Protecting the Muslim Marriage
Protecting the Muslim Marriage Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 In the first article in this new series, we discussed the importance of the topic of marriage and divorce that so many of us belittle or neglect until we run into problems. We were reminded that any remedy for the conscious attempt by shaytan and his allies to dismantle the Muslim family unit, must include a retreat to the Qur’an and its guidance. Thus we are going through twelve principles, the titles of each extracted from an ayah of the Qur’an which we will…
The Dismantling of the Muslim Family
Protecting the Muslim Marriage Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 I passionately believe that this topic, the topic which focuses on the issues of the Muslim family, is one of the most important topics that could and must be addressed today more than any other time. Many find themselves diverting from such a discussion, especially ‘practicing’ Muslims, having labelled such a topic as a ‘social’ one, one which is not as important as the ‘Islamic’ ones. This is an unfortunate, mistaken perception, not least because of the misguided presumption that social issues are not…
How to Unlock the Treasures of the Friday Sermon
Many courses and seminars have been organised both in our city and in others with the objective of developing the sermon givers and equipping them with the necessary tools to effectively communicate the message of Allah and His messenger (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) to the masses. This article, however, will not address the matter of the Friday sermon from the perspective of the sermon giver but from the perspective of the rest of us as listeners. How do we ensure that our presence during this weekly visit is effective? How can we make sure that what we hear transfers us…
Takfīr Is Not Your Job
Deliberation before Condemnation – Part 4 Part 1 | 2 | 3 Imām Ibnu Taymiyyah said, هَذَا مَعَ أَنِّي دَائِمًا وَمَنْ جَالَسَنِي يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ مِنِّي: أَنِّي مِنْ أَعْظَمِ النَّاسِ نَهْيًا عَنْ أَنْ يُنْسَبَ مُعَيَّنٌ إلَى تَكْفِيرٍ وَتَفْسِيقٍ وَمَعْصِيَةٍ، إلَّا إذَا عُلِمَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ قَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْحُجَّةُ الرسالية الَّتِي مَنْ خَالَفَهَا كَانَ كَافِرًا تَارَةً وَفَاسِقًا أُخْرَى وَعَاصِيًا أُخْرَى وَإِنِّي أُقَرِّرُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ غَفَرَ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ خَطَأَهَا: وَذَلِكَ يَعُمُّ الْخَطَأَ فِي الْمَسَائِلِ الْخَبَرِيَّةِ الْقَوْلِيَّةِ (القضايا الموقوفة على النقل والرواية) وَالْمَسَائِلِ الْعَمَلِيَّةِ (مثل الصلاة والصيام) وَمَا زَالَ السَّلَفُ يَتَنَازَعُونَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْمَسَائِلِ وَلَمْ يَشْهَدْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى أَحَدٍ لَا بِكُفْرِ وَلَا بِفِسْقِ…
Deeds of Disbelief by Believers
Deliberation before Condemnation – Part 3 Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 The purpose of this series is one: To illustrate beyond doubt the very sophisticated nature of Takfīr, hoping that it will dissuade those who have been afflicted with such boldness to reconsider their behaviour and to busy themselves with those matters that are urgently required of them, such as to memorise the book of Allāh, to perfect its recitation, to master its understanding, to the study of the Arabic language, to pursue Islamic knowledge, to call to the path of Allāh and to establish projects in preparation for their Hereafter.…
Helping Hypocrites Against Muslims
Deliberation before Condemnation – Part 2 Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 The purpose of this series is one: To illustrate beyond doubt the very sophisticated nature of Takfīr, hoping that it will dissuade those who have been afflicted with such boldness to reconsider their behaviour and to busy themselves with those matters that are urgently required of them, such as to memorise the book of Allāh, to perfect its recitation, to master its understanding, to the study of the Arabic language, to pursue Islamic knowledge, to call to the path of Allāh and to establish projects in preparation for their…
Takfir
Deliberation before Condemnation – Part 1 Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Allāh says, speaking about Prophet Nūḥ (ʿalayhi al-Salām) and what he said to his people: وَأنْصَحُ لَكُمْ “..and I give sincere advice to you” And He (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) said, speaking about Prophet Hūd (ʿalayhi al-Salām) and what he said to his people: وَأنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أمِينٌ “..and I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser” Our Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) would reinstate the importance of the dissemination of such advice, when he said: الدِّينُ النَّصِيحةُ “The Dīn of Islām is advice.” In keeping with the…
Six Signs of a Hypocrite
The longest Sūrah of the Qur’ān is Sūrah Al-Baqara. It is introduced by giving the characteristics of three different categories of people. The first four verses speak in description of the people of Īmān. It then goes on to describe the disbelievers in just two verses. The verses then go on to describe the people of Nifāq (hypocrisy) in thirteen long verses. Why were so many verses dedicated to them? Imām Ibnul Qayyim explains, لِكَثْرَتِهِمْ وَعُمُومِ الِابْتِلَاءِ بِهِمْ، وَشِدَّةِ فِتْنَتِهِمْ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ، فَإِنَّ بَلِيَّةَ الْإِسْلَامِ بِهِمْ شَدِيدَةٌ جِدًّا، لِأَنَّهُمْ مَنْسُوبُونُ إِلَيْهِ، وَإِلَى نُصْرَتِهِ وَمُوَالَاتِهِ، وَهُمْ أَعْدَاؤُهُ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ “Because…
II – The EVEN GREATER Loss of the One who does not Pray
In the previous article, The Great Loss of the One who does not Pray, we discussed the worldly loss of a person who neglects their Ṣalāh. We explored the Ṣalāh in its relation to Īmān, as an unparalleled act of worship, as a treasure of this Dunya, as being equated to a person’s family and wealth and as a form of protection in their everyday lives. In this article we discuss the loss of such a person in the Hereafter where the consequences of our actions are ever more severe. May Allāh make this of benefit to us and help us…
I – The Great Loss of the One who does not Pray
When the topic of Ṣalāh is addressed on the public platforms, the conventional method focuses on establishing its importance, the sins associated with a person who fails to perform it and the ruling of such a person. This method is without doubt essential and reflects one of the many Qur’anic approaches when speaking about Ṣalāh. As for this piece, the method will not be conventional. May Allāh make these words a means of wakefulness for our hearts. We will take different narrations which speak not only of Ṣalāh, but of other matters that are attached to it, such as wudhūʿ, the…