Response to those who say that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is not Sunnah

Q. We have a Shaykh who says that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is not Sunnah, and it is not permissible to fast on this day. I hope that you can answer this question, because this Shaykh distributes pamphlets which tell people not to fast on the day of ‘Arafah.

A. Praise be to Allaah.

Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is a confirmed Sunnah for those who are not performing Hajj. It was narrated from Abu Qataadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah and he said: “It expiates for the past and coming years.” Narrated by Muslim (1162).

According to another report: “I ask Allaah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it.”

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo’ (6/428), which is a Shaafa’i book:

With regard to the ruling on this matter, al-Shaafa’i and his companions said: It is mustahabb to fast on the day of ‘Arafah for the one who is not in ‘Arafah. As for the pilgrim who is present in ‘Arafah, al-Shaafa’i said in al-Mukhtasar and his companions said: It is mustahabb for him not to fast, because of the hadeeth of Umm al-Fadl. A number of our companions said: It is makrooh for him to fast this day. Among those who stated that it is makrooh were al-Daarimi, al-Bandaneeji, al-Muhaamili in al-Majmoo’ and al-Musannaf fi’l-Tanbeeh, and others. End quote.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (4/443), which is a Hanbali book:

It is a great and noble day, and a blessed festival which is of great virtue. It is narrated in saheeh reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that fasting it is expiation for two years. End quote.

Ibn Muflih (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Furoo’ (3/108), which is also a Hanbali book:

It is mustahabb to fast the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, especially the ninth day, which is the day of ‘Arafah, according to scholarly consensus. End quote.

Al-Kasaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’ (2/76), which is a Hanafi book:

With regard to fasting the day of ‘Arafah, for people other than those who are performing Hajj it is mustahabb, because of the many ahaadeeth which recommended fasting on this day, and because it is superior to other days. That also applies to the pilgrim if it will not make him too weak to stand in ‘Arafah and say du’aa’, because this is combining two acts of worship.
But if it will make him too weak, then it is makrooh, because the virtue of fasting on this day is something that may be made up in some other year, whereas the virtue of standing in ‘Arafah and making du’aa’ is something that is not attainable for most people, except once in a lifetimes, therefore attaining that virtue (of standing in ‘Arafah and making du’aa’) takes precedence.

In Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel, by al-Khurashi (6/499), which is a Maaliki book, it says:

“Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, for one who is not doing Hajj, and the ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah,” what is meant is that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is mustahabb for the one who is not doing Hajj. As for the pilgrim, it is mustahabb for him not to fast this day, so as to strengthen himself for supplicating (du’aa’), and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast during Hajj. End quote.

In Haashiyat al-Dasooqi (5/80) it says:

“It is recommended to fast on the day of ‘Arafah …”, what is meant is that it is particularly recommended on this day, otherwise fasting is recommended in general.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on fasting the day of ‘Arafah for non-pilgrims and pilgrims?

He replied: Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah for non-pilgrims is a confirmed Sunnah.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah and he said: “I ask Allaah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it.”

According to another report he said: “It expiates for the past and coming years.”

As for the pilgrim, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the day of ‘Arafah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on the day of ‘Arafah during the Farewell Pilgrimage.

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Maymoonah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the people were not sure whether the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, so she sent him some milk when he was standing in ‘Arafah, and he drank it whilst the people were looking on.
End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (part 20, question no. 404)

Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is makrooh for the pilgrim and not mustahabb. If this is what the speaker meant, then he is correct. But if what he meant is that it is not prescribed to fast on the day of ‘Arafah for non-pilgrims, then this is a mistake which clearly goes against the saheeh Sunnah, as stated above.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A
Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/98334/

Definition of udhiyah (sacrifice) and the ruling thereon

Q. What is meant by udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it obligatory or Sunnah?.

A. Praise be to Allaah.             

The word udhiyah means an animal of the ‘an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of Eid al-Adha because of the Eid and as an act of worship, intending to draw closer to Allaah thereby.

This is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims.

In the Qur’aan:

1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)”

[al-Kawthar 108:2]

2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”

[al-An’aam 6:162]

The word nusuk (translated here as sacrifice) means sacrifice; this is the view of Sa’eed ibn Jubayr. And it was said that it means all acts of worship, including sacrifice, which is more comprehensive.

3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God Allaah), so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitoon [those who obey Allaah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism]”

[al-Hajj 22:34]

In the Sunnah:

1 – It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5558) and Saheeh Muslim (1966) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two white rams speckled with black. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and put his foot on their necks.”

2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madeenah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).”
Narrated by Ahmad, 4935; al-Tirmidhi, 1507; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475.

3 – It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shared out sacrificial animals amongst his companions, and ‘Uqbah got a sheep that was six months old. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I got a sheep that is six months old.” He said, “Offer it as a sacrifice.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5547.

4 – It was narrated from al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5545.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered sacrifices, as did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). And he said that sacrifice is the way of the Muslims.

Hence the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed in Islam, as was narrated by more than one of the scholars. But they differed as to whether it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) or it is obligatory and it is not permissible to omit it.

The majority of scholars are of the view that it is Sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, Maalik and Ahmad according to his most well-known view.

Others were of the view that it is obligatory. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and one of the views narrated from Ahmad. This was also the view favoured by Ibn Taymiyah who said: “This is one of the views narrated in the madhhab of Maalik, or it appears to be the view of Maalik.”

From Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Udhiyah is Sunnah mu’akkadah for the one who is able to do it, so a person should offer the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his household.”

Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/661.

Islam Q&A

Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/36432

The meaning of the word "Anwaat"

Q. In the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with him) itsays: “We went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah beupon him) to Hunayn and we were new in Islam. The mushrikeen had a treeto which they would go and spend time (to seek blessings) and they usedto hang their weapons on it, it was called Dhat Anwaat…” What is themeaning of the word Anwaat?.
A. Praise be to Allaah.

This hadeeth was narrated by Imam Ahmad (2139) and by al-Tirmidhi (2180), who said it is hasan saheeh. It was also narrated by Ibn Abi Aasim in al-Sunnah. Al-Manaawi said: its isnaad is saheeh. And it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Riyaadh al-Sunnah, no. 76.

These words were narrated in the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with him): They went out from Makkah with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Hunayn. The kuffaar had a tree to which they would go and spend time (to seek blessings) and they used to hang their weapons on it, and it was called Dhaat Anwaat. We passed by a large green tree and we said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, make for us a dhaat anwaat.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you have said the same as the people of Moosa said: make for us a god as they have gods. Verily you are a people who know not. These are ways that you will certainly follow as did those who came before you, step by step.’

According to a report narrated by Ibn Abi ‘Aasim in Kitaab al-Sunnah: And we were new in Islam (at that time).

With regard to the words Dhaat Anwaat:

Anwaat is the plural of the word nawt, which refers to anything that is hung up. Dhaat Anwaat is the tree on which these things were hung. Ibn al-Atheer said in al-Nihaayah: This is the name of a specific tree that belonged to the mushrikeen, on which they used to hang their weapons and to which they would go and spend time (to seek blessings). They asked him to make something like that for them, and he forbade them to do that.

With regard to the phrase, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you have said the same as the people of Moosa said: make for us a god as they have gods. Verily you are a people who know not”:

Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) likened what they had said to the words of the Children of Israel when they passed by some people who were worshipping their idols. They asked Moosa (peace be upon him) to make for them a god that they could worship as those people had a god.

With regard to the phrase “These are ways that you will certainly follow as did those who came before you”: i.e., this is the way of the nations who came before you.

What is meant here is the way of the people who follow whims and desires and innovations that they introduced based on their own ideas after their Prophets were gone, and they changed their religion.

According to the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed that was narrated by al-Bukhaari: “You will follow the ways of those who came before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit, until even if they entered the hole of a lizard you will follow them.” We said: “O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said: “Who else?”

Al-Nawawi said: This is a manifest miracle of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), for what he foretold indeed came to pass.

From this hadeeth we learn the following:

1- To beware of shirk (associating others with Allaah) and that a person may think that something is good and will bring him closer to Allaah, when it is as far removed as it can be from the mercy of his Lord and will bring him closer to His wrath.

2- Seeking blessings from trees and rocks and being attached to them are all acts of shirk which have happened in this ummah. Whoever falls into these things is following the path of the Jews and Christians and forsaking the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

3- What counts is meanings, not words. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) likened what they said to what the Children of Israel said, even though they were not blatantly asking for a god instead of Allaah.

4- It is forbidden to imitate the people of the Jaahiliyyah and the people of the Book in things that are unique to them and in their acts of worship.

5- It shows that when a person has moved away from falsehood to which he was accustomed, there is no guarantee that something of those old traditions will not be left in his heart, because the Sahaabah who asked him for that had only been Muslims for a few days, as they became Muslim on the day of the conquest of Makkah, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took them out on the campaign of Hunayn. This incident took place on the way to Hunayn.

See Fath al-Majeed bi Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 139-147; and al-Qawl al-Mufeed by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.

We would remind the questioner that Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allaah have mercy on him) quoted this hadeeth in his blessed book Kitaab al-Tawheed, in the chapter on Seeking blessings from trees, rocks, etc. We advise him to read this, along with the commentary, especially the two commentaries referred to above, as he will learn a great deal from it. And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Islam Q&A
Ref: http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/50147

Using credit cards is haraam (impermissible), even if you pay up within the time limit

Using credit cards is haraam even if you pay up within the time limit

Q. I heard that using credit cards is haraam, but if I am sure that I am going to pay the bank within the time limit, so the bank will not charge any interest, is this also regarded as haraam?.

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Praise be to Allaah.  

What you have heard about credit cards being haraam is correct. That has already been discussed in question no. (13735).

Using them is haraam even if the user is certain that he will pay the bank within the time limit.

It has already been explained in the answer to the question mentioned that they are haraam because the bank lends money to the user in return for interest, and this interest is the price of the annual subscription to the credit card, as well as other interest charges which are to be paid to the bank if the user is late in paying.

The cost of the card is a kind of riba which the user pays to the bank, and this riba is paid by the user whether he pays on time or not. 

Also, the user enters into a contract with the bank which means that he is obliged to pay interest if he delays payment. This is also haraam, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to commit himself to doing something that Allaah has forbidden.

The user may think that he can pay up on time, but then something happens to him that prevents him from doing so, so he pays riba to the bank.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said concerning this kind of contract:

A contract of this type is not permissible, because it involves riba which is the price of the card, and it also means committing to pay interest if payment is delayed.

In another fatwa he said:

This transaction is haraam, because the one who enters into it commits himself to paying riba if he does not pay on time. This is an invalid commitment, even if he believes or thinks it most likely that he will pay it before the time is up, because circumstances may change and he may not be able to pay it off. This is a matter that is in the future, and no one knows what will happen to him in the future. So dealings of this type are haraam.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Ref:  http://islamqa.com/en/ref/13725/