Class 7
FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS IN SOCIETY
NEIGHBORS
The Qur’an and Sunnah, enjoin kind treatment of neighbours and affirm their rights. Allah S.W.T. says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful” (an-Nisa’ 4:36).
The rights of neighbours is one of the very well-known facts but still somehow always come under Forgotten Sunnahs. The rights and also the forgotten sunnahs with neighbors are…
Being Good with Neighbours
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“Jibreel kept urging me that neighbours should be treated well until I thought he would make them heirs.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should do well to his neighbour.” (Muslim)
Avoid harming the neighbours
Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: –
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour.”(Bukhari & Muslim)
"By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer.’’ It was asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?’’ He ﷺ said, "One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil.” (Sahih Bukhari)
And here we are, not letting anything by, being ready to pounce and fight for every little thing.
Sharing Food with them
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“If you cook something with gravy, increase the gravy and send some of it to your neighbors“ (Bukhari & Muslim).
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr Al-‘Aas used to slaughter and eat meat, he would ask about his Jewish neighbor, and would order for some of the meat to be sent to his Jewish neighbour. And he said, “Verily I heard the Prophet ﷺ say,’Jibreel kept giving me testimony concerning the neighbour until I believed that he would inherit from me.'” (Bukhaari & Muslim).
This was a common practice in the previous generations, but the present generation has unfortunately abandoned this simple yet very powerful act. An act that would bring people together and soften the hearts of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Share even if it is little
The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Muslim women, never belittle any gift you give your neighbour even if it is a hoof of a sheep". (Bukhari & Muslim).
BROTHERHOOD | SISERHOOD
Love for the sake of Allah is one of the strongest bonds of faith, and is one of the most important foundations on which Muslim society is based. It is the basis by means of which ties of friendship and harmony among people are attained, so that they love one another, visit one another, are sincere towards one another, inter-marry, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong, thus attaining true Islamic brotherhood. Through it, people find the sweetness of faith in their interactions, companionship and friendship.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed the strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah.” (Ahmad, classed as Hasan)
Wishing well for others
Anas (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “No one of you shall become a true believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself“. (Bukhari & Muslim).
Not Holding grudges past Monday or Thursday
Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “The deeds of people would be presented every week on two days, viz. Monday and Thursday, and every believing servant would be granted pardon except the one in whose (heart) there is rancour against his brother and it would he said: Leave them and put them off until they are turned to reconciliation.” (Sahih Muslim)
Taking and Giving Gifts
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ would accept gifts and reciprocate for them. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2585).
Saying I love you for the Sake of Allah
The Prophet ﷺ said: "If any of you loves his brother then he should inform him" (Tirmidhi, hadith Hasan Sahih)
Also, Anas ibn Maalik related: "I was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when a man came passing by, and he said, Oh Prophet of Allah, indeed I love this man (in a brotherly way); so he (the Prophet ﷺ) said, “Have you informed him of this?”; so the man said, No.; so the Prophet ﷺ said, “Get up and go tell him”. So he got up and went to him and said, Oh so-and-so, by Allah, indeed I love you for the sake of Allah; so he said, “May the One for whom you have loved me, love you (in return)." ((Ahmad & Abu Daawood; classed as sahih)
In Arabic it is said as: Ahabbak Allah Ullaadhi Ahbabtani Feeh (May the One for whom you have loved me, love you, in return.)
Helping one another
The Prophet ﷺ said,
“[Allah says:] ‘My love is due for those who love one another for My sake; My love is due for those who visit one another for My sake; My love is due for those who help one another for My sake; My love is due for those whose hearts are free of grudges and who uphold ties with one another for My sake.’” (Ahmad; classed as Sahih by Albani)
“To go about with a brother of mine, trying to help him, is dearer to me than spending a month in seclusion (i‘tikaaf) in this mosque of mine. The one who goes about with his Muslim brother, trying to help him, until he meets his needs, Allah will make his feet steadfast on the Day when feet will slip.” (at-Tabaraani, Ibn Bashraan and others; classed as hasan by al-Albaani)
Imagine, how beautiful would the community be, if we were so eager to help one another. We love each other for the Sake of Allah and we love for our brothers & sisters what we love for ourselves. We compete but only to do good.
May Allah bless us all with the Hidayah to overcome the negative feelings that come from the love of this duniya and the desire to compete in for materialistic things
Rights of a Muslim
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“A believer owes another believer five rights: responding to greetings, visiting him in illness, following his funeral, accepting his invitation, and saying `Yarhamuk-Allah (May Allah have mercy on you),’ when he says `Al-hamdu lillah (Praise be to Allah)’ after sneezing“. (Bukhari & Muslim].
“There are six rights of a Muslim upon a Muslim: When you meet him, greet him; when he invites you, respond to him; when he seeks counsel, give him advice; when he sneezes and says Alhamdulillah, say to him: Yarhamuk-Allah’; when he is sick, visit him; and when he dies, follow his funeral“. (Muslim)
Think positively of your brothers
The basic principle is that the Muslim is to be thought of in the best terms and one should regard him in the most positive light in everything that he says and does, and not think negatively of him or suspect him, because suspicion is the falsest of speech. This applies unless he actually does something that is contrary to that. The Muslim is the brother of his fellow Muslim.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not seek out one another’s faults; do not spy on one another; do not compete with one another; do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another. Be, O slaves of Allah, brothers.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: “Do not think badly of a word uttered by your brother, when you can find a good interpretation for it.”
Important note: Making excuses does not mean that one should stand for mistreatment or abuse. One must seek understanding and forgiveness, but also take measures to protect oneself from harm. “Do not oppress and do not BE oppressed…”
Hiding faults
Ibn `Umar (May Allah bepleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to (his satan or to his self which is inclined to evil). Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection“. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Simple Marriages
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ rightly said, “Make Marriage easy and Zina Difficult” (Tirmidhi).
So the extravagant Marriages are one of the reasons zina is wide spread as people are not able to marry and eventually falling in to the grave sin.
May Allah bless all the single brothers & Sisters with a righteous spouse.
SPREADING SALAM
’A man asked the Prophet ﷺ, “What Islamic traits are the best?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “To give food, and to greet everyone, whether you know or you do not.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
The Prophet ﷺ urged the Muslims to foster love between one another by exchanging gifts and food, and by spreading salam, and he forbade the opposite, namely forsaking one another, turning away from one another, spying on one another, seeking out information about one another, stirring up trouble and being two faced.
Ibn Hajar said: “I.e., do not single out anybody out of arrogance or to impress them, but do it to honour the symbols of Islam and to foster Islamic brotherhood.”
Forgotten Sunnahs related to Salam
To spread the Islamic greeting to both known and Unknown Muslims
The Prophet ﷺ made spreading salaam a part of faith. As mentioned in the hadeeth above the best of us are those who say the Salam to those who we know and whom we do not know.
To try and intiate Greeting
Abu Umamah Sudaiy bin `Ajlan Al-Bahili (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The person nearest to Allah is one who is the first to offer greeting.” [Abu Dawud].
Who Greets who
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘A rider should greet a pedestrian; a pedestrian should greet one who is sitting; and a small group should greet a large group (of people).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The narration in Al-Bukhari adds: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The young should greet the elderly.”
Saying Assalamu `alaykum to children whenever we pass by them
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) passed by some children and greeted them (by saying As-salamu ‘alaikum to them). Then he said: The Prophetﷺ used to do the same. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Shaking Hands and Smiling
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Two Muslims will not meet and shake hands without having their sins forgiven (by Allah ) before they depart.” [Abu Dawud].
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “Do not belittle any good deed, even your meeting with your brother (Muslim) with a cheerful face.” [Muslim].
FORGOTTEN SUNAN OF THE MARKET
Disliking the Markets
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most beloved places on Earth to Allah are its mosques, and the most despised places on Earth to Allah are its markets.”[Sahîh Muslim] SubhaanAllah and now we see that the most visited place by Muslims are the Markets!
From all the places on Earth, Allah loves the mosques above all else. They fulfill the most important function. They are the places where those on Earth make contact with their Creator and Sustainer. The Arabic word for prayer – salâh – means to make a connection between the worshipper and his Lord.
As for the markets, they are not “the most despised places on Earth to Allah” on account of the buying and selling that goes on there. That is not the reason at all.
They are despised because of all the deception and fraud that goes on. The markets are places where false measure is given, and where every day false oaths are sworn. They are places of stinginess, avarice, wrangling, and disputation.
At the same time, we find that this hadîth provides us with a very essential and important concept. By placing the market in comparison with the mosques, the hadîth is acknowledging that the marketplace is an institution in Muslim society, just like the mosque is.
Life is not only about the mosque. The mosque and the marketplace are both integral parts of society.
Allah’s believing servants are people who engage in buying and selling. However, they do not let their commerce distract them from the remembrance of Allah. There is harmony between the rights of this world and the rights of the Hereafter. Allah says: “And do not forget your share of the worldly life.” [Sûrah al-Qasas: 77]
And Allah knows best.
Entering the market whilst saying
The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said “Whoever enters a market place and says (the below) Allaah will write for him thousand thousand reward and erase from him thousand thousand sin and raise him thousand thousand and build for him a house in Jannah!” (al-Nasa’ee & at-Tirmidhi; Shaikh al-Albaanee said the hadeeth is Hasan). There is a difference of opinion about the soundness of this hadeeth, please click here to read details about it.
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَىٌّ لاَ يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
‘Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu yuhyee wa yumeetu wahuwa hayyun laa yamootu, biyadihi alkhayru wahuwa ala kulli shayyin qadeer’
(There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allah alone, He has no partners, He has the dominion and for him is all the praise, He gives life and he takes life and he is the ever living and does not die, in his hand is goodness and he is capable of all things)
Not cheating or lying during trade/business dealings or falsely taking an oath for the same.
This is a Major Sin which in the present time our Brothers & Sisters doing business have forgotten, they do what it takes to get their product sold when Prophet ﷺ has given a stern warning against it.
The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said:
“Whoever cheats (or deceives) does not belong to me.” (Muslim)
“There are three to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, or will He look at them, or sanctify them, and theirs will be a painful torment: ‘The one who drags his Izar (below the ankles) the one who sells his product by means of false oaths, and the one who reminds others of what he has given to them’” (i.e recounts his favors) [Sahih Muslim]
To pay the wage/salary of the worker on time.
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, said,“Pay the worker his wages before his sweat has dried.” [Ref: Sunan Ibn Majah 2436; Hasan (fair) according to Ibn Hajar]
Praising your creditor (one who gave you a loan) while returning his loan back or giving some extra
It was narrated from Isla’il bin Ibrahim bin ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah, from his father, that his grandfather said: “The Prophet borrowed forty thousand from me, then some wealth came to him, and he paid me back and said: ‘May Allah bless your family and your wealth for you: the reward for lending is praise and repayment.“ [Sunan an-Nasa`ee (4683); Saheeh by Hafidh Zubayr `Ali Zae]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A man was owed a young camel by the Prophet ﷺ and he came to him to ask him to pay it off. He ﷺ said: “Give it to him. They looked for a young camel and they could not find anything except one that was of older & better than it. He ﷺ said: “Give it to him.” And he said: You have paid me off, may Allah reward you. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of you are those who are the best in paying off debts.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
This hadeeth might amaze many of us, how can just repaying be the loan that one had taken would make someone be counted amongst the best. Firstly, if we read the full hadeeth we would understand it about showing our gratitude to the one who had helped us in our time of need. And secondly, debt is a serious matter in Islam, one that unfortunately many in our ummah has taken lightly, so the one who is mindful of paying the debts off and showing gratitude when doing so is commended.
May Allah help us all Learn the Good to apply it in our lives and the Evil to stay away from it InshaAllah!
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
Implement any 5 of the Sunnahs covered in week 2. (10 Marks)
Talk about any 5 Sunnahs covered in this week’s classes with atleast 3 people. 10 Marks.
Inform a minimum of 15 friends/family about LEARN ISLAM (we have around 30 courses for adults and along with courses for children, all for free and certificates are also given) 5 Marks.
Pray for the Ummah at the Sunnah times mentioned in Class 4, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. Pray for this applying any three Sunnahs from class 4. - 5 Marks
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