In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
To know who the Messenger is:
It is that you love him more than yourself, your family and wealth. It is obligatory upon the students of knowledge to know that everyone else loved for the sake of Allaah; but Allaah is not loved (for the sake of anyone else). Everyone else who is loved, starting with the Messenger first and foremost, then such a (person) is to be loved for the sake of Allaah. And for that reason if loving the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) is not (done) for the sake of Allaah, such as (loving him only) due to kinship or that he is a genius, (this) will not benefit (a person). This love did not benefit Abu Taalib and it will not benefit those orientalists who held him in high esteem because he is a genius in history and not that he is a Messenger of Allaah. It is obligatory upon the students of knowledge to be conscious of this. [Abridged: Sharh Thalaatha Al-Usool: page: 22]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him and prolong his life upon goodness) said:
What I know of the Shaikh Muhammad Amaan (rahimahullaah): Indeed, the seekers of knowledge and the carriers of various lofty certificates are many; but few amongst them benefit from their knowledge and are benefitted from, and Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami is from those rare and few ones; from those scholars who are well grounded in their knowledge and efforts with regards to benefitting the Muslims and guiding them through calling to Allaah upon clear-sightedness; and by way of his teaching in the Islamic University and in the noble Masjid of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam); and by way of his tours of the foreign Islamic lands and his tours within the kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) to deliver lessons and lectures in the different districts–calling to Tawheed, disseminating the correct Aqeedah, directing the youth of the Ummah to the methodology of the pious predecessors and warning against the destructive ideologies and the misguided calls. And whoever does not know him personally will know him by way of his beneficial books and tapes which contains plentiful knowledge and benefit.’’ [End of quote. Source: Sharh Thalaathatil Usool of Shaikh Muhammad Al-Amaan: page: 14]
I [Abu Mu-aawiyyah (Abdullaah Al-Gambi)] have been informed more than once by my companion and colleague Ustaadh Abu Tasneem [Mushaf Al-Banghaalee (may Allaah preserve him)], who was a close friend and companion of Ustaadh Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank (may Allaah grant him and his wife Jannah), that he asked Dawud, saying: ”which scholar did you benefit from the most whilst you were in Saudi?” He (Dawud) said: ”Shaikh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami”
Below is an advice and encouragement for us all to seek knowledge and correct our intentions.
It has been conveyed by Shaykh Abdur Razzaaq bin Abdul Mohsin Al Abbad -حفظهما الله -that Imaam Ahmad -رحم الله- said:
“”There is nothing compared to knowledge (when there) is a righteous intention (for seeking after it).” .”
Is it better to devote oneself with seeking of knowledge or occupy oneself with trade (seeking after sustenance) ?
Answer:
There is no doubt there is nothing equal to the seeking of knowledge; however seeking knowledge does not prevent occupying oneself with trade (seeking after sustenance), evidently he seeks knowledge in its time and he occupies himself with trade (seeking after sustenance) in its time.
What is the ruling on the one who sleeps through Salatul Fajr due to staying up late into the night for the purpose of studying?
Shaykh Saalih Al Fawzaan answers:
Mashaa Allah! Mashaa Allah! This is a successful one(!) he neglects the obligation (of Fajr Prayer), and he stays awake through the night.
What is the meaning of seeking of knowledge here?! Whilst he is losing and neglecting the obligatory acts, there is no benefit in this seeking of knowledge.
Salaatul Fajr is a must to be prayed in its correct time with the congregation and there is nothing that takes precedence over it.
The following is regarding a sister who began practising by the virtue and blessing of Allah as a consequence of a lecture she listened to by one of the scholars. We highlight, just as Shaikh al-Fawzan حفظه الله himself has stated, that the purpose of becoming aware of such stories is in order to take benefit from them, in order that a person takes admonishment regarding his or her own affairs.
[Paraphrased from Sahab]
The questioner states to the Shaikh, “This is an emotional letter from sister who requests some guidance and advice, she says that Allah the Mighty and Majestic guided me after I listened to a lecture of one of the scholars may Allah reward him, and that she felt the sweetness of eemaan since that day and she lives a different life now, a life full of happiness and comfort with her children who she teaches the Book of Allah and Islam, and she says she remembers and supplicates to Allah in all her affairs. She also says she began wearing the appropriate Islamic clothing suitable to the muslim woman, however upon this new change of lifestyle she says her family and relatives considered her ill [!] and that the rest of her family always conflict with her and consider her to be influenced by whispers [!] so she has sent this letter requesting you direct her and advise her on the affair in terms of staying firm and upright”.
Shaikh al-Fawzaan: “Yes, this is good news, glad tidings from this woman who was influenced by a good lecture and may Allah reward the one who delivered it with goodness. This is what is befitting of lectures, that they are done in clarification of this religion and explanation of the virtues of it and encouragement upon that. Lectures should not be in other affairs, entering into politics and what resembles those affairs that wastes peoples time and incites them and in fact harms them! So this is how lectures should be [about the religion and virtues and encouragement] especially in mosques and sermons and admonitions upon this style, as reminders upon Allah and teaching the people that which they are ignorant of from the affairs of their religion.
And when you mentioned [addressing the sister] that you repented to Allah and began practicing and covered with the correct hijab then this is goodness for you, and this is a new life for you different to your previous life, a life of guidance and eemaan, so it is upon you to remain firm upon this and continue, increase in eemaan, increase in listening to beneficial lectures and remembrance, and do not be intimidated by the ones attempting to frighten you and those opposing you to make you regress or leave that which Allah bestowed upon you, these are the shayaateen of humans who desire to misguide the people and do not care for goodness.
So upon you is firmness and clinging to that which you are upon and patience, and upon you is to learn beneficial knowledge so that your worship is upon insight and beneficial knowledge”.
Even if I was given a million every month to abandon seeking knowledge, I will not accept it; rather even if I was given this Masjid filled with gold, I will not accept it.
Does fearing the Jinn enter into natural fear or not?
Answer:
Fearing the jinn; if it is inner fear and if it is believed that the jinn can benefit and harm you, then this enters into shirk: ‘And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief.’ [Surah Al-Jinn Verse 6]
And in the most part/cases fear of the jinn – and Allah knows best – falls into the fear (that is regarded to be) worship; because it is believed that by way of it (jinn) you can be harmed or benefitted, whilst no one has the ability to cause harm or benefit except Allah, neither the jinn nor the people, as the Messenger of Allah sallaallaahu alaihi wa sallam said: “Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit with anything except that which Allaah has already recorded for you. If they gather to harm you by something, they would not be able to harm you by anything except what Allaah has already recorded against you.” (Tirmidhee Hasan saheeh)
And the true believer does not fear (anyone or anything) except Allah (The Mighty and Majestic). “So fear them not, but fear me if indeed you are (true) believers” [Aali Imran verse 175]; Meaning the inner fear, the fear (that is regarded to be) worship. As for fear of a snake, a lion or a corrupt person – meaning he who attacks you and you are not able to resist/fight him, then this is natural fear (and) it does not harm. This does not harm – Inshaa Allah – and it has no effect on the Aqeedah.
However fear of jinn in most cases is a fear established upon corrupted beliefs! The Messenger sallaallaahu alaihi wa sallam has given you weapons and has taught you; Read ayatul kursi, read Surah al Falaq and Surah an Nas to be protected. The remembrance of Allah (The Mighty and Majestic) protects you from them. Use the means which will protect you from them and from every type of harm—from snakes, scorpions and from other than them, (reciting): َعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّة مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.) (Recite three times in the evening.) If you said this nothing will come to you (of harm), neither a jinn nor a snake nor other than them. Nothing will harm you (by permission of Allah) and this is (when) it is done with sincerity and truthfulness. May Allah bless you all.
Fataawa fil Aqeedah wal manhaj [Shaykh Rabee Al Madkhali]
Allah سبحانه و تعالى has favoured certain times and places over others, and the servants have been encouraged to increase in their worship and obedience to benefit from the additional virtues of such times. However a question has been posed from times of old; Which is more virtuous – the last 10 of Ramadan or the 1st 10 of Dhul-Hijja?
Ibn ul-Qayyim stated, “So if you were to ask which 20 are the best? [i.e. days with nights – the last 10 days and nights of Ramadan or the 1st 10 days and nights of Dhul Hijja], then the correct statement is to say that the last 10 nights of Ramadan are better than the 1st 10 nights of Dhul Hijja, however the 1st 10 days of Dhul Hijja are better than the last 10 days of Ramadan”.
Ibn Kathir stated,”Generally it has been said regarding these 10 days of Dhul Hijja that they are the best days of the year as the hadith stated, and many [scholars] preferred them over the last 10 of Ramadan. That is because the same affairs are legislated in these days of Dhul Hijja as the last 10 of Ramadan in terms of prayer and fasting and charity etc [so they are similar in that sense] however there is a distinguishing factor for the days of Dhul Hijja and that is the performance of Hajj in them.
Although it has [also] been said [in another opinion] that the last 10 of Ramadan are better because within them is the Night of Decree [laylat ul-Qadr].
However some [scholars] took a middle course in this and stated that the first 10 days of Dhul Hijja are better than the last 10 days of Ramadan, and that the last 10 nights of Ramadan are better than the nights of Dhul Hijja – and in this manner the evidences are combined”.
