Sunday, June 22, 2014

What or Who is a “Wahhabi”?

There is a lot of ignorance and misconception about the term “Wahhabi" isn’t there? I find it truly sad that a lot, and I mean a lot, of Muslims just blindly mimic what they see and hear without even making the slightest effort to find out for themselves what the truth actually is.


There is no such thing as a sect or group of Muslims who call themselves Wahhabis. Who are they? What are their beliefs? Their legislations? There are none. It’s just an offensive term used as an insult. It is only a lame mockery about one of the greatest scholars of Islam; Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله.


This name, "Wahhabi" is based upon the misconception that Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab had come with a new religion or a new form of Islam which opposed the accepted norms of the religion. But do you actually know who Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab رحمه الله was? Do you know who this man was, what exactly he called towards, and what he wrote about? 


Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab رحمه الله was a scholar of Islam who was born on the Arabian Peninsula about 200 years ago, at a time when the religious practices of the people therein contained polytheism, superstitions and sanctification of the saints and graves, all of which are in clear opposition to the Islamic texts.


When writing his works and in giving his da’wah, he concentrated on bringing the people back to the correct Tawheed and adherence to the following of the Sunnah. As he was reviving the message of the Prophets, he faced many obstacles and hardships and was severely opposed for bringing about this call.


Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله was a scholar who called towards Tawheed and the Sunnah, just like the thousands who had already preceded him upon goodness. His creed was the same as theirs, exactly as that of the Four Imaams and others of the righteous Salaf. 


He only became famous for his defense of this creed because he came at a time when these false practices were so widespread that he was essentially alone in his defense of the truth. 


To this day, he is seen in many parts of the Muslim world as a deviant who had aimed to alter the religion of Islam. This is a baseless lie, as can be seen if you would read his books, which are well documented and widely available, even in the English language. Most of his books are compilations of texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah with a minimal amount of his own wording between them.

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ”This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy ones of every generation; they will expel from it the alterations made by those going beyond bounds, the false claims of the liars and the false interpretations of the ignorant.” [Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Mishkaat - (no. 248)]

Shaykh ul-Islam Muhammd ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله was but a reformer of the religion who aided the deen of Allaah and purified Islam from unauthentic elements.

And do you know something else?

I personally find it extremely idiotic of the people who coined the term "Wahhabi" because Al-Wahhab is one of the lofty Names of Allaah عز و جل. Al-Wahhab means The Bestower and Abdul-Wahhab means Slave of The Bestower.

And to use this Name in a derogatory term against a person and a people who only establish Tawheed? It’s like cutting off your nose to spite your own face. Because you’re mocking a people with the Names of Allaah عز و جل. How foolish is that?

Reference: The “Wahhabi” Myth by Haneef James Oliver

*See my Study Guide page for some of the most important books of 'aqeedah by Shaykh ul-Islam Muhammd ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Common Mistakes During Ramadhan

Bismillah Wasalaatu wasalaam A’la Rasoolillah. Ama Ba’ad


The list was taken from Sheikh Ahmad Musa Jibril’s Fiqh of Ramadhan class.

Common Mistakes During Ramadhan:


1) Focusing on food; to the extent that people begin to worry about eating more then actually fasting. This also goes along with spending tons of money on Iftaars even though a person does not need to eat that much food.

2) Making Suhr way before Fajr. Some people eat Suhr a few hours after Taraweeh or Isha Salah, this is wrong. It should be eaten closer to the time of Fajr.

3) People don’t make Niyyah (intentions) to fast for Ramadhan. This is something in the heart and does not need to be verbal. Also it only needs to be done once, at the beginning of Ramadhan and not every single day.

4) If you find out late that Ramadhan started, you should stop eating and fast for that day, making that day up after Ramadhan/Eid ends.

5) Many people don’t think you pray Taraweeh on the first night of Ramadhan (such as tonight). They believe you pray it after the first day you actually fast. They forget that the Islamic calender runs on the moon, maghrib is the start of the new day.

6) Many people believe if you eat or drink on accident this breaks your fast. This is false, if you do this on accident then you continue fasting and do not need to make up the day.

7) Some people take the opinion that if they see someone eating or drinking they should not remind the person that he/she is fasting. According to Sheikh Bin Baz (ra), this is incorrect and it is an order from Allah for us to ordain the good and forbid the evil. Thus we tell the person, because we are forbidding the evil this way.

8) Many sisters believe they cannot use Hennah while fasting. This is incorrect, they are allowed to use it during Ramadhan.

9) Some people believe when you are cooking you cannot taste the food to see if it has the right spices/flavors. This is false, and allowed in Islam as long as the person cooking is not eating the food. Rather they can taste it to see if it needs salt, or more spices.

10) Many people think you cannot use a Miswak or toothbrush during Ramadhan. This is false, for the Prophet(saw) used to use a miswak during Ramadhan. Also you CAN use toothpaste; the reasoning by the scholars is that the Miswak has flavor, thus toothpaste is okay to use (if you are not eating it).

11) Some people make the Fajr Adhan early. They do this so people will stop eating before Fajr and not invalidate their fast. This is wrong and something we should not do.

12) Some people make the Maghrib Adhan late. They do this so people will start eating late, just incase Maghrib has not come in yet. Thsi too is wrong and we should not do this.

13) Many many people believe you cannot have intercourse with your spouse during the whole month of Ramadhan. This is false, you cannot do this only during the times when you are fasting. Between Maghrib and Fajr it is permissable to do.

14) Many women believe that if their period has just ended and they did not make ghusl, they cannot fast that day (considering their period ended at night, and they went to bed without Ghusl, waking up without having a chance to make it). This is incorrect, if a women has not made Ghusl she can still fast.

15) Many men believe that if he has had intercourse with his wife and did not make ghusl (similar to the above) then he cannot fast the next morning. This is also incorrect, for he can fast even if he has not made Ghusl.

16) Some people pray Dhur and Asr prayers together during Ramadhan. (mainly in Arab countries) This is incorrect and should be avoided.

17) Some people believe you cannot eat until the Muadthin is done calling the Maghrib Adthan. This is incorrect, as soon as he starts a person can break their fast.

18) Many people don’t take advantage of making dua before they break their fast. This is one of the three times when Allah accepts a person dua.

19) Many people make the mistake of spending the later part of Ramadhan prepairing for Eid, neglecting Ramadhan. This is incorrect and these people lose the concept of what Ramadhan is about.

20) Many parents do not let their children fast during Ramadhan (young children). This is somehting counter productive to a child. By allowing him to fast he will grow up to know he must do this act.

21) Many people think Ramadhan is just about not eating and forget about controling their tempers and watching what they say. In actuality we are supposed to control our tempers and mouthes even more during Ramadhan.

22) People often waste their time during Ramadhan. They go to sleep during the day and get nothing done. We should be taking advantage of this blessed month by doing extra Ibaadat.

23) Some people don’t go on trips or travel during Ramadhan. They think they have to break their fast when traveling. This is actually optional, if you want to break your fast while traveling you can (with making it up later), and if you don’t you can continue fasting.

24) Many people who are able don’t make Itikaaf at the masjid. We should take advantage of our good health and spend lots of time at the Masjid, expecially the last 10 days of Ramadhan.

25) Some people believe they cannot cut their hair or nails during Ramadhan. This is also false.

26) Some people say you cannot swallow your spit during Ramadhan. This too is false. However you cannot swallor mucus that has entered your mouth.

27) Some people say you cannot use scented oils or perfumes during Ramadhan. This too is false.

28) Some people believe bleeding breaks the fast. This is not true.

29) Some people believe if you throw up on accident it breaks your fast. This is not true, however if you do it intentionally it does.

30) Some people think you cannot put water in your nose and mouth during wuduh in Ramadhan. This too is incorrect.


Source: invitetoislam: