When the Act of Supplicating Becomes More Precious than the Actual Need You Were Supplicating For
September 13, 2015 § Leave a comment
The Shaikh of Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah grant him a place in Firdous, said, “… and its equivalent in this world is like someone who is facing a most severe calamity, or acute poverty or disquieting fear and so starts to supplicate to Allaah and implore Him humbly until Allaah then bestows upon him such pleasure in conversing with Him that it becomes more beloved to him than the original need he had been supplicating for—but he could not have known that initially so as to seek and yearn for it.”
Al-Fataawaa, vol. 1, p. 28.
Al-Fawzaan’s Humility
September 7, 2015 § Leave a comment
Host: The questioner says, ‘Ahsanallaahu ilaikum. How can we attain the knowledge of Shaikh Ibn Baaz and knowledge like yours?’
Al-Fawzaan: I don’t have knowledge—Shaikh Ibn Baaz yes, he had knowledge, may Allaah forgive and have mercy on him—as for me, then I’m a miskeen like you.
But what is obligatory on us is to learn.
’Uthaimeen on the Du’aa for Finishing the Recitation of the Quraan During the Night Prayer
July 15, 2015 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “What is the ruling concerning the du’aa for finishing the recitation of the Quraan in the night prayer in Ramadaan?”
He replied, “I don’t know of any Sunnah from the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions either connected to finishing the recitation of the Quraan during the qiyaam al-lail in Ramadaan. The most that has been narrated about that is that Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, would gather his family and supplicate when he would finish reciting the whole Quraan, and that was not in the prayer.”
Fataawaa Arkaan al-Islaam, p. 354.
Also see Shaikh al-Albaani’s answer on the same topic here.
’Uthaimeen on Opening One’s Fast with an Odd Number of Dates
June 29, 2015 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen was asked, “I’ve heard that when opening his fast, a person must do so with an odd number of dates, i.e., five or seven and so on, so is that obligatory?”
He replied, “It is not obligatory, in fact it is not even Sunnah for a person to break his fast with an odd number of dates like three or five or seven or nine except for the day of Eed al-Fitr, for it has been established that the Prophet ﷺ would not go to the prayer on the day of Eed al-Fitr until he had eaten an odd number of dates. The Prophet ﷺ would not purposefully intend to eat an odd number of dates in other situations.”
Nurun ’alad-Darb, 354.
Al-Fawzaan on Loaded Questions
June 2, 2015 § Leave a comment
Al-Fawzaan: Some brothers, may Allaah forgive them, develop a grudge against someone, or hatred towards a student of knowledge or a scholar, so they will ask you a question which you [accordingly] answer—an answer which they then go and apply to that person, they go and apply it to that person and that you meant him [when you answered], so they will say, ‘So and so [i.e., the scholar] said such and such about so and so!’
[But when you [i.e., the scholar] were answering that question] neither ‘so and so’ nor ‘so and so’ or ‘so and so’ [even] came to your mind, you only answered a question.
They apply it like that and say, ‘He meant so and so! He meant such and such a group!’ And they dub the sound and write books [based on that], saying that, ‘Such and such [a scholar] said this and that about so and so and answered the question about such and such.’
Their intention behind that is to cause trouble between people and sow dissent among the students of knowledge and cause enmity between them.
So we warn them and ask Allaah to grant you refuge from this trait … that you are not deceived or fooled by it!
Be on your utmost guard against it.
Seeking Allaah’s Intercession by Mentioning One’s State of Affairs
April 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Seeking Allaah’s Intercession by [mentioning] one’s condition is allowed, an example of which is where Musa عليه الصلاة والسلام said, “My Lord! Indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.” [Qasas 28:24] So when a person seeks Allaah’s Intercession through the condition he is in then that state [of his] is a cause for Allaah to show compassion towards him and [to also provide him with divine] providence.”
Sharh al-Kaafiyah ash-Shaafiyah, vol. 4, p. 533.
“Every Day He Has a Matter to Bring Forth.”
April 3, 2015 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him said, “The Most High’s Saying, ‘Every day He has a matter to bring forth,’ [Rahmaan 55:29] He enriches the poor, and reduces to poverty the rich, He causes the healthy to become sick and the ailing to become healthy, gives sanctuary to the afraid and makes fearful those who were safe, and so on.
Allaah, the Most High, does that every day, such matters, without doubt, changing due to His Wisdom.
He, The Most High, said, ‘Thinketh man that he is to be left neglected?’ [Qiyaamah 75:36] So we believe that Allaah does not decree a matter but out of wisdom, only that sometimes we may know what it is and at others we don’t.”
Tafseer Surah Rahmaan, p. 314.
Al-Fawzaan on ‘Beware of So and So! Don’t Sit with So and So! Don’t Read to So and So!’
February 22, 2015 § 1 Comment
Questioner: Ahsanallaahu ilaikum, do you have any blessed advice which you can direct to your sons and brothers from the students of knowledge throughout the Islamic ummah?
Al-Fawzaan: Yes, I advise you to fear Allaah, and to continue pursuing knowledge, doing so eagerly, and to act according to what Allaah has taught you, and to call to Allaah عز وجل, and to teach the people what you’ve learnt—and to leave squabbling, that which has taken place amongst the students of knowledge, hating [one another], cursing, setting people against each other, until they split the ummah and split the students of knowledge, [saying]: ‘Beware of so and so! Don’t sit with so and so! Don’t read to so and so!’—this is not allowed.
If so and so has a mistake, advise him one on one, as for you spreading it amongst the people and warning against him whilst he is a scholar or a student of knowledge or a righteous person who has made a mistake [then no], such a mistake does not necessitate that it be spread, “Lo! Those who love that slander be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. Allaah knoweth and ye know not.” [Nur 24:19]
What is obligatory is to sincerely advise one another, what is obligatory is to love one another, especially the students of knowledge, especially the scholars, to respect the scholars, and not to recommend against some of them, and warn against them. This is the cause of many evils, the cause of fighting and hatred, the cause of fitnah—steer clear of these things.
May Allaah reward you all with good.
Be as Allaah wanted you to be: “And indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me.” [Mu’minun 23:52] “And be not like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. For such there is an awful doom.” [Aali-Imran 3:105]
Aspire to bring about harmony. Seek to sincerely advise one another. Desire to co-operate in righteousness and piety.
Be on your guard against those things which split the Muslims—especially in this day and age. The Muslims are in need of unity, in need of eliminating discord amongst themselves, in need of cooperating in righteousness and piety. Don’t become a source of support for the enemy in breaking up the Muslims and disuniting them.
If disunity occurs between the scholars and the students of knowledge, who’s left for the Ummah?
The evil/damage [of such a predicament] isn’t on the masses, it comes back on the students of knowledge, those who reconcile between people, those who teach the people.
Leave these things, this wrangling, these altercations, these blameworthy characteristics.
“And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead?” [Hujuraat 49:12] “And obey not every worthless habitual oath-monger. Hinderer of good, transgressing, sinful.” [Al-Qalam 68:10-12]
Don’t obey these people, such that you will end up being an aid to the Devil in splitting the Ummah and weakening it.
Sincerely advise the one you find a flaw in—if [indeed] it is established [that he really did make it in the first place!]
Don’t believe rumours.
“O you who have believed! If there comes to you a disobedient one with information, verify it, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and afterwards become regretful over what you have done.” [Hujuraat 49:6]
“O you who have believed! When you go forth in the cause of Allaah, investigate and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace, ‘You are not a believer.’” [Nisaa 4:94]
Allaah جل وعلا encouraged the Muslims to unite, and for them to be united in their word, and to cooperate and sincerely advise one another.
We’re not saying leave the mistake, no. Correct the mistake, we say correct the mistake, don’t leave the mistake, but correct it with legislated means.
May Allaah give all the success to do that which He loves and is pleased with.
وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Imaam Si’dee and the Camel-Driver’s Pack of Cigarettes
January 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
“When the people of ’Unaizah bought firewood, the camel-driver would bring it inside the house and after he’d finished the household he brought it to would leave some water and dates for him. Upon eating and drinking, the camel-driver would close the house’s door firmly intending thereby to let them know that he had left. One time the Shaikh رحمه الله [i.e., Imaam Si’dee, who was ’Uthaimeen’s teacher] bought some firewood and when the camel-driver left, our father [Imaam Si’dee] came out intending to close the door behind him.
On his way to the door, the Shaikh found a pack of cigarettes in the courtyard which the camel-driver had dropped, so he took the pack, opened the door and called him, saying, ‘Is this yours?’
After some hesitation the camel-driver replied, ‘Yes, it’s mine. But, O Shaikh, do you know what’s inside it?’
The Shaikh said, “Yes, cigarettes.’
‘And you’re giving them to me, O Shaikh?’ said the camel-driver.
‘Yes, because if you don’t find this pack you’ll go and buy another one with the money you made by selling that firewood and you will then cause your children to go hungry and prevent them from getting some sustenance—and Allaah سبحانه is the One who guides.’
So the camel-driver said, ‘Bismillaah …,’ took the pack and threw out the cigarettes that were inside, saying ‘O Allaah! I turn in repentance to You and I will never smoke again.’”
Mawaaqif Ijtimaa’iyah min Hayaatish-Shaikh, al-’Allaamah ’Abdir-Rahmaan bin Naasir as-Si’dee, pp. 68-69.
The Prince, The Priest, The Dog and the Mongolians.
January 15, 2015 § Leave a comment
Ibn Hajar said, “A Mongol prince converted to Christianity and so a group of notable Christians and Mongols went to visit him when one of them started to belittle the Prophet ﷺ. There was a hunting dog on a leash and when that person started to go on for a while abusing the Prophet, the dog jumped on him and scratched him but they were able to get it off him. Some of those present said, ‘The dog did that because of what you said about Muhammad ﷺ.’ But he replied, ‘No, it’s a proud dog and when it saw me motioning with my hand it thought I was going to hit it,’ and then he went back to saying what he was saying, at length. And so the dog leapt at him a second time and bit on to his throat pulling it out and causing him to die on the spot, upon seeing that about forty thousand Mongolians embraced Islaam.”
Ad-Durur al-Kaaminah, 4/153.
“Indeed, We Are Sufficient for You Against the Mockers.”
January 15, 2015 § Leave a comment
“Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers.
Who set up along with Allaah another deity, soon will they come to know.
And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say.
So exalt [Allaah] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].
And worship your Lord until the Inevitable comes to you.”
[The Quraan 15:95-99].
Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus—Peace be Upon Them All—They Will All Look to Muhammad ﷺ on That Day
January 14, 2015 § Leave a comment
Ma’bad ibn Hilaal al-’Anazi narrated, “We, some people from Basra, gathered and went to Anas bin Malik, and we went in company with Thaabit Al-Bunaani so that he might ask him about the Hadith of The Intercession on our behalf. Behold, Anas was in his palace, and our arrival coincided with his Duha prayer. We asked for permission to enter and he admitted us while he was sitting on his bed.
We said to Thaabit, ‘Do not ask him about anything else first but The Hadith of The Intercession.’ He said, ‘O Abu Hamza! These are your brethren from Basra coming to ask you about The Hadith of The Intercession.’
Anas then said, ‘Muhammad ﷺ talked to us, saying:
‘On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge like waves on one another. And then they will come to Adam and say, ‘Please intercede for us with your Lord.’ He will say, ‘I am not fit for that but you’d better go to Abraham as he is the Khalil of the Most Gracious [i.e., Allaah].’
They will go to Abraham and he will say, ‘I am not fit for that, but you’d better go to Moses as he is the one to whom Allaah spoke directly.’
So they will go to Moses and he will say, ‘I am not fit for that, but you’d better go to Jesus as he is a soul created by Allaah and His Word.’ (i.e., Allaah said, ‘Be!’ And Jesus was.)
They will go to Jesus and he will say, ‘I am not fit for that—but you’d better go to Muhammad.’
They will come to me and I will say, ‘I am [the one] for that.’
Then I will ask for my Lord’s permission, and it will be given. Then He will inspire me to praise Him with such praises as I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down, prostrate before Him. Then it will be said:
‘O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak—for you will be listened to. And ask—for you will be granted [your request]. And intercede—for your intercession will be accepted.’
I will say, ‘O Lord! My followers! My followers!’
And then it will be said, ‘Go and take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a barley grain.’ I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down (prostrate) before Him.
Then it will be said, ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak—for you will be listened to. Ask—for you will be granted (your request). Intercede—for your intercession will be accepted.’
I will say, ‘O Lord! My followers! My followers!’
It will be said, ‘Go and take out of it all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a small ant or a mustard seed.’ I will go and do so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down in prostration before Him.
It will be said, ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak—for you will be listened to. Ask—for you will be granted (your request). Intercede—for your intercession will be accepted.’
I will say, ‘O Lord! My followers! My followers!’
Then He will say, ‘Go and take out (all those) in whose hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out of the Fire.’ I will go and do so.’
When we left Anas, I said to some of my companions, ‘Let’s pass by Al-Hasan who is hiding himself in the house of Abi Khalifa and request that he tell us what Anas bin Malik has told us.’
So we went to him and we greeted him and he admitted us. We said to him, ‘O Abu Sa’eed! We came to you from your brother Anas Bin Malik and he related to us a hadith about the intercession the like of which I have never heard.’
He said, ‘What is that?’ Then we told him of the hadith and said, ‘He stopped at this point (of the hadith).’ He said, ‘What then?’ We said, ‘He did not add anything to that.’ He said, ‘Anas related the hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I don’t know whether he forgot or if he did not like to let you depend on what he might have said.’
We said, ‘O Abu Sa’eed! Let us know!’
He smiled and said, ‘Man was created hasty. I did not mention that except that I wanted to inform you of it. Anas told me the same as he told you and said that the Prophet ﷺ added:
‘I will then return for a fourth time and praise Him similarly and prostrate before Him and it will be said, ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak—for you will be listened to. And ask—for you will be granted (your request). And intercede—for your intercession will be accepted.’
I will say, ‘O Lord! Allow me to intercede for whoever said, ‘None has the right to be worshiped except Allaah.’
Then Allah will say, ‘By my Power, and my Majesty, and by My Supremacy, and by My Greatness! I will take out of Hell (Fire) whoever said, ‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.’”
[Bukhaari.]
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ
وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Ibn Qutaibah on the Students of Knowledge of Old
December 21, 2014 § Leave a comment
Ibn Qutaibah رحمه الله said, “In the past, a student of knowledge would listen to learn, and learn to act, and gain understanding of the religion in order to benefit himself and others. But now it has become such that they listen in order to [merely] accumulate, and they accumulate in order to be mentioned, and they memorise in order to overcome [others] and boast.”
Ibn Qutaibah said this over one thousand years ago, he passed away in 276 Hijri.
Al-Madkhal al-Mufassal li-Madhhab al-Imaam Ahmad wa Takhrijaat al-Ashaab, vol. 1, p. 13.
Advice Given to Shaikh ’Uthaimeen by His Shaikhs
December 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Some of my Shaikhs mentioned to me that it befits a person who asks about an issue to seek Allaah’s Forgiveness in abundance, deriving that from The Most High’s Statement, ‘Surely, We have sent down to you the Book in truth that you might judge between men by that which Allaah has shown you, so be not a pleader for the treacherous. And seek the Forgiveness of Allaah, certainly, Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,’ [Nisaa 4: 105-106] because seeking Allaah’s Forgiveness in abundance necessitates the disappearance of the effects of sins which are a cause for forgetting knowledge and [a cause of] ignorance.”
Al-Khilaaf bainal-’Ulemaa, pp. 37-38.
A Question Connected to Prayer
December 12, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “‘If a man wanted to get a tissue whilst he was standing and praying, and in order to do so he bent his back like someone who is bowing and then stood up again, what is the ruling [concerning that]?’
He replied, ‘His standing [in prayer] is not valid [after that action], because he has left one of the pillars [rukn] of the prayer, i.e., the standing, so he must repeat his prayer.’”
At-Ta’leeq ’alaa Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 661.
Weather Forecasts
December 10, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “‘We hear on the radio where they say that it will rain in a certain area tomorrow, does this contradict the fact that knowledge of when rain will fall is specific to Allaah [Alone]?’
He replied, ‘Many people find this problematic thinking that weather forecasts go against Allaah’s Statement, ‘And with Him are the keys of the Unseen,’ but the reality is that they do not, because their knowledge of such matters is knowledge which draws on something palpable. Things are linked to their causes.’”
Sharh Hadith Jibreel ’alaihis-salaam, p. 110.
An Abandoned Sunnah: Seeking A Cure By Placing One’s Saliva and Some Earth on One’s Finger and Saying the Following
December 8, 2014 § Leave a comment
Aaishah رضي الله عنها narrated that Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ used to read in his ruqya:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
تُرْبَةُ أَرْضِنَا ورِيقَةُ بَعْضِنَا، يُشْفَى سَقِيمُنَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّنَا
Bismillāh.
Turbatu ʾArdinā, wa rīqatu badinā, yushfā saqīmunā, biʾidhni Rabbinā.
“In the Name of Allaah.
The earth of our land and the saliva of some of us cure our patient
with the permission of our Lord.”
[Al-Bukhaari, The Book of Medicine, nos. 5745 and 5746.]
An-Nawawi said, “The meaning of the hadith is that he took some of his own saliva on his index finger then placed it on the earth so that some of it stuck to it and then wiped it on the ailing or injured area whilst saying the above words as he wiped.” [Fathul-Baari, vol. 10, p. 208.]
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “… specifying ‘the earth’ [mentioned in the narration] to be that of Medinah or the ‘some of us’ to be referring specifically to the Prophet ﷺ as Ibn Hajr said is something disputable, what is apparent is that this is something general and Allaah سبحانه وتعالى may place a cure in such things.” [Source.]
And the The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’, at the head of whom was Ibn Baaz, confirmed that the hadith is general and not specific to Medina or the Prophet ﷺ, see here.
The Meaning of the Part of the Witr Supplication on Guidance
December 7, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “In the Qunut supplication [of al-Witr] when we say, ‘O Allaah! Guide me [along] with those [others] whom You have guided,’ we are asking Allaah تعالى for two types of guidance: that of knowledge and action, just as His Saying تعالى, ‘Guide us to the Straight Path,’ includes two types of guidance, that of [being guided to beneficial] knowledge and [also being guided] to action. So it befits the one reciting [such supplications] to bear in mind that he is asking for both of these types of guidance, that of knowledge and action.”
Sharh Du’aa Qunootil-Witr, p. 7.
On Being Struck by Lightning
December 6, 2014 § 1 Comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked, “‘If a person is struck by lightning it will burn him in a moment due to it being such an enormous electrical force, is such a person, therefore, like one who dies in a fire and who is regarded as a martyr?’
He replied, ‘Yes, such a person is regarded as a martyr. Allaah تعالى wanted good for him in causing him to die in such a way inshaa Allaah.’”
At-Ta’leeq ’alaa Saheeh Muslim, vol. 4, p. 618.
Enjoying What Allaah Has Made Permissible
December 1, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Enjoying what Allaah عزوجل has made permissible without going to excess is something praiseworthy, whoever leaves off doing so without a legislated reason is blameworthy.”
Sharh Hilyah Taalib al-Ilm, p. 61.
The Soul’s Snares
November 30, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Beware of the soul’s snares. Every time you find one [setting up] in your heart, seek protection in Allaah عز وجل, and don’t try to rationalise it [in an attempt to dismiss it]—instead first and foremost seek shelter with Allaah عز وجل. Because Allaah taught us this, saying, ‘And if an evil whisper from Satan tries to turn you away, then seek refuge in Allaah.’ [Fussilat 41:36] So there is neither refuge nor shelter except with Allaah عز وجل.”
Sharh al-Kaafiyah ash-Shaafiyah, vol. 1, p. 221.
Bad Thoughts
November 29, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “From Allaah’s Blessings is that if a person doesn’t lean towards or firmly establish what he thinks about [i.e., the bad thoughts one has], he will not be called to account over them no matter how severe they are. But if the Devil does throw such whisperings into your heart then your stance is to cure them through two things the Prophet ﷺ mentioned, the first is to seek refuge with Allaah from the Accursed Devil, and the second is to terminate and turn away from that [evil thought] which occurred to you.”
Sharh al-Kaafiyah ash-Shaafiyah, vol. 1, p. 373.
“Many People Have the Same Extremism Towards Their Shaikhs that the Shee’ah Have Towards Their Imaams.”
November 16, 2014 § Leave a comment
The Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “And many people have the same extremism towards their Shaikhs that the Shee’ah have towards their Imaams.”
Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah, vol. 6, p. 430.
“Whoever Learns a People’s Language Will be Safe From Their Plots,” Is Not a Hadith
November 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi’i said, “Whoever learns a people’s language will be safe from their plots,” researchers sought out this hadith but did not find any basis for it, and even though its meaning is correct it is only allowed for us to attribute to the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ that which has actually been established [as having come] from him ﷺ.”
Al-Muqtarah fi Ajwibah ba’dh As’ilatil-Mustalah, p. 16.
Ibn Baaz on Hajj—His Response when Told Not to Eat with The Poor and Needy
October 3, 2014 § Leave a comment
“There was no difference in his eyes between the rich and the poor, the noble and the lowly, an ambassador or minister, for they would all gather at his table, and everyone who ate with His Eminence would be looking here and there at the people’s faces due to the variety [of people present] and their differing languages, ranks and colours—so you would have an Arab, a foreigner, a black person, a white one, someone close, and another distant [and so on].
One time someone who knew the Shaikh said to him, ‘O Shaikh! Some of these people don’t know the manners of how to eat properly, and it’s not right/easy to sit with them, so if it would please you to sit away from them and put yourself at ease from them.’
So His Eminence, the Shaikh, may Allaah have mercy on him said, ‘I’m the one who put the food out for them, and they came to me, my comfort is in eating with them, and the Prophet ﷺ used to eat with his Companions and the poor until the day he died, and I have an example in him, and I will carry on like this until I die—and whoever can’t handle that and doesn’t want to sit with them, I excuse him and he can go to someone else.’
And the amazing thing was that the affairs of this clearly large number of people would become organised, and the area allotted to them would suffice them, and the transport allocated for them would take them, their food would be arranged, as would their drinks, their sleep, their ablution, prayer, leaving, coming—and the secret to that, and Allaah knows best, is the correctness of this man’s, this Imaam’s intention, and that is what is apparent and Allaah is the One who knows the [inner] reality.”
Jawaanib min Seeratil-Imaam ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, pp. 101-102.
The Imaam of Ahlus-Sunnah on Hajj—Ibn Baaz and His Love of the Poor and Needy
October 3, 2014 § Leave a comment
“His Eminence would welcome the poor and would not be pleased that any harm come to them, he would not stand until he had asked, ‘Have they finished [eating]?’ fearing that if he did so he may have ended up rushing them, and he would always ask his attendants, ‘Hopefully they weren’t short of anything? I hope the food that was put out was enough for them? How many serving dishes were laid out?’ So when it was said to him that it was enough and that there was [even] some left over, he would say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah,’ and would be pleased, saying, ‘Look for some [more] of the needy, and give them the remaining food.’
And I never heard him say a harsh or crude word, in fact, he would show joy to the poor and needy even though some of them would crowd him, and maybe take meat or fruit from in front of him, and the Shaikh wouldn’t say a word and would not stand up until it was said to him, ‘They have finished eating.’
And when they had finished, they would raise their hands supplicating for His Eminence, and part of what they would say was, ‘We ask Allaah to allow you to eat from the fruits of Paradise, may Allaah forgive you and your parents.’
Jawaanib min Seeratil-Imaam ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, p. 101.
Everyone Wanting to Sit and Eat with Ibn Baaz on Hajj
October 2, 2014 § Leave a comment
“The number of serving dishes that would normally be put out would be between forty to forty five, sometimes fifty. And when the food would be served, the guests would compete to sit at the Shaikh’s table even though it was no different to anyone else’s, they only did so to be close to His Eminence, crowding around him, and when told to move away or when prevented from swarming around him, they would say, ‘We love to be able to eat along with His Eminence, the Shaikh, we want to see him and hear what he says and take comfort in being near him,’ and they would say, ‘Have mercy on us, you always see him, this is our chance.’
Jawaanib min Seeratil-Imaam ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, p. 100.
Ibn Baaz and His Guests on Hajj
October 1, 2014 § Leave a comment
“His Eminence [Ibn Baaz] used to try his utmost to take the feelings of his guests into consideration, he used to ask about them a great deal, would give many recommendations concerning them, and on numerous occasions would say to those working with him, ‘Have mercy on them, if they had found other people to go to they wouldn’t have come to you.”
Jawaanib min Seeratil-Imaam ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, p. 100.
