Suhaib Webb

In pre-Islamic times, the Arabs would lower their gazes and adhere to the sanctity of the neighbor and honor, even their outlaws. Urwah ibn al-Ward, one of the Arab outlaws of the pre-Islamic era, said:

وإنْ جارتي ألوَتْ رياحٌ ببيتها
تغافلت حتى يستر البيت جانبه
“If the winds blew against my neighbor’s house,
I would pretend not to see until her house was covered from sight.”

And Antarah ibn Shaddad said:

و أغضُّ طرفي ما بدَت لي جارتِي
حتى يُواري جـارتـي مـأواهـا
“I lower my gaze; should my neighbor appear,
Until she is concealed within her dwelling place.”

إني امرؤٌ سمحُ الخليقة ماجدٌ
لا أتبع النفس اللجوج هواها
“I am a man of noble creation and generosity,
Not following the whims of a persistent soul.”

The noble qualities of the Arabs were kept, refined and, as the case here, commanded by Islam. What can we say if a world today where haya and honor seem to have faded?

Commenting on the verse of the Quran that commands the believers to lower their gaze, al-Qadi Abu Bakr writes in Ahkam al-Quran:

“The verse: ‘They should lower their gaze’ Quran 24:30 contains the word “min” [from] which implies partiality, yet, ‘and guard their private parts’ in the same verse does not have min. Meaning guard them in an absolute sense.

Scholars have three opinions about the implications of this verse:

The first: Lowering the gaze is used in this verse in the context of prohibition; because lowering it from what is permissible is not obligatory; but it is obligatory to lower it from what is forbidden; hence the introduction of the particle of partiality in lowering the gaze, so it said: from their gaze of what is haram.

The second: There are aspects of looking that are not forbidden, which are the first and second look; anything beyond that is forbidden, and there is nothing concerning the private parts that is permissible.

The third: There are looks that are forbidden, which concern strangers; and those that are permissible, which concern spouses and those of close kin, unlike the private parts, for covering them is obligatory in public and in seclusion; based on the hadith of Bahz bin Hakim from his father from his grandfather Muawiyah bin Haydah al-Qushayri; he said: “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what about our private parts, what should we do with them and what should we leave?’ He said: ‘Guard your private parts except from your spouse or what your right hand possesses.’ I said: ‘What about when a man is with another man?’ He said: ‘If you can ensure that no one sees it, then do so.’ I said: ‘What about when a man is alone?’ He said: ‘Allah is more deserving of your modesty.'”

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, would stand at night for the night prayer, he would say:

«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ الحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ المُقَدِّمُ، وَأَنْتَ المُؤَخِّرُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ – أَوْ: لاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ -».[أخرجه البخاري]

Transliteration:
“Allāhumma laka al-ḥamdu anta qayyimu al-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa man fīhinna, wa laka al-ḥamdu laka mulku al-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa man fīhinna, wa laka al-ḥamdu anta nūru al-samāwāti wal-arḍi wa man fīhinna, wa laka al-ḥamdu anta maliku al-samāwāti wal-arḍi, wa laka al-ḥamdu anta al-ḥaqq wa wa’duka al-ḥaqq, wa liqā’uka ḥaqq, wa qawluka ḥaqq, wal-jannatu ḥaqq, wan-nāru ḥaqq, wan-nabiyyūna ḥaqq, wa Muḥammadun ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama ḥaqq. Al-Bukhari

Translation

O Allah, to You is all praise, You are the sustainer of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. To You is all praise, Yours is the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. To You is all praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. To You is all praise, You are the King of the heavens and the earth. To You is all praise, You are the Truth, Your promise is true, meeting You is true, Your word is true, Paradise is true, Hell is true, the Prophets are true, Muhammad ﷺ is true, and the Hour is true. O Allah, to You I have submitted, in You I believe, upon You I rely, to You I turn, with Your help I argue, and to You I take my disputes for judgment. So forgive me what I have previously done and what I will do, what I have concealed and what I have declared. You are the One who puts forward and You are the One who delays. There is no deity except You, or: There is no deity other than You.’ [Narrated by Bukhari]”

This supplication is a profound expression of faith, acknowledging Allah’s sovereignty, asking for forgiveness, and affirming the truth of Islamic beliefs.

Suhaib Webb

Q: Can I send my zakat al-mal to another country where people are suffering?

A: Sunni legal schools discourage the practice of transferring zakat beyond the distance at which shortening prayers becomes permissible, with some variation among schools.

In the Maliki tradition, while generally it agrees with the other schools, there is an exception attributed to Abd al-Rahman Ibn Al-Qasim and relied on for fatwa: transferring zakat beyond the distance to join prayers is deemed acceptable if there is an emergency in that area. Sahnun also mentioned it saying, “If the authorities are aware of a significant need in other regions, they are permitted to allocate a portion of the obligatory zakat to those areas. In situations of need, it’s essential to give precedence to aiding those in distress, as every Muslim should look out for their fellow Muslim without neglect or harm.”

Based on that, and due to the devastation overseas, I advise you to distribute your zakat among the needy in your local community and also consider extending a portion of your zakat to those in dire situations abroad. This is also supported by the generality of the verse, “Zakat is only for the poor,” as well as the narration, mentioned by al-Bukhari with taliq that Mu’adh distributed zakatable goods he collected outside of Medina in Medina.

Important Note: Ensure that your overseas contribution is explicitly designated for direct aid to the zakat elgible and is not diverted for other purposes.

Allah knows

suhaib Webb

The last few nights and days of Ramadan are a time of distilled light; people will be increasing in prayers and supplications. Here are five names of Allah to harvest your hearts during these days and nights, especially when making duas and observing devotions:

Al-Ahad – refers to the One whose uniqueness is inherent, not because He has no partners, but because His singularity arises from His very essence, distinguishing Him from numerical oneness, which could imply the existence of another. Thus, ‘Al-Ahad’ indicates a oneness that is beyond comparison, devoid of any duality or division.

Al-Qayyum – is the One by whom the heavens and the earth and all within them are sustained. This name suggests that the sanctity of His oneness and uniqueness does not contradict His sustaining of all things, signifying Allah’s closeness to His servants in a manner befitting His majesty.

Al-Samad – is the One to whom needs are directed, meaning sought after. It also means the One without weakness, implying both reassurance and sanctification, akin to ‘Al-Qayyum’ and ‘Al-Ahad’.

‘Al-Latif‘ – is the One who bestows subtle favors upon His servants, which are like well-placed gifts from Allah, manifesting as both visible and invisible blessings. “And if you count Allah’s blessings, you cannot enumerate them.” Quran.

Al-Qareeb – signifies Allah’s closeness to His servants by responding to their calls, highlighting His accessibility and responsiveness. Allah says in the Quran: “Indeed, I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” This understanding of closeness includes knowledge and inherent nearness to His servants.

Q: I’ve noticed disputes in the mosque over seating arrangements, with one individual claiming they had reserved a specific spot. Is such a claim permissible?

A: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated, “Mina is a resting place for whoever arrives first,” as reported by Tirmidhi (881) and considered a good hadith. This implies that individuals are not entitled to reserve spaces for worship; rather, the right belongs to the person who arrives first. This principle is particularly pertinent in mosques, which are the houses of Allah and not personal property.

However, there are three scenarios in which “reserving” a space is acceptable: if an individual momentarily leaves their spot for a need such as performing ablution, without intending to be away indefinitely. The other exception applies to mosque officials, such as Imams, muezzins, educators, or employees, who might need to reserve space for conducting lessons or similar activities.

Imam Nawawi, Allah bless him stated: “Our colleagues made an exception for the one who is accustomed to a place in the mosque where he gives fatwas, or teaches the Quran or other Islamic sciences. He has more right to it, and if he arrives, others do not have the right to sit there” from “Sharh of Sahih Muslim” (14/160).

A third allowance is for the elderly or people with accessibility needs.

This highlights that those who are dedicated to teaching or guiding others in Islamic practices within the mosque have a special consideration regarding their accustomed places.

Allah knows

Suhaib Webb

Q: I have read different translations of the Quran, 38:33, that suggest Prophet Solomon ordered the slaughter of horses because they distracted him from prayers. Is that true?

A: That is a mainstream interpretation, shared by Ibn Kathir and Sheikh al-Shawkani, Imam al-Tabari, quoting Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, offers the best interpretation that Prophet Solomon, patted the horses out of love and affection. He writes,

“And this saying that we mentioned from Ibn Abbas is most the better interpretation of the verse because a Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, would not, God willing, punish an animal by cutting its hamstrings, nor destroy property without cause because he was preoccupied from his prayer by looking at them, and it is not their fault that he was occupied by their beauty.” Tafsir al-Tabari

Allah knows best

Suhaib

After sharing my insights on holding the Quran behind the Imam during Tarawih prayers, questions emerged about the use of translations.

This is permissible with two conditions:

1. Avoid reciting from it aloud.
2. Aim to deepen your reflection on the Quran.

Imam al-Nawawi states:

“If someone flips through pages during their prayer or looks at texts other than the Quran, reflecting silently, their prayer remains valid, even if this action is prolonged. Though generally disliked,” he states in “al-Majmoo” (4/95),

The validity of this practice is strengthened by the objectives of Shariah: the protection of faith, as well as the fiqh principle that the disliked changes to permissibility if there is a compelling need for its observance.

The effort to focus and comprehend the Imam’s recitations justifies this exception, as understanding the meanings behind the verses is crucial for deepening our prayer and contemplation. Additionally, in the absence of explicit evidence that prohibits this, it falls under a disputed ijtihad, and ijtihads that align with the objectives of the Shariah and the principles of fiqh are preferred.

Finally, an analogy (qiyas) could be made that a non-Arab speaker is encouraged to internally ponder the meanings of the prayer, and they will do so in their language, which is allowed, in fact encouraged, as long as they do not speak out loud. The same applies to a person using the translation to follow the Imam.

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Allah knows best

Suhaib Webb

A SWISS learner inquired about the deeper meaning behind the hadith, “Who does not avoid evil speech and actions while fasting; Allah has no need for that person to leave his food and drink.” Specifically, what does “need” mean?

In Islam, a fundamental belief is that Allah is entirely self-sufficient, highlighted by Quranic verses affirming His independence and our need for Him. This premise leads us to understand that Allah’s “need” in any context refers not to a deficiency on His part but to what He deems worthy of acceptance.

Al-Qadi, al-Baydawi, offers profound insight on this matter, stating, “

ليس المقصود من شرعية الصوم نفس الجوع والعطش، بل ما يتبعه من كسر الشهوات وتطويع النفس الأمارة للنفس المطمئنة، فإذا لم يحصل ذلك لا ينظر الله إليه نظر القبول.”

“The intended purpose behind the legislation of fasting is not merely the experience of hunger and thirst, but rather what it leads to in terms of breaking the desires and disciplining the commanding self towards the peaceful self. If this is not achieved, then Allah does not look upon it with acceptance. Thus, when it is said, ‘Allah has no need,’ it is a metaphorical expression for non-acceptance, denying the cause but intending the caused. And Allah knows best.”

This interpretation reminds us that the rituals we observe are pathways to greater self-discipline and spirituality, not ends in themselves, and that fasting layers to its observance.

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A big thank those who asked this question. It’s one of those questions that has an impact on community spaces and the aspirations of worshippers. And when those clash, things can get spicy!

Imam Al-Ayni shared an interesting piece of history about Anas رضي الله عنه asked a young boy to stand behind him during prayers and hold the Quran. Whenever Anas stumbled over a verse, the boy was right there to help him out by finding the right spot in the Mushaf and guiding him along. It’s a simple act, but it says so much about the spirit of support and community in our practice, and importantly it is a precedent that illustrates the allowance to hold the mushaf behind the Imam in tarawih.

When it comes to the views on this, there’s a bit of a mix. Malik saw no problem with it during Ramadan, pointing out that there’s room for flexibility and understanding in our observances. Then you have scholars like Al-Shafi’i and Ahmad who were also on board with the idea, showing a consensus of sorts that it’s allowed. However, Abu Hanifa had his reservations, which just goes to show the diverse perspectives within our tradition, and why there is no to fight over this matter.

For me, in line with my madhab, I see it as perfectly fine. Added, specifically since there is no clear evidence against it.

Those who choose to hold the Quran behind the Imam have to be mindful not to disturb others during prayer, especially not the Imam by reading along with him. We’re reminded to keep silent during these moments, to respect the tranquility and sanctity of our collective worship.

In today’s world of gadgets and devices. They could easily serve the same purpose as that young boy behind Anas, but they come with their own set of distractions. So, if we’re going to use them, we need to be extra careful not to let them disrupt the peace of those praying beside us.

At the end of the day, one must follow silently, with a focus that’s inward and a heart that’s attuned to the divine. Let’s keep our prayers as moments of quiet connection, without even a whisper.

Allah knows,
Suhaib Webb

The study of Usul al-Fiqh in English presents a formidable challenge. Here are some directions for those who can read Arabic and have some experience studying Usul al-Fiqh. Note: See Imam al-Haramayn’s “Waraqat” as a beginning. Master it and move on without wasting too much time.

The foundation of non-Hanafi Usul al-Fiqh largely rests on two texts: “al-Mahsūl” by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, referred to as the Imam, and “Ihkam” by Imam al-Amidi. Both are cumbersome and require some sifting. However, there is hope.

Razi’s work is succinctly summarized in al-Baydawi’s “Minhaj,” which is derived from two works that encapsulate Razi’s contributions, while al-Amidi’s work was explained twice by Ibn Hajib: the first being quite large; the second, known as the Mukhtasar, is smaller, but demands a teacher.

Make al-Baydawi’s Minhaj and Ibn Hajib’s Mukhtasar your targets. Studying them will equip you with the essential knowledge needed to grasp the picture of Usul al-Fiqh from the perspective of the Mutakallimin. For that reason, since 1924, al-Baydawi’s “Minhaj” has been a required subject at Al-Azhar, replacing “Jam’ al-Jawami’.

Here are some good lessons on both texts. Usul al-Fiqh can get exhaustive, and an unfocused teacher may go off on tangents, wasting time. I learned to find teachers who were qualified, buy also stayed focus on the objective at hand: learning the subject matter:

1. Minhaj: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Xq9GdNm1ePZM2Bxy11PYiLjdFMfdxj6&si=IFimDZohE-MwCvcX
2. Mukhtasar: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtmYkyY8ieMYZbH68wIYSca2tQR7VgoV7&si=Oo1MPb2rmUG62Wff

There are other texts you should explore after the Waraqat before advancing to the ones mentioned above. For those studying within the Maliki framework, consider Sheikh Abdul al-Hamid Badis’ introduction to Usul al-Fiqh. This work is outstanding, organizing fifty essential topics for gaining familiarity with Usul al-Fiqh. Additionally, Imam Ibn al-Qassar’s introduction to Usul al-Fiqh is remarkable, delving into some of the philosophical discussions that appear later. By the grace of Allah, I have translated both of these texts, and once they are edited, I hope to publish them and teach them at my school. Finally, the Waraqat serves as a summary of al-Shirazi’s Lum’a, providing a solid foundation that prepares you for more advanced texts. Feel free to move to it, also.