Abu Zakariyya Ahmed Al-Hudaydi

A Common Mistake Many People Make: Do Not Say, "Islam Will Remain Victorious Until the Hour"—There Will Be No Religion Then! Shaykh Abdurrahman Al-Umaysan حفظه الله

A Profound Warning from Ḥudhayfah: When the Truth Becomes as Little as the Light Between Two Stones—Shirk Is Presented as the True Creed and Innovation as the Sunnah! Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzan Al-Hajiri حفظه الله

A Story of a Hindu’s Acceptance of Islam: How a Dog Exposed the Falsehood of Idolatry—A Journey to Islam Through Sound Intellect! Shaykh Abdurrazzaq Al-Badr حفظه الله

Advice for a Young Man at the Beginning of His Journey of Steadfastness Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked: What advice would you give to a young man who is at the beginning of his journey of steadfastness upon Islam? He replied: Our advice to this young man, who is upon a sound path, inshā’Allāh, is: First: That he constantly asks Allah for steadfastness and correctness. Second: That he frequently recites the Qur’an with reflection and contemplation, for this Qur’an has a tremendous effect upon the heart when a person reads it thoughtfully. Third: That he strives to remain constant in acts of obedience and does not become weary or lazy, for the Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from incapacity and laziness. Fourth: That he is keen to accompany righteous people and keeps away from the company of evil people. Fifth: That he advises and encourages himself whenever his soul begins to affect him and says, “The distance is long, and the path is difficult.” Let him counsel himself and remain firm, for Paradise is surrounded by hardships, while the Fire is surrounded by desires and temptations. Sixth: That he distances himself from bad companions, even if they were his friends in the past, because evil companions have an effect upon a person. For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ said: “The example of a bad companion is like the blacksmith’s bellows: either he will burn your clothes, or you will find from him an offensive smell.” 📚Liqāʾ al-Bāb al-Maftūḥ (70/33).

On the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no believing servant except that he has a sin which he falls into from time to time, or a sin that he persists upon and does not part from until he departs this world. Indeed, the believer was created prone to trial, ever-repenting, and forgetful. When he is reminded, he remembers.” 📚Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ, no. 5735.

On the authority of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Three people’s supplications are not rejected: … the fasting person until he breaks his fast, and the supplication of the one who has been wronged…” 📚Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah, no. 1432.

The Scorching Summer Heat Is a Reminder of Hellfire: If You Cannot Bear the Sun, Then How Will You Bear Hellfire? Shaykh Abdurrahman Al-Umaysan حفظه الله

اللهم اشف مرضانا ومرضى المسلمين من آبائنا وأمهاتنا، اللهم صب العافية في أجسادهم، وأبدلهم من بعد ألمهم راحة وسكينة، اللهم رب الناس، أذهب البأس، واشفهم، أنت الشافي، لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك، شفاء لا يغادر سقماً. O Allah, heal our sick and the sick among the Muslims from among our fathers and mothers. O Allah, pour well-being into their bodies, and replace their pain with comfort and tranquility. O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove their affliction and heal them. You are the Healer; there is no healing except Your healing. Grant them a healing that leaves behind no illness.

The Fasting of ʿĀshūrāʾ Is Equivalent to the Fasting of an Entire Year On the authority of Abū Qatādah, may Allah be pleased with him: “A man asked the Prophet ﷺ, saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who fasts on the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ?’ He ﷺ said: ‘That is equivalent to the fasting of a year.’” 📚Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Hibban (no. 179).

On the authority of Malik ibn Anas that it reached him that Umar ibn al-Khattab sent a message to Al-Harith ibn Hisham: “Tomorrow is the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, so fast, and command your family to fast.” 📚Al-Muwatta, vol. 1, p. 299.

The Tragedy of the Martyrdom of Al-Ḥusayn and the Innovation of Annual Mourning: Between the Prophetic Sunnah and the Rituals of Misguidance! Shaykh Abdurrazzaq Al-Badr حفظه الله

On the authority of Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “Abū Mūsā was afflicted with a severe illness and lost consciousness while his head was in the lap of a woman from his family. She began lamenting, and he was unable to respond to her in any way. When he regained consciousness, he said: ‘I am free from those whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared himself free from. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared himself free from the woman who raises her voice with wailing, the woman who shaves her head (upon a calamity), and the woman who tears her garments.’” 📚Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1296.

On the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “He is not from us who strikes the cheeks, tears the garments, or calls with the calls of the Days of Ignorance (Jāhiliyyah).” 📚Sahih Muslim, no. 103.

Should We Fast a Day Before ʿĀshūrāʾ or a Day After It? The Authentic Prophetic Guidance In the authentic narrations, the only day mentioned alongside ʿĀshūrāʾ is the ninth. In this authentic narration, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If the coming year arrives, if Allah wills, we shall fast the ninth day.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 1134). However, the following year did not arrive before our beloved Prophet ﷺ passed away. Therefore, we follow the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for he mentioned fasting the ninth but did not mention the eleventh. Thus, we fast the ninth and the tenth, seeking to adhere to his Sunnah and noble guidance, inshā’Allāh. As for the narration, “If I remain, I will certainly command fasting a day before it or a day after it—the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ,” then it is not authentic. Imam al-Albānī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in al-Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah (9/288, no. 4297): “Munkar (denounced) with this complete wording.” He explained that al-Bayhaqī reported it in al-Sunan (4/287) through the chain of Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Laylā, from Dāwūd ibn ʿAlī, from his father, from his grandfather. He said: “This chain is weak. Dāwūd ibn ʿAlī ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās was graded as maqbūl (accepted when supported by corroborating evidence; otherwise weak) by al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar, and Ibn Abī Laylā — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān — was weak and had poor memory.” He further stated that it was also reported from him with the wording: “Fast a day before it and a day after it,” without the phrase, “If I remain…,” and it is referenced in Ḥijāb al-Marʾah al-Muslimah (p. 89). He then said: “The mention of the day after it is munkar (denounced), as it contradicts the authentic hadith of Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, with the wording: ‘If I remain until next year, I will surely fast the ninth.’” This authentic narration was reported by Muslim and al-Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (no. 8402). Furthermore, Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “Oppose the Jews; fast the ninth and the tenth.” Reported by al-Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (no. 8404) and authenticated by Imam al-Albānī, may Allah have mercy upon him, in Jilbāb al-Marʾah al-Muslimah (p. 177). Furthermore, these narrations clearly indicate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ specified a particular manner of differing from the Jews. Therefore, it is not permissible for us to abandon that Prophetic guidance or replace it with another manner except on the basis of authentic evidence. And Allah knows best.

Are the Rāfiḍah Our Brothers? The Truth Without Compromise—A Clear and Decisive Answer from Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān! Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan حفظه الله