Takbir Pada Hari Raya 'Ied

[Ditukil daripada kitab Meneladani Rasulullah shallAllaahu 'alaihi wa sallam dalam Berhari Raya tulisan Syaikh 'Ali Hasan bin 'Ali al-Halabi al-Atsari, terbitan Pustaka Imam Asy-Syafi'i. Judul asli: Ahkaamul 'Iedain fis Sunnah al-Muthahharah, terbitan Daar Ibnu Hazm, Bairut, Libanon]

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala berfirman:

وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

"Dan hendaklah kalian mencukupkan bilangannya dan hendaklah kalian mengagungkan Allah atas petunjuk-Nya yang diberikan kepadamu, supaya kalian bersyukur." (QS. Al-Baqarah: 185)

Telah tetap suatu riwayat bahwa Nabi shallAllaahu 'alaihi wa sallam biasa berangkat menunaikan shalat pada hari raya 'Ied, lalu beliau bertakbir hingga sampai di tempat pelaksanaan shalat, bahkan sampai shalat akan dilaksanakan. Dan jika shalat dilaksanakan, beliau menghentikan bacaan takbir. [1]

Seorang ahli hadits, al-Albani mengemukakan: "Di dalam hadits tersebut terkandung dalil yang menunjukkan disyari'atkannya apa yang dikerjakan oleh kaum muslimin berupa takbir dengan suara lantang selama dalam perjalanan menuju ke tempat pelaksanaan shalat (tanah lapang), meskipun banyak dari mereka mulai meremehkan Sunnah ini."

Dan pada kesempatan yang baik ini, perlu juga diingatkan bahwa bertakbir dengan suara keras tidaklah disyari'atkan secara bersama-sama dengan satu suara (koor), sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh sebahagian orang. Demikian juga setiap dzikir yang disyariatkan untuk membacanya dengan suara keras mahupun tidak, maka tidak disyari'atkan untuk dilakukan dengan bersama-sama seperti yang telah disebutkan tadi. Hendaklah kita berhati-hati untuk tidak melakukan hal tersebut. [2] Dan hendaklah kita senantiasa mengarahkan pandangan kita kepada keyakinan bahwa sebaik-baik petunjuk adalah petunjuk Muhammad shallAllaahu 'alaihi wa sallam.

Syaikhul Islam Ibnu Taimiyyah rahimahullah pernah ditanya tentang waktu pelaksanaan takbir pada shalat 'Iedul Fithri dan 'Iedul Adh-ha, maka ida pun memberikan jawapan: "Segala puji hanya bagi Allah, pendapat yang benar mengenai pelaksanaan takbir ini dan yang menjadi pendapat Jumhur (mayoritas) ulama salaf dan fuqaha (para ahli fiqih) dari kalangan Sahabat dan Tabi'in adalah bertakbir dari waktu fajar pada hari 'Arafah sampai akhir hari Tasyriq, setiap kali selesai shalat. Dan disyari'atkan bagi setiap orang untuk membaca takbir denga suara lantang pada saat berangkat menuju tempat shalat 'Ied. Yang demikian itu dengan kesepakatan empat imam madzhab." [3]

Penulis katakan: "Pendapat Ibnu Taimiyyah rahimahullaah yang menyebutkan: 'Setiap kai selesai shalat,' -secara khusus- adalah tidak berdalil sama sekali, dan yang benar adalah setiap waktu, tanpa adanya pengkhususan."

Dan hal tersebut diperkuat oleh apa yang dikemukakan oleh Imam al-Bukhari di dalam kitab al-Iidain dari kitab Shahihnya (II / 461), bab Bertakbir Pada Seluruh Hari di Mina (hari-hari Tasyriiq) dan Apabila Menuju 'Arafah.

'Umar radhiyAllaahu 'anhu biasa bertakbir di kemahnya di Mina sehingga terdengar oleh orang-orang yang hadir di masjid lalu mereka pun bertakbir. Juga orang-orang yang sedang berada di pasar ikut bertakbir sehingga Mina bergemuruh oleh bacaan takbir.

Dan Ibnu 'Umar juga bertakbir di Mina pada hari-hari tersebut, setelah selesai shalat, di atas tempat tidur, lantai, tempat duduk, dan dalam perjalanannya selama hari-hari itu.

Maimunah juga bertakbir pada hari raya kurban. Dan kaum wanita pun ikut bertakbir di belakang Abbas bin 'Utsman dan 'Umar bin 'Abdil 'Aziz selama malam-malam hari Tasriq bersama kaum pria di masjid.

Dan Ibnu 'Umar jika berangkat ke tanah lapang pada hari raya 'Iedul Fithri dan 'Iedul Adh-ha membaca takbir dengan suara lantang sehingga sampai di tempat pelaksanaan shalat, dan kemudian bertakbir sampai imam datang. [4]

Sebatas pengetahuan saya (penulis), tidak ada satu hadits Nabi pun yang shahih dalam menjelaskan sifat takbir. Akan tetapi ada riwayat dari sebagian Sahabat Nabi shallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, seperti Ibnu Mas'ud radhiyAllaahu 'anhu pernah mengucapkan:

الله أكبر الله أكبر, لا إله إلا الله والله أكبر, الله أكبر ولله الحمد

"Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahabesar, tidak ada ilah yang berhak diibadahi kecuali hanya Allah semata. Dan Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahbesar, dan segala puji hanya bagi Allah." [5]

Ibnu 'Abbas juga pernah mengucapkan:

الله أكبر الله أكبر, الله أكبر ولله الحمد, الله أكبر وأجَلَّ, الله أكبر على ما هدانا

"Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahabesar, segala puji hanya bagi Allah. Allah Mahabesar lagi Mahaagung. Dan Allah Mahabesar atas petunjuk yang telah diberikan kepada kita." [6]

Dan diriwayatkan oleh Abdurrazzaq [7] yang di antara jalannya terdapat pada al-Baihaqi di dalam kitab as-Sunan al-Kubraa (III / 316), dengan sanad shahih dari Salman al-Khair radhiyAllaahu 'anhu, dia mengatakan:

كَبِِِّرُوْا الله: الله أكبر, الله أكبر, الله أكبر كبيرًا

"Agungkanlah Allah dengan menyebut: Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahabesar, Allah Mahabesar."

Cukup banyak orang awam yang menyalahi dzikir yang bersumber dari kaum Salaf, dengan membaca dzikir-dzikir lain, melakukan penambahan, serta membuat lafazh-lafazh baru yang tidak memiliki dasar sama sekali. Sehingga al-Hafizh Ibnu Hajar rahimahullaah mengatakan di dalam kitabnya, Fat-hul Baari (II / 536): "Dan pada zaman sekarang ini telah terjadi penambahan [8] dalam hal takbir tersebut yang tidak memiliki dasar sama sekali."

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Nota kaki:

[1] HR. Ibnu Abi Syaibah di dalam kitab al-Mushannaf, dan al-Mahamili di dalam kitab Shalaatul 'Iidain, dengan sanad yang sahih, tetapi berstatus mursal. Akan tetapi ia memiliki beberapa syahid (penguat) yang memperkuatnya. Lihat di dalam kitab Silsilah al-Ahaadits ash-Shahiihah (170). Dan permulaan takbir pada hari raya 'Ied adalah waktu berangkat ke tempat pelaksanaan shalat (tanah lapang).

[2] Silsilatul al-Ahaadtis ash-Shahiihah (I/121). Syaikh al-'Allamah Hamud at-Tuwaijiri rahimahullah memiliki satu risalah khusus mengenai penolakan takbir yang dibaca secara bersama-sama dan telah dicetak.

[3] Majmuu' al-Fataawaa (XXIV / 220). Lihat juga kitab Subulus Salaam (II / 71-72).

[4] HR. Ad-Daruquthni, Ibnu Abi Syaibah dan lain-lainnya, dengan sanad shahih. Lihat juga kitab Irwaa-ul Ghaliil (650).

[5] HR. Ibnu Abi Syaibah (II / 168) dengan sanad shahih.

[6] HR. Al-Baihaqi (III / 315) dan sanad shahih.

[7] Dan saya (penulis) tidak mendapatkannya di dalam Mushannaf-nya.

[8] Bahkan tambahan yang sangat banyak sekali.

Why Grow a Beard?

"If God had wanted you to have a hairless chin, He would have given you one." (Marvin Grosswirth)[82]

"He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man." (Willian Shakespear (1564-1616) Much Ado About Nothing, act 2, sc.1)

[Extracted from Growing a Beard: In Light of the Qur'an,Sunnah and modern Science by Dr. Gohar Mushtaq.]


_________________
Footnotes:
[82] Grosswirth, Marvin, The Art of Growing a Beard (New York: Jarrow Press, Inc., 1971)

A Pakistani Cricket Player and his Beard

The name of Saeed Anwar in the history of Pakistan's cricket team will not easily be forgotten; he was one of the most prolific of those to make runs. Saeed Anwar surprised the cricket world in 2001 when "he turned up with a long, thick beard in a sport dominated by men who are clean-shaven."[97]

Saeed Anwar, a computer engineer by profession, used to be a materialist until September 2001 when his daughter, Bisma, died. That changed his whole outlook on life. He realised the temporary nature of this world.

In an interview, when he was asked about the initial reaction of cricket players on his appearing at the cricket ground with a beard, he said:

"People were very surprised to see me. But I was numb with pain because only recently, I had lost my daughter Bisma. I did not like anything. I felt very empty but I was surprised by people's reaction. They came up to me and started asking me about the beard, about who I was.

Also, I was respected more than ever before. Australian cricketers are famous for their rudeness and bad language. On a tour last June, the fast bowler Glenn McGrath collided with me.

Normally he would hurl some abuse at me but instead he put his arms around my shoulders, and said, 'It's my fault. I'm sorry.'

The beard has had a strange spiritual effect on me which I cannot describe. When you wear a sweater, it gives you warmth inside. Also, my beard has affected the people around me. They never utter a filthy word in my presence. So my five senses are protected from exposure to bad things."[98]

[Taken from the book, "Growing a Beard: In Light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and Modern Science" by Dr. Gohar Mushtaq.]


____________________
Footnotes:
[97] Khan, Sameem (16 January 2003). "Saeed Anwar: 'It is all from Allah'." Arab News. www.arabnews.com

[98] Ibid.

Why Lincoln Grew a Beard

A young girl wrote a Letter to Lincoln persuading him to grow his beard since it would increase his popularity with the public

Today, when we think of Abraham Lincoln, immediately an image of Lincoln wearing a beard appears. However, for many years, Lincoln did not allow his beard to grow. Members of his own political party suggested to him to allow it to grow because they were afraid of his gangling appearance.

However, a young girl convinced Lincoln to grow his beard. The name of that eleven year old girl was Grace Bedell. She was from Westfield, a village in New York state.

Grace admired Lincoln but when her father brought a picture of Lincoln home during the election campaign of 1860, she was frightened by the grotesque, clean-shaven appearance of Lincoln with is crooked jaw-line. Since she was worried about Lincoln's look, she wrote him the following letter. It inspired Lincoln to grow his beard:

"I hope you won't think me bold to write to such a great man as you are but want that you should be the President of the United States very much. I have got four brothers and part of them will vote for you anyway [since they were Republicans], and if you will let your whiskers [beard] grow, I will try to get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President."[103]

Lincoln replied to Grace and thanked her for the suggestion but stated that it might be regarded as unwise since he had never before grown his beard. Nevertheless, Lincoln acted upon the advice of Grace Bedell, began to grow his beard and a few weeks afterwards he won the election.

The following February when he went from Illinois to Washington for his inauguration, he stopped at the village of Westfield, New York. When Lincoln came out of his train, he addressed the cheering crowd and told them that a young girl from the town had sent him an inspiring letter. Lincoln further said:

"She asked me to let my whiskers grow, as it would improve my personal appearance. Acting upon her suggestion, I have done so. And now, if she is here, I would like to see her."[104]

After saying this, Lincoln stepped down from the train and went into the crowd where Grace was standing and thanked her for the advice she had given him to grow his beard. The bearded image of Lincoln proved important in the years to come when there was a bloody civil war. The Americans regarded their leader not as a rough, beardless leader but as a statesman whom they called "Father Abraham".[105]

[Taken from the book, "Growing a Beard: In Light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and Modern Science" by Dr. Gohar Mushtaq.]


______________________
Footnotes:
[103] Holzer, Harold (1989). "Why Lincoln Grew a Beard". Cobblestone 10(1): 14 - 15

[104] Ibid.

[105] Holzer, Harold (1989). "Why Lincoln Grew a Beard". Cobblestone 10(1): 14-15

Reflections of an American Muslim about his beard

Dr. Shahid Athar, an American Muslim, in narrating the story of his beard, writes that twenty years ago when he came back to the USA, he was surprised to observe that many non-Muslims, including musicians, hippies, and even intellectual professors, had beards.[100] Therefore, he decided to grow his beard but later shaved it off. when one of his old patients saw him, he said to him:

"Doc! You look naked without your beard."

Dr. Athar writes that he did feel naked. Finally, Dr. Athar decided to grow his beard again as a result of a question which he asked himself: "How do I want to look when I am being laid to rest in the earth."[101]

Dr. Athar writes: "I looked at my former picture and the mirror and the answer was obvious. I am fully clothed now!"[102]

[Taken from the book, "Growing a Beard: In Light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and Modern Science" by Dr. Gohar Mushtaq.]


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Footnotes:
[100] Athar, Shahid, M.D. The Story of My Beard. http:www.kuwaitonline.com/islam/story/tsomb.htm

[101] Ibid.

[102] Ibid.

Logic on the Importance of the Beard

The Logic Used by Imam Farahi to convince Shaykh Islahi about the Importance of the Beard

Once Imam Hameed ud-din Farahi was trying to convince Shaykh Ameed Ahsan Islahi about the importance of the beard. Shaykh Islahi argued that the beard does not hold a pivotal position in Islam. Imam Farahi explained to him the meanings of the traditions of the Prophet sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam about allowing the beard to grow. When Imam Farahi felt that Shaykh Islahi was still not convinced, he said to him:

"Let's suppose that the beard does not hold an important position in Islam. But can you deny the fact that this small thing informs you of big things."

Shaykh Islahi asked: "How?" Imam Farahi replied:

"Just as throwing a pinch of ashes in the air tells us about the direction of such a huge thing as the wind, similarly, based on the presence or absence of the beard on a Muslim's face, we learn whetehr that Muslim has an inclination towards Islam or not."

When Shaykh Islahi heard this reply, he was convinced and became silent. He afterwards wrote:

"As far as a Muslim is concerned, the beard serves as a barometer for the preferences and predilection of his heart for Islam. Based on that there is no doubt that the beard holds a very important position in Islam and it deserves that position."[99]

[Taken from the book, "Growing a Beard: In Light of the Qur'an, Sunnah and Modern Science" by Dr. Gohar Mushtaq.]

______________________
Footnotes:
[99] Sheikh Ameen Ahsan Islahi, Biography of Imam Faraahi quoted in Faraahi, Hameed-ud-din, Majmooa Tafaaseer Faraahi (Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 1991)

The Intention for the Prayer

The Intention for the Prayer: By Shaykh Nassir ud-Deen Al-Albaanee

Articles - Acts Of Worship
Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 07 November 2006

The Intention for the Prayer

Taken from the

'Original Sifat as-Salah

'By Shaykh Muhadith

Muhammad Nasir- Deen Al-Albaani

At-Takbeer

Then the Messenger - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – used to begin the prayer by saying: 'Allaahu Akbar.'

__________________________________

In this is an indication that the Messenger - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – never used to say anything before the Takbeer, like pronouncing the Niyyah (intention).

Like some people say: 'I have intended to pray for Allaah Ta'ala so many Rakat facing the Qiblah….....' to the end of what is well-known amongst many of the people!

All of that is Bida'; it has no foundation in the Sunnah. This is something which the scholars are in agreement about.

It was not narrated on anyone of the Companions, nor did one of the Tabieen regard it as appropriate. Nor did any of the four Mujtahid Imaams. But rather it was mentioned by some of the companions of Imaam Shafi'ee, when he said about the Hajj:

'It is not necessary for the one who enters into the state of Ihraam and makes his intention with his heart, that he mentions it with his tongue. Not like the prayer which is not correct except by an utterance.'

Ar-Raafi'ee said in 'Sharh al-Wajeez' (3/263):

'The majority - i.e. From the scholars of the Shafi'eeyah - said: that Imaam Shafi'ee - may Allaah have mercy on him- did not intend by his statement the pronunciation of the intention with an utterance, rather he intended pronouncing the Takbeer; since the prayer is begun by this, and in the Hajj a person can become Muhrim without pronouncing the intention.' It is similarly mentioned in 'al-Majmoo' 3/276-277

Indeed he has indicated this in 'al-Muhadhib' by saying: 'And from amongst our companions there are those who say: Make an intention with the heart, and an utterance with the tongue. This is nothing since the Niyyah is the intent with the heart.

'Allaama Shaykh muwafiq ad-Deen Ibn Qudamaah al-Maqdasee said in his book 'Dhum al-Moowasweseen' p.7:

'Know, may Allaah have mercy on you, that the Niyyah is the intent and decision to do an action and its place is the heart. It has no connection with the tongue.

It has not been narrated on the authority of the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – nor his Companions that they uttered the Niyyah in any situation.

These types of worship are ones which have been innovated at the beginning of purification and prayer, are not derived from the principles of worship.

So, the Niyyah is the intent of performing an action. Therefore, everyone who is decided on performing an action, then he has an intention. And everyone who aims to perform an action, then he has an intention. It is inconceivable to separate the intent from the Niyyah, because that is its true nature. So, the absence of the Niyyah is inconceivable when it is present.

Therefore, the one who sits to perform Wudu, then he has indeed intended to perform Wudu. The one who stands to pray, then he has indeed intended the prayer. An intelligent person will not perform an action from his worship or any other action without an intention (Niyyah). So, the Niyyah is a matter which is inherent in actions which a person intends, and the Niyyah is not something that needs to tire a person out, nor does he need to acquire it since it is inherent.' summarised.

So, if you know that it was not from the guidance of the Salaf as-Salih to pronounce the Niyyah; then it is obligatory upon you to follow them; since they are the example.

All good is in following the Salaf

And all evil is in the innovating of the Khalaf

Taken from the Original Sifat as-Salah vol 1 p.175-176
Translated by: Abass Abu Yahya

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 November 2006 )

[Extracted from http://www.minhaj-us-sunnah.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=2]

Shaikh al-Albaanee on Jihad

Jihad in the Quran and Sunnah
Shaikh al-Albaanee on Jihad
Author: Shaikh al-Albaanee
Article ID : IBD170003

The following is a translation from 'Fataawaa al-Albaanee' (a transcription of some of the cassettes of the shaikh) when the shaikh was asked his opinion on jihaad.

The Answer:

"With respect to Jihad, O my brother, in this time and before this time it is fard ayn, because the problem at hand is not a problem of Bosnia (alone) which has again moved the emotions of the muslim youth. For here we have neighbouring us, the Jews who have occupied Palestine, and not a single Islamic country has moved to establish the obligation of making Jihad with them, and evicting them and throwing them in the sea, as some of or one of the presidents of the Islamic lands used to say.

And the point is that Jihad is fard ayn, because many of the muslim lands have been occupied in the past and the present by the kuffaar. And the likes of this occupation is not hidden from the muslim who concerns himself with the affairs of the muslims, not to speak of the Islamic groups or Islamic sects or Islamic lands.

But Jihad has pillars and conditions, and we - the group of muslim scholars - believe that the obligatory Jihad is only obligatory upon those muslims who would help one another to establish what Allaah has obligated upon them from the jihad against the kuffaar, and evicting them from the lands they have occupied.

And we do not need now to relate the evidences from the Book and Sunnah, for this point has no difference of opinion over it between the scholars - that jihad is fard ayn when an area of the muslim land is occupied, so how about when the occupation has occurred in many lands?!

But, unfortunately I wish to say that this jihad which is fard - rather fard ayn - is not possible to be established by individuals as occurs in the question, rather not even by some of the Islamic groups. Because the likes of this jihad, especially in our times in which the means of fighting have become many, is not possible to be established by the Islamic groups not to speak of individuals! But the obligation is upon the countries, and those Islamic countries that have the strength to prepare for war, and the means of modern day warfare, by which if they gathered together sincerely for this jihad they would establish the fard ayn. But, very unfortunately, these countries have not moved a limb to establish this.

So maybe they refer the matter of this jihad to the various Islamic groups and sects, while these are not capable of doing anything to stop the advance/attack of the kuffaar. And the current affairs bear witness to the fact that any Islamic group that tries, either to fight the aggressor as occurred in Afghanistan for example, or by revolting against the ruler whose kufr has become clear, like in Algeria for example - then these unfortunate occurrences indicate that the individual jihad or group jihad does not produce the expected fruit, and that is that the Word of Allaah be made supreme.

So therefore, we believe that this Jihad is not possible except under an Islamic authority firstly, and under an Islamic group comprising of people from different lands, not just one land or one region.

And add to this the necessity that taqwa of Allaah be present, by staying away from what Allaah has prohibited from the matters that are well known amongst the muslims, but unfortunately they are very far from putting into practice.

And we have mentioned - and I am trying to summarise my words as much as possible - many times that what has befallen the muslims today, this humiliation and abasement/ignominy that has not been known in the history of Islaam at all, is that the muslims have misapplied, at the very least, one verse of the Quraan....and that is the saying of Allaah, "if you help Allaah, Allaah will Help you."

And there is no doubt that this Help of the muslims from Allaah, is Help in making the Laws of the Shariah an observable reality, and this unfortunately is not realised in the majority of the Islamic lands, or in the muslim individuals. And those amongst the muslim lands that do have some remnants of ruling by the Law of Allaah have not, uptil now proclaimed the call to Jihaad.

And due to this the muslim individuals and nations will remain weak as long as none of the Islamic lands lift the flag of Jihad, and that Jihad which calls for fighting those nearest them, not those that are far far away. For the muslims, with their lands, and groups, and sects, and as individuals, if they cannot establish Jihad with those that neighbour them or are close to them then they are not capable of making Jihad with those that are distant from them....for example Eritrea, ,Somalia, Bosnia and Cechnya.

And due to this we mention now, that it is upon the Muslim youth as individuals and groups and sects that they spread the correct Islamic awareness in the lands firstly, and then in the rulers secondly - and that (correct understanding) is that all of these people rule by what Allaah has revealed.

The ruler that he rules by what Allaah has revealed and ordered. The individual that he rules by what Allaah has revealed... I know that today many of the individuals, and groups and sects, throw the responsibilty (of the state of affairs) onto the rulers only, while in my certain belief the responsibility equally falls upon these individuals, groups and sects, as it falls upon these rulers! This is because these governments arose from the lands of these muslims.....these muslims who were addressed by two hadeeth from the Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) ....the first his (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) saying, 'when you deal with interest, and hold fast to the tail of the cow, and become contented with agriculture, and you leave Jihad in the Way of Allaah, Allaah will permit your humiliation and will not lift it from you until you return to your deen.'

And the second hadeeth, his (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) saying, '"the nations summon each other upon you as you call guests to eat from a plate of food", they said , "will we be few in number on that day O Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "no rather you will be many on that day, but you will be like the foam on the ocean. And Allaah will remove the fear in the hearts of your enemies and place in your hearts al-wahn". They said, "what is al-wahn O Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "love of this world and hatred of death."'

And these occurrences which are mentioned by the Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) in this hadeeth have now occurred in every muslim society, and they are from the clear afflictions that necessitate the descent of this humiliation upon the muslims until the hearts of the rulers, and individuals become totally covered in black (due to their sins).

The muslim lands do not rule by what Allaah revealed, and if there is one amongst them that does (claim to) rule by what Allaah revealed, then the first clear indication that it does not rule by what Allaah revealed is that it does not raise the call for Jihad.

So if this time is not the time in which Jihad in the Way of Allaah does not become obligatory, and many of the muslims lands have been occupied, then when will this Jihad become obligatory?

But the problem - and this is the heart of the matter - is that there is no one amongst us who is capable of undertaking (this jihad), why?.....Because we are drowning in sins, and drowning in sectarian differences and national differences, and we know that one of the doorways to weakness and defeat is that the muslims differ amongst themselves.

And we have been tried recently with a very sad trial, and that is the Afghani Jihad, where we were hoping that its endpoint would be victory for the muslims, and there were strong signs for placing the seed of the Islamic state. Then the end and result turned out to be totally opposite (to what was hoped) due to the early signs of victory over the enemy, the communists (shuyuiyyeen), diminished when the differences between the tribes made them split into seven groups, and their Islam which they took as deen did not prevent them from doing this, and our Lord says, "and do not be from the mushriks. From those that split their deen and became sects, each sect rejoicing in what it has."

Therefore, it is upon the one who desires to go on Jihad that he gets the means of jihad, and the means of aquiring victory, and that is not realisable in our times unfortunately. And Allaah says in the Noble Quran, "indeed Allaah will not change the state of a people until they change what is in themselves."

Therefore we call the Muslim individuals, and groups and sects, not to speak of the governments that they concern themselves by spreading the purified, authentic Islam, purified from every spurious element that has entered it with the passing of time, and then bring up the muslims on this purified Islaam.

The day when these signs begin, and become clear in this vast Islamic land, that day shall the signs of getting ready to establish this fard ayn Jihaad begin.

These anxious individuals that go to many of the muslim lands invaded/attacked by the kuffaar like Bosnia and Chechnya for example..... what are the weapons that they have with them? who are the leaders who can discipline them and make them fight under one authority and under one flag? So if there was a single authority then we would see the (fruits) of the Jihad as we saw them in Afghanistan (i.e victory over the aggressor).

Therefore Allaah says, "and prepare for them what you can from stength and weapons to strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of Allaah and your enemies".

Where is this preparation?! And who is the one capable of this preparation? The individual?! No, the governments?...yes the governments, and it is possible for us to say that they do establish a small amount of this preperation.....but this preparation is taken from their enemies..... so if there was a jihad established between the kaafir and muslims, then soon these muslims would not be capable of supplying their armies with the necessary weapons except by buying them from their enemies.

So can their be victory and Jihad by buying weapons from the enemies of the muslims?!

This is impossible, and due to this, this preparation ordered us, cannot be established even by the Islamic countries, because the Islamic countries buy their weapons of destruction from their enemies and aggreviated states. And there are ways of making these weapons malfunction when they (the muslims) intend to use then against the kaafir enemy. And due to this I say, and I finish my words and reply upon this question that Allaah, when He said, "And prepare for them what you can...." this address was to the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , then the address is directed to the generality of muslims due to the generality of the text. But this address was directed to the Sahaabah after they were brought up on the authentic Islamic upbringing until it was possible for them to establish the likes of this address - preparing the worldly might after preparing the spiritual might in themselves or with themselves, due to the upbringing they went through at the hands of their Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) .

And history repeats itself.....So there has to be an upbringing of a nation from the Islamic nations so that is may be possible for this nation to establish this worldly preparedness, and we today do not find a nation that has established this obligation which we can depict in two words: tasfiyyah (correction) and tarbiyyah (education/cultivation).

(Rather) we see us as scattered individuals here and there. And if there were a group, and over this group a leader who has the allegiance of all the muslims, and he raises the flag of Jihad against the enemies: this has not happened yet, and due to this we call for the existence of this introduction/predicate to this holy Jihaad.

And as for running (of these people) behind emotions when the spiritual jihad has not even been realised in them - and that is the correct understanding of Islaam, and applying it collectively, and that there be over them a leader after that, and he enjoins them to prepare what they can from strength and weapons: So the day we see the likes of this, that day the muslims will rejoice in the victory of Allaah, and Allaah Helps whom He Wills. This is my answer to your question."

Beautiful statement of al-Imaam 'Umar ibn 'Abdil-'Azeez

'Umar bin 'Abdil-'Azeez rahimahullaah said:

Become a scholar if you are able. If you are not able, then be a student. If you can not, then show love for them. If you are unable to do that, then (at least) do not hate them.

Collected by Ibn Abdil-Barr in Jaami'u Bayaanil-'Ilmi wa Fadlihi( #143)

Chicken Rice and Shark...

It was raining when the khaatib was delivering the Friday sermon. It continued to rain heavily even after the Friday prayers. SubhaanAllaah...

There's a saying among the Malays, "Hujan itu rahmat (dari Allah)." [Rain is a mercy (from Allaah).]

Hmm.. Perhaps Allaah sent the rain to clear the air from the haze.. Wallaahu a'lam.

Nevertheless, the rain has always been a mercy and a ni'mah (blessing) from Allaah 'Azza wa Jalla. Other than providing a cool weather after a few hot days, it is the rain that enables the growth of plants and vegetation.

وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاء ثَجَّاجًا
And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant water. (An-Naba 78:14)

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا
That We may produce therewith corn and vegetations, (An-Naba 78:15)

وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا
And gardens of thick growth. (An-Naba 78:16)


SubhaanAllaah..

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاء رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? (Ar-Rahman 55:13)

After the rain subsided, I went to a hawker centre to have my lunch.

Rex Nasi Ayam (Chicken Rice) is indeed delicious [though it definitely cannot compete with Evertop's Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (at Tanglin Halt)].

It's been quite some time since I last at the chicken rice, it is as though I'm craving for it.

As I took a sip of the soup, Maashaa-Allaah.. it's really tasty that I can be satisfied just by having the soup alone..

Then, followed by the chicken and rice.. Yummy.. the softness of the chicken, especially the skin.. (I know it's not healthy to eat the skin but it's irresistable..)

To supplement it, along with it I had Shark (Redbull's cousin.. hehe..) Maashaa-Allaah.. Such deep taste..

As I was enjoying the savour in my mouth, it suddenly striked my mind how a great ni'mah it was..

Yes, delicious and tasty food is a great ni'mah from Allaah, especially when we are eating it..

Imagine that you're having a cold and taste buds seem not to be functioning.. You are not able to taste the delicious food.. You're temporarily deprived of that ni'mah..

And it's even worse if you're having a toothache.. Ouch..

See, dearest readers.. the ni'mah, the blessings of Allaah.. they're all around us.. Do we actually noticed them?

The ni'mah of sight, hearing, and many more.. they're all around us.. we're enjoying those ni'mah all the time..

Even being able to answer the call of nature well is a ni'mah.. imagine if you are sick, having diarrhoea for example.. it's a "torture".. you're deprived of the ni'mah of answering the call of nature well..

But because all those ni'mah are all around us and we're enjoying them all of the time, we took them for granted until they're taking away from us, either temporarily or permanently..

More importantly, how much thanks do we give Allaah for all those ni'mah?

قُلْ هُوَالَّذِي أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَقَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ
Say it is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing (ears), seeing (eyes), and hearts. Little thanks you give. (Al-Mulk 67:23)

Indeed, the blessings of Allaah upon us is so great that it is uncountable. Even His Blessings upon a single human being in a day is uncountable.

So.. how much thanks do we give or have given to Allaah?

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
And I (Allâh) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)

That's the least that Allaah asks from us as His servants.. that is, for us to worship Him Alone..

To worship Him as the Lord, One and Only.. there is no ilaah (god worthy of worship) other than Allaah Alone.. Hence, we should not associate partners to Him in our worship..

Allaah is not in need of our prayers.. rather, it is us, as His servants.. we are in need of Allaah.. we need His Satisfaction, we need His Mercy, we need His Forgiveness.. to worship Him alone and strive to be among His righteous servants.. that's what we need..

The prayer (as-Salaah) is a form of gratitude to Allaah.. Leaving the prayer is kufr (disbelief), the opposite of shukr (gratitude)..

So leave not the prayer (as-Salaah).. is it so difficult to perform the five daily prayers?

What's the value of our five daily prayers compared to all the blessings that Allaah Has Bestowed upon us? Almost negligible. A lifetime of worship is still of extremely little value compared to just a single blessing from Allaah, such as the blessing of sight..

Let's say we take 5 minutes to perform a single prayer.. that would mean we only spend 25 mins in a day to pray to Allaah.. whereas we have 24 hours in a day, which is equivalent to 1,440 mins.

Hence, 25 mins of prayer is barely 2% of the time given to us in a day.. so why is it difficult for us to perform the five daily prayers?

Nevertheless, Allaah The Most Gracious, Most Merciful, He only asks of us to worship Him, such as by performing the five daily prayers, as a sign of gratitude to Him for all His Blessings that He Has Bestowed upon us, as well as to attain His Satisfaction, Mercy and Forgiveness..

SubhaanAllaah.. Laa ilaaha illaa Anta, subhaanaka innee kuntu min al-Zaalimeen..

Which is why a righteous servant would lengthen his prayer, perform naafilah prayers and lengthening them.. along with other acts of worship, be it obligatory or optional.. all these are being performed out of gratitude to Allaah 'Azza wa Jalla.

So let us strive to better ourselves, to be among the His righteous servants, by increasing our acts of worship in accordance to the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, not just to attain His Mercy and Forgiveness, but more importantly to express our gratitude to Him..

For when we worship Allaah as a form of gratitude to Him, we will be able to attain ikhlaas (sincerity) in worship.

Wallaahu a'lam wa al-Musta'aan.

Kicauan burung di pagi hari, kelalaian manusia sebagai hamba Ilahi

Burung-burung berkicauan
Tatkala masuk waktu subuh
Seolah-olah itulah ibadah mereka
Kepada Yang Maha Esa

Akan tetapi manusia pula
Sebaik-baik ciptaan
Kepadanya wahyu diturunkan
Kepadanya solat diperintahkan
Masih dalam ketiduran

Hayya 'ala as-Salaah
Hayya 'ala as-Salaah
Hayya 'ala al-Falaah
Hayya 'ala al-Falaah
As-Salaatu khairum minan-naum
As-Salaatu khairum minan-naum

Kicauan burung di pagi hari
Manusia lalai sebagai hamba Ilahi...

Mengenali Ciri-ciri Teman Wanita Menggunakan Horoskop?

Baru-baru ini, ana ada menerima emel berkenaan mengenali ciri-ciri teman wanita dengan menggunakan horoskop. Ana telah pun menjawab kepada si pengirim serta para penerima emel tersebut darinya dengan menekankan bahawa horoskop sewajarnya ditinggalkan kerana ianya merupakan syirik, bahkan syirik khafi (syirik tersembunyi).

Lalu seorang sepupu menjawab emel ana tersebut sebagai berikut:

Salam.
Setiap dari kita mempunyai akal dan mampu membezakan antara yang hak dan yg batil. Dan pandangan saya secara peribadi tentang horoskop, ia bukanlah sesuatu yang boleh membawa ke syirik jika kita pandai menggunakan akal kita dengan sebaik mungkin.
Datuk Dr Fazilah Kamsah, seorang pakar motivasi dan penceramah bebas di Malaysia juga pernah mengeluarkan artikel tentang "Peribadi Seseorang Melalui Tarikh Lahir". Apa yg ditulis itu adalah berdasarkan hasil kajian beliau dan berdasarkan rujukan kepada para alim ulama' di negara ini. Adakah itu dikira boleh membawa kepada syirik?
Kadangkala kita tidak boleh terlalu ekstrim, fikiran kita haruslah terbuka dan tidak terlalu sempit. Jangan mudah membuat kesimpulan, kerana banyak pandangan yang masih menjadi perbahasan para ilmuan. Jadi, jangan melangkaui batasan yang ada. Jika anda semua inginkan rujukan tentang perkara2 seperti ini, anda boleh menonton siri Al-Kuliyyah di TV3 dan Halaqah di TV9 sbg panduan. Biarkan yang ilmu pada sesuatu bidang sahaja yang mengeluarkan kenyataan2 terutama yang berkaitan dengan akidah.

Wassalam.

[Nota: Lihatlah bagaimana beliau meringkaskan ucapan salamnya. Sedangkan bukannya sukar untuk menaip ejaan penuh salam di dalam emel, malah ianya merupakan suatu adab. Jika dalam hal sekecil ini sahaja beliau tidak begitu memberi perhatian, bagaimana pula dengan isi kandungan emel jawapannya?]

Sebagai untuk berkongsi bersama untuk meraih manfaat dan pengajaran darinya, marilah kita merenungi jawapan ana kepada beliau sebagai berikut:

Wa 'alaykum as-Salamu wa rahmatullah.

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem.

Ini bukan soal ekstrim ataupun tidak tetapi soal berhati-hati. Zaman sekarang zaman penuh fitnah, syirik2 yg wujud banyak bersifat syirik khafi (syirik yg tersembunyi).

Kita lihat di akhbar-akhbar yang memaparkan horoskop setiap hari. "Bintang zodiac sekian akan mengalami nasib sekian pada hari ini, bintang zodiac sekian akan mengalami nasib sekian pada hari ini," dan sebagainya.

Subhanallah.. apakah kita mempercayai bahawa bintang zodiac kita yang menentukan nasib kita pada setiap hari atau Allah yang menentukan nasib kita melalui Qadha' dan QadarNya? Apakah catitan-catitan nasib bintang zodiac ini ingin menandingi apa yang sudah tertulis di Luh Mahfuz?

Nah.. bukankah ini boleh mengakibatkan syirik kerana tanpa kita sedari, kita lebih mempercayai horoskop daripada Qadha' dan Qadar Allah? Bahkan, ada juga manusia yang setiap hari mesti membaca horoskopnya untuk mengetahui nasibnya pada hari tersebut.. Subhanallah..

Bukankah ini soal penentuan nasib yang sudah semestinya persoalan 'aqidah? Maka, dalam hal ini, jika seseorang itu lebih mempercayai catitan horoskop daripada keyakinannya akan Qadha' dan Qadar Allah, bukankah itu syirik? Dan memandangkan ramai yang tidak menyedari ianya syirik, maka tidakkah ia menjadikannya syirik khafi?

Umat Muhammad sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam bukanlah umat 'aqleeyoon (yg banyak menggunakan akal semata-mata dalam memahami agama).

Hal ini dapat kita lihat dalam isu menyapu khauf (alas kaki) dalam berwudhu'.

Dari al-Mughirah bin Syu'bah katanya:

"Aku telah melihat Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam mengusap ke atas kedua alas kakinya."
[Riwayat Ahmad, Abu Daud dan Tirimidzi]

Berkata 'Ali radhiyAllahu 'anhu:

"Kalaulah agama ini dari aqal, sudah tentu mengusap bahagian bawah lebih utama dari bahagian atasnya. Aku telah melihat Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam mengusap pada bahagian atas alas kakinya."
[Riwayat Abu Daud dan Daruqutny]

Renungkanlah kata-kata Saiyidina Ali tersebut yang mengindikasikan bahawa agama ini bukan dari akal semata-mata. Dan isu yg disebutkannya adalah isu fiqh, lalu bagaimana pula dengan soal 'aqidah?

Sebab itu, dalam memahami agama, terutama sekali persoalan 'aqidah dan 'ibadah, kita perlu kepada manhaj (metodologi).

Inilah satu isu yg jarang disentuh oleh para asatizah kita, baik di Singapura mahupun di Malaysia sedangkan ianya satu perkara penting sebab ianya merangkumi bagaimana kita menerima, memahami dan mengamalkan agama Islam yang suci lagi murni ini.

Hanya para ustaz dan ulama yang benar-benar cinta pada Sunnah dan memahami akan kepentingan manhaj yang akan menyentuh tentangnya serta menekankan kepentingannya.

Lalu apakah itu manhaj Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah?

Kita tahu akan khutbah terakhir Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam yang menyebutkan tentang pusaka peninggalan Baginda, yakni al-Qur'an dan as-Sunnah, di mana jika kita berpegang teguh kepada kedua-duanya, nescaya kita tidak akan sesat.

Namun, sesiapa saja (Muslim) akan mengaku dia berpegang kepada al-Qur'an dan as-Sunnah. Lalu bagaimana kita mengetahui bahawa kita benar-benar berpegang kepada al-Qur'an dan as-Sunnah sebagaimana seharusnya?

Dalam hadith riwayat al-Irbadh bin Sariyah, Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam menyebutkan:

"...Hendaklah kamu berpegang kepada Sunnahku dan Sunnah Khulafa ar-Rasyidin al-Mahdiyyin, dan hendaklah kamu gigit kepadanya dengan sekuat-kuat geraham kamu..."

[Hadith hasan riwayat Abu Daud dan Tirmidzi]

Dalam hadith sahih tentang umat Islam akan berpecah menjadi 73 golongan, Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam menyebutkan golongan yang selamat (al-firqah an-Najiyyah) sebagai:

"..al-Jamaa'ah, yakni apa (jalan) yang aku dan para sahabatku berada di atasnya pada hari ini."

Dalam hadith-hadith yang sahih, Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam bersabda:

"Sebaik-baik generasi adalah generasiku (sahabat), diikuti dengan generasi yang menurutinya (tabi'in), diikuti dengan generasi yang menurutinya (tabi'ut-tabi'in)."

Maka, berdasarkan dalil-dalil di atas, para ulama Sunnah lagi muktabar menyimpulkan bahawa manhaj kita ialah berpegang teguh kepada al-Qur'an dan as-Sunnah berdasarkan pemahaman kaum Salafus-Salih (yakni para Sahabat, Tabi'in dan Tabi'ut-Tabi'in).

Inilah yang dikenali sebagai Manhaj Salaf, manhaj sebenar Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah.

Maka, setelah memahami persoalan manhaj, kita balik kepada isu perbincangan kita tentang horoskop serta penggunaannya dalam mengenali ciri-ciri teman wanita.

Kita lihat kepada kaum Salafus-Salih. Mereka kaum Salaf ridhwanullahi 'alayhim, khususnya para Sahabat, merekalah yang paling mencintai Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, yang paling mengerti akan Sunnah Nabi, bahkan yang paling bersungguh-sungguh dalam mengamalkan Sunnah Nabi, dan mereka juga paling mengerti tentang apa yang baik untuk agama dan apa yg buruk utk agama.

Maka, adakah kita melihat mereka, khususnya para Sahabat, bergantung kepada horoskop utk menentukan nasib mereka atau dlm perbincangan ini, utk mengenali ciri-ciri teman wanita mereka?

Jangan kata nak mengenali ciri-ciri teman wanita, nak cari teman wanita pun mereka tak kuasa dan tiada masa untuknya. Mereka sibuk menuntut ilmu agama, berda'wah serta berjuang menegakkan agama Islam.

Mereka sama ada:

1) Dijodohkan, seperti Asma' binti Abu Bakar radhiyAllahu 'anhuma dijodohkan oleh bapanya kepada Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Begitu juga Saiyidina Uthman radhiyAllahu 'anhu dijodohkan kepada dua orang puteri Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

Atau

2) Apabila hati seseorang dari mereka tertarik kepada seorang wanita, maka beliau akan terus melamar wanita tersebut (tentu sekali dengan istikharah terlebih dahulu.

Poin kedua tersebut bersesuaian dengan hadith riwayat Ibnu Majah yang (lebih kurang) berbunyi:

"Tiada yang lebih baik bagi dua orang yang bercinta melainkan pernikahan."

Di sini Nabi telah menyebutkan "ubat" bagi "penyakit" cinta sebagai pernikahan. Dan bagi orang yang tak mampu utk berkahwin, Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam menggalakkannya berpuasa, sebagaimana sabdanya (lebih kurang berikut):

"Wahai para pemuda, barangsiapa yang mampu, hendaklah dia berkahwin. Barangsiapa yang tidak mampu, hendaklah dia berpuasa; sesungguhnya puasa itu perisai baginya."

[Hadith ditukil dari ingatan. Maka sumbernya tak dapat ditukilkan dan moga Allah mengampuni diri saya atas kekurangan dalam menukil hadith ini.]

Dari kedua hadith di atas, dapat kita tanya kepada diri kita sendiri:

Adakah Nabi menganjurkan para Sahabatnya, khususnya para Sahabat muda, untuk berpacaran? Tidak sama sekali. Solusi yang diberikan Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam hanya dua: nikah atau puasa. Noktah.

Lalu mengapa pula kita pada zaman ini "sibuk" mencari pasangan (teman wanita/lelaki), lalu sibuk nak "mengenali" ciri-ciri pasangan kita tersebut?

Sedangkan kita seharusnya sedar hubungan sedemikian atau berpacaran itu sama sekali tidak selamat dari perkara yang tidak baik, dari perkara maksiat seperti berdua-duaan, zina mata dan sebagainya.

Kita tidak menyedarinya kerana mata kita telah dikelabui dengan cinta, bak kata pepatah, cinta itu buta.

Kita perlu sedari bahawa "percintaan yang Islami" antara seorang lelaki dan seorang wanita yang bukan mahram tidak wujud sama sekali. Percintaan yang Islami, yang suci lagi murni, antara seorang lelaki dan seorang wanita hanya wujud dalam hubungan suami-isteri yang sah!

Paling tidak, ianya mungkin wujud dalam pertunangan. Itupun ramai di antara kita seringkali langgar batas. Ini adalah kerana walaupun seorang lelaki telah bertunang dengan seorang wanita, ianya tidak menghalalkan apa jua hubungan antara mereka sebagaimana halnya suami isteri.

Pasangan yang bertunang tetap dihukum sebagai ajnabiyyah (bukan mahram)! Maka apabila si lelaki ingin menghubungi atau berjumpa dengan tunangnya, tunangnya tersebut harus bahkan mesti ditemani oleh mahramnya! Dan mahram bagi seorang wanita adalah seorang lelaki seperti ayahnya, abangnya ataupun adik lelakinya. Maka sedarlah para pembaca sekalian! Bangunlah dari tidurmu dan lamunan mimpimu! Insaflah!

[Isu berkaitan, "Bolehkan saya menelefon tunang saya?" Soal Jawab bersama seorang muhaddith masa kini, Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani rahimahullah. Dalam bahasa Inggeris: http://www.minhaj-us-sunnah.com/index.php?optionfiltered=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=2]

Bahkan, saya pasti kita semua tahu akan hadith Nabi sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam berkenaan memilih calon isteri, di mana Baginda menyebutkan bahawa seorang wanita itu dipilih berdasarkan rupanya, keturunannya, hartanya, ataupun agamanya; maka hendaklah kita memilih wanita berdasarkan agamanya.

Apakah panduan tersebut tidak cukup bagi kita hingga kita perlu bergantung pula kepada horoskop untuk memilih pasangan hidup kita?

Nah, dengan izin Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, saya bukan saja telah menerangkan bagaimana isu horoskop ini sebenarnya isu 'aqidah yang boleh membawa kepada syirik (bahkan syirik khafi), saya juga telah membentangkan pelbagai permasalahan yang timbul daripada emel asal ini sehingga saya perlu membincangkannya secara panjang lebar sebegini.

Akhir kalam dari saya, kita telah lama dan jauh menyimpang dari Sunnah Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam, sedangkan dalam Khutbatul-Haajah, Baginda telah bersabda:

"Sebaik-baik perkataan adalah Kitabullah (al-Qur'an), dan sebaik-baik petunjuk adalah petunjuk Muhammad sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam."

Kita sudah lama tidak mencontohi para Sahabat, Tabi'in dan Tabi'ut-Tabi'in ridhwanullahi 'alayhim sedangkan Rasulullah sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam telah menyifatkan mereka sebagai 3 generasi terbaik Muslim.

Bahkan, akhlak, adab dan budi pekerti kita sebagai Muslim telah lama merosot kerana terlampau banyaknya bergaul dengan orang-orang kafir sehingga kita telah terpengaruh dan teresap dengan budaya mereka yang bercanggahan dengan ajaran Islam.

Maka, bersamalah kita muhasabah diri dan memperbaiki diri kita sebagai umat Muhammad sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam yang sudah tentu mengaku mencinta Baginda sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

Dalam waktu kita berada di dalam akhir Ramadhan, selain daripada memperbanyakkan ibadah kepada Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, marilah kita juga meningkatkan cinta kita kepada Nabi Muhammad sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam dengan berusaha mengamalkan Sunnah Baginda yang sahih serta mencontohi para Sahabat, Tabi'in dan Tabi'ut-Tabi'in ridhwanullahi 'alayhim.

Yang benar itu dari Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, yang buruk dan kurang itu dari kekurangan saya sebagai hamba yang dha'if.

SubhaanAllaahi wa bihamdih, subhaanakAllaahumma wa bihamdika, asyhadu an laa ilaaha illaa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik.

Allaahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad, wa 'alaa aali Muhammad, wa baarik 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad, kama sallayta wa baarakta 'alaa Ibraaheem wa 'alaa aali Ibraaheem, innaka Hameedum-Majeed.

Wa as-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah.


al-Faaqir ilAllaah.

Notes Concerning the Ijaazaat of Imaam al-Albaanee

Shaykh al-Albaanee has ijaazah in hadeeth from the late ’Allaamah Shaykh Muhammad Raaghib at-Tabbaagh with whom he studied hadeeth sciences, gaining authority to transmit from him. The Shaykh himself refers to this ijaazah in Mukhtasarul-’Uluww (p. 72) and in Tahdeerus-Saajid (p. 63). He has a further ijaazah from Shaykh Bahjatul-Baytaar (through whom his isnaad stretches back to Imaam Ahmad). These are mentioned in the book Hayaatul-Albaanee (the Life of al-Albaanee) by Muhammad ash-Shaybaanee. This sort of ijaazah is given only to those who have excelled in hadeeth and can be trusted to accurately convey a hadeeth. A copy of the ijaazah is in the possession of his student, ’Alee Hasan al-Halabee. So it is not correct to say that the Shaykh is self-taught from books, without authority and without ijaazah.

Whilst we are on the subject, I think it would not be out of place here to mention a few snippets from Shaykh al-Albaanee’s life and career to further emphasize his great standing in the field of hadeeth science as well as the respect shown to him by other scholars. One cannot really do the subject justice in one or two brief emails, however, i hope the readers will find this information both encouraging and interesting:

[1] Shaykh al-Albaanee was born in 1914CE in Ashkodera, the former capital of Albania.

[2] His first Shaykh was his father, al-Haaj Nooh an-Najjaatee, who himself had completed Sharee’ah studies in Istanbul, returning to Albania as one of its Hanafee scholars. Under his father’s guidance, Shaykh al-Albaanee studied Qur‘aan, tajweed, Arabic language as well as Hanafee fiqh.

[3] He further studied Hanafee fiqh and Arabic language under Shaykh Sa’eed al-Burhaan.

[4] He would attend the lectures of Imaam ’Abdul-Fattaah and Shaykh Tawfeeq al-Barzah.

[5] The Shaykh met the late hadeeth master, Ahmad Shaakir, with whom he participated in knowledge based discussions on hadeeth and its research.

[6] He met the late Indian hadeeth scholar, Shaykh ’Abdus-Samad Sharfud-Deen, who himself had referenced the hadeeth to the first volume of an-Nisaa‘ee’s Sunanul-Kubraa as well as al-Mizzee’s monumental Tuhfatul-Ashraaf, and they continued to exchange letters on matters of knowledge. In one such letter, Shaykh ’Abdus-Samad expressed his belief that Shaykh al-Albaanee was the greatest hadeeth scholar of the time.

[7] In recognition of his knowledge of hadeeth, he was commissioned as far back as 1955CE by the Faculty of Sharee’ah at Damascus University to carry out detailed analysis and research into hadeeth related to buying and selling and other business related transactions.

[8] Shaykh al-Albaanee began his formal work in the field of hadeeth by transcribing al-Haafidh al-’Iraaqee’s monumental al-Mughnee ’an Hamlil-Asfaar, being a study of the various hadeeth and narrations contained in al-Ghazaalee’s famous Ihyaa‘ ’Uloomud-Deen. This work alone contains some 5000 hadeeth.

[9] The Shaykh was famous for attending the Zaahiriyyah library in Damascus, and was eventually given his own set of keys due to his frequent and lengthy study there. On one such occasion, an important folio was missing from a manuscript in use by the Shaykh and this led Shaykh al-Albaanee to painstakingly catalogue all the hadeeth manuscripts in the library in an endeavour to locate the missing folio. Consequently, he gained in-depth knowledge of 1000’s of hadeeth manuscripts, something that was attested to years later by Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Azami in the introduction to Studies in Early Hadith Literature where he said, ‘I wish to express my gratitude to…Shaikh Nasir al-Din al-Albani, who placed his extensive knowledge of rare manuscripts at my disposal.’

[10] Shaykh al-Albaanee would sometimes mention his extreme poverty during his early life. He said he would be reduced to picking up scraps of paper from the street, often discarded wedding cards, and use them to write his hadeeth notes on. Often, he would purchase scrap paper in bulk from the rubbish dump and take it home to use.

[11] He would correspond with numerous scholars, particularly those from India and Pakistan, discussing matters related to hadeeth and the Religion in general, including Shaykh Muhammad Zamzamee from Morocco and ’Ubaydullaah Rahmaan, the author of Mirqaatul-Mafaateeh Sharh Mushkilatil-Masaabeeh.

[12] His skill in hadeeth is attested to by a host of qualified scholars, past and present, including Dr. Ameen al-Misree, head of Islaamic Studies at al-Madeenah University who considered himself to be one of the Shaykh’s students; also Dr. Subhee as-Salaah, former head of Hadeeth Sciences at the University of Damascus; Dr. Ahmad al-Asaal, head of Islaamic Studies at Riyaad University; the late Pakistani hadeeth scholar, ’Allaamah Badee’ud-Deen Shaah as-Sindee; Shaykh Muhammad Tayyib Awkeej, former head of Tafseer and Hadeeth at the University of Ankarah in Turkey; not to mention the likes of Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Ibnul-’Uthaymeen, Muqbil Ibn Haadee and many others in later times.

[13] After a number of his works appeared in print, the Shaykh was chosen to teach hadeeth at the new Islaamic University of al-Madeenah for three years from 1381H to 1383H where he was also a member of University board. After this he returned to his former studies and work in the Zaahiriyyah library. His love for al-Madeenah University is evidenced by the fact that he bequeathed his entire personal library to the University.

[14] He would hold study circles twice a week whilst in Damascus which were attended by numerous students and university lecturers. In this way, the Shaykh completed instruction in the following classical and modern works:

Fathul-Majeed of ’Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Husayn Ibn Muhammad Ibn ’Abdul-Wahhaab

Rawdatun-Nadiyyah of Siddeeq Hasan Khaan

Minhaajul-Islaamiyyah of Muhammad Asad

Usoolul-Fiqh of al-Khallaal

Mustalahut-Taareekh of Asad Rustum

Al-Halaal wal-Haraam fil-Islaam of the innovator Yoosuf al-Qardaawee

Fiqhus-Sunnah of Sayyid Saabiq

Baa’ithul-Hatheeth of Ahmad Shaakir

At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb of al-Haafidh al-Mundhiree

Riyaadus-Saaliheen of Imaam an-Nawawee

Al-Imaam fee Ahaadeethil-Ahkaam of Ibn Daqeeq al-’Eed

[15] After carrying out an analysis of the hadeeth in Ibn Khuzaymah’s Saheeh, the Indian hadeeth Scholar, Muhammad Mustafa Azami (head of Hadeeth Science in Makkah), chose Shaykh al-Albaanee to verify and re-check his analysis and the work is currently published in four volumes containing both their comments. This is an indication of the level of trust placed in Shaykh al-Albaanee’s hadeeth ability by other scholars.

[16] In their edition of the well known hadeeth compilation, Mishkaatul-Masaabeeh, the Maktabatul-Islaamee publishing house requested Shaykh al-Albaanee to edit the work before publication. The publisher wrote in the introduction, ‘We requested that the great hadeeth scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee, should help us in the checking of Mishkaat and take responsibility for adding footnotes for any ahaadeeth needing them, and researching and reproducing their sources and authenticity where needed, and correcting any deficiencies…’

[17] The Shaykh’s printed works, mainly in the field of hadeeth and its sciences, number some one hundred and twelve books. Seventeen of these books alone run into forty five volumes! He left behind him in manuscript form at least a further seventy works.

[18] It is recorded on one occasion (and this incident is available on two tape cassettes - his students were in the habit of recording his teaching sessions), that a man visited Shaykh al-Albaanee in his home in Jordan claiming to be a prophet! How would we have reacted when faced with such a situation? Shaykh al-Albaanee sat the man down and discussed his claims at length (as I said, covering two tape cassettes) and in the end the visitor made tawbah from his claim and all present, including the Shaykh, were overcome with tears. In fact, how often is Shaykh al-Albaanee heard on tape bursting into tears when speaking about Allaah, His Messenger and the affairs of the Muslims?

[19] On another occasion he was visited by three men all claiming that Shaykh al-Albaanee was a kaafir. When it came time to pray they refused to pray behind him, saying it is not possible for a kaafir to lead the Prayer. The Shaykh accepted this, saying that in his eyes the three of them were Muslims so one of them should lead the prayer. Afterwards, they discussed their differences at length and when it came time for the following prayer, all three men insisted on praying behind Shaykh al-Albaanee!

[20] During the course of his life the Shaykh has researched and commented on over 30,000 individual chains of transmission (isnaad) for countless hadeeth, having spent sixty years in the study of the books of the Sunnah and being in the company of, and in contact with, its scholars.

http://www.troid.org/articles/manhaj/innovation/indefenceoftheulamaa/alalbaanee.htm

A Clarification of Doubts Concerning the Life of Shaykhul-Islaam Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab

[Based upon the book: Refutations of the Allegations of Those Opposed to the Movement of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab]


Some of the enemies of the Salafee Da‘wah have claimed that Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab broke away from the Ottoman Caliphate, and thus departed from majority in disobedience.

Ibn Afaaliq describes the tawheed of the followers of the Salafee Da‘wah as such:

"As for their tawheed, then it includes going against Muslims…and this is disbelief and not tawheed ."

Addressing them, ‘Umar al-Mahjoob said:

"…and you have fallen into disobedience."

Ibn ‘Aabideen in his commentary described the followers of this da‘wah as Khawaarij, and that was under the chapter of " The wrong-doers (al-Bughaat)", and they are the ones who go against the obedience of the Imaam without a true (proof). [1]

Dahlaan claims that the followers of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab:

"…have departed the majority." [2]

Az-Zahaawee as well, claims that they are notorious for:

"…deserting the obedience of Ameerul-Mu’mineen".

Many of the enemies of the da‘wah described the Shaykh and his followers as Khawaarij, because one of the attributes of Khawaarij is that they go against the Imaam of Muslims, and they become disobedient as soon as they observe some sins of this Imaam that are far below Major Disbelief.

And this is illustrated with what al-Amlee claims. He says:

"The Khawaarij have made the fighting of the Kings of Muslims and going against them permissible… So did the Wahhaabiyyah."

The author of the book "A summary of the History of Arabs" includes a chapter in his book titled "The Uprising of the Wahhaabiyyah against the obedience".

‘Abdul-Qadeem claim that the upcoming of Wahhaabism was one of the reasons behind the fall of the Caliphate, he says:

"The Wahhaabiyyah founded a state within the Islaamic State under the leadership if Muhammad Ibn Sa‘ood and then his son ‘Abdul-‘Azeez. England supported them with weapons and money, and based on ideology they have thrust forward to conquer Islaamic lands that were under the control of the Sultaan, in other words they have raised the sword in the face of the Caliph and killed the Islaamic Army, the army of Ameerul-Mu’mineen (Leader of the Faithful) by means of instigation and support from the English."

And before starting to answer the claim of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab’s revolt against the Caliph, it is appropriate to mention what the Shaykh believed of the creed that necessitates the obedience to the Imaam of Muslims, regardless of whether they are dutiful or wrong-doers, unless they order a disobedience of Allaah, for obedience (to them) is only for things that are good.

The Shaykh says in his letter to the people of Qaseem:

"And I believe in the obligation of submitting and being obedient to the Imaams of Muslims, the dutiful of them as well as the wrong-doers of them, as long as they don't order a disobedience of Allaah, and the person who is responsible for Khilaafah; he whom the people have gathered around and accepted, and he who has forced his way to become Caliph as well, his obedience is obligatory and revolting against him is unlawful (haraam)."

He also says:

"The third source: To make our gathering complete we have to listen to and obey those who rule us, even if it was an Abyssinian slave, and Allaah has explained this to us fully in various forms of explanations, legislative and destined, and then this foundation became to be unknown to a lot of those who claim to have knowledge, never mind practicing it."

In answering such claims, an integral question needs to be answered: Was Najd, the home of this movement, under the control of the Ottoman Khilaafah?

Dr. Saalih al-‘Ubood answers:

" In general, Najd did not witness the sovereignty of the Ottomans, for their power did not reach it, nor their governors, nor at any time preceding the lifetime of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab did a Turkish flag rise in it. What proves this reality is reading through the managerial divisions of the Ottomans. A treatise by Yameen ‘Alee Afandee (who was the treasurer of the Haqqaanee book in the year (1018H), corresponding to 1609) titled "The laws of the Ottoman/ the contents of the book of Deewaan", reveals that starting with the eleventh Hijree century, the Ottoman Khilaafah split into thirty two distinct divisions (iyala), fourteen of each are Arabic, and Najd is not included in those, except for al-Ihsaa, if we were to consider it to be part of Najd.."

Dr. ‘Abdullaah al-‘Uthaymeen says:

"Prior to the upcoming of the call of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab, Najd was not under the direct dominion of Ottomans, nor did it witness any sovereignty from within. Banee Jabr, Banee Khaalid, and the Shareefs were not sovereign, and civil strife between the tribes of Najd was the norm."

Dr. Aajil al-Nashmee says:

"The Khilaafah did not pay attention to Najd and the neighbouring territories. This policy may be attributed to the vastness of Najd, on one side, and on the other side the presence of the tribal fragmentation."

What proves that the position of the Shaykh was fine, and that the Shaykh did not hesitate as to the fact that his movement is not related to the Khilaafah is the letter sent to Faadil al-Mazeed, the ruler of the Syrian desert:

"This thing that they have disapproved of me, that they hated me for and created enmity between me and them for; if they ask any scholar in Syria or Yemen and others, they will say this is the truth and it is the religion of Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). However, I cannot make it public in my area because the state does not approve of it, and Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab managed to because the ruler in his area did not disapprove of it, rather when he knew the truth he followed it."

As for "Zuloom's" claim that the movement of the Shaykh was one of the reasons behind the fall of the Khilaafah, and that the English helped the Wahhaabees to achieve this cause, then Muhammad Mahdee al-Istanboolee answers this flat allegation:

"It was incumbent on this author to support his view with proofs, and in the past the poet said: If the allegations were not based on their proofs/with texts, then it is a proof of foolishness.

To the contrary, History reveals that those English were opposed to this movement from the beginning, fearing a re-awakening of the Islaamic World."

Al-Istanboolee also says:

"It is strange, both amusing and saddening, that this author accuses the movement of the Shaykh of being one of the causes behind the fall of the Ottoman Khilaafah. It is needless to say that this movement was founded in the year 1811, and the Khilaafah was destroyed in the year 1922."

And what proves that the English were against the Wahhaabee movement is that they have sent Captain Forster Saddler to congratulate Ibraaheem Pasha on the victory he gained over the Wahhaabiyyah- referring to the war in Dar‘iyyah-, and to confirm also how inclined he is to cooperate with the British Act against the Wahhaabee piracy in the Arabian Gulf (The most aggressive attacks/ kidnapping of the Royal British vessels that roamed in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean carrying the treasures of India to the empress was carried by well known Wahhaabee centres on the Gulf coast- which until as recent as the fifties was referred to on international maps as the pirates coast- such as Sharjah and Raasul-Khaymah.)

Moreover this letter stated clearly the intention of the British government to create an agreement with Ibraaheem Pasha with the goal of annihilating the Wahhaabee control.

Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Mandthoor an-Nawmaanee says:

"The English have used the position in India that opposed Shaykh Muhammd Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab in order to throw anybody who opposed them with the label "Wahhaabee" And as such the English called the scholars of Deoband, India - Wahhaabiyyah due to their open opposition to the English"

Rather the priest Zuimer mentioned that the Wahhaabiyyah in India do not expose their beliefs because call for Jihaad against the English was ascribed to them.


Footnotes:

[1] Haashiyah Ibn-‘Aabideen (4/262).

[2] ad-Durarus-Sunniyyah fir-Radd ‘alal-Wahhaabiyyah (pg. 23)


[Extracted from: www.troid.org/articles/seerah/thosewhofollowedthem/muhammadibnabdulwahhaab.htm]

Q&A with Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waadi'ee (rahimahullaah) regarding Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (the Night Prayer)

Q&A with Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waadi’ee (rahimahullah) regarding Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (the Night Prayer)

Taken from: Irshaad-ul-Afaadhil-Kiraam Ilaa Masaaili Tata’alluqi bi-Siyaam wal-Qiyaam (Giving direction to the Noble and Generous concerning those issues connected to Fasting and Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh.)

Translated by Aboo ‘Imraan al-Mekseekee

Question: We have many mosques where some of the congregants pray eight raka’aat while others pray twenty, some may prolong the recitation of the prayer while others shorten the recitation, so which mosque is upon the truth that was preformed by the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him)?

Answer: If you can then pray in the mosque and establish the prayer at midnight or the last third of the night and pray eleven or thirteen raka’ah as it has been related in the narration of ‘Aaishah that, “The Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) would not perform more than eleven raka’ah in prayer whether in or out of Ramadhaan.”

And in another narration: “…thirteen raka’ah.”

I advise that the Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (the Night Prayer) be delayed until midnight or until the last third of the night because the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

(Whoever fears falling asleep in the latter part of the night then let him pray the Witr at the beginning of night and whoever endeavors to stand and pray in the last portion of the night then let him pray the Witr at the end of the night, Indeed the prayer prayed at the end portion of nighttime is witnessed.) Related by Muslim.

And when ‘Umar went out of his home and found Abee bin Ka’b praying with the people he said: “What a blessed adaptation and that which they sleep from is good.”

Therefore if they are able to go to the mosque, establishing the Sunnah and standing for prayer at midnight or after it, praying eleven raka’ah with the people while prolonging within what is capable (then do so), because the night prayer is optional not mandatory, the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) would say:

(Verily I enter the prayer wanting to prolong the standing then I take to carry it out when I hear the crying of the child for the affection of his mother.)

And the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh: (Are you a hardship on the people O Mu’aadh?) In reference to his prolonged standing in the prayer, and he also said: (When anyone of you prays by himself then let him prolong his prayer as long as he wants but when he prays with the people then let him shorten the prayer because amongst those who pray are the weak, the sick, and those who have needs to fulfill.)

And this is in regards to the obligatory prayer as for the optional prayer then it is not mandatory rather the person prays what he is able to pray and rests after a number of raka’aat, or he goes home, and if he is able to pray in his house then it is better, and that is because the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him), after praying with the people two or three nights in Ramadhaan, said:

(The best prayer is the one prayed in the home except for the five daily prayers.)

And if some say: The Sunnah has become defined for the sake of opposing the Shee’ah, because they hold the opinion that Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (the Night Prayer) is an innovation, but we do not agree with Shee’ah, rather we desire to agree with the narration of the Messenger of Allah (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him).

And if anyone should fear falling asleep or becoming occupied in his home with his children or others then we advise him to go out to the mosque.

Question: If I pray in the mosque while the Imam observes twenty raka’ah should I also complete twenty with him in accordance with following the Imam or should I only pray eight raka’aat and then observe Witr by myself and then go home?

Answer: I advise you to pray eight raka’aat and then pray Witr alone, adherence to the Sunnah is what is foremost because the Prophet (may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said: (Pray as you see me praying.)

Question: Is it permissible for the man to pray Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (the Night Prayer) with his family in the home?

Answer: There is no harm in that and it is what is best according to what has preceded.

[Extracted from: http://abooimraansbookreviews.blogspot.com/2006/09/qa-with-shaykh-muqbil-bin-haadee-al_29.html]