Hijrah - a reminder by Ustadh Raha Batts

 Hijrah – a reminder by Ustadh Raha Batts – 23.07.23

(facilitated by escape to Egypt -Escape To Egypt - Link-in-bio (bit.ly))

Linguistically, The Word Hijrah Comes... From The Root Word Ha-Ja-Ra. Which means To Let Go, To Completely Leave Something, To Get Away, Status of Separation, To Change Status; Physically, Emotionally, Of Belief, Place, Or Habits.

Al- hijrah – islamically – to relocate away from land of disbelieve to the land of the Muslims.

Hijrah will not be discontinued until there is no more opportunity for the people to make tawbah (something that is ongoing until the day of judgement)

Actions are by way of intention (Niyaa) – desire the pleasure of Allah (swt)            

Overwhelming feeling of safety and security in the Muslim lands is not felt in non-Muslim lands.

Hijrah is from the actions that please Allah and is a righteous deed.

Is it Wajab? (an obligation or recommended)

If a person is able outwardly practice your religion, and no one stops you in any aspect. Then it is just recommended. Although it is dangerous – to stay in land of disbelievers. Even if safe and secure and you can practice religion, it is still recommended you leave.

If a person is not capable to practice religion freely where they live (not cover properly, shave beard, or can’t get Fridays off for jummah). In this case, it is obligatory to make hijrah.

The earth of Allah is spacious for a person to move for the sake of Allah, to escape what they are pushing on your children.

Do not make excuses (these are actually preferences for dunya – maybe for comfort or ease). This feeling is from Shaytan.

 

Hadith

Sabrah ibn Abi Fakih reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

  “Verily, Satan lies in wait for the son of Adam along his paths. He sits on the path of Islam and he says: You will embrace Islam and abandon your religion and your forefather’s religion? He disobeys him and embraces Islam. Then, Satan lies in wait for him on the path of emigration and he says: You will emigrate and leave your land and sky? Indeed, an emigrant is like a tethered horse! He disobeys him and emigrates. Then, Satan lies in wait for him on the path of jihad and he says: You will wage jihad at great cost to your life and wealth? You will fight and be killed, your wife will remarry, and your wealth distributed as spoils! He disobeys him and he wages jihad. Whoever does that has a right upon Allah Almighty that he will enter Paradise.”

Source: Sunan al-Nasā’ī 3134

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani

Shaytan has 1001 excuses ready for you.

 

 

A question was asked if a sister non-Muslim brother or father can travel with her as mahram:

Muslim or non-Muslim (father and brother) is your mahram. They can travel and drop you off  and then when you are safe, they can leave you.

To travel you need a mahram – so you cannot travel until you have the means.

Safety is not the issue – the legislation of ALLAH is what is in important – do not travel without mahram.

Islamic studies quiz for children

Islamic Studies Quiz for children.

It is upon us as Muslims to seek beneficial knowledge and teach it to our children.

This quiz aims to covers the foundations of Islam.

I like to do this quiz at the beginning of Ramadan so can see what areas need revision. 

If you are stuck on any of the questions, I would recommend a book called:

My first Islamic studies Book (Junior Level) by Markaz bin Jabal

1.      What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

2.      What are the 6 pillars of Eman?

3.      What is Ihsan?

4.      What are the 3 categories of Tawheed?

5.      What are the 3 questions you will be asked in the grave?

6.      What are the answers to those 3 questions?

7.      What is the Prophet’s ﷺ full name?

8.      Name 5 of Allah’s names and the meanings.

9.      What did the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ say we should break our fast with?

10.   How many surah’s are there in the Qu’ran? Which was the first Ayah to be revealed?

11.   Name 5 animals that are mentioned in the Qur’an.

12.   What is Tawakkul?

13.    What are the Arabic words for..

·        Straight path =

·        Mankind =

·        The dawn

·        King/master =

·        Patience =

14.   Name 3 major sins.

15.   What is the worst sin?

16.   What should you say when you leave the house?

17.   Who built the Ka’bah?

18.   Where is Allah?

19.   Can you name 10 prophets?

20.   Who were the first 4 caliph’s in Islam after the death of prophet Muhammad ﷺ ?

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    Below is a PDF you can download and print with the quiz. (To save paper I usually set it print 2 pages on 1 sheet and make it A5 size).

The best days of the Year – The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah

Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allahﷺ said,

“There are no days during which the righteous action is so pleasing to Allah than these days (i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).”

He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah?”

He ﷺ replied,

“Not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah, except in case one goes forth with his life and his property and does not return with either of it.”

[Al-Bukhari].

Hajj

Hajj is one of the 5 pillars that Islam is built upon and that is obligatory for Muslims that can afford it.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e., denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the `Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (3:97)

Below is the link for a Hajj guide by Abu Khadeejah which can be downloaded and printed.

http://www.abukhadeejah.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Hajj-and-Umrah-Guide-Book-2014.pdf

What can we do in the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

·        Strive with Dhikr – (remembrance of Allah)

·        Read Qur’an

·        Give in charity

·        Do good deeds

·        Fast the first 9 days especially the 9^th Dhul Hijjah which is Day of Arafat – (the 10^th is Eid al Adha)

·        Teach our children the virtues of these blessed days and encourage them to strive along with you and older children to fast if able to.

·      Teach your children the story of the event in the life of Ibrahim (alaihis-salaam) when Allah revealed to him in a dream that he sacrificed his son. The story can be found in the Quran 37:102-107. After Ibrahim showed that he was willing to make this sacrifice, Allah provided an animal to be sacrificed instead. 

·        Teach your children about the well of Zam Zam.

·        If you have a friend or relative who has completed Hajj, get them to describe their experience

       Look at a map of Hajj and the different sites where rituals take place.

Day of Arafat

Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for two years:

The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of ’Arafah, it is on this day that the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of ’Arafah, praying and supplicating to their Lord.

It is mustahabb (highly recommended) for those who a not pilgrims to fast on this day, since the Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the day of ’Arafah, so he said,

“It expiates the sins (Minor) of the past year and the coming year.” [Muslim (no. 1162)].

There is no days which Allah saves more slaves from the fire that day and Allah draws nearer to the lowest heaven.

The Prophet ﷺ said

 ‘There is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of ’Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on ’Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying, ‘What are these people seeking.” [Jaami’ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)]

From the above hadith – it is said that Allah asks his angels what the people are seeking. Allah knows what they are seeking and that they want forgiveness, Jannah and saving from the fire.

Allah then calls upon his angels;

‘Bear witness for I have forgiven them’.

The best thing to say on the day of Arafat

‘The best supplication is the supplication of the day of ‘Arafat and the best thing which I and the Prophets before me have said is:

 لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل قدير

‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah Alone, He has no partner and to Him belongs the Dominion. To Him belongs the praise and He is capable/has power over all things.’

La ilaha ‘illa Allaahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadeer

(Narrated by tirmidhee in Sunan from the hadeeth of Abdullah bin Amr. It was graded hasan by the ‘Allama al-Albani in silsilah as-Saheehah nad he said: ‘the hadeeth is Thabit due to the collection of supporting evidences.’)

  

Eid al Adha -  ‘Eid is a day of joy and allowance given to us by Allah.

Eid Al-Adha is four days in total:

The 10^th (the day of Eid prayer)

 then the days of tashreeq (the 11^th , 12^th   and 13^th  days of Dhul-Hijjah).

It is impermissible to fast in these days for those not performing the Hajj.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The days of Tashreeq are days for eating drinking and remembering Allah عز و جل” 

(narrated by Abi al-Maleeh رضي الله عنه, reported in Sahih Al-Muslim).

 Allah سبحان و تعالى said: "And remember Allah during the appointed Days." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 203).

May Allah grant us the opportunity and means to perform Hajj and accept our deeds. Ameen

Surah Al-Kahf worksheet

The prophet  ﷺ said:

“Whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470)' 

Feel free to download PDF and print.

The importance of learning Tawheed and teaching it to our children

Tawheed is the most important aspect of our lives and so teaching our children it is very important. 

It is the foundations of our religion.

Tawheed is to single out Allah in all forms of worship and actions. Allah created us to worship him alone. It says in the Qu’ran  

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Soorat adh-Dhaariyat:56).

There is not a chapter in the Qu’ran that does not mention aspects of Tawheed and clarification of what opposes Tawheed  - Shirk.

 

“Why Tawheed first?

Because this is the methodology of Allaah which He has legislated for all of the Prophets (‘alaihimus salaatu was-salaam).

There is no Messenger who called his nation except that he began with Tawheed – calling them to believing in the oneness of Allah without partners.

 

In the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallahu alahi wa Sallam) we can witness this calling to Tawheed.

After the revelation, Muhammad (Sallahu Alahi wa Salam) spent 13 years in Makkah calling people to Tawheed. Worshipping Allah only and not associating others in worship with him. There was such an importance of establishing Tawheed in the hearts of the Muslims that many of the other obligations that we know as Muslims today ( such as Zakat and Fasting) were not revealed until the Period after the Prophet made Hijarh to Madinah.

 

Actions are not correct without the basis of Tawheed.

There is no benefit from the Qur’aan or from the Sunnah or from the sciences – all of them – except  if we construct them on the pillar of Tawheed.

 

These are some books I would recommend for teaching your children about Tawheed.

Notes from Khutbah - 7 Qualities that are the keys to happiness and wellbeing by Abu Idrees

 These 7 qualities were mentioned by Skaykh Abdur Rahman bin Nasr As Sa'di (rahimahullah)

1. Knowledge - Ilm. Knowledge is the path that will draw you closer to Allah.                                                                  Seek dua:                                                                                                                                               رَّبِّ زِدۡنِي عِلۡمٗا                                                                                                   ‘Rabbi Zidni Ilma’
                                        O my Lord increase me in knowledge                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

2. Rasik fil Ilm - Another level of knowldge. The Rasikuna fil ilm are the people that are rooted and grounded in knowledge. They are the people who manifest and reclaim the truth from falsehood.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

3. Believe in everything that has come from the Book of Allah and the religion of Islam. The Qu'ran and the Sunnah. When you are unclear of something, bring ayah and proofs to clarify things. Do not pick and chose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

4. After Allah has guided us - we ask for Afwa wa Affia - forgiveness and wellbeing. We make dua not to be like those who deviate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

5. Acknowledge the favour of guidance is from Allah. It is from Allah's Rahma (Mercy) and favour to give us knowledge. We ask Allah to not deviate our hearts after we have been guided.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

6. Ask Allah for his mercy. All good is from the rahmah (mercy) of Allah.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

7. Have belief in the day of judgement and remember that we will stand in front of Allah

A'ishah bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq (Radia Allahu Anha): Worksheet and talk link

A'ishah bint Abi Bakr As-Sidddiq

She is the mother of the believers and the most knowledgeable woman of this ummah without exception. 

'Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, A'ishah's nephew, said to A'ishah,:

"Oh my aunt, I am not surprised by your knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, because you are the wife of the Messenger of Allah and the daughter of Abu Bakr. I am not surprised by your knowledge of poetry, becasue you are the daughter of Abu Bakr and he was from the most knowlegdeable people in this field. But I am surprised that you know medicine" [Urwah said]: "she tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'The messenger of Allah ﷺ became sick during the end of his life and the delegation of Arabs would visit from every direction, and I would hear the doctors treating the sick and I memorised it'"

(Siyar A'lam an Nubala' by Imam adh-Dhahabi (182) )

(Extract taken from the book: The Illustrious women of Islam from the first generation.)

 A great example for woman and girls today of someone who sought knowledge, was generous a great teacher and mother of the believers.  

This talk below ↓ is a great lesson. The worksheet attached can be used to make notes on. 

Ten Characteristics of Aishah to Emulate in These Times – RadiAllahu’anha – By Abdulilah Lahmami – Cardiff Conference 2020 – Salafi Sounds

The 10 companions who were promised paradise - worksheet

THE MESSENGER OF ALLAAH ﷺ SINGLED OUT THE TEN TO BE THE MOST VIRTUOUS OF THE COMPANIONS (MAY ALLAAH BE PLEASED WITH THEM): “ABU BAKR IS IN JANNAH, AND UMAR IS IN JANNAH, AND ‘UTHMAN IS IN JANNAH, AND ALI IS IN JANNAH, AND TALHAH IS IN JANNAH, AND AZ-ZUBAYR IS N JANNAH, AND ABDUR-RAHMAAN IBN ‘AWF IS IN JANNAH, AND SA’D IBN ABEE WAQQAAS IS IN JANNAH, AND SA’EED IBN ZAYD IBN ‘UMAYR IBN NUFAYL IS IN JANNAH AND ABU UBAIDAH IBN AL-JARRAH IS IN JANNAH.

(JAMI' AT-TIRMIDHI 4112)

 

We have been going through the 10 companions promised paradise – may Allah be pleased with them.

Here are some of the resources that we used:

Biography of Abu Bakr | Lesson 1 - Abu Muadh Taqweem Aslam in Biographies of the 4 Caliphs (soundcloud.com)

https://www.salafisounds.com/the-companion-umar-ibn-al-khattaab-by-abu-khadeejah/

 

Find below a downloadable poster and writing templates:

Ramadan Booklets, writing prompts and acrostic poem template

Asalam Alaykum wa Rahmatulahi Wa Baraku.

Alhamdulilah we are nearing Ramadan. May Allah allow us to reach it and benefit from it. 

Please find below two Ramadan Booklet. The first is aimed at age 7+ and the second for age 10+.

I created these booklets a few years ago with the intention to help my children seek knowledge about Ramadan and to revise the important basics of Islam. I learnt lots while creating them!

The booklets content has been checked by a student of Knowledge Alhamdulilah. 

All benefit in the book is from Allah, any mistakes are from myself. 

The booklet are free to download, print and share. 

The booklets include:

Basic of Ramadan

History of Ramadan 

Moon phases 

Some information on Suhoor and Iftar

Information on Taraweeh

The best 10 nights of the years

Surah al Qadr and Tafsir (in 10+)

Information on the Eid Salah

Sunnah actions on Eid Day

Tawheed and the 3 categories 

Pillars of Islam 

Pillars of Eman

I made a little booklet for pre-school age (2 years +). 

Here are some little writing prompts to get the children writing and thinking about Ramadan:

Hadith for Children

 Asalam alaykum 

Please find attached a free downloadable with some short hadith of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that children can learn and memorise. 

I compiled these from a talk by Sheikh Abdulilah Lahmani (Markaz Muaadh):

https://m.soundcloud.com/markazmuaadh/20-hadeeth-for-children-by-shaykh-abdulilah-lahmami?ref=whatsapp-text&p=a&c=0&utm_campaign=social_sharing&utm_medium=story&utm_source=whatsapp