#logicalprogression

The single most important thing in your life is to thank Your Creator for giving you life. When you’re in a state of shukr, you save yourself from kufr. The one who is kaafir is the one who’s ungrateful, one who hides. Kufurrah is physically a cover. The kaafir is always covering (a farmer is also a kaafir because he’s covering) because they cover or hide something they were given. It’s complete ingratitude that you ignore the fact that you owe Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala gratitude. The greatest statement of thanks is salah; we thank Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala with hamd ‘praise’. Salah in statement and action is the perfect expression of gratitude to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. 

If it is the most important thing in our life, how do we establish it?

Salah is not just a spiritual but also a legal dimension.

Water is the basic substance that purifies. It can either be filthy or purifying. 

Filth has two types. Physical filth (najasa) is referring to urine, feces, etc. If this is on the skin, this has to be removed at all cost. Ritual filth (hadath) refers to a minor or major ritual impurity. Minor is when you pass wind, or go to sleep and wake up, or go to the toilet; these can be fixed by cleaning your private part or washing your limbs via ablution. It’s called istinja when you use water to clean your private part, and when you use toilet paper or stone then it’s called istijmar. It is sufficient to clean yourself back and front using tissue paper without going near water. Majority of the companions preferred istijmar, i.e, dry cleaning using a cloth or a stone but we know that water is blessed and we use it if we have it. Major hadath is when you have marital relations or wet dream. To lift this, you need to do ghusl ‘bath’. 

Sperm is completely pure. Theoretically, if a person has a sperm on his hand, it would not affect his prayer at all. However, the act of the sperm coming out or the sexual fluids for the female, that’s what causes major ritual impurity.

Filth can be removed using anything. Hadath can be removed using water or dirt, either by wudu’, tayammum, or ghusl. As for najasa, anything that removes it can be used. For example, feces. Unless wetness or moisture is present and it leaves a residue on your skin, then we don’t have a major problem. However, if it’s so dry and can actually fall off, then you don’t need to use water. You can use a stick to scrape the thing away. Physical najasa, therefore, doesn’t require a special way of having it removed except when it’s wet and in special circumstance (i.e, dog’s saliva). The removal of the saliva of a dog, according to majority of scholars, requires a specific procedure of being washed seven times and then one or including one that uses earth because earth neutralizes something in that saliva and the water ensures that it’s completely rubbed away. 

Dirt is not filth. Dirt is dirt, grease is dirt, mud is dirt. They are not filth. 

When you make wudu’, the objective is not to cleanse you from dirt but from filth, both physical and ritual. 

Water, whatever color it is in, is permissible to use for wudu’ and ghusl. It only becomes impermissible to use for wudu’ and ghusl when its nature has changed, which happens when its smell, taste, and appearance have changed that it can no longer be called water. However, if there are things in water, it’s still water with things in it. So if you’ve got leaves, moss, and other things floating on it, this is water that has things in it and is not dirty water. 

If there is doubt over the purity of the water, you have to go by your best guess (51% or more). If you’re in doubt (50%), then you have the permission to proceed to tayammum. 

It is permissible to use any implement to make your wudu’ from. Taps and others are ok. Gold and silver cups are permissible to be used for wudu’; however, to eat and drink from and with these two are impermissible. A man is not allowed to wear gold or to use gold in a cosmetic fashion but it’s permissible for medicinal purpose. 

It is impermissible and impure to use for clothing, etc. a dead animal’s skin when that animal was impermissible to eat when it was still alive (e.g., pig, dog). Pig and dog are impermissible to eat. When an animal is permissible to eat when it’s alive, its skin can then be permissible to be used for clothing, etc. 

The milk and meat of a dead animal are impure except for its hair. These are pure while they’re still alive. A carrion refers to an animal you found dead.

It’s mustahhab (recommended) that you seek protection when you go to the toilet. It’s makruh (disliked) to raise your garment before you reach the ground in an area where you’re exposed because you’re trying to minimize your exposure. Other makruh acts are speaking & urinating in a hole. 

When you go to the toilet area, enter with left foot and say Allahumma a inni a’udhubika minal khubthi wal khabaith. When you come out, do so with the right foot and say Ghufranak. Whenever you enter a good area, do so with the right foot and when you exit, do so with the left foot (e.g., in a masjid). 

When you’re in an enclosed toilet, direction is not an issue. However, when you’re in open, it’s not permissible for you to be urinating or directing your back in the direction of the qiblah unless you’re forced to or you don’t know. 

Istijmar can be done with stones, cods of earth, clay, soft stuff like tissue paper--as long as it’s not food, animal bones, or dung.

When making wudu’, it’s sunnah to say Bismillah before one starts. It’s not obligatory in ghusl or tayammum but you can do it then as well. 

It is sunnah to always keep your mouth clean (either through miswak, toothbrush, floss, cleaning cloth, mouthwash, etc.), especially before prayer. 

To wash your hand three times is sunnah but not obligatory. This act only becomes obligatory when you go into such a deep sleep that you don’t know what happened. Does it become obligatory when you wash from the tap? If the tap is flowing, then there’s no real reason for it to become obligatory because then you’re not going to make your hand or the utensil dirty. However, in principle, it’s good to wash your hand at the beginning of wudu’. It’s also sunnah to go through your fingers when washing your hand at any stage. 

In rinsing mouth and nose, it’s good to go as far as possible. To clean the inside of the mouth and nose is not obligatory.

When you wash your face, it’s sunnah to go through your beard with your fingers. The key is to make sure the skin beneath the beard is wet. 

In washing the feet, it’s sunnah to go through your toes with your left fingers. 

It’s sunnah to wash thrice although it’s more efficient to wash once. 

Circumcision is obligatory upon males. 

It’s impermissible to shave the hair on the head and leave parts of it. It’s haram to cut your hair in such a way that it imitates a religious practice of non-Muslims such as the hair of monks. When you’re copying someone because you admire him/her too much, that’s haram. However, cutting your hair by shaving one part and leaving the hair at the top, it’s disliked.

In doing wudu’, make the intention (which has to be done right at the beginning and not verbalized) and say Bismillah. Wash your hands three times. Wash your hands up to your arms three times. Gargle water into your mouth three times. Sniff water into your nostrils (it’s sunnah to clean the nose with small fingers) and blow it out three times. Wash your face from the top of the hairline to the forehead to the edge of the ears (not the ears) and down including the jawbone. The hands must then be washed up to the elbow--must include the elbow and fingers. It’s part of the sunnah to do this with a bit of massage and rubbing. Then, wipe over your head. The complete wiping is from your front to the back. And then to the ears, to go around the ears completely with your thumb. Then wash right foot up to the ankle and go through the toes. Do the same with the left. 

If you have little time or water, make the intention and go straight to washing the face once (if you have beard, make it go through it), and then the arm once up until the finger and above the elbow, wipe the head with the ears. With the head, you don’t have to go back and forth--wiping once is sufficient and you don’t have to go back and forth. With the ear, you just need to enter your finger into the ear and that’s sufficient. Wash the feet.

You can wipe over the socks but it has to be a proper one, not a woman’s tights. It doesn’t matter if it has holes in it or it’s thin, as long as it’s a sock--tights are not allowed because it’s basically nothing. The next time you break wudu’, you have 24 hours (if you’re at home) or 72 hours (if you’re traveling) to wipe as long as you haven’t taken the socks off the entire period. 

A person can also wipe over a turban or a hijab. It should be minimized but it can be utilized anytime. 

The sunnah is to just have a handful (both hands cupped) of water. With ghusl, it’s four handfuls. The primary objective of ghusl is not to make you physically clean but to make you ritually clean. For example, when you had a wet dream, your objective is to make sure all of your body is wet. 

You should generally avoid touching the Qur’an if you don’t have wudu’. Salah is completely impermissible without wudu’. Tawaf is permissible without wudu’.

Just thinking that you broke your wudu’ does not break your wudu’. If you’re not sure, you’re still in wudu’. 

How do you come out of wudu’? Anything which comes out of the anus or the urethra. That means that something that comes out of the vagina does not mean that it’s come out of the urethra. When you have vaginal discharge, it’s not impure and it does not break the wudu’. One of the reasons is because we believe it does not come out of the urethra itself. Any amount of feces and urine that come out of the body will lead to the necessity of ablution.

Going to proper sleep needs ablution. Sleeping while sitting does not invalidate your wudu’. Sleeping in the car, even if you lose consciousness in that state is not deep sleep. 

Eating camel meat invalidates the wudu’ according to the Hanbali madhab but not for the other three madhahib. 

Ghusl has some sunnah including wudu’ but in principle it’s straightforward--have the intention to make ghusl and make sure your whole body becomes wet. According to Hanbali madhhab, it’s sunnah to make wudu’ when you wash a dead body. Ghusl is obligatory after any sexual activity that leads to emission of sexual fluids and a wet dream because what obligates ghusl is not just the coming together of the private parts and feeling, but it’s also the emission of the sperm. Emission of everything else does not obligate ghusl. Emission of madhi’ (prostatic fluid) and all the preseminal fluid (wadhi’) does not obligate ghusl but they are impure substances. If these two are found in your underwear, they need to be completely washed off whereas sperm only needs to be scratched away. Ironically, if the sperm comes out, you need to make ghusl but if wadhi’ and madhi’ come out, all you need to do is istinja’ (i.e., clean your private parts and make wudu’).

New Muslims don’t have to make ghusl after shahada. S/he just needs to make wudu’ for prayer. 

If you don’t have water or the water that you have is absolutely precious because it’s too difficult (i.e., it has to be a real impossibility) for you to find water, make tayammum. Tayammum is valid even after water begins to come in and you’ve prayed with that tayammum already, you don’t have to repeat the prayer. 

How is tayammum done? Make the intention for tayammum. Say Bismillah. Strike on the ground--ideally on the ground but it doesn’t have to be the earth; it’s anything which gives dust (even a wall will do as it has natural dust on it). Then wipe the face and hands. 

As long as it can be removed, anything can be used to remove najasa. 

Menstruation is a heavy, dark type of blood. It smells more pungent than normal blood. It doesn’t look as fresh, it’s browner, and it’s sometimes associated with pain inflammation. It ends with a white discharge or a gradual reduction in bleeding. 

Istihada (irregular vaginal bleeding or continual bleeding) is very common. Unlike the opinion of the majority of scholars, for AE, one doesn’t have to make istinja’ or ghusl or wudu’ each time for people with excessive flatulence, irregular bleeding, or similar medical problems. AE doesn’t obligate istinja’ or ghusl for any istihada, unless the person goes to the bathroom, to the toilet, or to sleep. That is, if you actively break your impurity whether by sexual intercourse, going to the toilet or sleep, you need to then make ghusl or wudu’ appropriately. In the case of people with any of these problems, there’s no need to make wudu’ or ghusl for what is happening with his/her body involuntarily.

Nifas (postpartum bleeding) has the same ruling as menstrual blood. There’s no minimum nor maximum period. 

Salah is obligatory upon every legal person, i.e., they are aware of themselves, they know what life is about, they know they’re not insane, they have full control over their senses, and they’re not menstruating nor having nifas. 

A person who has missed the prayers for a long time, especially if it’s from a past way of life when s/he was not practising, doesn’t have to make it up. However, missed prayers while being practising and being aware of the prayer, have to be made up in the immediate vicinity. However, for missed prayers because you’re in operation & you lost consciousness, or you’re in a coma for a long time, those don’t have to be made up because you’re not held accountable for the prayer(s) during the period when you effectively weren’t even there. 

Prayer only becomes obligatory upon puberty, whether male or female. There’s no such thing as an age. When you see a hadith about seven or ten, these are all just preparatory work--7 is about getting them into the habit and 10 is making sure that when they understand now fully, then you’re going to discipline them if they’re messing about. However, their prayer is not obligatory until they’re 13, 15, whatever time puberty actually occurs and it is clear. 

You’re not allowed to delay a prayer from its time unless you have intended beforehand to combine prayers (with valid excuses such as you’re traveling or it’s raining so hard & you’re far away so you can’t pray, etc.). 

A person who doesn’t pray is in a very serious state and majority of the companions have the opinion that this person is in a state of kufr. The majority of scholars are of the opinion that this person is doing a huge state of haram and should be given a death penalty if s/he refuses to pray when s/he has been warned a lot of times. This are minutiae that can be differed over but the point is it is so essential to pray that it is beyond belief if you one doesn’t do it, but one is not a kaafir for missing his/her prayer. However, a person who says, “I don’t need to pray,” or “You pray but I don’t need to pray,” that is a major problem because that person is denying the obligation of a person to pray and that is then going into the realm of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’s Law and Theology, and that is kufr. We don’t ever want to be considering that. 

With the adhan, you repeat everything after the muezzin except for hay’alatayn, which you respond to with “La hawla wa laa quwwata ila billah”.

When the adhan finishes, the order of actions that are beneficial to be done are:

1. Saying the Salawat Ibrahimiyyah;

2. Making the du’a that the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam wants us to make so he salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam can make shafa’a which is, Allahumma Rabba hadhihil da’watil tammah, wa’l salat il-qaimah, ati Muhammadan il-wasilata wa’l-fadhila wab’athhu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa'adtah. ‘O Allāh, Lord of this perfect call and this present prayer, give Muḥammad the highest level in Paradise and a unique status with You, and allow him throughout to take his praised position that You have promised him;’ and

3. Making du’a for yourself.

Prayer is only valid in its right time. To establish prayer, you have to be internally pure from hadath, physically pure from najasa, the area you pray in has to be pure, the qiblah has to be established, your clothes are appropriate, and the time must have entered. 

Times for prayer:

1. Dhuhr enters once the sun has set from its high point. It ends once a thing has a shadow which is equal to it plus a little bit that was there at the first point.

2. Once Dhuhr ends as mentioned above, that’s when ‘Asr starts. According to Abu Hanifa, it’s when your shadow is twice its length.

3. Maghrib begins when the sun has completely set, i.e, the sun’s disc disappears and darkness starts to set in. When the sun is setting and when the sun is at its highest point, it’s a haram time to pray. However, if a person hasn’t prayed ‘asr, s/he is allowed to quickly pray ‘asr then.  

4. When the redness in the sky disappears, ‘Isha’ starts. To Abu Hanifa, the whiteness has to disappear as well. ‘Isha’ lasts until Fajr (N.B. this is a risky position) or until midnight (i.e, midpoint of the beginnings of Maghrib and Fajr).

 5. Fajr starts when the light appears on the horizon. 

To catch a prayer, we just have to make sure we have one rak’ah in. One rak’ah is takbiratul ihram + Al-Fatiha + ruku’ saying subhana rabbi al-adhim once + come up from ruku’ + first sajdah + sit + second sajdah saying subhana rabbi al-a’la once. For AE, one has to be on the way back up to qiyam position for one to complete one rak’ah.

Say you’ve missed Dhuhr and ‘Asr and you’re praying it in Maghrib, then pray Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib in that order except when Maghrib is about to expire. At that time, you pray Maghrib first then Dhuhr and ‘Asr. 

‘Awrah (minimum areas of nakedness that must be covered obligatorily) for the prayer of the male is between the navel until the bottom of the thigh. Majority of the scholars say until the knee has to be covered. For the female, her entire body except for the face, hands, and feet. When you’re praying in front of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, try to cover more parts of the body as much as you can as it signifies respect for the prayer. Male or female, don’t wear something silly, don’t cover your mouth, don’t wear something expensive or something that will make you out as someone special.

Taking a kunya is not from the sunnah; it’s just an Arab tradition.

Al-Muqni’ is the second work of Imam ibn Qudama (b. 541 H). Al Hajjawi (b. 895 H & d. 960/968 H) is the writer of Zad Al-Mustaqni’, the summarized version of Al-Muqni’ & is the reference book used in the class.

In the class, we’re very relaxed about birthdates unless there’s a legal point that is trying to be proved.

In Zad Al-Mustaqni’, only the preponderant points (strongest according to evidences) are given.

There are differences of opinion regarding the actions of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam because not any of the companions are with him (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) 24/7. Add to that the differences in interpretation.

When a judge or a scholar makes a decision and he gets it right, he gets two rewards. If he doesn’t get it right, he gets one. 

Ijtihad is to try your very best to arrive at a legal decision. A person’s ijtihad is always specific and subjected to that person’s experience, education, context, reality, the way he appreciates things, and so on and so forth.  

The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying “two rewards, one reward” instead of “right and wrong” means that there’s really going to be a difference in opinion and it’s acceptable--it’s NOT praised though. 

Scholars want to arrive at one single ruling but they differ. They inhabit different cities where they have bigger circles and their opinions solidify and people understand them based on principles from their teachers.

Usool al-Fiqh is the methodology on how you derive a ruling--what’s the rule when you derive a ruling, what do you give priority to when you have a number of evidences, what do you reject completely, and so on.

Over a hundred years, schools & ideas began to solidify and specialists in fiqh began to come forward. Knowledge from the sahaba began to spread out and came to be gathered allowing scholars to really establish opinions. Schools then began to be established and a’imma (sg. imam) began to rise such as Imam Sufyan ath-Thawri. From these a’imma came the four imams whose legacy remains to this day:

1. Imam Abu Hanifa born in Kufa (b. 80 AH - d. 150 AH)

2. Imam Malik ibn Anas born in Madina (b. 93 AH - d. 179 AH)

3. Imam Ash-Shafi’i born in Palestine or Sham 

4. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Al Shaybani (b. 164 AH - d. 241 AH), also called Imam Ahl al-Sunnah 

Sham is the classical phrase referring to current day Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine region. It’s mubarak; and it’s in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Sham has a special maqam among Muslims because the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised it and all actions towards the end of time will kick off there. We’ll call it the modern day Palestine. 

The four imams met and sat down with each other. Imam ibn Hanbal was the imam of the Muslims; he defended the ‘aqeedah in the political and popular sense; he’s a muhaddith and imam of fiqh. It’s an acceptable argument within the academic criticism that he’s not as faqeeh as the other three imams but he’s a really good muhaddith.

Imam ibn Hanbal studied under Qadi Abu Yusuf, who’s the companion of Imam Abu Hanifa so in that sense, Imam ibn Hanbal had taken from the Hanafis. Imam ibn Hanbal also studied from Imam Shafi’i, who studied with and soaked up so much from Imam Malik. Shafi’i is a key person in Imam ibn Hanbal’s life as they are both hadithi (or narration-based). Malik and Abu Hanifa are both Ahl al-Ra’i (scholars of opinion) while Ahmad and Shafi’i are Ahl al-Hadith (scholars of hadith). The latter two don’t want to be left to their own devices so when they make an opinion, they try to cull from narration as much as they can. Meanwhile, Imam Abu Hanifa was forced into that position because at that time in Iraq, there’s so much lying, killing, and all other fitan so he didn’t have as much resources when it comes to authentic ahadith. Thus, he has to rely more on his skill rather than the many narrations offered to him. Later on, compilations of ahadith were made. 

Ibn Qudama is the imam of and authority in Hanbali madhhab. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said that there’s no scholar who has entered Damascus who’s as knowledgeable as Aw-za’i (an imam of the Salaf) as Ibn Qudama. On knowledge level, comparing an earlier imam and a later imam isn’t usually done, which signifies the importance of this comparison. 

Ibn Qudama designed a program that takes a person from having no knowledge in fiqh to becoming a mujtahid. He wrote five books for Hanbali madhhab with this objective of moving a person from no knowledge to becoming a mujtahid in mind:

1. Al ‘Umdah - basic manual of fiqh for beginners; only gives the dominant opinion.

2. AlMuqni’ - it gives the student all s/he needs; mentions different opinions regarding an issue without saying which is the dominant opinion

3. Al-Kafi - introduces evidences for positions

4. Raudhat al-Nadhir - a book on usool al-fiqh

5. AlMughni - book of comparative fiqh; like an encyclopedia

Why Sharh Mumti’, which goes further than the 3rd book and like a mini mughni? In fiqh, it’s at the 3rd level but in intention it’s at the 5th level. Sharh Mumti’ is not a beginner’s book but we’ll use it. 

Fiqh al-Aqqaliyaat is the fiqh of the minorities--that is, a set of fiqhi principles developed when you’re a minority Muslim population in a majority non-Muslim environment. It’s a fiqh, law, or jurisprudence that is tailored to the fact that you’re disadvantaged and you have issues, problems, and pressures not found in Muslim countries. 

AE doesn’t believe in fiqh al-aqqaliyaat but he believes that they, in the UK, are being dominated by fiqh ad-da’f or a reality of utter weakness--that is, they can’t say or do what they want, otherwise they’ll be thrown in the sea. 

The difference between fiqh al-aqqaliyaat and fiqh ad-da’f is that the former says you take concessions as a minority whether or not there’s weakness or difficulty while the latter says we, as a minority, will only take concessions when there’s weakness or difficulty; as much as we can, we don’t want to take concessions. 

Due to this political reality of weakness in the ummah and the varied differences of our backgrounds (cultures, etc), it has become a norm for madhahib to get mixed up. And that is a real danger that’s why scholars always have this principle of At-taqwa Qabl Al-Fatwa i.e., have fear of Allah first before looking for a fatwa that will help you.

Sharh al-Mumti’ is the enjoyable, nice commentary. 

Al-mustaqni’ is the one who’s seeking muqni’ (satisfaction). We are all mustaqni’in. 

Zad Al-mustaqni’ is the provision or supply of al-mustaqni’. 

Sharh al-Mumti’ is authored by Ibn Uthaymeen (b. 1926 in ‘Unayza, Qaseem region d. 2001).

Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem

Bismillah means ‘to mention the Name of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’ whereas basmala has a legal connotation because it refers to the entire phrase bismillah ar-rahman ar-raheem. 

Bismillah ‘with the Name of Allah’ is the preferred translation of AE as opposed to ‘in the Name of Allah’. 

Allah, derived from Al-Ilah (The God), is the greatest of the Names according to Ibn Taymiyyah. 

Bismillah is followed by something but it’s always left out. 

When writing a mat’n (a text), the focus is on wajiz al-kalam which is to be very succinct, bringing down the size of the text while making sure every word counts. 

Ar-Rahman, from Ar-Rahma, is an intensive meaning The One Who is Amazingly Merciful. Only Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala gets this title; no one else can be called Ar-Rahman, which is a description and not an action. Some scholars say Ar-Rahman encompasses His Mercy to all mankind in this world.

Ar-Raheem means extremely & specifically merciful. Ar-Raheem is the mercy specifically given to the believers in this life and in the Hereafter. Raheem can be used to refer to other people. The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was described as one who is very concerned, and was upset when believers are suffering; with the believers he salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was very merciful (raheem). 

Vocabularies

* dhahaba - to go

* madhhab - the way that one goes; school of thought

* mu’tamat - the base principle or ruling or one that is agreed upon by everyone in the madhhab

* raji'- the strongest opinion in the madhhab

* riwayat - narrations

* ‘umdah - base

* qana’a - satisfaction, contentment

* muqni’ - the thing that gives satisfaction, confidence, contentment; the satisfier

* kafi - what is sufficient

* raudhat al-nadhir - the one who is serious in his study; looking into progressing and moving forward

* ghina - richness

* ghani - one who is rich 

* Al Ghani - One who is free of need

Alhamdulillah, I decided to follow up my Ramadan with spending some time catching up on my LP lessons. As a form of accountability, I will be writing my daily notes here in shaa Allah. 

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Allahumma a inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibadatik (Oh Allah, help me remember You, thank You, and worship You in the best manner.) is one of the most frequent Prophetic du’aas and can be done inside the salah and thereafter.

Surah Furqan 25:61-77 was recited. The translation from Sahih International is below:

Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp and luminous moon.

And it is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude.

And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace,

And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]

And those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering;*

Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence."**

And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate

And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.

Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated -

Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance.

And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity.

And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind.

And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous."***

Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace.

Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence.

Say, "What would my Lord care for you if not for your supplication?" For you [disbelievers] have denied, so your denial is going to be adherent.

The ayat above are the descriptions of people on whom the effect of knowledge can be seen. 

The life of this dunya cannot be left on autopilot because if that happens, then you’re going down. There needs to be a guide to move you forward to the objective.

It’s important to take a step back, understand where we are, and make sure that we don’t let that moment overwhelm us from the main goal, which is to get closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala & develop a love for Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala in a strong & a perfect way.

This weekly halaqa is an opportunity to remind ourselves weekly (in my case, daily) of how the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam perfected his worship. AE recommended the poetry of Sh. Ammar Alshukry to remind us of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. 

“Sometimes you need a teacher just to push you beyond what you think you can do.” Jibril ‘alayhis salaam pushed the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and because of his persistence, we’re benefitting now from his teachings thousands of years later. AE hopes (& maybe we can make this as well with our own circles) to force us to take the same path--i.e., to get closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala by studying Islam. 

Human nature is to fade away--all one can do is to remind & encourage.

We have to thank Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala because without His Tawfeeq and Blessings, none of this (LP class and other related things) will be possible. We ask Him for sincerity and purity of intention, ameen. 

Stability is very important for any teacher (reminder as well for those who are married & planning to get married to one). AE said he’s teaching the sisters so they can be as good as his wife.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala preserve and continue to bless them, Allahumma ameen.

AE emphasized the importance of the husband supporting the wife in raising the kids after the unfortunate news of a mother trying to raise a hafidh was talked about. 

‘Ilm is one of the best forms of sadaqa jariya. 

Most important lesson for the day is that you have to rise up to the challenge if you want to be a proper Muslim. That means showing incredible endurance & stamina. 

Fiqh is to deeply understand something.

Prophet (salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “Whoever Allah swt wants good for his/her religion; He gives him fiqh in the deen.” 

Fiqh here means "deep stable, quality understanding; an ability to derive; an ability to move out of the mundane; an ability to look at a text which says something & take out something from it; an ability to look at a legal source & derive many legal points & laws for the use of the people.”

As we can see from this, fiqh is a human process and is thus prone to human error. So we have to make sure people don’t take fiqh as serious as they make it, i.e., don’t fight over it.

AE uses this as definition of fiqh: Fiqh is not ‘aqeedah. 

Thus, chill out. ‘Aqeedah, you can’t mess up with it. With fiqh, there are so many ahadith that require a context & differ according to these contexts. It’s a human effort and can be differed over.

The top students will memorize the Arabic text.

Even the longest journey will be made easier with blessed company.