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Muharram, the first month of the Islamic
calendar, is one of the four sacred months
mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an:
Lo! The number of the months with
Allah is twelve months by Allah’s
Ordinance in the day that He created
the heavens and the earth. Four of
them are sacred: that is the right
religion. So wrong not yourselves in
them...(9:36)
The specification of these four sacred months
is stated in a had!th narrated by Sayyiduna
Abu Bakrah that Rasulullah said, “Verily
time has completed its cycle and returned to its
original stage as it was on the day Allah created
the heavens and the earth. The year consists of
twelve months, four of which are sacred. Three
ofthem occur consecutively; Dhul Qa‘dah, Dhul
Hijjah and Muharram, (the fourth being) Rajab
of Mudar (named after the tribe of Mudar as
they used to respect this month) which occurs
between Jumadal Akhirah and Sha*ban.” (Al-
'ukhari)
Fromout ofthe foursacredmonths, Muharram
has been blessed with certain specific virtues.
The noble Prophet said, “The best of fasts
besides the month of Ramadan is the fasting
of Allah’s Month of Muharram and the best of
salah besides the fard (compulsory) salah is the
tahajjud salah.” (Muslim)
In another hadith, Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas
“He who fasts on the day of ‘Arafat (9th Dhul
Hijjah), his fast will be a compensation for the
sins of two years, and one who keeps a fast in
the month of Muharram will receive the reward
of thirty fasts for each fast.” (At-Tabraru, At-
Targhib wat-Tarhib)
THE DAY OF ‘ASHURA
(10th Muharram)
The tenth day of the month of Muharram is
knownas‘Ashura. It is one ofthe most important
and blessed days in the Islamic calendar. Some
‘ulama (scholars) are of the opinion that before
the fasts of Ramadan, the fast of the day of
‘Ashura was compulsory upon the Ummah.
This is stated in a hadith reported by Sayyidah
‘A’ishah that the noble Prophet ordered
the observance of the fast of‘Ashura. However,
when the fast of Ramadan became compulsory,
then whosoever wished, kept this fast and
whosoever desired did not observe this fast.
(Al-Bukharl)
But the Prophet nevertheless, continued
to fast this day and encouraged his companions
to do the same. Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas says,
“I did not see Rasulullah anxiously await the
fast ofanyday, which he gave preference to over
other days, but this day, the day of ‘Ashura.”
(Al-Bukhari)
Sayyiduna Humayd Ibn ‘Abd-ur-Rahman 4®
narrates that he heard Sayyiduna Mu‘awiyah
ibn Abi Sufyan on the day of ‘Ashura,
during the year he performed Hajj, saying on
the pulpit, “O the people ofMadinah! Where are
your ‘ulama? I heard Rasulullah 3S saying, ‘This
is the day of‘Ashura. Allah has not enjoined its
fasting on you, but I am fasting it. Whosoever
wishes, keep (this) fast and whosoever desires
do not observe (this fast).’” (Al-Bukharl)
In another hadith, Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas
£ narrates that the noble Prophet came to
Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day
of‘Ashura. Hence the noble Prophet inquired
of them, “What is (the significance of) this day
on which you fast?” They replied, “This is a
great day. On this day Allah saved Musa ® and
his people and drowned Fir‘awn and his nation.
Thus Musa $ fasted on this day as a token
of thanksgiving, therefore we too fast on this
day.” The Messenger of Allah said, “We are
more worthy of Musa and nearer to him than
you.” Thereafter, the noble Prophet fasted on
this day and ordered (his companions &) that a
fast be kept on this day. (Muslim)
RECOMMENDED DEEDS ON
THE DAY OF ‘ASHURA
1) The noble Prophet has exhorted and
encouraged his Ummah to fast on this day.
Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah ❖ narrates that the
noble Prophet was asked regarding the fast
of the day of ‘Ashura. The noble Prophet
replied, “It is a compensation for the (minor)
sins of the past year.” (Muslim)
NOTE: Itmustbebome inmindthat wherever
a promise of forgiveness of sins is made upon
the fulfilment of some action, it is only the
minor sins that are forgiven. The major sins are
not forgiven without true tawbah (repentance).
2) One should also observe the fast of the
9th or 11th Muharram. Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas &
said, “When Rasulullah observed the fast of
the day of‘Ashura and ordered (his companions
to fast, they said, ‘O Rasulullah ^s! It is a day
revered by the Jews and Christians.’ Rasulullah
said, ‘The coming year, if Allah wills, we will
fast on the ninth (also).”’ (Muslim)
The noble Prophet sfe thereafter encouraged
his companions to also fast on the 9th or 11th
Muharram. He said, “Should I live until the
coming year, I will definitely fast on the ninth
(also).” (Muslim) In another narration the noble
Prophet said, “... Fast a day before it or a day
after.” (Al-Bayhaql)

‘Allamah Ibn ‘Abidin Ash-Shami £ has
mentioned that to fast only on the day of
‘Ashura is makruh tanzihi.
3) One should be generous to one’s family
and dependants and spend more on them than
is normally spent. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah
reports that Rasulullah *5 said, “One who
generously spends on his family on the day
of ‘Ashura, Allah will increase (his provision)
for the whole year.” (Al-Baybaqi, At-Targhib
jLfat-Tarh ib )
This hadith is not very authentic according
to the science of hadith. However, scholars of
hadith like Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Hibban # have
accepted it as reliable.
ahadith.
ACTS TO REFRAIN FROM
1) It is absolutely clear that the significance
of the day of ‘Ashura is from the time of the
noble Prophet However, many people regard
this day as the day of mourning the martyrdom
of Husayn The martyrdom of Husayn
was indeed a great tragedy, but Islam is not a
religion of perpetual mourning. Sayyiduna Abu
Sa‘id relates that Rasulullah sS has cursed
mourners and those who listen to them. (Abu
Dawud)
The pages of Islamic History are filled with
the shuhada. Should we begin to mourn the
martyrdom of the Sahabah alone, every
other day would be a day of mourning. Thus,
to attribute the significance of ‘Ashura to the
martyrdom of Sayyiduna Husayn is baseless.
Therefore, the host of baseless customs with
regard to his martyrdom —mourning, lamenting
and displaying grief — must be discarded. If
mourning were permissible, then the day ofthe
demise of Rasulullah would have been more
worthy for mourning and lamenting.
2) The following misconceptions with regard
to ‘Ashura are baseless:
This is the day in which Sayyiduna Adam
was created.
• This is the day in which Sayyiduna
Ibrahim *3 was bom.
• This is the day on which Qiyamah will
take place.
• Whoever has a bath on the dayofAshura
will never get ill.
3) Some regard the tenth of Muharram as a
day of‘Id. They indulge in adornment, applying
surmah (collyrium), wearing new clothes,
spending lavishly and cooking a particular type
of meal which is not generally prepared. All
these actions are regarded as sunnah according
to their belief, whereas no authentic narration
sanctioning and permitting such actions can be
found.
4) Another misconception is that the month
of Muharram is an unlucky month; hence
marriage ceremonies should be avoided in this
month. This concept is again contrary to the
teachings of Rasulullah
Let us observe this great day according to the
way of Rasulullah sfe and the Sahabah & and
refrain from all innovations which deprive us of
the blessings from Allah 31. May Allah W guide
us all upon the Straight Path and save us from
every act which brings His displeasure. Amin.
Islamic Da‘wah Academy
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Month
Muharram
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Shaykh Mawlana
Muhammad SaleemDhorat
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Islamic Da’wah
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Registered Charity: 1065175

The Significance of Sha'ban
Sha'ban, the eighth Islamic month is second only
to Ramadan in virtue, blessings and greatness.
It is due to this virtue and greatness that the
Prophet 34 used to emphasise its importance not
only verbally but practically too.
‘A’ishah ** narrates, “Rasulullah 34 used to fast
till we would say that he would never stop fasting
and he would abandon fasting till we would say
that he would never fast. I never saw Rasulullah
34 fasting for a whole month except the month
of Ramadan and did not see him fasting in any
month more than in the month of Sha'ban.” (Al-
Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i)
‘A’ishah narrates, “Rasulullah 34 used to fast
the (whole) month of Sha'ban except for a few
days.” (An-Nasa’i)
Usamah 4* asked, “O Rasulullah! I do not see
you fasting in any month as much as in Sha'ban.”
He replied, “It is a month people are negligent
of between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in
which deeds are raised towards the Lord of the
worlds. Therefore, I like my deeds to be raised
whilst I am fasting.” (An-Nasa’i)
Fifteenth of Sha'ban
Amongst the days and nights ofSha'ban, there is
one night called Laylat-ul-Bara’at or Shabe Bara’at,
a night noted for its great blessings and virtues.
The Glorious Qur’an describes it as the blessed
night.
Lo! We revealed it on a blessed night. (44:3)
According to ‘Ikrimah and a group of
mufassirin, the ‘blessed night’ referred to in this
verse is the fifteenth night of Sha'ban.
Fortunate indeed are those who attain the full
blessings and benefits of this night by spending
it in performing good and refraining from evil.
One must strive his utmost to attend to ‘ibadah
(worship) in this auspicious night as this night
indeed is a great favour of Allah $5 for the
believers. There are a number of ahadith in regard
to this night.
(1) ‘All narrates that Rasulullah 34 said,
“When it is the fifteenth of Sha'ban, then stand
(in worship) at night and fast during the day.
Because Allah & descends in this night at sunset
to the first heaven and says: ‘Is there any seeker of
forgiveness, that I may forgive him? Is there any
seeker of sustenance, that I may sustain him? Is
there anyone in affliction, that I may remove his
affliction? Is there anyone like this, like that (and
so on)’. This continues until Fajr.” (Ibn Majah)
(2) Abu Musa Al-Ash‘ari narrates that the
Messenger of Allah 34 said, “In the fifteenth night
ofSha'ban, Allah manifests and forgives all His
creation except for the mushrik and the spiteful.”
(IbnMajah) - -
(3) ‘A’ishah narrates: “The Messenger of
Allah 34 came to me (one night) and took off
his clothes, but he had hardly sat down when
he got up again, put on his clothes and left. A
strong ghayrah (sense of honour and self-respect)
overtook me as I thought he was going to one of
his other wives. I followed him and found him
in the graveyard of Baqf seeking forgiveness for
believing men and women and the martyrs. I said
(to myself), ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you.
You, (the Prophet) are in want of your Lord and I
am in want of the world.’
I returned to my room (quickly) and I was
breathless. The Prophet 34 arrived shortly and
said, ‘Why are you breathless, O ‘A’ishah?’ I
said, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you. You
came to me and took off your clothes, but you
had hardly sat down when you got up and put on
your clothes (and left). A strong ghayrah overtook
me and I thought you were going to one of your
(other) wives until I saw you in (the graveyard of)
Baqf doing whatever you were doing.’
He said, ‘0 ‘A’ishah! Did you fear that Allah
and his Messenger will treat you with injustice?
Jibra’il came to me and said, ‘This night is the
fifteenth night of Sha'ban. Allah sets free from
Hell during this night, souls equivalent to the
hair (and wool) of the goats of Ban! Kalb.’ (Ban!
Kalb possessed the largest number of goats in the
Arabian peninsula.)
‘However, Allah will not look (with mercy) even
on this (auspicious) night towards mushriks, one
who harbours ill-will against his fellow beings,
one who cuts himself off from his near relatives,
one who dangles his clothes over his ankles, one
disobedient to parents and a habitual drunkard.’”
‘A’ishah says, “He took off his clothes, then
said, ‘0 ‘A’ishah! Will you permit me to spend this
night in worship.’ I replied, ‘Certainly. May my
parents be sacrificed for you.’ The Prophet 34 got
up and remained in sajdah (prostration) for a very
long time until I thought he had passed away. I
got up to inquire and placed my hand on his feet
to feel that he was alive, thus I became happy. I
heard him say in his prostration:
‘I take refuge of Your forgiveness from Your
punishment I take refuge of Yourpleasure from
Your anger. I take refuge from You. Great is
Your eminence. I cannotpraise You (as You are
worthy of praise). Your eminence is exactly as
You have praisedyourself.’
In the morning I mentioned these words to him.
He said, ‘0 ‘A’ishah! Learn them and teach them
(to others) because Jibra’il taught me and ordered
me to repeat them over and over again in sajdah.”’
(Al-Bayhaqi)

Da'wah Series 50 (Revised)
Note: Shaykh Mufti Taqi ‘Uthmani hafizahulldh
states: “Although the chain of narrators ofsome of
these traditions suffers with some minor technical
defects, yet when all these traditions are combined
together, it becomes clear that this night has some
well founded merits, and observing this night as
a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as
envisaged by some modem scholars who, on the
basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected
giving any special importance to this night. In fact,
some of these traditions have been held by some
scholars of hadith as authentic and the defects in
the chain of some others have been treated by
them as minor technical defects which, according
to the science of hadith, are curable by the variety
of their ways of narration. That is why the elders
of the Ummah have constantly been observing
this night as a night of special merits and have
been spending it in worship and prayers.”
The Fast of the Fifteenth
The fast of the 15th of Sha'ban can only be
derived from a hadith that has a weak narrator
in the chain of narration, due to which it cannot
be relied upon in the matter of the injunctions
of Shari’ah. Thus, the fast of the 15th of Sha'ban
cannot be termed as Sunnah or Mustahab in the
strict sense of the term. Nevertheless the fast
could be kept without taking it as a Sunnah or
Mustahab considering other factors such as:
a) The fasts of the first half of Sha'ban have
special merits as can be seen from the
practice of the Prophet
b) The virtues of the fasts ofAyyam-ul-Bid (i.e.
13th, 14th and 15th of the Islamic month)
have been mentioned in the ahadith.
Recommended Deeds
The following practices are derived from the
traditions of the Prophet & which have been
mentioned above for Sha'ban and its virtuous
15th night.
(1) It is desirable that one fasts in the month of
Sha'ban as much as one can. However, iffasting in
Sha'ban is going to affect the fasting of Ramadan
then one should refrain from it
(2) Although salah should beperformedin Jamffah
(congregation) everyday, on this auspicious night,
one must participate with deep and solemn care
in the Maghrib, ‘Isha and Fajr Salah.
(3) Spend as much time of the night as possible
in worship individually. No specific du‘a or
method of worship has been prescribed. One
may engage in dhikr, recitation of the Qur’an,
saiah, learning and teaching or any other form of
‘ibadah. However, one must refrain from worldly
talk and wasting of time. If ‘ibadah is not possible
then at least avoid all sinful and useless acts and
go to bed as soon as possible.
(4) In one hadith it has been mentioned that
Rasulullah visited the graveyard of Baqi'.
However, one may not establish the practice to
be Sunnah as there is no mention of Rasulullah
making it a general practice of this night. Hence,
if one visits the graveyard once in a while it will
be permissible.
One must refrain in particular from all those
practices that are contrary to the Sunnah. Many
of us deprive ourselves of the blessings of such
auspicious moments and the Favours of Allah $6
by following those customary acts which have no
basis in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
May Allah tfe guide us all on the straight path
and enlighten us with the blessings of this sacred
month and its blessed night. Amin.
The
cance
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By Shaykh Mawlana
Saleem Dhorat hafizahulldh
Muhammad

1. Allah is has taken oath of ten
nights in SOrah Al-Fajr. According to
the majority of the commentators of
Qur’an, the nights are those of the
(first) ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah
related that Rasulullah said, “On
no days is the worship of Allah
desired more than in the (first) ten
days of Dhul Hijjah. The fast of each
of these days is equal to the fast
of a whole year, and the worship
of each of these nights is equal to
the worship of Laylat-ul-Qadr.” (At-
Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
3. The mother of the believers,
Sayyidah Hafsah 4* reports that
Rasulullah 3s used to fast the (first)
nine days of Dhul Hijjah. (Abu
Dawud, An-Nasa'T, Ahmad)
4. Sayyiduna 'Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar
related that Rasulullah said,
“No days are as weighty with Allah
and so liked by Him for good deeds
than the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
So on these days increasingly
read Subhanallah, La ilaha illallah,
Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar”
(Ahmad)
Virtues of the Day of 'Arafah
(9th Dhul Hijjah)
1. Sayyidah ‘A’ishah reports that
Rasulullah said, “ There is no
day in which Allah sets free more
souls from the fire of hell than on
the day of 'Arafat. And on that day
Allah draws near to the earth and by
way of exhibiting His Pride remarks
to the angels, ‘What is the desire of
these (servants of mine)?” (Muslim)
2. Sayyiduna Talhah 4* reports that
Rasulullah said, “Apart from the
day of the Battle of Badr there is
no day on which the Shaytan is
seen to be more humiliated, more
rejected, more depressed and more
infuriated, than on the day of 'Arafat,
and indeed all this is only because
of beholding the abundance of
descending mercy (on the day) and
Allah’s forgiveness of the great sins
of the servants.” (Mishkat)
3. Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah Al-
Ansari £ narrated that Rasulullah
was asked about the fast on the day
of 'Arafat. He said, “It compensates
for the (minor) sins of the past and
the coming year.” (Muslim, At-
Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Night of ‘id-ul-Adha
The nights of both ‘Ids are
described in the HadTth as amongst
the great and sacred nights in the
Muslim calendar. To remain awake
on the nights of Td and perform
‘ibadah is a source of great virtue
and reward.
1. Sayyiduna Abu ‘Umarah
related that Sayyidah ‘A’ishah 4®
reports that Rasulullah said,
“Whosoever stays awake and
performs ‘ibadah (worship) on the
nights of the two Ids, with hope for
abundant reward (from Allah 3s),
his heart will not die on the day (i.e.
Qiyamah) when all hearts will be
dead.” (At-Targhib)

2. Sayyiduna Mu’adh Ibn Jabal
relates that Rasulullah said,
“Jannat is wajib (incumbent) for
those who stay awake with the
intention of making ‘ibadah on the
following nights: 8th, 9th and 10th
of Dhul Hijjah, the night of ‘Td-ul-
Fitr and the night of the 15th of
Sha’ban.” (At-TarghTb)
Virtues of Udhiyah (Qurbani)
Rasulullah $5 said, “There is
nothing dearer to Allah during the
days of Udhiyah than the sacrificing
of animals. The sacrificed animal
shall come on the Day of Judgement
with its horns, hair, and hooves
(to be weighed). The sacrifice is
accepted by Allah before the blood
reaches the ground. Therefore
sacrifice with an open and happy
heart.” (At-TirmidhT, Ibn Maiah)
Takbirat of Tashriq
The Takbirat of TashrTq are:
IAJ I * IJ
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,
La ilaha illallahu wallahu Akbar,
Allahu Akbar, Walil lahil hamd.
‘Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the
Greatest. There is no deity besides
Allah and Allah is the Greatest.
Allah is the Greatest and all praises
are for Allah only.”
It is wajib for every adult Muslim
to recite these Takbirat of TashrTq
audibly once after every fard salah
from the Fajr of 9th Dhul Hijjah to
the ‘Asr of 13th Dhul Hijjah (i.e.
total of 23 salah).
• Mas’alah: Women should not say
it loudly but softly.
• Mas’alah: TakbTr should be
recited immediately after
concluding the fard prayer.
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Tel/Fax: 0116 262 5440
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Sfiaykh MawlanaMuhammad
Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah
Islamic Da'wah
Academy

1. We must wake up for suhur as it is a sunnah of
our Rasul is. He has informed us that the food
of suhur is full of barakah: “Eat suhur, because
in it lie great blessings.’ (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
We should arrange our time for suhur in such
a way that we are also able to perform at least
4 to 8 raka’St of tahajjud together with du‘3 for
about 15 minutes or more. Rasulullcih & has
said that the du‘3 in the darkness of the night
(after tahajjud) is readily accepted by Allah. (At-
Tirmidhi)
2. The ideal way to perform tahajjud with suhur is
to wake up early and perform tahajjud and make
du’S before suhur. Everyone in the house should
wake up and engage in ‘ibadah in the darkness
and isolation of their own rooms. Shed tears and
ask Allah 4c for your needs just as a small child
cries and gets his needs fulfilled. Rasulullah
Sr has encouraged his followers to cry when
making du‘3.
Crying and weeping attracts mercy. Just as a
mother who, upon seeing her child crying for a
sweet, will succumb at the sight of the child’s
crying and treat it with mercy, similarly when
one sheds tears whilst beseeching his Lord, the
Mercy of the Lord will enshroud him.
3. After tahajjud and suhur, we must pray our Fajr
Salah with congregation. Ladies should also
perform their obligatory §aiah.
4. After Fajr remain engaged in ‘ibadah till 15-20
minutes after sunrise and perform 4 raka’at
ishrdq.
5. Before zawal, perform $alat-u^-Duha (chasht).
Rasulullah is said, “There is charity due upon
you in lieu of everyjoint that exists in your body.
To say sub 'hanallah is a form of charity, to say
alhamdulillah is also a charity, to say la ilaha
iIlaIlah is also a charity, to command goodness
and forbid evilis also a charity, and two raka‘at at
the time of duha (chasht) is sufficient for all this
charity (i.e. to compensate the favour of every
joint that Allah has given you)." (Muslim)
6. Perform Zuhr with congregation. If possible,
engage in 'ibadah for a while and have a short
rest with the intention of qaylulah - a Sunnah of
our beloved Prophet
7. Perform ‘Asr. The time between ‘Asr and
• •
Maghrib is very valuable especially for du‘a. We
must make the effort to perform our ‘Asr with
congregation and then remain in the masjid until
Maghrib. Unfortunately, Shaytan and nafs have
deceived us so much that many of us cannot do
without food in the masjid at the time of iftar. My
friends, we should try to change our habits and
keep the Akhirah in our minds. Shaytan and nafs
will take us home for some food, which should
only take a few minutes, and will not let us come
to the masjid until just before Maghrib. This is
the best part of the day, which we do not value,
only because of our desire for food. Rasulullah
2? said, “There are three groups ofpeople whose
du'a is not rejected; the fasting person until he
breaks the fast........"(Ahmad)
When Allah M has made a promise through His
Prophet there is no doubt in the acceptance
of these supplications. In spite of this, we find
some people whose prayers are not answered.
This does not mean that their prayers have been
rejected. It is Allah 4c's Favour upon us that
should He find that granting us what we ask from
Him is in our interest, He grants, otherwise not.
Another point to remember is that there are
certain conditions in the absence of which they
may be rejected. Among these is halal food and
making du'a with attention and concentration. If
our hearts and minds are not in our du'as, then
they may not be answered.
My friends, we must make the habit of bringing
a few dates with us at the time of ‘Asr, and after
‘Asr we must engage in dhikr, tilawah, tasbih,
etc. until just 10-15 minutes before Maghrib,
when we should raise our hands in du'a until
Adhan. In this way, everyone will be engrossed
in their own ‘ibadah and we will find that if some
of the individuals are crying, others will also get
the inclination to do the same. Therefore value
this time between ‘Asr and Maghrib and do not
waste it in worrying about food. The saintly
people are such that not even gold and silver
will distract them from the Worship of Allah ft,
let alone food. Their concentration in their du'a is
not affected even if heaps of treasure were to be
placed before them, whereas, we would not be
able to concentrate if only a small morsel was to
be put in front of us. I would request my sisters
not to spend the time between ‘Asr and Maghrib
in the kitchen.
8. After performing Maghrib, we should perform 6
raka'at of awwabTn after the two raka'at sunnah
and two raka'at nafl of Maghrib. However; those
who do not feel inclined to do this, some ‘ulama
have said that two raka'at sunnah and two
raka'at nafl of Maghrib can also become part of
the 6 raka'at awwabin. Hence, performing only
two raka'at after the sunnah and nafl of Maghrib
will suffice.
9. After food prepare for ‘Isha $aiah and go to the
masjid. Perform ‘Isha Salah and tardwTh. The
sisters should note that 20 raka'at tardwTh is
sunnah mu'akkadah for them too. They must
perform tarawih after 'Isha.
10. After tarawTh, go straight home. Do not loiter
around outside the masjid wasting time. At

home, remain in ‘ibcidah until you go to sleep.
Sleep with the intention of waking up for tahajjud
and suhur.
11. Apart from the above, we know that in Ramadan
there are always various programmes taking
place in the masdjid led by our 'ulama. These
are for our own benefit. There are many of us
who are very sinful and during this month our
hearts are softened and more receptive; by
listening to the wise words of our ‘ulama the
chances of bringing good deeds into practice
are greater. Although the month of Ramadan is
solely for 'ibadah, we should try and attend these
programmes in the masdjid because by listening
to these discourses, insha'aliah, changes will
come into our lives for the better. Our hearts are
blackened by and full of sins and by listening to
these discourses and sitting in the company of
the 'ulama and the pious, change will definitely
occur in our hearts, insha’aliah.
NOTES:
• The household should sit together daily at a
specified time and read from Virtues of Ramadan
compiled by Shaykh-ul-Hadlth, Hadrat Mawiana
Muhammad Zakariyya # for at least 15 minutes.
This will create a good atmosphere and
environment in our homes and at the same time
Ramadan will pass joyfully with an abundance of
barakah in the home, insha’aliah.
• Whilst in the masjid engage yourself in 'ibadah.
Take great care not to get involved in any worldly
talk. It is very upsetting and disheartening to
see people wasting their time in futile talk in the
masjid, even during the month of Ramadan. Try
and restrain yourself and remain engaged in
'ibadah. ’
• Perform i'tikaf of the last ten days in the masjid.
Sisters may perform i'tikaf in their homes.
Rasulullah used to perform i'tikaf in the final
ten days of Ramadan. (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
• Recite as much Qur’an as possible during the
month of Ramadan.
• Du'a, istighfar and tawbah should be made in
abundance throughout the blessed month.
• Intermingling with people should be decreased to
a minimum.
• Everyone should try to take rest in order to
conserve energy for the compulsory ‘ibadah.
There is no point in remaining in nafl ‘ibadah and
not getting rest, which will result in tiredness and
laziness at the time of compulsory saiah, etc.
Allah S’s Mercy is in abundance throughout the
year, but especially during this month. We should
yearn in our hearts for this Mercy because we need
mercy, blessing and forgiveness from Allah & We
are sinful and in this month we want to win Allah
«’s Attention so that we can become His Beloved
Slaves. If we are eager to perform good deeds then,
insha’aliah this month will become a month of great
blessing for us.
May Allah & accept our efforts and make every
moment of this month a means of receiving His
Mercy, Blessing and Forgiveness. May we all be
granted a place in Jannah. Amin.

D
u‘a is asking Allah for help or
for the fulfilment of a particular
need. It expresses a slave’s
helplessness and dependence on Allah
the All-Powerful and Merciful. It
is the channel through which one gets
directly in touch with one’s Creator.
The purpose of man’s creation is worship
and according to a Hadith, ‘Du‘a is the
essence of worship’. (At-Tirmidhi) And
according to another Hadith, ‘Du‘a is the
worship’. (At-Tirmidhi)
Just as Salah, Sawm, Zakah, Hajj etc.
are acts of worship, du‘a too is an act of
worship. Therefore just as one takes out
time to pray Salah or to recite the Qur’an
or make dhikr, similarly, according equal
importance to du‘a, one should also take
out sufficient time for the sake of du‘a. ™
The objective behind every act of
worship is the Recognition of Allah Ji as
the Creator and the All-Powerful, and that
one acts according to His Will and not as
one likes. A Servant of Allah Ji accepts
his weaknesses and recognises his need
for Allah J£. Out of all devotions, this
humbleness and total submission is best
expressed in du‘a. Furthermore, other acts
of worship can become a source of pride
whilst du‘a is an act which is usually free
from any trace ofpride.
Nowadays, du‘a has become a mere ritual.
It has become a routine practice which
one is accustomed to perform at certain
times of the day. People raise their hands
for a few moments at the time of du‘a,
uttering a few words, some consciously,
and some without even realising what they
are asking for.
Today hardly anybody resorts to du‘a
for solutions to their problems. For most
people du‘a is a devotion which is the most
difficult to practise. Even at the blessed
places and in the blessed moments, a
short while occupied by du‘as will seem
like hours. By and large, we find that the
engagement in Salah or the recitation of
the,Qur’an is relatively easier than making
du‘a. This only reflects our distance from
the Being of Allah as du‘a is the only
actiof worship which provides us with
the opportunity to communicate with
Allah & in the manner we wish. Lack of
concentration in this act ofworship shows
that the performance of other acts of
worship are also customary and superficial,
and lacking the true essence. If we truly
enjoyed the Proximity of Allah we
would inevitably have found enjoyment
in confiding in Him and beseeching Him.
We would have always felt an eagerness to
turn to Him, in open and in solitude.
Many of us make du‘a half-heartedly,
not convinced whether our demands will
be answered or not. We should know that
AllahJialways answers thedu‘as ofpeople.
However, it may not always seem so and
many people, failing to experience the
•B
effects immediately, begin to feel dejected
and put off. This, however, should not
be the case, as Allah Ji, the All-Hearing,
undoubtedly hears and accepts the
supplications ofpeople, only that the du‘as
of some are answered immediately, whilst
those of others are deferred for their own
benefit.
One should keep in mind that the
acceptance of du‘as also depends on the
expectations of a person. Allah Ji deals
with people in accordance with what they
expect ofHim. In one Hadith, the Prophet
st has related the following Statement of
Allah Ji: ‘I treat My servant as he expects
of Me...’ (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)
The Ahadith also tell us that du‘as
(provided that their requisites have been
fulfilled) are accepted invariably, but their
acceptance is manifested in either of the
three below-mentioned ways: Sometimes,
Allah Ji immediately answers them and
blesses the seekers with what they have
asked for; sometimes He substitutes what
they have asked for with something that
in His Knowledge was better for them; or
alternatively, through the blessings of the
du‘a, He removes an impending calamity
that was to befall them. At times, neither
of the above may transpire, but on such
occasions, the du‘a is treasured for the
Hereafter. These unanswered du'as will
bear so much reward that a person, on
the Day of Qiyamah, will wish that none
of his du‘as were accepted in the world.
(Kanz-ul-Ummdl)

Abstaining from haram (clothing, food, j
income, etc.) is another essential requisite |
for the acceptance of du‘a. The Prophet
once made mention of a person who travels
widely, his hair dishevelled and covered I
with dust. He lifts his hands towards the
sky (and thus makes the supplication): ■
“O Lord, O Lord,” then the Prophet «
said, “But his diet is unlawful, his drink is
unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his
nourishment is unlawful. How then can
his supplication be accepted?” (Muslim) I
* VW
By keeping the following few points in |
mind concerning du‘a, insha’allah, one
will benefit greatly. Firstly one should
remember that du‘a is an act of worship j
and should be given an independent status
of its own. It should not remain a mere
ritual.
Secondly, one should make du‘a after
performing all good deeds such as Salah,
recitation of Qur’an, dhikr etc., and also
fix a specific time especially for du‘a. In
du‘a, one should adopt humility and ensure
that one understands what is being asked.
The time spent in du‘a should be gradually
lengthened. In the initial stages, the same i
du‘as can be repeated over and over, and
in the meantime more and more du‘as j
should be memorised. An effort should
be made to learn those du‘as in particular
which encompass the general need of all
the Muslims. j
Thirdly, when making du‘a, a person
should have a firm faith that he is asking I
from Allah St the All-Powerful, and He
is able to fulfil every need of ours. The
chances ofbeing cured from a fatal illness,
for instance, may seem remote but it
should be believed from the depths of
the heart that Allah St is able to cure any
illness if He so wished. Dr. ‘Abdul Hay
‘Arifi S (a renowned saint) used to say,
‘Does there exist any problem that cannot
be solved through du‘a?’, and then he
would say ‘How can there, when du‘a is a
request made to Allah St for the removal
of problems and there is no problem on
earth whose removal is beyond His ability.’
One should ask Allah St for both worldly
needs and those ofthe Hereafter. Rasulullah
has instructed us to ask Allah St for
all our needs, however petty they may
seem to be. He mentioned that even if
a person’s shoelaces break, he should ask
Allah St before embarking to obtain new
ones. (Al-Bayhaqi)
Finally, one should not ask for anything
unlawful. Manyyoung people do not realise
this andby asking for impermissible things
incur the displeasure of Allah St.
May Allah St give us all the tawfiq to
turn to Him for all our needs and may He
fulfil all our lawful needs ofthis world and
the Hereafter. Amin.
Tel/Fax: 0116 262 5440
Dhorat
Islamic Da'wah
Academy

■
Zakah is one of the five fundamentals of Islam.
The Prophet Sk said:
“Islam is founded on five pillars: bearing witness
that there is no deity except Allah, and that
Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger;
establishment ofsalah; paying zakah; performance
of hajj; and fasting the month of Ramaddn. ” (Al-
Bukhah)
After Iman, salah is the most important act of
worship which is to be performed physically,
and zakah is the main act of worship which
is to be performed monetarily. Salah and
zakah have been mentioned together on many
instances in the Glorious Qur’an, to cite just
some examples, Allah says:
t "And establish regular salah and pay
regular zakah, and bow down with those
who bow down. " (2:43)
“In fact, the mosques ofAllahare builtonly
by those who believe in Allah andthe Last
Day, and those who establish salah and
pay zakah and who fear none but Allah.
So, it is hoped that they are to be among
those on the rightpath.” (9:18)
Such verses of the Qu’ran substantiate that
zakah is the most important fundamental after
salah. Those who fulfil this duty have been
promised abundant reward in this world and
the Hereafter; and those who evade zakah have
been sternly warned in the Qur’an and ahadith
of the consequences.
Benefits of Giving Zakah
The following are some of the many benefits
mentioned in the Qur’an and ahadith for the
one who gives zakah:
I 1. Pleasure of Allah
2. Increase in wealth.
3. Protection from losses.
4. Forgiveness and blessing from Allah tfc.
5. Safety from calamities.
6. Protection from the Wrath of Allah and
from a bad death.
7. Shelter on the Day of Judgement.
8. Security from seventy misfortunes.
9. Safety from the fire of Jahannam.
' 10. Safety from grief.
Consequences of Not Paying Zakah in this
World
WhenAllah & sends a calamity to punish people
for their sins, no power on earth can prevent
the onslaught. Men may form thousands of
plans, but something decreed by the Lord of
the universe must come to pass. Nowadays, the
calamities offamine, flood, etc. have become a
great problem for the whole world. If we wish
to seek relieffrom such sufferings and cure the
malady, we shall have to follow the remedy
revealed to us by Allah k. Rasulullah » has
warned us over fourteen hundred years ago,
against all those evil practices which bring
calamities and afflictions in this world.
These warnings were given long ago and now
the world has witnessed their truth through
experience. Today, the predictions are coming
true. If only people had acted according to the
rulings prescribed by Rasulullah who was
undoubtedly the wisest of all wise men. It is
beyond the scope of this article to discuss how
specific evils cause specific afflictions, but I
will bring to the attention of the readers the
ahadith related to the subject matter - non
payment of zakah.
Non Payment of Zakah - A Cause of
Famine
Buraydah relates that Rasulullah said, “The
nation that withholds zakah (ie. does notpay it),
Allah afflictsfamine on them. ” (At-Tabrani)
Ibn ‘Umar £ relates that Rasulullah once
said, "0 Muhajirun! There are five (dreadful)
sins; ifyou fall into these - and I take refuge in
Allah from the evil of these sins lestyoufall into
them - (you will face horrible disasters)...” The
Prophet thereafter enlisted a number of
sins and their punishments, amongst which he
said, “Thirdly, ifpeople stop paying zakah, rain
will be withheld from them, and were it not for
the animals, no rain would fall on them.” (Ibn
Majah, Al-Bazzar, Al-Bayhaqi) A similar hadith
is also reported by Ibn ‘Abbas
Non Payment of Zakah - A Cause of
Windstorms, Earthquakes, etc.
‘All and Abu Hurayrah report that
Rasulullah prophesied fifteen actions which
his Ummah will perpetrate, and from amongst
these he mentioned, “When zakah is looked
upon as a penalty (Le. people will pay zakah with
a heavy heart, as though it is apenalty), then look
for violent windstorms, earthquakes, men being
swallowed by the earth, metamorphosis, stones
raining down from the skies, and calamities
following one another in rapid succession, like
beads of rosary falling one after the other when
its string is cut ” (At-Tirmidhi)
Destruction of Property
‘Umar narrates that Rasulullah & said,
“Wealth is generally lost on the land and the sea
because zakah is notpaid on it ” (At-Targhib)
‘A’ishah 4® narrates that Rasulullah said,
“Zakah will destroy wealth in which it is.” (Al-
Bazzar, Al-Bayhaqi)
The destruction of wealth upon which zakah is
obligatory will be by way ofAllah destroying
the wealth in which the amount due for zakah
lies, or by removing the barakah from it.
Consequences in the Hereafter
"As for those who hoard gold and silver
and do not spend it in the way of Allah,

z
give them news of a painful punishment.
On the day it (i.e. the wealth) will be
heated up in the fire of Jahannam, then
their foreheads and their sides and their
backs shall be branded with it and (it will
be said to them), ‘This is what you had
accumulated for yourselves. So, taste
what you have been accumulating.
(9:34-35)
The majority of the $ahabah and ‘Ulama are
agreed that the severe punishment mentioned
in the verse is for those who do not pay zakah.
May Allah protect us from such severe
punishments. Amin.
“And let not those who hoard wealth,
which Allah has bestowed them with
from His grace, think that it is better for
them. No, it is worse for them. That which
they hoard will be made into a collar (in
the form of a snake and put around their
necks) on the Day of Qiyamah. To Allah
belongs the inheritance of the heavens
and the earth. Allah is All-Aware of what
you do.” (3:180)
Imam Ar-Razi writes in his tafsir, “This verse
does not apply to the cases of nafl (optional)
spending. It applies to cases of failure in
obligatory spending.” This is substantiated by
a hadith in Al-Bukhari that Rasulullah fK said,
“77ie person on whom Allah bestowed wealth, and
he does not give zakah on it, then on the Day of
Judgement? his wealth, will be transformedfor him
into a large bald snake with two black spots over
its eyes; it will wind round his neck on the Day of
Judgement, then grab (him) with both his jaws
and say, ‘I am your treasure.Then Rasulullah
1K recited the above verse.
Abu Hurayrah *$> reports that Rasulullah 15
said, “If anyone possessing gold and silver does
notpay what is due, then on the Day ofJudgement
his gold and silver will be made into sheets and
will be heated in the fire of Jahannam. His side,
forehead and back will then be branded with (the
heated sheets), again and again, on that day, the
duration of which will be fifty thousand years."
(Muslim)
Once, Rasulullah 1k saw gold bangles on the
hands of two women. He inquired if they had
given zakah for the bangles. They replied,
“No.” Rasulullah fl said, “Do you wish that
on die Day ofJudgement you be made to put on
bangles offire?” They replied, “No.” He said,
“Give zakah on them. ” (Ahmad)
The following facts are clear from the
aforementioned discussion:
• Zakah is fard.
• The significance of zakah is very great.
• Failure to pay zakah will bring calamity
and misfortune in this world and the
Hereafter.
Allah, the All-Merciful has bestowed upon
us many favours: He has given us health
and wealth, luxury and comfort, friends and
children, life and wife. Every penny that we
earn is from the Grace ofAllah. He has given us
everything and asks for only 2.5% to be spent
in His way upon those who are not capable of
providing for themselves. Remember, 2.5% at
the end of the each Islamic yearfrom the excess
wealth (i.e. which remains after spending)
is basically nothing. If we pay zakah in full
and abstain from greed, extravagance, etc.
there will not remain a single destitute among
the Muslims. Rasulullah ^’s hadith is dear
evidence for this claim. He said, “In the wealth
of rich Muslims, the amount which is sufficient
for the poor among the Muslims has been made
obligatory. The hardships of the poor among the
Muslims regardingfood and clothing are because
of the deeds of the wealthy (ie. their refusal to
pay zakah). Beware! Allah will demand a stern
reckoning from them and mete out a painful
punishment ” (At-Tabrani)
Bear in mind that anything we leave behind is
not ours. If we want to protect our hard-earned
money and save it for use at a time when we
shall need it badly, let us spend it in the way
of Allah and deposit it in the bank of the
Hereafter.
Islamic Da'wah Academy
Tel: 0116 262 5440 • Fax: 0116 242 5016
8
s
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Da'wah Series 77

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