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Developing the Muslim Character
Jealousy and its Cures
"Beware of jealousy, for verily it destroys good deeds the way fire destroys wood."
Hasad (jealousy and envy) is among the most destructive emotions or feeling which a man may have towards his fellow human being. It causes him to wish evil for others and to be happy when misfortune befalls them. The Prophet ﷺ warned against envy by comparing it to fire that completely burns the wood. He ﷺ said: "Beware of jealousy, for verily it destroys good deeds the way fire destroys wood." [Abu Dawood]
Hasad is a disease of the heart and it causes impurity to the heart, when Allah's Messenger ﷺ was asked who are the best of people? He ﷺ replied: "the one with a clean heart and truthful tongue." They asked: 'We understand a truthful tongue, but what does a clean heart mean?' he answered: 'It is the heart of one that is pious, pure, and is free of sin, transgressions, hatred and Hasad." [Ibn Majah]
Hasad is such a dangerous characteristic that Allah revealed verses of the Qur'aan to be recited as a protection from the jealous, "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of envious when he envies." [Soorah al-Falaq (113): 1]
At-Tirmidhee narrated from al-Zubayr Ibn al-Awam that the Prophet ﷺ said: "There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy and hatred. This is the 'shaver' (destroyer); I do not say that it shaves hair, but that it shaves (destroys) faith…" [(Hasan) Jamee at-Tirmidhee (2434)]
Hasad can cause the person to indulge in disbelief because it causes the individual to feel that Allah has not been fair with him; he forgets all the mercy and blessings which Allah has bestowed upon him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "They are enemies for Allah's bounties." They asked: "Who are they?" He said: "Those who envy people for what Allah has given them of Bounty." [at-Tabaranee]
Allah through His Absolute Wisdom has given some people more wealth, intelligence, beauty, strength, children, etc. than others. The believing Muslim should be content with what Allah has destined for him. Allah says: "Allah favored some of you over others with wealth and properties. Do they deny the favors of Allah?" [Soorah an-Nahl (16): 71] And: "Do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His Bounty?" [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 54]
"It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the mercy of your Lord is better." [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 32] meaning mercy of Allah is better than the convenience of the world. The materials of this life do not make one superior to another in Allah's Judgment. True superiority lies in Taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). He said: "Surely, the most noble of you to Allah is the most God-fearing." [Soorah al-Hujurat (49): 13] "And the Hereafter with Your Lord is (only) for those who have Taqwa." [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 35]
What belongs to the transient world is of no significance before Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "If this world were worth a mosquito's wing before Allah, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water." [At-Tirmidhee]
The favors of Allah in the world are a test; the more the favors, the more the tests. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: "Umar Ibn Khattab wrote this letter to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, 'Be content with your provision in this world, for the Most Merciful has honored some of His servants over others in terms of provision as a test of both. The one who has been given plenty is being tested to see if he will give thanks to Allah and fulfill the duties which are his by virtue of his wealth…" [Ibn Hatim]
Allah, the Exalted, has therefore forbidden us from desiring what other have, "Do not wish for what we have favored some of you over others." [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 32]
In order to discourage envy, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not look to those above you. Look to those below you, as it will more likely remind you of Allah's favors bestowed on you." [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] On another occasion, he said: "If one of you looks at someone wealthier and better built than him, he should also look at someone of lower standard than himself." [Saheeh Muslim]
Islam permits Ghibtah
What Islam permits in contrast to Hasad (destructive jealousy) is Ghibtah (envy that is free from malice), which means neither loving the loss of the blessing nor hating for it to remain with the person, but desiring the same for oneself without the removal of the blessing from others.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Envy is allowed in two cases, in case of a man whom Allah has given the Qur'aan and who recites it throughout night and day; and a man on whom Allah has bestowed wealth who gives it away throughout night and day." [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] and he ﷺ also explained what may be said: "I wish I were given what he was given and did with it what he did."
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The similitude of the people of this Ummah is like four individual. One whom Allah has given wealth and knowledge, so he handles his wealth with the knowledge. One whom Allah has given knowledge but not wealth and he says, 'Lord, should I have wealth like so-and-so I would have handled it like him.' So they both have the same reward. Such a person loves to have wealth like others so he can do good like others without wishing that the others lose their wealth. Another man, Allah has given him wealth but no knowledge and he spends his wealth in disobedience to Allah. And last, a man whom Allah has not given knowledge nor wealth but he says, 'Should I have wealth like so-and-so, I would spend it in the way he does.' So, both will have the same sin against them." [at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Majah]
Some Reasons that cause a person to have Jealosy
Anger and Malice: When one is hurt by someone for any reason, he is angered, and his anger produces malice and urge for revenge in the heart. The slave begins to desire harm for the other person, he enjoys when he sees him in hardships and he may further thinks that Allah has done it to him as an evil reward!
And if the person is blessed with a gift, he grieves and this is Hasad, which does not harm the envied person but it hurts and destroys the Hasid (one who has Hasad) himself.
In order to close the door to this evil Islam advises the Muslims to be forgiving in nature and control one's anger. Allah says in the Qur'aan: "Those who spend (in Allah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men. Verily, Allah loves the good doers." [Soorah al-Imran (3): 134]
Arrogance, Pride and Love for fame: When a person achieves a high status and position in the society or gains wealth, he hates to see someone other than him compete or go ahead of him or be praised over him. So, he envies the former person.
An example of this can be taken of the Jews and their Hasad towards Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the Prophet-hood that Allah entrusted him with. Their envy made them reject the divine message given to him, because he was an Arab and not from the Children of Israel. It was their Hasad which caused them to make statements as such, "It is these that Allah as favored among us?" [Soorah al-Anam (6): 53] "And they say: 'Why is not this Qur'aan sent down to some great man of the two towns?" [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 31] and in Soorah al-Muminoon (23): 34, "If you were to obey a human being life yourselves, then verily, you indeed would be losers."
This also shows one of the grave dangers of Hasad that Hasad hinders the person from following the truth and accepting advice from others just as the Hasad of the disbelievers prevented them from accepting Islam.
Evil Nature of the person: Some people, even though they may not be harmed or threatened by other people's success, grieve when they hear about some good happening to others, and enjoy in their adversities. Neither do they seek progress for themselves nor do they wish others to progress!! Such kind of defect is difficult to cure for the reason behind their evil attitude is the evil nature of the person which does not allow him to accept other people's success.
Repentance and Getting Rid of Jealousy
Firstly, the believer should have sincerity in repenting from Hasad as Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "Three things that every heart of a believer should not hate to have is sincerity in actions, rendering advise to leaders and holding to Jama'ah (community) of the Muslims, for their supplication surrounds everyone with them." [Ahmad and Ibn Majah]
Second requirement to get rid of Hasad is to get rid of all those means which cause one to have Hasad like anger, hatred, love for the world and discontentment.
Discontentment comes from the slave's ignorance of his Lord. If he recognizes his Lord with the attributes of Perfection, All-Knowledgeable and All-Just to his slaves, he would not be discontent and as a result would not develop Hasad.
Imam Ibn Qayyimرحمة الله عليه said: "It (contentment) opens the door of peace and security for the slave." It makes his heart pure from hatred, evil and malice. The more contented the person is, the purer his heart is. However, this does not mean that the slave should not make efforts to improve his situation. A slave should work to gain success and progress but he should not envy those whom Allah has granted more wealth or possession but he should be content with the decisions of Allah.
Thirdly, the slave should turn towards the Qur'aan which is a healing for the diseases of the heart. Allah says: "O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Rabb and a healing for that in your chests." [Soorah Yunus (10): 57]
Supplicate to Allah to purify your heart. Allah said in the Qur'aan: "And those who came after them say: 'Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful." [Soorah al-Hashr (59): 10]
Give Sadaqah (charity) for it purifies the heart and sanctifies the soul. It is for this reason Allah said to His Prophet: "Take Sadaqah from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it." [Soorah at-Tawbah (9): 103]
If thoughts of Hasad cross one's mind, he should seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan and busy himself with something that will dispel these insinuating whispers and thoughts.
But if the Shaytan manages to instill Hasad in the hearts, then beware lest you say or do anything which will show Hasad. A person will not be brought to account for whatever crosses his mind, but he will be brought to account for what he says and does.
Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: "Nobody is free from Hasad, but the noble person hides it whilst the base person shows it." [Amraad al-Quloob]
If you feel that you are jealous of a specific person, then buy him a gift, shake hands with him and give him salaams for Hasad is the result of hatred and the Prophet ﷺ said: "Shake hands, for this will dispel rancour, and exchange gifts and love one another, for this will dispel hatred." [Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta (1413)]
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "By Allah, in Whose Hand is my soul, you will never enter Paradise until you believe. And you will not believe unless you love one another. May I tell you something that if you do, you may love one another? Spread Salaam amongst yourselves." Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "This proves that Salaam can lift hatred and produce love." [Saheeh Muslim]
"A Man from the People of Paradise will enter now..."
Anas Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه reported that he and other companions were sitting with the Messenger ﷺ, who said: "A man from the people of Paradise will enter now." And a man from al-Ansar entered, with his beard dripping with water from Wudhu (ablution), and holding his sandals in his left hand.
The following day, the Prophet ﷺ said the same thing and the same man entered.
On the third day, the Prophet ﷺ again repeated his statement and the same man entered with water dripping and holding his sandals.
When the Prophet ﷺ left, Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-As رضي الله عنه followed the man and said: 'I quarreled with my father and I swore I would not go to him for three days and night. Would you shelter me for these days?' the man replied: 'Yes.'
Anas said: 'Abdullah said that he stayed with this man for three nights and he did not see him praying at night, but every time he moved and changed position in bed he would remember Allah saying, 'Allahu Akbar' Until Salat-ul-Fajr."
Abdullah said: 'I didn't hear anything from him but good. When the three nights had passed… I said: 'O slave of Allah! I really didn't abandon my father nor was I angry with him. But, I heard the Messenger of Allah speaking of you on three separate occasions, the Prophet had said that a man from the people of Paradise would enter, and you were the one to enter on all the three times. So, I wanted to stay with you to see what you do so that I could follow you. But I have not seen you doing much. So what is that you do for Allah's Messenger ﷺ to say what he had said?'
The man replied: 'It is nothing more than what you saw.' When it was time to leave, he called me back and said: 'Yes, it is nothing more than what you saw, except that I have no place in myself for ill-intentions or Hasad towards any Muslim and what Allah has given them.' Abdullah said: 'This is what has made you deserving of the praise and this is what we cannot do." [Musnad Ahmad]
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OLIVE & FETA CHEESE SALAD
Quick & Easy Recipe
6 medium-small sized turnips
3 medium sized carrots
3 medium sized cucumbers
2 pickled cucumbers
2 big tomatoes
250gm fetta cheese
10 olives
1tbsp dill
salt to taste
1tsp olive oil
1/2 lemon
Cut the turnip, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes to same small quarter size, sprinkle salt, olive oil
Add olives & dill. Squeeze in the lemon and give it a good stir to mix.
Cut into cubes and add the fetta cheese (because if you add it earlier it will break apart in the stir) and stir gently again.
Problems related to Fasting
The Month of Ramadhân: Problems related to Fasting
Although it is very important to know what invalidates the fast, the careful Muslim must also pay attention to those things which adversely affect his ‘ ibâdah (worship), and decrease the reward, or put him in danger of almost invalidating his fast. Conversely, one should also be aware of those things which do not break the fast so as to not place something in this perfect religion what Allâh subhânahu wa ta’âla has not legislated. Equally important is to stay away from all possible innovations during fasting, which we start with below.
Pronouncing the Intention
To actually articulate and pronounce the intention is something which has not been authentically narrated from the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) or from his Companions ( radhy Allâhu ‘anhum), and therefore has no place in this religion. The popular recited supplications commonly found on calendars and timetables only serve to confuse the general Muslim and must be avoided.Rather we should know that the intention for the act of fasting is a condition for the correctness of the fast. One must clearly know that he or she is about to perform their obligatory fast for the month of Ramadhân, for the sake of Allâh alone, and this is done in the heart with a clear determination, and NOT on the tongue. Also, it is not necessary to renew this intention every night, but rather it is done before the first day of Ramadhân begins and this will suffice you insha’Allâh.
Exaggerating in rinsing the nostrils during ablution
The Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in the authentic hadîth said, “Exaggerate in rinsing your nostrils (during wudhû’) except if you are fasting.”It is clear therefore that one should be very careful during the wudhû’ to not get carried away with their intake of water into the mouth and nostrils to avoid the risk of swallowing it. Although in principle rinsing the nostrils ( istinshâq) is still allowed for the fasting person, one must not exaggerate in it.
Swallowing phlegm and mucus etc
Phlegm and mucus and whatever is similar to that are considered those substances which originate from either the chest or the nose, having a thick consistency. It is obligatory upon the one who is fasting to spit it out from his mouth and to not swallow it. As for saliva and spittle which are from the mouth’s own natural glands, then there is no problem with either swallowing it or spitting it out, and the fast is not affected either way. One should note though, many Muslims tend to spend a lot of time spitting out all their normal saliva in fear of swallowing it, and this is simply not necessary, causing the mouth to become very dry and cause difficulties for himself. Allâh jalla wa ‘alâ says in the very verse revealed for fasting:| “Allâh intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you…” (al-Baqarah, 185) |
It should also be noted that particularly in the Western countries where spitting is seen as bad manners, one should take care to spit in to dustbins only, or personal tissues or handkerchiefs and not to offend others around you with such actions.
Insisting on Fasting in very difficult situations
Allâh subhânahu wa ta’âla is more knowledgeable about His Creation than we can ever be, and for this reason He has given a concession for people to make up their fast another day or to pay a poor person’s meals if one is too ill to fast. This is from the immense mercy of Allâh and we should not be ungrateful to such options, insisting on taking the difficult option every time. Allah ‘azza wa jall says:| “So whoever of you sights the month (of Ramadhân) then he must fast it, and whoever is ill or on a journey, then the same number (are to be made up later) from other days. Allâh intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you.” (al-Baqarah, 185) |
So whoever is ill and finds that to fast will be difficult for him, there is no problem in making up the fast later.
Insisting on not using injections which are non-nutritional
The scholars of Islâm have clearly specified why nutritional injections are not permitted during fasting, but this does not prevent the use of other such injections such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs which are not nutritional, as some people insist on doing, interrupting important medical treatment because of their doubts and concerns.Taking the Suhûr early and delaying the Iftâr
One of the most common problems we see involve people who eat their suhûr (the pre-dawn meal) as early as possible before the Fajr adhân, and delaying the iftâr (the meal to break the fast) so as to supposedly be ‘safe’ in their fast. This falseness is completely contradictory to the guidance of the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said, “The People will always remain good as long as they take their Iftâr early and dely their Suhûr.”Extravagance and Lavishness during Ramadhân
Although this is the month of Ramadhân, the month of generosity and good will, it is unfortunate to see the immense extravagance and squandering of wealth and food especially at this time. Allâh says in His Book:| “Spend not wastefully in the manner of a squanderer. Verily the squanderers are the brothers of the Shayâtîn (devils), and the Shaytân is ever ungrateful to His Lord.” (al-Isrâ’, 26-27) |
| “Eat and drink! But waste not by way of extravagance, certainly Allâh likes not the those who waste (by extravagance).” (al-A’râf, 31) |
Many go to huge lengths in preparing grand iftâr dinners with every kind of dish possible, so much so that many might even miss their salâh, and certainly feel too full and lethargic to attend the night prayers in the mosques. No doubt this is against the very ethic of this blessed month in which we are meant to empathise with our suffering Ummah, and implement control upon our desires.
Sleeping too much
Many Muslims seem to understand the month of Ramadhân to be a month off work, life and all responsibility. This again is far from the examples set by the early blessed generations who would continue to work, give da’wah and even fight for the Sake of Allâh during jihâd at this blessed time. One finds many spending the whole day asleep so as to make the fast as easy as possible. Often this is due to staying up very late in the night or sleeping all day, not only missing out on doing good actions and increased worship at this blessed time but even more incredibly, there are those who miss the obligatory prayers in the mosques at their preferred times, as Allâh says:| “Verily the prayer is enjoined upon the Believers at fixed times.” (an-Nisâ’, 103) |
From the greatest of ignorance are those who are negligent with their prayer whilst fasting, especially since the prayer is from the most important pillars of belief and of a higher status in the religion than fasting itself.
Listening to vain and sinful speech
In these contemporary times where music is widespread in every corner of the globe, one must try his utmost best to stay away from listening to such sinful speech, as the companion ibn Mas’ûd (radhy Allâhu ‘anhu) said, “Music cultivates hypocrisy in the heart”, and from what Imâm al-Bukhâri narrated ta’lîqan in his Sahîh of a people who would come and make listening to such music halâl (permissible). There should be no doubt of its dangers and its wasting of our precious quality time.Other such speech to stay away from all the time but especially so in Ramadhân is rafath (obscene speech), ghîbah (backbiting) and namîmah (slander). Imâm an-Nawawî ( rahimahullâh) said in his book al-Adhkâr, “Know that if one hears another person backbite a Muslim, he must reject it and rebuke the backbiter with the hand, and if he can’t do that then by his tongue, and then he must leave such a gathering.” It is obligatory to assume the best for your Muslim brother and to defend his honour is something which is rewarded by Allâh who will defend his face from the hellfire (based on the hadîth narrated by at-Tirmidhi).
Abusing and reviling
No doubt one must not get involved in any of these things during fasting, but if another was to abuse you, or curse or revile you, or even to try and fight you, then the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “If he abuses him or fights him, let him (the one fasting) say, “Innî Sâ’im (I am fasting).””Ibn Taymiyyah ( rahimahullâh) said, “The one who is abused should say this out loud, thereby clarifying the reason for his lack of response (to the abuse) and it will become a rebukement in itself for the one who started the trouble.”
Looking at forbidden things
One should have realised that to fast properly involves an abstention of the entire limbs of the body from all forms of desires and sins. By not getting involved with vain talk and backbiting, your tongue is fasting. By not getting angry in certain circumstances is the fasting of your heart, your temper and your spiritual self. Likewise, the fasting of the eyes is paramount to a successful fast, abstaining from looking at all forms of harâm and lowering the gaze, for it is well known that looking at certain pictures, film, or other things in real life such as women etc especially in the West, is the highest form of inciting the desires which will leaves ones fast deficient in terms of reward and spiritual satisfaction. It is vital for the Muslim to be on his guard at all times, protecting all his limbs from the desires so that he can indeed be from those mentioned in the famous hadîth qudsi, “He has left his food, drink and desires for My Sake alone.” Miscellaneous Fatâwa concerning things which do not break the Fast (from the rulings of Shaykh ibn Bâz (rahimahullâh) in his ‘Majmû’ al-Fatâwa’) Question: Whilst I was fasting, I fell asleep in the mosque and after I awoke, I realised I had had a wet dream. Does that affect the fact that I did not have a purificatory bath and I prayed anyway? And another time, I hurt my head on a rock and I bled a lot, so does that break the fast?Answer: Wet dreams do not invalidate the fast for that is not under your control but one must make theghusl (purificatory bath) for sexual defilement due to the ejaculation of sperm, as commanded by the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when he was asked such a question, he ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) answered that the ghusl is to be done if ‘water’ is seen i.e. sperm. As for praying without the ghusl, then this is a mistake and a great evil, for which you must repeat the prayer and make repentance to Allâhsubhânahu wa ta’âla. As for the bleeding you incurred when you got hurt, this does not invalidate your fast.
Question: If madhiyy (prostatic fluid) is emitted for any possible reason, is the fast invalidated or not?
Answer: According to the most correct opinion of the scholars, it does not break the fast.
Question: What is the ruling of the one who is fasting having rectal injections for a medical need?
Answer: The ruling is that there is no problem in that for the sick person according to the most correct of the two scholarly opinions, and that is also the opinion of Shaykh al-Islâm ibn Taymiyyah ( rahimahullâh) and a group of the ‘ ulemâ’ due to the lack of similarity to eating and drinking.
Question: What is the ruling on using intravenous injections and intramuscular injections, and what is the difference between the two for the one who is fasting?
Answer: With the Name of Allâh, and All Praise is due to Allâh, what is correct is that they both do not break the fast, for what breaks the fast are nutritional injections only. Likewise, giving a blood sample for examination does not break the fast either for this is not like hijâmah (cupping).
Question: If someone has a toothache and visits the dentist, and his teeth are cleaned or has a filling or has a tooth extracted, does any of that affect one who is fasting? What if the dentist also gives him an injection to numb the tooth as well?
Answer: What has been mentioned in the question does not affect his fast, rather all that is pardoned. What the fasting one must be careful of is not to swallow any of the medicine or the blood, and likewise the injection mentioned above does not affect the fast because it does not hold the same meaning as food and drink, so the principle remains that his fast is correct and sound.
Question: Can the one who is fasting use toothpaste during the daytime in Ramadhân?
Answer: There is no problem in that as long as care is taken that nothing is swallowed, just as it is legislated for the fasting person to use the siwâk (toothstick) in the beginning of the day as well as at the end of the day. Some scholars considered it to be makrûh (disliked) to use the siwâk after the zawâl (the time of the meridian i.e. Dhuhr time) but this is incorrect, rather there is no dislike in that due to the generality of the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “The Siwâk purifies the mouth and is pleasing to your Lord” narrated by Imâm an-Nasâ’i with an authentic chain on the authority of ‘آ’ishah (radhy Allâhu ‘anhâ). Also the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “If I was not to make it difficult upon my Nation, I would have ordered them to use the Siwâk before every prayer.”(Agreed upon). This hadeeth includes Dhuhr and ‘Asr which are both after the time of Zawâl, and Allâh is the Granter of Success.
Question: Does using eye drops during the daytime in Ramadhân break the fast or not?
Answer: What is correct is that eye drops do not break the fast, even though there is a difference between the people of Knowledge. Some of them said, “If their taste reaches the throat, it breaks the fast.” But what is correct is that it does not generally break the fast because the eye is not considered an orifice, although if one was not to use them out of cautiousness and to keep away from differences of opinion due to the presence of their taste in the throat then fair enough. But what is correct is that they do not break the fast whether they are eye drops or ear drops.
Question: I suffer from asthma and doctors have advised me to use asthma inhalers via the mouth, so what is the ruling of my use of this treatment with respect to my fast during Ramadhân? May Allâh reward you with good.
Answer: With the Name of Allâh, and All Praise is due to Allâh. The ruling is one of permissibility if you are compelled to use it, due the His statement, ‘azza wa jall:
| “And He (Allâh) has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity..” (al-An’âm, 119) |
Also, using the inhaler is not the same as eating and drinking, rather it comes under the same category of giving blood for examinations and having non-nutritional injections.
Question: One finds Pharmacies selling fragrant mouth products in the form of a spray. Is it permissible for one to use these during the daytime in Ramadhân to get rid of the bad smell of the mouth?
Answer: We do not know of any problem using mouth sprays to get rid of the smell of the fasting person’s mouth as long as the sprays themselves are pure and permissible.
Question: What is the ruling of kohl (antimony for the eyes) and other beauty products during the daytime in Ramadhân, do they break the fast or not?
Answer: Kohl does not break the fast for either women or men according to the most correct of the two scholarly opinions, but to use it in the night is better for the one who is fasting, likewise the use of soaps and cosmetic creams and other such substances on the skin. This would also be the case for Henna and foundation powder or make-up, although one should not use such foundation on the face if it causes harm, and Allâh is the Granter of Success.
Question: What is the ruling of swallowing saliva for the one who is fasting?
Answer: There is no problem in swallowing ones saliva, and I don’t know of any difference in opinion between the People of Knowledge due to the difficulty and impossibility of guarding against that. As for mucus and phlegm, then it is obligatory to spit it out if it reaches the mouth, and it is not permissible for the one who is fasting to swallow it due to one being able to guard against that, and they are not the same as saliva, and with Allâh is all success.
Question: Is it permissible to use perfume, cologne or incense (bukhûr) during the daytime of Ramadhân?
Answer: Yes it is permissible to use them on the condition that one does not inhale the bukhûr (due to the tangible particles that will be inhaled).
Question: Does backbiting people break the fast in Ramadhân?
Answer: Backbiting (to mention something about your Muslim brother which he does not like) does not break the fast, rather it is an evil sin due to the statement of Allâh ‘ azza wa jall:
| “And do not backbite one another..” (al-Hujurât, 12) |
Likewise, slander, insulting someone, cursing and lying all do not break the fast, but they are all evil sins which must be avoided by the one who is fasting as well as others for it will decrease the reward of the fast due to the statement of the Prophet ( sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Whoever does not give up lying speech, acting on those (lies) and evil actions, then Allâh is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.”(narrated by Imâm al-Bukhâri in his Sahîh). Also the statement of the Prophet (sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Fasting is a Junnah (protection from the hellfire), so the person who is fasting should abstain from obscene behaviour, from behaving foolishly and if someone abuses him or fights him, he should say to him twice, “Innî Sâ’im (I am fasting.)”” (agreed upon), and the narrations like this are many.
May the Peace and Blessings of Allâh be upon His Servant Muhammad.
The Quranic Generation: The Results of Approaching and Understanding the Quran Correctly
by Jamâl ad-Dîn Zarabozo
The Quran came to change the beliefs, behavior and outlook of all who are astray. It came to guide them to the true happiness and the way of life that one should follow in this life. The Quran states,
| "O you who believe, respond to Allah and His messenger as they call you to that which gives you life" (al-Anfaal 24). Al-Suddi, an early commentator on the Quran, stated that this verse means that Islam gave the Companions true life after they were truly dead in disbelief.[1] |
The difference between faith and disbelief is truly comparable to the difference between life and death. Knowing the Quran, that source of life to which Allah and His Messengerﷺ is calling every human, as opposed to not knowing it is also comparable to the difference between life and death.
The effect of the Quran can clearly be seen in the first generation of Muslims. These were the people who were given life by the Quran. They were taken from darkness into light. The example they set is the example that all later generations who believe in the Quran must aspire to.
The World Before the Advent of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ
Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, in his work Islam and the World, has done an admirable job of describing the situation of the world before the coming of the time of the Prophetﷺ. Nadwi described the plight of all of the different nations of the world[2]. Herein, only a few passages from his description will be quoted. He begins his discussion with the following strong words,
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The sixth century of the Christian era, it is generally agreed, represented the darkest phase in the history of our race. Humanity had reached the edge of the precipice, towards which it had been tragically proceeding for centuries, and there appeared to be no agency or power in the whole world which could come to its rescue and save it from crashing into the abyss of destruction.[3] |
After these words, he describes the plight of the Romans and the Persians, two of the major civilizations at that time. He said that they sunk "to a state of complete moral depravity. They wallowed in the inveterate vices of their corrupt and decaying civilizations."[4]
Perhaps religion could have been the savior for the moral situation of the people of that time. However, Christianity, the main religion of the Western power, had lost most of its original teachings. Indeed, it had become so mixed with Greek mythology, Roman idolatry, Egyptian Neo-Platonism and Monasticism [5] that it itself was in need of help. For other similar reasons, Judaism and the Jews also were not in a position to offer much help to the prevailing situation.
The plight of Europe has been summed up by Robert Briffault in his The Making of Humanity,
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From the fifth to the tenth century Europe lay sunk in a night of barbarism which grew darker and darker. It was a barbarism far more awful and horrible than that of the primitive savage, for it was the decomposing body of what had once been a great civilization. The features and impress of that civilization were all but completely effaced. Where its development had been fullest, e.g., in Italy and Gaul, all was ruin, squalor and dissolution.[6] |
Nadwi continues to discuss North-Western Europe, Iran, Central Asia (India) and China in some detail. He also discusses the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism and others. The plight of those areas and religions were similar to the plight of Europe and Christianity. It is not necessary to comprehensively discuss these areas and religion. It is sufficient, for the purposes here, to understand that mankind was definitely in a state of loss. There was no true light of guidance emanating from any part of the world at that time.
The plight of the Arabs, who are of more immediate concern for this work, was not much different from the rest of the world. However, their situation shall be dealt with in more detail as they are the people to whom the Quran was first presented and they are the ones who were first most affected by its teachings.
Arabs Before the Advent of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ
The Arabs— like all other peoples at that time had a combination of virtues and vices. However, like the others two dangerous characteristics were present: their vices were many and their virtues were distorted.
In the opening chapter of his The Life of Muhammad, Abdul Hameed Siddiqui has presented an overview of the characteristics of pre-Islamic Arabs. This overview is based on pre-Islamic poetry that describes the common practices and beliefs of those days. Among their common features and attributes were: idol worship, love for sensuous pleasures tribal pride, clan warfare, arrogance, disdain and lack of respect for women. [7]
For example, concerning their lust for sensual pleasures, Siddiqui wrote,
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Drinking had in fact become a second nature with Arabs. Wine and women go together, and as a result of licentious drinking, fornication was very rampant. The caravans which radiated from Mecca with native merchandise to the Byzantine Empire, Syria, Persia, and India, returned therefrom with all luxurious habits and vices and imported slave girls from Syria and Iraq who afforded vast opportunities of sensual pleasures to the rich with their dancing and singing and all corruption which usually goes with them. We reproduce below some of the verses which would give an idea of me immoral life which the Arabs of pre-Islamic period were habituated to lead... [8] |
The old Arab poetry has so many tales to narrate of the drinking orgies of the people of Arabia before the advent of Islam..[9]
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The heathen Arabs had little regard for the sanctity of matrimonial relations. They took pride in flouting them and describing publicly their adulterous adventures.[10] |
Concerning ling the status of women in pre-Islamic Arabia, Siddiqui wrote, again based on evidence from pre-Islamic
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Not only were the female infants buried alive, but those who were spared, led a life of unspeakable misery and wretchedness. They were a sort of marketable commodity which could be sold in the open market to the highest bidder. At the time they were transferred to the custody of the husband their position was still worsened. Marriage for them was a kind of bondage and the marital rights of the husband were a kind of overlordship, he was free to treat and dispose of his property as he liked. [11] |
The Change in the Arabs Brought about Through the Quran, by the Will of Allah
It is clear that the Arabs at the time of the Prophet peace be upon him) were wont to drink, make merry and engage in tribal battles. They were known to sometimes kill their female babies. However, one finds that in a short span of close to twenty years a movement that started with just one man was able, due to the grace of Allah and the miraculous effect of the Quran, to change almost all of the Arabs and non-Arabs in the Arabian peninsula and bind them together into a brotherhood of faith and mercy which was so strong that if any one part of this brotherhood was in anguish, the whole brotherhood would be affected negatively. At that time, one could find two people who were from previously antagonistic tribes sharing their wealth and willing to give up their lives for each other. Indeed, one was willing to split half of his wealth and divorce one of his wives for the sake of his new brother who was from a "foreign" tribe.[12]
Perhaps one of the best descriptions of the change that took place among the Muslims can be seen in the famous statement of the Companion Jafar ibn Abu Taalib who was asked by the Negus of Abyssinia about the mission of the Messenger. He told him, O king, we were an ignorant people, worshipping idols, eating carrion and indulging in sexual pleasures. We teased our neighbors, a brother oppressed his brother, and the strong devoured the weak. At this time a man rose among us, who had already been known to be truthful, noble and honest. This man called us to Islam. And he taught us to give up worshipping stones, to speak the truth, to refrain from bloodshed, and not to defraud the orphans of their property. He taught us to provide comfort to our neighbors and not to bring a slander against chaste women. He enjoined upon us to offer prayers, observe fasts and give alms. We followed him, gave up polytheism and idolatry and refrained from all evil deeds. It is for this new way that our people have become hostile to us and compel us to return to our old misguided life.[ 13]
That generation, in turn, took the message to the rest of the world. They were clearly a people who were taken from darkness into light and to the straight path of Allah. When asked by the Emperor of Persia what brought the Muslims to their lands, two different Companions answered in similar terms: "Allah has sent us to take whoever wishes from the servitude of mankind to the servitude of Allah and from the tightness of this world to its expanse and from the injustice of the ways of life [in this world] to the justice of Islam." [14]
During the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ one can see how these people were turned into a pious generation, fearing Allah and hoping for Allah's reward. Even when they, as humans, slipped and committed sins, they eagerly repented and turned to Allah for His forgiveness. They would much rather face a severe penalty in this life, such as death, than face Allah with their sins on their hands. This can be seen in the cases of Maaiz ibn Maalik al-Aslami and the woman called al-Ghaamidiyah. Both of them came to the Prophetﷺ to admit that they had committed adultery and each asked the Prophetﷺ for the worldly punishment of stoning to death to erase their sins. In the case of al-Ghaamidiyah, the Prophetﷺ asked her to go back after her confession and to return to the Prophetﷺ after she had given birth. She came back with her child in her arms and asked the Prophetﷺ to purify her from her sins. The Prophetﷺ then asked her to return after she had weaned the child. Then she returned after some time and told the Prophetﷺ that the child was no longer in need of her breastfeeding. She once again asked for her expiation from her sin. Then, finally, the Prophetﷺ had a ditch dug for her and she was stoned to death as an expiation for her sin of adultery. The Prophetﷺ then praised her act of repentance.[15]
The effect of this change in the Companions continued long after the death of the Prophetﷺ. Note the following accounts of the Companions as they sought to spread the message of Islam to the rest of the world:
The sterling character and qualities of the Muslim soldiers were once praised by a Roman officer in these words:
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"At night you will find them prayerful; during the day you will find them fasting. They keep their promises, order good de eds, suppress evil and maintain complete equality among themselves." |
Another testified thus:
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"They are horsemen by day and ascetics by night. They pay for what they eat in territories under their occupation. They are first to salute when they arrive at a place and are valiant fighters who just wipe out the enemy." |
A third said:
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"During the night it seems that they do not belong to this world and have no other business than to pray, and during the day, when one sees them mounted on their horses, one feels that they have been doing nothing else all their lives. They are great archers and great lancers, yet they are so devoutly religious and remember God so much and so often that one can hardly hear talk about anything else in their company." |
Why Doesn't the Quran Have the Same Effect Today?
William Ewart Gladstone, four-time Prime Minister of Great Britain, is famous for telling the English Parliament, "As long as this Quran exists, Europe will never be able to conquer the Islamic East." Similarly, the French Colonial Governor of Algeria said, on the occasion of one hundred years of French occupation of Algeria, "It is a must to remove the Arabic Quran from their presence and to remove the Arabic language from their tongues in order for us to have victory over them. [16]
Actually, many of the enemies of Islam have perceived an even more important point: It is not necessary to physically remove the Quran from the hands of the Muslims. They only need to remove the Quran from being central to the life of the Muslim. It is possible for people Muslims— to possess the Quran and still not receive the benefits, guidance and blessings that should go hand in hand with the Quran.
The reason why the Quran does not have the same effect today has nothing to do with the essential nature of the Quran— as it will always be the true guidance that is ever available to take mankind from darkness into light. The source of the problem is in the way that many of today's believers approach the Quran. The possible reasons for this kind of situation could be many. In general, though, four, which were mentioned in the introductory chapter, stand out glaringly:
(1)Some Muslims emphasize secondary aspects of the Quran while ignoring its more important primary aspects;
(2)Related to (1), too many Muslims do not recognize and understand the primary goals of the Quran; therefore they read it but do not get out of it what it desires
(3)In addition, some Muslims do not approach the Quran in the proper manner, missing the essential link between what it teaches and how it is to affect mankind; and
(4) Even when the above obstacles or problems are overcome, still some Muslims do not interpret the Quran in the proper manner and, hence, although they read it they do not get its correct teachings from it.
These issues are truly the heart of the matter. They are discussed separately and in detail in the following chapters.
Taken from “How to Approach and Understand the Quran” Copyright Al Basheer Company fpr Publications and Translations”
1 Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Quran al-Adheem, p. 574.
2 See Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Islam and the World (International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations, 1983), pp. 13-44. Nadwi has quoted a number of Western and non-Muslim sources that described the plight of mankind in the sixth and seventh centuries of the Christian era.
3 Nadwi, p. 13.
4 Nadwi, p. 13.
5 Nadwi, p. 14.
6 Quoted in Nadwi, p. 17.
7 See Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, The Life of Muhammad (P.B. U.H.) (Lahore Pakistan: Islamic Publications, Ltd. 1975), pp. 4-36.
8 Siddiqui, Life of Muhammad, p. 15.
9 Ibid p16
10 Ibid p17
11 Ibid p20-21
12 When the Muslims migrated to Madinah, the Prophetﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between members of the new emigrants and members of the residents of Madinah. Such a bond was established between Abdul Rahmaan ibn Auf, an emigrant from Makkah, and Saad ibn al-Rabee, one of the richest people in Madinah. Saad offered to split his wealth with Abdul Rahmaan and divorce one of his two wives so that Abdul Rahman could marry one of them. Abdul Rahmaan, also in a brotherly gesture, politely turned down Saad's offer and asked Saad to point him to the market place wherein he could work to gain his own wealth and be able to marry on his own. (Recorded by al-Bukhari.)
13 The translation of this statement was taken from Allama Shibli Numani, Sirat-un-Nabi (Lahore, Pakistan: Kazi Publications, 1979), p. 211. The incident was recorded by ibn Ishaq in al-Maghazi and Ahmad. And its chain is sahih according to al-Albaani. See al-Albaani's footnotes to Muhammad al-Ghazaali, Fiqh al-Seera (Qatar: Idaarah Ihyaa al-Turaath al-Islaami, n.d.), p. 126.
14 Ismaaeel ibn Katheer, Al-Bidaayah wa al-Nihaayah (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, n.d.), vol. 7, pp. 39-40.
15 The story of both Maaiz and al-Ghaamidiyyah are recorded by Muslim.
16 Both quotes may be found in Nabeeh Zakariyyah Abd Rabbihi, Kaifa Nahyaa bi-l-Quran (Al-Dauha: Daar al-Haramain li-1-Nashir, 1983), p. 138.
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