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One Day for 70 Years (Hadith No. 2488)
Bismillah.
Volume 4, Book 52, Number 93 :
Narrated by Abu Said (radiallaahu `anhu)
I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years.”
A ticket to farthest-from-hell, please!
This hadith is new to me. Or at least to my memory. I’ve always considered fasting special because of the special rewards (for example, the well-known narration “fasting is for Me and I will reward for it”). Still my passion and motivation for voluntary fasting rarely, if ever, goes beyond the six of Shawwaal, nine of Dhul Hijjah and two of Muharram. Why do I never make an effort to fast Mondays, Thursdays and the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar months, I ask myself. Why not even more than that? Did not Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) fast most of his days? Did not Dawud (`alayhissalaam) fast every other day – the best kind of fasting there is. Why do I feel content with my routine worship overall? Why do I not strive to up my game every day, month and year?
It is because of this stagnancy in worship that the state of my imaan is such, I feel. How do I expect Allah to increase His love, mercy and grace for me when I don’t increase my worship and love for Him? Surely the two must be connected.
It all comes down to Jihad. Of the nafs. I need to give up my love for eating more often so I can please Allah and increase my distance from the Hellfire as much as possible. If one day of fasting gets me seventy years away, I could be farthest from it in no time inshaAllah. May Allah give me the strength, accept my efforts and be pleased with me.
Fruition!
Sometimes I wonder if I were a butterfly, with flaming shades on my wings,
Fluttering here and resting there, hopping and flitting from leaves to twigs,
I would live in gardens green with trees and bushes plentiful,
Wild flowers would be my haven, their scents would make my tummy full
Oh what a life would that be to lead, with nature all around my feet
But then what about that place of which no ear has heard nor eye has seen?
To earn which, the worst of pains and bitter sorrows you have to endure,
The price is high, the pennies worth it but every step makes you sore,
Would it be legit for me to make it my residence eternal, my resting place?
Where everlasting blessings tempt one, but oh for the pleasure of seeing His Face!
Smacking the Face (Hadith No. 2232)
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 2231 (below) is a repeat. Read it here.
Volume 3, Book 46, Number 733:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu):
That he heard Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charge; the ruler is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian in his family and responsible for his charges; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and responsible for her charges; and the servant is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for his charge.” I definitely heard the above from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and think that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) also said, “A man is a guardian of his father’s property and responsible for his charges; so everyone of you is a guardian and responsible for his charges.”
Today’s Hadith:
Volume 3, Book 46, Number 734:
Narrated Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu):
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “If somebody fights (or beats somebody) then he should avoid the face.”
This, for sure, is not allowed.
Ibn Uthaymeen says about smacking children:
Smacking on the face is risky, because the face is the highest and noblest part of a person and if a person is smacked on the face it is more humiliating and shameful than if he were to be smacked on the back. Hence it is forbidden to smack on the face.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 13/2
More on smacking children here.
Ihraam for Women (Hadith No. 1559)
Bismillah.
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Umar (radiallaahu `anhu):
A person stood up and asked, “O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)! What clothes may be worn in the state of Ihram?” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) replied, “Do not wear a shirt or trousers, or any headgear (e.g. a turban), or a hooded cloak; but if somebody has no shoes he can wear leather stockings provided they are cut short off the ankles, and also, do not wear anything perfumed with Wars or saffron, and the Muhrima (a woman in the state of Ihram) should not cover her face, or wear gloves.”
Ihraam for men has been discussed in various posts before. As for women, they’re allowed to wear anything (that must cover their `awrah properly), except for perfume. And they must not cover their faces/hands except in case of necessity.
Women must uncover their faces and hands when they enter ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah. At this time, they are forbidden to wear niqaab and gloves, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The woman who is in ihraam must not wear niqaab or gloves.”
If a woman needs to cover her face because men are passing close by her, or she is beautiful and is sure that men are looking at her, she should drop a part of head covering over her face, because of the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah in which she said, “Riders were passing by us, and we were in ihraam with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so when they came near, each of us would lower her jilbaab over her face, and when they went away we would uncover our faces again.”
Al-Juzayri said, reporting from them: “A woman may cover her face for a necessary reason, such as non-mahram men passing close by her, and the fact that (the cloth) will touch her face does not matter. This is to make it easy and alleviate hardship.” (Al-Fiqh ‘ala’l-Madhaahib al-Arba’ah, 1/645).
Head of a Donkey (Hadith No. 660)
Salam,
Bismillah.
Volume 1, Book 11, Number 660:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “Isn’t he who raises his head before the Imam afraid that Allah may transform his head into that of a donkey or his figure (face) into that of a donkey?”
Isn’t he afraid? There was a man we get to know about, who challenged this Hadith. He raised his head before the Imaam intentionally during prayer, and Allah turned his face into that of a donkey (or somewhat similar to it). Later on, he repented. [Can’t find a historic reference for this incidence. Let me know if you can help with it. Jzk.]
Anyway, the lesson here is: ‘follow’ your Imaam. Wait for him to make his move, and then repeat after him. During Salah, wait for the Imaam to say his takbeer, change his position, and then change yours. ‘Kay? :)
Wassalam.
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