Being Busy with the Dunya

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basri – Allah have mercy on him – said: 

“How strange it is that person whose departure (from this world to the next) has been announced,
and whose predecessors have already departed, still plays around!”

[Abu Bakr Al-Daynuri, Al-Mujalasah wa Jawahir Al-’Ilm article 843.]

Imam Ibn Baz (rahimahullah) stated:

"If the people of truth did not speak out in clarification of the haqq, then the people of error would remain upon their mistakes. Others would blindly follow them in that, and the sin of withholding the truth would fall back on those who remained silent."

[Fatawa Al-Shaykh Ibn Baz (3/72)]

Imam Qutb Al Awliya Muhammad bin Idris Ash-shafi stated:

"I have heard that Duãs are accepted by Allah &* on 5 nights:

The night of Jumu'äh
The night of Eid al-Fitr
The night of Eid al-Adhã
The first night of Rajab
The middle (15th) night of Shã băn


[ Kitãb al Umm 2/485]

It was said to Wahb ibn al-Ward:

“Does the one who disobeys Allāh taste the sweetness of worship?”

He said: “No, not even if he intends to commit a sin.”

[Hilyatul Awliyā: 8:144]

Prophet ﷺ said: "A man is upon of the deen of his friend so look upon others who you would take as a friend."

‎ [صحيح الجامع ٥٤٥٣، السلسة الصحيحة ٧٢٩]

Abū ad-Dardā رضي الله عنه: “Strive in making Du'ā for whoever increases in knocking at the door then it is at the brink of opening up.”

[‏المصنف لابن أبي الشيبة ٢\٦]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

"The outside of the grave is just earth, but inside it is regret and torment."

[Kitab ar-Ruh | p. 95]

Ibn Abī ʾl-Dunyā رحمه الله:

"And do not delay the deeds of today till tomorrow.

For tomorrow might come when you are gone."

[al-Zuhd: 1/185]

The origin of evil is preferring opinions over the (legislated) texts and preferring desires over the Shari’ah.

[Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah), al-Minhaj as-Sunnah, 8/411]


“We hear and we obey”

Du'ā for Ifṭār:

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتْ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إن شَاءَ الله

Dhahab aẓ-Ẓama`u Wabtallatil ‘Urooq Wa Thabat al-Ajru In Shaa Allaah (The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed, if Allāh wills)

[رواه أبو داود في سننه ٢/٣٠٦، والنسائي في السنن الكبرى ٢/٢٥٥، والبزار في مسنده، والدارقطني في سننه ٢/١٨٥، والحاكم في المستدرك ١/٥٨٤، والبيهقي في سننه الكبرى ٤/٢٣٩، ‎والدعوات الكبيرالدعوات
الكبير ٢/٢١٩]

‘Abdullah ibn Al-Mubārak was asked:

If you were told: “You only have a day left of your life!” What would you do?

He said: “I would teach the people!”

[Al-Madkhal Lil Bayhaqī: 473]

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymin رحمه الله said:

"As for the woman, her home is her office. She stays at home attending to the affairs of her husband, affairs of her children and affairs of the home. This is her job.

As for her participating with men in earning and seeking provision, and consequently, she being the one spending on him (her husband), this opposes the innate disposition and also opposes the legislation."

[Sharh Riyad Aş-Şālihīn 2/73]

On the authority of Ibn 'Umar -may Allah be pleased with him-

The Messenger ﷺ said):

“O People, the time has come for you to observe the limits of Allah.

Whoever has had any of these ugly sins befall him should cover them up with the veil of Allah [and repent to Allah].

Whoever reveals to us his wrong action, we will carry out what is in the Book of Allah against him.”

Muhammad Nasir ad-Din al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami' as-Sagir 1/93 | 149

In one of his writings, Imam ibn al-Qayyim wrote:

[لا تتم سلامة القلب حتى يسلم من خمس : شرك يناقض التوحيد وبدعة تخالف السنة وشهوة خالف الأمر وغفلة تناقض الذكر وهوى يناقض التجريد والإخلاص .]

Purity of one's heart will not be complete until he is purified from five things:

-

Shirk which acts counter to tawheed

-

Innovation which goes against the Sunnah

-

Lusts which are contrary to Allah's commands

-

Heedlessness which acts counter to remembrance

-

Lowly desires which act counter to being exclusively and sincerely devoted to Allah

[al-Jawab al-Kafi 2/146]

Prophet ﷺ said: "There is a gate in Jannāh called ar-Rayyān and only those who observed fast shall enter through."

‎● [صحيح البخاري ١٨٩٦]

Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān:

It is said: "There is no minor sin with persistence, and no major sin with making istighfar (seeking forgiveness)"

[Recording]

Some Common Doubts and Misconceptions Affiliated with the Merits of the Month of Ramaḍān and Their Clarification

Doubt/Misconception 01: Whoever Dies during Ramaḍān Will Enter Paradise without Any Reckoning

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) was asked: "Does the Messenger’s (ﷺ) statement: 'When Ramaḍān comes, the gates of Jannah are opened, the gates to the Fire are closed, and the Shayāṭīn are shackled' mean: whoever dies during Ramaḍān will enter Paradise without any reckoning? We hope for some clarification from you in this matter, and may Allāh reward you."

The Shaykh (رحمه الله) stated the following:

The affair is not like that; rather, this means that the gates of paradise are opened as a form of encouragement for the workers [i.e. those who are diligent in doing good deeds], in order to make it easy for them to enter into Paradise, and the gates of the Fire are closed for the people of īmān in order to abstain from sins, so that they will not approach these gates. It does not mean that whoever dies in Ramaḍān will enter Paradise without reckoning. The only ones who will enter Paradise without reckoning are those who execute what is binding upon them from righteous actions and possess the characteristics that the Messenger (ﷺ) has described them with when he said: "They are those who do not request ruqyá [performed on them], cauterisation, nor do they rely on omens, but rather, they rely upon their Lord."

[Majmū‘ Fatāwá wā Rasāʾil al-ʿUthaymīn, vol. 20, pg. 76]

Doubt/Misconception 02: All of the Shayāṭīn Are Shackled during Ramaḍān

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) was asked: "What is meant by the Prophet's (ﷺ) statement: ‘Verily, the Shayāṭīn are confined in Ramaḍān?’ Is this confinement literal or not [i.e. metaphorical]? And does this apply to all of the Shayāṭīn? I hope for some clarification."

The Shaykh (رحمه الله) responded:

The Prophet (ﷺ) clarified what was meant by this when he said: "Thus, they do not get away with what they would usually get away with previously [i.e. prior to Ramaḍān],” meaning, they are unable to misguide in the way that they would misguide previously.

Therefore, they are not fully shackled in the sense that they are unable to tempt someone; rather, they tempt, but it is not like how they would tempt outside of Ramaḍān, based upon his (ﷺ) statement: "Thus, they do not get away with what they would usually get away with previously [i.e. prior to Ramaḍān]."

This is from one perspective. From another perspective, there has come in some Aḥadīth the expression: "The marada Shayāṭīn are shackled," meaning, the strongest in their demonisation. Therefore, based upon this, other than them [i.e. the strongest of the Shayāṭīn] are capable of tempting people.

Some people say: How is it that the Shayāṭīn are shackled, yet still we witness some people increase in their evil during Ramaḍān. We say: Other than the rebellious [i.e. other than the strongest of the Shayāṭīn] have overpowered them, or it is said: If it wasn't for Ramaḍān, the temptations would have been worse. This interpretation is closest to reality, since the people of goodness possess a desire to do goodness and to distance themselves from evil; whereas, the people of evil may increase in their evil during Ramaḍān.

[Jalasāt Ramaḍāniyyah 10/19]

Shaykh Muqbil ibn Hādī al-Wādiʿī (رحمه الله) was also asked a similar question, to which he stated the following:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When Ramaḍān comes, the gates of Jannah are opened; the gates to the Fire are closed, and the Shayāṭīn are shackled.” Also, it has occurred in the Ṣaḥīḥ of Ibn Khuzaymah the following: "And the maradah Shayāṭīn are shackled." The meaning of the expression, "the maradah Shayāṭīn" is the major/senior ones who are rebellious against Allāh; they are the ones who are shackled. This does not prevent the remainder of the Shayāṭīn to incite and cast between the people hatred and enmity. This does not prevent that.

There remains the issue of the desires of the soul, for verily, some souls are wretched/wicked and consequently, it is what summons the onset of fitnah, not Shaytān himself.

[شريط أسئلة الإذاعة بالحديدة]

Doubt/Misconception: Fasting Commences and Ends with the Aẓān

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) was asked: "Is it necessary for the one intending to fast to cease eating and drinking upon the commencement or the end of the aẓān?"

He (رحمه الله) said:

This ruling is dependent upon the time of dawn; therefore, whether or not the aẓān was made, a person must cease eating and drinking whenever dawn comes. However, whether or not the aẓān was made, ceasing to eat and drink isn't compulsory if dawn didn’t enter because of His statement:

"فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّـهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّـهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ"

“So have relations with them now, and seek that which Allāh has decreed for you. Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until sunset. Don’t have relations with them as long as you are performing I‘tikāf in the masjid. These are the limits set by Allāh, so don’t approach them. Thus, Allāh makes clear His ordinances to the people so they may become righteous” [Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:187].

His statement:

"حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ
الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ"

“Until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]”is evidence that an individual can eat and drink while being doubtful if dawn entered because the general principle is that the night continues, and if this is so, then the general principle isn’t abandoned, except in the case of certainty.

Therefore, if the muʿazzin is known only to call the aẓān when dawn enters, then the individual must cease from eating and drinking as soon as he hears it because the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Bilāl (رضي الله عنه) calls the aẓān during the night, so eat and drink until you hear Ibn Umm Makhtūm (رضي الله عنه) calling the aẓān, for indeed, he doesn't pronounce it until it is dawn.”

[Majmū‘ Fatāwá wā Rasāʾil al-ʿUthaymīn]

Doubt/Misconception: Whoever Intentionally Breaks His Fast during Ramaḍān Will Never Be Able to Make Up for It, even If He Fasts for an Eternity

The following question was directed to Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله): "Whoever intentionally breaks his fast is requested to make it up; however, there has occurred in a Ḥadīth: 'Whoever intentionally breaks his fast during Ramaḍān would never be able to make up for it, even if he fasts for an eternity.' We would like some clarification."

The Shaykh (رحمه الله) said:
This Ḥadīth is weak, as viewed by many of the people of knowledge. Therefore, if it is weak, then we must return to the basic/fundamental principle of: If an individual ruins his worship, it is then incumbent upon him to make it up. In the same way if an individual was praying then he ruined his prayer because of passing wind, laughing, eating or drinking, it is then incumbent upon him to make up this prayer; similarly, the fast. If he ruined it, it is incumbent upon him to make it up.

[Jalasāt Ramaḍāniyyah 10/19]
Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) was asked: "If someone breaks his fast during the day in Ramaḍān, does he have to make up that day? And is there a kaffārah [i.e. an expiation]?"

His (رحمه الله) response was as follows:
As for breaking the fast by eating, drinking, or by any other means, then he does not have to pay a kaffārah, but he has to make tawbah, have remorse for intentionally breaking his fast, be determined not to return to that, make istighfār abundantly, and make up that day.

As for the Ḥadīth: "Whoever intentionally breaks his fast during Ramaḍān would never be able to make up for it, even if he fasts for an eternity," then it is weak, as viewed by the people of knowledge. It is not authentic; therefore, what is correct is for him to make up one day of fast [i.e. the day he intentionally broke his fast] and to make tawbah.

[من أفطر يوماً من رمضان متعمداً]