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The Birth of the Prophet Mohammad: Glad Tidings for a New Beginning
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 18-10-2021

The Birth of the Prophet Mohammad: Glad Tidings for a New Beginning

 

 

The birth of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) wasn`t a mere casual passing event in history. Rather, it was a great occasion that led to the rise of the best nation produced for mankind promoting righteousness, establishing the foundations of what is true, enjoining good and forbidding evil. When he was born, the whole earth was illuminated with the light of Prophecy after it was dominated by the darkness of ignorance and polluted with sins. Allah the Almighty sent down the Quran to remove doubt and polytheism and save people from the darkness of disbelief to the light of belief paving the way for a new ray of hope for every misguided or bewildered individual. His mother saw light coming out of her while delivering him. Whoever followed his guidance and Sunnah is guided to the straight path. Allah Says (What means): "O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book,- Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight." [Al-Mai`dah/15-16]. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "I`m the seal of the Prophets, the call of Ibrahim, the glad tidings given by Isa (Jesus), and upon delivering me, my mother saw light coming out of her illuminating the palaces of Sham (Syria)." [Musnad Ahmad].

 

Judge Eyaad said: "Among the wonders related to his birth is that he was born with his head held high and his eyesight fixed towards heaven." [Ash-Shifaa].

 

The glad tidings of his birth are a sign for change on universal level as the born isn`t like anyone else; he is the best of creation. He is the one who will be capable of changing historical events and steering the wheel of humanity. His destiny was in tune with the greatness of the responsibility placed on his shoulders. His birth has a announced the start of a new chapter in human history. According to religious tradition, on the night of the Prophet Mohammad`s birth, the Taq Kasra shook and its walls cracked, the fire that the Persians worshipped and kept burning continuously for a thousand years went out, and Lake Saawah dried up.

 

It is Allah`s Wisdom that he sent Mohammad (PBUH) to guide the people to the straight path, whereas He, The Most Exalted Said (What means): "Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner." [Al-Kahf/110]. He (PBUH) was known as Al-Sadiq (the Truthful) and Al-Amin (the Faithful). Allah described him in the following verse, as it Says (What means): "Now hath come unto you an Apostle from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that ye should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful." [At-Tawbah/128]. Allah also Praised creating him where He Said (What means): "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." [Al-Qalam/4]. He is the best of creation, the seal of Prophets and Messengers, the Chief of the children of Adam till the Day of Judgment, and the leader of those whose faces are bright and limbs are white because of Wudu`. As reflected in Hadiths, he was a man tantamount to a nation.

 

His birth anniversary is a beacon of hope enabling every Muslim to come closer to Allah. A window for a brighter and more promising future. Just as the Muslim nation was able to advance by virtue of his birth, it is able today to relieve itself from the burdens of ignorance and fanaticism. This is particularly since his teachings are carved in the hearts of Muslims and the Glorious Quran guides to all that is good.

 

This anniversary reminds us of our duty to make him known to others, defend him, show his morals and noble attributes, and follow his Sunnah. This will enable the Muslim nation to assume its leading role amongst the nations; just as Allah wanted. He The Almighty Says (What means): "Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in God." [Al-Imran/ 110]. 

 

Celebrating his birth anniversary is an integral part of faith and acquainting others with his morals and attributes, and this is part of enjoining good and forbidding evil. This anniversary should motivate every Muslim to make change for the better, abandon sins, and draw closer to Allah with acts of obedience following the example of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH): "the best human being and leader. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Isma'il, and he granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana, and he granted eminence to Banu Hashim amonsgst the Quraish, and he granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim." [Moslim].  And all praise be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

"I told my family at night: 'I will fast tomorrow as qaḍā' (a make-up fast),' but I forgot to make the intention before sleeping. Is my fast valid?"

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
 
The intention is obligatory in acts of worship. For obligatory fasting, the required intention is to resolve to fast during the night [before dawn]. Its proper locus is the heart, while verbalizing the intention out loud in acts of worship is a sunnah — so that the tongue may align with the heart. If the intent behind the statement in question was the intention to fast, then it is valid; but if the intent was merely to inform someone, or reflected hesitation or doubt, then it is not valid.
 
It is stated in *Bushrā al-Karīm* (Vol.1/P.216): "It is a sunnah to verbalize the intention — that is, whatever has already been intended in the heart, whether an obligatory or a voluntary act — such as specifying the number of rak‘ahs, just before the opening takbīr — so that the tongue may assist the heart, and because this is further removed from whispered doubts (waswasah), and in order to accommodate the view of those who held it obligatory in every act of worship that requires an intention (even though this is a minority position), by analogy with Ḥajj."
 
Accordingly: if the intention to fast arose in your heart before the second adhān [i.e., before Fajr], then your fast is valid.
 
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

If someone starts the day sick or traveling while fasting, is it permissible for them to break their fast?

● A sick person who finds fasting difficult is allowed to break their fast, whether they began the day fasting or not.
● As for a traveler:
○ If they were still at home at dawn and then traveled after Fajr (dawn), they must continue fasting unless they experience extreme hardship, in which case they may break their fast.
○ However, if they were already traveling when dawn broke—meaning they had left their town before Fajr—then they are permitted to break their fast. This is what the Prophetﷺ did during the year of the conquest (of Makkah).

What is the ruling on one who vows to fast a specific or non-specific year? Are the two Eids, the days of Tashreeq, Ramadan, and the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding included in them? And do these days break the consecutiveness if it was intended?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone makes a vow (Nadr) to fast a specific, designated year, this vow does not include the days of Eid, the days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), Ramadan, or the days of menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas). Furthermore, there is no requirement to make up (Qada) these specific days.
 
However, if someone vows to fast a year that is not specifically designated (i.e., any twelve-month period) and stipulates that the fasting must be consecutive, they are bound by that condition. They must not fast on the days of Eid, during Ramadan, or during menstruation, but they are required to make up these days afterward—with the exception of the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, which do not need to be made up.
 
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Bajuri ‘ala Sharh Ibn Qasim ({Vol.2/P.606): 'If one vows to fast a specific year, the Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, and days of menstruation or postnatal bleeding are not included. This is because Ramadan does not accept any fast other than its own, and the others do not accept fasting at all. Therefore, they do not enter into the vow, and no makeup is required for them because they are legally excluded—contrary to Al-Rafi’i regarding menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
 
If one vows to fast a non-designated year: if they stipulated consecutiveness (Tatuabu’) in their vow, they must fulfill it; otherwise, they are not bound to it. Consecutiveness is not broken by the days that do not enter into the specific year vow (Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding). However, one must make up the days missed—excluding the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding—immediately following the end of the year. As for the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, it is not made up, contrary to Ibn al-Rif’ah, who argued that it must be made up just like Ramadan.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on a person in a state of major impurity (junub) or a menstruating woman (ha'id) reciting the Quran from memory?

It is not permissible for a menstruating woman, a postpartum woman, or a person in a state of major impurity to recite anything from the Quran, whether from memory, from the Quran, from a phone, or a computer. It is also not permissible for them to touch the Quran, based on what was reported from Ali bin Abi Talib that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not prevented from anything regarding the Quran except major impurity (janabah). (Reported by al-Tirmidhi who said it is a hasan sahih hadith). Menstruation and postpartum bleeding are analogous to major impurity (janabah) as they are all major impurities (hadath akbar).
For those mentioned, it is permissible to mention Allah and supplicate even with verses from the Quran, provided they do not intend them as recitation of the Quran, but intend them as remembrance (dhikr) or supplication (du'a). And Allah the Almighty knows best.