February 2020
It Is Not Permissible To Quote A Hadith If You Don’t Know The Authenticity!
In our time there are some sincere people who quote ahadith attributed to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam without declaring whether its Sahih, Hasan, Daeef (weak) or Maudu (fabricated), they are being too lazy to refer to the books of the experts in that field to determine the authenticity. It is not permissible to quote a hadith until its authenticity is made clear.
The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said : “It is enough lying for a person that he narrates everything which he hears” [Reported by Muslim in the introduction of his ‘saheeh’ and Sahih Al Jami 4482, in another narration the words are “It is enough sin” Silsilah Sahiha 2025].
Al-‘Allaamah Zakariya al-Ansaari said: “The one who wants to quote as evidence a hadeeth from the Sunans or Musnads, if he is qualified to distinguish between what may be quoted as evidence and what may not, then he should not quote it as evidence unless he examines its isnaad and its narrators. Otherwise if he can find one of the imams who classed it as saheeh or hasan, he may follow him, otherwise he should not quote it as evidence”. End quote. Fath al-Baaqi Sharh Alfiyyat al-‘Iraaqi.
Ibn Hibban said about the above hadith that, “And this narration contains a strong warning against a person’s narrating everything which he hears until he knows for certain that it is authentic.” Quoted by Albani in Tamam Al Mina 1/31
An-Nawawee said, “The one who does not know whether Ahaadeeth is weak or not then it is not permissible for him to use it as a proof without researching and checking it if he knows how – or by asking the people of knowledge if he does not know”. Quoted by Albani in Tamam Al Mina 1/31
Imam Malik said, “A man will not be safe if he narrates everything which he hears and will never be an Imam if he quotes everything which he hears” Introduction of Sahih Muslim (1/10).
Abdur Rahman ibn Mahdee said, “A man will never become an Imaam who is taken as an example until he withholds a part of what he heard.” [i.e. That which is not known to be authentic – since concealing authentic knowledge is forbidden]. Introduction of Sahih Muslim (1/10)
Shaikh Albani said about a person who quoted a hadith but does not know that its sahih or weak that,”He is also sinful due to his taking it upon himself to attribute it to the Prophet PBUH without knowledge”. Tamam Al Minah (1/30-31)
Imaam Muslim said, “It Is Sinful To Report Something From A Weak Narrator Without Making Its Weakness Clear: He says in the introduction of his ‘saheeh’: “But they made it incumbent upon themselves to reveal the weaknesses of hadeeth narrators and they fatwaa according to that – because of the great danger involved in it, since the narrations about matters of Deen convey allowance (Tahleel) and Prohibition (Tahreem), or orders and forbiddances, or encouragement and warning (targheeb wa tarheeb), so if the narrator is not truthful and trustworthy – then someone who narrates from him, knowing that, and does not make his weakness clear to others who do not know him, then he is sinful through that action, deceiving the common Muslims – since he cannot be sure that some of those who hear those narration’s will not use some or all of them, and perhaps they – or most of them – are lies which have no basis. And the authentic narrations form reliable narrators and people of precision are so plentiful that there is no need of the narration of someone who is not reliable”Introduction Sahih Muslim
And Allah Knows Best !
by Brother Syed Mohammad Asif
Qurb-E-Qayamat ki Alamatein
Allah Loves Constant Deeds
[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 76, Number 472 & 470]
Narrated ‘Aisha (Radi Allah Anha): The Prophet (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) was asked, “What deeds are loved most by Allah?” He said, “The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few.”
Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu): Allah’s Apostle (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) said, “The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the (Hell) Fire).” They said, “Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).”
Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of ALLAH: for without doubt in the remembrance of ALLAH do hearts find satisfaction.
(Surah Rad, 13:28 – The Holy Qur’an)
Mareez Ki Ayadat Ki Fazeelat
Sayings Of The Holy Prophet
• “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded.” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, No. 38)
• “It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.” (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1011)
• “Anyone who believes in God and the Last Day (of Judgment) should not harm his neighbor. Anyone who believes in God and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously. And anyone who believes in God and the Last Day should say what is good or keep quiet.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, No. 47)
• “Seven kinds of people will be sheltered under the shade of God on the Day of Judgment…They are: A just ruler, a young man who passed his youth in the worship and service of God…one whose heart is attached to the mosque…two people who love each other for the sake of God…a man who is invited to sin…but declines, saying ‘I fear God’…one who spends his charity in secret, without making a show…and one who remembers God in solitude so that his eyes overflow.” (Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 376)
• “It is better for any of you to carry a load of firewood on his own back than begging from someone else.” (Riyadh-us-Saleheen, Chapter 59, Hadith 540)
• “‘…what is the best type of Jihad (struggle).’ He answered: ‘Speaking truth before a tyrannical ruler.’” (Riyadh us-Saleheen Volume 1:195)
• “…you should show courtesy and be cordial with each other, so that nobody should consider himself superior to another nor do him harm.” (Riyadh-us-Saleheen. Hadith 602)
• “(Each one) of you should save himself from the fire by giving even half of a date (in charity). And if you do not find a half date, then (by saying) a pleasant word (to your brethren).” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 394)
• “In the name of God, I put my trust in God. O God, I seek refuge in Thee lest I stray or be led astray or cause injustice or suffer injustice or do wrong or have wrong done to me!” (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2, No. 67b)
• “Righteousness is good morality, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about.” (An-Nawawi’s “Forty Hadith,” Hadith 27)
• “Do not turn away a poor man…even if all you can give is half a date. If you love the poor and bring them near you…God will bring you near Him on the Day of Resurrection.” (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376)
• “Avoid cruelty and injustice…and guard yourselves against miserliness, for this has ruined nations who lived before you.” (Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 203)
Gheebat Gunah e Kabira
The Secret Of Happiness
So important is the concept of ‘happiness’ in our lives that many people – even dating back to the days of the Greek philosophers – considered its pursuit to be the very purpose of existence.
The Qur’an speaks of happiness as being one of the rewards of those whom Allah chooses to admit to Paradise.
Allah says of the martyrs:
They rejoice (Fariheena) in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty. (Aal-‘Imraan, verse 170)
And for the pious believers He says:
“So Allah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them Nadratan (a light of beauty) and joy.” (Qur’an, 76:11)
What becomes immediately apparent upon reading the Arabic text (but once again obscured in the translation) is that two very different words have been used to convey the idea of happiness: ‘Fariheena’, which is conjugated from the noun ‘Farah’, and ‘Suroor’, and this is prevalent throughout the Qur’an. This is because there are two very different types of happiness being referred to.
‘Farah’ generally refers to transitory delights or pleasures, as is the case in bodily or worldly pleasure. For this reason, most times that ‘Farah’ appears in the Qur’an, it is being censured, as in the story of Qaroon:
“…Verily! Allah likes not those who are glad (with ungratefulness to Allah’s Favors).” (Qur’an, 28:76)
But when the source of the ‘Farah’ is specified in the Qur’an, as in the verse from Aal-‘Imraan mentioned above, the meaning becomes restricted (Muqayyad) and it is no longer censured.
But perhaps a greater distinction between the two lies in the manifestation of the happiness. The expression of ‘Farah’ is external and with clear outward signs. ‘Suroor’ refers to the expansion of one’s heart with delight or pleasure wherein is quiet or tranquility, and as such it has no external sign. This is indicated by the root from which the word stems – ‘Seen’ and ‘Raa’ – the same root as the word ‘Sirr’, which means secret. So ‘Suroor’ is a secret happiness, known to one’s heart but not always seen by others, as Ibn ‘Abbas said in reference to the above verse from Al-Insaan, “The Nadrah is on their faces, and the ‘Suroor’ is in their hearts.”
Such distinctions exemplify yet another example in which the translation fails and the original prevails.
– By Ola Shoubaki – has a Masters in Arabic linguistics from the International Islamic University, Malaysia
Istighfar
Why Was The Holy Qur’an Revealed Over 23 Years?
It is important to note that if the Qur’an had been revealed all at once, people would ask, “Why was it sent down all at once and not in stages?” The ultimate answer to such questions lies with Allah, the All-Wise and All-Knowing. Our decisions are based on a very limited viewpoint, as we are limited creatures.
The Divine decree, on the other hand, considers everything – our moral and spiritual well-being, worldly happiness, and both the present and future – and weaves the whole into a single pattern that is coherent with grace and wisdom. Thus, the benefit we derive from the Divine commandments is immeasurable, and the blessing that flows from obeying them is beyond our imagination. And so it is with the method that Allah chose to reveal the Qur’an.
The Revelation began when it was time for humanity to reach maturity. The Prophet’s mission and that of his community was to become the most complete, progressive, and dynamic exemplars for humanity, and to achieve such a level of advancement that they would be the masters and guides for all subsequent people.
But these reformers first had to be reformed. Their qualities and characters had been conditioned by the surrounding non-Islamic environment, where their ancestors had been living for centuries. Islam was to turn their good qualities into qualities of unsurpassed excellence and to purge their bad qualities and habits in such a way that they would never reappear.
If the Qur’an had been revealed all at once, how would they have reacted to its prohibitions and commandments? Certainly they would have been unable to understand, let alone accept and apply them in the ideal manner. This lack of gradualism would have been self-defeating, as proven by history. Wherever Islam was taken, it spread gradually but steadily, and so became firmly established.
We see people all around us who cannot free themselves from their bad habits and addictions. If you confined such people, even if you convinced them to abandon their habits for their own benefit, they would not be happy with you. On the contrary, they would feel angry, bored, and irritated. They would complain and try to escape from your program of reform so that they could revert to their habits as soon as possible. All the arguments and documented evidence put forth by specialists and experts would not persuade them to change. Even those who are cured occasionally suffer a relapse. Indeed, some of those who campaign against harmful habits, such as smoking and consuming alcohol, still indulge in them!
Remember that the Qur’an came to change not one or two habits; it came to change everything zways of living and dying, marrying, buying and selling, settling disputes, and how to perceive one’s relation with the Creator, and more. Given the scope of the change envisioned, we can begin to grasp why it was revealed in stages.
The gradual revelation of the Qur’an prepared the people to accept and then live the virtues, excellent manners, and lofty aspirations it demanded. That so much was achieved in only 23 years is a miracle. As Said Nursi said, “I wonder if the scholars of today were to go to the Arabian peninsula, could they accomplish in 100 years even one percent of what the Prophet accomplished in one year?”
Current campaigns to eradicate a peripheral vice, such as smoking, employ famous scholars, individuals, institutions, and the whole network of mass media, yet they still result in overall failure. If 20 fewer people die on the road per year after a campaign against alcohol, it is considered a great success. What the Prophet accomplished, at God’s bidding, over 23 years far surpasses what all of humanity has managed to achieve since that time.
The Qur’an was revealed in stages so that its audience could understand, internalize, and apply its prohibitions, commands, and reforms. Revelation came when the need for guidance arose, without discouraging or grinding down morale, warning and condemnation preceded prohibition and appeal and exhortation preceded command. For instance, alcohol and other intoxicating drinks were prohibited in three or four stages; female infanticide in two stages; uniting warring tribes and building up a close-knit society based on brotherhood, thus raising the collective consciousness, in several stages. These difficult reforms were not gestured at or expressed in slogans, they were actually achieved.
Today, we design our projects according to past experience and future possibilities. Taking possible social and economic fluctuations into account, we make our plans flexible in order to leave room for any necessary modifications. Just like a young tree, the early Muslims grew slowly, adapting gradually to new conditions and thus developing naturally. Every day new people were coming into Islam.
New Muslims had to learn many things, they had to reach an Islamic consciousness, train themselves to act upon Islam, and thus become members of a society rather than separate individuals or mutually hostile clans. Their characters, personalities, and their whole lives, were reshaped and reordered in accordance with Islamic precepts and the Qur’anic guidance.
Such was the magnitude of their spiritual, moral, intellectual, and even physical regeneration. This transformation was achieved through a balanced synthesis of worldly life and spiritual advancement, and it happened gradually, slowly yet continuously, and harmoniously.