A Woman’s Role In The Ummah

Sisters, your role in society is like the role of the archers in the battle of Uhud. They were not at the forefront or in the thick of the action, BUT they held the most important position. They guarded the army. If they moved, the whole army would be uncovered and defeated. In the same way, if you leave your most important position, you leave the army-the Ummah uncovered.

• - You are the silent heroes,
• - You are the foundational structure of great generations,
• - You are the mothers who look after the family,
• - You are the first of the teachers of this Ummah,
• - You are the ones who teach the Muslim men courage, truthfulness, kindness, perseverance, and patience,
• - You are the carer’s of the men of this Ummah,
• - The success of this Ummah lies upon your shoulders.

Allah states that a woman’s primary abode is her home. This does not mean she plays no role in society. She is like the engine of a car hidden in the bonnet. Everything of the car is meaningless without the engine. The engine being concealed does not mean it is insignificant. Infact, being concealed reveals its real value.

A woman is like a live wire tucked away. If it is exposed it will shock people. It is concealed yet provides the current for electricity. A woman is like the battery in a mobile phone. All the features of the mobile phone mean nothing if the battery is not there. It is concealed but provides the main function.

Being concealed and doing what Allah wants us to do reveals the real value of women.

Gratefulness to Allah

Gratefulness to Allah
Almighty Allah has blessed us with so many bounties that it is impossible to enumerate the bounties of Allah Ta’ala. While we are required to thank Allah for His innumerable bounties, we will never be able to fulfill the right of thanking Allah. No one can ever fulfill the right of thanking Allah. We will still have to thank Allah for the Tawfeeq and ability to thank Him and that will go on and on.

We should verbally thank Allah for His bounties on us to the best of our abilities. Obedience to Allah and fulfilling the obligations towards Allah is the actual Shukr.

To disobey Allah is the greatest form of ungratefulness. We use His bounties to disobey Him, Astaghfirullah.

In order to induce the spirit of Shukr in us, think of the various bounties of Allah upon us.

• > What if I was insane?
• > What if I was blind?
• > What if I was deaf?
• > What if I was crippled?
• > What if I could not walk?

What if…? What if…? What if…?

Such questions will help us to realize the bounties of Allah and lead us to the recognition of Allah.

Thanking Allah should be with heart, tongue, and deeds and should continue all the time in various ways,be it by reading the Quran, Zikr, Nafl Salah, Sadaqah in the path of Allah etc.

Save your good deeds

When a person is engaged in any act of virtue, for example, he is an Ustaadh of Hadeeth, or a Mufti or he is engaged in the noble work of Tableegh or he may be serving the community in various ways, for example, he is a trustee of a Musjid or engaged in some social work, it is possible he may start feeling superior about himself. That may destroy his good deeds.

A believer is always focussed in doing good deeds to preserve them for his hereafter. He should do whatever it takes to preserve his good deeds. It is therefore vital that one should always fear one’s shortcomings and make abundant Istighfaar and seek Allah’s (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) forgiveness for one’s shortcomings.

Think what is the value of my good deeds in relation to the greatness of Allah (Subahanu Wa Ta’ala). My good deeds are absolutely insignificant.

Think, Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala) has many sincere servants who are engaged in serving Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) many times more than me. What right do I have to be proud. Make Shukr to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) that he gave me the opportunity to serve him. I need Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) . Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) does not need me.

The habit of Istighfaar generates humility and sincerity in an individual and is a means of preserving one’s good deeds.

About Death

'Death is always a silent companion.

How to perform Istikhara

More Info Visit http://daruliftaa.net/General-Islamic/istikhara.html



Written by Mawlana Mahmood Patel   

What is Meant by Riba

Written by Mufti Taqi Uthmani

What is Meant by Riba?

36. Now we come to the question what is meant by riba? The Holy Qur'an did not give any definition for the term for the simple reason that it was well known to its immediate audience. It is like the prohibition of pork, liquor, gambling, adultery etc, which were imposed without giving any hard and fast definition because all these terms were well known and there was no ambiguity in their meaning. Similar was the case of riba. It was not a term foreign to Arabs. They all used the term in their mutual transactions. Not only Arabs but all the previous societies used to practice it in their financial dealings and nobody had any confusion about its exact sense. We have already quoted the verse of Surah An-Nisaa where the Holy Qur'an has reproached the Jews for their taking riba while it was prohibited for them. Here this practice is termed as riba in the same manner as it is termed in Surah Al-i-'Imran or Surah Al-Baqarah. It means that the practice of riba prohibited for Muslims was the same as was prohibited for the Jews.

Riba in the Bible

37. This prohibition is still available in the Old Testament of the Bible. The following excerpts may be quoted with advantage:

"Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury." [Deuteronomy 23:19]

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that putteth not out of his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent." [Psalms 15:1, 2, 5]

"He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor." [Proverbs 28:8]

"Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and rules and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them." [Nehemiah 5:7]

"He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniguity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, hath walked in my statues, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just. He shall surely live, said the Lord God." [Ezekiel 18:8.9]

"In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and though hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten me, said the Lord God." [Ezekiel 22:12]

38. In these excerpts of the Bible the word usury is used in the sense of any amount claimed by the creditor over and above the principal advanced by him to the debtor. The word ribaused in the Holy Qur'an carries the same meaning because the verse of Surah An-Nisaa explicitly mentions that riba was prohibited for the Jews also.

The Definition of Riba as given by the Exegetes of the Holy Qur'an

39. Moreover, the literature of Hadith while explaining the word riba has mentioned in detail the transactions of riba which were used to be effected by the Arabs of Jahiliyya on the basis of which the earliest commentators of the Holy Qur'an have defined riba in clear terms.

40. Imam Abubakr Al-Jassas (D.380 AH) in his famous work Ahkamul Qur'an has explainedriba in the following words:

"And the riba which was known to and practiced by the Arabs was that they used to advance loan in the form of Dirham (silver coin) or Dinar (gold coin) for a certain term with an agreed increase on the amount of the principal advanced." (Ahkām al Qur’ān lil Jassas 2/184) [2]

41. On the basis of this practice the same author has defined the term in the following words:

"The riba of Jahiliyya is a loan given for stipulated period with a stipulated increase on the principal payable by the loanee." (Ahkām al Qur’ān lil Jassas 2/189) [3]

42. The well-known Imam Fakhruddin Al-Raazi has mentioned the practice of riba in the days of Jahiliyya as follows:

"As for the riba An-Nasiah, it was a transaction well-known and recognized in the days of Jahiliyya i.e. they used to give money with a condition that they will charge a particular amount monthly and the principal will remain due as it is. Then on the maturity date they demanded the debtor to pay the principal. If he could not pay, they would increase the term and the payable amount. So it was the riba practiced by the people of Jahiliyya." (Tafsir Fakhrud din Razi 7/72)[4]

The same explanation is given by Aadil Al-Dimashqi in his detailed Tafseer Al-Lubaab v.4 p.448.[5]

Life is An Exam Room

This life is not a place for fun nor is it for rest and relaxation. This life is an exam room where we as Muslims need to  undergo trials and tribulations to prepare for the next life. Unfortunately people today have made this life their sole purpose and forgotten that they have to use the time allotted to them here to prepare for their Hereafter.

Follow the Sunnah

Ikhlaas (sincerity)

n Original Dar al- Mahmood.org article

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhum)

It is part of Ikhlaas (sincerity) to do good deeds and conceal one’s good deeds.

Hadhrat Abu Musa Asha’ari (Radhiyallahu Anhu) explains the difficult and hard times they experienced in the war Dhaat al – Riqaa. They were six people in a group and shared one camel. Often they had to walk in rough terrain and their feet were wounded. Their nails also fell off. They had to bandage their feet with pieces of cloth, hence the name of the war is Dhaat al- Riqaa. Riqaa means pieces of cloth.

After Hazrath Abu Musa Ash’ari (Radhiyallahu Anhu) mentioned this incident and he regretted and felt he exposed his good deed. He then stated:

ما كنت اصنع بان اذكره

“I do not do (good deeds) to mention it”

(Saheeh al- Bukhari, Pg.592, Vol.2, Qadeemi)

Valentine's Day In Islam

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues and creating a huge army. Many men did not want to participate in the army. This made Claudius furious. He believed that the reason for this was that roman men did not want to leave their loved ones or their families. As a result, Claudius decided to cancel all marriages and engagements in Rome. Many people thought this was a preposterous and a cruel idea.  At that time, a Saint existed by the name of Valentine who was a priest of Rome in the days of Claudius II. He did not like the Emperor. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples even after Emperor Claudius passed his law. He would isolate himself in a secret candlelit room with the bride and the groom. He whispered the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of the soldiers. One night, he heard the footsteps of the soldiers and the couples he was marrying escaped in time. Unfortunately he was caught. For this action of his, Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He was then thrown in prison and was told that his punishment was sentenced to death. The news spread and many young people came from across the land to visit him in prison. They threw flowers and notes up to the window. One of the young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit Saint Valentine in the cell. Sometimes they would sit and talk for hours. She helped him in keeping up his spirits. She agreed that he had done the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. Saint Valentine had fallen in love with her and on the day he was to die, he left his little friend a note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. He signed it, “Love from your Valentine.”   Saint Valentine died on February 14, 269 A.D. Since then, every year people from all over the world commemorate this day as “Valentine’s Day”. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry. It has been believed that the custom of exchanging love notes had started on Valentine’s Day. Valentine Traditions Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was: Good morning to you, valentine; Curl your locks as I do mine --- Two before and three behind. Good morning to you, valentine. In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!" In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. Wearing the heart on the sleeve made it is easy for other people to know how they were feeling. In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she kept the gift, it meant that she would marry him. From the history of Valentine’s Day, we acknowledge that Valentine is not just a name of a holiday. In fact, Valentine was a man whom the Christians believe to be a saint. Moreover, the history of Valentine is based on Shirk. In addition to this, the actions committed by the young boys and girls,[1] were purely the acts of fornication. Islam is a religion of peace, love and unity. In Islam, there is no special day to express gratitude and love. In fact, everyday is a day to express love to one’s wife, children, parents, elders etc. Islam has ordered us to be kind and just with our family members and close ones to the extent that even animals deserve love and affection. A beautiful Hadith of Rasullullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam explains that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’alā had forgiven an immoral and a prostitute woman due to her kindness towards a thirsty dog. بَيْنَمَا كَلْبٌ يُطِيفُ بِرَكِيَّةٍ، كَادَ يَقْتُلُهُ العَطَشُ، إِذْ رَأَتْهُ بَغِيٌّ مِنْ بَغَايَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَنَزَعَتْ مُوقَهَا فَسَقَتْهُ فَغُفِرَ لَهَا بِهِ )صحيح البخاري (4/ 173) “There was a dog who was circling a well. Thirst had nearly killed him when a prostitute from amongst the prostitutes of Bani Israeel had seen him. She removed her shoes and quenched the dog. Thereupon, she was forgiven due this action of hers.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 4/173) We should show love to our loved ones everyday of our lives. Our love should not be confined to a particular date such as the 14th of February. A person receives tremendous amount of reward simply by placing a morsel in the mouth of one’s wife. Imagine the reward for other good deeds. The Hadith mentions: وَلَسْتَ تُنْفِقُ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ بِهَا، حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَجْعَلُهَا فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ )صحيح البخاري (5/ 178( “And you spend not upon your family seeking the pleasure of Allah but that you are rewarded for it to the extent of placing a morsel in the mouth of your wife.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 5/178) However, due to the fact that the foundation of celebrating Valentine’s Day is based on kufr and shirk, such a celebration is Harām and prohibited in Islam. And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Mawlana Abdul Hannan Nizami, Student Darul Iftaa USA Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai.www.daruliftaa.net

Punishment in grave according to Islam

It is the belief (aqīdah) of the Ahle-Sunnah-wal-Jamā’hthat the punishment in the grave is a reality which is proven from the Quran and Ahādith. Hereunder are some references.

Verses from the Qurān:

                    النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا. وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ

1.      “And they will be exposed to the fire day and night. Then, on the day the hour will rise (day of judgement), it shall be said to the Angels: Cast the people of the Pharaoh into the severest punishment!”(40:46)

Commentary:

·         “Our scholars have substantiated the punishment in the grave with this verse of the Holy Qur’an. They say: ‘The verse indicates that fire will be brought to them morning and evening and this does not refer to the day of judgment as Allah says: “And on the day judgment will be established, cast you the people of Pharaoh in the severest penalty” (i.e. it is referring to a time that is before the day of judgment, m). It also does not refer to this world, as bringing them to the fire did not occur in this world. Therefore, it becomes evident that this happened after their death and will happen before the Day of Judgment, thus it proves the establishment of the punishment in the grave. When it is established and proved for Pharaoh’s people it will also be established for others, as there is no reason of distinction”[1]

·         “This verse is a fundamental evidence for the Ahle-Sunnah-wal-Jamā’h in establishing the punishment of the grave”.[2]

سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ

2.      “We shall punish them twice and then they will be returned to a great punishment”(9:101)

Commentary:

·         Tabarani narrates from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that he said: “Once on Friday the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) gave a sermon. And then he said: “Allah has disgraced the hypocrites in the world and that is the first punishment and the second punishment will be in the grave” [3]

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُ . الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

3.      “If only you could see when the wrongdoers are in the throes of death and the Angels are stretching out their hands saying “Bring forth your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of disgrace because of what you used to say about Allah other than the truth. And you grew arrogant against his signs!” (6:93)

Commentary:

·         This is an address to the wrong doers while they are dying, informing them that they will be severely tormented on the very day of their death. If the punishment were to be postponed to the Day of Judgment, they would not have been told: “This day you shall be recompensed”. This proves that there is a torment in the grave. 

References from the Ahādīth:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِنَّ لِلْقَبْرِ ضَغْطَةً، وَلَوْ نَجَا أَوْ سَلِمَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهَا لَنَجَا سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ[4]

1.      Hazrat Aisha radhiallahu anha narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “Verily there is a constriction in the grave and if anyone was to pass it or be safe from it, it would be Sa’d bin Muādh.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّمَا القَبْرُ رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الجَنَّةِ أَوْ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النَّارِ[5]

2.      Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “The grave is a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a pit from the pits of Hell”

عَنْ هَانِئٍ، مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ: كَانَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ يَبْكِي حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: تَذْكُرُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ، وَلَا تَبْكِي، وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْآخِرَةِ، فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ، فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ، فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ

قَالَ: وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلَّا وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ[6]

3.      Hāni’ the freed slave of Hadhrat Utmān radhiallahu anhu narrates that when Hadhrat Uthmān ibn Affān would stand in front of a grave, he would cry until his beard would become moist. It was once said to him. You mention Heaven and Hell and you don’t cry yet you cry from this? He replied “Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said “Verily the grave is the first hurdle from the hurdles of the Hereafter. If one succeeds in it, then what is to come after it will be easier for him. However, if does not succeed in it, then what is to come after it will be harder for him.”

He also said that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: “I have not seen a sight except that the grave is more horrific than it.”

كَانَ سَعْدٌ يُعَلِّمُ بَنِيهِ هَؤُلاَءِ الكَلِمَاتِ كَمَا يُعَلِّمُ المُعَلِّمُ الغِلْمَانَ الكِتَابَةَ وَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَتَعَوَّذُ مِنْهُنَّ دُبُرَ الصَّلاَةِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الجُبْنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ العُمُرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ[7]

4.      “Sa’d radhiallahu anhu used to teach his children the following words like how a teacher teaches children to write. He used to say “Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam used to seek Allah’s refuge from these things after every Salāh.” “Oh Allah, I seek your protection from cowardice and I seek your protection from that I am sent forth to a feeble age and I seek refuge in you from the trials of the world and I seek refuge in you from the punishment of the grave.”

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: أَنَّ يَهُودِيَّةً دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهَا، فَذَكَرَتْ عَذَابَ القَبْرِ، فَقَالَتْ لَهَا: أَعَاذَكِ اللَّهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ، فَسَأَلَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، عَذَابُ القَبْرِ.قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدُ صَلَّى صَلاَةً إِلَّا تَعَوَّذَ مِنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ[8]

5.      Aisha radhiallahu anha narrates that a Jewess came to her and mentioned the punishment of the grave and said “May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave.” So Hadhrat Aisha radhiallahu anha asked Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam about the punishment of the grave and Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said “There is a punishment of the grave”. Aisha radhiallahu anha says that I never saw Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam pray a Salāh after that instance except that he seeked refuge from the punishment of the grave.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى قَبْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ مِنْ كَبِيرٍ .ثُمَّ قَالَ: بَلَى أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ يَسْعَى بِالنَّمِيمَةِ، وَأَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنْ بَوْلِهِ...[9]

6.      Ibn Abbās radhiallahu anhu narrates that once Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam passed by two graves and said “Verily both of them are getting punished albeit not from a major sin.” Then he said “This one used to be a tale bearer and this one did not safeguard himself from his urine.”

Above are only a few Ahādith. There are numerous other narrations in the other books.[10]

Consensus of the Aslāf (pious predecessors)

Our illustrious, wise sincere predecessors also accepted, believed in and preached the reality of the punishment of the grave. Below are just a few quotes:

و نؤمن بعذاب القبر لمن كان له اهل. قال ابو حنيفة: من انكر عذاب القبر فهو من الطبقة الجهميه الهالكة.[11]

1.      “And we believe in the punishment of the Grave for the people who deserve it. Imam Abu Hanīfa said: Whosoever denies the punishment of the grave, then he is from the perishing Jahmiyyah group.”

و عذاب القبر للكافرين و لبعض عصاة المؤمنين[12]

2.      “And the punishment of the grave is for the disbelievers and for some of the disobedient believers.”

و ضغطة القبر و عذابه حق كاءن للكفار كلهم و لبعض عصاة المؤمنين حق جاءز[13]

3.      “And the constriction of the grave and the punishment of the grave for all of the disbelievers. And for some of the disobedient believers it is a true possibility.”

الإيمان بعذاب القبر وفتنته واجب. والتصديق به لازم[14]

4.      Imam Qurtubi states: “Belief in the punishment of the grave and its trials is obligatory and affirming it is incumbent.”

قال المروذي قَالَ: لنا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عذاب القبر حق ما ينكره إلا ضال مضل[15]

5.      Murwadhi says: Abu Abdillah (Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal) told us: “The punishment of the grave is Haq and none deny it except a person who is deviated and one who deviates.”

The Ahādith in support of the punishment of the grave are mutawātir. [16]  Contrary to the belief of some who contend that there is no shar’ī basis for the punishment of the grave.

Imam al-Taftazani states in his commentary of al-Aqā’id al-Nasafiyya:

و بالجملة: الاحاديث في هذا المعنى و في كثير من احوال الآخرة متواترة المعنى و ان لم يبلغ احادها حد التواتر

 “In general the narrations on this subject (punishment of the grave) and on many of the states of the next world are mutawatir in meaning, although the individual narrations taken separately do not attain the rank of tawatur”

(Sa’d al-Din al-Taftazani on the creed of Najm al-Din al-Nasafi, P.127- Dāral Bayrūti)

Imam al-Suyuti (Allah have mercy on him) compiled seventy such narrations in his excellent book Sharh al-sudūr fi ahwāl al-mawtā wa al-qubūr. He says:

قد تَوَاتَرَتْ الْأَحَادِيث بذلك مُؤَكدَة من رِوَايَة أنس والبراء وَتَمِيم الدَّارِيّ وَبشير بن الْكَمَال وثوبان وَجَابِر بن عبد الله وَعبد الله بن رَوَاحَة وَعبادَة بن الصَّامِت وَحُذَيْفَة وضمرة بن حبيب وإبن عَبَّاس وإبن عمر وإبن مَسْعُود وَعُثْمَان بن عَفَّان وَعمر بن الْخطاب وَعَمْرو بن الْعَاصِ ومعاذ بن جبل وَأبي أُمَامَة وَأبي الدَّرْدَاء وَأبي رَافع وَأبي سعيد الْخُدْرِيّ وَأبي قَتَادَة وَأبي هُرَيْرَة وَأبي مُوسَى وَأَسْمَاء وَعَائِشَة رَضِي الله عَنْهُم أَجْمَعِينَ

“The narrations with regards to the punishment of the grave have reached the level of certainty (tawātur). They have been reported by a group of Companions (Allah be pleased with them all)”,

(Pg.119. Dārul Madani)

The punishment of the grave has been so clearly proven that the the four main Fuqahā (Imam Abu-Hanifa, Shāfi, Ahmad, Mālik rahmatullahi alaihim), all the Muhaddithīn and Aslāf are all unanimous on the fact that the punishment of the grave is a reality and they all believe in it. These are the people who were given the true understanding of the Qurān and Ahādith.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mawlana Saanwal ibn Muhammad,
UK

Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.www.daruliftaa.net