In this introductory lesson, focus is placed on the lofty status of women in Islam and their prominent and fundamental role in society.

Notes on Rulings Related to the Believing Women

Notes on Rulings Related to the Believing Women - Uways At-Taweel - L1 - Status of Women in Islam

Notes on Rulings Related to  Believing Women - Uways At-Taweel - L1 - The  Status of Women in Islam

Some points discussed during this lesson:

- The capital of the believer. 
- Benefits from the āyāt, “Never did We send a Messenger or a Prophet before you but when he did recite the revelation or narrated or spoke, Shayṭān (Satan) threw (some falsehood) in it. But Allāh abolishes that which Shayṭān (Satan) throws in. Then Allāh establishes His Revelations. And Allāh is All-Knower, All-Wise: That He (Allāh) may make what is thrown in by Shayṭān (Satan) a trial for those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy and disbelief) and whose hearts are hardened. And certainly, the Ẓālimūn (polytheists and wrong-doers) are in an opposition far-off (from the truth against Allāh’s Messenger and the believers). And that those who have been given knowledge may know that it (this Qur’ān) is the truth from your Lord, so that they may believe therein, and their hearts may submit to it with humility. And verily, Allāh is the Guide of those who believe, to the Straight Path.” [Sūrah al-Ḥajj 22: 42-54]
- The three types of hearts mentioned in these verses.
- The type of heart required for knowledge and guidance to be accepted.
- Āyāt regarding the hardened heart.
- Imām al-Qurṭubī on the meaning of a heart being hard. 
- Reflecting upon ourselves and the state of our hearts.
- When the heart is at its absolute worst. 
- Some causes of the hardness of the heart.
- Ghaflah (heedlessness).
- The difference between ghaflah and jahl (ignorance). 
- The difference between intelligence and understanding. 
- The outcome of those who turn away from the remembrance of Allāh.  
- Sins and disobedience. 
- It is Allāh who inspires the servant to make tawbah. 
- A sign that the heart is sick and dying.
- The humiliation that comes with persistence upon sin.
- The attitude we should have when overcome by calamity.
- Sa’īd b. al-Musayyib on the meaning of ‘al-Awwābīn’.
- Negligence concerning that which Allāh has made compulsory upon us.
- The reason Banī Isrā’īl were cursed and their hearts became hard.
- Being busy with the affairs of the dunyā.
- The key to success as it relates to how we approach the dunyā and wealth. 
- Incessant hope for long life.
- An emotional reflection upon the journey of the righteous soul after death.
- Abundant mingling and mixing with the people.
- Al-Manāwī on the inescapable, evil effects of mixing with the one who has no fear of Allāh.
- Not being merciful to the creation. 
- An example of the mercy of the Messenger ﷺ. 
- Al-Manāwī on the actions and characteristics of the one who is void of mercy. 
- Blind/rigid following of an opinion.
- Innovating in the dīn.
- Oppressing others.
- Mālik b. Dīnār on four things that cause a person to be wretched.
- Sahl b. ‘Abdillāh at-Tustarī, Ḥudhayfah al-Mar’ashī and Mālik b. Dīnār on the calamity of hardness of the heart.  
- The worst punishment placed upon a servant. 
- Four things that cause hardness of the heart if done in excess. 
- Characteristics of the hearts that are most beloved to Allāh. 
- The fruits of busying our hearts with Allāh and the ākhirah. 
- A sign that Allāh loves a servant. 
- The defects of the heart and how to rectify them.
- A warning against being heedless regarding Allāh. 

Question:
There are many married sisters who have become young mothers, whose husbands have jobs and careers and they feel like failures. They compare themselves to their age-mates who have degrees and careers and ask their husbands to allow them to study in free-mixing environments that lead to work in free-mixing places due to them chasing dreams, regardless of what their husbands’ wishes are. What is your advice?

Markaz Sunnah Conference

Hardness of the Heart - Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal Davis

A Concise Summary of the Seerah of the Prophet - Sallallahu 'Alaihi Was Salam - Year by Year.

[Lesson 6] Yr 13 To Yr 3 After Hijrah  The Life Of The Prophet In Years By Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal

[Lesson 5] Yrs 10 To 13 Of Prophethood  The Life Of The Prophet In Years By Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal

[Lesson 4] Yrs 5 To 10 Of Prophethood  The Life Of The Prophet In Years By Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal

[Lesson 3] Yrs 4 To 5 Of Prophethood  The Life Of The Prophet In Years By Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal

[Lesson 2] Yrs 1 To 4 Of Prophethood  The Life Of The Prophet In Years By Shaykh Abu Hakeem Bilal

9th February 2025
Our Shaykh Abū Hakīm Bilāl Davis (حفظه الله) gave an enormously comforting lecture regarding the position of the believer regarding having the best thoughts for his Lord, Allāh, highlighting the great status of the acts of worship of the heart: patience, trust, reliance and much more

The following are the points covered in this lecture:
• The Believers Will be Tested and Allāh Praises Aṣ-Ṣābirīn (The Patient)
• Qadr Revolves Around Four Main Areas:
• Allāh Gave Mankind Free Will:
• The Manner in Which One Deals With Those Afflictions Dictates Whether He Will Receive The Pleasure Or The Anger Of Allāh:
• How A Believer Should Deal With Those Trials:
• Regarding The Title ‘Wakīl’:
• Wakīl And Tawwakul Go Hand in Hand:
• Meanings Encompassed Within ‘Al- Wakīl’:
• The Difference Between Trusting in Allāh and Relying Upon Allāh:
• Reliance and Trust Must Be Accompanied By Good Thoughts Of Allāh:
• Hindrances To Duʿāʾ Being Answered:
• Acceptance Of Duʿāʾ Requires The Believer To Have Certain Characteristics:
• The Importance of Firmly Understanding That Allāh is In Control of Everything:
• The Story Of The Man Who Borrowed 1000 Dinars:
• 8 Ways To Achieve Contentment With Allāh’s Decree

Have Good Thoughts of Allāh and Be Pleased With His Decree by Shaykh Abū Hakīm Bilāl Davis

- The importance of the people of knowledge clarifying this newly invented matter that has been attributed to Islām. 
- The history of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ.
- The intention one should have when reasoning with those who celebrate the mawlid.
- Points of benefit taken from a debate between Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) and an individual regarding the mawlid. 
- Is celebrating the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ a good thing or a bad thing?
- Was the Messenger ﷺ and his Companions (رضى الله عنهم) ignorant of this good you claim to know?
- Textual proof to show that this is impossible. 
- Statements from Imām Mālik and Imām ash-Shawkānī (رحمهما الله) on the implications of attributing an innovation to the dīn and deeming it to be good. 
- The obligation of taking the understanding of the dīn from the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ. 
- The importance of protecting the pure Sunnah from those who want to pollute it with innovations. 
- Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) on the manner in which an innovation first appears, and the consequences of not extinguishing it at its inception.
- Doubts/arguments brought by those who celebrate the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ and how to answer them: 
- 1. Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ is not an innovation but is a sunnah ḥasanah/bid’ah ḥasanah. 
- What they cite as proof. 
- The story behind the usage of the terms sunnah ḥasanah/bid’ah ḥasanah. 
- The impossibility of there being any contradiction in the statements of the Messenger ﷺ. 
- The meaning of sunnah ḥasanah. 
- The correct understanding of the statement attributed to ‘Abdullāh b. Mas’ūd (رضى الله عنه), “What the Muslims see to be good, that is good with Allāh.”
- 2. If the mawlid is an innovation, then why is it accepted and celebrated by so many people across the world?
- Clarification that numbers are never a proof.
- “And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allāh's Path.” [Sūrah al-An’ām 6:116]
- 3. All we do in our gatherings is remember the Messenger ﷺ, make dhikr of Allāh, study the Sīrah and recite the Qur’ān. Are these things prohibited/incorrect?
- The problem of singling out one day to carry out these actions. 
- Loving and remembering the Messenger ﷺ throughout the year.
- 4. The dream regarding the lightening of Abū Lahab’s punishment due to him being happy with the birth of the Messenger ﷺ. 
- Clarification that there is nothing authentically documented regarding this narration/dream. 
- The only dreams taken as proof. 
- Distinguishing between a natural occurrence and taking something as an act of worship.
- 5. The Christians respect ‘Īsā (عليه السلام) and celebrate his birthday, and our Messenger is better than him so it is more deserving that we celebrate his birthday ﷺ. 
- The Christians are not to be followed in their kufr and misguidance. 
- 6. Blessings necessitate that we are thankful to Allāh. 
- Their misapplication of this principle.
- Their incorrect use of the ḥadīth regarding the reason for fasting the Day of ‘Āshūrā. 
- The correct way to thank Allāh for sending the Messenger ﷺ. 
7. The Messenger ﷺ would fast on Mondays because it was the day he was born. 
- Clarification that the Messenger ﷺ would fast on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the year. 
- The Messenger ﷺ and his Companions never took it as a day of celebration or instructed us to do so. 
- 8. Rejoicing and being happy with the birth of the Messenger ﷺ is required, with a clear proof from the Qur’ān. 
- Their incorrect tafsīr of the verse, “Say, ‘In the bounty of Allāh and in His mercy - in that let them rejoice’” [Sūrah Yūnus 10:58]. 
- The correct explanation of this verse. 
- How to counter the arguments/claims of Ahlul-Bid’ah. 
- Three things that are necessitated when a person celebrates the birthday of the Messenger ﷺ. 
- An example of the shirk present in the Burdah of al-Būṣayrī. 
- The du’ā of Ibn al-Jawzī (رحمه الله) for those upon misguidance. 

Refuting The Doubts Used To Celebrate The Birthday of The Prophet By Abu Idrees

[08/09/2025]  LESSON 37: Explanation of The Three Fundamental Principles - By Abu Idrees Muhammad Khān حفظه الله  

 Points covered in LESSON 37:

– The Text: The explanation which will make it clear is the saying of Allah, the Most High, “And remember when Ibraaheem said to his father and his people: I am totally free from everything that you worship except for the one who created me, He will guide me upon the true Religion and the way of right-guidance.” And Allah made this saying, that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, to persist among Ibraaheem’s progeny, so that they might remember and return to obedience to their Lord, and to worshipping Him alone, and repent from their unbelief and their sins.” [Surah az-Zukhruf (43): 26-28]. And His Saying, “Say: O People of the Book, come to a word of justice between us, that we will single Allah out with all worship and will not worship anything besides Him, and will disassociate ourselves from everything that is worshipped besides Him. Nor will we take one another as Lords besides Allah by obeying one another in that which involves disobedience to Allah. So if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims, submitting to Allah and making our worship purely and sincerely for Him, and not worshipping anything else besides Him.’” [Surah Ali Imran (3): 64]
– Continuation of the Explanation of Shaykh Ubayd (Rahimahullah)
– Explanation of the pillars of la ilaha illallah from the ayah in Surah Zukhruf.
– The difference between asnām (idols) and awthān (trees, stones, graves) explained by Shaykh Fawzan
– The ayah is a refutation of the people of Quraysh.
– Explanation of the ayah in Surah Ali Imran.
– This ayah is a proof to show the message of the Messenger is for all of mankind.
– Clarification of our relationship with the Jews and Christians in respect to the religion and the worldly affairs.
– Refutation of the unity of religions.
– Proofs from the Qur’an showing that the only religion accepted by Allah is Islam.
– The virtues of Prophet Ibrahim alayhisalam.
– Meaning of bara’ah (freeing oneself).
– Reflection of the beauty of the Arabic language.
– The categories of guidance.
– Explanation of Shaykh Fawzan
– The three principles are connected to the three questions that will be asked in the grave.
– The various meanings of  Deen in the Arabic language.
– Explanation of the necessity of knowing Islam with proofs.
– Exhortation to seek knowledge through authentic sources and making thorough preparations to meet our Lord.
