Question:
salaam,
Please could you tell good books to buy to read on Muslim marriages, more on how a wife should behave with her husbands etc.
thank you
Answer:
Islamic Marriage by Hedaya Hartford
http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Articles/AR00000169.aspx
Hajj Gibril
Question:
I would like to ask regarding differing with Mawlana Shaykh (qs) on non-usooli (non-essential) issues. The issue in question is regarding the supposed many marriages and divorces of Sayyidina Imam Hasan (as). I’ve been fascinated by this topic for a while as I found it extremely strange that some scholars accept such weak traditions that are not suitable regarding an honoured member of Ahlul Bayt (as). Some time back a well respected Sayyid Ahlus Sunnah scholar from mid-east visited my country for a Mawlid program and I had the opportunity to ask him regarding this especially since he is known for his love of Ahlul Bayt (as) and his efforts to revive their history among Ahlus Sunnah. He said to me that he challenges anyone to find a single authentic tradition that Imam Hasan (as) divorced many women. Rather these weak traditions were invented with a sinister political motive during the Ummayad and Abbasid period to slander Imam Hasan (as) and make it appear that he was hungry for dunya (Astaghfirulla).
What troubled me is that I came across in Mawlana Shaykh Nazim (qs) book “Mercy Oceans” book 2 page 30 that Mawlana Shaykh (qs) mentions a tradition about Imam Hasan (as) supposed many divorces and a reported saying of Imam Ali (as). Now while in tariqa I know that obedience to the Shaykh (qs) in every matter is essential to progress on the path to Allah (SWT) my heart just cannot seem to accept such traditions regarding Imam Hasan (as) especially given that they are weak and given that Imam Hasan (as) would never do anything that Holy Prophet (SAW) disliked (i.e. divorcing many women). I understand some accept these reports and say that the wisdom was to increase Family of Rasoolullah but history books don’t record more than 20 children of Imam Hasan (as) and the possibilty of marrying so many women is illogical from perspective of Iddah period etc.
On the other hand I know Mawlana Shaykh (qs) would never say anything to disrespect Ahlul Bayt (as) and he is receiving from the Blessed Heart of Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) so how do I understand it?
JazaakAllah Khair
Answer:
`Alaykum as-Salam,
We belong to Allah and to Him is our return. We know from the early narrators of Ahl al-Bayt and the hadith masters of the Salaf exactly what Mawlana Shaykh Nazim said and thousands of scholars before him without any impropriety. Any impropriety or ‘unsuitability’ is in the eye of the beholder, and any claim that the chains are weak is rejected for at least two reasons:
(i) the narrators are extremely trustworthy and found in al-Bukhari, Muslim, or both: – Bakr b. Isma`il – from Ja`far al-Sadiq, – from his father Muhammad b. `Ali, (- from his father `Ali b. al-Husayn,) – from his grandfather `Ali b. Abi Talib: “Al-Hasan kept marrying and divorcing until I feared it might cause us hostility from the tribes, so I said: People of Iraq, people of Kufa, do not give your daughters in marriage to Hasan for he is a man who divorces a lot.” A man from Hamdan said: “By Allah we shall give them in marriage to him, and whomever he likes he can keep and whomever he dislikes he can divorce.” In Ibn Abi Shayba, Ibn Sa`d and others. (I wonder at what point of the above chain an Umayyad or Abbasid forger supposedly slipped in, unbeknowst to such imams!)
The early masters such as Ibn Mahdi, Ibn al-Mubarak, and the Four Imams did not consider a gap between such as Muhammad b. `Ali or `Ali b. al-Husayn and his grandfather `Ali b. Abi Talib as warranting a downgrading of the chain but rather they considered it mursal sahih;
(ii) the authenticity of the report is not challenged by the scholars who habitually challenge whatever they deem weak in their books such as al-Dhahabi in Tarikh al-Islam and Siyar A`lam al-Nubala’, nor by others such as Ibn `Asakir, al-Mizzi in Tahdhib al-Kamal, Ibn Kathir in his Bidaya, Ibn Hajar in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, and al-Suyuti in Tarikh al-Khulafa, all of whom cite it.
For the scholars this is well-known and not disputed, some saying that our liegelord al-Hasan (Allah be well-pleased with him) married seventy women, some ninety as found in Tarikh al-Mada’ini. He always travelled with four wives accompanying him. He was minkaah (oft-marrying), mitlaaq (oft-divorcing), and misdaaq (extremely generous in his dowry payments). Al-Dhahabi cites from Ibn Sirin the report that one time al-Hasan gifted to a woman one hundred servant-girls, each carrying 1,000 dirhams. Ibn Kathir in the Bidaya relates that one day he divorced two women of different tribes at the same time and he sent to each one 10,000 dirhams and a gourd of honey. Jarir b. Hazim said the people of Kufa loved him more than they had loved his father, Allah be well-pleased with both of them. It is known that he exhausted his entire fortune twice and Ibn `Abbas said al-Hasan went to Hajj on foot 25 times.
The sources time and again show he was not interested in dunya; anyone who claims that these same sources project a dunya-oriented personality for al-Hasan has just not read them properly. Any claim that there were sinister Umayyad or Abbasid plots in the creation of such reports is pre-empted by the forgery experts who did not include them in their collections and by the above-mentioned Sunni authorities who cited those reports with pure hearts without seeing anything sinister or unsuitable in them.
Perhaps we find it difficult to accept that al-Hasan (Allah be well-pleased with him) married and divorced a lot because we may be comparing ourselves or the rest of the Ummah with him, without allowing that maybe there was a special case or a wisdom in that particular aspect of his life. Such wisdom is gleaned from the status of the Two Grandsons as described in the many Prophetic narrations concerning them, and Allah knows best; may He keep us in His care and forgive any inappropriate judgment on our part; and also any delusion that we might be greater defenders of the honor of His Prophet than His own Awliya, or in a position to question those we claim are our masters over their own adab with him and his family.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
Question:
Assalamu Aleykum Ya Sheikh
Please explain if in Islam men are allowed to have concubines and if so under what conditions/rules/jurisdiction, etc. How did the Sahaba Kiram live this part of their lives, if they did?
Wassalaam
Answer:
Alaykum as-Salam, see the posting at sunniforum.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
Question:
How to get rid of waswas?
Answer:
Say A`udhu billah min al-shaytan al-rajeem. Recite 3x Surat al-Ikhlas, 3x Surat al-Falaq, 3x Surat an-Nas, and 1 time Surat al-Fatiha.
When making wudu‘, begin with Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim and do not
speak to others until you finish.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
Question:
Are the prophètes infaillible?
Answer:
Yes. See http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4659&CATE=108
Hajj Gibril
Question:
What are the sens of the word “صلاة” (salat)?
Answer:
Lexically salat means supplication and in the Law it means prayer. If
the subject is Allah or the Prophet, salat means blessing.
Hajj Gibril
Asalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa bara katu.
May Allah subhantallaha bless you and your family, me and all the Muslims of the world and those that have passed.
I have looked/read many books on Islam and find myself very confused, as I have seen arguments and counter arguments for various sects groups etc. I am not a good Muslim by any means and have not led my life the way a Muslim should and except my wrongs and short comings. But I sincerely love Allah, his deen and the beloved Rasool sallalahi wasallam, his family his companions and the pious people of Allah. I prayer that Allah uses me for his deen in this world.
My brother I have numerous questions on deen, but when I ask them from various people/scholors , I get different answers opinions with evidences from all sides.
Over the last few months after having read information and literature about Sheikh Nazim Al Haqani, I have been intrigued to learn more about the sheikh as his spiritual look and aura seems to attract me to him, though in the past I have always steered away from the Sufi way. Learning through books and getting information from various scholars has not left me fully content as l here arguments and proofs from all directions. I just do not know what to do. This may sound strange brother but I would like help from Allah subhanatallah to show me the true path.
Is their any thing I could read, wazeefa any particular prays where Allah will guide me to the light of the true path. Is it possible for a bad person like me to be shown the true path, in my dream or by any other means. I would love more than anything else but to see the blessed sight of the holy prophet Muhammed sallallahu allahi wa sallam in my dream, so that I may be satisfied about the path I need to follow.
I would love also to meet Sheikh Nazim al Haqqani, just to visually see him, I find a strange attraction indeed. Please pray that I can stay away from bad sins brother. I look forward to hearing from you.
Your brother in Islam (and in need of spiritual guidance)
Response:
Shaykh Hisham sends his salaams.
He says recite: Ya Sayyid, ya Sahib, ya Rasool, ya Allah 100 times a day and that will open for you the way to the spiritual path you are seeking.
Staff
Question:
Did not the Messenger of Allah (s) say: ” Jihad is the pillar of Islam and its topmost part”?
Answer:
It is not permissible to say “The Messenger of Allah said” in relation to a weak narration, and the above narration is weak.
The Prophet (s) said:
بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأن محمدا رسول الله ، وإقام الصلاة ، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان ،وحج البيت لمن استطاع إليه سبيلا
“Islam is built on five things: testifying that there is no diety except Allah and that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah, and establishing the prayer, giving the poor-due, the fast of Ramadan and pilgrimage to the House (of Allah) to whoever is able to find a way.” He did not say six.
The Companions were more knowledgeable of the Religion than us, and `Abd Allah ibn `Umar said: “The pillars (arkan) of Islam are five, and jihad is a good deed.” I.e. it is not one of the pillars, much less the one and only pillar.
The Prophet — Allah bless and greet him — said that the one pillar (`amud) of Islam is salat. Not jihad.
When the Muslims go back to salat, then Allah — if He likes — will give them back jihad. First things first. The Prophet said — Allah bless and greet him:
“The foundation (asl) of this matter [Religion] is Islam. Its pillar (`amud) is prayer (salat). And its absolute culmination (dharwatu sinamih) is jihad.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Nasa’i, Ahmad and others from Mu`adh ibn Jabal.
Question:
There is a hadith from Abu Hurayrah (R) saying that the Prophet (S) saying only three acts benefit a deceased when he dies. Those being knowledge he gave, charity he spent, or the prayers of a pious son. I also read a hadith where Abu Hurayrah (R) prayed for a dweller of the grave by asking Allah to increase the good of a believer if he did good, and to forgive his bad if he did bad. How do we reconcile these two hadith of the Prophet (S)? Especially because some Muslims use the first hadith to ban acts for the deceased.
Answer:
Imam Tahawi said in his `Aqidah:
“Article 89. There is benefit for dead people in the supplication and alms-giving of the living.”
The Prophet himself prayed for the deceased and declared that his prayer benefited them, as in the hadith of the mosque-sweeper in Sahih Muslim.
The majority of Ahl al-Sunna consider that the Prophet’s hadith “three things remain” is not absolute. There are so many hadiths drawing lists in similar terms, such as : Seven people will be shaded on the day of Resurrection, and three things of your world have been made beloved to me, and women are betrothed for four reasons, and a woman enters Paradise for three reasons, and the earth is cursed except for four things, and so on and so forth. These do not have an absolute, exclusive value, but a general value. The sense is: Three MAIN acts continue to be fresh and current after one’s book is closed, and Allah knows best.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
Question:
What is the meaning of sunnah?
Answer:
The Arabic word sunnah lexically means “road” or “practice.” In the language of the Prophet (s) and the Companions it denotes the whole of licit [lawful] practices followed in the Religion [dîn], particularly the pristine (hanîf) path of Prophets, whether pertaining to belief, religious and social practice, or ethics generally speaking.
In its technical sense sunnah has three meanings. In hadith terminology it denotes any saying (qawl), action (fi’l), approval (taqrîr), or attribute (sifa), whether physical (khilqiyya) or moral (khuluqiyya) ascribed to (udîfa ila) the Prophet (s), whether before or after the beginning of his prophethood.1 This meaning is used in contradistinction to the Qur’an in expressions such as “Qur’an and sunnah ” and applies in the usage of hadith scholars.
In the terminology of usul al-fiqh or principles of jurisprudence, sunnah denotes a saying (qawl), action (fi’l) or approval (taqrîr) related from (nuqila ‘an) the Prophet (s) or issuing (sadara) from him other than the Qur’an.
In the terminology of fiqh or jurisprudence, sunnah denotes whatever is firmly established (thabata) as called for (matlub) in the Religion on the basis of a legal proof (dalîl shar’î) but without being obligatory, the continued abandonment of which constitutes disregard (istikhfaf) of the Religion – also sin (ithm) according to some jurists – and incurs blame (lawm, ‘itab, tadlîl) – also punishment (`uquba) according to some jurists.2 However, some jurists have made a distinction between what they called “Emphasized sunnah ” (sunnah mu`akkada) or “sunnah of Guidance” (sunnah al-huda), such as what the Prophet (s) ordered or emphasized in word or in deed, and other types of sunnah considered less binding in their legal status, such as what they called “Non-Emphasized sunnah ” (sunnah ghayr mu’akkada) or “sunnah of Habit” (sunnah al-‘ada).
The above meanings of sunnah are used in contradistinction to the other four of the five legal categories for human actions – fard (obligatory), sunnah , mubah (indifferent), makruh (disliked), haram (prohibited) – and applies in the usage of jurists from the second Hijri century onwards. However, the jurists have stressed that the basis for all acts of worship categorized as sunnah is “obligatoriness” not “permissiveness” (al-asl fî al-sunnah al-wujub la al-ibaha). Sunnah is thus defined as the strongest of the following near-synonymous categories:
“praiseworthy” (mandub)
“desirable” (mustahabb)
“voluntary” (tatawwu‘)
“refinement” (adab)
“obedience” (ta’a)
“supererogatory” (nafl)
“drawing near” (qurba)
“recommended” (raghîba, murghab fîh)
“excellent” (hasan)
“excellence” (ihsan)
“meritorious” (fadîla)
“best” (afdal).
It is antonymous with “innovation” (bid’a), as in the expression “People of the sunnah ” or Sunnis (Ahl al-sunnah ).
Al-Dhahabi relates from Ishaq ibn Rahuyah the saying: “If al-Thawri, al-Awza’i, and Malik concur on a given matter, that matter is a sunnah .” Al-Dhahabi comments:
Rather, the sunnah is whatever the Prophet made sunnah , and the rightly-guided Caliphs after him. As for Consensus (ijma‘), it is whatever the `ulama of the Community both early and late have unanimously agreed upon, through either assumed (zannî) or tacit (sukutî) agreement. Whoever deviates from such consensus among the Successors or their successors, it is tolerated for him alone. As for those who deviate from the three above-named imams, then such is not named a deviation from Consensus, nor from the sunnah ...3
Hajj G. F. Haddad
NOTES
1 See al-Siba’i, Al-sunnah wa Makanatuha fi al-Tashri’ al-Islami (p.47).
2 See al-Lucknawi, Tuhfa al-Abrar, chapter entitled “The Legal Status of the Emphasized sunnah and of its Abandonment” (Hukm al-sunnah al-Mu’akkada wa Tarkiha) (p. 87-92).
3 Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’ (1997 ed. 7:92).
