TENSION IN THE AIR - ANY SOLUTION?

Most people are well aware of the fact that tensions in Kenya are very rapidly escalating, and have turned the country into a pile of super-dried firewood just waiting to burst into flames. We make dua to Allah that He brings down upon this firewood drenching rains of peace, even before any matchstick can get anywhere close to it. However, for this rain to come, the blockage that is stopping it from showering down upon us must be removed. Removing this blockage is the only solution for the tension we find ourselves in. This blockage is our sins, our spiritual sicknesses, our evil actions.

Today we leave no stone unturned in blaming everything else and everyone else for what we find ourselves in, but we conveniently forget that it is we who are to blame – the problem is in us, the problem is in me. Allah states in Surah Room – “Strife, havoc, and problems have become manifest in the land and in the sea, due to the (evil) actions of the people, so that Allah can make them taste some of the consequences of their evil deeds, and so that they may turn back (to Allah.)” In this deeply beautiful aayat, Allah is telling us that the problems we face – whether on a domestic level, a national level, or problems affecting the entire world – are due to the earnings of our own hands It is we who have brought upon ourselves the dire and grim conditions we are complaining about. We, the Muslims, who are bound by the commands of Allah, are very busy in stoking the fire of sins at every chance we get, wherever we are. We have become bold, open, and fearless in violating the injunctions of Sharia, and throwing behind our backs the beautiful lifestyle of our beloved Nabi Sallallahu alaihi wasallam. When grave sins like watching TV and movies, indulging in animate pictures, free intermingling of sexes, music, women emerging from their homes uncovered, men cutting or shaving their beards below a fist length, men letting their garments reach their ankles, unbridled indulgence in material luxuries are so rampant and rife in our society, then what peace and mercy are we expecting? We constantly defy Allah, and yet we expect His help to rain down upon us?

The only solution to our difficulties, not just in Kenya, but all around the world, is for us to make tauba – repent and turn to Allah. The only way that negative conditions can be changed is if we give ourselves over to Allah in total humility and subservience. We need to extinguish the fire of disobedience that we have set alight, with tears of repentance. We need to become true slaves of Allah for every moment of our remaining lives, till we breathe our last. Failing this, no security guards, and no CCTV cameras are going to be of any use.

This is my humble, heartfelt plea to all Muslims residing in Kenya specifically, and all Muslims in the world in general – let us cleanse and purify our lives from both external and internal sins, before it is too late, and we are left with nothing but regret in a time when regret will be futile.

I, the weakest and most sinful of all, repent from all my sins, open and hidden, and turn to Allah in regret and tauba. May Allah forgive me and all Muslims.

Servant,

Madrasah Fadhlul Uloom

THE REALITY OF SHABE BARAA'AT - 15TH SHABAAN

Dear respected brothers and sisters,

Very soon inshallah, the night of the 15th of Shabaan will be upon us. It is necessary for us to briefly understand the reality of this night, and to differentiate that which is correct and valid from that which is wrong and innovated.

There are numerous ahadith that have been narrated with regards to the virtue of this night. All of them have a certain degree of weakness in them. However, some are very slightly weak, while others are extremely weak. Putting all these ahadith together, the virtuousness and blessings of this night have been proven to be valid.

The specialty of this night is the forgiveness of Allah - according to the ahadith, a huge amount of people are forgiven on this night, and Allah casts a special gaze of mercy upon us from the very beginning of the night.

The salafis, due to their compound ignorance, refuse to accept that this night has any extra virtue over and above any other night, and in thus doing so deprive themselves of benefiting from Allah's forgiveness and mercy. We should be very careful and alert, lest we get deceived by their deviant methods of undermining the virtue of this night.

There is no special and specific ibaadat to be done in this night. One must strive to increase in all types of ibaadat generally - nafl salaah, recitation of Quran, dhikr, dua, taubah etc. Every hadeeth that is narrated regarding specific ibaadat on this night, or special surahs to be recited is fabricated.
Likewise, there is no exchanging and distributing of food or sweet dishes on the day of the 15th.

Shabe Baraa'at (or Laylatul Baraa'at) is not indicated towards anywhere in the Quran. It is famous among people that in this night the decisions regarding sustenance and death are made by Allah. This is not substantiated with any evidence, thus it is not correct, the Ulama have specified that such decisions, or any other decisions for that matter, are not made in this night.

Another misconception prevalent among the masses is that to fast on the 15th of Shabaan is sunnat. Please note that the fast of this day is not sunnat. If someone wishes to fast then he can do so, provided that he doesn't think the fast to be sunnat. To keep this fast thinking it to be sunnat is not permissible. There is no significance and virtue of fasting specifically on this day over and above fasting on any other day. 

In the ahadith there are a number of types of sinners mentioned who will be deprived of forgiveness on this blessed night -

1. The mushrik
2. The one who harbours hatred, malice, and enmity for others
3. The one who drinks alcohol
4. The one who disobeys his parents
5. The man who lets his lower garment cover his ankles
6. The one who indulges in zinaa
7. The murderer
8. The one who breaks off relations with family and relatives.

Respected brothers and sisters, it is still not too late, we still have a few days to make tauba from the above mentioned sins and completely purify ourselves from them before this night comes upon us, so that we can also be forgiven. On the contrary, if we will continue to indulge in these sins, then we will not be forgiven on that night, even if we stay up the whole night begging for forgiveness. From the above list, the most common is letting the lower garment touch the ankle - the vast majority of men are involved in this sin, and as a result deprive themselves every year from the blessings and forgiveness that are showered down in this night.

Let us all make a firm decision to once and for all get rid of these sins from our lives, so that we too can come under the protective blanket of the mercy of Allah.