[Article] What should one Preoccupy his Time with during the Month of Ramadaan? Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan

Ittihaaf Ahlil-Eemaan bi Duroos Shahri Ramadaan

Al-Ibaanah. com 

All praise be to Allaah for His blessings and generosity. He has blessed us by allowing us to reach the month of Ramadaan and enabling us to do good deeds by which we can draw nearer to Him. And may the peace and blessings be on our prophet Muhammad – who was the first to hasten to do good deeds – as well as upon his family and Companions – those who believed in him, supported him and followed the light that was revealed to him. They are the successful ones.

As for what follows, then:

I advise you and myself to fear Allaah during this blessed month as well as in any other month. However, this month has a special merit by which Allaah has distinguished it, since it is a unique occasion for performing good deeds. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would supplicate to Allaah to allow him to be able to reach Ramadaan. So when the month of Rajab would come in, he (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would say: “O Allaah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’baan and allow us to reach Ramadaan.”

The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would also give his Companions the glad tidings of its arrival and explain to them its many virtues, saying to them:

“O people! A great and blessed month has come upon you.”

The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would encourage his Companions to strive hard in performing good deeds during this month, both the obligatory and recommended ones, such as prayer, charity, showing goodness and kindness, being patient while obeying Allaah, spending one’s day with fasting, one’s night with praying and one’s hours with recitation of the Qur’aan and remembering Allaah.

So do not waste time by being heedless and refusing, as is the case with the wretched ones who have forgotten Allaah and so He has caused them to forget themselves. Such people do not extract benefit from the passing of occasions for doing good, nor do they realize their sanctity or know their worth.

Many people don’t know this month except as a month for various types of foods and beverages. So they go to great extents in giving their souls what they desire. And they exceed in buying fancy types of foods and drinks.

It is well known that the intake of too much food and drink causes one to be lazy with acts of worship. What is required for the Muslim is that he decrease in his intake of food and drink such that he is energetic when it comes to acts of worship.

Some people don’t know the month of Ramadaan except as a month in which one sleeps during the day and stays up all night doing things that have no benefit or things that cause harm. So these people stay awake most of the night or all of it then sleep in the daytime even over the times of the obligatory prayers. So they don’t pray with the congregation or in the prescribed times of prayer.

Another group of people sit at the dinner table when it’s time to break fast and abandon performing the Maghrib prayer in congregation.

These types of people do not know the value of the month of Ramadaan nor do they refrain from violating its sanctity by committing the forbidden type of sleeplessness (i.e. all night), abandoning the obligations and doing the prohibited.

Next to these people are those individuals who don’t view the month of Ramadaan except as an opportunity for doing business, displaying their products and chasing after the worldly life, which is temporary. So they are active in buying and selling, thus spending all their time in the marketplaces and abandoning the masaajid. And if they do go to the masaajid, then they are in haste and anguish. They do not relax while in the masaajid since their joy and comfort lies in the market areas.

And there is another type of people that do not know the month of Ramadaan except as a time for begging in the masaajid and in the streets. So they spend most of their time going back and forth from here and there and traveling from one country to another in order to collect money through begging and by presenting themselves as being needy when they are in fact wealthy, and as injured when they are in fact healthy! Such people are denying Allaah’s blessing on them and taking the people’s wealth unjustly. And they are wasting their precious time in things that are harmful to them. So there are no special merits that can be found in Ramadaan for these types of people.

O servants of Allaah! The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would strive hard during this month more than he would in any other month. Even though the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was strong in performing worship at all times, he would free himself up during this month from many of the duties, which in reality were acts of worship, leaving off these righteous deeds for deeds that were better than those. The Salaf would follow his example in this regard and so they would particularize this month with higher ambitions, thus keeping themselves unoccupied in it so that they could perform good deeds. They would spend their night in Tahajjud prayer and their day in fasting, remembrance of Allaah and recitation of the Qur’aan, thus frequenting the masaajid for that purpose. So we should compare our conditions to their conditions and see what the extent of our abilities is in this month.

And we should know that just as the good deeds are multiplied during this month, then likewise, evil acts are worse and their punishment is greater. So we should fear Allaah and magnify the sanctity of this month.

“And whoever magnifies the sacred things of Allaah, this is better for him in the sight of his Lord.” [Surah Al-Hajj]

May Allaah grant us all the ability to have righteous statements and actions.

And may the peace and blessings be on our prophet Muhammad, as well as all of his family and Companions.

Published: October 5, 2005 | Modified: October 5, 2005

Note: Al-Ibaanah. com no longer available

[Quote] Excuses

“Abu Qilaabah Abdullaah ibn Zaid al-Jurmi said, ‘If you hear something about your brother which you dislike then exert yourself in making an excuse for him. And then if you can’t, say to yourself, ‘Maybe he has an excuse I don’t know about.’’ [Al-Hilyah, 2/285]

Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq al-Badr said, ‘What a difference there is between someone who strives to find an excuse for his brother and someone who invents lies and fabrications against him and twists what he says or does.’”

At-Tuhaf bil-Ma’thoor ’anis-Salaf, p. 11

[Article] The Fasting Person Should Open His Fast with a Few Small Bites, Then Get up to Pray and then Come Back to Eat Without Being Excessive / Shaykh Al-Albaani

The Imaam said, “It has been related from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said, “There are three people who will not be called to account regarding what they eat, as long as it is halal: a fasting person, and the person eating the suhoor meal and the one guarding the frontier in the way of Allaah.” [Hadith grading:] Fabricated.

The Imaam said, “And maybe one of the bad effects of this [fabricated] hadith is the [resultant] state of the Muslims today—for when they sit to break their fast in Ramadan, a person won’t know to get up [and step away] from the food except just before Ishaa due to how many various types of food, drink, fruit and desserts he devours! And how can this not be the case when the hadith says that such a person is one of those who will not be called to account over what he eats!

So due to that they combined the excessiveness which one has been prohibited from in the Book and the Sunnah with the delaying of Maghrib which has [also] been prohibited in his saying, “My nation will remain in good …” or he said, “… upon the Fitrah, as long as they do not delay Maghrib until the stars appear.” (Al-Haakim declared it to be authentic and adh-Dhahabi agreed with him and it is as they both said, for it has other paths and supporting proofs which I pointed to in Saheeh Sunan Abi Daawood, no. 444).

An encouragement to hasten in opening the fast has also been reported in many hadiths, like, “The people will continue to be fine as long as they hasten the opening of the fast.” So both hadiths must be implemented in a manner where one doesn’t negate the other, and that is done by starting iftaar with a few small bites of food by which one’s hunger is calmed down, and then he gets up to pray and then, if he wants, he can come back to the food until he fulfils his need therefrom.

Some of this has been demonstrated in the practical Sunnah, for Anas said, “The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to break his fast before praying with some fresh dates, but if there were no fresh dates, he had a few dry dates, and if there were no dry dates, he took some mouthfuls of water.” (Reported by Abu Daawood and at-Tirmidhi and he said it was hasan, and it is in Saheeh Abi Daawood, no. 2040, and the one before it is agreed upon and it has been checked in Al-Irwaa, 899).”

Ad-Da’eefah, 2/92-93.

[Fatawa] The Danger of saying “Allah knows I did such and such” / explained by Shaykh Uthaymeen رحمه الله

Question: “What is the ruling on the statement some of the people say: “Allah knows
such and such?”

Shaykh Uthaymeen: The statement: “Allah knows” is a dangerous affair, such that I
saw in the books of the Hanafis that whoever says about something “Allah knows”—
while the affair is in contrast to what he has said—becomes a disbeliever outside the
fold of Islam.

If you say “Allah knows surely I did not do this” while you actually did it, this
necessitates that Allah is ignorant of the affair.

(For example if you say) “Allah knows I did not visit so and so” and you visited them,
the result is that Allah did not know what happen. And it is known that whoever
negates knowledge for Allah has disbelieved.

For this reason As Shafi’i رحمه الله said concerning the Qadariyah: “Argue with them
concerning the knowledge (of Allah) if they deny it they have disbelieved and if they
affirm it they have been defeated in the argument.”

The statement “Allah knows” if the person says it while the reality is in contrast to what he is saying then that is extremely dangerous, and it is Haram without doubt. But if what he says is correct and the affair is in accordance with what he said then there is no problem with this because he is truthful in his statement, and because Allah has full knowledge of all affairs. As the Messengers said:

قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ

They said: "Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you as Messengers. 

(Soorah Yā-Sīn 36:16)

كتاب المناهي اللفظية للشيخ العثيمين رحمه الله

https://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=141376

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee

Masjid Tawheed was-Sunnah in Durham, NC

[Quote] ​Academic refutations are of two types / Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan

Academic refutations are of two types:

Refutations which are issued by the people of knowledge, understanding and insight in order to clarify the truth and disprove the falsehood. These ones are beneficial and they are a must.

As for the refutations which stem from the ignorant and the unskilled students of knowledge, or the refutations which stem from whims and desires, then these are refutations which are impermissible because they harm and don't benefit.


(However) as for the correct refutations which have been issued by the people of knowledge and are based on clarifying the truth and not upon whims, then these are a must because it is not permissible to remain silent about the people of falsehood who/while they spread their misguidance and mislead the (Muslim) Ummah and its youth.

Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan, may Allah preserve him

Translated by 'Abdurrahīm Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadhramī. ​Published on Salafi-Dawah.com. Source: Sharh Mandhūmatil-Ādāb, tape 33.

قال الشيخ صالح الفوزان حفظه الله: الردود العلمية على قسمين: الردود الصادرة عن أهل العلم والمعرفة والبصرية لبيان الحق ودحض الباطل، فهذه مفيدة ولابد منها. أما الردود التي تصدر عن الجهال والطلاب غير المتمكنين أو الردود التي تصدر عن أهواء ورغبات فهذه ردود لا تجوز لأنها تضر ولا تنفع. أما الردود الصحيحة الصادرة عن أهل العلم المعتمدة على بيان الحق لا على الهوى فهذه لابد منها لأنه لا يجوز السكوت عن أهل الضلال ينشرون ضلالهم ويغررون بالأمة وشباب الأمة [شرح منظومة الآداب شريط ٣٣]

Children Are a Blessing From Allāh And a Hibah (Gift) From Him / Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān حفظه الله

Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān says:

Al-Hiba is: a gift without wanting anything in return.

Allāh, The Most High said:

“..To Allāh belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills.

Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. Verily, He is the All-Knower and is Able to do all things..” [Ash-Shurah 49-50]

Ibn Atiyah said in his tafsīr (Al-Muharrir Al-Wajīz):

‘..He, The Most Glorified, started with females as an honour to them, and so that (the men) will be vigilant in their maintenance and in being good to them…’

And he said:

‘..Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa’a, may Allāh be pleased with him said:

‘..Verily, from that which brings peace to the women is the praising of her before the men because Allāh started with the woman. Bringing peace to the women meaning: from her blessings and signs of happiness in this world before the hereafter…’

The people are of four types:

Is’hāq Ibn Bishr said: The following verses were sent down about the Prophets:

• Lut: A father of girls, no boys.

• Ibrāhim عليه سلام: A father of boys, no girls.

• Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم : He fathered both sexes.

• Yahya Ibn Zakarīya: No children.

 That which relates to the verse:

“..Or He bestows both males and females..”

Then this is regarding both boys and girls.

Children are an adornment and a trial

1.Children are an adornment:

 The Most High said:

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds, that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. [Al-Kahf 18:46]

Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children..” [Al-Imran 3:14]

2-Children are a fitnah (trial)

The Most High said:

“..Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allāh! With Him is a great reward (Paradise)..” [Al-Taghābun 16:15]

The messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified on the mimbar while giving the khutbah when he saw Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn while they were walking and causing obstruction. They were both wearing red shirts. The messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم came down and picked them up and said:

‘..Allāh has spoken the truth..:

“..Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allāh! With Him is a great reward (Paradise)..” [Al-Taghābun 16:15]

I saw these two boys walking and causing obstruction and I couldn’t be patient with them until I ascended and picked them up…’ [Abu Dāwood]

3 – Children may distract parents from the obedience of Allāh

The Most High said:

O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allāh. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers. [Al-Munāfiqūn 63:9]

And The Most High said:

O you who believe! Verily, among your wives and your children are your enemies (who may stop you from the obedience of Allāh), therefore beware of them! [At-Taghābun 64:14]

And He صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

‘..Children cause stinginess and cowardice…’  [Collected by Ahmad and Ibn Majah]

Author: Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzān

Source: Tarbīyatul-awlād fī daw’il-Kitābi was-Sunnah

Translated by: Dār Minhājis-Sunnah


Source: Dār Minhājis-Sunnah

[Article] How Does The Common Muslim Know What To Do When Scholars Differ? Think and Use Your Brain to Try and Understand the Proofs / Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Dīn al-Albani رحمه الله

Questioner: Some scholars differ in their opinion [with others], one will say something and another will say, “No, this is a mistake, [rather] this is correct,” and let’s assume that we are not people of knowledge or people of … ya’ni we’re just common folk … of course … we want to know the principles and the mistake if … this person says … and the second one says, “This is a mistake … this is not …” so what is your opinion [about] the differing between the scholars in a particular issue, an issue which concerns one?

 Al-Albaani: [Concerning] issues such as this the reason [people] fall into difficulty is that the effect of that sentence which we hear many times in the present day and age and especially in this country is not found among the general Muslims, what is that sentence? “Enlightenment/education …” the majority [of people] do not have a general awareness or knowledge of the reason for the differing, and [additionally] they [also] do not have an awareness of what their stance in relation to this differing must be.

So many of them will say what occurs in the weak hadith, “The differing of my Ummah is a mercy,” thus they ratify differing, however severe and copious it might be [due to it], and a few of them [go to the other extreme and] want to put an end to differing from its very root such that the scholars become [united] upon a single word in all issues [even those] which the scholars of fiqh of old have differed over–and this is something impossible! Because in His profound Wisdom Allaah عز وجل ordained, and there is none who can stop anything He ordains, saying:

“And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community, but they will not cease to differ, except whom your Lord has given mercy.” [Huud 11:118-119]

Differing is of two types: the first is where there is mercy with one another and where [each party] tries to understand the other. The second is the type of differing which involves conflict, antagonism, and enmity.

The first is the type which is unavoidable and is that which our Pious Predecessors were on, they would differ but they would not have enmity for one another and nor were they divided due to the differing because of what you have heard in the aayah:

“… and do not be of those who associate others with Allaah [or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.” [Ruum 30:31-32]

So if our Salaf as-Saalih, at the head of whom are the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, differed then it is unavoidable for [the people of] a [particular] group, or age, or generation not to differ, but that which was sufficient for the Prophet’s Companions صلى الله عليه وسلم when they differed is also sufficient for these people, [i.e.,] that they do not becomes enemies one to another and do not hate one another–there is no escaping such differing, the generality of Muslims must know this and they should not condemn any [and every instance of] differing between one scholar and another which they hear about, because this is something which is from man’s nature which Allaah created them with, an indication of which has preceded in the aforementioned aayah.

 If this is the case, what should the general Muslims do when they see such differing? Here lies the crux of the matter [that I had intended] by my [earlier] statement when I said that there is no enlightenment/education and no general cultivation. Before about a quarter of a century, the general Muslims were living according to a constrictive Madhhabism, each individual from millions of Muslims was satisfied with his school of thought, this one is a Hanafi, that one a Shaafi’i and so on.

But as for now, then there has been found, alhamdulillaah, the beginnings of an awakening, I do not say the awakening has been found, [but rather] that the beginnings of an awakening can be seen, so the people are aware of things which they were not mindful of before, but this awareness needs a completion. It is this completion which I am in the middle of explaining now, and it is: that you, O Muslim, however highly educated or not you are in the Islamic Legislation, when you hear about some differing between two scholars then think a little, look … is it said of both of them that they truly are scholars from the people of knowledge? It may be a student who thinks he is a scholar–and who thus says something in which he differs with the scholars and as a result differing between the scholars in the issue occurs. No.

So after this observation, when it is established, for example, that there is some differing between two venerable scholars, then the following caveat comes into play: if you are able to distinguish between one proof and another, then you must become acquainted with the proofs of both scholars, and [after doing so] find comfort with the stronger proof, what I mean is that even the general Muslims should strive [to understand the proofs/ijtihaad], but such ijtihaad differs from person to person, so how can, for example, a common person perform ijtihaad? His ijtihaad in relation to himself is as follows.

He hears a fatwa from one scholar which opposes that of another, so he should not stop at that fatwa, and here many, many different forms become apparent … you request proof from one of them and he says, “This is my opinion and ijtihaad,” or, “This is my madhhab,” and you request it from the other and he says, for example, “Allaah said … Allaah’s Messenger said … the Salaf said,” and so on, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said:

“Knowledge is, ‘Allaah said … His Messenger said … The Companions said …’ and it is not hidden

Knowledge is not your raising up a dispute foolishly Between the Messenger and the opinion of a faqeeh.

” When you traverse upon this methodology in trying to become acquainted with the proof, the difference between the two answers will become clear to you … I told you that one of them says, “This is my opinion … my itjtihaad … my madhhab,” this happens sometimes, the other will give you proofs, either from the Book or the Sunnah or the actions of the Salaf as-Saalih, at that point you will find yourself leaning towards the opinion of this scholar and his ijtihaad and you will not look at the opinion of the first, and at that time the difficulty [you have] will disappear from you, this is a very clear illustration.

And if we assume [a case where] both scholars used proofs, as occurred recently with Shaikh al-Bannaa, I think some of you were present when we discussed, with one of the noble teachers, the issue of reciting Surah al-Faatihah behind the Imaam in the prayers where the recitation is made audible, and those listening listened, and the person takes whatever the soul feels comfort in [since both scholars were providing proofs], whether the truth is with Zaid or ’Amr [i.e., whoever the truth is with]–what is important is that he not be a person of desires or [someone with] a particular purpose [that he seeks through his fatwa] and that he not be as is mentioned in a statement made by Ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنه in marfoo’ and mowqoof form but what is correct is that it is mowqoof, where he said, “Do not let yourselves be ‘yes-men,’ [إمعة: the one who has no opinion so he follows everyone’s opinion] saying, ‘If the people are good then we will be good, and if they are wrong then we will be wrong.’ Rather, make up your own minds, if the people are good then you are good, and if they are evil, then do not behave unjustly.” [Tirmidhi, v. 4, no. 2007, Darussalam transl.]

So, the general Muslims must set their hearts on knowing who the truth is with and then follow it, each person doing so according to the limits of their education, intellect and understanding, and Allaah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear.

The summary is that it is not possible to put an end to differing, it was there in the time of the Prophet and has continued to this day of ours, so do not seek the impossible. And when this is the case, what should the stance of the general masses be? It is as I just explained, that they seek out the truth, then their condition will be like that of those who strive to come to religious verdicts [mujtahideen]–if they are correct they will have two rewards, and if mistaken, then one, what is important is that they do not be people of desires and [particular] aims, and Allaah is sufficient …

Fataawaa Jeddah, Ahlul-Hadith wal-Athar, 5. [2/5/474]

[Quote] It will bring low some, and others it will exalt! / Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Noble Qur’an about the Day of Resurrection that:

 ﺧَﺎﻓِﻀَﺔٌ ﺭَﺍﻓِﻌَﺔٌ

{It will bring low (some); (and others) it will exalt} [Surah Al-Waaqi'ah 56:3]

The noble Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-'Uthaymeen رحمه الله mentioned regarding this ayah:

“And how many people are there who have a high status and are venerated by the people in this worldly life but will be from the most humiliated servants of Allah on the day of resurrection."

 [Tafseer Surah Al-Waaqi'ah 56:3]

Translated by Salafi-Dawah.com

 خافضة الرافعة

 قال الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين رحمه الله: وكم من إنسان في الدنيا رفيع الجاه معظم عند الناس يكون يوم القيامة من أحقر عباد 

الله (تفسير سورة الواقعة ص٣٢٨)

[Audio] Explanation of Book of Fasting from Bulugh Al-Maram / Dr Saleh As Saleh (رحمه الله)

Explanation of Book of Fasting from Bulugh Al-Maram, explain by Dr Saleh As Saleh (رحمه الله)

Original source: www.understanding-islam.net/

[Audio] Explanation of Book of Tawheed from Sahih Al-Bukhari / by Dr Saleh As Saleh

This is an explanation of Book of At-Tawheed from Sahih Al-Bukhari by Dr. Saleh As-Saleh based on Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al - Uthaymeen رحمه الله explanation. 

Original source: www.understand-islam.net

[Audio] Taraaweeh is not Limited to 11 Rak`ahs / by Moosaa Richardson

Check this out on Chirbit

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah stated: "...Anyone who assumes that the night prayers of Ramadhan have been limited by the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) to a set number that must be adhered to without any increase or decrease has surely erred..."

http://www.bakkah.net/en/taymiyyah-night-prayers-ramadhan-11-20-rakahs.htm 

Source: https://www.spreaker.com/user/radio1mm/about-praying-20-rakahs 

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