Hadith: Allah Withdrawing Water in 3 Years

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Asim Shaikh

Question:

Salam alaykum:

I once read about a hadith which says that one day Allah will withdraw 1/3 of the water the first year, then 2/3 the second year and 3/3 the third year. I can’t remember where I read this hadith nor which one it is. I can’t remember if it says in the last day. I was wondering if there are any information that specify if this will happen before the coming of Hazrat Isa or after. Shukran and May Allah bless you and your family.

May Allah Most High bless you and yours here and hereafter.

Answer:

`Alaykum as-Salam,

Ibn Majah narrates it toward the end of a very long hadith in the book of Fitan (end of time strifes) in his Sunan with a weak chain:

“There will be three hard years before the Dajjal appears. During them, people will be stricken by a great famine. In the first year, Allah will command the sky to withhold a third of its rain, and the earth to withhold a third a third of its produce. In the second year, Allah will command the sky to withhold two thirds of its rain, and the earth to withhold two thirds of its produce. In the third year, Allah will command the sky to withhold all of its rain, and it will not rain a single drop of rain. He will command the earth to withhold all of its produce, and no plant will grow. All hoofed animals will perish, except that which Allah wills.” He (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) was asked, “What sustains people during that time?” He said, “Tahlil, takbir and tahmid (Saying, la ilaha ill Allah, Allahu Akbar and al-hamdulillah). This will sustain them just as food does.”

It is confirmed by a slightly weak-chained similar report in short form in `Abd al-Razzaq’s Musannaf (11:391 no. 20821)

It is further supported by the hadith from Asma’ bint Yazid (Allah be well-pleased with her) saying she heard the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) say:

“I warn you of the false Messiah [the Dajjal] and every Prophet warned his people of him, and he is among you O my Community! And I shall describe something of him for you which they did not mention before to their own communities: There shall be before he comes out five years of drought in which every hooved animal will perish.” A man called out: “Messenger of Allah! How will the believers survive?” He replied: “With that by which the angels survive! Then he will come out, and he is one-eyed – and Allah is never one-eyed! – with ‘KAFIR’ inscribed on his forehead, which every believer will be able to read, whether literate or illiterate! Most of his followers will be the Yahud, women, and bedouins (al-a`raab). They will see the sky rain but in reality it will not be raining; they will see the earth sprout but in reality it will not be sprouting. He will say to the bedouins: ‘What more would you like me to give you? Did I not send down the sky’s rains on you in torrents, and revive your livestock so their udders burst with milk?’ Devils will be sent  with him in the image of people who passed away – parents, brethren, acquaintances – and who will go up to their parents or brothers or relatives and say: ‘Are you not So and so? Do you not recognize me? He is your Lord so follow him!’ He will live 40 years, the first year like a month, the month like a week, the week like one day, the day like an hour, and the hour like the woodworm’s scorching in the fire. He will appear everywhere except in the Two Mosques.” Then the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) got up to make ablution and he heard the weeping of the people and their sobbing so he returned to them and said: “Receive the glad tidings! For if he comes out while I am still with you then Allah Most High and His Messenger are enough [protection] for you; and if he comes out after me then Allah is my Khalifa over every Muslim!”

Narrated by al-Tabarani in his Mu`jam al-Kabir (24:169 no. 430). Al-Haythami in Majma` al-Zawa’id said: “Its chain contains Shahr b. Hawshab and it is highly unlikely that his narration would supersede the sound (sahih) hadiths that he [the Dajjal] would linger in the earth forty days rather than forty years as in this report; the rest of the narrators are trustworthy.”

It is supported by the following report from Ka`b:

“A bedouin came asking about Abu al-Darda’ (Allah be well-pleased with him) and finally sat at a gathering where the latter was present among others. He said: ‘Which one of you is Abu al-Darda’?’ They pointed to him. He asked: ‘When will the Dajjal come out?’ Abu al-Darda’ said: ‘O Allah, Your forgiveneness! Leave us alone.’ But he kept asking the same question. When he realized how much Abu al-Darda’ disliked this questioning he said: ‘I swear by Allah that I did not come, Abu al-Darda’, to ask you from your property; but I came to ask you about your knowledge.’ Ka`b tapped him [either the Bedouin or Abu al-Darda’] on the shoulder. Abu al-Darda’ then said: ‘You who is asking about the Dajjal! When you notice the sky stays dry and no rain comes down, and the earth is in a drought and does not sprout anything, and the rivers and springs return to their sources, and all vegetation turns yellow: expect the Dajjal by morning or by evening.'”

Narrated by Nu`aym b. Hammad in his Fitan (2:528 no. 1487) with a weak chain because of the probable tadlis of Baqiyya b. Makhlad; otherwise the chain would have met the criteria of the Sunan and Allah knows best.

May Allah Most High protect us from the fitna of the Dajjal and the fitna of living and dying. May Allah make the best day in our lives the day we meet Him!

Was-Salam,

Hajj GF Haddad

Salam alaykum:

I once read about a hadith which says that one day Allah will withdraw 1/3 of the water the first year, then 2/3 the second year and 3/3 the third year. I can’t remember where I read this hadith nor which one it is. I can’t remember if it says in the last day. I was wondering if there are any information that specify if this will happen before the coming of Hazrat Issa or after. Shukran and May Allah bless you and your family.

May Allah Most High bless you and yours here and hereafter.

I do not recall the hadith referred to.

The nearest thing I could find is the hadith from Asma’ bint Yazid (Allah be well-pleased with her) saying she heard the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) say:

“I warn you of the false Messiah [the Dajjal] and every Prophet warned his people of him, and he is among you O my Community! And I shall describe something of him for you which they did not mention before to their own communities: There shall be before he comes out five years of drought in which every hooved animal will perish.” A man called out: “Messenger of Allah! How will the believers survive?” He replied: “With that by which the angels survive! Then he will come out, and he is one-eyed – and Allah is never one-eyed! – with ‘KAFIR’ inscribed on his forehead, which every believer will be able to read, whether literate or illiterate! Most of his followers will be Jews, women, and bedouins (al-a`raab). They will see the sky rain but in reality it will not be raining; they will see the earth sprout but in reality it will not be sprouting. He will say to the bedouins: ‘What more would you like me to give you? Did I not send down the sky’s rains on you in torrents, and revive your livestock so their udders burst with milk?’ Devils will be sent with him in the image of people who passed away – parents, brethren, acquaintances – and who will go up to their parents or brothers or relatives and say: ‘Are you not So and so? Do you not recognize me? He is your Lord so follow him!’ He will live 40 years, the first year like a month, the month like a week, the week like one day, the day like an hour, and the hour like the woodworm’s scorching in the fire. He will appear everywhere except in the Two Mosques.” Then the Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) got up to make ablution and he heard the weeping of the people and their sobbing so he returned to them and said: “Receive the glad tidings! For if he comes out while I am still with you then Allah Most High and His Messenger are enough [protection] for you; and if he comes out after me then Allah is my Khalifa over every Muslim!”

Narrated by al-Tabarani in his Mu`jam al-Kabir (24:169 no. 430). Al-Haythami in Majma` al-Zawa’id said: “Its chain contains Shahr b. Hawshab and it is highly unlikely that his narration would supersede the sound (sahih) hadiths that he [the Dajjal] would linger in the earth forty days rather than forty years as in this report; the rest of the narrators are trustworthy.”

It is supported by the following report from Ka`b: “A bedouin came asking about Abu al-Darda’ (Allah be well-pleased with him) and finally sat at a gathering where the latter was present among others. He said: ‘Which one of you is Abu al-Darda’?’ They pointed to him. He asked: ‘When will the Dajjal come out?’ Abu al-Darda’ said: ‘O Allah, Your forgiveneness! Leave us alone.’ But he kept asking the same question. When he realized how much Abu al-Darda’ disliked this questioning he said: ‘I swear by Allah that I did not come, Abu al-Darda’, to ask you from your property; but I came to ask you about your knowledge.’ Ka`b tapped him [either the Bedouin or Abu al-Darda’] on the shoulder. Abu al-Darda’ then said: ‘You who is asking about the Dajjal! When you notice the sky stays dry and no rain comes down, and the earth is in a drought and does not sprout anything, and the rivers and springs return to their sources, and all vegetation turns yellow: expect the Dajjal by morning or by evening.'”

Narrated by Nu`aym b. Hammad in his Fitan (2:528 no. 1487) with a weak chain because of the probable tadlis of Baqiyya b. Makhlad; otherwise the chain would have met the criteria of the Sunan and Allah knows best.

May Allah Most High protect us from the fitna of the Dajjal and the fitna of living and dying. May Allah make the best day in our lives the day we meet Him!

Was-Salam,
GF Haddad

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Viewing Pornography

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad

Question:

Dear Sheik,

Is it halal to viewing pornography and the phenomenon called “sex cartoon”-  this is not the same as pornography, but like cartoon. I will hope, you will answer it. It is very important for me. Because I am  a new Muslim.

Answer:

Such viewing is haram as it fosters what the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) called the zina (fornication) of the eyes and the heart. Yet one of the prominent scholars of Damascus said in his published fatwas that it was permissible only as a marital aid to married couples. Allah knows best.

Hajj Gibril Haddad

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Interpretation of “Ma Khalaq” in Surat al-Falaq

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad

Question:

As-Salamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu

I was reading an interesting book recently titled Lugha at-Tanzil by an
American, Siddeeq Jihad, who lives in Detroit. A description of the books
is as follows:

About The Book This book entitled, THE LANGUAGE OF REVELATION by Siddeeq
Jihad is intended to introduce its readers to Quraanic Arabic (Arabic Fushaah) while imparting knowledge of The Quraan. It endeavors to assist in the study of The Qur’aan in homes, masaajid, schools, universities and other venues. It contains some exercises that are designed to help students in the retention of this pure and beautifully structured language as well as aid the teachers in assessing the students’ grasp of the language. In a sentence, this book is about imparting some of The Glorious Qur’aan and Classical Arabic, the language of revelation to its readers for spiritual/material enrichment. And if all the trees were pens and the Ocean (were ink). With seven Oceans behind it to add to its (supply), Yet would not the words of Allah ever be exhausted (In the writing). For Allah is exalted in Power and Full of wisdom. (The Glorious Qur’aan, 31:27)

In general I enjoyed the book and it is beneficial to the basic levels of Arabic for English speakers. One particular part that stuck out on me which, for me, tainted this book and I could be wrong is when he mentioned the verse from Surah Falaq “min sharri MA khalaq” which is usually translated “from the evil He has created”. But Jihad translates it as “from the evil HE DID NOT create” meaning that Allah did not create evil. He justifies this by stating that “MA” used before a (past) verb negates it to mean “did not” which he is correct, linguistically. But is he taking this out of content? Because the pillars of Imam states that evil is a part of al-Qadr.

Please enlighten me on this.

Answer:

Wa `alaykum as-Salam wa rahmatullah:

Your remarks are spot on and it is true that “MA” used before a verb negates it, however:
(i) such a construct cannot syntactically come later than the thing negated: al-nafiya la yataqaddamu `alayha ma fi hayyiziha; and here it comes late! For it to be interpreted as a ma nafia (negating MA) it would have to start with the statement ma khalaqa min sharrin.
(ii) Secondly, for ma to be nafiya we would have to read sharrin with double vowel (tanween), i.e. not sharri but sharrin. But such a reading did not reach us mass-transmitted. Everyone reads it as sharri, which makes a negatory ma impossible.
(Note) Yes, there is a shaadh, or anomalous reading of “sharrin“: Makki al-Qaysi said his Tafsir:

“`Amr b. `Ubayd the chief of the Mu`tazila parted ways with the community of the Muslims and read it “min sharrin ma khalaq” with tanween in order to assert that there was another creator with Allah creating evil–Allah be greatly exalted beyond what he claimed! and his claim is atheism.”

So the interpretation offered in the book you cited is, as Ibn `Atiyya said, “a rejected reading based on a false madhhab.” It is a false madhhab because we believe that Allah Most High created absolutely everything, alone without partner (6:102, 16:13, 39:62). “Such is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of all things. There is no god save Him. How then are you perverted?” (40:62)

The correct grammatical analysis of ma here is that it is either a substitute for sharr (badal) or a so-called “superfluous ma” (ma za’ida) which is often used in the Qur’an and Arabic style as a rhetorical device, or a substantive particle (ma masdariyya) in the sense of al-ladhi, i.e. as a relative pronoun.

Imam al-Baydawi said on this verse in his Tafsir: “He specified the world of creation in being sought refuge from to stress that honor truly belongs solely to the Creator: for the world of Divine Command (`aalam al-amr) is all pure goodness, while its evil is either

(i) self-willed or deliberately inflicted on others such as unbelief and injustice, or
(ii) natural such as the burning of fire and the lethality of poison.”

From Ibn `Abbas it is related that Iblis is meant in particular.

Additional references:
– Abu al-Baqa’ al-`Ukbari, Imla’ ma Manna bihi al-Rahman;
– al-Halabi al-Samin, al-Durr al-Masun fi `Ilm al-Kitab al-Maknun;
– Ibn `Adil, al-Lubab fi `Ulum al-Kitab, all under Surat al-Falaq.
And Allah Most High knows best.

O Allah Most High! Make the Glorious Qur’an the springtime of our hearts and the  dispeller of our sadness.

Hajj Gibril Haddad

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Help with Muraqabah

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Ya Sayyidi,

BismillahirRahmanirRahim. Sayyidi, we’re humbly asking from you full support to establish connection and to be consistent with muraqabah. Through “kun feyekoon”  please help us to reach Maqam ul-Fana fee Shaykh (the Station of Annihilation). We’re weak and therefore cannot do anything by ourselves. If no support, then where else to go?

You have honored us so greatly and we thank you so much for that. And we ask Allah to honor you with honors more greater than what He has already honored you with.

Answer:

Support is always there from Mawlana Shaykh Nazim and awliyaullah so keep focussing and meditating. Either to keep yourself in the Presence of the Ka`aba, or the Presence of the Prophet (s) or the Presence of Awliya which will take you at end to the Divine  Presence.

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

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Islamic Medicine

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Hajjah Naziha Adil

Question:

Auzobillahi Minushaytanir Rajeem… Bismillahir Rehmanir Raheem.

Assalam o Alaikum wa rehmatullahi wa barakatuhu Ya Hajjah,

Early Muslims had knowledges of human body mechanism when there was no sign of MRIs and Cat-Scans. and they were curing several people alhumdulillah. History records the development in the subject of medicine by these scholars. So many years later, we are now more than ever dependent upon drugs and countless health problems have spread among us. I want to ask, where can we learn the methods and wisdoms by which those early Muslims acquired knowledge of our human body and outshined the people of jahiliya?
Are there any schools or madrassas still teaching that? Or is it that such kind of knowledge is not possible to acquire in these times?


Answer:

See the book at-Tibb an-Nabawiyya especially. That was written by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah which contained nearly all the hadith on that kind of knowledge. Read it and study it well and you can treat patients with what it mentions. There is an English version translated by Shaykh Muhammad Akili.

The Prophet (s) said in his hadith داوا مرضاكم بالصدقة da’oo amradakum bi’s-sadaqa – “cure your ill ones with charity,” and Prophet (s) said, as-sadaqa tarud al-bala wa tazeed al-`umr – “charity keeps off problems and lengthens lifespan” . Be careful with your sadaqa and give as much as you can especially on behalf of sick people and they will be cured.

If you have an ongoing illness be sure to consult your personal physician and follow his treatment.

Hajjah Naziha Adil

Medical Disclaimer:

Information on this site is NOT intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Those should only be sought from your physician or appropriate health care provider. This information is only provided as an information resource and is NOT to be relied on for diagnostic and treatment purposes. It is NOT intended as patient education, and NOT a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment and does NOT establish a patient physician relationship.

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Dream: Horrified at Ka`aba

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Hajjah Naziha Adil

Dream:

salam , I had a dream few days back which really horrified me. I saw me, my mother and a few relatives…. I saw we were at Kabba and I am not able to perform salat? I am really worried what does that mean and I  am really grateful to get the answer.

wasalam

Interpretation:

Being horrified in a dream means a huge opening dunya-wise and akhira-wise for you.
Seeing the Ka`aba and not being able to pray means seeing Reality and entering the Divine Presence and feeling shy that you did not perform worship well during your life and you were not able to pray because you find yourself completely helpless in the Divine Presence of the House of Allah swt.

So try to be more pious in your prayers and more concentrating and read the Holy Qur’an as much as you can and insha-Allah all this will be easy  for you in the next phase.

Seeing the Holy Ka`aba erases all your sins and brings you to be as if you had been born today. The person who goes to House of Allah will not leave empty-handed, so be happy. Thus that is very good dream, so congratulations!

Hajjah Naziha Adil

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Erasing Flashbacks of Abuse

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Hajjah Naziha Adil

Question:

salaam. I have been through a hard period in February I was abused. It  is now November, but I still remember the bad things that took place.  Its like it only happened yesterday, like there is a tape playing in my head where its all repeating. Is there anything you would advise for flashbacks?? Or that would clear my mind ? Jazakallah

Advice:

wa `alaykum salam,

Recite Ya Haleem, Ya Sattar and Ya Lateef each 100x every day and insha-Allah this will take it away.

Hajjah Naziha

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Marriage Without Parental Permission

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Hajjah Naziha Adil

Question:

assalamo alaykum wa rahmatAllah wabarakaatuh to all the respected shaikhs!

I am in a big confusion these days. I got married to a person without my parents knowing about it. We had decided wee would inform our parents as soon as possible but now I don’t feel like I can continue with this marriage. I dont like to even have marital relations with my husband and despite my efforts i feel so much repulsion from him and I fear that if I  stayed with him I will not be able to fulfill my duties as a wife to him in any way. I don’t even love him but then i fear that if I asked for a divorce he might get hurt and I don’t want to hurt him either. I dont know what to do. I can neither live with him and I don’t want to hurt him either. I am very much confused. Please tell me if I ask for divorce out of fear that I will not be able to fulfill my duties as a wife and so get the wrath of Allah swt upon me, will it be ok?

I shall be extremely thankful for your guidance on this matter of mine. JazakAllah khair.

Advice:

wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakutuh,

Our advice is to sit with your husband and to discuss the matter complete. Don’t be afraid as it is a matter of long life family-wise. So sit and discuss with him and come to an agreement taking into  consideration all the problems including your parents not knowing and not taking care of your husband’s need correctly. then see what you come up with and that is our advice. That is best way not to have the wrath of Allah on you.

Hajjah Naziha Kabbani

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Disobedience of the Jinn Before Adam (as)

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad

Question:

Please can you answer for the following question?
I have heard the below statement in the khutbah of Imam just before juma prayer at the Mosque, “Before Allah swt created Adam as  He swt created jinns and they were living and doing too much violence”

Iblis became cursed only after creation of Adam (as), then who was cheating those Jinns or made them to do sins and violence? Iblis was Azazil before creation of Adam (as).

Answer:

`Alaykum as-Salam,

The question assumes that Iblis is wholly responsible for “making others do sins and violence” but this is not the case. Human beings and jinns were given free will and the ability to distinguish right from wrong and choose freely, they are both responsible independently, and they cannot blame Iblis for making them do anything against their own will.

The original jinn were created from the fire of samum: “And the jinn did We create aforetime from the fire of Samum” (15:27) which Ibn Mas`ud defined as “one of seventy parts of the fire of Jahannam” (Tafsirs of al-Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tabarani, al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-Iman).

They were created after the angels and before Adam by 2,000 years during which they populated the earth, committed kufr and shed blood, and this is the meaning of the angels statement “will You place therein those who will do harm therein and shed blood?” (2:30), meaning: as the jinn had done before; as narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Hakim.

They could commit kufr independently from Iblis because:

(i) They were created with free choice and the ability to obey and
disobey: “And among us there are righteous folk and among us there are
far from that” (72:11), “And there are among us some who have
surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust”
(72:14); and

(ii) although they did not have any Prophet sent to them before the Seal
of Prophets (upon him blessings and peace) according to Ibn `Abbas,
Mujahid, al-Kalbi, Abu `Ubayd and the massive majority of the scholars
(with the sole exception of al-Dahhak), nevertheless they had “warners”
and “threateners”: “And when We inclined toward thee (Muhammad) certain
of the Jinn, who wished to hear the Quran and, when they were in its
presence, said: Give ear! and, when it was finished, turned back to
their people, warning” (46:29) because, as al-Baydawi said in his Tafsir
under “Ya ma`shar al-jinni wal-ins” in Surat al-Rahman, “instilling
fear, threats, and fighting belongs to their nature.” Al-Razi said in
his Tafsir under the same verse: “There is complete agreement that the
jinn are legally responsible (mukallafun).” That is the meaning of the
“rusul” and “da`iya Allah” in relation to the jinn in the verses:
“O ye assembly of the jinn and, humankind! Came there not unto you messengers
(rusul) of your own who recounted unto you My tokens and warned you of
the meeting of this your Day?” (6:130);

and:

“O our people! respond to Allah’s summoner (da`iya Allah) and believe in Him” (46:31).

And Allah knows best. O Allah! Grant us beneficial knowledge andaccepted deeds, and seal our lives with goodness.

Hajj Gibril Haddad

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Life of the Ummah 1500 Years

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad

Question:

Assalam u alayekum!
One day I was reading the sohbat translation in English from (Haqqani Fellowship website)and it was mentioned in the context of Sura e asr by Sheikh that ummat e Muslima will last 1500 years. 1471 years have been completed, 29 remain.Can you please tell me which Tafsir/Hadith was he referring?
The other day I listened to a khateeb who was saying that qiyamat will occur after 120 years of that event in which the sun will rise from the west?
I am a bit perplexed. May you please clear my confusion.
May Allah increase your knowledge and also Shaikh.
Assalam u alayekum wassalam ila’l shaykh nazaim wa shaykh hisham.

Answer:

`Alaykum as-Salam,

Imam al-Tabari narrated and declared it sound (sahih) from Ibn `Abbas (Allah be well-pleased with him and his father): “The world is seven days, each day a thousand years, and the Prophet was sent in the last of them.” Add to this the fair hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in the Sunan, Ahmad in the Musnad, and al-Hakim in the Mustadrak: “Truly, I swear that I hope my Community will not be denied by their Lord a respite of half a day.” Sa`d b. Abi Waqqas said, “half a day means five hundred years”. These and other reports are the basis on which Imam al-Suyuti in al-Hawi lil-Fatawa (2:86-89) and others said, as Mawlana said, that the term of the world is to the Hijri year 1500. And Allah knows best.

Hajj Gibril Haddad

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