A Blessed Wine

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah, may He be exalted, describes the wine of the Hereafter as being different from the wine of this world. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine —

46. White, delicious to the drinkers.
47. Neither will they have Ghoul (any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, a sin) from that nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom”

[al-Saaffaat 37:45-47]

So Allaah ,The Almighty describes the wine of the Hereafter as:

1. white

2. delicious to the drinkers, unlike the wine of this world which is distasteful when drunk
...
3. having no “ghoul” (hurt, abdominal pain, headache, a sin) in it, which is what affects one who drinks it in this world, of headache, pain in the stomach and loss of reason. In Soorat al-Waaq’iah it says: “Wherefrom they will get neither any aching of the head” [56:19], i.e., they will not get a headache from it.

4. “nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom”, unlike the wine of this world which causes them to lose their minds.

See: Tafseer Soorat al-Saaffaat by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 107-109.

 

 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The wine of the Hereafter is good, and does not cause any intoxication or harm. As for the wine of this world, it is harmful and causes intoxication. In other words, in the wine of the Hereafter there is no ghawl (intoxication) and the one who drinks it will not become intoxicated; it does not cause him to lose his mind and it does not cause physical harm. As for the wine of this world, it is harmful to mind and body alike. None of the harmful effects in the wine of this world will be found in the wine of the Hereafter. And Allaah is the source of strength.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 23/62.

Aayat al-Kursiy

"اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ".
Allaahu laa 'ilaaha 'illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom, laa ta'khuthuhu sinatun wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-'ardh, man thal-lathee yashfa'u 'indahu 'illaa bi'ithnihi, ya'lamu maa bayna 'aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bishay'im-min 'ilmihi 'illaa bimaa shaa'a, wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samaawaati wal'ardha, wa laa ya'ooduhu hifdhuhumaa, wa Huwal- 'Aliyyul- 'Adheem.

Allah! There is no God but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

[ Al-Baqarah 2:255.]

Whoever reads this when he lies down to sleep will have a guardian from Allah remain with him and Satan will not be able to come near him until he rises in the morning. See Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 4/487.

Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer of Aayat al-Kursiy from Soorat al-Baqarah:

This is Aayat al-Kursiy, which has a high status. It was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that it is the greatest aayah in the Book of Allaah .It was narrated from Ubayy, i.e., Ubayy ibn Ka’b that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him which aayah in the Book of Allaah was the greatest. He said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He repeated it several times, then he said, “Aayat al-Kursiy.” 

 

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Congratulations upon your knowledge O Abu’l-Mundhir. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips, and it glorifies the Sovereign (i.e., Allaah) at the foot of the Throne.” This was also narrated by Muslim, without the phrase “By the One in Whose hand is my soul…”

 

 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy ibn Ka’b that his father told him that he had a vessel in which he kept dates. He used to check on it and found that the number was decreasing. So he kept guard on it one night and saw a beast that looked like an adolescent boy. He said: “I greeted him with salaams and he returned my greeting, then I asked him, ‘What are you, a jinn or a human?’ He said, ‘A jinn.’ I said to him, ‘Show me your hand.’ So he showed me his hand, and it looked like a dog’s paw with dog’s fur. I said, ‘Do all the jinn look like this?’ He said, ‘I know no one among the jinn who is stronger than I.’ I said, ‘What made you do what you did [i.e., taking the dates]?’ He said, ‘We heard that you are a man who loves charity, and we wanted to have some of your food.’” Ubayy asked him, “What will protect us from you?” He said, “This aayah, Aayat al-Kursiy.” Then the next day he [Ubayy] went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told him (about what had happened) and he said, “The evil one spoke the truth.”

Imaam Ahmad narrated: Muhammad ibn Ja’far told us, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Itaab told us, he said: I heard Abu’l-Sulayl saying: a man from among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressed the people until a large number had gathered around him, then he climbed onto the roof of a house and addressed the people, saying: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Which aayah of the Qur’aan is the greatest?’ A man said, ‘ “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baqarah 2:255 – Aayat al-Kursi – interpretation of the meaning].’

 

He said: he put his hand between my shoulders and I felt coolness in the centre of my chest, or he put his hand on the centre of my chest and I felt coolness between my shoulders, and he said, ‘Congratulations on your knowledge, O Abu’l-Mundhir.”

It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was in the mosque and sat down. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, did you pray?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘ Get up and pray.’ So I got up and prayed, then I came and sat down. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, seek refuge with Allaah from the devils of men and jinn.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, are there devils among men?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about salaah?’ He said, ‘It is the best, so let whoever wants to, do a little of it and let whoever wants to, do more of it.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about fasting?’ He said, ‘It is obligatory and it is good, and the reward with Allaah is greater.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about sadaqah (charity)?’ He said, ‘Allaah multiplies it many times over.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what (charity) is best?’ He said, ‘What a person gives at times of hardship, or what he gives in secret to a poor person.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, which of the Prophets was first?’ He said, ‘Adam.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, was he a Prophet?’ He said, ‘Yes, a Prophet to whom Allaah spoke.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, how many Messengers are there?’ He said. ‘Three hundred and umpteen, a great crowd.’ And once he said, ‘(Three hundred and) fifteen.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what is the greatest thing that has been revealed to you?’ He said, ‘Aayat al-Kursiy, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning].’” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i).

 

 

Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed me to guard the Ramadaan zakaah. Someone came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!’ He said, ‘Let me be, for I am in need and I have children and am in great need.’ So I let him go. The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he complained of being in great need and having children to look after, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘But he was lying, and he will be back.’ So I knew that he would come back, because of what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had said. I lay in wait for him, and he came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!’ He said, ‘Let me be, for I am in need and I have children. I will not come back again.’ So I took pity on him and let him go. 

The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he complained of being in great need and having children to look after, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘But he was lying, and he will be back.’ So I lay in wait for him on the third night, and he came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)! This is the third and last time. You said that you would not come back, then you did come back.’ He said, ‘Let me go, and I will teach you some words by which Allaah will benefit you.’ I said, ‘What are they?” He said, ‘When you lie down in your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning] until the end of the aayah, then you will have a protector from Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until morning comes.’

Then I let him go. The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he claimed that he would teach me some words by which he said Allaah would benefit me, then I let him go.’ He asked, ‘What are they?’ I said, ‘He told me, when you lie down in your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, from the beginning to the end of the aayah, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning]. 

And he told me, you will have a protector from Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until morning comes.’ And they [the Sahaabah] were always keen to do good.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘He indeed told you the truth, although he is a liar. Do you know who you have been speaking with for the past three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘That was a shaytaan (a devil).’”


 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab went out one day to some people who had prepared a meal. He said, “Who among you can tell me which is the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan?” Ibn Mas’ood said, “You are asking one who knows. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘The greatest aayah in the Qur’aan is ‘Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…’ [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning].”

 

 

 It was narrated in a marfoo’ report that Abu Umaamah said: “The greatest name of Allaah, which if He is called by it, He responds, is in three (soorahs): Soorat al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imraan and Ta-Ha.” Hishaam, i.e., Ibn ‘Ammaar, the khateeb of Damascus, said: “In al-Baqarah, it is ‘Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exist’ [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning]. In Aal ‘Imraan it is ‘Alif-Laam-Meem. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Aal ‘Imraan3:1-2 – interpretation of the meaning]. And in Ta-Ha it is ‘And (all) faces shall be humbled before (Allaah), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Ta-Ha 20:111].”

 

 

Concerning the virtue of reciting this aayah after the prescribed prayers, it was narrated that Abu Umaamah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Aayat al-Kursiy immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” This is how it was narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, from al-Hasan ibn Bishr. It was also narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh from Muhammad ibn Humayr, who is al-Homsi, and is also one of the men of al-Bukhaari. The isnaad meets the conditions of al-Bukhaari.

And Allaah knows best.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Jealousy between sisters or friends

Allaah Subhana wa Taala has singled out women for some virtues and rulings.It is not permissible for any woman to wish for that which has been granted to another woman . This kind of wishing is tantamount to objecting to the laws and rulings of Allaah. When we see anything good and beautiful, we say MASHAALLAH,TABARAKALLAH!!!

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And wish not for the things in which Allaah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allaah of His Bounty. Surely, Allaah is Ever All‑Knower of everything”

[al-Nisa’ 4:32]

 

A woman’s jealousy towards her sisters and female friends is something that is entirely natural, and it is not something that only some women feel and not others. Hence she will not be called to account for it unless she transgresses the limits and lets it lead to wronging her sister, which is something that Allaah has forbidden, by backbiting or spreading gossip or demanding the divorce of her sister or plotting against her and so on.

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Basically, jealousy is natural and is not something that only some women feel and not others, but if a woman oversteps the mark then she is to be blamed. The guideline concerning that... is the hadeeth which was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Ateek al-Ansaari, who attributed it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There is a kind of jealousy which Allaah loves, and a kind which Allaah hates. As for the kind of jealousy which Allaah loves, it is jealousy when there are grounds for suspicion. And as for the kind of jealousy which Allaah hates, it is jealousy when there are no grounds for suspicion.”

Classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Irwa’, 7/80.

Islam Wants the Woman to Be a Well-Guarded Jewel

Islam Wants the Woman to Be a Well-Guarded Jewel

When Allaah The Almighty prescribed Hijaab for the woman, and commanded her to adhere to it, He wanted her to be a well-guarded jewel and a concealed pearl, kept far from playful hands, and screened from the poisonous arrows (of strangers' eyes). She achieves this when she abides by the Command of her Lord, and observes her Hijaab: {That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.} [Quran 33:59]

When the Noble Verse of Hijaab (Islamic covering) was revealed, i.e. (the statement of Allaah The Almighty, what means): {…and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests} [Quran 24:31] ‘Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, I have never seen better [women], more trusting in the Book of Allaah, and more believing in the Divine revelation than the women of the Ansaar (Helpers). When that Noble Verse of Hijaab was revealed, there was no woman among them except that she got up and took hold of her sheet, and in the morning, they came to offer Morning Prayer wrapped in them.

 

 

They hastened to comply with the command of Allaah The Almighty. As they had no clothes fit to implement what they were ordered to do, they got up and cut their garments and made from them headcovers to screen themselves with.
Compare this behavior with the conduct of such women who claim to be "civilized", who consider that the Hijaab is [a manifestation of] extremism, or that she has not yet been convinced of the need to wear it, or many such excuses which will not avail her any benefit from Allaah The Almighty on the Day she will stand before Him.


Allaah The Almighty Says after forbidding a display of beauty: {…and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.} [Quran 33:33] He further Says (what means): {It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.} [Quran 33:36]


Hijaab is no less obligatory than prayer, Zakaah (obligatory purifying alms) and fasting; and this is an indisputably established ruling of Islam. Who could dare to deny that it is obligatory in the following statement of Allaah The Almighty (what means): {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments.} [Quran 33:59]

When our women from among the righteous predecessors understood that Hijaab is an obligation from Allaah The Almighty on them, and consequently, they adhered to it, goodness emerged in the form of illumination on the foreheads of the generation brought up at their hands. How excellent were those women as righteous daughters, sincere sisters, honorable wives guarding (their chastity), and nursing mothers!


Consequently, at that time, there was not much deviation in society. But today, when the women abstain from following the commands of Allaah The Almighty in all the affairs of life, the result is the outbreak in our societies of adultery, sexual perversion, rape, violation of honor even against children, increasing number of spinsters and divorce cases. On the other hand, the great effect of Hijaab on communities is not hidden, as regards the maintenance of honor, self-reassurance, chastity and the elevation of man to higher purposes.


The woman's Hijaab is her honor, dignity and freedom, and with these she is liberated from servitude to anyone (or anything) other than Allaah The Almighty; it means freedom from the servitude to the body, the self, the restrictions of fashion, the (futile) traditions of the community and the pressure applied by the West.


Consider the Statement of Allaah The Almighty (what means): {O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts} [Quran 7:27]

The enemies of this religion realize the danger of Hijaab, as it obstructs their plans of neutralizing the effect of Islam upon the Muslim world. Therefore, they do their best to remove it and replace it with unlawful exposure. In order to achieve this goal, they make their speech about it alluring (to women). They do not call directly for women to remove it, but they do so indirectly in the name of progress and civilization, personal freedom, and equality between men and women.


According to the Islamic concept, the woman has a pioneering role in the formation and advancement of society. Her Hijaab is not merely a set of clothes, rather, it is a set of concepts and morals. It is an act of worship, of higher thought, culture and civilization; and these are the real standards of evaluating women.