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Prophet Mohammad`s Birth Anniversary: "A Light that Shone in the Hearts of the Believers"
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 26-09-2023

 

Prophet Mohammad`s Birth Anniversary:

"A Light that Shone in the Hearts of the Believers"

 

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the master of the first and the last, the one sent as a mercy to all the worlds, and the leader of the honored prophets, our master Mohammad, and upon his family, companions, followers, and all those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgment:

 

In the blessed atmosphere enveloping the Prophet's noble birth, believers experience moments of deep faith, surrounded by the fragrance of the Beloved, the Chosen one, peace be upon him. In these moments, a spark of the pure prophethood shines upon them, and the radiance spreads from the east to the west of the earth. Allah, the Most High, says, "O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner,- And as one who invites to God’s (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light." {Al-Ahzab, 45-46}.

 

The birth of the Prophet, peace be upon him, was indeed an extraordinary event and a momentous occasion. Humanity had awaited it after a long period of darkness, marked by ignorance and blind misguidance. The advent of the Prophet, the Guide and Bringer of Good News, came to restore balance to humanity and faith to their hearts, dispelling the pitch-black night. Hope for relief often arises after the intensification of hardships.

 

As the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "I am the seal of the prophets, and it is through me that the line of prophets began. Let me tell you about the beginning of this: it was the supplication of my father, Ibrahim, the glad tidings of Isa, and the dream of my mother when she gave birth to me. She saw a light emitting from her that illuminated the palaces of Greater Syria."

 

Indeed, commemorating this blessed occasion signifies the connection of believers with their Prophet, peace be upon him. The light that shone on the day of his birth continues to illuminate hearts with the light of monotheism, love for Allah, love for His Prophet, peace be upon him, and enlightens minds with the guidance, wisdom, and insight. Our mosques come alive with the remembrance of this love, and the practical manifestations of this love are evident in the actions that kindle the flames of hope for the Muslim Ummah. It reminds us that we have a beloved and noble Prophet among us, whose memory never fades, whose light never dims, whose message remains steadfast, and whose call endures unwaveringly.

 

The commemoration of the Noble Prophet's birth is a remembrance of the essence of true Islam. It is a call to honor humanity and spread mercy among people. The Prophet, peace be upon him, came to rectify misconceptions, establish justice among people, and clarify that every human being is dignified, and their sanctity cannot be violated, nor can their honor be diminished, regardless of their religion, color, or ethnicity. This is what Allah, the Most High, emphasized in His saying: "We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation." {Al-Isra, 70}. In fact, it was one of the last instructions given by the Prophet, peace be upon him, in his Farewell Sermon during the Hajj season. He said: "No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; no white person has any superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over a white person; none have superiority over another except by piety." People are all descended from Adam, and Adam was created from dust."

Commemorating this occasion is an opportunity to revive the meanings of mercy in our hearts. It is the very purpose for which the Prophet, peace be upon him, was sent – to be a mercy from Allah, the Almighty, to all of creation. This mercy encompasses the upbringing, purification, education, and guidance of humanity towards the straight path. Allah, the Most High, says, "And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds." {Al-Anbiya, 107}. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "I have only been sent as a gift of mercy."

 

Nowadays, there is a great need to reflect upon these profound meanings of the birth of the Guiding Prophet. He called us to goodness in this world and the Hereafter and advised us to show compassion towards one another. Let us remain a community where brotherhood and love prevail. May his birth anniversary, peace be upon him, be an occasion for us to renew these noble values and to be reminded of the qualities of prophethood. Thus, we may remain as Allah, the Most High, described us: "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah." {Al-Imran, 110}.

 

And all perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for me to eat from the animal that I slaughtered for Allah to protect my family?

It is permissible to eat from the non-vowed animal sacrifice, and the person is rewarded based on the amount of meat that he had given to the poor. However, there is no evidence in Islamic Sharia indicating that slaughtering an animal protects one`s family, but it is a way for thanking Allah, The Almighty, for his grace.

What is the ruling on forgiving a tenant next month's rent, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh al-māl?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It does not fulfill the obligation to count the rent owed on a house, or a portion of it, in lieu of zakāh. Rather, it is necessary to first transfer ownership of the zakāh amount to the poor person directly; only afterward may he be asked to pay the rent [from that money].
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 112): "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]."
We would also remind [the reader] of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him [to harm]. Whoever attends to the needs of his brother, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will attend to his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

I hired a private tutor for my son through an academy that sends teachers [to families] and takes a percentage [of their pay]. At the start of the [new] school year, I arranged directly with that same teacher, without the academy's knowledge. What is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The ruling on this matter depends on knowing the specific terms of the agreement and contract concluded with the academy. If the agreement stipulates that no arrangement may be made with any of the students except through the academy itself, then it is not permissible for you to breach the terms of this contract, based on the words of our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Muslims are bound by their conditions." (Related by al-Bukhārī)
However, if the agreement pertains only to teaching a specific subject, and the agreement concludes once that subject is finished, then there is no objection to arranging with the teacher to teach other subjects after the contract period has ended, outside of the academy.
Whatever the case maybe, the teacher must uphold the terms of his contract with the academy. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.