Insight_May-Jun'23

INSIGHT O f f i c i a l

may/jun ’23

M a g a z i n e

o f

D a r u l

U l o o m

C A N A D A

Volume 1

Issue 4

HAJJ AT A GLANCE Reflections on my Shaykh, Dr. Ismail Memon r

SUMMARY

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Pearls of wisdom by Our Elders

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Funnel cake & Festivals

by Safiyya Shamsi

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Reflections on my Shaykh, Dr. Ismail Memon, by Asim Ahmad

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Hajj Preparation Infographic

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The Five Days of Hajj

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Hajj at a glance: by Asim Ahmad

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Fatawa: What is the ruling on Molasses? by Mufti Husain Ahmad Badri

Insight Magazine Patron

Hazrat Dr. Ismail Memon Fatawa Mufti Husain Ahmad Badri Contributors Mufti Omar Baig Maulana Dr. Mateen Khan Dr. Kamran Karatela Maulana Muneeb Tahir Uthmani M. Zubair Ahmad M. Bakhtiyar Ahmad M. Ahmad Amin Abu Saalem Photo

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Asim Ahmad Phone

5193601028 E-mail

office@ducanada.org Website

www.ducanada.org Address 51 Prince St. N, Chatham, ON N7M 4J7, Canada

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The views expressed in the columns of Insight magazine do not necessarily represent those of Darul Uloom Canada.articles published in this magazine may be reproduced with due acknowledgment.

Cover

A collage of Mina and Mount Arafat. Mina is 3 miles east of Makka and Arafat approximately 9 miles east.

The Prophet s recited this du‘a between Rukn al-Yamani and Hajar Aswad.

Musnad Ahmad 119/24

َ َ َّ َ ً َ َ َ َ ْ ُّ ‫ربنا‌ ِآتنا ِفي الدنيا حسن ‌‌ة‬ َ َ ًَ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫و ِفي اآْل ِخر ِة حسنة و ِقنا‬ َّ َ َ َ ‫عذاب الن ِار‬

EDITORIAL

S

ometimes, we come under the spell of the times and are convinced that we must reshape to the modern mold. Considering that our species is inherently social, ostracization is never an option, and so we assimilate. But there are two scenarios here: in a world where Islam is oppressed, the Qur’anic order is to migrate and find a place where one can settle and live their faith in peace. Where Islam is protected by the law, there we must uphold our faith and its requisites to the best of our ability. This is where we are right now in the West.

Thus, assimilation is not an option.

In Funnel cakes and Festivals, the author offers her own experience and practical tips on how to balance between adherence to the faith and enjoying family time at a festival without suffering assimilation.

Reflections of my Shaykh, Hazrat Dr. Ismail Memon r, is the first part in a series of articles on my Shaykh, Dr. Ismail Memon r, his impact on my life and what we all can learn from a contemporary wali of Allah who was our rope to the Auliya of the past.

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Memorizing Qur’an at the age of 75 The British arrested Maulana Syed Hussayn Ahmad Madani and imprisoned him in 1392/1941 on trumped-up charges. With plenty of time on his hands during incarceration, he decided to make good use of it and started memorizing the Qur’an. Every part he learned in the day would be recited that night in tarawih. By the end of his sentence, he had memorized 2/3 of the Qur’an. At the time, Maulana was 75 years old.

Though retention starts diminishing by this age, one of the miraculous traits of the Qur’an is that he who devotes a little attention to the Qur’an, the Qur’an makes its way into the heart while he who shows indifference, the Qur’an leaves his heart.

It’s all about intention Hakim al-Ummat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi said, “He who has sincerity of heart, teaching Bukhari or Nurani Qa’ida (primer on Arabic alphabet) for him is the same.”

Once, one of the teachers [of Darul Uloom Deoband] completed his Qutubi (textbook on logic) for the year and requested that Shaykh al-Islam Maulana Hussayn Ahmad Madani make the concluding du‘a. Hazrat came and made the du‘a.

A student was confused and asked, “A concluding du‘a for the completion of Bukhari is understood, but for Qutubi too?”

Hazrat replied, “We teach Qutubi with the same intention with which we teach Bukhari.”

Maulana Hussayn Ahmad Madania was a veritable wali of Allah Hazrat Maulana Manzur Naumani writes, “Some hadith mention that one of the signs of a veritable wali of Allah, one who is accepted by Allah, is that your seeing him and sitting in his company instantly invokes the remembrance of Allah. I can say with complete certitude that whoever had the chance to meet or sit in the company of Maulana Hussayn Ahmad Madani will have experienced this firsthand. They would be overwhelmed with the remembrance of Allah and a yearning for the Hereafter.

I can say for myself that despite my difference of opinion with Hazrat on many matters, sometimes to a degree that was irreconcilable, but [I tell you] when I came to sit in his company, I had no doubts that he was, indeed, one of the choice and special ones of Allah. To clean his shoes and

OUR AKABIR

remove the dust from the soles of his feet is an honor for me.”

Students of Imam Abu Hanifa Imam Abu Hanifa had 300,000 students of which 84 reached the level of mujtahids, but the way his fayd (outpouring of sacred knowledge) spread through Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad, no one else came near.

Conditions for acceptance of du‘a First, the invoker’s earnings, food, drink, clothe must all be from halal sources.

Second, the du‘a must be made from the heart with complete sincerity Third, one should not be hasty and impatient about acceptance of du‘a Fourth, one must firmly confident in acceptance of the du‘a Fifth, one should be vigilant of the times and places where du‘a are promised acceptance Sixth, before invoking Allah, one must praise and glorify Allah and then send salat and salam upon the Prophet a; and the du‘a should be repeated as the Prophet a did in most cases, repeating the words of his du‘a three times.

Sometimes, the du‘a is still not accepted despite fulfillment of all the above conditions. The Prophet a made du‘a that his umma be saved from infighting, but his du‘a was not accepted.

Allah is Sovereign. He will not be asked about what He does.

The difference between the Sahaba and the Auliya of Allah Though the Sahaba l were not sinless, they attained a degree of near spiritual perfection via the blessed company of the Prophet s, and their connection with Allah was so robust that succeeding Auliya could never reach their rank even even if they devoted years to spiritual exercises and struggling against the nafs. c - all taken from Jawahirat Madani, a collection of sayings of and about Maulana Syed Hussayn Ahmad Madani

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Funnel cake & Festivals

by Safiyya Shamsi

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Living Muslim in the modern world

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I

was standing at a fall festival encircled by passersby and blaring music when a thought came

to me, a concern I’d heard my friends voice before, “It’s not possible to be a good Muslim while living in the West. We are surrounded by fitnah.”

You see, I love going out to festivals with my family. We stop at each stall to look at the unique handmade creations and chat with the vendors. On the other hand, I’m also a dedicated and practicing Muslimah, and staying within the bounds of Shariah is immensely important to me. Thus, I wondered if my participation in such events was out of the bounds of Shariah.

I began to look for answers.

Allah says in ayah three of Surah Maida, “This day I have perfected for you your re-

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ligion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion” (5:3).

In this ayah, Allah informs us that the religion of Islam that He has blessed us with is complete and perfect in every way; no changes will come to it until the end of time. Allah created Islam to be moderate so that it would continue to be relevant to every era, culture, and society from the time of the Prophet a until the Day of Judgement.

Muslims are taught to be moderate in all aspects of their lives through various ahadith. One specific hadith that stood out to me was narrated by the Sahabi Jabir bin Sumra g who states that he used to pray salah with the Prophet a often. He explains that the Prophet a prayers were moderate,

and his khutbah was also moderate (Muslim). Through this hadith, the Prophet a taught us that even in salah, a fundamental and integral part of Islam, it’s important to stay in moderation. It goes without saying that we must strive to be balanced and avoid extremes in other areas of our lives that are less important than salat.

What does this middle-of-the-road look like for us?

We can be a part of most aspects of our culture and society, with modifications as needed. Allah has told us what is haram, things that are not permitted in Islam. He has also blessed us with critical thinking abilities, so we can seek out guidance, analyze the evidence, and come to a conclusion. But to reach a decision, it is vital to keep a few points in mind.

Firstly, strive to constantly be conscientious of Allah . Make Allah present in your life by thinking of Him often, what He allows, prefers, dislikes, and disapproves of. Keep these thoughts at the forefront of your mind when making an important decision.

Next, seek guidance from Allah through du‘a Humans are fallible, and even the best of us can make an incorrect decision despite planning ahead of time. Thus, it’s important to seek divine assistance from Allah.

Educate yourself about Islam and stay away from haram.

Without the proper knowledge, it’s difficult to make the right choice. Therefore,

learn about what Allah has permitted and prohibited. Enjoy what Allah has allowed and make a conscientious decision to stay far away from the prohibitions.

Find creative ways to enjoy occasions while staying firmly inside the folds of Islam.

Due to the recent rise in awareness, it’s easier to be Muslim in the West now.

For example, there are many vegan or vegetarian options at all restaurants; also, many non-Muslims are willing to accommodate your religious needs if you voice your concern to them. So go to social events, enjoy a fancy restaurant, and hang out with friends but actively seek ways to stay within the Islamic structure. A firm commitment to following Islam will open doors that never existed before.

Keeping these points in mind, I realized that my participation in the fall festival was within the bounds of Shariah, despite being surrounded by unIslamic elements. I dress modestly and am careful about what I consume; I also strive to avoid the concert side of festivals and prefer to attend once the live shows are over.

Finally, my intention in attending these events is to spend time with my family and impress upon non-Muslims what a Muslimah is through my manners. Thus, to my friends, I would say that yes, it can sometimes feel difficult to live in the West and be a good Muslim, but it’s not impossible.

Due to Islam’s moderate nature, I am allowed to enjoy these festivals so... funnel cake, here I come! c

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Hazrat’s sitting area in majlis and dhikr gatherings.

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REFLECTIONS ON MY SHAYKH DR. ISMAIL MEMON

by Asim Ahmad

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t is hard to put into words the latent emotions that trigger at the thought of my Hazrat Dr. Ismail Memon after being blessed with his auspicious company for over 20 years. As I mentioned in my editorial from the previous issue, the trajectory of my life would have gone in a very differ-

ent (and potentially deviant) direction had Allah not brought Hazrat into my life. On this spiritual journey, I learned so much of the need for a shaykh, but I also realized that true insight into the Deen relies on good company par excellence more than on any curriculum/course that teaches about the Deen.

Actually, this realization arose from a fundamental misunderstanding, which I think others fall into also. So, I’ll lay it out briefly.

We often confuse Deen with knowledge of Deen

despite them being two distinct entities. Think of one as being the road while the other the destination.

No one confuses a road with the destination or vice versa, otherwise you and I may be spending more time on the road than we care to. We acquire knowledge of the Deen assuming that we have acquired the Deen, when in reality, imbuing the Deen requires two major components: good company and dhikr. I too thought that once I had graduated from a religious institution that I now had a firm grip on the Deen. It was only after I met Hazrat that the realization came that I still needed to start the path of acquiring the Deen.

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Although these topics are of crucial importance, especially in our times, they are not the focus of this article. Therefore, I choose not to elaborate any further on the need for a shaykh or how this unbreaking tradition started in the prophetic era and will continue until the end of times.

In this article, I only want to put for the benefit of our readers some recollections of my time with Hazrat and the lessons I learned from the precious moments that I was granted with him. Though, I must say that I could not have shared these memories had it not been for the simple fact that Hazrat had dedicated 24/7 of his life to us.

Anytime I called or came to his office, private room or his house, the door was open and he invited me in with a smile.

I believe this is because accessibility is key in the path of spiritual rectification. For the Sahaba l to gain the ranks they did, the Prophet a had to be available for them around the clock. Had the Prophet a continued his trade ventures to Sham as he did before prophethood or his window for the Sahaba l to sit in his company opened for only a few hours a day, there would be no Sahaba l to pass on the Deen to

We acquire knowledge of the Deen assuming that we have acquired the Deen, when in reality, imbuing the Deen requires two major components: pious company and dhikr. us, quite frankly. They were like newborns who needed constant fostering and care, which depended on a range of things including circumstances, personalities, and collective or individual attention required to help them progress on their path to Allah.

Remember, this was a mission, not a 9-5 job. The Prophet a had dedicated his life to the spiritual excellence of the Sahaba l. It was a part of his prophetic duty to keep abreast of their spiritual progress and provide his uplifting company as often as he could.

In the lengthy hadith

by Ka‘b bin Malik g about his staying back from the expedition of Tabuk, he mentions how the Proph-

et a asked about Ka‘b’s whereabouts after reaching Tabuk, though over 20,000 thousand Sahaba l took part in this expedition. How did the Prophet a notice Ka‘b’s g absence in such a huge number unless he was keeping a close eye on every sahabi?

In any case, without accessibility and availability, there is no mentoring or imbuing the qualities of the pious.

I never felt even once in my 20+ years with Hazrat that he was too occupied to give me his time. I rarely wrote him letters and preferred either to call or meet him in person, but either way, the response time was quick. When I called, whether he was in the bath-

He took it upon himself to uphold the prophetic mission, fostering the next generation to carry the name of Allah in their hearts and embody the Qur’an and Sunna in their lives.

room or having his dinner, I would receive a call a few minutes later.

The fact that he even returned my call every time, though I was the one in need always put me to shame and only increased my love for him. Who gives about anyone these days? Even parents don’t give their children quality time anymore. His sincere concern for our spiritual well-being was driven by the need to uphold the prophetic mission of, “Send upon them a prophet from among them…who purifies them.”

He took it upon himself to uphold the prophet-

ic mission, fostering the next generation to carry the name of Allah in their hearts and embody the Qur’an and Sunna in their lives.

He routinely put aside his own needs and work to address our personal issues and attend to us— on our schedule; and we find this in the hadith too.

Sometimes, people came upon the Prophet a at unexpected times, but the Prophet a heard them out no matter what time they came or who they were.

Once, someone came as the Prophet a was raising his hands to lead ‘Isha.

The Prophet a stopped his prayers and attended to the needs of the newcomer until late in the night while the Sahaba l lay waiting.

According to the hadith, it became so late that many Sahaba l dozed off. 1 When I walked into his room just to sit in his company, no matter what Hazrat was doing his first question was, “Is there anything you want to say?” If I had something in mind I would say it, but more often I just wanted to sit with him and quickly made up some excuse. He would immediately put his work away or say, ‘give me a minute.’ Then, he quietly put away whatever he was doing and gave me his undivided attention. Never once do I recall him telling me to say what I wanted to say while he continued with his work.

Everything had to be put away so that he could give me undivided attention. I remember feeling guilty on such occasions for disturbing his work, but it only proved to me that he lived by the Sunna. The Prophet a gave all his attention to whomever came to him at any time.

For me to be able to share these memories is a posthumous blessing of my shaykh who gave me the time to make these memo-

1. Ibn Hibban, 6/638

ries of him.

Made in America

I was a made-in-America product. The I-don’tcare attitude and the ‘my, myself, and I’ complex work just fine in the cutthroat world of capitalism, but it comes across as terribly uncultured in the Islamic ethos where reverence for elders and respect for parents and serving and attending to your grandparents are the loftiest virtues.

The chapters of the hadith collections that extoll these virtues are huge and are titled al-birr wa al-sila, all of which denote its importance in Islamic culture.

In Tasawwuf, reverence is of utmost importance since the connection between the shaykh and the mureed is a fragile one. It is the pipeline that passes the fuel of deen (humility, love for Allah, love for the Prophet a, modesty, conviction, faith and piety, and taqwa etc.) from the heart of the shaykh to the mureed. But it is also a volatile connection because the flame of irreverence and criticism can easily blow up this connection and destroy the faith of the mureed.

Had the Sahaba l ever criticized the Prophet a, they would have instantly been turned out of the Faith.

Once, a man came to the Prophet a while the

Prophet a was distributing spoils of war. He had sunken cheeks, an acerbic appearance and a high forehead. He objected, “Be just, for you are not just!”

In response, the Prophet a said, “Woe to you, if I am not trustworthy then who is!” 2 The Prophet a went on to prophesy that a deviant group will rise from this man’s [spiritual] descendants. They later became the Kharijites.

I was also extremely critical due to my irreverence and arrogance and can only imagine how Hazrat persevered with me. After all, he made a huge jump.

Here he was in the company of the greatest and most pious Auliya of Allah of the time. He took bay‘a with the illustrious Maulana Abdul Qadir Raipuri and, after his death, with Shaykh al-hadith Muhammad Zakariyya and remained in his company until his death in 1982; While living in Madina, he hosted a great many masha’ikh and scholars of the time, received their du‘a and blessings, and sat in their illumined company.

Now he was with me and had taken upon himself the task of shaping me up.

Once before Zuhr, I

2. Al-Muntaqa, fõ ta‘jõl qism al-ghanó’im

came to the front row to pray next to Hazrat. This is the summer of 1996. It was a very hot day and I had my sleeves pulled up high. My father sat down next to me. He casually leaned over and whispered for me to lower my sleeves and then explained that it was disrespectful to bare my forearms in the presence of Hazrat. I never said anything at the time, but I clearly recall saying to myself something along the lines of, “So what! What difference does it make?”

Despite this type of attitude which I am sure manifested on different occasions, Hazrat never even once expressed any indignation or complained about it. He did diagnose my problem of raizani, i.e., being obsessed with my opinion, but that was to help me improve myself and change my ways. He remained ever affectionate and kind no matter what I threw at him, and I believe this is what really changed me the most.

I cringe thinking about all the embarrassing times I

acted like I knew what I was doing or talking about. But he never let it on that I was embarrassing myself.

His kindness drowned out my ignorance.

Had he scolded me at the time, I would have turned around and never returned, and he knew it.

Allah said to the Prophet a, “Had you been rough and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you” (3:159). Instead, the Prophet a won the hearts with kindness, love and forbearance. Our Hazrat revived the same Sunna. His kindness, love and forbearance won me over.

One example: This is around 1999-2000. I had moved to Buffalo the year before and was staying in a Darul Uloom house. At the time, the close-knit Muslim neighborbood around Masjid Zakariyya was like an enclave surrounded by

blocks of crime-infested neighborhoods. One of the houses in this enclave was on sale. The location was excellent and the price was a steal. Many people, including those who were closely associated with Hazrat, had their eyes on it.

Hazrat called me into his room one day and said he wanted that house for my father and I, though I knew others were just waiting to grab it. Why he decided to give me the house when I never showed any interest in it nor was I even close to Hazrat at the time still astounds me.

I live in that same house today, alhumdulillah.

Changing the East Side When I first came to the East Side, it was rundown and dangerous. Drugs and crime were rampant and

police sirens were as daily as the five time salat. But it has changed radically since then, which I find hard to believe though it all transpired before my eyes.

I don’t have the numbers, but the Muslim demographic from what I observe seeing more and more Muslim shops, grocery stores, restaurants, neighborhoods, Muslim workers behind store counters, at the post office, banks, retail stores, and at the bus stops, has only skyrocketed. Even now, the Muslim population continues to grow vigorously.

Now, Muslim homes stretch through the east to the west side and more and more

Muslims are populating the older neighborhoods between Masjid Zakariyya to Parker Masjid and beyond.

Masjids too have multiplied exponentially.

This transformation also brought unanticipated changes like gentrification.

Investors quickly jumped to convert dilapidated warehouses into gorgeous lofts and to develop upscale apartment complexes along the main arteries. But every day I see all these massive changes, I am constantly reminded of the most important lesson—it took only one man to change the East Side.

As a result of all these improvements, the crime and drug issue has cleared up significantly, and the East Side has flourished.

My Hazrat never gave a single talk or speech in his life. He came only to revive the dhikr of Allah and establish a madrasa in the name of Allah. It told me that speeches don’t change much. It is sacrifice, sincerity and devotion to the Deen that transforms not only hearts and communities, but whole cities.

Example of his affection

Another example of his affections: when I first joined the madrasa in 1998, I fell sick due to a genetic eye problem and could not attend classes. Hazrat came

to visit me and sat at the edge of the bed where I lay.

I was so embarrassed that he noticed my discomfort, quickly made the Sunna du‘a and left.

Attending to Hazrat

Even to the very end, I never was one to attend to Hazrat’s needs like many others. They opened the doors, helped him put on his coat, and were on call for him at all times of the day. I was admittedly clumsy at any type of khidma and immediaetely felt that I wasn’t cut out for it. But I constantly questioned myself as I observed others going out of their way for him. Was I falling short in my requirements of love for my shaykh?

I decided to raise this matter up with Hazrat. Over the years, this discussion came up at least three times and his response was invariably the same almost every single time. Here is what I asked: Hazrat, I don’t express the same love and do your khidma the way many others do. If I am falling short in this matter, please correct me and tell me what I need to do to change my attitude. His response: don’t worry and continue doing what you are doing. I know who loves me and who doesn’t.

I never forgot this answer and it helped clarify

many issues for me. He wasn’t concerned with who served him or not, but rather who was devoted to the work of deen and striving to get closer to Allah.

Even the Sahaba l all worked in different capacities. Some Sahaba l attended to the Prophet’s a personal needs more than others like Ibn Mas‘ud, Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Hurayra, and Anas l; and then there were those who only served his divine mission. It is hard to say who was better since different personalities produce different propensities. Every sahabi went where their propensity took them. I believe this same factor also determined the difference between those who served Hazrat’s mission from those who attended to his personal needs.

In reality, they all worked for the same goal– to achieve the pleasure of Allah. c

Prophesy

Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al‘As g said, “When the belly of Makkah will be cleft open and through it will be dug out river-like passages (i.e. tunnels) and the buildings of the Holy City of Makka will rise higher than its mountains, when you observe these signs, then understand that the time of trial is near at hand.”

- Akhbar Makka, 3/56

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Hajj at a Glance

by Asim Ahmad

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I

f you are going for Hajj this year, this is the right time to brush up on the fundamentals of hajj and umra before departing for the Holy Land. Here, we can divide the Hajj experience into three types; one is the fiqh (legal) aspect which includes the dos and do nots, the compulsories and wajib (necessaries). The second is the spiritual aspect, which is the basis for acceptance of the hajj and the purging of all sins until one returns like a newborn as stated in the authentic hadith. This includes performing the hajj in the footsteps of the Prophet a according to his Sunna.

The third aspect is the logistics. Most of the hajj process is not in our control, but it is still important to do whatever is within our capacity to prevent unforeseen obstacles from dampening our hajj experience and disturbing our sublime state in the Haram of Allah. (This part is covered in the Hajj preparation infographic on p.19-20) This article is by no means a comprehensive treatise on hajj. It is more a beginner’s guide that covers the necessary aspects of hajj. Along the way, you will learn some hajj terms, which every pilgrim should know to understand the bigger picture of the hajj and what it entails. For a more detailed guide, please contact your local scholars and study the many comprehensive texts on this topic by authentic scholars.

The Fiqh of Hajj If you are planning for hajj, you need to decide in advance whether you will be performing hajj only or both hajj and umrah together. Since pilgrims flying from the West arrive a few days in advance of the hajj days and have plenty of time to perform a umrah, most of us will be performing tamattu or qiran.

What is tamattu and qiran?

TAMATTU means that the pilgrim wears an ihram for umrah only. He then performs umrah and once its complete, removes the ihram and wears regular clothe until the hajj days come in. Once the hajj days come in, he will wrap the ihram again with the intention

of hajj.

QIRAN The pilgrim performing qiran does everything the same as the mutamatti‘ (pilgrim performing tamattu‘) except for two things. For one, when he dons his ihram for umrah, he will make intention for both umrah and hajj, and second, he cannot remove the ihram until the hajj is complete.

Qiran is naturally more virtuous and rewarding since the qarin (pilgrim performing qiran) must observe the restrictions of ihram for a longer duration than the mutamatti, i.e., he is going to make a bigger sacrifice. Whether you decide to do one or the other, it is a good idea to first know the restrictions of ihram and see if you can bear them for a prolonged period or not, and then decide accordingly.

If the pilgrim is performing hajj by itself,

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FATA W A

I

Mufti Husain Ahmad Badri

have recently been doing a paint job and have constantly found paint on my skin after cleansing myself and praying salah. My question is, is my salah still valid, or will I have to make up for all the salah I have prayed in this state?

The condition for validation of wudu is that the water reaches the skin of the limbs that must be washed in wudu.

The wudu will not be valid if paint, glue, or any other adhesive or substance prevents water from reaching the limbs.

Accordingly, if you find such paint pre-

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venting water from reaching the skin after praying your salah, the wudu and salah will be invalid. The paint must be removed, the part previously covered in paint rewashed, and the salah must be repeated as mentioned in the following hadith: ‘Umar Ibn Khattab g narrates that a person performed wudu and left a small part equal to the space of a nail (unwashed). The Messenger of Allah s saw that and said, “Return and complete the wudu” (Muslim).

I have heard that if a person fasts six days of nafl fasts after Ramadan in Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted the whole year. Is the above true, and if so, should these six fasts be consecutive, or is it okay if I spread them out throughout the month?

Fasting six days in the month of Shawwal is a great virtue that abounds in rewards. The Prophet a said, “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year” (Muslim).

It is not required to fast for six consecutive days. One can fast any six days of the month.

I have yet to receive a share of the inheritance from a family member who recently passed away. I am not sure when I will receive it, but I do know that I will receive a share sooner or later. If I am calculating my zakah now, do I have to pay zakat for it from now?

In principle, the inheritance that has not yet come under one’s possession is considered a ‘weak debt’ (dayn da’eef). The ruling for weak debts is that zakah will only be due once the amount has been received, and one is not required to pay zakah on it for the period that one did not have possession of it.

Accordingly, zakah on the inheritance owed to you will only be due once it has come into your possession.

As golden rings are not permissible for men in Islam, what is the permissible amount /karat of silver or platinum for a man to wear Islamically?

A man may only wear a silver ring that weighs less than one mithqal (4.374 grams) of silver. It is not permissible for a man to wear a ring of any other precious metal, including platinum.

A man may only wear a silver ring that weighs less than one mithqal (4.374 grams) of silver. It is not permissible for a man to wear a ring of any other precious metal, including platinum.

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Can I perform sajdah tilawa (prostration after ayat of sajda) after praying Asr? In principle, one may perform sajda tilawa at any time besides the three times where it is explicitly prohibited to pray any salat.

They are: sunrise, sunset, and exact noon.

Accordingly, it would be permissible to perform sajda tilawa after Asr provided it is before sunset.

What makes hajj compulsory?

Performing hajj is fard upon every sane, mature Muslim with the physical and financial capability to travel to and return from Makkah safely. It is necessary that one has sufficient wealth to make the journey for hajj and to support his family in his absence. However, if one is physically incapacitated, they should perform hajj after they recover. If their physical condition is chronic and they are not likely to recover from their illness, then they should appoint a proxy to perform hajj on their behalf as stated in the hadith: ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas k reports that a woman came to the Messenger a and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, the obligation of hajj which Allah has prescribed for His servants is binding on my senile father, but he cannot sit firmly on an animal. May I perform hajj on his behalf?” The Messenger a replied, “Yes, you may.”

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If a person has enough money for hajj to be compulsory on him but cannot perform hajj due to an illness, what should he do?

In the scenario above, if one believes that they will recover from their illness and they will be able to perform hajj in the future, then they may delay their hajj until they regain their health. They should write a will for hajj to be performed on their behalf in case they pass away before getting the opportunity to do so.

If the illness is chronic and there is no hope of them regaining enough health to perform hajj, then they should appoint a proxy to perform hajj on their behalf.

I’ve always intended to perform hajj but, unfortunately, have never had the financial means to do so. An elderly uncle recently asked me if I could perform hajj on his behalf at his expense. Will this be permissible when I have not performed my hajj yet?

In principle, only one who has previously performed hajj should perform a proxy hajj. However, it would be permissible to perform a

proxy hajj even if one did not perform hajj provided hajj is not presently obligatory on them. Conversely, it would be impermissible for a person upon whom hajj is obligatory to perform a proxy hajj before fulfilling their own obligation.

I was reciting Quran, and I came across

a sajda ayah. Before performing sajda, I realized that I did not have wudu. Will it be permissible to perform sajda tilawah without wudu?

One must be in the state of wudu while performing sajda tilawah.

I came across the ingredient molasses in a packet of biscuits and chocolate, but didn’t purchase it because I didn’t know if this ingredient is halal.

Molasses is a viscous substance that is processed by refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. They are primarily used to sweeten and flavor foods. There are no haram or questionable sources in molasses. Therefore, it is halal.

a separate account of such money to ensure it is only used on them?

Or would it be permissible for me to use that money however I deem fit?

In principle, gifts received for children belong to the children.

The parent/guardian may choose to give the gift to the child, safeguard it, or use it in the child’s best interest. It would not be permissible for the parent to use the child’s money for personal benefit. c

On ‘Eid or other occasions, my children receive cash gifts from friends and relatives. Is it necessary for me to keep

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continued from p. 22 which is usually the case for pilgrims who arrive in the hajj days or immediately before, they will perform hajj only. This type of hajj is called IFRAD.

A misconception about ihram

Many pilgrims think that once you wear the upper and lower shawl, you are now bound by the rules of ihram.

This is not true.

Wearing ihram does not mean what it says.

When you read this term ‘wearing ihram’ in the books or hear it in a hajj program, what they actually mean is the three components that make the rules of ihram binding on a pilgrim.

They are:

What is Talbiya?

Talbiya is to utter:

LABBAYK ALLôHUMMA LABBAYK LA SHARöKA LAKA LABBAYK INNAL ûAMDA WAN NI‘MATA LAKA WAL MULK Lô SHARöKA LAK

So, make sure you understand that from here on, wearing/donning ihram means these three components which bind the pilgrim to the rules of ihram.

When can I wear ihram?

A pilgrim can even wear the ihram from home, but its not advised since they will be restricted by the rules of ihram until their hajj is complete.

Those rules and restrictions are as follow: 1. Cannot wear stitched clothing until umrah is complete (this rule applies to men only) 2. Cannot apply perfume, ittar, or cologne.

This includes scented soaps, shampoos, lotions, moisturizers, makeup or any other such item that contains a strong fragrant smell.

3. making the intention.

3. Cannot cover the face or head. This includes a baseball cap, qalansuwa (topi; skullcap), imamah (turban), and shawl etc. Umbrellas are permissible since they are not directly on the head (the women will cover the head, but like men cannot cover the face).

Once the pilgrim completes all three components, they are now bound by the rules of ihram. So, if a pilgrim wore the ihram and, for example, got lost in conversation with someone

4. Cannot remove, cut hair or nails. This seems easy to follow except that whenever you comb, hair inadvertently gets pulled out. So, even though combing itself is not

1. wearing ihram 2. saying the TALBIYA

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and forgot to say the talbiya, he is not yet bound by the rules of ihram. Or, he wears the ihram but falls unconscious before he can make an intention for hajj/umrah, then too he is not legally bound by the rules of ihram.

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prohibited, it is unadvisable until the ihram is off.

5. Cannot hunt animals. Not a big deal in our time. Most of us purchase our meat from the local Muslim shop anyways.

6. Cannot cover the medial bone on the foot.

The medial bone is the slight protrusion that you feel when wiping your hand over the top of the foot. This means the pilgrim cannot wear sneakers or any type of shoes.

The only type of footwear that is permissible is flip-flops.

7. Love-making with wife. No explanation required. You either get it or, you will find out after marriage.

Where to wear ihram

You have now wisely decided that it’s not a good idea to wear ihram from home. But then, where does the pilgrim wear it from? The answer is that as long as they wear it before entering the Miqat.

The MIQAT is a set of locations at various distances from Makka that were designated by the Prophet a as the boundaries for pilgrims arriving from the north, south, and east.

Contiguous lines between these locations can help pilgrims determine when they must wear their ihram for umra/hajj so that even if they are not coming through any of the designated locations, they can approximate when to wear the ihram.

Since the Red Sea is to the west, the Prophet

LOGISTIC TIP

Pack your flip-flops and ihram in your carry-on .

That way, if your checkedin luggage is misplaced , you can still enter the Miqat in the state of ihram.

Remember, if the pilgrim does not enter the Miqat in the state of ihram, he/ she will have to pay damm (expiation).

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a did not designate any location for pilgrims coming in from that direction. This is why there is no designated Miqat for pilgrims from the west.

4. Sa‘ee or walking from Safa to Marwa and back 7 seven times. A pilgrim will start at Safa and end complete his/her sa‘ee at Marwa- wajib

How is our Miqat set?

5. Shaving the hair-wajib

Our Miqat is based not on the hadith but the contiguous lines between the designated locations stated in the hadith. Muslim Airlines [e.g., Saudi Airlines®, Air Jordanian® etc.] flying to Jeddah from the west will generally announce when they will be passing the Miqat. This Miqat is an approximate area and should not be confused to mean any one of the designated Miqat cited in the hadith.

But if you are landing in transit to, for example, Istanbul (Turkey) or Amman (Jordan) for your flight to Jeddah, you can wear your ihram at these transit stops if you feel uncomfortable changing into ihram on the flight.

Six Components of umra

Components here means all the main components that constitute an umra.

It is encouraged for every pilgrim to memorize these six components and then repeat them to someone to assure that they got them under their belt: 1. Wearing ihram (remember the three things that define ‘wearing ihram’)- compulsory 2. First three circuits of tawaf- compulsory 3. All seven circuits of tawaf- wajib

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RULING

Tawaf qudum will not be performed by the mutamatti . Only the qarin and the mufrid will perform the tawaf qudoom.

6. Doing 4,5,6 in exact same order as mentioned above-wajib

What is the difference between compulsory and wajib?

Simple. If a pilgrim misses a compulsory, the umra is invalid. For example, the pilgrim completed five components but did not wear his ihram. This is an invalid umra. But if the pilgrim misses a wajib, he/she can repair it by paying expiation [as long as the pilgrim did not skip it intentionally].

Ten components of Hajj 1. Wearing ihram- compulsory

2. Staying in Arafat at any time between noon of 9th to Fajr of 10th- compulsory [see timeline on p.]

The Jamarat Bridge in Mina

FACT

The three pillars are now housed in a huge multitiered bridge with numerous entry and exit ramps to accommodate the huge influx of pilgrims in hajj season .

3. Tawaf of hajj (also known tawaf ifada or tawaf ziyarat)- compulsory 4. Tawaf qudum- pilgrim will perform this tawaf upon arrival 5. To stay in Muzdalifa on 10th and to not

depart before dawn-wajib 6. Rami of only the big Jamara after sunrise on 10th and all three Jamarat on the 11th and 12th in Mina-wajib 7. Slaughtering animal-wajib 8. Shaving hair- wajib 9. To complete 6,7,8 in exact order as stated above-wajib 10. Sa‘ee-wajib- this sa‘ee will be performed after the compulsory tawaf ifada.

Every pilgrim is highly encouraged to memorize these ten components of hajj. It will help them

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map out their own hajj route as they move through each step of the hajj rites.

What is Rami, Jamarat, Mina, Muzdalifa, and Arafat?

RAMI means to throw or shoot. In hajj

FACT

Keep in mind that a new day according to the Islamic calendar starts after Maghrib.

In that case , Maghrib and ‘Isha are being combined in Muzdalifa on the 10th of Dhul Hijja though it still qualifies as the same day in which the pilgrim stayed in Arafat, which was on the 9th, according to the solar calendar.

Since the hajj days are based on the lunar Islamic calendar, we have elaborated the hajj process accordingly. terminology, rami is throwing 7 pebbles at the biggest pillar known as JAMRAT AL-‘AQABA on the 10th of Dhul Hijja after sunrise. On the 11th, 12th the pilgrim will do rami again but now the time for rami is after midday and the pilgrim will do rami seven times each of the smallest, middle and biggest Jamrat.

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JAMRAT means pebble but in hajj terminology it is the three pillars where huge mounds of pebbles pile up after three consecutive days of rami by over a million pilgrims. Thus the name Jamrat (singular) and Jamarat (plural).

There are three pillars altogether. The largest one is called Jamrat al-‘Aqaba; the middle one, JAMRAT AL-WUSTA; and the smallest, JAMRAT AL-ULA. On the 10th, the pilgrim will only perform rami of the Jamrat al-‘Aqaba after sunrise while on the 11th and 12th rami will be done of all three Jamarat starting with the smallest [Jamrat al-Ula] and ending with the largest after midday. The three jamarat are located in Mina.

These pillars historically represent the three places where Shaytan blocked the path of Ibrahim e and tried to prevent him from obeying the divine order to slaughter his son Ismael e. Jibril e ordered Ibrahim e to throw seven pebbles at Iblis. who then disappeared.1 Four thousand years later, Jibril e showed the Prophet a the same three locations and ordered him to integrate the Sunna of Ibrahim e into the hajj rites.2 MINA, MUZDALIFA and ARAFAT. These are three major hajj stations located east of Makka.

The first station after departing from Makka is Mina, followed by Muzdalifa and then Arafat.

1. Akhbar Makka, 1/67

2. Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, 11/456

MINA is where the three jamarat are located and where the sacrificial animal will be

FACT Usually, this task is undertaken by agents who perform the sacrifice on your behalf. You will pay a fee in advance to cover the costs of the animal .

slaughtered.

The pilgrims spend their first hajj day [8th] in Mina and then return on the 10th and stay in Mina on the 11th, 12th, and 13th (optionally).

MUZDALIFA is the main station between Mina and Arafat. The pilgrim will pass through here on the 9th from Mina to Arafat. Immediately after Maghrib time starts, pilgrims will return westward to Muzdalifa and pray their Maghrib and ‘Isha together with one adhan and two iqama and stay the night in Muzdalifa. After praying Fajr in Muzdalifa, they will depart after dawn for Mina to perform their rami of the Jamrat al-‘Aqaba.

ARAFAT is the last of three stations located roughly 9 miles east of Makka. The pilgrims will arrive here on the 9th by noon. They will pray their Zuhr and Asr with one adhan and one iqama in Zuhr time, but only if they pray at Masjid Namrah behind the main imam of the

masjid. Otherwise, the pilgrims will pray Zuhr and Asr in their respective times.

This is the day of du‘a. After combining Zuhr and Asr after noon, the Prophet a devoted the day to invocations and prayers near the famous Mount Arafat until Maghrib.

After Maghrib, pilgrims depart for Muzdalifa and will pray their Maghrib and ‘Isha combined, as mentioned earlier, in Muzdalifa on the 10th.

Spiritual Aspect Many pilgrims are relaxed in this matter even though the spiritual aspect of this journey is the soul and spirit of the hajj.

Without the soul, there is no life in the body. if the tawaf and sa‘ee and all the other hajj rites are devoid of a soul, then what is achieved by all the sacrifices the pilgrim makes in the name of Allah; the huge investment of money, separating from family, leaving comfort of the home, taking time off from work, the language barrier, mishaps, incompetence and mismanagement of hajj workers, exhaustion, and dirt and dust. We shouldn’t want to make all these sacrifices only to present something that is not worthy of acceptance.

Intention first!

The first thing we must do before planning our journey is to look into our heart and ponder

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over our real INTENTION. The real intention determines the outcome of our hajj and whether it is accepted or not. The Prophet a said a time will come when the rich will perform hajj for leisure, the middle-class for business, and the poor to beg.

This is a warning about bad and corrupted intentions.

If the intention is wrong from the get-go, then all the money and time invested into the epic journey is wasted and the pilgrim returns empty-handed.

that when the pilgrim shaves, it is more than his hair that goes. His self-worth, self-love and self-image are also shaved off. Vanity is purged from the heart and replaced with love for Allah.

Staying in Mina On the 10th, 11th and 12th we can return to the comfort of our hotel beds in Makka, but Allah wants us to camp in the Mina tents. This was the Sunna of our Prophet a. Shaytan will downplay this again with his ‘it is only Sunna’ game, but we must fight the urge to go to

Here and now every pilgrim should make the intention that they are on a mission to do whatever it takes to please Him. They will show servitude because that is the purpose of hajj; He wants us to face the struggles and hurdles that He puts up for us during the hajj process with patience and determination for His sake.

Shaving hair He wants us to shave our hair though we have the option to trim it short because we need to prove to Him that we care more about achieving His pleasure and not our self-image; and the one who does so, receives the du‘a of the Prophet a who invoked three times, “O Allah have mercy on the shavers.”3 The shaving of the hair seems trivial. Shaytan downplays its importance whispering that it is only Sunna to discourage the pilgrim. He knows 3. Muwatta, al-hallaq

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Makka.

The 13th in Mina Then, we can return to Makka on the 12th, but if we stay on to the 13th in Mina, we have proven that we are, indeed, His true servants.

On this last day, the pilgrim is at the end of his tether. He is exhausted and just wants to head

back home.

Not yet.

The Prophet a stayed on the 13th in Mina and headed back to Makka only after rami on that day.

The pilgrim must push himself to the limit to please Allah.

Pilgrim or tourist?

A pilgrim comes to the Holy Land as a servant, not as a tourist. He/she comes with reverence and awe for the sanctity of the Haram. Their first sight on the Ka‘ba takes their heart away and they cry and pray to Allah and soak tears into the ihram. Mesmerized by the simple and yet imposing cuboid-shaped structure draped in black, the pilgrim thinks, “I prayed toward this qibla my whole life. And here I am now.”

SubhanAllah! These are the emotions of a true servant of Allah.

Then another comes.

Armed with a cellphone in hand, he is scanning around for the perfect shots. He takes wideangle, low angle, high-angle and close-ups. He poses and postures himself to get a few more.

Now, he must get that last epic one with the Ka‘ba in the backdrop. After tawaf, he plops down and scrolls through the images, selects the best of them and uploads them to his online accounts. Sound like a pilgrim or a selfabsorbed tourist?

Pilgrims who come for Allah do not broadcast

their lives to the world over social media and use the Haram as a way to promote their own lives. They use the physical proximity to the House of Allah to achieve spiritual proximity to Allah Himself.

If the pilgrim is coming for Allah, they will search the SUNNA and integrate them into their hajj and umra experience. Read the books that highlight the Sunna of each component of hajj/ umra. It is the easiest route to achieving the pleasure of Allah.

Allah loved no way more than the Prophet’s a way.

The Cellphone Avoid using the cellphone. You came for hajj, not for a photoshoot or a social media event. Use it strictly for communication with group or family members. Avoid loitering in the bazaars and malls and the various other attractions surrounding the Haram. Shaytan will try to draw you away from the Haram.

Constantly think of how the Prophet a would have performed hajj and try to imitate him as much as possible. He said, “The worst places in the eyes of Allah are the bazaars.”4

Speak from your heart Learn and memorize the du‘a you like now so that you are not carrying a du‘a book around while you are performing tawaf. This is the 4. Muslim, 2/132

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time for you to engage with your Lord.

Reciting from a book is reciting from a book, not engaging with your Lord.

When you to talk to someone, do you write the script beforehand and then read it out? Very soon, you will find no one wants to talk to you anymore.

In tawaf, you can recite Quran, make du‘a, or recite your favorite dhikr.

Allah made the rules in tawaf flexible because He wants you to speak your heart out to Him and not to limit yourself to intonations or mindless reading. The tawaf is a type of salat, but without any restrictions in movement or dhikr.

You can invoke Him in your own language or in Arabic. You can praise Him with the dhikr that best suits your spiritual state at the time. The Prophet a said, “When a believer is in prayer, he is in munajat (communion) with his Lord, therefore, he should look at what he is saying to His Lord.”5 May Allah bless your hajj and grant you hajj mabrur. c 5. Muwatta, 2/109

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