Session 2

Duaa of the Week: Duaa Before Sleeping

Please memorize this duaa before the next halaqah and implement it into your daily routine inshallah. 

Hadith of the Week: Hadith #2 from An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith

On the authority of `Umar (radi Allaahu 'anhu), who said:

One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journey were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down in front of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam), with his knees touching against the Prophet's (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs he said: “O Muhammad, tell me about Islaam.”

The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Islaam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, to perform prayers, to give zakaah, to fast in Ramadaan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.”

He said: “You have spoken rightly”; and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.

He (the man) said: “Tell me about Eemaan.”

He (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny (qadr), both the good and the evil of it.”

He said: “You have spoken rightly.”

He (the man) said: “Then tell me about Ihsaan.”

He (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to worship Allaah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then (knowing that) truly He sees you.”

He said: “Then tell me about the Hour.”

He said: “The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.”

He said: “Then tell me about its signs.”

He said: “That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefooted, naked destitute shepherds competing in constructing lofty buildings.”

Then he (the man) left, and I stayed for a time. Them he (the Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?”

I said: “Allaah and His Messenger know best.”

He said: “It was Jibreel, who came to teach you your religion.”

-It was related by Muslim.

Things to Learn from this Hadith

1.    That the Angel Jibreel himself came to teach the fundamentals of the Faith to the Companions by asking questions to the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).

2.    That one can teach others by asking about that which he already knows.

3.    That if someone wants to know about Islaam generally, then he should be made aware of the pillars which constitute it.

4.    That Islaam is built on the five pillars which have to be acted upon with eemaan and ihsaan. Denying any one of these pillars and not wishing to fulfill any one of them makes one a non-Muslim.

5.    That belief in what Allaah has destined for us, whether it is perceived to be good, or bad, is part of eemaan, and without believing in it, our eemaan is incomplete and defective.

6.    That one must accept the Messengers sent by Allaah.

7.    That one must develop ihsaan in all that he does so that he is as much aware as he can be that Allaah is indeed watching every move that he makes. Ihsaan is the highest level of faith that a Muslim can attain. We should all strive to reach this level inshallah. 

8.    That as part of the Islaamic manner the teacher should be ready to accept and say that he does not know the answer or that he does not know it better than the enquirer.

9.    That the signs of the Last Hour are real and cocern how we live and behave.

10. That although the Companions were the best of the people and were the most knowledgeable, they did not interrupt with their own answers, nor did they show impatience at the questioner. Therefore as part of the Islaamic manners, if someone asks a question to the teacher in a group, then the others in the group should keep quiet until one of them is asked for help.

11. It is not permissible to say that there is a certain length of time left before the end of the world, for none knows but Allaah, not even the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).

12. From Jibrael’s clean and beautiful appearance, we see the importance of appearance when entering upon our scholars, teachers as as Jibreel (alayhi as-salaam) came to teach the people by his appearance, his statements and his actions.

Topic of the Week: Judging People

• Understanding that Allah (swt) is the Ultimate judge because he is the One that knows what we think, believe and what we believe is inside our hearts.
•  Surah Qaf, Verse 16 – “And we have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him in his consciousness, and we are closer to him than [his] own jugular vein”
• Who has the right to judge what is in our hearts and minds when Allah (swt) has stated He is closer to us than that? At this point it can be considered as a form of shirk for you are saying that you know equally of what Allah (swt) knows.
• Suspicion is the leading cause of what leads us to judge others wrongly, but at the same time this is also a natural part of us. Even with this said, we still do not have the right to judge others based on mere suspicion and you are not allowed to suspect someone until you have absolutely clear evidence.
• Judging someone is allowed in 1 case, where there is enough evidence to support the belief, but that too has conditions:

1.     A person in authority

2.     Someone who needs to give right to other people (i.e. a judge)

3.     People for whom it concerns directly, if there is harm that will come out of it

-      Allah has advised us in the following surahs:

      - Surah Al-Hujurat, Verse 12 – “O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed,   

        some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh  

        of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of 

        repentance and Merciful.

      - Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse 105 – “O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves.  

        Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is you return all 

        together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.”

-      It is the norm now a days to find out about the “latest gossip” or “one up” the ones around us. Yet, 

        Allah (swt) advises us to be positive about one another, and try to transform and interpret each other’s 

        words that seem negative, look positive.

-     Ummar ibn Khathab used to say, do not think ill (bad) of the word that comes out of your believing  

       brothers mouth, as long as you can find a good excuse for it

-      
      We should even try to apply this if the person it is in a wrong manner, Allah (swt) did not make you a judge or police over them because you do not know what their intention was, and there is no harm to other people (they are not taking the rights of other people), rather try to find some good excuse for the person. Doing this could allow for some of the following:

1.     Allowing them to swell on their action may help them learn something

2.     Allah (swt) will lift you in His eyes and you will continue to be an honorable  

        person as long as you continue to do that

3.     People will naturally begin to love you because Allah (swt) will love you

-   The Prophet (saws) said: Whoever covers up a flaw of their brother or sister in this dunya, than Allah will cover up a sin of his on the Day of Judgment and not show anyone. It will remain a secret between you and Allah (swt).

Qur'anic Tafseer: Sura Alaq (Part 1)