Fazail-e-Juma

Bismillaa Hir Rahmaa Nir Raheem
 Rab Bish Rah Lee Sadree, Wa Yas Sir Lee Amree,
Wah Lul 'Uq Da Tham Mil Lisaanee
Yaf Qa Hoo Qawlee

  Allaahumma Rab Be Zid Nee Il Maa

 Darood Shareef

"Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Rasulallah
Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Habiballah
Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Khaataman nabiy yeen
Wa alaa 'aalika Wa As Haa Be Ka Ya Rahmatal Lil 'Aalameen"
 Bismillaa Hir Rahmaa Nir Raheem
As-salato as-salamo alaika Ya Rasulallah(sallallahualehiwassallam)
Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


Speech of Ameer - e - Ahle Sunnat
Juma Kay Fazail
May ALLAH (SWT) grant you and I the strength to guard our adab and have utmost respect and to keep us on the Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustakeem. Ameen JazakAllahul Khayr
May Allah Almighty give us the guidance and strength of Imaan to remain steadfast on the Straight Path. Aameen.
 plz forward to all islami bhai

Ya Elahi Bhool Jaaoon Naz'aa ki Takleef Ko
Shaa di yay-Deedar-e- Husn-e-Mustafa Ka Saath ho

 Kalaam

 

Jitna diya SARKAR(aap SALLALLAHU ALEHIWASSALLAM) ne mujko, Utni to meri aukaat nahi ,
Yeh to Karam hai unka varna ,
Mujme to aisi baat nahi .

Nazaa Ke Waqt Jab Meri Sanso May Inteshaar Ho
Meri Naza Ke Saamne Gumbad Ho Hara Faqat 


Dua
Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing. Ameen Summa Ameen


 Darood Shareef
 "Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Rasulallah
Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Habiballah
Assalaatu Was Salaamu Alaika Ya Khaataman nabiy yeen
Wa alaa 'aalika Wa As Haa Be Ka Ya Rahmatal Lil 'Aalameen"

10 things every Muslim can do to make a difference

#1 Sponsor an Orphan. Before anything else, there are hungry children everywhere who have needs right now. There are several reputable programs that offer orphan sponsorship  at very low monthly cost. We know that we can afford to do it. Supporting an orphan can make us close to the Prophet in Paradise. Click here for Orphan Sponsorship

#2 Go to the Mosque at least once a week for Salat. Even if someone can not go to the local Mosque for the Friday prayers because of their job, then we can at least go for one Maghrib (evening prayer) once a week or for Zuhr (noon prayer) on the weekend. Whatever time is suitable we can at least take timeout for this once a week Ð with our family. This will help us and our family make the Mosque a center for activity and our children will develop ties to the community. If we don't like the way the Mosque is operated, we have an opportunity to make it better by getting involved. If someone lives in a remote area that does not have a Mosque, then pray together at home with all the family members.

#3 Send your children to an Islamic School. If your children go to public school, and there is no Islamic school nearby, then make sure they either get into some Sunday school program, or, if the local Islamic Center doesn't run it right, then pool together with some like-minded families and run your own program at somebody's house every Saturday or Sunday and conduct it the way you think it should be done. This is the minimum requirement for not losing our children to materialism and other social ills.

#4 Buy at least one book, audio or video produced by a Muslim company or author per month. Have you ever wished that there were better items for you and your family's pleasure? Unfortunately, there is not enough support for writers and artists. People who write or produce for the Muslim market have a very difficult time sustaining them selves. That must change if you want to see wonderful products for ourselves and our children. Just buy one product per month. Collectively, this can encourage our creative and talented brothers and sisters to do more. Visit IslamiCity Bazar.

#5 If you see new Muslims at the Islamic Center, then become a host family to them. The convert experience is basically one of isolation and loneliness. You'd be surprised to know that most converts are often ignored by the people in the Islamic Centers. Beyond a few pleasantries and handshakes, they are usually never made to feel welcome or accepted. They are often cut off from their non-Muslim friends and relatives so they are doubly vulnerable. A new convert should be invited into various people's home for dinner as often as possible and especially on Islamic holidays. Get together with others and make sure you all put the new convert on your guest list for any sort of gathering.

#6 Keep three extra Quran translations and some literature in your home at all times. You never know when you'll find someone interested who wants to know more. Besides, our children may only understand English. Encourage the children to read the translation and discuss the Quran with them.  Quran and Quran study materials.

# 7 Invite your neighbors to your home for dinner. Most of the time we are so involved with our circle of friends, family and co-workers we forget the people who are living right next to us. To be good to your neighbor is an important example shown to us by Prophet Muhammad. So invite your neighbors to your house and get to know them and let them know you.

#8 Make a big deal out of the family meal. The concept of a family meal is a dying trend. The dinner table is not only a place of sustenance and family business but also a place for the teaching and passing on of our values. Manners and rules are subtly absorbed over the table. Family mealtime should communicate and sustain ideals that children will draw on throughout their lives.

#9 Establish an Islamic culture in the home. Make sure you and your family have cultural-type items in your home in abundance that are associated with Islam or Islamic culture. Everyone in your home should have prayer beads, prayer rugs, kufis, Hijabs, (even if they're worn only for prayer), gowns, posters, wall plaques, stickers, logo-shirts, Islamic screen-savers on the computer, and so on. You want to establish an identity in your home.

#10 Be a good example. Face it: human beings learn and form opinions primarily through modeling. In fact, we can't avoid being an example and model to our family, children, friends, co-workers, neighbors and even strangers, whether good or bad. Being a good example, then, is probably our most important job.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. These are just some things that can be done, with minimal trouble and fuss, by each and every Muslim family. Through these ten points several aspects of Islam are being served and we can feel that we are doing something in an organized fashion to help promote a healthy and constructive way of life, at the same time we can fulfill our responsibility to our Creator. Give it a try and see how easy these things really are.

9th of Dhul Hijjah is the Day of Arafaah.

Praise be to Allaah.

1. It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allaah’s Favour was completed.

In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him,

“O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an aayah in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “Which aayah?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [al-Maa’idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafaah on a Friday.”

2. It is a day of Eid for the people who are in that place.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Yawm ‘Arafaah (the day of ‘Arafaah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice) and Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (the 3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.” This was narrated by the authors of al-Sunan. It was reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “It – i.e., the aayah ‘This day I have perfected…’ was revealed on a Friday, the Day of ‘Arafaah, both of which – praise be to Allaah – are Eids for us.”

3. It is a day by which Allaah swore an oath.

The Almighty cannot swear by anything except that which is mighty. Yawm ‘Arafaah is the “witnessed day” mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafaah].” [al-Burooj 85:3].

It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day is Friday.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

It is the “odd” [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by which Allaah swore in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr 89:3]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafaah [i.e., 9th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] This is also the view of ‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.

4. Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.

It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said,

“It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.”Narrated by Muslim.

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.

5. It is the day on which Allaah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Allaah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ let you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allaah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allaah)?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173 – interpretation of the meaning].” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there is no greater day than this and no greater covenant than this.

6. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there:

In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’”

It was reported from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Allaah expresses His pride to His angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the Day of ‘Arafaah, about the people of ‘Arafaah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

And Allaah knows best.

The Boy & the Apple Tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow.he loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by.the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied.

“I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I do not have money. but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited “Come and play with me” the tree said.

“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”

” Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.”

So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.

“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you .” the tree said.

“No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the man replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything… the only thing left is my dying roots” the tree said with tears. “I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years” the man replied.

“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, Come, come sit down with me and rest.”

The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad…

When we grow up, we leave them.only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy.

You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents.

We take them 4 granted we don’t appreciate all they do 4 us, UNTIL it’s 2 late.

Wallahi May Allah 4 give us of our shortcommings and may He Guide us, Insha’allah w Ameen Ya rub.

Please enlighten all your friends and your families by telling them this story, Love your Parents “Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility, and say: “My Lord ! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they Cherished me in childhood”. Translation from The Holy Qur’an (A.Yusuf Ali.) Surah Al-Isra’a. (17: 23-24)

The Story of Jinn, Azazil & Iblis

The Lord of the worlds created the fire of Sammun. From this Fire of Sammun He created the Jinn. And the Jinn created We before of fire flaming (Al-Hijr.27). The first of the Jinn was named Marij and the Lord created second one to be his wife, and she was named Marija. They had a son and they called him Jinn. From them derived all the clans of the Jinn, including Iblis. And the Lord gave them the earth to dwell therein. And they lived and worshipped there for a long time. So much did they worship that the angels grew amazed, and said to the Lord of the Heavens and Earth; Oh our Lord, raise them up to heaven, so that we might learn from them and follow their good example. So the Lord brought Iblis, then Azazil, up to be among the angels and he lived with them in the first heaven. Others remained living on earth and, remained righteous, while a number of them became sinners and transgressed the law, as didi the children of Adam (A.S) after them.

And the earth began to complain of them to the Lord. Oh my Lord, have you created me that I should be peopled by disobedient-folk?. The Lord answered Oh earth, be patient, I shall send prophets among them to lead them back to the straight path. Until that time no prophets had appeared among the Jinn. The Lord sent to them 800 prophets and they killed each one. At last the Lord spoke to Azazil in the first heaven. And He said to him Go. Azazil. Go and fight the unbelievers of your people living on earth. Azazil obeyed and descended onto earth and fought the unbelievers, vanquishing them then the Lord sent down a fire from the skies and it consumed them, so not a trace remained. The only Jinn left alive were the believing and worshipping Jinn.

Again Azazil prayed so eagerly that he was raised up into the first heaven, or according to one narration, he worshipped so much in the first heaven that he was raised up through all the seven heavens and above them. He worshipped on the earth. He worshipped on the heavens, until Adam (A.S) was brought into existence. Then the Lord ordered all the angels to bow down before Adam (A.S).and all the angels obeyed except Iblis.

From Hassan Al Basri (R.A): Iblis worshipped above the seven heavens for more than 70 000 years, until he was raised to the station of Ridwan which is very high station, Ridwan being the guardian of Paradise. Iblis was the guardian of Paradise for 1000 years. Once he read an inscription on the gates of paradise, and it read: There is a servant among the most highly favored servants of the Almighty Lord, and for a long time he will be obedient and serve his Lord well; there will come a day , however, on which he will oppose his Lord and disobey, and he will be driven from His gates and be cursed. Iblis, who was then still called Azazil, read and wondered at this prediction. How can that be.He asked. that one of the closest servants to the Lord should grow disobedient to the Lord of the Worlds and be driven from His Holy Nearness? Oh Lord, he pleaded. Give me permission to curse that rebellious one, whoever he may be. The Lord gave him permission, and Iblis showered curses upon that future sinner for one thousand years, knowing not that it was to be himself.

There is a conflict of opinion between people as to whether Iblis was of the Angels or of the Jinn. But it is written in the Holy Quran, he was one of the Jinn and committed ungodliness against his Lords command.

Because of his extreme virtue and the intensity of his prayers, The Lord raised him up into the heavens to live among the angels. When the Lord ordered them all to bow down and prostrate before Adam (A.S), he refused and his hidden disobedient was exposed.
From: LORE of Light: Stories from the lives of the Prophets

Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.).

Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). earned his livelihood as a professional wrestler. As was the norm, the Leader of Baghdad announced one day, "Today, Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). will demonstrate his skills as a wrestler, is there anyone to challenge him." An elderly man shakily stood up with his neck quivering and said, "I will enter the contest with him."

Whoever was witness to this scene could not contain themselves, they burst out howling with laughter, clapping their hands. The King was bound by the law. He could not stop someone who of his own free will entered the bout. The elderly man was given the permission to enter the ring. He was about sixty-five years old. When Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). entered the ring, he was dumbfounded as was the King and all the spectators of the Kingdom who were present. The single thought that occupied their minds was, "How will this old man be able to fight?"

The old man addressed Junaid with these words, "Lend me your ears." He then whispered, "I know it is not possible for me to win this bout against you, but I am a Sayyid, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). My children are starving at home. Are you prepared to sacrifice your name, your honour and position for the love of Allah's Prophet and lose this bout to me? If you do this I will be able to collect the prize money and thereby have the means to feed my children and myself for an entire year. I will be able to settle all my debts and above all, the master of both the worlds will be pleased with you. Are you, Oh Junaid, not willing to sacrifice your honour for the sake of the children of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)?"

Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). thought to himself, "Today, I have an excellent opportunity."

In a display of fervour Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). executed a couple of maneuvers, demonstrating his finesse so that the King does not suspect any conspiracy. Junaid with a great display of antics did not use his strength and allowed himself to be dropped. The elderly man mounted his chest thus entitling him to the prize.

That night, Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (r.a.). had a dream of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who said, "Oh Junaid, you have sacrificed your honour, your nationally acclaimed fame, your name and position which was heralded throughout Baghdad in the __expression of your love for my children who were starving. As of today, your name is recorded in the register of the Auliya Allah(friends of Allah)."

Thereafter, this great wrestler learnt to defeat his nafs (desires) and became one of the most eminent Auliya of his time!

Source: From the book "Tajalliat-e-Jazb" by Shaikh Hakim Muhammad Akhtar.

Glossary of Islamic Terms - Over 100 Arabic terms explained.

`Aadah: Custom, practice. A local custom which is not in conflict with the Qur'an or the Sunnah (qv.) is admissible as part of Islamic law.
`Adl: Justice, equilibrium.
Ahaadeeth: (singular: hadeeth). The verbalized form of a tradition of the Prophet, peace be on him, constitutive of his Sunnah. A hadeeth narrative is divided into two parts: the isnaad (chain of transmission) and the matn (content of the narrative).
Ahl al Bayt: Literally, people of the house. Refers to the family and relations of the noble Prophet who were Muslims.
Ahl al Dhikr: Literally, people of remembrance. Refers to true scholars whose knowledge springs from and is steeped in the remembrance of God.
Ahl al Hadeeth: Literally, people of hadeeth. Refers to scholars who rely on authenticated sayings of the Prophet and who are wary of using independent reasoning (ra'ee) in making juristic judgments. Used in contradistinction to ahl al ra'ee (qv. under ra'i).
A'immah: See imam.
Ahl al Sunnah: Literally, people of the Sunnah. Refers to the vast majority of Muslims who follow the Sunnah (qv) of the Prophet and the precedents of his rightly-guided successors. Used in contradistinction to the Shee`ah (qv.) who believed that `Alee, the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, should have been his immediate successor. Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaa`ah - the community united behind the Sunnah of the Prophet.
`Aalim: (plural: `ulamaa'): One who knows, a scholar, a scientist. Commonly used for someone who has a thorough knowledge of Islam and its sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah. An important characteristic of an `aalim, according to the Qur'an, is that he is deeply conscious of God and stands in awe of Him.
Ameer al Mu'mineen: Literally, Commander of the Believers. The title was first given to any commander of a military mission but was later used specifically for the head of the Muslim state, the khaleefah.
`Aamm, al: The `general' as opposed to the `particular' (al khaass). Terms used by jurists in the complex matter of extracting laws from statements composed as codal propositions. Islamic scholarship called `general' (al `aamm) the term which comprehends a plurality, and distinguished two varieties of it - generality in the term itself and generality in the meanings to which the term may refer.
Ansaar: Literally, Helpers. Name given collectively to the Muslims native to Madinah during the time of the Prophet who pledged to support and defend him.
`Aqeedah: Belief; the substance of a belief.
Asbaab al Nuzool: The causes or the circumstances and events surrounding a particular revelation of the Qur'an. Knowledge of the asbaab al nuzool helps provide an understanding of the original context and intent of a particular revelation. This knowledge is necessary for determining the ratio legis of a ruling and whether, for example, the meaning of the revelation is of a specific or of general application.
Asl: (plural: usool). Root, origin, source; principle.
Athar: Literally, impact, trace, vestige; deeds and precedents of the Companions of the Prophet.
Aayah: (plural: aayaat). Literally, sign, indication, message; an aspect of God's creation; a section of the Qur'anic text often referred to as a `verse.'
Basmalah: The formula - Bismillaah al Rahmaan al Raheem - In the name of God, most Gracious, most Merciful.
Baatil: Null and void.
Batineeyah: (From baatin meaning hidden or esoteric). A sect of Sufis who sought alleged esoteric meanings behind the words of the Qur'an through allegorical interpretation. They also searched for a living infallible leader and had recourse to Greek Pythagorean theories.
Bayaan: Exposition, explanation, clarification.
Bid`ah: Innovation. In contradistinction to the Sunnah. Refers to any action or belief which has no precedent in or has no continuity with the Sunnah. Any innovation introduced into the established practice of the noble Prophet, particularly relating to acts of worship, is regarded as erroneous according to his saying: "Every innovation (bid`ah) is an error (.dalaalah)."
Daleel: (plural: adillah). Proof, indication, evidence. Every ruling or judgment needs to be substantiated by the appropriate daleel in the first instance from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Da`wah: Invitation; call. Refers to the duty of Muslims to invite or call others to return to the straight and natural path of Islam or submission to God. This, according to the Qur'an, has to be done with wisdom and beautiful advice. The `most excellent speech' is that of a person who calls others to God. Da`wah is addressed to both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Deeyah: Compensation.
Faqeeh: (plural: fuqahaa'). Literally, one who has a deep understanding of Islam, its laws, and jurisprudence; a jurist.
Faatihah, al: Literally, the Opening. The opening chapter of the Qur'an.
Far`: (plural: furoo`). Literally, branch, subdivision. A subsidiary law; a new case (in the context of qiyaas (qv.)).
Fatwaa: (plural: fataawaa). Juridical verdict, legal opinion.
Fiqh: Literally, understanding. The legal science founded mainly on rules and principles developed by human reasoning (ijtihaad) and the body of knowledge so derived. Fiqh may therefore vary from one jurist or school of thought to another. The term "fiqh" is sometimes used synonymously with Sharee`ah (qv.). However, while fiqh is to a large extent the product of human endeavor, the Sharee`ah is closely related to divine revelation and knowledge which is only obtained from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Fitnah: Any affliction which may cause man to go astray and to lose his faith in spiritual values; test, trial, confusion, civil war, oppression.
Ghayb, al: That which is beyond the reach of human perception.
Ghusl: A bath performed in a prescribed manner and which is necessary to ensure purification after certain actions, for example, sexual intercourse, seminal emissions, menstruation.
Hadeeth: see ahaadeeth above.
Hadeeth Da`eef: Weak hadeeth. One of the three main categories of hadeeth in contradistinction to saheeh (authentic) and hasan (good) hadeeth. A hadeeth is weak owing to a weakness that exists in its chain of narrators or in its textual content. There are several varieties of weak hadeeth.
Hadeeth Marfoo`: Literally, an `elevated' hadeeth. Refers to a hadeeth mursal (qv.) which is consistent with the precedent of the Companions and which is `elevated' and attributed to the Prophet.
Hadeeth Mashhoor: A `well-known' hadeeth; a hadeeth which is originally reported by one, two, or more Companions from the Prophet or from another Companion, but has later become well-known and transmitted by an indefinite number of people during the first and second genera tion of Muslims.
Hadeeth Munqati`: A hadeeth with part of its isnaad missing. Also referred to as hadeeth mursal.
Hadeeth Mursal: A hadeeth which a person from the second generation of Muslims (Taabi`oon) has directly attributed to the Prophet without mentioning the last link, namely the Companion, who might have narrated it from the Prophet. More generally, a hadeeth with part of its isnaad missing.
Hadeeth Mutawaatir: Literally `continuously recurrent' hadeeth. A hadeeth is classified as mutawaatir only when it is reported by a very large number of people of proven reliability in such a way as to preclude any possibility of them all agreeing to perpetuate a falsehood. According to the majority of scholars, the authority of a mutawaatir hadeeth is equivalent to that of the Qur'an.
Hadeeth Saheeh: Authentic hadeeth. A hadeeth is classified as saheeh when its narrators are all reliable and trustworthy, when its isnaad is continuous and goes right back to the Prophet, and when the narration is free from any obvious or subtle defects.
Hawaa: (plural: ahwaa'). Vain or egotistical desire; individual passion; impulsiveness. Following one's own desires is described in the Qur'an as taking these desires as your `god' or object of worship. Following hawaa leads to arrogance and destruction and is contrasted with following the Sharee`ah which is designed to discipline and lead man to fulfillment and happiness.
Hijrah: Migration. The act of leaving a place to seek sanctuary of freedom or worship in another or for any other purpose. Also the act of leaving a bad practice in order to adopt a righteous way of life. Specifically, the hijrah refers to the Prophet's journey from Makkah to Madinah in the month of Rabee` al Awwal in the twelfth year of his mission, corresponding to June 622 AC. The Islamic calendar begins from this event (AH)
Hijree: Pertaining to the hijrah.
Heelah: Legal stratagem.
Hudaybeeyah: A plain to the west of Makkah where a truce was concluded between the Prophet and the Quraysh in 6 AH.
Hudood: (singular: hadd). Literally, limits; the specific punishments assigned by the Qur'an and the Sunnah for particular crimes - intoxication, theft, rebellion, adultery and fornication, false accusation of adultery, and apostasy. These crimes involve transgressing the limits of accep table behavior.
Hujjeeyah: Producing the necessary proof or authority to validate a rule or concept.
`Ibaarat al Nass: Explicit meaning of a given text which is borne out by its words.
Ijmaa`: Consensus of opinion. Usually defined as the unanimous agreement of the mujtahidoon of any period following the demise of the Prophet Muhammad on any matter. As such, it is described as collective ijtihaad.
Ijtihaad: Literally, striving and self-exertion; independent reasoning; analytical thought. Ijtihaad may involve the interpretation of the source materials, inference of rules from them, or giving a legal verdict or decision on any issue on which there is no specific guidance in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Ikhtilaaf: Difference of opinion; disagreement; dispute; controversy.
`Illah: (plural: `ilal). Effective cause or ratio legis of a particular ruling.
Imam: (plural: a'immah). Leader. May refer to the leader of congregational salaah, to a leading and reputable scholar, or to the head of the Muslim state.
Isnaad: Chain of narrators of a hadeeth.
Istihsaan: Juristic preference - the abandonment of one legal ruling for another which is considered better or more appropriate to a given circumstance.
Istinbaat: Inference. Deducing a somewhat hidden meaning from a given text. The process of extracting laws.
Istishaab: Presumption of continuity, or presuming continuation of the status quo ante. For example, istishaab requires that once a contract of sale, or of marriage, is concluded it is presumed to remain in force until there is a change established by evidence.
Jadal: Dialectics, wrangling, disputation.
Jamaa`ah: Group, congregation, community.
Jaa'iz: That which is allowed or permissible. As a rule, everything that is not prohibited is allowed.
Jihad: Literally, striving. Any earnest striving in the way of God, involving either personal effort, material resources, or arms for righteousness and against evil, wrongdoing and oppression. Where it involves armed struggle, it must be for the defense of the Muslim community or a just war to protect even non-Muslims from evil, oppression, and tyranny.
Junub: Impure. A person is considered to be in a state of impurity, for example, after sexual intercourse and seminal emissions. A person in such a state is normally required to perform ghusl (qv.) before performing acts of worship like salaah.
Kalaam: Literally, `words' or `speech,' and referring to oration. The name applied to the discipline of philosophy and theology concerned specifically with the nature of faith, determinism and freedom, and the nature of the divine attributes.
Khabar al Waahid: A solitary hadeeth reported by a single person from the Prophet. Also called hadeeth Aahaad. Khabar means news or report.
Khaleefah: (plural: khulafaa'). Steward, vicegerent; successor. Man is referred to as the khaleefah or steward of God on earth. The word khaleefah was used after the death of the noble Prophet Muhammad to refer to his successor, Aboo Bakr, as head of the Muslim community. Later it came to be accepted as the designation for the head of the Muslim state. Anglicized as caliph.
Khamar: Intoxicant: wine.
Khaass: The particular as opposed to the general (`aamm).
Khawaarij: Seceders. Name given to a group of the followers of the khaleefah `Alee who opposed his decision to agree to arbitration in the conflict with Moo`aawiyah in 38 AH/659 AC. Later on, this group recognized as legitimate only the first two caliphs. Aboo Bakr and `Umar. Theologically, they considered the sinner as a kaafir, an outlaw or apostate, whom it is legitimate and religiously imperative to fight.
Khilaaf: Controversy, dispute, discord.
Khilaafah: Stewardship, vicegerency; successorship. Office of the head of the Muslim state. Also the designation of the political system of the Muslim state after the noble Prophet.
Khutbah: Sermon, oration, or ex tempore speech.
Kufr: Ingratitude to God and manifest disbelief in Him and His religion.
Madhhab: (plural: madhaahib). Literally, way of going. School of thought.
Mandoob: Recommended.
Maslahah: (plural: masaalih). Considerations of public interest. It is generally held that the principal objective of the Sharee`ah and all its commandments is to realize the genuine maslahah or benefit of the people.
Maslahah al Mursalah, al: (plural: al masaalih al mursalah). A consideration which is proper and harmonious with the objectives of the Lawgiver; it secures a benefit or prevents a harm, but the Sharee`ah provides no indication as to its validity or otherwise. For example, the Companions decided to issue currency, to establish prisons, and to impose a tax on agricultural lands despite the fact that no textual authority could be found for these measures.
Mujtahid: (plural: Mujtahidoon). One who exercises ijtihaad (qv.).
Muqallid: (plural: Mugallidoon). One who follows or imitates another, often blindly and unquestioningly.
Murji'ah: Deferrers. Those who defer judgment of the sinner to God and the Day of Judgment.
Mushrik: (plural: mushrikoon). One who associates others in worship with God; a polytheist.
Mutashaabihaat: Allegorical. Refers to verses (aayaat) of the Qur'an which are expressed in a figurative manner in contradistinction to aayaat muhkamaat or verses which are clear in and by themselves.
Mu`tazilah: Group of rationalist thinkers who flourished from the middle of the second to the beginning of the fourth hijree century.
Naskh: Abrogation of certain parts of the Qur'anic revelation by others. The principle is mentioned in the Qur'an: "None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar" (2: 106).
Naasikh: (active participle). Refers to the passage which abrogates or supersedes the part which is abrogated. The abrogated passage is called mansookh (passive participle).
Nass: (plural: nusoos). Text. A clear textual ruling or injunction from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Qat`ee: Definitive, unequivocal; free of speculative content.
Qiyaas: Analogical deduction or reasoning. Recourse to analogy is only warranted if the solution of a new case cannot be found in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Analogy then consists in extending a principle (asl) derived from the Qur'an and the Sunnah to the new case. Analogical deduction cannot operate independently of the nusoos.
Ra'i: Opinion, reason. Ahl al Ra'i - scholars who employ independent reasoning to the solution of new problems, in contradistinction to scholars who confine themselves mainly to hadeeth (qv. Ahl al hadeeth).
Sadd al Dharaa'i`: Literally, blocking the means. Implies blocking the means to an expected end or an evil which is likely to materialize if the means towards it is not obstructed. For example, illicit privacy between members of the opposite sex is blocked or made unlawful because [of the prohibition of adultery - ed. (missing text)].
Sahaabah: Companions of the Prophet.
Salaf: Forebears, predecessors, ancestors. Al Salaf al Saalih - the righteous forebears - refers to the early generations of Muslims including the Sahaabah and the Taabi`oon.
Shahaadah: Testimony, witness; the act of witnessing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His prophet, servant, and messenger; the verbal content of this act; martyrdom.
Shiqaaq: Discord, schism, breach.
Shee`ah: Literally, sect or party. The term Shee`ah is short for Shee`at `Alee or Sect of `Alee. They believed that `Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, should have succeeded him after the Prophet' death.
Sunnah: Literally, a clear path or beaten track. Refers to whatever the Prophet said, did, agreed to, or condemned. The Sunnah is a source of the Sharee`ah and a legal proof next to the Qur'an. As a source of the Sharee`ah, the Sunnah may corroborate a ruling which originates in the Qur'an. Secondly, the Sunnah may consist of an explanation or clarification of the Qur'an. Thirdly, the Sunnah may also consist of rulings on which the Qur'an is silent.
Taabi`oon: Literally, followers. The generation of Muslims immediately after the Companions (.Sahaabah).
Tafseer: Commentary, exegesis of the Qur'an.
Taqleed: Uncritical adoption or imitation of a particular scholar or school of thought (madhhab).
Taqwaa: Consciousness of God.
Tawbah: Literally, returning. Repenting and seeking forgiveness for one's sins in order to return as close as possible to one's originally good and unsullied state.
Tawheed: Belief in or affirmation of the Oneness of God.
Ta'weel: Interpretation or explanation. Sometimes used synonymously with tafseer. Often used in the Qur'an in the sense of `final meaning,' `inner meaning' or `real meaning' of a happening or statement or thing as distinct from its outward appearance. Absolute knowledge or what a thing or event implies rests with God alone - "none except God knows its final meaning - ta'weel" (3: 7).
Tayammum: Symbolic ablution in place of wudoo', performed, for example, in the absence of water or in the case of illness.
`Ulamaa': (singular: `aalim). See `aalim above.
Ummah: (plural: umam). Community, nation. Specifically, the community of believers or the universal Muslim community.
`Urf: Local custom which is `recognizably' good. In the absence of anything to the contrary, derivation of the law from the common and approved mores of a people.
Usool: (singular, asl). Principles, origins. Usool al fiqh - principles of Islamic jurisprudence, philosophy of law; the methodology of deriving laws from the sources of Islam and of establishing their juristic and constitutional validity.
Waqf: (plural: awqaaf). Charitable endowment or trust set up in perpetuity.
Wudoo': Purification that must precede salaah and such acts as the reading of the Qur'an.
Zaahir: Manifest, apparent, obvious. A word or phrase is described as zaahir when it has a clear meaning. It may still however be open to interpretation.
Zakaah: The compulsory `purifying' tax on wealth which is one of the five `pillars' of Islam. The word zakaah is derived from the word meaning purification, growth, and sweetening.
Zannee: Speculative, doubtful. Refers to a text which is open to interpretation as opposed to a text which is definitive, unequivocal (qat`ee).