Joys Of Fasting

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says in this hadith: “The fasting person has two occasions for joy…” This does not mean that the fasting person experiences no other joys aside from these two. It is just that these two particular occasions of joy are exclusive to a fasting person and are experienced by no one else.

The fasting person experiences the first occasion of joy when he eats and drinks after a full day of self-restraint, patience, and obedience seeking Allah’s reward.

He experiences the second occasion of joy when he meets his Lord after a full lifetime of fasting and seeking Allah’s reward every time the month of Ramadan called upon him as an honored guest.

The first of these two joys comes every night in Ramadan when the Sun sets and the fasting person stretches out his hand to eat a sweet date or take a sip of cool, refreshing water to relieve his hunger and thirst.

And why should he not feel joy at this moment? He had expended every effort throughout the day only for his Lord’s pleasure and forbade himself his share of food and drink, seeking Allah’s eternal and everlasting reward.

It is the joy of having control over the demands of one’s own body and ascendancy over the everyday habits of life. It is, in this way, a spiritual joy, an exuberance that comes with the appearance of every Ramadan and with the exercise of goodly patience.

The happiness of a fasting person when he breaks his fast is not merely because he assuages his hunger and thirst, for even the lowliest of animals share in such pleasures. Instead, it is the joy of triumph over Satan and over one’s own passions and basest desires.

It is also the joy of having successfully carried out the command of our Lord. When He asked us to abandon our food, we abandoned it. When He called upon us to abstain from quenching our thirsts, we abstained from it.

We had hearkened to Allah’s words: “The month of Ramadan in which the Qur’ân was revealed as a guidance for humanity, clear proofs of guidance, and a criterion. So whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 185]

As for the second occasion of joy, it is an experience like no other, reminiscent of the joy felt when meeting someone who is most beloved. It is the meeting of the fasting person with his Lord who had helped him to carry out his fast and had blessed him with success in doing so, and who had promised him for his fast the best of rewards that He has kept in store for him.

This is an experience of joy by which all the pains and sorrows of life are forever forgotten. It is an overwhelming joy. On that day, the person who had fasted during his worldly life will be entitled to rejoice in it. However, this will be the case only as long as he had restrained his hands from sinful deeds and his tongue from evil words and thereby safeguarded his fasts from becoming bereft of blessings.

Those who are barred from the blessings of their fasts are indeed doubly deprived. Their fasts deprived them of their food and drink, and then their conduct deprived them of the blessings and rewards. This is because they had violated the sanctity of the month of Ramadan with the ignominy of their words and the wickedness of their deeds.

Therefore, every fasting person needs to be aware of what the fast really means. He needs to fully appreciate its great and noble purposes. He must prepare himself mentally to safeguard his fast from every evil word and deed, so he can be sure to experience both of the joys that are unique to the fast. He should, likewise, let all the goodness that Allah has prepared for those who fast with sincerity be a means for him to restrain his eyes from casting their gaze upon that which is unlawful.

If, instead, a person opts not to lower his gaze from the foul images on the television screen and the forbidden sights of the street; if he chooses to indulge his ears in listening to provocative music and indecent songs; if, above all that, he allows his tongue to speak falsely and injuriously, then he should know that the only pleasure he shall experience when he breaks his fast is that felt by the cattle when they are set out to pasture or by the lion when it catches its prey.

Of joy, he will have nothing else.

Girlfriend + Boyfriend = Marriage!

Fasting Without Prayers

The following was taken from:

"The Fataawa of The Standing Committee for Islaamic Research and ifta (Fataawa al-Lajnat -ud-daaimah lil-buhuth al-Ilmiah wal-iftaa)", Volume 10: Zakaat and Siyaam, Gathered and organized by Shaykh Ahmad bin abdur-Razaaq ad-Duwaish, Dar al- 'Aasimah, 1413h."

Question No:2 Fatwa No:102

Question: If a person was intent on the fasting of Ramadhaan and prayer in Ramadhaan only, but he leaves prayer right after at the closing of Ramadhaan, then does the fasting count?

Answer: (Fataawa)

The prayer is a pillar from the pillars of Islaam, and it is the most important after the two testimonies (shahaadatayn), and it is amongst the individual obligations (fardh al-ayn), and whoever leaves it, arguing its obligation (saying it is not obligatory) or out of weakness or laziness, then indeed he has gone into disbelief. As for those who fast Ramadhaan and pray in Ramadhaan only, their fasting does not count with the fact that they leave prayer outside Ramadhaan, but rather are disbelievers by that and have committed the great kufr, even if they do not argue the obligation of the prayer according to the stronger of the two opinions of the scholars, due to his (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying:

" The covenent which is between us and them (the disbelievers) is the Prayer, so whoever leaves it, then indeed he hasdisbelieved." related by Imaam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmithee, Nisaa'ee, and ibn Maajah with an authentic chain on theauthority of Buraydah al-Aslamee (r), and his (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying:

"The head of the matter is Islaam, its pillar is the prayer, and its highest peak is jihaad in the Way of Allaah," related by Ahmad and Tirmidhee, may Allah have mercy on them, with an authentic chain on the authority of Mu'aadth ibn Jabal (r) , and his (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying:

"Between the person and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allaah) is the leaving of the prayer," related by Imaam Muslim in his "Saheeh" on the authority of Jaabir ibn Abdullaah Al-Ansaaree (r), and the hadiths with this meaning are many.

And from Allah is tawfeeq, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be on His Messenger, his family, and his companions.

The Standing Committee for Islaamic Research and IFTA:

President: Abdul-Azeez bin Baaz

Vice President: AbdurRazaaq Afeefee
Member: Abdullaah bin Qu'ood
Member: Abdullaah bin Ghudayaan

Enough Fitnah!

The fitnah on the internet has become overwhelming. Fitnah has always existed on the internet, but now, its hard to even check your email without seeing something haram. Whether it's an AD about losing those extra kilos you’ve put on in time for the coming summer or those notorious webcam pop-up ADs which assume that every internet user has shameless, perverted hobbies like secretly filming their neighbour’s wife. It's time to put an end to this cruel commercial blitzkrieg.

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith".
[Muslim].

There are a few ways we can counter this onslaught. Some users turn the graphics off in their browser settings. This turns off all pictures by default. Not a bad option, but this takes away much of the internet’s 'multimedia' experience. The best way is to get an AD Blocking software installed on your computer. These programs eliminate pop-up ads, banner ads, as well as animation and background music. They are highly configurable, so the user can choose what to block and what to allow. There are a few available on the web. The most effective one I've encountered is a program called AdSubtract.
It can be downloaded from this address:

http://www.adsubtract.com/pro/trial/download.html

Note however, that the software is a 30-day trial.

It has the following features:

Blocks banner ads, Speeds surfing, Blocks pop-ups, Blocks animated flash ads, Blocks pop-unders, background music and more. Which means it blocks a lot of the fitnah, give it a try!

Alternatively, here is a completely free AD blocking software – called Proxomitron - that is also a very good program. It basically has the same functionality as Ad Subtract and can be downloaded from this address: http://www.proxomitron.org/download.html

It is not quite as easy to use as AD Subtract but is completely free! No registration or expire dates! Both programs are fairly easy to configure and well worth the effort to install them since they are very good at reducing the Haram we are bombarded with.

"But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness,- We shall soon admit them to Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath,-to dwell therein for ever. Allah's promise is the truth, and whose word can be truer than Allah's?" Quran 4:122

Finally, please forward this to others and inform them about such software so that they may reduce their exposure to the fitnah.

Abu Mas`ud `Uqbah bin `Amr Al-Ansari Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whoever guides someone to virtue will be rewarded equivalent to him who practices that good action".
[Muslim].

Let’s keep the Internet Halal.

Beautiful Hadith

Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

"There is a group of Allaah's angels who move about the streets searching for the people who mention Allaah (swt). When they find a group doing that, they call each other, "Here is what you are looking for." Then they cover that group with their wings right up to the sky.

When these angels return to the heavens, their Lord asks them, although He knows the answer, "What were My Servants saying?"

They say, "They were describing Your holiness and greatness, and were busy praising and glorifying You."

Allaah (swt) then asks, "Have they seen Me?" The angels reply, "By Allaah! They have not seen You."

Allaah (swt) says, "What would they have done if they could see me?" The angels reply, "They would then be even more busy in their worship, glorification, and praise."

Then Allaah (swt) asks, "What did they want from Me?" The angels reply, "They asked You for Jannah (Heaven)."

Allaah (swt) says, "Have they seen it?" They answer, "No, by You! They have not seen it."

Allah (swt) says, "What would they have done if they had seen it?" The angels answer, "Had they seen it, they would desire it more eagerly, and would work harder to deserve it."

Then Allaah (swt) asks, "From what thing did they want Me to protect them?" The angels answer, "They wanted to be protected from Hell."

Allaah (swt) says, "Have they seen it?" They answer, "No, by You! They have not seen it."

Allaah (swt) says, "What would they have done if they had seen it?" The angels answer, "Had they seen it, they would have feared it and run from it even more."

Then Allaah (swt) says, "Be My witnesses: I have forgiven them!"

One of the angels then says, "But among them was a person who is not one of them. He had simply come for something he needed."

Allaah (swt) says, "I have forgiven him too, just because he happened to sit with them. Anyone who sits with those people will not be a loser."

(Sahih Bukhari Volume 8:417)

Month Of Sha'baan

Sha’baan is the name of the (eighth) month, and it is so called because in this month the Arabs used to disperse (tasha’’aba) in search of water, or it was said that they dispersed to carry out raids and forays. Or it was said that it is so called because it sha’aba (branches out or emerges) i.e., it appears between the months of Rajab and Ramadan. The plural forms of the word Sha’baan are Sha’baanaat and Sha’aabeen.

Fasting in Sha’baan

‘Aa’ishah (RA) said: “The Messenger (PBUH) used to fast until we thought he would never break his fast, and not fast until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allaah fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Sha’baan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 1833; Muslim, no. 1956).

“He used to fast all of Sha’baan, he used to fast all but a little of Sha’baan.” Muslim (no. 1957),

A group of scholars, including Ibn al-Mubaarak and others, thought that the Prophet (PBUH) did not fast all of Sha’baan, but he fasted most of it. ‘Aa’ishah (RA), who said: “I never knew of him – meaning the Prophet (PBUH) – fasting for any entire month apart from Ramadan.” According to another report also narrated by Muslim (no. 1955), ‘Aa’ishah said: “I never saw him fast for any entire month from the time he came to Madeenah, apart from Ramadan.” Saheeh Muslim (no. 1954)

It was reported in al-Saheehayn that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) did not fast any entire month apart from Ramadan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 1971, and Muslim, no. 1157).

Ibn ‘Abbaas regarded it as makrooh to fast any entire month apart from Ramadaan. Ibn Hajar (RA) said: “He observed more voluntary fasts in Sha’baan than in any other month, and he used to fast most of Sha’baan.”
Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha’baan.’ He said, ‘That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadan, and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the Worlds. I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.’” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, see Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, page 425).

According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood (no. 2076) she said: “The most beloved of months for the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) to fast in was Sha’baan, and his fasting in Sha’baan was continuous with his fasting in Ramadan.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, see Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2/461).

Ibn Rajab (RA) said: “Fasting in Sha’baan is better than fasting in the Sacred Months, and the best of voluntary fasts are those that are (observed in the months) closest to Ramadan, before or after. The status of these fasts is like that of al-Sunan al-Rawaatib which are done before and after fard (prayers) and which make up for any shortfall in the number of obliagtory prayers. The same applies to fasts observed before and after Ramadan. Just as al-Sunan al-Rawaatib are better than other kinds of voluntary prayers, so fasts observed (in the months) before and after Ramadan are better than fasts at other times.

The phrase “Sha’baan is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadan” indicates that because it comes between two important months, the Sacred Month of Rajab and the month of fasting, people are preoccupied with those two months and they do not pay attention to Sha’baan. Many people think that fasting in Rajab is better than fasting in Sha’baan, because Rajab is one of the Sacred Months, but this is not the case.

In the hadeeth quoted above there is an indication that even though certain times, places and people may be commonly thought to posses a particular virtue, there may be others that are better than them.

It also indicates that it is mustahabb to make good use of the times when people tend to be negligent, by doing acts of worship. A group of the Salaf used to fill the time between Maghrib and ‘Isha’ with prayer, saying that it was a time when many people were negligent. Another example is the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in the marketplace, because this means one is remembering Him in a place where people tend to be negligent and among people who are negligent.

The scholars differed as to the reasons why the Prophet (PBUH) fasted so much in Sha’baan.

Their various opinions were as follows:

1. That he had been unable to fast three days out of every month because he was travelling or for some other reason, so he made them all up together in Sha’baan. When the Prophet (PBUH) began to do some naafil action, he would persist in it, and if he missed it, he would make it up later.

2. It was said that his wives used to make up the days that they missed of Ramadan in Sha’baan, so he used to fast because of that. This is the opposite of what was reported from ‘Aa’ishah, that she used to delay making up days that she had missed in Ramadan until Sha’baan because she was too busy with the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) to fast.

3. It was said that it was because this is a month which people do not pay attention to. This is the most correct view, because of the hadeeth of Usaamah quoted above, in which it says: “That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadan.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, see Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, p. 425)

When Sha’baan began, if the Prophet (PBUH) still had some voluntary fasts outstanding that he had not fasted, he would make them up during Sha’baan so that his naafil fasts would be complete before Ramadan came. Similarly, if he had missed some Sunnah prayers or he had missed Qiyaam al-Layl, he would make it up. ‘Aa’ishah used to make the most of this opportunity to make up any obligatory Ramadan fasts that she had missed because of menstruation; during other months she was too busy with the Prophet (PBUH) to fast

Another benefit of fasting in Sha’baan is that it is a kind of training for the Ramadan fast, in case a person finds it difficult to fast when Ramadan starts; if he fasts in Sha’baan he will have gotten used to fasting and he will feel strong and energetic when Ramadan comes. Sha’baan is like an introduction to Ramadan and it has some things in common with Ramadaan, such as fasting, reciting Qur’aan and giving in charity. Salamah ibn Suhayl used to say: “The month of Sha’baan is the month of reciters (of the Qur’aan).” Habeeb ibn Abi Thaabit used to say, when Sha’baan came, “This is the month of reciters (of the Qur’aan).” When Sha’baan came, ‘Amr ibn Qays al-Malaa’i used to close his store and devote his time to reading the Qur’aan.

Some ignorant people may think that the reason why we do not fast just before Ramadan is so that we can make the most of eating and have our fill of our desires before we have to deny ourselves by fasting. This is an ignorant mistake on the part of those who think this. And Allah knows best.

The Pious Barber

The Pious Barber Abu Ja'far al-Hadad relates, "During a stay in Makkah my hair had grown long but I could not afford to cut it. I went to a barber who seemed to be a good man and asked him to cut my hair for the sake of Allah. The barber glanced at my messy hair and invited me forward. He trimmed away the locks up to the ears. Once he had finished he reached and handed over some dirhams. He said, "Take it. You'll need it". I was reluctant but he insisted. I took it on the condition of returning the whole amount at the first opportunity. I thanked him and left.

Later I met a friend outside the Haramain. He informed me that a friend of mine from Basra had left this bag containing 300 dirhams for me. I took the bag and gave it to the barber. The barber said, "Oh Shaykh, do you not have any shame? You told me to cut your hair for the sake of Allah and now you want me to take the charge. Take the bag and may Allah forgive you.''

Judging Others

"It is wrong for a person to accuse anyone else of something wrong except with full knowledge and tangible proof."

As Muslims, the default assumption we should have about other people in any matter is that they are free of blame. Islam demands fairness and impartiality when it comes to judging others.

Allah says: "And when you speak, then be just, though it be (against) a relative." [Sûrah al-An`âm: 152]

He also says: "O you who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of any people make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do. " [Sûrah al-Mâ'idah: 8]

It is wrong for a person to accuse anyone else of something wrong except with full knowledge and tangible proof. It is forbidden to base a judgment against someone on hearsay, conjecture or suspicion.

Allah says: "O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what you have done." [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 5]

He also warns us: "O you who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a sin." [Sûrah al-Hujurât: 12]

In those cases where one is compelled to mention another person's faults, it is best to mention that person's good points as well. It is wrong to exaggerate the importance of the person's error or stress the fault too much, especially if it is possible that the error was an honest mistake or in a matter where the truth is not 100% clear.

If a person's error is clearly manifest and established by solid evidence, then it is not wrong to warn people against the error and clarify the truth. However, that correction must be carried out appropriately, in a gentle manner that does not drive people away. The mistake itself should be corrected without delving into anything beyond that. For example, the person who made the mistake should not be accused of having bad intentions or an evil motive.

Al-Dhahabî, speaking about the mistakes of the scholars, said the following: [Siyar al-A`lâm al-Nubalâ' (14/374)]:

If we were to discredit every person who made mistake in judgment or declare those people as innovators – people who are essentially of good faith and sincerely seek the truth – then scarcely would any of our scholars be spared.

Speaking about Qatâdah – the illustrious Successor – he said [Siyar al-A`lâm al-Nubalâ' (2/271)]:

He was one who asserted human free will to the extent of denying Divine Decree over human actions. We ask Allah to protect us from such ideas. On the other hand, no one ever doubted his honesty in the least, or his integrity, or the strength of his memory. It is quite possible that Allah forgives the likes of him for falling into certain innovated ideas with no other intention but to glorify Allah and to hold Him far above (the bad deeds that people commit.) Allah is the judge who is just and merciful towards His servants. He is not to be asked about what He does.

We should keep in mind that people of knowledge, intelligence, integrity, and piety – who are meticulous in investigating matters and who are quite often correct in their conclusions – they are to be pardoned when they err in their judgment on occasion.

Their good qualities and good work should not be dismissed. Of course, we do not follow what is shown to be wrong, regardless of who the mistake came from. However, we do not use it to discredit the good that a person has done.

And Allah knows best.

Hope In Allah SWT

Those who have knowledge about Allah SWT agree that when you get to the point of losing all hope, it means that Allah SWT has entrusted to you your own affairs. And when you have trust and hope in Allah SWT, it means that Allah SWT has guided you to goodness.

Allah’s slaves are always swaying from the first state to the second. During the period of a single hour, one can have his share of both. So he obeys Allah and pleases Him, he remembers Him and thanks Him - and he is only able to do these through His help. Shortly afterwards, though, he disobeys Allah, goes against His Commands, earns His anger, and is generally in a state of forgetfulness - all because Allah has left him to himself. Therefore Allah’s slave is always oscillating between His Divine care and between being forsaken.

Whenever one of Allah’s slaves witnesses this phenomenon that of changing from one state to the other - he should appreciate the dubious nature of his situation and his extreme need of being guided by Allah in every breath he breathes and in every moment he lives. His faith and belief are in Allah’s hand. If Allah SWT were to leave him alone for even the blinking of an eye, his faith would plunge to the ground. You should therefore realise that the One who is protecting your faith is the One Who is preventing the sky from falling to the earth.

Story of a great Muslim woman - Umm Sulaym

Anas (RA) reported:

Maalik ibn Anas said to his wife Um Sulaym – who was the mother of Anas – “This man – meaning the Prophet (PBUH) is forbidding alcohol.” So he left Madinah and went to Shaam (Syria), where he died. (i.e., he fled from Madinah when the Prophet (PBUH) came there, because he did not like the ban on alcohol, and he died as a kaafir in Syria). Then Abu Talhah came and proposed marriage to Um Sulaym, and spoke to her about it. She said, “O Abu Talhah, a man like you would not be turned down, but you are a non-believer, and I am a Muslim woman. It is not right for me to marry you.” He said, “This is the chance of a lifetime!” She said, “What chance?” He said, “The yellow and white (i.e., he was tempting her with a mahr or dowry of gold and silver).” She said, “I do not want any yellow or white. I want you to become Muslim. If you become Muslim, that will be my mahr, and I will not ask you for anything else.” He asked, “Who could help me with that (i.e., to become Muslim)?” She said, “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) will help you.” So Abu Talhah went to look for the Prophet (PBUH), who was sitting with his Companions. When he (PBUH) saw him, he said, “Abu Talhah is coming to you with the light of Islam shining on his forehead.” (This was one of the miracles of the Prophet (PBUH): he knew that Abu Talhah would become a Muslim even before he spoke). Abu Talhah told the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about what Um Sulaym had said, and he married her on that basis. Thaabit (i.e., Thaabit al-Banaani, one of the people who narrated the story from Anas) said: “We have never heard of any mahr greater than this, she accepted his Islam as her dowry.”

So he married her, and she was a woman with nice eyes, rather small. She was with him until she bore him a son, who Abu Talhah loved very much. The child became very ill, and Abu Talhah was very upset and distressed by the child’s sickness. Abu Talhah used to get up to pray the morning prayer, he would go to the Prophet (PBUH) and pray with him, and would stay with him for almost half the day. Then [Abu Talhah] would come to take a nap and eat, and when he had prayed Zuhr he would get ready and leave, and would not come back until the time of the ‘Isha’ prayer. One evening, Abu Talhah went out to see the Prophet (PBUH) (according to another report: to go to the mosque), and the child died (during his absence). Um Sulaym said, “No one is to tell Abu Talhah about his child’s death until I have told him.” She covered the child up as if he were sleeping, and left him in a corner of the house. Abu Talhah came back from visiting the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH), and brought some people from the mosque with him. He asked, “How is my son?” She said, “O Abu Talhah, from the time he fell sick, he has never been as calm as he is now, and I hope that he is resting.” (She spoke vaguely so as not to upset him; this was not a lie. She was referring to the calmness of death and the child finding relief from the pain of his sickness, but her husband took it to mean that the child’s condition had improved). She brought the meal and they all ate dinner, then the people left. Then he went to bed and lay down, and she got up and put on perfume and adorned herself, making herself more beautiful than she ever had before. (This was a sign of her patience and great faith in the will and decree of Allah. She was seeking reward from Allah and concealing her feelings, hoping that she would become pregnant that night to make up for the loss of her child). Then she came and lay down in the bed with him, and when he smelt the perfume, he did as men usually do with their wives (this is the narrator’s polite and circumspect manner of referring to what happened between them). At the end of the night, she said, “O Abu Talhah, do you think that if some people lent something to some others, then they asked for it back, do they have the right not to give it back?” He said, “No.” She said, “Allah, may He be glorified, lent your son to you, and now He has taken him back, so seek reward with Him and have patience.” He became angry and said, “You left me until I did what I did (i.e., had intercourse), then you tell me that my son has died!” Then he said, “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return) and he praised Allah. In the morning, he did ghusl (full ablution) then he went to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and prayed with him, and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “May Allah bless you for last night.” She conceived a child (thus the Prophet’s (PBUH) prayer for them was answered).

Um Sulaym used to travel with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), leaving Madinah when he left, and returning when he returned. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “When she gives birth, bring the child to me.” He was on a journey, and Um Sulaym was with him. When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came back from travelling, he would never enter Madinah at night (so as not to disturb the people, and so that wives would have time to get ready to greet their husbands). They reached the outskirts of Madinah, and her labor pains started. Abu Talhah stayed with her, and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went on. Abu Talhah said, “O Allah, you know that I like to set out with your Messenger when he sets out, and come back with him when he comes back. I have been detained as you see.” Um Sulaym said, “O Abu Talhah, I do not feel the pains as much (this was one of her “miracles”; her labour pains ceased because she had asked Allah to enable her to catch up with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). So they set off, and after they had reached Madinah, her labour pains started again, and she gave birth to a boy. She told her son Anas, “O Anas, I will not give him anything to eat until you take him in the morning to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH),” and she sent some dates with him. (Because she wanted the first thing to enter the child’s mouth to be food from the Prophet (PBUH); this was a sign of her great faith, because the woman’s natural instinct is to hasten to feed the baby as soon as he is born). The child cried all night long, and I [Anas, the narrator of this story] stayed up all night taking care of him. In the morning, I took him to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who was wearing his burdah (a kind of cloak) and marking the camels and sheep that had been given to him (the animals had been given in charity and he was marking them so that they would not get lost or mixed with other flocks or herds). When he saw him, he said to Anas, “Has the daughter of Milhaan [i.e., Um Sulaym] given birth?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “I will be with you in a minute.” He put down the tool in his hand (with which he had been marking the animals) and took the child, then he (PBUH) said, “Do you have something for him?” They said, “Yes, dates.” The Prophet (PBUH) took some of the dates and chewed them, mixing them with his saliva (and the saliva of the Prophet (PBUH) was blessed by Allah). Then he opened the child’s mouth and gave him some of the dates, wiping them inside his mouth. The infant began to smack his lips, sucking some of the sweetness of the dates and the saliva of the Prophet (PBUH). Thus the first thing that entered that child’s stomach was mixed with the saliva of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). He said, “See how much the Ansaar (the Muslims who were living in Madenah when the Prophet migrated there) love dates!” I [Anas] said, “O Messenger of Allah, name him.” He wiped his face and named him ‘Abd-Allaah. There was no young man among the Ansaar who was better than him, and when he grew up he had a lot of sons, and was martyred in Persia (he died as a martyr when the Muslims conquered Persia; all of this happened as a result of the Prophet’s blessed du’aa’).

(The story was reported by Imaam al-Bukhaari, Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tayaalisi; this version was reported by al-Tayaalisi and others. Al-‘Allaamah al-Albaani collected all its isnaads in his book Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz, p. 20).

This is one story of one Muslim woman among the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH).There are many other stories which show the effect Islam had on the hearts of Muslim women and how the religion of Allah bore fruits of righteous deeds and good lives. Peace be upon those who follow true guidance.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid