5 easy ways to increase your Imaan (faith)

People fall into sins because of weakness of imaan. It's most important to keep our imaan in check and to increase it. Here are some ways:

1. Praying to your Lord while you are alone, making sincere du'a (supplication) to Him, making dhikr (remembrance) of Allah with your tongue and your heart.

2. Contemplating His Book, for nothing helps the recovery of the heart except the Book of Almighty Allah - the Qur'an. The one who does not find the time to read and understand the book of Allah, his heart becomes hard, so hard that it cannot absorb the shower of guidance that comes from Allah.

3. Regularly performing your obligatory prayers, for Allah guaranteed the one who guards his obligatory prayers that he will neither abandon him, nor humiliate him, and that He will guard him in this world and the next. Once you start performing prayers regulary, you will automatically give up sins, as stated in the Quran verse 29:45.

4. Accompanying and loving the righteous. The Prophet (S) said “A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so be careful whom you befriend.” (Tirmidhi) So mix with the rightous muslims, so that you become one of them; and keep away from sinful people to protect yourself from their bad influence and from their evils.

5. Knowing that Allah watches over us, and knowing that He is with you. "..He (Allah) is with them [by His knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did, on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allah is, of all things, Knowing.” (Qur'an 58:7)

Eating and drinking manners

6.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING MANNERS

Eating manners are very important since it is repeated many times every day. It must be done properly whether eating alone, with family, or with friends. To avoid pretenses, you should train yourself in proper eating manners, whether alone or with your family. It will then become a natural part of your behaviour, and you will be at ease at the table.

6.2 THE MANNERS OF EATING

There are certain table manners that are indispensable. Say 'Bismillah' when starting, to thank Allah and say 'Alhamdulilah' when finished. Eat what is in front of you. Eat using your right hand. A hypocrite was eating with his left hand when the Prophet saw him and advised him to eat with his right. The man falsely said 'But I cannot' The Prophet said 'May it be so' and the hypocrite was not able to lift his right hand again.

The companions of the Prophet followed his example in stressing the use of the right hand while eating. Omar was Khalifa when he saw a man eating with his left hand and similarly advised him to eat with his right. The man answered 'My right is busy' Omar repeated his request and the man repeated his answer. Omar asked him 'What is it busy with?' The man answered that it had been severed in one of the battles. Omar blamed himself for neglecting such handicap and ordered the treasurer to provide the man with a servant to help him.

If eating with your hand, use three fingers with small bites, lifting it gently with ease to your mouth. Close your mouth while eating to avoid unnecessary noises. To eat on the floor is nearer to what the Prophet used to do. However, there is no problem to eat at a table. Imam Ghazali said, 'To eat at a table is to make eating easier and there is nothing against that.' Do not start eating ahead of the elders or the nobles. If you are the elder, do not commence eating before everyone is at the table.

It is preferred that eating should not be conducted in silence. It is good manners to talk during meals. Topics should be nice stories suitable for eating. At the end of the meal, if hands are to be washed, the elder or the noble should be asked to proceed first.

At the end of a meal, thank Allah as in the Hadith reported by Abo Dawood and Nasa'i in 'the deeds of day and night.' Thank Allah who fed us and provided us with drink. It is very appropriate to make a prayer for your hosts as it is reported by Muslim that Al-Migdad ibn Al-Aswad reported that the Prophet said, 'May Allah feed those who have fed us, and provide drinks to those who provided us with it.'

Do not express your disapproval or dislike of certain foods. Either eat it or pass it over quietly. Abu Huraira reported that 'the Prophet never expressed his dislike of a food. If he liked it he will eat it. If he disliked it, he will set aside.'

Do not put in your plate more than can eat. Leftovers could be thrown out, it shouldn't, and wasted. Put smaller portions twice rather than one large portion that you will not eat. The Prophet did not approve of leaving any food in a plate since as he said 'You don't know which portion is blessed'. Food is a blessing of Allah, to misuse it is contrary to Islam. Do not forget the poor and the needy who do not have the portion you are throwing away

6.3 THE MANNERS OF DRINKING

Drinking manners are no less important. To start in the name of Allah is a must. Use your right hand to drink. Abo Dawood and Tirmizi related that Hafsa (RA) said 'the Prophet used his right hand for eating and drinking. He used his left for other things [such as personal hygiene].' Do not pour your drink down your throat in one gulp. Drink it in three sips. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet said 'Do not drink like a camel. Drink twice or thrice. Say the name of Allah before drinking. Thank Allah after finishing.

Do not exhale in your glass. This will irritate others and will smudge the glass or the cup. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet forbade exhaling in a glass or puffing into it.

Do not drink directly from the jug or the container. Beside being unhygienic behaviour, others may want to drink after you who could be irritated. Abo Huraira narrated that the Prophet forbade drinking directly from the mouth of the sheepskin or the flask.

6.4 AVOID GLUTTONY

Modesty is the crown (hallmark) of the common people. Keep this crown on your head if invited to a feast or if you are presented with food or drink. Do not be gluttonous devouring food as if you have not eaten for a long time, or as if you have not seen such excellent food before. Do not sample every dish on the table. People, even generous hosts disapprove of greedy eaters. Be reasonable and moderate in enjoying the generosity of your hosts.

6.5 GOLD AND SILVER CUTLERY

Do not eat using golden or silver plates or cutlery. This goes against the spirit of Islamic modesty. Pomposity is not an Islamic trait. Bukhari narrated that Huzaifa said the Prophet said 'Do not drink in golden or silver cups nor eat in such plates.' If you were a guest, simply ask your host to replace it with another one.

-Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda

Free mixing between men and women (Non-Mahram)

Introduction:

Free mixing between men and women can be of three types:

1. Mixing of women with men who are their Mahram (husband and men whom she may never marry, e.g. father, brother, son etc). There is no doubt that this is permissible in Islam.
2. Mixing of women with non-Mahram men for evil and depraved purposes. There is no doubt that this type is not allowed (haram) in Islam.
3. Mixing of women with non-Mahram men in educational institutes, shops, offices, hospitals, get-togethers, parties etc. At first a questioner (asking fatwa) really might think that this does not lead to one gender tempting the other. To expose the reality of this type, we will reply (to the questioner) both briefly and in detail.

Brief Reply:

The brief answer is that Allah made men to have a natural inclination towards women and gave them power over the females. He made women to be naturally inclined towards men though He made them weak and soft in nature. Hence, when free mixing occurs between women and (non-Mahram) men, its effects result in bad intentions, since the human self is inclined towards evil and (carnal) desires make a person blind and dumb, while Satan commands people to do indecent and evil things.

Detailed Reply:

The detailed answer is that Islamic Law (Shari’ah) is based on objectives and the means to achieve them. The means for an objective have the same rulings as the objective itself. Women are the object of desire for men, and Islam blocks the doors leading to members of one sex becoming attached to the members of the opposite gender. The evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah that we will now mention for you will show this clearly.

a) Proofs from the Qur’an:

There are six proofs for this from the Qur’an:

1. Allah says, “

   And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him (to do an evil act), she closed the doors and said: “Come on, O you.” He said: “I seek refuge in Allah (or Allah forbid)! Truly, he (your husband) is my master! He made my stay agreeable! (So I will never betray him). Verily, the Zalimoon (wrong and evil-doers) will never be successful.” ” (Surah Yusuf 12:23)

   It is a proof (for saying that the third type of free mixing is prohibited) because when there was free-mixing between the wife of the Egyptian minister and Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him), she displayed what was hidden (her love for him) and asked him to have illicit sexual relations with her. However, Allah had Mercy on Yusuf and saved him from her (advances), as He said,

   “So his Lord answered his invocation and turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (Surah Yusuf 12:34).

   Similarly, if free-mixing occurs between men and women, members of both genders pick for themselves the one they please from members of the opposite gender and use all means to get that person.
2. Allah commanded men and women to lower their gaze. He said,

   “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things)…”

   (Surah Al-Noor 24:30-31). This verse is a proof for what we say since Allah ordered believing men and women to lower their gazes, and His ordering something means it is obligatory. Then Allah tells us that it is purer and that only an accidental (unintentional) glance will be forgiven. ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

   “O ‘Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second.”

   (Reported by Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak (2/212 and 3/133), Ahmed (5/351,353 and 357), al-Tirmithi and others. Al-Hakim said it is authentic according to standard of Muslim, and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him in Talkhis). There are many hadiths with the same meaning. Allah did not order people to lower their gaze except for the fact that looking at objects that are forbidden to see is counted as adultery (zina). Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

   “The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk,… and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it.”

   [Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 6612), Muslim (no. 2657), Ahmed (2/276)]. Gazing at forbidden things is adultery since it is enjoying the sight of charms of a woman, results in these images becoming etched in the heart of the person and he tries to commit actual adultery with her. If Islam forbids gazing at her due the resultant evil, then the same evil results from free mixing. Hence, free mixing too is forbidden, since it is the means to the same evil consequences as the forbidden gaze.
3. The evidences that we mentioned earlier that it is not permissible to gaze at women means that it is obligatory upon a woman to cover herself, since exposing results in (forbidden) glances towards it, which in turn leads the heart to become attached to her and then utilizing the means to obtain her (for illicit relations). This is also the case with free mixing.
4. “And let them (Muslim women) not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment.” (Surah Al-Noor 24:31).

   Even though the act of stamping feet itself is permissible, still Since Allah forbade women from stamping their feet so that it does not become a reason for men to hear the sound of anklets worn by women. This would arouse men’s desire for women, and the same evil consequences result from free mixing.
5. Allah says,

   “Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.” (Surah Ghafir 40:19).

   Ibn ‘Abbas and others said,

   “It is (about) a man who visits the house of a family, which includes a beautiful woman too who passes by him. When the members of the family are not watching him, he looks at her, but when they are alert, he lowers his gaze from her. When they are not watching, he gazes at her and when they are observing him, he lowers his gaze. Allah knows that in his heart he wishes to see her naked and if he could, he would commit adultery with her.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

   If Allah described the eye which steals a glance towards what is not permissible for it to look as ‘fraud’, then how about free mixing.

b) Proofs from the Sunnah

As for the evidence from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words and actions, we will mention just ten:

1. Imam Ahmed narrated It was narrated that Umm Humayd the wife of Abu Humayd al-Saa’idi came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said,

   “O Messenger of Allah, I like to pray with you.” He said, “I know that you like to pray with me, but your prayer in your room is better for you than your prayer in your courtyard and your prayer in your courtyard is better for you than your praying in your house, and your prayer in your house is better for you than your prayer in the mosque of your people, and your prayer in the mosque of your people is better for you than your prayer in my mosque.” So she issued orders that a prayer-place be prepared for her in the furthest and darkest part of her house, and she used to pray there until she met Allah (i.e., died).”

   [Narrated by Ahmad(6/371), Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh (no. 1689)and others]. Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

   “The woman’s prayer (salah) most beloved to Allah is the one she offers in the darkest part of her home”

   [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah (no. 1691, 1692) and Al-Tabarani in Al-Mu’jam (2/35)]. There are many other narrations to this effect that it is better for a woman to pray at home than the mosque. Hence, because Islam advises women to pray at home and that it is better than even praying in the Prophet’s Mosque behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself, it free mixing should be forbidden with even more reason!
2. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

   “The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.”

   [Sahih Muslim (no. 440), Abu Dawud (no. 678), Al-Tirmithi (no. 224). Al-Tirmithi declared it authentic]. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told the women that if they came to the mosque, they should firstly remain separate from the worshiping men. Then he described their foremost rows to be worst and the last rows as the better ones. This was only to keep the women praying behind away from mingling with, seeing and having their hearts attached to the men in front of them on hearing voices or watching movements of the men. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described the last rows of men as the worst if there were women in the mosque. The reason behind this is that men in the last rows missed being near the Imam (prayer leader) and instead found positions near the women who are a cause of distraction and may even spoil the prayers by making these men lose concentration and sincerity in worship. Hence, if the Prophet (peace be upon him) expected this to happen in a place of worship, then how about free mixing? Free mixing in which men and women are much closer!
3. Zainab, the wife of ‘Abdullah, reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to us:

   “When any one of you comes to the mosque, she should not apply perfume.”

   [narrated by Muslim (no. 443), Ahmed (6/363)]. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said

   “Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from visiting the mosques of Allah, but they may go out (to the mosque) having no perfumed themselves.”

   [Ahmed (2/475) and Abu Dawud (no 565)]. Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed said

   “This indicates that it is forbidden for a woman who wants to go to the mosque to wear perfume, because this causes provocation of men’s desires, and it may even be a cause of provoking women’s desire (and sensuality)… The scholars also included other things under this heading of things to be avoided by women who want to go to the mosque, such as beautiful clothes, jewelery that can be seen and excessive adornments”. Ibn Hajar added, “and similarly, mingling with men.”

   See Fath al-Baari, 2/279.
4. Usama bin Zaid reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:

   I have not left after me any (chance) of turmoil more injurious to men than the harm done to the men because of women.

   [narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 5069) and Muslim (2740)]. Since the Prophet (peace be upon him) described women as being a fitnah (temptation, trial) for men, how can the temptation and the temptable be placed together? This is not allowed!
5. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

   " The world is sweet and green (alluring) and verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act. So avoid the (allurement of) women: verily, the first trial for the children of Israel was caused by women.”

   [Sahih Muslim (no. 2742)]. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made it obligatory upon Muslim men to avoid (non-Mahram) women. But how can we act on this hadith in the presence of free mixing? This is impossible, hence free mixing of the sexes is forbidden.
6. Abu Usayd Al-Ansari said he heard the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) say

   when he was coming out of the mosque, and men and women were mingled in the road: ‘Draw back, for you must not walk in the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road.’ Then women were keeping so close to the wall that their garments were rubbing against it.

   [Abu Dawud (no. 5272)]. The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade them from walking in the middle of the road since it leads to temptation, then how can one permit mingling in other places?
7. It is narrated from ‘Umar that when the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) built the mosque, he made a door for women and said,

   “Men should not enter from this door.”

   [Abu Dawud Al-Tialisi in his Sunan (no. 1829) and Al-Bukhari in his Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir (1/60)].Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade men and women to mingle with each other when entering and exiting the doors of the mosque by forbidding them to use the same doors. This prohibition was enforced to block the means to free mixing. If free-mixing between the sexes is forbidden in such a condition, it should be forbidden at other places too with all the more reason!
8. Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) said,

   “Whenever Allah’s Prophet (peace be upon him) finished his prayers with Taslim (saying salam at the end of prayers), the women would get up and he would stay on for a while in his place before getting up.”

   In another narration, the words are:

   “When the Prophet finished the prayer with Taslim, the women would depart and enter their houses before Allah’s Apostle departed.”

   In the third narration in Bukhari from her,

   “In the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle the women used to get up when they finished their compulsory prayers with Taslim. The Prophet and the men would stay on at their places as long as Allah will. When the Prophet got up, the men would then get up.”

   [Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 849)]. Here, we see that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prevented mixing between men and women by his action. This action cautions us against free-mixing between the genders in places other than the mosque as well.
9. Mi’qal Bin Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

   “If the head of one of you is pierced with an iron needle, it is better for him than to touch a woman who is not legal for him (to touch).”

   [Narrated by Al-Tabarani in Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir (20/213), Ibn Abi Shaybah in Al-Musannaf (4/341) and the narrators were declared trustworthy by Al-Haytami and Al-Mundhiri].
10. Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said,

    “It is better for man to press (against himself) a pig smeared with clay and mud, than to press his shoulder against the shoulder of a woman not legal for him (to touch).” [Al-Tabarani 4/326, though Al-Mundhiri said that a narrator in the chain is extremely weak].

    Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade men from touching women (and vice versa), whether with or without a barrier (like a cloth etc) if he is not her Mahram due to its evil consequences. So, free mixing between the sexes too is forbidden for the same reason.

Conclusion:

A person who ponders on the evidence presented by us will clearly see that the opinion that free mixing among men and women does not lead to fitnah (trials, temptation) is a figment of imagination of a few people. However, in reality, it does lead to fitnah and that is why Islam forbade from it; in order to nip the evil in the bud. The special circumstances which are due to necessity or extreme need in places of worship, e.g. the mixing of men and women in the Grand Mosque at Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina are exceptions to the rule. We ask Allah to guide the misguided among the Muslims and to increase the guidance of those Muslims who are guided. We ask Allah to make the Muslims rules to do good, leave evil and physically stop the foolish people. Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, Near (by His Knowledge) and Responsive!

Music, Singing, Dance, Alcohol... brings Earthquakes

 Prophet [saw] is reported to have said: "My followers will also face incidents of sinking in the ground, disfigurement and the raining of heavy stones from the skies. One other companions asked when these incidents would manifest. To this Rasullullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam replied "When the evils of singing, dancing, music and drinking liquor will be common.
 [Tirmidhi Shareef]

Children misbehaving with their parents is a SIGN OF THE END TIMES!

When the Prophet (s.a.w.) was asked about the signs of the coming of Judgment, he said “The slave-girl will give birth to her mistress..."
(Sahih Muslim)

The scholars have stated that this means there will be widespread disobedience among children, so that a child will treat his mother as a master treats his slave woman, with negligence and insults.

May Allah protect us from misbehaving with our parents & may He bless us with righteous children. Aameen.

Sowing the Seeds (Great Lecture by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf)

Everything but God has a beginning and an end. Your pain had a beginning. And it will have an end.