'over interpret' what we hear; we should not try to 'read between the lines'. Thus, as a speaker we say things in a positive manner and as a listener we interpret things in a positive manner. By doing so Islam encourages us to minimise disputes and conflicts.
If we find ourselves in the middle of a dispute between two people, e.g. between relatives, we should not take sides. We should try to help and reconcile the differences; try to resolve the problems and end the dispute.

If we are being consulted by someone and asked for our advice, we should try our best to give good advice. What we say should help the person and not add to his confusion or doubt. If we do not have enough knowledge and we cannot provide proper advice, then we should keep silent.
Even if we have information which, as a result, may add to the person's confusion, we should keep it to ourselves.

We should keep away as best as we can from unnecessary or non-beneficial talk. People can talk or chat for hours but a lot of what is said is unimportant or trivial and does not benefit anyone. It wastes our time and this continuous talking may even lead us into areas where we might say something which displeases Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

When it comes to saying good things, there are many examples available: dzikrullah (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Qur'an, du'a, giving advice, etc. These are all things which are pleasing to Allah.

When we meet people who are sick, sad, feeling down, in a low frame of mind, etc., we should say things that will make these people feel better, have patience in facing their calamity, be positive, be strong, etc. This is known as al-muasah - to say good things of encouragement to help those facing problems; to not make them panic. The scholars have defined sabr (patience) as 'to refrain from panicking' - to refrain from being out of control - and to refrain the tongue from complaining.

Complaining, e.g. simply saying that the weather is hot, will lead us to impatience; it can affect our attitude and hence our work. If we want to lament we should lament only with Allah. If we do it with Allah it is munajah - it will turn into ibadah. If we do it with others it will be complaining (tashakki) - we will be violating the ibadah itself, which is sabr. So we should learn to minimise and ultimately eliminate the act of complaining.

We should refrain from saying bad things or things which may be untrue. When we hear some news, we shouldn't simply repeat it or spread it without first verifying if the news is true. This could lead to us spreading lies or rumours. We must refrain from:
spreading rumours, especially those that will cause harm to the community.
slandering, back-biting, etc.
sarcasm and making fun of others - this is one of the most common social ills today. It is a sin to make fun of others.

Sometimes we may encounter a situation which involves fitnah or al-fitan. We have to be careful of what we say. There are people who will take advantage of the situation and they may say things which may worsen the situation. When there is fitnah, people are in a panic and might believe anything. That's why we have to be careful of what we say because it may add to the people's fears and problems. What we should do is to help by saying positive things that will give the people hope; to uplift them and motivate them to face the problems; and not to make it worse.
The second part of this hadith stresses on being courteous and generous to our neighbours and guests. This is stated in the Qur'an - Surah An-Nisa'(4): ayat 36: "…do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possess."

In one hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Jibril kept advising me concerning the neighbour to the point that I thought that he would inherit from his neighbour." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. In another hadith [also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim], it is stated:

"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour."
Another hadith records the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, as saying that the person who does not have complete faith (iman) is the one from whose affairs the neighbour is not safe. Al-Bukhari and Muslim also records another hadith which states that when you cook stew, you should add a little bit more water and give some to your neighbours. This sharing of food between neighbours can strengthen the relationships between them. We should be nice to our neighbours and share our food even if they are not Muslims.

We should be patient with our neighbour even if he causes annoyance to us. In a hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said that there are three types of people whom Allah loves. One of them is a person who has a neighbour who causes him harm or annoyance but he remains patient and tolerates the neighbour.

The 'guest' mentioned in the last part of the hadith is generally interpreted as a travelling visitor who has come to stay for a short while. One hadith states: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. His special gift (to the guest) is one day and night. He (the guest) is to be entertained for three days. Whatever is beyond that is an act of charity. It is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host to the extent that he makes things difficult for him (the host)." [Al-Bukhari]. Thus, the visitor should not take advantage of a generous host.
Regarding this ruling, the majority of the scholars are of the opinion that hosting, in general, is recommended (mustahab) and not obligatory (wajib), even though it is a great and noble act. According to many scholars, the recommended act of hosting does not extend to evildoers or heretics. But some great scholars of today say that we should entertain even evildoers. This is because if we are good Muslims, when we host them and be good to them, we might influence them and cause them to change and become better people. But we should be very cautious if we were to host these sorts of people - we should only do so if we know there will not be any harm that may be inflicted on us.

Hosting evildoers would be following a general principle of Fiqh which allows us to tolerate a minor harm (e.g. allowing an evildoer to stay with us) in order to attain a major benefit (e.g. influencing him into becoming a good Muslim).

Conclusion
This hadith teaches us the proper manners pertaining to speech and entertaining guests. Following the advice given by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, will lead to a more peaceful life and harmonious Islamic society in this life, and attaining the pleasure of Allah in the Hereafter

Source: (Jazak Allahu Khairan)

http://www.fortyhadith.com

Source: (Jazak Allahu Khairan)
http://www.fortyhadith.com/

H14-40 HADITH (The Value of Human Life)

HADITH-14

On the authority of Ibn Mas’ud, radiyallahu anhu, who said: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said:

"The blood of a man who is a Muslim is not lawful (i.e. cannot be lawfully shed), save if he belongs to one of three (classes): a married man who is an adulterer; life for a life (i.e. for murder); one who is a deserter of his religion, abandoning the community.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Background
Before the arrival of Islam, human life had no value. A person can easily be killed for many different reasons, e.g. revenge, to show the superiority of a tribe, killing a newborn baby girl because it was considered a shame, etc.When Islam arrived, it stressed on the value and importance of human life. A life must not be threatened unless it is lawful, i.e. where a serious violation of the shariah had occurred. Islam also made it clear that the taking of a human life is the responsibility of the highest authority, i.e. the judge. This is to prevent this practice from being abused for personal interests.

Islam has established rules and regulations for the community that minimise the need to carry out the execution of a man or woman as allowed by the three cases defined in the hadith. Islam is a peaceful religion and it has established rules where people respect each other and live together peacefully, without lives being threatened. In the case of zina, Islam has rules for the Muslim society that regulate relationships. Hence, it is very difficult for the cases mentioned to occur if these rules and regulations are observed. As for ‘deserting the religion’, the Muslim community is based on knowledge where ilm and da’wah are continuously being disseminated and conveyed. Thus people are aware of their religious obligations and the minds of the society are well-protected from being manipulated. All these measures have been set up by Islam to minimise the occurrences of these exceptional cases where the taking of a human life is allowed.These truly are exceptional cases because during the time of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, (and later during the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs) there were only a few cases where such violations or problems occurred.

This hadith should be seen and understood from a positive viewpoint – it is not legal to kill a Muslim except in one of three cases. Because these three cases are exceptional, it shows that the Muslim blood is valued and treasured and is blessed by Allah subhana wa ta’ala.
In the last sermon of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, during his farewell Hajj (which was a few months before he died), he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, re-emphasised the principle of this hadith which is the sanctity of a Muslim’s blood. Islam encourages Muslims to avoid any kind of act, e.g. violence, injustice, etc. that will lead to violating this principle. All this shows just how important it is not to shed the blood of a Muslim.

Lessons
In Islam what is seen as punishment are actually measures put in place to protect the Muslim society and community. Islam takes precautions to ensure that these evil acts (or the violations of these principles) are minimised. In other words, Islam promotes good values and chastity; it encourages marriage, i.e. the legal relationship between man and woman; Islam also discourages acts that might lead to the violations of this principle, e.g. zina.

Islam makes it clear what the duties and obligations of the Muslim are - how we are to treat and respect each other. Islam places importance in a caring society, where the people, whether rich or poor, care for each other. This minimises hatred and hence conflicts and killings.
Adhering to Islam itself (i.e. to stick to the religion) is another means of minimising the occurrences of the exceptional cases mentioned in the hadith. The evidence is established and da’wah is conveyed and hence the Muslim community is well educated and knowledgeable. They know and understand the religion and their obligations. They are proud to be Muslims and to live in a Muslim community and they can feel the bounty of Allah subhana wa ta’ala. They would never think of forsaking their religion.

But the problem today is that modern technology, e.g. the media, Internet, entertainment, etc., is being misused to promote the three negative cases mentioned: adultery, violence/murder, and apostasy. These are shown as being normal and acceptable for the sake of entertainment. The world today has made bad, unacceptable behaviour and negative elements appear as good and vice versa.

These are serious challenges to the Muslim community today. We have to deal with these challenges very carefully, without forgetting the underlying principles behind this hadith. We have to determine how we can protect the Muslim community from violating these principles. The leaders and du’at of the communities have to determine how to counter or minimise the negative influences of the media, especially in areas like entertainment (TV, movies, etc). We have to study why the rates for things like divorce, adultery, violence and apostasy amongst Muslims are high. We have to revive the true roles of parents, du’ats, teachers, and leaders of the community to solve these problems. We should especially be concerned about protecting the minds and akhlaq (values) of the youths.

There have been many researches and studies that show the negative influences of the media, especially television (e.g. like the book written by Prof Jerry Mander: Four Arguments to Eliminate Television, and the book written by Zig Ziglar: Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World). Studies have shown how television have made children become lazy, physically and mentally, how it affects their academic progress, how it can change their attitude, etc. We Muslims can benefit from these studies by learning from them so as not to allow our children to fall into the same pitfalls.

Another problem is the lack of support within the Muslim communities, in terms of education, health, religious guidance, finance, care, etc. So when certain Muslims are in desperate need for help but no other Muslims are taking the trouble to lend a hand, Christian missionaries would come in and take advantage of the situation. They offer their help, financially, spiritually, etc. There are countries where Muslim families would send their children to Christian schools because it is the Christian schools that have shown greater concern towards the well-being of the Muslim children by providing them with better education and future. This leads to some Muslim families forsaking their religion.

In these sorts of situations, it is the Muslims themselves who are responsible for this apostasy because they do not look out for one another.
Many Muslims today are victims of mind-manipulation where misconceptions created by, for example, Western Orientalists and Christians have influenced their perception and attitude. This results in the Muslim being less careful about his Islam, living a double-standard life – looking at him from one angle, he looks like a Muslim but looking at him from another angle, he doesn’t seem to have the Muslim identity.

This leads to another problem which is the lack of the Muslim identity among the Muslims. There are Muslims today who are promoting non-Muslim identities or speaking highly of other cultures which in the Islamic view may have negative elements. We should maintain and promote our own identity. We can still benefit from progress of the West, e.g. technology advancement, but we should do so in a positive way, without jeopardising the image and values of Islam.

We need to hold more conferences or dialogues and discuss issues like how we can benefit from the positive aspects of technology/change/progress and how to avoid technology misuse. Muslim experts should present their views or propose ideas on how we can achieve this.
We need to discuss these issues which are the real challenges faced by the Muslim community today. We should not just talk about Islamic concepts without putting them in context with reality. We should not just talk about these issues theoretically, simply stating what the rulings on Islam are on this or that matter. We need to have an approach that goes deeper and considers the challenges and strategies we need to put in place in order to help the Muslim community to be positive, confident and proud of their Muslim identity. We need to help them so that they do not become trapped by the challenges they face today.
We need to create awareness among the Muslim community so that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities. We need to see how we can revive the original concepts of Islamic values and behaviour in a way that will work today.

Conclusion
This hadith needs to be looked at in the positive light where the emphasis is on the value of the human life and not on the punishments permissible for the three cases mentioned. Islam has put in place a system which leads to minimising the occurrences of the three cases. There are strategies, obligations, etc., which help the Muslims to avoid these acts.
Opponents of Islam look at the hadith in a negative way where they accuse Islam of being murderous and barbaric. But the truth of the matter is Islam values human life, just as it values chastity (iffah or taharah) - a virtue which has lost its value in these contemporary times because of the evil being promoted by the opponents via the media and negative side of technology. These negative influences have also caused some Muslims to interpret this hadith negatively.

One of the biggest problems today is that with there being more and more challenges, the explanation of the hadith should take into account what the problems are that are facing the Muslims today that violate the principles set up by the hadith. We should look into what we can do to promote the principles and virtues mentioned in the hadith (e.g. to uphold chastity,

valuing human life, that killing is a crime, etc.) and to minimise their violations.

Source: (Jazak Allahu Khairan)

http://www.fortyhadith.com

H13-40 HADITH (Obligation of Loving All Muslims)

HADITH-13

Abu Hamzah Anas bin Malik, radiyallahu 'anhu, who was the servant of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, reported that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"None of you truly believes (in Allah and in His religion) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself"
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Background
In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"The servant does not reach the reality of faith until he loves for others what he loves for himself."

In Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Amr Al-Ass, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"…..Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people as he wishes to be treated by them…"[Sahih Muslim; Book 020, Number 4546]

Lessons
These three hadiths carry similar meanings that is to love for other Muslims what one loves for oneself. They lay down a very significant principle of behaviour of Muslims with each other. A true Islamic community is when it is built upon love and compassion for its members. Every member should care for and help one another. They should treat others in ways they want to be treated.

It is a community with no barriers among the races, colour, mazhab or group or ranks in implementing this Islamic concept of brotherhood and love. All these barriers must be removed for this concept to be realized. Other barriers to be removed include jealousy, selfishness and envy.

Loving goodness for others is part of loving them. We love good things for them as much as we love those things for ourselves. We treat them the way we want them to treat us.
Part of good treatment of others are excusing them and giving them fair chances. For example, if a person commits a mistake, then we should find excuses for them and not jump to conclusions. There are many possibilities or ways for us to excuse others who have committed mistakes, and hence enabling us to live peacefully and avoid confrontations.
When we deal with other Muslims in the community, we should deal in the best manner. We should choose the best words in our conversation. The Qur'an says:

"O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak always the right word"[Surah Al-Ahzab (33) : ayat 70]

"And tell My servants that they should always say those words that are the best. Satan verily, sows a state of conflict and disagreements among them."[Surah Al-Isra' (17) : ayat 53]

Good words can minimize quarreling and confrontations among the members of the society.
Mercy and compassion should exist in our treatment of others. This is related to a very important concept in Islam, which is Al-Wala'. The relationship among the Muslim community members is based on this concept of Al-Wala'. It does not only mean protection, but it also encompasses love, care and help. These are the four aspects of Al-Wala' normally mentioned by the scholars. These aspects are interdependent with each other. For example, to care for others comes after the loving of others. Therefore, in relation to the hadith, Muslims must also love and care about other Muslims.

Another important issue is not to be arrogant. This comes in many forms (as mentioned by the scholars) such as belittling others, looking down on others, looking at oneself as being more superior or better than others, etc. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." A person (amongst his hearers) said: "Verily, a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine." He (the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) remarked: "Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people."[Sahih Muslim: Book 001, Number 0164]

Therefore we need to be humble and show mercy to others. Part of loving goodness for others is to practice mutual consultation, enjoining goodness and forbidding evil. The advice is to be done in a good way, based on loving them and not for seeking personal interest. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, also used to show his love of others when giving advice to them. It may also be good to explicitly tell the listeners that the reason we are advising them is because we love them and we care for them. If an advice is specific for a person, then it should be done in private to avoid offending the person.

Fudhayl ibn Iyad went one step higher in putting this hadith into practice. He mentioned that we should not only wish others to be like us but also to wish them to be better than us. However, he said that this is not obligatory (wajib).

Ibn Rajab said that we should wish other Muslims to be better than us in worshipping (ibadah) and manners (akhlaq), but at the same time we should wish for ourselves to be better than what we are now. It is not good enough to just wish for something good for other Muslims but at the same time we are deficient and not striving to be better Muslims ourselves. It is from the goodness that we have attained that we also love for other Muslims to have. It is not fair to them that we wish for them to attain the same deficiency that we have in ourselves. Therefore, it is a matter of continuous competition among us to attain the goodness.

A related contemporary issue is about the brotherhood in Islam. What criterion should be used in deciding who are the brothers in Islam that they deserve our support? There are many Muslims in the world today, but many of them are weak in iman and violating some principles of Islam. In the past, these people were dissociated by the scholars because they were the minority. However, today it is less appropriate to apply this same principle of disassociation and therefore people with the minimum level of Islam should be considered brothers in Islam. Hence we should care for them and love for them what we love for ourselves. For example, if they commit a sin then we love for them that they leave the sinful act. We should advise them out of our love for them.

Conclusion
This hadith can be practiced at any level, any time and with any Muslim. It can be practiced in different manners, in the form of advising, giving charity, enjoining goodness and forbidding evil.
In practicing the hadith, the various aspects of the hadith and the inter-related concepts must be observed. A concept cannot be observed in isolation as it may cause misunderstanding and incorrect application of the concept itself.

Source: (Jazak Allahu Khairan)

http://www.fortyhadith.com

H12-40 HADITH (Concerned w/Beneficial Matter)

HADITH-12

On the authority of Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said : The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said :
"Part of the perfection of someone's Islam is his leaving alone that which does not concern him."
[Hadith hasan - Recorded by Tirmidhi]

Background

Ibn Rajab, one of the commentators of Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith, mentioned that this hadith is a foundation of manners, behaviour and etiquette in Islam.
Ibn Rajab also quotes Imam Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qairawani, one of the Maliki Imams, as saying that the following four hadiths set the main concept for good manners and behaviour:

The hadith mentioned above.

"Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, .."[Bukhari and Muslim. Refer to Hadeeth 15 of this collection]
A man said to the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam: "Counsel me". He said : " Do not become angry". The man repeated [his request] several times, and he said: "Do not become angry."[Al-Bukhari. Refer to Hadith 16 of this collection]
"None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."[Al-Bukhari. Refer to Hadith 13 of this collection]

Lessons
This hadith states that a believer should avoid things that are of no concern to him. They are of no benefit to this life nor to the hereafter, in terms of belief, speech or actions. In justifying this point, the Maliki jurist Imam Ibn Al-Arabi said that a person is not able to take care of all the necessary matters, why would he then get involved in the unnecessary matters that are of no real concern.

Jamaluddin Zarabozo, one of the contemporary commentators of Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith, emphasises that Islam protects society as a whole from any kind of harm. Much of the harm inflicted on the society are due to people indulging in the unnecessary matters like meddling into the affairs of others when one has no right or responsibility over the particular issue. These types of practices normally lead to great evil in the society. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, recommended a way to avoid societal problems.

He also commented that a believer should train him/herself to concentrate to be involved in the beneficial matters so that this in itself will be the person's attitude. Do not waste time, money and effort in things that are of no benefit in this life and the hereafter.
Putting the hadith in a different way, part of the perfection of faith (iman) of a believer is to be concerned with matters that are beneficial in this life and the hereafter. This is emphasised by another hadith:

"Be keen with what is beneficial to you, and seek help from Allah - do not be reckless."[Tirmidhi]

Muslims have enough matters of concern to the extent one may not have enough time to deal with all of them. This is related to the issue of time management, whereby we need to be involved with matters that are of concern to us.

An important question related to this hadith is what are the things to be of concern to a true believer? Answering this question will enable us to practice this hadith in the right manner.
One of the things that are of concern is to fulfill the obligations (wajib), to perform as much as we can of the recommended or preferable acts (mandub), to avoid the forbidden (haram) and to avoid as much as we can of the makruh (those that are disliked).

Fard-a'yn, an individual obligation, are matters of concern to every one of us. Examples are matters like worship and supplication.

Fard-kifayah, community-wide collective obligations, must not be neglected and should also be matters of concern to us. An example is to work for the betterment of the community. Everyone with their own profession and expertise has a role to contribute towards the community.

Other matters of concern to Muslims are enjoining good and discouraging evil, self-accountability and to practice Ihsan in all that we do. In the Quran:

(Allah) Who created death and life that He may try you, which of you is best in deeds; and He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.[Surah Al-Mulk (67): ayat 2]

As related in Hadith 17 in this collection:

"Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters."[Recorded by Imam Muslim]

Another matter of concern to all Muslims, but is currently lacking among us, is to think about the affairs of oneself, the community and the whole Muslim community (ummah). We need to think of how to further improve our (the Muslims) situation and not just be content with the current situation. This applies in whatever we do, whether we are worshippers, teachers, professionals or preachers. We should only be slaves of Allah and not others. Hence, we should not be enslaved by current methods or routines of doing things. We need to think creatively to improve the situation, in ways not contradicting the sharia'h. In this context, modern tools like 'idea generation' and 'problem solving' can be of great benefit.

We also need to be concerned about the greater challenges facing our community. In this era of technology and communication revolution, many of us are being enslaved intellectually. We need to think about our future generation because we will be responsible before Allah. We need to apply and disseminate our knowledge and not just building 'reservoirs' of knowledge. We need to design our future and not just stand passively and let others design and impose upon us their preconceived scenarios.

Conclusion
Matters of concern to the Muslims cover the affairs of oneself, the community and the whole Muslim community (ummah). We need to create awareness among each other in facing the issues and challenges of the ummah. For example, this can be done through dialogues and talks. Those in authority have a greater responsibility in carrying out this task.
We should be aware not to waste our time and effort in matters that are of no concern to us. We should keep ourselves busy only with matters of benefit to us and to the ummah.

Source: (Jazak Allahu Khairan)

http://www.fortyhadith.com