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Fatwas > Sha`ban Fatwas > Visits made during Sha‘ban to the grave of Prophet Hud

Source : alifta.com

Q: A brother from Hadramawt asks: During the month of Sha‘ban, people come to out town Hadramawt to visit the grave of Prophet Hud (Peace be upon him), whose grave is thought to be located in Al-Ahqaf, near Hadramawt. The journey there takes five hours by car. With this false belief, from our viewpoint, a great number of people, i.e. thousands of people, drive to this place, where they ascend a mountain to a room at the top of it that contains two or three graves. They lean against these graves, touch them, weep over them, call upon them and seek their blessings. When they have finished doing this they descend. They do this for about four days. They liken this practice to Sa‘y (going between Safa and Marwah during Hajj). They appointed certain places incarnating the body of Prophet Hud (peace be upon him): There is a pebble they call the nose of Prophet Hud; there is another smooth one that has the trace of his foot, which is called Al-Dahqah and its length is about three cubits; and a third one is claimed to be his feet wherein women hoping for husbands put some pebbles in the hope that they will find what they aspire to and similarly this is practiced by wives hoping to have babies. They claim that it is advised that one should pay this visit and that the predecessors among the Awliya’ (pious people) established this visit and called people to make it, like for example, the Faqih (Jurisprudent) immigrating to Allah, Ahmad ibn ‘Isa, and so on. They continue in this way describing this practice. O Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz finally, we seek your instruction and advice. What should they do?

A: First: The location of the grave of Allah’s Prophet, Hud (Peace be upon him), is not known. Their claim that this grave belongs to Prophet Hud in Al-Ahqaf is baseless. The only known graves among those attributed to the Prophets are that of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and that of Ibrahim Al-Khalil (Abraham, peace be upon him) in the well-known cave in Al-Khalil, the Levant, Palestine. The graves of Prophets Hud, Salih, Nuh, and the other prophets are not known. Likewise, the claim that the grave of Prophet Hud lies in Al-Ahqaf and that it is in the room mentioned by the inquirer, is all baseless and false. No graves are known among the graves of the Prophets other than that of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and that of Al-Khalil.

What these people are doing is Munkar (unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect) and is not permissible. Rather, it is one of the forbidden acts tantamount to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Supplicating to Allah’s Prophet Hud and Tabarruk (seeking blessings) through the pebbles claimed to belong to his grave and his body are acts tantamount to major Shirk. Seeking blessings through this; seeking husbands or offspring are all Munkar and among the forbidden acts that are tantamount to Shirk. Children are to be sought only from Allah, Who (may He be Glorified and Exalted) gives progeny. The same applies to hoping for a husband as this is to be sought from Allah, not from stones attributed to Hud or a grave attributed to Hud. One’s needs cannot be demanded from Hud himself (peace be upon him). One cannot say: “O Hud, grant us children or bless them for us.” This is to be directed to Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) Alone. All that is practiced by the ignorant people in this regard is Munkar that must be condemned. Muslims of sound intellect have to forbid them from this and scholars have to warn them against this. They should not be misled by the practice of ignorant people or acts introduced by some Sufis or some idolaters in this regard; all this is wrong.

‘Ibadah (worship) is an exclusive Right of Allah (may He be Exalted):Surah Al-Fatihah, 1: 5 You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). It is Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) Who confers blessings that cannot be sought from neither stones, nor graves, nor trees, nor from Allah’s Prophet, Hud, nor from anyone else. When the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) saw a tree (called Dhat Anwat) that was loved by the Kafirs (disbelievers) who would hang their weapons on it hoping for its blessing, they asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying: “O Messenger of Allah! Make for us a Dhat Anwat as they have a Dhat Anwat.” He (peace be upon him) said, “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)! Verily these are the ways of earlier nations. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you have said exactly as the Children of Israel had said to Musa (Moses): Make for us an ilah (a god) as they have alihah (gods).” The Prophet (peace be upon him) likened their saying: “Make for us a Dhat Anwat…” to the saying of the Children of Israel: “Make for us an ilah (a god)…” It is well-known that associating another god with Allah is major Kufr (disbelief). Accordingly, it is not permissible to associate any other god with Allah, neither from idols, nor from trees, nor from angels, nor from the Messengers, nor from any human beings or Jinn. Rather, ‘Ibadah is due only to Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted). The Right of Allah over His Slaves is that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him. It is Allah (may He be Glorified) Who says:Surah Al-Baiyyinah, 98: 5 And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him) And:Surah Al-Isra’, 17: 23 And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And:
Surah Ghafir, 40: 14 So, call you (O Muhammad peace be upon him and the believers) upon (or invoke) Allâh making (your) worship pure for Him (Alone) (by worshipping none but Him and by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allâh’s sake only and not to show off and not to set up rivals with Him in worship), however much the disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allâh) may hate (it). And:Surah Al-Zumar, 39: 2 So worship Allâh (Alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allâh’s sake only. The Prophet (peace be upon him) after asking Mu‘adh about the Right of Allah over His Slaves to which Mu‘adh answered, “Allah and His Messenger know best”, taught him saying, The Right of Allah over His Slaves is that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him. Thus, the Right of Allah over His Slaves is that they should worship Him Alone in their making Du‘a’ (supplication), asking help, Salah (Prayer), Sawm (Fasting), sacrificing animals, vowing and seeking blessings. All this must be dedicated to Allah Alone (may He be Glorified and Exalted):Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 163 And your Ilâh (God) is One Ilâh (God – Allâh), Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If you ask, ask Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah. The same ruling applies to what is practiced by some ignorant people by the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding supplicating to him or seeking his help or support. All these are forbidden acts that are tantamount to Shirk. The same applies to what is practiced by some people by the grave of Al-Badawy, Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), or by the grave of Ibn ‘Araby in Syria or by the grave of Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qadir Al-Jilany in Iraq. With regard to the practices of ignorant people who call upon deceased people and seek their help, all this is tantamount to Kufr and Shirk.

It is obligatory: to dedicate all ‘Ibadah (worship) to Allah Alone, to call upon none but Him (may He be Glorified and Exalted), and not to seek victory, support or remedy neither from the deceased, nor from trees or stones. All this is to be sought from Allah Alone (may He be Glorified and Exalted). Human beings are to be asked for what is within their ability to do, provided that they are alive and present, not dead or absent; the dead should not be sought out for anything. Rather, one can seek the help of those who are alive and present, if this is within their capacity. One can say: O brother, help me to do such and such a thing, if this is within their capacity; loan us such and such a thing; or help me repair my house or my car. There is nothing wrong to say this verbally, by sending a letter, or by phoning.

However, the deceased, the trees, stones, idols, or stars, are not to be asked for anything because this is tantamount to major Shirk, may Allah protect us! In fact, this is tantamount to worshipping them besides or instead of Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted). Thus, Muslims should beware of what Allah forbade them from. They should have sound knowledge of their religion and address their questions to qualified scholars who are well-known for adhering to the Sunnah and have correct ‘Aqidah (creed). People should ask them about the Religion of Allah and about what is ambiguous for them. They should not blindly follow the customs and practices that are only done by ignorant people. Allah (may He be Glorified) says:Surah Al-An`am, 6: 163 He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims. And:Surah Al-Kawthar, 108: 1 Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) Al-Kauthar (a river in Paradise). Surah Al-Kawthar, 108: 2 Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). Thus, Salah (Prayer) and sacrifice are to be made to Allah Alone. The same applies to Du‘a’.

Allah (May He be Glorified) says:Surah Al-Jinn, 72: 18 And the mosques are for Allâh (Alone); so invoke not anyone along with Allâh. Thus, it is Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) Alone Who is to be supplicated and hoped in. It is He Who is to be drawn nearer to by vows, sacrifices, Salah, and Sawm. May Allah help Muslims be enlightened in their religion! May He set right the affairs of Muslim scholars and guide them to enlighten their brothers and teach them what confuses them.

Source

The Chapter on What Has Been Narrated Concerning Fasting
Sunan Ibn Majah

• The Obligatory [Waajib] Fasts: Such as fasting in the holy month of Ramadan; fasting for fulfilling a vow’ and the fasting required for expiation.

• The Desirable [Mustahab] Fasts: Such as the fasting of the Prophet Dawudu [i.e., fasting every other day; fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every Islamic month; fasting on Monday and Thursday; fasting for six days of Shawwal; fasting on the day of Arafat; fasting during the first eight days of Dhul-Hijjah; fasting on Ashurah; fasting during the inviolable months; and fasting during the month of Sha’ban etc.

• The Prohibited [Haram] Fasts: Such as a women observing a voluntary fast without her husband’s permission as he stays at home; fasting for a day prior to Ramadan whilst the commencement of Ramadan is still in doubt; fasting on the of Eidul-Fitr, Eidul-Adha and the days of Tashriq [the three days after the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah]; the fasting of a menstruating women and the one with post-natal bleeding.

• The Undesirable [Makruh] Fasts: Fasting perpetually; fasting just on Friday, or only on Saturday, etc.

Source – http://alhujjahpub.multiply.com/journal

Answered by Ash-Shaikh Rabee’ bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee

Question: What is the ruling o­n reciting the Qur’aan into water?

Answer: It is not appropriate, even though some of the scholars have said it (that it is ok). There is no proof for it. The Messenger ( sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not do this and neither did the Companions. May Allaah bless you all. And those (scholars) who permit writing (i.e. writing verses of the Qur’aan and using them for cure and so forth), and some things, and bathing and washing (with water that have verses of Qur’an blown or recited in it) and the likes of these things, they do not have any proofs for such things. And they (the same scholars who permitted this) are the o­nes who taught us that we should not accept any matter except with the daleel (proof). So every person may have his statement accepted or rejected except the Messenger of Allaah (‘alayhis-salaatu was-salaam).

Source: From the tape “As’ilah Muhimmah Hawl ar-Ruqyah war-Ruqaah”
See the link http://www.sahab. com/go/fatwa. php?id=777&query =

The Muftee: Ash-Shaikh Rabee’ bin Haadee al-Madkhalee
Translated by Aqeel Walker

Source: AL-FA WA’ID: A Collection of Wise Syaings

Let’s strive to be close to Allah.
Let’s long for the dwelling of peace wherein there is no toil, stress or weariness.

The easiest way is to consider the fact that you are passing a period that lies between two other periods, namely your current life, which is the present one and it is between your past and your future.

The past can be set aright through repentance, regret and asking the forgiveness of Allah, and this is a way, which affords you no toil, weariness or hard work, as it is concerned with the heart.

The future can be set aright by abstaining from misdeeds, and this is a means of comfort and relief for you, for it is not a difficult act, but it is an intention that relieves your body, heart, and your mind.

In brief, your past is set aright through repentance; your future is set aright through abstention, determination and intention, which have nothing to do with overburdening the body.

However, our concern here is with the present time as it stands between the two other periods. If you waste it, then you are wasting your happiness and salvation. On the contrary, if you maintain it through setting your past and present aright, indeed you will attain success, salvation, relief, and pleasure.

Improving your present state is much more difficult than setting your past and your future aright, because it means that you should abide by the most deserving and beneficial deeds to achieve happiness. There are great differences between people in this regard. This is your chance to take the provision for your Hereafter, either Paradise or Hellfire. So, if you take this path to your Lord, you will attain glorious happiness and great success during this short period of time which has no value compared with eternity. However, if you prefer vain desires, idleness, play and amusement, the period would pass quickly, followed by a permanent and great pain, the suffering of which is much more severe than the suffering of patience, the patience required to obey Allah.

Related Links:

• Between The Past And The Future – by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah – al-Fawaa’id

• A Cry for Help : Turn to Repentance – Shaykh bin Baaz , Al-Istiqaamah Magazine,Issue No. 6
• Duas seeking forgiveness & Repentance – from Hisn al Muslim

• The Prophets (Peace be upon him ) Advice to Mu’aadh ibn Jabal – by Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen
• Excellence of Weeping out of Fear from Allah (Subahanahu wa Taala) – Riyad as-Saliheen

• Hoping in Allah’s Mercy – Shaykh Ahmad Farid – Al-Istiqaamah Magazine

Source: The Clarified Ruling Of Mistakes Done In Salat  – By: Mashhur Hasan Al Salman
Translated by: Iman Zakariyah Abu Gazie

[3/31] A muslim also should not pass wind in the masjid for this causes inconvenience for other muslims and pollutes the air of the masjid. In addition, the prophet (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) informed us that the angels send their  Salat on the one present in the masjid; they say: “O Allah, send your Salat on him, O Allah, have mercy on him’ so long as his Wudu’ is not nullified. The prophet (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was asked: ‘How is one’s  Wudu’ nullified?’ He (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “By passing wind”’. (1)

An-Nawawi said: ‘it is not Haram that one passes wind in the masjid but it is better not  to do so for the prophet (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: ‘Verily, angels are harmed with that which harms people’. (2)

[4/31] Some people falsely  believe that when one passes wind in the masjid, an angel inhales it through his mouth, then exhales it outside the masjid then dies. This is indeed a superstition for such things are of the Ghaib about which none can tell but the prophet (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and he (Sallalaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) never did. Besides, this superstition contradicts what really happens in such cases; the smell spreads in the atmosphere of the masjid like any other gas does in the air. (3)

(1) Narrated by Muslim in the “Sahih” (no. 649).
(2) “Al-Majmu‘ “(vol. 2 / p. 175).
(3) “Al-Ibda’ Fi Madar Al-Ibtida‘ “(pp. 438-9).

Related Links:

• Bulugh Al Maraam-195-209-Mosques – Explanation of Hadiths in Bulugh Al Maram [PDF]
• Prayer in Congregation – Shaykh ‘Abdullâh al-Sabt
• The Rules and Regulations of Salaatul Jamaa’ahby Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan [PDF]

AsSalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

Sha’ban is the month before Ramadhan.
Today is : Thursday 15 July 2010 = 3 Sha’baan 1431 AH

It is a blessed month so make use of it , insha Allah
Please check the below links related to the virtues of fasting in Shaban

• Deeds are Presented to Allah during Sha’ban
• Fasting during the month of Sha`baan
• Fast the white days of sha`ban
• Get Your Sins Forgiven on the 15th of Shaaban

The Ruling on Sitting on a prayer mat that contains a picture of a Masjid

As Shaykh Bin Baaz, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked on the ruling of sitting on a prayer mat that has a picture of the Masjid al Haraam and Masjid an Nabawee or any other masjid ?

A: It is a must that these prayer mats are not used due to (sitting on it) is consider to be belittling these Masaajids even though it (the masjid ) is not actually present but however (sitting on ) the picture is consider to be belittling it. So the least of its affair is being makrooh (disliked).It is a must that it is not used but rather one should use the prayer mats that are free from that ( pictures of Masjids) and the worse picture it can be is the picture of the Masjid of the Prophet, alaihi as salaatu was salaam, and what it( his masjid) contains of such as his grave for indeed sitting on the (picture) of his ,alaihi as salaatu was salaam, grave is consider to belittling it and degrading its v alue even though one may not intend that. So it is a must that these prayer mats are not used and the least of its affair is being makrooh rather one should use the prayer mats that are free from that (pictures of Masjids).

The Reference: Sharhu Nawaaqidil Islaam, Side A of The Tape

source: http://aloloom.net/vb/showthread.php?t=6000

Videos by Abū Saʿd Sālim bin Saʿd aṭ-Ṭawīl (Ḥafiẓahullāh)

Did Imaam Ahmad see Allaah in his dream?

The index finger’s position in the Tashahhud?

Wearing Pants?

Drying oneself after Wudhoo’?

Question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen:

Health care in the US where I live is very expensive, and if I do not have health insurance they will not treat me. If I want to pay for my own health care, I will go bankrupt and may even end up in prison. Is this considered to be a valid excuse for taking out health insurance, which is a form of gambling, given that there is no Islamically-acceptable form of insurance and I cannot afford to pay for health care for myself, my children and my wife in the way that is usual in some other countries?

The shaykh, may Allaah preserve him, answered as follows:

“So long as the man knows that this is a form of gambling, this is not permissible because it is of the works of the Shaytaan. He should rely on Allaah and put his trust in Him, because whoever puts his trust in Allaah, Allaah will suffice him, and whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (of every difficulty). So it is not permissible for him to get involved in insurance.”

We have already explained that the reason why health insurance is like a form of gambling is that a person pays a sum of money which becomes the property of the insurance company; if he falls sick or has an accident he will benefit, otherwise his money is gone. Moreover, the benefits he gains may be equal to what he has paid, or they may be more, or less. This involves jahaalah (buying something sight unseen) and undue risk, or consuming wealth unlawfully. It also means that one of the two parties will suffer a loss. I wish that some of the Muslims or wise people would set up cooperative insurance institutions that are in accordance with Islamic sharee’ah, the basic idea of which would be for people to cooperate in making payments to a specific account (that is not owned by any third party), so that if any one of them falls sick or has an accident, he will be compensated, with the consent of his partners. There would be nothing wrong with paying a salary to those who take care of this account, or with investing the money in another company according to a certain level of profit. And Allaah is the source of strength.

Source: AL-FAWAID: A Collection of Wise Sayings

Allah, the Almighty says,which means,
“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (AI-Baqarah, 2:216)

In this Qur’anic Verse, there are several judgments, meanings and benefits for the servant.    If the    servant knows    that misfortune can produce a desirable thing, and that the desirable thing can produce a misfortune, he would not feel secure against the harm that can come from delight, and he would not lose hope of delight to come from harm, for he does not know the outcomes of things. Verily, it is Allah Who knows about that which the servant does not know, and in this context the following issues must be noted:

Nothing is more beneficial for him than abiding by the judgments of Allah, even if it is difficult for him at the beginning, because all its outcomes are good, delightful, and pleasurable. In the same way, nothing is more harmful for him than committing what is forbidden, even if he loves it. All its outcomes are pain, grief, evil and misfortune.

Furthermore, the mind bears little pain in comparison to the great pleasure and abundant good that it will experience, and likewise man is expected to avoid little in exchange for great rewards and preventing great pain and long term evil.

In this way, we can see that the perception of the ignorant does not go beyond the basics of life; his perception does not reach the goals, but the intelligent person always keeps his eye on the goals behind his actions in life.

The intelligent person perceives forbidden things like delicious food, which contain fatal poison. Whenever its pleasure arouses his interest, the reality of the poison would push him away from it. Also, he perceives the orders of Allah as bitter medicine that leads to good health and recovery.

Whenever its bitterness urges him not to take it, the reality of its usefulness leads him to comply. This requires knowledge that is more than the rudiments of the religion in order to understand the essential goals. It also requires strong patience to adjust oneself to it, in order to bear the difficulties that will be encountered for the sake of the goal. So if he loses certainty and patience, it would be difficult to achieve the goal, and on the other hand if his certainty and patience is strong, every difficulty would be rendered easy for him for the sake of permanent good and eternal pleasure.

There are other meanings of this verse. It also requires the servant to leave all his affairs in the Hands of the One Who knows the outcomes of all things, and to be pleased with whatever He chooses for him.

Also, the meanings of the verse include the fact that he should not propose or choose for his Lord, and should not ask Him for that which he has no knowledge of, for his harm and ruin may be in it and yet he does not know. He should simply ask his Lord to choose good for him and make him pleased with His choice, for that indeed would be the best ending. Also when he  leaves all his affairs to his Lord, and is satisfied with His choice for him, Allah will support him by providing him with ability, determination and patience. He, the Almighty would also keep him away from the evil that the servant would have encountered if he had chosen for himself. He would show him some of the positive outcomes of His Choice, which he would not have attained if he had chosen for himself.

Such thinking relieves him of the burdens of trying to choose for himself as Allah frees his heart from estimations and arrangements, which fluctuate in difficulty. And in spite of this, the servant would always be surrounded by what was initially preordained for him. If he is pleased with the Choice of Allah, the preordainment would grant him what is praiseworthy, worthy of thanks and worthy of Allah’s Mercy. Otherwise, the preordainment would incur on him all that is dispraised and unworthy of Allah’s Mercy, because it was his own choice. When he truly leaves his affairs to Allah and truly becomes pleased with that, he would be surrounded by kindness and care in the preordainment, and he would be under the care and kindness of Allah. His Kindness protects him from that which he fears and His Care makes it easy for him to bear that
which He preordained.

When the preordainment is implemented upon the servant, the greatest cause of its implementation would be his trying to avoid it. Therefore, there is nothing more beneficial for him than submission.