Tawheed Lessons: Isti’aadah; Istighaatha & intro to Tabarruk

Isti’aadah

Definition: Seeking refuge and protection

When: In general in seeking refuge from shaytan. Specifically, at times of whispering as:

a. In salah,
b. When you being whispered to do evil
c. When you have a bad dream
d. At other times of similar nature

Seeking refuge before reading Qur’an in general
So when you [want to] recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan, the outcast (the cursed one). Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him.) (16:98-100).

Seeking refuge at night prayers

“When the Messenger of Allah would stand up in prayer at night, he would start his prayer with the Takbir (saying “Allahu Akbar”; Allah is Greater) and would then supplicate
«سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ»

He would then say thrice,
«لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ»

He would then say,
«أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزَهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ»
(I seek refuge with Allah, the Hearing, the Knowing, from the cursed Satan, from his coercion, lures to arrogance and poems.).”

Summary:

1. Isti’aadhah is the action taking or seeking refuge in Allah SWT, from the whispers of shaytaan, from his influence and traps and his temptation. It is something said, and belief is maintained that Allah SWT will protect you – for what Allah SWT says is Haq!
2. If we believe sincerely and truthfully or we striving to do so, then the effect would be instant.
3. If the whispers are not gone, then the problem is in ourselves, our hearts and not the means sought after – “Verily, he [shaytan] has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allah)”

Istighaatha

Definition: Seeking help or deliverance

When: During affliction and difficulty

Types:

Permissable:

1. FROM ALLAH SWT: “When you implored your Lord for help He answered you…” 8:9 One seeks help fromAllah SWT being the greatest act of ibaadah
2. FROM A LIVING PERSON: “And he who was of his creed asked for help and deliverance against him who was of his enemies. So Moses, struck him with his fist and killed him.” 28:15 One seeks help from someone who is alive and capable to assist.
3. FROM THE PROPHET S.A.W: In Bukhari (1475) “Indeed the sun, on the Day of Judgement, will be close, to the extent that people will be immersed in their sweat halfway to their ears. In such a state people will seek relief (istigathu) from Adam, then Moses, then Muhammad S.A.W, who will then intercede…” This is in the hereafter.
4. FROM THE ANGELS: “Allah has angels on earth, other than the [2] recording ones who record [even] the falling of a leaf from a tree. So if one of you is lost in a deserted place, let him call out: ‘O servants of Allah, help me” Musnad Ahmed

Prohibited:

Deliverance is sought from the dead. Some ulema regarded it as major shirk.
“They worship that which neither harms them nor benefit them. And they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allah” 10:18

What are the implications of:
a. A person calling out to a dead saint to forgive his sins?
b. Saying: ‘the dead can hear everything in the grave’

Not answering directly but saying:
1. We say: “You alone we worship, and from You Alone we seek help” Al-Faatihah
2. Only Allah SWT is the forgiver of sins, ultimately
3. Only Allah SWT is the All-Hearer
4. “If you ask in prayer, ask only Allah, and if you seek help, seek it only from Allah”
5. “And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allaah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping” [al-Ahqaaf 46:6]

Shaikh Salih Al Munaajid: “The Muslim should turn to Allaah at times of ease and at times of hardship, and seek the help of Allaah in all his affairs, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil…” [al-Naml 27:62]

If a person calls on his mother or anyone else to help him in a matter in which that person is able to help, then this is permissible. So long as a person is alive, present and able, there is nothing wrong with seeking his help, but it is better and preferable to ask Allaah for help in all circumstances. And Allaah is Able to do all things.

Summary:
1. One must seek help from Allah SWT in all matters. How? Raise your hands, on your tongue, in your mind, perform salah etc
2. Seek help from Allah SWT in times of ease, and difficulty. Why in ease?
3. You can ask someone for help, IF they (1) Alive (2) present & (3) able.

A small introduction to the next weeks lesson in Tawheed InshaAllah.

Tabarruk

Definitions:
At-Tabarruk means to seek blessings (barakah) in something. It is derived from al-Barakah, which means, or is often translated as blessing.
……. When one reflects upon the Qur’an one finds that it indicates that barakah is from Allaah and is to be requested from Him, the Most High. It is also He alone Who places it on whomever He wills from His servants and in whatever He wills from His creation.
• Blessed be Allaah, Lord of the Worlds 7:54
• Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the Dominion 67:1
• Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion upon His Slave 25:1
• Blessed be He who has placed in the heaven big stars 25:61
• So Blessed be Allaah, the Best of all creators 23:14
• Blessed be the Name of Your Lord, the Owner of Majesty and Honour 55:78

And this is indicated by the fact that the word “tabaaraka” occurs in the Qur’an being attached only to Allaah and nothing else. And this shows that all the Barakah belongs to Allaah, that it all originates from Him and that He gives Barakah to various categories from His creation.

Your brother in Islam
Abooasmaa

The Role of Parents in Their Children’s Lives By Maria Khani

Play

Quoting a saying of Imam Ali where he says children should be played with until the age of seven, after which they are disciplined for a further seven years, and then befriended for the next seven years, For example, prayer times should be a time of great joy for young children, not something that is rushed. Parents can tickle and play on the prayer mat and display affection before starting, so that children have a positive association with this important ritual.

Love

Parents can nurture love within the home and love for Allah and His Prophet through gentleness and warmth. – Pick up the Quran, take your child in your arms and read together. Ask him or her to point out words they know or that you want them to learn.

- Move beyond memorization alone, and capture your child’s imagination by telling them the stories that would make a typical fairy tale pale in comparison.

- Flying creatures? Al-Buraq.

- Miraculous objects? A Pen, which wrote about everything that would happen.

- Look for topics that would engage children – study the animals in the Quran and work on crafts that relate back.

- Make the Adhan a fixture in your home.

Encouragement & Support

Respect is key to the success of any family, and translates to communities where children are heard and are encouraged to participate. This starts at home. Parents should make time for their children – why do teachers often know more about our own children than we do? If that’s the case, more time with your child is in order. Respect your child’s needs. No one likes to get up in the morning and immediately head to work, for example. Give children at least one hour and a half before they have to leave the house, or start an activity. How best to wake them up? Massage them, kiss them – make waking up a bonding activity that everyone looks forward to. Make sure children are well fed before starting the day.

Teach Generosity

Encourage children to share with others. Only buy them what they need, not what they want. Let them give of their time and their effort, and they will soon prefer to give, rather than receive.

Muslim Versus Mainstream

Make Eid an awesome party.

Talk about the point of celebrating achievements.

Teach about sensitive issues – like sex education – through references to the Quran and Sunnah (which a parent can slowly impart between grades 4 to 7). Other health topics from the Sirah include information on how to keep bodies clean. For daughters, show the honor of Hijab, emphasizing its beauty as something a woman voluntarily does for the sake of Allah. Mothers should talk about how they feel about their Hijab, and share their own experiences with it.

Father’s Role

Parents should consult each other on how to raise their children. In Surah Al Baqarah, Allah Talks about the decision to wean a child as one that both parents should make. “…but if both desire weaning by mutual consent and counsel, there is no blame on them,” [Noble Quran 2:233] Nowadays, many fathers have given up this responsibility, but it is important for them to remain involved in the upbringing of their children. Remember The Goal: When Prophet Zachariah called on Allah to grant him a son, he wanted someone to carry on the Prophetic tradition. The aim of having a child was to raise someone up who would carry on the mantle of righteousness. “And surely I fear my cousins after me, and my wife is barren, therefore grant me from Thyself an heir, Who should inherit me and inherit from the children of Ya’qub, and make him, my Lord, one in whom Thou art well pleased.” [Noble Quran 19:5-6] Remember, Prophet Noah lost his son because his son’s actions had cut him off from his own father (which shows that ultimately, even the best parent cannot be sure of the outcomes.) “[Allah] said: O Nuh! Surely he is not of your family; surely he is (the doer of) other than good deeds, therefore ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge; surely I admonish you lest you may be of the ignorant.” [Noble Quran 11:46] Raise your children with love and kindness, and pray that Allah will save us all.

Khadejah Jones

Share Islam Team

ShareIslam.com

Tips on Daawah

• First off, make sure you have both ikhlaas and i’tibaa – sincerity in intention and correction of action. Is your intention truly to bring this person closer to the truth? Or is it to prove him wrong? Or to show off your oratory skills? Make sure your intention is solely for the pleasure of Allah. To bring this person closer to the truth and to guide him to the deen of Allah, al-Islam. And make sure you are performing this daawah in the correct manner, at the proper place and time.
• Know what you’re talking about. Make sure you have a sound, deep knowledge of what you say. Remember that Rasulullah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, promised a seat in the Hell fire for whoever says a lie about him. Make sure what you say is absolutely correct. Be honest if you don’t know. If you do not have a solid knowledge of what you are saying, your contribution may be negative instead of positive.
• Have complete faith in what you’re saying with no doubt. It is said that what comes from the mouth goes to the ear, but what comes from the heart goes to the heart. The Arabic saying goes, if you do not have it, you cannot give it. If you don’t truly believe something, you can’t get someone else to. Your sincerity and certainty in your faith plays a large part in your successfulness at daawah.
• Practice what you preach. The best daawah is by way of example. Don’t discuss the importance of truth and honesty in Islam when you lie and cheat constantly. Make sure your actions express the beautiful beliefs and commands of Islam. Hypocricy turns people away.
• Don’t compromise Islam or it’s beliefs. Don’t feel the need to hedge around the truth because it will turn people away. Can men have four wives? Why can’t we date? Why don’t we accept homosexuality? Don’t be apologetic about certain aspects of Islam. Explain it in a way people can understand, but don’t change it or act like it’s incorrect or archaic.
• Do not become angry. Don’t let people effect you or cause you to change your conduct. Have adab always. If someone refuses to hear you out, walk away. Don’t sink to their level. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says what means in the Quran, “Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant”. He subhanahu wa ta’ala also says what means, “And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: ‘To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant.’ It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.” Don’t waste your time or energy with those who refuse to listen.
• Use proper functions. Go to interfaith programs and open discussions.
• Stay away from missionaries. This cannot be emphasized enough. Their goal is to take your faith apart and cause you to doubt. Leave the missionaries to those who are trained to deal with them. Missionaries have been trained to seem friendly and willing to learn on the outside, when their sole goal and objective is to cause you to reject Islam. Do not talk to missionaries. Do not open a discussion of Islam with them. Do not visit their sites. Do not waste your time with them. Your time can be used in a much more beneficial way than trying to argue with someone who has been trained to cause you to doubt.
• Don’t insult the other person’s faith. No matter how tempting it would be to talk about the errors and inconsistancies in other people’s beliefs, don’t do it. It offends people, and will possibly give them a bad impression of Islam. Talk about how Islam is different, and in that perhaps exposing the other belief’s errors, but do not openly insult another person’s faith. Be respectful. A daawah horror story: a Muslim was speaking at a local high school, and began his speech with: “You’re all going to Hell.” With that, he lost his whole audience before he even started his speech.
• Discuss what makes Islam beautiful to you. Daawah doesn’t have to mean repeating the five pillars. Sometimes we are so busy discussing the pillars of Islam we forget the actual building itself. Islam plays a part in every aspect of our lives. Talk about how it plays a role in how you sleep, how you dress, how you speak, how you marry, how you deal with animals, parents, elders, children, the opposite sex. Talk about Islam’s respect for women, the concepts of purity or modesty, it’s call to reflect and think about the world around us. I know that one brother became Muslim in part because of Islam’s respect and honor for nature. Islam is a deen, a whole way of life. Go into more detail then the 9th grade social studies text book.
• And lastly, have sabr. Your job is not to convert people – it is not an obligation in Islam to make a certain amount of people Muslim. But it is your obligation to call people to Islam, to distinguish between right and wrong. Who is guided and who is not, however, is solely up to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

And Allah, the Guide, knows best.