Muslim Minds

This will be a short post insha-Allah. Since, we have not had a post for over a week now, I've decided to break the ice and post something. Enjoy!

It is related that, Ad-Dahhak ibn al-Khariji, who rebelled in the Umayyad era, entered the mosque of Kufa and said to Abu Hanifa (Rahimahullah), "Repent." "Of what?" he (Abu Hanifa) asked. He answered, "Of your allowing arbitration."**

Abu Hanifa asked, "Will you kill me or debate with me?" "I will debate with you", he replied. "And if we disagree on anything in the debate, who will decide between us?", Abu Hanifa asked. He replied, "I will accept whomever you wish." Abu hanifa said to one of the Ad-Dahhak's companions. "Sit and judge between us if we disagree." Then he turned and asked Ad-Dahhak, "Are you content for this one to decide between us?" "Yes," he replied. Abu Hanifa said, "Then you have allowed arbitration, so desist."

**He is referring to the arbitration that took place between 'Ali (RA) and Mu'awiyaa (RA) following the assassination of the 3rd Caliph, 'Uthman Bin 'Affan (RA). The Kharijites didn't like the arbitration and departed from the army of 'Ali (RA). The faithful believers wanted an arbitration in order to stop Muslims spilling each others' blood. It should be noted that Abu Hanifa (Rahimahullah) thought it was the right thing to do and stood by his opinion even though he lived in 'Iraq, which was full of 'Alawites andShi`ites and other sects.

Reference:
It is taken from the book "The Four Imams" by Muhammad Abu Zahra. It can be found on page 161 in his book.

- I admire the Pious but I’m not one of them

Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn `Amr, al-Imam, Abu `Abd Allah al-Humyari al-Asbahi al-Madani (93-179), the Shaykh of Islam, Proof of the Community, Imam of the Abode of Emigration, and Knowledgeable Scholar of Madina predicted by the Prophet. The second of the four major mujtahid imams, whose school filled North Africa, al-Andalus, much of Egypt, and some of al-Sham, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, and Khurasan. He is the author of al-Muwatta’ ("The Approved"), formed of the sound narrations of the Prophet from the people of the Hijaz together with the sayings of the Companions, the Followers, and those after them. It was hailed by al-Shafi`i as the soundest book on earth after the Qur’an, nearest book on earth to the Qur’an, most correct book on earth after the Qur’an, and most beneficial book on earth after the Qur’an according to four separate narrations. Malik said: "I showed my book to seventy jurists of Madina, and every single one of them approved me for it (kulluhum wâta’ani `alayh), so I named it ‘The Approved’." Imam al-Bukhari said that the soundest of all chains of transmission was "Malik, from Nafi`, from Ibn `Umar." The scholars of hadith call it the Golden Chain, and there are eighty narrations with this chain in the Muwatta’.

Please click on the link below to read the rest…

Short Biograpy of Imam Malik

- The brotha from anotha motha.

Muhammad ibn Idris ibn al-`Abbas, al-Imam al-Shafi`i, Abu `Abd Allah al-Shafi`i al-Hijazi al-Qurashi al-Hashimi al-Muttalibi (d. 204), the offspring of the House of the Prophet, the peerless one of the great mujtahid imams and jurisprudent par excellence, the scrupulously pious ascetic and Friend of Allah, he laid down the foundations of fiqh in his Risala, which he said he revised and re-read four hundred times, then said: “Only Allah’s Book is perfect and free from error.”

Please click on the link below to read the rest…

Short Biograpy of Imam Shafi’i

- The brotha from anotha motha.

As for the author, his calibre and prestige goes without saying. He is the great scholar, Shaykhul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him. Scholars of Islaam acknowledge his astonishing excellence in all fields of knowledge – and Allaah favours whom He chooses.

His name is Ahmad Ibn 'Abdul-Haleem Ibn 'Abdis-Salaam. His kunyah is Aboo al-'Abbaas and he is also referred to as Taqiyy ad-Deen. As for his most common appellation: Ibn Taymiyyah, scholars give different accounts for why he was referred to by this term. Some say that one of his ancestors performed hajj through the route of Taymaa and he saw a maid (there) who had came out of a tent, when he returned (to his homeland) he found that his wife had given birth to a daughter and they raised her up to him, whereupon he said: "O Taymiyyah, O Taymiyyah" i.e., she resembled the maid he had seen at Taymaa. It is also said that the mother of his grandfather Muhammad, was named Taymiyyah and thus he came to be ascribed to her. [1] He was born in Harraan, an old city within the Arabian Peninsula between Shaam [2] and Iraq, on the tenth or the twelfth of the month Rabee' al-Awwal in the year 661H. He later fled at a young age with his family to Damascus because of the terrible conditions of his homeland and those surrounding it as a result of the occupation by the Tartars.

Please click on the link below to read the rest…

Biography of Shaykh ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah

- The brotha from anotha motha.

It is related that there was a man in Kufa who stated, “`Uthman ibn `Affan was a Jew” and the scholars could not quiet him or impel him to say other than what had said. Abu Hanifa went to him and said, “I’ll bring you a suitor.” “Who for?” asked he man. “For your daughter. It is a noble man who is wealthy, generous and who knows the Book of Allah by heart. He prays at night and weeps frequently out of fear of Allah.” “One would be content with far less than this,Abu Hanifa !” “There is just one thing” said the Imam. “What is that?” asked the man. “He is a Jew” replied the Imam. The man exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah! Do you tell me to marry my daughter to a Jew?” “You will not do it?” asked the Imam. “No” replied the man.Abu Hanifa continued, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married his daughter to such a Jew,” meaning `Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, whom the man claimed to be a Jew. He said, “I ask forgiveness of Alalh. I repent to Allah Almighty.”

Note: Muslim women are not allowed to marry men from Ahlul Kitaab (Jews and Christians). This in no way shows enmity against a particular race or ethnic group.

Reference:
It is taken from the book "The Four Imams" by Muhammad Abu Zahra. It can be found on page 161 in his book.

- I admire the Pious but I’m not one of them .

I'm currently reading the biographies of the Four Imams namely: Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi'ee, and Imam Ahmad. So, I've decided to post some of the interesting incidents from their lives from which we might benefit,insha-Allah. Here is an interesting story from the life of Imam Abu Hanifa.

Most of the people think Imam Abu Hanifa valued opinion to an extent that sometimes he neglected some hadeeth or didn't even make an effort to find a hadeeth on a specific matter. This was also the case when the Imam was alive and the fuqahaa of 'Iraq were known for their opinions among the Muslims.

"It appears that Abu Hanifa met Muhammad al-Baqir(great grandson of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad-PBUH, Al-Husayn) at the beginning of his development (as a faqih). He first met him in Madina when he was visiting it. It is reported that al-Baqir remarked to him, "Are you the one who changes the deen of my grandfather and his hadiths by analogy?" Abu Hanifa replied, " I seek refuge with Allah!" Muhammad said, "You have changed it." Abu Hanifa said, "Sit in your place as is your right until I sit by my right. I respect you as your grandfather, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was respectred by his Companions when he was alive." He sat.

Then Abu Hanifa knelt before him and said, " I will present you with three things to answer. Who is weaker: a man or woman?" "A woman", he replied. Abu Hanifa asked, "What is the share of a woman?" "A man has two shares and a woman one," he replied. Abu Hanifa said, "This is the statement of your grandfather. If I had changed the deen of your grandfather, by analogy a man would have one share and a woman two because the woman is weaker than the man."

Then he asked, "Which is better: the prayer or fasting?" "The prayer," al-Baqir replied. He said, "This is the statement of your grandfather. If I had changed the deen of your grandfather, by ananlogy would be that, because the prayer is better, when a woman is free of menstruation she should be commanded to make up the prayer and not make up the fast."

Then he asked, "Which is more impure: urine or sperm?" "Urine is more impure," he replied. He said, "If I had changed the deen of your grandfather by analogy, I would have ordered a ghusl for urine and wudu' for sperm. I seek refuge with Allah from changing the deenof your grandfather by analogy." Muhammad rose and embraced him and kissed his face to honour him."

Note: Muhammad al-Baqir, the son of Zayn al-'Abidin, was the brother of (Shi`ite) Imam Zayd and died before him. He was one of the Shi`ite Imams on whom the Twelvers (Ithna Asharites) and Ismai`lis, the two famous Shi`ite groups, agree. He was called, "al-Baqir" (deep seeker of knowledge) because of the serious way he sought knowledge. Although he was one of the People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), he did not speak ill of the first three khalifs.

Reference:

Al-Makki mentions this conservation and it is taken from the book "The Four Imams" by Muhammad Abu Zahra. It can be found on page 169-170 in his book.

-I admire the Pious but I’m not one of them .