Sun 16 Jun 2019

Lesson 28:

• Recap of previous lesson
• Disciplining oneself before you become angry
• What to do when anger arises
• Consequences of anger

Hadith 17

• On the authority of Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Indeed Allah has prescribed ihsan upon everything. So if you kill, then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. And let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering for the animal he slaughters.” [Muslim]
• The explanation of this hadith is split into 5 parts

Part 1: “Indeed Allah has prescribed ihsan upon everything”

• What is Ihsan?
• What did the Messenger of Allah mean by this statement?
• To do well in regards to humans and animals

Part 2: Kindness towards animals

• The Messenger of Allah described Ihsan with the example of being good and kind to the animal which one slaughters by sharpening the blade and sparring suffering

Part 3: Perfection in all of one’s actions

• This hadith indicates the obligation in observing goodness, kindness and perfection in all things
• This also applies to rulings by the Islamic government e.g. capital punishment
• Perfection in Prayer
• Perfection in dealing with others and loving for one’s brother what you love for yourself
• Doing well in those matters which are obligatory and also those which are optional

Part 4: Ihsan in killing

• Perfection and doing well in slaughtering an animal
• Perfection and likewise doing well in the conventional battle field
• The impermissibility of torture and mutilation in the battle field, it is not legislated to give an enemy a slow painful death
• Perfection and kindess in capital punishment
• Exceptions to the above in capital punishment in Islam, e.g. punishment of Like-for-Like (e.g. an eye for an eye)

Part 5: Summary of benefits

• 1. The obligation of performing ihsan in everything
• 2. The obligation of killing in the least painful manner
• 3. The obligation of ihsan when slaughtering the animal
• 4. The obligation of examining the blade, ensuring it is sharp before using it

Hadith 18

• On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junadah, and Abu Abdur-Rahman Muadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Fear Allah wherever you may be, and follow up an evil deed with a good deed it will wipe it away, and behave with the people with good manners.” [At-Tirmidhi]
• The explanation of this hadith is split into 5 parts

Sat 15 Jun 2019

Introduction: Importance of Aqeedah

• What is this course about?
• Why is this important?

Understanding Aqeedah and Tawhid

• Allah, subhaanahu wata’aalaa, told us that he has sent every messenger with a specific message, what was it?
• Allah says: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc.i. e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah).” Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).” [Surah An-Nahl (The Bee) verse 36]
• What does “laa ilaaha illallaah” mean?
• This statement has two components, what are they?
  • Affirmation
  • Negation
• Allah says:”Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful;”[Surah An-Nisa (The Women) verse 36]
• Example of the importance of affirmation and negation
• Affirmation and negation makes something special and unique

The Pre-Islamic Polytheists

• The polytheists (mushrikeen) at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) believed in Allah
• So why were they not Muslims? Why did they oppose the Messenger of Allah?

Aspects of Tawheed

Sun 9 June 2019

Lesson 27: Hadith 15 (Part 5-6) Hadith 16 (Part 1)

Currently on Hadith 15

• On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him speak good, or keep silent; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him honour his neighbour; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him honour his guest.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
• The explanation of this hadith is split into 6 parts
• Recap of previous lessons:
  • Part 1: The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned Iman (belief) in Allah and the Last Day alongside these good deeds
  • Part 2: Quotes from the Imams and scholars of the past
  • Part 3: What meaning does the word “khair” (Good) carry?
  • Part 4: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him honour his neighbour”
• What are the 4 pillars of good manners?

Part 5: “whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him honour his guest”

• Honouring the guest is from amongst the rights due from the muslims
• What did the Prophet (ﷺ) say about honouring the guest
• The three levels of hospitality

Part 6: Summary of benefits

• 1. Encouragement of speaking good
• 2. Encouragement to keep silent if there is no good in a speech
• 3. Reminder that when a person admonishes/encourages, he should make mention of the day of Judgement
• 4. Encouragement to honour the neighbour and caution against harming him
• 5. Encouragement to be good, generous and honour the guest

Hadith 16

• On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): A man said to the Prophet (ﷺ), Advise me,” so he (ﷺ) said, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated several times, and he (ﷺ) said, “Do not become angry.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
• The explanation of this hadith is split into 3 parts

Part 1: What did the Prophet (ﷺ) mean by “Do not become angry”

• Is it prohibited to become angry?
• How people differ in how they manage anger
• How does one avoid becoming angry?
• The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the good of this world and the next in these simple words, how is this?

Part 2: Controlling anger

Sat 8th June 2019

Lesson 49: Importance of the Congregational Prayer

• Danger of limiting worship just to Ramadhan
• The importance of the congregational prayer
• Hadith that the congregational prayer is superior to the individual prayer by 27 times
• Hadith of the reward for the one who makes his wudhu, perfects it, leaves his home for no other reason than to go to the mosque
• The hadith of the blind man who came to the Prophet (ﷺ) asking about attending the mosque or praying at home for the congregational prayer
• Statement of Shaykh Ibn Baz about these three ahaadeeth
• It is important for every muslim man to strive and make effort to attend the congregational prayer
• The dua of the angels for the one who attends the mosque for the congregational prayer
• The one who comes to the masjid and waits for the congregational prayer gets rewarded as though he is in prayer while he waits.
• Is there reward for waiting after the prayer has finished?
• It is from the sunnah that one should complete his wudhu at home and then go to the mosque
• The significance of the narration about the blind man
• Hadith about the person who hears the adhan but does not come to the masjid and has no valid excuse, then there is no prayer for him
  • What are acceptable excuses?
    • 1. Fear
    • 2. illness
• Therefore it is important that a person strives in attending the congregational prayer

Missing the prayer and hypocrisy

• What about the one who abandons the congregational prayer? What did the Prophet (ﷺ) say about those?
• How the Sahabah strove to attend the congregational prayer
• Allah says: “Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.” [Surah An-Nisaa (The Women) verse 142]
• The danger of praying with laziness and characteristics of the Munafiqeen (Hypocrites)
• Praying with one’s heart and body, and not just your body

Worship and Patience