Some Excellent Outcomes of Hajj- By Shaikh Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbaad [may Allaah preserve him]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Shaikh Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbaad [may Allaah preserve him] said: As for hajj, it is a great act of worship. Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic) made it an obligation upon His slaves at least once in a lifetime. Hajj includes acts of worship related to wealth and physical actions. It has good outcomes and praiseworthy end results in the life of a person. The Noble Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wasallam) said: ”(The performance of) Umrah is expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one. And the reward of Al-Hajj Al-Mabroor (the one accepted by Allaah) is nothing but Paradise.”[1]
Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu) said that the Messenger of Allaah (sallal laahu alayhi wasallam) was asked about the best of deeds, so he replied, ”To believe in Allaah and His Messenger.’’ The questioner then asked, ‘’What is the next (in goodness)?’’ He replied, ‘’To participate in Jihaad.’’ The questioner again asked, ‘’What is the next (in goodness)?’’ He replied, ‘’To perform Hajj Mabroor (which is accepted by Allaah…)” [2]
Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu) also narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (sallal laahu alayhi wasallam) said: ”Whoever performs Hajj for Allaah’s sake only and does not have sexual relations with his wife and does not do evil or sins; then he will return (after hajj, free from sins) as if he was born anew.”[3]
A ‘Hajj Mabroor’ (the one accepted by Allaah) is the hajj a person performs in conformity with the Sunnah of the Noble Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam), and the sign of a ‘Hajj Mabroor’ is that a person’s becomes better than what he was before hajj. So if a person’s evil state of affairs changes to a good state, or changes from a good state to a state even better than that, then this is a clear sign that his hajj is Mabroor [accepted by Allaah].
Hajj and Umrah include acts of worship, such as Tawaaf, which is not performed in any other place besides its designated place (i.e. around the Kabah). Tawaaf is an act of worship, which Allaah has specified to be carried out around the Baitul Ateeq [i.e. The Ancient House (the Haram)]. So when a person reaches Makkah, he [or she] performs Tawaaf around the Baitul Ateeq. He [or she] seeks nearness to Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic) with an act of worship (i.e. Tawaaf) which one could not have being able to perform except in Makkah. That is because Tawaaf cannot be done except around the Noble Kabah. So this reminds a person and makes him [or her] aware of the fact that Tawaaf performed in any other place in the earth is not legislated by Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic). Therefore, it is not permissible to make Tawaaf around any tomb or any other place in the earth besides the Noble Kabah.
Also, this is the case with kissing and indicating with one’s hand towards the Black Stone and the Yemini Corner; for indeed Allaah (The Mighty and Majestic) did not legislate for the Muslims to seek closeness to Him by kissing any other stone or indicating with one’s hand towards it except in those two places (i.e. the Black Stone and the Yemeni corner). And because of this when Umar Ibnul Khattaab (radiyallaahu anhu) approached the Black Stone, he kissed it and then said: ‘’No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither harm (anyone) nor benefit anyone. Had I not seen Allaah’s Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.’’ [4]
Also from the good outcomes of Hajj and Umrah is that when the one in Ihraam removes his normal clothing and wears the Ihram, which is worn by both the poor and the rich, it reminds him of the cloth he will be shrouded with when he dies; so he prepares himself for righteous actions and that is the best of all provision for the hereafter, as Allaah (The Most High) said: [وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيۡرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۚ -And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.)’’ [2:197]
Also from the good outcomes of Hajj is the gathering of the pilgrims at Arafah, which is a reminder of the gathering of the people on the Day of Judgement; so this (i.e. standing at Arafah) becomes a drive (or motive) for a person to prepare himself for that standing on the Day of Judgement by performing righteous deeds.
Also during Hajj the Muslims from the East and West regions of the earth get to meet one another; so they co-operate with one another and advise one another. They get to know the state of affairs of one another; so they share happiness and joy with one another, just as a person would share the pain that befalls his brother and then guides him towards what is obligatory to do regarding that. So they all co-operate upon righteousness and piety just as Allaah (Glorified Be He) commanded them.
[Abridged and slightly paraphrased. See link:
http://www.salaficentre.com/2017/08/good-outcomes-ibaadaat-acts-worship-life-muslim-shaikh-abdul-muhsin-al-abbaad-may-allaah-preserve/
References
[1] Bukhaari. Number 1773 and Muslim. Number 1349
[2]Bukhaari Number: 26 and Muslim Number 83
[3]Bukhaari Number: 1521 and Muslim 1350
[4] Bukhaari. 1597 and Muslim 1270
Three Types of Friends – The Freeloader Friend, The Friend of Pleasure Seeking and The Friend of Virtue
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
The Freeloader Friend: Befriends you as along as he benefits from you – either by way of wealth or status, or other than that. If this benefit ceases, he becomes an enemy of yours – considers you as someone unknown to him and vice versa. How numerous are those who defame [others when they spend in] charity! When given from it, they are pleased; but if not given they are angered. You see a bosom friend of yours- the most noble in your eyes and vice versa- asks you one days, saying, ‘’Give me your book’’, so, you say, ”I’m in need of it today and will give it to you tomorrow”, so, he shows you enmity. This is a freeloader friend.
The Friend of Pleasure Seeking: Befriends you not, except due [to the fact] that he enjoys sitting and speaking with you, and for the sake of chatting and socialising; however, neither does he benefit you nor does he benefit from you. Neither party benefit from each other, rather [you] only waste time. This is also a type of friend to beware of.
The Friend of Virtue: Leads you to what beautifies [your character etc], forbids you from what dishonours [or discredits] you, opens doors of good for you and guides you to it. And if you make a mistake, he informs you in a manner that does not blemish your honour.
Freeloader Friends are more numerous because the means of benefiting [others] are numerous; therefore, if you see that this man has not befriended you except due to receiving [worldly] benefit from you, then know that he is an enemy and not a friend. A Friend of Pleasure Seeking busies and distracts you with enjoyment through chatting [or spending the night in chatting], time wasting in the amusement parks and other than that. As for this type of person, there is no good in him; rather the one who should firmly cling to is the Friend of Virtue -the one who leads you towards every virtuous deed and forbids you from every evil. [End of Quote]
Your feedback is welcomed to improve the content of this article BaarakAllaahu Feekum
[Source: Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm’ pages 159-160’ by Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah]. Slightly paraphrased]
[Source: Sharh Hilyati Taalibil Ilm’ pages 159-160’ by Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah]. Slightly paraphrased]
A Great Scholar, Noble Companion, Abu Mundhir Ubayy ibn Kab (radia Allaahu anhu) Left Worship to Benefit the People
عن أبي العالية قال : كان أبي صاحب عبادة ، فلما احتاج الناس إليه ، ترك العبادة وجلس للقوم
On Authority of Abī Ā’liyah
Ubayy ibn K’ab used to be a person of worship, and when the people were in need of him (due to his knowledge and high position amongst the companions) he would leave worship and sit with the people. (to answer their questions).
[Siyar ‘Alām An-Nubalā Volume 3, page 399].
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- The noble Companion of the Messenger of Allah – from the Ansār and those who partook in the Battle of Badr.
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- He was from the few who had memorised the whole Qur’ān in the lifetime of the Prophet – sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam -whom he ordered the people to take the Qur’ān from.
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- The Messenger of Allah said to him, “O Abā Mundhir (Ubay)! Do you know which verse from the Book of Allah – (you have memorised) with you – is the greatest?” He (Ubay) said, “Allah and His Messenger know best”. The Prophet (repeated and) said, “O Aba Mundhir (Ubay)! Do you know which verse from the Book of Allah – (you have memorised) with you – is the greatest?”. He (Ubay) said, “Allāhu laa ilāha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom … (āyatul-Kursi).He (Ubay) said, “He (The Prophet) then struck me on my chest and said “By Allah, may you be blessed in your knowledge O Aba Mundhir.” [Muslim, hadith no.810
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- On another occasion, the Prophet said to Ubay ibn K’ab, “Indeed Allah has commanded me to read the Qur’aan to you. He (Ubay) said, “Did He mention me by name?” He (the Prophet) said, “yes”. He (Ubay) said, “I was mentioned by the Lord of the Worlds?!” He said, “yes”. So Ubay began to shed tears. [Al-Bukhaari, hadith no.4961 and Muslim, hadith no. 799].
“Whoever does not thank the people has not thanked Allāh”
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him] said, “He does not thank Allāh, he who does not thank the People”. [(1)]
One of the Islamic mannerisms that is befitting for a Muslim to adhere to is to show gratitude to the one who was good to you; any type of good, whether it was by (sharing) knowledge or commanding good and forbidding evil, or by doing good in fulfilling a person’s needs.
[جزاك الله خيرا – May Allāh reward you with good]
If you said that to him, indeed you have done your utmost in praising and thanking him. As for the one who does good to you and you didn’t thank him, or mention him with good, then this is a blessing to which a person has shown ingratitude. Oh, Muslim! It is not from Islamic manners to reject some good that someone – whether close to you or not – has done to you. This is the meaning of the hadīth, “Whoever does not thank the people has not thanked Allāh”. Allāh is the bestower of blessings, The Most Great, The one who confers good (to His servants), the Generous. The people likewise are good-doers within the limits of their ability. So, whoever receives good from the people, it is from Islamic etiquettes to thank them for being good to him – whatever type of goodness it may be. Allah’s Messenger said, “Allāh has prescribed Ihsan in everything”. [(2)] And one of the mistakes committed is that someone close to you or not close to you does good to you and you do not thank him for his goodness nor mention him with good in order that supplication can be made for him.
An Excerpt from “Awn Al-Ahad As-Samad Sharh Al-Adab Al-Mufrad- By Al-Allaamah Zayd Ibn Hādi Al-Madkhalī [may Allah have mercy upon him]. Page 242. slightly paraphrased
(1) Abū Dāwud- hadith no.4811, At-Tirmidhī- hadith no. 1954, Ahmad- hadith no.7939. Saheeh – Authenticated by Al-Albāni
(2) Saheeh Muslim Hadith no. 1955
Meaning of Al-Birr and At-Taqwa – Imām As-Sadi, Imām At-Tabari, Imām ibn Kathīr and Imām Al-Uthaymīn
Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment. (Al-Māidah: Verse 2)
تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ
In explanation of this verse, Imām As-Sa’di (rahimahullāh) said:
Meaning aid one another upon Al-Birr (righteousness),
Definiton of Al-Birr:
It is a comprehensive phrase for everything which Allāh loves and is pleased with; from outward and inner actions; from the rights of Allāh and rights of mankind.
Definiton of At-Taqwa:
And Taqwa (piety) in this context(1) is a comprehensive phrase for everything which Allāh and His messenger dislikes from the outward and inner actions.
And (furthermore) every good quality is commanded to be performed, likewise every evil trait is commanded to be abandoned.(2) Indeed the servant is commanded with having good characteristics and performing the good actions himself whilst aiding others from his believing brothers upon them, with every statement and action; inducing and encouraging himself and others upon good.
When Al-Birr and At-Taqwa are mentioned together or individually:
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-Uthaymīn (rahimahullah) said:
Know that At-Taqwa is sometimes connected with Al-Birr, as is in His statement: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (Al-Māidah: Verse 2). And sometimes it is mentioned by itself, so if it is connected with al-Birr, Al-Birr becomes the performance of the commandments and At-Taqwa is abandoning the prohibitions. However, if they are mentioned individually it becomes comprehensive and includes performing the commandments and avoiding the prohibitions. Verily, Allah has mentioned in His Book that paradise is prepared for the muttaqīn, therefore the people of taqwa are the people of paradise – May Allah make us and you from them – due to this it is mandatory upon the people to fear Allāh – azza wa jal – complying with His commands, seeking His reward and salvation from His punishment.(3)
Taysīr Al-Karīm Ar-Rahmān fee Tafsīr Kalām Al-Mannān Page 228 – Slightly Paraphrased
(1) Definition of Taqwa by Talq ibn Habīb (rahimahullāh)
‘’It is to act in obedience to Allah, with a light from Allah (i.e. Eemān) and hoping for Allāh’s Mercy. And that you abandon disobedience to Allāh with a light from Allāh and fearing the punishment of Allāh. [Reported by Ibn Abī Shaybah 11/33 and Ibnul Mubārak in Az-Zuhd 473]
(2) Similar was mentioned in Tafsīr At-Tabari of the same verse; Al-Birr is (to perform) that which you have been commanded with, and At-Taqwa is (to abandon) that which you have prohibited from. In Tafsīr ibn Kathīr, he (rahimahullah) says, Performance of the righteous actions is Al-Birr and abandoning the evil reprehensible acts is At-Taqwa
(3) Sharh Riyādhus Sālihin by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sālih Al-Uthaymīn (rahimahullah), Introduction to Chapter 6 (At-Taqwa)
Ignorance is One of The Traits of a Scornful Person!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
And [remember] when Musa [Moses] said to his people: “Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.” They said, “Do you make fun of us?” He said, “I take Allah’s Refuge from being among Al-Jahilun [the ignorants or the foolish].” [2:67]
That is because the Jaahil [i.e. an ignorant person] is that one who speaks with a speech that contains no benefit and he is that one who mocks at the people. As for the sensible person, he sees that one of the most blameworthy traits -which is rebuked by [sound] religion and intellect- is to mock at someone who is a human being like himself. And if he has been favoured over that other person, then this favour necessitates that he thanks Allaah and shows mercy to Allaah’s servants. Therefore, when Musa [alayhis-salaam] said this to them [i.e. I take Allaah’s Refuge from being among the ignorant], they knew that it [i.e. what he commanded them] was truth, so they said: [ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِيَ -call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is! [2:68)]
[Source: Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan’ by Imaam As-Sadi (rahimahullaah). Publisher: Daar Ibn Hazm. 1st Edition 1424AH (Year 2003). abridged & slightly paraphrased]
The Means to a Loving Relationship and Strong Bond Between Husband and Wife- By Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah]
Shaikh Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] said: If a person says: What will make a man love his wife and vice versa? We say: Allaah has clarified this in His statement:
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
And live with them honourably. [Soorah An-Nisaa’ Aayah 19]
If every person lives with his wife honourably and vice versa, then love, a strong bond and a happy married life will be established.
[Fataawaa Noor Alad-Darb 6/29. Abridged]
Treat Neighbours Well – Be They Muslims or Non-Muslims
A Sheep was slaughtered for Abdullaah Ibn Umar [radiyallaahu-anhumaa], so he said to his slave, “Have you given to our Jewish neighbour? Have you given to our Jewish neighbours? I heard the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] saying, ‘Jibreel did not cease advising me [about the rights of] a neighbour until I thought that he [a neighbour] would inherit from me.’ “