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A lot of people–especially new Muslims–break their heads on this conundrum. What is the difference between fard and wajib? Are they the same? Are they different? What’s the scoop? Why do some people say fard, while others say wajib for the same things?

The answer is simple. According to the majority of scholars, fard and wajib mean the EXACT same thing. There is no difference. They are interchangable. (Recall that fard means: an action that, if performed, entails reward, and if neglected, entails punishment.)

Eman. So simple…yet we have failed to understood its true place in our deen.

And the man asked, “What is Eman?” The Prophet replied, “It is to believe in Allah and…”

What did the Prophet say about Eman? How does it relate to us? Listen to this podcast to find out the reality of eman, in Ilm Fruits’ exclusive Light of Eman series!

Don’t miss out! Check the Light of Eman page for the schedule!

Bismillah.

Learning Arabic as a second language may be difficult for many, so I decided to share some tips that assist with learning the meanings of words and their structures.

Words that begin with ف usually will always mean something that breaks open, separates, or breaks apart. Check out these examples:

الفجر (Al-Fajr) from ف ج ر means the dawn, but it literally means when the daylight breaks/crack through the darkness. If you’ve ever seen the sky at Fajr time, you can see a thread of light near the horizon, while the rest of the sky is dark with the night. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) tells us in Surah Baqarah to stop eating suhoor when the “white thread” is distinguishable from the “black thread.”

Bismillah.

Reminders of the akhirah can have a great effect on our hearts and bring us out of the ghaflah (heedlessness) we are in. By looking at two words, Jahannam and Jaheem from the Qur’an, we are able to see what the real life is, the real ending and the real punishment. May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) make our best deeds our last and may He (سبحانه وتعالى) make us among those who will enter Jannah without reckoning or punishment. Ameen!

Time comes and goes, life slips and goes forth, what is to come? No creation knows.

Sometimes, things (سبحانه وتعالى) takes it away, because in His infinite Wisdom it is something which is not good for you. However, what is to say that same thing is not good for you later in life? Time can go by, a jewel can accumulate dust, but with a blow of the mouth and a brush of the hands, it sparkles like new just as it was before. Allah may very well take you away from a danger or a calamity which may be bad for you at that time, but that same ‘danger’ or ‘calamity’ could be hope and goodness for you later in life.

Fard: technically, it means any action which, if done, deserves reward from Allah; and if neglected, deserves punishment from Allah. (Yes, that’s right–you actually earn reward for doing all those fard actions!)

Here, we discuss two classifications of faraaid–Sofa Fard, and Bucket-Seat Fard.

Sofa Fard (also known as Fard Muwassa’) is a fard which you have a choice of when you can do it. It’s like a sofa–you can sit on the left, on the right, in the middle, anywhere you want!

By Shaikh Abul Laith Samarkandi

Angel Jibreel (عليه السلام) told Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) the following incident:

A man in the past worshipped Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) continuously for 500 years. He was granted a shelter on top of a mountain that was surrounded by salty water. However, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) caused a stream of sweet water to flow through the mountain for that individual. The man would drink from this water and use it to make ablution. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also raised a pomegranate tree from which the man would eat one fruit every day. One day, this person supplicated to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) that, “Oh Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), bring my death while I am in the state of prostration.” Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) accepted this dua of his. Whenever Jibreel (عليه السلام) came down to the Earth, he found this man prostrating to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Jibreel (عليه السلام) said that on the day of Judgement, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will tell the angels to take this individual to Paradise through His mercy. However, this man will insist that he should enter paradise through the good deeds that he had performed. Then, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will tell the angels to compare his good deeds with the blessings that were given to him in the world. It will be seen that 500 years of his worship does not even equal to the gift of eye sight that was given to him by Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). The angels will be asked to take him toward the hell fire. Then the man will plead, “Oh Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)! Enter me into Paradise only through Your mercy.” At that point, the following discussion will take place between Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and that man. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى): Oh my servant, who created you? The worshipper: Oh Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), You have created me. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى): Were you created because of the good deeds you have done or because of My mercy? The worshipper: Because of Your mercy. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى): Who granted you the ability to worship for 500 years? The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى): Who placed you on the mountain surrounded by the ocean? Who caused a stream of sweet water to flow in between the salty water? Who caused a pomegranate tree to grow for you? Who granted you death while in the state of prostration? The worshipper: Oh the Sustainer of the Worlds! You have done all of these. Then Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will say, “All these have happened due to My mercy and you too will enter Paradise only through My Mercy.”

“I have already donated enough to masajids. I want to help the needy, poor, orphans and widows. Its so hard to find these people here in the west. Back home, it was so easy.” This is the typical problem that many of us face.

So if you are wondering, how and where should I spend my charity, follow these six steps:

1. Niyah Check: Make sure that you are only doing it for Allah, not to please anyone else or get praised! Remember “The deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention” [Bhukari and Muslim]

A Delayed Response of Du’aa

An eye-opener for those who believe …

While talking to himself, Ibn Al-Jawzi blamed his soul in a gentle way. He said:

I found myself in trouble, and so I made du’aa (supplication) consistently, all the while requesting relief and comfort. The response to my du’aa seemed to be delayed, and so my soul became disturbed and worried. However, I rebuked it saying, “Woe unto you; look attentively at yourself, are you the one possessed or are you the possessor? Are you the one that is controlled or are you the controller? Are you not aware that this world is the abode of tests for you? If you desire that your goals be fulfilled and become impatient when they are not, then, where is your test? Is it not the ultimate test when you get the opposite of whatever you desired? “So, (dear restless soul) try to understand the meaning of the word ‘Abd (slave), and whatever is dear to you will become worthless, and whatever is difficult will become easy.” After it deliberated over what I said, it became a little appeased. I informed it that I had a second argument for it, and so I said, “Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is a necessary requirement in order for any of your aims to be fulfilled; yet you do not exhort yourself to work for His pleasure. This is ignorance, as the matter should have been opposite to what you desire, primarily because you are the one possessed. (You should note) that the mindful ‘Abd should make sure that he fulfils the rights due to the Master, and that it is not necessary that He (سبحانه وتعالى) gives to the ‘Abd whatever he desires or loves.” It made it quieter yet I then mentioned that I had a third argument for it, and so I said, “You are under the impression that the response to your du’aa has been slow; yet you were responsible for this because you closed the door of response (to your du’aa) because of your constant sinning. If, however, you open the door [by developing taqwa (piety) for Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)], then the response (to your du’aa) would arrive quicker, because having taqwa for Allah is the cause of all comfort.” Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said:

The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Pen is lifted from three (i.e., their deeds are not recorded):

1. a child until he reaches puberty;
2. an insane man until he comes to his senses;
3. one who is asleep until he wakes up.”

[Recorded in Abu Dawud #4403, and Ibn Majah #2041]

This is an important hadith, fundamental to usool-ul-fiqh. This hadith applies in practically every situation and with every issue. It gives us understandings such as that children don’t need to pray or fast prior to puberty, that the insane are not criminally liable, and so on. It’s fundamental to usool-ul-fiqh, the since of how we derive fiqh.