Fathwa, - Ruling on looking at a beardless man and friendship with an effeminate man

Question
What is the ruling on befriending a young man who has not yet grown a
beard, or a man from the so-called "third sex"?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His Slave and Messenger.
There are two cases for young men who are yet to grow a beard:
1- A young man who is not handsome and has no beard and who does
not fascinate those who look at him: The Shaafi'i and Hanafi scholars
stated that they have the same ruling as normal men.
2- A handsome one who may fascinate those who look at him. Such a
young man has two conditions:
- If looking at such a man or accompanying him is not intended
for sexual pleasure, then he takes the ruling of the first case
according to the opinion of the majority of Islamic jurists.
If looking at such a man or accompanying him is intended for sexual
pleasure, then this is prohibited. Even, the Hanafi and Shaafi'i
scholars stated that he must be treated like a woman in this respect.
The term, 'the third sex' applies to the men who act like women in
terms of movements, speech and clothing. It also applies to male
homosexuals. Such persons are found in the West, where the Fitrah
)sound innate disposition( has been perverted and manners have been
destroyed until many people have become like animals or even worse.
This immorality has gone beyond the extremes; they are now protected
by the law. Sadly, some so-called Muslims imitate them.
Such people must be killed, as unanimously stated by the honorable
Companions; however, the ruler or the concerned authorities are the
only bodies entitled to execute this penalty. This is because
individuals are not allowed under Sharee'ah to execute this prescribed
punishment or any other one.
Looking at and mixing with such persons is even more prohibited than
looking at or mixing with charming, beardless young men.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - He is unmarried and suffers from a fetishistic disorder

Question
assalamu alaikum. To be frank i was searching the net for long to find
an answer. My question is that i have a FETISM ) sexual attraction at
certain objects.also considered as a sexual disorder(. as i'm an
unmarried male age 25. No sex before. but i have the fetism at little
boys feet)IS common in internet"boy feet fetism"(. I feel so much
satisfied when touching, rubbing, massaging the boys feet )age
5to15(NOT abuse the boys nor sex with them only touching the feet.
Sometimes i let them walk over my body for MY satisfaction.Yet i'm
sexualy arosed and will not play or let them accidently touch my
p.parts. Also i have a fetism on the boys shoes too. Feel to touch and
look at them. I know this sounds unusual. But i can't control my self.
I can't ask any locals on this. So please help me am i committing a
sin. Is it ok to do this if i can control my sexual desires.If so help
me with allah's and our beloved muhammad )p.b.u.h('s guidence.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
There is no doubt that this behaviour is a kind of sexual perversion
and it contradicts the Fitrah )the natural predisposition upon which
Allaah created mankind(. So, this matter is forbidden as it is a means
that leads to committing homosexuality. Therefore, you are obliged to
hasten to repent from it. The conditions of repentance are as follows:
to stop committing the sin, regretting the sin that one has committed,
and being determined not to commit it again in the future.
Your statement that you cannot control yourself is not a sound excuse,
as this matter is a kind of affliction and you must strive against
your own self in order to be guided to goodness and avoid evil ways.
Allaah Says )what means(: }And those who strive for Us - We will
surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allaah is with the doers of
good.{ ]Quran 29:69[
Hence, you should be truthful with Allaah and be determined to abandon
this sin, because if you are truthful towards Allaah )i.e. truthful in
your repentance(, then Allaah is truthful towards you )i.e. He will
accept your repentance and grant you what you wish(. Allaah Says )what
means(: }...if they had been true to Allaah, it would have been better
for them.{ ]Quran 47:21[
This is in addition to the most important matter, which is
supplication, as our Lord listens and responds to our supplication;
Allaah Says )what means(: }And when My servants ask you, ]O Muhammad[,
concerning Me-indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the
supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me ]by
obedience[ and believe in Me that they may be ]rightly[ guided.{
]Quran 2:186[
Finally, you should take the initiative to marry to keep yourself
chaste, as the Prophet, advised the youth to do so.
For more benefit on some means for treating homosexuality.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa, - How to deal with a Muslim suspected of homosexuality

Question
Asalamu Alikum wa Ramatullah wa Barakatu, I am involved in the Muslim
Student Association at my school. There is a rumor going around that
the leader of it is gay. I personally have some suspicions that he
might be homosexual and my friend told me that he was at a party and
he saw the man having gay intercorse with another man. How should
Muslims treat this man if he is gay, and if he keeps the sin to
himself, how should we treat him? Also is it permissible to inquire
and seek to investigate the matter, or should I stay out of the drama
caused by the gossip? JazakAllah Khair
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
In principle, a Muslim is innocent )from any obnoxious acts, sins(, so
one should consider the matter of that young man on this basis and
deal with him on this principle unless the contrary is proven. The
matter is even more severe if it is regarding one's honor. Therefore,
if it is not proven that that young man is practicing homosexuality,
then it is not permissible to accuse him of it, and it is not
permissible to spread this matter to avoid being included in the
severe threat of Allaah; Allaah Says )what means(: }And those who harm
believing men and believing women for ]something[ other than what they
have earned ]i.e. deserved[ have certainly born upon themselves a
slander and manifest sin.{ ]Quran 33:58[
Whoever spreads such news about him is required to bring four
witnesses, all of whom should testify the same as his testimony,
otherwise he would deserve the Hadd )i.e. the corporal punishment
determined by the Islamic Law( for slander.
Also, it is not permissible to try to investigate this matter and
follow it;Abu Barzah Al-Aslaminarrated that the Prophetsaid: "O those
who are Muslims by tongue whereas faith has not entered their hearts!
Do not harm Muslims, or scoff at them or pursue their faults; for
whoever pursue the imperfection of his Muslim brother, Allaah will
pursue his imperfection, and whoever Allaah pursue his imperfection,
He will disgrace him even if he hides himself in his own home." ]Ahmad
and Abu Daawood.
Allaah Knows best.

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Hajj & Umrah, - Some Violations of Invocation - II

1. Innovations in supplication.The Prophetsaid:"Whoever innovates
something in the religion that is not in it, his innovation will be
rejected."It is impermissible to innovate a certain way for invocation
and adhere to it or ask others to adhere to it. Some of these
innovations are:
*Collective invocation. Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeensaid, "Among the mistakes
that are committed by some pilgrims during Tawaaf )circumambulation(
is that they gather and assign a leader to lead them in Tawaaf and
dictate them invocation loudly and the entire group repeats after him.
Their voices get loud and chaos prevails. This distracts the rest of
the people performing Tawaaf and they lose track of what they are
saying. This drives away humbleness and harms the slaves of Allaah in
that safe place."
*Specifying some places or some times with certain invocations. It is
impermissible to specify a certain place or time with a certain
invocation unless there is a Sharee'ah )Islamic legislation( text for
this. The opinions of the scholars regarding the impermissibility of
specifying certain invocations for each turn in Tawaaf
)circumambulation( or Sa'y )going between As-Safa and Al-Marwah( were
previously mentioned. Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd said, "Any one who
innovates any thing in Thikr and specified invocation that is not in
it deeming it as an act to be followed, will bear sin from four
perspectives:
1.Abandoning what is prescribed.
2.Modifying or correcting legislation.
3.Preferring what was not legislated.
4.Misleading people into thinking the permissibility of what he has done."
2.Obliviousness of the heart.Many people invoke Allaah The Almighty
with an oblivious heart as their mind is busy with other matters or
they do not contemplate the words that they are saying.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyahsaid, "The origin of invocation is the
heart and the tongue is a follower of it. Thus, the one who
concentrates on correcting his tongue weakens his heart. This is why
the desperate one invokes Allaah with his heart with an invocation
that is not previously formulated. This is experienced by every
believer in his heart. Invocation may be in Arabic or any other
language as Allaah The Almighty knows the intention of the invoker
even if he does not correct his tongue, as Allaah knows the sounds of
voices however different the languages and the needs are."
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said, "One of the mistakes that some of those
who perform Tawaaf make, is that they take the written invocations and
say them without knowing their meanings. These invocations may include
mistakes done by the publisher that change the meaning totally and
turn it to be supplication against the person. Hence, he may
supplicate against himself without knowing that he is doing so. We
have heard many such strange stories."
3.Being impatient with the answer.Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the
Prophetsaid: "The invocation of anyone of you is granted )by Allaah(
if he does not show impatience )by saying, 'I invoked Allaah but my
request has not been granted.'" ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It is the duty of Muslims to invoke Allaah The Almighty a lot and ask
Him to accept their invocation. They should utilize the possible means
for the acceptance of invocation while applying the etiquettes of
invoking Allaah The Almighty and observing the times during which
invocation is accepted. Muslims should repent to Allaah The Almighty
and abandon sins and acts of disobedience, and ask Allaah The Almighty
for forgiveness as the one who keeps trying would ultimately achieve
his aim. 'Urwah bin Az-Zubayrused to maintain his daily invocations
just as he maintained reciting his daily quota of the Quran. Muwarriq
Al-'Ijli said, "I invoked my Lord for something for twenty years and
it was not achieved, but I did not feel desperate."
It was reported that Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali and Adh-Dhahhaak
said that there were forty years between the invocation and its
acceptance in the verse in which Allaah The Almighty says )what
means(:}]Allaah[ said, "Your supplication has been answered."{]Quran
10:89[
Pilgrims should know that they have the honor of the place, time and
deed as they are in the most honorable place on earth, and on the best
days and the most loved by Allaah The Almighty. Moreover, they are
performing one of the most honorable and elevated deeds, so they
should seize this great opportunity to invoke Allaah The Almighty,
resort and submit to Him as they do not know whether they would have
this chance once more or not.

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Hajj & Umrah, - Errors and Innovations in Hajj - I

·Some men uncover their right shoulders as soon as they
assumeIhraam)the sacral state(.This is incorrect and should only be
done during theTawaaf)circumambulation( of arrival for'Umrah.
·Some people think thatIhraamis initiated by donning the clothes
ofIhraam, when in fact it is initiated by the intention in one's
heart. Therefore, wearing the clothes ofIhraamis actually the physical
preparation forIhraam.
·Some women mistakenly think that theirIhraamclothes should be of a
certain color, such as white or green, and this is incorrect. A woman
can wear her regular clothes, as long as they are within defined
Islamic limits, and she must avoid adornment or clothes that are tight
or transparent. This kind of garment is prohibited anyway at all
times.
·Men praying wearing the lower garment ofIhraamonly, which is wrong
because the Prophet,, said:"Let not any of you pray with a garment
which does not cover his shoulders."]Al-Bukhaari, Muslim[
·Shaving the beard when assumingIhraamis an act that is prohibited at all times.
·Some people believe that once they wear the clothes ofIhraamthey are
prohibited from removing them, even if they become dirty; when in fact
they can change or wash it.
·CollectiveTalbiyah.
·Combining the prayers in Mina when they are only permitted to shorten them.
·Not exerting extra effort in reciting the Quran and worshipping
Allaah The Almighty, when this is the place where they are supposed to
exert these extra efforts.
·Not spending the night in Mina on the night of the eighth
ofThul-Hijjahwithout a legitimate excuse.
·Some pilgrims choose a place to stay in without first finding out
whether they are inside or outside the boundary of 'Arafaatalthough
there are signs clearly indicating the boundaries of 'Arafaat.Standing
within the boundaries of 'Arafaat is a pillar without whichHajjis
incomplete; and the area calledWaadi 'Arunahis not within the
boundaries.
·Some people leave 'Arafaat before sunset, which is not permitted.
·Some people struggle to climb the mount, believing that it holds
certain virtues, which, according to them, makes it mandatory to climb
it - this has not been reported as being a practice of the Prophet,.
·Some people face the direction of the mountain of'Arafaatduring their
supplications, which is a mistake; theSunnah)Prophetic tradition( is
that they must face theQiblah.
·Some pilgrims waste time on that day in joking and idle chatter, and
abandoning supplications and the remembrance of Allaah The Almighty on
this great day.
·Many pilgrims take cameras and use them to shoot pictures of the
rituals, which is not what a pilgrim should be doing.
·Not making sure that the direction of the prayer is towards
theQiblahbefore prayingMaghrib, 'Ishaa'orFajr: it is compulsory to ask
anyone who knows the direction and to face it while praying.
·Some people collect their stones for stoning theJamaraatas soon as
they arrive in Muzdalifah and before offering
theirMaghriband'Ishaa'prayers, thinking that this is permitted. In
fact theSunnahis to collect them after leaving Muzdalifah as one heads
towards Mina, although it is permissible to collect the pebbles from
anywhere.
·Some people do not make sure that they are spending the night within
the boundaries of Muzdalifah.
·Delaying theMaghriband'Ishaa'prayer until after midnight: this is prohibited.
·Some people leave Muzdalifah before midnight without spending the
night there and without having a legitimate excuse; although this is a
compulsory rite ofHajj.
·Some people leaveMuzdalifah and head towards Mina even before
theFajrprayer, although they are strong and healthy and have no excuse
to leave early, as the weak or sick might.
·Staying up all night praying and remembering Allaah The Almighty, or
reciting the Qur'aan, which contradicts theSunnah.
·Delaying theFajrprayer close to sunset or later.
·Sleeping after prayingFajr.
·People rushing out with their cars harming others and perhaps even
causing accidents.
·Some people do not make sure whether their stones fall into the
stoning plate or not.
·Some people authorise others to stone on their behalf, which is only
permissible for people totally incapable of stoning due to sickness or
other valid reasons )such as for the elderly, women and children(.
·Some people use slippers or huge rocks to stone with.
·Some people say,"O Allaah! I stone to enrage Satan and please You."
To be continued ...

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Hajj & Umrah, - Errors and Innovations in Hajj - II

... Continued
·Supplicating after stoning the bigJamarah.
·Some people think that they are actually stoning Satan and that he is
there physically, and start giving Satanic names to each of the
threeJamaraat. This is incorrect and is not permitted.
·Wasting the meat of the sacrificial animal after slaughtering it,
even though it is possible to distribute it amongst the poor.
·Running and uncovering the right shoulder )for men( duringTawaaf
Al-Ifaadhah, while this should only be done during the firstTawaaf.
·Some people push, shove and harm others in order to kiss the Black
Stone, they may even abuse others or hit them. This is not suitable
behavior for such a place, and Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}Hajj is )during( well known months, so whoever has made hajj
obligatory upon himself therein )by entering the state of ihram(,
there is )to be for him( no sexual relations and no disobedience and
no disputing during Hajj{]Quran, 2: 197[
·Some people believe that the Black Stone benefits on its own and they
touch it with their hands then rub their bodies with them. This is
ignorance, because Allaah The Almighty alone is the One who benefits,
and 'Umar,said while he was touching it,"I know that you are merely a
stone which neither harms nor benefits, and had it not been that I saw
the Prophet,kissing you I would not have kissed you."
·Some people touch all corners of theKa'bah,and all four of its
walls.This is incorrect; theSunnah)Prophetic tradition( is to only
touch the corner which contains the Black Stone and Yemeni Corner.
·Kissing the Yemeni Corner when one is only supposed to touch it with
the hand if possible or else pass it without uttering"Allaahu Akbar"or
doing anything else.
·Some people commit to certain supplications duringTawaaf.
·Some people recite supplications aloud so that others can
collectively repeat after them. This is incorrect, because it disturbs
others around them and contradicts theSunnah.
·Some people push others in order to pray behind the station of
Ibraaheem.It is permissible to pray the twoRak'ahsafterTawaafanywhere
in the mosque.
·Some people recite the Quran for a long time during the
twoRak'ahsafterTawaaf, then raise their hands and supplicate.
·Some people performTawaafas a group while holding each other's hands,
thus make things extremely difficult for others trying to
performTawaaf.
·It is not permissible to go inside the semi-circular wall that begins
at the corner after the black stone, because this area is considered
as being inside theKa'bah. If this is done then one must repeat the
current circuit.
·Combining prayers in Mina.
·Not spending the night in Mina.
·Abandoning supplications after stoning the first twoJamaraat.
·Some people stone during times other than those designated for
stoning, which starts when the sun reaches its zenith.
·Some people think that they are actually stoning Satan and that he is
there physically, so they shout and scream. We must remember that this
rite was legislated so as to establish the remembrance of Allaah The
Almighty, and this is why the Prophet,, used to utter"Allaahu
Akbar"after each pebble.
·Supplicating after stoning the last one of the threeJamaraat.
·Some people do not stone the threeJamaraatin the correct sequence.
·Some people throw all pebbles at once, which is a serious mistake
that necessitates that they must re-throw, as the scholars have
said,"If someone throws all pebbles in one go, it will count as one
pebble only. One should throw only one pebble at a time."
·Some people authorise others to throw on their behalf whilst being
capable of doing it themselves, and this contradicts the command of
Allaah The Almighty for fulfilling the rites ofHajj.
·Some people authorise others to stone on their behalf and then return
to their countries without spending the nights in Mina during the days
ofTashreeq, and without stoning.
·Some people go from Minaon the day they are returning to their
countries of residence and perform the farewellTawaaf,they then return
to Mina and stone the last day's threeJamaraat.By doing so, they have
not made the farewellTawaafthe last act that they have performed.

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Dought & clear, - Working inrestaurants where wine is served

What is the ruling on one who works in a restaurant where haraam
drinks are sold, but he avoids preparing or carrying these drinks to
customers, but he continues to serve the customers if they ask for
food and drinks which are not haraam? Taking into account the fact
that I pass by people who are drinking them and I see those who are
serving them, as it is one place. What is the ruling on the Muslim who
deals in them for the purpose of attracting customers? What is the
ruling on serving pork to customers when working in that restaurant,
as a service and work for the purpose of earning a living? What is the
ruling on the owner of a restaurant who has pork and earns money from
it?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly: it is haraam to work and earn a living by helping people to
consume haraam things such as alcohol and pork. The payment for that
is haraam, because this is a kind of cooperating in sin and
transgression, and Allaah prohibited that when He said (interpretation
of the meaning):
"...but do not help one another in sin and transgression..." [al-Maa'idah 5:2]
We advise you to keep away from working in this and similar
restaurants, because this will keep you from helping in anything that
Allaah has forbidden.
Secondly: it is forbidden for a Muslim to sell haraam things such as
pork and alcohol. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When Allaah forbids a thing, He also forbids its price."
Provision and the attraction of customers are things that are in the
hand of Allaah, and they are not to be found in selling haraam things.
The Muslim must fear Allaah and follow His commands and heed His
prohibitions.
"And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide
him from (sources) he never could imagine" [al-Talaaq 65:2-3 -
interpretation of the meaning]

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Dought & clear, - Vinegar in which there is a percentage of alcohol

What is the ruling on selling live chickens by weight, and on selling
vinegar in which there is 6% alcohol?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, it is permissible to buy chicken by weight. This is the basic
principle and we do not know of any evidence (daleel) to the contrary.
Secondly, it was reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whatever intoxicates in large
quantities, a small amount of it is haraam."(Narrated by Ahmad in
al-Musnad, 2/91, 167, 179; 3/343). If the vinegar would cause
intoxication in large amounts, then a little of it is haraam, and it
comes under the same ruling as wine. If a large amount of it does not
cause intoxication, then there is no reason not to sell it, buy it or
drink it.

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Dought & clear, - Dealing in small birds

My younger brother deals in small birds. Is this permissible or not?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible to sell small birds because this comes under the
general heading of permissible sales.

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For children, - Islam and Gambling, Gambling Addiction Symptoms, Evils of Gambling, Gambling Story

4. Gambling turns people away from the remembrance of Allah and from
prayer, and pushes the players to have the worst of attitudes and
habits.
5. Gambling is a sinful hobby that wastes time and effort, and makes
people get used to laziness and idleness. It stops the ummah from
working and producing.
6. Gambling pushes people to commit crimes because the one who is
penniless wants to get hold of money in any way he can, even if he has
to steal it or take it by force, or through accepting bribes and
cheating.
7. Gambling causes stress, illness and nervous breakdowns. It breeds
hatred and in most cases leads to crime, suicide, insanity and chronic
illness.
8. Gambling pushes the gambler to bad behavior such as drinking
alcohol and taking drugs. The atmosphere in which gambling takes place
is dimly lit and filled with cigarette smoke; people talk in hushed
voices and whispers, and sneak in and out as if they are up to no
good. They come in hesitantly, filled with suspicion, and gather
around the green table, breathing uneasily and with their hearts
pounding. They are supposed to be friends playing a game, but in
reality they are enemies, each of them lying in wait for the other and
trying to make gains at the expense of the other and his children. The
owner of the place tries to numb the feelings of all participants by
offering dreamy music, fallen women, all kinds of drinks and
cigarettes. The green table is surrounded with cheating and deception.
The waiters and girls may tell one player about another player's
cards, helping one player to beat another by means of nods and
whispers. Sometimes they achieve a kind of balance to make sure the
game carries on and people stay for longer. No doubt everyone loses in
the end; they lose the money they spend on drinks and cigarettes, the
money they give to the waiters, the money they spend on drinks for the
girls, and all kinds of other losses. Even the one who wins all or
most of the games loses all or most of his winnings, and the loser
loses everything. And at the end of the night, they all sneak away;
showing the signs of depression and humiliation, and the loser warns
the winner to look out the next day.

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Personal, - Acts of the Prayer and theheart's states in them

When you hear the Athaan )call to Prayer(, let that remind you of the
horrors of the Summons on the Day of Resurrection. Spare no time in
fully preparing yourself to respond. For those who hasten to answer
this call are the ones who will receive gentle summoning on the Day of
the Great Review. So review your hearts now; if you find it elated and
eager to respond, you can expect the Summons to bring you glad tidings
on the Day of Judgment. That is why the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam, used to address Bilal, may Allaah be pleased with him,
saying:"Delight us by the Prayer, O Bilal!"
Wudhoo' )Ablution(
When you perform ritual cleansing )Wudhoo' or Ghusl(, make sure to
also tend to the cleanliness of your inner being, which lies at the
heart of all these. In cleaning your inner being, use in the place of
water repentance and remorse for your excesses, and a resolve not to
perpetrate them in the future. Thus you should cleanse your inner
being, for that is the place where your Lord will be looking.
Covering private parts
When in Prayer you make sure that certain parts of your body are
covered from the eyes of other humans. But you should also mind your
internal shameful spots, those unworthy secrets of your soul that are
beheld only by Allaah Almighty. Beware these faults and realize that
nothing will escape the sight of Allaah Almighty.
Facing the Qiblah
In this you turn your face away from all other directions and set it
toward the Ka'bah. But more important than that is to turn your heart
away from everything else other than Allaah Almighty, directing it
towards Allaah Almighty. This is the whole point of the practice!
Standing upright
This means holding oneself erect--in body and in spirit--in the presence
of Allaah Almighty. Your head which is the highest part of your body
should be bowed down as a reminder of the need to keep the heart meek
and humble, free of arrogance and pride.
Intention
When forming the intention, resolve to be responsive to Allaah
Almighty by performing the Prayer in full conformity with His
commands, by doing it properly, by avoiding things that invalidate or
detract from its wholeness, and by doing all this for the sake of
Allaah alone, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment,
seeking His grace and favor by His leave.
Takbeer
When making Takbeer )pronouncing the phrase: Allaahu Akbar to begin
the Prayer acts(, your heart must be inundated with the meaning of
Takbeer. You should feel in your heart that nothing whatsoever is
greater than Allaah Almighty.
Reciting the Quran
People fall in three categories when it comes to Quran recitation: )a(
those who move their tongues unconsciously )b( those who are conscious
of the movement of the tongue, understanding the meaning while
listening as if to a person outside themselves; this is the degree of
`those on the right', )c( those who start from awareness of the
meaning, then use the tongue to give expression to this inner
consciousness.
Bowing
Bowing )Rukoo'( indicates a renewed affirmation of the supreme
greatness of Allaah Almighty. In bowing you confirm your
submissiveness and humility, striving to refine your inner feelings
through a fresh awareness of your own impotence and insignificance
before the might and grandeur of your Lord Almighty. To confirm this,
you seek the aid of your tongue, glorifying Allaah Almighty and
testifying repeatedly to His Supreme Majesty. Then you rise from
bowing, hopeful that He will be merciful towards you. To emphasize
this hope within you, you say: "Allaah hears those who give thanks to
Him." Acknowledging the need to express gratitude, you immediately
add: "Grateful praise to You our Lord!"
Prostration
Then you go down in prostration. This is the utmost point of
submission, for when you prostrate you bring the noblest part of your
body--your face--down to meet the most lowly of all things, the dust of
the earth. When you place yourself in this position of lowliness, be
mindful of the fact that you belong there, from dust you were created
and to dust you shall return. At the same time you should renew your
inner awareness of Allaah's majesty, repeating: "Glory to my Lord Most
High!"
Sitting and testifying
When you sit to make the testimony )Tashahhud(, sit decorously.
Declare that all the Prayers and good deeds you perform are for the
sake of Allaah Almighty, and everything belongs to Him. Such is the
meaning of at-Tahiyyaat. Be inwardly aware of the Prophet, and of his
noble person, as you say: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, as well as
Allaah's mercy and blessing." Be sure that he will return an even more
perfect greeting to you. Then salute yourself and all Allaah's
righteous servants. Then testify to the Unity of Allaah Almighty, and
to the mission of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.
End of Supplication
Make sure to supplicate at the end of your ritual Prayer and before
Tasleem, imploring and entreating with meekness and humility,
confidently hoping to be answered. Let your supplication include your
parents and the other believers.
Salutation )Tasleem(
Finally, and with the intention of concluding your Prayer, address
your Tasleem to the angels and theothers present. Feel a sense of
gratitude to Allaah Almighty for having enabled you to complete this
act of worship. Imagine that you are saying farewell to this Prayer of
yours, and that you may not live to make another one.

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Regards,
NAJIMUDEEN M/
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Personal, - What Ails Women who Act like Men? - I

We all know that women are protected jewels and are distinguished from
men by their softness and gentleness. Islam elevated the status of
women and made them equal to men with regard to many rights and
duties. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Women are
peers to men."However, unfortunately many women do not consider their
feminity an asset due to their overriding desires and fancies, and
take pleasure in displaying a masculine identity. It is as if they
want to say, "Come on! Look at me! I am a tomboy!"
Who are boyish girls or "tomboys" and what prompts them to act in this manner?
Boyish girls or what we call "tomboys" are those girls who imitate men
in the way they dress, walk, speak or the way they have their hair
cut. This phenomenon has started to spread even in Islamic societies
in a marked manner, which compels us to take measures to deal with it.
This phenomenon certainly has causes and can be treated. Most of those
girls who violate the innate disposition that Allaah The Almighty has
created them with and who abandon their femininity, undoubtedly suffer
from psychological problems and feel inferior and should be treated in
the correct way.
First, we shall start by stating the ruling of Sharee'ah )Islamic
legislation( on this eccentric behavior.
There are Hadeeths )narrations( that tell us about the punishment for
boyish girls, such as:
* Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger
of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, cursed the man who dresses
like a woman and the woman who dresses like a man."
* 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that
he heard the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
saying:"Men who imitate women and women who imitate men do not belong
to us."
* Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "The Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, cursed the effeminate men and the women
who assume a masculine attitude, and he said: 'Turn them out of your
houses.' The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, turned out
such-and-such man, and 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, turned
out such-and-such man."
* 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that
the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Three )types of
people( will not enter Paradise and Allaah will not look at them on
the Day of Judgment: the one who is undutiful to his parents, the
woman who imitates men and the Dayyooth )a man who approves of
indecency among his womenfolk(."
* Ibn Abu Mulaykah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, "'Aa'ishah,
may Allaah be pleased with her, was asked about the woman who wears
the sandals of men, she replied, 'The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, cursed women who assume a masculine attitude.'"
The abovementioned Hadeeths clearly indicate that it is prohibited for
men to imitate women and it is also prohibited for women to imitate
men. This includes the way of dressing and everything else, except the
first Hadeeth, which refers to the way of dressing alone.
These Hadeeths indicate that any woman who imitates men, either in the
way she dresses, walks or speaks is cursed. Being cursed means being
expelled from the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty and all people will
enter Paradise by virtue of the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty, not
because of their deeds and acts of worship, even the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, will enter Paradise by the Mercy of
Allaah TheAlmighty. Are the "tomboys" of our times in no need of the
Mercy of Allaah The Almighty?
Imaam Ath-Thahabi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
Imitating men in the way they dress, walk and the like is one of the
grave major sins and the woman who does so is expelled from the mercy
of Allaah The Almighty and is cursed by the Messenger of Allaah,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Allaah The Almighty will not look at
such a woman on the Day of Judgment and she will not enter Paradise.
Indeed, this is a grave sin and an awful crime that can only be
forgiven by sincere repentance.
Causes and treatment of the phenomenon of boyish girls:
* Lack of faith and fear of Allaah The Almighty: This is because
committing sins -- whether major or minor -- is a result of lack of
faith and not feeling that Allaah The Almighty Is watching His slaves.
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The fornicator is
not a perfect believer when he commits fornication, and the one who
drinks alcohol is not a perfect believer when he drinks, and the thief
is not a perfect believer when he commits theft and the one who
plunders a valuable thing that attracts the attention of people is not
a perfect believer when he commits this plunder."There is no doubt
that the woman who imitates men lacks faith and is tempted by the
devil to commit this grave major sin that is prohibited by virtue of
more than one authentic Hadeeth.
* Bad upbringing and family negligence: Undoubtedly, people are
affected by the surrounding environment and the girl that is brought
up in a home whose members do not adhere to the teachings of Islam
will not be given a righteous upbringing and will be liable to
deviation. It will be easy for her to commit evil deeds, imitate men
and so on. Imitating men is one of the forms of deviation as it
violates the woman's innate disposition. Such girls do not have strong
faith or a sound upbringing that would prevent them, or a righteous
guardian who would deter them and guide them to the right path. Since
an early age, girls should be brought up to obey Allaah The Almighty,
follow the sound creed and adhere to the manners of Sharee'ah in order
to have strong faith and virtuous morals. The Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The one who is responsible for any of these
girls and does good to them will be screened from Hell because of
them."Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated
that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The one who has
three daughters or three sisters, or two daughters or two sisters and
accompanies them with kindness and fears Allaah regarding them will
enter Paradise."
A noteworthy point is that the girl who lives in a family that has
many boys usually behaves in a boyish manner unless the mother pays
attention to this matter. If the mother was negligent with her
daughter and treated her the same way the she treats her sons without
making her feel that she is a girl and without teaching her that she
should behave in a different way from her brothers, the girl would
behave and act in a boyish manner and would lose bashfulness and
gentleness in dealing with people. This is not the fault of the girl
but it is definitely the parents' fault.

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Regards,
NAJIMUDEEN M/
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Personal, - What Ails Women who Act like Men? - II

* Mass media and blind imitation:
People imitate and internalize what is depicted on television through
serials and movies. Such media spreads misleading and deviated ideas
that tempt women and encourage them to rebel against religion and
sound principles and to reject the guardianship of men, and ask for
their "freedom". They also display indecent clothes that are similar
to men's wear in the name of fashion.
Many women are affected by what is presented in the mass media and
they consequently rebel against religion, morals and the guardianship
of men. They imitate the morals of dissolute women and their attitudes
without thinking or distinguishing between good and evil. Hence, women
who are dressed and behave like men have emerged in recent times. This
is the result of blind imitation and weakness of their personality and
as a consequence of not being proud of their religion.
* Bad company:
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"One adopts the
habits and ways of his friend, so be careful with whom you make
friends."Bad companions, undoubtedly, have a great effect on growing
girls as they acquire bad qualities and corrupt morals from them. For
instance, the girl who accompanies boyish girls is affected by the way
they dress or behave, so as not to appear strange or odd among them.
Hence, parents should be careful and choose righteous girls who are
engaged in beneficial activities such as going to Quran centers and
mosques to be the companions of their daughters.
* A feeling of inferiority and the desire to attract attention:
If a girl suffers from lack of friends or feels inferior, she would do
anything to attract the attention ofpeople. If a girl's physical
appearance has something that resembles men and as a result, if any of
her family or friends mocks her for this, she will have no
self-confidence and this will lead her to imitate men. In such cases,
parents are advised to be gentle towards girls and shower them with
love and compassion so that they would not seek the approval and
appreciation of strangers, such as evil-minded people who would
corrupt them and take advantage of them.
* Lack of Positive Role Models:
Being around good role models is one of the most important factors
that contribute towards righteous upbringing. Sometimes the mother
might act in an unfeminine manner herself and her daughters would
naturally imitate her as girls usually acquire their personalities
from their mothers. For instance, if the mother undermines the
authority of her husband and does not respect him, most probably her
daughters would not appreciate their husbands either. Similarly, if
the mother is loud-mouthed in her speech and raises her voice, her
daughter will acquire this attribute. This also applies to imitating
men and any other characteristic.
* Lack of protective zeal on the part of her husband or guardian:
Some men do not prevent their women from violating the orders of
Allaah The Almighty regarding Hijaab )Islamic covering( and they do
not feel any sense of protectiveness even when the women in their
guardianship behave improperly. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, said:"Three )types of people( will not enter Paradise and
Allaah will not look at them on the Day of Judgment: the one who is
undutiful to his parents, the woman who imitates men and the Dayyooth
)a man who approves of indecency among his womenfolk(."
Aspects of assuming a masculine attitude:
Nowadays, women have started to imitate men in more than one aspect.
This imitation is no longer restricted to the way they dress, but it
includes many other aspects; some of these are:
* Imitating men in the way they dress: Women have started to wear
clothes that are similar to those of men, such as trousers. Abu
Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of
Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Cursed is the man who
wears the clothes of women and the woman who wears the clothes of
men."Women also imitate men by wearing footwear that are similar to
what men wear. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, was asked
about the woman who wears the sandals of men, so she said:"The
Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, cursed the women
who assume a masculine attitude."
Unfortunately, nowadays, there are many shoes that have unusual shapes
that any sensible man would disdain from wearing, nevertheless, many
women buy them.
* Intermixing with men in markets and public places: Some women do not
feel shy about standing in the same line with men, sitting beside
them, especially in shops, or speaking with salesmen as if they were
her Mahram )non-marriageable( men.
* Speaking loudly and arguing with men: Some women speak in a loud
voice that could be heard by any one even though women are known for
their low and gentle voices and it is known that they should avoid
speaking with non-Mahram )marriageable( men.
* Imitating men in the way they walk, move and the way they have their
hair cut: Some women walk like men in the way they stride and make the
same movements of men that show strength and toughness. Some of them
have even taken up traditionally male sports like Karate,
weightlifting, track and field events and football in an attempt to
imitate men.
* Toughness in dealing with others: Some women behave like men with
their relatives. They are stubborn; bad tempered and do not talk
respectfully or appreciatively with anyone. These qualities are
dispraised when they are adopted by men, let alone women.
* Abandoning adornment that is peculiar to women such as Henna and
Kuhl. This makes women similar to men in the way they look. 'Aa'ishah,
may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "A woman made a sign from behind
a curtain to indicate that she had a letter for the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, closed his hand, saying:'I do not know whether this is a man's
or a woman's hand.' She said, 'No, a woman.' He said: 'If you were a
woman, you would have different nails )because of the Henna you
apply(.'"
* Refusing the authority of men or the care of the guardian: Some
women do not accept to be under the guardianship of a man, but they
want absolute freedom without taking permission or consulting their
guardian.
Women who assume a masculine attitude and abandon modesty become like
a tree that does not have its bark and will soon die. Masculine women
speak with anybody about anything, and go everywhere without being
bashful. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The
following statement belonging to the early prophets is from among what
the people have retained, 'If you do not feel shy, then, do whatever
you like.'"

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Regards,
NAJIMUDEEN M/
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