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Q. There are a number of books which contain the full translation of the Holy Qur’an without giving the Qur’anic text in Arabic. Please explain whether reading of such translations has the same reward as the recitation of the Arabic text of the Holy Qur’an is supposed to have. Moreover, can one touch such translation in a state of impurity and if somebody reads the translation of the verse of ‘Sajdah’ is it incumbent upon him to perform the sajdah of tilawat? (Anonymous)  Read more... (340 words, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)

It is Waajib (compulsory) for a Muslim male to grow a beard. It is also Waajib to let the beard grow a fist length. It is prohibited to cut or shave the beard. He who does so is a Faasiq (sinner) and to shorten it less than a fist length is Makruh Tahrimi (near Haraam). This is the view of the majority of scholars. (see Wujoob I’efaaul-lihyah of Shaykhul Hadith, Ml. Muhammad Zakariyyah and the footnotes of ex-grand Mufti of Saudia – Shaykh ibn Baaz)

Verdict of Keeping the Beard according to the Hanafi Madhab  Read more... (2126 words, estimated 8:30 mins reading time)

“O’ ALLAH’ We beseech Thee for help and seek Thy protection and believe in Thee and extol Thee and are thankful to thee and are not ungrateful to Thee and we declare ourselves clear of, and forsake him who disobeys Thee. O’ ALLAH! Thee do we serve and for Thee do we perform and prostrate ourselves and to Thee do we betake ourselves and to Thee we are quick, and thy mercy do we hope for, and Thy punishment do we fear, for Thy punishment overakes the unbelievers.”  Read more... (377 words, 4 images, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

It is narrated in the traditions that on standing up to Salaah the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) would say Allahu Akbar (ALLAH is most great), and saying this Takbir-e-Tahrimah, he would raise his hands upto his ears. He would then fold his hands, putting the right hand on the wrist of the left. Thereafter he would recite the SANA (HYMN).  Then he would recite Surah FATIHAH at the end of which he would say Ameen.  Read more... (916 words, estimated 3:40 mins reading time)

Hazrat Ibn Abbaas R.A. reports that a woman hazrat Um Saleem R.A, once came to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘O Rasulullah Sal’am (my husband) Abu Talha and his son had gone to perform Haj, and left me behind.’ Rasulullah Sal’am replied: ‘O Um Saleem, to perform one umrah in the month of Ramadhaan is equal in reward of a Haj in my company’. This is not the only hadith in which it is stated that the reward of an umrah in Ramadhaan is the same as Haj in the company of Rasulullah Sal’am.  Read more... (427 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

In the same way that there are obligatory (fardh) salaats, which must be, said at specific times and some voluntary (nafl) salaats for the devoted to present himself in Allah’s presence when he so desires. There is a specific time when it is compulsory to present himself at the Home of Allah for Haj and also a time when in a voluntary manner he may perform some of the acts which are also performed in Haj by performing umrah. Apart form five days (when it is makrooh from the 9th to 13th Zil Haj) umrah may be performed at any time during the year.  Read more... (414 words, estimated 1:39 mins reading time)

It is a fact that Makkah is a blessed city. Every inch and every rock or bit of sand is blessed. We have already mentioned those places of special blessing. Now there are a few more to which attention should be drawn.

1. Firstly there is a place where the house of Hazrat Khadija R.A. used to be; and where Hazrat Fatima Zahraa R.A. was born; and where all the children of Rasulullah Sal’am were born except Hazrat Ibrahim A.S. up to the Hijrat Rasulullah Sal’am live here. The Ulama are of the opinion that second to the Holy Masjid, this place is the most virtuous in Makkah.  Read more... (767 words, estimated 3:04 mins reading time)

Ibn Hazrat Abbaas R.A says: ‘I heard the messenger of Allah say: ‘The Multazam is a place where duaas are accepted. Whenever a person prays to Allah at this spot, Allah grants his prayer’.  Read more... (401 words, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

Hazrat Ibn Abbas R.A. reports that the Messenger of Allah said: “One hundred and twenty mercies descend upon the Ka’ba every day and night; sixty for those performing tawaaf, forty for those performing salaah and twenty for those merely looking at Ka’ba”.
Here we are told that merely looking at the Ka’ba is a form of Ibaadah. Hazrat Saeed ibn Musayyib R.A. the well known. Tab’iee used to say that whoever merely looks at the Ka’ba with complete faith, becomes so cleansed of his sins as the day he was born.  Read more... (466 words, estimated 1:52 mins reading time)

The Holy Ka’ba had been re-erected quite a few time. About some of these times the ulama are agreed whereas there is some doubt about its erection at other times. For those interested in the historical issue of the Ka’ba’s erection see my Arabic commentary on Mu’atta Imaam Maalik called Awjaz al Massalik. A short synopsis of what is written there follows here:

1. The well know accepted view of the ulama is that it was originally erected by the angels about two thousand years prior to the creation of Hazrat Aadam A.S. some ulama even state that this was not the first time the Ka’ba was built. The first time was when Allah Himself caused it to be with His command; the angels had no part in its erection.  Read more... (1535 words, estimated 6:08 mins reading time)