In the company and words of the pious people, there is mercy and guidance. Below is a short book containing advices from the great saintly scholar Shaykh-ul-Hadith Hadhrat Shaykh Maulana Adam ibn Yusuf Lunat (rahimahullah wa adāma barākatuhu).
When we describe the atmosphere at the departure of our respected Shaykh (rahimahullah) from this ephemeral abode, these words from Qasas-un-Nabiyyeen comes to mind:
وبعد مدة مات يوسف أيضا فكان يوما على أهل مصر شديدا وحزن عليه أهل مصر حزنا شديدا وبكوا عليه بكاء طويلا ونسي الناس أحزانهم وكأنهم لم تصبهم مصيبة قبل هذا اليوم ودفنوا يوسف وعزى بعضهم بعضا فكانوا في يوسف سواء كل صغير فقد أباه وكل كبير فقد أخاه ومشى الناس إلى اخوة يوسف وابنائهم يعزونهم ويقولون لهم أيها السادة ليست خسارة لكم اليوم اكبر من خسارتنا نحن فقد فقدنا في دفين اليوم أخا شفيقا وسيدا رحيما وملكا عادلا هو الذي هدانا إلى الحق ودعانا إلى الله وكنا قبل قدومه لا نعرف الله ولا نعرف الآخرة انا لا ننسى ملكنا الكريم أبدا ولا ننسى أيها السادة انكم اخوته واهل بيته وانا لكم أيها السادة كما كنا في حياة سيدنا
The battle of Badr was a pivotal and momentous event in Islamic history. It occurred on the 17th of Ramadan, 2 years after the Hijrah. Below is a book we have compiled on the battle of Badr, titled ‘A detailed and illustrated study of the great battle of Badr’. We hope you benefit from it. Keep us in your prayers. If you notice any errors, please contact us.
For teachers and students of Arabic language alike.
This presentation is made with a devotional look at the wonders and benefits of the Arabic language. It covers subjects such as: interesting facts, history of Arabic language and its script, Ahadith and sayings of the pious predecessors about acquiring proficiency in Arabic. There are activities, riddles and pictures.
The hope is that it can be read over by students prior to studying Arabic grammar in order to build their zeal and keep their end goal in mind; to master Arabic in order to access the wonderful teachings of the Holy Qur’an and blessed Ahadith, and to share with the world the beauty of this language. The presentation is short and can be covered in one lesson.
Below is attached a compilation of 40 narrations where the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gives indications to his Companions (Allah be pleased with them) about his coming demise. Studying such narrations develops our love for him, gives us perspective about what is truly important in life, and softens our hearts.
Name of book:
الأربعين في وصال سيد المرسلين ﷺ
‘40 Hadith of the Leader of the Messengers (peace and salutations be upon him) foretelling his passing’
INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBJECT OF SEERAT-UN-NABI (ALAYHISSALĀM)
The life Rasulullah (peace be upon him) was taught as a separate subject from the time of Sahabah. Imam Zayn-ul-Ābideen (great grandson of Rasulullah) mentions, ‘we were taught Maghāzi like we were taught the Holy Qur’ān’.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE SUBJECT?
Seerah السيرة is derived from the Arabic word ‘Sayr’ which means to walk or travel. It is used for ‘biography’ because a biography covers the way a person walked through the journey of their life.
Seerat-un-Nabi means the biography of THE Prophet i.e. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Other names for the subject:
‘Maghāzi’ meaning battles, as it covers the major struggles and battles in Rasulullah (peace be upon him)’s life.
‘Shamā’il’ meaning description, covering Rasulullah (peace be upon him)’s qualities and lifestyle.
WHAT IS THE SUBJECT MATERIAL?
This subject covers the life of Rasulullah (peace be upon him) both before and after Prophethood, the lives of those who he interacted with, as well as the history of the people and time he was sent in.
WHAT IS THE RULING REGARDING STUDYING THE SUBJECT?
To love Rasulullah (peace be upon him) is a condition of faith. To love him more than even yourself is the completion of faith. Studying Seerah is Fardh Kifāyah. It is not compulsory for every individual to study it but a group in a Muslim community must study it, otherwise the whole community will be sinful. On an individual basis it is Mandub (preferable), and necessary to reach the rank of the scholars.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING THE SUBJECT?
Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, “Actions are only according to intentions, and to each is only what he intended.” (Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhāri). It is important to clear our intentions before studying this subject. The first and foremost reason we are studying it is to please Allah Ta’ala. How pleased He must be when His beloved is mentioned. Its benefits are innumerable; the greatest being success in both worlds. If one studies it with Ikhlās (sincerity), one’s life will change for the better. Many are blessed with the vision of the Rasulullah, which is itself an indication of being from the people of Paradise.
The more intentions we make, the greater the benefits which we will attain. Can you list of 15 benefits you want to gain from studying Seerah?
HOW WILL WE APPLY THE SUBJECT IN OUR LIVES?
Rasulullah (peace be upon him)’s life should not be studied only as a point of interest. Rather, in every event from his life, morals can be deduced. It is our goal to act upon these. When we study in the Seerah that something was liked or recommended by him, we should rush to love it too and to perform it. When we study that something was hated or warned against by him, we should avoid it. Students attest that difficulties become easier and tasks become simpler because they can relate their situation to an event in Seerah, and react accordingly.
HOW IS THE SUBJECT STUDIED?
1. Mutāli’ah (Pre-Study) – Read through the assigned pages of the next topic in the assigned textbook. Recommended textbook: ‘Siratul Mustafa’ by Allāmah Maulana Idris Khandehlwi (Allah’s mercy be on him)
2. Dars (Lesson) – Attend lessons regularly. Do not think of this subject as ‘less important’ than others as its purpose is to build faith which makes it a high level subject. Do not think that you can gain the subject knowledge through books or notes only. Your teacher’s lesson will contain information from many places of research as well as answer questions you may have from the book being studied. Also ensure that you are not preoccupied in other work whilst listening to lesson.
3. I’ādah (Revision) – Ensure notes are up to date and go over the dates, names and events. It is recommended to make a timeline. Try to ponder over Prophetic qualities you can adopt from the lesson learnt. Highlight keywords in each topic.
WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF THE SUBJECT AND WHO IS ITS FOUNDER?
Alot of information regarding Seerah is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān and books of Tafsir.
The founder of this blessed science is Allah Ta’ala Himself! In the Holy Qur’ān, He Almighty, mentions events from Rasulullah (peace be upon him)’s life numerous times. As Rasulullah (peace be upon him) and his Companions lived their lives, Ayat of Qur’ān were revealed to guide and console them.
However, the majority of Seerah is passed through books of Seerah and books of Hadith.
The Sahābah were the human founders of this science. They reported everything they heard Rasulullah (peace be upon him) say and do, and everything they knew about him. They understood his importance and the need for us to be guided through his example and that certain events unfolded in way to teach us lessons, so they reported as much as they could remember and passed that down.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HADITH AND SEERAH?
The word Hadith literally means conversation. Hadith are also known as Athar, Khabar and Sunnah.
Hadith are the Words, Actions, Approvals and Descriptions of the holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Sahābah.
Hadith is a form of Revelation that goes hand in hand with the Qur’ān to establish the two primary sources of our Religion. Where the Qur’ān gives a broad framework for how we should live and worship, the Hadith give us specific information.
Seerah is a specific branch of Hadith tradition and History that relates to the life events of Rasulullah (peace be upon him). The rules of Hadith related to Seerah and promotion of virtuous actions, although stringent, are less stringent than Hadith related to creed and injunctions.
HOW WERE HADITH TRANSMITTED?
Their methods of transmission were two: Oral and Written
Their primary method of transmission was oral due to the excellent memories of the Sahābah, a majority of who were Arabs. The Arab culture was an oral culture and their retention ability is unparalleled across the world. Then the students of Sahabah, Tābi’een, transmitted whatever they learnt from the Sahābah. This devotion and duty was upheld in every generation, which is why we have millions of unbroken chains of narration tracing back to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) – the accuracy of which is approved by analysing not only the content of the Hadith and how it relates to other Hadith but also the piety and memory of each narrator in the chain.The science of Hadith is an science, art and miracle of this Ummah; Ummat-e-Muhammadiyyah.
Certain Sahābah like Sayyidina Sahl ibn Abī Hathma recorded Maghāzi in separate compilations as did great Tābi’een like Imam Muhammad Zuhri [D. 124 A.H.]. His student Imam Muhammad ibn Ishāq [D. 150 A.H.] is known to be the first person who recorded Seerah in book form. This is the primary and most quoted Seerah book in the world. You will see ‘Ibn Ishaq’ being quoted in any Seerah book. This book was revised by his student [D. 216A.H.] and is available as the famous Seerah book ‘Seerah ibn Hisham’.
Thus, some Seerah books are primary books of Seerah and the rest are compilations and notes based on primary sources taken from source Seerah and Hadith books. It must be noted that for beginner students it is not recommended to study from primary sources but rather from books compiled by Seerah scholars who are also scholars of Hadith and are able to analyse narrations that may be contradictory or extremely weak, selecting the most accurate narration on a topic. A perfect example of such a book is the previously mentioned Siratul Mustafa.’
HOW DOES ONE COME TO KNOW RASULULLAH (PEACE BE UPON HIM)?
The first step is to believe in him. The next step is to follow him. By studying Hadith, one comes to know Rasulullah (peace be upon him) by reading and hearing his actual words. It is like sitting in the company of someone and getting to know them. However, if you sit with a friend every day but you never open up about each other’s lives, the friendship is limited. Seerah allows you to know Rasulullah (peace be upon him) as a person in terms of how his life unfolded, how graciously he dealt with every situation, his personal life and family etc. Thus, every Seerah student should go on to study Hadith and no Hadith student is truly a Hadith student unless they have studied Seerah. Yet still, the relationship is not fully established. Imagine reading all about a person and reading their works and thoughts but having never met them. Studying Shamā’il allows you to quench some of the the thirst of your yearning to meet Rasulullah (peace be upon him) – which develops when studying Seerah – by reading about how he looked, how he dressed etc.
We pray: “O Allah! Bless me with the love of your Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him. Ameen.”
‘I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind…I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These – and not the sword – carried everything before them and overcame every obstacle. When I closed the second volume, I was sorry there was not more for me to read of that great life.’ – Mohatma Gandhi in ‘Young India 1924’
Below is a presentation on Ayat and Suwar that are recommended to recite before bed. It is recommended to end the day with recitation of Qur’an, Adhkar and Qiyam, even if it be a little. How wonderful for the one who combines all three. It keeps the servant of Allah connected to his Merciful Lord. ‘Whoever recites ten Ayat at night will not be recorded as one of the ghaafileen (heedless).’ (Hadith narrated in Mustadak Haakim)
Do you wish to add some Tasbeeh into your routine? Here is a selection of wonderful short Tasbeeh, along with their virtues, taken from Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
سنن الترمذي، كتاب الدعوات ، باب مَا جَاءَ فِي فَضْلِ التَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالتَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّحْمِيدِ
It is best to select one or two and do with consistency, rather than start alot and leave it later.
“Do deeds which is within your capacity as Allah does not tire (i.e. stop giving and limit His rewards) until you yourself tire.” Hadith narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari
VARIOUS ADHKAR AND THEIR VIRTUES (REF: JAMI’ AT-TIRMIDHI, kitab-ud-da’wat)
Reward of freeing 10 enslaved persons, 100 good deeds, 100 Sayyi’ah (sins) removed, protected from Shaitan until evening, nobody will bring more virtue except someone who has done more
100 Tasbeeh morning and evening = Like one who performs Hajj 100 times 100 Tahmeed morning and evening = Like one who provides 100 horses in the cause of Allah 100 Tahleel morning and evening = Like one who freed 100 enslaved persons from offspring of Isma’il i.e. Arabs And 100 Takbeer morning and evening = None shall bring on that day, more than what he brought, except one who said similar to what he said, or increased upon it
1 Tasbeeh in Ramadan
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Greater than 1000 Tasbeeh outside of it (This is a saying of the early Muslims)
10 times after Fajr Salah while feet are still folded, before speaking
10 good deeds, 10 Sayyi’ah (sins) removed, 10 ranks raised, in security all that day from every disliked thing, in protection from Shaitan, no sin will meet him or destroy him that day except for associating partners with Allah (meaning he will be guided to good deeds and forgiveness)
This book is in a slideshow format and is to introduce readers to 200 Signs of the End Times which have been foretold in the Islamic tradition. These particular signs are from the minor signs. These signs which will increase in frequency closer to the major signs occurring, serving as portents of the major signs.
Average reading time: 20 mins. Please read the preface first before reading the book.
This is not supposed to be a standalone document; it is merely a guiding summary to assist in note making. ‘The Etiquette of Hadith’ by Shaykh Maulana Saleem Dhorat (may Allah preserve him) is a book containing many advices, quotes and stories to motivate the student of Hadith in making the most of their studies. It is very short and can be read in a 30 min sitting.
If a person does not know they have a treasure, they will be unable to benefit from it. If a person knows they have a treasure but do not know how to handle it, they too will be unable to benefit from it. The student of Hadith should recognise that the Ahadith are full of light and guidance. One who shows through their behaviour – their etiquette – that they want to be bathed in the guidance of this light, will surely see the blessings of studying Hadith after the very first lesson, with Allah’s Grace. Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: طرق العشـق كـلها آداب أدبوا النفس أيها الاصحـاب
Bullet points from the book ‘The Etiquette of Hadith’ by Shaykh Maulana Saleem Dhorat hafizhahullah (translated by Maulana Mohamed Mohamedy)
INWARD ETIQUETTES
Have the Azhmat (honour) of the knowledge in your heart
Have the Muhabbah (love) of the knowledge in your heart
Have the correct intention: a. To earn the pleasure of Allah Almighty ((مَنْ تعلَّم علْمًا ممَّا يُبْتَغى به وَجْهُ الله -عز وجل- لا يَتَعلَّمُه إلا لِيُصِيبَ به عَرَضًا من الدنيا، لمْ يَجِد عَرْفَ الجنة يومَ القيامة.)) الحديث رواه ابو داؤدو أحمد و ابن ماجة
b. To have a glow in this world and hereafter ((نضَّر الله امرءًا سمِع مقالَتي فوعاها وحفِظها وبلَّغها فرُبَّ حاملِ فقهٍ إلى من هو أفقهُ منه.)) الحديث رواه الترمذي c. To earn closeness to Rasulullah (peace be upon him) ((أولى الناس بي يوم القيامة أكثرهم عليّ صلاة)) الحديث رَوَاهُ التِّرمِذِيُّ
d. To earn the title of ‘Khulafā’ of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)
عن ابن عباس قال : قال النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم : (( اللهم ارحم خلفائي )) قلنا : يا رسول الله ، ومن خلفاؤك ؟ قال
((الذين يأتون من بعدي ، يروون أحاديثي ويعلمونها الناس)) . الحديث رواه الطبراني في الأوسط ، وفيه أحمد بن عيسى بن عبد الله الهاشمي e. To understand the Holy Qur’an بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ. (سورة النحل : ٤٤) f. To take enjoyment from the words of the Beloved (peace be upon him) g. To earn the Sha’n (honour) of Sahabiyat (Prophetic companionship) The poet says: أهلُ الحديثِ هُمُ أهلُ النبيّ وإن لم يصحَبوا نفسَهُ ، أنفاسَهُ صَحِبوا h. To adorn one’s self with the Prophetic character
OUTWARD ETIQUETTES
Utilise your full strength and means
Never miss a lesson
Always be in a state of Wudu
Apply scent and be clean
Learn the pre-requisite sciences
Read the Ibarat (text) correctly
Recite the correct Ad’iah after the names of pious people and keep respect for them in the heart
Take the name of your teacher with Ta’zheem (honour)
Act upon the knowledge
Respect the teacher
Respect the tools of knowledge
Be considerate to classmates
Have the Jazba (zeal) to spread knowledge of Deen
Don’t hide knowledge when you can help someone
Adopt Akhlāq Hameedah (praiseworthy character)
Write the knowledge down, do not merely listen to it
Have Mudāwamat (continuity) on the etiquettes
Make Mashwarah (consultation) with your spiritual elders instead rushing into a decision
BENEFITS OF ADOPTING ETIQUETTES
The Nusrat (help) of Allah Almighty will be with you
Falah (success) in acquiring knowledge
The colour of this knowledge will be manifested on you صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ (سورة البقرة: ١٣٨)
Allah Almighty will make you a means to convey this colour to others
It is a compilation of authentic Hadith taken from Sahih Muslim. Both the Arabic text and translation are included. The aim of this compilation is two-fold:
1. Including Hadith on topics that serve as advice and reminders for the Muslim community. Each Hadith addresses an important topic. This book can be covered by scholars during advice sessions, lectures or in a short course.
2. Including Hadith with their Asaneed (chains of narration) for students of Hadith. Teachers of Hadith can use this to instruct students on how to analyse a Sanad. It has been colour-coded for this purpose.
Keep us in your prayers. If you notice any errors, please contact us.
It is important when teaching Sarf that students are able to translate from a language into Arabic and vice versa orally (not just in written form). For younger students, keeping it interactive with games and activities makes class fun whilst pushing students to translate under pressure, improving their ability. This is a simple enough game. The blank boxes can be kept blank or the teacher’s own choice of words can be added in.
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