Articles

Grateful to the Messenger of Allah
Author : An Article by the Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassanat
Date Added : 09-10-2022

Grateful to the Messenger of Allah

 

Although more than a thousand years have passed over the birth of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), we still love him, feel that we are living his era, and celebrate his birth anniversary, which revives the meanings of his love in our hearts. Dwelling upon his great blessings conferred upon us indicates that he is the most entitled to be thanked and our situation with him resembles that of his companions (PBUT). Mu'awiyah, (may Allah be pleased with him,) said: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went out to a circle - meaning, of his Companions - and said: 'What are you doing?' They said: 'We have come together to pray to Allah and praise Him for guiding us to His religion, and blessing us with you.' He said: 'I ask you, by Allah, is that the only reason?' They said: 'By Allah, we have not come together for any other reason.' He said: 'I am not asking you to swear to an oath because of any suspicion; rather Jibril (PBUH) came to me and told me that Allah, The Mighty and Sublime, is boasting of you to the angels.' [Transmitted by Nas`ei].

It is our duty to constantly show gratefulness to Allah The Almighty for having sent the Messenger (PBUH) and that he came to guide us to the way of Allah and the straight path. The evidence on this is that Allah Says (What means): "O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner,- And as one who invites to God’s (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light." [Al-Ahzab/45-46]. He was sent to deliver us from the darkness of ignorance to the light of faith.

Had it not been for the Messenger of Allah, we wouldn`t have known Allah. This was the reason for safety in this world and the next life, and this applies to those who believed in him and those who didn`t. Sa`eid Bin Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas who said that the verse: "We haven`t sent thee o Mohammed save as mercy to all creatures," indicates the person who believed in Allah and the Messenger attains mercy in this world and the next life and the person who didn`t believe in them is relieved from the punishment that used to befall earlier nations in this world ." [Transmitted in Al-Sharee`ah by Al-Ajiri].

We are also grateful to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for having brought good morals after the good was mixed with the bad and some encroached upon the other. He (PBUH) came to distinguish the good from the bad and sift these morals between strictness and negligence. He (PBUH) said: "I was sent to perfect good character." [Mowatta` Malik]. With silence in the court, Jafar Bin Abu Talib stood up and addressed the king Abyssinia in the following words:

“O King! we were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we adored idols,

we lived in unchastity,,we ate the dead bodies, and we spoke abominations, we disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of hospitality and neighborhood were neglected; we knew no law but that of the strong, when Allah raised among us a man, of whose birth, truthfulness, honesty, and purity we were aware; and he called to the Oneness of Allah ,

and taught us not to associate anything with Him.

 

However, this wasn`t as easy as it may seem since calling to Allah was a tall order; not merely delivering speeches. Rather, many relentless efforts were exerted and sacrifices offered. It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'I have been tortured for the sake of Allah as no one else has, and I have suffered fear for the sake of Allah as no one else has. I have spent three days when Bilal and I had no food that any living being could eat but that which could be concealed in the armpit of Bilal." [Mosanaf Ibn Abi Shaibah].

He (PBUH) was patient and endured harm, siege, hunger, thirst, was accused of madness, false allegations were made against his wife Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) and was forced out of the land that he loved most. It has been narrated on the authority of `A'isha, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH), who said to the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him): Messenger of Allah, has there come upon you a day more terrible than the day of Uhud. He said: I have experienced from thy people and the hardest treatment I met from them was what I received from them on the day of `Aqaba. I betook myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil b. `Abd Kulal with the purpose of inviting him to Islam, but he did not respond to me as I desired. So I departed with signs of (deep) distress on my face. I did not recover until I reached Qarn al-Tha`alib. Where I raised my head, lo! near me was a cloud which had cast its shadow on me. I looked and lo! there was in it the angel Jibril who called out to me and said: God, the Honoured and Glorious, has heard what thy people have said to thee, and how they have reacted to thy call. And He has sent to thee the angel in charge of the mountains so that thou mayest order him what thou wishest (him to do) with regard to them. The angel in charge of the mountains (then) called out to me, greeted me and said: Muhammad, God has listened to what thy people have said to thee. I am the angel in charge of the mountains, and thy Lord has sent me to thee so that thou mayest order me what thou wishest. If thou wishest that I should bring together the two mountains that stand opposite to each other at the extremities of Mecca to crush them in between, (I would do that). But the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) said to him: I rather hope that God will produce from their descendants such persons as will worship Allah, the One, and will not ascribe partners to Him." [Moslim].

 

We are also grateful to the Prophet for having made us brothers and united our hearts after we were on each other's throats.

 

Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren…" [Al-Imran/103]. He also Says (What means): "O my Lord! they have indeed led astray many among mankind; He then who follows my (ways) is of me, and he that disobeys me,- but Thou art indeed Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful." [Ibrahim/ 36]. 'Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) said (What means): "If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise." [Al-Ma`idah/118]. 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

The Prophet (PBUH) recited the Words of Allah, The Exalted, and the Glorious, about Ibrahim (PBUH) who said: "O my Rubb! They have led astray many among mankind. But whosoever follows me, he verily, is of me". (14:36) and those of 'Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) who said: "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise". (5:118). Then he (PBUH) raised up his hands and said, "O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah," and wept; Allah, The Exalted, said (What means): "O Jibril (Gabriel)! Go to Muhammad (PBUH) and ask him: 'What makes you weep?" So Jibril came to him and asked him (the reason of his weeping) and the Messenger of Allah informed him what he had said (though Allah knew it well). Upon this Allah said: "Jibril, go to Muhammad (PBUH) and say: 'Verily, We will please you with regard to your Ummah and will never displease you". [Moslim].

 

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (PBUH) as saying:

"The similitude of mine and that of my Umma is that of a person who lit fire and there began to fall into it insects and moths. And I am there to hold you back, but you plunge into it."

 

How could we be ungrateful to the Messenger (PBUH) while he keeps asking Allah to forgive us even after he departed this world? He (PBUH) said: "Both my life and death are good for you. Even after my death, your deeds are shown to me. If they are good, I thanked Allah. If they are bad, I asked Him to forgive you." [Musnad Al-Bazzar].

 

How could we be ungrateful to the Messenger (PBUH) while on the Day of Resurrection, everyone tries to save himself or herself but he says: "O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah."

 

We are grateful for his being the Messenger of Allah and for the fact that Allah has honored us to be from his Ummah that lives in accordance with his righteous methodology.

 

Every blessing Allah bestowed upon us is because of the Messenger (PBUH). In this regard, Al-Shafi`I says ?(What means): "Every blessing, revealed or concealed, is because of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)."

 

Thank you Messenger of Allah.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

Is it permissible for someone who is unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, due to his own poverty?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is not permissible, nor does it fulfill the obligation, for a sick person who is currently and permanently unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, since it is a financial obligation owed by him, established as a standing debt upon him — much like any other debt he owes. If he were to pay it to himself, it would not thereby be discharged. So if he cannot find [anyone eligible to] pay it to, it remains a standing obligation upon him, and is not thereby waived. If Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, later grants him wealth, it becomes obligatory upon him to pay it out to the poor and needy.
Imam al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said: "There is no difference in the obligation of the fidyah between the wealthy and the poor person; its benefit lies in its remaining established as a standing debt upon the poor person [until he is able to pay it] — and this is the more correct position (al-aṣaḥḥ), as indicated by the wording of ar-Rawḍah and its source text." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.174]
Accordingly: it is not permissible for a Muslim to pay the fidyah to himself while he remains poor. If the sick person is poor, he is not obligated to pay the fidyah immediately, and it remains a standing debt upon him until a time when he has sufficient means and wealth. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on compensating the patient in case of medical error on the part of the treating physician?

 
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The foundational principle is that every mistake issued by a physician that causes harm to another due to his negligence or lack of expertise obligates him to guarantee liability and compensate the harmed party. The Sharia maxim, in this regard, states: "The direct actor is liable."
 
Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "As for if he was skilled but his hand committed an error—such as exceeding the proper limit of incision, cutting in an incorrect site, cutting with an instrument that inflicts excessive pain, or cutting at an unsuitable time—he is liable, because it is destruction (Itlaf) whose liability does not differ between intent and mistake, thus resembling the destruction of property; and because it is a prohibited act, so he guarantees liability for its secondary effects." [Al-Mughni].
 
However, if the physician performed what was necessary in the most complete manner and took all measures of care and caution, but complications occurred that could not be avoided according to specialists, then no liability rests upon him.
 
Shaykh al-Islam Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "The cupper and the circumciser bear no liability if they have not been negligent, and likewise the veterinarian if he bleeds an animal and it perishes." [Rawdat al-Talibin].
 
Al-Khattabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "I know of no disagreement that if the practitioner transgresses and the patient perishes, he is liable. Anyone who undertakes knowledge or practice he does not know is a transgressor; so if perishing arises from his action, he is liable for the blood-money (Diyah) while capital retaliation (Qisas) is dropped from him, because he did not act independently without the patient's permission. And the physician’s offense in the view of the generality of jurists is borne by his agnates ('Aqilah*)."* [Ma'alim al-Sunan].
 
If negligence or transgression is established against the physician, it is necessary to compensate the patient or seek forgiveness from him. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on combining more than one intention in the prayer, such as combining the *sunnah* of wuḍūʾ with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*, or combining the *sunnah* of greeting the mosque (*taḥiyyat al-masjid*) with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Combining two intentions in a single act of worship, which some jurists call the “overlapping of acts of worship”, has several cases and precise rules. These can be consulted in the books of legal maxims, such as al-Manthūr fī al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyyah by al-Zarkashī and al-Ashbāh wa’l-Naẓāʾir by al-Suyūṭī. Among the most important of these rules:
First: If all of the acts of worship that one wishes to combine under one intention are obligatory, the intentions do not overlap. An example is combining the intention of the obligatory ʿAṣr prayer with that of the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. The intentions do not overlap in this case.
Second: If the two acts are specified supererogatory prayers (nawāfil muqayyadah) that are aimed at in themselves because of a particular time, occasion, or cause, or if they are an obligatory prayer and a specified supererogatory prayer, the intentions again do not overlap. An example is the Duha prayer, which may not be combined with, for instance, the regular sunnah of Dhuhr.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: “Whatever is not, in meaning, an absolute voluntary prayer, such as the Duha sunnah… is not subsumed under another. Rather, if he intends something else along with it… the prayer is not validly entered. This is because combining two obligations, two specified supererogatory prayers, or an obligation and a specified supererogatory prayer invalidates the prayer in cases not built upon overlapping, as ritual purification (ṭahārah) is.”
Third: If the two acts are absolute voluntary prayers (nawāfil muṭlaqah), or one of them is, where the texts of the Sharīʿah show that the aim of the voluntary act is to fill the time with worship, then overlapping of intentions is permissible. An example is the obligatory Dhuhr prayer together with the sunnah of greeting the mosque (taḥiyyat al-masjid). And Allah Almighty knows best.