SHIRK

WHAT DOES SHIRK MEANS

According to Islamic terminology, shirk means assigning a partner or rival to Allah in lordship, worship or in His names and attributes.

فَلا تَجعَلوا لِلَّهِ أَندادًا وَأَنتُم تَعلَمونَ

"Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He alone has the the right to be worshiped)" [2:22]

The scholars divided shirk into two types-

1. Shirk Akbar (Major Shirk)-This kind of shirk includes

• Denying the existence of Allah.
• Denying the names and attributes of Allah.
• Believing in another god besides Allah.
• Comparing Allah to other creatures.
• To claim the names and attributes of Allah to other human/creature.
• Directing the act of worship to someone other than Allah.
• To  sacrifice, pray, prostrate or worship to idols, graves, the dead or absent.
• Believing that there are humans like imams or saints who know the unseen other than Allah.It is common in Shi'ah, extreme Sufi's and Batini's tpes of deviant sects.
• To make dua or pray to a Prophet, a wali, an angel, a jinn or some other created being.
• To make fun of the religion of Allah or who follow the religion of Allah.
• To support the kaafirs and help them against the believers.

This Major Shirk puts the one beyond the pale of Islam.

2. Shirk Asghar (Minor Shirk)-This kind of shirk includes-

• Beautifying our way of worship in order to showoff or showing off our good deeds for the sake of praise.
• Using oaths or swearing by something other than Allah's name.
• To give power to the creation but not to Allah, the creator. 

Minor shirk does not put a person beyond the pale of Islam but the one who does that is in great danger as it is a major sin.

We as Muslims must avoid shirk in both of its form, major and the minor one.It is the greatest sin. Mushrikin (people who commit shirk) will remain in hell forever and Allah will not forgive them as He has forbidden paradise to them.

إِنَّهُ مَن يُشرِك بِاللَّهِ فَقَد حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ الجَنَّةَ وَمَأواهُ النّارُ ۖ وَما لِلظّالِمينَ مِن أَنصارٍ

"Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the fire will be his abode.And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers" [5:72]

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Shirk among you will be more subtle than the footsteps of an ant, but I will teach you something which, if you do it, both minor and major shirk will be kept away from you. Say:

 اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ

O Allah, I seek refuge with You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware."  

Note- If  anything stated above is incorrect, please let me know as I am not an islamic scholar.May allah forgive me for my mistakes. Aameen.

TAWHEED

TAWHEED

لا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسولُ اللَّهِ

There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

• Tawheed in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no partner in His Essence and Attributes.
• It is the first fundamental principle, or pillar of Islam.

The scholars have categorised Tawheed as follows:

1. Tawheed ar-Rububiyah

• To believe in Oneness of Allah's Lordship.
• To believe that Allah is the sole Creator, owner & the one in control of all affairs.

ذٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُم ۖ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ ۖ خالِقُ كُلِّ شَيءٍ فَاعبُدوهُ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ وَكيلٌ

"That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things.Then worship Him, and He has power to dispose of all affairs." [6:102]

2. Tawheed al-Asma' wa'l-Sifaat

• To believe in Oneness of the Divine names and attributes of Allah.
• Follow the way of the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah concerning the names and attributes of Allah and to believe in them as they have been mentioned in the book of Sunnah.

وَلِلَّهِ الأَسماءُ الحُسنىٰ فَادعوهُ بِها ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذينَ يُلحِدونَ في أَسمائِهِ ۚ سَيُجزَونَ ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ

"And (all) the most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who deny His names.They will be requited for what they used to do."[7:180]

3. Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah

• To believe in Oneness of Allah's worship.
• To single out Allah in worship through the actions like supplication, vow, sacrifice, hope, fear, reliance, love, reverence & turning in repentance.

 ۖ وَاعبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشرِكوا بِهِ شَيئًا 

"Worship Allah and join nothing with Him (in worship)."[4:36]

Note- If  anything stated above is incorrect, please let me know as I am not an islamic scholar.May allah forgive me for my mistakes. Aameen.

FASTING IN THE MONTH OF SHAWWAL

• It is recommended for muslims to fast 6 days in the month of shawwal (subsequent to the month of Ramadan).
• Fasting the 6 days in Shawwal after the obligatory fast of Ramadan is Sunnah Mustahabbah (nafl), not waajib (compulsory).
• Whoever fast in the month of Ramadan and then follows the 6 fast of shawwal, the reward will be equal to fasting for the whole year or a lifetime.
• Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime".(Sahih Muslim)
• The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Whoever fasts for six days after Eid-al-Fitr has completed the year:(whoever does a good deed [hasanah] will have ten hasanah like it)".
• Another of the important benefits of fasting 6 days of shawwal is that; for travellers/ill persons/girls who missed their obligatory fast of Ramadan due to unavoidable circumstances then for them fasting 6 days of shawwal makes up for any shortfall in their obligatory Ramadan fasts.
• There is a great virtue and an immense reward for these six fast of shawwal (in any order, either successive or with intervals).
• According to sunnah: A'isha (radiAllahu anha) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammad salAllahu alayhi wasallam used to fast Mondays and Thursdays".We may also fast on Mondays and Thursdays as in that case we would be following another Sunnah.

Note- If  anything stated above is incorrect, please let me know as I am not an islamic scholar.May allah forgive me for my mistakes.Aameen.

SALAT-AL-ISTIKHARAH

ISTIKHARAH

It is a prayer recited by Muslims to seek guidance of Allah concerning any issue/affair in their life especially when one has to choose between two permissible alternatives.

• To seek that which is good.
• One of the greatest blessing of Allah.
• It is meant for any major decision.
• Perform two raka'at salat (nafil), at any time, then supplicate special dua of Istikharah (salat-al-Istikharah) in Arabic.
• Before Istikharah, must have conviction and level of iman and yakeen in Allah. 

According to Sahih Bukhari, Vol 2, Book 21, Number 263

Narrated Jabir Bin Abdullah: The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam used to teach us the way of doing Istikharah, in all matters as he taught us the suras of the Quran. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rakat prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer):

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

"Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, Wa as'alaka min falika Al -'azim Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub, Allahumma, in kuntu ta'lam anna hadha-l amra__________________ khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati 'Amri Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-l amra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati 'Amri Fasrif-hu anni was-rifni anhu Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi"

"O Allah! I seek goodness from your knowledge and with your power (and might) I seek strength, and I ask from you your great blessings, because you have the power and I do not have the power.You know everything and I do not know, and you have knowledge of the unseen.Oh Allah! If in your knowledge this action_____________________(* Recall the issue*) is better for my religion and faith, for my life and end (death), for here (in this world) and the hereafter then make it destined for me and make it easy for me and then add blessings (baraka') in it, for me.O Allah! In your knowledge if this action is bad for me, bad for my religion and faith, for my life and end (death), for here (in this world) and the hereafter then turn it away from me  and turn me away from it and whatever is better for me, ordain (destine) that for me and then make me satisfied with it."

Note-*Recall the issue* (You can either think / conceptualise / verbalise the issue for which the Istikharah is being done.)

HOW DOES ONE 'DECIPHER' THE ISTIKHARAH

• The text of the dua tells up what to expect.
• Dreams are not the main source; sometimes they help.
• Not to pray Istikharah at three times-

                                                                             *When the sun is rising.

                                                                              *When the sun is at peak.

                                                                              *When the sun sets.

OUTCOME OF ISTIKHARAH

• Feel confidence while making the decision.
• If still you are not comfortable and don't feel confidence while making decision then do it again until you gain confidence.
• After the conclusion, coming to a decision confidently, begin that action or work (for which the Istikharah is being done) with Bismillah.
• If you feel confident while making the decision then don't think for Istikharah again as it show disrespect for it.

*A person should do Istikharah for him by himself only, not by someone else.
*It is not necessary to perform 2 raka't nafil prayer for Istikharah after Isha'a only.There is no specific time mentioned in any of the hadeeth for performing Istikharah.Istikharah can be performed at any time when there is a need. 

Note- If  anything stated above is incorrect, please let me know as I am not an islamic scholar.May allah forgive me for my mistakes.Aameen.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ISLAMIC MONTHS

Want to know more about months of Islamic year ?

Must Watch These Videos-

* The Following Videos (by Adv. Faiz Syed) are available in Urdu

Muharram

Safar

Rabi'-al-Awwal

Rajab

Sha'ban

Ramadan

Zu-l-Hijjah

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• Stay away from alcohol, gambling and most assumptions.

• Don't spy on people.

• Don't backbite on others because it is equal to eating your brother's flesh after his death.When you backbite on someone then it simply means that you are giving your good deeds to that person.
  
  
  
  
  
• If you have messed up then apologize to Allah and ask for his mercy because Allah is the most merciful.
• When you are spiritually busted or broken then you need to pray.You need to talk to Allah, that's how your wound will finally heal up.

MONTHS OF ISLAMIC YEAR

1. MUHARRAM
2. SAFAR
3. RABI'-AL-AWWAL
4. RABI'-AS-SANIY
5. JUMADA-AL-ULA
6. JUMADA-AL-AKHIRAH
7. RAJAB
8. SHA'BAN
9. RAMADAN
10. SHAWWAL
11. ZU-L-QA'DAH
12. ZU-L-HIJJAH