A man asked the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam), “What Islamic traits are the best?”
He replied, “Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know.”

[Bukhari Book:74 No:253]

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is there any du’aa’ narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which is to be said at the time of breaking the fast? When should it be said? Should the fasting person repeat the adhaan after the muezzin or continue breaking his fast?

He replied:

The time of breaking the fast is a time when du’aa’s are answered, because it is the end of an act of worship, and because a person is usually at his weakest when breaking his fast. The greater a person’s sense of helplessness and weakness is, the closer he is to humility before Allaah. The du’aa’ that is narrated is: “Allaahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu (O Allaah, for You have I fasted and by Your provision I have broken my fast).” And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Dhahaba al-zama’ wa abtalat al-‘urooq wa thabat al-ajr in sha Allaah (Thirst has gone, the veins are moist, and the reward is assured, if Allaah wills).” Although there may be some weakness in these two hadeeths, some scholars classed them as hasan. Whatever the case, if you says these du’aa’s or some others when breaking the fast, this is a time when du’aa’s are answered. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (19/question no. 341)

With regard to sahoor, there is no specific du’aa’ to be said at this time. What is prescribed is to say Bismillah at the beginning and to praise Him when one stops eating, as should be done at every meal.

But the one who delays his sahoor until the last third of the night also catches up with the time of the divine descent, and this is a time when du’aa’s are answered.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night is left, and He says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1094) and Muslim (758). So he should say du’aa’ at this time because it is a time when du’aa’ is answered, not because of sahoor.

With regard to the intention, the site thereof is the heart, and it is not prescribed to utter it out loud. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “Whoever thinks in his heart that he will fast tomorrow has formed the intention.”
Du’aa’ of the fasting person when breaking his fast

‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say when breaking his fast: “Dhahaba al-zama’ wa abtalat al-‘urooq wa thabata al-ajr in sha Allaah (Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain if Allaah wills).”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2357; al-Daaraqutni, 25. Ibn Hajar said in al-Talkhees al-Habeer (2/202): al-Daaraqutni said, its isnaad is saheeh.

The du’aa’ “Allaahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu (O Allaah, for You have I fasted and by Your provision I have broken my fast)” was narrated by Abu Dawood, 2358. It is a mursal hadeeth so it is da’eef (weak) . Al-Albaani classed it as da’eef in ben dawwad (510)

Saying du’aa’ after doing acts of worship is deeply rooted in sharee’ah, such as making du’aa’ after praying and after completing the rituals of Hajj. Fasting is not excluded from that in sha Allaah. Allaah mentioned the verse of du’aa’ and encouraged du’aa’ among the verses that speak of fasting, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright” [al-Baqarah 2:186]

The Messenger of Allah (Sallahu Alayhi WaSallaam) said; Three supplications will not be rejected (by Allah (SWT)), the supplication of the parent for his child, the supplication of the one who is fasting, and the supplication of the traveler. [al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi – Sahih]

The prophet (Sallahu Alayhi WaSallaam) declared, ‘Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: when a fasting person breaks fast (in another narration, the fasting person until he breaks his fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi – Hasan]

When breaking the fast- Iftar

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَ ابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَ ثَبَتَ الأجْرُ

إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

dhahabadh-dhama’u wab-tallatil ‘urūūqi,wa thabatal arju inshaAllah

The thrist is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed, if Allah [Ta’ala] Wills [abu Dawud 2357]

When someone offers you food when you are fasting and you decline

When you are invited to eat, then reply to the invitation. if you are fasting, then invoke Allah’s blessings (on your host), and if you are not fasting then eat [Muslim; 2:1054]

When you are fasting, and someone is rude to you

اِنَّيْ صَائِمٌ ، اِنِّيْ صَائمٌ

Inni sa’iimu, inni sa’iimu

I am fasting, I am fasting

[Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath al-Bari of Al-Asqalani; 4:1-3, Muslim; 2:806]

Upon Sighting of the new Moon

اللَّهُ
اَكْبَرُ ، اَللَّهُمَّ اَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالآَمْنِ وَلاِيمَانِ ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالاِسْلَامِ ، وَالتَّوْفِيقِ لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَتَرْضَى ، رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ

Allahu Akbar. Allahumma ahillahu ‘alayna bil-amni wal-imaani, was-salaamati, wal-Islami, wat-tawfeeqi lima tuhibbu Rabbana wa tardha. Rabbuna wa RabbukAllahu

Allah is the Greatest. O Allah bring us the new moon with security and faith, with peace and in Islam, and in harmony with what our Lord Loves and what pleases Him. Our Lord and your Lord is Allah [Although the narration of Tirmidhi is Sahih but with different text. The wordings in tirmidhi are” اللهم أهلله علينا باليمن والإيمان والسلامة والإسلام ربي وربك الله” Tirmidhi 3451, Sahih by Albani.]

Upon seeing the first dates of the season

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي ثَمَرِنَا ، وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا

Allahumma barik lana fi thamarina, wa barik lana fi madinatina, wa barik lana fi saa’ina, wa barik lana fi muddina

O Allah! Bless us in our dates, and bless us in our town, bless us in our saa’ and in our Mudd’

(saa’ and Mudd’ are dry measures used for agricultural produce by the Arabs in the Prophet’s time)
[at-Tirmidhi 5:504, ad-Darimi 1:336]

Upon breaking the fast in someone’s home

أفْطَرَ عِنْدَكُمُ الصَّائِمُونَ، وَ أَكَلَ طَعَامَكُمُ

الأبْرَارُ، وَ صَلَّتْ عَلَيْكُم ُ الْمَلائِكَةُ

Aftara ‘indakumus saa’imuna, wa akala
ta’aamakumul-abraaru, wasallat ‘alaikumul mala’ikat

May those who are fasting break their fast in
your home, and may the dutiful and pious eat
your food and may the angels send prayers upon you.

[abu Dawud 3:367, ibn Majah 1:556, an Nasa’i]

blog.iloveallaah.com

‎”ليس الشديد بالصرعة؛ إنما الشديد الذي يملك نفسه عند الغضب”
The strong person is not the good wrestler. Rather,the strong person is the one who controls himself when he is angry
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 73, #135)

The person reciting the Qur’an must observe the proper etiquettes of recitation. Some of them are that: He make his intention sincerely for Allah, that he recite it whilst being in a state of purity, that he use the Siwaak and that he recite it while pondering on its meaning and observing total consciousness. Allah says:

“And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive admonition)? ” (Qur’an, 54:17)

“Allah thus makes clear to you His communications [verses] that you may understand.” (2:242)

*From the above-mentioned verse of Qur’an it is clear that Allah told us to read the Quran with meaning.

Quran is a guide to humanity which also includes you. Since none of us want to be misguided, it is paramount not only to read or recite Quran, but to understand and implement it in our lives as well.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave us a simple formula to be the best: “The best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Al-Bukhari) So go ahead, learn and teach the Qur’an, and make yourself among the best of Muslims Insha Allah.

Our beloved Prophet SalAllahu Alyehe Wasallam said,

“A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter), and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don’t say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do; and your” if” opens the (gate) for the satan.”

[Sahih Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “When a person dies, his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him.” [Muslim, Tirmidhi]

Allah’s Apostle (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) said, “The Day of (Judgment) will not be established till there is a war between two groups whose claims (or religion) will be the same.”

[Bukhari Book:56 No:805]

Allah’s Apostle (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) said, “Aqiqa is to be offered for a (newly born) boy, so slaughter (an animal) for him, and relieve him of his suffering.”

(Note: It has been quoted in Fateh-AL-Bari that the majority of the Religious Scholars agrees to the Hadith narrated in Sahih At-TlRMIDHI that the Prophet was asked about Aqiqa and he ordered 2 sheep for a boy and one sheep for a girl and that is his tradition “SUNNAH”)

[Bukhari Book:66 No:380]

“None of you are truly believers, until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself”

[Muslim; Book 1 Hadith 72]

Narrated by Mujahid:
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said, “Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, ‘Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.”

[Bukhari]

Allah’s Apostle (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor.
Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection .”

[Bukhari Book:43 No:622]

اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاو ;َاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Haiyul-Qaiyum La ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-‘ard Man dhal-ladhi yashfa’u ‘indahu illa bi-idhnihi Ya’lamu ma baina aidihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi shai’im-min ‘ilmihi illa bima sha’a Wasi’a kursiyuhus-samawati wal ard, wa la ya’uduhu hifdhuhuma Wa Huwal ‘Aliyul-Adheem

“Allah! There is no god but He – the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him Nor Sleep. His are all things In the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede In His presence except As he permitteth? He knoweth What (appeareth to His creatures As) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass Aught of his knowledge Except as He willeth. His throne doth extend Over the heavens And on earth, and He feeleth No fatigue in guarding And preserving them, For He is the Most High. The Supreme (in glory).”

[Surah al-Baqarah 2: 255]

Hadiths of the benefits of Ayatul Kursi.

Ubayy bin Ka’b (radiAllahu anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Abu Mundhir! Do you know whichAyah in Allah’s Book is the greatest? I said: ‘Allah and His messenger know best.’
He (peace be upon him) again said: ‘Do you know which Ayah in Allah’s Book, according to you, is the greatest?’ I (Abu Mundhir) replied: ‘It is ‘Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum’.[2:255].
Thereupon he (peace be upon him) patted me in the chest and said, ‘ Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu Mundhir! (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of respect, honour and benefit to you)’.”
[Muslim]

Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The one who recites it after each of the obligatory prayers, then death will be the only thing preventing him from entering Paradise.”
[Ibn Sunni, Ibn Hibban]

When you lie down in your bed, recite ayat al-Kursi, Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists… [al-Baraqah 2:255] until the end of the ayah, then you will have a protector from Allah and no shaytan (devil) will come near you until morning comes
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated; In Surah al-Baqaraah there is an ayah which is the best of all the ayahs of the Qur’an. It is never recited in a house but the Shaytan leaves: Ayat al-Kursi.

Do you know the Ayatul Kursi?” Anas (radiAllahu anhu) replied “I know”. The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “It is equal to a quarter of the Qur’an

Listen to Ayatul Kursi read in a beautiful Recitation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSmslURAK1Q&feature=related

Messenger of Allah (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said, “On the Day of Rising no one will bring anything better than someone who says in the morning and evening, “Subhanallahi wa bihamdhihi” (Glory be to Allah and by His praise’ a hundred times except someone who says the same as he says or more.” [Muslim]

Allah said:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىأَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُالذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [az-Zumar : 53]

Indeed, Allah has opened the door of repentance to every sinner. The Prophet SAW said,

“Oh people, repent to Allah, for indeed, I repent to Allah 100 times every day” [Muslim : 2702]

It is truly encouraging to know that the door to repentance is always open, but what is more, Allah is actually happy when one of His slaves repents. It is important to note here that the keys to repentance are that a sinner must desert from his sin, feel regret for having perpetrated it, and then make a firm resolve not to return to it.

Who among us does not sin? And who among us does all that is required of him in the religion? It is an undeniable fact that we all have shortcomings; what distinguishes some of us from the others, what raises some of us above the others, is that the successful ones among us are those who repent their sins and ask Allah to forgive them. Sadly, some people are guilty of thinking in this manner: “Those I see around me perpetrate minor sins, while I am guilty of perpetrating major sins, so what is the use of repenting?!” True, such a person does well by finding fault with his own self, yet he makes a grave, ruinous error when he loses hope, when he underestimates Allah’s Forgiveness and Mercy. To be sure, the door of repentance is open both to the perpetrator of minor sins and to the perpetrator of major sins.

In regard to repentence, the following beautiful hadith should inspire hope in us all:

Ibn Mas’ud narrated that the Prophet said:
“Indeed, Allah is more happy with the repentance of His slave than a man who stops in a barren, desolate land; with him he has his riding animal. He then goes to sleep. When he wakes up, [he realizes that] his mount is gone. He searches for it until he is on the verge of dying. He then says, ‘I will return to the place wherein I lost it, and I will die there.’ He went to that place, and he was then overcome by sleep. When he woke up, his mount was [standing] right beside his head: on it was his food, his drink, his provisions, and the things he neded. Allah is more happy with the repentance of his believing slave than the aforementioned man when he finds his mount and his provisions.” [al-Bukhaari: 6308 ; Muslim: 2744]

This hadith clearly illustrates that no one should become so hopeless that he refrains from repenting to Allah. Glad tidings, then, to every Muslim who constantly and consistently hastens to repent to Allah and to ask for his forgiveness.
And Allah knows best.

The Power of Wudu

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said,
“When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face (in the course of Wudhu), every sin which he committed with his eyes, will be washed away from his face with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his Hands, every sin which he committed by his hands will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin his feet committed will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water; until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.”
[Sahih Muslim 475]

HOW TO PRAY 10 JUMMAH ON 1 FRIDAY

How many Jummah salat can we pray on a single Friday? Answer, no more than one. However, here is a way that will get you reward of praying more than one Jummah on any given Friday.

Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) said:
Whoever invites towards (the path of) guidance shall receive a reward equal to the rewards of those who follow him without this decreasing anything from their rewards. (Sahih Muslim)

Using this formula, if you invite 9 of your friends to offer Jumah with you and they respond to your call then you will get the reward for your own Jummah plus nine additional Jummah prayers. You can increase the number by as many as you want!

How great is Almighty Allah who has made earning for the hereafter very easy.

“And whoever guides others towards good is equal to the doer of good.” (Tirmidhi)

A qualified medical worker from overseas emigrated to Canada to live a better life. This Muslim brother had a beard. He applied to many different places for a job and was called for interviews. Though he was highly qualified for the jobs, the interviewers hesitated to hire him because of his beard. One by one, he was rejected from all the companies. One interviewer actually mentioned to him indirectly that his beard was an obstacle to getting the job. Trully, it was a big test for him from Allah.

Hopeless and exhausted, the brother decided to remove the obstacle, which was to shave off his beard. Then he returned to that company and requested for another interview. When the interviewer saw him without a beard this time, he refused to give him the job again. The brother became confused and asked to know the reason. The interviewer said “If you are not faithful to your God, how will you be faithful to us?”

This true incident was narrated to us by a friend who personally knows this brother, however, his identity will remain private. In reality, obeying the commandments of ALLAH does not bring failure. In the beginning, we may face various problems, but the end results will be very sweet.

“The Messenger of ALLAH, may ALLAH send peace and blessings upon him, ordered us to trim closely the mustache and leave the beard as it is (that is grow the beard).” (Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.)

The Prophet (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said,
“Paradise and Hell-fire were displayed in front of me on this wall just now and I have never seen a better thing (than the former) and a worse thing (than the latter).”

[Bukhari 0515]

The Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave.
He told her to fear Allah and be patient.

She said to him, “Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine.”
And she did not recognize him.
Then she was informed that he was the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam).
So she went to the house of the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) and there she did not find any guard.
Then she said to him, “I did not recognize you.”

He said, “Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.”

[Bukhari Book:23 No:372]

A man found a purse containing one hundred Diners.
So he went to the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) (and informed him about it), he said, “Make public announcement about it for one year”

He did so, but nobody turned up to claim it, so he again went to the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) who said, “Make public announcement for another year.”

He did, but none turned up to claim it. He went to him for the third time and the Prophet (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) said, “Keep the container and the string which is used for its tying and count the money it contains and if its owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.”

[Bukhari Book:42 No:608]