Pertinent and much needed advice by the Great Imaam Sheikh Saalih Al Fawzaan to the Ummah

Pertinent and much needed advice by the Great Imaam Sheikh Saalih Al Fawzaan to the Ummah 

 FULL TRANSLATION - 

In the name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent

All praise is due to Allāh the Lord of all that exists, and the prayers & salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions...

A reminder upon what is occurring to the muslims these days, in fact to the whole world, in relation to this epidemic and disease, or this concealed virus known as Corona, that which by way of it many of the people have died, and it threatens the remainder of the people.

The obligation upon the Muslims, upon the Muslims specifically and upon the World generally, to seek recourse in Allāh the Sublime & Most High, in removal of this danger, and raising of it, for indeed Allāh the Mighty & Majestic He is the one who sent it upon us and He is the One capable of removing it, and protecting the Muslims from it. 

And Allāh the Mighty & Majestic said, “And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone).” (Al-Isrā:67)

(And Allāh said), “Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and the sea (dangers like storms), (when) you call upon Him in humility and in secret (saying): If He (Allah) only saves us from this (danger), we shall truly be grateful. Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Allah rescues you from this and from all (other) distresses, and yet you worship others besides Allah."(Al-An’ām:63/64).

So there is no recourse or resort from the danger and other than it except in seeking recourse from Allāh the Mighty & Majestic, and (a recognition) of being in need before Him, and plentiful supplication that Allāh raises this and spares the Muslims it’s evil, in fact that He spares the World of its danger, for indeed Allāh, He is the One who sent it upon us and He is One capable of removing it, and that is easy upon Allāh. 

However, it is upon us to remember our weakness, and to remember our need to Allāh, the Sublime & Most High, and that we do much supplication, and charity, and good deeds, hopefully Allāh the Mighty & Majestic will remove what He has sent (upon us), for indeed He is able to do everything, so the obligation upon the Muslims specifically - and the World generally - to seek recourse in Allāh, in uncovering (removing) this harm, and protection from its consequences, for indeed He is the One capable upon that, and that is via making plentiful supplication, and doing plentiful goodness to the poor and needy, through charity and righteous actions, for indeed Allāh the Mighty & Majestic is near, and the One who answers, Allāh said, “And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (al-Baqarah:186). 

O’Allāh, our Lord, our Protector, we are your servants, in need to You, prisoners before You (servants under Your control), we ask that You remove this epidemic and this danger, from the Muslims specifically and the World generally, and that you exchange it for ease, and with goodness, general & specific, for indeed no-one forgives the sins except You, and no-one is capable of removing the affliction except You, You are our Lord, and our Protector, You are sufficient for us and the best of Protectors

O’ Allāh remove what You have sent, O’ Allāh remove what You have sent, O’ Allāh remove what You have sent from this epidemic, and replace in its place relief, and ease, and goodness and good health, for the Muslims specifically and for the World generally, for indeed You are able to do all things.

(And Allāh said), “Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and the sea (dangers like storms), (when) you call upon Him in humility and in secret (saying): If He (Allah) only saves us from this (danger), we shall truly be grateful. Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Allah rescues you from this and from all (other) distresses, and yet you worship others besides Allah." Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another..." (Al-An’ām:63-65).

So Allāh the Mighty & Majestic is the One able to do everything, and He tests His servants, and was it not for His mercy, pardoning and goodness, then not an animal would have remained upon the face of the Earth, but He, the Sublime & Most High, is full of Kindness, Most Merciful, and He is capable of everything, and He is near and the One who answers, and He is the praiseworthy Guardian, You are our Protector, how excellent a Protector, and how good a Helper, O’Allāh remove what you have sent, O’Allāh remove what you have sent, O’Allāh remove what you have sent from us, from the Muslims specifically and the World generally, O’Allāh spare us the evil of the evildoers, and the plots of the wrongdoers, and the evil of what occurs in the night and day, for indeed You are capable of everything, there is no recourse or resort away from you except to You, Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that] we have been of the wrong-doers, O’ Allāh remove from us all affliction, Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that] we have been of the wrong-doers, O’ Allāh remove from us all affliction, Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that] we have been of the wrong-doers, O’ Allāh remove from us every affliction, and epidemic, and every evil and trial, indeed You are able to do all things, You are our Protector, what an excellent Protector and Helper, Allāh is sufficient for us and the best of protectors...

وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

Translation: Abū Mu’ādh Taqweem 

Thursday 9th April 2020

Difference between Kufr and Shirk – Imam Ibn Baz

Difference between Kufr and Shirk – Imam Ibn Baz by AbdurRahman.org

Difference between Kufr and Shirk

Q: A Muslim sister N. S. `A from Riyadh says: What is the difference between Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship)? Please, advise. May Allah reward you!

Answer by Imam Ibn Baz (rahimahullaah):

Kufr is the denial and concealment of the Truth such as those who deny the obligation of Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj in case of being financially and physically able, and dutifulness to one's parents, and so on. It is also like those who deny the prohibition of Zina (premarital sexual intercourse and/or adultery), consuming Khamr (intoxicants), and disobeying one’s parents.

Shirk is to devote the acts of worship to anything beside Allah (Exalted be He) such as those who seek the help of the dead, the absent, the Jinn, idols, the stars, and so on or those who offer sacrifices or make vows to them.

A Kafir (disbeliever) may be called a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and vice versa. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says,

"And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al­Kâfirûn (the disbelievers in Allâh and in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheists, pagans, idolaters) will not be successful."

Allah (may He be Praised) also says, "Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allâh, then Allâh has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode."

In Surah Fatir, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, "Such is Allâh, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the date­stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad ملسو هيلع اللها ىلص) like Him Who is the All­Knower (of everything)." Here, Allah (Exalted be He) names their call upon things other than Him as Shirk and in Surah Al­Mu'minun, Allah (Exalted be He) names it Kufr.

In Surah Al­Tawbah, Allah (Glorified be He) says, "They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allâh’s Light (with which Muhammad ملسو هيلع اللها ىلص has been sent ­ Islâmic Monotheism) with their mouths, but Allâh will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kâfirûn (disbelievers) hate (it). It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad ملسو هيلع اللها ىلص) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islâm), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) hate (it)." Here, Allah (Exalted be He) calls the disbelievers as Kuffar and Mushriks. This indicates that a Kafir may be called a Mushrik and vise versa. There are many Ayahs and Hadith that stress the same meaning.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Verily, between a man and Shirk and Kufr is the negligence of prayer." (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) book of Hadith on the authority of Jabir Ibn `Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with them).He (peace be upon him) also said, "The covenant that distinguishes between us and them (the hypocrites) is Salah. Anyone who abandons it is a Kafir." (Related by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al­Tirmidhy, Al­Nasa'y, and Ibn Majah with a Sahih chain of transmission on the authority of Buraydah ibn Al­Hasib, may Allah be pleased with him).May Allah grant us success!

( Part No : 9, Page No: 175-176)

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Source: English Translations of Collection of “Majmoo al Fatawa of Ibn Baz”, Volume 09. By: Sheikh `Abdul `Aziz Bin `Abdullah ibn `AbdulRahman ibn Bazz (May Allah forgive and reward al-Firdouse to him and his parents). He was The Mufti of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, and Chairman of Department of Scholarly Research and Ifta’.

This English Translation is collected from alifta.net, Portal of the general Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta’

Sun being brought near in the day of judgement

New post on AbdurRahman.Org

The Sun will be brought near on the Day of Qiyaamah – Shaykh Uthaymeen by AbdurRahman.org Day of Resurrection  The Third Event The Sun is Brought Near The sun will be brought near to mankind, as close as a “mile,” the Arabic word used for mile here being مِيْل (mīl). Whether it is the mile we know to be the common unit of distance or the eye-pencil to apply kohl (as the word could imply in Arabic), whatever the case the sun will be very close to people.[29] If the sun’s heat is as we know it here in this life while there is such a great distance between it and us, then how will it be when it is a “mile” above our heads? Here is a question: It is well-known that if the sun were to move even a hair from its position, it would burn the earth, incinerating it completely. So how is it possible on that day for the sun to be that close and not burn creation? The answer is that although people will be resurrected on that day with their previous bodies, they may not be recreated in the same exact state and with the same capability as they have now. Rather, they will be stronger and greater in what they can withstand. For example, if people were to remain for fifty days in direct sunshine with no shade, no food, and no water, they would be unable to do so; they would die. But on the Day of Resurrection, they will remain in such a state for fifty thousand years [30] without food,water, or shade except those to whom Allah ( عزّ وجلّ ) shades. In addition, they will witness other terrifying events but they will be made to withstand them. As an example of this greater capability to bear situations without dying, look at how the people of the fire will withstand such seemingly unbearable circumstances: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ Indeed, those who disbelieve in our verses, we will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, we will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. [Surah An-Nisa 4:56] Will anyone be saved from the heat of the sun on the Day of Resurrection? Yes, there are types of people whom Allah will shade from the sun. The prophet ( صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم ) said: There are seven (types of people) whom Allah will shade in his shade on a day when there will be no shade except his shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; people who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for his sake and parting for his sake; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position (for adultery), but he says: “(No) I fear Allah;” a man who gives in charity and hides it so much so that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allah in private so much that his eyes shed tears. [Recorded by al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhī] There are also other types of individuals Allah will shade on that day. And by, “when there will be no shade except his shade,” it means no shade except the shade Allah creates. And it is not as some people think that it is the shade of Allah himself because that would necessitate that the sun would be above Allah ( عزّ وجلّ) In this life, we can take shelter in shade ourselves, but on the Day of Resurrection, there will be no shade except the shade Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) makes so that whoever he wills can take shelter in his shade when the sun is brought near. Due to the closeness of the sun, people will sweat so much that it will rise. The Fourth Event The Sweat Rises Because of the sun’s heat, people will sweat profusely in proportion to their deeds. For some, the sweat will rise to their ankles, some to their knees, some to their waists, and for some, the sweat will rise up to their mouths. So individuals will be at different levels regarding their sweat. They will sweat from the intense heat and the extremely uncomfortable situation: crowdedness, extreme hardships, and at close distance to the sun. Still, although people will sweat from the circumstances of that day, their sweat will only be according to their deeds in this life. [33] Here is a question: How will they be of varying degrees in sweat if people are all together in one place? To answer, we must return to a basic principle of belief. It is that when dealing with affairs of the unseen, events that authentic texts confirm will take place in the future, it is incumbent upon us to believe in them, trusting them to be true without persisting in asking, “How? Why?” These are things beyond the extent of our own intellects; it is not yet possible for us to perceive or fully understand it. Imagine two people buried in a single grave, one a believer and the other a disbeliever. The believer will still experience the enjoyment that he deserves, and the disbeliever will experience the punishment he deserves even though they are in the same grave. Likewise, we believe the sweat will rise on the Day of Judgment as foretold. Now are we saying that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will gather together someone whose sweat will reach his mouth in a particular place, someone with sweat to his ankles in a different place, and others with sweat rising to their knees or waist in other places? No, not necessarily but Allah knows best. What we are saying is that it is possible for the individual with sweat reaching only to his ankles to be next to someone with his sweat up to his mouth because Allah is capable of doing anything. This is comparable to the fact that light will encompass believers all around them, yet at the same time, disbelievers in Allah will be surrounded by darkness. So regarding the Day of Resurrection, we must believe in it and all that is to occur on that day. As for the “How?” and “Why?” of the exact nature, that is not our right to know. As people suffer on the Day of Resurrection, standing in their own sweat, they will anxiously wait for judgment to begin. And this will only occur by “The Greatest Intercession.” Footnotes: [29] The prophet ( صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ) said in the ḥadīth recorded by Muslim confirming this: » تُدْنَى الشَّمْسُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ الْخَلْقِ حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ كَمِقْدَارِ مِيلٍ « On the Day of Resurrection, the sun will be brought close to creation so much that it will be a “mile” from them. One of the narrators of the ḥadīth, Sulaym Ibn ‘Āmir, said, “By Allah, I do not know if he meant by mīl the distance of land or the mīl that is used to apply kohl to the eye.” [30] The scholar is perhaps alluding to the verse in Sūrah al-Ma’ārij (70:4) in which Allah says, تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ The angels and the spirit will ascend to him during a day the extent of which is fifty thousand years. Also, the prophet ( صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said in a ḥadīth recorded by Muslim: مَا مِنْ صَاحِبِ كَنْزٍ لا يُؤَدِّي زَكَاتَهُ إِلاَّ أُحْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَيُجْعَلُ صَفَائِحَ فَيُكْوَى بِهَا جَنْبَاهُ وَجَبِينُهُ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِهِ فِي  يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ ثُمَّ يَرَى سَبِيلَهُ إِمَّا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَإِمَّا إِلَى النَّارِ There is no owner of treasure who does not pay its zakāh (obligated charity), but it will be heated in the fire of Hell and made into plates with which his sides and forehead will be branded until Allah passes judgment between his slaves on a day the length of which will be like fifty thousand years. Then he will be shown his path, whether it leads to Paradise or to Hell. [33] This is established by the ḥadīth recorded by Muslim in which the prophet ( صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم ) said: فَيَكُونُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فِي الْعَرَقِ ، فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى كَعْبَيْهِ ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَكُونُ إِلَى حَقْوَيْهِ ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُلْجِمُهُ الْعَرَقُ إِلْجَامًا The people will be in sweat in accordance with their deeds. For some, it will rise to their ankles, some to their knees, some to their waists, and for some of them, the sweat will reach their mouths. Posted