Reactions to Calamity

Q: What is the ruling on one who becomes discontented when he is afflicted by calamity?

A: In times of calamity, people divide into four different levels:

The First Level: Discontent and there are different types of discontent:

1. In the heart, as if he is angry with his Lord, and so he rails against what Allāh has ordained for him, and this is forbidden and could even lead to disbelief. Allāh, the Most High, says:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ اطْمَأَنَّ بِهِ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ انقَلَبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ

“And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter.” (Al-Hajj 22:11)

2. That it is spoken, such as invoking woe, destruction and the like and this is forbidden.

3. That it is physical, such as striking the cheeks, tearing the clothes and pulling out the hair and the like, and all of this is forbidden, because it negates the patience which is required.

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The Names and Attributes of Allaah

Q: What is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allaah? And what is the difference between a Name and an Attribute? And does confirming the Name necessitate confirming the Attribute? And does confirming the Attribute necessitate confirming the Name?

A: The belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah regarding the Names and Attributes of Allaah is to confirm the Names and Attributes which Allaah has confirmed for Himself, without distorting the meaning, without negating it, without explaining how and without comparison.

The difference between a Name and an Attribute is that a Name is something by which Allaah has named Himself, and an Attribute is something by which Allaah has described Himself and there is a clear difference between them.

A Name is considered to be an appellation by which Allaah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful is known, and which implies an Attribute; and confirming a Name entails confirming the Attribute, for example:

“Verily, Allaah is Ghafoor (the Most Forgiving), Raheem (the Most Merciful).”

and the Name:

“Ghafoor”

necessitates confirming the Attribute of Forgiveness, while the Name:

“Raheem”

necessitates confirming the Attribute of Mercy.

But confirming an Attribute does not necessitate confirming a Name, for example, the Attribute of Al-Kalam (speech) does not necessitate that we confirm for Allaah the name: Al-Mutakallim (the Speaker); and based upon this, the Attributes are greater in number, because every Name necessitates an Attribute, but not every Attribute necessitates a Name.

• Transcribed from: Fatawa Arkaan-ul-Islam, Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam, Volume 1, Creed and Prayer – Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen

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“Resting is Being at the Service of the Muslims”

Concerning the Imaam, the Shaykh – Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (rahima-hullaah), it has been narrated by Shaykh Badr ibn Naadir al-Mashaaree:

“Despite the ill-health of the Shaykh, he was steadfast in delivering the Jumu’ah khutbah in al-Jaami’ al-Kabeer and leading the prayers and meeting the people to answer their questions and enquiries; All this in spite of what he was going through himself, such that it was said to him: “Rest yourself O Shaykh”, to which he replied: “Resting is in being at the service of the Muslims”.”

• ad-Durr ath-Thameen fee Tarjamti Faqeehil-Ummah al-‘Allaamah ibn ‘Uthaymeen – Page 296
• Retrieved from: Fatwa Online

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Ikhlas (Sincerity)

Q: What is the meaning of Ikhlas? And what if the worshipper desired to worship something else, what is the ruling?

A: Ikhlas towards Allah means that by his worship, a person intends to draw closer to Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High, and to gain access to the Abode of His Generosity (i.e. Paradise). If someone desired something other than this by his worship, then that requires elaboration in accordance with the following categories:

1. That he desires to draw closer to other than Allah by this worship, and to be praised for it by his fellow-creatures, this renders the deed in vain and it is a form of Shirk. It is reported in an authentic Hadith on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said that Allah the Most High said:

“I am the One Who does not stand in need of any partners. If anyone performs a deed in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him and his Shirk.” (1)

2. That he intends to achieve some worldly gain, such as leadership, rank or wealth, without intending to get closer to Allah, the Most High, this action of his is in vain and it does not bring him closer to Allah, the Most High, according to the Words of Him, Most High:

Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And no effect is that which they used to do.

(Al Hud 11: 15-16)

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Heedless Hearts

Point of Benefit from the Tafseer of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen Raheemahullaah

He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

“When you see that your time is passing by, and your age is going, and you are not in a schedule of something beneficial, nor praiseworthy, and you don’t see the blessings in the time you spend, then be cautioned! [be cautioned] that the Word of Allaah has caught you, [and that is His statement]:

وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا

“…and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.” [Kahf : 28]

Meaning:

His affairs have been dispersed and were lost : there is no blessing [of goodness] in him.

And it should be known that some people might be remembering Allaah, but he remembers Him with a heedless heart: and therefore it can barely be of benefit.

Retrieved from: AlBaseerah Forums

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The Middle Course

Q. What is meant by the middle course in religious matters?

A. The middle course in religious matters means that a person should not be excessive, exceeding the limits set by Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, nor be deficient, by not fulfilling what Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High has ordained.

The middle course in religious matters is to hold fast to the way of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam, while excess in religious matters is to exceed it, and deficiency is not to attain it.

An example of this is that a man says: I want to stand for the night prayer and I will not sleep any of the time, because prayer is one of the best forms of worship, so I love to spend all the night in prayer. We say: This is excess in the religion of Allah, and it is not right, for something like this happened during the life of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam: A number of people met and one of them said: I stand in prayer and I do not sleep, while another said: I fast and I do not break my fast, while a third said: I do not marry women. The Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam was informed of this and he salAllahu alayhi wa sallam said:

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Shaykh Uthaymeen (Rahimahullaah) – His Humbleness

Dr. Saleh As-Saleh (rahimahullaah) relays a story about his shaykh, rahimahullaah; the video follows to play the actual audio of this event. MashaAllaah tabarrakAllaah.

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‘Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymeen!…’

Concerning the Imaam, the Shaykh – Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (rahima-hullaah), it has been narrated:

“A member of the Daâ’wah and Guidance Centre in Jeddah narrates that during the hajj of 1416A.H, he was in the company of the Shaykh at King ‘Abdul-al ‘Azeez Airport in Jeddah surrounded by the pilgrims who were arriving for hajj.

Here, the Shaykh undertook that which was obligatory upon him by giving daâ’wah to the arriving pilgrims. A large group of Russian pilgrims arrived and the Shaykh wanted to offer some words (of daâ’wah) to them. So he asked if there was a translator amongst them. Then, the (Russian) guide for the group came forward not knowing this was Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen.

After completing the translation, the guide asked who the Shaykh was. He was told that it was Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen. At this, he turned to embrace the Shaykh kissing him (on his forehead) whilst crying. He then grabbed hold of the microphone and addressed all the members of his group that this was Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen. At this, tears began falling from the eyes of each and every member of the group, whilst the guide was repeatedly loudly calling out on the microphone ‘Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen! Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen! Shaykh Ibn âl-‘Uthaymeen!…’

The members of the group then came (forward) and conveyed their greetings to the Shaykh and kissed him (on his forehead).

The guide for the group then turned to the Shaykh and said:

These are your students. They used to read your books in shelters under the ground during the Communist rule.

• ‘al-Jaamiâ’ li-Hayaat al-‘Allaamah Muhammed ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen’ Page 38

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