Six parts of the Talbiyah: taste its sweetness!
by Dr. Abdulazeez Abdulraheem Once you enter the state of Ihram for Hajj or Umrah, you start reciting the Talbiyah. Because you will recite it perhaps hundreds of times, it is extremely important and useful to know the beautiful dimensions of the Talbiyah. This way, every time you say it you will taste a different sweetness of talking to Allah [swt]. You will repeat it with love, passion and eagerness. Each statement of the Talbiyah has layers upon layers of…
Government Influence and the Judiciary
(part 1 of 2) The Independence of the Judiciary Islamic Law, through the sacred texts and through its basic principles, prohibits the governing officials from interfering with or influencing the decisions of the court in any way. Islamic Law, in its general principles and individual statutes, seeks to realize its primary objective of establishing justice on the foundation of monotheism. Monotheism is not just lip service. It is realized through actions that verify the profession of faith. These actions must…
Crime and Punishment in Islam
(part 1 of 5): Introduction Security and stability are basic human needs, no less important than food and clothing. Without security and stability, a human being is not able to properly conduct his daily life, let alone come up with new ideas or contribute to the development of a high level of civilization. Man has been conscious of the need for security since the beginning of his life on Earth, and he has continuously expressed his awareness of this need…
The shape and orbit of the earth (Part 1)
Question #10/1: “Is the earth round or flat?” Shaykh al-Albānī answers: “It is round,[1] and the issue of the earth being round or flat is not an affair related to actions nor faith, such that it is obligatory for the Muslim to know the Islamically legislated ruling about it if it is related to actions in order to worship Allāh by it like the rest of the acts of worship, or for him to believe in it in the depth…
The istikhāra prayer
*Question: “What should the one making istikhāra[1] prayer say if he has two affairs on the same level and does not have an inclination toward either one, meaning 50-50?” Shaykh al-Albānī answers: “What I understand from your question is that he does not have an intention (to do something),[2] therefore there is no istikhāra prayer upon him.” *Question: “Is the istikhāra prayer legislated for one who is confused about doing something or is it legislated for one who has made…
Combining prayers for the resident
Question #5: “Is it allowed for the resident to combine between two prayers without (the presence of) rain?” Shaykh al-Albānī answers: “Imām Muslim brought out in his Sahīh, the hadīth on the authority of Ibn ʽAbbās who said: ‘The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) combined (prayers) in Madīnah between Dhuhr and ʽAsr, and between Maghrib and ʽIshā, without (being in a state of) traveling or (the presence of) rain.’ They said, ‘What did he intend by that O…
The Economic System of Islam
(part 1 of 2): The Sources of Islamic Economics Introduction As a complete way of life, Islam has provided guidelines and rules for every sphere of life and society. Naturally, a functioning economic system is vital for a healthy society, as the consumption of goods and services, and the facilitation of this by a common medium of exchange, play a major role in allowing people to realize their material and other goals in life. Islam has set some standards, based…
Worship in Islam
(part 1 of 3): The Meaning of Worship The concept and purpose of worship in Islam is unparallel to any other religion in existence. It combines the mundane with the spiritual, the individual with the society, and the internal soul with the external body. Worship has a unique role in Islam, and through worship, a person is regarded as a true Muslim who accords his entire life to the Will of God. The importance of worship may be seen in…
Ramadan and Fasting
(part 1 of 2): Fasting Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, can be 29 or 30 days long. An Islamic month begins with the sighting of the new crescent in the western horizon, immediately after sunset. Muslims look toward the western horizon for the new moon on the 29th day of Sha’ban, the eighth month. If the new moon is sighted, Ramadan has begun with the sunset but fasting begins with the next dawn. If the new…
A History of the Hajj
Hajj literally means ‘to set out for a place’. Islamicly, however, it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. Hajj and its rites were first ordained by God in the time of the Prophet Abraham and he was the one who was entrusted by God to build the Kaaba…