Some Hadiths to Think About in this Time of HOT Weather

Hadiths from Sahih MuslimBook 4, Number 1284:

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When it is a hot day, (delay) the prayer till the extreme heat passes away, for the intensity of heat is from the exhalation of Hell.

Book 4, Number 1287:

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: This heat is from the exhalation of Hell-fire, so delay the prayer till it is cool.

Book 4, Number 1289:

Abu Dharr reported: The Mu'adhdbin (the announcer of the hour of prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) called for the noon prayer. Upon this the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Let it cool down, let it cool down, or he said: Wait, wait for the intensity of heat is from the exhalation of Hell. When the heat is intense, delay the prayer till it becomes cooler. Abu Dharr said: (We waited) till we saw the shadow of the mounds.

Book 4, Number 1290:

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The Fire made a complaint before the Lord saying. "O Lord, some parts of mine have consumed the others." So it was allowed to take two exhalations, one exhalation in winter and the other exhalation in summer. That is why you find extreme heat (in summer) and extreme cold (in winter).

A Sin That Leads To Jannah......

A Sin that Leads to Jannah...
Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said:
“Sin may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of acts of worship. This is what is meant by the words of one of the salaf:‘A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.’ They said: ‘How is that?’He said: ‘He may commit a sin and continues to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers his sin, so he feels ashamed and repents and seeks forgiveness and regrets it, so that will be the means of his salvation. And he may do a good deed and continue to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it is the cause of his doom.So the sin may be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship and good deeds and to change his attitude so that he fears Allah and feels shy before Him and feels humiliated before Him, hanging his head in shame and weeping with regret, seeking he forgiveness of his Lord. Each of these effects is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him feel proud and show off and look down on people. Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself and looks down on others, and who thinks that he is doing Allah a favour. Even if he says words that indicate something other than that, Allah is the Witness over what is in his heart. Such a person may feel hatred towards people if they do not hold him in high esteem and humiliate themselves before him. If he were to examine himself honestly, he would see that clearly.” TAKEN FROM:Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/299

The Etiquette of Companionship

I was reading this the other day and again today, this is a very good read masha Allah. Insha Allah I pray

you all enjoy it as much as I did. Usually when I read something I like to highlight points that really catch my attention or if I want to go back and read that particular part again Allahu Alam enjoy .

The Manner Of Companionship" -Point Of Benefit Taken From The Book Al-Hilyah by Shaykh Bakr Abee Zayd rahimahullaah-
أدب الزمالة
The Etiquette of Companionship
احذر قرين السوء
Point 23. Beware of the bad companion
كما أن العرق دساس، فإن ”أدب السوء دساس”، إذ الطبيعة نقال، والطباع سراقة، والناس كأسراب القطا مجبولون على تشبه بعضهم ببعض، فاحذر معاشرة من كان كذلك، فإنه العطب والدفع أسهل من الرفع
"Just as hereditary disposition is hidden, 1 "bad characteristics are [also] hidden: 2 because character is transferable, and [first] impressions are major abductors of the hearts, and people are like the flocks of birds, naturally disposed to imitating one another; so beware of associating with whosoever is to this liking; for it is indeed destruction, and " prevention is (always) better than cure..."
وعليه، فتخير للزمالة والصداقة من يعينك على مطلبك، ويقربك إلى ربك ويوافقك على شريف غرضك ومقصدك وخذ تقسيم الصديق في أدق المعايير
صديق منفعة
صديق لذة
صديق فضيلة
"...Therefore, choose the best for companionship and friendship; someone who will help you in your talabah (quest), in drawing nearer to your Lord, and agrees with you in your noble objective and intention. Take [from me] the most precise gauge in categorizing friends:3
1. A friend who befriends you [solely] for his welfare.
2. A friend who befriends you [solely] for fun and entertainment.
3. A friend who befriends you for virtue..."
فالأولان منقطعان بانقطاع موجبهما، المنفعة في الأول واللذة في الثاني
"...As regards to the first two [categories of friends], then their [relationship] with you is cut off once the necessitating reason [for which they befriended you] is fulfilled: the attainment of welfare in the first and fun in the second..."
وأما الثالث فالتعويل عليه، وهو الذي باعث صداقته تبادل الاعتقاد في رسوخ الفضائل لدى كل منهما
"...As for the third category, then this is the one we will concentrate on. He is the one who is driven into a friendship due to mutual belief in the firm establishment of virtue in both people..."
وصديق الفضيلة هذا ”عمله صعبه” يعز الحصول عليها
ومن نفيس كلام هشام بن عبد الملك ”م سنة 125هـ”قوله
"ما بقى من لذات الدنيا شئ إلا أخ أرفع مؤونة التحفظ بيني وبينه” أ هـ
ومن لطيف ما يفيد بعضهم
"العزلة من غير عين العلم: زلة ومن غير زاي الزهد: علة"
"...A companion of virtue today is "a hard currency" and difficult to find. Amongst the beautiful sayings of Hishaam bin 'Abdil-Maalik rahimahullaah (died 125 hijree) is his saying: "Nothing remains of the worldly pleasures except a brother [with] whom I raise the burden of taking precaution between me and him." 4
Amongst the subtle statements that should be noted are some that say: " العزلة (al-'uzla, meaning "isolation") without the [letter] عين 'ayn from [the word] العلم al-'ilm, meaning "knowledge" becomes (in the Arabic language) زلة (zallah - a mistake), and without the [letter]
زاي zaay from the word الزهد (zuhd, asceticism) becomes [in the Arabic language] علة ('illa meaning "defect")..." 5
[Taken from Hilyata Taalibil-'Ilm by Shaykh al-'Allaamah Bakr Aboo Zayd rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa]
1 And on this a fabricated hadeeth, see al-Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah, (2/123, 127), and Sharhul-Ihyaa' (5/348).
2 Sharhul-Ihyaa' (1/74).
3 Muhaadharaatul-Islaamiyyah by Muhammad al-Khidr Husayn (p.125-136). Also see Tadhkiratul-Saami’ wal-Mutakallim by Ibn Jamaa’ah.
Imaam Maalik bin Anas rahimahullaah said:
"Whoever does not love knowledge then there is no good in him. So there should not be any acquaintance between you and him, and nor any friendship." [Imaam al-Kateeb al-Baghdaadee in his Al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (vol. 1 pg. 15)]
From Aboo Hurayrah radhiyallaahu 'anhu, who said, "The Messenger of Allaah said, "A person is upon the Deen of his friend. So let each one of you look to whom he keeps as a friend." [Reported by Ahmad (2/303), Aboo Daawood (no.4812) and at-Tirmidhee (no.2484).]
Abud-Dardaa' radhiyallaahu ta'aalaa 'anhu said, "From the fiqh (understanding) of a person is whom he chooses to walk with, enter upon and sit with."
Muhammad bin Seereen rahimahullaah said, "Indeed this ‘Ilm (knowledge) is the Deen (Religlion) so look and see from whom you are taking your religion." [Reported by Imaam Muslim in his introduction to his saheeh(1/15)]
Damarah bin Rabee’ah said,
"From ‘Abdullaah bin Shawdhab who said, "Verily, it is from the bounty/favor of Allaah upon a youth, that when he devotes himself to worship he befriends a righteous person of the Sunnah who teaches and carries him upon it..." and he also said, "Verily, it is from the happiness of a youth and non-Arab/foreigner that Allaah guides them to a Scholar from the people of Ahlus-Sunnah." [Reported by al-Laalikaa’ee (no.30) in his Sharh ‘Usoolul-I’tiqaad.]
4 Tabaqaatun-Nassaabeen, (p.31)
5 Al-'Uzlah by al-Khattaabee.
evil, seclusion from unnessary and aimless activities, because isolation opens the mind and isolates the worries and grief. If applied with a correct understanding, to remain in seclusion (What Shaykh al-'Allaamah Bakr Aboo Zayd rahimahullaah is emphasising is the importance of good companion, but if it is not possible to find one - as is the situation today unfortunately - then in this case he or she should islolate themselves from excessive mixing with the people, but bearing in mind that the two conditions of such isolation; The first condition is al-'Ilm (knowledge); because isolation only benefits the one with knowledge. The second condition is az-Zuhd, and without these two, isolation changes from being something which is beneficial to being something which is harmful. And by isolation it is meant, isolation from remembering Allaah azza wa jalla) can be most beneficial.
Al-Khalaa'(the beneficial and legislative isolation) was something beloved to the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam and was something which prepared him for the Wahiy (revealation) from Allaah jalla wa 'aalaa, as it is confirmed from the hadeeth of our beloved mother 'Aa'ishah radhiyallaahu ta'aalaa 'anhaa that, "The begining of the Wahiy (revealation)to Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam came in the form of Ru'yaas-Saalihah (good righteous (true) dreams) during the daytime which came true and clear like the brightness of the daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hiraa' where he used to make at-Ta'bbud (worship to Allaah alone) continuosly for consecutive nights before returning home to his family..." [al-Bukhaaree (no.3)]
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa said,
"It is necessary for the 'abd (servant) to be isolated from others at times for praying, remember Allaah, qira'atul-Qur'aan (reciting the Qur'aan) and evaluating himself and his actions. Also, isolation allows one to make du'aa (supplication), make istighfaar (seek forgiveness), stay away from evil, and so on."
Imaam Ibnul-Jawzee rahimahullaah dedicated three chapters of his well-known book Saydul-Khaatir, he says:
"I have not seen or heard of anything that brings repose, honor, and dignity like seclusion. It helps one to stay away from evil, it protects one's honor, and it saves time. It keeps one away from the jealous minded and those who take pleasure in your affliction. It calls for the dhikr (rememberance) of the 'Aakhirah (Hereafter) and it allows one to reflect on meeting with Allaah. In times of seclusion one's thoughts may roam in that which is beneficial, in that which contains wisdom."
Only Allaah knows the the full benefits of seclusion, for in seclusion, one's mind develops, views and ripened,the heart finds repose, and finds himself to be in an ideal atmosphere for 'ibaadah (worship). By remaining isolated at times, one distances oneself from fitan (trials), from flattering the person who doesn't deserve praise, and from eyes of the jealousy and envy. One is saved from the haughtiness of the arrogant and the follies and wickedness of the idiot. In isolation, one's faults, actions, and statements are all secluded behind a veil.
During periods of isolation, one is able to delve deep into the sea of ideas and concepts. In such a state, the mind is free to form its opinions. The soul, when in isolation is free to achieve a state of rapture, to hunt for stimulating thought. With alone, one does nothing for show or ostentation, since no one but Allaah sees him and no man can hear him except th All Hearing.
Every 'Aalim Rabbaanee (Scholar who has insight into tending to and directing the people, in so much as he raises them upon the small [simple matters] of knowledge before the large [complicated matters]), a genius, or great contributor to society watered the seeds of their greatness from the well of isolation, until the seed became a plant, and then finally, a formidable tree.
Al-Qadhee 'Alee bin 'Abdil-'Azeez al-Jurjaanee rahimahullaah said in his lines of poetry:
"I never tasted the sweetness of life until,
I became a companion of home and book,
There is nothing more honorable than knowledge,
So I seek in no other an associate,
Truly, the only degradation is in mixing with people,
Therefore leave them and live nobly and stately."
Another Arab poet said:
"I have found company in my solitude and I remain fervently in my home,
So felicity was perpetual for me and my happiness grew,
I have severed human relations and I couldn't care,
Did the army go forth or has the president given us a visit!"
Ahmad bin Khaleel al-Hanbalee rahimahullaah said in one of his poems:
"Whoever strives for dignity and comfort
From a long and tedious anxiety,
Let him be one of the people,
And be contented with little,
How can the person find pleasure in life?
As long as he lives unwholesomely,
Between being poked by the deceitful,
And giving flattery to the conceited,
Between tolerating the stingy,
Woe to becoming acquainted with people,
and with all of their ways and lewd behavior and foolishness."
Al-Humaydee al-Muhaddath rahimahullaah said,
"Meeting with people brings about no benefit,
Except with the increase of "qeela wa qaal (he say, she say)"
So decrease in conversing with others, though barring,
the seeking of knowledge or the improvement of one's condition."
Ibn Faaris rahimahullaah said:
"They asked how I was, and I said well,
A need is fulfilled and another is neglected,
When distress is such that my heart becomes crowded,
I say that perhaps one day will bring with it some help and asisstance,
My friend is my cat and my soul's companion are my books,
and the object of my love is my night-lantern."
Imaam Sufyaan Ath-Thawree rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa (who died in 161 hijree) said,
"Hence you must take to the original affair, hold tight to it, and you should take to being unknown, for indeed this is the age to remain unknown. And take to remaining aloof, secluded, and associating little with the people, because when people used to meet, some of them would benefit the others. But as for today, then that has gone and in our view, salvation lies in abandoning them." [Related by Aboo Nu'aym in Al-Hilyah al-Awliyaa(6/356-7/144)]
It's also reported by Imaam adh-Dhahabee in his "As-Siyar A'laamin-Nubalaa (7/229 -257)" that Sufyaan ath-Thawree rahimahullaah said:
"Safety is that you don't desire to be known."
Al-Fudayl bin 'Iyaad rahimahullaah said:
"Whoever is saddened by loneliness and feels tranquil around the people, isn't safe from Riyaa." [As-Siyaar (8/436)]
He also said "Whoever loves to be mentioned will not be mentioned and whoever dislikes to be mentioned, then he will be mentioned." [As-Siyaar (8/432)]
From the poetry of Al-Jurjaanee 'Alee bin 'Abdil-'Azeez (d.392 hijree)
"They say there is some discomfort in you but in fact,
They saw a man who withdrew from the place of humiliation...
I saw that whoever draws nearer to people, would become insignificant to them.
And whosoever is honored by self-esteem will be honored. And if only the people of knowledge protected it, it would in turn have protected them.
And if they exalted it in the hearts of the people, it would have been exalted."
Aboo Sulaymaan al-Khattaabee rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa said: "Isolation benefits only the wise and scholars, and it is most dangerous to the ignorant person." [al-'Uzlah by al-Khattaabee (p.226).]
'Akhookum fillaah,
'Abdur-Rahmaan 'Umar Aboo Ruqayyah bin William bin James Hayes
Al-Jumu'ah, 4th of Jamaadaa 'Uolaa, 1429 AH.
(Corresponding to Friday, May 09,2008)
http://alatharee.multiply.com/tag/matoon%20al-ilmiyyah

Happy Jumah Surah Al Kahf

From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”

(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3407. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6471)

(b) “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadeeth, and he said, this is the strongest report that has been narrated concerning reading Soorat al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470)

(c) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’”

Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.

(al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/29





Al Kahf
Surah 18. The Cave





18:1 Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness:
Alhamdu lillahi allatheeanzala AAala AAabdihi alkitaba walam yajAAal lahuAAiwajan

18:2 (He hath made it) Straight (and Clear) in order that He may warn (the godless) of a terrible Punishment from Him, and that He may give Glad Tidings to the Believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a goodly Reward,
Qayyiman liyunthira ba/san shadeedanmin ladunhu wayubashshira almu/mineena allatheenayaAAmaloona alssalihati anna lahum ajran hasanan

18:3 Wherein they shall remain for ever:
Makitheena feehi abadan

18:4 Further, that He may warn those (also) who say, "Allah hath begotten a son":
Wayunthira allatheena qalooittakhatha Allahu waladan

18:5 No knowledge have they of such a thing, nor had their fathers. It is a grievous thing that issues from their mouths as a saying what they say is nothing but falsehood!
Ma lahum bihi min AAilmin walali-aba-ihim kaburat kalimatan takhruju min afwahihimin yaqooloona illa kathiban

18:6 Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message.
FalaAAallaka bakhiAAun nafsaka AAalaatharihim in lam yu/minoo bihatha alhadeethiasafan

18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct.
Inna jaAAalna ma AAalaal-ardi zeenatan laha linabluwahum ayyuhum ahsanuAAamalan

18:8 Verily what is on earth we shall make but as dust and dry soil (without growth or herbage).
Wa-inna lajaAAiloona maAAalayha saAAeedan juruzan

18:9 Or dost thou reflect that the Companions of the Cave and of the Inscription were wonders among Our Sign?
Am hasibta anna as-habaalkahfi waalrraqeemi kanoo min ayatinaAAajaban

18:10 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!"
Ith awa alfityatu ilaalkahfi faqaloo rabbana atina minladunka rahmatan wahayyi/ lana min amrinarashadan

18:11 Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not):
Fadarabna AAala athanihimfee alkahfi sineena AAadadan

18:12 Then We roused them, in order to test which of the two parties was best at calculating the term of years they had tarried!
Thumma baAAathnahum linaAAlama ayyualhizbayni ahsa lima labithoo amadan

18:13 We relate to thee their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance:
Nahnu naqussu AAalaykanabaahum bialhaqqi innahum fityatun amanoobirabbihim wazidnahum hudan

18:14 We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity!
Warabatna AAalaquloobihim ith qamoo faqaloo rabbunarabbu alssamawati waal-ardilan nadAAuwa min doonihi ilahan laqad qulna ithanshatatan

18:15 "These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him: why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do? Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah?
Haola-i qawmuna ittakhathoomin doonihi alihatan lawla ya/toona AAalayhim bisultaninbayyinin faman athlamu mimmani iftara AAalaAllahi kathiban

18:16 "When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease."
Wa-ithi iAAtazaltumoohum wamayaAAbudoona illa Allaha fa/woo ila alkahfiyanshur lakum rabbukum min rahmatihi wayuhayyi/ lakum minamrikum mirfaqan

18:17 Thou wouldst have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the open space in the midst of the Cave. Such are among the Signs of Allah: He whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray,- for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right Way.
Watara alshshamsa itha talaAAattazawaru AAan kahfihim thata alyameeni wa-ithagharabat taqriduhum thata alshshimaliwahum fee fajwatin minhu thalika min ayatiAllahi man yahdi Allahu fahuwa almuhtadi waman yudlilfalan tajida lahu waliyyan murshidan

18:18 Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them.
Watahsabuhum ayqathanwahum ruqoodun wanuqallibuhum thata alyameeni wathataalshshimali wakalbuhum basitun thiraAAayhibialwaseedi lawi ittalaAAta AAalayhimlawallayta minhum firaran walamuli/ta minhum ruAAban

18:19 Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other. Said one of them, "How long have ye stayed (here)?" They said, "We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day." (At length) they (all) said, "Allah (alone) knows best how long ye have stayed here.... Now send ye then one of you with this money of yours to the town: let him find out which is the best food (to be had) and bring some to you, that (ye may) satisfy your hunger therewith: And let him behave with care and courtesy, and let him not inform any one about you.
Wakathalika baAAathnahumliyatasaaloo baynahum qala qa-ilun minhumkam labithtum qaloo labithna yawman aw baAAdayawmin qaloo rabbukum aAAlamu bima labithtum faibAAathooahadakum biwariqikum hathihi ila almadeenatifalyanthur ayyuha azka taAAamanfalya/tikum birizqin minhu walyatalattaf walayushAAiranna bikum ahadan

18:20 "For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to return to their cult, and in that case ye would never attain prosperity."
Innahum in yathharoo AAalaykumyarjumookum aw yuAAeedookum fee millatihim walan tuflihooithan abadan

18:21 Thus did We make their case known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgment. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. (Some) said, "Construct a building over them": Their Lord knows best about them: those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them."
Wakathalika aAAtharnaAAalayhim liyaAAlamoo anna waAAda Allahi haqqunwaanna alsaAAata la rayba feeha ithyatanazaAAoona baynahum amrahum faqaloo ibnooAAalayhim bunyanan rabbuhum aAAlamu bihim qala allatheenaghalaboo AAala amrihim lanattakhithanna AAalayhimmasjidan

18:22 (Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers.
Sayaqooloona thalathatun rabiAAuhumkalbuhum wayaqooloona khamsatun sadisuhum kalbuhum rajmanbialghaybi wayaqooloona sabAAatun wathaminuhumkalbuhum qul rabbee aAAlamu biAAiddatihim ma yaAAlamuhumilla qaleelun fala tumari feehim illamiraan thahiran wala tastaftifeehim minhum ahadan

18:23 Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow"-
Wala taqoolanna lishay-in innee faAAilunthalika ghadan

18:24 Without adding, "So please Allah!" and call thy Lord to mind when thou forgettest, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road."
Illa an yashaa Allahuwaothkur rabbaka itha naseeta waqul AAasaan yahdiyani rabbee li-aqraba min hatha rashadan

18:25 So they stayed in their Cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more)
Walabithoo fee kahfihim thalathami-atin sineena waizdadoo tisAAan

18:26 Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed: with Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and the earth: how clearly He sees, how finely He hears (everything)! They have no protector other than Him; nor does He share His Command with any person whatsoever.
Quli Allahu aAAlamu bimalabithoo lahu ghaybu alssamawati waal-ardiabsir bihi waasmiAA ma lahum min doonihi minwaliyyin wala yushriku fee hukmihi ahadan

18:27 And recite (and teach) what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord: none can change His Words, and none wilt thou find as a refuge other than Him.
Waotlu ma oohiya ilaykamin kitabi rabbika la mubaddila likalimatihiwalan tajida min doonihi multahadan

18:28 And keep thy soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this Life; no obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.
Waisbir nafsaka maAAa allatheenayadAAoona rabbahum bialghadati waalAAashiyyiyureedoona wajhahu wala taAAdu AAaynaka AAanhumtureedu zeenata alhayati alddunya walatutiAA man aghfalna qalbahu AAan thikrinawaittabaAAa hawahu wakana amruhu furutan

18:29 Say, "The truth is from your Lord": Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): for the wrong-doers We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the walls and roof of a tent, will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!
Waquli alhaqqu min rabbikum faman shaafalyu/min waman shaa falyakfur inna aAAtadnalilththalimeena naran ahatabihim suradiquha wa-in yastagheethoo yughathoobima-in kaalmuhli yashwee alwujooha bi/sa alshsharabuwasaat murtafaqan

18:30 As to those who believe and work righteousness, verily We shall not suffer to perish the reward of any who do a (single) righteous deed.
Inna allatheena amanoowaAAamiloo alssalihati inna lanudeeAAu ajra man ahsana AAamalan

18:31 For them will be Gardens of Eternity; beneath them rivers will flow; they will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade: They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good the recompense! How beautiful a couch to recline on!
Ola-ika lahum jannatu AAadnintajree min tahtihimu al-anharu yuhallawnafeeha min asawira min thahabin wayalbasoonathiyaban khudran min sundusin wa-istabraqinmuttaki-eena feeha AAala al-ara-iki niAAma alththawabuwahasunat murtafaqan

18:32 Set forth to them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two gardens of grape-vines and surrounded them with date palms; in between the two We placed corn-fields.
Waidrib lahum mathalanrajulayni jaAAalna li-ahadihima jannataynimin aAAnabin wahafafnahuma binakhlinwajaAAalna baynahuma zarAAan

18:33 Each of those gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein: in the midst of them We caused a river to flow.
Kilta aljannatayni atat okulahawalam tathlim minhu shay-an wafajjarna khilalahumanaharan

18:34 (Abundant) was the produce this man had : he said to his companion, in the course of a mutual argument: "more wealth have I than you, and more honour and power in (my following of) men."
Wakana lahu thamarun faqala lisahibihiwahuwa yuhawiruhu ana aktharu minka malanwaaAAazzu nafaran

18:35 He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said, "I deem not that this will ever perish,
Wadakhala jannatahu wahuwa thalimunlinafsihi qala ma athunnu an tabeedahathihi abadan

18:36 "Nor do I deem that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) come: Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find (there) something better in exchange."
Wama athunnu alssaAAataqa-imatan wala-in rudidtu ila rabbee laajidannakhayran minha munqalaban

18:37 His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: "Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man?
Qala lahu sahibuhu wahuwa yuhawiruhuakafarta biallathee khalaqaka min turabinthumma min nutfatin thumma sawwaka rajulan

18:38 "But (I think) for my part that He is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord.
Lakinna huwa Allahu rabbee walaoshriku birabbee ahadan

18:39 "Why didst thou not, as thou wentest into thy garden, say: 'Allah's will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah!' If thou dost see me less than thee in wealth and sons,
Walawla ith dakhalta jannatakaqulta ma shaa Allahu la quwwata illabiAllahi in tarani ana aqalla minka malanwawaladan

18:40 "It may be that my Lord will give me something better than thy garden, and that He will send on thy garden thunderbolts (by way of reckoning) from heaven, making it (but) slippery sand!-
FaAAasa rabbee an yu/tiyani khayranmin jannatika wayursila AAalayha husbananmina alssama-i fatusbiha saAAeedanzalaqan

18:41 "Or the water of the garden will run off underground so that thou wilt never be able to find it."
Aw yusbiha maohaghawran falan tastateeAAa lahu talaban

18:42 So his fruits (and enjoyment) were encompassed (with ruin), and he remained twisting and turning his hands over what he had spent on his property, which had (now) tumbled to pieces to its very foundations, and he could only say, "Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!"
Waoheeta bithamarihi faasbahayuqallibu kaffayhi AAala ma anfaqa feehawahiya khawiyatun AAala AAurooshihawayaqoolu ya laytanee lam oshrik birabbee ahadan

18:43 Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself.
Walam takun lahu fi-atun yansuroonahumin dooni Allahi wama kana muntasiran

18:44 There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success.
Hunalika alwalayatu lillahialhaqqi huwa khayrun thawaban wakhayrun AAuqban

18:45 Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things.
Waidrib lahum mathala alhayatialddunya kama-in anzalnahu mina alssama-ifaikhtalata bihi nabatu al-ardi faasbahahasheeman tathroohu alrriyahu wakanaAllahu AAala kulli shay-in muqtadiran

18:46 Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.
Almalu waalbanoona zeenatu alhayatialddunya waalbaqiyatu alssalihatukhayrun AAinda rabbika thawaban wakhayrun amalan

18:47 One Day We shall remove the mountains, and thou wilt see the earth as a level stretch, and We shall gather them, all together, nor shall We leave out any one of them.
Wayawma nusayyiru aljibala wataraal-arda barizatan wahasharnahum falamnughadir minhum ahadan

18:48 And they will be marshalled before thy Lord in ranks, (with the announcement), "Now have ye come to Us (bare) as We created you first: aye, ye thought We shall not fulfil the appointment made to you to meet (Us)!":
WaAAuridoo AAala rabbika saffanlaqad ji/tumoona kama khalaqnakum awwalamarratin bal zaAAamtum allan najAAala lakum mawAAidan

18:49 And the Book (of Deeds) will be placed (before you); and thou wilt see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein; they will say, "Ah! woe to us! what a Book is this! It leaves out nothing small or great, but takes account thereof!" They will find all that they did, placed before them: And not one will thy Lord treat with injustice.
WawudiAAa alkitabu fataraalmujrimeena mushfiqeena mimma feehi wayaqooloona yawaylatana ma lihatha alkitabi layughadiru sagheeratan wala kabeeratan illaahsaha wawajadoo ma AAamiloo hadiranwala yathlimu rabbuka ahadan

18:50 Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. He was one of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord. Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would be the exchange for the wrong-doers!
Wa-ith qulna lilmala-ikatiosjudoo li-adama fasajadoo illa ibleesa kanamina aljinni fafasaqa AAan amri rabbihi afatattakhithoonahuwathurriyyatahu awliyaa min doonee wahum lakumAAaduwwun bi/sa lilththalimeena badalan

18:51 I called them not to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor (even) their own creation: nor is it for helpers such as Me to take as lead (men) astray!
Ma ashhadtuhum khalqa alssamawatiwaal-ardi wala khalqa anfusihim wamakuntu muttakhitha almudilleena AAadudan

18:52 One Day He will say, "Call on those whom ye thought to be My partners," and they will call on them, but they will not listen to them; and We shall make for them a place of common perdition.
Wayawma yaqoolu nadoo shuraka-iyaallatheena zaAAamtum fadaAAawhum falam yastajeeboo lahumwajaAAalna baynahum mawbiqan

18:53 And the Sinful shall see the fire and apprehend that they have to fall therein: no means will they find to turn away therefrom.
Waraa almujrimoona alnnarafathannoo annahum muwaqiAAooha walamyajidoo AAanha masrifan

18:54 We have explained in detail in this Qur'an, for the benefit of mankind, every kind of similitude: but man is, in most things, contentious.
Walaqad sarrafna fee hathaalqur-ani lilnnasi min kulli mathalin wakanaal-insanu akthara shay-in jadalan

18:55 And what is there to keep back men from believing, now that Guidance has come to them, nor from praying for forgiveness from their Lord, but that (they ask that) the ways of the ancients be repeated with them, or the Wrath be brought to them face to face?
Wama manaAAa alnnasa anyu/minoo ith jaahumu alhuda wayastaghfiroorabbahum illa an ta/tiyahum sunnatu al-awwaleena awya/tiyahumu alAAathabu qubulan

18:56 We only send the apostles to give Glad Tidings and to give warnings: But the unbelievers dispute with vain argument, in order therewith to weaken the truth, and they treat My Signs as a jest, as also the fact that they are warned!
Wama nursilu almursaleena illamubashshireena wamunthireena wayujadilu allatheenakafaroo bialbatili liyudhidoo bihi alhaqqawaittakhathoo ayatee wama onthiroohuzuwan

18:57 And who doth more wrong than one who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, but turns away from them, forgetting the (deeds) which his hands have sent forth? Verily We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this, and over their ears, deafness, if thou callest them to guidance, even then will they never accept guidance.
Waman athlamu mimman thukkirabi-ayati rabbihi faaAArada AAanhawanasiya ma qaddamat yadahu inna jaAAalnaAAala quloobihim akinnatan an yafqahoohu wafee athanihimwaqran wa-in tadAAuhum ila alhuda falan yahtadoo ithanabadan

18:58 But your Lord is Most forgiving, full of Mercy. If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned, then surely He would have earned, then surely He would have hastened their punishment: but they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no refuge.
Warabbuka alghafooru thoo alrrahmatilaw yu-akhithuhum bima kasaboo laAAajjalalahumu alAAathaba bal lahum mawAAidun lan yajidoo mindoonihi maw-ilan

18:59 Such were the populations we destroyed when they committed iniquities; but we fixed an appointed time for their destruction.
Watilka alqura ahlaknahum lammathalamoo wajaAAalna limahlikihim mawAAidan

18:60 Behold, Moses said to his attendant, "I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel."
Wa-ith qala moosa lifatahula abrahu hatta ablugha majmaAAa albahrayniaw amdiya huquban

18:61 But when they reached the Junction, they forgot (about) their Fish, which took its course through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel.
Falamma balagha majmaAAabaynihima nasiya hootahuma faittakhathasabeelahu fee albahri saraban

18:62 When they had passed on (some distance), Moses said to his attendant: "Bring us our early meal; truly we have suffered much fatigue at this (stage of) our journey."
Falamma jawaza qalalifatahu atina ghadaana laqadlaqeena min safarina hatha nasaban

18:63 He replied: "Sawest thou (what happened) when we betook ourselves to the rock? I did indeed forget (about) the Fish: none but Satan made me forget to tell (you) about it: it took its course through the sea in a marvellous way!"
Qala araayta ith awaynaila alssakhrati fa-innee naseetu alhootawama ansaneehu illa alshshaytanuan athkurahu waittakhatha sabeelahu fee albahriAAajaban

18:64 Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after:" So they went back on their footsteps, following (the path they had come).
Qala thalika ma kunnanabghi fairtadda AAala atharihimaqasasan

18:65 So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence.
Fawajada AAabdan min AAibadinaataynahu rahmatan min AAindinawaAAallamnahu min ladunna AAilman

18:66 Moses said to him: "May I follow thee, on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?"
Qala lahu moosa halattabiAAuka AAala an tuAAallimani mimma AAullimtarushdan

18:67 (The other) said: "Verily thou wilt not be able to have patience with me!"
Qala innaka lan tastateeAAamaAAiya sabran

18:68 "And how canst thou have patience about things about which thy understanding is not complete?"
Wakayfa tasbiru AAala malam tuhit bihi khubran

18:69 Moses said: "Thou wilt find me, if Allah so will, (truly) patient: nor shall I disobey thee in aught."
Qala satajidunee in shaa Allahusabiran wala aAAsee laka amran

18:70 The other said: "If then thou wouldst follow me, ask me no questions about anything until I myself speak to thee concerning it."
Qala fa-ini ittabaAAtanee falatas-alnee AAan shay-in hatta ohditha lakaminhu thikran

18:71 So they both proceeded: until, when they were in the boat, he scuttled it. Said Moses: "Hast thou scuttled it in order to drown those in it? Truly a strange thing hast thou done!"
Faintalaqa hattaitha rakiba fee alssafeenati kharaqahaqala akharaqtaha litughriqa ahlaha laqadji/ta shay-an imran

18:72 He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?"
Qala alam aqul innaka lan tastateeAAamaAAiya sabran

18:73 Moses said: "Rebuke me not for forgetting, nor grieve me by raising difficulties in my case."
Qala la tu-akhithneebima naseetu wala turhiqnee min amree AAusran

18:74 Then they proceeded: until, when they met a young man, he slew him. Moses said: "Hast thou slain an innocent person who had slain none? Truly a foul (unheard of) thing hast thou done!"
Faintalaqa hattaitha laqiya ghulaman faqatalahu qalaaqatalta nafsan zakiyyatan bighayri nafsin laqad ji/ta shay-annukran

18:75 He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?"
Qala alam aqul laka innaka lan tastateeAAamaAAiya sabran

18:76 (Moses) said: "If ever I ask thee about anything after this, keep me not in thy company: then wouldst thou have received (full) excuse from my side."
Qala in saaltuka AAan shay-in baAAdahafala tusahibnee qad balaghta min ladunnee AAuthran

18:77 Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!"
Faintalaqa hattaitha ataya ahla qaryatin istatAAamaahlaha faabaw an yudayyifoohuma fawajadafeeha jidaran yureedu an yanqadda faaqamahuqala law shi/ta laittakhathta AAalayhi ajran

18:78 He answered: "This is the parting between me and thee: now will I tell thee the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience.
Qala hatha firaqubaynee wabaynika saonabbi-oka bita/weeli ma lam tastatiAAAAalayhi sabran

18:79 "As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.
Amma alssafeenatu fakanatlimasakeena yaAAmaloona fee albahri faaradtu anaAAeebaha wakana waraahum malikun ya/khuthukulla safeenatin ghasban

18:80 "As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate rebellion and ingratitude (to Allah and man).
Waamma alghulamu fakanaabawahu mu/minayni fakhasheena an yurhiqahumatughyanan wakufran

18:81 "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection.
Faaradna an yubdilahumarabbuhuma khayran minhu zakatan waaqraba ruhman

18:82 "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience."
Waamma aljidaru fakanalighulamayni yateemayni fee almadeenati wakana tahtahukanzun lahuma wakana aboohuma salihanfaarada rabbuka an yablugha ashuddahumawayastakhrija kanzahuma rahmatan min rabbikawama faAAaltuhu AAan amree thalika ta/weelu malam tastiAA AAalayhi sabran

18:83 They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story."
Wayas-aloonaka AAan thee alqarnayniqul saatloo AAalaykum minhu thikran

18:84 Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends.
Inna makkanna lahu fee al-ardiwaataynahu min kulli shay-in sababan

18:85 One (such) way he followed,
FaatbaAAa sababan

18:86 Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
Hatta itha balaghamaghriba alshshamsi wajadaha taghrubu fee AAaynin hami-atinwawajada AAindaha qawman qulna ya thaalqarnayni imma an tuAAaththiba wa-imma antattakhitha feehim husnan

18:87 He said: "Whoever doth wrong, him shall we punish; then shall he be sent back to his Lord; and He will punish him with a punishment unheard-of (before).
Qala amma man thalamafasawfa nuAAaththibuhu thumma yuraddu ila rabbihifayuAAaththibuhu AAathaban nukran

18:88 "But whoever believes, and works righteousness,- he shall have a goodly reward, and easy will be his task as We order it by our Command."
Waamma man amana waAAamila salihanfalahu jazaan alhusna wasanaqoolu lahu minamrina yusran

18:89 Then followed he (another) way,
Thumma atbaAAa sababan

18:90 Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering protection against the sun.
Hatta itha balagha matliAAaalshshamsi wajadaha tatluAAu AAalaqawmin lam najAAal lahum min dooniha sitran

18:91 (He left them) as they were: We completely understood what was before him.
Kathalika waqad ahatnabima ladayhi khubran

18:92 Then followed he (another) way,
Thumma atbaAAa sababan

18:93 Until, when he reached (a tract) between two mountains, he found, beneath them, a people who scarcely understood a word.
Hatta itha balaghabayna alssaddayni wajada min doonihima qawman layakadoona yafqahoona qawlan

18:94 They said: "O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog (People) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?
Qaloo ya tha alqarnayniinna ya/jooja wama/jooja mufsidoona fee al-ardi fahalnajAAalu laka kharjan AAala an tajAAala baynanawabaynahum saddan

18:95 He said: "(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than tribute): Help me therefore with strength (and labour): I will erect a strong barrier between you and them:
Qala ma makkannee feehi rabbeekhayrun faaAAeenoonee biquwwatin ajAAal baynakum wabaynahum radman

18:96 "Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead."
Atoonee zubara alhadeedi hattaitha sawa bayna alsadafayni qalaonfukhoo hatta itha jaAAalahu naran qalaatoonee ofrigh AAalayhi qitran

18:97 Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.
Fama istaAAoo an yathharoohuwama istataAAoo lahu naqban

18:98 He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of my Lord is true."
Qala hatha rahmatun minrabbee fa-itha jaa waAAdu rabbee jaAAalahu dakkaawakana waAAdu rabbee haqqan

18:99 On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another: the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.
Watarakna baAAdahum yawma-ithinyamooju fee baAAdin wanufikha fee alssoorifajamaAAnahum jamAAan

18:100 And We shall present Hell that day for Unbelievers to see, all spread out,-
WaAAaradna jahannama yawma-ithinlilkafireena AAardan

18:101 (Unbelievers) whose eyes had been under a veil from remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear.
Allatheena kanat aAAyunuhumfee ghita-in AAan thikree wakanoo layastateeAAoona samAAan

18:102 Do the Unbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? Verily We have prepared Hell for the Unbelievers for (their) entertainment.
Afahasiba allatheena kafarooan yattakhithoo AAibadee min doonee awliyaainna aAAtadna jahannama lilkafireena nuzulan

18:103 Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?-
Qul hal nunabbi-okum bial-akhsareenaaAAmalan

18:104 "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"
Allatheena dalla saAAyuhumfee alhayati alddunya wahum yahsaboonaannahum yuhsinoona sunAAan

18:105 They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight.
Ola-ika allatheena kafaroobi-ayati rabbihim waliqa-ihi fahabitataAAmaluhum fala nuqeemu lahum yawma alqiyamatiwaznan

18:106 That is their reward, Hell, because they rejected Faith, and took My Signs and My Messengers by way of jest.
Thalika jazaohum jahannamubima kafaroo waittakhathoo ayateewarusulee huzuwan

18:107 As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise,
Inna allatheena amanoowaAAamiloo alssalihati kanat lahumjannatu alfirdawsi nuzulan

18:108 Wherein they shall dwell (for aye): no change will they wish for from them.
Khalideena feeha layabghoona AAanha hiwalan

18:109 Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid."
Qul law kana albahru midadanlikalimati rabbee lanafida albahru qabla an tanfadakalimatu rabbee walaw ji/na bimithlihi madadan

18:110 Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.
Qul innama ana basharunmithlukum yooha ilayya annama ilahukum ilahunwahidun faman kana yarjoo liqaa rabbihifalyaAAmal AAamalan salihan wala yushrikbiAAibadati rabbihi ahadan

Happy Jumah

From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”

(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3407. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6471)

(b) “Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadeeth, and he said, this is the strongest report that has been narrated concerning reading Soorat al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470)

(c) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’”

Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.

(al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/29

How To Welcome Guest

Insha Allah I had the intentions to do a post on our guest we had this past weekend, but I decided not to because I'm afraid it will unintentionally lead into backbiting Allahu Alam. So to avoid eating someone's flesh, Insha Allah I will post this instead Insha Allah.


Our great Prophet [salalahu alayhi wassalam) teaches us to be generous and how to entertain guests. He wants a Muslim to show gratitude...
The Messenger of Allah [salalahu alayhi wassalam ] further guides us by saying:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be hospitable with his or her guests."

Our great Prophet [salalahu alayhi wassalam ] teaches us to be generous and how to entertain guests. He wants a Muslim to show gratitude and be kind and happy when receiving guests. One should respect and welcome his guests, in particular when they are strangers, or have no family or friends in that country.

It may even happen that a guest comes while relatives or friends are being entertained, or other travellers are staying and there is lack of space; or you are unprepared and have few provisions or are even short of money. In any eventuality, guests who come to your home should be made welcome, shown respect and be provided with whatever food and drink are available. One should sit with them in order to make them feel comfortable and happy, and take care to pay great attention to them.

Surely, our glorious Prophet salalahu alayhi wassalam guides us towards respecting guests and being generous towards them. In this respect, he says: "Indeed whoever believes that Allah is All-Generous, Who provides for His creation and rewards those who are hospitable towards their guests, should look after his guest."

Surely, Allah will increase our provision if we welcome our guests and give them food and drink, and will reward us on the Resurrection Day.

Allah is All-Generous, who loves the generous ones and dislikes those who are mean.

Shaikh Abbas Qummi, Safinat al-Bihar, Bab Dhaif, Sunan ibn Maja, vol. 2, Haq al Jiwar (The rights of neighbours), Ikram al-Dhaif (Respecting the Guest).

The Other Woman

I got this poem yesterday in my email masha Allah, with the sisters permission wanted to share it with you all Insha Allah. Also visit the Ukti's blog Insha Allah shukran Uktie nazreneprincess.wordpress.com.

You see she

she and me

and she is not my enemy

she and i co-exist happily.

You see we

she me and he

have one heart

one home

one family.

And, while i bear you no ill will

I bear the weight of your burden

because she and me

i mean we,

often get mistaken for

what you have chosen to be.

I know he

told you about she

and you said

whats her heart have to do with me.

you said as long as he

rides for me

has a heart that beats for me

then it doesn't matter

that only she

gets to be

wifey.

but if she

were like me

and saw what you have chosen to be

she would tell you honestly

if you can love me and he

then this duo and increase to three.

Cuz if we

she me and he

love each other the way its supposed to be

then your life can be

more than letting he

get what he wants from you

and what he needs from me.

El- Ayn

What is El-'Ayn?

Many people suffer unexplained illnesses, break up of marriages, childbirth defects or stillbirths, breakup of communities, failed businesses etc. never understanding why. Many of us in the West are unaware of the harms of Hasad (Envy) or El 'Ayn (the Evil Eye). The 'ulamaa' (scholars) of the El-Lajnah El-Daa'imah (Standing Committee for Islaamic Research) were asked to define al-ayn. They responded with the following:

"The Arabic word El-'Ayn (the 'ayn) refers to when a person harms another with his eye. It starts when the person likes a thing, then his evil feelings affect it, by means of his repeated looking at the object of his jealousy. Allaah commanded His Prophet, Muhammad (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) to seek refuge with Him from the haasid (envier), as He said:

"And from the evil of the envier when he envies" (El-Falaq 113:5)

Everyone who puts the 'ayn o­n another is haasid (envious), but not every haasid puts the 'ayn o­n another. The word haasid (envier) is more general in meaning than the word 'aa'in (one who puts the 'ayn o­n another), so seeking refuge with Allaah from the o­ne who envies includes seeking refuge with Him from the o­ne who puts the 'ayn o­n another. The 'ayn is like an arrow which comes from the soul of the o­ne who envies and the o­ne who puts the 'ayn o­n another towards the o­ne who is envied and o­n whom the 'ayn is put; sometimes it hits him and sometimes it misses. If the target is exposed and unprotected, it will affect him, but if the target is cautious and armed, the arrow will have no effect and may even come back o­n the o­ne who launched it.
Adapted from Zaad El-Ma'aad by Ibnul-Qayyim (Rahimuhullaah).

There are ahaadeeth from the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) which speak of the effects of the 'ayn. For example it is narrated in Es-Saheehayn that 'Aa'ishah (Radiyallaahu 'anhaa) said: The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) used to tell me to recite ruqyah for protection against the 'ayn.

Muslim, Ahmad and Et-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (Radiyallaahu 'anhumaa) that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) said:
"The 'ayn is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the 'ayn. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the 'ayn, you should take a bath." This was classified as saheeh by Et-Tirmidhi, and also by El-Elbaani in Es-Silsilah Es-Saheehah, 1251.

Imaam Ahmad and Et-Tirmidhi (2059, where he classed it as saheeh) narrated that Asma' bint 'Umays said: "O Messenger of Allaah, the children of Ja'far have been afflicted by the 'ayn, shall we recite ruqyah for them?" He said, "Yes, for if anything were to overtake the divine decree it would be the 'ayn." Classified as saheeh by El-Elbaani in Saheeh Et-Tirmidhi.

Abu Dawood narrated that 'Aa'ishah (Radiyallaahu 'anhaa) said: The person who had put the 'ayn o­n another would be ordered to do wudoo', then the person who had been afflicted would wash himself (with that water). This was classified as saheeh by El-Elbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Imam Ahmad (Hadeeth #15550), Maalik (Hadeeth #1811), An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Hibbaan narrated from Sahl ibn Haneef that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) came out and traveled with him towards Makkah, until they were in the mountain pass of El-Kharaar in El-Jahfah. There Sahl ibn Haneef did ghusl, and he was a handsome white-skinned man with beautiful skin. 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah, o­ne of Banu 'Adiyy ibn Ka'b looked at him whilst he was doing ghusl and said: "I have never seen such beautiful skin as this, not even the skin of a virgin," and Sahl fell to the ground. They went to Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) came and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, can you do anything for Sahl, because by Allaah he cannot raise his head." He said, "Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?" They said, " 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah looked at him." So the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) called 'Aamir and rebuked him strongly. He said, "Why would o­ne of you kill his brother? If you see something that you like, then pray for blessing for him." Then he said to him, "Wash yourself for him." So he washed his face, hands, forearms, knees and the sides of his feet, and inside his izaar (lower garment) in the vessel. Then that water was poured over him, and a man poured it over his head and back from behind. He did that to him, then Sahl got up and joined the people and there was nothing wrong with him. Classified as saheeh by El-Elbaani in El-Mishkaat, # 4562.

The majority of 'ulamaa' are of the view that people can indeed be afflicted by the 'ayn, because of the ahaadeeth quoted above and others, and because of the corroborating reports and other evidence.

With regard to the hadeeth, (One third of those who are in the grave are there because of the 'ayn), we do not know how sound it is, but the author of Nayl El-Awtaar said that El-Bazzaar narrated with a hasan isnaad from Jaabir (Radiyallaahu 'anhu) that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) said:

"Most of those who die among my ummah die because of the will and decree of Allaah, and then because of the 'ayn."

The Muslim has to protect himself against the shayaateen (devils) among the evil jinn and mankind, by having strong faith in Allaah and by putting his trust in Him and seeking refuge with Him and beseeching Him, reciting the prayers for protection narrated from the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem), reciting El-Ma'awwadhatayn [the last two soorahs of the Qur'aan], Soorat El-Ikhlaas, Soorat El-Faatihah, and Aayat El-Kursi.

Du'aa's for protection include the following:

A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaah il-taammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil of that which He has created).

A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaah il-taammati min ghadabihi wa 'iqaabihi, wa min sharri 'ibaadihi wa min hamazaat esh-shayaateeni wa an yahduroon (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from His wrath and punishment, from the evil of His slaves and from the evil promptings of the devils and from their presence).

And o­ne may recite the words of Allaah:

"Hasbi Allaahu laa ilaaha illa huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rubb ul-'arsh il-'adheem

(Allaah is sufficient for me. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne)" (Et-Towbah 9:129)

And there are other similar du'aa's that are prescribed in sharee'ah. This is what was meant by Ibnul-Qayyim in the words quoted at the beginning of this answer.

If it is known or suspected that a person has been afflicted by the 'ayn, then the o­ne who put the 'ayn o­n him should be ordered to wash himself for his brother. So a vessel of water should be brought, and he should put his hand in it, rinse out his mouth into the vessel. Then he should wash his face in the vessel, then put his left hand into the vessel and wash his right knee, then put his right hand in the vessel and wash his left knee. Then he should wash inside his garment. Then the water should be poured over the head of the o­ne o­n whom he put the 'ayn, pouring it from behind in o­ne go. Then he will be healed, by Allaah's leave.

Fataawa El-Lajnah El-Daa'imah lil-Buhooth El-'Ilmiyyah wel-Ifta, 1/186



Shaykh Muhammad Es-Saalih El-'Uthaymeen (Rahimuhullaah) was asked:

Can the 'ayn afflict a person? How is it treated? Does being o­n o­ne's guard against it contradict putting o­ne's trust in Allaah?

He replied:

Our opinion concerning the 'ayn is that it is real and is proven both by Islaamic teachings and by real life experiences. Allaah says:

"And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes (through hatred)" (El-Qalam 68:51)

Ibn 'Abbaas (Radiyallaahu 'anhumaa) and others said, commenting o­n this verse: this means, they put the 'ayn o­n you with their glances.

The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) said: "The 'ayn is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the 'ayn. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the 'ayn, you should take a bath." Narrated by Muslim. An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Maajah narrated that 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah passed by Sahl ibn Haneef when he was bathing… and he quoted the hadeeth.

Reality confirms that and it cannot be denied.

In the event that you are afflicted by the 'ayn, you should use the treatments recommended in sharee'ah, which are:

1. Reciting ruqyah: The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) said, "There is no ruqyah except in the case of the 'ayn or fever." Et-Tirmidhi, 2057; Abu Dawood, 3884.

Jibreel used to do ruqyah for the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) and say, "Bismillaahi arqeeka min kulli shay'in yu'dheeka, min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaahu yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you)."

2. Asking the person who has put the 'ayn o­n another to wash, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) commanded 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah to do in the hadeeth quoted above. Then the water should be poured over the o­ne who has been afflicted.

With regard to taking his waste, such as his urine and stools, there is no basis for doing so; the same applies to taking any of his belongings. Rather what is narrated is that which is mentioned above, washing his limbs and washing inside his garment, or likewise washing inside his headgear and garments. Allaahu 'Alam (And Allaah knows best).

There is nothing wrong with taking precautions against the 'ayn before it happens, and this does not contradict the idea of tawakkul (putting o­ne's trust in Allaah). In fact this is tawakkul, because tawakkul means putting o­ne's trust in Allaah whilst also implementing the means that have been permitted or enjoined. The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallem) used to seek refuge for El-Hasan and El-Husayn and say: U'eedhukuma bi kalimaat Allaah Et-taammati min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli 'aynin laammah (I seek refuge for you both in the perfect words of Allaah, from every shaytaan and every poisonous reptile, and from every 'ayn).'" Et-Tirmidhi, 2060; Abu Dawood, 4737. And he would say, "Thus Ibraaheem used to seek refuge with Allaah for Ishaaq and Ismaa'eel, ('Alaihumaa Salaam)." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371.


Fataawa Esh-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 2/117, 118

Amazement of My Children Masha Allah

I am truly amazed at the growth in my children masha Allah. My son has been memorizing Quran consistintly since 2006 masha Allah and his ability to retain it all has amazed my husband and I masha Allah alhumdulilah my husband sorta put him on this learning schedulal. Most kids are watching cartoons in the morning (benifitting them in no way) before going to school or just sitting around. My husband and I felt that would be a good time to get his Quran memorizaton in, so every morning before going to school my son eats breakfast and does 1/2 hour with Quran listening to Ali Jaber recitation and repeating after him. Then on sundays after mahgrib my husband review that surah that he worked on for that week and gives him another for the following week masha Allah So the other day my son was washing dishes and I was in my bedroom getting dishes and it sounded like he(my son) was talking to his self because I couldn't really hear what he was saying masha Allah so I walked in the kitchen and I hear him reciting surah 55 Ar-Rahman that's the surah he was working on this week masha Allah masha Allah alhumdulilah I was soooooooooo happy and of course emotional... Allah has truly blessed me with two wonderful children. May Allah continue to bless them and protect them and keep them on the siratal mustaqeen Ameen.
Ar Rahmân
Surah 55. The Beneficent, The Mercy Giving

55:1 (Allah) Most Gracious!
Alrrahmanu

55:2 It is He Who has taught the Qur'an.
AAallama alqur-ana

55:3 He has created man:
Khalaqa al-insana

55:4 He has taught him speech (and intelligence).
AAallamahu albayana

55:5 The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed;
Alshshamsu waalqamaru bihusbanin

55:6 And the herbs and the trees - both (alike) bow in adoration.
Waalnnajmu waalshshajaru yasjudani

55:7 And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice),
Waalssamaa rafaAAahawawadaAAa almeezana

55:8 In order that ye may not transgress (due) balance.
Alla tatghaw fee almeezani

55:9 So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.
Waaqeemoo alwazna bialqisti walatukhsiroo almeezana

55:10 It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures:
Waal-arda wadaAAahalil-anami

55:11 Therein is fruit and date-palms, producing spathes (enclosing dates);
Feeha fakihatun waalnnakhluthatu al-akmami

55:12 Also corn, with (its) leaves and stalk for fodder, and sweet-smelling plants.
Waalhabbu thoo alAAasfiwaalrrayhani

55:13 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:14 He created man from sounding clay like unto pottery,
Khalaqa al-insana min salsalinkaalfakhkhari

55:15 And He created Jinns from fire free of smoke:
Wakhalaqa aljanna min marijinmin narin

55:16 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:17 (He is) Lord of the two Easts and Lord of the two Wests:
Rabbu almashriqayni warabbu almaghribayni

55:18 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:19 He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:
Maraja albahrayni yaltaqiyani

55:20 Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
Baynahuma barzakhun la yabghiyani

55:21 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:22 Out of them come Pearls and Coral:
Yakhruju minhuma allu/luo waalmarjanu

55:23 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:24 And His are the Ships sailing smoothly through the seas, lofty as mountains:
Walahu aljawari almunshaatufee albahri kaal-aAAlami

55:25 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:26 All that is on earth will perish:
Kullu man AAalayha fanin

55:27 But will abide (for ever) the Face of thy Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.
Wayabqa wajhu rabbika thooaljalali waal-ikrami

55:28 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:29 Of Him seeks (its need) every creature in the heavens and on earth: every day in (new) Splendour doth He (shine)!
Yas-aluhu man fee alssamawatiwaal-ardi kulla yawmin huwa fee sha/nin

55:30 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:31 Soon shall We settle your affairs, O both ye worlds!
Sanafrughu lakum ayyuha alththaqalani

55:32 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:33 O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass!
Ya maAAshara aljinni waal-insiini istataAAtum an tanfuthoo min aqtari alssamawatiwaal-ardi faonfuthoo la tanfuthoonailla bisultanin

55:34 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:35 On you will be sent (O ye evil ones twain!) a flame of fire (to burn) and a smoke (to choke): no defence will ye have:
Yursalu AAalaykuma shuwathunmin narin wanuhasun fala tantasirani

55:36 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:37 When the sky is rent asunder, and it becomes red like ointment:
Fa-itha inshaqqati alssamaofakanat wardatan kaalddihani

55:38 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:39 On that Day no question will be asked of man or Jinn as to his sin.
Fayawma-ithin la yus-alu AAan thanbihiinsun wala jannun

55:40 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:41 (For) the sinners will be known by their marks: and they will be seized by their forelocks and their feet.
YuAArafu almujrimoona biseemahumfayu/khathu bialnnawasee waal-aqdami

55:42 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:43 This is the Hell which the Sinners deny:
Hathihi jahannamu allatee yukaththibubiha almujrimoona

55:44 In its midst and in the midst of boiling hot water will they wander round!
Yatoofoona baynaha wabayna hameeminanin

55:45 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:46 But for such as fear the time when they will stand before (the Judgment Seat of) their Lord, there will be two Gardens-
Waliman khafa maqama rabbihijannatani

55:47 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:48 Containing all kinds (of trees and delights);-
Thawata afnanin

55:49 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:50 In them (each) will be two Springs flowing (free);
Feehima AAaynani tajriyani

55:51 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:52 In them will be Fruits of every kind, two and two.
Feehima min kulli fakihatinzawjani

55:53 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:54 They will recline on Carpets, whose inner linings will be of rich brocade: the Fruit of the Gardens will be near (and easy of reach).
Muttaki-eena AAala furushin bata-inuhamin istabraqin wajana aljannatayni danin

55:55 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:56 In them will be (Maidens), chaste, restraining their glances, whom no man or Jinn before them has touched;-
Feehinna qasiratu alttarfilam yatmithhunna insun qablahum wala jannun

55:57 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:58 Like unto Rubies and coral.
Kaannahunna alyaqootu waalmarjanu

55:59 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:60 Is there any Reward for Good - other than Good?
Hal jazao al-ihsani illaal-ihsanu

55:61 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:62 And besides these two, there are two other Gardens,-
Wamin doonihima jannatani

55:63 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:64 Dark-green in colour (from plentiful watering).
Mudhammatani

55:65 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:66 In them (each) will be two Springs pouring forth water in continuous abundance:
Feehima AAaynani naddakhatani

55:67 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:68 In them will be Fruits, and dates and pomegranates:
Feehima fakihatun wanakhlunwarummanun

55:69 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:70 In them will be fair (Companions), good, beautiful;-
Feehinna khayratun hisanun

55:71 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:72 Companions restrained (as to their glances), in (goodly) pavilions;-
Hoorun maqsooratun feealkhiyami

55:73 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:74 Whom no man or Jinn before them has touched;-
Lam yatmithhunna insun qablahum walajannun

55:75 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?-
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:76 Reclining on green Cushions and rich Carpets of beauty.
Muttaki-eena AAala rafrafin khudrinwaAAabqariyyin hisanin

55:77 Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbikumatukaththibani

55:78 Blessed be the name of thy Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.
Tabaraka ismu rabbika theealjalali waal-ikrami

Quran test/patient

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss
of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirin (the
patient ones, etc.). (Al-Baqarah 2:155)

Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We
believe," and will not be tested. (Al-'Ankabut 29:2)

Verily, Allâh knows those who believe, and verily, He knows the
hypocrites [i.e. Allâh will test the people with good and hard days to
discriminate the good from the wicked (although Allâh knows all that
before putting them to test)]. (Al-'Ankabut 29:11)

And he (Iblîs ­ Satan) had no authority over them, except that We
might test him, who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt
about it. And your Lord is a Hafiz over everything. (All­Knower of
everything i.e. He keeps record of each and every person as regards
deeds, and then He will reward them accordingly). (Saba' 34:21)

And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for
the Cause of Allâh) and the patient ones, and We shall test your facts
(i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). (Muhammad
47:31)

Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is
best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving; (Al-Mulk 67:2)

"And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad SAW), and made
for them wives and offspring. And it was not for a Messenger to bring
a sign except by Allâh's Leave. (For) each and every matter there is a
decree (from Allâh)." (Ra'd 13:38)

If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes
you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become
Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2), not the least harm will their
cunning do to you. Surely, Allâh surrounds all that they do. (Aali
Imran 3:120)

Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allâh, but whatever of evil
befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW)
as a Messenger to mankind, and Allâh is Sufficient as a Witness.
(An-Nisa 4:79)

If good befalls you (O Muhammad SAW), it grieves them, but if a
calamity overtakes you, they say: "We took our precaution beforehand,"
and they turn away rejoicing. (At-Tawbah 9:50)

No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in
the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz), before We bring it into
existence. Verily, that is easy for Allâh. (Al-Hadid 57:22)

No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Qadar
(Divine Preordainments)] of Allâh, and whosoever believes in Allâh, He
guides his heart [to the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has
befallen him was already written for him by Allâh from the Qadar
(Divine Preordainments)], and Allâh is the All-Knower of everything.
(At-Taghabun 64:11)

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayer).
Truly! Allâh is with As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.). (Al-Baqarah
2:153)

And obey Allâh and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one
another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be
patient. Surely, Allâh is with those who are As-Sâbirin (the patient
ones, etc.). (Al-Anfal 8:46)

And be patient; verily, Allâh loses not the reward of the good-doers.
(Hud 11:115)

And those who remain patient, seeking their Lord's Countenance,
perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and spend out of that which We
have bestowed on them, secretly and openly, and defend evil with good,
for such there is a good end; (Ra'd 13:22)

So be patient (O Muhammad SAW). Verily, the Promise of Allâh is true,
and let not those who have no certainty of faith, discourage you from
conveying Allâh's Message (which you are obliged to convey). (Ar-Rum
30:60)

Be patient (O Muhammad SAW) of what they say, and remember Our slave
Dâwûd (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in
all matters and in repentance (toward Allâh). (Sad 38:17)

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "O My slaves who believe (in the Oneness of
Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), be afraid of your Lord (Allâh) and keep
your duty to Him. Good is (the reward) for those who do good in this
world, and Allâh's earth is spacious (so if you cannot worship Allâh
at a place, then go to another)! Only those who are patient shall
receive their rewards in full, without reckoning." (Az-Zumar 39:10)

So be patient (O Muhammad SAW). Verily, the Promise of Allâh is true,
and ask forgiveness for your fault[], and glorify the praises of your
Lord in the Ashi (i.e. the time period after the midnoon till sunset)
and in the Ibkâr (i.e. the time period from early morning or sunrise
till before midnoon) [it is said that, that means the five compulsory
congregational Salât (prayers) or the 'Asr and Fajr prayers]. (Ghafir
40:55)

So be patient (O Muhammad SAW ), with a good patience. (Al-Ma'arij 70:5)

Verily, man (disbeliever) was created very impatient; (Al-Ma'arij 70:19)

And be patient for the sake of your Lord (i.e. perform your duty to
Allâh)! (Al-Muddaththir 74:7)

Therefore be patient (O Muhammad SAW) and submit to the Command of
your Lord (Allâh, by doing your duty to Him and by conveying His
Message to mankind), and obey neither a sinner nor a disbeliever among
them. (Al-Insan 76:24)

The Ideal Muslim Husband

The Ideal Muslim Husband
Posted on January 13, 2008.
The Ideal Muslim Husband(SOURCE: http://www.allaahuakbar.net/)Much ink has been spilled, and much breath, in defining the role of Muslim women; the rights of Muslim women; the duties of Muslim women, what constitutes an ideal Muslim wife. Maybe because there has so much misunderstanding of the role of women, we seem to give it special emphasis in lectures and books. However since men and women are interdependent, it is not wise to concentrate on one and remain silent about the other.Many men seem to feel that women, and their wives in particular, should be ideal Muslims, while they themselves and their fellow men behave as they like without reference to the Qur’an and Sunnah, and unchallenged by the Shari’ah.This paper is therefore intended to redress the balance; to turn the spotlight on to the men, so that they might be aware of the Islamic standard for an ideal husband, as they try to reach that standard as much as they wish their wives to reach the standard of an ideal Muslim wife.The obvious place to look for these standards of behaviour is in the Qur’an and Sunnah.Let us therefore start at the beginning. How does the ideal husband behave before marriage? After all, a man does not totally change his character with effect from his wedding day. The bride is joining her life with that of another person whose personality and habits have been in some degree already formed. What then should be the behavior towards women by a young man before marriage?Islam does not accept the view common in the western secular society that before marriage a young man is expected to “sow his wild oats” - whether by frequenting prostitutes or by sleeping around, or having any form of “trial marriage”. For all such activities the Qur’an has prescribed a legal punishment of 100 lashes. [Qur’an 24:2]The Qur’an moreover says;“And as for those who are unable to marry,let them live in continence until Allah grants them sufficiently out of his bounty….”[Qur’an 24:33]To assist young men in this situation the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) in a Hadith recorded in Bukhari further advised;“Young men, those of you who can support a wife should marry, for it keeps you from looking at women and preserves your chastity; but those who cannot should fast, for it is a means of cooling passion.”For those who have the means to get married, how should they go about it? We have mentioned that the modern western practice of having girlfriends and trial marriages is emphatically unlawful for Muslims. Instead it is expected that the family and friends will play a big role in finding out in detail about the character and circumstances of the proposed partner before allowing the feelings of the boy and girl to be aroused has several advantages. Its effect is to cut out a lot of the embarrassment, temptation and heartache which are common in the western system of courtship and intimate relations before marriage.The boy is expected to share with his parents certain priorities in the type of girl he hopes to marry, and this is mentioned in a Hadith related by Abu Hurairah in which the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) advised:“A women may be sought for her wealth, her birth, her beauty or he religious character. But do look for the religious women. And if you do it for any other consideration, your hands be rubbed in dirt!” [Bukhari and Muslim]In other words the key to success in marriage is seen as the moral quality of the partner. The ideal Muslim bridegroom therefore goes into marriage with the responsible attitude of a person establishing a family on the best possible foundation of love and mutual compassion, and not of infatuation over beauty, ambition for wealth or social position. The Qur’an has described the marriage relationship in these terms;“Among His signs is the fact that he has created spouses from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquillity with them; and he has put love and mercy between you. In that are signs for people who reflect.”[Qur’an 30:21]and again:“They (wives) are garments for you, while you are garments for them.”[Qur’an 2:187]Having sought his bride in an honourable way, and married her in the manner prescribed by the Prophet- that is with public celebration but the minimum of fuss and ostentation- what are the Muslim husband’s duties?His first duty is maintenance and protection, and overall responsibility for the welfare of his wife, which is prescribed in the Qur’an:“Men shall take full care of women with the bounties which Allah has bestowed more abundantly on the former than on the latter, and with what they may spend out of their possessions….”.[Qur’an 4:34]This includes feeding, clothing and shelter for the wife and for any children of the marriage. This is a legally enforceable duty, which remains even after divorce until the expiry of the Iddah or even longer in the view of some of the scholars. Financial responsibility for the family therefore rests squarely on the husband, and the wife has no duty to contribute to family expenses unless she has the means and the wish to do so.The legal obligations of a husband do not stop with provision of the basic requirements relating to maintenance and protection. He is also expected to give her company and marital relations, and to avoid doing anything that would harm her.These obligations are enforced by the Shari’ah. If a man fails to maintain his wife or fails to visit her for more than a certain period of time, the wife has grounds to be granted a divorce by a Shari’ah Court. Similarly, if she can prove to the court that the husband is doing harm (Idrar), be it by drinking alcohol, or beating her without lawful cause, or abusing her or her parents and so on, she is entitled to be granted a divorce. In none of these cases can the husband claim back any part of the dowry or presents he has given to the wife. I would like to make a note here that every situation has to be evaluated on its merits and circumstances by a Shar’iah Court. These points mentioned above are general precepts in the Shar’iah.The Husband is however urged in the Qur’an to avoid divorce and try to preserve marriage even if it is not ideal. This is to be done in the first instance by exercising patience with his wife’s faults. The Qur’an say’s;“Live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.”[Qur’an 4:19]The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) also emphasised the undesirability of divorce in a Hadith found in Abu Dau’d’s collection:“The most hateful of all lawful things, in the sight of Allah, is divorce.”The ideal husband should therefore, if need arises, make full use of Qur’anic provisions for reconciliation and arbitration [Qur’an 4:34] before proceeding with divorceIf a man does divorce his wife, he should follow the steps approved in the Qur’an and Sunnah regarding a revocable divorce. This allows for cooling off and reconciliation before it becomes final on the final pronouncement. The divorce is not to be pronounced while the wife is in menstruation, but when she has finished menstruation and not yet resumed marital relations with the husband. [Qur’an 65:1] In other words divorce is not to be pronounced in anger or at random, but at a specific time when the husband is in control of his reason, and the wife herself is not in the state of emotional upset that sometimes occurs whilst she is pregnant or may accompany menstruation.The husband is to continue good treatment of his wife even if divorce is decided upon. He is to keep and feed her as before in his own house until the expiry of her iddah (waiting period) without harassment, [Qur’an 65:1, 65:6] and to make provision for her according to his means.He is not to take back any of the gifts he may have given her before or during the marriage:“The parties should either hold together on equitable terms or separate with kindness. It is not lawful for you (men) to take back any of your gifts from your wives.”[Qur’an 2:229]On the contrary, the husband is to give her a gift or some form of maintenance to sustain her after divorce [Qur’an 2:241]. Moreover, he is not to interfere if after divorce she wishes to marry someone else:“……and when you divorce women and they have reached the end of their waiting term, hinder them not from marrying other men if they have agreed with each other in a fair manner.”[Qur’an 2:232]The husband should also know that according to the Shari’ah he is not always the one to have custody of his children after divorce, contrary to the common practice in some countries. It is the wife who is given priority in custody of children in many cases, in accordance with a Hadith related by Amru b. Shu’aib in Ibn Majah, which tells how a woman came to the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) and said:“Truly my belly served as a container for my son here, and my breast served as a skin bag for him (to drink out of), and my bosom served as a refuge for him; and now his father has divorced me, and he (also) desires to take away from me.” The Prophet (saws) said: “You have a better right to have him as long as you do not marry again.” [Ibn Majah]We would also like to point out again however, that the decision as to the custody of the children has to be evaluated by a Shar’iah Court, which will consider the particular circumstances surrounding the family and the children’s best welfare.In the Maliki School of Islamic Jurisprudence, this rule is systematised to give priority in custody of children to the mother and to 5 other relatives before the custody could be claimed by the father. This custody lasts until puberty for a son and until marriage for a daughter, while the financial responsibility for their maintenance remains with their father.The knowledge of the necessity of separation from his children must certainly act as a reality check when a husband is indiscriminately deciding to divorce.It should also be realised the husband is required to be faithful in marriage as the wife must. The punishment for adultery of a married person, male or female, under the Shari’ah is death. The fact that the punishment may not be applied in this world, does not make the sin any less in the sight of Allah. A sin that is not expiated in this world is after all going to follow a person to the grave.Therefore the husband should not fail to follow Allah’s command in the Qur’an:“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity: verily this will be most conductive to their purity (and) verily Allah is aware of all that they do.”[Qur’an 24:30]Those married men who cruise around in their cars looking for school girls to pick up are surely disgracing themselves, and forfeiting all right to require chastity of their wives.If for some reason, the husband cannot manage with his first wife but does not want to divorce her, he is not prohibited from contracting another marriage, provided it is done in a legal and honorable way.The permission to marry more then one wife at a time is however conditional:“…….if you fear you cannot do justice between them, then marry only one.” [Qur’an 4:3]This condition is often taken very lightly in some countries, where polygamy has long been a social custom. No words in the Qur’an, however, are without meaning, this verse should not be taken lightly. A weak husband will not be respected and will not act fairly between his wives, whereby, his marrying more then one is likely to lead to injustice, constant disharmony and the break up of his family. This is not in his interests or theirs or in the interests of the Muslim Ummah.If having married more then one, however, a husband finds his heart inclining to one at the expense of the other, he is warned that this inclination should not reach the stage of neglect of the needs of the other wife:“And you will not be able to treat your wives with equal justice however much you desire it.But do not incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her as it were in suspense.”[Qur’an 4:29]This warning against injustice is strongly reinforced by the Hadith in which Abu Hurairah (ra) reported the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalm) as saying:“Whoever has two wives and does not treat them equally, shall come on the day of resurrection with half his body hanging down.” [Abu Da’ud, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah]We have so far examined the legal framework of marriage and divorce as outlined mainly in the Qur’an. This now needs to be filled in with illustration and elaboration drawn from the Sunnah, since the Qur’an tells us :“You have in the apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the last day.”[Qur’an 33:21]How did the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) then, behave as a husband? Obviously he observed the legal framework, but how did he behave in his day-to-day relationships with his wives?A lot of information is to be gathered about this from the Hadith, both directly and indirectly, and also from the Sirah [the biography of the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam)].His guiding principle on the treatment of wives is stated in some well known Ahadith;“From among the believers are those who have the kindest disposition and are the kindest to their families- such are those who show the most perfect faith. “The best among them are those who are kindest to their wives.” [Bukhari and Muslim]How did the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) himself exemplify this kindness?Firstly he was not a difficult or remote or tyrannical husband of the type who regards all household chores as “women’s work”. In a Hadith in Bukhari:Aisha (ra) was asked by Al-Aswad b. Yazid what the Prophet used to do in the house. She replied: “He used to work for his family, that is serve his family, and when prayer time came, he went out for prayer.” [Bukhari]Other Hadith tell us that he used to mend his own clothes.Secondly he didn’t make a fuss about food. It is recorded in a Hadith from Abu Hurairah (ra) in the collection of Muslim:“Allah’s Messenger never found fault with food. If he liked something, he ate it, and if he disliked it, he just abstained from it.” [Muslim]Implying that he never complained about the food or it’s cooking.Aisha (ra) reported that whenever she was sick, the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) would come to her to show his sympathy. Nor, was he ashamed to let it be known that his love for his wife was greater then his love for any other human being. It is recorded in the Hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim that someone asked the Prophet: “Who among all the people is most beloved by you?” And he said “Aisha”.This love and understanding for Aisha did not eclipse his high regard for his first wife Khadijah, who had been his only wife for about 25 years until her death. Aisha (ra) reported that he always treasured the memory of Khadijah who had supported and encouraged him through the difficult years in Mecca, and that he use to regularly give gifts to Khadijah’s closest friends as an expression of his undiminished esteem and love for her.The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) never held himself apart from his wives as if they were by their nature as women inferior. On the Contrary, he included “playing games with one’s wife” as one of the legitimate entertainment’s. According to the following Hadith:“…….There is no amusement which is praiseworthy except three, namely training a horse, sporting with one’s wife and shooting arrows with a bow.” [Abu Da’ud, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi]In illustration of this practice, Aisha (ra) records that on more then one occasion she and the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) ran races and sometimes she won and sometimes he won. Most men nowadays consider it far beneath their dignity to play any sort of game with their wives, and their marriages are the duller and poorer for it.I think this is one of the problems we encounter in the way we learn about the life of the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam). Most of the history books dwell on the political and military aspects of the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) life, and his personality, which was obviously very attractive, eludes our knowledge. We tend to, for this reason picture him as always serious, while the Hadith informs us that although he rarely laughed aloud, “Nobody used to smile as much as he did.” This is fully in accordance with the Hadith: “Smiling at your brother (Muslim) is a charity.”The Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) attitude towards female children and female education is a beautiful elaboration of what is found in the Qur’an. The Qur’an not only forbade the jahiliyyah practice of female infanticide, but even condemned the practice of showing disappointment or anger over the birth of a female child. [Qur’an 16:58-59]A Hadith related by Ibn Abbas in fact encourages the reverse:“Whoever has a female child and does not bury her alive, nor hide her in contempt, nor prefers his male child over her, Allah will make him enter Paradise.” [Abu Da’ud]The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) showed the greatest love and affection for his female children, particularly for Fatima. Aisha (ra) related that:“Whenever the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) saw Fatima (ra), he would welcome her, and rising from his seat would kiss her, and then taking her by the hand would seat her in his own seat.” [Bukhari]He decreed that every Muslim - male and female- must as a duty seek knowledge and prescribed education for all children in the following words:“No present or gift of a parent, out of all the gifts and presents to a child, is superior to a good broad (general) education.” [Tirmidhi and Baihaqi]He laid special emphasis on the education of daughters:“Whoever brings up two sisters or two daughters, and gives them a broad education, and treats them well, and gives them in marriage, for him is Paradise.” [Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi]This concern for the education of girls was reflected in his teaching of Aisha (ra), who was still a young girl when he married her, and was only 18 when he died. She had a natural ability for learning and a strong sense of reasoning, and he taught her as much as she was ready to learn. He was so impressed and pleased with her learning that he even told people:“You can learn half your religion from this rosy-cheeked girl.”He therefore encouraged people to consult her in religious matters, and after his death she became one of the major sources of Hadith.From all this we can see that some people’s resistance to allowing their daughters to have access to knowledge is not only misguided but quite contrary to all the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) preached and practiced. An ideal-Muslim husband is therefore expected to be deeply committed to and involved in the education of all his children - the daughters as much as the son’s.The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) respect for a wife’s intelligence and understanding was also reflected in his readiness to consult his wives and respond to their good advice. An instance of this practice is recorded on the occasion of the signing of the treaty of Hudaibihiyah. Many of the Muslims were reluctant to accept treaty. They did not want to go home without performing pilgrimage and they considered some parts of the Treaty disadvantageous to the Muslims. They were therefore reluctant to obey his instructions to slaughter their sacrificial camels and shave their heads, which would symbolise that the Pilgrimage was over and the matter closed. The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) withdrew to his tent in perplexity, and told his wife Umm Salamah what had happened. She advised him: “Go out and speak to no man until you have performed your sacrifice.” The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) followed her advice, and slaughtered the camel calling: “Bismillah, Allahu akbar” in a loud voice, whereupon the Muslims forgot their reluctance and raced to make their own sacrifices.The presence of Umm Salamah on this journey exemplifies another aspect of the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) dealings with his wives. One or more of them almost invariably accompanied him on his journeys and campaigns. To ensure fairness they would draw lots as to which wife or wives would accompany him.His wives were thus not kept locked up so that they could not experience what was going on in the outside world. They wore modest clothes (hijab) and went out and saw everything that was going on, and they participated when necessary, for example in nursing the wounded on the battlefields.The following Hadith is narrated by Aisha (ra):“Umar once criticised the Prophet’s wife Saudah for going out, saying he had recognised her in the street. So she appealed to the Prophet (saws) for support and he supported her saying: “Women have the right to go out for their needs.” [Bukhari]Similarly the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) allowed his wives and other women to go out to the Mosques for their prayers. He also advised other men:“Do not prevent the female servants of Allah (i.e Mosques)” [Muslim]The ideal Muslim husband therefore does not impose restrictions on his wife greater then those imposed by Allah or by the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) on his own family.All the foregoing indicate that the women who is married to an ideal Muslim husband is protected but not suppressed, and is therefore likely to be happy and contented.However, the Muslim husband is not expected to please his wife at all cost, if what pleases her may be wrong or against her interests or the interests of the family.The Qur’an say’s:“O you who have attained to faith! Ward off from yourselves and your familiesthat fire (of the hereafter) whose fuel is Human beings and stones.”[Qur’an 66:6]In this respect a husband has a duty to ensure that his wife is fully educated as a Muslim. If this has been neglected in her parents’ home, he must take necessary steps to remedy it. Either by teaching her himself or by arranging for her Islamic education by other means. The husband is expected to give leadership in the family. We have seen that this form of leadership is not dictatorship or tyranny. The wise husband will, as indicated, consult his wife on important matters concerning the family, and if he sees her advice is good, accept it. However, Islam has given the man authority as the head of the family, and he is expected to abide by the Qur’an and Sunnah and endeavour to ensure that his family do not violate Islamic norms of behavior. The kind of treatment required should not therefore include condoning her misbehavior.The Qur’an has prescribed a specific graded series of three steps, which the husband should take if the wife shows that she is rebelling against Islamic norms of conduct.His first step should be to speak to her seriously about the implication and likely consequences of what she is doing. If she fails to respond to this sincere admonition, his next step is to suspend marital relations with her for a period of time, If this also fails he is permitted to beat her lightly as a final act of correction. If she then complies then the husband should take no further action against her. [Qur’an 4:34]This beating is the last resort, and not the first one, and the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) placed some limitations on it, as follows:(a) It should not be on the face or on any easily injured part of the body;(b) It should not be hard enough to cause pain or injury or leave a mark.The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) indicated that if a man must beat his wife it should be more or less symbolic, with something like a toothbrush.The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) himself very much disliked the beating of wives, and never beat any of his own. In Abu Da’ud’s collection of Hadith he is reported by Laqit B. Sabrah to have said:“Admonish your wife, and if there be any good in her she will receive it; and beat not your wife like a slave.”In another Hadith from Ayas b. Abdullah he specifically said:-“Do not beat Allah’s female servants (i.e women)” [Abu Da’ud, Ibn Majah]In Tirmidhi’s collection is another Hadith related by Amru b. al Ahwas:“And enjoin on one another goodness towards women; verily they are married to you: you have no power over them at all unless they come in for a flagrantly filthy action; but if they are devoted to you, then seek no way against them. And verily, you have rights over your women, and they have rights over you.” [Tirmidhi]The Muslim husband therefore has no right to beat his wife indiscriminately or habitually for petty offences, and if he does, the wife has a right to seek divorce by a Shari’ah court. Similarly, as we can see, Islam has not authorised men to beat up their wives.The phenomenon of wife beating is not peculiar to Muslim’s- it is found in all parts of the world among certain types of men. However, some Muslims unjustly claim that they have religious sanction when they beat their wives, while in most cases they are beating them only because they themselves are brutal by nature, or just in a bad temper.Bad temper is to be controlled, not vented on the weaker sex. The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) referred to this in another Hadith when he said:“He is not strong who throws people down, but he is strong among us who controls himself when he is angry.” [Bukhari and Muslim]Aisha observed this self-control in the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) behavior:The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) never beat any of his wives or servants; in fact he did not strike anything with his hand except in the cause of Allah, or when the prohibitions of Allah were violated, and he retaliated on behalf of Allah.The ideal Muslim husband therefore strives to emulate the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) practice by avoiding beating completely and discouraging it from others. It is not at all becoming for a Muslim to be a wife-beater in defiance of the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) explicit dislike of the practice.This brings us to another interesting aspect of the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) relationship with his wives.He apparently allowed his wives to do what is called “answering back” to men who think that women, like children, should be seen and not heard. There are several recorded instances of the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) companions remonstrating with him or with his wives about this practice. Nevertheless he chose to allow his wives to speak their minds.An incident related in Ibn Ishaq’s sirat Rasul Allah (An early biography of the Prophet*) makes an interesting reading:One day Umar rebuked his wife for something and she sharply answered him back: and when he expostulated with her she replied that the wives of the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) were in the habit of answering him back so why should she not do the same? “And there is one of them,” she added, meaning their daughter (Hafsah), “Who speaks her mind unabashed from morning until night.” Greatly troubled by this, Umar went to Hafsah, who did not deny that what her mother said was true. “You have neither the grace of Aisha nor the beauty of Zainab,” he said, hoping to shake her self confidence; and when these words seemed to have no effect, he added: “Are you so sure that if you anger the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam), Allah will not destroy you in his anger?” Then he went to his cousin Umm Salamah (another wife of the Prophet) and said: “Is it true that you speak your minds to Allah’s messenger (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) and answer him with no respect?”. “By all that is wonderful,”said Umm Salamah, “What call have you to come between Allah’s messenger (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) and his wives? Yes, by Allah, we speak our minds, and if he allows us to do so that is his affair, and if he forbids us he will find us more obedient to him then we are to you.” Umar then realised he had gone too far and withdrew.In this anecdote we can clearly hear the voices of women who respect their husband not because they are afraid of him or out of hypocrisy, but out of genuine admiration and love. The fact that he allowed them to speak their minds shows that the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) never regarded women as slaves or second-class citizens but as human beings to whom Allah has given reason and the ability to distinguish right from wrong as he has given them to men.Aisha went further in a Hadith to say that when the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) told her something she would question him closely about it so that she could understand its justification before she was satisfied. The Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) did not tell her she had no right to cross question him because he was a Prophet and a man, while she was only a young woman. It appears on the contrary that he appreciated her critical faculty and clear thinking.*Retold in Muhammad- his Life based on the Earliest Source by Lings (Islamic Texts Society/George Allen & Unwin 1983)From this we can see that the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) had such calm inner certainty and natural leadership qualities that he did not need to assert himself over his wives, or be on the defensive against them. Those men who behave like tyrants in the home, who assert their rule in an arbitrary or violent manner, are usually the weak ones who actually suffer from hidden inferiority complexes and are afraid of being shown up as mentally or morally inferior to their wives. To forestall this they physically frighten their wives, who are then afraid to open their mouths in their husband’s presence, let alone to disagree with him.Another incident illustrates how the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) asserted his leadership of his family without harsh words or violence. This is revealed in the way he treated his wives when they became too demanding of the comforts of this world. Aisha (ra) related that before the capture of the oasis of Khaybar she had not known what it was to eat her fill of dates. The Prophet’s wives, fully aware of the general poverty of the Muslims in Medina, asked only for their basic needs. After the capture of Khaybar with it’s rich agricultural produce, the Muslims were better off, and the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) was able to give his wives some presents, and they were not slow in learning to ask for more comforts. This led to problems because in fairness, what was given to one should be given to all, and this could not always be exactly fulfilled. There developed considerable resentment among some of his wives, which disrupted the peace of the household. When his advice to them was not heeded he followed the next Qur’anic step and withdrew himself from them all and stayed in a roofed verandah that was the only room he had apart from his wives’ apartments.Rumor soon spread that the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) had divorced his wives, and the wives, in suspense, regretted bitterly their demands on him. He then let it be known through Umar that he had not divorced them but that he did not wish to see any of them until a full lunar month had elapsed.At the end of the month he asked his wives one by one to make their own choice in accordance with the newly revealed verses of the Qur’an:“O Prophet, say to your wives: If you desire but the life of this world and it’s charms, then come and I will bestow it’s goods upon you, I will release you with a fair release. But if you desire Allah and his messenger and the abode of the hereafter, then verily Allah has laid in store for you a mighty reward, for such of you as do good.”[Qur’an 33:28-29]Aisha replied without hesitation: “Verily, I desire Allah and his Messenger and the abode of the hereafter” and there was not one of his wives who did not choose the same. These events are related in a number of Hadith books, including Bukhari and Muslim. *Here we see a husband who in spite of his love and sympathy for his wives, would not be carried away to commit injustice between them, not put himself into difficulties or wrong -doing in order to satisfy their desires beyond what was necessary. He was not ready for the role of the “hen-pecked husband.” His firmness in the matter quickly made his wives see it in its proper perspective, and peace was restored to the household without recourse to divorce or even harsh word.It is incidents like these that make it quite clear why the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) is held up a beautiful example to the Muslims in every aspect of his life.There are of course numerous other facets of his personality and behavior, which contributed to making him an ideal husband.He was of course clean and pure both in his thoughts and person, and very generous in accordance with his own saying:“Verily Allah is pure and loves the pure, is clean and loves the clean, is beneficent and loves the beneficent, is generous and loves the generous.” [Tirmidhi]Another very important characteristic was his love of children. Love of her own children is almost automatic to a mother and with that love goes a care and concern for their children in any matter with the same degree of love, and consider the children to be “women’s affair”. In our own society today this is a common phenomenon where it is the mother who often plays the major role in ensuring that the children are clothed and cared for, that their school fees are paid, that they learn good behavior and so on. While it is good that the mother shows this love and concern, it is not approved for father to abandon his own moral and financial responsibilities and ignore the proper education and upbringing of his own children.We have mentioned the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) own role in the upbringing of his own daughters (it was only the daughters that survived to maturity) and on his emphasis on education for both sexes. There are also numerous Hadith indicating his love for children and his practice of showing his love for them.For example in a Hadith from Abu Hurairah (ra) it is related as follows:“The Prophet of Allah kissed his grandson Hassan the son of Ali in the presence of Agra’ B. Habis, whereupon Agra’ said: “Verily, I have children and yet I have not kissed any of them.” The Prophet looked towards him and said: ` What can I do for you if Allah has taken away mercy from your heart. He that shows no mercy shall have no mercy shown to him.” [Bukhari and Muslim]The Muslim family is therefore ideally a very united family. Mutual understanding between husband and wife lies at the root of it. The Islamic upbringing of children is one of its most important functions. For it to succeed as the basic unit of the Muslim Ummah, both husband and wife need to know their duties and to practice self-control in trying to abide by the Islamic code of conduct within the family.I wish to draw this paper to a close by approaching the subject briefly from a different angle. We have so far looked at the duties of the Muslim husband as spelled out in the Qur’an and seen how these points were expanded and added to in the Sunnah. We have also taken recorded incidents in the life of the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) as an illustration of an ideal Muslim husband in action.Lastly, I approached the question “What is an ideal Muslim husband” by asking Muslim women to tell me what they thought.To this end a questionnaire was passed to a random group of Muslim women, who informed me what they considered the most desirable qualities for an ideal Muslim husband to be.To this end, a random group of 35 Muslim women living locally, mainly married ones were selected.The five most important qualities scored 2 points each and the five next most important qualities scored 1 point each. The result is shown below:Women’s Order of Priority in the Desirable Qualities of an Ideal Muslim HusbandPoints1st. A Pious Muslim 492nd. Truthfulness and honesty 473rd A good leader 404th Justice and fairness 385th Love of children 376th Kindness and consideration 317th Readiness to consult his wife 308th Good manners 299th Chastity and good morals 2610th Trustworthiness and reliability 2511th Avoids quarrelling and beating 2212th Clean habits 2013th Strength of mind and will 1914th Gentleness 1715th Generosity 1416th A loving nature 1617th Ability to be contented with one wife 1518th Sense of humour 1319th Reasonableness 1120th Firmness 921st Intelligence 822nd Seriousness 723rd Good looks 624th Physical strength 425th Wealth 1This list of qualities is not of course comprehensive, and there are a few important omissions. However, it raises many interesting points for our brothers to consider in their endeavor to qualify as a potential or actual ideal Muslim husband.Those who feared that by adhering to Islamic piety and moral standards they would frighten women away will see that they are actually at the top of the league.This information also confirms the natural order of things referred to and upheld in the Qur’an, in that women do apparently want their men folk to lead and not be led. Leadership has to be deserved and qualified by all the other qualities mentioned in the upper part of the list, such as piety, truthfulness, fairness, kindness, consultation, good manners, good morals and so on.It is interesting to go over in one’s mind the qualities of the Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) mentioned in the earlier part of this paper and match them with this list to see how far the Prophet’s (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam) behavior to his wives demonstrates perfectly those qualities to which women give priority.Therefore any man who wants to make a success of his marriage cannot go wrong if he takes as his model and example the practice of the blessed Prophet (sall’Allahu alayhi wasalam).For our brothers I pray for Allah to give them the faith and moral strength to attain those great qualities and thereby make a success of their marriages.For our sisters I pray for Allah’s guidance to make each of us worthy of being the ideal wife of an ideal Muslim husband.