Muslims Asked to Concentrate on Righteous Deeds. JEDDAH, 16 October 2004 — Sheikh Saleh Al-Taleb, one of the imams of the Grand Mosque in Makkah,yesterday called upon Muslims to outdo each other in righteous deeds to win rewards during Ramadan. Giving his Friday sermon to tens of thousands of faithful who thronged the mosque, the imam denounced the Israeli move to exterminate Palestinians in the occupied territories and destroy their homes and properties. Sheikh Ali ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Hudaify, one of the imams of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, emphasized the significance of fasting in Ramadan. “All acts of worship in Islam are meant to cleanse Muslims of sins and bring them closer to God,” he added. Explaining Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar and the holiest of the four holy months. It begins with the sighting of the new moon after which all physically mature and healthy Muslims are obliged to abstain from all food, drink, gum chewing, any kind of tobacco use, and any kind of sexual contact between dawn and sunset. However, that is merely the physical component of the fast; the spiritual aspects of the fast include refraining from gossiping, lying, slandering and all traits of bad character. All obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Purity of thought and action is paramount. Ordained in the Quran, the fast is an exacting act of deeply personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of God-consciousness. The act of fasting redirects the hearts away from worldly activities, towards The Divine. The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing good deeds and spending time with family and friends. The fasting is intended to help teach Muslims self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity. It also reminds them of the suffering of the poor, who may rarely get to eat well. It is common to have one meal (known as the Suhoor), just before sunrise and another (known as the Iftar), directly after sunset. This meal will commonly consist of dates, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him. Because Ramadan is a time to spend with friends and family, the fast will often be broken by different Muslim families coming together to share in an evening meal. Ramadan derives from the Arabic root: ramida or ar-ramad, meaning scorching heat or dryness. Since Muslims are commanded to fast during the month of Ramadan, it is believed that the month's name may refer to the heat of thirst and hunger, or because fasting burns away one's past sins. Muslims believe that God began revealing the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan (in the year 610 C.E.). The Qur'an commands: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint...Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting..." (Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185). Fasting during Ramadan did not become an obligation for Muslims until 624 C.E., at which point it became the third of the Five Pillars of Islam. The others are faith (Shahadah); prayer (Salah); charitable giving (Zakah); and the pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj). Another aspect of Ramadan is that it is believed that one of the last few odd-numbered nights of the month is the Laylat ul-Qadr, the "Night of Power" or "Night of Destiny." It is the holiest night of the holiest month; it is believed to be the night on which God first began revealing the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril (Gabriel). This is a time for especially fervent and devoted prayer, and the rewards and blessings associated with such are manifold. Muslims are told in the Qur'an that praying throughout this one night is better than a thousand months of prayer. No one knows exactly which night it is; it is one of God's mysteries. Additionally, Muslims are urged to read the entire Qur'an during the month of Ramadan, and its 114 chapters have been divided into 30 equal parts for this purpose. When the first crescent of the new moon has been officially sighted by a reliable source, the month of Ramadan is declared over, and the month of Shawwal begins. The end of Ramadan is marked by a three-day period known as Eid ul-Fitr, the "Festival of Fast-breaking." It is a joyous time beginning with a special prayer, and accompanied by celebration, socializing, festive meals and sometimes very modest gift-giving, especially to children. When Ramadan ends, Muslims give charity in a locally prescribed amount Which is £3.00 per head in Scotland, calculated to feed one poor person in that region for one day.This is known as fitra,and is meant as another reminder of the suffering endured by many. Many Muslims also take this occasion to pay the annual alms which are due to the poor and needy, known as Zakah (2.5% of assets). At the beginning of Ramadan, it is appropriate to wish Muslims "Ramadan Mubarak" which means "Blessed Ramadan." At its conclusion, you may say "Eid Mubarak. Good Practices When Fasting. 1.Intention: Remind yourself again and again that you are fasting in obedience to Allah. Be sincere in your intention. You want Allah to accept your fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeking Allah’s reward, all his past sins are forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 37) 2. Sunnah: Observe the Sunnah in fasting. Take the suhur (pre-dawn meal -Heda) a little before dawn and end your fast at sunset. As much as you can, try to fast as much like the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) fasted. There was no prayer better than his prayer and no fast better than his fast. Try to follow his way of fasting. That is the most acceptable way of fasting to Allah. 3. Wara` (Avoiding everything Haram or Makruh):Keep your body and mind very clean. Fasting is not just avoiding food and drink. Fasting is to learn how to avoid bad words and bad deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever does not leave bad words and bad actions, Allah does not care if he leaves his food and drink.” (Al-Tirmidhi 641) 4. Qur’an: Fasting and revelation are inter-connected. Prophet Musa fasted when he received the Torah. Prophet `Isa fasted when he received the Gospel. Prophet Muhammad fasted when he received the first message of the Qur’an. Let us do the same thing. You must fast and spend more time with the Qur’an. Read the Qur’an every day. Try to finish at least one time the whole Qur’an during this month by your own personal reading. 5. Prayer (Salah), Du`a' and Dhikr: Pray on time and observe all the prayers.Do not ignore the Tarawih (night prayers).Make more extra and voluntary prayers.Do as much worship as you can. Do more dhikr (remembering Allah) and du`a' (supplication) for yourself and for others. Repent and seek forgiveness for yourself and for others as much as you can. This is the best time for devotion and seeking Allah’s forgiveness. Seek the Night of Qadr by special devotion during the last ten nights of this month. 6. Zakah, Sadaqah and Generosity: Ramadan generates the spirit of giving and sacrifice. When we deprive ourselves of food and drink we understand and realize well what it means to be hungry and thirsty. We realize the pain of those who cannot find the basic necessities of life. Be very charitable and generous. Give more to help the poor and needy. Contribute generously to useful social and community projects. 7. Family: Goodness must begin at home. Be very good to your family, immediate family and the extended family. Spend more time and quality time with your family members. Try to have suhur (pre-dawn meal) together. Break your fast together and pray together as much as you can. Do this more at this time. Ramadan should bring you closer to each other. Allah’s special mercy comes on the families that are united, harmonious and peaceful. 8. Good Conduct: Fasting should transform you and should make you a different person. Try to be extra kind and courteous during this month. Forget your quarrels and disputes. Reconcile and forgive. Do not get involved in backbiting, lying, cheating and anything that is wrong. Be very good to Muslims and to all human beings. Be good to your friends and neighbors. Let your non-Muslim neighbors and co-workers know that this is your blessed and sacred time. 9. Tafakkur (reflection): Think, reflect and plan to improve the moral and spiritual condition of your own self and your family. Think about any wrong things and sins you might be doing and decide to correct yourself. Think about any deficiencies you have in your Islamic observances. Plan to change yourself. Think what you can do for the Ummah and for humanity to make this world a better place for everyone. Think about the life after death and the Day of Judgment. 10. Be cheerful and happy: Ramadan is not a time of mourning or sadness. It is a time of thankfulness to Allah. In a Hadith it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When you fast, anoint yourself. Let not the signs of fast be seen on you.” (Al-Bukahri, Al-Adab al-Mufrad) Do not feel tired and miserable. Feel alert and relax. Take things easy. This time is for your own good. Give the greetings of Ramadan to each other and enjoy this beautiful time. It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave a sermon about Ramadan to a gathering that met towards the end of Sha`ban. He said: "O People, a great and a blessed month is approaching you. In this month there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Allah has made fasting obligatory and prayers at night commendable during this month. Whosoever will do a voluntary good deed during this month, it is as if he performed an obligatory good deed at another time and whosoever will perform an obligatory good deed, it is as if he performed seventy obligatory good deeds at another time. This is the month of patience and the reward of patience is Paradise. This is the month of kindness. In this month the believer’s provision is increased. Whosoever will give food to a fasting person in this month, it will bring forgiveness for his sins, will save him from the hellfire and he shall have his reward while the fasting person will not lose any of his reward." (As-Suyuti, Ad-Durr al-Manthur)" suggestions for parents:- The Muslim must make use of this blessed month to get his children accustomed to the ethics and morals of fasting. Sheikh Muhammed Saleh Al-Munajjid,a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, states: The Muslim must make the most of his time during this month.He has an unavoidable duty towards his children, to raise them well and bring them up properly,to urge them to do all kinds of goodness and make them get used to that. A child usually grows up in the manner to which the parents make him or her accustomed. During the blessed days of Ramadan, fathers and mothers have a great role to play in seizing this good occasion for their own benefit and for that of their children,and offer the suggestions to parents : 1.Check on the children’s fasting and encourage those who fall short in this regard. 2.Remind them about the real nature of fasting,and that it is not just giving up food and drink,but it is a means of attaining taqwa (piety),and that it is an opportunity for sins to be forgiven and expiated. It was reported by Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)ascended the pulpit and said: It was said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?” He said, “Jibreel said to me, ‘May Allah curse a person who let Ramadan elapse without having his sins forgiven,’ and I (Prophet Muhammad) said, ‘Ameen.’ Then he said, ‘May Allah curse the one who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise,’ and I said, ‘Ameen.’ Then he said, ‘May Allah curse the one in whose presence you (the Prophet) are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,’ and I said, ‘Ameen.’” (Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah, At-Tirmidhi, Ahmad and Ibn Hibban) 3.Teach them the manners and rulings of eating, such as eating with the right hand from what is directly in front of them,reminding them that extravagance is haram (unlawful)and harmful to the body. 4.Don’t let them spend too long on eating iftar so that they don’t miss performing Maghrib Prayer in congregation. 5.Remind them about the situation of the poor and destitute who cannot find even a mouthful of food to satisfy their hunger.Remind them of the situation of those who have migrated or are fighting in jihad for the sake of Allah in all places. 6.Use these gatherings to bring relatives together and uphold the ties of kinship.This custom still exists in some countries,and it is an opportunity to reconcile and mend broken ties between relatives. 7.Work together as a family to prepare the food and to clean up and put away the leftovers. 8.Remind the children to perform Tarawih Prayer and to prepare for it by not eating too much and to get ready in time to perform the Prayer in the mosque,(if a mosque is nearby.If you do not live close to a mosque,perform Tarawih Prayer together as a family and try to take them to a mosque for Tarawih Prayers at least over the weekends.) 9.Remind the children of the blessing of suhur (pre-dawn meal)and that it gives a person the strength to fast. 10.Remind the children of the virtue of the time before Fajr Prayer for those who have not prayed Witr to pray it then and to make a lot of du`a’. 11.If you live close enough to a mosque,perform Fajr Prayer in congregation in the mosque.If you live far,perform Fajr at home after eating suhur,before sleeping again.Many people wake up at the end of the night to eat,then they go back to bed and neglect Fajr Prayer. 12.It was the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the last ten days of Ramadan to stay up at night and wake his family.This indicates that the family should pay attention to making the most of this blessed time in doing things that are pleasing to Allah.So the husband should wake his wife and children to do what will bring them closer to their Lord. 13. Encourage the young children in the house to observe fasting;urge your little kids to get up for suhur,praise them and reward them for the days they fast. It was narrated that Ar-Rubayyi` bint Mu`awwidh said: On the morning of `Ashura’ (10th of Muharram), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent word to the villages of the Ansar saying, “Whoever started out not fasting, let him not eat for the rest of the day, and whoever started the day fasting, let him fast.” She said: We used to fast and make our children fast, [and take them to the mosques] and make toys for them out of wool, then if one of them cried for food we would give him that toy until iftar. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the words in brackets were narrated by Muslim.) An-Nawawi said: “This hadith shows that we should train children to do acts of worship and get them used to that, but they are not accountable. Al-Qadi said: It was narrated from `Urwah that when they are able to fast it becomes obligatory upon them. This is a mistake which is disproved by the authentic hadith which reads, ‘The Pen is lifted from three (i.e., their deeds are not recorded): a child until he reaches puberty; an insane man until he comes to his senses; and one who is asleep until he wakes up.’” (Sharh Muslim, 8/14) 14.The husband should not overburden his wife by asking her to prepare food and sweets.Many people go to extremes in this month to prepare fancy foods and drinks. This detracts from the sweetness of this month and goes against the reason for fasting,which is to attain piety. 15. Read the Qur’an together as a family.Parents should teach the children how to recite Qur’an and help them to understand the meanings of the verses. 16. Encourage the children to spend on the needy and to offer any assistance to the neighbors. It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous during Ramadan when Jibreel met him. He would meet him each night and revise the Qur’an with him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was more generous than the blowing wind. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) 17.Prevent your children from staying up late at night and wasting their time in things that are of no benefit,let alone haram things. 18.Remember the family’s gathering in Allah’s Paradise in the Hereafter, and the great joy of meeting there under the shade of His throne. 19.If possible, the parents should take the family for `Umrah in Ramadan,for that will benefit them all in the Hereafter.`Umrah during Ramadan has the same reward as Hajj. Qur'anic Supplications(Du'aa): The original text is given in Arabic, followed by its transliterated forms, as well as by the English meaning of each Du'a'. 1."Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirati hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar." "Our Lord! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire." (2:201) 2."Rabbana afrigh 'alayna sabran wa thabbit aqdamana wansurna 'alal-qawmil-kafirin." "Our Lord! pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people." (2:250) 3."Rabbana la tu'akhizna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na. Rab-bana wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-'fu 'anna wa 'ghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna 'alal-qawmil kafirin." "Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people." (2:286) 4."Rabbana innaka man tudkhilin-nara fa-qad akhzaytahu, wa ma liz-zalimina min ansar." "Rabbana innana sami'na munadiyan yunadi lil imani an aminu bi-Rabbikum fa-amanna, Rabbana faghfir lana dhunubana wa kaffir 'anna sayyiatina wa tawaffana ma'al-abrar. Rabbana wa atina ma wa'adta-na 'ala russuli-ka wa la tikhzi-na yauma-l-qiyamati innaka latukhlifu-l-mi'ad." "Our Lord! surely whomsoever Thou makest enter fire, him Thou hast indeed brought to disgrace, and there shall be no helpers for the unjust." "Our Lord! We have heard the call of one calling (us) to faith, saying, Believe in your Lord; so we do believe; our lord! forgive us our faults and cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous; Our Lord! and grant us what Thou hast promised us by Thy messengers and disgrace us not on the day of reserrection; surely Thou dost not fail to perform the promise." (3:192-194) 5."Rabbi 'j'alni muqima's-Salati wa min Thurriyati, Rabbana wa taqqabal du'a', Rabbana'ghfirli wa li walidayya walil-Mu'minina yawma yaqumul-Hisab." "O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring. O our Lord! and accept Thou my prayer." "O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness - me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!" (14:40-41) 6."Rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi' lana min amrina rashada." "Our Lord! give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight." (18:10) 7."Rabbi-'shrah li sadri wa yassirli amri wa-hlul 'uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli." "O My Lord! expand my breast for me. And ease my task for me; and loose a knot from my tongue, (That) they may understand my saying. (20:25-2) 8."Rabbana Isrif 'anna 'adhaba Jahannama, 'inna 'adhabaha kana gharama, innaha sa'at mustaqarran wa muqama." "O Our Lord! turn away from us the chastisement of hell, surely the chastisement thereof is a lasting evil. Surely it is an evil abode and (an evil) place to stay in." (25:65-66) 9."Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhuriyyatina qurrata A'yunin waj'alna lil-muttaqina imama." "Our Lord! grant us in our mates and offspring the joy of our eyes and make us patterns for those who guard against evil." (25:74) 10."Rabbi awzi'ni an ashkura ni'mata-ka-llati an'amta 'alayaa wa 'ala walidayya wa an a'mala salihan tardahu wa aslih li fi dhurriyyati, inni tubtu ilaika wa inni minal-muslimeen." "O My Lord! grant me that I should be gateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to Thee, and truly I submit (to Thee) in Islam." (46:15) 11."Rabbanaghfir lana wa li-ikhwaninal ladhinal sabaquna bil-Imami wa la taj'al fi qulubina ghillan lil ladhina amana Rabbana innaka Ra'ufun Rahim." "Our Lord! forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence over us in faith, and do not allow any spite to remain in our hearts towards those who believe, Our Lord! surely Thou art Kind, Merciful." (59:10) 12."Rabbana 'alaika tawakkalna wa ilaika anabna wa ilaikal-masir. Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan li-lladhina kafaru waghfir lana Rabbana innaka Antal 'Azizul-Hakim." "Our Lord! on Thee do we rely, and to Thee do we turn, and to Thee is the eventual coming. Our Lord! do not make us a trial for those, who disbelieve, and forgive us, Our Lord! surely Thou are the Mighty, the Wise." (60:4-5) 13."Rabbana la tuzighqulubana ba'da idh hadaitana wa hab lana min ladun-ka rahmah, innaka antal Wahhab. "Our Lord! do not make our hearts deviate after Thou hast guided us aright and grant us from Thy mercy; surely Thou art te most liberal Giver." (3:8) 14."Rabbana zalamna anfusana, wa in lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna la-nakunanna minal-khaasirin." "Our Lord! we have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers." (7:23) 15." ... Anta waliyyuna faghfir lana warhamna wa Anta Khayrul-ghafirin. Waktub lana fi hadhid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati inna hudna ilay-ka." " ... Thou art our Guardian. Therefore, forgive us and have mercy on us, and Thou art the Best of the forgivers. And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the hereafter, for surely we turn to Thee." (7:155-156) 16."Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan lil-qamidh-dhalimin. Wa najjina birahmati-ka minal qawmil-kaafirin. "Our Lord! make us not a trial for the unjust people. And do Thou deliver us by Thy mercy from the unbelieving people." (10:85-86) RAMADAN READING MATERIAL:- Imam Malik ibn Anas (93/712 - 179/795) Founder of the maliki School of Jurisprudence,widely followed in West Africa,North Africa and some areas of the Middle East. (A few selections is taken from Imam Malik: His Life and Teaching by Muhammad Abu Zahra (This is now available from Dar at-Taqwa:The Four Imams -Their lives,works and their schools of Thought.Priced £30.00)and so is it copyrighted and not to be re-published. It's here to give you a taste.) Malik was born and lived his whole life in Madina and saw the traces of the Companions and Followers and the grave of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and all the great places there. He felt an enormous esteem for Madina and all it contained which marked his life from his earliest childhood. He knew it to be the cradle of knowledge, the fountain of light and the spring of gnosis. He maintained this deep-rooted respect until his death and it had a profound impact on his thought, his fiqh and his life in general. He never rode in Madina and he gave great importance to the practice of its people in his ijtihad. Indeed, the principle of the 'Practice of the People of Madina' was one of the foundations of his legal method, as we will show. Malik grew up in a household which was engaged in the science of Traditions and hadith. His family was interested in the knowledge of the reports and traditions of the Companions and their fatwas. His grandfather, Malik ibn Abi 'Amir, was one of the great men of knowledge of the Tabi'un. He related from many Companions. It is clear, however, that Anas ibn Malik, MalikÕs father, was not greatly concerned with hadith since it is not known that Malik related anything from him, although Malik's grandfather and uncles were. His family was well-known for their devotion to knowledge. Malik was originally known as 'the brother of an-Nadr', a brother of his who was esteemed for his knowledge. Then his own desire to seek knowledge grew to such an extent that people began to say, 'an-Nadr, the brother of Malik.' After memorising the Qur'an he devoted himself to memorising hadith, which was much encouraged in the environment of Madina. Malik went to the assemblies of scholars to write down what they taught and study it. He told his mother that he wanted to go and study, and she dressed him in his best clothes and turban and then said, "Go and write now." She said, "Go to Rabi'a and learn his knowledge before learning his adab." Malik devoted himself to knowledge from an early age and sought it out from the people of knowledge in Madina. He confined himself to two areas of knowledge: hadith and fiqh. He did not like to argue about the reports of the various sects regarding matters about which people become confused and disagree. That was not due to any ignorance of their positions but was based on knowledge and clear evidence because he saw that delving into such things had no benefit. We mentioned these anecdotes about Malik's quest for hadiths and what has been said about his shaykhs in order to bring out three points. Firstly, at that time knowledge was taken by learning directly from the mouths of men and not from books in which knowledge was recorded. This is why the memory of students was so sharp: they were entirely dependent on it and were eager not to lose anything they heard. Malik kept track of the number of hadiths he learned by tying knots in a length of thread. If he forgot a hadith, he would return to hear it again. No reproach or rebuke would stop him, but even so he would only miss the odd one. The second thing we learn is that scholars had begun to record their knowledge in writing, even if they did not rely on what was written. Ibn Shihab encouraged his students to write down what they heard, out of fear that they might forget it. Malik went to him with slates in hand on which he wrote down what he heard. That did not prevent him from memorising what he wrote. So when Ibn Shihab took away the slates he could repeat what was on them. Thirdly, we gather from these extracts that Malik was tirelessly devoted to seeking knowledge and applied himself to it with an earnestness, energy and patience rarely emulated in the history of Islam. Undeterred by intense heat, he would leave his home and wait for the time when scholars left their houses for the mosque, and not even the irascibility of some of them prevented him from learning from them. He endured criticism for that at times but he kept at it until he managed to achieve his aim. We should at this point elaborate on the different branches of knowledge that Malik studied in his pursuit of learning. He sought knowledge in four areas which are part and parcel of the formation of the complete scholar and faqih who knows the sources properly, who is able to derive rulings from them correctly, who is in touch with the spirit of his time and has true understanding of what is happening around him, and has the ability to disseminate among people the knowledges which he thinks are beneficial for them. Firstly he learned how to refute adherents of deviant sects and how to resolve people's disagreements and clarify their disputes in respect of fiqh and other matters. He studied that with Ibn Hurmuz, as he himself said. He took from him much knowledge which he did not spread publicly. But when there was an occasion where it was necessary to impart it, he did so. It seems that Malik divided knowledge into two kinds: knowledge to be taught to people in general, which was not to be confined to anyone since there was no harm in it for anyone and all intellects could accept it and listen to it and benefit from it; and another kind of knowledge which should be reserved for the elite. He did not teach that kind to ordinary people because it would harm some people more than help them. This was the case with the refutation of the adherents of sects, which can be difficult for people and even cause some people to deviate themselves. Secondly he learned the fatwas of the Companions from the Tabi'un and the Tabi'i't-Tabi'in. He learned 'Umar's fatwas and those of Ibn Umar, 'A'isha and other Companions. He learned the fatwas of Ibn al-Musayyab and other great Tabi'un. Their fatwas are the source of much of Maliki fiqh. Thirdly he learned fiqh ar-ra'y (understanding by mental perception) from Rabi'a ibn 'Abdi'r-Rahman who was known as Rabi'a ar-Ra'y. It is evident that the method he learned from Rabi'a was not the same as analogy. Its basis was harmonisation of different texts with the best interests of people and how they could best be benefited. That is why, according to al-Madarik, "Malik was asked whether they used to use analogy in the assembly of Rabi'a and discuss a lot with one another. He said, 'No, by Allah.'" From this we can see that Malik did not understand fiqh ar-ra'y as meaning opinion in which there is a lot of analogy and analysis because that might have led to involvement in the kind of hypothetical fiqh which was so common in Iraq and which resulted from the excessive use of analogy. Rabi'a's basic principle was the best interests of the people. Fourthly he learned the hadiths of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; he sought out all who transmitted the Messenger's words and selected the most reliable among them. He was given great insight into men's understanding and the power of their intellects. It is reported that he said, "This knowledge is vital to the Deen, so look to the one from whom you take it. I have met seventy people who said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said' within these pillars," and he pointed to the mosque, "and I did not take anything from them. Had any of them been entrusted with a treasure, they would have proved trustworthy, but they were not worthy to undertake this business." After Malik completed his studies he took a place in the mosque of the Prophet to teach and give fatwas. There is no doubt that he used to sit in the place of those Tabi'un and their followers to whom people came from east and west. This must mean that he had both great knowledge and also the respect and esteem of the people and that made him the focus of students of fiqh and those who sought fatwas on many different subjects. This is why he said to clarify his position when he set up to teach and give fatwa: "No one who desires to sit in the mosque to teach hadith and fatwa can do so until he has consulted people of soundness and excellence and the people in charge of the mosque. Only when they consider him worthy of it may he sit there. I did not sit until seventy shaykhs of the people of knowledge had testified that I was ready to do so." Malik lived surrounded by the traces of the Tabi'un and Companions, and he learned the fatwas of the Companions from the Tabi'un and singled out those whose opinions were best. He investigated the reports of 'Umar and Ibn Mas'ud and other fuqaha' of the Companions, studying their cases and rulings. He was eager to learn precedents in order to follow what had gone before and not to innovate. He thought that the actions, weights, measures, waqfs and reports of the people of Madina were sufficient to illuminate any faqih who followed their guidance and borrowed from their light. It is reported in ad-Dibaj that "Malik used to come to mosque and attend the prayers, Jumu'a, and funerals, visit the sick, and sit in the mosque; and his Companions would join him there. Then he ceased to sit in the mosque. He did not attend funerals but would go to his companions and console them. Then he ceased doing even those things. He did not attend the prayers in the mosque or go to Jumu'a or go to console anyone. But he continued to see people until he died." Most people agree that he died in 179 AH, on the night of the 14th of Rabi' ath-Thani, at well over eighty years of age. NOW YOU HAVE AN INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE OF THE MAN,IT IS ONLY RIGHT AND PROPER THAT YOU READ ONE OF HIS MOST RESPECTED BOOK ON HADITH-MALIK'S AL-MUWATTA:- http://www.islammuslims.com Introduction Translation of Imam Malik's Muwatta The Times of Prayer Purity Prayer Forgetfulness in Prayer Jumu'a Prayer in Ramadan Tahajjud Prayer in Congregation Shortening the Prayer The Two 'Ids The Fear Prayer The Eclipse Prayer Asking for Rain The Qibla The Qur'an Burials Zakat Fasting I'tikaf in Ramadan Hajj Jihad Vows and Oaths Sacrificial Animals Slaughtering Animals Game The 'Aqiqa Fara'id Marriage Divorce Suckling Business Transactions Qirad Sharecropping Renting Land Pre-emption in Property Judgements Wills and Testaments Setting Free and Wala' The Mukatab Hudud The Mudabbar Drinks Blood-Money The Oath of Qasama Madina The Decree Good Character Dress The Description of the Prophet, may Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace The Evil Eye Hair Visions Greetings General Subjects The Oath of Allegiance Speech Jahannam Sadaqa Knowledge The Supplication of the Unjustly Wronged The Names of the Prophet,may Allah Bless Him and Grant Him Peace. ____________________________________________________________ Does your mail provider give you a free online calendar? 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