VOLUNTARY FASTS

As-Salamu Alaykum (peace be upon you),

WHY FAST VOLUNTARY FASTS? What is the point of fasting beyond Ramadan? Of course we have to make up the days missed and perhaps we hear the Friday Khutbah that reminds us to fast the days of Ashura or Arafat so we participate in that, but why go further than this? Voluntary fasting has so many benefits that many are unaware of. There are benefits in all aspects of our lives, physical, spiritual and emotional. Lets now take a look at the virtues of fasting voluntarily. Importance of Fasting in Islam "O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." [Noble Quran 2:183] "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise - for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." [Noble Quran 33:35] Great Rewards for Fasting Fasting has a unique attribute that no other form of worship has, it is done entirely for Allah. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has said: With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for one abandons his passion and food for My sake. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts, joy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord, and the breath (of an observer of fast) is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk." [Muslim] Benefits of regularity in fasting There is also greater benefit in making voluntary fast a regular habit as narrated by A'ishah: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not observe fast in any month of the year more than in the month of Sha'ban, and used to say: Do as many deeds as you are capable of doing, for Allah will not become weary (of giving you reward), but you would be tired (of doing good deeds); and he (peace be upon him) also said: The deed liked most by Allah is one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is small." [Muslim and Bukhari] Fasting as a protection from the Hellfire The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Allah says, "Fasting is a shield with which one may protect oneself from the Fire."' [Sahih al-Jami, 4/114] He (peace be upon him) also said: "Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years' distance." [Muslim] Fasting As An Intercessor The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "The fast and the Quran are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Quran will say: 'I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their intercession will be accepted."[Ahmad] A Special Gate in Paradise For the One Who Fasts Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "In Paradise there is a gate which is called Rayyan through which only the observers of fast would enter on the Day on Resurrection. None else would enter along with them. It would be proclaimed: "Where are the observers of fast that they should be admitted into it?" and when the last of them would enter, it would be closed and no one would enter it." [Muslim] Fasting as a Means of Entering Paradise The Prophet (peace be upon him) also emphasized the importance that fasting has on entering Paradise. Abu Umamah reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Order me to do a deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to fasting, as there is no equivalent to it.' Then I came to him again and he said: 'Stick to fasting."' [Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and al-Hakim] Special Dwellings in Paradise The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "In Paradise there are dwellings whose inside can be seen from the outside, and the outside can be seen from inside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the hungry, and speak softly and gently, fast continuously and pray at night whilst the people are asleep." [Sahih al-Jami'] Expiation of Sins Messenger of Allah said: "Fasting on the day of 'Arafah is expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it. Fasting the day of Ashura is expiation for the year preceding it." [Related by "the group," except for al-Bukhari and at-Tirmidhi] Fasting As a Means of Controlling Desires Narrated 'Alqamah: While I was walking with 'Abdullah he said: "We were in the company of the Prophet and he said: 'He who can afford to marry should marry, because it will help him refrain from looking at other women, and save his private parts from looking at other women, and save his private parts from committing illegal sexual relation; and he who cannot afford to marry is advised to fast, as fasting will diminish his sexual power." [Bukhari] Fasting As a Means to Control Our Actions & Speech The true believer who fasts according to what Allah has commanded will be compelled to avoid evil speech and actions, encouraging the believer to be consciously aware of what they are doing and saying at all times during the fast. It is reported by Abu Hurairah: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)" [Bukhari] And in another Hadith also reported by Abu Hurairah: Allah's Apostle said: "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times." [Bukhari] Du'a of a Fasting Person Are Not Rejected The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There are three prayers that are not rejected: the prayer of a father for his child, the prayer of the fasting person and the prayer of the traveler." [Muslim and Bukhari] The Way in Which the Prophet (peace be upon him) Prescribed Voluntary Fasts 1. Three days every month: Abu Zharr al-Ghifari reported: "The Messenger of Allah ordered us to fast for three days of every month--that is, on the days of the full moon (the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month). And he said: 'It is like fasting the whole year.'"[an-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban] 2. Mondays and Thursdays: Abu Hurairah reported that the most the Prophet would fast would be Monday and Thursday. He was asked about that and he said: "The actions are presented on every Monday and Thursday. Allah forgives every Muslim or every believer, except for those who are boycotting each other. He says [about them]: 'Leave them.'" [Ahmad] 3. The Maximum Fast of Every Second Day: Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As: The Prophet said to me: "You fast daily all the year and pray every night all the night?" I replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, "If you keep on doing this, your eyes will become weak and your body will get tired. He who fasts all the year is as he who did not fast at all. The fasting of three days (a month) will be equal to the tasting of the whole year." I replied, "I have the power for more than this." The Prophet said, "Then fast like the fasting of David who used to fast on alternate days and would never flee from the battle field, on meeting the enemy. [Bukhari] Special Times for Fasting 1. The month of al-Muharram: Abu Hurairah reported that he (the Messenger of Allah) was asked as to which prayer was most excellent after the prescribed prayer, and which fast was most excellent after the month of Ramadan. He said: "Prayer offered in the middle of the night and the most excellent fast after (fasting) in the month of Ramadan is the fast in Allah's month al-Muharram." [Muslim] 2. The day of Ashura: Ibn 'Abbas reported: "The Prophet came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashura. He said to them: 'What is this fast?' They said: 'A great day. Allah saved Moses and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Moses fasted on this day.' The Prophet said: 'We have more of a right to Moses than you,' so he fasted on that day also and ordered the people to fast on that day."[Bukhari and Muslim] 3. Six days of Shawwal: Abu Ayyub al-An sari reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be [rewarded] as if he had fasted the entire year." [Related by "the group," except for al-Bukhari and an Nasa'i] 4. Other specific days: There is also evidence as Hafsah reported: "There are five things that the Prophet never abandoned: fasting the day of Ashura, fasting the [first] ten [days of Dhul-Hijjah], fasting three days of every month and praying two Rak'ah before the dawn prayer." [Ahmad and an-Nasa'i] The Prophet (peace be upon him) would fast the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. (The day of Arafat is the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah) Oh Allah, grant us all the strength of Iman and Taqwa to perform as many voluntary deeds as we can for Your sake, Ameen.

DUA

DUA  '

by Huma Ahmad

 Dua is defined as any invocation or prayer addressed to
Allah (SWT).  In our times, we find many reasons why people do 
not make Dua; we forget, don't know how, or just do not think 
it will be answered.  Fundamental to this is the loss of 
dependence and trust upon Allah.  As Muslims there is
something very wrong when we believe our Duas won't be answered.
We do not turn to Allah in our times of need and instead put our
trust, dependence and hopes on worldly things that we think will
help us. Although these temporal things are the means through
which our Duas can be answered, the root of our being should be
trained automatically to turn to Allah and not anything or
anyone else.  Through Dua, we strengthen our Imaan and our
relationship with Allah, as well as heighten our awareness of
cause and effect that can help inspire and motivate us to be
closer to Islam in our lives.

 We find many reassurances throughout the Quran for those
who make Dua.  Allah the Exalted, has said:  "And your
Lord says: Pray unto me: and I will hear your prayer" (Quran
40:60), "Call upon your Lord Humbly and in secret" (Quran 7:55),
"When My servants question thee concerning Me, I am indeed close
(to them):  I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he
calleth on Me" (Quran 2:186), "Is not He (best) who listens to
the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and who relieves its
suffering." (Quran 27:62)

 Aisha radhiallaahu anha said, "No believer makes Dua and
it is wasted.  Either it is granted here in this world
or deposited for him in the Hereafter as long as he does not get
frustrated."

 In fact, it is even wrong to never make Dua, "Whosoever
does not supplicate to Allah, He will be angry with Him."
[Saheeh Jaami`as-Sagheer #2414]

 A Hadith says "Ad-Du'aa Huwal-3ibaadah",[Abu
Dawud,at-Tirmidhi, Hasan Saheeh], Dua is Ibadah so calling 
upon anyone other than Allah in one's Dua is Shirk. This
is an important condition of having one's Dua accepted; the Dua
should not be directed to other than Allah alone.  A second
condition would be sincerity or Hudoor alqalb, having the heart
present.  Also, one's food, drink, clothes and lifestyle should
be Halal.  One should avoid unlawful, impious or forbidden
sources or means of livelihood.  Fourth, one cannot ask for
something sinful or Haram.  Dua should not be made against
family and property (i.e. to sever the ties of kinship).

 If one asks Allah to curse someone, it rises up to
heaven and goes to the person if they are deserving, if
not it returns to the person supplicating.  Patience is another
condition.  This perseverance in making Dua is important.  One
should not say "Why hasn't Allah answered my Dua" or "I have
prayed and prayed so many times, but the same was not accepted"
and then become disappointed and give up praying.  An example of
this is like a person who planted a seed or a sapling, and kept
looking after it and watering it and when its complete shape and
height was slow in coming, they left it and forgot about it.

 Lastly one should have expectation, belief with
certainty only Allah can answer the Dua. Understanding
dependence on Allah and asking with absolute resolve and
believing with certainty that one's Dua  will be answered is a
also a condition of acceptance. One should not say "O Allah do
this...if you wish..." because one should appeal to Allah with
determination, for nobody can force Allah to do something
against his Will. If one fulfills these conditions, Allah will
definitely answer the Dua, avert some equivalent evil or give
better in the Hereafter.

 We can and should make Dua in every condition, i.e. in
hardship and in prosperity.  There are also some special
times to make Dua where it is more likely to be accepted:

  1.  When one is oppressed 
  2.  Between the time of Athan and Iqama 
  3.  At the time of the call for prayer 
  4.  At the time of fighting when warriors are engaged with
  each other 
  5.  When it is raining 
  6.  When one is sick
  7.  The last third of the night 
  8.  Ramadan (especially Lailatul Qadr) 
  9.  After the Fard part of prayer 
  10. When traveling 
  11. When breaking fast 
  12. In Sujood 
  13. Fridays, some say on Friday after Asr prayer 
  14. While drinking the water from the well of Zamzam 
  15. At the start of prayer (Dua of Istiftah) 
  16. When one begins the prayer, i.e. with "all praise be to 
  Allah, the Pure and the Blessed one" 
  17. While one recites al-Fatiha (which is a Dua) 
  18. When Ameen is said in the prayer (also relating to Fatiha) 
  19. At the time of raising the head after the Rukoo 
  20. In the last part of the prayer after conveying blessings 
  unto the Prophet (SAW) 
  21. Before finishing the prayer (before Tasleem (saying the 
  Salaam to the angels)) 
  22. At the end of Wudu 
  23. On the day of Arafah 
  24. On waking up from sleep 
  25. At times of adversity 
  26. Prayer after the death of a person 
  27. Dua when someone's heart is filled with sincerity and 
  when it is focused on Allah 
  28. Dua of the parent against or for his children 
  29. When the sun moves from its meridian but before the 
  Dhuhr prayer 
  30. The Dua of a Muslim for his brother without the latter's 
  knowledge
  31. At the time the army advances to fight in the way
  of Allah.

Dua can be beautified and perfected by certain actions:

 1. Have Wudu, face Qibla, be neat and clean 
 2. Raise both hands up to the shoulder with palms open facing up
 3. Use words of Allah and Muhammad (SAW)-
  i.e. Duas found in Quran and Hadith 
 4. Ask by Asma alHusna- Allah's Beautiful Names 
 5. Ask Allah by your good deeds 
 6. Be insistent-repeat (i.e. 3x's) 
 7. Glorify Allah and recite Durud for the Prophet (SAW) at
 both the beginning and end 
 8. Show humility, entreaty, desire and fear while making Dua 
 9. Repent and try to make amends where one has wronged 
 10. Confess mistakes, shortcomings, and sins 
 11. Keep voice between a whisper and speaking aloud 
 12. Show the need for Allah's help and implore Him for release 
 from weakness, hardship and tribulation.  
 13. Seize the opportunity of time, situation and circumstance in
 which prayers are answered 
 14. Avoid rhymed prose to keep concentration 
 15. Crying when making Dua 
 16. The Dua of Dhun-Nun (Yunus) by which he invoked Allah from
 within the belly of the whale was:  "LAa ilaha illa
  Anta, Subhanaka innee kuntu min aDH-DHaalimeen."
  No Muslim ever makes Dua with it but Allah
  answers it." [at tirmidhi in his sunan, ahmad
  and hakim reported it and hakim declared it
  authentic and adh dhahabee agreed] 
 17. End with "Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen"


 We should ask for Dunya things, but not just for the
sake of Dunya itself and for Akhirah things. We should
not ask for punishment to be brought forward in this world or
for early death.  We should not curse any particular human being
or animal, abuse a Muslim for no reason, abuse dead people
without cause and religious excuse, or abuse fever or the wind.
We should not make Dua by saying we have been given rain by this
or that star or what Allah willed, and so and so willed. We
should not make Dua against family and property or for sinful
acts and severing the bonds.

 In the end there can be reasons why the Dua might not be
answered such as not fulfilling conditions like some of
the ones listed above or:  Divine Wisdom, trying to  hurry the
response of one's Dua, Dua for what is sinful or the breaking
off of relations, eating, drinking, or dressing from what is
Haram, not being resolute in making Dua, abandoning the duty of
enjoining what is good and shunning the  evil, the dominance of
unmindfulness, lust and vain desires, not being  submissive
during Salah, or committing particular sins (not divorcing a
vile  woman, giving a loan without a witness, and a man who gave
his wealth to the foolish)

 More information on Dua can be found in a book in
English, a translation of Kitaab ud-Du`aa' by Shaykh
al-`Awaa'ishah (published by Jam`iat Ihyaa Minhaaj al-Sunnah),
the Book of Supplications in Al-Bukhari and Riyadh us Saleheen
and Ajawab Alkafi by Imam Shams Adeen Mohamad bin AbiBakr Bin
Qayem Ajawyzeyah.  Jazakamullahu khairan to those who corrected
and added to the above compilation.  May Allah make us of those
that oft turn to Him in Dua.  Ameen.

THE TYPES OF HEARTS

As-Salamu Alaykum (peace be upon you),

THE TYPES OF HEARTS

Narrated by Ibn Bashir: I heard Allah's Apostle saying:

"Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the pastures of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a pasture and the pasture of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart." [Bukhari]

It is clear from this Hadith that the heart is the essence of the whole body.

So what do we mean by a good and bad heart? Are we saying a bad heart is on the brink of a heart attack, clogged and cluttered with cholesterol and a healthy heart is of the one who cares for his health, eating well and exercising so his heart is strong.

NO!

This Hadith describes the doubtful matters, the matters that are not clearly forbidden or clearly permissible, the matters that one has no knowledge of. The one who avoids the doubtful matters, is keeping himself clear from what is unlawful. And the one who indulges in these matters, is likely to slip into the unlawful.

Clearly, with the warning that follows this must mean that the dealing in the doubtful and unlawful matters has an effect on the heart. So this is what we mean by the health of the heart.

To further emphasize the importance of the heart, the Hadith transmitted on the authority of Abu Hurairah with some addition:

"Verily Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts," and he pointed towards the heart with his fingers." [Muslim]

So if Allah if going to look to our hearts, wouldn't you want your heart to be in the perfect condition? How much effort do we put into making our house, our personal presentation beautiful when we are expecting our fellow Muslims to visit? They are only the creations of Allah , surely we must exert much more effort in our presentation to Allah . We are unaware of what moment our souls will be taken from us forever, so we must make sure the house of our heart is spotless at all times.

To be able to do this we must first understand what condition our heart is in. Understand the different types and conditions of the heart.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

"The hearts are four types: polished as shiny as the radiating lamp, a sealed heart with a knot tied around its seal, a heart that is turned upside down and a wrapped heart. As for the polished heart, it is the heart of the believer and the lamp is the light of faith. The sealed heart is the heart of the disbeliever. The heart that is turned upside down is the heart of the pure hypocrite, because he had knowledge but denied it. As for the wrapped heart, it is a heart that contains belief and hypocrisy. The example of faith in this heart, is the example of the herb that is sustained by pure water. The example of hypocrisy in it, is the example of an ulcer that thrives on puss and blood. Whichever of the two substances has the upper hand, it will have the upper hand of that heart." [Ahmad]

This Hadith describes the types of hearts.


The Healthy Heart

We start first with the heart that is polished as shiny as the radiating lamp. This is the heart of the believer in Allah and His messengers and the radiating lamp is the light of faith.

There are so many references in the Quran describing the healthy, believing heart. Allah says:

"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses are recited unto them, they increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone);"[Noble Quran 8:2]

"...who patiently bear whatever may befall them (of calamities)"[Noble Quran 22:35]

"And those who give charity and also do other good deeds with their hearts full of fear (whether their charities have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning)." [Noble Quran 23:60]

"He it is Who sent down (calmness and tranquility) into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in Faith along with their (present) Faith..." [Noble Quran 48:4]

This heart is filled with fear, fear for disobeying Allah, fear of whether their good deeds will be accepted, fear of the Punishment of disobedience, fear of not reaching Paradise. And also patience for whatever befalls them, calmness and tranquility, having Faith in their Creator that everything is the Will of Allah.

Allah also says:

"And that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord, and that they may believe therein, and their hearts may submit to it with humility."

"And verily, Allah is the Guide of those who believe, to the Straight Path." [Noble Quran 22:54]

And this is the best part of a healthy heart, is the gift of understanding the knowledge. These hearts are filled with the knowledge that Allah has sent, it wasn't lost in the throat, in the chest, it sank into the heart and cleansed it, polished it so it would shine like a radiating lamp, filling the whole body with the desire to please Allah and fearful of displeasing Him.


The Dead Heart

Then we have two other types described in the previous Hadith "...a sealed heart and a heart that is turned upside down..."

These are the dead hearts. These are the hearts of the disbelievers, the ones who rejected the signs of Allah and who brought upon themselves the wrath of Allah.

The sealed heart is the heart that never believed. As described in the interpretation of the meaning of the Quran:

"Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment." [Noble Quran 2:7]

Again it is most beautifully described in the Quran:

"Or the state of the disbeliever is like the darkness in a vast deep sea" [Noble Quran 24:40]

The other type of dead heart, is the upside down heart, the heart of the hypocrite. The one who has had knowledge and rejected it. For him is the lowest, most horrific abode in the Hellfire.

In the Interpretation of the meaning of the Quran, Allah says:

"And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their trespass to wander blindly." [Noble Quran 6:110]

They are arrogant in their thoughts:

"The Hypocrites - they think they are over-reaching Allah, but He will over- reach them: When they stand up to pray, they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance;" [Noble Quran 4:142]

They oppose the laws of Islam:

"The Hypocrites, men and women, (have an understanding) with each other: They enjoin evil, and forbid what is just, and are closed with their hands. They have forgotten Allah. so He hath forgotten them. Verily the Hypocrites are rebellious and perverse." [Noble Quran 9:67]

And they are insulting towards the beloved Prophet of Allah, as Allah explains:

"And behold! The Hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (even) say: "(Allah) and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!" [Noble Quran 33:12]

Certainly this shows the lowest nature of these hearts.


The Sick Heart

Now we examine the nature of the sick heart.

It is true that words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) come clear and sweet, as only he can explain the sick heart and leave no doubt to it's meaning:

"...As for the wrapped heart, it is a heart that contains belief and hypocrisy. The example of faith in this heart, is the example of the herb that is sustained by pure water. The example of hypocrisy in it, is the example of an ulcer that thrives on puss and blood. Whichever of the two substances has the upper hand, it will have the upper hand of that heart."

This is the heart of the believer in Allah, and the Last Day, but they are wavering in their faith. Their desires pull them away from their Creator and they are focused on the delights of the Dunya with little regard for the ultimate delights that could await them in the Hereafter. They are drowning in sinful behavior and slow to repent.

Their hearts have been described by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

"...and the other (heart) black and dust-colored like a vessel which is upset, not recognizing what is good or rejecting what is abominable, but being impregnated with passion." [Muslim]

We all, as believing Servants of Allah have times where we fall into this category, where our focus is diverted from the Hereafter and we become lost in the trials and delights of this short life we are currently living. It is a time when belief is weakened and fear of Allah is reduced.

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

"There is (at times) some sort of shade upon my heart, and I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day." [Muslim]

Surely, on hearing this we must ask ourselves, the heart of the Prophet (peace be upon him) must be the healthiest of all hearts, he has been labeled the best of all Mankind, so if his heart feels a shade upon it and feels that he needs to seek forgiveness 100 times a day, we must ask...what must we do to have a healthy heart?

Repent sincerely, with full hope of Allah's Mercy and Forgiveness, and strive in His cause to better ourselves and the deeds that we do.

April Fool

Praise be to Allaah, we praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah from the evil of our own selves and from our evil deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides, none can lead astray, and whomsoever He sends astray, none can guide. 

Lying is an evil characteristic, which all religions and systems of ethics warn against and which man's innate common sense (fitrah) agrees that it is wrong. Those who possess chivalry and sound reason also say this. 

Truthfulness is one of the pillars on which the moral survival of the world depends. It is the foundation of praiseworthy characteristics, the cornerstone of Prophethood, the result of taqwaa. Were it not for truthfulness, the rulings of all divinely-revealed laws would collapse. Acquiring the characteristic of lying is akin to shedding one's humanity, because speaking is an exclusively human trait. 

(Bareeqah Mahmoodiyyah, Muhammad al-Khaadimi, 3/183) 

Our purely monotheistic sharee’ah warns against lying in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and there is consensus that it is haraam. The liar will have bad consequences in this world and in the next.

According to sharee’ah, lying is not permitted except in specific cases which do not lead to loss of rights, bloodshed or slander of people’s honour, etc., but which concern saving lives, reconciling between people, or creating love between husband and wife. 

There is a never a day or a moment when sharee’ah permits a person to tell lies or to say whatever he wants based on lies. One of the things that have become widespread among the common people is the so called “April Fool’s Day”, where they claim that the first day of the fourth solar month is a day when lying is permitted without being subject to any shar’i guidelines. 

Many bad things may result from this, some of which we will mention below. 

The prohibition of lying. 

1.                 Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“It is only those who believe not in the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah, who fabricate falsehood, and it is they who are liars

[al-Nahl 16:105] 

Ibn Katheer said: 

“Then Allaah tells us that His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not a fabricator or a liar, because only the most evil of people who do not believe in the signs of Allaah, the kaafirs and heretics who are known amongst the people for telling lies, tell lies about Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most truthful of people, the most righteous, the most perfect in knowledge, action, faith and certain belief. He was known amongst his people for his truthfulness; none of them doubted that, to such an extent that he was known amongst them as ‘al-Ameen (the trustworthy) Muhammad.’ Hence when Heraclius, the ruler of Rome, asked Abu Sufyaan about the characteristics of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the things he asked was, ‘Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said?’ He said, ‘No.’ Heraclius said: ‘If he refrained from telling lies about people he would not go and tell lies about Allaah.’ 

(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/588) 

2.                 It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust.” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 33; Muslim, 59) 

al-Nawawi said: 

“What the commentators and most of the scholars said – which is correct – is that this means that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who has these characteristics resembles the hypocrites in this sense. 

The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘he is a pure hypocrite’ mean that he strongly resembles the hypocrites because of these characteristics. Some of the scholars said:  this is concerning one in whom  these characteristics predominate; one in whom these characteristics rarely appear is not included in this. This is the favoured view concerning the meaning of this hadeeth. Imaam Abu ‘Eesa al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated this meaning from the scholars and said: ‘The meaning of this according to the scholars is hypocrisy in one's actions.’” 

(Sharh Muslim, 2/46-47) 

The most evil kinds of lies are: 

1.                 Lies told about Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

This is the most serious kind of lie, and the one who does this is subject to a severe warning. Some of the scholars said that the one who does this is to be denounced as a kaafir. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: ‘Verily, those who invent a lie against Allaah will never be successful’”

[Yoonus 10:69] 

It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Do not tell lies about me. Whoever tells lies about me, let him enter the Fire.’” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 106). 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell.”

(narrated by al-Bukhaari, 110; Muslim, 3). 

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

“… ‘Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell’, i.e., let him take his place in Hell where he will abide and settle; it is not like a manzil or camp where he stays for a while and then moves on.” 

(Tareeq al-Hijratayn, p. 169) 

Lying also includes lies told about or to other people, such as 

2.                 Lying in buying and selling.

It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three to whom Allaah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection and He will not look at them or praise them, and they will have a painful torment.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) repeated this three times. Abu Dharr said: “May they be doomed and lost, who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “The one who lets his garment hang below his ankles, the one who reminds others of his favours, and the one who disposes of his goods by swearing a false oath.” 

(Narrated by Muslim, 106) 

It was narrated that Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1973; Muslim, 532) 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“Allaah has enjoined truthfulness and honesty, and He has forbidden lies and concealment with regard to matters which should be known and revealed to people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a hadeeth whose authenticity is agreed upon: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’ And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allaah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety’

[al-Maa’idah 5:8].” 

(Minhaaj al-Sunnah, 1/16) 

3.                 The prohibition on lying about visions and dreams 

This refers to when some of them claim to have seen such and such in a dream, but they are not telling the truth, then in the morning he starts to tell the people something that he did not see. 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells of a dream that he did not see will be commanded [on the Day of Resurrection] to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it. Whoever eavesdrops on people’s conversation when they dislike that – or they try to get away from him  - will have molten copper poured in his ears in the Day of Resurrection. And whoever makes an image will be punished and will be told to breathe life into it, and he will not be able to do so.” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6635) 

Al-Manaawi said: 

“ ‘to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it’ – because tying one to the other is not possible ordinarily. He will be punished until he does that, and he will never be able to do it. It is as if he is saying that he will be enjoined to do something that he can never do, and is being punished for it. This is a metaphor for continuous punishment… The reason why barley (sha’eer)  is mentioned specifically is because dreams are connected to feelings (shu’oor); the words sha’eer (barley) and shu’oor (feelings) come from the same root in Arabic. 

The punishment for that is so severe – even though lies when awake may cause more damage, because they may involve testimony that may lead to execution or a hadd punishment – because lying about a dream is a lie about Allaah, may He be exalted, for dreams are a part of Prophethood, so they come from Him, and lying about the Creator is worse than lying about created beings. 

(Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/99) 

4.                 The prohibition of speaking about everything that one hears 

It was narrated that Hafs ibn ‘Aasim said: “The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘It is sufficient lying for a man to speak of everything that he hears.’” 

(Narrated by Muslim, 5) 

With regard to the meanings of the hadeeth and reports on this topic, they discourage speaking about everything that one hears. For usually a person will hear both true things and lies, so if he were to speak of everything that he hears, he would be lying, by telling of something that did not happen. We have stated above the view of the people of truth: that lying means telling of something in a manner other than the way it happened. It is not conditional upon it being done deliberately, but its being done deliberately is a condition of it being a sin. And Allaah knows best.” 

(Sharh Muslim, 1/75) 

5.                 Lying in jest 

Some people think that it is permissible to tell lies if it is in jest. This is the excuse that they use for telling lies on April 1^st or on other days. This is wrong. There is no basis for this in the pure sharee’ah. Lying is haraam whether the one who does it is joking or is serious. 

Lying in jest is haraam just like other kinds of lies. 

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘I joke, but I speak nothing but the truth.’” 

(narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 12/391) 

This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 8/89, and classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) in Saheeh al-Jaami, 2494) 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, you joke with us.’ He said, ‘But I only speak the truth.’” 

(narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1990) 

Abu ‘Eesa said: this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. 

A similar hadeeth was narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (8/305) and classed as hasan by al-Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 9/17 

‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Laylaa said: the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that they were travelling with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). A man among them fell asleep and some of them went and took his arrows. When the man woke up, he got alarmed (because his arrows were missing) and the people laughed. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “What are you laughing at?” They said, “Nothing, except that we took the arrows and he got alarmed.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to frighten another Muslim.” 

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5004; Ahmad, 22555 – this version narrated by Ahmad). 

This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7658) 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed from his father from his grandfather that he heard the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “None of you should take the belongings of his brother, whether in jest or otherwise. Whoever has taken the stick of his brother, let him return it.” 

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5003; al-Tirmidhi, 2160 in brief) 

The hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7578 

6.                 Lying when playing with children 

We must beware of lying when playing with children, because that will be written down (in the record of deeds of) the one who that. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against doing that. It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My mother called me one day when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting in our house. She said, ‘Come here, and I will give you (something).’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What do you want to give him?’ She said, ‘I will give him a date.’ The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If you had not given him something, you would have been lying.’” 

And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says to a child, ‘Come here and take this,’ then does not give him something, this is counted as a lie.’” 

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4991) 

This hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-‘Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami’, 1319. 

7.                 Lying to make people laugh 

It was narrated that Mu’aawiyah ibn Haydah said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Woe to the one who talks to make the people laugh and tells lies, woe to him, woe to him.’” 

(narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 235. He said: this is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 4990). 

The punishment for lying: 

The liar is warned of destructive punishment in this world, and humiliating punishment in the Hereafter. These include: 

1.                 Hypocrisy in the heart. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies

[al-Tawbah 9:77] 

‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “You may know the hypocrite by three things: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.”. He said: “Recite this aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

‘And of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah (Zakaah and voluntary charity in Allaah’s Cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous.”

Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay the Sadaqah (Zakaah or voluntary charity)], and turned away, averse.

So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies

[al-Tawbah 9:75-77].” 

(Musanaaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/125) 

2.                 Guidance to evildoing and to the Fire 

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said:

“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Truthfulness is righteousness, and righteousness leads to  Paradise. A person will continue to tell the truth until he is written with Allaah as one who tells the truth. Lying is evildoing, and evildoing leads to Hell. A person will keep on telling lies until he is written as a liar.’” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5743; Muslim, 2607) 

al-San’aani said: 

This hadeeth indicates that whoever continues to speak the truth, it will become a feature of his, and whoever deliberately tells lies and persists in it, it will become a feature of his.  This is the same as any other good or evil characteristic, if a person persists in it, it becomes a feature of his. 

This hadeeth indicates how serious the matter of telling the truth is, and that it may lead a person to Paradise, and it indicates how ugly lying is and how it may lead a person to Hell. This is in addition to the consequences in this world, for the one who tells the truth will have his words accepted by people, and his testimony will be accepted by judges and he will be liked for what he says, whereas for the liar the opposite will be the case. 

Subul al-Salaam, 2/687 

3.                 His testimony will be rejected 

Ibn al-Qayyim said: 

[The reason why the testimony of the liar is rejected] 

The strongest reason why testimonies, fatwas and reports may be rejected is lying, because it corrupts the very essence of the testimony, fatwa or report. It is like the testimony of a blind man concerning sighting the new moon, or the testimony of a deaf man concerning having heard the admission of someone.   The lying tongue is like some faculty that is no longer working, indeed it is even worse than that, for the most evil thing a man may possess is a lying tongue. 

A’laam al-Muwaqqi’een, 1/95 

4.                 Blackening of the face in this world and in the Hereafter 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied against Allaah (i.e. attributed to Him sons, partners) their faces will be black”[al-Zumar 39:60] 

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Hence on the Day of Resurrection Allaah will make blackened faces the sign of the one who told lies about Him and His Messenger. Lying has a great effect in blackening the face and covering it with a mask of shame which every truthful person will be able to see. The feature of the liar is clearly visible in the face, and everyone who has the eyes to see can see it.  But Allaah will bless the truthful person with dignity and respect, so whoever sees him will respect him and love him, and He will give the liar humiliation and shame, so whoever sees him will loathe him and despise him. And Allaah is the Source of strength. 

A’laam al-Muwaqqi’een, 1/95 

5.                 The liar will have the flesh of his cheeks torn to the back of his head 

It was narrated that Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) often used to say to his companions, ‘Has anyone among you seen a dream?’ Then whoever Allaah willed would tell of his dream. One day he said to us, ‘Two (angels) came to me last night and woke me up, then they said to me, ‘Let’s go!’… so we set out and came to a man who was lying flat on his back and another man standing over his head with an

iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man's mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck) and similarly tear his nose from front to back and his eye from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man's face and did just as he had done with the other side. Hardly had he completed this side when the first side was restored to its normal state. Then he went back and did that all over again. I said to my two companions, 'Subhaan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said to me, ‘Move on, move on!' (Then he said, describing how the two angels explained the things that he had seen): ‘As for the man you came across, the sides of whose mouth, nostrils and eyes were being torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreads all over the world.’” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5745) 

The comments of the Salaf on lying: 

1.                 ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “A man may speak the truth and persist in doing so until there is in his heart not even room for evil the size of a needle. Or a man may tell lies and persist in doing so until  there is in his heart not even room for truth the size of a needle. 

2.                 And it was narrated that he said: “It is not correct to tell lies whether in jest or in seriousness,” then ‘Abd-Allaah recited the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds)”

[al-Tawbah 9:119] 

3.                 Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq said: “Beware of lying, for it has nothing to do with faith.” 

4.                 It was narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas said: “The believer may acquire all sorts of characteristics except treachery and lying.” 

5.                 It was narrated that ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “True faith is not achieved until one gives up lying in jest.” 

(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 5/235, 236) 

Permissible kinds of lies 

Lying is permissible in three cases: war; reconciling between two disputing parties; and a husband lying to his wife or vice versa for the sake of love and harmony. 

It was narrated from Umm Kalthoom bint ‘Uqbah that she heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “He is not a liar who reconciles between people and narrates something good or says something good.” 

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2546; Muslim, 2605) 

It was narrated that Asmaa’ bint Yazeed said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘It is not permissible to tell lies except in three (cases): when a man speaks to his wife in a way to please her; lying in war; and lying in order to reconcile between people.’” 

(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1939) 

This hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7723 

April fool 

But with regard to “April Fool” (in Arabic, Kidhbat Neesaan or the lies of April), the origin of this lying is not known for sure. There are differing opinions concerning that: 

Some of them said that it developed from the celebrations of spring at the equinox on March 21. 

Some of them said that this innovation appeared in France in 1564 CE, after the introduction of a new calendar, when a person who had refused to accept the new calendar became the victim of some people who had subjected him to embarrassment and made fun of him, so he became a laughing-stock for others. 

Some of them said that this innovation goes back to ancient times and the pagan celebrations connected to a specific date at the beginning of spring, so this is the remnant of pagan rituals. It was said that hunting in some countries was unsuccessful during the first days of the hunt in some countries. This was the origin of these lies which are made up on the first day of April. 

 Le poisson d’avril 

The Europeans call “April Fool” le poisson d’avril (lit. “April fish”). The reason for this is that the sun moves from the zodiacal house of Pisces to the next house, or because the word poisson, which means fish, is a distortion of the word passion, which means suffering, “so it is a symbol of the suffering endured by Jesus (peace be upon him), according to the claims of the Christians, and they claim that this happened in the first week of April. 

Some of the kuffaar call this day All Fools’ Day, as it is known to the English.  That is because of the lies that they tell so that those who hear them might believe them and thus become a victim for those who  are making fun of him. 

The first mention of April Fool in the English language was in a magazine known as Dreck Magazine. On the second day of April in 1698 CE, this magazine mentioned that a number of people were invited to come and watch the washing of black people in the Tower of London on the morning of the first day of April. 

One of the most famous incidents that happened in Europe on April 1^st was when the English newspaper, the Evening Star, announced in March 1746 CE that the following day – April 1^st – that there would be an parade of donkeys in Islington, in England. The people rushed to see these animals and there was a huge crowd. They continued waiting  and when they got tired of waiting, they asked about when the parade would be. They not find anything, then they knew that they had come to make an exhibition of themselves, as if they were the donkeys! 

‘Aasim ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Qurawayti 

After knowing this reality,let us make a promise to ourselves never to celebrate this day. We have to learn from the Spanish and adhere to the reality of Islam and never allow our faith to be weakened again. 

I say: it does not matter what the origins of April fool are. What matters more is knowing the ruling on lying on this day, which we are sure did not exist during the first and best generations of Islam. It did not come from the Muslims, but rather from their enemies. 

The things that happen on April fools’ day are many. Some people have been told that their child or spouse or someone who is dear to them has died, and unable to bear this shock, they have died. Some have been told that they are being laid off, or that there has been a fire or an accident in which their family has been killed, so they suffer paralysis or heart attacks, or similar diseases. 

Some people have been told about their wives, that they have been seen with other men, and this has led them to kill or divorce their wives. 

These are the endless stories and incidents that we hear of, all of which are lies which are forbidden in Islam and unacceptable to common sense or honest chivalry. 

We have seen how Islam forbids lying even in jest, and it forbids frightening a Muslim whether in seriousness or in jest, in words or in actions. 

This is the law of Allaah in which is wisdom and care for people’s circumstances. 

And Allaah is the Source of Strength.