Articles

Inspirations from Hijrah
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassnat
Date Added : 16-09-2018

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Another lunar year has passed with all its ups and downs and a new one is about to begin, and this is Allah`s Way in this universe. He, The Almighty, Said (What means): "Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns…" [Al-Imran/140].

Whenever Muslims begin a new year, they remember the journey that the Prophet (PBUH) had undertaken and introduced Muslims into the history of humanity. It is his blessed migration or journey from Mecca to Yathrib, later renamed by him to Medina, that took its light from his (PBUH) and from there the ray of the light of guidance illuminated the whole universe which was living in sheer darkness.

It is true that Yathrib was living in darkness, but once the Prophet (PBUH) arrived, it over shined. To the people of that city, his face was more beautiful than a full moon in a dark night, so they sang the welcoming song "Tala Al Badru Alyna".  The light of Islam has emerged with his arrival and will continue to spread by the blessings of Allah, The Almighty, Who Said (What means): "Their intention is to extinguish God’s Light (by blowing) with their mouths: But God will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it)." [As-Saf/8].

 

Hijrah was a turning point in the history of Islamic Dawa (Calling/Inviting people to Islam) and the Arab Nation. Not only that, it was also a turning point in the history of all humankind that was experiencing darkness, persecution, classism, in addition to moral and financial corruption. Humanity was looking for a way out of this dilemma. When Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) arrived, he freed people from slavery. They have become slaves only to their creator. They started working and became more productive. They moved from illiteracy to literacy. His achievements during the few years that he had spent in Medina were outweighed thousands of years in the lives of other nations. In those years, Islam was put to the test; it proved that religion isn`t about words or slogans. Rather, it is about reviving humanity and building the universe. 

 

This Hijrah led to the establishment of an Islamic state whose accomplishments gained the respect of other nations; even enemies. One enemy once said: "History hasn`t experienced a conqueror who is more merciful than the Muslim Arabs." Muslims are the holders of a Universal Message; a message of love and mercy to all humanity; as reflected in the following verse, whereas it states (What means): "We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures." [Al-Anbiya/107].

 

Our mentor and role model is Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who had never avenged himself on anyone. Since he cared for all his people. He prayed that Allah guides and forgives them. Upon his return to Mecca, he said, indicating how valuable homeland is: "You are the closest land to my heart. Hadn`t your people driven me out, I wouldn`t have left." During his stay in Medina, he kept longing to Mecca. He kept imagining its hills and mountains. He remained in this state until Allah, The Exalted, blessed him with conquering it.

 

Despite being persecuted along with his companions at the hands of the disbelievers of Mecca, despite being fought in Badr and Uhud and despite them (disbelievers) having broken their vows and covenants, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) forgave them, because he was a conqueror of hearts; not fortresses, minds; not bodies. He proved to be the Messenger of love and mercy. He said to them "You are free to go."

Given the different tragedies that our world is witnessing, we are in dire need to apply the teachings of our role model Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) for it is only through love and mercy that we can open hearts and minds.

 

Nowadays, the Muslim nation is experiencing moments of weakness similar to those, which the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions had in Mecca. However, this didn`t break them; despair couldn`t infiltrate into their hearts or souls, because they had trust in Allah. They had deep conviction that after hardship comes ease. In fact, exercising patience during trial is an act of worship for which a Muslim is rewarded. Also, doing one`s best to facilitate for that ease to come is, in itself, an act of worship. Abu Hurairah (May Allah Be Pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "If anyone relieves a Muslim believer from one of the hardships of this worldly life, Allah will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection….." [Moslim].

A true believer is one who combines action with hope, and never gives up on God`s mercy. Allah, The Almighty, Said (What means): "God has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ’They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. ’If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked." [An-Nur/55].

 

Allah and His apostle have spoken the truth; yes, we have to do our best and hope that Allah blesses us with success. Undoubtedly, Allah will never fail a nation whose Messenger is Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). We pray that the Prophet (PBUH) intercedes for us with Allah, the Almighty, at the Day of Judgment. We pray that He, the Exalted, spares us all afflictions and showers us with peace and stability, and makes us amongst those who will join the Prophet (PBUH) on the Day of Resurrection. And all perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the validity of the formula for sending blessings upon our master Muḥammad ﷺ: *"Allāhumma ṣalli wa sallim wa bārik ‘alā sayyidinā Muḥammad wa ‘alā ālihi, ‘adada kamāli-Llāhi wa kamā yalīqu bikamālihi"* ("O Allah, send blessings, peace, and grace upon our master Muḥammad and his family, by the number of Allah's perfection, and as befits His perfection")?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is permissible to send blessings upon our master, the Prophet ﷺ, using the formula mentioned in the question, since sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ is an act of devotion legislated in its basic essence, without a specific prescribed wording required outside of the formal prayer itself. It is therefore valid to perform it outside of prayer using any formula. This particular formula involves multiplying the blessings sent upon the Chosen Prophet ﷺ to the number of the perfections of Allah, the Exalted — which are limitless — so that, by Allah's permission, its reward and benefit never cease.
The meaning of "the number of Allah's perfection" is that it is without limit, making the blessings sent boundless, corresponding to His perfection, Glorified is He, which cannot be enumerated or counted. This formula is analogous to the words of our Greatest Prophet ﷺ, as related in the authentic ḥadīth narrated by Imam Muslim: the Prophet ﷺ said to Sayyidah Juwayriyyah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā): "Indeed, I said four phrases after you [left], three times, which, if weighed against everything you have said since this morning, would outweigh them: Subḥān Allāhi wa biḥamdihi, ‘adada khalqihi, wa riḍā nafsihi, wa zinata ‘arshihi, wa midāda kalimātihi" (Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him, by the number of His creation, by His pleasure, by the weight of His Throne, and by the extent of His words). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on a person in a state of major impurity (junub) or a menstruating woman (ha'id) reciting the Quran from memory?

It is not permissible for a menstruating woman, a postpartum woman, or a person in a state of major impurity to recite anything from the Quran, whether from memory, from the Quran, from a phone, or a computer. It is also not permissible for them to touch the Quran, based on what was reported from Ali bin Abi Talib that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not prevented from anything regarding the Quran except major impurity (janabah). (Reported by al-Tirmidhi who said it is a hasan sahih hadith). Menstruation and postpartum bleeding are analogous to major impurity (janabah) as they are all major impurities (hadath akbar).
For those mentioned, it is permissible to mention Allah and supplicate even with verses from the Quran, provided they do not intend them as recitation of the Quran, but intend them as remembrance (dhikr) or supplication (du'a). And Allah the Almighty knows best.

A group of about thirty young men will go to a farm on Friday. Is it permissible for one of us to deliver the sermon (*khuṭbah*) and lead us in the Friday prayer, or is it necessary to go to the nearest mosque?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Friday prayer (Jumuʿah) is not obligatory upon a traveler, whether his journey is long or short, if he leaves his place of residence before the time of Fajr begins, according to the Shāfiʿī school. If, however, he sets out on his journey after the Fajr adhān, then he is obliged to perform the Friday prayer, whether in his own town or in any town where the Friday prayer is held.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm (Vol.1/p.383), one of the books of the Shāfiʿī school: “[The Friday prayer] is not obligatory upon a traveler on a permissible journey, whether long or short, if he departs from his place of residence before dawn.” End quote.
Accordingly, if you set out on your journey after Fajr, you are obliged to perform the Friday prayer in the mosque. The same applies if you set out after that, since you would not have fulfilled the conditions for the validity of the Friday prayer, among them: that it be attended by forty men who are free, adult (bāligh), sane, and settled residents of the place where Friday is held. It must be held within a cluster of connected buildings, whether a city, a village, or a district (liwāʾ), for what counts is the gathering of the buildings. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on applying perfume before entering the state of ihram

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Applying some perfume (ṭīb) before entering the state of iḥrām does not affect the validity of the Ihram, even if its trace remains after the iḥrām has begun. Indeed, it is sunnah for the pilgrim performing Ḥajj or ʿUmrah to perfume himself before iḥrām.
The scholar Nawawī al-Jāwī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The third of them is applying perfume to the body shortly before it, that is, before iḥrām, whether the one entering iḥrām is male or otherwise, young or old, married or unmarried. The recommendation applies after performing the ritual bath (ghusl), and it is fulfilled with any perfume whatsoever, though the best is musk, mixed with rose water or the like. There is no objection to the perfume remaining on the body after iḥrām; however, if a woman becomes bound by the mourning observance (iḥdād) after entering iḥrām, she must remove it. As for perfuming the garment, it is merely permissible, not recommended, according to the reliable position (al-muʿtamad). But if one removes his perfumed garment while the scent is still present in it and then wears it again, he is liable for the fidyah (expiation).” [Nihāyat al-Zayn, Vol.1/212]. And Allah Almighty knows best.