Benefits of Surah al-Jumu’ah for the Student of Knowledge

Follow @AhleDhikr By Shaykh Sa’d bin Naasir ash-Shithree [May Allaah Preserve him]

If the student of knowledge reflects on some of the final Surah’s of the Quraan he will find great benefits and lessons on the methodology that the student of knowledge must adopt when trying to seek knowledge and how one can be turned away from gaining knowledge. One of these Surah’s is Surah al-Jumu’ah.

1. Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah, the King (of everything), the Holy, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

The Surah begins with Praise and Glorification of Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified. Regardless of the situation of man, Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, remains free from any imperfection and the opposite of imperfect, which is perfection, is affirmed for Him, and this is the meaning of Tasbeeh in the beginning of the Surah.

The Surah then goes on to state:

2. He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad ) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur'an, Islamic laws and Islamic jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad ). And verily, they had been before in mainfest error;

Meaning, we were all misguided until Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, sent to us a Messenger teaching us and giving us knowledge. Therefore, the student of knowledge must pay attention to this point, we are all ignorant and giving thanks to Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, for teaching us is extremely important, and actin upon the knowledge were learn, otherwise we will fall into the way of those who came before us who didn’t appreciate this favour. 

The Messenger of Allaah [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] was sent to the believers, he raised their status, but those who have knowledge from them are even more elevated because of the virtue of having knowledge. So the next Aayah says…

3. And He has sent him (Prophet Muhammad ) also to others among them (Muslims) who have not yet joined them (but they will come). And He (Allah) is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

4. That is the Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is the Owner of Mighty Grace.

Meaning, knowledge is a Favour and Blessing from Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, and we don’t know anything except by His Will and Favour upon us. 

5. The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurat (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its legal laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example (or the likeness) of people who deny the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah. And Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.).

Then Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, goes on to describe those who came before us and didn’t give thanks for the blessings of knowledge. They were given knowledge and they disrespected it, or they mocked the rulings that Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, commanded them with, or they sought loop-holes in what they were prohibited with, or they failed to act upon the knowledge that they were given or they failed to enjoin good or forbid evil by it. All in all, they didn’t give thanks to Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, for teaching them thus they became like the parable of a donkey carrying books, therefore they didn’t benefit from having knowledge.

6. Say (O Muhammad ): "O you Jews! If you pretend that you are friends of Allah, to the exclusion of (all) other mankind, then long for death if you are truthful."

Meaning, Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, is challenging those who sought knowledge but without any sincerity for Allaah nor did they act upon it, so when death comes, their knowledge will not benefit them as they lacked in their level of Tawheed and sincerity to Allaah and they had no deeds to back up their knowledge. 

7. But they will never long for it (death), because of what (deeds) their hands have sent before them! And Allah knows well theZalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.).

8. Say (to them): "Verily, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to (Allah), the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will tell you what you used to do."

Meaning, they will never ask for death as they were not sincere. As for the student of knowledge, he seeks knowledge for the sake of Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, and he seeks His Reward by it, by acting upon it and staying away from His Punishments and what He has Prohibited us from doing. Therefore, the student of knowledge is sincere, humble and active and not insincere, ungrateful to his Lord, proud and lazy.

9.  O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu'ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu'ah religious talk (Khutbah) andSalat (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you if you did but know!

Now the attention is turned to the student of knowledge. Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, has explained how He has Sent a Messenger as a favour upon us and the negligence of the people before us when Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, Sent to them a Messenger and a book to teach them. So in this Aayah, the student of knowledge is directly addressed. 

Oh you who believe, oh you student of knowledge, when the call is made, leave off your worldly activities and come to the remembrance of Allaah, and remembrance in this Aayah refers to eh Khutbah of Jumu’ah. So the student of knowledge is not heavily busied with the Dunya and his time is proportioned for seeking knowledge. 

Therefore, this day, the day of Friday has become day of seeking knowledge for everyone, whether they are a student of knowledge or not. So when the call is made, come to the Masjid and listen to the Khutbah attentively, without talking and paying attention.

10. Then when the (Jumu'ah) Salat (prayer) is finished, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah (by working, etc.), and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.

Meaning, the student of knowledge must be sincere in the time he seeks knowledge and the time when he is away from his studies. So when he disperses throughout the land, he seeks the bounty of Allaah, the Exalted and the Glorified, in the various ways it may come. Either he seeks food and drink which will help him gain strength to gain more knowledge or he disperses through the land benefitting others with the knowledge he has learned.

11. And when they see some merchandise or some amusement [beating of Tambur (drum) etc.] they disperse headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad ) standing [while delivering Jumu'ah'sreligious talk (Khutbah)]. Say "That which Allah has is better than any amusement or merchandise! And Allah is the Best of providers." 

This Surah finishes with a warning for the student of knowledge, meaning, if he is not sincere in the knowledge he learns then you could be considered as one of those who leave the Messenger standing. Therefore, be sincere in seeking knowledge and then Allaah will teach you, as He is the best of Providers.

Also in this Aayah is a lesson for the student of knowledge to pay attention to what he does with time and leave what doesn’t benefit him.
[Taken from lecture, ‘Naseehah li at-Tulaab al-‘Ilm, 27/9/1433]

Removing Impurities: Number of Washes (Part 2)

Follow @AhleDhikr If a place becomes impure, it is sufficient to wash it once if the impurities is removed completely.

Al-‘Uthaymeen states that there is no set amount but once is enough, as long as all impurities have been removed. If not, then one must increase until it has been totally gotten rid of. The evidence for this is the Hadeeth of the bedioun man who urinated in the Masjid of the Prophet and the Prophet commanded, “Pour water over the urine”  [al-Bukhaaree (220) and Muslim (284)] without setting an amount.

-If the cause of the impurity is something physical, then the physically aspect of impurity must be removed (and whatever is around it if it has been effected) and then the place washed until all aspects of impurities have been removed.  

The Hanbalees have stated the minimum washing is seven, for all types of impurities that are not on the ground (and a minimum of three wipes for Istinjaa). They stated that there must be seven separate washings, meaning one washes and then squeezes out the water and then washes it again and repeats this seven times.

Al-Uthaymeen states however the correct opinion is that impurities are removed without there being a specific number, unless there is evidence to suggest so.

[ash-Sharh al-Mumti' 1/415]

And Allah Knows Best

Chapter: Prohibition of Annoying One's Neighbour

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It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessing be upon him) observed:

He will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not secure from his wrongful conduct.

Benefit taken from an-Nawawi:

-"They will not enter" that appears in Hadeeth mean they will not enter in the beginning but will eventually enter, however their reckoning is under the Will of Allaah

[Sharh Muslim 2/23]

And Allaah Knows Best

Fitnah al-Maal: Allaah Can Avert Anxiety in a Matter of Moments (Part 30)

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How many instances are there in which we are left bewildered by the Wisdom of Allaah and how He Controls the provisions of His Slaves where wealth gets exchanged from one person to another in a matter of a few moments?

About Banoo Quraythaa, Allaah, the Most High, Says:

“And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden (before). And Allah is Able to do all things.” [al-Ahzaab 33:27]

Banoo Quraytha had a pact with the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him], however in this particular battle, the level of fear and desperation reached its peak. They were faced by the enemy from all directions. The Quraysh, Banee Ghatafaan and their allies from the Arabs had gathered and surrounded al-Madeenah. From within, the hypocrites and the Jews were plotting and planning against the Muslims also. 

Within the midst of this standoff with the Mushriks, the Jews from inside al-Madeenah broke their pact and proved treacherous. Added to all of this, the nights were long and cold as it occurred during the winter. Not only did they have rations in their provisions, but their morale and ability was severely tested. 

The Aid of Allaah came upon them all of a sudden - a cold, barren wind was sent upon Quraysh and their allies and they were forced to disperse. Once this threat had ceased, the Prophet and his Companions were then able to focus their attention to the Jews who had broken their treaty. They surrounded Banee Quraythaa, and without even a battle, just as they were surrounded by the Muhsriks of Arabia, they went into Banee Quraytha and took the wealth and the riches of the Jews without a single skirmish. 

The Muslims from a sense of weakness were given power and honour in a matter of moments. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon] asked the leader of Ansaar, Sa’d bin Mu’aadth [may Allaah be Pleased with him] to make a ruling on their captives.

“And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden (before). And Allah is Able to do all things.” [al-Ahzaab 33:27]

Trials: between promise of victory and despair

Follow @AhleDhikr Imaam Shams ad-Deen Aboo Abdullah Muhammad bin Aboo Bakr Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:

Whoever Allaah has created to go Jannah, it will not cease that he will be trailed with what Allaah has forbidden. The believer is made resolute and steadfast by the greatest of tests, he doesn’t cease gaining benefit from it and you will never find him complaining about what he has been afflicted with. To keep your difficulties personal to yourself and not proclaim your sorrows are from the habits of the Prophets. They did not pass away except that their bodies were exhausted with what they were tried with. So the trials you are faced with is made easy by the promise of reward and that your despair is removed because you know this, you have no complaints. You should always remember; whatever you are due, none can prevent and that which you are tested with is a protected for you and there is no test except that it purifies you. 

Fawaaid, Pg. 32

Imaam Aboo Faraj Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Hasan Ibn Jawzee al-Hanbalee said:

There is nothing more difficult for those who will be questioned to attain, except patience in what has been decreed. And there is no greater pleasure for the one who has attained it.

Sayd al-Khaatir Pg. 91

From the Very First Innovations...

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Ash-Sharbeenee (may Allah have Mercy on him) said:

At the time of the Salaf, in the mornings the pavements used to be filled with people making their way to the Masjid with lanterns, because they use to leave for the Jumu’ah during/before the darkness of al-Fajr. From the very first innovations that occurred in this Ummah was the abandonment of heading out early to the Jumu’ah. End quote.

[as-Siraaj al-Muneer (4/289)]

Chapter: Removing Impurities: Definition of Najaasah (Part 1)

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-There is a difference between removing ritual impurities (الطهارة) and removing physical impurities (النجاسة).

-al-Khubth (الخبث) is whatever the Sharee’ah has a dislike for.

-Physical impurities or Najasah is of two types: that which is possible to clean and that which is impossible to clean, such as dogs and pigs.

Therefore, Nasajah is of three levels:

                -Extreme impurity (مغلظة)

                -Moderate impurity (متوسطة)

                -Light impurity (مخففة)

[ash-Sharh al-Mumti' 1/414] 

And Allaah Knows best.

Chapter: Eman and Loving Your Brother

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It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed:

"None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother" - or he said "for his neighbour" - "that which he loves for himself."

Benefits taken from Imaam an-Nawawi:

-loving for your brother means loving for him acts of obedience or having the good of what is Mubaah.

-Ibn Salaah states that this is easy to perfect for the one who doesn't seek to reduce the favours of his brothers, so it's easy for the one who has a clean heart but difficult for the one who has a heart which is tainted.

[Sharh Muslim 2/21-22]

And Allah Knows Best

Fitnah al-Maal: Increase Provision By Admitting Your Weakness to Allaah (Part 29)

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Likewise from the greatest means of bringing about provision is to supplicate sincerely to Him. Ask Him and supplicate to Him to Give you, that He Assists you in paying off your debts, that He Gives you wealth and the guidance with it so that you may worship Him.

“so seek your provision from Allah (Alone)” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17]

And,

“and ask Allah of His Bounty.” [an-Nisaa 4:32]

One of the names of the Lord of all Glory and Might is al-Kareem, meaning He is the Generous One. He responds to those who supplicate to Him.

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad  ) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” [al-Baqarah 2:186]

And,

“And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation).” [Ghaafir 40:60]

So if something is made easy for him, he should try to become an expert in it

Follow @AhleDhikr Question: I have read that some of the scholars of Hadeeth classified Aboo Haneefah as being weak in Hadeeth as he was from the Fuqahaa that were Murji’ah and that his Fiqh differed and contradicted from the authentic Ahadeeth. To the extent, some of them said that Aboo Haneefah didn’t accept the Sunnah, so after all this, how is he an Imaam?

Answer: He has been described as Imaam al-‘Adham. As for his view on the issue of Eemaan then his views are incorrect and rejected, and the statements of the scholars are well known. Yet he still remains to be classed as an Imaam and a Mujtahid. If he is correct he has two rewards and if he makes a mistake he has one reward. As for him being weak then there is no doubt that his memorisation is one thing and that the ruling of his ability to derive rulings is another thing. Therefore he has been classed as having bad memorisation yet he remains to be as those who have insight, he is an Imaam who can extract and derive rulings. If one says: he is not to be considered if this is his condition then he remains to be an Imaam. He is an Imaam in the areas of the religion.

Throughout the Muslim lands the Muslims recite from the narration of ‘Asim despite there being some reservations of his memorisation. To the extent that if  some of the Rawafid discredit him and they say that how can one whos memorisation has been classed as being poor be depending on in his reciaition, moreover he is even classed as weak in hadeeth? We say: He is an Imaam in reciatation and this science of Quraan was made easy for him. Therefore if one wants to learn Quraan then he will go to the people who are renowned for knowing their Quraan and being experts in it, firmly grounded and precise, despite them being not so firm in other fields or scinces.

Aboo Haneefah was an Imaam in Fiqh, his ability to derive, he was strong in his ability to derive. He was strong in his level of knowledge despite his memorisation being questionable. This is similar to what we just talked about. If a person someone opens this chapter then we close this chapter upon him, he is an Imaam in what he was able to do and in what he accomplished. As for anything else, then he is just a normal person. Similarly, ‘Aasim was an Imaam in recitation and nobody doubts this, he was an Imaam, accurate and precise. This is the reality. He was an example in this field. Meaning, if someone has poor memorisation and then he find, like we do with some of the Imaams of the masjids, they are able to recite the whole of the Quraan in the same manner as they recite the Faatihah, no mistakes whatsoever, we find this, however if you ask him to narrate Umadat al-Ahkaam from his memory, you may find mistakes from the very beginning. Even if he studied it for years! This is because this isn’t his speciality, his speciality is in Quraan. And some are the opposite of this. Meaning, a person may memorised all of the sciences in the world, yet you will find mistakes in some of these sciences.

So it is upon the person to account himself, be content with what Allaah has made easy for him, so if something is made easy for him, he should try to become an expert in it, or an Imaam. For example, let’s take medicine as an example, some may memorise the books of medicine in the various languages they are written in, he is precise in his studies, he is accurate however if you ask him to memorise Nawawee’s forty hadeeth, he’s not able, why? Because it hasn’t been made easy for him, it’s not his speciality. So if you give this importance then you will gain a result, you will be successful, however, if you give importance to what isn’t important for you, then you won’t be successful, so you need to review yourself.

Sharh Al-Fiyyah al-‘Iraaqee Fee Uloom al-Hadeeth by Shaykh Abdul-Kareem bin Abdullah al-Khudayr [May Allaah Preserve him], Tape 20 120-125 minutes

A Virtue Not Given to Many Others

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Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allaah have Mercy on him) said:

Hastening to the Jumu’ah is something specific to our Sharee’ah … other nations don’t share this virtue … (a party of) the Jews have been described as corrupting knowledge, being miserly (by using knowledge to get financial gains) and in having outright jealousy for this Ummah (thus are diverted from the virtues of al-Jumu'ah).

[Al-Fatawaa 6-405/406]

How to make Tayammum - Conclusion (Part 29)

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NOTE: following what is apparent (الظاهر) is the thumb-rule, unless if you have evidence to suggest that the apparent is not intended. 

This is in relation to Fiqh, however in matters of creed or ‘Aqeedah then there is no room to make Qiyaas or to use our intellects. 

In summary, one makes at-Tayammum by the following steps:

-He forms an intention.

-He beats the earth once.

-He wipes over his whole face.

-He wipes over his hands, the palm over the outer part of the other.

It is recommended that a person blows the earth that he has on his hand with his breathe because this has been described in the Sunnah [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (338) and Muslim (347)], however some of the scholars have stated that this only the case if he has a lot of earth on his hands. 

End of Tayammum.

[ash-Sharh al-Mumti' 1/413]

And Allaah Knows best.

Chapter: The Obligation to Love the Messenger Before Anyone Else

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It is reported on the authority of Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

No bondsman believes, and, in the hadith narrated by Abdul Warith, no person believes, till I am dearer to him than the members of his household, his wealth and the whole of mankind.

Benefits taken from an-Nawawi
-al-Khattaabi said what's meant is not a natural form of love (such as loving a family member) but a love which seeks to acquire, and this can only be brought about by obedience of him. 

-Ibn Battaal and Qadhee said love is of three types: 
A love of compassion (such as loving ones children merely because of the attachment) 
B. love of magnifying (such as loving parents merely because of respect for them)

C. love which includes both, this is what is included in loving the prophet. 

-Ibn Battaal said loving the prophet more than anything else is from Kamaal al-Emaan, because the prophet has a greater right to be loved above all else. 
-Qaadhee said (in explaining the above) loving the Prophet means we love him, support him and his Sunnah, protect his Sharee'ah and we put him above anything else. One's Emaan can't be completed until all of this practiced.

[Sharh Muslim 2/20-21]

TN: Shaykh 'Abdul-'Aziz ar-Raajihee makes a few important points:
-loving Allaah and His Messneger is a pillar of Emaan, without it, a person is a Kaafir.
-what's being discussed here is loving the prophet above everything else, not the essence of love for him, thus loving is of degrees and the more one has of love him (above everything else), the more complete his Emaan is.  
-a person who loves others or other things more than the love of the prophet, is deficient in his love and his Emaan, but his Emaan isn't completely negated as he still loves Allah and His Messenger.
-one negates loving Allaah and His Messenger by doing clear acts of Kufr or Shirk or loving to obey others beside Allaah and His Messenger.

(Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Book of Emaan, chapter of loving the Prophet is from Emaan)

And Allaah Knows Best