Follow the Sunnah and increase your beauty

Hadrat Ibn-e-‘Umar Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the Messenger of Allah has said, “Do the opposite of what the polytheists do; let the beard grow long and clip the mustache.” A version has, “trim the mustache down and leave the beard.” [Sahih Bukhari, Vol 2, Page 875]

Hadrat Zaid ibn Arqam Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the Messenger of Allah has said, “Whoever does not take something off his mustache is not one of us (not on our path).” [Sunan Nisa'i, Vol 2, Page 274]

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the Holy Prophet Peace and Blessings be Upon Him said: “He who does not shave off the hair from the abdomen and does not cut his nails and does not trim his mustaches, is not of us”.

Sayyiduna Anas Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the maximum exemption for shaving off the hair from the abdomen and armpit and for cutting nails and for trimming the mustaches is forty days. [Sahih Muslim]

Hadrat Abu Huraira Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the Messenger of Allah has said, “Cut the mustaches and let the beards grow long; (by doing this) do the opposite of the fire worshipers.” [Sahih Muslim, Vol 2, Page 129]

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho reported that the Glorious Prophet of Islam Peace and Blessings be Upon Him said: “Five things are from the traditions of the Prophets of the old: circumcision, removing the hair below the navel, trimming the mustaches, cutting the nails and removing the hair from armpit”. [Bukhari, Muslim]

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Many of our Muslim brothers have opted to make their beards into a fashion and have a ‘stylish’ effect to it. Many completely shave it off and some leave a bit on the chin. Some keep their beards only 2 fingers long, and believe that they’re following the Shari’ah, despite the fact that those who shave all of their beards and those who shave it to less than one fist are all the same in sin in the eyes of Shari’ah. It has been stated in Bahar-e-Shari’at:

To grow the beard is the Sunnah of the prophets. To shave it all or less than a fist is Haraam.

Hadrat Shaykh ‘Abd al-Haq “Muhaddith-e-Dehlwi” has stated:

Infallibility of the Prophets Alaihimus Salam

It was very agonizing to have an email from a brother in which he asked us to assist him refuting some so-called Muslim ignorants who accused Prophets Alaihimus Salam being Sinful and Polytheists (Ma’azALLAH). As a matter of fact, the insults of the Prophets made by the deviant sects and insolent individuals have encouraged some people to openly slander and ridicule the Prophets. In addition to this, there has arisen a sect which says that the Prophets are sinners and even polytheists and Infidels (May Allah forbid!), believing that the Prophets were polytheists and Infidels and major sinners and only became Prophets after repenting (Tauba).

It is incumbent upon each and every Muslim to affirm faith (have Imân) in all the Prophets, in such a manner that one does not differ between the Prophets in their core Prophethood. Furthermore, one should respect all the Prophets and believe that they are free from any sin, (major or minor) or imperfections; before their declaration of Prophethood or after, is also an essential element in belief. This is the sound position and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars.

The Major and Minor Sins:

It must be known that leaving obligatory (farḍ) or necessary (wājib) acts even once without excuse is considered an enormity (kabīra). Likewise, committing the unlawful (Harām) is also considered an enormity. Leaving the sunna act once without excuse due to laziness or taking the matter lightly is considered a minor sin (ṣaghīra), as is committing a disliked action (makrūh). However, habitually leaving the sunnah or committing disliked actions also becomes an enormity, though they are considered enormities beneath other enormities. This is because major and minor are relative terms, and thus it is said, “The good deeds of the pious are the sins of the intimate (muqarrabīn).”

Sunnah here is taken in the juridical sense where it refers to an action regularly performed by the Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and left at times in order for it not be taken as an obligation. This is then sub-categorized into the emphasized sunnahs and the non-emphasized sunnahs, the latter being more like the mustaHabb (preferred ) acts, i.e., those performed by the Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam sometimes or encouraged in general.

Islamic Calendar

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

In the Holy Quran we read:

"They ask thee about the new moons. Say, These are means for measuring time for people's affairs and for the Pilgrimage" (Holy Quran, Ch. 2 V. 190)

Islam has made use of both the lunar and solar system of measuring times. Where worship is to be performed in different parts of the day the solar system of reckoning time is used as in the five daily Prayers or for the beginning and breaking of the fast, and where worship is to be completed within a particular month or part thereof, the lunar system is used, as in the determination of the month or part thereof, the lunar system is used, as in the determination of the month of fasting or fixing the time of Hajj or other festivals.

To calculate conversions from one calendar year to the other the following formula is used:

G = H - ( (3 * H) / 100 ) + 622

H = G + ( ( G - 622) / 32 ) - 622

Where G = Gregorian year (AD)

H = Hijra year (AH)

Thus 2000 AD is 1421 AH

Islamic calendar consists of twelve lunar months. Each month may be of 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon.

An lunar year has, on average, 355 days. This is 10 days less than the solar year. Hence an Islamic year is moved ahead 10 days each year in solar calendar year.

Following are the names of the Islamic months:

1. Muharram ul Haram

2. Safar

3. Rabi-ul-Awwal

4. Rab-ul-Akhir

5. Jamadi-ul-Awwal

6. Jamadi-ul-Akhir

7. Rajab

8. Sha'aban

9. Ramadhan

10. Shawwal

11. Dhul Qadah

12. Dhul Hijja

The Holy Quran states:

"The number of months with Allah has been twelve months by Allah's ordinance since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these four are known as sacred" (Holy Quran, ch., v 36)Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijja are considered to be sacred months. Fighting during these sacred months is considered to be a sin.

The Islamic months

The Islamic months are also 12 months. and they are

1. Muharram ul Haram

2. Safar

3. Rabi-ul-Awwal

4. Rab-ul-Akhir

5. Jamadi-ul-Awwal

6. Jamadi-ul-Akhir

7. Rajab

8. Sha'aban

9. Ramadhan

10. Shawwal

11. Dhul Qadah

12. Dhul Hijja

**********

Best Times to make Dua

There are certain times dua (supplication)

is more likely to be accepted by Allah (SWT)

as mentioned by Prophet (SAW). These

times are as follows:

1. The Last Third Of The Night

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Allah’s

Messenger (SAW) said: 'In the last third

of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and

Sustainer) (Allah (SWT)) descends to the

lowermost heaven and says; "Who is

calling Me, so that I may answer him?

Who is asking Me so that may I grant

him? Who is seeking forgiveness from

Me so that I may forgive him?."'

[Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi]

Amr ibn Absah narrated that the

Prophet said: 'The closest any

worshipper can be to His Lord is

during the last part of the night,

so if you can be amongst those

who remember Allah at that time,

then do so.'[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i,

al-Hakim - Sahih]

2. Late at night

When people are sleeping and busy

with worldly pleasures Allah (SWT)

gives the believers an opportunity,

or an answer hour if they can fight

sleep and invoke Allah (SWT) for

whatever they need. The Prophet

(SAW) said: 'There is at night an

hour, no Muslim happens to be

asking Allah any matter of this world

or the Hereafter, except that he will

be given it, and this (occurs) every night.'

[Muslim #757]

3. Between Adhan and Iqamah

Anas (RA) narrated that Allah’s

Messenger (SAW) said: 'A supplication

made between the Adhan and Iqama

is not rejected.'

[Ahmad, abu Dawud #521, at-Tirmidhi

#212, Sahih al-Jami #3408, an-Nasai

and Ibn Hibban graded it sahih (sound)]

4. An Hour On Friday

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): Allah’s

Messenger (SAW) talked about Friday

and said: 'There is an hour on Friday

and if a Muslim gets it while offering Salat

(prayer) and asks something from

Allah (SWT), then Allah (SWT) will definitely

meet his demand.' And he (the Prophet (SAW)

pointed out the shortness of that

particular time with his hands.

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

Some have said that this hour is from

the time the Imam (prayer’s leader)

enters the mosque on Friday’s prayer

until the prayer is over (ie between the

two khutbahs), whereas others have

said that it is the last hour of the day

(ie after the Asr prayer until the

Maghrib prayer).

Where Does the word "Allah" Come From?

"Allah" comes from the Arabic word "elah" - (Arabic) means 'a god' or something that is worshipped. This word (elah) can be made plural, as in "aleha" and it can be male or female. "Allah" comes from "elaha" but it brings more clarification and understanding.

Allah = Has no gender (not male and not female)

* "He" is used only out of respect and dignity - not for gender

Allah = Always singular - Never plural

* "We" is used only as the "Royal WE" just as in English for royalty

Allah =Means "The Only One to be Worshipped"

Is "Allah" only for Islam and Muslims?

"Allah" is the same word used by Christian and Jewish Arabs in the Bible, before Islam came.

On page one [1] of Genesis in the Old Testament, we find the word "Allah" seventeen [17] times.