The enemy was never able to stand up to the Companions of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him, so when the news of the defeat of the Romans came to Heraclius at Antioch he asked [his people], “Woe to you, tell me about these people who fight you, are they not humans like you?” They replied, “Indeed, they are.” He asked, “So are you more in number or them?” They replied, “We outnumber them greatly in all places.” He said, “So how is it that you are defeated whenever you meet them [in battle].” A senior and esteemed elder amongst them replied, “Because they stand in prayer at night, fast during the day, fulfill their agreements and promises, enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil, they are fair and just amongst themselves; and because we drink wine, fornicate, commit sin, break our agreements, steal, oppress and do injustice, enjoin the committing of what angers Allāh and forbid what pleases Allāh the Mighty and Majestic, and we cause evil and corruption in the land.” Heraclius said, “You are the one who has told me the truth.” Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm 4:91.
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm 4:91.
The Companions of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – used to say, “The mosques are the houses of Allāh on Earth, and it is a right from Allāh that He will honor those who visit Him in [His houses].” Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq 4:159.
Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq 4:159.
I went out to the mosque with ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb one night in Ramaḍān, and we found people in separate groups: some men praying by themselves and others praying with a small group behind them. ʿUmar said, “I think if I gathered them behind one reciter it would be better.” Later, he made up his mind and gathered them behind Ubay b. Ka’b. On another night, I went out with him again and the people were praying behind their reciter [Ubay]. ʿUmar said, “What a good innovation (bid’ah) this is, but what they are missing by sleeping is better than what they are staying up to pray.” He meant the last part of the night, for the people used to pray in the early part. This is further clarified by the more detailed report in Ibn Sa’d’s Al-Ṭabaqāt Al-Kubrā Vol.5 p42 from Nawfal b. Iyās Al-Hudhalī: During the time of ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb, we used to pray in Ramaḍān in groups – here and there – in the mosque. People would incline to pray behind those who had the best voices. ʿUmar said, “Do I not see that they are treating the Qurān like song? By Allāh, if I can, I will change this.” Only three nights later, he told Ubay b. Ka’b to lead them in prayer, then stood behind the rows and said, “If this is a bid’ah, then what a good bid’ah it is.” Al-‘Allāmah Al-Mu’allimī Al-Yamānī graded this narration’s chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ in his treatise Qiyāmu Ramaḍān p51. Points to note And Allāh knows best.
And Allāh knows best.
Allāh chose from the months the month of Ramaḍān, from all the lands He chose Makkah, from the nights He chose Laylatu Al-Qadr (The Night of Decree), and chose the times for prayers; so a believer is always between two good deeds: one he has done and the other he is waiting to do. Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol.2 p458.
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol.2 p458.
It is said that the adhān of the people of Al-Shām was taken from this adhān. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of Bilāl b. Abī Rabāḥ.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of Bilāl b. Abī Rabāḥ.
It has reached me that an angel goes out, holding his flag, with the first person to go to the masjid and stays holding his flag with him until he returns and then enters his home with it. And Shayṭān goes out, holding his flag, with the first person to go to the market and stays holding his flag with him until he returns and puts it in his home. Al-Mundhirī states in Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, “Reported by Ibn Abī ‘Āṣim amd Abū Nu’aym in Ma’rifatu Al-Ṣaḥābah and other works.” Graded ṣaḥīḥ by Al-Albāni in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb 1:101.
Al-Mundhirī states in Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, “Reported by Ibn Abī ‘Āṣim amd Abū Nu’aym in Ma’rifatu Al-Ṣaḥābah and other works.” Graded ṣaḥīḥ by Al-Albāni in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb 1:101.
Al-Ḥāfidh Al-Mundhirī said in Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, “Reported by Al-Ṭabarāni in Al-Awsaṭ with a ḥasan chain of narrators.” Also graded ḥasan by Shaykh Al-Albānī. See his Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb Vol. 1 p19.
It would be better for a person to be turned to dust than to deliberately walk in front of a person who is praying. Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Al-Tamhīd. Graded sahīh by Shaykh Al-Albānī in Sahīh Al-Targhībi wa Al-Tarhīb Vol. 1 p135.
Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Al-Tamhīd. Graded sahīh by Shaykh Al-Albānī in Sahīh Al-Targhībi wa Al-Tarhīb Vol. 1 p135.
As soon as he said Takbīr, I heard him say, “The dog has killed or eaten me,” when the murderer stabbed him. A non-Arab infidel came carrying a double-edged knife and stabbed everyone he passed by on the right and left, stabbing thirteen people out of whom seven died. When one of the Muslims saw that, he threw a cloak on him. Realizing that he had been captured, the non-Arab infidel killed himself. ‘Umar took the hand of ‘Abdur-Raḥmān b. ‘Auf and let him lead the prayer. Those who were standing by the side of ‘Umar saw what I saw, but the people who were in the other parts of the Mosque did not see anything, but they lost the voice of ‘Umar and they were saying, “Subḥān Allāh! Subḥān Allāh!” ‘Abdur-Raḥmān b. ‘Auf led the people a short prayer. When they finished the prayer, ‘Umar said, “O Ibn ‘Abbās! Find out who attacked me.” Ibn ‘Abbās kept on looking here and there for a short time and then came back and said, “The slave of Al-Mughīrah.” At that, ‘Umar said, “The craftsman?” Ibn ‘Abbās replied, “Yes.” ‘Umar said, “May Allah destroy him. I only treated him well. All praises are for Allāh who has not caused me to die at the hand of a man who claims to be a Muslim. No doubt, you and your father (Al-Abbās) used to love to have more non-Arab infidels in Al-Madīnah.” Al-Abbas had the greatest number of slaves. Ibn ‘Abbās said to ‘Umar. “If you wish, we will do it.” He meant, “If you wish we will kill them.” ‘Umar said, “You are mistaken (for you cannot kill them) after they have spoken your language, prayed towards your Qiblah, and performed Hajj like yours.” Points to note Continued inshā Allāh.
Continued inshā Allāh.
Narrated ‘Amr b. Maimūn: I saw ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb a few days before he was stabbed in Al-Madīnah. He was standing with Ḥudhayfah b. Al-Yamān and ‘Uthmān b. Ḥunaif to whom he said, “What have you done? Do you think that you have imposed more taxation on the land (of As-Swad i.e. ‘Iraq) than it can bear?” They replied, “We have imposed on it what it can bear because of its great yield.” ‘Umar again said, “Check whether you have imposed on the land what it cannot bear.” They said, “No, (we haven’t).” ‘Umar added, “If Allāh should keep me alive I will let the widows of ‘Irāq need no men to support them after me.” But only four days had elapsed when he was stabbed. The day he was stabbed, I was standing and there was nobody between me and him except Abdullah b. ‘Abbas. Whenever Umar passed between rows, he would say, “Stand in straight lines.” When he saw no defect (in the rows), he would go forward and start the prayer with Takbīr. He would recite Sūrah Yusuf or An-Nahl or the like in the first rak’ah so that people would have time to join the prayer. Background The assassination of ʿUmar took place in 23H, following ʿUmar’s return from Ḥajj. He was assassinated by a Persian Majūsī (Fire Worshipper) called Abū Lu`-lu` Fayrauz, who was in the employment of Ḥudhayfah – Allāh be pleased with him. ʿUmar didn’t used to allow war captives to enter Al-Madīnah, but Ḥudhayfah wrote to him requesting him to allow this worker to be hired for his skills in carpentry and metalwork. Ḥudhayfah believed people in Al-Medīnah could benefit from his skills. Ḥudhayfah taxed this worker in the conventional manner, but he complained to ʿUmar about the amount. ʿUmar told him that he was not being taxed unfairly for what he was doing. This angered the Majūsī. One day, ʿUmar passed by the worker and enquired, “I have been told that you claim you can build a mill powered by wind (a windmill).” The Fire worshipper replied with a frown, “I will build you a mill that all the people will talk about.” ʿUmar turned to those who were with him and said, “The slave has given me an appointment [warning].” Points to note Continued inshā Allāh
Continued inshā Allāh