A Father Supplicating Against his Child

By His Eminence

Shaikh Abdul-Aziz ibn Baz may Allah have mercy upon him

Q:  A man with three children, whom are not negligent in regards to being obedient and dutiful to him, supplicates against them.  Will his supplication harm them?

A:  It is not appropriate that a person supplicate against his or her children as this should be refrained from as he or she could supplicate during the hour when prayers are answered so this person should not supplicate against them and if they are righteous then the prohibition is more severe.  As for them being negligent then it is still not appropriate that he supplicate against them, instead he should supplicate for them with guidance, rectification, and success.  This is how the believer should be.  There are texts from the prophet, peace and blessings are upon, warning the Muslim from supplicating against his child, family, and wealth so that his prayer does not coincide with the hour in which supplications are answered thus harming himself, his family, or his child.  So it is a must for the one asking the question to safeguard his tongue and to stress and emphasize to the one who was taught this or does this to safeguard their tongue and to fear Allah so that they refrains from supplicating against their child or other Muslims, instead they pray for them asking for good, success, and uprightness.

Translated by Brother Eesa John Starling

Advice to Mothers Whose Children Distract Their Prayers

QUESTION: A woman prays in her house, having many young children and no family members or servants to assist her. She feels that her prayers are always deficient or unacceptable as a result of her lack of concentration due to the children's constant activities. What is your advice to her? ANSWER: by Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa University in Makkah This woman, so long as she offers the prayer with its prescribed manner, after being purified (having wudhoo'), reciting (Soorah Al-Faatihah), standing, bowing, raising up, prostrating, sitting, prostrating again, with tama'neenah (resting fully in each position), then her prayer is valid in shaa' Allaah. And she should feel free of any blame by offering this prayer, by Allaah's Permission. She (also) gets the reward for all of her work in the house and taking care of her children. One time the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was leading the people in prayer in the masjid, and he shortened the prayer. So they said, "O Messenger of Allaah! You have prayed in a way that we have not seen from you before!" or a phrase similar to this. He replied (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam): "I heard the crying of a child, and I supposed that his mother was praying with us, so I wanted to free his mother for him." [1] So here the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), praying one of the obligatory prayers in congregation, shortened the prayer, showing concern for this child. So in this there is evidence to support that if a woman was to shorten her (recitation in her) prayer due to her responsibilities toward her house or her child, while she has no assistance, then there is no harm in that, so long as she offered her prayer in the manner ordained in the Sharee'ah. And Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, says [2]: سُوۡرَةُ التّغَابُن فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ وَٱسۡمَعُواْ وَأَطِيعُواْ وَأَنفِقُواْ خَيۡرً۬ا لِّأَنفُسِڪُمۡ‌ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (١٦) ( So fear Allaah to the best of your ability )64:16 And the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "...And when I have ordered you with something, then do as much of it as you are able." [3] Therefore she offers the prayer to the best of her ability, fulfilling her duty and thus freeing herself from any blame. In addition, she will be rewarded by Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, for being a good wife to her husband, taking care of the family, and staying on top of all her responsibilities. By these things she reaps great rewards and obtains lofty virtues. And by these things, her reward is with Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted. She will also have a magnificent reward from Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, for all her patience and forbearance, (as Allaah says) [4]: سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ‌ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ۬‌ۗ وَأَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٲسِعَةٌ‌ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ۬ (١٠) ( Verily those who persevere will receive their reward without measure )39:10 FOOTNOTES: [1] from an authentic hadeeth collected by Ahmad, see The Prophet's Prayer Described (p.25 of the English version) sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam [2] the meaning of Soorah At-Taghaabun (64):16 [3] Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree #7288 (13/317 of Fat-hul-Baaree) [4] the meaning of Soorah Az-Zumar (39):10 SOURCE This was translated exclusively for www.bakkah.net from a cassette recording with the knowledge and permission of the shaykh, file no. AAMB017, dated 1423/6/25.

The Ibtilaa’ (Testing)

Sometimes old memories come back to haunt our minds, we try to shove them as deep as we can to avoid them but,

 

سُوۡرَةُ الرّعد

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ (٢٨

'Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest' 13:28 

Alhamdulillah there are valuable lessons to learn from the trials that are put before us if only we took heed, and maybe those memories creep back into the front of our minds to reminds us of those lessons. Subhanallah how many times do we receive warnings and signs and we ignore them? Maybe it's time to let those memories come to the surface no matter how painful it may be and reflect on the wisdom of your Creator.

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

۞ وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ ضُرٌّ۬ دَعَا رَبَّهُ ۥ مُنِيبًا إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلَهُ ۥ نِعۡمَةً۬ مِّنۡهُ نَسِىَ مَا كَانَ يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ مِن قَبۡلُ وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا لِّيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ‌ۚ قُلۡ تَمَتَّعۡ بِكُفۡرِكَ قَلِيلاً‌ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ (٨

And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord (Allaah Alone), turning to Him in repentance. But when He bestows a favour upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before, [az-Zumar 39:8]

سُوۡرَةُ السَّجدَة

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ (٢١

And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the torment in the life of this world, i.e. disasters, calamities) prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may (repent and) return (i.e. accept Islaam).} [as-Sajdah 32:21]

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِهِۦ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَبۡوَٲبَ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓاْ أَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بَغۡتَةً۬ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡلِسُونَ (٤٤

When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitân (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. (43) So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. [Al-Anaam 6:44]
 

Imam ibn Al Qayyim (rahimahullah) said: The ibtilaa’ (testing) of the believer is like medicine for him. It cures him from illness. Had the illness remained it would destroy him or diminish his reward and level (in the hereafter). The tests and the trials extract these illnesses from him and prepare him for the perfect reward and the highest of degrees (in the life to come).”

Calamities, trials and tests are signs of love from Allaah for the believers. They are comparable to a cure; although it may be bitter, you accept it because it is from the one whom you love; and to Allaah belongs the best example.
Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Book: “Ighaathatul Lahfan” p. 286.

Wa-Allahu ta'ala alam.


Source: Towards huda.