New Nikahs and the Quest for Blessings - Part Two

New Nikahs and the Quest for Blessings - Part Two

Firstly, the copious sums of money often at the expense of borrowing on interest are completely against the very essence of Shari'ah. Even a cursory study of the life of Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and the Sahaaba Radhiyallahu Anhum will convince one of the fact that Nikah is not an occasion when the Shari'ah encourages or even tolerates spending greatly. Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam in essence advised us that the more you spend, the less Barakah and reward you will get; Consider his words: "That Nikah receives the most Barakah (Blessings and Acceptance) where the least expense in incurred." (Mishkat)

One need not comment on the folly of those who say: "It is my only child and I must make this wedding something to remember. No expense will be spared. Molvi Saheb make Dua that Allah gives Barakah." Such a request for Dua is tantamount to standing in a downpour and asking the Moulana Saheb to make Dua that you don't get wet.

Then we have to have the appropriate music or musical ‘nasheeds’ to create the perfect ambience, the bride must be paraded in her full beauty  for all and sundry and not forgetting the professional photographers to capture this once in a lifetime moment.

We often hear of the marriages of Fathima Radhiyallahu Anha and Aaisha Radhiyallahu Anha. Our hearts are softened and we are taken aback by the beauty and simplicity of these marriages. Yet when the opportunity comes for us to emulate their marriages we opt for something that goes against their very grain.

If we wish to travel to the north it would be folly for us to travel on the road leading south. May Allah Ta'ala open our eyes to the reality and save us from the Fitnas of the past, Aameen.

New Nikahs and the Quest for Blessings - Part One

New Nikahs and the Quest for Blessings - Part One

“The moment I have anticipated and dreamt of for years has finally come. Soon I will actually witness the nuptials of my beloved child. My heart is also filled with a trickling of fear and apprehension. How I hope and pray that my son/daughter will be happy and that the couple will prove compatible and build a home filled with love, laughter and joy. All I want is that my child must be happy. I realise that all these unspoken ambitions lie solely in the hands of Allah Ta’ala who is the sole and supreme power. How I pray and beg Allah Ta’ala to anoint this occasion of my child’s Nikah with Barakah (blessing) and special mercies from Him.”

Thus far we see a brief picture of the conflict of emotions and aspirations that go through the minds of all parents at this vital juncture in the lives of their children. Finally all their thoughts culminate in the stark realization that in a matter so delicate as marriage, where two completely different personalities are being joined, surely the success of such a tremendous venture lies solely in the hands of Allah Ta'ala and every attempt must be made to ensure that His blessings and acceptance grace this critical juncture of our children's lives. With all this one cannot possibly imagine how these very same parents, who actually have the good of their children at heart, go about this occasion with tireless zeal ensuring that every ingredient found in this Nikah ensures that absolutely no Barakah graces this occasion.

to be continued...

A Beautiful Hadith about Hajj

   A Beautiful Hadith About Hajj

One day Ibn Umar (RA) was sitting with the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) in the masjid in Mina when a man from the Ansaar and a man from the Thaqeef came.

They gave Salaam and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, we came to ask you questions.”

So the Messenger (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: “If you want I can inform you why you came and what you want to ask, and I will do so, and if you want I will hold back and you can ask me and I will answer you.”

They said: “Tell us O Messenger of Allaah!”

The man from Thaqeef said to the Ansaari: “Ask.”

So the Ansaari man said: “Inform me O Messenger of Allaah!”

The Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:

“You came to me, to ask about leaving your house and aiming for the Bait-ul-Haraam and the reward for it; about praying two Rakah after Tawaaf and the reward for it; going between as-Safa and Marwa and the reward for it; your staying the evening in Mina, and the reward for it; stoning the Jamarah and the reward for it; slaughtering an animal and the reward for it; and the Tawaaf of al-Ifaadh.”

The man said: “I swear by the One who sent you with the truth! This is what I came to ask you about.”

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: “As for you leaving your homes aiming for the Bait-ul-Haraam: then your she-camel does not place its foot nor does it raise it except that Allaah writes for you a reward due to it, and wipes off one of your sins.

As for the two Rakah after the Tawaaf, then it is equivalent to freeing a slave from the Children of Ismaeel.

As for your circuiting of as-Safa and al-Marwa, then it is the same as freeing 70 slaves.

As for you staying till the evening in Arafah, then Allaah descends to the sky of the Duniya and He boasts about you to the Angels, and says: ‘My slaves have come to Me, looking rough, from every deep valley hoping for My mercy, so if their sins were equivalent to the amount of sand or the drops of rain or like the foam on the sea I will forgive them. So go forth My slaves! Having forgiveness and for what or who you have interceded for.’

As for stoning the Jamaar (the pillars), then for every stone that you throw, it removes a big sin from the deadly sins.

As for your slaughtering, then it is saved for you with your Lord.

As for shaving your head, then there is a reward for every strand of hair that you shaved, and a sin is wiped off by it.

As for you performing Tawaaf of the House after all this, then by this time you are performing Tawaaf with no sin upon you and an Angel comes and places his hand between your shoulders saying: “Perform good deeds in what you face of the future, for verily your past sins have been forgiven.”

(at-Tabarani and al-Bazaar–graded hasan by Al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa Tarheeb’)


Subhaan Allaah! What a beautiful hadeeth!
And what good news for the pilgrims!


Rejoice and celebrate! Those of you going for Hajj this year! What more could you ask for?!!

Remember this hadeeth as you leave your homes for this honourable journey, whether it is by plane, ship, car or camel. Remember that Allaah will forgive your sins at each step you get closer to your destination and reward you at each step.


And remember this hadeeth as you circulate the Kaa’ba and say your two rakaat….And during your Sa’ee as you get tired……and on the Day of Arafah as you spread out your hands and ask for His Mercy and forgiveness….remember this hadeeth and cry. Weep out of your fear of Him and beg Him to pardon you and to guide you to Jannah.

And as you stone the Jamaraat with the crowds, remember this hadeeth and thank Allaah for this opportunity to have your major sins forgiven. And when you slaughter your animal and shave your head only for His sake, remember to thank Him and praise Him and glorify Him, for no one but Him Alone made all this possible for you. No one but Him Alone can forgive you and guide you. And no one but Him Alone can accept all this from you.

And finally, as you make Tawaaf of al-Ifaadhah….remember this hadeeth and firmly resolve to be good, to fear Him, to be honest and upright…..a follower of the Sunnah….a true Muslim in word and deed, not just by name. Promise Him that you will try your best to have taqwa and keep away from all that is haraam. And direct all praise and thanks to Allaah Alone who honored you by first inviting you to His Noble House then enabled you to perform Hajj and then forgave you your sins. Alhamdulillaahi Rabb il-Aalameen. Can we ever thank Allaah for His kindness and blessings?!!

And if you do all that, sincerely following the Sunnah, you will be forgiven, just as the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) promised us. And your reward will be Jannah.

As for those of us who couldn’t go this year, make firm intention NOW, to go for Hajj next year. No, not in the near future. Next Year. That’s it. Don’t delay it. Make a promise to yourself and ask Allaah to make it happen. If you ask sincerely, He will surely make it come true.


For, how can one read this beautiful…beautiful hadeeth and not want to take benefit from it?!!
How can one stand not to be the one to whom this hadeeth applies?!!
How can one not be one of the Haajis??!!!

May Allaah enable all those of us who have not yet gone for Hajj to do so and may He accept all those who did go. Ameen.

Has Gossip Made You Bankrupt..???

Has Gossip Made You Bankrupt..???

After being subject to this situation - I thought this is beneficial...one sees things in a new light once being placed in a similar situation. Oh Allah (swt) please save us from this type of Fitna, Aameen

You hear a juicy tit bit from a neighbour, who heard it from a friend, who heard from her sister on a social chat group, who added some “spice” to make it more appetizing… and so the gossip goes around town…sounds familiar?

Gossip is dangerous and harmful; it can destroy the fabric and morality of a society. People spread gossip for many reasons such as to feel superior (they feel better if someone is worse off than them), out of jealousy, to fit in the group, for attention (they become centre of attention for a few moments), out of revenge and even out of sheer boredom (an idle mind is a devils workshop).

We need to remind ourselves over and over again that we are accountable for our deeds in the Court of Allah. Allah Ta’ala says: "Oh you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done” (Quran 49:6).

There once lived a gossip monger. He always preoccupied himself in talking about other s. He could not resist the urge. Whenever he heard a story about somebody he knew, and sometimes about somebody he did not know, he just had to tell it to his friends. Since he was in business, he heard a lot of rumours and stories. He didn’t care if it was true or not. He loved the attention he got from his gossip, which he sometimes spiced up with little details he invented to make them funnier, juicier and more palatable. Other than that, he was really a pleasant man.

He kind of knew it was wrong, but . . . it was too tempting, and in any case, most of what he told had really happened, didn’t it?  

One day he found out something really weird about another businessman and his wife. Of course he felt compelled to share what he knew with his colleagues, who told it to their friends, who told it to people they knew, who told it to their wives and so the gossip spread around town until the unhappy businessman who was the main character in the story heard about it. He ran to the wise man of the town, and wailed and complained that he was ruined! His good name and his reputation were gone with the wind.

The wise old man decided to call the man who loved to tell stories. If he was not the one who started them, he might at least know who did. When the nice man with the nasty problem heard from the wise man how devastated his colleague was, he felt truly sorry and admitted his guilt.

“True, or not true, that really makes no difference! You just cannot tell stories about people. This is all slander, and it’s like murder—you kill a person’s reputation.” shouted the wise man. The man who started the rumour now felt really bad and sorry. “What can I do to remedy the harm ?” he sobbed. “I will do anything you say!”

The wise old man looked at him. “Do you have any feather pillows in your house?, bring me one.” The man was mystified, but he returned with a nice fluffy pillow under his arm. “Cut it open!”said the wise man. The man cut the pillow. A cloud of feathers came out.  Being a windy day,they floated all over the place and a lot of them flew out of the window in a big swirling, whirling trail.

The wise man waited a while. Then he ordered the man: “Now bring me back all the feathers, and stuff them back in your pillow. All of them, mind you. Not one may be missing!” “That is impossible! The ones here in the room I might get, most of them, but the ones that flew out of the window are gone. I can’t do that, you know it!”

“Yes,” that is how it is… once a rumour or a gossip or a ‘secret,’ leaves your mouth, you do not know where it ends up. It flies on the wings of the wind, and you can never get it back!”

He ordered the man to sincerely repent to Allah Ta’ala and with remorse deeply apologize to the person about whom he had spread the rumour; that is difficult and painful, but it was the least he could do. After that he talked about the importance of guarding your tongue to all his friends and colleagues. And in the end he became an upright man who overcame a nasty addiction of tale telling!

Allah, The Most Wise, says in the Quraan:

“ Oh you who believe! Avoid suspicion for suspicion, in some cases is a sin. And backbite not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? No, you would abhor it...But fear Allah. For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful" (Quran 49:11-12).

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When man wakes up in the morning each day, all his body parts warn his tongue saying: ‘Fear Allah with regards to us, for we are under your mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we will be crooked." (At-Tirmidhi)

 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) once asked: "Do you know what backbiting is?" His companions replied: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He then said: "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike." Someone asked: "But what if what is said is true?" The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: "If what you say about him is true, then you have backbitten him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him."  (Hadith-Muslim)

Let’s face it, we live in a world where gossip often crosses our path. People gossip and this cannot be changed overnight. But we do have the ability to change what happens when the rumour comes our way. We can simply break this chain of gossip by considering the following :

·         Beneficial or not? Try to ascertain the worth of the subject under discussion. If non-beneficial refrain from it. Why would I want to be a link in this sinful chain?

·         Put yourself in their shoes: Would I like people to know this about me? How would this person feel if they knew about this rumour?

·         Look for positive qualities in people: If you really have to talk about someone who’s not there, talk about how great, hardworking, funny, humble they are instead of deficiencies.

·         Fear Allah Ta’ala and Repent: Remember Allah can see and hear everything, we are accountable to Allah Ta’ala! If we have engaged in gossip than repent and also ask the wronged one for his or her forgiveness.

·         Don’t be an audience: Remember that according to a hadith by listening and letting it continue makes us equally responsible.

·         Change the topic or leave: Allah praised such action in the Quran: "If they hear gossip, they walk away" (Quran 28:55). Diplomatically change the topic and if you cannot than just walk away when your friend tries to gossip or just say "I'm not interested" and ignore any nasty comments. “When you see men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes you forget, then after recollection, do not sit in the company of those who do wrong.”(Quran-Al-An’am6:68)

·         Stop it right there! Do not provide the oxygen needed to spread the fire. Politely and with hikmah (wisdom) admonish and stop the perpetrator/s.

·         Guard the honour of your fellow being ,remember if you respect people’s privacy they will respect yours. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:”if anyone defends his brother’s honour in his absence, then it is Allah’s responsibility to set him free from the fire (hell).”(Hadith-Musnad Ahmed)

An excellent practice to apply in our lives is the TRIPLE FILTER TEST. One day a man tried to gossip about someone to a pious person. He asked the pious man whether  he wanted to hear what he heard about his friend. The pious man replied:  Wait before you tell me anything I want you to pass this Triple Filter Test.

First Filter is TRUTH: Is what you are about to say absolutely true?
 The Man:  No, I just heard about it.
Pious  Man: Alright so you tell me that  you don’t really know if it is true or not.

Second Filter is GOODNESS: Is what you are going to say is GOOD?
The Man:  No.
Pious Man: So you want to tell me something bad and you are not sure that if it is true or not.  

Third Filter is USEFULNESS: Is what you are going to tell me going to be USEFUL to me?
The Man: No.
Pious Man: Well if you want tell me something that is neither True nor Good nor even USEFUL, why tell it to me at all?

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him was once asked: "Who is the best Muslim?" He (pbuh)replied: "He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands." (Hadith-Muslim)

 Once The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings be upon him) asked the Sahabah(RA) “Do you know who is bankrupt?” They replied, “Bankrupt among us is he who has no money or property.” He said, “Verily, the real bankrupt one from my Ummah is he who will come on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting and Zakat that he performed. However, he had cursed this person, falsely accused that person, ate up the property of another person, shed the blood of another person and beaten another person. So, this person will be given from his righteous deeds, and that person will be given from his righteous deeds. If his righteous deeds finish before his account is paid in full, sins from their records will be transferred from them to him, and he will then be thrown in the Fire.” (Hadith Muslim )

We can destroy all our good actions by a few loose words that we utter in moments of heedlessness. We need to seek forgiveness of ALLAH TA’ALA, and from the one we wronged, if we have backbitten, slandered or hurt anyone, otherwise on the day of Qiyamat(Resurrection) we will have to compensate them with our good actions.

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”

May Allah Ta’ala guide and protect  us all… aameen