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The Call to Allah
Source: From the Shaykh’s introduction to the book: Manhajul-Anbiyâ fid-Da’wah ilallâh fîhil-Hikmah wal-’Aql (pp.10-16) of Shaykh Rabî’ ibn Hâdî. The translations of the meanings given for all Qur‘ânic Âyât are summarised from the tafsîrs of at-Tabarî, al-Baghawî, al-Qurtubî, Ibn Kathîr and ash-Shawkânî.
Da’wah to Allâh rests upon firm pillars and is established upon foundations which are absolutely essential. If any of these are missing, the da’wah will not be correct, nor will it produce the desired results - no matter how much effort is expended, nor how much time is wasted. And this is the reality which we witness with regards to many of the present-day calls, which are not supported by those pillars, nor built upon those firm foundations.
These pillars which support the correct da’wah are clearly shown in the Book and the Sunnah, and can be summarised as follows:-
[1] Knowledge of That Which One Calls To
Since the ignorant person is not suitable to be a dâ’î (caller). Allâh - the Most High - said to His Prophet ﷺ:
“Say, O Muhammad ﷺ, this is my way: I call to Allâh (i.e. the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allâh alone, having no partner) upon certain knowledge - I and those who follow me.” [Sûrah Yûsuf 12:108]
And Basîrah is knowledge. So the dâ’î is certain to encounter those who are scholars of misguidance, those who will attack him with doubts and futile arguments, in order to rebut the truth. And Allâh - the Most High - says:
“And argue with them in a way that is better.” [Sûrah an-Nahl 16:125]
Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺ said to Mu’âdh: “You are going to a people from the people of the Book.” [2] So if the dâ’î is not armed with sufficient knowledge for him to face the doubts, and contend with the opponent, then he will be defeated in the first encounter and will be halted at the beginning of the way.
[2] Acting In Accordance With That Which He Calls To
So that he will be a good example - his actions attesting to his words, and leaving no excuse for the opponents of the truth. Allâh - the Most High - said about His Prophet Shu’ayb, that he said to his people:
“I do not wish to forbid you from something and then do it myself. Rather, I only wish to rectify you as far as I am able.” [Sûrah Hûd 11:88]
And Allâh - the Most High - said to His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“Say, O Muhammad ﷺ! Indeed my Prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are all purely and solely for Allâh, Lord of the Worlds. There is no share of any of that for other than Him. That is what my Lord has ordered me, and I am the first of this nation to submit to Allâh as a Muslim.” [Sûrah al-An’âm 6:162-163]
“Who is better in speech than the one who calls the people to Allâh and does righteous actions.” [Sûrah Fussilat 41:33]
[3] Al-Ikhlâs (Purity of Intention)
Such that the da’wah is done purely and sincerely to seek the Face of Allâh and His reward. It is not done for show, nor repute, nor status, nor leadership, nor desiring worldly goals - since if any of these goals adulterate the da’wah then da’wah will not be purely for Allâh; rather it would then be a call for oneself, or for the attainment of a worldly goal, as Allâh informs that His Prophets said to their respective people:
“I do not ask you for any reward for conveying this Qur‘ân.” [Sûrah al-An’âm 6:90]
“I do not ask you for any monetary recompense for my admonition.” [Sûrah Hûd 11:29]
[4] Beginning With What is of Primary Importance, Then With What Comes Next in Importance, and So On
So firstly he calls to the correction of ’aqîdah (beliefs and creed), by ordering that all worship is made purely for Allâh, and that shirk is forbidden. Then ordering the establishment of the Prayer, and the paying of the Zakâh, and that the obligatory duties are carried out and that the forbidden matters are avoided. This was the procedure followed by all the Messengers, as Allâh - the Most High - says:
“We sent a Messenger to every nation, ordering them that they should worship Allâh alone, obey Him and make their worship purely for Him; and that they should avoid everything worshipped besides Allâh.” [Sûrah an-Nahl 16:36]
“We did not send any Messenger before you, O Muhammad, except that We revealed to him that none has the right to be worshipped except Allâh, so make all your worship purely for Allâh.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ 21:25]
Furthermore, when the Prophet ﷺ sent Mu’âdh to Yemen, he said to him: “Indeed you are going to a people from the people of the Book, so let the first thing you call them to be the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except Allâh. So if they accept this, then inform them that Allâh has obligated five Prayers upon them in each day and night ... ” [3]
Then there is in his ﷺ’s way and method of giving da’wah, the best example and the most perfect and complete methodology - in that he ﷺ remained in Makkah for thirteen years, calling the people to Tawhîd and forbidding them from Shirk, before he ordered them with Prayer, Zakâh, Fasting and Hajj, and before he forbade them from usury, fornication, theft and murder.
[5] Patient Perseverance in Facing Difficulties Encountered in Calling to Allâh, and in Facing Harm From the People
For the path of da’wah is not strewn with roses, rather it is covered with hardships and hazards. The best example of this is the case of the Messengers - may Allâh’s praises and blessings of peace be upon them all - with regards to the harm and the mockery which they suffered from their people. As Allâh - the Most High - said to His Messenger ﷺ:
“Indeed Messengers were also mocked before you, but those who mocked them were overtaken by the punishment that they made light of.” [Sûrah al-An’âm 6:10]
And He said:
“Indeed Messengers were also denied before you, but they bore these denials with patient perseverance, and they suffered harm until Our help came to them.” [Sûrah al-An’âm 6:34]
Likewise, the followers of the Prophets met with the same harm and hardship, in proportion to their efforts in calling to Allâh, following the example of those noble Messengers - may Allâh’s praise and purest blessings of peace be upon them all.
[6] The Caller Must Be a Person of Good Manners Using Wisdom in His Call
Since this will be an important reason for the acceptance of his call. Just as Allâh ordered his two noble Prophets: Mûsâ and Hârûn - ’alayhimus-salâtu was-salâm - that this was the manner in which they were to face the worst Unbeliever upon the face of this earth: Fir’awn (Pharaoh), who claimed Lordship for himself. Allâh - the One free from all imperfections - said:
“And speak mildly to him, that he might accept admonition or fear and obey Allâh.” [Sûrah Tâ Hâ 20:44]
And Allâh - the Most High - said to Mûsâ ’alayhis-salâtu was- salâm:
“Go to Fir’awn who has transgressed all bounds in his haughtiness, pride and disbelief, and say: Will you not purify yourself from the sin of disbelief and be obedient to your Lord? And that I guide you to the worship of your Lord, so that you may submit fearfully to Him and be obedient to Him.” [Sûrah an-Nâzi’ât 79:17-19]
And Allâh - the Most High - said, concerning His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“By the mercy of Allâh you behaved with gentleness towards them, and had you been severe and harsh hearted they would have left you and departed.” [Sûrah Âli-’Imrân 3:159]
“Indeed you, O Muhammad ﷺ, are on an exalted religion / standard of character.” [Sûrah al-Qalam 68:4]
“O Muhammad ﷺ! Call mankind to the way prescribed by yoke Lord with the Revelation that has been sent down to you, and admonish them with the examples and warnings that Allâh has provided in His Book, and argue with them in a way that is better.” [Sûrah an-Nahl 16:125]
[7] The Caller Must Remain Firm in His Expectation and Hope for Good
He should not despair of the effect of his call, nor about the guidance of his people. Nor should he despair of the aid and the help of Allâh - even if a long time passes. Again, he has the best example in this matter in the Messengers of Allâh. So the Prophet of Allâh, Nûh - ’alayhis-salâtu was-salâm - remained amongst his people for nine-hundred and fifty years, calling them to Allâh.
Also, when the harm and the hurt caused by the Unbelievers became severe, and the Angel of the mountain came to our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, asking if he wanted him to crush them with the two mountains, he replied: “No! I wish to have patience with them. Hopefully Allâh will produce from them offspring; who will worship Allâh alone, not giving any partner to Him.” [4] So if the dâ’î lacks this attribute, he will halt at the start of the path and feel discouraged and frustrated.
So whichever call is not built upon these foundations, and whose manhaj (methodology) is not the methodology of the Messengers - then it will be frustrated and will fail, and it will be toil without benefit. The clearest proof of this are those present day Jamâ’ahs (groups) which set out a methodology and programme for themselves and their da’wah, which is different to the methodology of the Messengers. These groups have neglected the importance of ’aqîdah (correct beliefs and creed) - except for a very few of them - and instead call for the correction of side issues. So one group calls for the correction of rule and politics and demands establishment of the hudûd (prescribed punishments), and that Sharî’ah (Islâmic Law) be applied in judging amongst the people - and this indeed is something very important, but it is not what is most important: Since how can one seek to establish and apply Allâh’s judgement upon the thief and the fornicator, before seeking to establish and apply Allâh’s judgement upon the mushrik - the one who attributes worship to others besides Allâh. How can we demand that Allâh’s judgement be applied to two men disputing about a sheep or a camel, before demanding that Allâh’s judgement be applied upon those who worship idols and graves, and those who deny or hold heretical beliefs with regards to Allâh’s Names and Attributes - divesting them of their true meaning, or distorting them. Are these people not greater criminals than those who fornicate, drink wine and steal?!! Since those are crimes against mankind, whereas shirk and denial of Allâh’s Names and Attributes are crimes against the Creator - the One free from all imperfections - and the right of the Creator has precedence over the rights of creation.
Shaykhul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) says in his book: al-Istiqâmah (1/466): “So these sins along with correct Tawhîd are better than corrupted Tawhîd in the absence of these sins.” [5]
Then another Jamâ’ah (group) affiliate themselves with da’wah, except that their methodology is also at variance with the methodology of the Messengers. They give no importance to correct ’aqîdah, rather they give importance to some acts of worship and practicing dhikr (remembrance of Allâh) in the way of the Sûfîs. They concentrate upon khurûj (going out) and touring the lands, and what is important to them is that they manage to attract the people to join them without caring about their ’aqîdah. And all of these are innovated ways, taking as their starting point, matters which were left until last in the call of the Messengers. This is just like the case of someone who seeks to cure a body whose head has been decapitated - since the place of ’aqîdah in the religion, is like the head with regard to the body. Thus it is necessary for these groups to correct their concepts and understanding, by referring back to the Book and the Sunnah, in order to know the methodology of the Messengers in calling to Allâh. For indeed Allâh - the One free from all imperfections - informed that correct rule and sovereignty, which is the central part of the call of the former Jamâ’ah whom we mentioned, cannot be achieved except after correcting ’aqîdah, such that all worship is for Allâh alone and worship of everything else is abandoned. Allâh - the Most High - says:
“Allâh has promised to those amongst you who truly have îmân (true faith and belief) and act in obedience to Allâh and His Messenger, that He will grant them rulership upon the earth, just as He granted it to those before them, and that He will establish their Religion for them and grant them the authority to practice their Religion which He chose and ordered them with. And He will certainly change their situation to one of security, after their fear. Providing that they worship and obey Me, not associating anything else in worship with Me. Then, whoever rejects this favour by disobedience to their Lord - then they are the rebellious transgressors.” [Sûrah an-Nûr 24:55]
So these people wish to establish the Islâmic State before purifying the lands of idolatrous beliefs which take the form of worship of the dead, and devotion to the tombs - such as is no different to the worship of al-Lât, al-’Uzzâ and the third of them Manât, rather it is worse. So they are attempting that which is impossible:
“And whosoever seeks greatness without effort and exertion,
Will only be wasting his life in seeking something impossible.”
Indeed, establishment and application of the Sharî’ah and the prescribed punishments, and the establishment of the Islâmic State, and avoidance of whatever is prohibited, and achievement of whatever is obligatory - all of these things are from the rights of Tawhîd and matters which perfect it and follow on from it. So how can we give attention to that which is subsidiary whilst neglecting that which is of primary importance?
References
1. From the Shaykh’s introduction to the book: Manhajul-Anbiyâ fid-Da’wah ilallâh fîhil-Hikmah wal-’Aql (pp.10-16) of Shaykh Rabî’ ibn Hâdî. The translations of the meanings given for all Qur‘ânic Âyât are summarised from the tafsîrs of at-Tabarî, al-Baghawî, al-Qurtubî, Ibn Kathîr and ash-Shawkânî.
2. Related by al-Bukhârî (no.7372) and Muslim (no.29) from ’Abdullâh Ibn ’Abbâs radiallâhu ’anhumâ.
3. Related by al-Bukhârî (no.7372) and Muslim (no.29), from Ibn ’Abbâs radiallâhu ’anhu.
4. Related by al-Bukhârî (no.454) and Muslim (no.4425), from ’Âishah radiallâhu ’anhâ.
5. The proof for this is the Saying of Allâh - the Most High: “Allâh does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him in worship, but He forgives whatever is lesser than that to whomsoever He pleases.” [Sûrah an-Nisâ 4:48].
The Advice Of 'Ali رضي الله عنه
Kumail ibn Ziyaad said: 'Alee ibn Abee Taalib took hold of my hand and took me off towards the desert. When we reached it, he sat down, took a deep breath and then said:
"O Kumail ibn Ziyaad! The hearts are receptacles, so the best of them is the one which preserves the best. So memorise what I say to you.
The people are of three (types): the Scholar who is rabbaanee, 1 the one learning being upon the path of salvation, and the confused rabble who follow everyone who calls out - bending along with every wind - they are not enlightened by the light of knowledge, nor do they lean upon a firm support.
Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge is a protection for you, whereas it is you that has to protect wealth. The zakaat of knowledge is action, whereas spending decreases wealth. And love of the Scholar is part of the Religion. Knowledge brings about obedience for the Scholar in his own lifetime and causes him to have good repute after his death, whereas the benefit of wealth ceases when it passes away. The hoarders of wealth have died even though they are still alive, whereas the Scholars remain for as long as time remains - their persons are lost, but their examples remain in the hearts.
Here, indeed here - (and he pointed to his chest) - there is knowledge, if only I could find carriers for it. But instead I have found them quick to comprehend, but not trustworthy. They use what pertains to the Religion for worldly ends. They seek to use Allaah's proofs against His Book, blindly following the people of truth, but having no insight regarding receiving it.
Doubt pierces their hearts when anything problematic arises. They are neither this nor that. They do not know where the truth lies, and if they are mistaken then they do not know why. They are ardently in love with something the true state of which they do not know - so they become a trial for others.
And indeed, the utmost good is for the one to whom Allaah grants understanding of the Religion And it is enough ignorance for a person that he does not know about his Religion. Such a person is passionately addicted to pleasures, accustomed to following desires, or is one given to amassing wealth and piling it up. Such people are not from the callers to the Religion rather they are more like the grazing cattle. And thus knowledge passes away with the passing away of those who carry it.
Oh Allaah, yes! The earth will not be without one who stands upright for Allaah, with proof - so that Allaah's proofs and clear signs are not abolished. They are the ones who are few in number, but having the most value to Allaah. With them, Allaah asserts His proofs amongst their contemporaries and cultivates them in the hearts of those similar to them. With them, knowledge assaults and comes upon the true state of affairs, so that which those accustomed to easy living find difficult therein, they find easy; and they are at home with that which causes consternation to the ignorant ones. They live in this world with their bodies, whereas their souls are attached to higher things. They are Allaah's ambassadors in His land and the callers to His Religion. Oh how I would like to see them, and I seek Allaah's forgiveness for myself and for you. If you wish then you may leave."2
1.Rabbaanee: The scholar who acts in accordance with his knowledge and has insight into the condition of the people - so that he raises them upon the primary matters of knowledge before the more detailed and difficult matters.
2. Reported by abu nu'aym in hilyatul-awliyaa (1/79-80), al-khateeb al-baghdaadee in al-faqeeh wal-mutafaqqih (1/49-50) and ibn katheer in al-bidaayah wan-nihaayah (9/47).
Great Virtue of Lowering the Gaze
[pp.'s 102-105] of ibn al-Qayyim, summarised by Alee Hasan
Allaah, the Exalted said,
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them. Indeed Allaah is well acquainted with all that they do.” [an-Nur (24):30]
So Allaah made purification and spiritual growth to be the outcome of lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. It is for this reason that lowrering ones gaze from (seeing) the prohibited things necessarily leads to three benefits that carry tremendous value and are of great significance.
The First: experiencing the delight and sweetness of faith.
This delight and sweetness is far greater and more desirable that which might have been attained from the object that one lowered his gaze from for the sake of Allaah. Indeed,“whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allaah then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, will replace it with something better than it.” [1]
The soul is a temptress and loves to look at beautiful forms and the eye is the guide of the heart. The heart commissions its guide to go and look to see what is there and when the eye informs it of a beautiful image it shudders out of love and desire for it. Frequently such inter-relations tire and wear down both the heart and the eye as is said:
When you sent your eye as a guide For your heart one day, the object of sight fatigued you For you saw one over whom you had no power Neither a portion or in totality, instead you had to be patient.
Therefore when the sight is prevented from looking and investigating the heart finds relief from having to go through the arduous task of (vainly) seeking and desiring.
Whosoever lets his sight roam free will find that he is in a perpetual state of loss and anguish for sight gives birth to love (mahabbah) the starting point of which is the heart being devoted and dependant upon that which it beholds. This then intensifies to become fervent longing (sabaabah) whereby the heart becomes totally dependant and devoted to the (object of its desire). Then this further intensifies and becomes infatuation (gharaamah) which clings to the heart like the one seeking repayment of a debt clings firmly to the one who has to pay the debt. Then this intensifies and becomes passionate love (ishk) and this is a love that transgresses all bounds. Then this further intensifies and becomes crazed passion (shaghafa) and this a love that encompasses every tiny part of the heart. Then this intensifies and becomes worshipful love (tatayyuma). Tatayyum means worship and it is said: tayyama Allaah i.e. he worshipped Allaah.
Hence the heart begins to worship that which is not correct for it to worship and the reason behind all of this was an illegal glance. The heart is now bound in chains whereas before it used to be the master, it is now imprisoned whereas before it was free. It has been oppressed by the eye and it complains to it upon which the eye replies: I am your guide and messenger and it was you who sent me in the first place!
All that has been mentioned applies to the heart that has relinquished the love of Allaah and being sincere to Him for indeed the heart must have an object of love that it devotes itself to. Therefore when the heart does not love Allaah Alone and does not take Him as its God then it must worship something else.
Allaah said concerning Yusuf as-Siddeeq ‘alayhis salaam,
“Thus (did We order) so that We might turn away from him all evil and indecent actions for he was one of Our sincere servants.”[Yusuf (12): 24]
It was because the wife of al-Azeez was a polytheist that (the passionate love) entered her heart despite her being married. It was because Yusuf ‘alayhis salaam was sincere to Allaah that he was saved from it despite his being a young man, unmarried and a servant.
The Second: the illumination of the heart, clear perception and penetrating insight.
Ibn Shujaa` al-Kirmaanee said, “whosoever builds his outward form upon following the Sunnah, his internal form upon perpetual contemplation and awareness of Allaah, he restrains his soul from following desires, he lowers his gaze from the forbidden things and he always eats the lawful things then his perception and insight shall never be wrong.”
Allaah mentioned the people of Lut and what they were afflicted with and then He went on to say,
“Indeed in this are signs for the Mutawassimeen.” [al-Hijr (15): 75]
The Mutwassimeen are those who have clear perception and penetrating insight, those who are secure from looking at the unlawful and performing indecent acts.
Allaah said after mentioning the verse concerning lowering the gaze,
“Allaah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” [an-Nur (24): 35]
The reason behind this is that the reward is of the same type as the action. So whosoever lowers his gaze from the unlawful for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, He will replace it with something better than it of the same type. So just as the servant restrained the light of his eye from falling upon the unlawful, Allaah blesses the light of his sight and heart thereby making him perceive what he would not have seen and understood had he not lowered his gaze.
This is a matter that the person can physically sense in himself for the heart is like a mirror and the base desires are like rust upon it. When the mirror is polished and cleaned of the rust then it will reflect the realities (haqaa`iq) as they actually are. However if it remains rusty then it will not reflect properly and therefore its knowledge and speech will arise from conjecture and doubt.
The Third: the heart becoming strong, firm and courageous.
Allaah will give it the might of aid for its strength just as He gave it the might of clear proofs for its light. Hence the heart shall combine both of these factors and as a result, Shaytaan shall flee from it. It is mentioned in the narration, “whosoever opposes his base desires, the Shaytaan shall flee in terror from his shade.” [2]
This is why the one who follows his base desires shall find in himself the ignominy of the soul, its being weak, feeble and contemptible. Indeed Allaah places nobilty for the one who obeys Him and disgrace for the one who disobeys Him,
“So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith.” [Aali Imraan(3): 139]
“If any do seek for nobilty and power then to Allaah belongs all nobility and power.” [Faatir(35): 10]
Meaning that whosoever seeks after disobedience and sin then Allaah, the Might and Magnificent, will humiliate the one who disobeys Him.
Some of the salaf said, “the people seek nobilty and power at the door of the Kings and they will not find it except through the obedience of Allaah.”
This is because the one who who obeys Allaah has taken Allaah as his friend and protector and Allaah will never humiliate the one who takes his Lord as friend and patron. In the Du`aa Qunut their occurs, “the one who You take as a friend is not humiliated and the one who You take as an enemy is not ennobled.” [3]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Reported by Ahmad [5/363], al-Marwazee in ‘Zawaa`id az-Zuhd’ [no. 412], an-Nasaa`ee in ‘al-Kubraa’ as mentioned in ‘Tuhfah al-Ashraaf’ [11/199] from one of the Companions that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said, “indeed you will not leave anything for the sake of Allaah except that Allaah will replace it with something better than it.” The isnaad is saheeh.
[2] This is not established as a hadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ
[3] Reported by Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans. 1/374 no. 1420], an-Nasaa`ee [3/248], at-Tirmidhee [no. 464], ibn Maajah [no. 1178], ad-Daarimee [1/311], Ahmad [1/199], ibn Khuzaymah [2/151] from al-Hasan from Alee رضي الله عنه. The hadeeth is saheeh. The isnaad has been critcised by many, however none of the critcisms hold. Refer to: ‘Nasb ar-Raayah’ [2/125] and ‘Talkhees al-Habeer’ [1/247]
Education is no excuse to prevent or delay marriage
Written by Abdel Aziz Bin Baz & Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaimeen
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baazرحمة الله عليه said:
What is required is to hasten to get married, and no young man or young woman should delay marriage for the sake of studies, because marriage does not prevent any such thing. It is possible for a young man to get married in order to protect his religious commitment and morals, and enable him to lower his gaze. Marriage serves many purposes, especially in this day and age. Because delaying it is harmful for both young women and young men, every young man and every young woman should hasten to get married if there is a man who is compatible with the woman, and if a man can find the right woman – in accordance with the words of the Prophet ﷺ: "O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, and whoever cannot afford it should fast, for it will be a shield for him." Saheeh – agreed upon.
This includes both young men and young women; it does not apply only to men, rather it includes everyone – they all need to get married. We ask Allaah to guide us all.
Majmoo'Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah, 20/421-422.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeenرحمة الله عليه was asked:
There is a widespread habit whereby a girl or her father will refuse marriage to one who proposes to her so that she may complete her secondary or university education, or so that she may teach for a number of years. What is the ruling on that, and what is your advice to the one who does that? Some girls may reach the age of thirty and not be married.
He replied:
The ruling on that is that it is contrary to the command of the Prophet ﷺ, because the Prophet ﷺ said: "If there comes to you one with whose character and religious commitment you are pleased, then marry (your daughter or female relative under your care) to him." (al-Tirmidhi, 1084). And he said: "O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and protecting one's chastity."
Refusal to get married means losing out on the benefits of marriage. What I advise my Muslim brothers who are guardians of women, and my Muslim sisters, to do is not to refuse marriage for the sake of completing studies or teaching. A woman can stipulate that her husband let her stay in school until her studies have ended, or that he let her continue to work as a teacher for one or two years, so long as she is not busy with her children. There is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, the importance of a woman acquiring university-level knowledge in a field that we do not need is something that may be subject to further examination.
What I think is that if a woman has completed the elementary level of education, and she knows how to read and write to such a level that she can benefit from reading the Book of Allaah and its tafseer, and reading the ahaadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ and its commentary, then that is sufficient, unless she wants to study fields of knowledge that the people need, such as medicine and the like, so long as there is nothing haraam in her studies and it does not involve mixing and the like.
Fataawa 'Ulama' al-Balad al-Haraam (p. 390).
[10 Tips] How to be a Successful Husband
1. Dress up for your wife, look clean and smell good.When was the last time us men went shopping for designer pajamas? Just like the husband wants his wife to look nice for him, she also wants her husband to dress up for her too. Remember that Rasul Allah ﷺ would always start with Miswak when returning home and always loved the sweetest smells.
2. Use the cutest names for your wife. Rasul Allah ﷺ had nicknames for his wives, ones that they loved. Call your wife by the most beloved names to her, and avoid using names that hurt their feelings.
3. Don't treat her like a fly. We never think about a fly in our daily lives until it 'bugs' us. Similarly, a wife will do well all day - which brings no attention from the husband - until she does something to 'bug' him. Don't treat her like this; recognize all the good that she does and focus on that.
4. If you see wrong from your wife, try being silent and do not comment! This is one of the ways Rasul Allah ﷺ used when he would see something inappropriate from his wives - radi Allahu 'anhunn. It's a technique that few Muslim men have mastered.
5. Smile at your wife whenever you see her and embrace her often. Smiling is Sadaqah and your wife is not exempt from the Muslim Ummah. Imagine life with her constantly seeing you smiling. Remember also those Ahadith when Rasul Allah ﷺ would kiss his wife before leaving for Salah, even if he was fasting.
6. Thank her for all that she does for you. Then thank her again! Take for example a dinner at your house. She makes the food, cleans the home, and a dozen other tasks to prepare. And sometimes the only acknowledgement she receives is that there needed to be more salt in the soup. Don't let that be; thank her!
7. Ask her to write down the last ten things you did for her that made her happy. Then go and do them again. It may be hard to recognize what gives your wife pleasure. You don't have to play a guessing game, ask her and work on repeating those times in your life.
8. Don't be little her desires. Comfort her. Sometimes the men may look down upon the requests of their wives. Rasul Allah ﷺ set the example for us in an incident when Safiyyah - radi Allahu 'anha - was crying because, as she said, he had put her on a slow camel. He wiped her tears, comforted her, and brought her the camel.
9. Be humorous and Play games with your wife. Look at how Rasul Allah ﷺ would race his wife Aisha - radi Allahu 'anha - in the desert. When was the last time we did something like that?
10. Always remember the words of Allah's Messenger ﷺ: "The best of you are those who treat their families the best. And I am the best amongst you to my family." Try to be the best!
In conclusion: Never forget to make Dua to Allah عزوجل to make your marriage successful. And Allah ta'ala knows best !!
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