1744
Aqīdah, Mālikī Fiqh, Politics, Philosophy & Other Matters of Interest.
I've been wanting to comment on this for a while. A number of different scholars have been said to have given a Fatwā about the obligation of the Muslim nations to wage Jihād against babykillers.
This is not really a matter of Fatwā nor of Ijtihād. It is a matter of basic Fiqh across the different Orthodox schools, that is usually learned in early intermediate compendia that introduce a person to extradevotional law.
Giving a Fatwā about it is like giving a Fatwā of the obligation to pray five times a day.
Anyone who doubts either obligation, is closer to disbelief than they are to Islām.
Matn Ibn ʿĀshir Mālikī Fiqh: Conditions to the Validity of the Prayer
In this week's lesson we discuss the four primary prerequisites of the validity of the prayer, namely facing the Qiblah and a number of issues relating to it, clothing one's nakedness, the freedom of one's body, clothing, and place a prayer from impurity, and being in the state of ritual purity.
Aside from a great deal of important knowledge that every Muslim must know in order to safeguard the validity of their prayers, we spend some time discussing the idea of what to do when circumstances are not ideal, and they break down.
Life is filled with tests, and one should, instead of feeling swept away when things don't work out exactly like you want them to work out, remember that Allāh Ta'ālā is the one Who imposes the rulings of the sacred law, and when He imposes a hardship and a burden, He always make sure that ease a companies it.
Therefore it's not completely divorced from the learning of the sacred law to know, recognize and understand what that ease is so that a person doesn't suffer a meltdown when things don't happen exactly like one expected or would hope for.
https://youtu.be/m_i8PCp5cQU
Still as good as ever.
Still 100% Ḥalāl.
Probably popping even more now that Ramaḍān is over, and Masjid Uthman is complete
Ribāṭ Schedule for April 2025
We will have class tonight, 4/6, at 6PM. As it will be the first gathering after Eid, people are welcome to bring whatever refreshments or snacks they wish to bring in order to celebrate with fellow students who might meet each other for the first time after the blessed month of Ramaḍān.
We will also have class next week, 4/13.
Thereafter we will not have class for the two weeks of 4/20 and 4/27 as I will be traveling overseas.
We will resume class on a more regular schedule in May.
I look forward to seeing you all tonight!
A handmade made Eid card lovingly drawn for you, by your favorite fundamentalist Movlī...
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29 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Liberation of Makkah 3 Maghāzī
We start with a practical note regarding how to deal with people around you perhaps not being correct, and what the level of your responsibility to do something about it, and how to scrupulously avoid making things worse.
Then we have a discussion regarding the awe and magesty of the sunnah, and how instead of trying to shy away from it, a believer should own it.
Inspiring a fear more akin to awe is one of the best ways of making the world a better place, and getting what needs to get done, done. It wins wars without having to fight or spill blood and it settles disputes without conflict, which is a great mercy. But only for the one who wields it responsibly and with wisdom.
Finally we talk about the forbearance and forgiveness of the prophet ﷺ, who in his moment of complete authority and power, with no one in this world to hold check over him, chose the path of forgiveness instead of the path of vengeance despite having all the tools of executing retribution being given to him both by the writ of this world and by the writ of the heavens.
May the peace and blessings of God be upon him ﷺ.
https://youtube.com/live/f8qdMrJeAAM?feature=share
All of the products that I haven't been deleted yet they're still available in case someone wants to make a last minute Eid dash.
It's too late to ship anything in time for Eid, however if anyone is in Chicagoland and wants to nab any of these things in person, they can meet me between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, the 29th of March at Twin Lake Park, in Villa Park Illinois, just off of North Ave, near the Target.
If you would like me to set aside anything for you you go ahead and pay for it, then I'll set it aside.
Allāh Ta'ālā accept everyone's fasting and prayers and make our Eid truly Mubārak in both worlds.
Blessings in the 27th Night of Ramaḍān
Alḥamdulillāh two great blessings occurred in this night that I will mention.
Firstly, Ḥāfiẓ Ousseynou Fall, after gathering his courage and resolve, completed the recitation of the Noble Qur'ān in seven days.
Between Tarāwīḥ and daily recitation, I started to recite in the clouded boundaries between wakefulness and sleep, and in dreams. Such a state is truly a gift of grace from Allāh Ta'ālā.
Many people might think that standing for four Juz' in Tarāwīḥ is onerous. To the contrary, it was a refuge of tranquility.
This is one of the strange things about Tarāwīḥ; every time I've prayed behind someone who's either trying to crank the machine too fast, or on the flip side embellish the recitation to the point of operatic performance, I felt the patience of someone trapped in a cage; this is no matter how little someone recited. In fact, I usually felt this experience when praying behind an Imām reciting a few verses for eight Rak'ahs.
The Qur'ān has a type beauty that is beheld in the flowing transitions from verse to verse, which is holistically experienced when hearing entire surahs intact.
The experience is one that I can only describe as a thorogh pressure washing of the insides of ones heart.
Even the stray thoughts of person has when not fully concentrated, are like the garbage that's being pushed out; one remembers things and has the opportunity to repent from them and pray for help against whatever it is that harms a person on the inside.
The context of verses, being housed between the verse before and the one that comes after, like a candle is housed inside of a lamp, also makes the words of inspiration all the more impactful on a person's state.
Needless to say, there is no time in which I have more admiration and healthy jealousy (without wishing for them to lose their blessing) for the Ḥuffāẓ than in Ramaḍān.
We will hold Tarāwīḥ at Ribāṭ for the rest of the blessed month for those interested in serene refuge from the fanfare and festivities in other venues.
Zakāt Distribution
Last Friday when I wrote on the Telegram and WhatsApp groups that if anyone wanted me to distribute their Zakāt before the end of the month, they should get it to me by midnight.
I was overwhelmed by the sudden deluge of funds. Last year I distributed about $30K.
This year after making that announcement, by midnight that number was closer to $60K.
On Saturday, on my way home from Ohio, I went about going through my lists to distribute the money. That's when calamity struck. One after the other in short order my Cashapp, Venmo, Zelle all hit their monthly limits.
The money of trusts, burns a hole in my head when not distributed. This was a cause of a non insignificant amount of anxiety for me.
However, between the day and the night yesterday, Allāh Ta'ālā untied the knots that were impeding the flow of fulfilling this trust, and I was able to deliver the rest of the money to its deserving recipients using low tech means, like checks. Who even writes a check anymore?
On a practical note, before next year, we are going to have to improve and professionalize this process and take it to the next level.
Prayers are requested from all those who keep love in their hearts for Allāh Ta'ālā, His messenger ﷺ and the Ummah.
May Allāh Ta'ālā accept your prayers, fasting and entreaties in what remains of this blessed month.
Please enjoy some pictures from our second Khatm night at Ribāṭ, courtesy of brother Sadok BenabdAllah.
And consider supporting our important work at Ribāṭ by logging your contribution with Allāh Ta'ālā both in prayers and by donating at ribat.org/donate .
27 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Spring of My Heart 2nd Khatm
With all the bewildering challenges the path of righteousness is fraught with, it is easy for a person to be sidetracked or waylaid.
The Qur'ān is the greatest trust that was ever given to a prophet precisely because of the immense amount of madad and aid with which it came down.
It made a normal night into Laylat al-Qadr.
Its vision is one of light.
Its knowledge is one of piercing insight.
Its courage is overwhelming.
Its victory is guaranteed.
Don't ever let anyone take it away from you, not the least of which yourself.
Once you have it, walk the path of righteousness with strength inside, and never again fear anyone but Allāh.
https://youtu.be/OHwnimLDWNc
26 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis
Mu'tah
Maghāzī
From the pride of ʿabd-Allāh bin Rawāḥah expressed in his verse, we derive a very important principle which is not only pertinent to matters of war, but also a foundation of the spiritual path,
No matter what a person likes or how much virtue a person sees in a course action, acquisition, achievement, or fulfillment, the supreme benefit is always in submission to the will of Allāh Ta'ālā and His messenger ﷺ.
This is true whether a person understands what the reward entailed is, or not.
This is true regardless of how one feels about the matter, or what beauty or aesthetics are connected with either course of action.
If son of the soil of the pure Madīnah of the prophet ﷺ can boast about being buried, lost in the land of the Romans, you and I can sacrifice whatever we have for God's sake, with complete assurance that what we will receive in return is incalculably superior to what we may have lost...
https://youtube.com/live/ljg-yBEnszc?feature=share
24 Ramaḍān Late Night Oasis Majlis Siege 3 Cont. Maghāzī
Tonight we review a detailed account of how the spoils of the siege were distributed, and what became of land, farms, crops, and treaties between the defeated parties and the Muslims.
We also recount interesting story of how one of the idolaters of Quraysh had secretly converted to Islām and use the ruse on the heels this victory to be able to enter into Makkah Mukarramah, extract his wealth without being detected, and take it with him to safety, lest his conversion be a reason that the hostile idolaters wrongfully appropriate it.
Finally we remember those other parties that were either actively aiding the enemy, or previously sympathetic to them, and how they reacted to the Muslim victory, including the oasis of Fadak, which voluntarily entered the same terms as their vanquished brethren in order to spare themselves fighting and bloodshed.
https://youtube.com/live/qE9LRNjCIco?feature=share
22 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Khaybar Maghāzī
The messenger of Allāh ﷺ was able to deploy supernatural means in order to affect his mission.
It would have been easier for him in fact, however it would have left us without a Sunnah to follow.
The story of the conquest of Khaybar is inextricably linked with that of the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah and was a significant part of the Clear Victory spoken about in Sūrat al-Fatḥ.
The two puzzle pieces fit together not just spiritually, but politically, economically socially, and strategically.
The depth of analysis and planning of the messenger of Allāh ﷺ is second to none and it gives us a far more grand picture of how sophisticated the planning of the prophetic mission and its outcomes was, despite being built on simple principled building blocks.
https://www.youtube.com/live/ohq8YeG9hYI?feature=shared
Whoever wishes for me to distribute their Zakāt should send it by midnight tonight if they want it to be distributed by the end of Ramaḍān.
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20 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis I Know That Which You Know Not Khatm Night
(Timestamps in the description box in YouTube)
When Allāh Ta'ālā created the earth and placed man in it as his vicegerent, the angels astutely noted that in all likelihood they will only cause mischief and spill blood, so the question the need for man being put in this honored position, when the angels were themselves the ones who exalted God's praise above blemish, and held Him as Holy; He responded by saying I know that what you know not.
The knowledge of God is undescribable and unfathomable by created beings, however I cannot help but think that gathering such as this one would be underneath the chapter heading of I know what you know not.
Those who fasted through the day and are gathered by no common thread, neither race, nor color, nor culture, nor language, nor school of thought, nor anything else other than belief in God gathered together to hear His book recited from beginning to end in hopes of earning His pleasure.
It is from gatherings like this that the mysteries of His Wilāyah are divulged to those who love Him...
https://youtu.be/AbBESyebcZI
19 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Negotiation Ḥudaybiyyah Maghāzī
The companions, Allāh Ta'ālā be pleased with them all, went out with great fervor.
The promise of Allāh Ta'ālā and His messenger ﷺ are true, but in this case they took a form that was so dramatically different than what they were expecting, it was jarring to them.
This is real life: when people set out to do what's right sometimes things don't happen exactly how you want them to or how you imagine that they will happen.
The messenger of Allāh ﷺ along with sagacious wife given by our mother Umm Salamah dealt with this tense moment, with great wisdom.
Instead of turning on his companions insults and accusations of hypocrisy, he patiently explained to them what they were having trouble understanding, and showed real leadership. Examples like this are why he was more beloved to his companions than any king or emperor ever were to there courtiers.
https://youtube.com/live/PXAOobXDj1A?feature=share
What to Do When Tested
https://youtu.be/vrTI2jnwlX4
This is a short snippet from yesterday's Mālikī Fiqh class, but one that deals with the topic that's relevant for people of all schools.
People think of Fiqh as lists of rulings. It definitely includes that, but it is meant to convey a deeper understanding based on principles that are immutable regardless of changing circumstances. It is meant to provide guidance to the traveler on the path to Allāh no matter what their circumstances are.
Listen to a short clip in which some of the seemingly more mundane and simple rules of Fiqh are to be understood in the face of great challenges and seemingly hopeless circumstances.
There's no such thing as hopelessness for a believer. A person gets to that point, then they are like a person who has understood little, and is ignorant of much...
https://youtu.be/vrTI2jnwlX4
So much has changed in the last year.
I used to prefer patronizing Muslim establishments before, but now it has taking a high priority for so long that it's become established habit.
One of the places that I enjoy and appreciate is Jerusalem Cafe-Lombard .
They were an early adopter of the HFSAA certification, and always actively tried to go above and beyond in order to proactively make sure that everything they were serving is clean and pure.
Many a time their catered trays have come through in the jam, and the sign of their excellence is that at any given time, there are an equal number of Muslim and non-Muslim patrons enjoying their food.
It has become a Ḥalāl landmark on Roosevelt, and even if I'm not going to stop in for some kabob, I'm always filled with happiness and pride when I drive by it, as it is a collaborative achievement between the scholars and businessmen that helped open the door for others.
Roosevelt is now a Ḥalāl hub that has, in my opinion, surpassed Devon in the quality, type, and relevance of its options.
Jerusalem Cafe, far from being the only establishment, definitely takes a place in my heart as one of the anchors of this effort.
May Allāh Ta'ālā accept it from us all.
*I am not ever paid by anyone for this endorsement, neither Jerusalem Cafe, nor paid anything at all by HFSAA. This includes never taking even a discount, much less free food, which, as a policy I never take from any of our certified establishments. I am also not the inspector that inspects any of our locations, rather our team works under the general supervision of the scholars and oversight of the scholars. All good organizations have a separation between vision and oversight on one hand, and the day-to-day execution of policy on the other. Micromanagement is what destroys organizations.
Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn: If You Have No Shame, Do What You Wish
A great prerequisite to traveling the spiritual path of any hope for arrival at the destination, is taking care of those basic human needs that God has created in most, if not all of His slaves.
One of the differences between those things that bring you genuine happiness versus those that are drugs or drug-like, is that the latter just sends you for a dopamine spin without solving your problems, whereas working out a solution to the former will allow your mind, body, and spirit to free up and focus its attentions and concentrations on fulfillment, development, and ultimately finding peace and enlightenment.
One of the most typical, but devastating ploys of the devil, is to distract you daily, again and again, from doing anything to better your situation and take care of your needs, until it's too late. At that point Iblīs, may God's curse be upon him, whisper to you that you are a failure because of your belief, and because of your submission. If Islām had any benefit in it, you would not be in the situation. This is a very potent insinuation because no one wants to blame themselves, but, the reality is that God gave each person every chance to do better and many didn't take it.
The safer and superior track in dealing with this evil strategem is solve your problems rather than having to face this test at the end.
Many of the topics of tonight's lesson come back to avoiding that moment of despair in which the spirit of a believer is the most vulnerable to dæmonic attack.
https://youtu.be/1x-rAgFZ2Gg
Eid Bayān 1446
Far from being irrelevant, the instruction in the proper observance of ritual, grounds of person in the universe and existence with regards to themselves, their fellow man, and most importantly, God Himself.
Take an opportunity to remember what's important unless you get washed away in the cycle of pointlessness that envelops the lives of many.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kf81sMaymg
Eid Prayers at Ribāṭ
We will hold prayers at 645AM at Ribāṭ.
Please make sure to park in our property, either in the front or in the back lot.
Because it is a business day, we will have to move along by 8:30 at the latest, in order to allow the other business we share our building with their fair usage of the lot.
For those who wish to attend, please come with Wuḍū, as our facilities are extremely limited.
___
Although I am reticent to hold Eid prayers in such a small venue, but have decided to do so this year for the following reasons:
-In the immediate area, I don't find any place where the sunnah of praying outside of the Masjid is being observed.
-Most all venues are after overcapacity, which is demonstrated by the fact that most of them are charging money for parking
-Most venues have at least two Eid prayers, with many having three and four as well
28 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis
Liberation of Makkah 2
Maghāzī
We start off tonight's gathering with a discussion regarding moon sighting and how to correctly approach the coming end of this blessed month.
Thereafter we continue our discussion regarding the liberation of Makkah Mukarramah, discusing three main themes:
1- The importance of focusing more on your goals than causing commotion and telling people what you're doing, as well as the efficacy of keeping information to yourself until you affect what it is that you want, especially in adverse circumstances.
2- The importance of judging people gainfully by taking their intentions into consideration as well as their past behavior when passing judgment over them in circumstances good and bad.
3- The importance of bringing overwhelming force and awe to your adversaries and the face of conflict, so as to end the conflict without prolonging it unnecessarily, as well as showing them that it is not in their benefit to continue adversarial behavior.
This is not meant to teach people how to act like a bully, but it is a fact that many people in this world will not do what's right because it's right, rather because they're compelled to do so. So it's important that those who wish to make the world a better place also master the usage of the tools of compulsion only for that end and only for the sake of God.
https://youtube.com/live/EKmK6UeljsQ?feature=share
Timestamps have been added in the YouTube description.
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27th Night of Ramaḍān at Ribāṭ
It is well known to be a blessed night, and there is a great chance that it is Laylat al-Qadr.
Nights like these are very few in a person's life, but their positive impact can be great. Why not take a break from the inevitable holy extortion of funds, sacred political grandstanding, and Fiqh-optional pontification that unfortunately takes place in many of our Masājid in this night, and dedicate it exclusively to the ṣalāt and hearing the verses of God's book?
Ḥāfiẓ Ousseynou Fall plans on completing his second recitation of the Noble Qur'ān in Tarāwīḥ tonight.
Please note that since the second recitation was mostly completed over 7 days, we have slightly more than four Juz' to read still.
In anticipation of increased attendance, we asked that people be there by 8: 45pm.
Those who wish to pray their Tarāwīḥ in their normal places, but still wish to be present for the Khatm can still do so, we plan on completing the recitation a little bit after midnight.
People are welcome to bring any Ḥalāl sweets or snacks to distribute that are from producers other than the BDS boycott list, preferably made from within our community.
A reminder that we have limited bathroom facilities, and parking. Please try to come with your Wuḍū from home, and carpool. If our lot is full, you can double park it. But please under no circumstance should anyone park in the lot east of ours, as our neighbors have made it very clear that they do not wish to have anyone park there, and that is their right. Acts of worship that involve bothering others or arrogating their rights, are closer to sin than to reward.
Remember no one stands in prayer or listens to the recitation of the book of Allāh, then regrets it afterward.
25 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Umrah Maghāzī
We recount the marriage of the messenger of Allāh ﷺ with our mother Maymūnah, رضي الله عنها, and how he came with his noble companions رضي الله عنهم the year after he signed the treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah, they disarmed, and the polytheists vacated the premises of the Sacred House, allowing the Muslims to perform their rights of pilgrimage unimpeded.
We recount some of the wisdoms in how the messenger of Allāh ﷺ performed the pilgrimage while keeping his political and strategic objectives in mind, scoring a victory over his adversaries that was clear for all to see, friend and antagonist alike.
We also recount the difficulties faced by our mother Maymūnah in leaving Makkah Mukarramah due to the harassment of some of its urchins and troublemakers, and some of the blessings that emerged from that Mubārak union.
https://youtube.com/live/UVlZ4FvYEq8?feature=share
23 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Oasis Siege Cont Maghāzī
Allāh Ta'ālā asks in His book, "Is the recompense of perfection anything but perfection?"
We go through a discussion regarding how modern sensibilities try to make ugly the thing that was commanded to be made beautiful, in this world and the hereafter, and novel yet ultimately baseless objections that are made against it by weak Muslims and non-Muslims.
We describe the story of the marriage of our mother Ṣafiyyah with the messenger of Allāh ﷺ, and how beautifully he treated her, and how beautifully she loved him, as well as how she was given the glad tidings of their match in dream before they had met.
https://youtube.com/live/_roAKVvWLgE?feature=share
I'm in Cleveland to speak at a benefit event for Shaykh Mūsā Sugapong's institution, Knowman Learning.
It is without competition the center of knowledge and piety and a great markaz of the sunnah in the region.
If anyone wants to take a share in supporting their work which includes everything from weekly new Muslim classes, to Ḥifẓ of the Qur'ān (they've already graduated several Ḥuffāẓ), to anything of scholarly depth, social relevance, or spiritual illumination, they may do so at the following link:
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/knowman_learning_knowledge_hath_no_limits_ramadan_1446
21 Ramaḍān Late Night Majlis Blessings in Submission
Maghāzī
Oftentimes we take the burden on ourselves to figure out what path to take in life.
Although this may be an inescapable burden in many mundane matters of life, when it comes to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, we are not only relieved of this burden, but we are rewarded with the best of advice, commandments, and instructions, which lead to the best of outcomes.
The companions learned again and again that submission in front of Allāh Ta'ālā and His messenger ﷺ yielded the best of outcomes. They experienced that so many times, that it became a second nature to them.
Listen to the fortune of Abū Baṣīr and Abū Jandal, two of the most severely tested companions, and how it is that through seeming agony, hopelessness, and defeat Allāh Ta'ālā brought about such victories that astonished both friend and antagonist alike.
https://youtube.com/live/RbVFnLzBJtw?feature=share
Tarāwīḥ Will Continue At Ribāṭ Until ʿĪd
Tonight will see our first Khatm, Inshā'Allāh. Congregants are asked to arrive by 8:45, and not park in the neighbor's lots. We can double park our own lot.
After the 20 Rak'ahs are complete, we will make du'ā, hear a few words, and if people wish to distribute sweets, they may do so then.
Second Khatm
We started a second reading of the Qur'ān last night after the 20 Rak'ahs.
We will read one juz' in two Rak'ahs after tonight's Khatm as well.
Starting tomorrow, we will read two juz' in 20 Rak'ahs and another two in four afterwards, followed by Witr and Late Night Majlis.
This may seem like a lot, but these nights are nights of worship and meant for seeking Laylat al-Qadr.
Enough Suhoorfesting, endless fundraising, parking lot fisticuffs, oblique speeches and festive timewasting.
Our projected second Khatm will be Wednesday on the night of the 27th, a week from tonight.
Thereafter we will continue to hold Tarāwīḥ at Ribāṭ until the new moon of Shawwāl is sighted.
All those who wish to worship in darkness and silence are welcome.
Ramaḍān Updates:
Zakāt: I have thus far received and distributed over $30,000 in Zakāt funds. This year, like last year, I have found there are many people who are engaged in service, or students of knowledge who are in debt and struggling to make ends meet. If anyone wishes to distribute their through, my request is that they send the money by Sunday so that I can ensure that it is distributed properly within the blessed month, without being obstructed by the distribution from being able to read the Qur'ān.
Khatm: The completion of the recitation of the Noble Qur'ān by Ḥāfiẓ Ousseynou Fall we'll take place on Wednesday night. We request that attendees arrive by 8: 45PM and that people only park in front or behind our space. It is okay to double park within our parking lot, but under no circumstance should somebody park in the property east of us.
There will be a du'ā, talk and some sweets distributed afterward. But please remember, the primary reason for the gathering is the worship of Allāh.
Support Ribāṭ: As the blessed month proceeds to its inevitable completion, please remember to support our work with consistent monthly donations as well as one time donations. This year we've had less response from people than in years past, even though our work has increased and so has the need. I understand that the cost of living has gone up and that people's budgets are a little bit tighter. So I'm not asking that people bankrupt themselves, but that everybody take a share no matter how big or small.
Often times by the time people get to me, they've already found that they have no other avenue of help, whether it's in their personal lives, their intellectual endeavors, political matters, or social issues. I'm happy to be there for people but it's becoming more and more difficult as time goes on and as I become older to do it alone. Please take your share in supporting the work being done in the way that prioritizes outcomes rather than income.
If it is of benefit or if you think it's worthwhile, support.
https://ribat.org/donate