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If a Man Fights or Abuses him, he should Say: "I`m Fasting. I`m Fasting"
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 02-11-2022

If a Man Fights or Abuses him, he should Say: "I`m Fasting. I`m Fasting"

 

The advancement of nations lies in their good morals. One poet once said:

Nations live as long as morals do. When their virtues die nations do.

Morals are one pillar of magnanimity. Al-Shafie (May Allah have mercy on him) said: Magnanimity has four pillars: good manners, humility, generosity and asceticism.

Allah The Almighty Has Combined all virtues and perfections in our role model, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) where He Said (What means): "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." [Al-Kalam/4].

 

One of the best examples in this regard is the story of the Bedouin who came to the Prophet and said to him: "O Muhammad, give me some of Allah's wealth that you have with you. It doesn`t belong to your father nor mother." The Prophet turned to him and said: "Indeed. The wealth is Allah`s, the earth is Allah`s, and the people are the servants of Allah." Obviously, the Prophet`s response indicates patience and forbearance. However, after the Prophet ordered some food for that Bedouin, he politely held him accountable for his harsh language. Then the Bedouin said: "How could you reprimand me for offending you while Allah Said about You (What means): "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." In fact, people vary as far as good morals are concerned. Not harming others and treating neighbors with kindness indicate beautiful morals. 

 

Even more beautiful than this is exercising patience and forbearance when harmed by others. Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." [Al-Bukhari]. 

 

The one who stands on an exalted standard of character is patient, forbearing, and controls himself in a fit of rage. In addition to this, he is forgiving and turns away from the ignorant. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is one who controls himself in a fit of rage." [Al-Bukhari].

 

Allah the Almighty has clarified that the person of great moral character is the one who can-with his ability and kindness-repel rage with patience, ignorance with forbearance, and abuse with forgiveness. Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become, as it were thy friend and intimate! And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, - none but persons of the greatest good fortune." [Fussilat/34-35].

Definitely, goodness and evil can`t be equal. Rather, there is a huge difference between them in the reward (Repel (Evil) with what is better). A divine guidance to repel evil with what is better. Ibn Abbas (May Allah be leased with them) said: "Repel ignorance with patience. Repel (Evil) with what is better refers to maintaining the relation with him who severed the relation with you, showing kindness to him who abused you, and being patient with the ignorant. If you do all of these things, then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!. This elevated rank is only bestowed upon the most blessed."

 

In addition, once Al-Ahnaf was walking to his village, a vulgar man followed him and kept shouting insults against him. The Ahnaf kept silent and never looked at that man until he became close to the village. Then he said to him to take out whatever insults are left against him because that if a member of Al-Ahnaf`s hears him then he will be in big trouble. The man stopped for a moment, grew a conscience, started sweating and felt greatly ashamed, rushed towards Al-Ahnaf kissing his hands, crying, saying that he was sorry, and asking to be forgiven and pledged before Allah not to insult anyone again.

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Does sacrificing one sheep avail for the entire household?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is a communal Sunnah (Sunnah Kifayah) for members of the same household, provided that their financial maintenance is undertaken by a single provider. By "communal Sunnah," we mean that when one person performs it, the religious recommendation is fulfilled on behalf of the entire household, though the spiritual reward itself belongs uniquely to the one who offered it.
 
Therefore, if any member of the household performs the sacrifice—even if it is someone who is not legally responsible for the household's expenses, such as the wife or one of the children—the recommendation is fulfilled for everyone in that home. However, the reward does not automatically extend to the other members unless the person offering the sacrifice explicitly intends to share the reward with them—similar to how performing a funeral prayer (Janazah) fulfills the communal obligation for everyone, yet the specific reward is earned by those who actually prayed.
 
Additionally, a single sacrifice is sufficient for a man who is married to more than one wife. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on compensating the patient in case of medical error on the part of the treating physician?

 
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The foundational principle is that every mistake issued by a physician that causes harm to another due to his negligence or lack of expertise obligates him to guarantee liability and compensate the harmed party. The Sharia maxim, in this regard, states: "The direct actor is liable."
 
Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "As for if he was skilled but his hand committed an error—such as exceeding the proper limit of incision, cutting in an incorrect site, cutting with an instrument that inflicts excessive pain, or cutting at an unsuitable time—he is liable, because it is destruction (Itlaf) whose liability does not differ between intent and mistake, thus resembling the destruction of property; and because it is a prohibited act, so he guarantees liability for its secondary effects." [Al-Mughni].
 
However, if the physician performed what was necessary in the most complete manner and took all measures of care and caution, but complications occurred that could not be avoided according to specialists, then no liability rests upon him.
 
Shaykh al-Islam Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "The cupper and the circumciser bear no liability if they have not been negligent, and likewise the veterinarian if he bleeds an animal and it perishes." [Rawdat al-Talibin].
 
Al-Khattabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "I know of no disagreement that if the practitioner transgresses and the patient perishes, he is liable. Anyone who undertakes knowledge or practice he does not know is a transgressor; so if perishing arises from his action, he is liable for the blood-money (Diyah) while capital retaliation (Qisas) is dropped from him, because he did not act independently without the patient's permission. And the physician’s offense in the view of the generality of jurists is borne by his agnates ('Aqilah*)."* [Ma'alim al-Sunan].
 
If negligence or transgression is established against the physician, it is necessary to compensate the patient or seek forgiveness from him. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is required of one who doubts the number of rakʿāt during prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a person doubts the number of rakʿāt he has prayed, he should build upon the lesser number, as that is what he is certain of. He should then perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) before the final salām at the end of the prayer. ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When any one of you is in doubt during his prayer and does not know whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, let him pray one more rakʿah and then perform two prostrations while seated before the salām. If the rakʿah he prayed was a fifth, these two prostrations will make it even; and if it was the fourth, then the two prostrations serve as a humiliation for the devil." (Reported by Abū Dāwūd.)
It is stated in al-Muqaddimah al-Ḥaḍramiyyah — one of the foundational texts of the Shāfiʿī school: "If one doubts whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, he is obliged to build upon the lesser number."
However, if such doubt recurs repeatedly and reaches the level of obsessive whispering (waswasah), he should not build upon the lesser number in that case — rather, he should build upon the greater number. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on following the actions of the imam in prayer and how this following is achieved?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The follower (ma'mum) is required to follow his imam in the actions of the prayer. This "following" (mutaba'ah) means that the follower performs each action of the prayer after the imam has begun it but before he has finished it. For example, the follower bows (in ruku') after the imam has reached the position of bowing, then rises after the imam has risen. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir; and when he bows, then bow; and when he prostrates, then prostrate" (agreed upon, i.e., reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim).
It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (1/505): "Among the conditions of valid congregational prayer (iqtida') is following the imam in the actions of the prayer... meaning that following the imam is obligatory in the physical actions of the prayer, not in its verbal utterances... Complete following (kamal al-mutaba'ah) is achieved when the follower's beginning of an action comes after the imam's beginning of that same action, while the follower's beginning of the action precedes the imam's completion of it" — end of quote, with slight paraphrasing.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.