Question #38634: When should the one who is praying behind the imam bow? When the imam says takbeer, or straight after the takbeer, or when?

Question #38634: When should the one who is praying behind the imam bow? When the imam says takbeer, or straight after the takbeer, or when?


Question :

When we are praying behind the imam, when should we start to bow? Should we bow when we hear the imam say Allaahu akbar or during that or after he has finished saying it?.


Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

What is prescribed for the one who is praying behind the imam is to follow his imam, not to do anything before him or at the same time as him, or to delay doing it. Rather he should do things straight after his imam does them.

This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (378) and Muslim (417), from the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says takbeer, then say takbeer; when he bows, then bow (and do not bow until he bows); when he says Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah, then say Allaahumma rabbana laka’l-hamd. If he prays standing, then pray standing.” The phrase in brackets was added in the version narrated by Abu Dawood (603).

The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “when he bows, then bow and do not bow until he bows”, and the same with regard to prostration, indicate that the person who is praying behind the imam should not start to move to the next part of the prayer until after the imam has done it. So he should not bow until the imam bows, and he should not prostrate until the imam prostrates. This is stated clearly in the hadeeth of al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: When the Messenger of Allaah (S) said “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah,” no one of us would bend his back until the Messenger of Allaah (S) had gone down in prostration, then we would go down in prostration after him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (811)and Muslim (474).

Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim: This hadeeth shows that this is one of the etiquettes of prayer and it is Sunnah for the one who is praying behind the imam not to start going down (for prostration) until the imam has placed his forehead on the ground. End quote.

Based on this, what is prescribed for the one who is praying behind the imam is to follow his imam straight after he has moved to the next part of the prayer. So what counts is the action of the imam, not his takbeer. This applies to those who can see the imam. As for the members of the congregation who cannot see him, then they should follow his words, and they should start to move to the next part of the prayer after the imam finishes saying the takbeer. See also the answer to question no. 33790.

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

Question #45148: Is it permissible to curse those who commit sin?

Question #45148: Is it permissible to curse those who commit sin?

Question :

Among us, if one man curses another and the curse receives no response because he does not deserve that, does it come back on the first man or not? Is it permissible to curse a woman on the grounds that she is not wearing hijab?.


Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

Cursing is not one of the attributes of the believer who has attained perfect faith. It was narrated by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Jaami’ from ‘Alqamah that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer is not a slanderer, one who curses a great deal, one who indulges in obscenity or who in engages in foul talk.” Al-Tirmidhi said: It is a hasan ghareeb hadeeth. And it was narrated in al-Saheehayn from Thaabit ibn al-Dahhaak that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Cursing a believer is like killing him.”

Based on this, it is not permissible for a believer to curse anyone among his Muslim brothers except those whom Allaah cursed in His Book or whom the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed. It is not permissible to curse one who commits a sin because of his or her sin, such as a woman who is not wearing hijab and the like. Rather the Muslim should advise her and encourage her to wear hijab using kind and gentle methods. If anyone curses someone who does not deserve to be cursed, there is a stern warning that the curse will come back on the one who utters it if it is not justified. This is indicated by the report narrated by Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When a person curses something, the curse ascends to heaven, and the gates of heaven are closed to it. Then it comes back down to earth and the gates of earth are closed to it. Then it looks right and left, and if it does not find anywhere to go, it goes to the one who was cursed, and if he deserves it (it befalls him), otherwise it goes back to the one who uttered it.” Narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan.

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.


Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (26/67). (www.islam-qa.com)

Question #40005: Ruling on upholding ties with one’s mother and siblings through breastfeeding

Question #40005: Ruling on upholding ties with one’s mother and siblings through breastfeeding

Question :

I have a mother and siblings through breastfeeding (radaa’ah). Do I have to uphold ties with them and visit them as I visit my mother and siblings through blood ties? I used to visit them, then it was said to me that I do not have to do that, and I am confused about that.


Answer :

Praise be to Allaah.

The shar’i rulings concerning relationships through breastfeeding are not the same as the rulings concerning relationships through blood ties. Breastfeeding (radaa’ah) does not mean that one is obliged to spend on those relatives, or that one is entitled to inherit from them, or that one may be a guardian for the purpose of marriage – unlike the case with ties of blood.

What they have in common is that people related in either way are forbidden to marry, and may look at one another and be alone with one another, and are regarded as mahrams for the purpose of travel.

This is the wisdom of sharee’ah, because Islam cannot give a mother who breastfed a child five times the same rights as the mother who carried him, gave birth to him, breastfed him and brought him up, and is the reason for the child’s existence. Can the love, compassion and devotion in the heart of the blood mother be likened to that in the heart of the mother through breastfeeding?

There are verses of the Qur’aan which refer to that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years”

[Luqmaan 31:14]

And Allaah says, after commanding the child to treat his parents well and forbidding him to do the slightest act of disobedience towards them (interpretation of the meaning):

“and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young’”

[al-Isra’ 17:24]

Hence some of the scholars said that a son through breastfeeding has to respect and honour his mother and his parents through breastfeeding, but he does not have to honour them and uphold ties with them in the same way as a son is obliged to honour his parents and relatives by blood.

There are several da’eef (weak) ahaadeeth on this topic, which we will mention here so that people may be aware of them.

1 – It was narrated that al-Tufayl (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sharing out some meat in al-Ji’raanah, when a woman came up to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he spread out her cloak for her, and she sat down on it. I said, “Who is she?” They said, “This is his mother who breastfed him.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5144; classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood, 1102.

Ibn Hibbaan (10/44) included this hadeeth in a chapter which he called, “Ways in which it is recommended for a person to honour the one who breastfed him when he was small.”

2 – It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Saa’ib that he heard that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting when his father through breastfeeding came to him; he spread part of his cloak for him and he sat on it. Then his mother through breastfeeding came to him and he spread part of his cloak on the other side and she sat on it. Then his brother through breastfeeding came and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up for him and made him sit in front of him.

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5145; classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, 1120.

3 – It was narrated from Hajjaaj ibn Hajjaaj al-Aslami that his father asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “O Messenger of Allaah, how can I repay the favour of breastfeeding?” He said: “(By giving) a male or female slave.”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1153; al-Nasaa’i, 3329; Abu Dawood, 2064. Classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood, 445.

Al-Suyooti said in Sharh al-Nasaa’i, 6/108.

What is meant by repaying the favour of breastfeeding is the duties that are owed as a result of having been breastfed. It is as if he is asking, How can I waive the duties I owe as a result of having been breastfed so that I will have paid them off in full? They used to regard it as something good to give a gift to the wet nurse once the child had been weaned, other the wages that had be agreed upon. End quote.

4 – The biographers said that when the captive woman of Hawaazin had been gathered together, their spokesman Zuhayr ibn Sard came and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, inside the enclosure are your mothers, your maternal aunts and your nursemaids. Do us a favour (and free us), may Allaah bless you.”

These ahaadeeth speak of honouring and respecting, which are Islamic manners that are encouraged with regard to all Muslims. This is the reason why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set them all free.

Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 4/419

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

Afflictions

Afflictions


The Most High said:


"...And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good..."


And Glory be to Him, said:

"Alif-Laam-Meem. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: 'We have faith', and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known, those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars." (al-'Ankaboot 29:1-3)


And Glory be to Him, said:

"...And We tried them with good and evil in order that they might turn (to Allah's obedience)." (al-A'raaf 7:168)


al-'Allaama Ibnul-Qayyim – may Allah have mercy upon him – said: It is a must that a man is afflicted with that which harms him, so no one at all is free from that which harms him. This is why Allah the Most High has mentioned at various places in His Book that it is a must that He afflicts people. And the trial happens with goodness and with badness, and it is a must that a man is afflicted with which makes him happy and that which hurts him. So he is required to be patient and thankful (to Allah).



The Opinion of ash-Shaafi'ee in regards to Afflictions

A man asked ash-Shaafi'ee and said: O Abu 'Abdullah! Which is better for a person, to gain power or to be afflicted? So ash-Shaafi'ee said: One will not gain power until he is afflicted. For indeed Allah afflicted Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosa, 'Eesa and Muhammad, may the Salawaat of Allah and Salaam be upon them all. So when they were patient, they gained power, so let not anyone think at all that he is free from pain. (Madaarij as-Saalikeen by Ibnul-Qayyim 2/283).



Afflictions in the Noble Qur`aan

1 – Allah the Most High said:

"Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed" (al-Mulk 67:2)

Allah created the death, and created the life and whatever is in it from the afflictions and problems, to test us which one of us is better in deed than others.



2 – And the Most High said:

"Verily We have created man in toil" (al-Balad 90:4) (i.e. in tiredness, hardships, afflictions and difficulties)



3 – And the Most High said:

"Alif-Laam-Meem. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: 'We have faith', and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known, those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars." (al-'Ankaboot 29:1-3)

Therefore, the Fitnah (trial) is Allah's test for the faithful ones, so that Allah will know the truthful ones and He will know the liars in hardships.



4 – And the Most High said:

"Or you think that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty, ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who had faith with him said, 'When will the Help of Allah come?'. Yes! Indeed Allah's help is close!" (al-Baqarah 2:214)

Do not think that the entrance to Jannah is easy without Jihaad, for those before you were afflicted with wars and diseases... and were shaken that, even the Messenger and those with him said when the help to them was delayed: "When will the help of Allah come?... Yes! Indeed Allah's help is close!"



5 – The Messenger of Allah [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said:

"The world is the prison of the Mu`min, and a Paradise for the Kaafir" (Saheeh Muslim, Kitaabuz-Zuhdi war-Raqaa`iq [18/93] Sharh an-Nawawi)

So the truthful Mu`min has patience upon what afflicts him in the world so that it becomes for him the everlasting delights, and the Kaafir is delighted in the world as if it is his paradise, and it becomes his everlasting punishment on the day of reward.




The types of Afflictions and the Patience upon them

1 – The fear, hunger and murder: Allah the Most High said:

"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabiroon (the patient ones)" (al-Baqarah 2:155)



2 – The war and Jihaad: The Most High said:

"And surely, We shall try you till We know the Mujaahideen (those who fight in the way of Allah) from amongst you and as-Saabireen (the patient ones)" (Muhammad 47:31)

So the affliction with war is so that Allah will know the Mujaahideen and the patient ones.



3 – Disease: Sometimes, the affliction is caused by diseases so that Allah may test the patience of a person and listen to his supplication. Allah the Most High said:

"And (remember) Ayyoob (Job), when he cried to his Lord: 'Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.'" (al-Anbiyaa` 21:83)



4 – Imprisonment: A type of test so that Allah may know (and single-out) the patient one from others, as it happened to Yoosuf – peace be upon him – when he remained in prison for eight years, for an accusation which touched his dignity. Then he came out free (of what he had been accused of), dignified and became a minister.



5 – The trial of wealth and son: Allah the Most High said:

"Indeed, your wealth and children are a trial" (at-Taghaabun 64:15)

The wealth and the children are a test from Allah to His slave, so that He may know his ability of (correct) upbringing of his children, and the payment of the Zakaah on his wealth. The Messenger of Allah [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said:

"The best of wealth is the righteous for a righteous person"

And he [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said:

"When a person dies, his action discontinues except for three: a continuing charity, or knowledge which proves to be of benefit, or a righteous son who supplicates for him" ([Narrated by Muslim] Sharh an-Nawawi [11/85])



6 – The harm from people: The Messenger of Allah [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said:

"The Mu`min who mixes with people and remains patient on their harms, is better than the Mu`min who does not mix with people nor does he remain patient on their harms" (Narrated by Ibn Maajah and at-Tirmidhi and it is Saheeh)

Therefore, all of the Prophets, their people harmed them and disputed with them, disbelieved in them, tried to kill them, and exiled them from their countries. But they remained patient and so the victory was their ally. Allah the Most High said:

"(They were reprieved) until, when the Messengers gave up hope and thought that they were denied (by their people), then came to them Our Help, and whomsoever We willed were rescued" (Yoosuf 12:110)

And He said concerning the wise Luqmaan as he ordered his son:

"O my son! Establish as-Salaah , command the good and forbid the evil, and have patience on whatever befalls you. Verily, these are some of the important commandments (ordered by Allah with no exemption)." (Luqmaan 31:17)




The Afflictions in the Purified Sunnah

The way the Noble Qur`aan speaks about afflictions; the purified Sunnah also speaks about it. So he [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said, when asked which people are afflicted with the toughest of tribulations, he said:

"The Prophets, and then their like, and then their like. A person is afflicted according to his Deen. So if his Deen is firm, his afflictions become severe. And if in his Deen there was mildness, then the affliction is in accordance with his Deen. So the affliction does not leave the slave until it leaves him walking on the earth, and there is no sin on him." (Narrated by at-Tirmidhi and he said this Hadeeth is Hasan Saheh)


And on the authority of Abu Hurairah – may Allah be pleased with him – who said: The Messenger of Allah [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] said: "The afflictions do not seize to exist on a male or female person of faith, in his self and his wealth, until he meets Allah while there is no sin on him."

And on the authority of 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf – may Allah be pleased with him – who said: "We were afflicted with the Prophet SAW during the bad days so we remained patient. Then we were afflicted during the good days after him, but we did not have patience." (Narrated by at-Tirmidhi who said Hadeeth is Hasan)

The Messenger of Allah [salallahu alayhi wa sallam] sought refuge (in Allah) from trials, so he said: "O Allah! By Your knowledge of the unseen, and Your Power over the creation, keep me alive for as long as You know that life is better for me. And give me death when You have known that death is better for me. O Allah! And I ask You for Your fear in the unseen and the seen, and I ask You for the word of truth in pleasure and anger. And I ask You for resolution in poverty and in affluence. And I ask You for delights that do not end. And I ask You for the consolation for the eye which does not seize to continue. And I ask You for the pleasure after the decree. And I ask You for the coolness of the life after death, and I ask You for the pleasure of the look at Your Face, and the love for the meeting with You, without any damaging adversity, nor any trial with the possibility of going astray. O Allah! Beautify us with the beauty of Imaan and make us the guided leaders" (Saheeh Sunan an-Nisaa`i 1237) (al-Anbiyaa` 21:35) (Narrated by Ahmad and it is Saheeh)

(Extracted by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi and he said that Hadeeth his Hasan Saheeh)

Characteristics of a Da'i

Characteristics of a Da'i


by Abu Abdullah


All praise is to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Allah says in the Quran, "And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah 's deen and does righteous deeds, and says: 'I am one of the Muslims'"(41-33).

The person who calls people to Allah, to Islam, is a da'i and is doing an act that is indeed very honorable in the sight of Allah. However, there is a certain methodology that a person has to abide by before engaging in true dawah (calling to Islam). Some people blindly throw themselves into dawah, in the process sometimes sanctioning things that fall into what the Prophet warned, "I have left you upon clear proof, its night is just like its day, no one deviates from it after me except the one who is destroyed, ...so stick to what you know from my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs cling to that with your molar teeth..."
(Ahmed, Ibn Majah, al-Haakim).

The rewards for dawah with the correct intention and with the correct methodology are innumerable. The Prophet once advised Ali that if Allah guided one person through him that would be better than the best of wealths (Agreed upon). In another narration, the Prophet said that whoever guides another to a good deed will be rewarded equally for the other person's performance of it and that even the ant blesses the person who teaches knowledge (Muslim).

Ibn Umar said that the Prophet said: "For every action there is a period of enthusiasm/activity and for every period of enthusiasm/activity there is a period of rest/inactivity. So he whose period of rest/inactivity is in accordance with my Sunnah then he is rightly guided, but he whose period of rest accords with other than this, then he is destroyed (Ahmed).

All beginnings are hard the difficulty varying from person to person. When a Muslim truly turns his face to Allah calling to Allah then he will begin strongly since he wishes to see Islam spread to every house. However, after the initial activity the person will tend to slow down. If he still keeps to the Sunnah, then insha-Allah he has been guided aright. However, if he does not, then he has fallen onto the misguided path as it is likely that his initial enthusiasm was due to wrong intentions.

Also, one has to keep in mind the essence of dawah. The main reason for dawah should be to order good and forbid evil (al-amr bil maruf wa nahyinil al-munkar). As the Prophet said, " There was not a prophet sent to a people before me except that he had helpers and companions who took hold of the sunnah and followed his orders, then after them came those who said that which they did not do, and did what they were not ordered to do. So whoever strives against them with his hand is a believer, whoever strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and whoever strives against them with his heart is a believer, and there is not beyond that a mustard seed of faith" (Muslim).

Ordering good and forbidding evil is according to one's ability and power. In doing so he should not abandon the characteristics that a da'i should possess, insha-Allah:




1) Gentleness and kindness

Allah mentions in the Quran with respect to the Prophet, "And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them kindly. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have certainly broken away from you..."
(3-159).

Thus, even the Prophet the best of mankind, the best of da'is would have failed, as Allah has told us, without being kind and gentle. Allah commands the believers in another place in the Quran to invite people with wisdom and fair exhortation (16-125).

The Prop het once said to Aisha, "O Aisha! Indeed Allah is kind and loves kindness and gives due to kindness what he does not give due to harshness and what he does not give due to other than it" (Muslim).


2) Honesty

This has two parts. First is honesty with respect to one's deeds. People judge Muslims by looking at their actions and not by Islam itself. Hence, a Muslim has to practice his own deen to be an honest example of his preaching. Here one should remember the Prophet's wo rds as narrated by Anas ibn Malik,
"When I was taken on the Night Journey I saw some men whose lips were being cut with scissors of fire, so I asked, 'Who are they O Jibreel?' He replied, 'the preachers from the Ummah who order the people to do good, but leave it themselves, whilst they recite the Book will they not understand?"
(Ibn Hibban).

Second is honest with respect to speech. A Muslim has to present Islam is the best of manners as the ayat quoted above (16-125) tells us. However, he should not lie upon Islam as how can he lie and yet think that he is doing good dawah. As Allah says in the Quran, " Who does more wrong than such a forge a lie against Allah, or deny His signs? But never will they prosper those who sin... "(10-313).

Many ignorant people, in the name of dawah, are incessantly falling into this trap of shaytan. Like those amongst the Muslims, who try to spread 'Islamic goodwill' by saying that the 'good' Jews and Christians will go to heaven. What could be farther from the truth? As Allah refutes such people in the Quran, "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers" (3-85).


3) Possessing knowledge

Allah commands the Prophet to say, "This is my way; I invite unto Allah with sure knowledge..." (12-108).

The two main signposts for the way of the da'i are the Quran and Sunnah as the Prophet said, " O people I have left among you that which if you cling onto, you will never go astray: The Quran and my Sunnah"
(Al-Haakim, Baihaqee).

The Prophet also said, "It is sufficient falsehood for a person that he narrates everything that he hears" (Muslim). The da'i has to be careful and knowledgeable of everything he says, hears and reads. It is an obligation upon him to check the sources and references of what he hears, since lying upon Allah (as alluded to before) and/or the Prophet is from among the great sins.

Also, one has to be careful about presenting too many rationale arguments as each rationale argument might bring about an equally rationale reply. However, if arguments are rooted firmly in La-illah illa Allah, then no one can defeat them as they will be based upon the ultimate truth.


4) Patience

A da'i may have undergo many hardships and trials. Allah comforted the Prophet in the Quran that he (the Prophet) "would kill [himself]... in grief over their footsteps [for their turning away from him], because they believe no in this narration [the Quran]" (18-6).

The Prophet described in a long hadith the trials faced by a believer who was buried in a hole, and then his head sawn into half, his body torn with iron combs, yet he would not give up his religion (Bukhari).

Hence, a da'i has to always keep in mind that guidance ultimately comes from Allah, and that his duty is to merely pass on the message of truth.


5) Desire to see people embrace Allah's guidance

Every kaffir out there is a potential Muslim. This is the crux of dawah an absolutely necessary ingredient of the thought process of a da'i. Only with such enthusiasm and love for the deen of Allah, can a da'i achieve any reasonable success. The ayat quoted above shows the extreme love that the Prophet possessed for seeing people become Muslims so much so that without Allah's guidance and support, he would even kill himself in the grief of the kuffars not turning to Islam.

What better lesson than this can we take? The example of the best of humankind in the best of books and guidance.

Keeping all the above rules in mind, one should not forget the ultimate goal of a Muslim's life, "Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself"
(91-9).

Also, one should not be overbearing in dawah that he causes more harm than benefit. As the Prophet said, " Give glad tidings and do not cause [people] to flee; make things easy and do not make things difficult " (Muslim).

Finally, the goal of a da'i should not be to concentrate on gaining quantity but rather to gain quality. As the Prophet said in a hadith, "[the believers] will be numerous! But [they] will be like the froth/scum like the froth/scum carried by the torrent... " (Abu Dawood). This is a clear indication of the uselessness of large numbers without strength and true belief. In retrospect, large numbers can cause harm if they do not possess knowledge and understanding of the deen.

May Allah forgive me if I made any mistakes and may Allah make all of us better Muslims first and better da'is next. Ameen



Compiled and edited from "The Call to Islam and the Caller" by Shaikh Ali Hasan and a lecture by Shaikh Jamal-uddin Zarabozo.

The Prophet's guidance on treating pimples.

The Prophet's guidance on treating pimples.

Acne - An inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of the skin that is marked by the eruption of pimples or pustules, especially on the face.

From: Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam. By Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah.

The Prophet's sallallahu alaihi wasallam guidance on treating pimples.

Ibn as-Sunni said in his book that one of the Prophet's sallallahu alaihi wasallam wives said,
"Once, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam came by when I had a pimple on my finger, He sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: 'Do you have a Tharirah (arum)?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Place it on the pimple.' He then said, 'Say,
اللهم مصغر الكبير, و مكبر الصغير, صغرمابي
O Allah who transforms the big to small and the small to big, make what I am suffering from the small.'
[al-Hakim also narrated the hadith]

The Tharirah (arum) is and Indian remedy made from arum cane. Arum is hot and dry and helps against stomach and liver tumors and dropsy and also strengthens the heart.

In the sahihain it is narrated that 'Aisha radhiAllahu anha said, 'I perfumed the Mesenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam with my hand using Tharirah (arum) during the farewell Hajj during the state of Ihram and otherwise.'

The pimple is a growth that results from hot harmful, septic substances that push towards the skin so as to find a way out of the body. The pimple needs to mature and to then be opened and extracted, such as by using the Tharirah, which helps extract the septic matter from the pimple, along with giving a good aroma. In addition, the Tharirah soothes the hotness of the pimple. This is why the author of Al-Qanoon said, 'There is no better remedy for fire burns than the Tharirah, when it is blended with rose essence and vinegar.'

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Facts about the Titan Arum

Latin name: Amorphophallus titanum

Other names: Titan Arum, Corpse flower, Bunga Bangkai

Native habitat: equatorial rainforests of central Sumatra in Indonesia

Family: Titan Arum is a member of the Family Araceae, the Aroids or Arum plants. Members of this family include the Calla Lily, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Anthuriums, Dieffenbachia and Philodendrons. A related species in the family is the Giant Arum, Dracontium gigas, which is also blooming in the UW-Madison Botany greenhouses.

First discovered: Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari discovered the Titan Arum in Sumatra in 1878. He sent seeds to England's Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, where the first bloom of this species in cultivation occurred in 1889.

Known bloomings in the U.S.: less than 17 (list of other U.S. bloomings). The Titan Arum bloomed for the first time in the United States at the New York Botanical Gardens in 1937, where it became a sensation. A more recent bloom occurred at the Huntington Botanical Gardens on August 1, 1999. Billed the "world's largest flower," it was the first-ever flowering of one of these rare plants in California, and only the 11th recorded bloom in the United States. During the 19 days it was on public view, this Amorphophallus titanum drew 76,000 fans.

Diagram identifying the leaf, spadix, spathe, fruit and a young bud of Titan Arum Biology of the Titan Arum: The Titan Arum grows from a large tuber that can weigh over 170 pounds; the flowering stalk can reach 10 feet and open to a diameter of three to four feet. Thousands of flowers are hidden inside at the base of the spadix, the fleshy central column. The large, frilly-edged, leafy "skirt" enclosing the spadix is the spathe, which when open resembles an upturned, fluted bell with a maroon interior. Only when the spathe is completely unfurled are the flowers mature. This entire, giant flowering structure is called an inflorescence.

Male and female flowers are separate, with the female flowers receptive first, the male flowers releasing pollen the next day. In nature, this timing ensures cross-pollination with another Titan Arum flower; however, solitary cultivated blooms occasionally manage to self-pollinate.

The spathe unfurls about 3 weeks after the bud tip first appears. The huge inflorescence opens abruptly — within hours — and typically stays open for only a few days. Collapse of the spadix takes place after three to five days. If flowers are successfully pollinated, the surrounding spathe eventually falls off, exposing the maturing seeds. When ripe, the cherry-sized fruits turn a bright orange-red, a color attractive to birds which pick the berries off, digest the flesh and excrete the "pit" or seed. In this way, the plant is dispersed in nature.

The fully open inflorescence emits a repulsive, "rotting-fish-with-burnt-sugar" scent. The odor, strongest at night, is to attract pollinators, which in Titan's Sumatran home are mainly carrion beetles and flesh flies. Most fly- and beetle-pollinated "carrion" flowers are similarly colored and perfumed.

For most of its life, the plant regularly produces a single, umbrella-like leaf that is itself quite "titanic." In the wild, this leaf can reach 20 feet tall and 15 feet across. In cultivation the leaf usually grows 12 feet high, with the stalk as thick as a person's thigh before branching into a single, compound leaf. An individual leaf lives for about a year. The tuber then enters a short dormant period before producing another leaf or — if you're very, very, lucky — a Bunga Bangkai.

Thermal Images of Titan Arum During Bloom: The Titan Arum heats up during its bloom. Here are a few thermal photographs of the Titan Arum during its recent bloom – the colors in these images correspond to temperature (click photograph for larger images). White is the hottest, around human body temperature. In decreasing order, the next colors are red, yellow, green, blue and black, with black being the coolest.

Why do the Titans do this? The wonderful smell that these corpse flowers are famous for is composed primarily of fairly heavy, sulfur-based compounds that do not become airborne easily. The plant heats itself up in order to volatilize its "perfume," enabling the smell to go further, attract more flies, and increase the chance of pollination. To heat up, the plant "burns" stored carbohydrates, short-circuiting its basic respiratory process in order to maximize the production of heat. Many members of the Arum family perform metabolic burns like this, albeit on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, the enormous amount of energy the plant expends in attracting flies limits the amount of time it can bloom, which explains why these plants typically bloom for only a few days, and why they don't bloom every year.

On the Titan Arum at that time, the tip of the spadix (the central spike) was about human body temperature. The rest of the spadix was cooler (though still warmer than the surrounding air), but the surrounding spathe was cool and blue. Oddly enough, the spadix below the tip was not a uniform temperature. One edge was consistently warmer than the rest of the spike, as you can see in the images.

The images here were taken July 30, 2002, between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. They were taken by Frank Landis with a thermal imaging (infra-red) camera on loan from the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation. When these pictures were taken, the plant had just come into full bloom, and it was as hot (and stinky!) as it gets.

The Warrior’s Smile

The Warrior’s Smile



We knew there were Muwahids.
This was the promise of Allah(swt) and his(swt) speech is truth.

We knew that your like existed but never did we read anywhere that one would capture our hearts like you did in such a short space of time.

You were a diamond among diamonds so why is it that your shine is just that little bit more brighter for us to see you, and we would pine for your company? By the time we knew of your existence you were with the grace of our Lord soaring far far away from this miserable existence. It was the divine decree that we would learn about you and for this alone we are grateful.

What it must have been to sit with you, to joke with you, to laugh with you…
How many times a day do we find ourselves singing the nasheed that filled our eyes with tears of joy. How many times did we watch you to the extent that we knew when you would move your head and when you would break out into ‘that’ smile.

You make us sad and u make us cry. Sad as we never got a chance to embrace you and cry as you realised what a blessing was before we did and drove to it with a heart full of Imann.

You were nothing like the people of Musa (as) who said Go you and your Lord, and fight you two, while we sit here (and watch)."

It was a blessing to hear your words, it was a blessing as for a second we felt just like those who lived under leaders worthy of love and praise. We saw your face full of Noor as they must have seen the faces of the rightly guided. In another time another place maybe you would have asked to be thrown over the wall into the Garden of Death, in a another time another place maybe the enemy would have parted as they saw the red band upon your brow knowing that someone must die this day….

You raised the banner and we must never let it drop. Maybe if things had been different you would have lead us in battle but we live between and hate an enemy who will bomb from up high and will never discriminate between our women and our men.
We live between and hate an enemy who design bombs that don’t explode that are bright in colour so that they attract the children to them before they rip them to pieces.
We live among and hate an enemy who rape their own soldiers so what do we expect them to do to our Ummah?

The blame of the blamers fell far from your ears and you did not stop the train of Jihad because dogs bark and children throw stones. You didn’t stop when the ignorant asked why do you drive to this station as if our sisters don’t lose their dignity at this station, as if the Quran is not torn at this station as if the Deen of Haq is not trodden on, as if the haters of the Companions do not take pleasure in hurting us.

It was your blood that watered the tree of Islam and makes it flourish and this is the sign of the truthful. They will never see what you see and we hope to see what you see…

Somewhere as we speak the family of our enemy cries.
Somewhere as we speak the family of our enemy must wonder why they had sent their son to fight a war they cannot win.
Somewhere time will stand still for them but for us it has only just begun.
Our eyes had not witnessed victory till your like woke and shook this Ummah awake.

When we see your deeds you are made like giants in our eyes but when we see your face we see that the believers only saw ‘that’ smile while the sons of fornicators only felt your anger. We only now begin to understand Wala and Bara but you achieved it and yours was the strongest knot of Imann

We see the shyness in your face, we see the mischief in your smile that your mother must have grown up loving. I wonder if she could ever have been angry with you. Your love for her and your blessed father went hand in hand with your love for Jihad. In an instant you went from talking about one to the other.
We like to think we are special to someone but in truth what are we compared to your story? How they must miss you those who met you, how they must long to hear salaam from you those who had you in their lives. You must have been the sacrifice and the inspiration for many. The void you leave in our lives is hard enough what must it be like for them? They Inshallah will not feel sorrow on The Day of Reckoning, Inshallah they will see that smile standing next to Omar, Ali, Hamza, Muthana, Khalid, Al Barra (ra) Inshallah they will feel nothing but ease as that smile will tell them that they will now smile and that smile for be for an eternity…

Your words are worth remembering unlike mine that are worthless next to you but I had to tell you that I love you for Allah (swt)’s sake….

We hope Inshallah that we will be neighbours in Jannah. We hope to bother you all the time my brothers and I to be together with you.

May your heart long to return my beloved to teach us what it is to live and die a Warriors life.
It is an honour to call you ‘my’ brother.

Till we meet Inshallah

Some Ahādith to think about

Some Ahādith to think about

It is Narrated by Al-Nu'mān bin Basheer, he said: I have seen your prophet, when he didnt even find the inferior quality of the dates to eat and fill his belly. [Rāwahu Muslim]

Imam An-nāwawi commented on the hādith; this shows the minimum necessary to support life is wanted...

It is narreted by Sahl bin Saad: The Messenger of Allah never had a look at the bread made out of fine flour throughout his life, since the commencement of Revelation untill his death. He was questioned: "Did you not have sieves at the time of Rāsulullah?" He replied; "Allahs Messenger never saw a sieve." He was asked, "How did you manage to eat barley bread made of flour?" He said "We ground it and then blew away the husk and what remained we kneaded into dough".. [Rāwahu AlBukhāri]....

Ahādith In Sāhih Albukhāri:

Nārrated Abu Hurayrāh Rādiyallahu Anh: A man used to eat much, but when he embraced Islam, he started eating less. That was mentioned to the prophet who then said: "A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food", and a kāfir eats in seven intestines (eatc much) - [vol 7 nr 309]


And once Ibn Umar Radiyallahu Anh was sittin next to a poor man, who ate to much, whereupon Ibn Umar said " O Nāfi', Dont let this man enter my house, for I heard the prophet saying " A believer eats in one intestine, and a kafir eats in seven intestines. (chapter 14 in volume 7)

So this is a nāseeha for myself first of all..

Otherwise.,. if u still cant avoid it .. hmm then - a shawarma costs about 20 kr rigght? - split it up between you and māma - 10 kr each.. then you would follow the hadith of Rāsulullāh; Which was narrated by Abu Hurāyrah; The food for two persons is sufficient for three, and the food of three persons is sufficient for four persons." [Sāhih Albukhāri 304 vol 7 ] this reminds me of the Mujāhedeen in Alsheshan.. they had a little plate /pot and they were about 10 persons subhānallah.. each one eating less than the other.. May Allāh have mercy on them Jāmi'an.. Wa As'alullah an yulhiqna Bihim Jāmi'ān.. Ameen..
-- its a test.. u know, we have to train ourselves right now to sacrifice the little things so that we are prepared for the largest sacrifices.. i mean i know u and i ukhti talk all the time about making hijrah to lands where people still know the meaning of struggle, where things arent at our fingertips.. u know i think of what ukhti martyrs never die recounted about the sahabah being tested and being so hungry they ate leaves from the desert and they went to rasul Allah salallahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him to make duaa for allah to ease their trial and what did he tell them? subhanAllah he rebuked them and told them you are an impatient people.

and fa3lan that is what we are! i think of shaikh azzams advice when he told us to live once a week as the mujahideen live.. on dry bread and tea. walahy its not only beneficial for ourselves but im seriously considering taking his advice when i have a family of my own someday. we need more exercises in humility and patience.
are we overeating??



Ibn Taymiyah writes:

"It is established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: " Indeed, Satan runs in the son of Adam in the way that blood circulates." [Sahīh al-Bukhārī]

There is no doubt that blood is born of what we eat and drink Therefore, when we eat and drink, we broaden the avenues for Satan. This is why it has been said: "Constrict his avenues with hunger."

When Satan's paths are hindered, the heart is inspired to do the good deeds that open the doors of Paradise. It finds it easy to abandon the sins that open the doors of Hell."

Luqmān said to his son: " O my son! If the stomach is full, one's mental processes go to sleep, one's wisdom is dulled, and one's limbs refrain from worship."



Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allaah have mercy on him, when he would enter the market and heard all that people say in it from shouting and vain talk, he would say:

"I think that these have bad nights." All types of sins contribute to hardness of the heart and prevent from performance of the night prayer, even though some sins are more harmful than others, such as eating what is haram. On the other hand, eating what is halal, like few other things, cleans the heart and guides it to what is good. This is best known by those who watch and control their hearts, due to experiencing it, after the Sharee`ah's testimony to it. This is why some of them right said, "How many bites have prevented performance of the night prayer! How many glances have prevented recitation of a Quranic soorah! Verily the slave eats a bite or does an action and because of it he is prevented standing in performance of the sunnah ( i.e. the night prayer)."

And if We make man taste mercy from Us, then take it off from him, most surely he is despairing, ungrateful. (Hud 11:9)

And when your Lord made it known: If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more, and if you are ungrateful, My chastisement is truly severe.

Narrated by Jaabir. The Prophet (SAW) said :"The shaitaan is present with everyone of you in everything he does; he is even present when he eats food, so if any on of you drops a mouthful, he should remove away anything filthy on it and eat it and not leave it for the devil; and when he finished, he should lick his fingers for he does not know in what portion of his food the blessing ties."
Sahih Muslim (eng. Vol. 3, p. 1121. no. 5046)