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A Beauty Most Sublime: New On-Demand Course by Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf

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SeekersGuidance is happy to close the year with a new On-Demand course, taught by Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf. The course covers the science of Shama’il, or the description of the Prophet based on the famous hadith by Hind ibn Abi Hala.

Recorded in Cape Town, South Africa at the Mahabbah Foundation’s Annual International Spiritual Retreat 2018, and taught by Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf with translation provided by Shaykh Abdurragmaan Khan.

Habib Muhammad introduces the science of Shama’il, which is a subject obligatory for all Muslims to know. By knowing more about the Prophet’s character and his daily, life, it increases our love for him. When we send peace and blessings on him, he responds back, which solidifies our connection with him.

The famous hadith was narrated by Hind ibn Abi Hala, who was the stepson of the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace. He was a master of the Arabic language, and was extremely skilled at describing people. Furthermore, having being raised in the house of the Prophet, his hadith conveys a lot of love for him.

Benefits of Studying Shama’il

There are many benefits of studying the Shama’il, gathering to remember the Prophet, and reciting his life story. Firstly, it increase our love for him, which is the greatest cause for attaining perfection of faith. Secondly, knowing more about his life helps us understand his biography. Thirdly, we are able to call to mind his image when he is mentioned, which is the greatest way to see him.

For FREE registration, see A Beauty Most Sublime On-Demand Course.

Help us build a support system for Muslim scholars to attend to their most important duty bu donating to  SeekersGuidance and the SeekersGuidance Islamic Scholars Fund, which is at the of its mission.

Share with us our concern for Muslim scholars and allowing them to carry on their mission to spread the prophetic light of guidance and knowledge; despite all the economic burdens that they shoulder.

Give now! Whether it is your zakat or sadaqa, it’s not too late to give your end-of-year charitable donations to a worthy cause, one that pleases Allah and supports the heirs of His prophets in our time.

How Should Inheritors Deal With a Charitable Donation From the Deceased?

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

My friend is a single mother and has five daughters. The only asset she has is her home. She understands that one third must be given to charity but as she only has a house which is the roof over her daughters’ heads, she wants to know how should she divide this asset in her will. Will her daughters need to sell the house to pay the one third to charity on her death?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

It is not obligatory to make a charitable donation (sadaqa) with one third of the estate. Rather, the person making the will (wasiyya) can choose to do something with this amount of their wealth alone, and not the rest.

When asked about leaving a charitable donation of a third of one’s wealth, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) stated, “One third is a huge amount.” [Bukhari] The scholars therefore state that if you are going to give something away, give less than a third. And if there isn’t much in the estate to begin with, or the inheritors are generally poorer, leaving more, or even the entire estate, for them is superior.

Thereafter, the lady in question should specify in her will that her estate is to be distributed according to the rules of inheritance as per Islamic Law. Moreover, she should strive to have this legalised in her country of residence so that it is recognised by the state.

Note that children aren’t the only inheritors of one’s estate; and the specifics of who will inherit will be determined after death. It is normally useful to involve a scholar when the distribution is about to take place to ensure that all inheritors receive their full portion of the estate.

[Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar ‘ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar (5.417); Usmani, Takmilat Fath al-Mulhim (2.64)]

Please also see: Inheritance Laws: Can I Stipulate Other Than the Determined Amounts Mentioned in the Qur’an? and: Dividing an Estate for Inheritance

And Allah Most High knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.

Can I Receive Donations From Non-Muslims?

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Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: Assalam aleykum

I am planning to develop an android app. I am publishing it for free. So I wish to add a donate button so that anyone can donate money to me through PayPal if they wish to. Is it allowed to receive this money?

Answer: assalamu alaykum

This is perfectly permissible. It is established that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) accepted gifts and the like from non-Muslims. [Bukhari]

Please also: Giving & Receiving Gifts

[Ustadh] Salman Younas

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Salman Younas graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies. After studying the Islamic sciences online and with local scholars in New York, Ustadh Salman moved to Amman. There he studies Islamic law, legal methodology, belief, hadith methodology, logic, Arabic, and tafsir.

Can We Donate Eggs or Sperm?

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question : Can we donate eggs or sperm?

Answer: It is not permitted to donate sperm or eggs to third parties, as this would be go against the principles of ascribing lineage to the biological parents.
The Islamic Fiqh Academy, and other bodies, including Al-Azhar’s Fatwa Committee, have studied this matter at length. They concluded that artificial insemination is permitted if only the husband and wife are reproductively involved–even if the fertilization itself occurs outside the mother. It is not permitted to use third party (‘donor’) sperm or eggs, even when either spouse is infertile. Some of the scholars also emphasize that such procedures should only be used when normal means prove ineffective.

And Allah alone gives success
Faraz Rabbani