True and Good Words

Ramadan Special: Journey Through the Qur’an

abdalmutakkabir — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:05:48 +0000

This Ramadan, take a journey through the Qur’an, every day.

Journey Through the Qur’an – Daur-e-Qur’an, is a quick skim-through of the translation of the Qur’an. One juz (or 1/30th) of the Qur’an is covered daily, enabling the class to finish the translation of the Qur’an within the month of Ramadan.

The class is a must-attend for all Muslims so that they can spend their Ramadan with the Qur’an, trying to understand its meaning.

Starting Sunday July 31st
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm online and in-person at the Islamic Community Center of Milton.

Sign-up: http://bit.ly/DQSignUp
Class Link: http://bit.ly/daureQuran

Filed under: Islam, Quran

How to go to Eid-ul-Adha Prayer

abdalmutakkabir — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 05:01:20 +0000

Bismillah.

Let’s revive a sunnah of going to Eid-ul-Adha prayer.

Summary:

1) Shower and dress up.

2) Don’t eat anything before prayer.

3) Make takbir.

4) Change your route when you return.

Step 1: Shower and Dress Up

قال ابن القيم: ( كان يلبس لهما أجمل ثيابه وكان له حلة يلبسها للعيدين والجمعة. وكان ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما يغتسل للعيدين
أخرجه ابن أبي شيبة وعبدالرزاق(3/309) بأسايد صحيحة

Ibn Qayyam said, “The Prophet [SAWS] used to wear for the two Eids the most beautiful of his clothes. And he had a robe that he used to wear for the two Eids and Jum’ah. And ibn Umar [RA] used to bathe for the two Eids.”

[This narration is in Ibn Abi Shaibaah and Abdur Razzaq and is authentic]

Step 2: Don’t Eat Before Leaving for Prayer

يسن أكل تمرات وتراً قبل الخروج إلى الصلاة في عيد الفطر لما رواه البخاري عن أنس أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يغدو يوم الفطر حتى يأكل تمرات ويأكلهن وتراً.
أما في عيد الأضحى فالسنة ألا يأكل حتى يرجع من المصلى فيأكل من أضحيته إن كان له أضحية، وذلك لما رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه وأحمد من
حديث بريدة (أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان لا يأكل يوم الأضحى حتى يرجع). زاد أحمد: (فيأكل من أضحيته

It is sunnah to eat dates in odd numbers before leaving for the prayer of Eidul Fitr, as narrated from Bukhari from Anas [RA] that the Prophet [SAWS] used to not leave for the prayer of Eidul Fitr until he ate dates, and he ate an odd number.

As for Eidul Adha, the sunnah is to not eat until returning from the prayer and to eat from the sacrificial meat if it is available, as narrated by Tirmidhi and ibn Majah and Ahmad in the hadith from Buraidah [RA] that, “The Prophet [SAWS] used to not eat on Eidul Adha until he returned (from prayer)” and in the narration from Ahmad, “and he would eat from his sacrificial meat”.

Note: If the sacrificial meat isn’t available, then it is not a problem, insha Allah.

Step 3: Make Takbir

وجاء عن عمر رضي الله عنه: ( أنه كان يُكبّر من صلاة الغداة يوم عرفة إلى صلاة الظهر من آخر أيام التشريق )
رواه ابن أبي شيبة بسند حسن

It is narrated about Umar [RA] that he used to make Takbir from the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah) until the Dhuhr prayer of the last day of Tashreeq (13th of Dhul Hijjah).

[Narrated by ibn Abi Shaibah with a good chain of narration]

Note: A good handout on the forms of the takbeerat.

Step 4: Change Your Route When You Return

عن جابر قال: كان النبي إذا كان يوم عيد خالف الطريق
رواه البخاري
أي يخرج عن طريق ويرجع عن طريق آخر

It is narrated from Jabir [RA] that on the day of Eid, the Prophet [SAWS] used to change his route (to/from the prayer).

[Narrated by Bukhari]

Explanation: He [SAWS] would go to prayer from one route and return from another route.

Filed under: Hadith, Islam, Revive A Sunnah

Slaughtering on Eid-ul-Adha: Is it Obligatory?

abdalmutakkabir — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:35:26 +0000

Bismillah.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: “مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ سَعَةٌ وَلَمْ يُضَحِّ فَلَا يَقْرَبَنَّ مُصَلَّانَا”.

أخرجه ابن ماجه، والحاكم وصححه الألباني.

It is narrated from Abu Hurairah [RA] that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“Whoever has the capacity to offer a sacrifice (i.e. slaughter an animal as a sacrifice) and he doesn’t do so should not come close to our place of prayer (i.e. the place of Eid prayer, meaning shouldn’t come close to the Eid salah).”

[Reported by ibn Majah and Hakim, authenticated by Sh Al-Albani]

Vocabulary from the Hadtih

سَعَةٌ – capacity.

يُضَحِّ – to sacrifice, to offer a ritual sacrifice by slaughtering an animal.

مُصَلَّانَا – our place of prayer.

Lessons from the Hadith

Sh Ali ibn Hasan Al-Halabi comments:

“The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the one who doesn’t offer a sacrifice should not come close to our place of prayer. And he صلى الله عليه وسلم said in another hadith that ‘Its a responsibility for the people of every household that they offer a sacrifice every year’.

The scholars, however, have differed in the ruling of sacrifice. The majority says that it is a very highly recommended act, one that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم always did (sunnah muakkadah). The Hanafis and ibn Taymiyyah say that it is obligatory.

However, it is established that the two great companions – Abu Bakr and Umar – used to not offer a sacrifice in some years. It is said that they did it so that the people do not suppose this to be an obligation. So this is what Abu Bakr and Umar did in the earliest of times, doing so to clarify what they saw as the correct opinion in the ruling of sacrifice. However, this does not render a capable, relatively well-off person free of the responsibility of offering a sacrifice. Rather, he should offer the sacrifice every year until he dies. Sh Al-Albani used to say, ‘Many people take loans for wordly things. There is nothing preventing them for taking loans for religious rituals, like ritual sacrifice!’

The correct ruling is that it is not obligatory. However, its very highly recommended and should be done every year.”

Filed under: Hadith, Islam

Virtues of the Month of Dhul Hijjah

abdalmutakkabir — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 21:57:35 +0000

Bismillah.

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: “أَفْضَلُ أَيَّامِ الْدُّنْيَا أَيَّامُ الْعَشْرِ، يَعْنِي عَشْرُ ذِي الحْجَّةِ“

رواه البزار وابن حبان وصححه الألباني

It is narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah [RA] that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“The best days of the world are the ten days, the ten days of Dhul Hijjah.”

[Reported by Bazzar and ibn Habban and authenticated by Sh Al-Albani]

Vocabulary from the Hadtih

أَفْضَلُ – the best.

أَيَّامِ – days.

الْعَشْرِ – the ten.

Lessons from the Hadith

- The scholars have explained that the best days are the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah and the best nights are the last ten nights of Ramadan. There are several reasons why these days are the best:

1) Allah [SWT] swore by them in Surah Fajr, v. 2.

2) These are the well-known days mentioned in Surah Hajj, v. 28, wherein the remembrance of Allah is ordained.

3) The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned (in a hadith reported by Bukhari) that these 10 days are the most beloved days to Allah for worship and good deeds.

4) The day of Arafat – the day when Hajj happens, when sins are forgiven, when souls are freed from the hell-fire – comes in these days.

5) The day of slaughter (i.e. Eid-ul-Adha) comes in these days.

6) Ibn Hajar says, “In these days, all the major acts of worship are combined. That is, in it there is prayer, charity, fasting and hajj. This does not occur in any other set of days except the ten days of Dhul Hijjah”.

- Some deeds that should be done in these days are:

1) Doing Hajj and Umrah in these days, and this is the best thing to do in these 10 days.

2) If not at Hajj, then fasting in these days is highly recommended. In particular, the fasting of the Arafah (the 9^th day of Dhul Hijjah) expiates sins for the year before and after (reported by Muslim). Imam Nawawi says, “Fasting the first 9 days – since 10^th day is Eid – is highly, highly recommended (صيامها مستحب استحباباً شديداً)”.

3) Prayer, in particular praying in Jamah and increasing the nawafil.

4) Charity.

5) Saying the takbeerat, Alhamdulillah and La ilaha il-lal-lah excessively and verbally.

Filed under: Islam

How to Remove Sins

abdalmutakkabir — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:40:16 +0000

Bismillah.

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَوْصِنِي, قَالَ: “إِذَا عَمِلْتَ سَيِّئَةً فَأَتْبِعْهَا حَسَنةً تَمْحُهَا” قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَمِنَ الْحَسَنَاتِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ؟ قَالَ: “هِيَ أَفْضَلُ الْحَسَنَاتِ”. أخرجه أحمد (5/169 ، رقم 21525) وحسَّنه الألباني في “السلسلة الصحيحة” (3 / 361).

It is reported by Abu Dharr [RA]:

I said, “Oh Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, advise me!”

He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “When you do a bad deed, follow it up with a good deed that will erase it”.

It was said, “Oh Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, is La ilaha ill-lal-lah from good deeds?”

He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, “It is the best/most virtuous of good deeds.”

[Narrated by Ahmad, verified by Sh. AlAlbani]

Filed under: Hadith, Islam