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Enhancing the Prophet`s Birth Anniversary in the Hearts of Children
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Harasees
Date Added : 30-01-2023

Enhancing the Prophet`s Birth Anniversary in the Hearts of Children

 

The Prophet`s birth anniversary is a golden opportunity to instill his love in the hearts of future generations in general and children in particular. This is since humans by nature are inclined to love those that do good to them, join the role models, and seek the practical and realistic model to emulate.

This anniversary paves the way for parents and educators to highlight the Prophetic role model with all its manifestations, potentials, morals, mercy and attributes through dwelling on his noble biography, dealings, and skills.

The first step to this end is achieved through instilling love and attachment to the Prophet (PBUH) in the hearts of these children as well as reading his biography on frequent basis. These steps generate love towards the Prophet (PBUH) since, as it is said: when you love someone or something, you mention them a lot. In addition, this love represents the second part of the testimony of faith (…And I bear witness that Mohammad (PBUH) is His slave and Messenger).

Love is proof of perfect faith since Anas reported God’s messenger as saying: "None of you believes till I am dearer to him than his father, his child, and all mankind." {Bukhari}. Loving and emulating the Prophet (PBUH) constitute a strong shield against taking evil individuals of society as role models.

As part of celebrating the Prophet`s birth anniversary, we can draw up a methodology or a simple brief plan to achieve the goals, meanings, and secrets of this great anniversary to arrive at a spiritual connection between Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and this generation. Based on this, we can do the following:

Glorifying this anniversary and the merit of this day through showing the merit of the Prophet (PBUH) and that he is the chosen one and was sent as mercy to the Worlds. Almighty Allah Says {What means}: "Say: "In the bounty of God. And in His Mercy,- in that let them rejoice": that is better than the (wealth) they hoard." {Younis/58}.

We can also explain to them that the Quran teaches us to remember this day since Allah The Exalted Said {What means}: "We sent Moses with Our signs (and the command)."Bring out thy people from the depths of darkness into light, and teach them to remember the Days of God." Verily in this there are Signs for such as are firmly patient and constant,- grateful and appreciative." {Ibrahim/5}. This is in addition to the fact that the Prophet (PBUH) himself has celebrated this day. Abu Qatadah (May Allah Be Pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said: "That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received Revelation." [Muslim].

 

Another practical method is gathering household members to talk about his attributes and biography.

It is no secret that it is highly important to attend the celebrations held at mosques and Quran centers. These usually include religious guidance and prophetic chants within a joyful atmosphere.

Moreover, we could organize competitions in which questions concerning the Prophetic biography are asked and prizes given. In other words providing moral and material motivations.

This is along with encouraging the children to send prayers upon the Prophet (PBUH) on frequent basis and clarifying the reward for this great deed both in this world and the next. This can also be encouraged through giving a monetary prize no matter how small it is in order to promote the spirit of competing in doing good deeds.

This anniversary is an excellent opportunity and a high rank since it derives its greatness from the person whose birthday is being celebrated and that is Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). It is one method to instill meanings of love and affection towards this great Prophet (PBUH) in the hearts and minds of the children.

The purpose is to connect this generation with Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and educators are at liberty to choose the method that they see fit to achieve the aforementioned goals and objectives. And all perfect praise be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

If the bleeding ceases after 40 days following childbirth, but then returns intermittently during two days of fasting, what is the ruling?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Whenever the post-natal bleeding (Nifas) ceases and the woman is certain it will not return, she has become pure; therefore, she must perform the ritual bath (Ghusl) and resume praying and fasting. However, if the blood returns within fifteen days of its cessation and before sixty days have passed since the delivery, the ruling of Nifas applies once again. Consequently, any fasting or prayer performed during that interval of purity is rendered invalid; she must make up for the missed fasts of those days, but she is not required to make up for the prayers. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the amount of food to be given to a needy person for fidyah and kaffarah?

The amount of food to be given to a needy person is 600 grams of wheat or rice.
According to the Hanafi school, it is permissible to give the monetary equivalent instead, and this is the ruling issued by the General Iftaa` Department.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on a person who abandons prayer after reaching puberty—is he required to make them up?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Making up missed obligatory prayers is an Islamic duty just as performing them in their proper time is obligatory, and taking care of them takes precedence over performing voluntary prayers. This is established by the practice of our Supreme Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the polytheists distracted him on the Day of the Trench from performing the Asr prayer, so he made it up afterward, as well as the Hadith: "Pay Allah what is due to Him, for Allah is most deserving of fulfillment." (Recorded by Al-Bukhari)
 
Furthermore, it is valid to make up missed prayers at any time.
 
Whoever has missed a number of prayers and does not know their exact count, it is obligatory upon them to sincerely repent and exert their utmost effort to estimate their number. If they are unable to determine the exact count, they should base it on what is most probable according to their best judgment. They should then make them up gradually; if one performs one missed prayer alongside every current obligatory prayer, the matter becomes easy and manageable, and with the passage of time, one will complete what is owed, Allah willing. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on forgiving a tenant next month's rent, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh al-māl?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It does not fulfill the obligation to count the rent owed on a house, or a portion of it, in lieu of zakāh. Rather, it is necessary to first transfer ownership of the zakāh amount to the poor person directly; only afterward may he be asked to pay the rent [from that money].
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 112): "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]."
We would also remind [the reader] of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him [to harm]. Whoever attends to the needs of his brother, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will attend to his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.