Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: Etiquette of Eating

Narrated by Umar ibn Abi Salma (May Allah be please with him): I was a boy under the care of Allah’s Messenger and my hand use to go around the dish (as I was eating) so Allah’s Messenger said to me, ‘Oh boy, Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you.’ Since then I have applied those instructions when eating.

 Explanation of the Hadith:

Umar ibn Abi Salma was the stepson of the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam), the son of his wife Umm Salma. He was eating with the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and moving his hand around the dish (to the right and the left of the dish). The Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) then said to him: ‘Oh boy, Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you.’

First Etiquette: The Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Mention the Name of Allah” From this statement we see that when beginning to eat, the name of Allah should be mention by saying Bismillah and if one adds Ar rahman Ar raheem completing it (bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem) there’s no harm in doing do.

Second Etiquette: “And eat with your right hand” This is a command from the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) which makes it compulsory for a person to eat and drink with one’s right hand. This is also due to the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) forbidding any person from eating with the left hand, by saying “Do not eat with the left hand for verily the shaytaan eats with the left hand” (Sahih Muslim).  A common practice amongst people nowadays is that whilst they eating and wanting to drink from their cup of beverages, rather to pick it up with their right hand, they will pick the cup with their left hand and drink from it, fearing not to stain the cup with food from their hands. We should steer away from this practice and follow the practice of our beloved Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) who forbad eating and drinking with the left hand and instructed us to eat and drink with our right hand.

Important to note: That if there is a need to eat or drink with the left hand, for example your right hand is bandage or broken etc, and then there is no harm using your left hand.

Third Etiquette: “And eat of what is nearer to you” meaning, that if you sharing a dish with others, eat from the edge of the dish that is nearer to you and do not eat from the edges of others that are eating with you. Because eating from the edge of the dish of others is disrespectful and bad etiquette. Except if the food is of different types, like meat, rice and potato there is no harm in picking and eating it, even though it’s near to the edge of someone other than you. Narrated by Anas bin Malik: “A tailor invited the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to a meal which he had prepared, and I went along with the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam). The tailor presented barley bread and soup containing gourd (kind of pumpkin) and cured meat. I saw the Prophet picking the pieces of gourd from around the dish.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

Benefits derived from this Hadith:

1 – Teaching method of the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to the young boy. Pointing out his mistake in the most kindness of ways, mentioning those things that he has done (Mentioning Allah’s name and eating with his right hand), then only after mentioning that, pointed out his mistake at the end of not eating that what is near to him

2 – It’s a duty upon every Muslim to mention Allah’s name, eat with the right hand and eat from what is in front of him except if the food is of different types.

3 – It is a duty on every guardian or parent to educate those under his or her care on the etiquette of eating and drinking and what should be said when starting of a meal as the prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) did with his step son Umar ibn Abi Salma.

Etiquette of eating – Taken from authentic character and etiquettes from the compilations of Sheikh Nasir Albaani (May Allah’s Mercy be upon him) Translated by Khalid Abduroaf

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: Using Our Fingers for Dhikr

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, "Hold fast to Tasbeeh (Subhan Allah), Tahleel ('La ilaaha illa Allah'), and Taqdees1, and close the fingertips, for indeed they shall be questioned, and they will be made to speak. [2] And do not become heedless so that you forget about the Mercy (of Allah)." [At-Tirmithi - Al-Albaani graded it hasan (good) in his book Saheeh Al-Jaami‘]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  (rahimahullah) was asked, "Should one count the number of Tasbeeh with the fingertips or the fingers?" He answered, "Tasbeeh with the fingertips or fingers is a flexible matter. If he wishes, he counts with the fingertips, and if he wishes, he counts with the fingers."

Hence, there is no specific method to count the number of Tasbeeh and Dhikr. The matter is simple and open for personal preferences; it is allowable to count the Tasbeeh with the fingertips or the joints of the fingers, or one may count on the palms with each finger. There is no harm in using any of these methods.

Some scholars say that it is permissible to use masbahah (prayer beads), however, it is preferable to do tasbeeh (count praises) on one’s fingers; others say using masbahah is makrooh (disliked) while some others say it’s a bid’ah (reprehensible innovation) especially, when a Muslim believes that using masbahah has any special virtue or superiority. 

Nevertheless, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Count on your fingers, for they will be asked, and will be made to speak.” Also, it is better to do tasbeeh preferably using the right hand because the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to count his tasbeeh on his right hand. [3] Further, the scholars say that using masbahah may also be contaminated with some element of showing off, because some people carrying masbahah move the beads through their fingers as if they are involved in dhikr of Allah, whilst their heart and tongue are distracted by worldly matters, talking or listening to others; they are absent-minded and not focused.

Let’s revive the sunnah of making dhikr on our fingers. This will increase our rewards since we’ll get the reward of remembering Allah and the reward of following the sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

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1 Taqdees means saying 'Subhaan Al-Malik Al-Quddoos' (Glory be to The Sovereign, The Most Holy) or 'Subboohun Quddoosun, Rabbu-l-Malaa'ikati war-Rooh' (The Most Glorious, The Most Holy; The Lord of the angels and of Jibreel).

2 That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn. [36:35]

3 ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr (radi Allahu anhu) said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) counting the tasbeeh on his right hand.’” [Abu Dawud and Nasa’i]

New Quran Recitation Class

In the name of Allah

New Quran recitation class with a new teacher is now opened for registration 

New Teacher: sister Gehan
Class time: every Monday at 10:00pm KSA
( Starting Oct 15 2018 ) 
Any one wish to attend this recitation class 
please inform the coordinators via skype or by e-mail.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: Calling the Adhan when Praying Alone

'Uqbah ibn Amir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) say:

"Your Rabb is amazed with a shepherd high in the mountains who calls the Adhan for the salah and prays. Allah Says: 'Look at my slave, he calls the Adhan and Iqamah for salah and fears me. I have forgiven my slave and admitted him to paradise.'"

[Sunan Abu Da'wud, 1205' An-Nasa’i, 666 and ibn Hibban, 260 - Graded as saheeh by Al-Albani]

1. Al-Albani (rahimahullah) said: "Among the issues of Fiqh taken from this hadeeth is that it is Sunnah to call the Adhan for the person praying alone. This is the way An-Nisa’i titled it in his Sunnan. Additionally there are other narrations which mention the Iqamah as well, like the hadeeth about the man who prayed incorrectly. Therefore, it not suitable to ignore calling the Adhan and Iqamah when praying alone." (Silsilah as-Saheehah, 41)

2. Muhammad Adam Al-Ethiopi (hafidhahullaah) said: "'Amazed' is an Attribute of Allah that the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) affirmed for Allah in the hadeeth. This attribute is affirmed to Allah in a manner that befits His Majesty. This is similar to all the other attributes that are attributed to Allah in His book (i.e Pleased, Loves, Laughs, Descends, Above His throne and others). Each and every single one of these attributes are confirmed to Allah in a manner which befits His Majesty. We must not affirm these attributes of Allah in resemblance of the creation; Reason being, if that was the case, we would say His Amazement is like ours, Allah being Pleased with someone is the same way when we are pleased and so forth. So when we affirm Allah’s Attributes the way He has affirmed them for Himself, we do not understand these attributes for Him similar to His creation. He says, "There isn’t anything like him. He is the All Hearing and All Seeing." [Ash-Shura: 11]

(He continues...)

- When a person calls the Adhan alone every Jinn, human and everything else that hears it will bear witness for him on the Day of Resurrection. [An-Nisa’i, 645]

- When a person calls the Adhan and Iqamah and prays alone, the Angels join him in prayer. [Al-Bayhaqi in Sunan al-Kubra, 1/406]

- Allah says: "Look at my slave…" - This is said to the Angels to get them to be amazed as well.

- It is legislated to call the Adhan for the person who’s praying alone even if no one hears it. Furthermore this hadeeth refutes those people who say the adhan is only called for the congregation.

- The Adhan is a reason to have past sins forgiven and enter Jannah.

- This hadeeth affirms Allah’s Attribute "Amazed".

- The superiority of performing worship alone away from the people.

- "A shepherd high in the mountains…" refers to a person who stays away from the affairs of the people. Also it carries the meaning during the times of Fitnah. He flees away from the people during the Fitnah with his religion.

[Taken from 'Sharh Sunan An-Nisa’i' of Shaykh Muhammad Adam Al-Ethiopi - vol 8, 111-112]

New Kids Arabic Class

In the name of Allah

New (  kids Arabic ) class is now opened for all kids age 7-12 to join
Book name : Nur al bayan  

Our old Arabic teacher : sis Asma Yousef 
Class time: every Satruday at 5pm KSA
( Starting Oct 13, 2018 ) 
Any one wish to join please inform the coordinators via skype or by e-mail.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan

Please download the book

Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: By Twenty-Five Degrees

Suhayb bin Sinan (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

"The voluntary salah of a man (performed) where people are unable to see him, outweighs the salah (performed) where people are able to see him by twenty-five degrees."

[Musnad Abi Ya'la, 3821 and cited by Ibn Hajar in 'Mutaalib al-Aaliyah', 4/534; see also 'Ikmal al-Ikmal', 3/337 - graded as saheeh in 'Saheeh al-Jaami', 3821]

It is also recorded (in marfoo' form) that the Prophet (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said:

"The superiority of (voluntary) salah of a man (performed) in the house (in contrast) to the salah where people are able to see him, is like the superiority of the obligatory salah over the voluntary." [Tabarani, 'Mu'jam al-Kabeer', 8/46; Ibn Abi Shaybah and others - graded as hasan in 'Saheeh al-Jaami', 4217]

This is from the sunan that is considered forgotten. We know that obligatory salah performed in jama'ah (in the masjid) is superior to the salah performed alone by twenty seven degrees - and here we also have an opportunity to increase reward twenty five-fold by performing voluntary salah away from the prying eyes of people.

Commenting on the first narration, Muhammad as-San'ani (rahimahullah) said in his 'Tanweer Sahr al-Jami' as-Sagheer', vol 7:

- "The voluntary salah of a man" was mentioned here because most men pray in congregation. However, the same ruling applies to women who pray sunnan prayers in their homes.

- "where people are unable to see him…", what is evident from the wording is (that it implies) a masjid that is empty, and a person's home - both are included. [note: by inference, it could include any place where salah is permissible, while being hidden away from the eyes of people]

- "outweighs the salah (performed) where people are able to see him by twenty-five degrees" refers to the degree of the salah or (is equated to) twenty-five salat. The reason for (being given) this status is because voluntary salat were legislated to draw nearer to Allaah, hence, if an act of worship is done in secret, then it became farther from showing off and seeking fame, than acts done publicly. On the other hand, obligatory acts of ibadah were legislated to be carried out in public. Subsequently, these acts and rites help establish the Deen when everyone sees them performed.

Imam Abu Yahya Zakariyah Al-Ansari (rahimahullah) said: "Only the nawafil acts of ibadah were legislated to be practised in the homes. Reason being, this is the farthest away from riya' (showing off). In addition to this, the Angels descend with mercy. The Sunnah acts that are not included are the; Sunnah Al-Jumu'ah, Tawaf, Ihram and Taraweeh in congregation..." [Minhat al-Bari bi Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhari, vol. 3]

And Allaah is the source of guidance.

New Quran Recitation Class for Beginners

In the name of Allah

New Quran recitation class for beginner is now opened for registration 

New and old Teacher: sister Hadeer
Class time: every Thursday  at 11pm KSA
( Starting Oct 11, 2018 ) 
Warm welcome to an old teacher of ours , she had achieved ijazah
 and returned to teach in our classes.
Any one wish to attend this recitation class 
please inform the coordinators via skype or by e-mail.

Jazakumu Allahu khairan