Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadaan

By Shaykh Al-Albaanee. Source: The Tape Set Silsilah al-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape No. 590 

Question: ‘Could the Shaykh give us some words of benefit for the blessed month of Ramadaan, on this fine occasion?’

Shaykh al-Albaanee, may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Quraan:

‘O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become people having Taqwaa.’ [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 183]

So in this aayah, as will not be hidden to all those who are present, Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, informs the Ummah of Muhammad (saws), through this aayah, that He has made Fasting obligatory upon them just as He had made its like obligatory upon the nations before us. This is a matter that is well-known to all of the Muslims who read this aayah, and clearly understand its meaning. But what I wish to speak about is something else, a matter which very few of the general people notice - and this is the saying of Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of this aayah:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

So Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, when He commands His believing servants, or obligates them with some Legislation, (then He) usually just mentions the command, without explaining the wisdom behind it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic¹s, placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent (as to) those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him, the Exalted and Most High.

However in this aayah, He mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Noble Quraan, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to Fast, by His Saying:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

So the wisdom behind the Believers’ fasting is not just that they should prevent themselves from enjoyable and permissible good things, even though this is an obligation upon the fasting person - but this is not the only thing that is required and intended by this Fasting. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded His command to fast by saying:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

Meaning: that the wisdom behind the prescription of Fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, in the month of Fasting, and become more obedient than he was before it.

Also the Prophet (saws) clearly stated and completely clarified this point of divine wisdom, by his (saws) saying, as is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukhaaree (no. 1903), that he (saws) said, “Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink.” Meaning: that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, did not intend and desire, by the obligation of Fasting - which is to withhold for a stated time, well known to you all - that they should only withhold from eating and drinking. Rather they should also withhold from that which Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him; and from that is falsehood in speech and action.

So the Messenger (saws) is emphasizing the aayah:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

i.e. that you should, as an act of worship to draw you closer to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, in addition to withholding from food and drink, also withhold from forbidden actions such as backbiting, carrying tales to cause harm to people, false witness, lying and so on, with regard to those forbidden manners that we are all aware of.

Therefore it is obligatory that all the Muslims should be aware that actions, which disrupt the Fast, are not just the physical acts, which are generally known, which are eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. The Fast is not just that you withhold from this. Therefore some of the scholars differentiate, and divide those things which disrupt the Fast into two categories, and this is what I intend by this talk of mine at this time that is blessed, if Allaah wills.

This is especially important since those who deliver Khutbahs and admonish the people during Ramadaan, when they speak about those things which disrupt the Fast, then they only speak about the material things, those things that we have just mentioned - eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. But what they should do, as sincere advisers and people who give reminder to the Muslims in general, is to concentrate a great deal upon the second category of things which disrupt the Fast. This is because the people have become used to thinking that Fasting is just to refrain from the first category, to withhold from the material things. But there is another category of things, which disrupt the Fast, which we are able to call the non-material things that disrupt the Fast.

So you have just heard his (saws) saying, “Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink.”

Therefore every fasting person should examine himself and see: is he just withholding from the material things, or is he also withholding from those non-material things? Meaning: has he made his manners and behavior good when the blessed month of Ramadaan comes? If that is the case, then he has fulfilled the Saying of Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of the aayah:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

But as for the one who restricts himself in his fasting to just withholding from food and drink, but who continues and persists upon the evil manners which he was upon previously, before Ramadaan, then this is not the Fasting that is desired and required from the wisdom behind the legislation of this noble month, which our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic indicates in His Saying:

‘…So that you may become people having Taqwaa.’

So therefore we advise and remind our brother Muslims that they should remember this other category of things, those that are non-material, which disrupt the Fast, and it is something which the admonishers and those who seek to direct the people to the correct way rarely speak about, not to mention the general people, who are not aware of this category of things which disrupt the fast, i.e., the non-material things.

This is what I wanted to remind our brothers who are present in this fine gathering about, if Allaah wills, so that it may be a cause for their increasing in acts of worship, seeking to draw closer to Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, in this blessed month, the month of Fasting, which is such that we hope that Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, will guide and grant us all the success of fulfilling the due right of this blessed month, which is that we withhold from both the material and the non-material things that disrupt the Fast.

Furthermore in addition to this, I hope that you will pay attention to some affairs, which have been neglected by a majority of the general Muslims, not to mention those having knowledge.

There is a hadeeth that is very often neglected due to another hadeeth, because the majority of people are unable to reconcile in practice and application between them. This hadeeth is his (saws) saying, “My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to break the fast and delay the pre-dawn meal.”

So here two matters were mentioned, and they are neglected by most of the people, and they are: hastening to break the fast, and delaying the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor).

As for neglect of the first matter, which is hastening to break the Fast, then in the view of some people it contradicts another hadeeth, which is his (saws) saying, “My Ummah will continue to be upon good for as long as they hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer.”

So here we have two commands, to hasten with two matters. So it appears to some people that we cannot hasten to perform both of them together.

But reconciling between the command to hasten with breaking the Fast and the command to hasten to pray the Maghrib Prayer is a very easy matter. So it is something that our Prophet (saws) made clear to us by his action and practice. He (saws) used to break the Fast with three dates. He would eat three dates. Then he would pray the Maghrib Prayer, then he would eat again if he found that he needed to eat the evening meal.

But today we fall into two offences:

(i) Firstly we delay the Adhaan from its legislated time. Then after this delay comes another delay, which is that we sit down for a meal - except for a few people who are eager and pray the Maghrib Prayer in the mosque. But the majority of the people wait until they hear the Adhaan, and then they sit down to eat as if they are having a dinner, or their evening meal, and not just breaking their fast.

So the Adhaan these days - in most of the lands of Islaam, is, unfortunately, I have to say, and not just in Jordan, and I have known this from investigation, in most of the lands of Islaam - the Adhaan for Maghrib is given after the time it becomes due. And the reason for this is that we have abandoned adhering to and applying the Islamic rulings, and instead we have come to depend upon astronomical calculations. We depend upon the timetable.

But these time-tables are based upon astronomical calculations which count the land as being a single flat plane. So they give a time for this flat plane, whereas the reality is that the land, particularly in this land of ours varies, varying between the depression of valleys and the elevation of mountains. So it is not correct that a single time be given which covers the shore, the planes and the mountains. No, each part of the land has its own time. So therefore whoever is able in his place of residence, in his city or his village, to see the sun set with his own eye, then whatever time it sets at, that is the hastening that we have been commanded with in his (saws) saying, which we just mentioned: ‘My Ummah will continue to be upon good as long as they hasten to break the fast.’ So the Prophet (saws) was careful to implement this Sunnah by teaching it, and by putting it into practice.

As for his teaching, then he (saws) said, in the hadeeth reported by al-Bukharee in his Saheeh (no. 1954), “If the night appears from this side,” and he pointed towards the east, “and the day has departed from here,” and he pointed towards the west,“and the sun has set, then the fasting person’s fast is broken”

What does ‘the fasting person’s fast is broken’ mean? It means he has entered under the ruling that he should break his fast. So then comes the previous ruling where the Messenger (saws) encouraged hastening to break the Fast, and the Messenger (saws) used to implement this, even when he was riding on a journey.

So it is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukharee (no.1955) that the Prophet (saws) ordered one of his Companions to prepare the Iftaar for him. So he replied, ‘O Messenger of Allaah it is still daytime before us.’ Meaning: the light of the sun, so even though it had set, yet its light was still clear in the west. So the Messenger (saws) did not respond to what he had said, rather he re-emphasized the command to him to prepare the Iftaar. So the narrator of the hadeeth who said, We could see daylight in front of us,¹ meaning: the light of day, the light of the sun, When we broke our fast,¹ said, “If one of us had climbed onto his camel he would have seen the sun.” The sun had set from here, and the Messenger (saws) ordered one of the Companions to prepare the Iftaar - Why? To hasten upon good “My Ummah will continue upon good for as long as they hasten to break the Fast.”

So what is important is that we notice that the Iftaar, which is legislated to be hastened must be done with a few dates. Then we must hasten to perform the Prayer. Then after this the people can sit and eat as they need.

This is the first matter, which I wanted to remind you of, and it is how to reconcile the two things that the Prophet (saws) commanded we should hasten to perform. The first being the command to hasten the breaking of the Fast, and the second being the command to hasten the Maghrib Prayer. So the Iftaar should be done with some dates, as occurs in the Sunnah, and if dates are not available, then with some gulps of water. Then the Prayer should be prayed in congregation in the mosque.

The other matter which I want to remind you of is what occurs in the previous hadeeth, “And they delay the pre-dawn meal”meaning: what is required here is the opposite to the case of the Iftaar. So he (saws) commanded us to hasten to perform the Iftaar. But as for the Suhoor, then it should be delayed. But what happens today is totally contrary to this, since many people eat their Suhoor before the appearance of Fajr by perhaps an hour. This is not befitting. This is contrary to the Sunnah shown by the saying of the Prophet (saws) and by his practice. So the Companions of the Prophet (saws) used to leave the Suhoor so late, that one of them would almost hear the Adhaan and he would still be eating because he had delayed the Suhoor.

Indeed there is an authentic hadeeth reported from the Prophet (saws) which shows the ease afforded by Islaam, to be counted as one of the principles of Islaam, which the Muslims are proud of, especially with regard to the matter of Fasting, since Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded the aayahs concerning Fasting with His Saying:

‘Allaah desires ease for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.

So from this ease is his (saws) saying, “If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in the hand of one of you, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it.”

” If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel” the vessel containing food, whether it be milk, some drink, water, anything which a person may take as Suhoor, and he hears the Adhaan, then he should not say, Now the food is forbidden due to the Adhaan being heard. The person who has had enough, it is not allowed for him to then have any more, whether it be a drink, or some fruit, when he has had his fill of whatever he was eating.

But as for the one who hears the Adhaan and he has not yet taken what he needs from the food and the drink, then the Messenger (saws) made that lawful for him. So he clearly said, in the clear and eloquent Arabic language, “If one of you hears the call to Prayer, and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it.”

And what is meant here by the call is the second call, the second Adhaan. It is not the first Adhaan, which they wrongly call theAdhaan of Imsaak (i.e. withholding). We must know that there is no basis for calling the first Adhaan the Adhaan for withholding (imsaak).

The second Adhaan is when we are to withhold, and this is clearly stated in the Quraan, since Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says:

‘And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes clear to you from the black thread of the night.’

So eating becomes forbidden at the start of the time of the Fajr Prayer. There is no separation between these two things. There is no withholding from food and drink for a quarter of an hour, or less than that, or more than that, before the start of the time for the Fajr Prayer. Not at all.

Because the Prayer becomes due when the true dawn appears, and food becomes forbidden for the fasting person when the true dawn appears. So there is no separation between these two matters at all.

So therefore there occurs in the hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukharee and Muslim, from the hadeeth of ¹Abdullaah Ibn ¹Umar Ibn al-Khattaab (raa), that the Prophet (saws) said, “Let not the Adhaan of Bilaal deceive you…” meaning, the first Adhaan,“…because he gives the Adhaan in order to awaken the person who is sleeping, and so that the person who wishes to eat the pre-dawn meal can do so. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoon gives the Adhaan.”

Ibn Umm Maktoon, whose name was ‘Amr, was a blind man, and he was the one about whom the Saying of Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, came down:

‘He frowned and turned away, that a blind man had come to him’ to the end of the Ayaat.

So he used to give the second Adhaan, the Adhaan which means that eating becomes prohibited and that it is now time for the Fajr Prayer.

How did he used to give the Adhaan when he was blind? This is a question, which naturally occurs to some people. ‘Amr Ibn Umm Maktoom used to climb on the roof of the mosque, but he could not see the dawn, so he would wait until someone passing by saw the dawn. So when someone saw that the dawn had appeared and spread across the horizon, they would say to him, It is morning. It is morning. Then he would give the Adhaan.

So you will notice here that the Adhaan of ‘Amr ibn Umm Maktoom was after the Fajr had appeared, and had been seen by the people whilst they were walking in the streets. So when it was said to him, “It is morning. It is morning,” he would give theAdhaan.

So therefore there is latitude in the affair, since the muadhdhin would be delayed in giving the Adhaan until he heard the people telling him, “It is morning, it is morning.” And then Allaah¹s Messenger (saws) said: “If one of you hears the call to Prayer and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has fulfilled his need from it.”

So Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, spoke truly when He said at the end of those Aayahs related to Fasting:

‘Allaah desires to make things easy for you, and He does not desire to make things difficult for you.’

and ‘…that you should complete the number of days, and that you should glorify Allaah by mentioning takbeer for His having guided you, and that you should be thankful. ‘

So therefore from the Fiqh that is to be criticized, and which runs contrary to this Sunnah, is that a person says, “If someone hears the Adhaan and has some food in his mouth, then he must spit it out.” So this is over strictness, and (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion, and the Lord of all of the creation admonished us, and reminded us, in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet (saws) that we should not exceed the due limits in our Religion. So He said, in the Noble Quraan:

‘O People of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not say anything about Allaah except the truth.’

And our Messenger (saws) said to us, or he (saws) said, “Beware of (ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion. Because those who came before you were destroyed by their exceeding the limits in their Religion.”

So Allaah¹s Messenger (saws) has made it clear to us that there is latitude and a margin of ease in the matter of a person’s taking suhoor, to the extent that he said: “If one of you hears the call to Prayer whilst the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down until he has completed his need from it.”

So it is opposition to Allaah and to the Messenger that a person says that one who hears the Adhaan whilst he has food in his mouth must spit it out onto the ground. This is not from the Sunnah. Rather this is contrary to the Sunnah, and is contrary to the clear command of the Messenger (saws).

And I have been asked many times, so I will not leave open the need for such a question, but rather I will precede you in (answering) it, by stating that this hadeeth is to be found in some of the most famous books of the Sunnah. From them being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood, and it is the third book from the well-known six books. The first of which is Saheehul-Bukhaaree, the second being Saheeh Muslim, and the third being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood.

This hadeeth is to be found in it, and it is likewise reported by Aboo ‘Abdillaah al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, and it is likewise reported by the Imaam of the Sunnah, Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah, in his tremendous book known as the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad.

So the hadeth is not a strange hadeeth, rather it is a well-known hadeeth, and was reported by the Imaams of the Sunnah in the early times, and with an authentic chain of narration.

So here I say, to conclude this talk, since perhaps some of you have questions, which we will answer if Allaah wills, so I will conclude it with his (saws) saying “Allaah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out,” and in one narration, “Just as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed.”

So there are two narrations, “Allaah loves that His allowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed duties be carried out”, and the second narration is, ” as He hates that disobedience to Him be committed.”

So therefore the Muslim should not practice false piety, and (as a result) refrain from obeying the Prophet (saws) in that which he encouraged us upon and clarified to us.

And what has been said is sufficient, and all praise is for Allaah, the Lord of all of the creation.”

How to feed the poor during Ramadan

Explained by the Noble Scholar Shaykh Bin Baz رحمه الله

Q: I am sick and not able to fast, and if I fast it will harm me, do I have to do expiation or what should I do?

Answer: This needs some detail, if the sick person is likely to become healed and the doctors are saying if he gets the treatment it’s anticipated that he will be healed, then the fasting remains as a debt; the fasting remains as a debt until the sick person becomes healed then they should make the fast up.
But if the doctors have established that the sick person is not likely to be healed from this sickness, rather it is a permanent illness then he is like the elderly person who is not able to fast and therefore he should feed one poor person for every day missed of the fast.

The sick person that does not anticipated being healed from the sickness whether male or female should feed one poor person for every day missed, he should feed them half of a Saa (Approximately one and a half kilograms) of dates, or rice. (Or the food staple of that country) 

So he can gather the food in the beginning of the month or the end of the month and give it to one poor person or two poor people or more, it is not incumbent that he gives the food out daily, rather he can gather all of the food at one time and give it out to the poor.

This is for the sick person who does not anticipate being healed, a sickness that a doctor who is a specialist has stated that a cure is not anticipated. Or two competent vigilant doctors say verily this person is not likely to be healed rather this sickness is permanent; then this person feeds one sick person for every day missed.

So (for example) they will gather 15 Saa if the month of Ramadan last 30 days, 14 and half Saa if the month of Ramadan is 29 days, and give this food to some of the poor, they can give it to a poor household or to one poor person; and all praises belong to Allah.
But if they anticipate being cured and it is possible that they can be treated Insha’Allah, then this person should delay his fast and when Allah cures him he should fast.

This is based upon the statement of Allah the Exalted:

وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ

“And whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not observe the fast must be made up) from other days.” (2:185)
 
And this will remain a debt that he owes until Allah heals him, and then he should observe the fast even if it is after two or three years, and all praises belong to Allah.

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Translator’s note: The sick person has to feed the poor a half saa for every day of the fast, therefore the Sheikh said they should gather 15 saa if the month is 30 days and 14 and a half Saa if the month is 29 days.

http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/13359/

Activity to Foster Children's Life Skills (“stage fright.” )

MOST everyone has heard of “stage fright.”  Stage fright occurs when a person experiences extreme anxiety upon facing situations in which they are required to perform, or speak, in public.  It’s estimated that 75% of all people experience some degree of anxiety from public speaking.¹

Glossophobia is the psychological term for speech anxiety.  It comes from the Greek and is a combination of “glossa,” meaning tongue, and “phobos,” meaning dread or fear.  There can be many triggers for this sometimes paralyzing fear.

“...O my Rabb! Expand me my breast. Ease My task for me; and remove the impediment from my speech, so they may understand what I say.” (Qur'an 20:25-28)

Triggers

The mere thought of speaking aloud can send even the most confident person into a frozen state of panic.  This fear can be triggered by:

The perception of being judged by others

A heightened need to be perfect, or to do well, in front of others

Being afraid of saying the wrong thing or being misunderstood

Embarrassment at the thought of being a failure in front of others

Uncertainty about your ability to do well

Focus on imperfections in one’s behavior or appearance

Lack of preparation for the situation

The list could go on and on and vary person to person. The result is verbal or physical symptoms which vary from mild to severe.

Verbal Symptoms

The verbal symptoms can make speaking in public ineffective and include:

1. Tense voice

2. Quivering or cracking voice

3. Stuttering

4. Inaudible voice

5. Repetition of filler words such as “Umm,” “Ahh,” “You know,” “Yani,” etc.

6. Long, inappropriate pauses, etc.

Physical Symptoms

Physical symptoms can be especially troublesome and are brought on by our bodies’ production of the hormone, adrenaline.  These reactions are often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” response to fear and include:

1. Acute hearing

2. Increased pulse

3. Elevated blood pressure

4. Sweating

5. Dilated pupils

6. Heavy or labored breathing

7. Stiff neck or upper body

8. Dry mouth

9. Dizziness

10. Nausea or vomiting, etc.

Typical Response

Of course the list of symptoms can also go on and on and vary person to person.  Perhaps more important than the triggers or the symptoms is how people respond to the problem.  How a person chooses to respond can either foster and increase the negative symptoms, or help overcome them.

Negative

1. Avoiding events or situations that may focus attention on the individual in any way
2. Extreme or inappropriate shyness
3. Asking others to speak on your behalf
4. Isolation and severe withdrawal from society and/or family

Positive

“Thee (alone) we worship; Thee alone we ask for help.”  (Qur’an 1:5)

1. Turning to Allah (SWT) for help
2. Ensuring preparation for known public speaking situations such as:
   1. 1. Leading Salat or calling Adthan
   2. 2. Meetings
   3. 3. Job interviews
   4. 4. Performances
   5. 5. Speeches, etc.
3. Practicing prepared speeches ahead of time
4. Finding safe groups to hone speaking skills, including impromptu speaking
5. Seeking self-help materials (public speaking is among the best selling topics)

Effect on Children

It occurred to me that this is an area that many children struggle with.  If not dealt with at an early age, they become adults who struggle with public speaking as well.  I touched on this topic a few weeks ago in Teaching Manners when I discussed greetings, hosting guests, and visiting others.

Then I reflected on how this fear manifests itself in my own children:

1. Fear of speaking to strangers on the phone (for example placing a pizza order)
2. Reluctance to ask for things at the market
3. Shyness in social groups, especially around new people or peers
4. Avoiding social invitations, especially when groups of new people may be present
5. Staying very near to me when in group situations
6. Anxiety over school presentations (even though their siblings are the audience)
7. Poor performance when asked to read aloud

Parent’s Role

This all came to mind as I was researching for an article I wrote for Arab News, Toastmasters KSA Now an Independent District.  It was about an international organization whose focus is on providing a supportive and safe environment for honing public speaking, team building, and leadership skills.

This group forms clubs, including many in Saudi, who meet regularly and follow a step-by-step system for practicing and mastering public speaking.  I was amazed by the comprehensive and well-developed program.  I was surprised to discover that they even have groups for families to provide the opportunity for children to learn as well.

Especially as a home school parent, I am always looking for social and educational enrichment opportunities for my children.  The more I learned about this program, the more I felt it perfectly fit both of those criteria.  As I pondered it more, I realized this is a terrific opportunity for all families, not just home schoolers.  I am so impressed by it that I feel it worthy of sharing with you here.

Practical Activity

I decided to look into founding two new clubs.  One for home schooled boys and their fathers and another for home schooled girls and their mothers.  The people who will be assigned to helping me set up these new clubs are currently on holiday.  So I decided to implement one feature of their program in my home to give my kids a head start.

The activity is called Table Topics^TM and is a trademarked term by Toastmasters International.² It focuses on impromptu speaking.  Simply stated, this means speaking in front of a group for two minutes on a topic at a moment’s notice.  Thinking on your feet and organizing your thoughts into words while in front of a group can be terrifying; until you practice it and are provided positive feedback a few times.

Mastering this skill is a huge accomplishment and gives the confidence needed to speak in any situation at any time, insha’Allah.  I’ve been having nightly Table Topics^TM meetings with my children for the past few weeks.  Even my two year old is getting up in front of the group and participating,masha’Allah.

Results

When we had our first gathering, my children froze.  The eldest refused to speak at all.  I’m pleased to say that they are doing much better now.  They are looking forward to the nightly ritual (which takes about half an hour with my family size of two adults and seven speaking children).

I’m also enjoying the regularly scheduled time with the whole family.  Because each person has a role to play, it is fostering team work.  One rule of the activity is that everyone must receive positive feedback.  Along with the positive comments, only one or two improvement suggestions may be given to any individual to focus on for the next night.  This has also encouraged the children to find nice things to say about one another and I can see their compassion for each other growing,masha’Allah.

When it is my turn to choose the topic I am able to focus on things I feel are important lessons for the family, such as deen, respect, compassion, manners, cleanliness, etc.  This has been a fun and interactive way to encourage communication amongst my children.

Conclusions

As parents it is our role to ensure that our children have the skills necessary to succeed in life.  Self confidence and public speaking are definitely life skills worthy of our time and effort.  After all, everyone will find themselves in a position to interview, perform a presentation, lead group prayers or call the Adthan, participate in group meetings, recieve a diploma or award, or simply enjoy social events during their lifetime.  Fear of public speaking can be overcome and there’s no better time than during our childhood to find our voice.

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1Hamilton, C. (2008/2005). Communicating for Results, a Guide for Business and the Professions (eighth edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth

Liberalism & its Effect on Society

     An Introduction

Liberalism is the world’s most predominant ideology[1] 

with almost all western nations having embraced its fundamental political values and ideas. Liberalism represents a global force that seeks to transform societies in accordance with its values and practices, and under the banner of the ‘Liberal Project’ the United Nations regime on human rights is an attempt to enforce liberal values on non-liberal nations [2]. 

Emeritus Professor John Charvet in his book The Liberal Project and Human Rights comments that,

“…liberal states must recognise that the liberal project for world order is unavoidably a long-term one, which they need to pursue with patience and persistence and not to be seduced by tempting short-cuts…”[3]

Liberalism however, has not always sought to export itself from the west via peaceful, and some may argue, covert means[4]. The various contemporary military expeditions, including Iraq and Afghanistan, have attempted to impose Liberalism using force, as well as trying to fulfil the goals of strategic dominance and the acquisition of much needed resources. 

The effects of Liberalism are felt not only in the political arena but at the social level as well. Influential economic, political and social structures are used to propagate its values, but this has directly contributed to a number of social problems. These problems range from child abuse and neglect to violent crime and rape. A common trend in liberal societies, such as the UK and US, is that social breakdown has become a norm, and has shaped academic and popular cultural discourse. Professor Daniel Bell, lecturer in Political Science at the University of Singapore, states,

“Liberalism, it is claimed, contributes to, or at least does not sufficiently take account of, the negative social and psychological effects related to the atomistic tendencies of modern liberal societies. There is undoubtedly a worrying trend in contemporary societies towards a callous individualism that ignores community and social obligations, and liberal theory does not seem up to the task of dealing with this problem.”[5]

As an ideology Liberalism is hard to describe. It can be best portrayed as a broad political philosophy that considers and emphasises individual freedoms, and the primacy – or priority – of individual rights. Liberalism has various intellectual strands however these fundamental political values are shared by all types of Liberal thought.

On the superficial level these political values may seem attractive, however under intellectual scrutiny they are found to directly affect contemporary societies in the most negative way. It is the scope of this essay to highlight Liberalism’s negative effects on society using historical, philosophical, legal, practical and social research arguments. This essay will finally draw attention to a potential solution by discussing the Islamic perspective and contrasting Liberal and Islamic Social Models.

The arguments are summarised as follows:

1. Liberalism is purely a European product. Liberalism’s political values are the outcome of specific social and historical conditions, subjected to a specific type of analysis. Therefore it must be asked, is Liberalism an 'absolute' alternative to other ideologies, or is it historically and geographically bound? If Liberalism is found to be historically and context bound then it can not have any relevance in today’s modern society.

2. Philosophically, liberalism’s political values rest on the premise of individualism, or what some political philosophers call atomism.[6] This essay will argue that individualism is ontologically false, in other words, it is an incorrect premise to base a political philosophy.[7] The logical conclusions from this are that the results of individualism – and therefore Liberalism - will also be incorrect. 

3. From a practical and social research perspective modern liberal societies, specifically the UK and US, exhibit signs of increasing social breakdown and social malaise.[8] This essay will argue that if the most predominant political values propagated in western societies are Liberalism’s political values, and these societies are showing signs of social decay, then it naturally follows that Liberalism is a key contributing factor to modern social problems. This argument rests on the premise that there is an established link between propagated values and a society’s behaviour; this essay will bring to light social research strengthening this premise. 

4. This essay will argue that Liberal values are not conducive to good legislation. This will be explained by showing how legal pornography – violent and nonviolent – can cause rape. There are many factors that play a causal role in the crime of rape, however this essay will bring to light overwhelming evidence that strongly indicates pornography is a major factor. It logically follows from this argument that, if what is legal in Liberal societies facilitates crime, then Liberal values should not be a basis for legislation – as they are seen to provide impetus to social anomalies and criminal behaviour.

In the last part of the discussion this essay will exam how Islam’s view on humanity does not rest on a false premise and that its core political values are cohesive, in contrast to Liberalism’s non-cohesive values, and that they have produced a cohesive society in the past. This essay will argue that if Islam has a correct premise and it has produced a cohesive society, it - at least - must be investigated and used as a reference in the dynamics of political discourse. This essay will also contrast the Liberal and Islamic social models by highlighting and discussing some of their key features, in the hope to demystify aspects of Islamic law and demonstrate that in actual fact the Islamic penal code is founded on a workable model, which has produced positive results and has a greater capacity to achieve a cohesive society. 

The Isnaad is the weapon of the believer(chain of narration)

The Sharee'ah Is Known By Way of the Isnaad

An explanation of the fact that the Isnaads are the route by which Sharee’ah rulings are known.


Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubaarak said, ‘The Isnaad is from the religion.’ And he also said, ‘The Isnaad, in my view, is from the religion, and had it not been for the Isnaad, then anyone who wished could say whatever he wished.’
He also said, ‘The example of the one who seeks the affairs of his religion without an isnaad is like the one who tries to ascend to the roof without stairs.’


And Abu Eesaa Ahmad bin Yahyaa bin Muhammad bin Shaadhaan al-Jawharee said, ‘My grandfather narrated to me saying: ‘I asked Alee bin al-Madeenee about the isnaad of a hadeeth that I had forgotten’, so he said to me, ‘Do you know what Abu Sa’eed al-Haddaad said? He said:  


The Isnaad is like the staircase. So if your foot slips from the step, you will fall. And ra’i (i.e. opinion without a hadeeth) is like pasture-land.”


Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, 


‘The Isnaad is the weapon of the believer, so if he does not have it with him, with what shall he fight?’


{Tahdheeb Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadeeth of al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (p.65-66)}

On the Connected Isnaad Between the Seekers of Hadeeth and Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam)

The Prophet’s (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) giving tidings to his Companions of the Seekers of Hadeeth after him and the connected Isnaad between them and him.

From Thaabit Bin Qais that Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said, ‘You will hear (from me), and then it will be heard from you, and then it will be heard from those who hear from you.’

From Ibn Abbaas who said that Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said, ‘You will hear (from me) and it will be heard from you, and then it will be heard from those who hear from you.’


Takhreej: Lisaan ul-Meezaan of Ibn Hajar (1/3), as-Saheehah (1784), Saheeh Jaami’ us-Sagheer (2944), Saheeh Sunan Abu Dawud (3107), Mukhtasir Jaami’ Bayaan ul-Ilm (12), and Jaami’ ut-Tahseel of al-Alaa’ee (p.52).

Ishaaq bin Raahawaih said, “Every matter that is narrated via three people is an athar (narration), due to the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam), ‘You will hear (from me) and it will be heard from you, and then it will be heard from those who hear from you.’
Shaqee al-Asbahee said, ‘The treasures of everything will be opened up for this Ummah until the treasures of hadeeth are opened up for them.’


A Mention Of The Excellence of The Isnaad And That Allaah Has Singled Out This Ummah With It

Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ahmad said, ‘It has reached me that Allaah has singled out this Ummah with three matters and which were not given to those before it: The Isnaad (chain of narration), the Ansaab (genealogy), the I’raab (inflection in grammar).’

Muhammad bin Haatim bin al-Mudhaffar said,

‘Verily Allaah ennobled this Ummah and diginified it and gave it preference by way of the Isnaad. And there is no one in any of the nations, past or contemporary that has Isnaad. Rather, they only have scrolls in their hands, and their learned ones have caused confusion in their books. They do not have any way of distinguishing between what has been revealed of the Tawraat and the Injeel from that which was brought by their Prophets, and between that which they have appended to their books of reports and narrations that they have received through untrustworthy people. And this Ummah writes hadeeth from a trustworthy person known in his time, famous for his truthfulness and integrity, from someone who is just like him (in trustworthiness). Then they research in the most severe manner until they come to know the best memorisers, then those after them; and those who are most precise and exact, then those after them; and those who accompanied for the longest time, those whom they narrate from, then those who spent lesser time. Then after all this, they write down ahaadeeth from at least twenty different angles (i.e. chains) such that they remove from this hadeeth all the errors and mistakes, and they exact its wording.’

[Al-Khateeb]: So this is from the greatest of the blessings of Allaah the Most High to this Ummah, we give abundant thanks to Him for this blessing and we ask Him for firmness, and success in that which brings us closer to him, and which binds us to His obedience, indeed He is al-Wali (the Protector), al-Hameed (the Praiseworthy).

Tahdheeb Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadeeth of al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (p.62-64)

 

#translated by abu iyaad #sunnah #alathariyyah