In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
[Original statement is from I’laam Al-Muwaqqi’een 1/67-69]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Question:
The questioner asks: What are the best deeds a person can do in order to please Allaah (The Most High) and (also) benefit one’s deceased parents?
Answer:
Supplicating for your two parents is from the best of deeds that will benefit them after they have passed away; fulfilling their promises (or contracts) after they have passed away; keeping the ties of kinship which cannot be reached except through them and showing respect and kindness to their friends.
It has been reported in a hadeeth on the authority of Abu Usaid Maalik Bin Rabee’ah As-Saa’idee (radiyallaahu-anhu) who said: One day whilst we were with the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) a man from Banu Salamah came and said: O Messenger of Allaah! Is there anything left by way of honouring and showing kindness towards my parents after their death? He (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: Supplicating for them; seeking Allaah’s forgiveness for them; fulfilling their promises (or contracts which they may have left behind) after their death; showing respect and kindness towards their friends and keeping the ties of kinship which cannot be reached except through them (i.e. their relatives). [Reported by Abu Dawud, Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]
Source: Fadaa’il Al-A’maal pages 28-29’ by Shaikh Muhmammad Bin Abdillaah As-Subayyil (rahimahullaah)]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَئِن جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ ۚ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ
Of mankind are some who say: “We believe in Allah,” but if they are made to suffer for the sake of Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah’s punishment, and if victory comes from your Lord, (the hypocrites) will say: “Verily! We were with you (helping you).” Is not Allah Best Aware of what is in the breast of the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns). [29:10]
Reminders from the above Ayah
Allaah informs us that there are people who neither exercise patience when put to trial nor do they stand firm in facing some of the difficult circumstances. When they are beaten or their wealth is confiscated or humiliated in order to make them leave the fold of Islaam and return to falsehood, they consider the trial of mankind as Allaah’s punishment. And if victory comes from your Lord [O Muhammad], they will say: “Verily! We were with you [helping you]’’ because it agrees with their desires. This is the category of people about whom Allaah [The Most High] stated:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرْفٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ اطْمَأَنَّ بِهِ ۖ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ انقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ
And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were, upon the very edge (i.e. in doubt); if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts back to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss. [22:11]
[Source: (Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and paraphrased]
Patience and Gratitude In The Dunyah
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said in Surah Al-Muminoon Aayaat 57-62:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ هُم مِّنۡ خَشۡيَةِ رَبِّہِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّہِمۡ يُؤۡمِنُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِرَبِّہِمۡ لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡتُونَ مَآ ءَاتَواْ وَّقُلُوبُہُمۡ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّہُمۡ إِلَىٰ رَبِّہِمۡ رَٲجِعُونَ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ وَهُمۡ لَهَا سَـٰبِقُونَ
وَلَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۖ وَلَدَيۡنَا كِتَـٰبٌ۬ يَنطِقُ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ
Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; And those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord; And those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; And those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on]. And We tax not any person except according to his capacity, and with Us is a Record which speaks the truth, and they will not be wronged.
Few Reminders about the People Mentioned In the Above Aayah
Their hearts are filled with fear due to the fear they have of their Lord. They fear that the justice of their Lord will take effect on them and thus they will be left with no good deeds. They are afraid of having a false good opinion about themselves that they have fulfilled the rights of their Lord and they fear that their Eemaan will cease. This is due to the fact that they know their Lord and what He deserves of exaltation and glory. This fear of theirs necessitates that they refrain from that which will bring about those evil consequences of sins and due to falling short in that which one has been commanded. They carry out that which they have been commanded, such as the prayer, zakat, hajj etc whilst fearing for themselves when their deeds will be presented in the presence of their Lord and on that Day in which they will stand in His presence [on the day of judgement] – fearing that their deeds will not save them from the punishment of Allaah due to their knowledge of their Lord and what He truly deserves of obedience through various types of worship. [Ref 1]
Ibraaheem At-Taymi [rahimahullaah] said: I do not compare my speech with my actions except fearing that my [speech] belies [my deeds]. Ibn Abee Mulayka [rahimahullaah] said: I met thirty Companions of the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] and each of them was afraid of hypocrisy for himself and none of them said that he was as strong in belief as the angel Jibreel or Meekaa’eel. And Al-Hasan Al-Basri [rahimahullaah] said: It is only true believers who fear nifaaq and only a munaafiq who considers himself safe [i.e. does not fear nifaaq]. [Ref 2]
Worshipping Allaah with Love Fear and Hope
http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=IBD01&articleID=IBD010006&articlePages=1
Repentance
https://www.salaficentre.com/2016/08/salaah-tawbah-prayer-repentance/
[Ref 1: (Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan). Abridged and paraphrased]
[Ref 2: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 1. Chapter 36. (What is said regarding) the fear of a believer that his good deeds may be annulled without his knowledge]
Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] says:
“The people of knowledge [i.e. the scholars] are of the view that it is obligated on the Muslims in every era that if they are certain about the presence of this filthy doctrine [i.e. the doctrine of the khawaarij], they should remedy it through calling to Allaah [i.e. the correct way] and enlighten the people about that. If they [i.e. khawaarij] do not obey [and come out fighting], then they are fought [by the Muslim ruler] in order to repel their harm.”
[لمحة عن الفرق الضالة page 42]
Chapter: The Statement of the Prophet: [Whoever is able to marry, should marry, for that will help him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.).’ And should a person marry (even if) he has no desire for marriage?] [Kitaabun Nikaah’ Saheeh Al-Bukhaari’ Hadeeth Number 5065]
Narrated ‘Alqamah:
“While I was with Abdullaah, uthman met him at Mina and said, ‘O Abu Abdur-Rahmaan! I have something to say to you.’ So both of them went aside and uthmaan said, ‘O Abu Abdur-Rahmaan! Shall we marry you to a virgin who will make you remember your past days? When Abdullaah felt that he was not in need of that, he beckoned me (to join him) saying, ‘O Alqamah’ Then I heard him saying (in reply to uthmaan), ‘As you have said that, (I tell you that) the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) once said to us, ‘O young people! Whoever among you is able to marry, should marry, and whoever is not able to marry, is recommended to observe fast as fasting will diminish his sexual power’.
Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] explains:
“Therefore, getting married is the correct [thing to do] as an obligation upon the one who has shahwa [sexual desires] even if he is not in fear of falling to Zinaa, and this is with regards to the one whose situation allows him to get married. This [also shows] Uthman’s righteous moral conduct and that the elderly person can get married as long as he has the strength for sexual relations; and those mainly intended in this hadeeth are the young people, because in most cases they possess greater desires and are more in need of that.”
[Source: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree Volume 4; Hadith No:5065; Footnote Number 2]
Abdul Hameed Bin Abdillaah Ibn Muslim Ibn Yasaar [rahimahullaah] said:
“When Ibn Seereen [rahimahullaah] was imprisoned, the prisoners said to him, ‘’Go to your family at night and return in the morning”. So he said: By Allaah! I will not deceive the ruler.””
[Taareekh Baghdaad: [6/334]
Among The Virtues of The Prophet’s City- By Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen (Rahimahullah)
Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) was asked about the statement of the Messenger (sallal-laahua-alayhi-wasallam) that: ‘’Verily Imaan returns and goes back to Madeenah as a snake returns and goes back to its hole.’’[1]
Answer:
In this hadeeth the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ‘’ Verily Imaan returns and goes back to Madeenah as a snake returns and goes back to its hole.’’ The word (يَأرِزُ)-Yarizo with a kasrah on the letter Raa can also have a Fatha or a Dammah (on the Raa). And the meaning of (يَأرِزُ) – Yarizo is that (Islaam) will return and it will be established in Madeenah, just as a snake returns to its hole after exiting it. This is an indication from the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alahi-wasallam) that this religion will return to Madeenah after the other lands become corrupted, just as a snake goes out and roams about in the earth, and then returns to its hole after that.
In this hadeeth is also an indication that just as Islaam did spread from Madeenah, it will also return to it; for indeed Islaam’s strength and authority did not spread except from Madeenah, even though its origin was in Makkah. Makkah was the first place where the revelation came down, but the Muslims were not able to establish a state, authority and Jihaad except after migrating to Madeenah. So for this reason, Islaam’s authority, enforcement and strength spread from Madeenah, and it will return to it in the end of time.
And some of the people of knowledge say that this (hadeeth) is indicative of an affair that has preceded, and that people did come to Madeenah and return to it in order to acquire the knowledge of the Sharee-ah and to study Islaam. However, the first meaning is what is apparent from the hadeeth. [2]
[1]Saheeh Bukhaari: Summarized Version: Hadeeth Number: 909
[Source:Fataawaa Fadeelatus Shaikh Al-Allaamah Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen Fil Aqeedah: Vol:1-2: page: 84-85]