Articles

This Is How I Remember You, O Messenger of Allah
Author : Mufti. Zakaria Ali Salman
Date Added : 07-01-2025

I remember you as an orphaned child, so that you would say "My Lord, My Lord" instead of "My father, my father," and thus the miracle of divine upbringing manifests in your life with the absence of a father. I remember this and send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you as a nursing infant in the home of Halima Al-Sa'diyya, where blessings descended upon her household. They marveled at your fairness, as you nursed from one breast and left the other for your foster brother. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you as a child playing with other children, when angels came to cleanse your heart and remove Satan’s portion from it. I recognize that Allah was preparing you to speak only the truth in all circumstances: " Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. (3) It is no less than inspiration sent down to him (4)" [An-Najm/3–4]. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you on that lonely night in the desert between Mecca and Medina, when death took your mother, leaving you when you needed her the most, as you were the dearest thing in her world. You became an orphan of both parents, so your heart would rely on none but Allah. "My Lord trained me, and how excellent was my training." I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you, beloved of Abu Talib, more than his own children. Yet you refused to be a burden on him and went out to graze sheep for Quraysh, earning a meager wage, teaching us self-reliance. It was preparation for leading nations, much like the preparation of Moses, peace be upon him. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you as the honest, trustworthy merchant who brought great profits while adhering to truthfulness and integrity, teaching us that blessings come with honesty and trustworthiness. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you choosing marriage based on wisdom, virtue, and goodness, not merely on beauty or age. You found in Khadijah a righteous wife who stood by you through hardships, supporting you, unlike modern notions of marriage driven by fleeting desires. Allah guided you to a blessed union. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you participating in rebuilding the Kaaba, raising the houses of Allah. Your nation, following in your footsteps, would continue building and defending mosques until the end of time. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember how all trusted you to mediate disputes because you were known on every tongue as "The Trustworthy, The Truthful. "

You saved your people from a potentially devastating war. I recall Allah’s words: "We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures." [Al-Anbiya/107]. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you amidst the struggles and burdens of the world, never forgetting the concerns of others, whether private or public. You maintained family ties, supported the weak, assisted the needy, and helped those in distress. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you in the Cave of Hira during your first encounter with Gabriel, insisting you were not a reader, while Gabriel commanded, "Read!" This marked your mission to transform an illiterate nation into a civilization of knowledge and enlightenment. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you teaching Islam in Dar Al-Arqam Ibn Abi Al-Arqam, instructing with gentleness, patience, discretion, and dedication, seeking only Allah’s pleasure. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you calling the tribes of Quraysh, reminding them of Allah, their origin, and their end, teaching them that happiness in this world and salvation in the Hereafter lie in following Allah’s commands. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you inviting people to Allah despite the mockery, arrogance, and hostility you faced. You persisted in guiding them with unshakable resolve. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you rejecting worldly temptations—wealth, women, power—and staying steadfast in devotion to Allah and in bringing Islam’s message of salvation to humanity. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you spreading the message far and wide, traveling to Ta’if despite rejection and humiliation, and presenting Islam during pilgrimage seasons, tirelessly working to make the faith accessible to all. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember you raising your hands in prayer, beseeching the Lord of all matters, knowing He alone could change circumstances. You taught us the value of sincere supplication, which many neglect today. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember the plots of Quraysh and the support of Allah for you and your companion in the cave, affirming His promise to establish an Islamic state unified in its submission to Him. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember your noble character, how Allah endeared you to people, young and old. Children sang, "The full moon rose upon us," welcoming you with joy. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember the foundations you laid for the mosque, for the community through brotherhood, and for justice through agreements. Upon these, the young Islamic state in Medina stood firm, unshaken by storms or challenges. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember your perseverance during the Battle of the Trench, enduring hunger with stones tied to your stomach, yet never neglecting prayer or justice even in times of war. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember your return to Mecca as a victor after just eight years of exile, leading an army of ten thousand. Yet, you showed humility and mercy, declaring to those who wronged you: "Go, for you are free." I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember your farewell pilgrimage, where you bid farewell, having delivered the message, lifted the burdens, and fulfilled your mission. You left us on the clear path of truth, illuminated like daylight. I send prayers and peace upon you.

I remember your companions bidding you farewell, accepting Allah’s decree, though tears flowed and hearts mourned. When Bilal later called the Adhan, the people of Medina wept in remembrance of you like never before. I send prayers and peace upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and upon your family, companions, wives, descendants, and all who follow your path until the Day of Judgment.

This is how, whenever I recall a moment of your immortal life, I send prayers and peace upon you. Each prayer reminds me of your greatness, making it present in my mind as it flows from my tongue.

We thank Allah for His blessings in sending you to us, and we pray for you after every Adhan, upon entering mosques, during lessons of knowledge and Quran, in supplications we hope are answered, in sins we wish to be forgiven, in enemies we seek to overcome, and in good we wish to see flourish.

Prayers and peace be upon you from the Most Compassionate, Most Praiseworthy.


 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it recommended (mustaḥabb) for the one offering  a voluntary sacrifice (uḍḥiyyat taṭawwuʿ) to eat from its meat?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is highly recommended (Mustahabb) for the person offering a voluntary Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) to eat from its meat, but it is not an obligatory requirement (Wajib). Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "So eat of them and feed the needy who do not beg and the beggar. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may be grateful." (Al-Hajj/ 36)
 
"So eat of them": This directive is an encouraging recommendation, not a binding command.
 
The Qani’ (the needy who do not beg): Refers to a poor person who refrains from asking people for help out of dignity.
 
The Mu’tarr (the beggar): Refers to a poor person who explicitly asks others for assistance. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What are the conditions that must be met for the 'aqīqah to be valid?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The 'aqīqah is like the recommended uḍḥiyyah in terms of the type of animal, its age, and its required characteristics — since it is a recommended slaughter and therefore resembles the uḍḥiyyah in its rulings.
It is agreed upon without any difference of opinion that the 'aqīqah is not valid with any animal other than livestock (al-na'am — camels, cattle, and sheep). Likewise, an animal with a disqualifying defect — such as obvious illness, lameness, or blindness in one eye — does not suffice, as has previously been explained in the rulings of the uḍḥiyyah. And Allah Almighty knows best.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on reciting the Chapter after Al-Faatihah , and what should a worshiper who forgets it do?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.                                                                                                                                                                  Any other part of Qur'an that a worshiper reads after Al-Faatihah during the first and the second Rak`ahs is a Sunnah, and forgetting to do so doesn`t nullify prayer, and doesn`t require performing Sujood As-Sahw (prostration of forgetfulness). And Allah Knows Best.