A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is it right for a woman to wear perfume on the ‘Iyd ? ”   There are opinions, based on a hadits by Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi ( r.a. ), that imply women should not wear perfume.   This is a simplistic, and literal interpretation.   A hadits does not automatically become a fatwa , a legal opinion; or a hukm , a legal ruling.   There is a process whereby we arrive at this.   Firstly, we have to consider the intent of the act before addressing permissibility.   This is the foundational principle of the matter, since it the intent matters.   The impermissibility of wearing perfume pertains to the intent to beguile.   As such, it is not only the perfume, but the dress and the behaviour as well.   This may be found in the exegesis of the verse on believing women being Told not to stamp their feet, and lowe...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Why does Islam not have any colourful festivals as compared to those from other religions? ” It does.   Islam is a religion.   Culture is an expression of religious obligations, and there are a variety of cultural expressions of religious events and celebrations throughout the world.   Throughout the world, the principal religious festivals of Islam, ‘Iyd al-Adhha’ , and ‘Iyd al-Fithr , are celebrated in a variety of ways with many unique customs.   Additionally, there are other events celebrated by some Muslim groups, commemorating events, personalities, and the history of the Prophet ( s.a.w. ).

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Muhammad Sa’id ibn Muhammad Ramadhan al-Buwthi ( r.a. ) said, “How can we combine between feelings of joy towards the advent of ‘Iyd and feelings of sorrow for the afflicted slaves of Allah ( s.w.t. ) who suffer from adversities?   Each issue has its function.   They correlate and harmonise with each other, when I am happy for being Guided by Allah ( s.w.t. ) to the good, for being His slave, and for being Protected by Him.   It is a mental function that exists in my mind, and then it spreads in my whole conscience.   Similarly, when I feel pain and sorrow for my fellow Muslims, I get closer to Allah ( s.w.t. ) through these feelings.   The believer’s heart can combine between both feelings.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ A Shishty shaykh said, “May every day be a day of festival to you!” A Shaykh Imami ( q.s. ) wrote a pretty poem about the “day of festival” being in the Presence of the Beloved, which started thus: “We celebrate the day of festival but once a year, A constant feast day is the seeing of You, dear!”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is adapted from the text of the ‘Iyd al-Adhha sermon by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad, on the 05 th October 2014.   Today is the day of sacrifice.   It commemorates the great sacrifice of Abraham ( a.s. ), as he was inspired to sacrifice his only son, Ishmael ( a.s. ), because of what he saw in a vision.   He told his son:   سُوۡرَةُ الصَّافات فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعۡىَ قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلۡمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذۡبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ‌ۚ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُ‌ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٠٢)   Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said, “O my son!   I see in vision that I offer you in sacrifice: now see what is your view!”   (The son) said, “O my father!   Do as you are Commanded: you will find me, if Allah so wills, one practising patience and constancy!” (Surah asw-Swaffat:102)   ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is by Shaykh Tu’sun Bayrak al-Jirrahi.   There is a hidden meaning in the arrangement of the obligations of Islam: kalimat ash-shahadah , swalah , swa’um , zakat and haj .  Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is our attempt to recognise and practice the Divine Attributes, the Asma’ al-Husna , the Beautiful Names of Allah ( s.w.t. ) which He Taught our father, Adam ( a.s. ).  Patience, compassion, love, gentleness and forgiveness, which we may experience during fasting, bring the Creator and the Created closer as we experience aspects, at the human level, of these Divine Qualities.  Through this connection, we strive to truly become the sons and daughters of Adam ( a.s. ).   During the five daily prayers, especially during the position of prostration, we are in the Presence of Our Lord, and we are speaking with Him.  When we become conversant with our Lord, He may Ask us to come and visit His House....

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ How many days of  ‘iyd , celebration, are there in Islam in total? As recorded in Swahih ibn Hibban , a man came to Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi ( r.a. ) and asked, “Do you discourage people from fasting on the day of Jumu’ah ?” Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ( r.a. ) replied, “I would not have discouraged people from fasting on the day of Jumu’ah, but  I have heard Rasulullah ( s.a.w. ) say, ‘Do not fast on the day of Jumu’ah because it is a day of ‘Iyd unless connected with the days.’” The meaning being that one should not fast on Friday by itself, unless one fasts on a Thursday or a Saturday with it.   This precludes Fridays that fall on significant dates, and the fast is for that event.   From the above hadits , we are told that Friday is a day of ‘Iyd and there are about 52 Fridays in a year. As recorded in Sunan at-Tirmidzi , Sayyidina ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir ( r.a. ) n...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Prophet ( s.a.w. ) said, “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah, than these ten days.   One fast during these ten days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship in the Laylat al-Qadr .”   This hadits was recorded by Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi ( r.a. ).   The following on the days of virtue and righteous deeds are taken from Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu Muhammad ibn Abu Swalih ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s ( q.s. ), Ghunya ath-Thalibin .   The practices are those of the Naqshbandi Haqqani as taught to us by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani ( q.s. ).   Praise be to Allah ( s.w.t. ) who has created time and made some times better than others.   Some months and days and nights are better than others, when Rewards are Multiplied many times, as a Mercy towards His servants.   This en...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is to be recited from maghrib , on the Day of ‘Iyd .   تكبيرات العيد الله أكبَرُ الله أكبَرُ الله أكبَرُ، لا إله إلا الله الله أكبَرُ الله أكبَرُ الله أكبَرُ، ولله الحمد (كرر عدّة مرات) الله اكبرُ كبيرا، والحمدُ للهِ كثيرا وسبحانَ اللهِ بُكرَةً وأصيلا لا إله إلا اللهُ وحْده صَدَقَ وعْده ونصَر عبْده وأعَزَّ جُنْدَهُ وهَزمَ الأحزابَ وحده لا إله إلا الله، ولا نعبُدُ إلا إيَّاه مُخلصين لهُ الدِّين ولو كَرِهَ الكافرون اللهمَّ صلِّ على سيِّدِنا مُحمَّد وعلى أصحاب سيِّدِنا مُحمَّد وعلى أنصار سيِّدِنا مُحمَّد وعلى أزواج سيِّدِنا مُحمَّد وعلى ذرّيةِ سيِّدِنا مُحمَّد وسلّم تسليماً كثيرا ربِّي اغفر لي ولوالدَيَّ ورحمْهُما كما ربَّياني صغيرَ   Takbirat al-‘Iyd Transliteration Allahu Akbar x3, La ilaha ilaa Allah Allahu Akbar x3 wa lillah al-Hamd Repeat 3 times or more Allahu akbaru kabiraa , wa al-hamdulillah katsiraa Wa subhaan Allahi bukratan wa aswiila Laa ilaha ilaa Allah Wahda...