Visiting The Prophet’s Mosque in Rajab

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him said, “Some people believe that visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in [the month of] Rajab has some special merit and they go to it from all over, calling it, ‘The Rajab Visit.’  This is an innovation which has no basis and none of the forerunners spoke about it even those who came after the three generations, because what is apparent is that it was introduced much later, so it is an innovation.

But there is no harm in visiting Madinah in the month of Rajab–but not due to the fact that it is Rajab.

But a person who believes that such a visit performed in Rajab has some special merit has missed the mark and gone astray and he is from the people of innovation.”

Fataawaa Fil-Hajj, p. 660.

Contentment

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him said, “From Allaah’s Blessings on a servant is that he be granted contentment, whether that be regarding his residence, his clothes, his means of transport, or his children.

For when a person is content with what Allaah has given him, he will remain rich.”

Bulughul-Maraam, vol. 6, p. 272.

On Desires

Ibn al-Jawzi, said, “And it has been reported that Ibn Abbaas said, ‘Allaah the Mighty and Majestic never mentioned desires in any place in His Book except that He disparaged it.’”

Dhammul-Hawaa, p. 28.

Ibn al-Jawzi’s Remarkable Comments on Supplication

The Shaikh, the Imaam, the Allaamah, the Shaikh of Islaam, Abul-Faraj Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-Jawzi, said:

“I have reflected over an interesting situation: that a calamity may befall a believer and so he supplicates, going to great lengths in doing so, but he sees no sign of an answer.  So when despair comes close, at that time his heart is looked at, thus if it is acceptant of the [many] decrees of fate, not having despaired of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic’s Bounty, then in most cases at that time the response is hastened, for it is there that eemaan is qualified, and the devil vanquished, and it is there that a man’s worth is shown.

And this has been alluded to in His Saying, the Most High, “… until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allaah?” [Baqarah 2:214].  And likewise is what happened to Ya’qoob عليه السلام, for when he lost a son and the situation went on for a long time, he did not despair–and then his other son was taken, but his hope in his Lord’s Bounty that, “… perhaps Allaah will bring them to me all together …” [Yusuf 12:83] still did not cut off.  And likewise Zakariya عليه السلام said, “… and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy [i.e., disappointed].” [Maryam 19:3]

So beware of considering as too long the time for a prayer to be answered!

And look to the fact that He is the Sovereign Lord/the Absolute King of the entire universe, and that He is the All-Wise in that which He plans, and the One who knows what is of benefit [to you], and that He wants to examine you in order to test your concealed mettle, and that He wants to see your earnest supplication, and that He wants to reward you for your patience, and other such purposes.

In addition to that, He is testing you by delaying the response to your supplication so that you can fight Iblis’ whisperings and wicked insinuations–and every one of these things strengthens [one’s] belief in His Bounty, and obligates being thankful to Him–for He, by testing you with the trial, prepared you to turn to ask Him.

And the distressed person’s destitution/poverty in having to turn to Him is total and utter affluence.”

Saidul-Khaatir, pp. 227-228.

Giving Precedence to Others Over Yourself in Those Things Which Are Obligatory

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Giving precedence to others over yourself in those things which are obligatory is not allowed. For example, if a person only has enough water for himself with which to perform ablution and there is another person with him who needs water, he is not to give the water to the other person, the other person should do tayammum.  Because this is giving precedence to others over yourself in those things which are obligatory, and giving such precedence to others over yourself is haraam.’

Ash-Sharh al-Mumti’, vol. 15, p. 40.

Uthaimeen: Guard strictly [the practice] of always inspecting/investigating your heart …

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Guard strictly [the practice] of always inspecting/investigating your heart.  For it may have the sickness of doubts or the sickness of desires, and everything–and all praise is for Allaah–has a cure.  So the Noble Quraan is a cure for doubts and desires.”

Ash-Sharh al-Mumti, vol. 4, p. 22.

Uthaimeen Asked: Do I Have to Tell My First Wife I’m Getting Married Again?

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “I want to get married to a second wife, is it permissible for me to marry again secretly without telling my first?”

So he said, “It is permissible for you to marry again and not tell your wife about it but the nikaah must be in the open and something announced [i.e., not secret], because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered that saying, “Announce the nikaah.”  And when you do what Allaah and His Messenger have ordered by announcing the nikaah, then Allaah the Most High will make your wife pleased with you when she finds out.”

Fataawaa Nurun-ala-Darb.

Ibn Baaz: Have a Set Amount You Read From the Quraan Daily

Shaikh Abdul-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Dawud said, “I was going with his eminence, may Allaah have mercy on him, from the Imaam Turki ibn Abdullaah mosque to his house when he asked me about reading the Quraan.  I told him I read it from time to time but that I did not have a set portion that I read daily.  So he said that I should take up an amount to read from the Quraan daily even if it was only a little, explaining that the person who has a set portion which he reads daily from the Quraan will finish it, but he who does not may finish reading it quickly one time but then months may pass and he will not have finished it, and he mentioned the example of a person who reads a juzz a day finishing it in a month and he who reaads two finishing it in fifteen days.”

Mawaaqif Mudee’ah, p. 25.

Ibn al-Qayyim on Repentance and Arrogance

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Indeed when Allaah intends good for a servant, He strips away sight of his good deeds from his heart, and their mention from his tongue, and causes him to become preoccupied with his sins, and they continue to be before his eyes until he enters Paradise. For indeed, those actions which have been accepted–the sight of them is removed from the heart and their remembrance from the tongue.

And one of the Salaf said, ‘Indeed the servant commits a mistake by which he enters Paradise.  And he performs a good deed by which he enters the Fire.’

They said, ‘How so?’

He said, ‘He commits a mistake and so it remains before his eyes.  When he recalls it he regrets it, resigns [himself to] and earnestly implores Allaah, and hastens to erase it, and he becomes broken and humble before his Lord, and his self-amazement and arrogance disappears.  And he will perform a good deed and it will remain before his eyes, he sees it and uses it as a favour, and becomes self-conceited because of it, becomes arrogant because of it, until he enters the Fire.’”

Ar-Risaalah at-Tabukiyyah, vol. 1, p. 74.

Two Different Types of Wudoo

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “All of us perform wudoo when we want to pray.  But most of the time a person does so just wanting to fulfill a condition of worship, and there is no harm in that and what is intended [i.e., being pure for prayer] is achieved by it.

But there is something higher and more complete.

When you want to perform wudoo, sense that you are obeying the Order of Allaah, mentioned in His Saying, the Most High,“O you who have believed!  When you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and (wash) your feet to the ankles.” [Maa'idah 5:6] so that the meaning of worship can be realised in you.

Sharh al-Arba’een an-Nawawiyyah, p. 253.