[Video] Souls That Met Before Life on Earth (Hadith About Soulmates and Friendships)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Primary Schools under the Ottomans

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Shah Sultan Primary School picture located at Eyup, Istanbul

This short article based on Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu's article "Ottoman Educational and Scholarly-Scientific Institutions", History of The Ottoman State and Society and Civilisation (Edited by E. Ihsanoglu), Istanbul 2002, Vol. II, pp. 361-512.

Elementary education and teaching in the Ottoman Empire were conducted in primary schools (sibyan mektepleri). These schools, established for the education of children, were a continuation of the schools known as küttâb in Islam. They were also referred to as dar al-talim, dar al-huffaz, tash maktab or just maktab (school).

The Classical Period

These primary schools were generally founded by elite ranked statesmen or sultans and located within mosque complexes (külliye), adjacent to a mosque or in a separate structure. Because they demanded little in terms of investment in finance and space they were to be found in every village, every neighbourhood and every district. In addition, depending upon the specifics of their charters, such schools might be coeducational or have separate buildings for girls and boys. Though the principles governing the workings of these schools, which were established and managed as waqfs, were laid out in their charters they shared many common approaches to education.

Children who reached the age of five would begin their education in these schools with a very lively ceremony known as âmin alayi or bed'-i besmele. As far as we can determine there were no acceptance or registration procedures for these schools. The children from all Muslim families had the right to attend the schools. The teachers were selected from among individuals who had some madrasa education or literate imams, muezzins, mosque caretakers and the like. In addition, if it had been so specified in the school charter, calligraphy instructors would be hired for writing classes.[1] In the coeducational or girls' schools, classes would be taught by knowledgeable and experienced female teachers who had reached a certain age and who had memorized the Qur'an.

It is not known whether or not the primary schools had formally prepared curricula. It is, however, possible to provide certain information about their classes based on the terms of their charters or on the basis of regulations laid down from time to time.[2] The overriding purpose of these schools was to teach reading and writing to children and to have them learn the basics of the Islamic religion and the Qur'an. As a result, an effort would be made to teach the children the alphabet, to instruct them in the Qur'an, to have them memorize certain suras, to teach them the basic principles of Islam, Qur'an recitation, penmanship and to instruct them in the four basic arithmetical procedures known as kara cümle. In addition, they would also be asked to read certain poetic dictionaries in Arabic and Persian (lügatlar) such as the Sübha-i Sibyan and Tuhfe-i Vehbî, which became classics during the eighteenth century in order to facilitate their learning. Though there are various views concerning the language of instruction of these primary schools, it is generally accepted that the native language of the students was used. Though no age for graduation is indicated, there was a requirement that every pupil read the Qur'an from cover to cover at least once in order to graduate.[3]

Primary Education and Primary Schools after the Tanzimat Period

Ragip Pasha Primary School picture located at Laleli, Istanbul

During the reign of Sultan Mahmûd II, thought was given for the first time to reform of civilian schools as well as those for the military. It was in this context that in 1824 the situation of the primary (sibyan) schools, which continued to function along classical Ottoman educational lines, was taken up for consideration. Mahmûd II issued an edict pertaining to "Primary Education" (Tâlim-i Sibyan) that same year which outlined the principles, which should govern young children's education. Accordingly it was recommended that children be sent to school rather than serving as apprentices and that, furthermore, they continue in school until they reached puberty. This edict, which only pertained to Istanbul, included certain sanctions. Because of the influence the madrasas had over the primary schools the administration of such schools was left to the office of the Shaykh al-Islam.[4]

In 1838 Sultan Mahmûd II undertook another improvement in the area of primary education. To that end, the General Council for Public Works (Meclis-i Umûr-i Nâfia) prepared a report, which Mahmûd approved with a few changes. The main purpose of the report was to bring about a reform of primary education. Among the articles of the report, perhaps the most important of them, was the one, which viewed the educational system as a whole and called for a harmonious interrelationship among all levels.

The report largely puts forth proposals of a general nature rather than ones with a specific focus. Accordingly, certain instructions of an advisory nature were made with regard to matters such as required attendance, the system of classes, the opening of boarding schools for orphans and the monitoring of teachers. Leaving the administration of the schools to the office of the Shaykh al-Islam, however, constituted a barrier to the realization of the desired changes.

Sultan Abdülmecîd began the first efforts at primary school reform during the Tanzimat period in 1845. The imperial edict proclaimed at that time called for an end to ignorance and an improvement of public comportment in the country. In 1845 the Provisional Council prepared a report which in sum called for the reorganization of the existing primary schools. The report included articles pertaining, among other things, to first initiating the reforms at the local school level, providing instructions to the teachers in the existing schools for each of the classes they were teaching, only having licensed persons employed as teachers, and the initiation of a system of graded classes and examinations. The Public Education Council (Meclis-i Maârif-i Umûmî) began putting these decisions into effect and established a Ministry of Public Schools (Mekâtib-i Umûmiye Nezâreti) to implement the measures in the schools and to monitor the situation.

A new era began with respect to the reform of the primary schools in 1847 with a directive prepared by the Ministry of Public Schools meant to be a guide for teachers. According to the directive, the course of education was to be four years with the primary schools providing the foundation for the middle schools. Turkish was to be emphasized, education nationalized, blackboards and pens and pen cases were to be used, and attendance was to be made mandatory.[5] These decisions were, however, for a variety of reasons, never implemented and the primary schools continued offering education in the old style. In 1857, with the founding of the Ministry of Education (Maârif Nezâreti), the reform of primary schools was once again taken up, but nothing was done in this respect before 1863. Istanbul was selected as a pilot area and the decisions of 1846 were put into effect. In the meantime some new ideas were in the air, such as the state paying the salaries of teachers and the provision of free primary education. The Commission on Muslim Primary Schools (Mekâtib-i Sibyan-i Müslime Komisyonu) established in 1864 prepared a ten-point set of regulations for the primary schools. The regulations provided for the following innovations: the inclusion of penmanship, civics (mâlûmât-i nâfia), geography and arithmetic among the lessons offered. However, this set of regulations was also not put into effect.[6]

Kuyucu Murad Pasha Primary School picture located at Eyup, Istanbul

The reform of the entire educational system, and in that sense the primary school system, had to wait until the Public Education Regulations (Maârif-i Umûmiye Nizamnâmesi) of 1869. The sections of the regulations which pertain to primary schools can be divided into four headings: prescriptions of a general nature, those pertaining to classes and examinations, those concerning teachers and those pertaining to financial matters. The prescriptions of a general nature in the regulations included such things as that at least one primary school should be opened in each neighbourhood or village offering a four-year education, that boys be required to attend school between the ages of six and ten and girls between seven and eleven and that if there were two schools in one neighbourhood, one should be allocated to boys, the other to girls. Among the prescriptions pertaining to classes and examinations in the regulations is one, which prescribes a required curriculum and indicates that such a curriculum may only be changed with the permission of the Ministry. That provision also states that examinations should be given in the presence of the village or neighbourhood council of elders. Teachers were required to be Ottoman subjects and Men's Normal School (Dâr al-muallimîn) graduates. The income of these primary schools would come from wakif sources, local levies (avâriz parasi), estates of those leaving no heirs, Ramazan alms (fitre), alms (zekât) and monies gained from sales of the skins of animals which had been sacrificed.

The reform of primary (sibyan) schools based on the Regulations of 1869 and the opening of newly reorganized schools called ibtidâî (elementary) schools began in 1870. This effort targeted the entire empire, not just Istanbul. As part of this enterprise, books were prepared for the new elementary schools that were quite different both in terms of format and content from than those which had been in use to date. The primary schools continued to provide a traditional sort of education. In order to put into practice and experiment a little with the newly prepared curriculum, an elementary school was opened up in 1872 at the Nuruosmâniye Mosque. The implementation of the Regulations of 1869 began in Rumelia some time after that. Two important points are notable from a set of instructions also published in the same year. The first of these pertains to the attempt to turn over the administration of the primary schools to the local neighbourhood populace. The second concerns the effort to establish a commission to prepare a guidebook for teachers at the primary schools. Such things were not however put into practice until the time of Sultan Abdülhamîd II.

Iskender Pasha Primary School picture located at Eyup, Istanbul

During the reign of Sultan Abdülhamîd II the question of primary education was given a place in the Constitution (Kanûn-i Esâsî) of 1876. An article in the Constitution makes primary education mandatory: "All Ottoman youth shall be required to complete the first stage of the educational system and the steps and details with regard to this shall be spelled out in special regulations." In 1879 a Bureau of Primary Schools (Mekâtib-i Sibyâniye Dâiresi) was established and was divided into two departments, one dealing with the "Mekâtib-i Sibyâniye" (Primary Schools) which offered a traditional primary school education and the other responsible for the "Mekâtib-i Iptidâiye" (Elementary Schools) during that period. In 1882 the Minister of Education tried to do away with this dichotomous system by placing his weight behind the elementary (iptidâî) schools and eventually the primary (sibyan) schools were transformed into elementary schools. By 1909 many of the primary schools had come to adopt the new style curriculum. The accomplishments in the areas of primary schooling and education during the reign of Abdülhamîd can be summarized as follows. An elementary educational organizational structure was constructed for the obligatory primary school system in both the capital and in the provinces as an administrative measure. Elementary schools were opened and proliferated. The new type of education was introduced into the primary schools. Priority was given to primary education in places where there was a dense Muslim population. The attempt was made to secure contributions from the public in the area of education. Normal schools were opened in the provinces in order to train teachers. Decisions taken in this area were systematically implemented. In addition, a large number of elementary schools were opened in Istanbul during that period. Corporal punishment and other severe forms of punishment were forbidden in the schools. An effort was made to spread education to the provinces. However, the poor financial situation of the country made it difficult to fully realize these ambitions.[7]

In order to understand the intense activity during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamîd II in the field of education one can undertake a statistical analysis of elementary schools, both those already existing and those offering the new type of education, in various provinces of the Ottoman Empire between 1905 and 1906. Accordingly, there were 355 state and nine private elementary schools in Istanbul, the capital, twelve of these boys schools, seventeen for girls and 326 of them mixed. The situation for Anatolian cities was as follows. In Aydin there were a total 1379 schools, 669 of which were for boys, 92 for girls and 698 were mixed. In Kastamonu there were a total of 855, 52 of which were for boys, 23 for girls and 780 mixed. In Trabzon there were a total of 526 schools, 82 of which were for boys, one for girls and 443 were mixed. In Bursa there were a total of 56 state schools, 43 for boys, seven for girls and six mixed, and a total of 1406 private schools, 1208 of which were for boys, seven for girls with 191 mixed. In addition, in Anatolia, Canakkale had more than 400 elementary schools, Ankara, Diyarbakir, Konya, Sivas and Izmit more than 200 and Erzurum more than 100. We observe the same density in the Balkans. For example, there were more than 500 schools in Kosovo and Manastir, more than 200 in Edirne, and more than 100 in Iskodra and Yanya. In the Aegean islands there were a total of 68 elementary schools, thirteen of them for boys, eight for girls and 47 mixed. We observe the same intense process of elementary school construction in the Ottoman Arab provinces. For example, there were more than 300 schools in Jerusalem, more than 200 in Beirut, and more than 100 in Aleppo.[8]

---

[1] F. R. Unat, Türkiye Egitim Sisteminin Gelismesine Tarihi Bir Bakis (Ankara, 1964), 6-7.

[2] B. Kodaman, Abdülhamid Devri Egitim Sistemi, 2d ed. (Ankara, 1991), 58-60.

[3] For primary schools see ibid, 58-66; I. Bozdemir, "Osmanli Sibyan Mekteplerinde Egitim ve Ögretim" (Master Thesis, Istanbul University, Social Sciences Institute, Istanbul, 1991).

[4] F. R. Unat, Türkiye Egitim Sisteminin, 8.

[5] B. Kodaman, Abdülhamid Devri, 59-60.

[6] Ibid., 63-65.

[7] Ibid., 65-90.

[8] Ibid., 89-90.

by: Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Wed 10 August, 2005

Source: MuslimHeritage

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

 "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".  

[At-Tirmidhi]

Winning Hearts

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Winning Hearts

Anonymous

category: Islamic Manners

source: Islamway.com

Here are 11 pieces of advice to help you in winning others hearts. My pieces of advice are like arrows that aim at shooting hearts as its only target. I mean here, to be the virtuous merits, that captivate others hearts and help in overcoming imperfections. Actually, such merits have their own effective power in charming hearts.

O you who is in love with Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and your brothers in Islam, here are the arrows; be careful with them, try hard to be a clever shooter…

And pray to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) to help you.

Smile:

It is the first arrow and the fastest of them all. It is like the salt for food. It is also regarded as a kind of worship and alms-giving as is mentioned in a hadith "Smiling at your brother's face is as charity (Sadaqa)". Abdullah ibn al Harith tells us about the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying that he had never seen someone smile at the other's face as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do.

Be always the one who initiates greetings:

This arrow is the one that lets you to be in the innermost depths of the others hearts. This arrow needs a skillful shooter. The needed skills are the hearty smile, the warm shaking of hands and the friendly welcoming to the other. Being successfully achieved, such kinds of skills are going to be rewarded, referring to the hadith: "In greetings, the better is he who initiates greeting the other".

Umar al Nadi tells us that he went out once with Umar ibn al Khattab's son. While walking, he found him saluting all whom he met, whether being old or young. Al Hasan al-Basri also said "Shaking hands strengthens brotherhood feelings". The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said "Do not ever waste your good deeds, even by meeting your brother with a frowning face." He said also "Shaking hands removes hatred and exchanging presents enhances love and ends enmity".

The Presents:

It has a strange charming affection that captivates all senses. Hence, exchanging presents and gifts in different occasions is a pleasant habit however gifts should be within one's tolerable expenses. Ibrahim al Zahri tells us about his father saying " My father got a sum of money as a reward , in due , he asked me to send donations to his family members and friends . As we were about to finish , he asked me "Have we missed any one?" I answered "No!" He said "I think that we did." He continued "We have missed someone whose welcome to me was really warm. Would you please send him this sum of money?"

Look how he loved the man and wished to reward him for his warm welcome.

Be silent….speak in what benefits.

Loud voice and chattering are bad merits. You have to be sweet-worded, tender in expressing yourself. Concerning this merit, The Prophet (peace be upon him) said "The good word is a charity (is a sadaqa)."

  If the good word has its own magic in winning the hearts of your enemies how powerfully it would work then with your brothers' hearts!!

Here the Prophet's wife addresses the enemies saying "Damn you" and the Prophet (peace be upon him) prevents her saying "Calm down. Allah likes for the matters to be dealt with gently". He also said: "Nobility of manners and taciturnity are the best of manners that people are ever characterized by".

The poet says also:

The pious Allah-fearing may keep silent, in spite of being eloquent.

Be a good listener:

It is to listen patiently and never interrupt the speaker, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) never interrupted a speaker till he ended his speech. And he who fights for this merit gains others love and admiration, whilst on the contrary is the one who chatters and interrupts the other. Atta` tells us about how he behaves concerning this merit and says "When someone speaks to me, I listen to him as if it is the first time I have heard this subject, though I have heard it thousands of times before.

Appearance and dressing well:

You have to be careful with your appearance so as to be neat, well –dressed and sweet smelling as well. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says that Allah loves beauty to be in every thing. Umar Ibn Al Khattab said also "I like the young man who is sweetly perfumed and cleanly dressed." Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hanbal tells us about his father saying " I've never seen some one who is as caring to the cleanliness of his dress , his hair , his moustache and other undesirable body hair as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal used to do"

Being in others favor and helping them:

Concerning this, the poet says:

Good treatment of the other is the only way of captivating his heart.

Good treatment you classifies you as an obedient, beloved slave of Allah as the Prophet (peace be upon him) Muhammad says "The more you are in favor of others, the more you are beloved by Allah" as Allah says in the Quran "And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good" (Al-Baqarah:195)

The poet says also:

Be a dear friend to all, whom you know,
For all, you should be as freshening as iced pure water

I really wonder for that man who pays money to buy slaves, while he can buy those who are free by being good to them, for those (who treat other well) find many to be in their help.

Being Generous :

Offering money is the key for most of the closed doors that hinder you from reaching others hearts, especially in these days.

Now I will tell you a story about the magic of the merit of generosity.

In the conquest of Makkah, there was a man called "Safwan Ibn Umia". That man ran away after making all possible means in keeping the people of Islam and after making conspiracies to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). Later on, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forgave him and he came back asking the Prophet (peace be upon him) to give him the time of two months to think about Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said "You can take four months, not just two". In spite of being an atheist, he accompanied the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Hunain and Al Ta'if conquests. In Al Ta`if, while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was dividing the booties of the war, he noticed that man looking longingly to a vast land in which a large number of cattle were flocking. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him "Do you like it?" The man eagerly answered "Yes." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said "It is for you then." Safwan said "Only a prophet could behave as generously as you have to me. I believe that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His prophet."

Notice how the Prophet (peace be upon him) found the missing key and succeeded in moving his heart. Some people behave stingily as if they see the ghost of poverty waiting to attack them once they think about being generous in offering money.

To have a good opinion of others and to give them an excuse :

Keeping an eye on others behavior is a bad merit that blocks your way to their hearts. On the contrary is to have a good opinion of them. So, try hard to give your brothers the excuse as much as you can. Concerning this merit, Ibn Al Mubarak says also "The believer is he who gives his brothers the excuse , and the hypocrite is he who seeks their slips."

Express your feelings… instantly:

If you loved someone, or felt good feelings about him, don't wait, just tell him at once. Regarding this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said "If you felt the brotherly love of Islam towards any ,you should immediately go and tell him about your feelings." He added "It is the way relations are to be strongly indicated". Such love is to be blessed by Allah if it is for Allah's sake, not for any other personal affairs such as seeking high position, money, fame etc…. Unless this love is for Allah's sake, it is a fruitless kind of brotherhood then. When they meet each other on the Day of Judgement, they are not brothers any more but enemies, as Allah says in the Quran " Friends on that Day will be foes, one to another; except the Righteous." (Az-Zukhruf: 67)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says "A man is in the company of whom he loved." By this he means that on the Day of Judgment, a person will be with whom he loved. So, we have to choose then between two kinds of societies, one is in enmity and the other is a kind brotherly one. Hence, we find that the Prophet (peace be upon him) associated the Makkan immigrants and the Medinan followers as brothers. It was a rare kind of brotherhood that even two brothers were to be buried together in one grave after being martyred in the conquests. Means of brotherhood was always being indicated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) as he says "You are not allowed to enter heaven till you believe in Allah and you will not be true believers unless you love each other. Shall I tell you something to do that indicates love between you? It is to spread salutation of Peace among you."

The pity is that people are always either cruelly and harshly treating each other or extremely tender that they adore each other. Actually, it is a matter of striking a balance between heart and mind, something that differs according to the difference of characters and circumstances. It is absolutely a blessing given by Allah.

Sociability :

It is the art of being social. Here, a kind of misconception could exist between sociability and hypocrisy. Could you differentiate between the two meanings?

The Prophet (peace be upon him)'s wife, Aisha said "A man came to visit us, but to my surprise, once the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw him, he said "O…that ill- mannered man", but the Prophet (peace be upon him) changed completely once he sat with him. He welcomed the man warmly, smiling in his face. When the man left, I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about what had surprised me; how he considered this man as being bad, and how he talked to him in such warmth? The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered "Have you ever seen me behaving as a hypocrite?" He added "In the Day of Judgement, the worst degrees are for those whom people deserted for being mistreated by them."

Al Qurtubi differentiates between hypocrisy and sociability, regarding sociability as a desirable legal behavior, saying that sociability means sacrificing the worldly affairs for the sake of improving either life on earth or religion, or so as to improve both, while hypocrisy aims at sacrificing religion for the sake of the worldly affairs.

Hence, being sociable for ill-mannered people is aiming to achieve two purposes:

Firstly, to avoid being mistreated by them.

Secondly, being good to them could be guidance for them to step the right way. Compliments should be within worldly affairs only, never in religious affairs, otherwise, it will be a matter of hypocrisy.

To be sociable, means to be tender, smiling, praising to the other, intending in the meantime a legal benefit. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says "Being sociable, is as alms-giving." Ibn Battal says also "Sociability is an ethic of the believers; it is to show open-mindedness in treating others and to delicately speak to them. Both are important elements in seeking reasons for intimacy."

 

http://www.a2youth.com/articles/islamic_manners/winning_hearts/2

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

 "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".  

[At-Tirmidhi]

Tabarruj

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Tabarruj

The Muslim woman must be wise and prudent in safeguarding her dignity and honour. Times are swiftly changing and a clever woman is she who protects herself and realises her high worth and dignity as a believer, even if she trusts the same men that the Shar’iah (chronicles of Islamic Law) has outlined as potential threats to her chastity and hereafter.

 

Today, when dressing immodestly has become the social norm and to speak out against it may adjudge you to be a social outcast, you – the Muslim woman – must stand strong against such vicious tides. You must remember that this realm is just a realm of test, a few days that are swiftly running out as every hour passes us. Dear Sister, declare war against such a progression, a “progression” which goes against the way of some of the best women this world has ever witnessed, the female Companions of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him). The Qur’aan clearly mentions how Tabarruj (the analytical study of which is to follow shortly) is a thing of the past, an outdated, backward, ignorant and sub-human act!

{And do not tabbarrajna [display] yourselves like that of the times of ignorance…}[i]

Something that is an outdated act is now cloaked with the colour of modernism and progression. Yet, Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have clearly spoken out against Tabarruj and this is what we are now going to look into.

***

‘Lisaan al Arab’ is an excellent Arabic dictionary by Ibn Mundhur, used by scholars and laymen alike. In it one can find different meanings for the various derivates of root letters. It’s absolutely amazing to read, for it opens one’s mind up to how amazing the Arabic language is...do you want to have a taste of it?

Well, let’s dive into the meaning of Tabarruj. Allah Willing, once you read it you’ll realise what it means to not do Tabarruj, in front of non-Mahrams generally and more specifically in front of the Hamuw (the brother-in-law), the one whom the Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) referred to as ‘death’ for the Muslim woman.

The term ‘tabarruj’ carries two basic meanings:

1. To display, show, make apparent, raised

• Distance between eyebrows: This is why the distance between the eyebrows is called ‘al-Baraj’, because it is so apparent to all those who look towards the face of an individual.

• Wide Eyes: The whiteness of which is very white and the blackness of which is very black. Such eyes can’t be missed and stand out from all other features in one’s face.

• A Specific Genus of Stars: That’s why a specific genus of stars is referred to as ‘Burooj’, because it is 1) raised, 2) apparent for onlookers. This term is mentioned in the Qur’aan: {By the heaven, dhaatil burooj [holding the big stars]} [Al Burooj [85]:1]

• High Buildings: ‘Barj’, the plural of which is ‘Burooj’ and ‘Abraaj’, means tower/ castle. This is because such high buildings can’t be missed, as they tower above the rest. As mentioned in the Qur’aan: {Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in buroojin mushayyidah (fortresses built up strong and high)} [An-Nisaa’ [4]:78]

THAT’s why ‘a woman’s playing up her charms’ (refer to Hans Wehr) comes under this meaning. Because she makes an outward and apparent show of her beauty, intentionally wanting others to look her way.

2. To adorn herself, make herself pretty

Ibn Mundhur writes in ‘Lisaan al Arab’ regarding the term ‘at-Tabarruj’:

‘The woman making her Zeenah and Mahaasin apparent to men.’  And: ‘To make apparent the Zeenah to strangers (li an-naas al-ajaanib), and that is blameworthy. But (if it’s done) for the husband then no (it’s not blameworthy).’

Ibn Mundhur quotes Abu Ishaaq, with regards to this verse, that:

‘making apparent the Zeenah and to Istadaa.’

In the above definitions three very important terms were used:

1. Zeenah: embellishment, adornment, ornament, decoration.
2. Mahaasin: (pl. of mahsanah) beauties, charms, attractions.
3. Istadaa: to call, invoke, urge, incite, appeal, necessitate, make necessary or a requisite.

Having read this deep analysis of the term Tabarruj, I now want you to read the following verse again, but this time with deep thought and contemplation,

“And do not tabbarrajna [display] yourselves like that of the times of ignorance…”[ii]

Now, if you have a brother-in-law specifically and if you live or come in contact with any non-mahramIn Islaam the ‘Dhu Mahaarim (sing: Mahram)’ have been clearly defined; A Mahram is a woman’s husband or a man with whom that woman cannot marry at all according to Islaamic Jurisprudence. This can be due to blood relationship [such as father, son, brother, paternal uncle etc] or due to a foster relationship. generally, I want you to recall and ask yourself honestly whether you have ever partaken in the act of ‘Tabarruj’. If so, dear Sister, it is not too late to repent and mend your ways. But time is running out as death and the Day of Judgement are swiftly catching up with man. The narrations pertaining to the punishment for Tabarruj are severe indeed and we can’t afford to gain Allah’s (the Glorious and Mighty) Anger or Wrath, may Allah forgive us.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood reported that the Prophet (sallallahu a’lyhi wa sallam) used to dislike ten kinds of behaviour and he (‘Abdullah) mentioned that one of them was:

“Tabarruj by means of displaying beautification in an improper place.”[iii]

When the Companion Mu’aawiyyah (may Allah be pleased with him) gave a sermon in Hums (Syria), he mentioned that the Prophet (sallallahu a’lyhi wa sallam) prohibited seven things, one of which was Tabarruj.[iv]

Umaymah, the daughter of Ruqayyah, came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) to acknowledge the message of Islaam and that Muhammad (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allah (‘azza wa jall). The Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said to her: “I give you my acknowledgement that you must not set partners to worship besides Allah and…that you don’t commit any falsehood by your hands and between your legs… and that you don’t make Tabarruj like that of the time of ignorance.”[v]

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam) said: “… The most evil of your women are the Mutabarrijaat (those who do Tabarruj), the Mutakhayalaat (those who strut/swagger), and they are the hypocritical ones. Those who enter the JannahParadise. (in number) are like the Cough Crow.”[vi] The Cough Crow has a red beak and red legs. This is an expression of metonymy indicating that few from the likes of these women enter heaven because this kind of crow is rare.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said, “Of the people of hell there are two types whom I have never seen: The one possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog people with them. The second one, women who would be naked in spite of their being dressed, who are seduced [to wrong paths] and seduce others with their hair high like humps. These women would not get into the Paradise and they would not perceive its odour, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance.”[vii]

The Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said, “There shall be, in the latter part of my nation, women who are dressed but [in fact] naked, on their heads are humps like those of Bukht [a specific kind of camel], curse them for they are surely cursed.” [Al-Mu’jam as-Sagheer by Imaam at-Tabarani p.232] The scholars say that the Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam), in this hadeethProphetic Narration , is referring to women who wear tight clothes that shows off the shape of the body. In reality they are naked although they have clothes on them!

The Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) also said: “The parable of a woman who moves with slow sweeping motion, trailing her beautified clothes, performing not for her husband, is like darkness on the day of Judgement; she has (or comes with) no light.” [At-Tirmidhi: the hadeeth is weak but the meaning is correct]

The Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said, “Any woman who takes off her clothes in other than her husband’s home (for an unlawful purpose), has broken the shield between her and Allah.” [Musnad Imaam Ahmad and in the Mustadrak of Imaam al-Haakim]

The scholars explain that what the Prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) is referring to is any woman who shows off her beauty to strangers by taking off her shield of clothes. She ‘has broken this shield between her and Allah’ because Allah says:

{O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness - that is the best.} [Al–A’raaf [7]:26]

Therefore, if a woman does not fear Allah (‘azza wa jall) and uncovers that which Allah has commanded her to cover, then she is breaking the shield between her and Allah, the Most High. Also, by uncovering and dishonouring herself she is in fact cheating and committing a treason with her husband, for marriage is a contract to be faithful to one another and one of the ways a Muslim woman is faithful to her husband is by means of safeguarding her beauty and ornaments for his eyes alone.

Allah refers to the commitment made to the institution of marriage as a meethaaqan ghaleedhaa (a solemn contract), a term otherwise used only in relation to the covenant between Allah and the Prophets [see Q 33:7].

Whether or not we are supported by our husbands, and whether or not they themselves understand the gravity of this solemn contract, we must comply, for our standing and questioning will be in front of our Lord alone. In our graves there will be no other, and when death approaches us, such difficulties will seem trivial and the relief will be, Allah Willing, magnanimous.

Dear Sister, a storm always settles down sooner or later. It may seem hard to begin covering properly and according to the Shar’iah (Islamic law) but soon Allah will turn hardship into ease.

{So verily, with the hardship, there is relief.

Verily, with the hardship, there is relief

(i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs).}

(SurahA chapter/section of the Qur'aan. 94, Verses 5-6)

____________________________

[i] Surah al Ahzaab [33]:33

[ii] Surah al Ahzaab [33]:33

[iii] An-Nisaaee 8/141

[iv] Musnad Imaam Ahmad 4/101

[v] Musnad Imaam Ahmad 2/196

[vi] Al Bayaqi

[vii] Saheeh Muslim

 

Source: IdealMuslimah.com

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

 "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".  

[At-Tirmidhi]

Do not be envious of one another....

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Do not be envious of one another; do not artificially inflate prices against one another; do not hate one another; do not shun one another; and do not undercut one another in business transactions; and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.

A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. Piety is here - and he pointed to his chest three times. It is evil enough for a Muslim to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour."

[Muslim]

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background

Unity is one of the greatest objectives of Islam. There are many verses in the Qur'an that urge Muslims to unite. In Surah al-'Imran, Ayah 103, Allah says:

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (which is Islam) and be not divided among yourselves.

This is a very well-known verse to Muslims. In Surah al-Taubah, Ayah 71, Allah says:

The believing men and women are 'awliya' (loyal) to one another.

There are many other verses in the Qur'an that urge joining unity, as well as verses that forbid disunity. We can see this in the same Surah al-'Imran, Ayah 103, in which Allah says:

….and be not divided among yourselves.

So in the same verse the Muslims are asked to be united and prevented from disunity. The Qur'an contains many such verses, for example: Surah al-'Imran Ayah 105-107; Surah al-Hujurat Ayah 10; Surah al-An'am Ayah 153 and 159; and in Surah al-Rum Ayah 31-32. All of these verses and many others in the Qur'an forbid the division or split of the Muslim community.

Moreover, we have many hadiths that command the Muslims to be united. One hadith is recorded by Imam Muslim: "Verily Allah likes three things for you and disapproves three things for you: He is pleased with you but you worship Him and disassociate anything with him; that you hold fast to the Rope of Allah and not to be scattered (disunited); and He disapproves for you irrelevant talk, persistent questioning, and wasting of wealth."

We find that Islam commands the Muslims to practice things that will bring unity - there are conditions and actions where the Muslims need to perform to accomplish this. At the same time, we also find that there are many actions that Islam forbids because these actions may lead to the disunity of the Muslim ummah. This Hadith 35 falls in the latter category.

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lessons

The first action that the hadith forbids is envy (al-hasad). Muslim scholars like Imam Ghazali and others define envy as disliking to see a person receiving a bounty and wishing that he or she (the receipient) would lose it.

Ibn Rajab gives a different and broader definition. He states in his definition that it is part of human nature that a person dislikes anyone to be better than him in virtues. He says that people differ in their attitudes and he lists five categories of envy that people have:

1. There are some people who will make the effort through action or speech to abolish the bounty received by someone whom they envy.
   
   
2. There are others who will then try to get that bounty transferred to them. So they firstly try to take it away from the person they envy and then they try to get it for themselves. For instance, if a certain person is offered a certain position or authority, the envious one will try to do something by hand or by speech to take away that position or authority from that person. Then he will try to get that status or position transferred to himself.
   
   
3. There are some people who do not make any effort by action or speech to harm the one whom they envy. Ibn Rajab says this category of people can be of two types:
   
   
   1. The one who does his best to eliminate the feeling of envy within himself but he cannot overcome it. In spite of this, he keeps fighting and struggling against it. Ibn Rajab says this type of person is excused from punishment.
      
      
   2. The one who thinks about envy and practices it again and again. He does not make any effort to fight it even though he does not do any harm by action or speech. But he actually enjoys and practices envy - he wishes that the bounty of the envied one will be lost. Consequently, this person is subject to punishment.

4. There are those who, whenever they envy someone, do not harm him or her. They do not even wish the loss of the bounty from the envied one. Instead, they make the effort to attain a similar bounty or virtue for themselves. Ibn Rajab says: "If this bounty is wordly virtues or worldly bounties, there is no benefit in that." For example, if you see someone who has a Mercedes, and you try to attain a similar car for yourself, then there is no benefit in that. But if it is a righteous virtue, then it is good.
   
   
5. There are some people who, whenever they feel envy, do their best to stop it and they will do a favour or something good for the person whom they envied. In addition, they will also make du'a for that person until they love him - because envy is usually associated with hatred. They will wish that the envied ones are better than them - they do not bother themselves if others have things which are better than what they have. Ibn Rajab says these people are the best category of true believers since everyone is subject to indulge or be trapped by envy or being envious of others.

Why is envy (hasad) forbidden?

It can cause - by the permission of Allah - harm to others whom are envied. Consequently, they are considered as evil acts in Islam. They can cause - even by just wishing - the harming of a person. It is the virtue of Shaitan. And it is also the virtue of Jews to envy other people. This is mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 109 and in Surah al-Nisa', Ayah 54.

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, warned Muslims against envy when he said "Creeping upon you is the diseases of those people before you: envy and hatred. And hatred is the thing that shapes. I do not say it shapes the hair but it shapes the religion. By the One in whose Hand is my soul, you will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Certainly, let me inform you of that which may establish such things: spread the greetings and peace among yourselves." [Recorded by Imam Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi]

Since this is a harmful act, Muslims are asked to recite certain Qur'anic verses such as Surah al-Falaq, Surah an-Nas, and Surah al-Ikhlas to protect from envious people. According to the Muslim scholars, it would be preferable to recite them after the five prayers along with Ayat-ul-Kursi.

Al-Tanajush is translated literary as "do not artificially inflate the prices against one another". Najash that is mentioned in this hadith can be interpreted, according to Ibn Rajab, in two ways:

1. It can be interpreted as bai' al-najash - the trading where a person offers a high price for a certain item not for the sake of buying it but for the sake of raising the price of the item so that in the end it is sold for more than its actual price/worth. This is usually done, even in the Muslim world today, by a previous agreement by the salesman and another person or relative who pretends that he wants to buy. This is done in the stock market or auctions where there is a person who keeps bidding higher prices for an item. He is doing a favour for the person who wants to sell. This is considered as bai' al-najash. The majority of Muslim jurists (fuqaha) say it is valid. However, they say that if the buyer finds that he has been manipulated in a way where the price exceeded drastically over the actual price, then he has the choice of returning the item.
   
   
2. The second interpretation of najash is a broader one, more than merely limiting it to trading. Ibn Rajab says here it means any kind of deceiving actions that will lead to harming others. He adds that all dealings that are conducted in a deceiving way are included here. He quotes Surah Fatir, Ayah 43 : "That the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it."

Ibn Rajab says that this hadith is a warning to Muslims not to hate one another, especially if it is because of self-interest. Why? Because Muslims are brothers in Islam. They should love each other and should not hate one another. Consequently, al-nameemah, backbiting and slander are forbidden because they will lead to hatred among the Muslim community. Ibn Rajab says that when the Muslims started dividing into different sects because of conflicting views regarding certain religious matters, this led to disputes and hatred among the community, and thus disunity.

We should not turn our backs on one another. Ibn Rajab says this means any form of disassociation. He says that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said the Muslim is not allowed to disassociate himself from the others for more than three days. This is, as Ibn Rajab points out, in worldly matters. Whereas in the religious matters, disassociation is one of the punishments that Islam allows - e.g. to disassociate with those who commit sins in order to teach them a lesson. But scholars say that if the person who commits the sin is not likely to come back to the right path, then it is meaningless to disassociate with him. As one of the scholars pointed out, if the objectives of Islam are not fulfilled then disassociation is meaningless.

We should not undercut one another in business transactions. For example, if someone is trying to buy something from a salesman, in the middle of their negotiations another salesman appears and interferes and tries to get that customer to buy his product/service instead. This kind of transaction is forbidden because the customer has yet to make his final decision - it will lead to the disunity of the Muslim community.

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, asks us to be brothers to one another. Ibn Rajab says this is like justifying the actions that are mentioned by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, because these evil acts will lead to spoiling the brotherhood of the Muslims. If Muslims avoid these evil acts, then this will lead them to be brothers. Moreover, Ibn Rajab says this statement implies that Muslims have to make the effort to do whatever that will lead to achieving this brotherhood. This means fulfilling all the obligations towards Muslims, for example like returning the greetings, visiting the sick, helping the needy, accepting invitations, sending presents, shaking hands, and smiling.

Then the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, says the Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. Ibn Rajab explains about this statement: "It is now obligatory for each brother that he tries to benefit his Muslim brother and to refrain from harming them." He adds that the major harm is oppression and injustice. If a Muslim is in need of your support and you fail to support or help him, this is unjust. There are many places in the Muslim world where the Muslims are in great need of help. They are being oppressed and nobody supports them. Accordingly, if we are not doing anything to help them, we are failing our Muslim brothers. We need to be united to solve the problems that we are facing today. Our main concern should be the unity of the ummah. A contemporary scholar, Abdurrahman Al-S'adi, says that one of the greatest forms of jihad is to make an effort to unite the Muslims. He states that cooperation among Muslims is an obligation.

We should not lie to our Muslim brothers. We should also refrain ourselves from belittling or making fun of other Muslims. We should not make signals or gestures that threaten the face value of our Muslim brothers. We should take care not to be cynical to others and not to undermine other Muslims.

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, says taqwa is in the heart. Ibn Rajab comments on this statement saying it is evidence that the most noble among people are the ones who are righteous even if they are not lucky in the sight of other people. If they are righteous, they are the most noble in the sight of Allah.

It can be said that all that has been mentioned in this hadith has to do with the heart: loving Muslims, and not to envy them. When we have taqwa in our hearts, we will not do the forbidden acts mentioned - our hearts will be purified and filled with love.

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conclusion

"All things of a Muslim are inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property, and his honour." This important last statement, which was mentioned by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, in his farewell sermon (hajat alwadaa'), concludes or summarises what this hadith is about. This hadith clearly states that harming others either by saying or doing is considered an evil act. Allah says:

And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, they bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.
[Surah al-Ahzab: Ayah 58]

Allah made the believers as brothers so that they have mercy upon one another; so that they love one another; so that they help one another and support one another. This is how Muslims should be.

Source: FortyHadith.com

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa'sallam said:

"The Muslim is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind:
Their Land is ONE, their War is ONE, their Peace is ONE,
Their Honour is ONE and their Trust is ONE."
[Ahmad]