Assalamu Alaikum (peace be upon you).
This article is from a webpage to show the total Muslim population worldwide. They have gathered all the data from authentic sources and calculated the Muslim population in each countries, and ultimately in the five continents.
They also wanted to show that, by even taking data from General Sources, like CIA Fact Sheet, they can easily establish the fact that total Muslim Population in 2009 is 1.66 billion, which is far greater than currently estimated 1.2 or 1.3 billion. Under GENERAL SOURCE section, they have taken all the data from popular sources such as CIA Fact Sheet, HOLT, RINEHART & WINSTON, etc.
They think that in some countries the total number of Muslims are more in percentage than shown in general sources, like in China and India. For all of those cases, Islamic Sources, news items and thought provoking articles came in great help. Their research shows that the total Muslim Population is 1.82 billion in year 2009.
For any advice, please don't hesitate to contact us through email. Now for reference about each country's population you should click on the respective country name.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Muslims, a respected community in Canada
Hundreds of Muslims joined together at the Vancouver Art Gallery Friday afternoon, August 14, 2009 to pray as part of the Cultural Expo.
Hundreds of Muslims joined together at the Vancouver Art Gallery Friday afternoon, August 14, 2009 to pray as part of the Cultural Expo.
VANCOUVER - The roughly 1,000 Muslims who prayed together outdoors in downtown Vancouver Friday were told it was a sign they are tolerated and respected by most Canadians.
Speaking to a small sea of Muslim men and women kneeling on mats in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Imam Ali Meheri said, “Being allowed to pray in the heart of downtown … shows we are accepted in the West, as long as we follow the rules of the land.”
Meheri, who is based at the Islamic Information Centre in east Vancouver, urged the Muslims of multiple nationalities who gathered at the two-day Canadian Islamic Cultural Expo to “not listen to extremists” who teach that Muslims are locked in unavoidable conflict with the West.
As non-Muslim pedestrians wandered by the art gallery courtyard to see what all the chanting, praying and tents were about, the imam preached that Islam is a religion of “no compulsion, a religion of choice that can never be forced on people.”
Headscarved women were divided from men during the service.
In addition to the Islamic Cultural Expo meeting with its goal of having 1,000 Metro Vancouver Muslims gather for public prayer, the lively event featured food, dance, performances and displays.
Some information tents were devoted to educating the public about the status of Muslim women, to highlighting Islamic science, to handing out free Korans, to explaining the basics of the faith and to emphasizing Muslim approaches to the environment.
In a booth devoted to Muslim women, Catherine Young, a Canadian-raised convert to Islam, said the biggest stereotypes Canadians have about Muslim females is that their headscarves are oppressive, marriage is forced on Muslim women and the prophet Muhammad abused his wives.
While emphasizing that none of the stereotypes were true, Young and her colleagues also displayed posters and pamphlets highlighting the Top 10 Misconceptions about Muslim Women.
The published material countered what it said are widespread falsehoods that “honour killings” are allowed in Islam, that polygamy is strongly recommended, that “genital mutilation” is a Muslim tradition and that women cannot have a career outside the home or be in leadership positions.
In addition, dozens of young and old Muslims gathered around a tent devoted to Islamic ecology, which allowed people to touch snakes and lizards. Volunteers collected donations for the protection of such exotic animals.
The ecology booth, which was devoted to explaining Islamic approaches to the natural environment, said the Koran teaches that suffering of animals should always be minimized, natural resources should not be wasted, recycling should be supported, the gap between the rich and poor should be narrow and Allah’s natural creation should not be exploited for selfish ends.
University of B.C. astrophysicist Redouane Al Fakir stood at a nearby booth that contained computers, telescopes and drawings of famous Muslim scientists from history.
As director of the Muhammad Institute for Space Science on the UBC campus, Al Fakir said his organization is dedicated to developing advanced astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and space exploration throughout the Islamic world.
Since the Muhammad Institute is working globally to restore “the glory” of Islamic science and technology, particularly space science, Al Fakir said a key goal of the network of scholars he has developed is to help Muslim-majority countries send a rocket into space by 2015.
Hundreds of Muslims joined together at the Vancouver Art Gallery Friday afternoon, August 14, 2009 to pray as part of the Cultural Expo.
VANCOUVER - The roughly 1,000 Muslims who prayed together outdoors in downtown Vancouver Friday were told it was a sign they are tolerated and respected by most Canadians.
Speaking to a small sea of Muslim men and women kneeling on mats in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Imam Ali Meheri said, “Being allowed to pray in the heart of downtown … shows we are accepted in the West, as long as we follow the rules of the land.”
Meheri, who is based at the Islamic Information Centre in east Vancouver, urged the Muslims of multiple nationalities who gathered at the two-day Canadian Islamic Cultural Expo to “not listen to extremists” who teach that Muslims are locked in unavoidable conflict with the West.
As non-Muslim pedestrians wandered by the art gallery courtyard to see what all the chanting, praying and tents were about, the imam preached that Islam is a religion of “no compulsion, a religion of choice that can never be forced on people.”
Headscarved women were divided from men during the service.
In addition to the Islamic Cultural Expo meeting with its goal of having 1,000 Metro Vancouver Muslims gather for public prayer, the lively event featured food, dance, performances and displays.
Some information tents were devoted to educating the public about the status of Muslim women, to highlighting Islamic science, to handing out free Korans, to explaining the basics of the faith and to emphasizing Muslim approaches to the environment.
In a booth devoted to Muslim women, Catherine Young, a Canadian-raised convert to Islam, said the biggest stereotypes Canadians have about Muslim females is that their headscarves are oppressive, marriage is forced on Muslim women and the prophet Muhammad abused his wives.
While emphasizing that none of the stereotypes were true, Young and her colleagues also displayed posters and pamphlets highlighting the Top 10 Misconceptions about Muslim Women.
The published material countered what it said are widespread falsehoods that “honour killings” are allowed in Islam, that polygamy is strongly recommended, that “genital mutilation” is a Muslim tradition and that women cannot have a career outside the home or be in leadership positions.
In addition, dozens of young and old Muslims gathered around a tent devoted to Islamic ecology, which allowed people to touch snakes and lizards. Volunteers collected donations for the protection of such exotic animals.
The ecology booth, which was devoted to explaining Islamic approaches to the natural environment, said the Koran teaches that suffering of animals should always be minimized, natural resources should not be wasted, recycling should be supported, the gap between the rich and poor should be narrow and Allah’s natural creation should not be exploited for selfish ends.
University of B.C. astrophysicist Redouane Al Fakir stood at a nearby booth that contained computers, telescopes and drawings of famous Muslim scientists from history.
As director of the Muhammad Institute for Space Science on the UBC campus, Al Fakir said his organization is dedicated to developing advanced astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and space exploration throughout the Islamic world.
Since the Muhammad Institute is working globally to restore “the glory” of Islamic science and technology, particularly space science, Al Fakir said a key goal of the network of scholars he has developed is to help Muslim-majority countries send a rocket into space by 2015.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Conditions of righteous deeds
When does Allaah accept the deeds of His slave? What are the conditions that an action must meet in order to be righteous and accepted by Allaah?
Praise be to Allaah.
An action cannot be regarded as an act of worship unless it meets two conditions, namely perfect love and perfect humility. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else)”
[al-Baqarah 2:165]
“and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us”[al-Anbiya’ 21:90]
If this is understood, then one will realize that worship is only accepted from a Muslim who believes in Allaah alone (Tawheed), as Allaah says of the kuffaar:
“And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust”
[al-Furqaan 25:23 – interpretation of the meaning]
In Saheeh Muslim (214) it is narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, during the Jaahiliyyah Ibn Jud’aan used to uphold ties of kinship and feed the poor. Will that avail him anything?’ He said, ‘It will not avail him anything, because he never said one day, “O Lord forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgement,”’” – meaning that he did not believe in the resurrection or do good deeds hoping to meet Allaah.
Moreover, the Muslim’s worship will not be accepted unless it meets two basic conditions:
1 – Sincerity of intention towards Allaah alone, which means that a person’s intention in all his words and actions, both outward and inward, is to do them for the sake of Allaah alone and no one else.
2 – The action must be in accordance with the laws which Allaah has enjoined and stated that He must be worshipped only in accordance with them. This is achieved by following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the message he brought, and not going against that or introducing new acts of worship or new forms of worship which were not reported from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
The evidence for these two conditions is to be found in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord” [al-Kahf 18:110]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “ ‘So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord’ means His reward; ‘let him work righteousness’ means actions that are done for the sake of Allaah alone, with no partner or associate. These two factors form the basis for an acceptable deed: it must be done sincerely for the sake of Allaah alone, and it must be correct and in accordance with the sharee’ah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).”
The more a person learns about his Lord and His names and attributes, the more sincere he will be in his intentions. The more he learns about his Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the more he will follow him.
By having a sincere intention towards Allaah and by following His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) he will attain salvation in this world and in the Hereafter. We ask Allaah for success and salvation in this world and in the Hereafter.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Umrah on behalf of the Deceased
Delegating someone to perform ‘umrah on behalf of the deceased
There is a person I got to know in Makkah al-Mukarramah who I delegate from time to time to perform the obligation of ‘umrah on behalf of my mother and grandmother who are deceased. I also ask friends and family if they want to delegate this man to do ‘Umrah on behalf of their deceased loved ones.
I pay 300 dirhams to this deputy for each deceased person on whose behalf he performs ‘Umrah. My role is that of a middleman between this deputy and my family and friends. I take it upon myself to pay the money transfer fee from my own money, i.e., approximately 20 dirhams for each transaction, more or less.
My question is:
Is what we are doing makrooh or mustahabb?
Will I have any reward for making things easy for my family and friends and for my efforts in going to the bank to do the transfer and paying the transfer fee from my own money without them knowing about this?
I know that it would be better for me to do ‘Umrah myself on behalf of my mother and grandmother, but to make things easier and to increase the number of times ‘Umrah is done, we are doing it in this way.
Please note that what I am doing is sincerely for the sake of Allah and without seeking any financial or material gains. May Allah reward you with all good.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with doing ‘Umrah on behalf of the deceased or on behalf of one who is alive but is unable to do ‘Umrah himself because he is too old or is sick with a disease for which there is no hope of recovery. The one who does that is doing a good deed and will be rewarded, in sha Allah.
There is nothing wrong with giving money to someone who will do that, but you should look for one who you think is good, righteous and has knowledge of the rulings, provided that the deputy will do what he has been appointed to do himself or will tell the one who appointed him that he is going to appoint another person to do it, because the one who appointed him may accept him delegating it to another person because he trusts him, but he may not agree to delegating it to someone else.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a person who appointed someone to do Hajj on behalf of his mother, then after that he found out that this person had taken on a number of such appointments. What is the ruling in that case? Please advise us, may you be forgiven.
He replied: What a person should do is be firm in his dealings with people and should not delegate things except to a person whose religious commitment he feels at ease with in the sense that he is trustworthy and knowledgeable of what needs to be done for the task for which he has been appointed.
If you want to appoint someone to do Hajj on behalf of your deceased father or mother, then you have to choose someone whose knowledge and religious commitment you trust, because many people are very ignorant about the rulings on Hajj and they do not do Hajj in the proper manner, even though they may be trustworthy in and of themselves, but they think that this is what is required of them and they make many mistakes. Such people should not be appointed to do Hajj on behalf of others, because of their lack of knowledge.
And some people may have knowledge but they are not trustworthy, so you see them not caring about what they do or say during rituals of Hajj, because they are not trustworthy and are lacking in religious commitment. Such people should not be appointed either to do Hajj on behalf of others.
The one who wants to appoint a person to do Hajj on his behalf should choose the best in knowledge and trustworthiness of those whom he can find, so that he will do what is required of him in the best manner.
With regard to this man whom the questioner says he appointed to do Hajj on behalf of his mother and heard later on that he had taken on a similar task for others, it depends.
Perhaps this man who took on the task of doing pilgrimage for others appointed other people to do them and he performed Hajj on behalf of the one who appointed him. But is it permissible for a person to do that, i.e., is it permissible for a person to take in the task of performing Hajj or ‘umrah on behalf of a number of people, then not do it himself, rather he delegates it to other people?
In response to that we say that it is not permissible and is not allowed, and it comes under the heading of consuming people's wealth unlawfully, because a lot of people do business in this manner, so you see them taking on a number of pilgrimages, whether Hajj or ‘Umrah, on the basis that they are the ones who will do it, but then they delegate it to other people for less than the money they received for that, so they earn money in a haraam way and they give the job of doing these pilgrimages to people who may not be approved by the people who appointed him to do this task.
People should fear Allah with regard to their brothers and their own selves, because if they take this money they have taken it unlawfully, and because if a person is entrusted with something by his brothers on the basis that he is the one who is going to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, it is not permissible for him to delegate that to someone else, when the one who gave him the task of doing this Hajj or ‘umrah may not approve of this other person.
End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 21/154.
What you are doing by acting as an intermediary between the person who is delegating the action and the one who is doing ‘umrah on his behalf, and spending from your own money on the transfer fees -- all of that is righteous deeds for which there is the hope that you will be rewarded, in sha Allah, because the one who guides others to do good is like the one who does it.
And Allaah knows best.
SLEEPLESSNESS
Question:I am suffering from a lack of sleep; I have insomnia. What is the solution? Is there any way to help me sleep?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allah to grant us and you well being, protection from all problems and healing from every disease.
We advise you to be patient and seek reward with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, for He loves those who are patient and rewards those who are grateful. Trials and tests are the divine decree for this world and that is a mercy for the believers and a punishment for the disbelievers.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. This does not apply to anyone but the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.” Narrated by Muslim, 2999.
It should also be noted that the matter requires some degree of effort and perseverance, as is the case with all psychological or social problems. It takes some gradual training to make oneself get used to something new or to keep away from something reprehensible. Each person knows his own self best and can devise the best approach to achieve the success and wellbeing he wants.
Sleeplessness is a psychological problem which causes difficulty in sleeping, or interrupted sleep or light sleep. It is a modern disease that affects many people for various reasons, including psychological reasons such as pressure, worry, anxiety, waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and so on.
And some of its causes are physical because of problems in the function of some organs or the effects of some stimulant substances such as nicotine which is found in tobacco and caffeine which is found in coffee and tea, and other stimulants.
Depending on the reason that has led to this sickness, we can divide the types of remedies into three types:
1. Shar‘i remedies
What is meant here is attaining the peace of mind that wards off all worries, anxieties and waswaas. The hearts and minds that are filled with love of Allah, hope for His reward, fear of His punishment and focusing on Him are more steadfast than those which are preoccupied with matters of this world and ignore the Hereafter.
Attaining this peace of mind is done by adhering to obligatory duties and avoiding sins which continue to eat away at the heart until a person finds himself lost in dark valleys, not knowing how he got there; then by showing kindness towards people by means of a good attitude and kind treatment; by being keen to read the Holy Qur'aan and feel an attachment to the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, which He described in the following verse (interpretation of the meaning): “O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e. the Qur’aan, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a healing for that which is in your breasts, — a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things) for the believers” [Yoonus 10:57]. Other means include regularly reciting the adhkaar (dhikr) and awraad (wird) narrated in sharee‘ah, such as the adhkaar for morning and evening, the adhkaar to be recited when going to sleep and waking up and when eating and so on. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allaah verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest” [al-Ra ‘d 13:28].
Moreover, all of that must be accompanied with humility in the heart towards Allah and feeling a sense of His love and closeness, along with sincerity towards Him in public and in private, hoping to attain the state of true servitude towards Him (‘uboodiyyah) which is the basis of success on the Day of Resurrection.
On our website you will find a number of answers which will help you – in sha Allah – to implement the shar‘i remedy. See the answers to questions number 45847, 20130, 21515, 21677, 21843, 22704 and 30901.
2. Psychological remedies
This means trying to rid oneself of worries and anxiety. That can never be achieved except by believing sincerely in the transient and insignificant nature of this world, and that “If it were equal to a gnat’s wing before Allah He would never give a disbeliever a drink of water in it.” It is too insignificant for a Muslim to worry about what he has lost of it or to fear what may happen to him in it. That should also be accompanied by complete contentment with what Allah has decreed and acceptance of His will and decree.
These are the means of the believer attaining honour and happiness. Taking these ideas on board requires some effort, repeatedly telling oneself of them, reading books that affirms them and studying and pondering the verses of the Holy Qur'aan which mention them, until they take root in one's heart and become second nature.
3. Behavioural remedies
This is where one should seek advice from a doctor or psychologist, because some behavioural or physical causes may be unknown to people but are well known to skilled doctors with the knowledge that Allah has enabled them to acquire about the human psyche. You may find a remedy in some foods which help one to sleep properly. The doctor may also find out about some of your bad habits that lead to worry and sleeplessness. In some chronic and difficult cases of insomnia the doctor may also use some calming medicines which will reduce or ward off harm.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen says in Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb (Fataawa Mutafarraqaat/al-Waswaas wa’l-Amraad al-Nafsiyyah):
The case mentioned by the questioner may be faced by many young people because of mental or physical exhaustion. The remedy for that is for the person to allow himself to rest and recuperate; to remember Allah a great deal and read Qur'aan; to always seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan; to always ask for forgiveness because seeking forgiveness is one of the means of attaining good and warding off evil; to strive to keep company with good people like him, because a good companion is like the carrier of musk - he will either give you some or sell you some or you will find a good smell from him.
He should try to keep away from that which he should not think about, because thinking of something may make a person move from imagining it to actually doing it, but if he tries to ignore it and forget it, then by Allah’s leave it will cease to trouble him. End quote.
We should not forget to point out here the weakness of the reports narrated by some scholars about adkhaar to be recited just before going to sleep in order to free oneself from insomnia. Imam al-Nawawi included a chapter in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 70) entitled:
Bab ma yaqool idha qaliqa fi Firaashihi fa lam yanam (What to say if one feels anxious in bed and cannot sleep):
We narrated in the book of Ibn al-Sunni that Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about insomnia that I was suffering from. He said: Say: O Allah, the stars have come out and eyes have closed, and You are the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes You. O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, bring calm to my night and let my eyes sleep. O Allah, take away from me what I am suffering.
And we narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habbaan from Khaalid ibn al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) that he suffered from insomnia and he complained about that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he told him, when going to sleep, to seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and from the evil of His slaves and from the whisperings of the devils, lest they come near. This hadeeth is mursal; Muhammad ibn Yahya is a Taabi‘i.
And we narrated in the book of al-Tirmidhi, in a da‘eef report that was classed as such by al-Tirmidhi, that Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Khaalid ibn al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) complained to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, I cannot sleep at night because of insomnia.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: When you go to your bed, say: O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and what they shade, Lord of the seven earths and what they contain, Lord of the devils and what they misguide, be a protection for me from the evil of all Your creation, lest any of them wrong me or transgress against me. The one who is under Your protection is honoured; may You be glorified and praised, there is no god beside You, there is no god but You. End quote.
These hadeeths are da‘eef, as has been determined by the scholars such as Ibn Hajar in Nataa’ij al-Afkaar, 3/114 and al-Mataalib al-‘Aaliyah, 4/20; and by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, 2403, and others.
And Allah knows best.
The Eclipse and the Prayers
If an eclipse is a natural phenomenon, then why should we feel scared and pray?
It is now known that eclipse is nothing but a normal process that occurs after a regular interval (that can be known) of the moon coming between the sun & the earth. Then why was it that Holy Prophet(pbuh) used to pray at that time, though it didn't cause any danger!?
Praise be to Allaah.
When the sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he commanded someone to call out “al-salaatu jaami’ah (prayer is about to begin)”, and he led the people in prayer. Then he addressed them and explained to them the reason for the eclipse, and declared their jaahili beliefs to be null and void.
He explained to them what they should do, such as praying and making du’aa’ and giving in charity. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allaah; they do not become eclipsed for the death or life of anyone. If you see that then call upon Allaah and magnify Him, and pray, and give in charity.” The Muslims did not know when an eclipse would happen, but when it did happen, they would hasten to do what Allaah had prescribed, such as praying etc.
When an eclipse happened, they would be afraid that is was a warning of impending disaster, so they would turn to Allaah and pray to Him to ward off that which they feared.
When astronomy and the calculations of the movements of the sun and moon became well known in later times, and it became known that the experts could know when an eclipse was likely to happen, the scholars (‘ulamaa’) pointed out that this did not change the ruling, and that the Muslims still had to do what they were commanded to do at the time of an eclipse, even if they knew about it in advance.
But it is not prescribed to concern ourselves with the matter of predicting eclipses, because that is not what Allaah and His Messenger commanded us to do. The scholars also explained that an eclipse may be a sign or a cause of something bad happening to people. When the questioner says that eclipses do not cause hrm, she is speaking without knowledge and objecting to the sharee’ah of Allaah. People do not necessarily know of the events which Allaah causes to happen at the time of an eclipse, and some people may know about that whilst others do not.
It could be that because of the Muslims’ prayers, Allaah wards off bad things which are known only to Him. The Muslim must submit to the ruling of Allaah and act in accordance with His sharee’ah, and have faith in His wisdom, because He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, may He be glorified and exalted.
(Written by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak).
Solar and lunar eclipses are two of the signs of Allaah with which He scares His slaves and reminds them of some of the things which will happen on the Day of Resurrection, when the sun will be wound round and will lose its light and be overthrown and the stars will fall (cf. al-Takweer 81:1), and the sight will be dazed, the moon will be eclipsed and the sun and moon will be joined together (by going into one another, or folded up, or deprived of their light) (al-Qiyaamah 75:8-9).
This is the reason why Muslims should be alarmed by eclipses.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fear Allaah very much, and one day he came out in an agitated state, thinking that the Hour had begun, when the sun was eclipsed during his lifetime… This is indicative of the great extent to which he kept the Hour in mind and feared it.
We, on the other hand, have become negligent and most people no longer think of eclipses as anything other than a natural phenomenon which they go out to watch with special glasses, carrying cameras. They limit themselves to the worldly scientific explanation without understanding the reminder of the Hereafter which it brings. This is one of the signs of hard-heartedness and a lack of concern about the matters of the Hereafter.
It reflects a lack of fear of the onset of the Hour, and ignorance of the aims of sharee’ah and the reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to feel fear when these eclipses happened. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to stand to pray the eclipse prayer, because they believed that if indeed the Hour had come, they would not then be counted negligent of their prayer, and if this eclipse was nothing to do with the Hour, then they would not lose anything by praying, for they would have earned a great reward. We ask Allaah to make us among those who fear Him and who are afraid of the Hour. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
It is now known that eclipse is nothing but a normal process that occurs after a regular interval (that can be known) of the moon coming between the sun & the earth. Then why was it that Holy Prophet(pbuh) used to pray at that time, though it didn't cause any danger!?
Praise be to Allaah.
When the sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he commanded someone to call out “al-salaatu jaami’ah (prayer is about to begin)”, and he led the people in prayer. Then he addressed them and explained to them the reason for the eclipse, and declared their jaahili beliefs to be null and void.
He explained to them what they should do, such as praying and making du’aa’ and giving in charity. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allaah; they do not become eclipsed for the death or life of anyone. If you see that then call upon Allaah and magnify Him, and pray, and give in charity.” The Muslims did not know when an eclipse would happen, but when it did happen, they would hasten to do what Allaah had prescribed, such as praying etc.
When an eclipse happened, they would be afraid that is was a warning of impending disaster, so they would turn to Allaah and pray to Him to ward off that which they feared.
When astronomy and the calculations of the movements of the sun and moon became well known in later times, and it became known that the experts could know when an eclipse was likely to happen, the scholars (‘ulamaa’) pointed out that this did not change the ruling, and that the Muslims still had to do what they were commanded to do at the time of an eclipse, even if they knew about it in advance.
But it is not prescribed to concern ourselves with the matter of predicting eclipses, because that is not what Allaah and His Messenger commanded us to do. The scholars also explained that an eclipse may be a sign or a cause of something bad happening to people. When the questioner says that eclipses do not cause hrm, she is speaking without knowledge and objecting to the sharee’ah of Allaah. People do not necessarily know of the events which Allaah causes to happen at the time of an eclipse, and some people may know about that whilst others do not.
It could be that because of the Muslims’ prayers, Allaah wards off bad things which are known only to Him. The Muslim must submit to the ruling of Allaah and act in accordance with His sharee’ah, and have faith in His wisdom, because He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, may He be glorified and exalted.
(Written by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak).
Solar and lunar eclipses are two of the signs of Allaah with which He scares His slaves and reminds them of some of the things which will happen on the Day of Resurrection, when the sun will be wound round and will lose its light and be overthrown and the stars will fall (cf. al-Takweer 81:1), and the sight will be dazed, the moon will be eclipsed and the sun and moon will be joined together (by going into one another, or folded up, or deprived of their light) (al-Qiyaamah 75:8-9).
This is the reason why Muslims should be alarmed by eclipses.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fear Allaah very much, and one day he came out in an agitated state, thinking that the Hour had begun, when the sun was eclipsed during his lifetime… This is indicative of the great extent to which he kept the Hour in mind and feared it.
We, on the other hand, have become negligent and most people no longer think of eclipses as anything other than a natural phenomenon which they go out to watch with special glasses, carrying cameras. They limit themselves to the worldly scientific explanation without understanding the reminder of the Hereafter which it brings. This is one of the signs of hard-heartedness and a lack of concern about the matters of the Hereafter.
It reflects a lack of fear of the onset of the Hour, and ignorance of the aims of sharee’ah and the reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to feel fear when these eclipses happened. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to stand to pray the eclipse prayer, because they believed that if indeed the Hour had come, they would not then be counted negligent of their prayer, and if this eclipse was nothing to do with the Hour, then they would not lose anything by praying, for they would have earned a great reward. We ask Allaah to make us among those who fear Him and who are afraid of the Hour. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
The ruling on women wearing high heels
What is the ruling on women wearing high heels?
Praise be to Allaah.
Wearing high heels is not permissible because it exposes women to the risk of falling, and we are commanded in sharee’ah to avoid danger in a general sense, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And do not kill yourselves”
[al-Nisa’ 4:29]
“and do not throw yourselves into destruction”
[al-Baqarah 2:195]
It also makes women look taller than they really are and makes their posteriors appear more prominent, and this is a kind of deception and showing the adornments which the believing woman is forbidden to show, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam)” [al-Noor 24:31]
From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, Majallat al-Buhooth, 9/46.
Moreover, it also makes a woman lean forward (maa’ilah ila al-amaam), so there is the fear that the warning issued to those women who walk with an enticing gait (al-maa’ilaat al-mumilaat) may apply to her too [in the hadeeth which says that such women will never even smell the fragrance of Paradise from afar]. It also harms the back, as has been proven medically. The heels also make a sound which attracts the attention of men and is a temptation to them. We ask Allaah to keep us all safe and sound.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Praise be to Allaah.
Wearing high heels is not permissible because it exposes women to the risk of falling, and we are commanded in sharee’ah to avoid danger in a general sense, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And do not kill yourselves”
[al-Nisa’ 4:29]
“and do not throw yourselves into destruction”
[al-Baqarah 2:195]
It also makes women look taller than they really are and makes their posteriors appear more prominent, and this is a kind of deception and showing the adornments which the believing woman is forbidden to show, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam)” [al-Noor 24:31]
From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, Majallat al-Buhooth, 9/46.
Moreover, it also makes a woman lean forward (maa’ilah ila al-amaam), so there is the fear that the warning issued to those women who walk with an enticing gait (al-maa’ilaat al-mumilaat) may apply to her too [in the hadeeth which says that such women will never even smell the fragrance of Paradise from afar]. It also harms the back, as has been proven medically. The heels also make a sound which attracts the attention of men and is a temptation to them. We ask Allaah to keep us all safe and sound.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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