Tabarruk

Seeking Blessing through the Relics of the Prophets and the Pious

By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Translated by Zameelur Rahman

An original Deoband.org article

Hamid ibn ‘Umar narrated to us: Abu ‘Awanah narrated to us: from Tariq: from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab: he said:

“My father was one of those who pledged [allegiance] to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) at the tree^[1]. [My father al-Musayyab] said: ‘Then we proceeded [to Makkah] the following year, as pilgrims, and the tree’s location was hidden from us. So if it is clear to you, then you are more knowledgeable than us!’” (Sahih Muslim)

His statement “its place was hidden from us”: it is mentioned in the following narration: “then they forgot its location the following year”, and in the narration of al-Bukhari: “its location was unclear to us”. Ibn ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with them both) related the same incident according to al-Bukhari in Kitab al-Jihad (no. 2958). He said “We returned the following year and no two of us agreed about the location of the tree beneath which we pledged [allegiance]. This was a blessing from Allah.”

Al-Hafiz said in al-Fath (6:118) under the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar “The explanation of the wisdom behind this is that no misdeed will ensue as a result of the good that occurred beneath it. Were it to remain, it would not be safe from some ignorant people glorifying it, until it may lead them to the belief that it has the power to benefit or harm, as we see today plainly in that which is lesser than it [in value]. Ibn ‘Umar alluded to this by his statement ‘this was a blessing from Allah’ by which he meant its obscurity to them was a blessing from Allah Most High after that. It is possible that the meaning of his statement ‘a blessing from Allah’ is that the tree was the place of Allah’s mercy and the location of His pleasure, due to the descent of pleasure over the believers near it.”

The Infamous Surah

The Infamous Surah at-Tauba

By Ebrahim Saifuddin

The Issue

This surah is one of the most popular surahs of the Noble Qur’an among the non-Muslim propagandists. One of the first verses they will quote, in their attempt to prove violence against non-Muslims in the Qur’an, is from Surah Tauba. The verse quoted is the 5th verse and is as follows:

فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Faitha insalakha alashhuru alhurumu faoqtuloo almushrikeena haythu wajadtumoohum wakhuthoohum waohsuroohum waoqAAudoo lahum kulla marsadin fain taboo waaqamoo alssalata waatawoo alzzakata fakhalloo sabeelahum inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun

So, when the sacred months expire, kill the Mushriks wherever you find them, and catch them and besiege them and sit in ambush for them everywhere. Then, if they repent and establish Salah and pay Zakah, leave their way. Surely, Allah is most Forgiving, Very-Merciful. – [Qur’an 9:5]

After quoting this verse the non-Muslim propagandist claims that the Qur’an commands Muslims to kill all mushriks (polytheists) wherever they can find them. They try to imply that Muslims are to carry out some sort of a seek and destroy mission against the polytheists. Unfortunately honest non-Muslims who are sincere to knowledge fall prey to this propaganda.

In this article we will go through a little about Surah Tauba, its historical context and reason for revelation to establish why the Qur’an says “kill the mushriks wherever you find them” and whether the Muslims are really required to carry out a seek and destroy mission against the polytheists.

Taraweeh – 20 Rakah or 8 Rakah?

Taraweeh – 20 Rak’ah or 8 Rak’ah?

By Ebrahim Saifuddin

With the commencement of Ramadan, the time to argue over matters established by the pious predecessors has arrived once again. The topic of argument is whether taraweeh consists of 20 or 8 rak’ah. Scholars have written myriad of books on this topic with overwhelming evidence, yet our ghair muqallideen brothers and sisters try to insist that it is 8 rak’ah.

Evidence for Difference in Salah of Women

Evidence for Difference in Salah between Men and Women

by Ebrahim Saifuddin

Some people live in a delusion that rulings of difference in some positions of Salah between men and women are based on no evidence. They think that hundreds of years of scholarship was based on something that does not exist. How more misguided can they be. They wish not to study books of fiqh but yet wish to make such derisory statements. However, we will just move on to the basics to satisfy their ludicrous needs.

Evidence

Below are some of the ahadith that prove the difference in the way women are to offer Salah. They are taken from two books, “The way the Noble Messenger Offered His Prayer” by Mufti Jamil Ahmed Naziri and “The Salah of Women” published by Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah (Azaadville).

How to Perform Salah (For Women)

Compiled by Ebrahim Saifuddin

The following is the complete method of performing a 2 Raka’at Salah. Read the “Note” at the end to know how to pray a 3 or 4 Raka’a Salah.

1. Stand upright facing the Qibla
2. Make the intention “I intend to perform the Fajr prayer (say the name of the Salah), with 2 Rakaat Fardh (say the number of Rakaats of any prayer – Sunnah or Fardh), for the sake of Allah, I am facing the Holy Kaaba.” Intention need not be said out loud. Saying it in the heart is sufficient.
3. Raise hands to the shoulders with palms facing the Qibla say “Allahu Akbar”. The hands should be within the cloth sheet. They should not be brought out.