Wudû' According to the Hanafi Madh-hab

Bismi-llâh, wa l-hamdulillah, wa s-salâtu wa s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh

General Conditions of Purification

1. To be Muslim;
2. to remove anything which prevents water from reaching the part to be washed;
3. to let the water flow on the part to be washed; and
4. to use purifying water.

Obligatory Parts of Wudû'

1. To wash the whole face, from the normal hairline to the chin and from one ear to the other including the hair and skin, but not the inner part of the man's beard when the hair therein is thick;
2. to wash the hands and the forearms up to and including the elbows and what is on them;
3. to wet wipe one-quarter of the head; and
4, to wash the feet with the ankles included, or else to wet wipe the footgear (khuff) when the conditions of the footgear are fulfilled.

Recommended Acts of Wudû'

1. Washing the two hands before inserting them into the container [of water], [especially] after the mutawaddi' (person doing wudû') awakens from his sleep.
2. Taking the name of Allah, the Exalted at the start of the wudu'.
3. Siwak
4. Rinsing the mouth
5. Inhaling water
6. Wiping the ears
7. Combing the beard and
8. [Combing] the fingers
9. Repeating the washing upto thrice.
10. To intend purification
11. Covering the entire head with wiping
12. Performing the wudu' in order, such that he starts with that with whose mention Allah, the Exalted has begun with.
It is recommended for the mutawaddi' to [start] with the right parts.
In addition, wiping the back of the neck (i.e. anything under the ears) with the back of ones hands is a recommended matter, though not an emphasised sunnah.

Invalidators of Wudû'

1. Anything that exits from the private parts, even if it not customary such as a worm or stones.
2. The flowing of any ritually impure substance [such as blood or pus] from a wound [or other opening] to any place that requires cleaning (i.e. it flowed beyond its point of exit), or if it came out with enough force to flow [but was prevent from flowing because it was wiped or absorbed by a bandage].
3. Vomit that is a mouthful, such that one would not have been able to keep it in without difficulty, except if it is just phlegm. Vomit that is from the same motion (ghathayan) is considered together when determining whether it is a mouthful or not.
4. Blood [from the mouth or throat] that overcomes one’s saliva or equals it (if closer to red, wudu is invalidated; if closer to yellow, it is not).
5. The sleep of one whose rear is not firmly seated. As for the one whose rear is firmly seated, his ablution is not nullified by sleep, even if leaning against something in a way that if it were removed he would fall.
6. Loss of consciousness.
7. Madness.
8. Drunkedness.
9. The laughter of an aware adult person a prayer that contains bowing and prostration, even for the one praying by head motions alone. If the laughter occurs after the tashahhud, the ablution is nullified, though not the prayer. If you laugh such that only you could hear it, then it does not invalidate your wudu but does invalidate your prayer.
10. (Direct contact between an erect penis and the vagina of a desirable woman.)

And Allâh Knows Best

Wudû' According to the Shafi`i Madh-hab

Bismi-llâh, wa-l-hamdu lillâh, wa-s-salâtu wa-s-salâmu `alâ rasûli-llâh

Conditions for the Validity of Wudû'

1. Islām.
2. The age of understanding. (A child reaches the stage of mumayyiz (discerning) when he can eat, drink and clean himself after using the toilet unassisted.)
3. Cleanliness from menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
4. Being free from that which prevents the water from reaching the skin.
5. Nothing should be upon the limb that will change the [qualities of the] water.
6. Knowledge of it (wudûʾ) being obligatory.
7. Not to assume the fard (obligatory) acts as sunnah (recommended). (For the general public, it is suffice to know some of its acts are fard and some are sunnah.)
8. Pure water.
9. Entering of the time [of salâh], for a person who constantly remains in the state of impurity. (Wudûʾ should be performed after the entering of the salâh's time for fard salâh or at a particular time for sunnah salâh (e.g. duhâ))
10. Continuity, for a person who constantly remains in the state of impurity.
(NOTE: Both 9 & 10 apply to the one who constantly remains in the state of impurity, for example, the one who suffers from urinary incontinence)

Obligatory Acts of Wudû'

1. Intention. (The person performing ablution either intends removing a state of hadath (ritual impurity) or purification for the salâh.)
2. Washing the face. (The face is from the point where the hairline usually begins to the chin in length, and from ear to ear in width.)
3. Washing both hands and arms including the elbows. (Washing both arms completely, up-to and including the elbows once.)
4. Wiping any part of the head. (The minimum is to wipe part of a single hair, provided this part does not hang below the limit of the head (i.e. below the hairline).)
5. Washing the feet including the ankles.
6. Tartîb (to observe the above-mentioned sequence).

NOTE: Intention is to intend something simultaneously with the action; its place is in the heart. To make a verbal intention is a sunnah; its time is at the beginning of washing the first portion of the face. Tartîb (sequence) is to observe the sequence of the wudûʾ, such that no latter limb of wudûʾ should precede a former limb.

Invalidators of Wudû'

1. Anything that exits from either the front or the rear private parts, whether wind or anything else [whether common or uncommon, such as a worm or stone], except semen.
2. Loss of intellect (i.e. the loss of the ability to distinguish) through sleep or other causes (e.g. drunkenness, insanity), except sleep while firmly seated on the ground. (Drowsing and daydreaming do not break wudû'. Among the signs of drowsing is that one can hear the words of those present, even though without comprehension.)
3. Skin-to-skin contact between an adult (Adult means the age that usually stirs up sexual desire in a person. Wudû' will not break if this is only found in one of the two.), non-mahram (marriageable), male and female without any barrier. (The wudû' will break even if they touch without sexual desire, or unintentionally, and even if be with the tongue or a malfunctional surplus limb. Touching does not include contact with teeth, nails, hair or a severed limb. Wuḍūʾ is also broken by touching an aged person or a corpse of the opposite sex.)
4. Touching the private parts of a human with the palm or inner surface of the fingers (i.e., Those parts of the palm which touch each-other when the hands are put together palm to palm).

Forbidden Actions Whilst in Minor Impurity (i.e., In Need of Wudû')

1. Salâh (Prayer)
2. Tawâf (Circumambulation around the Ka`bah)
3. Touching the Mushaf (Written script of the Qur'ân)
4. Carrying the Mushaf (It is not permissible to touch the Mushaf, whether its writing, the spaces between its lines, its margins, binding, the carrying strap attached to it, or the bag or box it is in. However, it is permissible to carry a Mushaf in baggage and to carry money, rings, or clothes on which Qurʾān is written.)

The Sunnah Way to Perform Wudû'

1. Recite ta`awwudh: I take refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytân (to recite A`ûdhu billâh completely), and basmalah: In the name of Allâh, Most Merciful, Ever Merciful (to recite Bismillâh completely).
2. Wash the hands up-to and including the wrists three times.
3. Use the miswâk (toothstick), and then rinse the mouth and nose out three times, with three handfuls of water. One takes in a mouthful from a handful of water and snifts up some of the rest of the handful into the nostrils thrice.
4. Wash the entire face, from the point where the hairline usually begins to the chin in length, and from ear to ear in width, three times. It is obligatory to wash all facial hair – inner, outer, as well as the skin beneath the hair, whether the hair is thick or thin – such as the eyebrows, moustache and so forth except for a thick beard.
5. Wash both arms completely, up-to and including the elbows, three times. It is sunnah to pass the fingers through each other.
6. Wipe the head by passing the wet hands from the front of the head, sliding the paired hands to the back up to the nape of the neck, and then return them to point of commencement, three times.
7. Wipe the inside of the ears with the fingertips and their outside with the thumbs, with fresh water, three times.
8. Wash the feet up-to and including the ankles, three times. Allow the water to pass between the toes by using the little finger of the left hand, beginning with the little toe of the right foot, and ending with the little toe on the left.
9. During wudû', it is sunnah:
   - to wash the limbs successively,
   - to begin with the right when washing the arms and legs, but both hands, cheeks, or ears, are washed simultaneously,
   - to begin with the top of the face and not to splash the water onto it,
   - to avoid splashing water onto oneself,
   - to face the qiblah, not to talk except for a necessity, and
   - not to waste water

And Allâh Knows Best

The Marriages of the Prophet

It is no secret that the war on Islam has resulted in our beloved Messenger ﷺ, his conduct and personality being attacked and scrutinised by the Kuffâr from all fronts. One of their areas of focus is the marriages of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ.

The following piece seeks to discuss this issue and answer the question of whether the Prophet's marriages were a result of him being a self-indulgent, woman-gathering libertine, or were his marriages motivated by other reasons & causes.
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Permission to marry more than four wives

Allâh revealed in the Holy Qur’ân:

"Marry women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or your concubines. That is more fitting so that you do not deviate from the right course" [An-Nisâ'(4):3]


At the end of the eighth year of the Hijrah, after he had consummated all of his marriages with his wives, the Messenger ﷺ was, at the time of the revelation of this verse, married to more than four wives. However, he did not leave a single one of them but continued to be married to all his wives. This is because marriage to more than four wives is specific to him ﷺ. It is clear that being married to more than four wives is unique to the Messenger ﷺ and so he kept them after the revelation of this verse which limited marriage to four wives.

This is because the Prophet’s ﷺ action does not contradict a statement that he makes. If there is a contradiction, then the action is specific to him while the saying is general to the Ummah. It has been established in the foundations of jurisprudence (usûl ul-fiqh) that the action of the Prophet ﷺ does not contradict his speech that is relevant to the Ummah, but actions of the Prophet ﷺ can be specific to him alone.

This is because his ﷺ order to the Ummah is more specific than the evidences calling for us to emulate him by following his actions and sayings. Thus, the general order is built on the specific order, and therefore it is not allowed to emulate the Prophet ﷺ in an action in which there is a different order to the Ummah.

The Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to more than four wives, and the allowance for them to offer themselves to him in marriage etc, is confirmed by verses from the Holy Qur'ân.

Allâh says:

“O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their Mahr (bridal money) and those [captives or slaves] your right hand possesses from what Allâh has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] a dispensation only for you, excluding the [other] believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those [captives or slaves] their right hands possess, [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 50]

This verse says: “[this is] a dispensation only for you, excluding the [other] believers.” The word خَالِصَةً۬ Khâlisah (dispensation) in the verse is a verbal noun which confirms whatever preceded it, i.e. a dispensation has been made for you by permitting what Allâh has made lawful for you specifically.

The evidence to say that it includes all that precedes it and that it is specific to the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ is that it came after the four permissible matters of marrying wives, captives directly from the Fey’, daughters of his relations who have been mentioned amongst those that migrated with him, and a woman that directly offers herself for marriage. This is in addition to being stated in an emphatic manner as mentioned previously.

This is supported by the fact that at the completion of Allâh’s saying: “excluding the [other] believers.” His saying came: “We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those [captives or slaves] their right hands possess,” So this means this is not what Allâh has enjoined on them. That is why after all of this, Allâh said: “in order that there will be upon you no discomfort.” i.e. so that there is no hardship for you.

Therefore, the marriages of the Prophet ﷺ should not be taken as an example to emulate, nor as a subject of legislative discussion because they are unique to him ﷺ alone. Not to mention that the reality of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriages indicates that they were marriages of a Prophet and not the marriages of a man marrying for sex and satisfaction of the procreation instinct, in terms of the male-female aspect.

Marriage to Khadîjah

By returning to the historical reality we find that he ﷺ married Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) while he was twenty-three years of age. Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) remained as his ﷺ wife for twenty-eight years. She died in the eleventh year of the Prophethood, two years before the Hijrah, a few months after the rescission of the boycott document and shortly before his visit to Tâ'if in the year 620CE. The Prophet ﷺ was aged fifty when she died.

He ﷺ did not contemplate since the time he married Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) until her death, the prospect of marrying more than one wife, and this was at a time when polygyny was a widespread practise amongst the Arabs.

Before the Prophet ﷺ was sent with the Message, he spent seventeen years with Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) sharing a quiet and tranquil life. He ﷺ lived with her for approximately eleven years after the Prophethood (Bi`thah), in a life of da’wah and struggle against the kufr thoughts. In spite of this he did not consider marrying again.

It was not known of the Prophet ﷺ during his life with Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) or before his marriage to her that he was one of those tempted by the alluring charms of women in an age of ignorance (Jâhiliyyah) where these charms were used to tempt people.

It is not natural for us to take the view that after passing the age of fifty a sudden change took place in the Prophe ﷺ where he wasn’t content with only one wife but rather continued marrying until he had taken ten wives. Within five years in the sixth decade of the Prophet’s ﷺ life he gathered more than seven wives, and in the remaining seven years of the sixth decade and beginning of the seventh the Prophet ﷺ gathered nine wives.

At such an age can these marriages be attributed to a desire for women and sexual intercourse? Or were there other motives, which were required by the reality of life that the Prophet ﷺ was engaged in? i.e. the life of the Message, which he had been ordered to convey to the people. In order to understand this issue, let us examine the incidents surrounding the Prophet’s ﷺ marriages in further detail.

Contracting the marriage to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها)

In the eleventh year of the Prophethood, the year in which Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) died, the Prophet ﷺ considered getting married. He was fifty, and proposed to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها), the daughter of Abî Bakr (رضي الله عنه), his friend and the first one who believed in his Prophethood from the men. When she was just a child of six he contracted a marriage with her but did not consummate it for a period of three years until she was nine and fully mature having reached puberty, which happened after the Hijrah.

Marriage to Sawdah bint Zam’ah (رضي الله عنها)

However, at the time in which the Prophet ﷺ contracted the marriage with Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) he married Sawdah bint Zam’ah (رضي الله عنها). Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) was a widow of as-Sukran bin ‘Amr bin ‘Abdu-sh-Shams (رضي الله عنها), who was one of the Muslims who had migrated to Abyssinia but died on his return to Makkah. Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) had embraced Islam with her husband and she had migrated with him. She had suffered the same difficulties and hardships he suffered and faced the same harm he had faced.

After the death of Sawdah’s husband the Prophet ﷺ married her. It has not been reported that Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) was beautiful, or that she possessed wealth or standing, that would make any of the worldly aspects influence the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to her. Since the Prophet ﷺ had married her after the death of her husband, the only thing we can deduce from this is that he married her to support her and raise her to the position of the mother of the believers. When he migrated he made the house of Sawdah (رضي الله عنها) close to the Masjid. This was the first house the Prophet ﷺ built for any of his wives.

Consummation of the marriage to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها)

Then, in the first year of the Hijrah after the brotherhood between the Ansâr and the Muhâjirîn had been instituted, the Messenger ﷺ consummated his marriage with Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) and he housed her next to the house of Sawdah (رضي الله عنها), close to the Masjid. He allowed his first Wazir (assistant) and friend Abû Bakr as-Siddîq (رضي الله عنه) to come and see him in his house at his daughter's home.

Marriage to Hafsah (رضي الله عنها)

In the second year of the Hijrah, after the battle of Badr and before Uhud, he married Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) the daughter of Umar ibn al-Khattâb (رضي الله عنه). Hafsah (رضي الله عنها), before being married to the Prophet ﷺ, was the wife of Hanish (رضي الله عنه) who was one of the early converts to Islam. Seven months after Hanish (رضي الله عنه) died the Messenger ﷺ married her. By marrying Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) he ﷺ enabled his second Wazir, his companion Umar ibn al-Khattâb (رضي الله عنه) to come to see him in his house at Hafsah’s home.

So the marriages to Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) and Hafsah (رضي الله عنها) were marriages to the daughters of his two Wazirs (assistants), the daughters of two companions who persevered with him in Da`wah, ruling and fighting. Therefore such marriages were not only for the purpose of marriage. Although Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) was beautiful and the Prophet ﷺ found her attractive, this was not the case with Hafsah (رضي الله عنها), which indicates that his marriage to both of them was for a purpose other than sexual gratification.

Marriage to Juwayriyyah bint al-Hârith ibn Abî Dirar (رضي الله عنها)

During the battle of Banû Mustaliq, in the fifth year of the Hijra, he ﷺ married Juwayriyyah bint al-Hârith ibn Abî Dirar (رضي الله عنها). The reason behind his marriage to her was for the purpose of drawing her father closer to the Prophet ﷺ and raising her position. Juwayriyyah (رضي الله عنها) was from the captives of Banû Mustaliq, and had fallen into the hands of one of the Ansâr. She was the daughter of the leader of Banû Mustaliq, so she wanted to free herself from her master to whom she had become a slave-girl. Her master increased the ransom money knowing that she was the daughter of the leader of Banû Mustaliq. So her father approached the Prophet ﷺ with the ransom required to free her, which he did. Then after believing in the Message of the Prophet ﷺ he became a Muslim, and he took his daughter Juwayriyyah (رضي الله عنها) to the Prophet ﷺ and she too embraced Islam, so the Prophet ﷺ asked her father for her hand in marriage. He married her to the Prophet ﷺ himself so the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to her was in fact a marriage to the daughter of a leader of a tribe which he had subjugated. His ﷺ objective was to win the friendship of its leader through marrying his daughter.

Marriage to Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها)

In the seventh year of the Hijra after the victory of Khaybar he ﷺ married Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) daughter of Huyai ibn al-Akhtab who was one of the leaders of the Jews. The story of his marriage to her began when she was taken along with other captives which the Muslims seized from the fortress of Khaybar. Some of the Muslims advised the Prophet ﷺ: “Safiyyah is a noble lady of Banû Qurayzah and Banû Nadhir. She is not suitable for anyone other than you”, so the Prophet ﷺ freed her and married her. This was therefore done for her protection and to free her from the bondage of slavery, as well to raise her status. It has been narrated that Abû Ayyûb Khâlid al-Ansâriyy feared that Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) harboured hatred against the Messenger  ﷺ who had killed her father, husband and people. For this reason he spent the night, girded with his sword, around the tent in which the Messenger ﷺ consummated the marriage with Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) on the way back from Khaybar. When the Messenger ﷺ woke up in the morning he noticed him outside the tent and asked him: “What is the matter?” He replied: “I feared for you from this woman. You have killed her father, husband and her people and she has just recently come out of kufr.” So the Messenger ﷺ set Abû Ayyûb’s mind at rest, and Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها) remained loyal to the Messenger ﷺ until Allah تعالى took his soul.

Marriage to Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها)

Later, in the eighth year of Hijrah he ﷺ married Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) the sister of Umm al-Fadhl, the wife of al-‘Abbâs ibn Abd ul-Muttalib. He married her in Makkah at the end of the postponed pilgrimage (`Umrah al-qadâ) that the Muslims agreed to delay in the treaty of Hudaybiyah. The account of his marriage to her began when Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) was twenty six years of age and that she had delegated her sister Umm al-Fadhl to find a suitor for her, but when she saw the predicament of the Muslims at the `umrah she herself yearned for Islam.

Therefore, al-‘Abbâs proposed to his nephew our Master Muhammad ﷺ at her behest and the Messenger ﷺ agreed to marry her. The three day time limit on staying Makkah, stipulated by the treaty of Hudaybiyah had expired. But the Messenger ﷺ wished to use his marriage to Maymûnah (رضي الله عنها) as a means to increase the understanding between himself and the Quraysh.

When Suhayl bin ‘Amr and Huwayteb bin ‘Abd ul-‘Uzzâ came to him representing Quraysh they said to Muhammad ﷺ: “Your time in Makkah has expired, so leave us.” He ﷺ said to them: “What is the matter with you? Why do you not leave me? I will hold a wedding feast amongst you. We will prepare food for you so why not attend it?” Their response to him was “we have no need of your food so depart from us.” The Messenge ﷺ did not hesitate and left Makkah along with the rest of the Muslims.

Marriages to Zaynab bint Khuzaymah and Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنهما)

As for his ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Khuzaymah (رضي الله عنها) and Umm Salamah (ra), they were marriages to the two wives of his companions who had been martyred on the battlefield.

Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was the wife of `Ubaydah ibn al-Hârith ibn al-Muttalib (رضي الله عنه) who was martyred on the day of Badr, she was not of marked beauty, but she was known for her good nature and kindness to the extent that she became nicknamed as the ‘mother of the needy.’ She had passed her youth, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her in the second year of the Hijrah, after the battle of Badr and after the martyrdom of her husband. She stayed with him for only two years until Allâh تعالى took her soul. After Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها), Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was the only one who died before the Prophet ﷺ.

As for Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها), she was the wife of Abû Salamah (رضي الله عنه), who had a number of sons with her. Abu Salamah (رضي الله عنها) was injured in Uhud then recovered from it, so the Prophet ﷺ agreed to let him fight Banû Asad. He defeated them and returned to Madinah victorious with the booty that had been captured, but the injury he sustained at Uhud worsened and he remained ill until his death shortly afterwards. The Prophet ﷺ was present while he was on his deathbed, and he remained by his side, praying for his wellbeing until he died. The Prophet ﷺ then closed Abû Salamah’s eyes.

Four months after Abû Salamah’s death, the Messenger ﷺ proposed to Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) herself, but she made excuses that she had a big family and that she had passed her youth. The Prophet ﷺ however persisted until he married her and he himself saw to her children’s upbringing.

Therefore it is clear that the Messenger married those two wives to care for the family of two of his companions after their death.

Marriage to Umm Habîbah bint Abî Sufyân (رضي الله عنها)

As for his marriage to Umm Habîbah bint Abî Sufyân (رضي الله عنها), this was a marriage to a believing woman who had migrated to Abyssinia fleeing with her deen intact. She had remained patient in the path of Islam after her husband had apostatised.

Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) was Ramlah the daughter of Abû Sufyân, the leader of Makkah and head of the Mushrikîn. She was the wife of a cousin (son of a paternal aunt) of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ, `Ubayd-ullâh bin Jahsh al-Asadi. `Ubayd-ullâh embraced Islam with his wife Ramlah whilst her father Abû Sufyan was still upon kufr. She was afraid of hurting her father so she migrated, encumbered by her pregnancy, with her husband to Abbysinia. There in the place of refuge, Ramlah gave birth to her daughter Habîbah bint `Ubayd-ullâh by whom she was named. So she came to be called Umm Habîbah although her husband `Ubayd-ullâh bin Jahsh did not take long before he left the fold of Islam and professed his belief in Christianity, the religion of the Abyssinians. He tried to take his wife Ramlah away from Islam, but she patiently persevered in her deen.

Then the messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for the Negus delegating him to perform the marriage of Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The Negus informed Umm Habîba (رضي الله عنها) of this, so she delegated Khâlid bin Sa`îd bin al-`Âs (رضي الله عنه) to give her in marriage, and her marriage contract with the Messenger ﷺ took place. Khâlid undertook the marriage contract on her behalf and the Negus for the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ. When the Muhajirûn of Abbysinia returned to Madinah after the battle of Khaybar, Umm Habîbah returned with them and entered the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Madinah celebrated the wedding of the Messenger to Umm Habîbah (رضي الله عنها) and she remained in his house.

Marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها)

As for his ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) this marriage explained the legislation for a number of customs and traditions of Jâhiliyyah that contradicted Islam.

Firstly, it was legislation to demolish what was called equivalence or matching between the man and the woman. In marrying a cousin (daughter of his paternal aunt) who was from the leaders of the Quraysh, to a former slave that had been freed Zayd (رضي الله عنه).

Secondly, it showed the legislation for the destruction of what had become established amongst them in Jahiliyah, in that adopting a son is like one’s own son, so one cannot marry his wife. Muhammad ﷺ married the wife of his freedman Zayd (رضي الله عنه), after he divorced Zaynab in order to destroy those non-Islamic customs.

The account of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) was that Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها) was the daughter of Umaymah bint `Abd al-Muttalib the paternal aunt of the Messenger ﷺ. She was raised under the Messenger’s ﷺ care and attention and because of this, she was to him like a daughter or younger sister. He ﷺ used to know her and knew whether she was attractive or not before she had married Zayd, and he had seen her from the time she was an infant crawling, until her childhood and through to her adolescent years. She was not a stranger to the Messenger ﷺ, but rather she was similar in position to his daughter.

He ﷺ proposed to her on behalf of his freed slave Zayd (رضي الله عنه). However, her brother `Abd-ullâh bin Jahsh refused the proposal, because Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was from Quraysh and a Hashimite in addition to being a daughter of the aunt of the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ. Whereas Zayd (رضي الله عنه) was a slave bought by Khadîjah (رضي الله عنها) and later freed by Muhammad ﷺ. Zaynab’s brother felt that this was a great shame for Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) as it used to be a great dishonour for the Arabs, as daughters of the nobility did not marry slaves even if they were given their freedom. But Muhammad ﷺ wanted these considerations which existed within people solely on the basis of tribalism to be erased and for them to comprehend that there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab except in Taqwâ and to understand Allâh’s saying:

“In Allâh’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him (taqwâ).” [TMQ Al-Hujurât: 13]

The Messenge ﷺ did not consider it right that a woman from other than his own family should be pushed to do this. So Zaynab bint Jahsh (رضي الله عنها), daughter of his aunt, became the one to depart from the traditions of the Arabs and to destroy their customs, paying no attention to what people may say about her

He ﷺ let Zayd (رضي الله عنه), his slave whom he had adopted and who due to the customs and traditions of the Arabs gained the right of inheritance from him, to be the one who would marry Zaynab (رضي الله عنها). The Messenger ﷺ insisted that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) and her brother `Abdu-llâh accept Zayd (رضي الله عنه), his freed slave, as her husband. However, Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) persisted in her refusal as did her brother 'Abdullah. As a result Allâh revealed the verse:

“When Allâh and His messenger have decided on a matter that concerns them, it is not fitting for any believing man or women to claim freedom of choice in that matter: whoever disobeys Allah and His messenger is far astray.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 36]

Therefore `Abdu-llâh and Zaynab had no choice but to submit to Allâh’s will, so they said: “We consent O Messenger of Allâh ﷺ.”

Zayd (رضي الله عنه) consummated his marriage with Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) after the Prophet ﷺ had sent her the bride gift (mahr).

However, married life between Zayd (رضي الله عنه) and Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was not good. On the contrary, from the start it was unsettled and embittered and continued to be unsettled and embittered. Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) was not happy with this marriage after it had taken place even though it was a command from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. She did not obey her husband, and she did not soften in her approach towards him. Rather, she boasted to Zayd (رضي الله عنه) that the bondage of slavery had not befallen her and she made life difficult for him.

Zayd (رضي الله عنه) complained to the Prophet ﷺ on numerous occasions and explained to him about Zaynab’s (رضي الله عنها) bad treatment of him. He sought permission from the Prophet ﷺ a number of times to divorce her. The Prophet ﷺ used to reply: “Hold on to your wife.”

Then Allâh revealed to the Messenger ﷺ that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) will be one of his wives. This was distressing for the Prophet ﷺ who feared that people will say that Muhammad ﷺ has married his son’s wife and will censure him for that since he ﷺ had adopted Zayd (رضي الله عنه) as a son. Therefore, the Messenger ﷺ did not want Zayd (رضي الله عنه) to divorce Zaynab (رضي الله عنها), but Zayd (رضي الله عنه) urged the Prophet ﷺ to allow him to divorce her.

Despite the fact that the Prophet ﷺ knew that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) would be one of his wives as Allâh had informed him of this through revelation, he ﷺ still said to Zayd (رضي الله عنه): “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allâh.” As a result of this Allâh mildly reproached the Prophet ﷺ since Allâh told him that he ﷺ would marry Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) and that he ﷺ was concealing within himself that which Allâh wanted made known. This is the meaning of Allâh’s saying:

“You hid in your heart what Allâh would later reveal.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 37]

The matter that the Prophet ﷺ concealed was the knowledge that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) will be his wife even though she was the wife of someone he had adopted. This is what Allâh would make manifest afterwards, which was his marriage to a divorcee of someone he had adopted as his son.

The reason for the Messenger’s ﷺ concealment of this marriage, which Allâh later made manifest, is that it was the custom of the Arabs to keep their adopted sons and daughters in their houses and ensure links with their relations. They used to give the ‘da’iyy’ (the person who is adopted, all the rights of a son.) All the rules of a son were applied to them even in inheritance and the esteem of lineage. So when Allah informed the Messenge ﷺ that Zaynab (رضي الله عنها), the wife of his freed slave whom he had adopted will be his wife he hid this knowledge and strictly insisted that Zayd (رضي الله عنه) hold on to his wife and not divorce her. This is despite Zayd’s (رضي الله عنه) insistence, his complaints about her, and the lack of harmony between them in their marital life ever since he married her. Zayd (رضي الله عنه) insisted on divorcing her so the Messenger ﷺ gave him permission, and he eventually divorced her without any knowledge that the Messenger ﷺ would marry her and without Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) herself knowing that the Messenger ﷺ would take her as his wife.

This is illustrated by what Ahmad, Muslim and an-Nasâ’iyy have reported from Sulaymân ibn al-Mughîrah on the authority of Thâbit that Anas who said: When the `Iddah (divorce period) of Zaynab was over, Allâh’s Messenger ﷺ said to Zayd to mention him to her. So I (Zayd) went to her and said: ‘O Zaynab rejoice! Allâh’s Messenger sent me to propose to you on his behalf.’ She said: ‘I do not do anything until I see my Lord order me.’ So she stood at her place of worship and Allâh’s Messenger came to her without permission when the verses of the Qur’ân (pertaining to her marriage) were revealed:

“When Zayd no longer wanted her, We gave her to you in marriage so that there might be no fault in believers marrying the wives of their adopted sons after they no longer wanted them.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 37]

If either Zaynab (رضي الله عنها) or Zayd (رضي الله عنه) had known that Allâh had ordered the Messenger ﷺ to marry Zaynab then Zayd would not have said to her ‘rejoice,’ nor she said ‘until I see my Lord order me.’ i.e. she left the matter to Allâh to guide her in this marriage. The 'Illa (legal reason) of this marriage is so that there is no sin on the believer in marrying the wife of someone they had adopted.

Conclusion

This is the account of the Messenger’s ﷺ marriages to his wives. It is clear that each one was for an objective other than the mere aim of marrying. The intent of the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage to more than four wives and why this number is unique to him compared to the rest of his Ummah is now clear.

The fact that the objective was not the agitation of the procreation instinct of a man who had passed the age of fifty is quite evident, since he was a man who was busy with the Da`wah, engaged in conveying the Message of his Lord to the world so that he may revive a people and mould them into an Ummah whose only aim in life was to carry the Message of Allâh to the world.

His ﷺ aim was to build the society anew after he had demolished the previous structures, and establish a state pushing ahead the world before it, in order to carry the Call of Islam to the people. Anyone whose mind is occupied with the revival of an Ummah, the establishment of a state, the building of a society, and the carrying of the Message to the world cannot be preoccupied by women devoting himself to them and marrying one every year. Rather, he carried his Da`wah and he enjoyed a normal married life like any other human.

Taken from the book 'The Social System in Islam' by Taqiuddin an-Nabhani

Responsibilities to One's Parents

Bismillâh, wa-l-hamdulillâh, wa-s-salâtu wa-s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh

Islam, the religion of morality and truth, has heavily enjoined upon man to honour, respect and be kind with one's parents. Islam has also warned of the consequences of one's ill-treatment, disrespect or disobeying of his/her parents.

This has been mentioned in many places in the Qur'ân, such as:

"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" (TMQ al Isrâ' 17:23-24)

Note how Allâh has mentioned the command to worship none but Him alongside the command to be dutiful to one's parents.

Therefore, you should serve and take care of them as they did with you; however, your service to them will never be like their service to you as they suffered a lot in bringing you up, hoping that you might be among the successful. On the other hand, when you shoulder their burdens you hope that they will die soon.

Allâh also says:

"And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents." (TMQ al-`Ankabût 29:8)
"Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents..." (TMQ an-Nisâ' 4:36)

Here, Allâh has again mentioned the command to worship none but Him alongside the command to be dutiful to one's parents. Such is the importance of dutifulness to one's parents.

Allâh also says:

"And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavour to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do." (TMQ Luqmân 31:14-15)

Ibn `Abbâs (radiyallâhu `anhu), said, "There are three verses which have been revealed associated with  three others. They are not accepted separately:

a) Allah, the Most High, says, 'Obey Allâh and obey the messenger, and beware! But if you turn away, then know that the duty of Our messenger is only plain conveyance (of the message).' (Al-Ma'idah: 92)
Thus, whoever only obeys Allâh [but not the messenger] will have his obedience not accepted.

b) 'And establish prayer and give zakâh' (AI-Baqarah: 43)
Hence, whoever performed prayers and does not pay Zakât will have his prayers not accepted

c) 'Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.' (Luqman: 14)
Whoever shows gratitude to Allâh and neglects his parents will not have his gratitude accepted."

It was reported by Abî Bakrah (radiyallâhu `anhu) that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said three times, "Shall I not inform you of the biggest of the great sins?" We said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger" He said, "To join partners in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one's parents." (Collected by al-Bukhârî)

Here, the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) is mentioning the major sin of shirk, the gravest sin in Islam, alongside undutifulness to one's parents!

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah's satisfaction is the parent's and His Wrath is theirs." (Collected by at-Tirmidhî)

It is related that `Abdullâh ibn Mas`ûd (radiyallâhu `anhu) said, "I asked the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam): 'O Messenger of Allah, which action is best?' He replied, 'The prayer at its proper time.' I asked, 'Then what?' He answered, 'To be good and dutiful to parents.' I asked, 'Then what?' He said, 'Jihad in the way of Allâh.' (Collected by al-Bukhârî and Muslim)

Note how the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) prioritised the service of parents over the virtuous deed of jihâd.

`Abdullâh ibn `Amr (radiyallâhu `anhu) reported that a man came to the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) and asked his permission to go on Jihâd. The Prophet asked, 'Are your parents alive?' He replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'Then strive in caring for them.'" (Collected by al-Bukhârî and Muslim)

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Whoever shows disrespect to his parents, he who reminds recipients of his charity to them and he who addicts to wine will not enter Paradise." (Collected by ad-Dârimi, Ahmad, an-Nasâ'î and Ibn Hibbân)

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam)  said, "May Allâh curse he who shows disrespect to his parents." (Collected by al-Hâkim)

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "May Allâh curse he who reviles his father; may Allâh curse he who reviles his mother." (Collected by Ahmad and an-Nasâ'î)

Abû Hurayrah (radiyallâhu `anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "There are four people who will not enter Paradise as Allah decreed: a drunkard, a usurer, he who appropriates the orphan's property without a legal cause and he who shows disrespect to one's parents." (Collected by al-Hâkim)

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allâh delays whatever He wants of the sins until the Day of Judgment except showing disrespect to one's parents; it will be hastened to its doer. (i.e. the worldly punishment before the Day of Judgment)" (Collected  by al-Hâkim)

Treating one's parents with honour also requires sustaining them with the living costs when they are needy.

A man came and said to the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam), "O Messenger of Allâh, my father asks for my property.” Then the Prophet said, "Both you and what you possess are your father's." (Collected by Ibn Mâjah and Ahmad)

It was reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Three supplications are surely acceptable: the supplication of the oppressed, the traveler and the parents against their children." (Collected by at-Tirmidhî, Abû Dâwûd and Ibn Mâjah)

Abû Hurayrah (radiyallâhu `anhu) reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man said. "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man further said, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your father. " (Collected by al-Bukhârî)

Thus, the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) emphasises that the mother is the one who deserves much concern and therefore he mentioned her three times. It is indeed the mother who bears a lot in pregnancy, giving birth, and suckling & constant care to the child day and night.

However, we should also remember to keep companionship with and treat well our fathers too.

Once Ibn 'Umar (radiyallâhu `anhu) saw a man bearing his mother upon his shoulder and making Tawâf (circumambulation) around the Ka`bah. The man asked him, "Do you think that I requite her?" (i.e. do you think I can make up for all the things she has done for me?) [Ibn `Umar replied,] "No, not even with a cry from childbirth. But, well done. Allâh will give you in return for a little deed a great reward." (Collected by al-Bukhârî)

Abû Hurayrah (radiyallâhu `anhu) reported Allaah's Messenger (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) as saying: "Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust." It was said: "Allah's Messenger, who is he?" He said: "He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise." (Collected by Muslim)

Islam also prohibits the abuse of the parents of others.

`Abdullâh ibn `Amr (radiyallâhu `anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger said. "It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents." It was asked (by the people), "O Allah's Messenger! How does a man curse his parents?" The Prophet said, "'The man abuses the father of another man and the latter abuses the father of the former and abuses his mother." (Collected by al-Bukhârî)

It was also reported that the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) also said, "An aunt is treated as a mother i.e., honourable treatment." (Collected by al-Bukhârî and Abî Dâwûd)

Ibn `Abbâs was asked about Ashâb al- A`râf (men of the Heights) and he said; "As for the Heights, it is a mountain between Fire and Paradise. It is so-called because it outlooks Fire and Paradise. It is also covered by trees, fruits, rivers and wells. As for the men who seized thereon, they are those who went out to fight in the cause of Allâh without their parents' permission and then are killed. Death in the cause of Allah protects them from the Hell-Fire. But disobedience to their parents deprived them of Paradise. Thus, they will be on the Heights until Allâh judges them.

One honours one's parents by obeying them, hastening to do what they are told, respecting them, praying for them, lowering one's voice in their presence, smiling at them, being humble in their presence, not showing displeasure towards them, striving to serve them, fulfilling their wishes, consulting them, listening to what they say, not being stubborn towards them and respecting their friends both during their lifetime and after they have died.

One can also honour one's parents by visiting them (if one does not live with them), offering them gifts and thanking them for bringing you up with kindness when you were small & after you grew up.

One must also strive to reduce the arguments between them, sincerely advise them and saying & doing things to calm them down.

However, one should honour and obey one's parents as long as it does not involve any disobedience towards Allâh and his Messenger, because there is no obedience to any created being if it involves disobedience towards the Creator.

When one's parents grow old and weak and are in need of someone to treat them kindly and take care of their needs, one should willingly and kindly help them and take care of their needs.

When one's parents are old or after they die, one should pray for forgiveness of their sins and mercy. A good example of such a supplication is "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."

Abû Hurayrah reports that the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who will pray for him." (Collected by Muslim)

Anything mentioned that is inaccurate or false  has only come from the author's humane weaknesses, as well as the Shaytân. And whatever is true in this piece of writing has come from none but Allâh.

We ask Allâh to forgive our shortcomings and the shortcomings of our parents, and we ask Him to admit us into Paradise without prior torture.

Wallâhu A`lamu wa Ahkam

The Hadith of Jibril and Its Explanation

Bismillâh, wa-l-hamdulillâh, wa-s-salâtu wa-s-salâmu `alâ rasûlillâh

The Hadîth Text

Reported by `Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiyallâhu `anhu):

"One day we were sitting in the company of Allâh's Messenger (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognised him.

At last he sat with the Prophet (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam). He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: 'O Muhammad, inform me about Islam.' The Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) said: 'Islam is that you testify that there is no god but Allâh and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allâh, and you establish prayer, pay Zakât, observe the fast of Ramadân, and perform pilgrimage to the House if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey.' He (the inquirer) said: 'You have told the truth.' He (`Umar ibn al-Khattâb) said: 'It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth.'

He (the enquirer) said: 'Inform me about Îmân (faith).' He (the Prophet) replied: 'That you affirm your faith in Allâh, in His angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Last Day, and in the Divine Decree, both in its good and evil aspects. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth.'

He (the enquirer) said: 'Inform me about Ihsân (performance of good deeds). He (the Prophet) said: 'That you worship Allâh as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you.'

He (the enquirer) said: 'Inform me about the Hour.' He (the Prophet) said: 'The enquired one knows no more than the one who is enquiring [about it].' He (the enquirer) said: 'Inform me of its signs.' He (the Prophet) said: 'That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings.' Then he (the enquirer) went on his way but I stayed with him (the Prophet) for a long while. He then said to me: '`Umar, do you know who this enquirer was?' I replied: 'Allâh and His Messenger know best.' He (the Prophet) said: 'He was Jibrîl (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion.'" (Collected by Muslim)

The Five Pillars of Islam

Islam is built upon five pillars:

1. Shahâdah (Testification). A Muslim must believe with the heart and declare with the tongue that there is no one deserving of worship except Allâh, and that Muhammad (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) is His Final Messenger.
2. Salah (Prayer). A Muslim must pray five times a day: Fajr (dawn), Zuhr (early afternoon), `Asr (late afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and `Ishâ' (night)
3. Zakâh (Alms). A Muslims is required to pay 2.5% of his/her wealth per year.
4. Sawm (Fasting). A Muslim is required to fast the whole of the month of Ramadân.
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage). A Muslim is required to perform pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in his/her lifetime.

The Six Pillars of Îmân (Faith)

Îmân (faith) has six pillars:

1. Belief in Allâh. We must believe in Allâh's Oneness & Uniqueness, His Existence, His Lordship, His Divine & Sublime Names & Attributes, His Perfection and His Sole Right to be worshipped.

2. Belief in His Angels. We must believe that Allâh created angels, who are honoured servants made from light. They do not disobey Allâh; they only do what He commands them to do. Only Allâh knows how many angels there are, but to indicate their great number, there is a hadîth that states that every day 70,000 angels visit al-Bayt al-Ma'mûr and leave, never returning to it again, another group coming after them.

We must know ten individual angels:

1. Jibrîl. He is the chief on the angels and is responsible for conveying the wahy (revelation) from Allâh to His Prophets.

2. Mîkâl (or Mîkâ'îl). He is responsible for rain and vegetation.

3. Isrâfîl. He is responsible for blowing the Trumpet, first to destroy everything except what Allâh wills, then the second time to signify the period of resurrection and judgement.

4. Malak al-Mawt. He is the angel of death. Every human will have his soul taken out of his body by this angel when his time comes to die.

5. & 6. Munkar & Nakîr. They are responsible for questioning the dead in their graves.

7. Ridwân. He is the main gatekeeper of Paradise

8. Mâlik. He is the chief gatekeeper of Hell

9. & 10. The two angels who record one's good and bad deeds, described in the Qur'ân as Raqîbun `Atîdun (observing, ready to record) and Kirâman Kâtibîn (noble & recording).

3. Belief in His Books. We must believe in the Divine Books that Allâh sent down to His

Messengers.

We must know four particular Books:

1. Tawrât (Torah), which was revealed to Prophet Mûsâ (`alayhi-s-salâm)

2. Zabûr (Psalms), which was revealed to Prophet Dâwûd (`alayhi-s-salâm)

3. Injîl (Gospel), which was revealed to Prophet `Îsâ (`alayhi-s-salâm)

4. Qur'ân, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam)

However, our belief in these Books does not mean we follow the teachings of these books. The only Divine Book we are allowed to follow is the Qur'ân.

We must also believe that ALL of the Books sent down before us do not exist in their true, original forms today; they have either been lost or corrupted by the people as time went by. Examples of corrupted books are the Tawrât and Injîl.

4. Belief in His Messengers. We must believe that Allâh sent Prophets and Messengers to to he people and jinn of nations before us to guide them to the path of the Truth, and that they have told the truth about everything they have conveyed from Allâh. We must also believe that Muhammad (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam) was His Final Messenger and was sent to the worlds.

We must know 25 particular Prophets, all of whom are mentioned in the Qur'ân: Âdam, Idrîs, Nûh, Hûd, Sâlih, Lût, Ibrahîm, Ismâ`îl, Ishâq, Ya`qûb, Yûsuf, Shu`ayb, Mûsâ, Hârûn, Dâwûd, Sulaymân, Ayyûb, Dhû l-Kifl, Yûnus, Ilyâs, al-Yasa`, Zakariyyâ, Yahyâ, `Îsâ and Muhammad (`alayhimu-s-salâtu wa-s-salâm).

5. Belief in the Last Day. We must believe in the Day of Resurrection, the Day of Judgement, the day in which, as described by the Prophet himself (sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam), "The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five (matters): (1) about his life - how he spent it; (2) about his youth - how he took care of it; (3) about his wealth - how he earned it; (4) and where he spent it (5) and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge he acquired." (Narrated by at-Tirmidhî and others)

On this Day, every single person will be brought back to life, judged, have his/her good and bad deeds weighed up against each other, walk on the sirât and enter either Paradise or Hellfire.

6. Belief in Predestination/Divine Decree/Divine Will. We must believe that Allâh decreed for everything to happen. Whatever Allâh decreed to happen occurs and whatever Allâh does not decree to happen does not occur. Nothing happens except that Allâh knows it was going to happen and knew about it eternally.

So the question might be asked: Do we have free will? Why will Allâh punish us because of something he decreed for us to do anyway?

The answer is that Allâh does not hold us responsible for creating the act, for Allâh is the Creator of all acts. Rather, he holds us responsible for choosing the act. One proof of this is that a person who cannot choose is not held responsible, such as someone asleep, insane, a child, forced, unremembering, or someone who makes an honest mistake. The legal responsibility of such people is lifted because they lack full voluntary choice.

Another proof is that Nimrûd sinned for choosing to burn Ibrâhîm (`alayhi-s-salâm) even though Ibrâhîm did not burn; and that Ibrâhîm (`alayhi-s-salâm) became the Close Friend of Allâh for choosing to sacrifice his son out of obedience to Allâh, even though his knife did not cut and his son was not sacrificed. All of this shows that the servant is held responsible for his choice.

Also, we do not have any access to Allâh's Decree. So when we choose to do acts, we do so on the basis of a desire within ourselves, not because we know Allah's Decree, and as a result we are held responsible for our choices even though they correspond with Allâh's Decree.

(the rest will be posted soon Inshâ'allâh)

Wallâhu A`lam wa Ahkam