Monday, October 23, 2006

Eid Warning


In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Gracious

As the month of Ramadan closes, something strange happens. Shortly after the new moon is sighted for Shawwal, the hayah (modesty) and taqwa (God Consciousness) we spent so hard in acquiring during Ramadan gets kicked to the curb. The Shayateen are released and put in double hours of effort and blast us with their deceptive and misguiding marketing campaigns. Have we filled our tanks of taqwa enough to remain steadfast for the next 11 months?


QUICK PRE-EID REMINDERS:
All sins are still sins
Masjid still open
Doors of mercy still open
Still fard to pray


Lets not make the masjid cry for us. Though Ramadan has left us, lets keep it in our hearts. Lets continue recitation of the Quran and continue our standing in the night for Tahajjud with equal stamina after Ramadan. May Allah(swt) grant us tofeeq, Ameen.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NIGHT BEFORE EID?


The Night Preceding 'Eid al Fitr

It had been the practice of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) that he would not sleep in the night preceding the day of 'Eid al Fitr. This night has been named in a Hadith as Laylatul Ja'izah, or the night of reward. It means that Allah the Almighty bestows His rewards to those who have spent the month of Ramadan abiding by the dictates of Shari'ah, and all their prayers in this night are accepted. Therefore, it is desirable to perform nafl prayers this night.

The Holy Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) is reported to have said:

"Whoever stands up (in worship) in the nights preceding the two Eids, expecting rewards from his Lord, his heart will not die when the other hearts will die." (Ibn Majah)

To benefit from this opportunity, one should perform as much worship in this night as he can, and should pray for all his needs and desires.


to read more go to www.meccaone.org

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Seven Distructive Sins

Narrated by Abu Huraira (ra): Allah’s messenger (saw) said, “Avoid the seven destructive sins.” It was said (by the hearers): what are they, the messenger of Allah (saw) said “they are;




1. To join partners in worship with Allah
2. Sihr (Magic: to practice sorcery)
3. Killing the life which Allah has forbidden without a just cause (according to Islamic law)
4. To eat up Riba (usury)
5. To eat up the property of an orphan
6. To show ones back to the enemy and fleeing from the battle field at the time of fighting (i.e. when the army advances)
7. And to accuse chaste women who never think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers”.

These are said to be 7 greatest of sins by many Ulamaa however Abbas (ra) said not to restrict the number of sins because the number is more along the lines of 70,000.


Prayer to prayer, Jumma prayer to Jumma prayer, Umrah to Umrah etc expiates minor sins. As far as major sins go, one has to make sincere repentance and fulfill all the criteria of sincere repentance. The messenger of Allah tells us; “Those who avoid major sins Allah will enter them into Jannah and forgive them their minor sins”.

The worst of all these sins is to join partners with Allah. Under this umbrella also comes homosexuality, showing of (Riyaa) e.g. beautifying recitations and prayers for others. Practicing magic takes one out of the fold of Islam. The punishment for practicing magic is death with a sword unless he makes sincere tawbah (repentance). A fortune teller automatically leaves the fold of Islam and becomes a kafir (non believer), fortune telling is forbidden harram. One who goes to a fortune teller purely for entertainment purposes will not have their prayers accepted for 40 days however prayers still have to be performed. The one who goes to a fortune teller and believes what’s being said refutes the message of Muhammad (saw) and has to take their shahaada again.

The only circumstances under which people are permitted is 1) if one does so to incur more damage to the enemy 2) flees to an Islamic land with Muslim troops and if the Muslims are less than half the enemy. Among the believers that are allowed to be killed is the adulterer, murderer and one who apostates. Among the unbelievers that are not allowed to be killed are one who has a treaty with a Muslim land, one who comes to a Muslim land for protection and one who is paying a type of tax in a Muslim country.

In terms of riba (usury) all the following are cursed; one who consumes it one who writes it down, one who receives it and one who witnesses it. They are consuming fire in their bellies and they will roast in the fire.

Explanation by Abu abdillah Yunus Ibn Mahmoud