Monday, May 25, 2009

The forty-day anniversary is a Pharaonic custom

What is the origin of the forty-day anniversary? Is there any evidence that eulogizing is acceptable in Islam?

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: the origin of this is a Pharaonic custom which was practised by the Pharaohs before Islam, then it spread from them to other nations. It is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah) which has no basis in Islam, and it is be rejected as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (Islam) which is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (Saheeh – agreed upon).

Secondly: commemorating and eulogizing the dead in the manner that is done nowadays, when people gather for that purpose and exaggerate in praising the deceased is not permitted. It was narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Awfaa said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade eulogizing.” (And it is not permitted) because mentioning the attributes of the deceased usually involves boasting and provokes sorrow and grief. But simply speaking well of him when he is mentioned or when his funeral passes by, or mentioning his good deeds and so on, in a manner similar to the way in which the Sahaabah eulogized those who were killed at Uhud and others, is permissible. It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A funeral passed by and they spoke well of the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘He deserved it.’ Then another funeral passed by and they spoke ill of the deceased. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘He deserved it.’ ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, ‘What did they deserve?’ He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘The first one you spoke well of, and he deserved Paradise, and the second one you spoke ill of, and he deserved Hell. You are the witnesses of Allaah on earth.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).


Kitaab Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ibn Baaz , vol. 13, p.398.

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/12552


Ibn Shamsud-Deen:

Doesn't this sound familiar? So what our community here in Singapore and Malaysia have been practising, it is not just a "revival" of a Hindu custom but also Pharaonic custom, wa iyaadhu billaah.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Conditions, essential parts and Sunnahs of Jumu’ah khutbahs

Can you explain to us the essential parts, obligations and Sunnahs of the Jumu’ah khutbah?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The fuqaha’ of the four madhhabs are agreed that the khutbah is a condition of the Friday prayer being valid, and it is part of the remembrance of Allaah that Allaah has enjoined in His words (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumu‘ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allaah [Jumu‘ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salaah (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing)”

[al-Jumu’ah 62:9].

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) persisted in doing this; in fact it is narrated from some of the Companions that the khutbah is a replacement for two rak’ahs of Zuhr prayer. All of that indicates that the khutbah is an essential condition for the Friday prayer being valid.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

To sum up, the khutbah is a condition of Jumu’ah, and it is not valid without it, as was stated by ‘Ata’, al-Nakha’i, Qataadah, al-Thawri, al-Shaafa’i, Ishaaq, Abu Thawr and ashaab al-ra’i. And we do not know of anyone who disagreed with that except al-Hasan. End quote.

Al-Mughni (2/74)

Secondly:

Conditions of the Friday khutbah

The fuqaha’ are also agreed on two of the conditions of the Friday khutbah:

1. That it should be done after the beginning of the time for Friday prayer.

2. That it should be done before the prayer and not after. Al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni said: according to consensus, except for those who held odd opinions. Mughni al-Muhtaaj, 1/549. There should not be a lengthy interval between the two, rather the prayer should come immediately after the khutbah. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is essential that the prayer come immediately after the khutbah. End quote. Al-Mughni, 2/79.

The scholars differed concerning other conditions. We will mention briefly that which we believe is most likely to be conditions after having studied the evidence of all opinions:

3. The intention (niyyah). That is because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions.” Agreed upon. So it is stipulated that the khateeb should have the intention of presenting a khutbah that is acceptable and valid for Friday prayer. This is the view of the Hanbalis and some of the Shaafa’is.

4. It should be spoken out loud. It is not acceptable for the khateeb to give a khutbah silently, because the aims of the khutbah cannot be achieved unless it is given out loud. This is the view of the majority of scholars, apart from the Hanafis.

Some of the scholars have stipulated that a specific number of people must attend the Friday khutbah, and some of them stipulated that the khutbah should be in Arabic, but we have explained previously on our website that these two conditions are not valid. See the answer to question no. 7718 and 112041.

Thirdly:

Essential part of the Friday khutbah

The correct scholarly view is that the only essential part of the Friday khutbah is the minimum to which the word khutbah may be applied according to custom. This is the view of Ibn Hazm. Al-Muhalla, 5/97,

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

It is not sufficient in the khutbah to discourage people from being attached to worldly matters and to remind them of death, rather it is essential to give what may be called a khutbah according to custom, and that cannot be achieved by means of an abbreviated speech that fails to fulfil the purpose. End quote.

Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 79

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The fuqaha’s stipulation of the four essential parts in each of the two khutbahs is subject to further discussion. If the speaker does in each of the two khutbahs that which fulfils the purpose of the khutbah, which is exhortation that moves the heart, then he has done the khutbah. But undoubtedly praise of Allaah, blessings upon the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) and recitation of some Qur’aan are all things which complete and adorn the khutbah. End quote.

Al-Fataawa al-Sa’diyyah, p. 193

The khateeb should be pure and free of impurities both minor and major, and he should wear his best clothes, greet the people with salaam and deliver the khutbah from the minbar. He should turn to face the people and he should be sincere in exhorting and reminding the people in clear and eloquent words. He should keep the khutbah short and not make it lengthy, and he should make it into two khutbahs.

There are differences of opinion with regard to many of these minor issues, the details of which are discussed elsewhere. But here we have limited it to an overall discussion of that which all the Muslims need to know.

However we should point out here the importance of paying attention to the people's situation with regard to what the khutbah should contain. The khateeb should give them what they need and not talk to them about things that they cannot understand or that they do not need to know of religious issues.

Moreover he should not differ from what people are used to in their khutbahs of remembrance of Allaah, supplication or other things that are mustahabb in the khutbah, and for which there is no evidence that they are essential in the khutbah. It is sufficient for there to be evidence that they are mustahabb or even allowed for him to do them. And he should pay attention to the people's situation and needs.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, after discussing what the Hanbali fuqaha’ regard as essential in the Friday khutbah:

Some of the scholars said that the basic condition of the khutbah is that it should contain exhortation that softens the hearts and is beneficial to the people present, and that praising Allaah, sending blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) and reciting a verse are all part of perfecting the khutbah.

But this opinion, although it carries some weight, need not be followed if the people of this city follow the first view which the author mentioned above, because if he omits these conditions which the author has mentioned, the people will become confused and everyone will leave Jumu’ah feeling that he has not prayed Jumu’ah, but if you fulfil these conditions you will not be doing anything haraam.

Paying attention to the people with regard to any matter that is not haraam is the way of sharee’ah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) paid attention to his Companions with regard to fasting and not fasting in Ramadan when travelling, and he paid attention to them with regard to the rebuilding of the Ka’bah, when he said to ‘Aa’ishah: “Were it not that your people are still new in Islam, I would have demolished the Ka’bah and rebuilt it on the foundations of Ibraaheem.” [Agreed upon] This principle is well known in sharee’ah.

But if you go along with them with regard to something that is haraam, this is called compromise and it is not permissible. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you” [al-Qalam 68:9].

End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 5/56

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/115854

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Jarum-jarum Syi'ah di Singapura

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Pandangan Ulama' Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah Terhadap Yazid Bin Muawiyah:

"Yang benar adalah apa yang diperkatakan oleh para imam bahawa mereka tidak mengkhususkan kecintaan kepada Yazid mahupun melaknatnya. Sekalipun beliau seorang yang fasiq atau zalim, maka Allah akan mengampuni seorang yang fasiq dan zalim jika orang itu memiliki beberapa kebaikan yang besar. Sesungguhnya al-Bukhari di dalam Shahihnya telah meriwayatkan daripada Ibn Umar radhiallahu 'anhuma bahawa Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda: “Pasukan tentera yang pertama menyerang Konstantinopel, maka Allah mengampunkan mereka”. Pasukan pertama yang menyerang Konstantinopel adalah dibawah pimpinan Yazid bin Muawiyah.” [Majmu al-Fatawa, Ibn Taimiyyah (Jilid 3, m/s. 409-413)]


Pandangan Ulama' Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah Terhadap Para Sahabat Nabi Shalallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam:

"Jika engkau melihat ada orang yang mencela salah seorang sahabat Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam maka ketahuilah bahwa dia adalah zindiq!!!” [Al-Kifayah, al-Imam al-Khathib al-Baghdadi (hal. 97)]

“Sahabat adalah setiap muslim yang melihat Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam walaupun hanya sekilas." [Syarhul Muslim, Imam an-Nawawi (Jilid 1, m/s 35)]
*Dan begitulah pendapat para imam-imam besar Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah termasuk al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Imam Ibn Kathir, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal dan sebagainya.


Kesaksian Nabi Shalallahu 'Alaihi Wasallam terhadap Muawiyah Bin Abu Sufyan:

“Ya Allah, anugerahkanlah kepada Mu’awiyah ilmu al-Kitab (al-Qur`an) dan al-Hisab (ilmu hitung) serta jauhkanlah beliau dari azab.” [Hadith riwayat Imam Ahmad dan dishahihkan oleh Sheikh al-Albani]

“Ya Allah, jadikanlah Mu’awiyah sebagai pembawa petunjuk yang memberikan petunjuk. Berikanlah petunjuk padanya dan petunjuk (bagi umat) dengan keberadaannya.” [Hadith riwayat Imam Ahmad dan Tirmidzi. Dishahihkan oleh Sheikh al-Albani]


Muawiyah Bin Abu Sufyan Dijanjikan Syurga:

Dari Umu Haram radhiallahuanha beliau berkata, Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam bersabda : “Pasukan pertama dari ummatku yang perang di lautan maka wajib baginya (syurga).” [Hadith riwayat Imam Bukhari]

"Al-Muhallab berkata: Hadith ini menjelaskan keutamaan Mu’awiyah karena beliaulah orang pertama yang berperang di lautan.” [Fathul Bari, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Jilid 6, m/s 120)]


Ketahuilah, hanyalah golongan firqah-firqah yang sesat yang mencela para sahabat seperti golongan Syi'ah, Khawarij dan Mu’tazilah. Dan tiada di antara golongan yang mengaku sebagai Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah yang akan mencela sahabat kecuali diakibatkan kejahilan mereka terhadap agama ataupun kecenderungan mereka terhadap pemikiran firqah-firqah yang sesat.

Dan ketahuilah, pemikiran golongan Sufi sangat mirip dengan pemikiran Syi'ah.

Dan kepada Allah kembali segala urusan.

wallahu a'lam

Rujukan:
1) Pendirian Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah Terhadap Yazid bin Muawiyah Oleh Hafiz Firdaus Abdullah
2) Muawiyah Abi Sufyan, Sahabat Yang Terzhalimi oleh Abu Salma al-Atsari

[Ditukil dari: ISLAM IN SG: JARUM-JARUM SYI'AH DI SINGAPURA]

Updates that you might have missed

This is especially for readers of my blogspot, who might have missed some updates from me since 2nd April.. i don't know why it didn't get cross-posted to my blogspot..

April 19: Promote Optimism, Aal al-Sheikh tells preachers

April 19: "Is Prayer a Priority?"

April 23: Shaykh Abdul Azeez bin Rayyis ar-Rayyis on Shaykh Ali Hasan al-Halabee

April 24: The Praise of Shaykh al-Albaanee of Shaykh Ali Hasan al-Halabee

May 01: Bagaimana Aku Mencapai Jalan Tauhid

May 02: Adat Budaya VS Agama

May 02: The Truth About Habib Umar

May 03: Remembering Allaah in the Washroom

May 03: The Four You Musn't Take Knowledge From